Christ down from above or to descend that is to bring Christ from beneath c. but the word to wit Christ is nigh thee in the heart and in the mouth to be obeyed and done and this is the Word of Faith that Paul preached nigh in the heart Even Christ in them â—he living hope that was as an Anchor to their Souls sure and stedfast the hope of Glory And Paul exhorted the Corinthians to examine themselves and to prove themselves whether they were in the Faith whether they knew not Christ to be in 2 â—or 13. 5. them except they were Reprobates And John in his writing to the Saints reminds them of that within which they had heard from the beginning and says to them Let that remain in you to wit The word which was in the beginning which you have heard from the beginning and if it shall remain in you ye shall continue in the Son and in the Father and tells them That they should not need that any man should teach them but as the anoynting which they had received of God abiding in them should teach them which was the Truth to wit Christ the Truth in them the anoynted the anoâ—nting And as he had and did teach them so they were to abide in him so they knew Christ in them witnessed the Power of God within the Truth witâ—iâ— the Word nigh in their hearts the Spirit of God in their inward parts by which they were led guided taught anâ— instructed For so many as are the Sons of God saith Paul are led by the Spirit of God and he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his and this gave them an understanding in the things of God even the Spirit of God For no man knows the things of God saith Paul but by the Spirit â—f God through which he was made anable Minister of the New 1 Cor. 2. 10 11 12 Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit which giveth life And he Preached the everlasting Gospel Christ the Power of God the Word nigh in the heart and said If our Gospel be hid it is hid from them that are lost in whom Mark in whom the God of the world the Prince of the power of the Air that wicked spirit that worketh in the hearts of the children of disobedience hath blinded their minds lest the light of the glorious Gospel Christ Jesus should shine in and unto them But God who commandeth light to shine out of darkness hath shined Mark in our hearts to give us the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus and we have this treasure in the Earthen vessel that the glory may be of God and not of us so the Saints Preached up Christ the Word of Life the Light the Truth within and Rom 1. 19. 1 Cor. 12. 7. Tit. 2. 11. said That which is is to be known of God is manifest in them and Paul says That the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall and the free Grace of God saith he Mark that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that we denying ungodliness and worldly lusts should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world And the Saints they witnessed their reconciliation and were born again they felt and knew that in themselves of which they were born again even Christ 1 Pet. 23 24 25. in them the Seed incorruptible the Word of God which lives and abides for ever by which they were begotten again unto God and quickened by the Word of life even they who were once as dead stones were raised up as living Children unto Abraham and so they came to taste that the Lord was good and gracious to taste and handle of the Word of Life and to seed upon the Bread 1 Cor. 12. 13. of Life and to drink of the Cup of Blessing and so by one Spirit were baptised into one body and were made to drink into one Spirit wherein they worshipped and served the Lord God and had Unity with the Lord in and through the Eternal Spirit and Unity one with another which united their Souls unto each other and unto the Lord God over all blessed for ever Ah dear people you in whose hearts there is true desires and secret thirstings after the living God where-ever ye are scattered among the many Sects and people towards you doth my soul yea my tender soul yearn and stream with love and good-will and for your sakes dear people doth my Soul travel in the womb of Supplication that you might come to enjoy that which you are seeking after and come to possess that you are thristing for and for your sakes mostly is this written in tender bowels of unfeigned love and pity to your souls And dear people you that have true desires in you after the Lord and hath been seeking of him where you cannot find him and hath been running from Mountain to Hill and from Hill to Mountain from one broken Cistern to another from one dead Form to another but still are unsatisfied and are sensible that you still notwithstanding your long profession and confession of God and Christ in words and notwithstanding your practicing some things that you read of which the Saints once performed in obedience of the Spirit of Truth which led them thereunto want the feeling enjoyment of the Love and sweet Peace of God and go groaning daily under the burden of the bondage of sin and corruption and desires to be set free therefrom Oh dear people retire retire with your minds inward you who have been seeking a God a far off and hunting after the Lord without retire to within and wait to know the Lord God near you to know his pure Truth in your inward parts his pure Spirit in you to lead and guide you to teach and instruct you for God is a Spirit and his teachings are spiritual he must be known in Spirit worshipped in Spirit and in Joh 4. 21 22 23 24. Truth not at the Mountain neither at Jerusalem not in this set Form nor in the other Form As lo here and lo there but in the Spirit is the Lord God known and worshipped aright by them who are born of the Spirit And so the spiritualized people who are born oâ— the Spirit and lives in the Spirit and are taught and led by the Spirit of Truth these are the peculiar people who Worship the God of Truth who is a Spirit in the Spirit and in the Truth and these are acceptable Worshippers with the Lord who own no Worship but his own which he teacheth his people by his Spirit and they that is ignorant of the Spirit of God they are ignorant of the true Worship of God which is in the Spirit and although such may seem to Worship God yet their Worship is not of God nor accepted with God It is the purified Sons of Levy who have passed through
dark place untill the Day had more and more dawned and until Christ the Day-Star had arisen in my Heart over all my Enemies but my mind was still gazing abroad and imagining a God afar off and he was very nigh me but I knew him not but was hunting abroad in my Imaginations for that which was within me the Pearl of great Price was hid in my Heart but I knew it not the Kingdom of God was at hand but I was gazing for it abroad whilst it in measure was working in my Heart like Leaven hid in three measures of Meal c. the Door into the Fold the Entrance into Rest was within but I was seeking it abroad my Saviour was nigh but I imagined him afar off and knew him not nigh neither did any man in those dayes direct my mind unto the Light and Gift of Christ in my own Heart And as for the Teachers of the People even they in the highest Profession of God in words were ready they being so ignorant and unsensible of the Gift of God in themselves to speak Blasphemy of the pure spiritual Light of Christ within as many Professors do at this day yet notwithstanding make a large Profession and Confession of Christ in Words though in Works deny him and to say that which troubles a man for his sins is a temptation of Sathan and thereby instead of directing the mind to the Light draw away the mind more from the Light and such are blind and are under the wo that call Light Darkness Good Evil and are in that Spirit they were who though great Professors said concerning Christ He is Mad and hath a Devil why hear ye him but as some then replyed and said Are these the works of him that hath a Devil Can the Devil open the Eyes of the Blind so I may say Is it the Devils work to discover Sin and judge condemn and trouble a man in the unconverted state for Sin or is it not his work to lull People a sleep in Sin and to cry peace to them in their Iniquities and to keep them satisfied with a profession of God without the possession of a holy undefiled Life Is it his work to destroy his own Kingdom which is Sin surely no that is only and alone the Work of Christ the Light of the World made manifest within to destroy the Devil and his works he brings Trouble upon the Transgressor and ministers Judgement against the Evil doer he kindles a Fire in the earthly Heart and raiseth Trouble Wars and great Tribulation within before he be known to be the Prince of Peace the Sabboth the everlasting Rest for the Soul And now I know infallibly that that which in those dayes did bring trouble upon me for my Sins and checked and judged for Evil and begat good desires in me after the Lord was the pure Witness of God the manifestation of his Spirit the Light of his Son Christ Jesus a measure of his free Grace and Truth in my own Heart and if ten Thousand should assert or affirm the contrary I know their Testimony will be a Lye But oh alas for me after all this long Visitation of the Love Goodness and Mercy of the Lord to my Soul and after all this trouble of Mind travel of Spirit desiring and seeking after the Lord I got oh I got into a false ease in the fleshly Nature and in a wrong liberty and false security as it is with many Professors at this day who once were low broken and tender in Heart mourning under the load and burden of of Sin having sincere desires to serve God in holiness of Life who are now gotten into the form and likeness of that they then hungred and thirsted after and are therewith satisfied and feeding themselves with others Words and without Knowledge without Life and so are gotten at ease in the Pride Fashions and Vanity of the World and are at liberty in the Flesh counting it their Freedom to do those things that once was their Burden and Bondage and I became careless and by disobedience I quenched the strivings of the Light of Christ in me insomuch as the Burden Trouble and Sorrow which once lay heavy upon my Mind I felt little of although the Original and real cause which occasioned the Burden Sorrow and Trouble which was my sins was not taken away but augmented and I through Rebellion had almost murdered the just and holy one in me and had so grieved and wounded the Spirit of the Lord that it had almost ceased striving with me though at sometimes it would bring former things to my remembrance and then some trouble and sorrow would seize upon me for a time but I soon got over it again and turned from the Grace into Wantonness and so forgot the Lord whom I had formerly desired and sought after and my Heart ran a whoreing after my old Lovers with my Face turned back again to Egypt the Land of Darkness Wickedness the Bondage-House of Sin and Corruption which before was partly turned towards Canaan the Land of Light Life and Rest and so ran into such Evils as I had formerly been kept out of by a secret Power which I then knew not and I grew wanton careless and wicked and my Mind and Heart taken off seeking the Lord and run into and after the Vanity Pleasures and Idleness of the World delighting much in Musick and Dancing Sporting and Gaming and so made merry over the pure Witness of God by sinning and rebelling against it and by rejecting its reproof and strivings Oh oh the patience and long-suffering of the Lord was large towards me in that day who long waited to be Gracious to my Soul Day after Day Year after Year who in his Justice might have cut me off in my Sins and Rebellion and even have made me an Example of his Wrath but oh his mercy his mercy and long-suffering was exceeding large to me which by my Soul is not to be forgotten but in and by the Spirit of Truth which brings former things to my remembrance and sheweth things to come am I to be kept in a living sence and remembrance of the great mercy long-patience long-forbearance and long-suffering of the Lord God of Compassion towards me and in the sense thereof he is worthy to be praised and honoured by my Soul who would not that I should perish from his presence forever For after all this the Lord the tender God of tender bowels of compassion was pleased to visit my poor Soul again even for his pure Seeds sake which he had not forgotten but he remembred the Poor and Needy the Captive exile to deliver him out of the hand of him that was too strong for him and to loose him that he might not wholly die in the Pit and perish in the miery Clay and Gods precious Truth pure Way of Righteousness and everlasting Gospel of Light Life and Peace I heard preached and declared by his
remember that in which God first appeared viz. the measure of Gods Gift or Grace in their Hearts there to stay their Minds often mentioning the command of God to Jacob who after many Tryals Travels and Exercises and after God had given him great encrease of Riches as Flocks and Herds VVives and Children which he devided into three Bands in order to meet his Brother Esau admiring the goodness of the God of his Fathers who had given him all that Riches who only with his Staff did some time before travelled over Jordan yet after all this God commanded him to go to Bethel the place where the Lord at first appeared to him when he fled from his Brother Esau there to dwell and erect an Alter and call upon his Name He often had it upon him to put Friends in mind of speaking the true Language to say thee or thou to a single Person without respect of Persons the contrary being false and so out of the Truth it was likewise much upon him to exhort Friends to feel the concern of Truth upon their Spirits that in the true sence thereof they might feel the drawing of the Love of God to Meet and Assemble themselves together in his Name and Fear and that they might truly know and understand the end of their meeting and what God therein requires of them that they might not go to Meetings as many People go to their Church as they call it to be a little serious while they are there and when they are gone thence let their minds out as if they had left their God behind them such a coming to meetings would not stand any one in stead in a time of Exercise or a day of Tryal much might be writ as to the good Exhortations Admonitions Advice and good-Counsel which oftentimes opened in his Heart in the Meetings and Assembles of Friends but I must refer my friendly Reader to the persual of his Cordial and Soul refreshing Epistles as in the Life they are Read by which they were given forth for his or her further satisfaction only I cannot pass by as not to mention his frequent wrestlings in Prayer with the Lord for the good of all but more especially for those of the Houshold of Faith not forgetting the Sufferers of all sorts whether in Body or in Mind particularly such as suffer Imprisonment for the Testimony of a good Conscience he often prayed that God would be pleased to make the Prison as a Pallace to them through the incomes of his heavenly Life and blessed Presence in and to their Souls and such as lay upon a Bed of Sickness that God would be their Comfort such as travelled by Sea or Land in the Work or Service of the Lord that he would be their Support and by his living Power and Presence them accompany that their Service might be effectual they enabled with cheerfulness to undergo what it should please God to permit or suffer to befal them for their Testimony sake he often interceeded with God for his very Enemies having learned that Lesson to love Enemies that it would please the Lord to turn their Hearts and to open their Eyes that they may see against whom they are striving and against whom they are setting themselves in battle aray as Bayers Thorns against consuming Fire that they might behold him whom with their Sins they had Pierced whom in his Members they had Persecuted that they might mourn over him and if it were the will of God Repent Return be Converted and Healed he oft remembred this the Land of his Nativity in his Suplications to God that it would please him if so it seemed good in his sight to prevent those impending Judgments that hang over it ready like a dreadful Tempest to break and fall upon it by its speedy Repenting and breaking off from those great Sins and Evils that abound and superabound in it which in Nature seem to Equal if not Exceed the Sins of Sodom and that it would please God if that it seemed good in his sight to frustrate confound and bring to nought the devices contrivances and consultations of that wicked Spirit and those wicked Instruments that device contrive and consult its Overthrow and Destruction Thus did the Love of God flow from the Heart of this Servant of his not only to Friends but to Enemies having so learned of his Master Christ Jesus whom he faithfully served in his Generation and with whom he forever resteth Now Friends having hinted something of the Testimony this good man bore for God in Life and Conversation and also in Word and Doctrine having a dispensation of the Word of Life committed to him to declare to others he being an able Minister of the same now it remains to speak something of his Testimony he bore for God in Suffering it was not only given him to Believe but to Suffer for the Name of Christ in which by the permission of God he had a large share especially by Imprisonment which many times was long and tedious had he not been supported by the Power of God for whose Cause he Suffered and in whose Will he was truly contented to undergo what wicked men were permitted to inflict upon him for his Conscience sake towards God eying the Will of God in all in which was his Peace and true lasting Satisfaction the principal places of his Imprisonment were at Yarâ—oth Norwich-Castle Blibro Melton Ipswich and Edmonds-Bury in the last of which he remained a close Prisoner scarce setting his Foot over the Threshold in five Years time he was several times a Prisoner in Melton Goal as likewise in the County Goal at Ipswich where he breathed his last Breath in which two places latterward my self with several of our Friends in and about Woodbridg were Prisoners with him as particularly in this Persecution which began five Years since by Edmond Brume Priest of Woodbridg but committed by Justice Bacon and Justice Bohon for refusing to take an Oath where he remained Prisoner about half a Year but after some breathing space our old Persecuting Adversary Priest Brume began afresh to breath out his Threatnings like the Persecutors of old and getting a Justice for his turn began to stir up the Town Officers and disturb our Meeting who of themselves might be unwilling and upon the 12th day of the 6th month 1683 there came to our Meeting the aforesaid Officers wherâ— our dear Friend William Bennit was upon his Knees in Prayer to God from which he was violently haled away by one Robert Chapman a Constable being put forward thereto by John Firman Church warden and with several others of us taken out of our peaceable Meeting at Woodbridg and carried before Edmond Jenny of Bredfeild Justice who committed us to Melton Goal for being at a Quaker-Meeting which is contrary to Law as saith the Mittimas at which this innocent man greatly rejoyced that the Lord see it meet for him to bear his Testimony in
it worketh not without the Soul 's yeilâ—ing obedience thereunto so far as to work its translation yet not the Soul's work but the work of God in and upon the Soul for though Christ is come a Light into the World and is the Salvation of God yet they that believe not in him he is their Condemnation and yet sufficient Salvation to them who believe in him and obey him for as the Light manifesteth Evil yet if the Creature yeild not obedience thereunto he cannot have â—ower over the Evil but if he yeild obedience to the Light it gives him power over Evil yet not the Creatures Power but the Power of God which begetteth thâ— Will and â—h◠〈◊〉 also therefore perfect obedience to the Light the Lord requireth of every one and daily to Watch and Wrestle â—gainst that which is condemnable by the Light for so long as the Creature knowingly lives in that whether in Words â—â— Deedâ— that it seeth to be reprovable by the Light it cannot injoy perfect peace with God for the peace of God is enjoyed iâ— the Light and truely if that Condemn surely the Lord doth not Justifie though many believe they are Justified in the sight of God through Christ although the Witness of God leâ—s them see that they are yet in their Sins and condemns them for Sin and this Faith or rather Unbelief which leads them to believe that they nor none else can be made free from all Sin on this side the Grave and yet they imagin that they are free from it in the sight of God but beware of that Faith for it is accursed and is not the true Faith which is the gift of God which through Christ saveth from all Sin for that Faith admits of Sin but the Faith of Gods Elect sets free from all Sin for where the Wicked one hath seated this Faith or Perswasion in the Heart it is hard indeed for such a one to come to Live in the Life of Truth which is holy for as the Light doth let the Soul see it is in its Sins and brings Trouble and Condemnation upon the Mind for Sin and begets a desire also in the Heart to be freed from Sin for it feels it lie as a weighty load upon its Conscience behold even then the Wicked one who hath begot this perswasion in the Creature that it cannot be freed from all Sin here though freed from Sin in the sight of God and this perswasion causes the Creature to do dispite to the Spirit of Grace and strive to quench its Reproofs and so get at ease in that cursed Faith and in that wrong Believe and sit down short of the Peace of God so that which begot desires in the Creature to be freed from Sin comes to be vailed and slain and many Thousands are in this State who are large Boasters who are boasting that they are Justified by Christ and that Christ hath done all for them and if they can believe it that is sufficient and yet still in their Sins Now the Apostle Paul saith If while we seek to be Justiâ—â—ed by Christ we our selves be found Sinners Is Christ therefore the Minister of Sin God forbid and he saith Shall we continue in Sin that Grace may abound God forbid for how can we who are Dead to Sin Live any longer therein and he said They who are Justified by Faith through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus which Redemption is a redeeming out of Sin and their Faith gave them power over the World and did not admit of Sin as the Professors Faith doth who believe they can never be free from all Sin in this Life Oh in tender Love I beseech you to beware of that Delution and Perswasion of the Wicked one for it is very dangerous and a broad way which the Creature is prone to run into now there is a great difference betwixt such who with the Light seeth much Sin which they are addicted unto yet to be subdued and it is their sore Burden and they in the strength of the Light wrestle against it and so feel it daily decrease and that Faith begoâ— by which they see and believe that they shall be made Conquerors over all as they abide faithful to the Light which lets them see Sin I say there is a great difference betwixt such as are there in that State travelling out of Sin out of Egypt where the Bondage is towards Sion where the Freedom is and such as are sate down satisfied in a false Confidence and in a wrong Belief continuing in their Sins and believe they shall not be free from it here but you know otherwise therefore in the Life of what you know abide for truly it is the Life that must make alive and keep alive to God which Life is the Light of men the true Light which lighteth every one thaâ— cometh into the World and is the Salvation of God and therein wait and feel your Minds exercised in its operation for this changeth the Mind the Thoughts the Affections and Desires for as they have been Earthly so they become Heavenly and it becomes the Souls delight to answer the end of the Lord and to endeavour to walk worthy of his Love and it becomes its Life to do the Will of God and to follow the Leadings of his Spirit which leadeth out of Evil but before this be witnessed the strait and narrow Way must be known felt and lived in and there must be a passing through the Fire through the Water through the one Baptizing which baptiseth into Death and so translateth into Life in which Life it will become your Life to do the Will of God Oh dear Father and Mother keep I beseech you to the Gift of God in your own particulars and be obedient to its Leadings and therein watch diligently continually and with it try your Thoughts and Words and Intents before you bring them forth and if they be reprovable give theâ— up to the Light the Fire to be consumed dear Hearts it is in unexpressible Love that I write thus unto you and be very wary of spaking things by contraries which you are addicted to for there is no Lye of the Truth and he that abideth in the Truth is preserved out of the Lye he that loveth the Light bringeth his Deeds to the Light to try them whether they be wrought in God so be not forward to utter Words but feel the Light of Christ to guide and lead you and bring your Thoughts and Words to it to try them whether you may speak them yea or nay now if they be reprovable by the Light then they are to dye and not be brought forth for if they be this grieveth the Righteous Spirit of God and breaks your Peace with the Lord for if his Witness Condemn he doth not Justifie so the Creature keeping low in the pure Fear and Dread of the Lord it dare not do that whether in Thought Word or Deed which it
them they receive power through it to become the Sons of God for through his Grace doth he manifest his power in them that believe in the Light to the drawing of their hearts and minds out of the ungodliness and worldly lusts and to the teaching of them to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world and thus the free Grace of God bringeth Salvation to their Souls And so dear people thus you who come to believe in the Light to love and obey the Light in your own Consciences will come to feel and witness the work of the Lord God in your hearts the working and opperation of the Word of Life to the casting out of the Bond-woman and her Son which is not to inherit to the binding of the strong man and casting of him out yea the Old man with his deeds is to be put off and you renewed in the spirit of your minds and the new Man is to Eph. 4. 20 21 22 23. be put on who after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness to put him on and to bring him forth before all men the only begotten Son of God who is full of Grace and Truth Mercy and Love Pity and Compassion Purity and Holiness and Good-will towards all who loveth Enemies and doth good to them that hate him c. So coming to the Light Christ Jesus you come to the Substance to him in whom the Figures Types and Shaddows end in and so come to witness him in you who fulfils all Righteousness he who is the end of the Law for â—ighteousness sake unto them that believe in him and to be Circumcised in him with the Circumcision Col. 2. 11 12. made without hands by the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the Circumcision of Christ which the outward Circumcision was a figure of and to witness the Baptism of Christ which is with the Holy Ghost and fire which John's Baptism with water outward was a true figure of and he bore Testimony unto Christ the Light of the world who said I must decrease but he must increase I indeed baptise you with water but he Christ Jesus who was before me shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire whose fan is in his hand and he shall throughly purge his floor the Wheat he shall gather into his Garner but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire So the outward water was but a type the outward washing a type of the inward washing and inward cleansing and inward purging and purifying by the Water of Life or the Blood of Jesus that cleanseth from all sin which is felt thus to work in them who believe in the Light and walk in the Light and they come to know that begotten in them that feeds upon the flesh of Christ which is the living Bread upon which the living Soul seeds and is the Substance which the Bread and Wine outward did figure out which the Manna that God gave the Israel of old in the Wilderness was a pure type of the heavenly Manna the living Bread vvhich the birth that is born of God feeds upon and lives thereby and grows up into Eternal life The day of gathering is come wherein the Lord God of everlasting bowels of Compassion is a gathering the despersed and seeking that which was lost and bringing back that which was driven away and healing that Ezek. 34. 12 13 14 9 16. which was sick and binding up that which was broken but the strong and the fat he is feeding with Judgment The Lord is a gathering people out of the Forms Shels and Shadows wherein many have long stuck and is bringing of them to the Substance and life it self out of the many Sects and heaps and divers ways into the one pure path into the one way of Life Light Peace Truth and Righteousness who by the one Spirit hath and is baptising them who believe in the Light 1 Cor. 12. 13 into the one body wherein the unity the oneness and the fellowship is witnessed blessed be his Name The way of the Lord is pure and Righteous and unchangable I am the Way the Truth and the Life saith Christ John 14. 6. Rom. 10. 8 John 12. 46. 8. 12. the immortal Word which saith Paul is nigh in the heart to be obeyed and done This is he the Light the Salvation of God the true Light that lighteth every man that commeth into the world who saith None can come unto the Father but by me I am come a Light into the world saith Christ that whosoever believe in me shall not abide in darkness but shall have the light of life Therefore dear people love the Light and believe in the Light while ye have the Light that so you may become children of the Light and become heirs of an Inheritance incorruptible that will never fade away There is no obtaining the Crown but through the Cross and this you will come to know who come to love the Light and to be taught of him and to learn of him who is meek and low in heart Mat 11. 29 and 6. 13. and 10. 38. and to follow him in the strait and narrow way that leads to life which few there be that find it and walk therein He that will be my Disciple saith Christ must deny himself and take up his dayly Cross and follow me This you will come to feel and witness if you be followers of the Light a dayly denying of self you will know a denying of your own wills your own desires your own thoughts your own affections your own words and works your own wisdom and righteousness and a daily taking up the Cross an hourly living in the Cross through which you must come to be crucified to the World its Vanity its Pomp Pastime and Pleasures Sins and Iniquities vain Words Psal 6. 14 Works Fashions Customs Inventions and Traditions so coming to be crucified with Christ unto the world and to be Baptised into death with him unto sin you will come to live with him unto God in the life of Righteousness in whom then you will find that Rest Satisfaction Joy Comfort and Peace which no man can give unto you So dear people who are seeking and desiring after the Lord God to find peace and comfort to your souls this I leave with you flee not from that which doth judg you in your own hearts for sin and evil and bring trouble upon you and sorrow upon you and woundeth and pierceth you in secret because of Transgression I say love that flee not from it for oh dear people how many is there that when they have been judged by Gods pure light in their hearts for their sins when trouble and sorrovv and distress hath seized on them because of their sins vvhich Gods Witness hath set in order before their eyes then have they run unto vain helps and run unto man for
help even to those that could not speak a vvord in season to them but have daubed them up vvith untempered Morter and have endeavored to heal their vvound deceitfully and have preached Peace to that vvhich is for judgment and so thereby they have gotten some kind of satisfaction for a time until the Lord vvounded them again with the Sword of his Righteous Judgments then their seeming rest fled away as smack before the wind and sorrow trouble took hold on them again as pain on a Woman in travel and then they have run again unto that which could not remove the very cause of their trouble and sorrow they have run to the Scriptures of Truth and therein have found a promise and this they have applied to themselves for to get peace and rest thereby when alas poor hearts they have not been in that state and condition which that promise which they applied to themselves was unto and so not for them and then they have read what the Saints once did and performed and they set themselves to do the like and to imitate them and so hereby for a time they have gotten some satisfaction some kind of rest and peace until the Lord God did thunder again with Dread and uttered his Voice with Terror which caused the Earth to tremble and their habitation to fall and then dissolation came upon them again and their Fig-leave garment came to be rent and their wound greater then ever it was before and thus they have run from Mountain to Hill from one Physitian to another for healing but they were unto them as Physitians of no value for none of them could rightly heal their wounds until at last they said in their hearts We will seek no more unto man for vain is the help of man But we will return unto the Lord God who hath wounded us and he will heal us who hath broken us in peices and he will bind us up and so returning to the light of Christ Jesus in their own hearts with which the Lord hath wounded them for their sins and brought trouble and sorrow upon them for their iniquities waiting therein in patience upon the Lord God in the way of his Righteous Judgments which was set up in their hearts they came to feel through their believing in the Light and loving the Light by which they were wounded for sin the cause of their sorrow and trouble and wounds taken away by the Blood of Jesus which is his life which they came to feel iâ— them cleansing of them from their sins and washing of them away and so the very cause of their wound being taken away and the corruption purged out then he the tender pitiful compassionate God of Mercy that in mercy towards them had wounded them healed them with the sweet Oyl of joy peace and gladness and now these that vvere mourners do rejoyce and they that vvere heavy hearted are made glad and beauty is given them for ashes and the oyl of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness and are become Trees of Righteousness the Lords own planting bringing forth fruit to his glory and praise vvho hath thus set them free from their sorrovv and trouble These can say Good it is to wait upon the Lord God in the Isa 26. 8. 2â— 9. way of his Judgments Lo this is the Lord whom we have waited for this is our God we have waited for him come let us rejoyce in his Salvation wherewith he hath saved us he hath redeemed us out of the horrible Pit out of the miry clay hath he brought us and set our feet upon a Rock and doth establish our goings who filleth our Souls with the fatness of his house and causeth us to drink of the River of his Pleasure and to suck and be satisfied with the Consolation of the Brest and to milk out and be delighted in the abnundance of the sweetness of its vertue Oh what what shall we render unto the Lord unto the Lord our God for his benefits oh what shall we render unto him for his Mercies what shall we render unto him for his loving kindness Oh! let us take the Cup of his Salvation and drink thereof abundantly and in the strength of the vigour of its vertue let us in the meekness of our hearts and in the lowliness and contriteness of our Souls praise praise the Name of the Lord our God who is worthy of all Glory and Praise for ever and for evermore A few words more unto you dear people who desire more after the love and peace of God then the glory and pleasures of the world Dear people take heed unto that which discovers unto you what are your thoughts whether they be good or evil for that is it which must redeem your minds unto God and wait to come to know it to be a stay to your minds and a stop to your thoughts and a bridle to your tongues and to cause a watch before your mouth and to raise a holy fear in your hearts of offending the Righteous God of Righteousness in thought in word in deed And dear people who have so much depended and relied upon man for teaching retire you with your minds inward to the manifestation of the Spirit of God in your own hearts and wait in it to come to know the Lord God to be your Teacher â—hat if you should be separated from those that have been your Teachers and put into a Hole a Dungeon or Cave of the Earth for your Consciences towards God and so be separated from all your teaching outward you may then feel find and witness the Lord to teach you to instruct you counsel and direct you comfort and refresh you even by his pure Eternal Spirit in you for all the children of the Lord shall be taught of the Lord and established in Righteousness and great shall be their peace in the God of their Salvation unto whom unto whom be glory glory honour and praise for ever and evermore for he is vvorthy he is vvorthy vvorthy saith my soul unto whom be glory in the highest Amen So dear people for your sakes mostly was these foregoing lines written in obedience to the tender spirit of love in my heart vvhich drew me thereunto and in tender unfeigned love and pure good-will to your souls vvho have had and still have true desires in your hearts after the Lord and have been and still are thirsting and hungering after the vvay of Truth and Righteousness and have been and still are seeking and hunting among the husks shells and shadows for to find the substance but still fail of your expectation and cannot find true and perfect satisfaction but secretly in your hearts are panting and thirsting after the living vvater and are vveary of feeding upon the husks and begin to say within your selves to each other Come vve have been long vvandering abroad hunting after the Lord afar off seeking of him in
this Form and in the other Form running from Mountain to Hill from one Man to another to enquire for him vvhom our Souls long for but vve still vvant the true enjoyment of him And although man hath told us vve should find him there in this Way and in the other Way in this Form and in the other Form in this Ordinance and the other Ordinance wherein we have been tossed about and turned from one broken Cistern to another but still wâ— want true satisfaction for our souls for we want the true enjoyment of the assurance of the Love and Peace of God wherefore come let us no longer hunt abroad nor run any longer from one man to another But oh come let us retire our minds inward and in stillness and quietness in sollidness and seriousness let us wait upon the Lord and he himself will teach us of his wayes and lead us into the path of Righteousness where we shall meet him whom our souls hath long panted after even as the Hart panteth after the water Brooks wherefore let us wait upon the Lord for the Lord is good to the man that waiteth for him to the â—am 3 25 26. Soul that seeketh him Therefore come let us both hope and quietly without hunting any more abroad wait to find and feel in our selves the salvation of the Lord that so we may in truth come to find and to say He is come he is come and made manifest in us whom our souls longed after and behold his reward is with him even joy comfort peace rest and satisfaction to our souls Lo this is the Lord we have waited for him Lo this is our God whom vve have vvaited for novv let us rejoyce and be glad in his salvation and praise his Eternal Name I say dear people tovvards you is the opening and yearning of my bovvels in the casting of this my Mite amongst you in the meekness and humility of my soul and the God of Heaven for his ovvn Seed sake make it a service of good to you And then vvill the onely end of my soul herein be ansvvered thereby vvho am your friend and one vvho desires that you off the barren mountains may be gathered and brought dovvn into the lovv valley into the fresh pastures of life vvhere you may feed vvith Gods Babes and Lambs and lie dovvn in the sold of rest and peace that you might find bread in your own houses and vvater in your cisterns the oyl in the Cruse that vvill not fail but vvill satisfie your souls in drought and make fat your bones that you might become like a vvatered garden and like a spring of vvater whose vvaters fail not Take this as a Salutation of the love and good-vvill of my soul to you vvho am a friend to all people one that ovvns and desires to tender nourish strengthen the least appearance of God in any A lover of honesty and uprightness in vvhomsoever I find it but a hater of hypocrisie and deceit A Traveller in the vvomb of supplication for the restoring and gathering in of the scattered sheep and bringing home the dispierced of the Fold that all may knovv one sheep-fold and one shepherd From one of the least amongst many of the chosen Generation and peculiar people of God called Quakers vvhose earthen vessel is knovv by this Name WILLIAM BENNIT Postscript DEar People you in whose hearts there is some tenderness and conscienciousness towards the Lord God if you because of by-ends and self-interests and through letting in by your reasoning and consulting with flesh and blood the slavish fear of man whose breath is in his Nostrils and can but if by God permitted kill the body doth consent and condescend thereby for to save your selves from or out of sufferings either by body or estate to do and joyn with that which you are really perswaded in your hearts is quite contrary to the mind and will of God and so knows it to be evil and also contrary to your own Consciences hereby in so doing you may engage the Lord God against you in your fearing man more then God and come to loose your tenderness and conscienciousness to God-ward and so hardness of heart may come upon you and so you wholly die and wither away as to all tenderness and conscienciousness towards God even as grass upon the house top But you dear people in whom there is tenderness and conscienciousness towards the Lord God if you be faithful to the Lord in your not joyning with nor consenting to do the thing for any by-ends or private interests whatsoever although it be set up and tollerated and compelled to be done by a Law from man which you are in your hearts truly and really perswaded is evil and contrary to the mind and will of God and also contrary to your own Consciences but rather are willing to expose your selves to suffer whatever the Lord God of Almighty power and everlasting strength before whose Eternâ—l Almightiness and Everlasting Powerfulness all the strength and power of the Arm of flesh is even like a puff of smoak before a mighty wind shall suffer man who to day is and to morrow is not to inflict upon you you hereby will even engage the Lord God of everlasting bowels of infinite compassion who is and will be a strength to the poor feeble weak and needâ— a shadow unto them from the heat a refuge unto them from the storm when the blast of the terrible One come upon them like an overflowing flood to stand for you and to help you in your need and in your greatest straights when you as Peter are ready to cry Help Lord I sink to appear to and for you in the greatest measure of his love who right well knows what you have need of to minister strength unto you proportionable to your tryals And hereby dear people â—our tenderness and conscientiousness may dayly increase and you come to make conscience of that which you have not made conscience of and then you may come to find and witness that this day of tryals sufferings and tribulations is a blessed day to you and turneth through the mercy and loving kindness of the Lord towards you for your good so that you may come to bless and praise his name for it unto whom be praise and glory for evermore But a woful day to Hypocrites who hath gotten on a garment of profession of God and Christ c for a cloak to cover their unrighteousness and deceit an unwelcome day to them a terrible day to them for it will stain their crowns and mar their beauty and subdue their strength and slay their power and pull down their strong holds rip off their sheeps cloathing pull down their gay Tombs and painted Sepulchres and their rottenness stink and nakedness will appear So be it so be it Amen saith my soul For Friends of Truth in the Town of Yarâ—outh DEar Friends whom the Lord God Almighty hath
and at the remembrance of Sion and in the sence of thy separation from her thou didst pant oh my soul thou didst pant after Sion the Land of thy nativity Oh! as the Hart panâ—eth after the water brooks crying in the anguish of thy sorrow how long Lord how long shall I be a captive in a strange Land with longing dâ—sires in thy heart after Sion thinking in thy heart oh when shall I walk with the ransomed of the Lord upon the Mountain of Sion and travel with the Lords redeemed in the streets of Jerusalem and in that day oh my soul the Lord for his own Seeds sake had regard unto thy cries and thy tears and sorrows was not hid from the view of his tender pitiful eye and in tender mercy and bowels of compassion towards thee he through his free love unto thee brought thee forth out of Babilon the Land of thy captivity and set thy face towards Sion thy desired rest oh my soul But oh oh my soul how oft wert thou bewildered in thy going even after thy face was turned towards Sion travelling thitherward saying in thy heart oh I will go joyn my self unto Sion in a perpetual Covenant which shall never be broken losing thy way some times wandering as it were in the wilderness in the deserts and solitary places hungry and thirsty my soul even fainting with weakness and then didst thou cry unto the Lord in thy distress and he helpt thee out of all thy troubles he took thee by the right hand and brought thee into the right way in which thou mightest come to thy desired rest oh my soul And now oh my soul thou art come to Sion with songs and everlasting joy upon thy head and thou hast obtained joy and gladness and thy sighing and mourning is fled away And now oh my soul thou that wert in a desert doth rejoyce and as a wilderness are made glad and as a solitary Place doth blosom as a Rose as a dry heath now as a fruitful valley as the parched ground now as the moist mould that drinketh in the rain that comes upon it Now oh my soul thou in truth canst say the wilderness doth rejoyce and the desert and solitary place is made glad and blossom as a Rose water comes forth out of the wilderness and streams in the desert the parched ground is become a pool and the dry heath springs of water now the mourner rejoyces and the heavy hearted is made glad and beauty is giving in stead of ashes the oyl of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness now oh my soul is thy horn exalted in the Lord in whom thy mouth is enlarged over thy enemies ah the Lord maketh rich and he maketh poor he woundeth and he maketh whole he killeth and he maketh alive he bringeth down and he raiseth up he raiseth up the poor out of the dust and the beggar from off the dunghil and setteth them among Princes and causeth them to inherit the seat of Glory Yea the full he emptieth that they hire themselves out for bread and they that were hungry and empty he filleth with good things yea the barren he causeth to bear seven and she that hath had many children is waxed feeble this is the Lords doing and it is morvellous in thy eyes oh my soul Oh! my soul my soul thou canst in truth say thy winter is in measure over and gone and the stormy wind is fled away and the cold parching frosts are dissolved and the spring and summer is come and the Sun with its warm beams breaks forth and the gentle showers descends and the time of the singing of birds is come and the turtle is heard in thy land oh my soul and the vine putteth forth her tender grapes and the fig-tree with her pleasant figs give a goodly smell And now oh my soul thou canst set under thy vine and under thy fig-tree with thy beloved and who shall make thee afraid with whom thou canst walk into his pleasant garden of delights among tâ—â— beds of spices and feed among the lillies and there solace thy self in the bosome of his love For oh my soul oh my soul there was a time when thou oh my soul hadst lost thy beloved and thou soughtst him by night upon thy bed and in the broad ways but thou foundst him not and therefore sorrow compassed thee as a wall about and mourning covered thee as a garment and thou couldst have no rest until thou hadst found thy beloved crying fiercely in thy heart saying in thy ardent desires after him oh oh thou art hid from me as in the clifts of the rocks and as in the secret places of the stairs let me see thy countenance and let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely and when he did someâ—imes shew himself unto thee behind the wall or as through a lattice and put his fingers in by the hole of the door thy bowels were moved for him But now oh my soul thou dost enjoy his presence which is sweet and pleasant to thee he is as a bundle of myrrhe he is thy joy thou sits under his shadow with great delight for he is a bower of spices unto thee and his fruit is sweet to thy taste he hath brought thee into his banketting house where his banner over thee is love where he comforteth thee with the flaggons of his love he causeth thee to drink of his spiced wine which is as the liquor of life and the juyce of his pomegranates which is as honey to thy taste Oh my soul he filleth thee with good things that so thou mightest become as a watered garden and as a spring of water whose water fails not that thy bones might flourish as an herb and thy kidneys be covered with fatness and thy belly become as an oily Brook thus hath the Lord thy tender God thy merciful God oh my soul set thee free from the yoak of bondage And now oh my soul rejoyce in fear and trembling and dread and fear continually in the holy presence of the Lord thy God and watch watch watch oh my soul diligently watch in the lowly fear and godly jealousie over thy own heart trembling in thy bowels lest thou oh my soul in the joy the great joy in the sence of what the Lord hath done for thee and in a sight of thy good state thou art advanced to should be lifted up above what is meet and thereby come to loâ—s and a fall wherefore oh my soul to prevent such mishaps coming unto thee unawares keep thee watchful and low in fear and humble and contrite in heart and meek and chaste in mind tender and broken in bowels poor and needy in spirit waiting and depending upon the meer preserving grace of the merciful hand of thy merciful pitiâ—ul compaâ—â—â—onate God of infinite loving kindness that whatever thou dost or suffers through his strength for him thou mayst not
Faintness and Weariness might come upon you and he your subtile Enemy might thereby gain upon you and get advantage of you and obtain his purpose and desire who indeed as a roaring raging devouring Lyon very eagerly seeks in this day of great tryal whom he may Devour and draw back again under his yoke of Bondage Thraldom and Slavery Wherefore dear tender Lambs in the Seed the Fold out of which he is shut forever in which he hath no part daily dwell and continually abide then out of the paw of thâ— Devourer you shall be kept by him that good Shepherd who layeth down his Life for his Sheep and leaveth them not when the Woolf cometh to destroy them but he preserveth his Sheep and his Lambs and hideth them as in the hollow of his hand Ah how Tender how Careful how Pitiful how Merciful how Kind how Loving how Forbearing how Forgiving how Long-Suffering how Patient how Meek how Humble and Compassionate is the Nature of the tender God of infiâ—ite bowels Ah dear Babes let me say unto all wait to feel and witness the nature of Emanuel even the meek Life of Jesus to rule and dwell in you daily and you to dwell and live daily in it Ah his pure leaven of Life Eternal oh how doth it work out the leaven of Death and Darkness Malice and Enmity and purgeth out every hard thought and all evil surmisings evil back-bitings and whisperings which doth proceed from the old leaven and are the fruits of that corrupt tree which is aâ—cursed by the Lord and is to be hewen down and with all its fruits cast into the fire forever to be consumed and puâ—teâ—â— out the Eye which would be watching for Evil and for the halting of others and to spie out their weakness and to telâ— it abroad to their shame oh how doth it oppose and hammer down that mind that would be great and esteemed of by men and would exercise Lordship over others Oh how doth it baptize self into the Death and bâ—ing down the Haughty to the Dust and boweth down the Lofty and raâ—seth up and bringeth forth a Birth which striveth not foâ— mastery except to be most meekest and lowest in Heart and Mind and to abound in Pity in Love in Tenderness in â—owels of Compassion in Patience in Gentleness in long-Suffering in â—orbearing and in Brotherly Kindness yea in all the vertuous Fruits of the nature of him who is meek and low in Heart who said love Enemies this Birth hath a hand ready to stretch forth unto the backward to draw them forwards it hath an arm ready to help to hold up the halting and bosom open to carry the weak and faint ones in oh it would I know be a help to all who stand in need of help it would not that any should be left behind the Camp who are willing to press forwards although they may linger behind by reason of their Halting and Lameness oh how hath it a garment ready to cover an others weakness it never overchargeth any it judgeth not any thing before the time appointed it is not Hasty nor Rash but Patient and Gentle and it hath a convincing restoring vertuâ— with it in all it doth so that it both Wounds and Heals Kill and maks a Live brings down and raiseth up lay desolate build and restore it is tender and gentle it breaks not the bruised Reed neither doth it quench the smoaking Flax it never renders Evil for Evil but overcomes the Evil with Good its Patience overcomes Fury its Love quencheth Enmity its Gentleness overcomes Rashness and its Meekness overcomes Haughtiness and in all it Suffers it seeketh no Revenge but beareth all things Patiently committing its Cause unto him who judgeth Rightly it loveth Enemies it beareth love good-will unto all men yet it hath no uniâ—y with any Uncleanness nor fellowship with the unfruitful works of Darkness in any but rather reproves them This is not the Birth born of Flesh nor of Blood nor of the will of man but the Birth born of God and this Birth shall out-live all false Births and likenesses and unto it must all bow anâ— become subject this Birth God will crown with Honour and Renown and beautifie with Glory and Praise and although it hath been troden under foot and despised by other false Births yet unto it they must all bow and throw down their Crowns at thy feet oh Zion Ah the Lord thy Husband thy Maker the God of Host is his Name hath determined that the days of thy Mourning shall pass away and the night of thy Sorrow shall for ever vanish and thou shalt no more be termed Desolate and Forsaken oh thy Winter shall be over and gone and thy Summer shall come and thy Fruitfulness shall appear Oh Zion thou shalt appear as a Royal Diadim in the hand of the Lord and as a Crown of Glory in the hand of thy God who will make thee the Beauty of Nations the Joy of Kingdoms yea the Glory of the whole Earth and a Praise therein forever amen saith my soul Oh hasten it hasten it Lord God Almighty that so the Mourners in thy Zion may be Comforted and the Hated be made right glad that so even her waste places may Rejoyce and her Desarts blosom as a Rose that her Wilderness may become as the Garden of Eden and her Desarts as the Garden of the Lord that so Joy and Gladness may alone be found in her Thanksgiving and the voice of Melody that so even Water may come forth of the Wilderness and spring in the Desart that the parched Ground may even become a Pool and dry Heaths streams of Water Ah when the Lord hath wholly gathered together in one the disperced of Judah and hath brought into one the scattered of Israel and hath throughly returned the Captivity of his People oh then surely Jacob shall rejoyce and Israel be right glad and glory in his God who is blessed forever and evermore And so dearly beloved Friends my soul hath daily a remembrance of you in and unto the Lord unto whom I leave you dear Lambs very dearly desiring that unto him you all who hath in measure tasted of his Love and of his pure pretious Truth are made partakers and thereunto have born witness in doing and suffering for the same may by him be kept faithful unto him even unto the very end that so the Testimony which he hath given you to bear for his Name Truth in this his day of sifting winowing purging purifying and of separating the Chaff from the Wheat and of making up his pretious Jewels and of manifesting the approved in his sight you may through the strength and mighty power of him the mighty God who hath câ—lled you and raised you up to war against Babylon and no more to touch but to bear witness against the unclean thing be inabled to finish your Testimony for him although it be with your Blood even to the Praise
Glory and Renown of his eternal powerful Name and to your endless Joy and everlasting Peace in him your tender God in whose pure tender unseigned Love doth my soul kiss you imbrace you clasp you about saying in spirit Oh the Lord the mighty God gird up your Loins with Courage Strength and Valour daily and spead over you all the mantle of Faithfulness keep you all in the pure patience and sweet contentedness and in true submission to his holy heavenly will which is your Sanctification whose will may be done in you all that indeed the Power the Glory the Kingdom and Dominion may be his and he alone may Reign in you whose right of due it is who was Dead and is a Live and lives forever and evermore unto whom be glory in the highest for evermore Amen Oh the holy living presence of the Living God of Holiness be in with and among you all in whose Love Life and Truth in my measure my soul is united and closely cleaveth to all the Children of the most high God and they are very dear unto the soul of him who is your Friend Brother and Companion in the innocent Love and Life of God over all blessed for evermore farewel dear Lambs T is 1665. William Bennit Dear Friend IN that which is Eternal and unchangable doth the unfeigned Salutation and tender Love of my Soul extend towards thee who art oft in the remembrance of my Soul which is in some measure sensible of the many Troubles Crosses and Tryals which thou hast been in and now art exercised with and truly dear Heart my soul desireth that thâ— Lord may inable thee to wade through them all in the pure Patience and true Contentedness and that thou mayst find the strong arm of Gods mighty power in the beating down keeping â—nder that part which would complain and murmur against the Lord and count him a hard Master and freet its self because the Wicked Flourish and the Ungodly spread themselves like a green â—ay-Tree and the workers of Iniquity are set up â—nâ—â—â—e Pâ—oud Lord it over the Meek of the Earth and â—â—eaâ— upon the Righteous as Diâ—t in the Streets Killed all the day 〈◊〉 aâ—d Oppressed like a Cart with Sheaves I say needful it is to feel that part which would freet it self because of thâ—se things chained down by the Meek Lowly Lamb like Patient Peaceable Spirit of the patient pitiful long-suffeâ—ing God of Forbearance and Mercy and to feel it curting and beating all Prejudice and Enmity that would be springing up from the murmuring fretting part against those who are â—â—struments of Iniquity and Servants to that Spirit that Persecutes and Oppress the Innocent and behold this Spirit of meekness keeps in coolness gentleness and patience and giâ—â—â—h dominion over that Spirit which in haste yet as it thâ—nâ—s in a Zeal for God crys for Fire to come down from Heavâ—n to devour those who are Instruments of Cruelty Iniquity and Oppression and indeed this Spirit of Love inableth to love Enemies to Bless and Curse not and seeks no Revenge but makes willing to leave all to the Lord unto whom dear Heart let us commit our Cause and sure I am he will plead it with his and our Enemies in his own time even to their Destruction and Calamity and to our Joy and Comfort in the end in the mean while the Lord keep us in contentedness and in dominion over that Spirit that would limit God to mans time and counteth that God is slack concerning his Promise who indeed is not slack as that Siprit counts slackness but is a God long suffering desiring not the Death nor Destruction of a Sinner but that rather he may repent and Live Oh that all those that profess his Name may be like-minded with him according to our measures and growth in him the Living God who is blessed forevermore My dear tender hearted Friend my Soul doth likewise desire fervently that thee and I and all the rest of our heavenly Fathers Family may be kept close unto the measure of the free grace and love of the Lord God in our own hearts that by it we may continually be kepâ— in the lowly fear and pure aw of him who hath called us out of Darkness into his marvelous Light wherein let us watch carefully over our Thoughts Words and Works lest in haste through carelesness for want of watchfulness we should speak or do any thing that may grieve the holy Seed and wound the Just one in our selves and bring a burden and load upon our own Souls wherefore dear Heart I cannot but desire that I with thee and all who love Righteousness may be kept watchful in the â—â—wly Fear close unto the grace that keeps humble out of the many words in the fewness of words that so in sweet stilness peace and quietness we may possess our souâ—â— and injoy the sweet incomes of the sweet Love and sweet pure refreshing streams of the Fountain of Life according to our measures that so even in the midst of our Tryals and Sufferings our heâ—rts may be made glad in the Lord and our souls may rejoyce in him over all the Rage and Cruelty of the Wicked that we may keep our standing on the Rock against which Gog and Magog and the whole Host of the powers of Darkness is not able to prevail and herein the Lord keep us saith my soul for evermore So dear Heart I leave thee unto the Lord in whom my Love is dear unto thee and my Soul simpathize with thee in thy Tryals and Sufferings and desire the Lord may bear thee up above them all in the bosom of his Love and Patience and minister daily unto thee what he knoweth is meet for thee and keep thee in a contentedness with his heavenly will that so thou mayst say with thy whole heart Lord not my will but thy will be done and submitted unto in all things whose will is our Sanctification So dear tender Heart in the innocent Love which drew me forth to write these lines unto thee I rest and remain thy dear Friend in the Truth William Bennit 1665. To the Magistrates of Edmonds-Bury Friends I hope your Nobillity and Moderation will be so far made manifest as to read over these following Lines with Patience and I desire you may Seriously consider of them and Sollidly to weigh them in that equall Ballance the Light of Christ in your Consciences before you Judge of them VVE whom the World in scorn call Quakers are a People that liveth in the pure fear of the Lord God and without boasting we can truly say we are a People who are led and guided by a peaceable Principle of Love which we have received of God who is the Fountain of Love by which Principle of Love we are made to live peaceable with all men as much as in us lies and fervenly to desire and seek the good and welfare of all People even from him
unspeakable Love and free Grace Admired and his holy Name Feared and Obeyed by whose Grace thou art what thou art and his Grace bestowed upon thee hath not been in vain blessed blessed be the Lord and pure holy praises to him and glory and halleujah to him in the highest Amen saith my soul Oh Lord what was I and what was my Fathers house I was neither a Prophet nor a Prophets Son what was I that the King of Glory should cast his eye upon me even when I lay as among the Pits what was I that he should hold forth the Scepter unto me and I should find favour in his sight who regarded my low Estate and raised me out of the Dust and brought me from off the Dunghill to sit among Princes Oh my Soul the Lord hath done much for thee since the day he formed thee in the Womb and brought thee forth for his Praise he hath made the crooked things strait before thee and rough smooth and Mountains he hath laid low before thee and removed many a Hill out of thy way and he hath made a way for thee in the Wilderness and a path through many a Thicket he hath lopt the Bough with terrour and the great one of stature hath been hewn down he did cut up the Thicket of the Forrest with Iron and Lebanon did fall by a mighty one oh he hath made the hard things easie unto thee oh how hath his Love made thee willing to bow thy neck to the Yoak and to take up the Cross and totally to despise the Shame and to follow the Lamb through some Tryals and Tribulations whose love hath drawn thee after him whose love hath as it were made thee to forget thy fathers House Oh how hath his love caused me to cast off other lovers and to love the Lord my God who is now become my Treasure and my heart is with him so that if I be shut up in Prison if I enjoy him oh then Days Months and Years may pass over my head and Time is not thought long nor Sufferings hard because of the enjoyment of the presence of the Lord my Treasure whom my soul loveth for whose sake I am willing to suffer whose pure sweet refreshing comfortable Presence makes a Prison delightsome to me â—raises pure living praises to my God for ever who hath been with me in six Troubles and in the seventh he hath not lefâ— me he is my Buckler my Shield my Strength my Rock my Safe-Guard my strong Tower wherefore I 'le not fear the threats of the Wicked neither regard the cruelty of the ungodly nor heed the purposes of my Enemy nor mind the determinations of unrighteous Men through the strength of my God I will not fear though the Earth be removed and carried into the midst of the Sea and though the Mountains shake through the swelling thereof though the Heathen rage and the People imagine vain things and the Rulers take counsel against me I le not fear what man can do unto me for the Lord is with me and I shall not be moved and thâ— Lord will help me and that right early yet alas for me poor poor worm I am but a Child weak and feeble but indeed having had great experience of the love of my God and of his tender Fatherly care over me how can I but confidently trust hope rely and depend upon my God believing that he the mighty one will enable me the weak one to wade through and endure those tryals he pleases to exercise me withal who through his love and mercy hath caused my Tryals to work for my good praises to his name for evermore who hath nine times delivered me out of the hands of unreasonable men out of their Prisons and Holes where I have suffered for the Testimony of my God through his enabling of me without murmuring against him praises unto him alone no honour no glory but unto God saith my soul who hath kept me by his power from bowing to the Beast or drinking of the Whores Cup pure praise to my dear God for evermore who will free me once again from Bonds in his own time I am willing to wait thy season oh my God who art with me and oh let me never depart from thee O Lord and then I know thou wilt never leave me but thou wilt be my God to help me still and to support me still and to comfort me still and refresh me still and quicken me still and to feed me still with Bread from Heaven fresh Manna Morning by Morning and give me to drink of the River of thy Pleasure Daily who wilt enable me to stand faithful to thee unto the end of my days that I may finish my Testimony for thee thy Name and Truth in this thy day even with Joy and lay down my Head in Peace in thy tender Bosom of endless Love oh my tender God and therein repose with thy dear Children for evermore and have my full satisfaction of love in thee thou Fountain of Love and therein fetch my full breath for evermore oh let it be so oh let it be so oh my dear God for thy own Seed sake to thy own praise thou holy one who is worthy worthy of all glory glory honogr and everlasting thanksgiving and pure living praises for ever and evermore Amen Hallelujah glory and eternal renown to the almighty one in the highest Amen Oh my soul thou dearly loveth the whole Flock of God where-ever they are scattered upon the face of the Earth oh thou greatly desireth their Prosperity and Tranquility and that the Lord may prosper and bless them withal spiritual Blessings in Christ Jesus Oh the Lord God keep all his Children every where in this hour power of Darkness and preserve his dear Babes and tender Lambs in this day of great Tryal and manifold Temptation Oh the Lord keep all those who make mention of his Name in Sincerity and Truth from bowing in the least degree unto the Beast and from drinking the least drop of the Whores Cup although she should be permitted to drink their Blood Oh the Lord God Almighty keep his Sheep and Lambs who were once scattered abroad in the cloudy dark day whom he hath sought and found out and gathered out of the desart Places and waste howling Wilderness whom he hath brought from off the barren Mountains and dry Heaths into the low low low fresh green Valley where the pure sweet refreshing consolating springs of Life Eternal encompasseth them about Oh the Lord keep them still and quiet minding their Feeding and not at all hâ—â—â— he raging of the Sea nor regard the unmerciful Waves thereof which often looks very high as if they would quite oâ—â— floâ— the Valâ—â—y of the low Places and drown all who flee not unto the Mountains for Refuge and Safety but oh let not the hâ—ep and Lambs and little ones fear nor at all flee to the Hâ—llâ— for Refuge for behold the Lord
be filled with Melody thou blessed one who art cloathed with Chastity and keepeth thy Virginity in the Chamber of Purity oh thy beloved is come and into his Banqueting-House he is bringing thee where his Banner over thee is Love where he will stay thee with Flaggons and comfort thee with Apples and cause thee to drink of his spiced Wine and of the juice of his Pomgranets oh Sion rejoyce thou in his Love for the days of the glading of thy heart is come thou tender one who hast been tossed with tempest not comforted thou hast been termed Desolate and Forsaken thou hast been as one Barren and Unfruitful but now arise arise lengthen thy Cords and strengthen thy Stakes and enlarge the Curtains of thy Habitation for lo thou fruitful one thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left and thy Seed shall inherit the Gentiles and thy Off-spring the People the North shall give up and the South shall not keep back they shall come from the East and from the West flock unto thee as Doves to the Window thy Sons shall come from far and thy Daughters be nursed at thy sides thou shalt cause many wast places to be Builded and many Buildings to fall and desolate plaees to be Inhabited and Inhabited places to be laid desolate and barren Mountains to become fruitful Valleys and fruitful Places to become barren Mountains and the Wilderness become a Vinyard of sweet Grapes the Forrest as a City of Habitation the parched Ground to become a Pool and dry Heaths springs of Water oh arise arise thou beloved one and let thy Fruitfulness be manifested to the Nations break forth in thy excellent Glory shine forth in thy glorious Beauty as clear as the Morning without Clouds fair as the Moon and bright as the Sun that thou mayst appear as a royal Diadem in the hand of the Lord and as a Crown of Glory in the hand of thy God that far off Nations may see thy Beauty and remote Kings may see thy excellent Glory and be won by thy Love unto thee that they who hath Hated thee may Love thee bccause of thy Love that did extend to them even whilst they hated and rejected the woings of thy Love oh my soul loves thee in thy Love thâ—u lovely one oh kiss me kiss me with the Kisses of thy Mâ—uth for thy Love is better then Wine oh thou beautiful one thy Love overcomes my heart thy Love draweth me after thee oh thou art pleâ—sant unto me thy presence is more desirable then all things my heart can desire oh if thou hidst thy Face thou bountiful one then am I bowed down for the smiles of thy comely Countenance is the rejoycing of my Heart and the glading of my Soul the refreshing of my Spirit as marrow to my Bones and strength to my Reins oh thou art my Joy in Sorrow my Comfort in Mourning my Help in Need my Strength in Weakness my Riches in Poverty my Bread in Hunger my Water in Thirst my Refuge from Storms my Shelter from Heat and as the shadow of a Rock to me in a weary Land oh how can I but love thee in thy Love thou lovely one oh thou art my Mother who hath travelled in great pain to bring me forth thou art the Womb that bore me and the Paps that gave me suck the Cradle of my rest and the Bed of repose oh can I forget thee how can I forget thee who hath done so much for me even that which no man could do oh thou lovedst me first before I loved thee thou lovely one and with thy Love thou woedst me and by thy Love thou overcamest my heart and drew it after thee and now thou amiable one the desire of my soul is unto thee and unto the remembrance of thy Love oh my Soul desireth thee in the Night season and in the Morning I will seek thee early thou art as a cluster of Campire and as a bundle of Mirrh unto me thou shalt lie all Night between my Breasts oh thou lovely one let me repose in thy Bosom and fold me in thy Arms oh thy Love thy Love ovcrcomes my Heart thy Beauty even makes me sick of Love oh let me remember thy Love more then Wine it is the upright loves thee and it is the pure in heart who seeth thy Beauty and beholdeth thy excellent Comeliness oh let thy Love still draw me after thee oh let me never leave thee oh that I may never forsake thee nor be unmindful of thy Love which I have known to be stronger then Death and him who hath the power of Death oh thou art a Tree of Life to those who take hold on thee and blessed is every Soul that retaineth thee Oh thy ways are ways of Pleasantness and all thy paths are green and delightsom to those who love thee oh in thee is my rest in thee is my peace in thee is my joy in thee is my comfort in thee obtain I blessing and happiness thou art my Joy and the Crown of my Rejoycing for ever and for evermore Oh wherefore hold me hold me with thy Love thou Lovely Blessed One and let me never depart from thee and then I know thou wilt never depart from me but I shall be thine and thou shalt be mine in a perpetual Covenant which never shall be broken Oh thou Comely Beautiful Choice One thy Riches is durable for the Glory the glory the glory of the Lord thy God is thy Dowry for evermore Unto whom be ascribed all honour and glory eternal praises and renown and everlasting dominion for evermore so be it saith my Soul and Amen saith my Spirit Oh come Lord Jesus come quickly and take unto thy self thy great power to Reign for thou art worthy worthy saith my Soul glory to thee in the highest for evermore Amen Written in Edmonds-Bury common Goal in the year 1665. William Bennit This to go among Friends to be Read among them when assembled together in the pure Fear and Wisdom of God DEarly beloved Friends and Brethren Sheep of the Lords Pasture Lambs of the Lords Flock and Lillies of the Lords Field the comely beautiful Garment of Innocency Meekness Love Truth and Righteousness which doth cover many of you even affecteth my Heart and induceth my Soul dearly to love you and Spirit to travel for your Welfare Tranquility and Preservation even in every particular respect desiring the Lord God of Blessings may Bless and Prosper you in Truth and Righteousness and that his Grace and Love Mercy and Peace with Joy and Consolation Strength and Wisdom may be augmented and multiplied in and unto all your Souls that so the encrease of him the fulness of all durable Riches to your Souls you may witness and that the Fountain of Life with whom is the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg may be inlarged unto you that of his fulness you daily may receive whereby your Hearts may be opened and enlarged
of Love and Peace be with you and his Blessings rest upon you Farwel dear Friends William Bennit Eâ—monds-Bury common Goal this 25th of the first Month 1667. A Testimony to the True Light that lightens every Man that comes into the World The People that did sit in Darkness have seen a great and glorious Light and unto those that were under the Region and Shadow of Death is the Light of Life arisen and the Blessed Day sprung from on high and shineth in their Tabernacles and that which they have seen heard felt and tasted of the same they have and do bear Testimony unto though few there be that have received their Testimony For who hath believed our Report and unto whom is the Arm of the Lord Revealed But come ye O House of Israel and let us walk in the Light of the Lord. THE Light revealed within is the narrow Way to Life Eternal and the Door into the Fold of Everlasting Rest The Light-is the Entrance into the fresh and green Pasture wherein the Lord feedeth his Elock and causeth them to lie down in peace and quietness out of the reach of the Beasts of prey The Light leads and draweth those that obey it out of Darkness and from under the region and shadow of Death into the Land of the Living there to dwell under the region shadow of Light and Life The Light breaks the Bonds of Sin in pieces and snappeth â—he Cords of Iniquity asunder and sets the Soul free from the Bondage of Corruption to serve the Loâ—d in the Life of Righteousness The Light draweth and leadeth those that believe in it and obey it out of the Alienation and Separation from God into the Everlasting Covenant of Life and Love where the Soul is in unity with the Lord The Light searcheth the Heart and operateth in the secrets of the Minds of those that obey it and like unto Leaven worketh the Heart and Mind into its own nature frame and quality The Light is Pure Holy and Undefiled and hath no unity with the least impure Thought Word or Work but Judgeth and Condemns it The Light is Meek Contrite Lowly and Humble condemns that honour that is corrupt and is from below and standeth in respect of Persons and it seeketh the honour of God only The Light Baptizeth self into Death slayes the Boaster puts Flesh to silence that God may speak in his Temple who is not to be denied the Mouth to speak by The Light is the heavenly Treasure in the earthen Vessel that brings honour and glory unto God The Light hath no fellowship with Darkness he that saith he is in the Light and hath unity with the Light and yet loveth and walketh in Darkness lyeth and the Light hath no room place or entertainment in his heart The Light teacheth those that love it to love Enemies its fruit is Love no Envy no Malice no Hatred no Bitterness no Enmity no Prejudice no Discord no Backbiting no Reviling no evil Whispering proceedeth from the Light the Light condemns it all and that ground from whence it springs The Light hath no unity with any unfruitful works of Darkness but reproves them The Light teacheth to render Good for Evil and to forgive Enemies and to pray for Persecutors and to have love and good will to all People and to seek and desire the Eternal good and wel-fare of all Souls he that hates and envies his Enemies abideth not in the Light Envy is of the Evil-one he that saith he walketh in the Light and hates his Brother lyeth and errs from the Truth The Light teacheth to love God with thy whole heart and thy Neighbour or Brother as thy self He that saith he loves God and hates his Brother is a Lyer he that loveth him that begetteth doth also love those that are begotten of him Love thinketh no Ill to Enemies much less to Brethren The Light leadeth his Children into Love Peace and Unity with God and one with another in the Life of Righteousness oh the unity the unity of Brethren in the Light Love and Life of God is exceeding precious and comely it s compared like to precious Oyl poured on the Head that runs down on the Beard even Aarons Beard that went down to the skirts of his Garment and like the dew of Hermon and like the dew that descended upon the Mountain of Sion where the Blessing is and where the Lord maketh unto his People a Feast of fat things The Light teacheth and maketh to be of one Heart of one Mind of one Soul and in all those that walk in it begetteth one consent to serve and worship the only wise God in the one Spirit and one Truth The Light giveth a good Understanding a clear Discerning a sound Judgment The Light leadeth not into strife and contention nor into rents divisions and parties nor into a particularity and self-separation from the Body nor into self-conceitedness nor into high airy notions nor into a climing up in imaginations after high discoveries and so slight the day of small things and neglect thy obedience to the present gift through an expectation of something greater to come yet unrevealed and such like Lucifer mounts high in their Conceits and Imaginations but will fall to the side of the Pit but the Light condemns all this and judges that Spirit that leadeth thereinto which Spirit soweth Discord among Brethren which is Abomination and that Spirit leadeth some to speak evil of Dignities and to dispise Dominion and to rebel against the Order and Government of the Lamb The Light judgeth that Spirit that setteth up and keepeth up out of the comly descent order of Truth that thing that tends to strife and breaking unity among Brethren The Light teacheth those that love it to seek and endeavour for Love Peace and Unity among Brethren with all Self-denial The Light teacheth to take away the occasion of stumbling in thy Brothers way The Light teacheth to be very wary and careful of giving Enemies advantage to strengthen themselves against Truth and the Wicked occasion to reproach it and those that live in it The Light teaches to live and walk in a holy godly Life and blameless Conversation as becometh the Gospel of Truth and as becometh Saints of the Most High The Light in those that love it crucifieth the Flesh with the lusts and affections thereof and teacheth those that love it how to possess their Vessels in Sanctification and Honour The Light crucifieth the Heart unto the World and worldly things and redeemeth the Mind from the Earth and earthly things and teacheth to use the World as if thou usedst it not The Light draweth the Mind out of the many things where all offend into the one thing needful which giveth not nor receiveth an offence but judges the offences and that ground from whence they come The Light is Supernatural and is to over-rule the Naturals and to keep them within the bonds of the Government of Truth
yet his Everlasting Kindness shall not be removed neither the Covenant of his Peace be taken from you his People that keep Covenant with him your God so the Almighty be with you in all your Tryals and Temptations and his Arms of tender mercy bear up all the Weak and Little Ones among you whose desires are Upright before him that none such may fall through the Fury of the Adversary and Temptations of the Enemy but that you all may be kept by the power of your God through Faith in his Everlasting Name to the end to finish your Testimony in Faithfulness with Joy to his Glory and your Endless Peace Happiness and Filicity in him the God of your Hope Amen The God of Peace be with you and Comfort you with his Love oh Lord God Everlasting keep all thy dear People in this hour and power of Darkness hide them in the hollow of thy Hand and let the Banner of thy Love be over them dispose of them O Lord as seemeth good unto thee only let not thy Faithfulness to them and their Faith to thee be wanting and let them be tendered by thee as the first Fruits unto thee after the long Night of Apostacy that eclipsed thy Glory from the face of the Earth My dear love remains with you Farwel dear Friends Edmondâ— Bury common Goal this 8th of the fifth Month. From your true Friend and Brother in the Patient Suffering for the Testimony of Jesus William Bennit THE VVork and Mercy of GOD Conducing to his Praise Or a Demonstration of the Visitation of God's Love to my Soul in the days of my Youth Being a Testimony of the Light of Christ in the Conscience which discovereth and judgeth Sin also if loved and obeyâ—d saveth from Sin and redemeeth the Soul unto God Published in bowels of pity and love to all those that have desires after the Way of Truth and are yet seeking it abroad in their Imaginations and are mourning and groaning under the burden and weight of Sin hoping and desiring that if the Lord will such may meet with some incouragement and direction hereby for them to turn their minds into the Light of Christ in themselves and in it to believe and wait for power over and freedom from Sin that true lasting peace in God they may come to witness to the true and full satisfaction of their Souls All thiags that are reproved are made manifest by the Light for whatsoever doth make manifest is Light c. That which may be known of God is manifest in them c. Wherewith shall a Young man cleanse hiâ— way by taking heâ—d thereunto according to thy Word thy Word I have hid in my Heart c. Eph. 5. 13 c. Rom. 1. 16. Psal 1. 19. 9 11. VVHen I was but young in Years the Lord God of Light Life and Power of tender Love of infinite Compassion and everlasting bowels of Mercy was pleased then in some measure to visit me by or with his pure Light in my own Conscience which many a time did check and reprove me for my Sins and brought my Evil-doings to my remembrance and judged me in my own Heart for Evil and sometimes brought trouble upon my Mind for my Sins but I was not then sensible that it was the Light of Christ Jesus who is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World which then in my own Conscience did check reprove and judge me for Evil and sometimes broke my false ease and rest in Sin insomuch as I could not go on in Sin Wildness and Vanity without being somewhat troubled terrified and reproved for my Sin at one time or other though when I was among idle Children voic of the fear of God I ran into Sin and Wickedness with them and for the present time I acted in Sin with great Delight and Joy but when I came to be still quiet and alone in the Fields or elsewhere then would the pure Witness of God arise in me with its reproofs and set my Sins in order before me and brought my Evil Doings to my remembrance which I had acted out of the pure fear of the Lord God and then Trouble for a time took hold on me and Sin became my burden but I soon got from under that Burden at Ease and Liberty again and ran into Sin and Vanity again and thus year after year I went on in rebellion against the Witness of God in my own Conscience taking delight and pleasure in those things I knew were Evil yet the Lord God whose tender Bowels of Pity and Compassion did then in Mercy hover over me for good to me in that day did sometimes stop me from speaking and acting that Evil I intended to speak or do preserved me out of many gross Evils which many others were addicted unto and overcome with And in those days when I was alone in the Fields I cryed and prayed unto the Lord and desires were stirring in me after the knowledge of him his Way and Truth but I prayed to a God I knew not I imagined a God afar off and did not then know it was the Lord that did search my Heart and discovered unto me my Thoughts and judged me for Sin I then knew not that that was the Light Way and Truth of God in my own Heart which sometimes begot desires in me to know the Truth and to walk therein but my mind was abroad as it is with many at this day who have desires after Truth and Righteousness but are seeking abroad in Carnal Ordinances Forms Likenesses Beggarly Elements Rudiments of the World Ceremonies and Traditions of men and knew not that that in me was Truth which sometimes stopt me from Lying and Swearing and when I knowingly told a Lye it would accuse me when no man could accuse me for it and as I grew in years for I may truly say there was something stirring in me at times after the Lord ever since I was 6 or 7 years of Age and when I came to be about 14 years old and to be a Prentize and in outward Thraldom and Bondage it pleased the God of infinite loving-kindness to visit me more then formerly by his pure Light and Spirit which encreased in striving with me daily that I scarce knowingly committed any Evil but the Light would soon judge me for it yea the Lord God with his pure Light and Gift did persue me hard and followed me close calling to me in my Heart with his still Voice to come out of Sin out of evil Words and Works but I like Samuel when he was a Child knew not that it was the Lord that did call for he was though near me as a Stranger to me and I knew not his Voice but went astâ—ay as a wandering Sheep yet had I desires to know the way to the â—old and to know where the Lord feedeth his Flook and causeth them to lie down in Peace Quietness Rest where none
with his Iron Rod and break the Heathen to pieces like a Potters Psal 2. 8. 9. Vessel who hath Righteousness for the girdle of his Loins and Faithfulness the girdle of his Reins who hath on the Brestplate of Righteousness and a Helmet of Salvation on his Head who hath put on the Garment of Vengeance for cloathing and is clad with Zeal as with a Cloak who with the two-edged sword that proceeds out of his mouth makes War in Righteousness who hath on a Vesture dipt in blood and his Name is called the Word Rev. 19. 13 Isa 42. 6 7. 4â— â— Luk. 2. 30 31 32 Isa 35. 5 6 7. of God This is he whom the Lord giveth for a Covenant of the people and for a light of the Gentiles to be his Salvation to the ends of the Earth to open the Blind eyes to unstop the Deaf ears to cause the tongue of the Dumb to sing and the Lame to leap as an Heart to cause water to come forth of the Desert and streams in the Wilderness the parched ground to become a pool and dry heaths springs of water to make the Wilderness and the solitary place glad and the Desert to rejoyce and blossom as a Rose who is anointed of God to Preach glad Tidings to the poor to bind up the broken hearted to proclaim Isa 61. 1 2 3. Liberty to the poor Captive and to comfort the the Mourners in Sion to give beauty for ashes the oyl of Joy for Mourning the garment of Praise for the Spirit of heaviness that they may flourish as Trees of Righteousness of the Lords own planting bringing forth fruit unto him 1 Sam. 2. 4 5 6 7. that he in and through them may be glorified He brake thâ— bowes of the Mighty and that which is weak and feeble he girds with Strength and Courage the Full and Rich he causes to hire out for bread and causeth the hunger of the hungry to cease who causeth the barren to bear seven and she that hath had many children to wax barren and feeble he woundeth and healeth he killeth and causeth to live he bringeth down and raiseth up even the poor he raiseth out of the dust and the beggar from the dunghil to set them among the Princes and to inherit a Crown of Glory This is he who maketh all things a New and Rev. 21. 1. 5 Isa 65. 17. causeth all old things to pass away who causeth the old Heavens and the old Earth to pass away and dryeth up the Sea and creates a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness this is he which worketh the strange work the marvelous work which causeth the ears of those that hear thereof to tingle This is he who is the strong Arm of Gods Mighty Power which is stretched forth towards the helpless to deliver the poor and needy out of the hand of him who is too strong for them Isa 52 1â— The Arm of Gods Salvation which he is making bare before the eyes of the Captives that they may see him and come unto him who is Mighty upon whom help is laid to deliver them and to save to the utmost them that come unto him this as I said is the hand of Gods loving kindness which in mercy is stretched forth towards you who cannot be satisfied with the husks shells and shadows but thirst and desire after him the Substance the living Bread which the living Soul feeds upon and lives and grows up thereby into Eternal life Ah dear People this is the Salvation of God whom I declare of and Salvation is not to be had in another besides him who is the Immortal word Luk 2. 29 30. of Eternal life which abides for ever which was in the beginning before the visibles were by whom all things were made whether visible or invisible and without Joh. 1. 1 c. him was nothing made that was made and in him the Word was life and this life is the light of men and he is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world and was in the world and the world knew him not He came unto his own and his own received him not but unto them that received him he gave power to become the Sons of God Who had a body prepared him in which he suffered the Will of him that sent him who was born of the Virgin Mary whom King Herod sought to destroy who was circumcised the eighth day and likewise baptised by John the Baptist who likewise eat the Passeover with his Disciples for he came to fulfil all Righteousness who was betrayed by Judas who was judged to die by Ponrius Pilate who was Crucified without the Gates of Jerusalem who was laid in a Sepulcher who rose again the third day according to the Scriptures who ascended up into Heaven and sitteth at the Right hand of God who is glorified with the same Glory that he had with the Father before the world began who came again unto his Disciples according to his promise who said unto them I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you I will send you a Comforter that shall abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth I am Joh. 14 16 18 26. the Truth saith Christ whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but you know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be Mark in you yet a little while and the world sees me no more Mark this you who are so much gazing and looking for his coming without but still fail of your expectation that you know not his coming within you to be a Comforter But you see me and because I live you shall live also saith Christ to his Disciples and in that day you shall know that I am in the Father and you in me and I Mark in â—ou and he the Spirit of Truth shall lead you into all Truth and shall teach you all things and shall shew you all things to come and bring all things to your remembrance that I have said unto you and shall reprove the world of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgement And his Disciples according to his Luk. 24. 29. Acts 2. 4. command waited at Jerusalem until they were indued with power from on high and had received the promise of the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Truth which caused them to speak the wonderful things of God as the Eternal Spirit of Truth gave them utterance and then they were come to witness his Word fulfilled when he said He dewlleth with you and shall be in â—ou and this is the immortal Word which was in the beginning which Paul who witnessed Christ the Son of God revealed in him and was Gal. 1 15 16. by him the eternal Spirit made an able Minister of him Preached to wit Christ within who said Rom. 19. 6 7. 8. None should need to ascend that is to bring