with the Lamb as the Scripture declares That the Beast and the False Prophet shall make War with the Lamb but the Lamb shall get the Victory wherein the Redeemed of the Lord sing Praises Praises to the Lord God and the Lamb forever in the Land of the Living for it is the Lamb of God that takes away the Sins of the World and blotteth out the Hand-writing and come to know their Names written in the Book of Life And I am a Witness that the Promise of the Lord is fulfilled where the Lord hath written his Law in our Hearts and put his Spirit into our inward parts wherein we can read in the Book of Life in the great Mystery of Godsiness which is manifest in the Flesh in this our Day Praises to the Lord God and the Lamb forevermore The Priest's Name was Theophilus Ames who continued in Persecuting the Innocent but the Lord shortned his dayes in a little time he was so very Cruel he sent his Bailiffs to take away my Goods who took sixteen Beasts at one time which were worth 50 l. or there-about in the year 1665 about the 29th day of the 8th Moneth and about the 〈◊〉 of the 5th moneth in the year 1667. my self my Wife my Son were taken to Prison for not coming to their worship nor receiving the Sacrament and carryed me to Prison in a Cart who was so ill that I could neither go nor ride on Horse-back who did carry me about twenty Miles and did purpose to keep us in Prison for term of Life but the Lord did deliver us who is a present Help in time of need to the Faithful and Upright in Heart who are kept in his Fear blessed for evermore be his holy and blessed Name which is a strong Tower for the Righteous to flee unto in time of Storm when the Heathen rages and the People imagin vain things and after Priest Ames had cast us into Prison in the year 1667. about the 29th of the 5th moneth the Priest caused to be taken from me eleaven Beasts and one Horse which were worth about 40 l. and when he had taken these Beasts he fell on to plunder the House and took all the Goods that he could get away he took so near that he took Garden-Mittans and the Cole-Rake and when he had done this then the measure of his Wickedness and Iniquity was filled up and then the Lord shortly after shortned his dayes who dyed a Woful and Miserable Death for the Lord laid his Judgments upon him who wa both Blind and Mad before he dyed to the great Admiration and astonishment of all that did see his Death And then another Beast with his Horns began to push and to make War with the Lamb as the Scripture declares and blessed are they who are called to make War in Righteousness and if we put not into the false Prophets Mouthes they will make War against us and he that stands in the Gap makes himself a Prey The Priest's Name is Michael Stanford who is driving on Pharaoh's Charriots as fast as he can until the Lord shorten his dayes for Pharaoh's Heart was hardened when he did persecute the Children of Israel in the dayes of old and this Priest said That his Heart was hardened against us And what became of Pharaoh when his Heart was hardened that he would not let Israel go So all read that can for the Lord God will shorten the dayes of the Wicked for the Elect Seed's sake for it was the full Intent and Purpose of my Heart to continue in this Warfare about Tythes and Contend for the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints and to stand a faithful Witness for the Lord's Testimony against the Beast and the False Prophet whilst I had a being in this Earthly Tabernacle until the Lord laid an Engagement upon me wherein I durst not disobey to go along with my dear Friend my Wife to be her Companion for the Clearing of her Testimony which the Lord had called her to who did bear a faithful Testimony for the Lord and hath laid down her Head in Peace And as for this Persecuting Priest these are his Actions and the Fruits of his Ministry at this time who about the 2d of the first moneth 1674. did take from me my Brewing-pan and also in the year 1674. his Bailiffs took from me three Beasts worth 8 l. and that which he called his Due was but about 6 s. So all People may see and know wheresoever this may come the Fruits of this Persecuting Priest's Ministry Priest Stanford's Tythe-mongers in the year 1673. took from me as followeth viz. Upon the 4th day of the 7th moneth James Chambers came forcibly and broke into a Field of Corn of mine and broke down the Hedge in several places and took the Corn out of the Field before I took and before one part of the Field was reapt contrary to the Law of the Nation And also James Chambers did break into another Corn-Field of mine upon the 11th day of the 7th moneth who broke down the Hedge in several places and did carry the Corn away before I took any And at another time James Chambers Thomas Chamblay and James Geldert went through a Field of Corn before the most of it was reapt contrary to the Law of the Nation And also on another day James Geldert came and broke into a Corn-Field of mine and did break down the Hedge and carryed away the Corn contrary to the Law of the Nation And upon another day James Geldert came and broke into a Field of Corn and broke down the Hedge and took away the Corn contrary to theLaw of the Nation And also John Hawood who rented the Fines caused a Horse to be taken from me for a Fine of 15 s. which was worth 4 l. which was for Conscience sake towards God in Obedience to his holy Command The Bailiffs Names by whom Priest Shaw cansed my Body to be imprisoned and my Goods to be taken away were these viz. Will. Garner John Garner Tho. Marshall James Postelwhete Tho. Poolton Christopher Garner John Poolton Miles Fell James Garner Richard Fell Will. Fell John Sanford The Constables Names viz. John Garner Christopher Chamblay Timothy Mount Leonard Cooper and Luke Benson Bailiff Priest Ames his Bailiffs Names viz. William Struckland Geo. Askew William Garner Tho. Poope Thomas Poolton James Chambers was Priest Ames his Constable to assist the Bailiffs for the Plundering of my House and let the Priest have a House to put the plundered Goods in and this Constable did provide a Horse and a Cart to carry me to Prison Priest Stanford's Bailiffs Names viz. William Struckland George Askew John Garner Richard Fell Luke Benson and also Roger Woodborn who was the Steward of the Court and also Judge there was a Jury appointed but he did not put the Action to the Jury but passed Judgment on it himself but the Lord shortned his dayes that he never tryed more Actions but dyed shortly Oh! that all People would take Warning and Repent lest they provoke the Lord to anger and they perish in his Wrath for the Indignation of the Lord burns like Fire against the Wicked and Ungodly upon the Earth who is a Consuming Fire to the Wicked THOMAS CURWEN THE END
Exercise with the Priests of this Nation and other Nations and Islands beyond the Seas and did go in the Fear Dread of the Lord to several Priests Steeple-houses and the Lord was with her and gave her Dominion who went in the Name of the Lord and she did not matter how Great they were nor how High they had builded Babel for she was over them all in the Fear and Wisdom of God for she was a Dread and a Terror to the Wicked where-ever she came For the Wicked could not stand in Judgment nor Sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous She did discover the Seat of the Beast and the Whore who doth sit upon the Waters with a Golden Cup in her Hand full of Abomination which all the World wonder after who have the Mark of the Beast in their Hand and in their Fore head And she had a true Sense of the Priests spirit and did know and discover them let them come under what Pretence they would for she did esteem the Lords Truth above all would not have neglected any Opportunity whereby she might have been serviceable for the Lord for it was her Meat Drink to do the Will of God who did receive her Reward in a large measure for there are some that received thirty fold and some sixty but she did receive an hundred fold in this Life and in the World to come Life Everlasting for it was much Joy and Gladness of Heart to her in meeting to meet with the Lord and his People in the blessed Unity of the Spirit where the Lord is Worshipped and the Lord did fill her Cup to the overflowing to others who would never have eaten her Morsel alone but would have others to have eaten and drunk with her which was to the great Refreshment and Edifying and Building up of others in the Faith of the Elect for her Cry was to the Lord That all who were called might be elected and chosen Vessels of Honour for the Lord for her Joy was full in the Lord and she did sound forth Living Eternal Praises to the God of her Life and did Magnifie his great Name while she did live in her Earthly Tabernacle which she did give freely up to be laid in the Dust and the Heavenly Tabernacle of Grace was with her which God had pitched and not Man and the Lord put a New Song in her Mouth which none could sing but the Redeemed of the Lord wherein she did often in secret breathe forth Praises to the Lord for the Lord's Presence was with her wherein she could not contain her self but she breathed forth Praises to the Lord which did refresh the tender Plants of the Lord when she had no Words to speak But when she did speak she did speak from the Mouth of the Lord and did blow the Trumpet in Sion and did sound forth an Alarm in the Holy Mount which made the Inhabitants of the Earth to tremble for the Lion of the Tribe of Judah did roar out of Sion and the Trumpet did give a certain sound whereby many were awakened and their Minds turned from Darkness to the Light and the Day did spring from on High which did give Light to them that had long sitten in Darkness and under the Shadow of Death whose Feet were guided in the Way of Peace who was instrumental to bring many from under the Wo whose Feet were set upon the Rock and she did not despise the Day of small things but was alwayes bringing up the hindermost of the Flock as Jacob did and she would have stooped for the least Grain for the gathering of the Seed out of Egypt where it did not grow which was under Pharaoh's hard-hearted Task-masters and was opprest as a Cart was prest with Sheaves And her Conversation was as becometh the Gospel for her Children and many more were Convinced by her Wise Walking before them in the Wisdom of God for she had a great Care of her Off-spring to bring them up in the Fear of the Lord and did often breathe to the Lord for them and the Lord did hear her Cry and did answer her Desire and I can say to the Praise and Glory of our God that the Lord hath had Regard to them and hath done wonderfully for them who hath gathered them home unto himself out of the Vain Conversation of the World and hath placed his Fear in their Hearts For a Mother may forget her Sucking-Child but the Lord doth not forget them Oh! what Cause have we to return Praise Honour and Glory to the Lord forever who is worthy forever and for evermore And in all Places and Countries where-ever she came she exhorted Friends To have a Care of their Children to bring them up in the Fear of the Lord so that from one Generation to another the Lord's Truth may spread and cover the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea and that the Lord's Testimony may not fall and that his great Name may be exalted over all to the Praise and Glory of our God forever For she was singly given up to do whatever might be for the Prosperity of God's Eternal Truth Her Labour and Travail was very great wherein she did spend her self and was spent for the Seed's sake that did suffer under great Oppression And she did preach the Gospel freely without Money and without Price for the Gospel was to be preached freely Therefore away with all Hirelings who preach for Hire and divine for Money who keep People alwayes learning and never come to the Truth For she did desire no man's Gold or Silver or Apparel for she had the Lord for her Portion and she desired no more for her Habitation was in Heaven and her Dwelling was in Eternity where she did live and move and had her eternal Being For no other Foundation can any man lay than that which is already laid which is Christ Jesus the Rock of Ages the Foundation of many Generations which she did build upon not Hay nor Stubble nor Gold nor Silver nor Precious Stones for all these will burn when the heat of Persecution comes but she did witness a spiritual House made up of Living Stones and the Top-Stone was laid which is the Ground and Pillar of Truth for she had finished up her Testimony and laid down her Head in Rest and Peace with the Lord. And she did exhort Friends in her Travail in the Service of the Lord To Mind their Latter-End and be ready and prepared for Death for when Death comes you may have enough to do to dye that ye be not like the Foolish Virgins who had no Oyl in their Lamps against whom the Door was shut But now the Lambs War is accomplished and the Lamb hath got the Victory who hath made War in Righteousness and hath overcome and gotten the Victory over the Beast and the False Prophet the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World who was slain from
these things work not the Righteousness of God but where ye lie in the bottom though covered over with a Profession of the Truth yet ye will eat as a Canker Therefore Friends we beseech you to stand in Awe and in the Fear and Dread of the Lord God and sin not for we have known the Terrors of the Lord against Sin in our own Particulars and also his Mercies blessed be his Name forever and ever And therefore we beseech you in the Love of God that ye wait together to feel God's weighty Power that so the ground Work ye may know and the top Stone laid in the true Self-denyal that so as Lambs of one Fold ye may feed together in the low Valleys Everlasting Glory and Honour be unto the Lord our God for all his Mercies for they are exceeding great unto the Children of men in this Day of God's Salvation which is now broken forth and is largely manifested and the Voice of the Lord is heard which Voice shakes the Earth terribly and even removes it out of its place and not only the Earth but the Heaven also And the Lord is gathering in both Professors and Prophane Everlasting Blessing be to our God the Work of the Lord prospers Therefore Friends that ye may all be diligent and Helpers on of this great Work as Moses and Aaron and Hurr that so Miriam's Curse ye may escape So the Lord God Almighty who separated us from our Native Country and from our dear Relations the Lord of Hosts is his Name he hath found us Worthy with the rest of his Messengers to bear a Testimony unto his blessed Unchangeable Truth Therefore Friends to the keeping of him who keeps his Israel who neither slumbers nor sleeps we do commit the keeping of our Souls and Spirits with yours also who are of the Family of God though we be far seperated and cannot behold the faces one of another but in the Mystery of the Fellowship which is the Power of God where the World knows us not we bid you all Farewell From us your Friends in the blessed Truth of God in our measures Thomas Alice Curwen Friends here are generally well and here is an increase daily for a Priest comes to our Meetings and People of all sorts come so that here is good Service for God and the Truth increases for the more the Enemy seeks to hinder the increase of Truth the more it spreads Therefore blessed will all they be who abide faithful in the Truth And we earnestly desire to hear from you in Writing for our Dear Unfeigned Love is more than we can express Thù for Friends at Road-Island in New-England Barbadoes the 11th of the 9th Moneth 1677. DEar Friends Thomas and Alice Curwen whom I truly honour in the Lord My Soul is truly comforted in the remembrance of you and in the feeling of that Heavenly Life by which you are supported in God's Service amongst us my Spirit doth rejoyce and Praise the Lord our God in your behalf who hath been very bountiful in visiting of his Seed by sending of his faithful Servants and Ministers amongst us to declare God's Way which is Life among whom ye shall be numbred Dear Friends this is a Salutation of my unfeigned Love and honourable Esteem which lives in my Heart of you in the blessed Truth of God And Dear Friends I am not a little comforted that ye have thought me worthy of a few Lines from you which I have received and do desire that ye may bteathe to the Lord our God for my Preservation in the pure Truth which is more to be desired than all the World and the Glory of it And so dear Friends I shall conclude this with my dear Love in the Truth to you both and remain Your Loving Friend in the Truth John Readman An Epistle to Nathaniel Sylvester and his Wife at Shelter-Island the 6th of the 4th Moneth 1676. FRIENDS IF the Truth make us free then are we free indeed so let none grieve the Spirit of Truth that the Power of the Lord may be felt which keeps all in good Order and brings the Mind into true subjection to do the Will of God and not our own Wills and therefore this is in our Hearts as a Salutation of our Love That you who are Parents may stand in the Truth of our God as Pillars and watch over your Children in the Fear of the Lord and keep them to Plainness of Speech and not only you to them and them to you but to all people that so the pure Cross they may come to know which is the Power of God that it may rule the Mind and this will bring them as they stand and wait in the Simplicity of it to see and put away all their Needless Attire and so they will grow as tender Plants and this is our Love in the Simplicity of our Hearts that ye may stand over them in the Fear and Wisdom of the Lord as Pillars or else how will ye answer the Lord who sees the secrets of all Hearts we do leave it to that of God in you to judge THOMAS ALICE CURWEN To Friends in Gravesend in Long Island FRIENDS IN the Sense of God's infinite Presence and holy Power in which our Life is preserved and in which our Unity stands with the Father and the Son and one with another do we salute you as we abide faithful to the Lord and in his blessed Truth a Measure whereof ye are Witnesses of and therefore it is in our Hearts in remembrance of God's living Presence in which we were well refreshed when we were together and therefore to stir up your pure Minds and to put you in remembrance of the blessed Presence of the Lord for ye are Witnesses how good the Lord is Oh Dear Friends the Lord even filled our Cup and made it for to overflow which broke our Hearts before the Lord and one to another yea he even caused his living Presence to be manifested amongst us to our great Satisfaction Everlasting Holy Praises be returned to his blessed Name forever and for evermore for his Mercies are exceeding great And now Friends in a living Sense of the Lord's Presence do we write unto you that ye may feel in reading hereof the Springings of that Life in which we write unto you that so as Epistles in one anothers Hearts we may be read and known of all men Oh dear Friends abide in the Vine Christ Jesus that so ye may bring forth precious Fruit to God and this is a Christian's State indeed for the Day of the Lord is come very near and all that bear not this holy Fruit are nigh unto Cursing Therefore do we dearly desire that you and all the rest of our dear Friends with whom we have been well refreshed in God's blessed Truth may so walk as to adorn the same and be Possessors of it that so they that fear not God seeing our Light shining may confess that
the Lord for I am perswaded that if they whom thou call'st thy Slaves be Upright-hearted to God the Lord God Almighty will set them Free in a way that thou knowest not for there is none set Free but in Christ Jesus for all other Freedom will prove but a Bondage From thy Friend Alice Curwen Something in Answer to Thomas White 's Paper which he did write against us and not only against us but against the whole Body of Friends who did profess himself to be a Friend but now joyns himself with the Ranters who did come to our Meeting in New-Jarsey at Eliakim Wardall's House who did give his Testimony for us in the Meeting and said That we were sent of God and told us where he would have had us to have pointed another Meeting amongst the Ranters in New-Jarsey at a place called Midletown he said He would come to our Meeting and came not We did write something to him and then he did write to us and then we wrote an Answer as followeth Thomas White VVE cannot pass by thee and thy muddy Stuff but warn thee because we know the Terrors of the Lord in our selves against Sin and also his Mercies though we be the least of many of the Lord's People which thou calls our Tribe And we finding thy Paper nothing worth but for the Fire therefore we write a few Lines unto thee to put thee in mind of thy own words in Eliakim Wardall's House which was more large than we shall here declare therefore call to mind and do not eat thy own words and say thou was not refreshed by T. C. A. C. We are Instruments in the hand of the Lord and thou mayst see thy own Folly and Madness twisting as the Serpent did and if not by T. C. A. C. why did thou desire of us to have a Meeting at Midletown Thou dark Sodomite out of thy own Mouth thou art judged and condemned with the Light of Christ Jesus for thou art turning backward from that of God in thy Conscience by which the Children of Light are led and guided into all Truth And like a Serpent thou art shooting out thy Venom and thy Sting the Foyson of Asps is under thy Tongue Thou mayst read thy Condition thou false Accuser for thou first desiredst a Meeting at Midletown to see if the Breaches can be made up and then thou condemnest us for meeting together with many Lyes and false Accusations which was like the rest of thy confused Stuff forged up in thy Paper And as for our visiting of Friends in New-England it is like the rest of thy Accusations for we had been there before we did fee thy face therefore let thy Mouth be stopt and draw in thy Venom and Sting and turn to the Light of God in thy Conscience and deal plainly and honestly with thy own Heart that if it be possible thou mayst find Mercy with the Lord for a Day of Blackness is over thee for Rebellion is worse than Witchcraft And if thou findst Mercy with the Lord thou must pass through the Fire and the Sword thou must witness to cut down that which is exalted So in the Plainness and Honesty of our Hearts in the sight of the Lord we have cleared our Consciences and remain Thy Friends in the Truth of our God which is out of all Imaginations Thomas Alice Curwen From Jamaco in Long-Island in New-England the 18th of the 3d Moneth 1676. This for a Priest at Barbadoes the 20th of the 11th Moneth 1676. Friend William Walker THe Day of the Lord's Power is come and the marvellous Light now shines and the Lord is making his People a Willing People according to his Promise and the Call of the Lord is gone forth to call People out of Darkness into his Marvellous Light and the Trumpet of the Lord is Sounded and Sounding that People may be awakened out of Sin and Transgression so I being moved in the true Fear of the living God and in his holy Power which works secretly the Day is come blessed be the Lord God forever that that which is revealed in secret must be declared openly that so all may hear that many may be turned from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to the Power of God for I feeling a necessity to warn you of the Day of your Visitation thou for thy part beekened to a man to drive us away but if I had not Freely Declared as I Freely Received Wo and Misery would be my Portion for the Searcher of all Hearts is known from whom none can be hid And the Day hastens that all Coverings shall be stript off but the Spirit of the Lord and therefore do I write unto thee to mind the Day of thy Visitation for it is safe for every one to try all things and hold fast that which is good So if it be in thy Heart to prove thy Practice by the Scriptures as we are willing to prove ours thou may come to Widow Wickame's the next Sixth day call'd by the men of thy Generation Friday being the 20th of this Moneth for we keep our Doors open and drive none away by Force and Cruelty but the desire of our Hearts is to the Lord That People may so hear that they may know the thing that belongs to their Everlasting Peace before the Day of their Visitation be over For the Spirit of the Lord will not alwayes strive No more but my Unfeigned Love to thee and all the Sons and Daughters of men and the Desire of my Heart is That every one may know Christ who is the Power of God unto Salvation From me Thy Friend Alice Curwen This was given forth to another Priest of Barbadoes called Daniel Dikes on the 8th of the 1st Moneth 1676. Priest Daniel Dikes IF thou hadst been invited to a Feast where thou mightst have filled thy Belly and have drunk Wine at thy pleasure and have had the chiefest Seat and have been called of men Master we do believe thou wouldst have come but thou art so far from being a Master that thou art the Parish Servant who hires thee and thou receivest Wages of them and therefore we tell thee plainly that a mans Servant that is bought with his Money whether black or white is more honourable than thee for in the invisible Light thou art seen with the same Eye as Daniel in his Day saw the Priests their Wives and Children though they went in at the Privy Door but now the Light is broken forth blessed be the Lord God forever and that every Boy and Girle that abides in the Light which is invisible sees your Footsteps Therefore saith the Lord unto the Idol Shepherds that feed not the Block of Christ but their own Bellies I will gather my Sheep and they shall not alwayes he Meat for the Devourer but I will feed them my self and they shall not need to say Know the Lord and his Spirit for ye shall
Testimony for the Honour of his Everlasting Truth Friends are generally well in Health blessed be the Name of the Lord forever and for evermore So having this opportunity I was willing to write these few Lines Friends you are dear and near unto me and the Springs of Love and Life do often flow sorth unto you more than Tongue or Pen can express So no more but Your assured Friend and Brother in the Truth of our God Matthew Pryar And as Opportunity presents let me hear from you Friends have suffered pretty much at Boston since you were there Margaret Brewster of Barbadoes hath been sorely Whipt and many Friends more and here are a great many Friends come over to Delaware and I fear that there is great need of Faithful Labourers in these parts No more but my dear Love to you both Matthew Pryar Dear Friends Thomas and Alice Curwen IN that Love of God which is Everlasting and Endless in all his dear Babes and Children whom he hath begotten by his Immortal Word do I salute you and you are often in my Remembrance although far seperated as to the Outward yet near in that which is Invisible and Immortal in the Life of Innocency in which Life you were made instrumental in the Hand of our God to comfort me and hold me up in a living hope when I was well nigh overwhelmed with Sorrow but Praises are given by me unto our God that lives forever who hath given me Patience to wait his time and a Contented Heart that into what Estate and Condition I may be brought I hope I shall be contented Dear Friends I do own dearly your Labour of Love and in the sense of the same do bid you Farewel Who am your Friend in the Truth Francis Colley Flushen in New-England the 15th of the 8th Moneth 1677. DEar and Well-beloved Friends Thomas and Alice Curwen ' whom I love in the Truth and as my Love was dear to you when you were with us so it remains now when we are seperated and my Heart is truly knit unto you in Unfeigned Love and as you were a Comfort and a Strengthning in my great Weakness when you were with me which I cannot forget though far seperated but I do say The Lord reward your Labour of Love into your Bosoms for the Lord hath of his abundant Love raised me from a weak estate that I may yet remain in the Land of the Living to declare his Praise and to signifie my endeared Love to my Brethren and Sisters and to bear a Living Testimony for my God against the Wrong Spirits that burden the Seed of God So my dear Friends I have not much to acquaint you with only that which was fore-seen That Bad Spirits are working their own Destruction So in that Love which I began I do take my leave and remain Your Friend and Sister Mary Tyllton Gravesend in New-England the 15th Day of the 8th Moneth 1677. Antego the 19th of the 4th Moneth 1677. Dear Friends Thomas and Alice Curwen MY true love is to you both desiring your Everlasting Well-fare and Well-being in God's Everlasting Truth that is broken forth amongst us blessed be his Name forever who does daily engage us with his Love and gives us a living Experience of his Mercies and Goodness who feeds our Immortal Souls and keeps us fresh and green and bears up our Heads in the time of great and deep Exercises and Tryals which we do meet withal Everlasting Praises and Glory be to his Name forever so that we can say of a Truth Good is the Lord to all that wait upon him and chuse him to be their chiefest Beloved who indeed is the chiefest of Ten Thousand to his little Remnant that has none in Heaven but only the Lord Jesus Christ nor none on Earth in comparison of him And so desiring we may forever wait in singleness upon the Lord that he may keep us and preserve us in the sense of his Love breathing and crying unto the Lord one for another in the blessed Seed and Gift and holy Spirit that the Lord hath blessed through all Ages and Generations Everlasting Praises be unto his holy Name forever Oh Friends your Faithfulness the Lord hath made me in my measure sensible of wherein my Soul is comforted being Members of the one Body of which Christ Jesus is the Head and Leader that goes before his People and leads into the green Pastures of Life which the World cannot give us nor take from us JASPER TREGOUSE Dear Friends Thomas and Alice Curwen I Received your Lines and your Friend R. J. and cannot but accept kindly of your Remembrance of me in the Lord and was refreshed in them and your true Love therein as I have also been in your Company in several good Meetings by God's Power refreshed for which let him have the Praise forever and your tender and dear Advice in the Truth is owned and I desire your Remembrance of me in the Lord may be continued and that I may be preserved through all Tryals to God's Praise and worthy of his Mercies and Loving-kindness which is large and incomparable And dear Friends your Labour of Love in and Service for the Lord is not to be slipt out of Remembrance in many Hearts in this Island but is still very fresh and green and your Reward I question not is in your Bosom and will be with the Lord who was and is the exceeding great Reward of his Servants both in others and in this Age who were willing to forsake their Country and Kindred at his Requirings So dear Friends in the Salutation of that Love which exceeds all other I remember you and desire to be remembred by you And if you see G. F. mind me to him I have him in due Respect and Honour though I am as one of the least of the Thousands of Israel yet of true Jacob's stock the Stem is felt through the Goodness of Jacob's God whose Presence is better than this World's Glory Your Friend and Brother in measure of God's Power JOHN BARKER Barbadoes the 1st of the 5th Moneth 1676. Dear Thomas and Alice Curwen TO whom is my dear Love desiring these precious Seasons may never be forgotten wherein we have been sweetly watered and refreshed together but that the Glory of all may return to him in whom all our fresh Springs are Your Service for God amongst us I believe will be owned forever and a Testimony thereof is fresh in the Hearts of a Remnant in this Island and a sad and bitter Condition are many reduced to who opposed your Testimonies and so have come to wither and blast as is wofully manifest by Henry Jones at this present who is gone out of the Unity into the Enmity and heaped up a parcel of dirty stuff in writing against Friends and some others there about stand by him I think none but such as are out of the Practice of meeting with their Families I write the less of
ye are of God Oh Friends see that your Lamps be trimmed and that ye have Oyl in your Vessels for the Day of the Lord is near when he will pour out his Wrath upon the Heathen that know him not nor call not upon his Name in Righteousness and therefore Friends do we write unto you in a living Sense and in the Tenderness of our Spirits that ye may be exercised in the Gift of God every one in your several places and none to hide the Lord's Money in the Earth nor to account him a hard Master for indeed he is exceeding good unto all that in the Simplicity of their Spirits seek after him blessed be his Name forever and evermore And if it be your Freedom let Friends at New-York and at Flushen as ye see convenient see and read this Epistle in their Meeting for our dear and unfeigned Love is unto you all more than we can here declare And we cannot but return Praise and Thanksgiving unto the Lord who raised his own Witness in you to receive our Testimony though we be the least of many of the Lord's People and truly the Remembrance thereof is exceeding precious blessed be the Name of our God forever and for evermore We are here waiting for our Passage to Barbadoes and we desire you if you have a convenient Oportunity to let us hear from you and to write to Barbadoes for it is our Joy and the Joy of all that truly Fear the Lord to hear from one another and not only to hear but to feel one another in the Life and Power of God's eternal Truth So in the true Sense of the Love of our God wherein our true Comfort and Consolation stands we remain in the eternal Spirit of Truth which hath made us free from the Law of Sin and Death eternal Praises Praises forever and for evermore be rendred and returned unto the Lord God of our Life who is worthy forever and for evermore Amen in which we remain Your Friends in the Vnchangeable Truth of our God THOMAS ALICE CURWEN From Newport in Road-Island the 9th of the 5th Moneth 1676. To Friends at New-York in New-England FRIENDS IN that Love of our God which caused us to leave our Native Country and all that was dear and near unto us and come and visit you and in Obedience we came and we are well satisfied in the Lord and refreshed one in another as you your selves very well know and we wrote to you from Road-Island and earnestly desired to hear from you to Barbadoes which made us greatly to wonder that we did not receive one Line from you we did expect to hear from you in writing by Lewes Morris but indeed we can truly say That if our Exercise be great yet the Lord is with us who will not suffer us to be tryed but he also brings us through by the Arm of his holy Power and so the Righteous can Rejoyce Everlasting Holy Praises be unto the Lord our God forever and for evermore So that which is chiefly in our hearts at this time is That we may all serve the Lord in Fear and Rejoyce in Trembling and with the Holy Man of God we can sing of the Judgments of the Lord and also of his Mercies and so shall we all dwell together in the holy Fear low in our measures where we offer up unto God a living Sacrifice well-pleasing in his sight So mind our dear Love to Friends at the Gravesend and Long-Island and Oyster-Bay and let them know that the Love of our God which is shed abroad in our Hearts reaches to the Seed and breathes for the Preservation of its Off-spring that we may be comforted in our Travails concerning you for we are very certain that our Testimony is true for the Lord for he rewards us an hundred fold into our Bosom for we have had great Service in this Island and the Lord hath given unto our two Talents two more for which our Souls bless the Lord Let all that feel his holy Power rejoyce with us for the Work of the Lord goes on and Prospers in this Island since our coming hither he is turning back the Wisdom of the Wise though they laid many Baits and Snares for the Innocent yet the Snares are broken and we are delivered and Truth prospers over the Heads of them that do oppose Everlasting holy Praises be unto the Lord our God who carries his Lambs in his Arms and prospers his own Work Here is a great openness in this Island and the Lord is working secretly in Peoples Hearts though they little know it who it is that smites them So dear Friends when you have read this Epistle which is a Salutation of our Unfeigned Love you may read it in your Meeting and let Friends at Gravesend Long-Island and Oyster-Bay see it for you are all as one to us whose Hearts are Upright to God Our dear Love to Matthew Pryer and his Family to Mary Willis and her Family and Alice Crabe and her Family and to John Dickson and his Family and to Friends about Flushen and Jamaco to Hugh Couperwhete and his Wife and though we cannot remember their Names yet in that Unchangeable Love that can never be forgotten in which the Lord refresht our Immortal Souls when we were together do we dearly salute you all and do bid you all Farewel And if it be in any of your Hearts to write a few Lines to us ye may write to London for we should be glad to hear from Friends at so great a distance and how things are but we do not know at present when we shall go Home but in the Will of the Lord we stand who hath given us good Success Holy Praises be to his Name forever and evermore saith your Friends From Oliver Hutton's at Barbadoes the 12th of the 12th Mon. 1676. Thomas Alice Curwen There was a Widdow-Woman in Barbadoes that had Negro's to her Servants who were convinced of God's Eternal Truth and I hearing of them was moved to go to speak to the Woman for their coming to our Meetings and when I did speak to her she did deny me and then I did write to her as followeth Martha Tavernor I Cannot pass by but in Love write to thee for in Love we came to visit thee and to invite thee and thy Family to the Meeting but thou for thy part art like him that was invited to work in the Vineyard and went not And as for thy Servants whom thou callst thy Slaves I tell thee plainly thou hast no right to reign over their Conscience in Matters of Worship of the Living God for thou thy self confessedst that they had Souls to save as well as we Therefore for time to come let them have Liberty lest thou be called to give an Account to God for them as well as for thy self So in thy old Age chuse rather as a good Man did that both thou and thy whole Family may serve
joyfully the spoiling of their Goods who were scoffed and mocked at and said That Bonds and Imprisonments were their portion and it was for their Testimony which they held as thou mayst read at large in the Scriptures of Truth who hast nothing now against us but concerning the Law of our God and there ye go about tocatch us as they of Old did Daniel but oh Priest read what became of these Informers and of those that informed against the three Children thou blind Guide which Christ cryed We against and said They were whited Walls and painted Sepulchres and wore long Robes and loved to be called of men Masters and that they loved the upper most Romes at Feasts and greetings in the Markets and further he said that By your Fruits your are known and so it is this day Wo unto you said he for ye lay heavy Burthens upon the People and ye shut the Kingdom of Heaven against men ye neither enter in your selves nor suffer others Therefore saith Christ Jesus Wo unto you And if thou ask how I know these things I tell thee plainly it is by the invisible Light which shines in my Heart which manifests all things as it is written in the Scriptures of Truth and this Light was in the beginning will be when all visible things shall have an end to which thou shalt be turned to give account of all thy Deeds done in thy Body all thy Life time and of all thy hard Speeches against the Servants of the living God therefore turn to it and let it search thy Heart and believe in it for this is my living Testimony for God that it will deceive no man but it will bring the hidden things of Esau to Light and believing in it and obeying it it will lead out of Sin Therefore Repent pray unto the Lord that he take thee not away in the midst of thy Sins lest thou go down into the Pit out of which there is no Redemption And as for our Names and Place of abode it is in Lancashire in a little Village called Beaklife in the Parish of Alldingham where we were haled to Prison by such a proud Priest as thee because we could not bow in this our day no more than they could do in dayes past but the Lord shortned that Priests dayes and we do witness Christs words fulfilled in this our day where he said That it should come to pass that the Devil should cast some into Prison But blessed be the Lord who has delivered us and we are at this day and time free of all the Goals in the World therefore do we warn thee that thou come not upon thy Neighbours in pretence of a Fine for us for we have to satisfie of our own and according to the Act ye are to fetch it where we live whose Names are here set down Thomas and Alice Curwen And that further We do declare what the Lord hath done for us in the inncency of our Hearts we Bless and Praise the Lord Oh my Soul bless thou the Lord that has witnessed that Scripture of Truth this day fulfilled in my Ears where Christ Jesus said That men should speak all manner of Evil against us for his Names sake and that falsly Rejoyce said he and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven Oh Praises Praises saith my Soul with many Thousands more that God hath redeemed from Death to Life And to his blessed Name be Everlasting holy Praises and that for evermore saith a Friend in the Truth of God though the least of many Who am known unto men by the Name of Alice Curwen Huntingdonshire For the Priest at Godmanchester the 21st of the 11th Moneth 1677. Friend YEsternight I spoke to thee as thou passedst by thou wentst away laughing like the rest of thy Brethren making merry over God's Witness in thee which is the Grace of God which appears at this day as it did in the Apostles dayes and unto all them that believe in it and obey it it works the same effect everlasting Praises be sounded out unto the Lord our God at this day for his blessed Appearance saith my Soul who is come the second time without Sin to save them that believe Everlasting Holy Praises be sounded out aloud saith my Soul in secret unto the Lord for all his Mercies and that for evermore And truly Priest for I do not know thee by any other Name my Spirit is grieved when I do see any of you or where-ever I do meet with you that you should take upon you the charge of Peoples Souls and to teach them the Way of the Lord and in all my Travels I find no men so light and airy as you Priests are who wear your long Robes and by Christ's words as you may read in the Scriptures and by the Spirit of Truth which God hath manifested in my particular do I see you to be them which Christ cryed Wo against therefore is the Word of the Lord as a Sword in my Mouth against the Mystery of Babylon and the Merchants of her also for the Lambs War is begun and as it is written in the Scripture of Truth The Beast and the false Prophet makes War against the Lamb and his followers but God shall take the Beast and the false Prophet alive and cast them into the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone forever and evermore and the Lamb and the Saints shall get the Victory And so my Soul blesses the Lord that I have lived to see this day wherein the Scriptures are fulfilled for it is the Lords day therefore I desire thee in love to thy immortal Soul to prise the day of thy Visitation for I could not be clear till I had eased my Spirit who am a Friend to thy Soul and truly loves all Men and Women also with that Love that God hath loved me withal Who am known by my Name Alice Curwen Huntingdonshire My Dear Friends Thomas Alice Curwen I With many more are glad to hear of the Arrival of John Grove his Ship and we hope you are all safe you are often in my Mind but more your Innocent Lives and Conversation amongst us which shewed clear also your great Labour of Love amongst us which will not be forgotten in the Hearts of the Faithful and I hope will not go without its Reward The Lord God of our Life preserve us in these Times of Troubles which are at this time amongst us of which I do believe you will have a full Account I am straitned for Time at present so cannot enlarge only my dear Love with my Childrens is to you both desiring that we may be all kept in his blessed Fear to our Lives end So my dear Friends Farewel Barbadoes the 7th of the 5th Mon. 1677. Your Loving Friend Elizabeth Griffin Dearly Beloved Thomas Alice Curwen YOur good wills towards me and my Wife when you were with us we cannot forget And truly