the gathering the Brethren from far and the Sisters from the ends of the Earth who shall bless the Name of the Lord for ever for you that endure in faithfulness unto the end the Crown of glory shall rest upon you forever The eternal God in his everlasting Power keep you in the deep Life of his Son in unity to finish your Testimony to his Glory Farewel W. D. Given forth in Newgate Prison London the 13 th day of the 12 th Month 1661. Dear Lambs keep in the unity in the Life and Power of God and let your words be few W. D. Dear Friends THe Eternal God of rest and peace is amongst you in him Rule over all that would draw from the everlasting Power and peace in God his peace be with you in his Light Power and Life to establish you that in the first love you grow in unity and in it reign to the endless praises and glory of the God of peace and the comfort of one another forever Even so be it with you saith my Soul in the Name of the Lord. Farewell W. D. London Newgate Prison the 12 th day of the 12 th Month 1661. Dear Brethren and chosen Vessels of my Father HOw do you comfort my Heart in your faithful obedience to the God of our Salvation lift up your Heads you blessed Lambs of the holy God dwell in his love and delight your Hearts in the Light of his Countenance continually and in the Life of the Lord let your love abound one towards another that in the strength thereof you may comfort one another in these trying days and with the Light judge every thought that would streighten you for drinking in the fulness of the vertue of God that so you may all fill your Hearts with gladness and keep the word of his patience till the time determined God will work your deliverance with all his Elect to his praise and glory forever Fare you well your Brother W. D. 25 th day 11 th Month 1661. Dear Brethren GReat is the charge that is committed to you as to your watchfulness over your own Hearts and the great people amongst whom you are placed Oh you Brethren walk in the unity in the Life of God it will be the great comfort of them chosen Jewels of God in that place the strength of the Life and Love of God will wait to cover you it will flow through you in the unity as a River to water the Garden of God and cause it to grow full of the fruit of the Spirit which is Love Joy Goodness Peace against which their is no Law so â—hall your names be honorable in Israel and many shall bless and praise the Name of the Lord for your watchfulness meekness and lowliness and tender love in the Power of God to build the decay'd Walls of Sion and repair her desolate places to the rejoycings of all that love the Lord our God. His Powerful Presence be with you and bind you up as one in his Life in all your undertakings for the comfort of Sion and the Blessing of the Almighty God be with you and rest upon you to his Glory forever Your Brother W. D. From Newgate Prison the 5 th day of the 9 th month 1661. This was writ and directed to several Friends in Bristol Dear Friends in God ALL in the measure abide that in the unlimitted power and life in his Kingdom you stand to keep your dominion in his heavenly authority these trying days wherein Husband is called to forsake Wife Wife Husband Parents Children and Children Parents and other Creature-enjoyments for the Testimony of the Name of the Lord so all you Families of God that are or shall be called to bear your Testimony prize the mercy of the Lord who hath made you his chosen Jewels and the first-fruits amongst many Brethren to fulfil the measure of the sufferings that is yet behind in the name and power of the Lord Jesus arise whether Husband Wife Parents or Children in bonds or out of bonds and take to you the sharp threshing Instrument which is the Power of God that you may thresh inwardly all the Mountains of thoughts fears or unbelief representation of all hardships and every desire and imagination that would draw from a peaceable rest in God in the Name of the Lord I lay it upon you be valiant for your Freedom and with the powerful Instrument of God thresh and bruise down the Mountains as chaff and dust and thresh upon the head of the great red Dragon the old Serpent the Devil and spare him not and be not afraid of encountering for mighty is the Lord that hath called you to conquer him so keep his head under with the threshing Instrument bruise down and keep under all that would disquiet you or draw you from your rest that so in peace in Christ you all may abide in a pure resignation to the will of the Father that in the Habitation of peace in his Kingdom you in his dominion reign over above and atop of all below the Light so wiâ—l your joy flow as a River your triumph and dominion in the authority of God over all the Mountains of this World within and without in the Mountain of the holy Life in Christ to reign admire and souâ—d out in the low minde and holy fear the new song with triumph over the Devil and his Angels and the accuser of the Brethren which you will see cast down and you shall tread upon him and bruise him under and all that would joyn with him with the sharp threshing Instrument the mighty Power of God which you have received in Christ the Light and in all things you do one for another let love abound in the Innocent Life in God doing as you would be done unto in the sight of God and you that are servants in Families which be in sufferings I lay it upon you be faithful that the good savour of God be found amongst you to the praise of the Lord and you that are out of bonds in what you may be assistant eveâ—y way as the Wisdom of God leads bearing one anothers burthens to fulfil the Law of Christ who is taking to him his great Power to reign forever even the strength of the mighty God be with you and lift up all your Heads in his Authority to stand and to keep the word of his Patience to finish your Testimony to the praise and glory of his Name over all blessed forever of whose Dominion there is no end in which you dear Lambs may feel me and read me in the Life which is hid from the World but known to you in the secrets of God where our eternal Joy and Triumph is for ever whatever becomes of the outward Man in the Will of God farewell yea farewell in the Name of the Lord. W. D. Given forth in Newgate Prison London the 3 d day of the 1 st Month 1661 62. Dear and chosen Vessels IN the
he will carry his tender Lambs in his Armes and the dear suckling Babes at the Breasts of his Consolation and to cause his young men in Christ to rejoyce in the purity of his nature and the Handmaids and Daughters of Glory to triumph in his Comliness with which he will cover them that love the Light and his pure nature better then their lives the aged among his people he will cloath them with Wisdom and the grave solid ponderous weighty Spirit shall more and more possess the Ancients among his Children a pure perfect eternal Judgment he hath plac'd in the midst of thee oh Sion that shall keep forth and bind the ravenous ones for it shall be as a wall for the preservation of his lovely City Ierusalem and great is and shall be the encreasings of God upon all thy Inhabitants that abhor self and love the Light and delights to walk in faithfulness up to the requirings of the Lord in this his dreadful day wherein he is purging his Sanctuary through great sufferings according to the word of the Lord as hath been declared let no discouragement be upon your Spirits for the mighty Jehovah is with every particular Babe of his Kingdom and dear and pretious is your lives in the sight of the Lord a Woman may forget her sucking Child but the Lord will not forget you that trust in his Mercies and though the Cup look bitter which many hath to drink in this trying day fear not you beloved People but stand approved in the Light of Jesus and whatever you meet withal his presence will accompany you in sweetning your passage daily more and more for his bowels earns abundantly to you who in the holy resolution in his heavenly Power is freely given up to do and suffer whatever the pleasure of the Lord is â—hat he may glorifie his Name in the Earth in disposing of you to the eternal renown of his Name forever Oh you dear Babes of the holy Seed abide in your safe dwelling in the Light over all fear of what ever man can do for the determination of God is not any more wrath shall have power then shall turn to his praise for the Lord hath given his Angels charge over you and they pitch their Tents continually about you and in vain it is for man to strive to afflict you whom the Lord will save or to destroy whom the Lord will preserve Therefore be glad oh Sion in thy God this day and let thy Inhabitants oh Ierusalem shine forth in the glory of the Heavenly power of the most high God who dwelleth in the middst of thee for the day of thy deliverance he is hastening and to make inquisition for the Blood of thy tender Children who has sufferred spoylings of their Goods and many Stripes Prisons Afflictions and Death for the Word of God and Testimony of Jesus Christ Therefore in the Word of his Patience every one stand in your several conditions gird up in the Light the mind to the Lord unmoveable in his strengâ—h to bear your Testimonies the strong leading the weak by the Hand that all in the gentle sweet leading Spirit of Life in eternal Unity live and walk in the heavenly Authority in peace and faithfulness until death where the Crown of eternal glory shall be your reward in the power of his everlasting dominion to Praise and Magnifie his Name with Hallelujahs and high praises in the beauty of his Life forever and for evermore Amen And further this ariseth in my Heart dear beloved vessels whereâ—oever God hath placed you in the Earth whatever appears amongst the Children of men in the Light of Christ stand still and dwell in your peaceable rest forever that to the witness of God in every Conscience we may be manifest to be the Children of the eternal God of Peace in whom is our diligent watchings and waitings upon our God to order us in his Power and Wisâ—om in our peaceable lives to be a blessing to all the Inhabitants of the Land of our Nativity from the highest to the lovest in what we may to perswade them to walk in the Fear of the Lord that they may escape in the day of terrible wrath which the mighty God will manifest in the day of his dreadful vengeance upon the ungodly that so by our conversation in Christ the measure of God in all their Consciences may testifie for us that in us the peaceable holy Seed is raised which the Lord hath blessed and in which we know that neither height nor depth principalities nor powers things present nor things to come prisons nakedness peril or sword life nor death can never seperate us from the sweet refreshing Life and Peace we have together in Christ the Righteousness Strength and Dominion forever In whom Rests the Soul of your Brother in the word of his Patience with you Farewell W. D. Warwick Goal the 8 th of the 11 th Month 1663. The Word of the Lord to Sion the New Ierusalem the Bride the Lambs Wife the Eâ—cellency of all the Glory that is amongst the People though she be now in deep Sufferings in fulness of time God will clear the Innocency of her Children and all the Nations of the Earth shall call her the Blessed of the Lord yea the holy City in whom the Lord dwells to manifest his Glory upon the Earth amongst the Children of men forever O Sion who is brought forth in the beautiful and glorious Birth of the morning of the Day of the Almighty God thou Ierusalem the Bride the Lambs Wife O what Tongue can express of what is felt in the heavenly Treasures and Fulness of the Most High who watches over thee for good and not for evil in this day of thy great Tryal wherein Judgment is begun at the House of God that he may prove you to be his People in the sight of the Nations and manifest his mighty Power for your deliverance in the presence of the People to the astonishment of all the proud and stout-hearted among the Children of men In the ability of the strength of the Lord I declare his Word to thy tender Children O Sion whom the Lord God beholds how you are compassed about with the ravenous Beasts of the field and given up by the Children of men for to be laid waste and to race up the Foundation of your strength if it were possible that so the pure and living Worship of God in the Spirit may not be known in the Earth O dear and tender Children of the Immortal Birth which maketh Self of no reputation whom the Lord hath called and chosen to be his living Witnesses upon the Earth to bear Testimony of his great and glorious Name amongst the People fear not Man whose breath is in his nostrils neither regard evil tydings of what men intend to do with you O be faithful upon your watch that you may stand in a good Authority in the Light and Life over all the
in the Earth for his Seed sake and many that shall have their lives given them for a prey shall receive the Word of Eternal Life in that City and great shall be the number who shall submit to the Government of Christ and they shall bless the Lord for you that love not your lives to death for the Glory of God and gathering the Sons and Daughters of Men to the Knowledge of God by your holy lives and sweet walking in all holiness of Conversation Oh blessed be the day that ever you were born yea my Soul Glorifies God for you that ever you had a being you faithful Lambs in the City of London and else where scattered according to the Will God Though you now drink a Cup of great Affliction the day of Eternal Joy is sprung up to thee which none can take away an eternal Freedom shall be unto thee Oh Sion Kings shall come unto thee and Princes to the rising of this thy Glorious Day and all thy Enemies shall fall before thee and thou shalt be the Glory over all the Earth and the chosen Diadem in the Hand of thy God amongst the People who shall as much love thee as they now hate thee and esteem of thee as they now despise thee for thou Oh Sion art the Plant of the Lord the Tree of Righteousness in whom is the vertue of the mighty God of Heaven and the leaf of thy Tree shall heal the Nations and put an end to all their distractions the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Through one that dwells within thy Gates thou Glorious and Beautiful Sion Church of the first Born the Beloved Bride the Lambs Wife forever Blessings Glory and Praises Hallelujahs Eternal Honour and Renown be unto thy God and King who reigneth in thee and is exalting his Kingdom over all the Kingdoms of this World and of his Dominion there shall be no end W. D. From the Common Goal in Warwick the 12 th of the 6 th Meneth 1665. For the dear Daughters of Sion whom the Lord hath or shall suffer their dear and tender Husbands to be separated from them beyond the Seas or else-where for the Testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ. DEar Handmaids of Glory whom the Lord hath counted worthy to part with your dear and tender and beloved Husbands for the Name of the Lord assuredly many puts their Shoulders to help to bear the Burthen of your Tryals this day O the Tears and breakings of Heart that is poured forth before the Lord for your dear Husbands and you and your tender Children you are Families of many prayers and assuredly shall be known to be Families of many Mercies O dear Daughters of Sion be content with your Cup handed forth to you this day and bless the Name of the Lord that you are accounted worthy to be the first Fruits among the beloved Daughters What could the Lord do more for you then to count you worthy to suffer in this nature to give you such blessed Husbands that are set as glorious Lights in the face of all People Dear chosen beloved Daughters of Sion let it be seen you love the Lord Jesus more then your dear Husbands and stand over the affectionate Part and solace your Souls in the Love and Life of the Lord Jesus your eternal and beloved Husband and Comforter of your real Husbands and will make us all to rejoyce in whatever he calls us unto we diligently watching and judging our selves and resting in the Light and Will of God in which the Lord establish you you deâ—r beloved Daughters of Sion for whom breathes the Soul of your dear Brother daily to the Lord to strengthen you and your dear Husbands and all that love the Lord Jesus Christ In whom fare you well W. D. Warwick common Gaol the 10 th of the 8 th Month 1664. For my dear honorable Brethren who are or may be sentenced to be Transported to the Isles beyond the Sea for the Testimony of the Name of the Lord Jesus MY dear Friends in the suffering of the Lamb who liveth and reigneth forever and ever and shall overcome all his Enemies in the day determined that all his Enemies shall bow under the Soles of his Feet then shall all that oppress you call you the blessed of the Lord forever O my dear Brethren lift up your Heads in the Light and Life of Jesus for whom you suffer abide in his Light reign over your thoughts of either Wife or Children or whatever would trouble your minds for giving up freely in this your Testimony O you valiants among the People the first Fruits and the leading Champions the Lord is with you and Thousands and ten Thousands shall bless the Name of the Lord for your faithful Testimony which shall sound over Nations to the gathering the People and bringing in our little Sister who hath no Breasts to feel the Consolation of the life of our Beloved for whom we suffer this day O my dear Brethren triumph trimuph in the face of all your Enemies it shall be well with you wheresoever the Lord suffers you to be carried and as to your tender Wives and Children the Lord hath said to my Soul it shall be well with them the blessing of the Lord shall rest upon them forever and ever and with you to the comfort of the Isles that wait for his Law therefore in the peaceable power of the Lord go on you chosen Brethren of the suffering seed which the Lord hath blessed O happy men that ever you were born and blessed be the day that ever the Lord called you in his Power to stand faithful in what the Lord requires of you in which living Testimony you stream through the whole Body as a River of Oyle and vertuous refreshings whose memorial shall never perish but preach to Ages and Generations to the Glory of the Name of our God forever O go on with gladness with trimuph for it is to bring in the Seed from all the ends of the Earth that our Brethren may come from far and Sisters from the end of the World O mighty God cover thy faithful Servants with thy glorious Power and cause them and their Families to rejoyce in thy disposing of them forever and ever Amen My Life in the suffering Spirit go with you in the Name of the Lord forever my dear Companions in these bonds Salute you in the Love of the Lord. Farewel W. D. From the Common Gaol of Worwick the â—0 th of the 8 th Month 1665. The Word of the Lord to all Children born again of the Immortal Seed as the Salutation of the Bowels of the unlimitted Love of the Father flowing forth to you in the forcible Power of his own Life thorow your Brother and Companion in Tribulation and Kingdom of Patience in the Lord Jesus Christ. DEar and honourable Brethren and Sisters Oh how doth my Soul bless the Name of the Lord for you who stands faithful to God in your living
Ellington whom the World in scorn calls Quakers who have been and is in Bonds for the Truths sake and as near as remembred the substance of what the Judge who made a Goal Delivery of all the Transgressors of the Law did express to the Servants of the Lord that was brought Prisoners before him whom no breach of Law was proved against and also as near as remembred here is declared the substance of what the Servants of the Lord did express so long as they were permitted to declare the Truth which did stop the Mouth of all that did object any thing against it and though the Judge could not gainsay the Truth declared by them nor Read them a Law that they had transgressed yet were they not suffered to have the benefit of the Law that Murtherers and Felons had that their Accusers might appear face to face and they have a Tryal and speak for themselves to clear the Truth from false Accusations cast upon it and them but we are again committed to Prison as the following Lines make manifest With a true Discovery of the Persecution of Iohn Huckin Michael Pâ—ttâ—sâ—â— and Thomas Goodayre who is Imprisoned in Northampton for the Truthâ— sake wherein the great enmity that is in Thomas Andrews Priest of Wâ—llinâ—orrow and Thomas Pentlow of Wilby c alled Justice and also of the Magistrates of Northampton made manifest Also the Word of the Lord to the Rulers and Judges and all that Plot against the righteous Seed the World in scorn calls Qâ—akers ABout the time of the eleventh hour of the one and twentieth day of the fifth Month the Goaler called William Deusbery Ioseph Storr Henry Williamson Iohn Whitehead Marmaduke Storr Thomas Cocket and Francis Ellington and he set them all together at the Bar before the Court the Judge looked upon them and after a little silence said to the Goaler Are these Prisoners the Goaler answered yea my Lord the Judge said to the Goaler do you use to bring Prisoners before the Court in this manner you deserve to be Fined ten Pound for bringing them before the Court cover'd the Goaler answered if you command me I shall take off their Hats then the Judge gave command and the Goalers Man took them off which being done the Judge having knowledge given which was William Deusbery spoke to him as followeth Judge Atkins said to William Deusbery what art thou here for William Deusbery answered The Mittimus will express what I was committed for but a Copy of it I am denied by the Keeper of the Goal I. A. What is thy name W. D. Unknown to the World. I. A. Let us hear what that name is that the World knows not W. D. It is known in the Light and not any can know it but him that hath it but the name the World knows me by is William Deusbery I. A. What Country-Man art thou W. D. Of the Land of Canaan I. A. That is afar off W. D. Nay it is near for all that dwell in God is in the holy City new Ierusalem which comes down from Heaven where the Souls is in rest and enjoys the love of God in Jesus Christ in whom the union is with the Father of Light. I. A. That is true but are you ashamed of your Countrey is it a disparagement for you to be born in England W. D. Nay for the Truths sake I am free to declare according to the Knowledg of the World my natural Birth was in York-Shire nine Miles from York towards Hull I. A. You pretend to be extraordinary Men and to have an extraordinary Knowledg of God. W. D. We witness the Work of Regeneration to be an extraordinary Work wrought in us by the Spirit of God. I. A. But the Apostles wrought with their Hands in their Callings W. D. They had Callings in the World some were Fishermen Paul a Tent-maker but when they were called to the Ministry of Christ they left their Callings to follow Christ where he led them by his Spirit to Preach the Word and I had a Calling in the World as they had and in it did abide until the Father revealed his Son in me and called me from my Calling I had in the World to Preach the eternal Word he had made known to me in the great Work of Regeneration I. A. Why didst thou not abide in thy own Countrey and Teach People in them Parts W. D. There I did stay until I was called from thence to go where I was led by the Spirit of the Lord and as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons and Daughters of God and they that have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his I. A. You say well for we must in charity conclude that every one in this place hath the Spirit of God in them but how do you know that you are guided by the Spirit of God W. D. They that have the Spirit of God are known by their fruits and he that believeth in Jesus Christ and is guided by his Spirit hath the witness in himself I. A. That is true yet notwithstanding I see by your carriage that what my Brother Hails did at the last Assizes in requiring Bonds for your good behaviour he might justly do it for you are against Magistrates and Ministers W. D. Make that manifest wherein we are against them I. A. Said to Robert Guy Clark of the Peace What have you against these men R. Guy Here is an Information given in upon Oath by Mr Robert Beeton that William Deusbury on the twenty nineth of December 1654. did go into the Church in Wellingborrow and stood with his Hat on in the time of Sermon and Prayer and after the Minister had done he spake these words The Priests preach for hire and the People love to have it so But what will you do in the end thereof with other railing words which made disturbance amongst the people I. A. What have you against Storr and Williamson not any one spoke openly against them I shall take course that those that have disturbed the Ministers before I go forth of the Town that they shall be indicted W. D. It is the Liberty of the Law of this Nation that any which is brought Prisoner before those that sits to judge their Cause may speak for themselves the truth to witness against the false information given in against them and that Liberty I take to manifest the ground and cause of my going into the Steeple-house at Wellingborrow As I was going in the Street Thomas Andrews called Minister of that Town called to me with these words Give over deceiving the People lest the Plagues of God fall on thee I replyed these words Doest thou say I deceive the People make it manifest wherein I deceive them Thomas Andrews said Thou saidst there is not any Original Sin I replied Didst thou hear me say so to which he would not answer but fled away I being falsly accused by Thomas Andrews
the week there was a Meeting where it was said there might be two Thousand My God was mighty in his Power to the glory of his Name If God will I may be at Justice Cripse's in Gloustershire the next third day and at Slettingford twelve Miles from Bristol the fourth day if God-will I may be at Bristol the sixth or the first day being the 18th of this Month further then as my freedom is in my moving in the Lord the presence of God keep you with me in his Life and all the Elect faithful to the end Amen W. D. Dear Friends IN the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ walk to reign over all contrary to the Light that in the Light and glory of God you may all shine forth living Witnesses of the Name of the everlasting holy pure God who hath looked on you in his tender love to gather you in the Everlasting Power of God to stand against all deceit blessed are you thaâ— are faithful in obeying the Light of Christ to foâ—low him in the Cross and straight way of self-denial you are my Brethren and Sisters in the Lord Jesus our Captain over all he will Crown you with his Almighty Power to stand in Faith and Patience to follow him until every tongue that lifts up it self against you shall fall in Judgment withal that stumble at Christ Jesus our Life and Light who will gather a large People to himself in that Country many shall come in that is yet wandering upon the Mountains where they find no rest Blessed are all you that abide and walk faithful with the Lord whom he hath called and chosen in the Light to be the first Fruits what ever ariseth contrary to the Light within or without watch to the Light you will descern stay your Hearts on the Lord in the Light holding fast your Confidence in the Lord he will deliver you forth of all contrary to the Light and cause you to rejoyce in the daily Cross to the crucifying you to the World and the World to you and over the World will cause you to rejoyce withal its pomps and glory and evil therein you shall over it stand in the Power of God to his Praise and Glory even so be it with you all in the Almighty Power of God in whom my Soul salutes you that faithfully walk humbly before the Lord in Obedience to his Counsel the Light. DEar Lambs called in the Light to lye down in the safe Fold of rest in Christ our life in the tender bowels of love in him I beseech you that you be faithful in meeting together in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and diligently watch to know your own measure of Grace in Christ him to feel in you to judge your thoughts and every vain Imagination that over them you may reign and delight in the refreshing of his presence and all take heed of many words at all times let them be few but what is from the savory Spirit of Life in Christ the Light in him the blessing of the Lord rest on you all for evermore there to farewel with me in the everlasting love of the Father in Christ the Light Amen W. D. Given forth the 24 th of the 7 th Month 1658 at Leeth near Edenborough Scotland Let Copies of this carefully be written and sent to the Churches when they are met together in the Fear of God to be read amongst them Dear Friends BRethren and Sisters called in the Light to feel the Power of Almighty God burying self in the Death and raising up his own immortal Birth of himself in all your Hearts which hungereth and thirsteth after his Righteousness and cannot be satisfied but in the Light of the Countenance of the Eternal God of Heaven Grace and Peace be multiplied to you all in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ the Light c. This to you all is the Word of the Lord God to watch diligently to the Light that you may see all the workings of the Enemy who would draw you from the Light and as the Lord discoveâ—eth him judge him in all his appearances with the Light that you may be kept out of all his Temptations that the Power of God you may all feel guiding of you that not any receive the knowledge of the Truth in the wrong ground as many have done who have received the knowledge of the Truth and for want of the watch to the Light the false birth in them raiseth its self with what is known and received in the day of tenderness and so hath run out in a drunken hard Spirit spending the Talent upon the lust out of Gods fear so hath grieved the Spirit of the Lord and burthened his dear People and hear is the ground of all that came out with us and go from us and are not of us who in the day of their coming forth were tender and at that time God manifested himself in measure but not watching to the Light the Enemy entered and the false birth rise in its strength and enriched it self with Gods gift then the Swine got the Pearl and turned again and all to rend so here is the ground of strife that hath been or ever shall be with all that came out in the acknowledgment of Truth and flee the true Judgment of God from his witness in their own particulars and through his People in whom he dwelleth All dear Children of God who love the Light prize the Mercy of the everlasting Father of Light who hath counted you worthy to wait upon him watch watch to the Light that the Judgment of the Lord may pass upon the first Man which is of the Earth that he may truely be buried into the one Baptism into the death that the birth Immortal you may feel generated in you by the working of the Immortal Word the true Birth which makes self of no reputation which humbleth self in the Cross and Thirsts and Hungers in you for the presence of the Lord or otherwise you cannot live fear you not you Children of my Father lift up your Heads in the Light of the Lord for the Bowels of the God of Heaven earns towards you stay your Hearts upon him in the Light and the Lord will rebuke the furious Enemy of your peace he will not break the bruised Reed neither will he quench the smoking Flax until he hath brought Judgment forth into Victory so let not any of you be bowed down any longer but all arise arise in the Light of the Lord God hold fast your confidence in the measure of the Light of Jesus and the Enemy of your peace he will rebuke and all unbelief and deceit he will throw down and raise you in the strength of his own Life to delight in the strait way of self-denial and the daily Cross where the Immortal Babe will receive the Crown of the Glory of the Lord and in the light of his Countenance shall be refreshed forever
seek to overcome with their subtle enticing words to draw them into singularity and self-separation that they may set them up with admiration and to carry on their own Interest they make use of those they overcome to seek all occasions with themselves to speak evil some both by writing and printing against those that God hath raised up to keep their Habitation and to stand unmovable upon the Foundation Christ the Light to discern and judge their subtle crafty wicked proceedings and to lay them open that they be such as intrude into a Ministry and runs when God never sent them therefore they do not profit the people at all for they go not in at the Door which is the Light to be led in conformity to Christ in his suffering and Death so come they to be ignorant of the saving gathering word of eternal Life because they in self-strivings climb up over the true judgment of God and in pride and fleshly wisdom pretends to enjoyments of high things in a self-boasting spirit some saying in their Hearts as it is written I see and know and am rich and want nothing when they are blind and miserable and naked and wants all things and must come again to the Light to bâ—y eye-salve of Christ that they may see and raiment to cover them or else their nakedness will forever appear For this birth which is generated in the Myâ—tery of Iniquity as before written it cannot live but in singularity and self-separation setting up self some times in visible Formes Gestures and Postures to be seen distinct from others as Clouds tossed to and fro to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever except they repent for God will make the Womb of this Births Conception to be the Grave whence again it shall return and there to be buried to its eternal consummation the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it through his Servant that hath and doth labour day and night according to the ability of the Grace I have received of the Lord for the restoration of all those that have been in danger of destruction through the snares and working of the Enemy as before written And amongst many some hearked to counsel and have been again restored in obedience to the Light but who rejected the counsel of God through his Servants and desperately goes on in a self-serving spirit though often reproved they harden their necks destruction hath doth and will come upon them and that without remedy Oh! How did my Bowels earn for the preservation of I. P. in what I could to have drawn and separated him from that spirit which gave forth the paper that propagated the keeping on the Hat in prayer and reflected judgment upon those that called upon the Name of the Lord with their Heads uncovered but after much counselling of him in tender love to have stopt that paper from going abroad but he would not be separated from that spirit that gave it forth Then I cleared my Conscience in the Word of the Lord which now in my freedom in God I declare to the Children of Sion what the eternal judgment was that did arise in my Heart in words to this purpose Iohn â—f then propagate what thou hast written in this paper thou wilt wound more Hearts and cause more trouble of spirit amongst the tender hearted People of the Lord then when the temptation entred dear I. N. who deeply suffered but the Lord restored him again by true repentance And as to my particuler it is not my nature to be found striving with thee or any upon the Earth but having declared the Truth to thee I will return to my rest in the Lord and let every birth live the length of its day and time manifest what is born of God for that Spirit that stands up in self-striving will weary it felf and dye and end in the Earth And this will certainly come to pass upon all that do not diligently wait in the Light to judg the out-goings of their minds and to be lead in true self-denial which is the Foot-steps where the Flocks of the Companions delight to walk every one serving one another in love seeking to restore one another with the Spirit of love and meekness forth of what any have done through the violence of Temptation or weakness Oh! Dear Friends feel the earning Bowels of the Lord through me to you all in which I beseech you that what hath come to pass in this day of great tryal and hour of Temptation you may all in dear love to the Lord of Life return to his Light to feel his Power restoring into a true understanding with him to walk in true self-denial where you will feel his Presence filling your Hearts and binding you up in eternal Unity of the Spirit and bond of Peace every one forgetting all things that are behind and not any one stand up in self-striving but in the tender broâ—herly love informing the Judgements of one another in the Light and Power of the endless life and in it submit to the low estate of one another serving one another in love which is the washing one anothers feet and here is Christ and his Disciples in eternal unity and powerful Dominion against whom every tongue lifted up shall fall in Judgment and every weapon formed shall not prosper but come to naught for the Mountain of the Lords House shall be more and more set upon the top of the Mountains and established over all the Hills and all the faithful shall more and more in eternal unity praise and magnifie his Name in the beauty of holiness who sits upon the throne and liveth and reigneth forever and ever And dear chosen Vessels who hath known and doe abide and keep your state with God in the perfecting power manifest in your inward man which truly buries self in the death and hath raised you up and sent you forth in the Resurrection and power of the endless Life which seeketh not any thing but to glorifie the Lord in all your travels and undertakings where-ever the Lord calls you Oh you blessed amongst the people what can be said of the goodness of the Lord that hath been and will be more and more manifest to you whose care and burdens labours and travels is known to the Lord and your reward is with him forever Dear Brethren though great be the wrath that withstands the work of our God which wrath worketh openly and mysteriously to lay burdens upon the innocent and to add affliction unto the afflicted In the Word of the Lord that ariseth in my Heart I declare they shall but weary themselves and all their hopes shall fail them and their expectations shall come to nought who wait for evil concerning you who love the Lord better then your lives and delight to wait to feel his Power at all times leading and ordering in the limits and bonds of the Spirit of the Lord c. I know there is of you my
known to the Lord in these things c. Oh feel the Seed of Abraham in its Dominion in you which is the Bride the Lamb's Wife and in true love to him doth offer up the dearest Isaac into the Will of God that a perfect Sacrifice our God may have Soul Body and all that we have in this day He hath called us to be the first Fruits unto the Lamb and in our Testimony in this our Tryal we are called to preach to all Nations Kindred Tongues and People in their own Language for the Witness in all their Consciences will feel us and give them to understand that we are not of this World but are the Redeemed of the Lord whom he hath called in the Patience of the Lamb to suffer for to gather the Seed that is scattered in the Earth that our Brethren may be brought from far and our Sisters from the outmost parts of the World who cannot come until we have drunk this Cup of which I was sent to declare to you in years past and now to your comfort I declare when it is finished according to the pleasure of the Lord which he is hastening and will cut short in righteousness for the Seed sake then wo wo to the Enemies of Sion for our God will plague them and cause them to cast all their glory down before him and they shall come bending to the soles of the Feet of his People and shall conâ—ess that you are the Children of the most high God the righteous seed which the Lord hath blessed and this certainly will come to pass the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Through your Brother and Companion in the Tribulation and Patience of the Lord Iesus Farewel W. D. Given forth in the the County Goal of Warwick the 26 th of the 6 th Month 1664. This for Dear Friends in London and them that are Aboard the Ship in order to Transportation or elsewhere all abarod DEAR and Valiant Children of the most High your faithful standing in the meek Spirit to bear your Testimony for the Lord in what he calls you unto is a sweet perfume in the Presence of the Lord and a great refreshing to the Hearts of his People Therefore abide in the pure meek Spirit and receive your blessed reward you faithful Lambs the blessed Crown of Glory is yours forever Oh feel the earning of Bowels towards you and the breakings of Heart that is before the Lord for you Oh can we remember you and not our Eyes water with Tears in compassionating of you in the simpathizing Spirit that indears and unites us one unto another in our God to whom my Soul breaths Oh Lord sweeten the passage of thy People and make their Cups pleasant thou suffers to be given them to drink that thy mighty Power may be manifest in all them that love not their lives to death to do thy will this day and plead their cause in hastening their deliverance to the confounding of all Sions Enemies and the renown of thy great Name forever and ever Dear Brethren and Sisters in the meek Spirit of our God my Life goes and abides with you with the forcible love of the whole Church of the first born Oh lift up your Heads and let not the fear of the Sickness or any Representation of any Evil enter you but all in staidness in the Light Life Thought and Will of God which is perfect in it self and abiding as is written God will keep every one of you in perfect peace all your days in every condition and will keep you in sweet peace and unity one with another to the praise and glory of the Name of our God whose presence is with you and will sweeten your passage in whatever you are to go through to the Praise and Glory of the Name of the Lord forever who will arise more and more and plead our Cause in the sight of a mighty People whom he will make to conâ—ess that you that are faithful are the Children of the most High God the righteous Seed that the Lord hath blessed and it will be well every way with all the faithful and suffering People and the blessing of God shall be upon us and our Children forever that love the Lord Jesus this day And the hundred forty four Thousand shall stand upon Mount Sion where some of the number is already established and they shall sing the new Song that not any shall learn but those that are redeemed from the Earth who shall make the Ears of all the Enemies of God to tingle and their Hearts shall fail and paleness gather into their Faces for dreadful will be the vengeance of the Lord upon Sions Enemies and great fearfulness shall surprise them they shall run to and fro like Vagabonds as Cain did and not know where to hide their Heads for where ever they are the Lord will find them out and banish them from place to place until he hath gotten his glory upon them in laying all low that withstands his arising for he will dash the potsheards of the Earth to pieces and they shall lament and cry out and gnaw their Tongues for pain when you faithful beloved ever honourable Children that endure unto the end shall Shout and Sing Praises and Magnifie the Lord and say Oh how righteous are thy Judgments Oh thou King of Saints for thou hast pleaded our cause and turned our Sorrows into everlasting Joy and hast over-thrown all thy Enemies that withstand the rising of thy Glory that a door may be opened to gather our Brethren from far and our Sisters from the ends of the Earth Therefore will we Sing of thy Goodness with Praises Praises Hallelujahs and high Praises for thou art worthy over all forever and ever Amen My dear Companions with me Salutes you all in the dearest love of our God where neither Sea nor Land can seperate but in the bowels of love will we imbrace one another in the chast Life where no Vulters Eye can behold our Joy and Felicity in the Lord our God In whom fare you weâ—l fare you well saith the Soul of your dear Brother in the Name of the Lord forever both you that are for Transportation and you that stand in a faithful Testimony in that City where the Lord hath sent his destroying Angel to execute the pleasure of his will. And in the tender Bowels of the Love of God I desire you all in this Gloomy Dismal Dark Day that 's come upon that City put you on the shieâ—d of Faith and in the Light of the Covenant stand single before the Lord to be cloathed with the Garment of Eternal Salvation that you may reign over all fearfulness and unbelief that every particular may stand as Saviours on Mount Sion in the midd'st of a desolate People for this is the Harvest of the great God in that City wherein he is Reaping Threshing and Winnowing the Chaff from the Wheat and making a short work
hath caused many a sorrowful Heart and given cause to the Enemies of God to rejoyce which hath been a greater Exercise and Trouble to me then all the sharp Persecutions and Imprisonments I have endured for the Word of God and Testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ c. Therefore in the Bowels of the Love of God I beseech and entreat you all who have been or is concerned in what is before written let the Love of God so abound that in it all labour for Peace and Unity in Christ the Prince of Peace who in love laid down his Life for us when we were Enemies and called many of his Children in our Age to give up their Lives in the heaâ— of the Day Weeks Months and 〈◊〉 to gather Enemies unto the knowledge of 〈…〉 with God therefore wait for the heavenly Wâ—sdâ—m to bear one with another that if any who are Conscientious to God and Blameless in their Conversations having a concern upon their Spirit to declare in publick Assemblys the Truth to edifie the People I beseech you in the love of God that not any through disaffection shew at least any publick opposition but rather speak to the Party in private if there be any occasion for him to be spoken to so will the Enemy be prevented of casting a stumbling block in the way of tender spirited People that comes in love to be Comforted in the Meeting and in so doing it will cause Love and Unity to abound amongst Friends that in the Love of God all may be restored that hath been scattered and brought again into Unity to meet all together in the Everlasting Truth to feel the Healer of Breaches to reign who is the restorer of the Desolate exalted in his Kingdom in all your Hearts to offeâ— up a Peace-offering in passing by all Offences that have caused Dis-union and to bind you all up in the Unity of the Spirit and Bond of Everlasting Peace to meet all together who profess Gods Blessed Truth to Praise his Holy Name all as one and one as all while we are here in these mortal Bodies and forever when time here shall be no more even so be it with you all saith my Soul in the Name of the Lord to whom is my Prayers that all may be accomplished as above written until it be so with you I shall remain your exercised Brother in the Kingdom of Patience and Tribulation of our Lord Jesus Christ. William Dewsbury My dear Friends through the sharp Persecutions that was passed through in the heat of the day and many long Imprisonments being nineteen Years a Prisoner in this Town of Warwick and four of them being kept close Prisoner it hath pleased God to suffer my Health to be Impaired that many times I am forc'd to rest two or three times in going to the Meeting in the Town not being of ability of Body to travel as in Years past I do in the Love of God visit you with this Epistle desiring it may be carefully read in the Fear of the Lord in the Assemblies of his People that Peace and Eternal Vnity may be amongst you in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Given forth in the movings of the Peaceable Spirit and Word of Reconciliation in the Lord Iesus Christ to whom is my Prayers that all Convinced may wait to be made of the number of the Slain of the Lord and conformable to Christ in his Death that they may witness his quickening Power to raise them up in the Resurrection of Life to enter into the Gates of Sion to dwell in the City of new Jerusalem where Peace is within her Gates and Quietness amongst all that have their Habitation therein having Salvâ—tion for Walls and Bulwarks and are the blessed of the Lord preserved by him to the Honour of his Name forever Amen W. D. Warwick the 4th of the 10th Month 1686. These following Epistles were found in Manuscript without Dates To all you proud Priests that dare to add your Wisdom to the Testimony of Jesus KNow this as from him that he is come to lay open your Deceits and the Conjuring deceiving Inventions of your own Brains which you sell for so much in the Year to maintain you in Pride and Lust for to eat of the Fat and be cloathed with the finest of the Wool and so deceive the simple and lead them on in Blindness and Darkness in making people believe the Inventions of their own Brains to be the Word of the most high God as in taking part of the Testimony of the word Jesus and add to it the Inventions of their own Wisdoms branching it into Doctrines Reasons Uses Helps and Motives according as their fancies guides them and then takes the pure Testimony of Jesus to prove the truth of this their Conjuring deceiving Inventions though the Scripture tells you that no Prophesie is of any private Interpretation for the Prophesie came not by the will of Man but holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and saith Iohn in the Revelations I saw in the right Hand of him that sat upon the Throne a Book written within and on the back side sealed with seven Seals And I saw a strong Angel Proclaiming with a loud voice Who is worthy to open the Book and loose the Seals thereof and no Man in Heaven or in Earth or under the Earth was able to open the Book or look thereon now when Iohn saw that the mystery of Salvation was hid from all Creatures he wept much because none was found worthy to open the Book neither to look thereon And one of the Elders said to Iohn weep not behold the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah of the Root of David hath prevailed to open the Book and loose the Seals thereof and hath revealed his mind to his Servants that obey his Counsel to him be all Glory and Honour and Power for evermore Oh cease thou vain Man from adding thy Wisdom in opening the Seals in telling poor ignorant people what means the Scriptures by thy studied Sermons and Expositions which is the Invention of thy own Brains and putting words into the Mouths of poor ignorant people to sing Praises to the most high God for there is none can sing but the ransomed of the Lord and they return to Sion with joy and singing and everlasting joy is upon their Heads And the Apostle saith If any be Afflicted let him Pray if any be merry let him sing Oh therefore come down you vain proud Men that call your Traditions the Worship of God and causes the people to err by your Lies and by your Lightness And I sent them not neither commanded them therefore they do not profit this People at all saith the Lord Hear what the Lord saith unto you I testifie to every Man that hears the words of the Prophesie of this Book if any Man add unto these things God shall add to him the Plagues that are written
sturdy Oakes that stand in pride of their own conceits but hath no Root so let them not speak of the Scriptures but bring them to the Witness to which they can witness of the Scripture so will the breath of the eternal Spirit of the living God speaking in you from the Power of the Lord that hath sealed his love to your Spirits raze up the Sandy Foundation so will the House and the sturdy Oakes and the tall Cedars fall and the Serpent in all his windings and twistings his Head will be bruised and all deceits overturned and your Souls preserved pure and clean and the Name of the Lord honoured who doth accompany the Witness of the Spirit with his own Power and abiding in his Power you shall reign Kings upon the Earth and the Lord God almighty be with you all you Sons and Daughters of the most high God and carry you all on in his eternal and mighty Power faithful unto the end that ye may receive the Crown of eternal Glory which is laid up for you in the Lord Iesus Christ and there you will fare well and I shall remain with you for ever in the Lord. W. D. DEar Friends meet often together in the Name and fear of the living God and take heed of Words see that the Witness speaks which will cut down your own wills and it will minister to the Witness in others to the slaying of their wills and take heed of watching over one another with an evil Eye to spy out one anothers weakness and declare it to others and discover their nakedness thou that art here art cursed Ham and the Wrath of God will be revealed upon thee but watch one over another with a pure single Eye and if thou see the pure in Bondage in any one by the deceit whisper thou not behind their back to others but let the Witness in thee which sees the deceit and suffers with the pure that is pressed down by it let it declare and witness forth the minde of the living God against the deceit and it will cut it down and the pure holy Seed will be set at Liberty and thy Conscience will be kept clean unto the Lord in discharging thy Duty and so will thy Captivated Brother or Sister be restored again forth of the Hand of the Destroyer and then thou wilt have union together in that which is pure for ever in the Lord And the eternal God of Power keep you all his dear Children in his pure Wisdom to walk faithfully with him and one with another and the blessing of the Lord God almighty be with you all for ever Amen William Deusbery MY dear Friends this is the Word of the Lord to you all whom my Father hath chosen out of the World in his eternal Love to make known his Power in you thus saith the Lord to you Look not back but Iudge that mind with my pure Word I have Enlightened your Consciences withal for the exercising of them towards me and towards men And I command you my Children stand in my pure Counsel and look up to me and I will accompany you with my Power and will make the way plain before you in bringing down that which is untoward in you and disobedient to my Will so my Ways will not be burdensom and my Commandments grievous to you my dear Children and this is my Word to you Cast off whatever I have let you see is offensive to my Will that so your Souls may rest in the Bosom of my Love that I may carry you on in the Arms of my eternal Power faithful unto the end and Crown you with glory which I have laid up for you in the Lord Iesus sleight not my Counsel but be valiant and bold for the glory of my Name saith the Lord God and be not hasty to utter words before me but let your words be few and savory at all times ministring Grace to all that hears you that my Name may be honoured in all you my dear Children in all your words and actions then I will accompany you with my powerful presence and will make you a terror to all evil doers One to chase a Thousand and Five to put Ten Thousands to flight so will I get my self a glorious Name in the manifestation of my Power in you my Sons and Daughters who stands faithful in my Counsel and walks in my Fear and your Souls shall be refreshed in the Fountain of my Love in the Lord Iesus where you shall reign for ever in my presence Meet often together to wait upon me in the fear of my Name and watch one over another in love and I will be with you my dear Children to order you in my pure Wisdom to the praise and glory of my great Name saith the Lord God almighty Written from the Spirit of the Lord to be sent abroad amongst Friends to be Read at their Meetings William Deusbery THE DISCOVERY Of the great Enmity of the SERPENT Against the Seed of the Woman which witnesseth against him where he Rules both in Rulers Priests and People whose hearts are now made manifest in this great day of the Lords Power wherein he is sending his Sons and Daughters in the Power of his Spirit to run to and fro to declare his Word Which Discovereth the state of England who according to her own lusts hath heaped up Teachers to her self that hath spoken smooth things to her calling her the beautiful Church and Spouse of Christ but in the day of tryal she is found in Enmity to Christ in his appearance in his Children and to be in the estate deluded from the Spirit of Truth Recorded in 2 Tim. 4.2 3. Which cannot indure sound Doctrine having itching Ears and turns them away from the Truth to Fables and now are Englands Teachers tryed she hath heaped up to her self and their Doctrine proved and their Ministry made manifest in the great Enmity they manifest against Christ in Persecuting the Bodies of his Saints them to destroy whom he hath sent to Preach freely his eternal Word for which they are Stoned Beaten and Imprisoned and many of Englands Teachers whom she upholds stirs up the People so to do Being deceived not regarding what is spoken that neither Fornicator nor Idolater nor an Adulterer nor Effeminate nor Abuser of themselves with mankind nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revellers nor Extortioners shall Inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.9 10. A true Testimony of him the World knows by name William Deusbery and in scorn calld Quaker who hath been by them Imprisoned in York Darby Leicester and Northampton where he is now kept in the common Goal for the Word of God and Testimony of Iesus Christ. Also his Call to the Ministry of the everlasting Gospel by the still voice of the Spirit of God and his mighty Power destroying with the flaming Sword the disobedient that would not stand in his Counsel and causing the Soul to submit to
give you power over them you would take away all Laws that burthened the Consciences of his people and they should have free liberty to worship him in Spirit and in Truth according to his Law written in their own hearts and according to your desires the Lord appeared while you in his counsell stood and gave all into your power according to the desires of your own hearts and now is the time of your tryall wherein the Lord is trying you all this day whom he hath put power into your hands which if you now forget the Lord God who appeared to you when you were little in your own eyes in the day of your distress and deny to perform your Promises you made to the Lord when he delivered you out of the hands of those that sought your lives but contrary to all your Promises abuse your Power you are intrusted with to build up again what you seem'd to destroy which cost the price of so much blood in establishing Laws which are contrary to Scripture and the righteous Law of God in the Conscience and by them think to scatter the power of the holy people and to weary out the Saints of tlle most high God in turning Judgment backward and keeping Justice afar of that Truth falleth in the Streets and Equity cannot enter so he that departeth from Evil maketh himself a prey to your wills and the Lord God seeth it and is displeased with you that there is no Judgment for his People Therefore to you this is the Word of the Lord that abuse your power you are intrusted with in perverting judgment as before-written thus saith the Lord God The Pit you dig for my people ye shall fall into it your selves and my people I will deliver by the Arm of my mighty power and according to your deeds I will to you repay and recompence fury and vengeance to you my Adversaries and will you sweep away with the Beesom of my wrath except you repent and your blood shall be upon your own heads and you shall not escape but come to your End and none shall help you He that hath an Ear to hear let him hear And be fore-warned now in this day of your Visitation wherein the Lord hath to you sent you to forewarn of the evil that is a coming upon you that you may speedily to him return and lay your Crowns in the dust at the Feet of Jesus Sions King and in his Counsel stand which is the Light in the Conscience that in you witnesseth against every vain thought and wicked imaginations and in the Light wait his Power you to guide to perform your Promises and to take away all Laws contrary to Scripture and the righteous Law of God in the Conscience that the righteous Law of God may be your Guide which is the Guide of all the Children of God then will the Lord God of Heaven and Earth be with you and with the Arm of his mighty Power destroy all that Plot or rise up against you before whom he will make the unrighteous Powers of the Earth to shake if you abide faithful in his Counsel and will make you a terrour to the Evil-Doers and a praise to them that do well and will bring you into the eternal Peace and Rest he hath prepared for his People but if you reject his Counsel and cast his righteous Law behind your backs as you have done and follow the counsel of your own hearts all that have an Eye to see read and understand Prov. 29.1 He that hath been often reproved and hardeneth his Neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy And in that Day I shall be clear of your blood who in love to your Souls hath not hid the Counsel of God from you which he hath made known to me that you may be left without excuse in the day of the Lords Anger when he doth perform what he hath spoken Then shall I be remembred whom the World knoweth by Name William Deusbery and by some of you that profess to minister justice cast into Prison and there kept in the common Goal in Northampton for the Word of God and Testimony of Jesus Christ. From the Goal in Northampton the 25 th day of the 4 th Moneth 1655. O England England over all in thee I lament who Persecutes the Sons and Daughters of the most high God he hath to thee sent thee to forewarn of the evil day that is coming upon thee O That thou in this day of thy Visitation did know the things belonging to thy Peace which the living God tenders to thee in this day of his mercy wherein he waits on thee to be gracious unto thee and to make thee the glory of all the Nations of the World and in all thy Straits for thee appeared and in his mighty Power hath destroyed all that did secretly Plot and Rise up against thee to establish unrighteous Laws and them bind upon the Consciences of those that feared the Lord in thee and walked humbly before him according to the measure of Light received and now hath he appeared in the day of his mighty Power in thee O England to exalt the Kingdom of Christ in the Hearts of his Saints and hath sent them to Preach his everlasting Gospel in thee to turn the minds of the People from Darkness to Light which comes from Christ in it to wait for his Power to guide out of all Sin and Uncleaness into union and fellowship with the Father of Light which many of you People in England seemed to desire above all things and content to give up your lives to withstand them that did appear to bind any unrighteous Law upon you and by it to take advantage against you concerning the Law of God which you professed to love and to delight in your liberty in it more then in your nearest and dearest Relation or Life or any outward enjoyment and all you in that day who were faithful to the Lord according to the measure of Light manifest in you the Lord God did appear for you and in his mighty Power hath scattered those that stood up in enmity against you to bind Laws upon your Consciences which is contrary to Scripture and the righteous Law of God in the Heart and the Lord hath given you power over all those your Enemies and now have you free liberty which they cannot take from you to worship God in Spirit and in Truth according to the desires you seemed to manifest in the day you cryed to the Lord when you were in distress and now is the Lord come to visit you in his tender mercy and hath sent his Ministers to Preach his eternal Word freely without Money or Price in season and out of season to reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine which many of you People in England who promised the Lord to worship him in Spirit and Truth now his counsel reject and turns to the Teachers you have
he hath called and chosen to be faithful to him in his eternal Power rejoyce who will you all keep in that day in rest and peace in the ancient of days who shall sit to judge the Beast and the Whore their Kingdom to break down and destroy in his eternal judgement for evermore and will Rule over them by the Arm of his mighty Power and of his Dominion there shall be no end for to him it belongs forevermore Meet often together in the fear of the Lord his Power to manifest in you to his praise who is worthy forever Amen I charge and command all in the presence of the Lord God who make mention of his Name that you speak not at any time to any in your own will or to one another or to any without or to exhort them when you are guilty of the same thing in the exalted Spirit out of the Cross be silent thou Fool first judge thy self with the Light and in the Power dwell to cast the Beam out of thy own Eye and that thy own House be kept in order then wilt thou see clearly to take out the Mote out of thy Brothers Eye and how to exhort others how to walk in order to the Spirit of Truth and watch over one another with a single Eye All you that fear the Name of the Lord in tender love bear one anothers Burthens and exhort one another to build up one another in your most holy Faith God almighty be with you all his faithful Servants and Children and in his eternal Power keep you in himself that in him you may grow up in his pure nature to bear his Name in righteousness that his Image may be written in your Foreheads that all that sees you may know you to be the righteous Seed the Lord hath blessed his eternal Power preserve you and keep you and build you up in the purity of the Spirit and bond of Peace where I am with you in the eternal unity and in the unchangable Love and Life William Deusbery From Northampton Goal the 19 th of the 3 d Month 1655. A TRUE PROPHECIE OF THE Mighty Day of the Lord. Which is coming and is appeared in the North of England and is arising towards the South and shall over-spread this Nation and all Nations of the World. WHEREIN The Lord is redeeming Sion forth of her long inthral'd Captivity in Babylons Kingdom where she hath been scattered in the cloudy and dark day into Forms and Observations and there kept by the Priests and Teachers of the World who ran when God never sent them Now is the Lord appearing in this day of his mighty Power to gather his elect together out of all Forms and Observations Kindreds Tongues and Nations and is making up his Jewels his mighty Host and exalting Jesus Christ to be King of Kings to lead his Army he hath raised up in the North of England and is marched towards the South in the mighty power of the living Word of God which is sharp as a two-edged Sword to cut down High and Low Rich and Poor Priests and People and all the Powers of darkness in the Land and all the World over that are fruitless Trees that cumbers the ground defiles the Flesh and walks in disobedience to the righteous Law of God the pure Light in the Conscience For who falls on this Stone shall be broken but on whom it falls shall be ground to Powder So shall this Nation and all the Nations of the World be Conquered and the Victory witnessed neither by Sword nor Spear but by the Spirit of the Lord. A Word from the Lord to all the Inhabitants of England Rulers Priests and People to haste to meet the Lord with speedy Repentance and returning within to hearken diligently to his Counsel the pure Light of Christ in your Conscience to be guided by his Power else you shall perish in your gain-sayings For if his anger be kindled a little blessed are all they that trust in him O England who lies in the faln and lost estate separated from the true and living God by thine Iniquities notwithstanding all thy Profession of his Name in outward Forms and Observations Repent Repent and turn unto the Lord God Almighty who waits on thee to be gracious unto thee and to make thee the glory of all the Nations of the World if thou wilt diligently hearken unto his Counsel the Light that is in the Conscience of every one to wait in it upon the Lord God that he may guide thee by his Power And this I have to declare unto thee from the Lord which he hath made known unto me concerning thee O England certain years ago when the everlasting Covenant of Life was confirmed unto my Soul in the Lord Jesus Christ that I should go with the ransomed of the Lord unto Sion I enquired of my God to manifest unto me where Sion was that I might return thither to worship him in Spirit and Truth there being so many confused cries in thee O England who professes to worship the only true God some saying Lo here is Christ in the Presbyterian practice so called and the Independants so called cries Lo he is here and the Anabaptists so called saying Lo he is here and others in outward Forms saying He is here according as Christ foretold that the time would come when they shall say Lo here is Christ and lo there as it is fulfilled in thee but Christ saith Believe them not look not forth for the Kingdom of Heaven is within And as the Lightning that shineth out of the one part under Heaven and shineth unto the other part under Heaven even so shall the Son of Man be in his day And this I witness and while I was waiting on my God to make known unto me where Sion was the Word of the Lord came unto me with witness to my spirit that Christ was not divided and that there was no rent in his Garment For the Lord is one and his People one and that all thy outward Forms of Worship O England where thou art waiting for Christ in Observations is contrary to his Will for Christ saith The Kingdom of God is not in Observations neither shall they say lo here or lo there for behold the Kingdom of God is within you And that all thy strict observing of thy outward Forms is but imitating the Saints practices in thy babylonish heathenish Wisdom so there is nothing but confusion in thee and that all thy outward Forms is the outward Court which is without the Temple that the Angel was not to measure for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy City shall they tread under foot and this was made known unto me from the Lord my God to be the estate and condition thou stoodst and doest stand in O England in all thy outward Forms and Observations Having a Form of Godliness but denying the
Power thereof So under all thy profession is most cruel oppression every one oppressing one another according unto their power from the highest unto the lowest so that the cry of the oppressed Seed within the Hearts of thy Inhabiters O England and those that are oppressed in outward oppressions in thee hath entered into thr Ears of the Lord God of Sabbath and he is coming in Power to set the oppressed free and to bring them to Sion which in the eternal Riches of his Love he made known to me where Sion was according unto the desires he had raised up in my Heart and the Word of the Lord came unto me saying I will gather my People out of all Forms and Observations and out of all Kindreds Tongues and Nations and I will pour my Spirit upon them and purge away their filth with the Spirit of Iudgment and of Burning and I will write my Law in their Hearts and put my Spirit in their inward Parts and they shall not depart from me but shall be bound up in union with me in the free Covenant of Life in the Lord Jesus and one with another in the one Spirit so shall the Lord be one and his People one and this is Sion the City of the living God to whom all the promises of the Lord are according unto the Scripture of Truth wherein they need not to Teach every Man his Neighbour and every Man his Brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least unto the greatest for I will be merciful unto their unrighteousness and their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more And this is the holy City the New Ierusalem which Iohn bare witness of wherein there is no Temple for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it And the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof And the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the Light of it and the Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honour unto it and the Gates of it are not shut at all by day for there shall be no night there and there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither that works abomination or makes a lye but they that are written in the Lambs Book of Life and all that walk in the Light of Christ within which Light exerciseth the Conscience and leads into the holy City the New Ierusalem where the true Worshippers of the Father are who worship him in Spirit and in Truth and are come out of the night and need no Candle neither light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall raign forever and ever And this is the true Church in God Sion which shall become the praise of the whole Earth and from whence the Law shall go forth according unto the promise of the Lord and the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem Then shall Righteousness run down with a mighty stream and Oppression shall cease And this glory of the Lord which he hath made known unto me shall be made manifest to the Inhabiters of England if you will hearken diligently to the Counsel of the Lord which is the Light in your Consciences and in it wait on the Lord to be guided by his Power I waited in the Counsel of my God in the Calling where I was placed until the Year 1652. and in the eighth Month of the Year as it is accounted of men the Word of the Lord came unto me saying The Leaders of my People causes them to err in drawing them from the Light in their Consciences which leads to the anointing within which the Father hath sent to be their Teacher which would lead them into all Truth to seek the Kingdom of God in Observations where it is not to be found So my People perish for want of Bread Freely thou hast received freely give and minister and what I have made known unto thee in secret declare openly Which Word constrained me by the Power of it to leave my Wife and Children and to run to fro to declare to Souls where their Teacher is the Light in their Consciences which the Lord hath given unto every one a measure to profit withal for the exercise of the Conscience towards God and Men and waiting in the Light for the Power of Christ he would lead them up to the living Fountains of Water where their Souls would find refreshment in the presence of the Lord and their Bread should be sure and their Water never fail as the Lord hath made manifest to my Soul and to worship him in Truth at New Ierusalem to sing Hallelujahs and Praises among the redeemed Sons and Daughters of God in the beauty of holiness unto the Lord God that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for evermore To you Rulers of England whose names will be honourable if you will honour the Lord in obeying his Counsel which is the Light in your Consciences that he may guide you in all your ways to you I am moved to write Thus saith the Lord God Almighty I will overturn overturn overturn until I have given it unto him whose right it is as you have seen the Power of the Lord manifest on many that were in the place where you are who all professed the Name of Christ but they would not obey his Counsel the Light in their Consciences but walked after the counsel of their own Hearts and improved their power for their own ends and dissembled with God and the Countrey but our righteous God hath overturned them to their everlasting shame and contempt Now if you will not obey the Light in your Consciences to rule in the Power of the Spirit to break every Yoak of unrighteousness and put every filthy and abominable thing out of the sight of the Lord that the oppressed may be set free but you will cause both small and great to worship the Image of the Beast in forcing them to obey the Heathenish and Unrighteous Laws made by Nebuchadnezar's nature proud flesh who set up himself a King to oppress all under his power and set up whom he would to Rule and Raign with him over others in Tyranny Cruelty and Oppression in all unrighteousness which Beast received a deadly wound with a Sword by the little Horn spoken of in Daniel before whom three Horns fell and the Horn had Eyes to see what they should do the Light in their Consciences and a Mouth which speaketh great things what they would do for the glory of God whose look was more stout then their Fellows I beheld the same Horn made War with the Saints of the most high God and prevailed against them as it is fufilled Many of them
another for all my Children shall be taught of me saith the Lord God and the Scripture is but a killing letter but of use in its place a Testimony of Christ but not any knows Christ by it for Christ is known by the Light of his Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures and all that are guided by his Spirit knows the Scripture in the Truth as it is in Jesus Ephes. 4.21 9. Qu. Whether the conversion that was wrought upon the Souls of many under the ordinary outward Ministry of the Word in our publick Assemblies turning Men from Darkness to Light from prophaness to true Godliness be true unto Salvation and whether those tâ—at have been thus converted were in the state of Salvation before they joyned themselves unto your Society or whether can none be converted and saved that never came under nor gave their assent to the dispensation of your way and how you will justifie yours to be in the true and good old way that all have and shall be sâ—vâ—d in you may do well to make it out by some evident demâ—nstration Answ. Who can witness a true conversion by the Power of the Spirit of God in turning their minds from Darkness to Light that comes from Christ and in his Light wait to receive the sentence of Death in themselves to destroy all self-confidence in any thing below Christ and in the state of Death to wait till that they hear the voice of the Son of God and by his Power were raised up to a living hope in Christ to walk who throw his Blood do witness their Garmentâ— wâ—shed and made white to reign Kings and Priests upon the Earth for ever to Worship the Father in Spirit and Truth and who ever can witness this conversion whether it were begâ—n when they frequented your Publick Assemblies or absented from them this conversion we own who it can witness and of our way they are and will to us come and all shall know the Truth we witness is the good old way that all Souls that came to God walked in Christ the Way the Truth and the Life the ancient of days which was before time but manifest in time in all the Children of Light who doth them lead in the narrow way of self-denial and the daily Cross with him to enter thorow the strait Gate into the holy City new Ierusalem where the soul hath union with the Father of Light and beholds his Face and his Name is written in their Foreheads and there is no Night there neither need of Candle nor light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them Light and they shall reign forever and ever Rev. 22.5 10. Qu. Whether any of your Way attain unto Perfection in this Life that they can truly say that they do all that God commands without failing either in matter or manner of obedience no not in thought word and deed and whether the Persons of any stand just before God that are not thus perfect Answ. All that are in the Way we are in which is Christ the Way to the Father in whom all in their measure are pressing on to the fulness of stature in Christ the perfect Man and who in him is grown to the fulness of stature in his Power doth stand which doth them guide that in their Mouths is found no guile for they are without fault before the Throne of God Rev. 14.5 THE MIGHTY DAY OF the LORD is Coming In which Christ is exalting King upon the holy Hill of Sion over all the World to Raign who in this Day of the Lord knocks at the door of the Heart of Jew and Gentile Kindreds Tongues People and Nations who desire to know the only true God and Christ Jesus whom he hath sent to be the Light of the World and Salvation to the ends of the Earth to all that obey him but a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence to all that reject his Counsel whom he will take in their own Crafts and overturn in their own Devices to the shame and confusion of their Faces but they that believe in him shall never be ashamed The Word of the Lord to all the faithful scattered in the World that in the Counsel of the Lord stands to strengthen the desires raised towards his Name them to give Victory over the World. A Warning to all that dwell upon the Earth and to the Kings Princes and Rulers in the World to submit to Christ the Light of the World least they perish in the day of his fierce wrath when the Hearts of all that disobey him do fall before him From the common Goal in Northampton the 7th day of the 11th Month 1655. Given forth by him the World knows by name William Deusbery at the writing of this Prisoner for the Word of God and Testimony of Jesus Christ. You People WHose Natural Birth and Generation were in the Northren Islands whom the Lord God of Heaven and Earth hath placed where he hath suffered you to be scattered into Barbadoes Virginia New-England and other Islands there-aways and Countries elsewhere and to every Kindred Tongues People and Nations in whom there is Desires raised to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent to be the Light of the World to guide the Feet of those that have sat in Darkness in the Light and Ways of Righteousness and Peace TO you the mighty Day of the Lord is coming and in his Power is appearing amongst you in raising Desires in some of you towards his Name which Desires cannot be satisfied with any outward Observations and Traditions of your Fathers but above them doth your minds raise in true Hunger and Thirst towards the living God for refreshment from his Presence Prize the Love of God to you in whom he hath raised Desires towards him and look not forth at any that teaches you to hearken to the Teachings of Men without who draws you to seek Christ and God without and to come to the knowledge of the Kingdom of God in outward Observations with which the the Kingdom of God comes not the Kingdom of God is within and as the Lightning is from the East to the West so is the coming of the Son of Man in his Day whose appearance is within But you People in the Day of Darkness and Ignorance that have been over the whole Earth have been deceived in looking forth at Teachings of Men without and for the Kingdom of God to come in outward Observations that Men have set up in their vain Thoughts wicked and carnal Imaginations of the Saints conditions which is Recorded in the Scriptures of Truth but they not regarding the motions of the Spirit of God within which taught and guided the Saints they are Strangers to the Saints Life though they speak great swelling words of the Knowledg of God and with them deceive the Simple with the enticing words of Man's Wisdom and boasting in other Mens Lines made ready to their
as an Act of Justice now if thou let Bonds be laid no more upon the Consciences of the people of God but as before written they may serve their God in free liberty of his Spirit thou wilt then find a hiding-place in this terrible day of Vengeance which will be manifest in England and so to the astonishment of all the World for not any Man that lives contrary to God but he shall roar under the heavy Judgments of the fiery wrath of the Lamb of God whom the Father will reveal in Flames rendering Vengeance upon all that know him not and obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ for God will make England as the Garden of Eden and Wickedness shall not reign therein then shall it be a blessing to all Nations and thou shalt know assuredly he is faithful and true who hath revealed these things to his Servant that desireth thy everlasting felicity and happiness in thy obedience to Christ Jesus the Light who lighteth every Man that cometh into the World and now is the Father revealing him to Judge every one according to the deeds done in the Body c. W. D. Dear Friends and Sisters BOrn of the birth of the immortal Seed of the most high God who hath not any Life but in his presence nor refreshment but in the Light of his Countenance you are the Children of the day-spring which is from on high lift up you Heads in the Light of the everlasting Covenant in it feel the drawings of the love of the Father whose Bowels earns towards you who hath remembered you in all your Retâ—rements Mournings Crys and Tears in the days when you were weeping and seeking the Lord your God seeking the way to Sion with your Faces thitherwards now in the acceptable day of the Lord in the Light hath he gathered you that you might satisfie the thirst of your Souls and the hunger of you Spirits in the Ocean and Fountain of Life which is opened for you all to drink yea drink abundantly of the infinite Mercies of the Eternal God oh feel the earnings of his Bowels that when you were Enemies he gave his only Son for you and now he spreads his Arms forth in this day of acceptance to imbrace every Prodigal and set free every Captive and purge every Conscience and wash every Garment of those that cannot live but in his pure Life Oh the strength of the Bowels and Mercies of the God of all Compassions who hath resisted the proud and given Grace to the Humble who hath opened his Ear to the Cry of the Poor and hath heard the Groans of the Needy and hath prepared his Table and richly furnished it with the fatness of his House that all that cannot live without him may in his Light return and wait upon him and he will imbrace you in the Marriage union in Christ Jesus in whom he will Cloath you with the wedding Garment of his own righteousness in the power of his love you all his dear Children to sit down and eat and drink the Flesh and Blood of Jesus Christ which will fill you with vertue and cause you to grow fruitful Branches in the Vineyard of God in whom the Father will crown you with the Glory of his pure Liâ—e and cloath you with the Garment of Innocency and beautifie you with the excellency of his Majesty to grow in eternal Unity to finish your Testimony in faithfulness to the Lord God in his Light over all blessed forever And all you chosen Jewels of the Lord whom he hath made up in this his powerful Day to stand living Witnesses of his glorious Name in the sight of all People and Nations of the World whom the Lord calls to bear your Testimony in the glorious Resurrection of his Life which he hath raised up in 〈◊〉 in his Light as moved of the Lord arise in his 〈◊〉 every one to clear your Spirits with boldness in his Innocent Life let no difficulty stand before you in the Majesty of the Power of God tread down Sathan under your feet that would let or hinder any of you that are truely constrained of the Lord to declare his Name in any Country Nation or Island where the Lord God leads for the mighty God will prosper you that retain the sence of your poverty as in self that his powerful Life may stream forth in the glory of his own brightness to the enlightning of the People that have sat in Darkness that in the path of Life they may walk to the Praise of the Mighty God. And all you called of God from the least to the highest growth wait in the Power of the endless Life of the most high to cover you in it be valiant to keep your Meetings in the Name of the Lord that every one may feel the streams of the Fountain of Virtue in Christ the Light refreshing you all and filling you his Vessels with the Vertue of his heavenly Life And when the Living God fills you with the overcoming Power of his Love and moves any of you in the broken Heart and contrition of Spirit to offer up the Sacrifice of Prayer or Praises or any other exercise in the Congregation of his holy People This is laid upon me in the Name of the Lord to lay it upon thee whoseever thou art that thou quench not his Spirit let the Lord God glorifie his name thorow thee let not thy mind look out from the Lord as to mind the presence of any of his there for streightning of thee in thy obedience to God and in thy faithfulness thy Talent shall be increased so look not at thy weakness but at Gods strength and at thy clearness before the Lord and this in the Name of the Lord I lay upon every particular Soul to wait in singleness for the Lord to exercise thee with clearness in his sight in every motion and breathing of thy Spirit in the measure life received of God for he is come to silence all Flesh and set Israel free in the strength of his Life to deliver his Captives and to cause the Fetters to fall off that which hath been bound to lift up the Head which hath been bowed down in Israel and to loose the Tongue of the Dumb to cause the Mouths of the Babes to praise him and the Tongues of the Sucklings to speak forth his wonderful works So arise you that have groaned for a day of freedom and you that have been as Vessels ready to burst for want of venting and have said in your Hearts I fear I shall not be born so hast thou gone in mournfulness of thy spirit as a child disobedient to thy God but let it be so no more least thy Talent be taken from thee So all Children keep your Eye with God and with clearness answer him in every motion in his everlasting Power then will the Lord cause his Light to shine in the brightness of his glory which will stop all forward and
dry Spirits which is hasty to utter words before the Lord so will Israel be full of virtue and the Churches be covered with the glory of the most high in the savory Life which shall reign forever and in it be tender one over another to restore one another in the Spirit of meekness let your Bowels be enlarged to the poor and let your Compassions flow to the helpless and the needy whether in the inward of the outward man and the God of all Compassions cloath you with the Garment of his vertue to his Praise and Glory And all you valiant Vessels and Antients in Israel how have you refreshed the Children of the most high God in your travells in the strength of the Almighty in the gathering the great multitudes of the Israelites of our God to behold his glory in the Light of the Son all put on the excellent Garment of the feeling virtue more and more that by pure Judgments the healing tender Spirit be placed in Israel that if any that comes forth with us be struck with the Adversary that would weaken them from walking in the Path of life Oh you Antients in Israel who were willing to lay down your lives to gather them to the Light in that Life feel your bowels open to support them in the hour of Temptation and draw them in the pure Judgment which is surrounded with Mercy so will the excellency of the Glory of God be your Crown which to my great comfort in measure I feel set upon your heads this day that so the tender bowels of the true Shephard may abound in you who leaves the ninety and nine to seek the lost and strayed of the House of Israel who shall praise the Lord to see the Antient of days sitting amidst and amongst the Antients of Israel cloathing all with his meek low tender healing restoring Spirit so will the judgment committed to you be pure and establishing Sion in her pure holiness and freedom then will few be lost or scatered in the Israel of God and the Children will be bold to speak forth the mind of the Lord in prayer or praises or what exercise they are called unto in the presence of his People and you who have travelled for the freedom of Sion's Children which will become as a Family of Prophets every one prophesying one by one as the Lord gives utterance and the Antient of days governing you and all his Israel to judge in righeousness in which the Spirits of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets in this day of the freedom of Sion whom the Lord is exalting over all in his heavenly dominion to reign to his praise forever And all you Saints in Light what tribulation soever ariseth in the Earth as for the Testimony whereunto we are called of God look not forth from the Lords Power in you but every one abide in your Tents in the measure of his powerful Life and you will feel the Antient of days in and with every one of you to lead you on in the Testimony whereunto you are called in the Light with boldness to endure the tryal till you all have finished that whereunto you are called in Christ the Light who is come in his Saints to judge the World and to break down the wickedness thereof with the Breath of his Mouth and the Brightness of his coming in his heavenly Authority to clear his Peoples Innocency in all he calls unto to the confounding of the unrighteous Generation whom he will tread upon as Morter and bring to nought whatever will not have his righteous Life to reign for the Kingdom of this World shall become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall break the battle out of the Earth his Government shall be over all and of his Dominion shall be no end the Mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it through his Servant who remains your Brother and Companion in Tribulation in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ. W. D. Given forth the 8 th Month in Newgate Prison 1661. DEar Children of the most high God dwell in his eternal Power to keep your Habitation in the Light to stand over above and atop of all that is contrary to the Will of God in the living Faith tread down Sathan under your feet trample upon him as the Valiant Lambs of the Lord that in his holy Mountain you may dwell together in his eternal powerful Dominion Reign over all that would vail you from the full enjoyment of the Life of God and in the strength of the Son of God walk together in his pure Life comfort one another in bearing the Burdens of the Weak and gently leading them in the Power of God that they may sit down in the holy Mountain of God with them that have overcome in the Name of the Lord Jesus to offer up an acceptable Sacrifice in the pure operating Life in the strength of the Power and Wisdom of God to stand out of all dead Formality in the Life to feel the Lord Rule in you and amongst you to guide you in his Wisdom that if any Simple heart through weakness should utter words out of the savory Life in what you may bear it in the Meeting and after speak to them to restore them with the Spirit of meekness that so in Love and Unity you all may grow in the Wisdom of the Father as dear Children in all things doing to one another as you would be done unto in singleness of Heart in the sight of God freely Ministring according to your Ability both to the inward and outward Man to the Reâ—ief of your Brethren and Sisters that are in need that God may take pleasure to dwell in the midst of you to fill you all with his comfortable Presence to his Praise and Glory for ever W. D. Newgate Prison London the 13 th day of the 12 th Month 1661. Dear Brethren and Sisters BOrn of the Birth of the Morning of the powerful Day of God abide in the powerful Life satisfie your Souls with the fulness of the Presence of God in your faithful watchfulness in his Light let no Dalilah allure you from his fear least the Philistine bind you and the Vncircumcised come over you to the sorrow of your Hearts In the Light and Life of God arise let no stain come upon you let the Righteous Garment of the Son of the Day cover you and in the glory of his Light and Life you all walk and shine in the glory of the brightness of the Father of everlasting Mercy Comfort and eternal Salvation to you his dear Children that dread and fear before him and delight your Hearts alone in him keep your Meetings in his Power that in it you be all bound up in his Life his vertue to feel in the strength of his Love filling every one of you that in the overflowings you may refresh one another that in the unity in the powerful Life you
Birth Immortal which in you breathes through over and above all the Pomp Pride and Pleasure of the World to enjoy the fulness of Life in Christ who liveth forever with the Light of the Lord judge all your own thoughts and desires which would draw from the Light that in the Life of God you reign over all Doubts Fears Cares Representations of evil and hardships which would look you in the Face in this trying day which is now manifest to the sight of all people that fear the Lord all take heed of consulting with Flesh and Blood or suffering an evil Spie to go forth in the reach of your Sence reason to fore-see how you may pass through such tryals as may appear to your Sence if you hearken to these reasonings you go from the Light and so will be weakned in your spiritual Travel as Israel was in the daies of old So all dear Lambs and chosen Vessels in the Light of the Lord wait to receive his strength to tread down every motion that is out of the Life of the voice of Christ the high Priest over the houshold of God you all hear and feel who saith in his Light believe in the Name of the Lord and you shall see his mighty Works brought to pass while you stand still in Obedience and Peace with the Lord and he will clear your Innocency and smite the Hearts of them that devise mischief against you so shall you behold the Lord in his glory pleading your Cause with the raighty of the Earth whom he will make to confess and say it is in vain to afflict a People whom the Lord supports or to destroy whom the Lord God will save for as it hath been proclaimed in your Ears certainly it shall come to pass the Lord will try all that they may be known who are born of him for whom God will appear to carry through with joy whatever he calls unto and by his mighty Arm will bring deliverance unto us who cannot handle Sword nor Spear neither trust in the Arm of Flesh but in the spiritual Power and Life in the Light which he will exalt over all contrary to him so will he make his Name famous in the Earth because of his glory which he will reveal to cover the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea and all ungodliness will be buried in the deep and sink as a Stone to the bottom thereof and never rise agaâ—n over the Just but the Righteous shall rejoyce that the Lord reigneth their Strength and Life blessed for ever So all Brethren and Sisters lift up your Heads in the valiant Spirit of the Lamb which bears all things and endures all things that in his Light Life and Power every particular reign over whatever is contrary to him and rest in peace in a faithful resignation to the heavenly Will of the Lord and in his Name meet and his presence you will feel in the mid'st of you who will not suffer one hair of your Heads to perish but which is for his glory and as you abide faithful to him for the eternal comfort of our Souls for ever so in Faith and Patience in the Power of the Lord all in your own measures received of God stand stand still all in the pure unity with the Lord and with one another in his living Dominion rest in peace God will give you an answer of all your Prayers and Tears an expected end in refreshing your Souls with his Light and Power and Life forever in whom you shall sit under your own Vines and never more shall any make you afraid the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it through your Brother in the Tribulation and Kingdom of Patience in Christ Farewell W. D. From York Castle the 4 th of the 9 th Month 1662. Dear Lambs and Babes LIft up your Heads in the Light and Life of God that you may keep the Word of his patience which will carry you up over and above all the afflâ—ctions you meet withall in this present World for the Lord is dear over you and your lives are pretious in his sight who hath called you to witness forth his glorious Truth this day through Tribulations and Afflictions to enter the Kingdom Oh be bold and valiant in the Patience of the Lamb and in the love of his own Life feel his vertue filling you that in the eternal unity you may grow Pillars in his Temple unmoveable to bear your faithful Testimony to the astonishment of the Enemies of Sion and the praise and glory of the God of our Strength Life and Righteousness over all who Reigneth and Ruleth for ever and the God of Life bless preserve and keep you in Unity and Love over all in his Life to Reign to his glory for ever Farewell W. D. From York Castle the 2 d of the 7 th Month 1662. Dear Suffering Brethren FOR the Testimony of the Name of the Lord the strength of the Almighty God is with you and the eternal Crown of glory shall rest upon your Heads that in your faithful Obedience refresheth the Flock of the living God Oh lift up your Heads you chosen Vessels in the Light of the Lord arise up in his Strength and Reign over every thought and whatever would streighten you of drinking in of the fulness of the vertue of God that you may alwaies be fall of the Power of the Spirit to water the Plants and build up the Feeble in mind and speak a word in due season to the Weary and Oppressed in Spirit that the Blind may see and the Lame walk and the tongue of the Dumb loosed to praise the Name of the Lord in the Assembly of his People that the glory of the Lord may be spread abroad in and through you his chosen Vessels whom the Lord hath called to be the first-Fruits amongst many Brethren The eternal glory of the Lord rest upon you and cover you saith your Brother and Companion in the Name of the Lord. W. D. From York Castle the 21 th day of the 8 th Month 1662. Dear beloved Brethren and Sisters IN the eternal love of the Lord Jesus Oh my dear beloved ones love the Lord Jesus and delight your Hearts in his Light Power and Life of our beloved who hath chosen you in his eternal love to make known his everlasting Salvation in the sight of all people that he may get himself a Name over all in carrying you in your faithful Testimony to the astonishment of all that know not God and exalting his glorious Name over all and spreading his renown to the ends of the Earth Oh be valiant my beloved Friends in resisting the thoughts of your own Hearts that in the eternal depth of the love of God in Christ you grow and abound to the eternal comfort of one another and the glory and praise of God over all blessed for ever and ever in which Farewell W. D. York Castle the 17 th of the 1 st Month 1662
Brethren that need not be written unto in lines of this nature but to all who hath or may have their mouths opened in the true motion of the Spirit of God and hath not yet overcome and escaped the danger where many have received loss as before written with a godly jealousie over you in tender bowels I beseech you watch and pray that in the Light and Power of God you always be kept And when any motion of the Spirit of the Lord ariseth in you to exercise the Gift God hath given you first search your Hearts and see that you be at peace with Christ in you your elder Brother that in the sense of your peaceable union with him your Hearts be truly broken and your Spirits truely humbled and abased before the Throne of his glory in which power bring your gifts to his Altar and keep within the bounds of the Spirit then shall your Sacrifices whether it be Exhortation Prayer or Praises answer the witness of God in all his People and God will accept of your faithfulness in the returns of his own Spirit to his glory forever And whatever the Lord doth in you or with you rejoyce not over much in Spirits being made subject but rather rejoyce in the power that keeps self in the Death that your names you always behold written in the Lambs Book of Life then will you be full of vertue as branches in the Vine of Gods righteousness whose leaf shall never wither but you shall be always Faithful and your leaf shall be for the healing of the Nations and an Eternal Judgment shall rest and abide in you in the pure discerning of all the unstable wandering Spirits that are as before written which is the Stars that the great Dragon draws after him from the heavenly Light and throws them down again to the Earth because through pride they kept not their estate in the meek humble Spirit of the Lord of Glory Oh my dear Brethren in the unity and bonds of the meek humble Spirit of our God my Soul blesseth the Name of the Lord for you and your faithfulness is as marrow to the bones of the feeble and as sinews to the loynes of the weak therefore let us in the true motion of the meek peaceable Spirit of the almighty God go on in his service and let us wrestle with the most high in the prevaling power of his own Spirit for the bringing again the captivity of Sion that they that have mourned before our God with us in years past may be restored and brought from the Mountains where they are scattered into the Light and Fold of rest with us to lye down in the Shephards Tent where we find safety in the heat of the day and in the hollow of his hand he will keep us untill the indignation be over past Therefore you valiants amongst the people who in the meek humble Spirit shines as the Angels of Glory every one be faithful in the power of the most high God in whom you shall stand as Saviours upon Mount Sion in your living Testimony which causeth the dead to hear the living Voice the Lame to Walk the Blind to See the Dumb to Speak forth the high Praises of the mighty God which shall cause the Ears of them that know not God to tingle and the Hearts of the righteous to rejoyce and forever glorifie the Name of the Lord that hath kept you humble little and low as to self but mighty powerful prevailing in the pure peaceable eternal Dominion of which there is no end Where my Soul rests who hath now given forth what hath for some time lain upon me to clear my Conscience to all that ever have tasted in any Measure of the good Word of God and the Power of the World to come that they may certainly know whether they abide in the Vine of Gods Righteousness yea or ndy Therefore Let them that hath an Eye to see let them see or an Ear to hear let them hear or an Heart to understand let them understand what the Spirit saith to the Churches in the eternal Judgment and Word of Truth through Your Brother and Fellow-Labourer in the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ Farewel W. D. Send this with care abroad to be read in the Fear of God in the Assemblies of the Church of the first Born. The Word of the Lord to his beloved City New Ierusalem come from God cloathed with the excellency of the Glory of his Love and is the Bride the Lambs Wife with the flowings of the tender compassionate Bowels of the Lord Jesus to all the Mourners in Sion and the Afflicted desolate People who wait for his comming as for the Morning and hath not satisfaction in any thing but in the enjoyment of his sweet and comfortable Presence OH Ierusalem thou beloved amongst the People who art become the beautiful Bride the Lambs Wife Oh how did he seek thee in the day of thy Divorcement when thou wast weeping in the barren Wilderness as a desolate Widow who had not any to comfort thee when thy greatest Mournings and breakings of Heart were thy greatest comfort And the more thou drunk the Tears that was shed for the want of him was thy greatest satisfaction Oh the weary daies thou had'st upon the Earth because thy Languishing Soul knew not where to meet with thy beloved neither did'st thou know how to walk in the steps of the Flock of thy Companions who was comforted with his Presence whom thy Soul wanted then was he near unto thee though thou knew it not enlivening the desires that were towards his Name And in the acceptable day he sent forth whom he had ordained to declare unto thee the glory of his Love in the Light of his own Life in which he hath covered thee this day as with a Wedding Garment and in it thou appearest comely in his sight and acceptable in his Presence And for thy sake oh Ierusalem thou City of the Living God what hath been endured How many Innocent Lambs have suffered its hard to be expressed to bring gald-tidings unto thee of him whom thy Soul thirsteth after How have the Striplings sent out in Gods Authority run to and fro in the Earth willing to spend and be spent in all services of Love to perswade thee to forsake all that hath intangled thy mind and hindred thee from the innocent Life of thy Beloved Thy mighty Men with many of the Sons and Daughters of glory have sealed their living Testimony with their Blood in the patience and sufferings of the Lamb of God that thou mayst be affected with the excellency of the glory of him whom thy Soul desireth And now the Lord God requireth of every particular Son and Daughter of Sion To Watch and Pray that not any enter into Temptation and all that have any stain upon their Garments come to the Fountain which is opened for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in which is the Heart-breaking love of
God manifest in the Light of the Covenant and sealed up to the Soul in the Blood of Jesus Oh come away come away out of all your thoughts desires doubts and unbelief which would turn you aside from the enjoyment of the dear love of God in Christ Jesus Let not any stand afar off because of your Littleness Lameness Blindness Weakness and Infirmities who cannot live at Peace until you be healed with the Blood of the Lamb. Arise arise you necessitated people in the Light of the Lord give up to the drawing Spirit of Life in the Light of Jesus Christ he will carry thee that cannot go in the Arms of his Compassions he will cause the Lame to walk and thou that art sensible of thy Blindness to recover thy sight yea he will heal thee of all thy Infirmities who in the Light waits as a little Child to be ordered and guided in the washing and sanctifying Spirit of the Lord Iesus who is become a Husband to the desolate Widow and a repairer of the Breaches and a restorer of the desolate Places in whom the Fatherless hath found mercy this day for his Names sake Oh! what shall I say of the unspeakable Love of God in Christ Jesus the Husband of the Bride the Lambs Wife Oh ye Sons of the glorious day read and feel in the deep tasts of the unsearchable Love. And you Hand-Maids of Glory drink of the inexpressible Ocean which flowes in the Light over all opposition This is the Son of the Fathers Love who hath been a Man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs He was Wounded for our Transgressions and by his Stripes are we healed and this is the Work of the Lord Let all Crowns be thrown down before him for he alone shall have all the glory besides him there is no other Therefore in the measure of him let every Son Daughter and Servant of God watch and diligently hearken to his Counsel and what ever the natural Man most inclines to when the Temptation besets you judge your selves look up to the Lord and resist the Devil with boldness in the first assault and the Lord God will give you Dominion over him and the Bond of Iniquity shall not have power over you and in his holy Authority every one stand in Dominion upon the Head of the first Man with all his excellency and glory that in the perfect freedom every particular Reign in the measure of the Light over every thought and desire that is contrary to the Will of God that in his eternal Will you Sons and Daughters of the most high you all dwell in the holy Faith which will evidence to you beyond your sight and will Arm you against all the fiery Darts of the Devil And you shall tread down Sathan under your Feet and in the triumphing Dominion through the Blood of the Lamb and Word of your Testimony you shall overcome and continually drink of the Rivers of pleasures which is the presence of the Lord Jesus our Light Life and Righteouness for ever for he is become our Husband and we are as the Wife of his Bosom in the delight of his glorious Love Let the Mourners in Sion rejoyce and the afflicted among the people be glad and fear the Lord. And let not any say the Lord regards me not who desires Salvation in uprightness of Heart for what ever thou hungers and thirsts for in his Life thou art the Heir of it and the Lord will satisfie thy Hunger with his refreshings for his Name sake And this is the Portion of them that are least in their own Eyes amongst the people the Lord hath spoken it And all you Inhabitants of the City of the great God whom the Lord hath prospered in your living Testimony in what he hath called unto blessed be the Lord God for you who retain the sensibility of your nothingness in self and so become poor with the poorest and Weak with the weakest and truly maketh self of no reputation but humbles it to the Cross and doth not serve self but the Lord and his people with all his Gifts and Ornaments with which he hath adorned you because of the savour of this Oyntment which you have in Christ causes the Souls of all the upright in Heart to praise the Lord for you Oh your stedfast valiant unwearied Travels Labours and Sufferings for the Lord causes the Hearts of his People to be enlarged with Hallelujahs and high Praises in the holy Assembles of his Saints you know your reward is with you and wo to them that devise mischief against you whom the Lord hath blessed Oh Sions Children from the least to the greatest love the Lord Jesus Christ and let not a thought of the Heart have any power that would draw from the Light Life and Love of the Lord Jesus let the day of the Resurrection arise upon you which will set your Souls in perfect love above all Unbelief and Infidelity Oh drink drink drink to the full satisfaction of your Souls of the Cup of his Salvation for it is freely handed to all that love him and thirsts for his Mercies and trample and tread down the self-working spirit that all be bound down in silence and kept in the Death that would move in any exercise to utter words rashly before the Lord but in the Resurrection Light Power Life and innocent Birth enter the Kingdom and Reign in the Dominion thereof Oh here my dear Friends let us comfort and consolate our Souls together for this is our beloved and we have waited for him and now is he come with power and great glory to deliver his Captives and establish them in his glorious freedom where the evil one shall not prevail against them and to Marry the Soul unto himself who hath waited for him as for the Morning and all in the Marriage union feel his Power abounding to lead in the daily Cross to stand over all that would draw from the sweet union that is in the footsteps of the Flock of his Companions who walk in the Light and stir up the gift of God in you in all faithful obedience to meet together in true watchfulness to wait in the Light And as your Hearts are filled with the Heavenly Power of the Lord and broken in the sence of the overcomings of his Life and moved in the forciable strength thereof in any exercise in your Families or in the Assemblies of his People quench not the Spirit of the Lord but be obedient and keep within the bounds of a broken Heart and a contrite Spirit which is a Sacrifice acceptable in his presence And all feel the love of God enlarging your Hearts one to another that the strong may bear the Burthen of the weak and in the pure Life of love you may grow fruitful Plants in the Vineyard which God's right-Hand hath Planted c. And as for our little Sister which is scattered amongst the people in the Nations that hath no Breast of
submit unto Him and all the Nations that are saved shall walk in his Light and call him Blessed who was dead but now alive calling to all People to come and believe in his Name that Eternal Life may abide in them forever But all that reject his Counsel the Light to be led in the strait way of self-denial their Blood will be manifest to be on their own Heads in the day of the fierce wrath when he will be revealed in Flames of Fire rendering his eternal Vengeance upon all that know him not and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ c. Therefore doth the Word of the Lord sound thorow me in the heavenly Proclamation to all the Children of Light with all whose Faces are set towards Sion Stand fast in the Faith and in the Light come boldly to the Throne of Grace where the Fountain of the fulness of the great refreshings you will enjoy that you may buy Wine and Milk without Money or without Price O come away come away in this day of your Invitation wherein the Spirit and the Bride saith Come and every one that it heareth saith Come and every one that is athirst Come and every one that will Come come and drink drink of the Fountain of the Water of Life freely that by the vertue thereof the Weary and Heavy-laden may be eased and all your putrified Wounds cleansed and all the Issues of Blood healed and all the stains of the Garment washed that all the bowed-down heads may be lifted up and the Soul that hath been as a desolate Widow and as a stranger without a dwelling in God and as a Child without a Father now in your faithful Obedienee to the Light the Lord will manifest himself to be the Husband of the desolate Widow and an Entertainer of the Sranger and with him the Fatherless shall finde Mercy which shall cause the Lame to leap as an Hart the Blind to See the Dumb to Speak forth the high Praises of the most high God whose Mountain is and shall be more and more set up atop of the Mountains and established above all the Hills and all Nations shall flock to the Mountain of the Lords House in Obedience to our God who is taking to him his great Power to manifest himself to be the safety of them that trust in his Name whom he will hide in the hollow of his Hand as in a munition of Rocks to the confounding the Enemies of Sion and staining the pride of the glory of all Flesh who shall vail and bow before him and confess to the glory of his Majestical Power That there is not any GOD like to him in whom we trust and who will plead our Cause and answer our Expectation according to his own Determination Therefore dear Servants of the most High let not any of us be weary in well-doing and above all things love the Lord Jesus yea love the Lord Jesus Christ and in his perfect Light. Thought and Will all in stedfastness and staidness of mind keep your Habitations in perfect Peace that the Birth of the one pure holy Will may rule and reign over all that stands in the will of Man that so high Praises Praises may wait upon the Lord in Sion and Hallelujahs in Heavenly Harmony may be sounded within the Gates of Ierusalem who is made this day a Burdensome Stone to the Nations but is and shall be more and more the Praise of the whole Earth forever and it shall be known more and more Assuredly the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it through your dear and loving Brother who blesseth and praiseth the Name of the Lord for you all who love the Lord Jesus Christ and seek his glory alone and nothing for self in all that you do and suffer upon the account of the Testimony you bear in profession of his Truth in the sight of all Peopâ—e O blessed blessed are you you Self-denying-People for what is before expressed is your Inheritance forever and ever In which fare you well fare you well saith my Soul in the Name of the Lord. And all dear Friends be dear and tender over the weak and all that hath strayed forth of the Foot-steps of the Flock of the Companions in what you can draw them and gather them in the Bowels of tender love that the scattered may be gathered into the Unity to lie down with us in the pure Rest to the praise and glory of God forever W. D. To all the Faithful and Suffering Members in all Holes Prisons and Goals for the Word of God and Testimony of Jesus Christ with the rest of the Faithful where-ever scatter'd upon the Face of the Earâ—h Dear Brethren and Sisters HEar the Word of the Lord thus saith the Lord Though you now drink the Cup of Adversity and eat the Bread of Affliction and are trampled upon as though you were not worthy to live upon the Earth yet notwithstanding all the Fury of Men you are resolved in the strength of my Spirit forever to be deprived of the sweet enjoyments of Wife Husband tender Children Parents and outward Possessions Liberty and Life before you deny the Testimony of my Name before the Sons of Men. Oh! you dear and tender Children who love not your Lives unto Death this day that you may finish a good Testimony for the Glory of my Name saith the Lord God lift up your Heads in the Light of my Covenant and believe in my Name for I am near unto you saith the mighty God of Safety and let not any weight or burthen lie upon you for I will be more than Husband to Wife and more than Wife to Husband or Parents to Children or Children to Parents yea I will be a Husband to the Widow and a Father to the Children who are deprived of their tender Parents for my Name sake I will enlarge your Borders in the Life of my Righteousness you that suffer in true Innocency will I refresh with the depth of my Mercies yea I will guard you with the Angel of my presence and all that devise Mischief against you shall be confounded beâ—ore the Glory of my Power with which I will keep and preserve you in the Word of my Patience and Safety in my Presence saith the Lord God. Therefore you dear Children who drink the deepest in Sufferings think it not hard for it is my purpose unto you all that have not any Eye to Self but alone seek my Glory in all you do I will make you more and more Honourable in the Glory of my Life and double my Blâ—ssings upon you and yours for I have â—eheld your Integrity and my Bowels are mightily moved with Compassion towards you therefore am I risen for your sakes this day to declare unto you my suffering People That not an Hair of your Head shall perish neither shall you be detained in Prisons and desolate Holes any longer than I have determined shall be for your eternal Good and
Holy God you trample and reign over the greatest subtilty which in the Mistery of iniquity transforms it self as is before written that so you may in the service of Love in the meek healing compassinate Spirit of Jesus gather all the tender hearted forth of all Sects Forms and Opinions with all that hath strayed from the foot-steps of the Flock of the Companions in the Light of the Lord with us to walk in faithfulness all their days until their change come that if it be possible that not any may be lost who hunger after righteousness and hath their Faces set towards Sion That so in the heavenly Harmony all that have truly sought the Face of God may in his pure Light Life and Dominion walk together with us in the unlimitted Bowels of Love in the Lord Jesus to the confounding of all Sion's Enemies who in the time determined of our God shall come bending to the Soles of the Feet of the afflicted suffering Lambs of my Father who Love the Lord better then your Lives and your Neighbour as your self yea and they that withstand you shaâ—l in the day determined of God confess it is in vain for any to strive to bring to pass their evil intents upon a People beloved of God whom he will carry through by his Almighty Power and save with the Arm of his Salvation for every Tongue lifted up against you shall fall in judgment and all Weapons formed against you shall not prosper but come to nought and you shall see the mighty salvation of God for your joy which the Lord will hasten more and more to the astonishment of all that withstand the rising of his Glory and you shall certainly know this is to you the Word of the Lord God declared thorow your Brother and Companion in the Tribulation and Kingdom of Patience in the Lord Jesus Christ. Farewel W. D. From the Common Goal in Warwick sent forth at the command of the Lord the 8 th of the 3 th Moâ—eth 1665. Blessed are they that overcometh through the Blood of the Lamb and the word of their Testimony and love their lives no more to Death The Discovery of Mans return to his first Estate by the Operation of the Power of God in the great work of Regeneration And a Word to the Back-slider who hath tasted of the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come and hath turned from the Grace of God into wantonness and gone back into spiritual Sodom and Egypt where our Lord is crucified Also a discovery of mystery Babylon and her Merchants And a word to the hard-hearted unbelieving Iews Professors who profess Christ in words but stumble at his Light in their Consciences to theiâ— own Destruction With a Word to all Saints who have set their Faces towards Sion to seek the Lord their God and to those that are waiting therein to worship him in Spirit and Truth And a Word of Consolation unto the travelling Child that yet sits in Darkness being deeply afflicted and wounded in Spirit through ignorance of Salvation in the New Covenant in Christ Jesus the Light. All Men and Women behold and see in what Estate you were Created ANd God said let us make Man in our Image God created Man in his own Image and in the Image of God created he Him Male and Female created he them And the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to dress and keep it and the Lord God Commanded the Man saying of every Tree in the Garden thou mayest freely eat but of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye the death The Serpent was more subtile then any beast of the Field which the Lord God had made he said unto the Woman ye shall not surely die for God doth know that in the day you eat thereof your Eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil And when the Woman saw the Tree was good for food and that it was pleasant unto the Eyes and a Tree to be desired to make one wise she took the Fruit thereof and did eat and gave also to her Husband with her and he did eat And the Eyes of them both were opened and they knew that they were naked and they sewed fig-leaves together and made them aprons And they heard the Voice of the Lord God walking in the Garden in the cool of the day and Adam and his Wife hid themselves from the Presence of the Lord among the Trees of the Garden and the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him where art thou And he said I heard thy voice in the Garden and was afraid and because I was naked I hid my self And he said who told thee that thou wast naked hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat and the Man said the Woman whom thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the Tree and I did eat And the Lord God said unto the woman what is this that thou hast done the woman said the Serpent beguiled me and I did eat And the Lord God said unto the Serpent because thou hast done this thou art cursed above all Cattel and above every Beast of the Field upon thy Belley shalt thou go and Dust shalt thou eat all the Days of thy Life And I will put Enmity betwixt thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed it shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel And the Lord God said Behold this Man is become as one of us to know good and evil and now lest he put forth his Hand and take also of the Tree of Life and eat and live forever therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the Garden of Eden to till the ground from whence he was taken And he drove out the Man and placed at the East of the Garden of Eden Cherubims and a flaming Sword which turned every way to keep the way of the Tree of Life Every Man and Women behold and see how you are fallen from the estate and condition you were created in you were created in the Image of God to delight alone in him but you are fallen in obeying the counsel of the Serpent and are driven out of the Presence of God into the Earth and there your minds are feeding upon the dust of the Earth created oâ—jects which will perish some delight in Father and Mother some in Wife and Children some in Houfe and Lands some in Money and Gold some in Meats and Drinks some in Raiment what they shall put on some in Lusts and Pleasures in Wantonness vain idle Communication foolish Jesting and Laughter which is Madness and Folly and some in Honour and Preferments in this World wherein their Hearts are lifted up in Pride and Exaltation above others
and are corrupted because of my foolishness I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go mourning all the day long And may be none of you in all that place can witness the Condition and so Blasphemes the Name of God who will be Worshipped in Spirit and Truth and this is the rule given out from him If any be afflicted let him Pray if any be merry let him sing Psalms And there is none merry but the ransomed of the Lord who returns to Sion with joy and singing And everlasting joy shall be upon their Heads and they shall obtain gladness and joy and sorrow and sighing flyes away All People may search the Scriptures and see how you have been deceived by your Teachers who have caused you to seek your lost God in carnal and dead Observations which they have not any Scriptures for all cease from them for the Lord complains of them The leaders of my People causeth them to err saith the Lord of Hosts and now are these Scriptures fulfilled in these Men which the Apostle Prophesied of This know also that in the last daies perilous times shall come for Men shall be lovers of their own selves Covetous Boasters Proud Blasphemers disobedient to Parents Unthankful Unholy All People see are not your Teachers so Self-lovers before they come at you they must know what they must have Covetous Griping for much and if you will not give them so much as they can have in another place they will not come at you here is Self-love and Covetousness manifested without natural affections Truce-breakers false Accusers Traytors heady high-minded lovers of Pleasures more then lovers of God having a Form of godliness but denying the power thereof from such the Apostles exhorts to turn away All people behold and see all these Scriptures are fulfilled in your Teachers they speak against Pride and live in it against Covetousness and live in it they teach by their words to be natural affectionated one towards another and they walk contrary causing poor people to pay to maintain them in Pride and high Ranks in the Earth who can scarce get Bread for their Bellies and Cloathes for their Backs yet they force them to pay them being void of all natural affections and they are Truce-breakers breakâ—ng all Bonds and Covenants if they can get more Money in another place Thus they shew forth to all the World that they are lovers of Pleasures more then lovers of God and have a Form of godliness in words but deny the power thereof from such turn away for of this sort are they which creep into Houses and lead captive silly Women laden with Sin and divers Lusts these Scriptures are fulfilled in your Teachers every one hath his particular House to creep into where none must come but themselves or whom they please which is contrary to the practice of Christ or any that he sent forth they went through the Countries Towns Cities Villages according as they were guided by the Spirit of God to declare what he gave them to speak and your Teachers lead silly Women captive laden with Sin and led away with divers Lusts ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth do not they tell you to look for Christ's coming in such Observations as they set up which is nothing but the invention of their Brains for Christ tells you The Kingdom of God comes not with Observations but it s within you But many of them that deny that the Light in your Consciences which makes manifest the evil of your Hearts is the Kingdom of God calling it the Light of a corrupt Conscience so shuts the Kingdom of Heaven against Men and will neither enter in themselves to be guided by the pure Light of the Kingdom of Christ within them nor suffer them that are entring in to enter as the Scribs and Pharisees did now as Iannes and Iembres withstood Moses so do these Men resist the Truth Men of Corrupt minds Reprobate concerning the Faith but they shall proceed no farther for their folly shall be made manifest to all Men as theirs also was and no Man shall buy their Merchandize any more All you enslaved Captives in the Kingdom of Babylon Why will you lay out your Money for that which is not Bread and your Labour for that which satisfies not hearken diligently unto Jesus Christ the Light that lets you see the evil of your Hearts to be guided by it and you shall eat that which is good encline your Ears saith Christ and come unto me hear and your Souls shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Mind the Call of a powerful and tender Father in the Lord Jesus who calls Come forth of Babylon my People and touch no unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord God Almighty Friends prize your times slight not the day of the Lords mercy for he waits to be gracious and saith I stretch forth my Arm all the day long to a back-sliding and gain-saying People Every one mind your conditions deal justly with your own Hearts see what your Hearts hath fellowship with and guides your minds for the Kingdom of Christ is within you it is not in Observations as your Teachers tells you for they deceive you therefore Christ for-warned us for looking forth at those which would come in the latter days that would say Lo here is Christ lo there is Christ as it is in these our days some say Lo here is Christ in the Presbyterian practice the Independents say He is there and the Anabaptists say Lo he is here But Friends mind what Christ saith unto you Believe them not look not forth the Kingdom of Christ is not in any of those nor in any other outward Observations but be awarned the Kingdom of Christ is in you and that is the Light that lets you see the evil of your Hearts and Christ compares it to a grain of Mustard-seed the least of all seeds and it grows up above all other Herbs and becomes a Tree that the Fowls of the airâ—lodges therein and he compares it to a little Leaven that a Woman took and hid in three measures of Meal and it leavened the whole lump These are earthly Parables and Figgures which Christ laies down speaking to the earthly and carnal Heart of Man that he may read his condition within Therefore despise not the day of small things but mind the Counsel of the Lord Jesus the little Light that shines in thy dark Heart look upon the â—igures the Parables the little Leaven which is hid in three measures of Meal it changes the whole lump into the nature of it self so the little Light that shines in thy dark Heart is the powerful word of Faith Which was in the beginning by
which all things were created and without him was nothing made this Word is Life and the Life is the Light of Men and the Light shines in darkness and the darkness comprehends it not this Light is the word of Faith the Apostle exhorted to take heed unto Say not in thy Heart who shall ascend up to Heaven to fetch Christ down or down into the deep to fetch him up the Word is nâ—gh thee in thy Heart and in thy Mouth and this is the word of Faith which we Preach the unction of the holy one given of the Father so that we need not to teach one another but as the anointed teacheth us which is truth and no lye which is the sure word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well to take heed as unto a light shining in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-Star arise in your Hearts All people return within give up your selves freely to be guided by that Light that discovers to you the evil of your Hearts and none be discouraged because you see an evil Heart but prize the Love of God that discovers it to you and whatever the Light makes manifest to you to be evil Wait on the Lord for power and he will give you power to obey and in being faithful in a little more will be communicated from the Lord so will the righteous Law be set up in your Hearts that will cry through your earthly and carnal Hearts for Righteousness and Judgement and so will bring you to an account for every idle word and all deeds done in the body Look up unto the Lord against whom you have Sinned and he will arm you with power to what he layes upon you with patience to undergo his Will until all the powers of the Earth in you be famished and slain under his righteous Judgments then will Judgment be brought forth unto Victory that you can no longer live without the loving kindness of your Father in Christ Jesus Now is the Parable fulfilled the little grain of Mustard-Seed grown up above all Herbs and the little leaven hath leavened the whole lump and the Prodigal starved forever if his Father receive him not freely into his House Thou that canst witness this condition stand still in the Will of God he will raise up his seed in thee to trust in his Name and to delight in the eternal Covenant of Love and Life he hath made with thy Soul in the Lord Jesus Christ and will guide thee by the Word of his Power in a way thou knowest not forth of Babylon where thou wast an inslaved Captive under the power of the filthy Beast which is thy will and the Whore the Mother of Witchcrafts which is thy wisdom which enthralled thee under the Powers of darkness to satisfie the lusts of thine own Heart which led thee to destruction up to Sion to live by Faith in the Lord Jesus which will purifie thy Heart and set thy Soul free from under the powers of darkness into the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God where thou shalt sing the Songs of Sion Hallelujahs and Praises forevermore unto the Lord God that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever W. D. To all inslaved hard-hearted and unbelieving Jews in this Nation and elsewhere who are made drunk with the Wisdom of the Whore and bewitched through the abundance of Sorceries to put the Day of the Lord afar off looking for Christs coming in the Spirit as the hard-hearted unbelieving Iews in the Letter did for his coming in the Flesh according to the promise but they limited the Holy One according to their carnal wisdom expected his coming in great Pomp and Glory and when he came in that poor despised way contrary to their expectations they stumbled at him and would not own him to be their Saviour but rose up against him and put him to Death Matth. 27.1 to vers 50. BEhold you hard-hearted and unbelieving Iews do you not look for Christ coming in the Spirit according to his promise as they did for his coming in the Flesh but you limit the Holy One as they did expecting Christ to come in Power and Glory according to your own fancies and so put the Day of the Lord afar off you in rejecting and despising the Counsel of Jesus Christ the pure Light in your Consciences which lets you see every evil thought word and action and cryes behind you This is the way walk in it but you disobey the Light and hearkens to the counsel of your Hearts as the Iews in the Letter did that put Christ to Death and so you slay the Witnesses in Spiritual Sodom and Egypt in your Hearts where our Lord is Crucified in not regarding the Counsel of Christ which is that Light that shines in your dark Hearts which knocks at the Door according to his Word I stand at the Door and knock if any Man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come into him and will Sup with him and he with me Oh thou enslaved Soul under the power of Babylon in thee come forth mind the Light in thee which is the sure word of Prophesie whereunto you do well to take heed as unto a light shining in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-Star arise in your Hearts stand not out against this secret Counsel of Christ in you lest you perish in your gain-sayings for if his anger be kindled a little blessed are all they that trust in him All give up give up freely to be guided by the Counsel of the Lord the Light in you believing in his Power that is present with the Light he will lead you daily through the Cross in the straight way of his Sufferings and Death where the old Man will be put off with his deeds and so you shall have right to the Tree of Life and shall enter with him through the Gates into the City New Ierusalem where you shall have communion with the Father and the Son and an inheritance with those that are sanctified in Christ Jesus and shall reign as Kings upon Earth to the Praise and Glory of the Riches of the Grace of our Heavenly Father to whom alone be all Power Dominion Honour and Glory for ever and ever W. D. A Word from the Lord to all that are waiting on the Lord in Sion and those that are weeping and are seeking the Lord their God asking the way to Sion with their Faces thitherwards FEar not ye Mourners in Sion the Lord waits on you to be gracious unto you and though he give you the Bread of Adversity now and the Water of Affliction yet shall not your Teacher be removed into Corners any more but your Eyes shall see your Teacher and your Ears shall hear a Voyce behind you saying this is the way walk in it when you turn to the right Hand or to the left therefore every one
of you mind the Light which is of Jesus Christ in you that judgeth the unrighteousness of your Hearts give up to be guided by the pure Light in you which is your Teacher the Counsel of Jesus Christ and it shall bring Judgment forth unto victory and whatever he makes manifest to you to be his Will Wait on the Lord in his Counsel and he will give you Power to obey and when you have obeyed his Will take heed of departing from the Counsel of the Lord which is within you to hearken to the counsel of your own Hearts which will draw your minds to look back at your Obedience and the experiences you have passed through so will the Beast which received a deadly wound with the Sword the righteous Law that goes out of the Mouth of the Lamb in you his deadly wound will be healed and sits a painted Beast above the Cross of Christ working lying wonders in your Hearts and imitating the operation of the Power of God who is purifying his Sons and Daughters with the Spirit of Judgment and the Spirit of burning and the Beast in you that tasted of the Power of God when he received his deadly wound under the Justice of God now can imitate the same in deceit and cause Fire to come down from Heaven in the sight of Men imitating the operation of the Spirit of burning and so deceives himself and all that dwell upon the Earth he is made manifest to all that dwell in the Heavenly Light in their Hearts All Friends mind your watch for the Adversary the Devil goes about like a rearing Lion seeking whom he may devour abide in the Counsel of the Lord which is the Light in you and you will discern between the Beast which is Anti-christ in his lying wonders and the Lamb Jesus Christ in the operation of his power so you will come to try the Spâ—rits whether they be of God yea or no all that are guided by the Beast have their Life in speaking and acting in outward operations what they once experienced and what they comprehend to be Truth speaking that they enjoy not and is exalted in pride the Heart returned into the Earth But thou that art guided by the Lamb the Light in thy Conscience the righteous Law crys through thy earthly Heart and brings it to judgment and thou canst find no life in the operation of the Power of God nor in thy obedience but whilst the Presence of the Lord is with thee in it and when thou hast done the Will of God in obeying what he hath made known unto thee thou seest thy self to be an unprofitable Servant and hast need of patience that thou mayest receive the promise where thy life is hid with Christ in God to save thee freely for his Names sake or else thou perishest and to carry thee on by his mighty Power or else thou fallest so thou hast nothing to Glory in but in the Lord. And as they that are guided by the Beast which is Anti-christ speak of the Truth a riddle to their own Hearts not knowing the Power and Life of what they speak adding to the Word of the Lord and the plagues and curse of God will be added unto them But thou that art guided by the Lamb Jesus Christ thou knowest when the Word of the Lord is committed to thee If any have my Word saith the Lord let him speak my Word faithfully is not my Word like a Fire saith the Lord and like a Hammer that breaketh the Rocks in pieces Thou canst witness the Word of the Lord to be as a Fire and as a Hammer to break the Rocks in pieces in thee and bring down all in thee in subjection to its self and it alone rules in thee and thou that canst witness the Word of the Lord thus manifest in thee thou art a true Messenger of the Lord let not the deceit stop thy Mouth for the Word the Lord calls thee to speak shall perfect his work for which it is sent All Friends stand fast in the Counsel and Will of God be faithful in following the Lamb daily through the Cross and none be discouraged in Temptations be content look up to the Lord to keep you in the Hour of Temptations for it is no Sin to be temped but to yield to the Tempter and when the Lord delivers you from the power of the Tempter watch that your will get not from under the Cross â—ut sink down into the Love of God and every one be content in what the Lord hath made manifest to you and be faithful according to your Talents and more will be communicated to you and none look forth at others conditions for if you do the Enemy will cause you to stumble and you will come to a loss in your own condition wait patiently in the Counsel of the Lord the Light in you for he is making a short work in the Earth that you that come into the Vineyard at the eleventh Hour shall receive as much as they that came in at the third Hour and have Laboured in the heat of the day All ye Children of the Lord lift up your Heads behold your King riding in Majesty and Power upon the wild Ass Colt which is your wild nature subjecting it to himself that you may enter with him through the Gates of the City into new Ierusalem where there enters nothing that worketh Abomination and maketh a Lie but what is written in the Lambs Book of Life and there you shall dwell in the Banquetting House of the Lord forever feeding upon the Feast of Fat things rejoycing in the Eternal Love and Mercy to your Souls in the free Covenant of Life in the Blood of Christ who is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings God Blessed forever who is riding on in Majesty and in Power conquering and to conquer all the powers of darkness in the Hearts of his Saints that they may reign as Kings upon the Earth to the Praise and Glory of our God who is taking unto him his great Power to reign in his Saints for evermore to whom alone be all Honour Glory Power and Eternal Praises for ever W. D. To Richard Thomas at Hartford for him to communicate to all that are there and at London and else-where as way is made to be sent to them that are to be Transported for the Testimony of the Name of the Lord. DEar Friends and blessed of the Lord forever you whom the Lord hath chosen to be the Valiant ones amongst his People in this your great Tryals oh blessed be the Name of the Lord for you and your dear Wives and Relations that gives you up freely for to bear your Testimony in the face of all People Oh the dear Bowels who can express that flow to you who in your faithfulness are as a stream of Vertue to the refreshing all the Heritage of our God
Hearts day and night and dare not disobey him in what he makes known unto them though they hazard their Liberty and all enjoyments yea life it self so tender are they over the Glory of the Lord who hath given them victory over sin and all selfishness through the Blood of the Lamb and the word of their Testimony no more to love their lives to death c. But Oh you Rulers though God hath stayed his Hand in a great measure that the sound of mortality is not so loud in the Ears as hath been yet how do you answer the end of the Lord seeing that few Prisons in the Nation but the Lords People are in them because of the exercise of their pure Consciences towards the Lord and other cruel proceedings in rending Husband from Wife and Wife from Husband and Parents from Children and Children from Parents and inhumanely banishing them out of their Native Country for these things and other wicked proceedings the Hand of the Lord is stretched out still and the pale Horse is on his way passing to and fro in the Nation and he that rideth thereon is Death smiting and cuting down with the Sword of Plague and Pestilence and if so be you proceed as you have done in executing these cruel Laws against the innocent then will the commission of the Rider of the pale Horse be enlarged and what flesh can stand before the pale Horse seeing the Rider thereon is Death as is recorded in the Scriptures of Truth Rev. 6.8 Oh my Bowels is moved within me for the calamity that will come upon the Nation if you Rulers continue your Persecution for the day of the Lord hastens that they that do wickedly shall be as stubble and the Maker thereof shall be as a Spark and he will blow up the flame in the fierceness of his wrath and who can stand in this terrible dreadful day wherein Christ shall be revealed in flames rendering Vengeance on all them that know him not and obey not the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ c. Further this I exhort all mind what you say and do who hath hardened their Hearts in a boasting Spirit and said we see no difference but these People we cast in Prison God cuts off in a common Calamity as well as others the sence of their sufferings causeth many a Cry and Tear to be poured forth before the Lord and the mighty God answered and said unto my Soul I have beholden the cruelty of Men how they have stowed my People up in Prisons and in the Ship where the infection was and them that hath been taken away their Blood shall be required at their Hands who cast them into Prison and as to all in general that fell in the common Calamity that feared my Name it was to stain the pride of the glory of all Flesh as well amongst my People as others that my People might wait in my Light to stand in a true preparation for the day of their dissolution therefore I take away my People in my everlasting loving kindness from the evil to come but the wicked I cut off in my Fury and they shall reap the fruit of their own doings and this is the substance of what the Lord hath said in taking away his People in this common Calamity therefore let the stout-hearted bend and no more boast themselves in loftiness of their minds to see the righteous taken away for if the judgment begin at the House of God and the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the wicked and ungodly and Sinners appear for yet a little while and the Lord will plead the cause of his People with terrible Vengeance he will manifest himself and the Rod of the wicked shall nor always lye upon the backs of the righteous but their long continued Afflictions will be accomplished in time therefore you meek gentle and peaceable quiet People who abhor every appearance of evil abide in the Word of Patience and pray for them that Persecute you that if it be the Will of God we may prevail with the Lord that their Eyes may be opened and their Hearts softned that they may break off from their evil doings and so escape the terrible vengeance as is before written wherein the Lord will break the Battle out of the Earth and establish purity and peace amongst a people called by his Name that as they have sowen in Sorrow and long-suffering they shall reap with Joy in this great and terrible day of the coming of our Lord which is nigh to be revealed wherein he will say to the wicked that hath imprisoned and afflicted his People Go ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels and to his righteous Blessed suffering Seed he will say Come you Blessed of my Father enter into the Kingdom prepared for you before the Foundation of the Earth was laid so shall every one reap the fruit of their doings whether it be good or evil according to their deeds so shall be their reward from the Lord who is over all Blessed for ever Oh London London yea I say once more you Inhabitants of London whose lives was given you for a prey and you stand as Monuments of Gods Mercy to this day while many of your dear Relations Neighbours and Acquaintance were cut down with him that rid upon the pale Horse Oh that you would lay it to Heart who are yet living before the Lord and all turn to the Counsel of the Lord the Light and Manifestation of his Spirit in your own Consciences to guide you in all fear and dread of the Eternal God to wait upon him to feel the opperation of his holy Spirit to guide you in all your words and works that so you may be a good savour unto the Lord in your faithful Obedience to the measure of his Spirit that so he may take delight in you and take away the reproach that hath been cast upon you the Inhabitants of the City of London c. But if you People in the City of London do not prize the Mercies of the Lord but slight all his kindnesses and harden your Hearts and not regard the reproofs of his Spirit but delight your Hearts in pride pleasures pomp riches and glory in this present World and with so doing provoke the Eyes of the Glory of the Great God Oh then what shall I say unto you Inhabitants of London who thus requiâ—e the Lord notwithstanding all his Favours and boundless Mercies which he hath manifested to you in the sight of all People this day Oh if you do not speedily return to the Lord by repentance and break off from all your ungodly ways in obeying the sin-reproving Spirit of the Lord God in your own Consciences I must take up a Lamentation for you in the sence of the misery that I feel will come upon you for the Lord hath determined to bring you down and if you will not be intreated to hearken to
thee in the Pleasure of our God in whom I remain Thy dear Brother W. D. A General Epistle Dear Friends WHom the Lord hath in this his Glorious Day visited and in his Light plucked as Brands out of the Fire to wait upon him that his Great Work of Regeneration may be perfected in all of you to your Eternal Comfort and the Glory of the Name of our God forever c. And my dear Friends seeing many are Called and few Chosen many Convinced that are not Converted and many come forth with us and go forth from us that are not of us as by sad Experience hath been witnessed c. and from the deep Sense of this working of the Enemy I am constrained to send this Epistle amongst you knowing the Kingdom of God is compared unto Ten Virgins Five Wise and Five Foolish who had all Lamps and slumbred in the Secure Mind until they were awakened to enter in with their Lord then were the Foolish Virgins made manifest that though they had Lamps like the other yet wanting the Oyl they neither did or could enter c. Oh! dear and tender Friends let all Dread the Lord who make mention of his Name in the Light of Christ for this Parable is to you unto whom the Lord hath sent to preach to you and in you the Word of his Kingdom And this is upon my Spirit in the Word of the Lord to you all convinced of the precious Truth of our God turly to examine and search your Hearts with the Light of Christ Jesus that you may have a certain Knowledge how it is with you and how you escaped the subtil Wiles of the Enemy which have hindred so many from the Possession of the Life of Truth and that you may truly discern how the Enemy draws into the Foolish Conceitedness in the Out-side and Formal Profession of the Truth feeding upon the Knowing Part and so stoppeth the Hunger that should reach the Life and then in an Exaltedness saith I See Know am Clothed and want Nothing when they are Blind Naked Miserable and want all things and this is the State of all the Foolish Virgins who dwell in the Outward Court and place all their Confidence in the Form and Outside and Profession of Truth and so has lost the Sense of that Heavenly Hunger which must possess the Life hid with God or else it must mourn out its days in Sorrow Therefore all dear Friends watch diligently to the Heart-searching Light that this Mystery of Iniquity you may all discern that so the Enemy may not prevail against you to turn you aside either to the Right Hand or to the Left that whatever the Lord has convinced you of to be Evil you may wait upon him for Strength to preserve you out of it that so you may Answer God's Witness in the Regulation of your Conversation in the Uprightness of your Hearts so you may stand clear before the Lord that you are willing to do and suffer whatever the Lord should call you to and when you have done all this then be you watchful to the Heart-searching Light that the Enemy doth not draw your Minds to place your Confidence in the Work of Righteousness you have done as the Ground of your Hope and Calling in Christ and want Faith in him and so cause you to rest in your Services and so come short of the hidden Life enjoyed through Faith in the Light and Life of Christ our Righteousness I beseech you dear Friends Wait to know your Passage in this great Mystery where the Entrance is into the Straight Gate where all the Foolish Virgins though their Lamp in the Outward Profession be never so Glorious yet through Pride in their Attainments never entered into this Rest and here is the farthest that ever any come that make a Profession of Truth that go from us and are not of us So tender Friends that truly seek God's Glory and so love his Light that you are willing to give up Life and all to do his Will and when the Enemy would draw you to rest in what you have done and so take the Jewels of God and play the Harlot and deck Your Selves you Dreaâ— the Lord and in his Light you see more Light and you see That all that you have done is your Duty and your reasonable Service which you must do or otherwise you perish eternally and yet your poor Souls in the Light travail on in the Foot-steps of the Flock of the Mournful Companions who are weeping in Secret and inwardly seeking the Lord God to be Married unto him in that hidden Life which is hid with Christ in God and until you enjoy the Marriage-Union in deep Humiliation you wait in the Light for the Lord to create you to a lively Hope in Christ Iesus the Second Adam And you tender Children of my Father who can understand in your Heavenly Travail and Exercise of Spirit what is here written Lift up your Heads and stay your Minds in the Light of the Lord Jesus which ransacks your Hearts and doth not only keep you in Holiness of Conversation but makes you weary of living under the Dominion of your own Thoughts and Wills Therefore I beseech you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ watch to the Heart-searching Light that discerns your Thoughts and Intents and judgeth your Thoughts and all Fearfulness and Unbelief and wait in the Measure of the Light and Life that quickeneth your immortal Souls and hath begotten heavenly Breathings Hungerings and Thirstings to eat the Flesh and drink the Blood of the Lord Jesus Oh thou blessed Birth let not Streightness be upon thy Spirit for the Bowels of the almighty God earn towards thee which cannot be satisfied with any Thing but the pure Presence of Christ to reign in thy Heart and to exercise heavenly Authority in his Throne in thy Conscience Oh tender Babe born of the immortal Seed leâ—d not thy Ear to any of thine own Thoughts Doubts and Unbelief neither to the Accuser who seeks every way to discourage thee for trusting in the Name of the Lord but diligently incline thou thy Ear to the righteous Counsel which is the Light and Life The Lord will satisfie thy Hungry and Thirsty Soul with his everlasting Loving-kindness in Christ Jesus and will create thee to a lively Hope and marry thee to himself in his own Righteousness where thou wilt receive Dominion to reign over thy own Thoughts and thy own will and to walk in his Strength in the Word of Faith which will give thee Victory over the World within and without so will thy Heart be kept pure thy Conscience clean and thou cloathed with the glorious Garment a meek low and a quiet Spirit and so become the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus the second Adam and the Lord of Life and Glory and here is the Dwelling-place of all the Sons and Daughters of Sion Citizens of the new Ierusalem who walk
Correspondency betwixt Iesuits and Quakers as might render them suspicious or did you ever know any Priests or Iesuits in their Meetings and there suffered to Preach c. For I know the Iesuits and the Quakers and there is such vast difference in points of Religion that it is as possible to reconcile Light and Darkness as to reconcile them though they may appear different from us yet I think they are no Murtherers as the Papist have been and are I have no more but that I am yours though unknown T. O. The 13 th of March 1678 9. An Exhortation to all People to prize their Time in making their Calling and Election sure before they go hence and be no more As it hath pleased the Lord God in his tender Mercy in his Heavenly Power in Christ to assist his tender Hand-maid Mary Sam and give her full Assurance of her Eternal Salvation who lived with her Grand-Father William Dewsbury at Warwick where he was and is Prisoner for the Testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ And there she departed this natural Life when she was the Age of Twelve Years and sixteen Weeks and in her Sickness declared to all about her what God had done for her Soul. A brif Account whereof Follows ALL People mind the fear of the Lord who created the Henvens and the Earth the Seas and Fountains of Waters and all turn your Minds to the Light of Christ Jesus in your own Consciences that reproves for Sin in the secret of your Hearts and this God requires of you all to search your Hearts thorowly with the Light of Christ Jesus which is the true Light that lighteth every one that comes into the World as it is written in the Scriptures of Truth Iohn 1.9 And as you are faithfull to the Light it will let you see how you have lived and spent your precious time that is gone over your Heads then will your Consciences be awakned with the Light of Christ and you will be made sensible of your careless sinful and miserable state and condition that you have lived in so will the Lord in great Mercy to your Souls set your sin in order before you and the Iniquity of your Heels will compass you about so will you be made sensible of your lost and perishing State and Condition that if the Lord did not look upon you in his Mercy in the Lord Jesus to give you strength to forsake every evil Way and Repentance for what you have done you would perish forever So from the deep sence of your own nothingness and the need of the help of Christ Jesus the true Light and blessed Saviour to whom you Cry and Pray continually That he would perfect his great work of Regeneration in leading you in the foot-steps of the Tribulated Companions who go weeping and seeking the Lord their God asking the Way to Sion with their Faces thitherwards no more to let your Eyes slumber in peace nor your Eye-lids have rest until you be assured the Lord is your God and that he hath blotted out your Sins and done away your Iniquities for his Name sake and hath accepted of you in his new and Everlasting Covenant of his Mercy in Christ Jesus So you that were afar off in your Rebellious Nature of which you are now ashamed through true Repentance and Obedience to the Light you are made nigh in the Blood of Christ which gives you full assurance of your Eternal Salvation and purgeth your Consciences from dead Works to serve the Living God and whoever you are that come to witness this blessed Work of Regeneration wrought in your Hearts as before written in your being created to a lively Hope in Christ Jesus Mark you are to watch and pray that in the Exercise and Improvement of this Hope you may receive Strength to purifie your selves as he is Pure â—o comes all that are Worshippers of the Father to Worship him in Spirit and in Truth for such the Father seeks to Worship him and these are they whom he Perfects forever through the Sanctification of his Spirit So is this Scripture fulfilled in you He that doth Truth brings his Deeds to the Light that they may be manifest that they are wrought in God John 3.21 And these are his Children who walk in the Light and have their fellowship with the Father of Light in Christ Jesus their blessed Saviour and one with another in his humble meek pure and blessed Nature and so becomes his chosen Jewels and Citizens of Sion who walk in the Light of the New-Ierusalem as it is written in the Scriptures of Truth The Nations that are saved shall walk in the Light thereof And whatever any of you suffer who are redeemed from the Earth and have your Confidence in the Lord alone Christ takes as done unto himself as it is written Mat. 25.31 to the end of the Chapter When the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and his holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory and divide the Sheep from the Goats when he hath set the Sheep on the right Hand and the Goats on the left then will he say to those on his Right Hand Come you blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World for I was hungry and you gave me Meat thirsty and you gave me Drink a stranger and you took me in naked and you clothed me I was sick and you visited me I was in Prison and you came unto me Then shall the Righteous answer him saying Lord when saw we thee hungry and fed thee or thirsty and gave thee drink When saw we thee a stranger and took thee in or naked and clothed thee or when saw we thee sick and in Prison and came unto thee And the King shall answer and say unto them Verily I say unto you in as much as you have done it unto one of the least of these my Brethren ye have done it unto me Then shall he say unto them on the Left Hand Depart from me ye Cursed into Everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels He gave them to understand why they must depart they had not done to him as those at the right Hand had done as you may read at large from Verse 41. to the end of the Chapter So all may see how Man's destruction is of himself in not regarding the Counsel of Christ Jesus the Light to guide them in a Humble Pitiful Compassionate Pure and Blessed Nature so they go into Everlasting Punishment but the Righteouss that are guided by his blessed Spirit as before written they shall go into Life Everlasting which is the Inheritance of all that walk in the Light faithful unto Death the Crown of Life they shall enjoy forever and for evermore as it pleased the Lord to give a full assurance to his tender Handmaid of her Eternal Salvation in his blessed Work upon her Spirit as the following
to him and I have been very well as to any matter of Sickness until this Sickness came upon me And dear Mother I would have thee remember my love to my dear Sisters Relations and Friends and now I have nothing to do I have nothing to do A Friend answered Nothing Mary but to dye Then she said to her Mother I desire thee to give me a little clear Posset drink then I will see if I can have a little rest and sleep before I dye When the Posset drink came to her she took a little and desired her Mother to give her a little drink to wash her Mouth Then she said to her Mother I have a swelling behind my Ear but I would not have any thing done to it nor to my sore Throat nor Mouth for all will be well enough when I am in my Grave Then she asked what time a day it was it being the latter part of the day her Grand-Father said the Chimes are going Four she said I thought it had been more I will see if I can have a little rest and sleep before I dye And so she lay still and had a sweet rest and sleep and then she awaked without any Complaint and in a quiet peaceable â—rame of Spirit laid down her head in peace when the Clock struck the fifth hour of the 9th day of the 2d Moneth 1680. We whose Names are under-written were Eye and Ear Witnesses of what is before expressed as near as could be taken and does not much vary from what she declared as the Substance though much more sweet and comfortable Expressions past from her but for brevity-sake are willing this only to publish who stood by her when she drew her last Breath William Dewsbury her Grand-Father Mary Sam her Mother Jone Deusbury her Aunt Hannah Whitthead a Friend Dear Friends IN the Light of Christ to wait upon him to renew you in the Spirit of your minds to serve the living God. My dear Friends mind your Calling unto which you are called to wait in the Light to retain God in your Knowledge to feel the work of Regeneration perfected in you that you may truly learn to take up the Cross daily and to feel the heavenly Power manifest it self in the Light to raise you up in the Life that makes self of no Reputation and dryeth up the Tongue of the Egyptian Sea and bringeth all Flesh to true silence in you before the Lord then will not any be hasty to utter words before him but all in true Watchfulness and Prayer wait for the heavenly Inspiration of his holy Spirit to overcome your spirits and to sanctifie you in making you obedient to the Heavenly Government of Christ Jesus in you who will lead you forth of your own thoughts and wills in a humble subjection to his blessed Light Life Thought and Will which will order you in all faithfulness to walk with God in your Families to be good Examples by your good Conversation that so you may set up a Throne in the Consciences of your Children and Servants and all with whom you have to do in having all your words and works seasoned with the good savour of the Spirit of the Lord that he may give you an assurance that the Church of God is in every particular Family and that you are his dwelling-Place amongst the Children of Men then will the Angels of his Presence pitch their Tents about you in the day when this Scripture shall be fulfilled as it is written Pour forth thy Vengeance O Lord upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon all the Families that call not upon thy Name And dear Friends be watchful in Prayer always that you may enjoy the heavenly Life to exercise you in all faithfulness strive to exceed in Humility and Carefulness in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ to meet together that he may exercise guide and order you in all Services upon the account of the blessed Truth of our God that in the meek spiritual Life and Love you be subject to serve the Lord and one another in all love and tenderness of Heart in doing unto others as you would have them do unto you then will the Lord take delight in you and make you manifest to be his chosen Jewels and Saviours upon Mount Sion in repairing the Breaches and restoring the Desolate in bringing back again in the Bowels of Love those that have been driven away or turned aside either to the right hand or to the left in the hour of Temptation and daies of Tryal Oh you meek humble minded spirited People of the Almighty God lift up your heads and keep your minds staid upon the Lord to help you to keep your Habitations of Peace within the Gates of Sion where Salvation we have for Walls and Bulwarks whose confidence is in the Lord alone in whom I beseech you live in the endeared Love of Christ Jesus who gave his Life to Redeem us to himself and gave strength to his Redeemed ones to forsake Wife and Children to give up our lives daily in Tumults Stripes Blood-shed with cruel Sufferings both in Prison and when at Liberty for to bring Enemies out of enmity in the Light to be in union with God Oh be intreated to seek the Lord to subject all your minds to this Love of God in Christ Jesus to rule in you then will the desire of my Soul be answered in your restoring and gathering to God as is before written who will then build you up in the unity of the Spirit and bond of Peace which will enable you with Patience and meekness to weary out and overcome whatever is contrary to his pure peaceable and blessed nature the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Through your Brother and Companion in the Kingdom of Patience and Tribulation in the Lord Iesus Christ. W. D. Warwick Goal the the 10 th day of the 12 th Month 1680. A General Epistle to be Read in the Fear of God. In and amongst the Assemblies of his People My Dear Friends IN the Light of the Lord all Watch and Pray that you may receive Power through Faith in the Name of Christ to Reign over your own Thoughts and Wills then will you Delight in taking up the Daily Cross to the Mortifying of the Earthly Members That your Conversations may be as becometh the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ which will make you Manifest to the Witness of God in every Conscience that you are the Salt of the Earth that have kept your State and Habitation in God and doth retain the Sweet Savoury Spirit of Life which Seasons all your Words and Works and Ministers Grace to all with whom you have any concern to the Exalting Gods Blessed Truth over all that Watch for Evil which will cause their Eyes to fail and frustrate their Expectations for ever Amen And Deaâ— Friends I beseech you be Faithful upon all Accounts for the Service of the
according to the Truth of our God and for want of this carefulness in Parents the Spirit of the World is strengthened in their Children when it should be kept down by the heavenly Authority and Power that the Lord hath given to their Parents to rule over them and nâ—t to let them have their own wills satisfied in any thing which is contrary to the Truth of God and all in his Wisdom so walk with such Moderation in all things as well as clothed in modest Apparel laying by all Superfluity that your good Examples may raise up the witness of God in your Children and for want of this care in some Parents and being too indulgent and full of lenity to their Children they grow Rude Stubborn Self-willed and Disobedient to their Parents while they are under their tuishion to the wounding of the Hearts of their Parents who neglected their duty as to the Government of their Children in their tender Years Therefore I desire and beseech you in this weighty concern that you slight not the oppertunity God gives you to be in all things a good Example to all that live with you both Children and Servants that by your godly Conversation and heavenly Exhortations you raise up the Witness for God in your Children and Servants and in exercising the Power God hath given to you to cross and keep down the evil Nature while they live with you And when your Children grow up take them to Meetings and keep your Eyes over them that they behave themselves soberly according to your Exhortations then encourage them in wel-doing so will the Lord bless your sweet and heavenly Behaviour in your Families that Servants will bless God that ever it was their lots to come into your Families in that their Spirits were sweetly seasoned with the Truth by your heavenly Behaviour and Care over them c. and your Children will magnifie the Name of the Lord for your blessed Care and heavenly Instructions and godly Endeavours every way for their good in this World and their eternal happiness in the World to come which will Crown the hoary Heads of their Parents with Joy to see their blessed care and endeavours sanctified to their Children and to see their Off-spring to be made the Off-spring and Children of God blessed be his Name forever who heareth the Prayers of his People who is exercised daily in the heavenly inspiration of his holy Spirit to call upon his holy Name not only for Enemies but for a blessing upon their Families and for all that love the Truth of our God these are the Families that are a sweet savour to the Lord that he guards with the Angel of his presence and wiâ—l make them manifest and known to all People that they are his chosen Jewels whom he will preserve in the day when he will pour forth his Vengence upon the Heathen that know him not and upon all the Families that call not upon his Name And if any of these Children of these heavenly minded Parents when they are from under their tuishion for want of watchfulness grow into carelesness and turn their backs of the blessed Truth of God and trample all the care and good counsel of their Parents under their Feet to satisfie their own Wills in the Pride and Vanity of this evil World to the wounding of the Hearts of their careful and loving Parents they will be clear of their Blood when they shall reap the fruit of their doings except they Repent And all you young and tender People with others that come among Friends through the education of your careful Parents Masters or Mistrisses you have been under I have a concern upon my Spirit to write to you that you do not rest in an outward profession of the Truth by what you have received by Education but all watch to the heart searching Light of Christ in you which will let you see you must be Regenerated and Born again and so be made real and faithful Friends by the Heavenly inspiration of the powerful Spirit of God in you which if you be careful upon your watch you will see Judgment upon all in you that is not obedient to the Light of Christ in whose Light you will see more Light that will let you see your great necessity of the enjoyment of the Life which is hid with Christ in God which will cause you to pray without ceasing that the Lord would enable you to loath and abhor the Pride Pomp and Pleasure of this evil World and to give you assurance of Gods Love to your Souls and until you enjoy it in all places of your retirement you will pour forth your Supplications with Tears to the Lord as the blessed and heavenly Travellers and Companions did and doth who could not find the Kingdom of God in outward observations tho none more faithful in observing what is made known to them to be the Will of God but the Kingdom of God not consisting in outward observations you in the Light press forward according to your Spiritual Hunger and Thirst in true poverty of Spirit weeping and seeking the Lord your God asking the way to Sion with your Faces thitherward that you may enjoy his Salvation for Walls and Bulwarks Oh you blessed Children of the Lord lift up your Heads and stay your Minds upon the Lord patiently waiting upon him he will turn your Sorrows into everlasting rejoycing and seal you up with the holy Spirit of Promise and in the marriage union with himself and will give you assurance of your eternal Salvation then you will certainly know the Kingdom of God to be within you and the anointing to teach you which will enable you to delight in taking up the Cross daily in true obedience to the Light of Christ all the days you have a being amongst the Children of Men then will you in the Name of the Lord 〈◊〉 upon the Pride Pomp Pleasures and Vanity o◠〈◊〉 evil World to the great Comfort of your dear and careful Parents Masters and Mistrisses whose tuishion you were under in your minority and tender Years and to all that walk in the precious Truth of our God over all blessed foâ—ever Amen And all dear Friends and Brethren seeing the Lord who turneth the Hearts of Men as Rivers of Waters and in his loving kindness so ordereth those in Authority that the Prison Doors were opened once more in our day to injoy Peace and Quâ—etness according to his blessed will Praises be to his holy Name for evermore I have a concern upon my Spirit that all Friends and Brethren have their Hearts affected as mine is to live in the sence of the Mercies of the Lord and every one for the time to come endeavour to prevent the Enemy in what he hath been a doing of late Years to make disâ—union amongst Friends and Brethren by publick opposiâ—ion of some and others not patiently keeping in their places hath also separated the differnce being so publick
therein and if any Man take away from the words of the Prophesie of this Book God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life and out of the holy City and from the things which are written in this Book and this is your reward you add your Wisdom to the Prophesie of this Book and the Plagues written in this Book will be added to you and you take away from the words of the Prophesie of this Book in drawing the people from the anointing within them which the Father hath sent to be their Teacher according to the Prophesie of this Book to seek for the Kingdom of Heaven in carnal Observations you have set up contrary to the Prophesie of this Book and in the estate you here stand your names are taken out of the Book of Life and out of the holy City and from the things which are written in this Book Repent ye Reprobates who reject the Counsel of Christ in you and give over deceiving the people and mind the Light in you that discovereth to you the evil of your Hearts and give up to be guided by it least you perish in your gain sayings Kiss the Son in obeying his Counsel which is the Light in you least you perish in the way for if his anger be kindled a little blessed are all they that trust in him W. D. Dear Friends ANd Children of the living God mind your watch every one in particular and dwell in that which is of God which is the Light that searches the Hearts and discovers the Seed of the Serpent and its ground and being and ministers to the Seed of the Woman which Seed is Christ who is the Fountain and Treasure House where you shall receive of his Fulness Wisdom and Power to stand against the Serpent in all his appearances so will his Head be bruised and the eternal pure Eye will be opened in you to know what is to be blest and what is to be accurst therefore every one in your measures stand faithful in the Counsel of God which is the Light the eternel Witness of his Spirit which witnesseth against all deceit in its ground where it appears I charge you all in the presence of the living God that you consult not with Flesh and Blood nor look not down at the Corruption as to discouâ—age you and cause you to distrust in the Mercies of the living God thou that dost thy Condemnation slumbers not for the Wrath of God abideth on the All dwell in that which is pure stand out of your own wills and thoughts but keep in that which is of God that witnesses against all deceit in its appearances and all hold fast your confidence which is the measure of Faith which is the Witness of the eternal Spirit so will all deceit be kept under and the Serpents head will be bruised and the pure holy Seed of God the righteous Babe who works no Iniquity and in whose Mouth is found no guile will be set at liberty raised up to reâ—gn King over all the Earth and to do the Will of God so shall your Souls enter within this holy City and you shall have right to the Tree of Life feeding on the Feast of fat things the eternal Riches of the free Mercies of God in the free Covenant of Life in the Lord Jesus and there you shall rest with the Lord forever where nothing shall enter that works Abomination or makes a Lie but that which is written in the Lambs Book of Life and this is the rest that 's prepared for the people of God where the workers of Iniquity shall never come All dear Friends joyn with the Seed of God that works no Iniquity and take heed of lending your Ears to the Counsel of the Serpent that would draw your minds to look out at Experiences which you have partaked of in the Dispensation of the Power of God in rendering Plagues upon the works of Iniquity wherein thou comest to witness in the Name of Christ Miracles wrought in thee and Devils cast out wherein thou wast in Bondage by their power and thou who comest to witness the Lord ministring to his tender Seed in opening to thy Soul the riches of his Love laid up in Christ Jesus and so comest to Prophesie in the Name of Christ but not abiding in the Counsel of the living God who would destroy the works of Iniquity and would cast out the works of Darkness and would lead through Prophesies and Openings to the Inheritance in Christ which will never fade away but in departing from the Counsel of the Lord you are bewitched with the Serpent that tells you you are some body now that hath tasted of the Power of God and secret pride gets in and others out of the Prophesies and Openings of what they see and do not wait 〈◊〉 they come to the Possession and there gâ—â—s in secret Pride and so becomes a wandering Staâ— flown up into the Air and the worker of Iniquity yet stands notwithstanding all your experiences that you can witness Devils cast out in measure in the Name of Christ and that you have prophesied in the Name he will say unto you I know you not ye workers of Iniquity to that in thy Conscience I speak lend thine Ear unto it it will rip thee up and search thy Heart and pass true Judgment upon the Head of the Wicked and will eternally witness me notwithstanding aâ—l thy experiences Therefore all dear Freinds all take heed that none of you come short of your rest but dwell in the pure Power of the living God which judgeth the Wicked and casteth out Devils dwelling in it it will dispossess the powers of Darkness and as â—e in his tender Love appeareth to the mind and lets you see into the Inheritance laid up in Christ dwelling in the Power you will be kept in the pure fear not to avish your selves out to speak of that you possess not but to wait low in his Will where you will be kept in a true sence of your conditions how the Seed is oppressed by the worker of Iniquity and so will be kept by the Power of the living God waiting on him in the Faith until you overcome by the Blood of the Lamb aâ—d the word of his Testimony then will the worker of Iniquity be destroyed and cast out and the Power and holy Seed of God raised up which can work no Iniquity but stand perfect in the Will of God and there you enter into the Rest prepared for you in Christ Jesus where nothing shall enter that works Iniquity and I shall be with you forever in the Lord And the Lord God Almighty be with you his dear â—abes and Children bless guide and keep you all by his eternal pure power clear and holy that you may be a peculiar People and holy Priesthood to give up your Souls and Bodies a living Sacrifice unto the Lord God Almighty that he may order you and guide you
their Works then shall the Children of the Lord be known and the Worker of Iniquity shall fall before them From a lover of your Souls who desires it to be the Lords Will it may not be laid to your Charge what you have done to him who writes his Name William Deâ—sbery My Dear Friends THat are convinced of the Blessed Truth all wait in the Light that you may truely Experience Christ in you Baptizing you with the Holy Ghost and Fire Rendering Vengeance upon all in you that knows him not and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and so you will come to witness you are of the number of the slain of the Lord and conformable to him in his Sufferings and Death and you that are in the sence of your miserable and lost estate wait upon the Lord weeping and seeking the Lord your God asking the way to Sion with your Faces thither-wards until the Lord cause your Souls to hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear his Voice live but not in themselves not to themselves but the Life you then live is Christ in you and you in him Oh blessed are you that witness what is here written for you are the true Members of the Body of Christ who abhor your selves and admire the Lord with all his Saints in whom he is admired Oh Praise the Lord all you his dear Children for his wonderful Works in leading you in his narrow Way and through his strait Gate which so few find the Lord keep you by his mighty Power that you may contend for the Faith and keep it which the Lord hath Delivered unto you his Saints that through Faith you may have Victory over your own Wills and over the World with all the Pomp Pride and Pleasure of it and so delight in the daily Cross to be the well seasoned savory People in all your Words and Works to Glorifie our Father which is in Heaven even so be it with you is the Prayers of your ever Loving Brother William Dewsbery W. D. Desired this to be sent amongst his antient Friends in Yorkshire to be Read in their Meetings This which is here written is to you that say you are in Commission to do Justice in the County of Northampton and profess your selves to be Ministers of Justice the Evil-doers to Punish and the Oppressed to set Free from under the power of those that oppress them THis the Lord God of Heaven and Earth requires of you as you will eternally answer before him that you faithfully walk according to what you profess and judge with righteous Judgment the Causes brought before you without respect of Persons for he that respects Persons commits Sin and is convinced of the Law as a Transgressor And this is required that when you are met together that you cause to be brought before you all that hath informed against me who to you is known by Name William Dewsbury that it may be proved what the Blasphemy is for which Thomas Pentellow in Wilbey said he sent me unto Prison on suspition of And it is required that you cause to come before you all that have given evidence against my Companions in Tribulation and in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ whom you have cast into Prison with me Gather together as is required and see if your God whom you served that lead you to do what you have done will appear with you and justifie you in your Actions and clear you of Cruelty and Oppression which if your God cannot clear you obey him no longer as you have done in abusing your power to hide your Sin for if you do this Scripture will be fulfilled on you He that hideth his Sin shall not prosper This is required that you bring your deeds to the Light and if they be contrary to the Light let the Ancient of dayes who gives Judgment to the Saints of the most High judge you and your God that leads you to do the Works of darkness and while you have time turn to the Light of Christ that shows you the secret evil of your Hearts and wait in the Light on the Lord God in the way of his Judgments that if it be his good pleasure he may give you Repentance unto Life least you perish in your Disobedience But if you abuse your power as you have done in casting into Prison and there keeping them that believe in Christ whom you never yet proved had transgressed any Law no more then Pilat could prove against Iesus then by your Fruit you will prove your selves to be in the state of Cain who was a Vagabond and had no Habitation and dwelling in the onely true God and so persecuted the Righteous Seed as you have done and if you so continue no withstanding all reproof then read your Portion Proverbs 29.1 He that hath been often reproved and hardeneth his Neck shall suddenly be Destroyed and that without remedy he that hath an Ear to haer let him hear I whom to you am known by the Namâ— before-written was moved to send this to you which Truth you shall know when the day shall declare you have me Imprisoned for the Word of God and Testimony of Iesus Christ. W. D. Dear Friends and Brethren I did not know until this last night but that I should have been with you at the Yearly Meeting but it pleased the Lord to visit me with my antient Distemper which hath accompanied me many Years in Prison and since I was released the Distemper was so sharp upon me as to sence this last night that I did not know I should have lived to see another day but Crying to the Lord he ordered and cleared my way to go into the Country so I cannot be with you at this Yearly Meeting but desire the Lord to assist you with his blessed Power and heavenly Life to bring in the scattered ones to their everlasting Comfort and his Glory forever Amen And that it may be so with you is the Prayer of your loving Brother William Dwesbury London the 30th of the â—th Month 1688. An Index THe Word of the Living God to his Church Page 1. The Word of the Lord to thee Oliver Cromwel p. 4. The Mighty Day of the Lord is Coming pag. 8. Dear Friends Servants and Children of the Most High God pag. 16. To all Saints and Children of the Most High God pag. 21. Dear Friends mâ—et often together pag. 23. My Dear Friends this is the Word of the Lord pag. 24. The iscoverâ—y of the great Enmity of the Serpent pag. 26. To all you that rule in England pag. 57. A true Testimony from the Prisoners in Northampton pag. 67. A true Prophesie of the Mighty day of the Lord pag. 90. Christ Exalted pag. 115. The Mighty Day of the Lord pag. 156. Dear Friends Brethren and Sisters pag. 167. Dear Friends in the Name of the Lord Iesus Christ walk pag. 174. To all Nations Kindred Languages pag.
181. Several short Epistles pag. 185. Let this go abroad amongst all the afflicted pag. 192. O King hear the Word of the Lord pag. 186. Dear Children of the most High pag. 1â—8 Dear Brethren and Sisters born of the Birth pag. â—99 Dear beloved Friends of the Noble Seed pag. 200. Several Short Epistles pag. 202. To all the Faithful in Christ pag. 214 The Word of the Lord to New Jerusalem pag. 225. Breathings of Life to Gods Spiritual Israel pag. 233. The Word of the Lord to Sion pag. 239. To all the Faithful in Holâ—s Prisons and Goals pag. 247. To the beloved Seed of God in London c. pag. 251. To Dear Friends in London and on board the Ship for Transportation pag. 254. For the Dear Daughters of Sion pag. 259. For my Honourable Brethren that are to be Transported pag. 260. The Word of the Lord to all Children born again pag. 262. The Discovery of mans return to his first estate pag. 272. To all revolted Souls pag. 283. The Discovery of Mystery Babylon pag. 288. To all inslaved hard hearted and unbelieving Jews pag. 301. A Word from the Lord to all that are waiting in Sion pag. 303. To Richard Thomas at Hartford pag. 308. A Word of the Lord to all the Inhabitants in England pag. 310. A General Epistle pag. 319. An Epistle to the General Meeting 1673. pag. 328. An Epistle to G. Fox at Worcester pag. 329. A general Epistle pag. 331. Titus Oates's Cirtificate about William Dewbury c. pag. 343. A Testimony concerning Mary Sam W. D's Grand-Child pag. 344. An Epistle to Friends pag. 353. An Epistle to Friends pag. 356. An Epistle to suffering Friends at Bristol Gloucester c. pag. 363. An Epistle to Edward Nightingale pag. 365. An Epistle General to Friends pag. 369. To all proud Priests pag. 377. An Epistle to Friends pag. 380. Several short Epstles pag. 385. An Epistle to Friends pag. 393. A Letter to the Mayor of Terrington pag. 397. An Epistle to all Companions of Tribulations pag. 400. A Letter to the Iustices of Northampton pag. 401. A Letter to the Yearly Meeting 1688. pag. 405. THE END 1653 1654 1655 North-riding of Yorkshire Psal. 51.5 Isa. 43.7 Mat. 12.36 2 Cor. 5.10 Isa. 43.7 Isa. 10.15 Isa. 43.7 Iâ—a 43.7 Luke 17.20 Gen. 3.24 Rev. 20.11 12. Luke 17.20 Acts 10.30 Dan. 10.21 Luke 17.20 Gen. 3.24 Psal. 22.21 Psal. 3.16 Heb. 22.21 Isa. 43.7 Luke 17.20 Psal. 66 â—6 Rom. 7.24 Luke 17.20 Gen. 3.24 Psal. 51.3 1 Cor. 11.28 29. John 15 27. Luk. 22.2 Ephes. 4.30 1 Cor. 10.16 17. Phil. 3.15 Ephes. 5.11 1 John 1.6 Eph. 5.13 James 5.13 Ephes. 5.6 Jer. 23.32 Luke 17.20 Deut. 30.14 Isa. 30.1 Job 33. from 19 to 22. Jer. 5.25 Isa. 59.2 Luke 17.20 Ezek. 34.6 Acts 2.37 2 Cor. 13 5. Luke 17.20 Judg. 5.23 Mat. 26.52 53. Luke 17.21 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Mat. 26.53 Luke 17.20 Rev. 19.15 Mat. 26.52 Isa. 26.8 Gen. 4.14 Rom. 9.13 Exod. 29. Ephes. 25.8.9 Jonah 2.2 Isa. 9.6 7. Lam. 3.26 John 5 35â— Mat. 5.6 Eph. 2.13 Mat. 24.27 John 5.25 Eph. 2.13 1 Pet. 1.3 Isa. 55.3 Rom 5.14 Mat. 11 13 and .12 Rev. 19.15 Mat. 2.13 Rev. 11.7.8 9. Rev. 11.10 Mat. 24.15 Dan. 11.31 Rom 7.19 20 22 23 24. 2 Cor. 12.9 Rom. 7.24 Rev. 11.11 Verse 19 Rev. 17.5 Rev. 18.3.5 6 7 8. 2 Theâ— 1.7 8. Isa. 4.4 Rom. 8.2 Rev. 7.14 Rev. 22.14 Rev. 21.27 Mat. 5.6 Rev. 22.2 5. John 3.3 Rev. 20.6 John 6.45 Isa. 54.13 Mat. 25.15 John 1.19 Eph. 5.13 Titus 2.11 John 17.3 John 14.6 John 5.39 Job 32.8 Rev. 5.3 4 5. Ephes. 1.13 Isa. 8.16 Jer. 31.33 34. Ezek. 36.24 25 26 27 28. Neb. 8.10 11 12. Isa. 54.13 Rev. 29.1 Rev. 5.13 Gal. 1 15 16. Rev. 7.14 John 5.19 Mat. 6.22 Rev. 14.6 Isa. 53.12 Act 24.14 Hos 14.1 Isa. 30.18 John 1.9 Isa. 55.3 Cap. 35.10 John 4.24 Luke 24.23.27 1 Cor. 1.3 Zach. 14.9 Luke 17.20 21. Rev. 11.1 2. 2 Tim. 3.5 Jam. 5.4 Isa. 58.6 Jer. 3.14 Rev. 5.9 Rev. 7.9 Ezek. 34.13 Jer. 31.33 Zech. 14.9 Dan. 10.21 Heb. 8.10 11 12. Rev. 21.2 22 23 24 25 26 27. John 4.24 Rev. 22.5 1 Thes. 1.1 Isa. 2.3 Isa. 9.16 1 John 2.27 Luke 17.20 Has. 4.6 Dan. 10.4 Rev. 7.17 Isa. 35.10 Rev. 5.13 Ezek. 21.27 Jer. 9.13 14. Dan. 12.2 Isa. 58.6 Rev. 13.16 Dan. 7.8 ver 20.21 Rev. 13.15 Mica 3.11 Rev. 13.17 Dan. 12.9.13 Rev. 13.18 Dan. 3.3 Dan. 2.40 Rev. 14.16 Dan. 2.34.35 Mic. 3.10 11. Mic. 3.11 Exod. 18.23 Isa. 5.51 Mat. 10.8 Pro. 8.13 Pro. 1.7 Isa. 26 1. Mich 4.4 Dan. 2.43 Dar. 2.44 Mic. 3.10.11 Pro. 6.19 2 Thes. 2.12 Jam. 5.1 2. Isa. 58.6 Jam. 5.3 Luk. 13.7 Rev. 21.8 Isa. 55.3 John 3.19 Joel 2.1 Luke 13.7 Rev. 22.15 Tit. 2.11 12. John 3.19 Isa. 51.3 Mal. 3.17 Luk. 13.7 Mat. 23.5 6 7. Isa. 56.10 11. Jer. 3.30 31. Ezek. 34.2 3 Mic. 3.5 â—er 23.30 Jer. 1.14 Jer. 23.29 Ezek. 13.10 11. Jer. 23.32 Mic. 3.6 7 Mat. 23 13. Job 1.9 He. 12.14 Mat. 23.13 1 John 2.20.27 John 3.19 20 21 Mat. 25.15 Dan. 10.21 Mat. 24.23 Mat. 24.27 1 Cor. 1.26 27. Act. 20.33 Mat. 10.8 Jer. 23.30 Psa. 131.1 Psa. 6.6 Psal. 119.120 Mat. 23.13 John 1.9 Mat. 7.20 John 1.9 Jude 11. Hos. 6.9 Mat. 25.15 Rev. 22.18 Psal. 2.12 Ezek. 34.2 3. Gal. 5.13 Mat. 5.48 Rom. 7.23 Ezek. 18.20 Rom. 7.24 Rom. 8.2 1 Jo. 3.8 Rom. 7.1 Rom. 8.3.4 Isâ— 30.1 Rom. 6.6 Rom. 8.4 Gal. 5.24 Rom. 8.10 Rev. 17.4 Isa. 55.2 Luke 17.20 21. Rev. 18.4 Revel 18.23 24. Rev. 18.4 John 4.24 Mat. 25.15 Isa. 42.2 Luke 1.53 2 Pet. 1.19 Isa. 55.2.3 John 3.19 2 Pet. 1.10 Isa. 51.3 Joel 2.3 1 Sa. 3.11 Dan. 2.55 Mal. 4.3 Verse 4. Verse 3 Mat. 24.31 Ezek 34.12 Verse 13 Verse 29. Verse 30. Isa. 33.2 John 3.20 Act. 2.25 1 Pet. 2.9 Isa. 55.2 Isa. 13 9 Joel 2.2 3. 1 Sam. 3.11 Joel 2.4 6.7 8 10 11. Rev. 17.14 I de 14.15 Dan. 7.27 Rev. 5.9 and 14.3 and 19.6 and 5.13 1656 1675 1658 1659 1660 1661 1662 1663 1664 1665 Gen. 1.26 27. Gen. 2.15 16 17. Gen. 3 1.10 Gen. 3.22.23 24 Rev. 2.5 Gen. 1.26 27. Gen. 3.24 Luk. 14.26 Mat. 10.37 Eph. 4.5 Eccl. 2.3 Jer. 9.33 Joh. 5.44 1 Cor. 3.6 Col. 1.27 Jer. 23.30 Cor. 9.26.23 Gen. 3.24 Mat. 25.19 Gal. 15.19.20.21 Gen. 3.24 Eph. 5.13 Luke 17.20 Gen. 3.7 Mat. 9.16.17 Gen. 1.14 to 19. Gen. 5. Gen. 27.34 38. Heb. 12.17 Gen. 12.9 10. 2 Pet. 1.19 20. Gen. 4.1 11 12. Gen. 21.1 Gal. 4.30 Rev. 18.3 John. 10.1 Mat. 10.20 21. Phil. 3.5.6 Gen. 3.24 Gen 2.7 Rom. 5.4 Mat. 11.12.13 Joh. 1.6 to 9. 26 27. ver Mat. 7.13.14 John 1.9 Eph. 2.1 2 3. Rom. 8.3 Joh. 3.36 1 Pet. 2.8 Gal. 3.27 Rom. 6.3 to 8. Rom. 8.17 2 Tim. 2.11.12 Joh. 5.25 Eph. 5.14 Miâ—h 6.1 John 1.9 8.12 9.5 Jer. 17.6 Eph. 5.13 John 1.2 3.3 5 Rev. 20.12 13. 2 Cor. 5.10 Mat. 12. â—6 Jam. 2.10 Gen 3.8 9 10. Gen. 3.7 Gen. 4.12 13 14. Gen. 27.34 38. Heb. 12.17 Gen. 21.10 Rev. 19.15 Rom. 3.6 to 8. 2 Tim. 2.11 12. Mat. 18.11 Luk. 19.10 Luke 16.16 17. Mat. 11.11 Joh. 5.35 Mat. 1.12 Luke 3.5 2 Pet. 2.10 Luk. 17.24 John 5.25 Rom. 8.16 1 Cor. 14.45 Rom. 6.23 Eph. 2.5 8 9 10. 1 Joh. 3.3 2 Cor. 3.14 Tit. 3.5 Luk. 9.13.24 Joh. 4.1 to 5. Joh. 23.24 Isa. 54.13 Heb. 8.10 11 12. Ezek. 36.24 25 26 27 28. Jer. 31.33.34 Rev. 21.23.24 25 27 v. Rev. 8.3 Rev. 20.8 Mat. 12.39 Gen. 3.24 Rev. 19.15 Rev. 11.7 8. Jer. 17.19 Gal. 5.13 Prov. 14.14 Heb. 1.13 Heb. 10.38 Rom. 6.1 Mat. 25 17 18. Rom. 7.1 Mat. 15.17 18. Rom. 7.23 Rom. 6.16 Ro. 7.25 ver 5. Luk. 9.2 Phil. 3.18.19 2 Pet. 2.19 20 21. ver 22. Heb. 10.26 to 32. ver Rev. 2.5 Eph. 4.13 Psal. 137.8 9. Psal. 2.11.12 Rev. 18.3 Rev. 17.5 Rev. 11.7 â—er 17.5 Rev. 13.4 Joh. 1.9 Eph. 5.13 Rev. 17.3 ver 4. 2 Pet. 1.11 Gen. 11.7 8 9. Rev. 17.4 Mat. 15.19 20. Gen. 6.5 Gen. 5.19 20 21. Prov. 1.7 Luk. 14.26 Mat. 10.37 Mat. 19.29 Jer. 9.23 Joh. 5.44 Mat. 6.21 Mic. 2.1 2. Prov. 22.16 Amos 4.1 Hos 2 18. Revel 24. rev 18.13 John 1.9 and 8.12 and 9.5 1 John 2.27 Luk. 17.21 22. 1 Cor. 1.26 Mat. 10.8 Gal. 1.11 12. Ma. 10.16 Mat. 10. to ver 8. 2 Cor. 5.14 19 20. Act. 21.13 2 Peâ— 2.15 Jude 11. Mar. 10.14.15 Mat. 19.14 Luke 18.16 17. Mar. 10.16 Isa. 56.11 Jer. 5.30 Mic. 5.11 Ver. 5. Jer. 23.30 Cor. 9.27 Jer. 23.31 32. Psal. 131.1 Psal. 38.1 7. Rev. 18.11 Isa. 55.2 Eph. 2 1â— Isa. 55.3 Rev. 18.4 2 Cor. 6.17 18. Isa. 38.18 Isa. 65.2 Jer. 3.12 Hos. 14.4 Mica 6.8 Mal. 6.21 Luke 17.21 Ro. 8.14 1 Joh. 6.26 Mat. 1â— Mat. 24.32 36. Luke 17.20 21. Eph. 5.13 Mat. 13.21 32.3 33. Zac. 4.19 Joh. 1.5 Joh. 11.10.6 Ro. 10.7 8 Pro. 20.22 â—am 3.25 Isa. 8.17 Mat. 25.21 Mat. 12.36 2 Cor. 5.10 Isa. 57.17.17 Rev. 18.3 Luke 2.7 Mat. 13.54 55 56 57. Mark. 6.4 Isa. 30.22 Rev. 11.8 Rev. 3.20 Isa. 61.2 Isa. 30.18 20.21 â—ohn 1 9 8.12 Eph. 513. 1 â—oh 2.27 Isa. 42.3 Mat. 2.20 Pro. 20 2â— Rev. 13.3 Rev. 13.11 12 13 15. Mat. 13.37 1 John 4.1 2 3. Luk. 17.10 Heb. 10.36 Col. 3.2 Ezek. 36.31 32. 1 Cor. 1.29.31 Re. 22.18 Jer. 23.28 29. 2 Cor. 10.41 Rev. 14.4 5. Lam. 1.3 Mat. 25.20 21 22 23. Mat. 1.10 11. Mat. 21.5 Rev. 22.14 Rev. 21.17 Cant. 2.9 Rev. 17.4 Rev. 19.16 Rev. 5.9 10. 1666 1668 1673 1675 ☜ ☜ ☞ 1678 1680 1682 1684 1686 1688