whatever is done by you may be done in the name of the Lord Iesus that you may be birds of Paradise and not of the fire that you may have no nest hole or place to rest in but the eternal fould of life where no devouring beast nor bird of prey can enter that you may all shine in his life that poor Lazarus may know that he is carried into the bosome of the Father for if he goeth unto the rich man which feeds on the tree of knowledge which is much desireable to the eye which goeth forth from the tree of life there he must lie full of sores for the healing is in Christ the life the knowledge in the sight without the enjoyment of the life healeth not mark that Therefore I say again look up unto Christ the life onely for he ariseth with healing in his wings therefore let no object draw forth your mindes from the Lord then his perfect peace you may enjoy to that which you are called in the which peace the Lord God of peace establish you Amen So be it saith my Soule Then shall the mans part be abased and the glory of the Lord over all be exalted which shall astonish the Horse and the Rider and wholly subject the power of darkness and thus shall deliverance come by the Lord alone therefore I say again eye the Lord and stand still in the Faith and make not haste neither be you high minded but fear and the Lord will preserve you to the end Given forth in the pure love and fear of God in the County Goale of Northampton being twelve steps under ground the 17 day of the eight Moneth 1663. Where I with sixteen more suffer for the testimony of Iesus But the Lord doth and will plead the cause of the Innocent in the hearts of his and our Enemics Your dear Friend and Brother in the unchangeable love of God IOHN SAMM Friends who are here in this Prison are well and the Lords presence appeares amongst us who is as a fountain never drawn drie who causeth his living cup to overflow to the praise of his glorious Name which is the Ark of our safety THe name of the Lord God is a strong tower and as an oyntment powred forth I have witnessed it so that in all my tryals temptations in his name hath been plentious redemption for it hath preserved and delivered me six times out of the common Goales wherein I was cast for the testimony thereof that I never yet paid penny Fees to any Goaler or any other man upon that account nor durst I ever entertain a thought in my heart to think any imprisonments long although I have been strictly detayned for a long time together neither did I ever entertain any fear into my heart what might be done to my body or outward estate or my dear children who are as dear as my life but when my goods hath been spoiled as taking away three good Horses and three of the best milch kine I had for lesse then one years claim of that which the hireling Priest called his due because I could not for conscience sake put into his mouth which if I could have done I do believe I might have been excused for forty shillings which would have prevented the damage of neer forty pounds but I giving up in obedience to the Lord suffered the losse thereof with joy so I know the Lord hath not been a hard Master Oh! what God ever preserved or delivered in like manner but the mighty God of Abraham Isaack and Iacob who delivered Daniel out of the Den from the mouthes of the Lions Mordecay from the gallowes and the three Children out of the fiery furnacâ— c. Who is my God the Rock of his chosen who are faithful and true who loves not their lives unto death Oh! dear childâ—en hold fast your confidence with me for I do believe tâ—â—t the same God which hath preserved and delivered me six times will preserve and deliver me this seventh also and so to the end Therefore as good Soldiers of Iesus Christ let us all be valiant for truth upon Earth Oh! let us all buy the truth but sell it not although we part with our all that Iesus Christ may be all in all Oh! be faithful unto the death then shall you be Crowned with life what is written is in the innocency of my Soul as it arose in my heart for to strengthen the weak innocent ones which may feel me that I speak from the experience which I had have of the great love of God who is no respecter of persons so I have nothing to boast off for what I have or had at any time it was and is the free gift of God to me for the kingdome power glory victory triumph and pure refreshing is the Lords therefore let none rejoyce only because the Devils are or have been subject unto them or that they have done or suffered much for the truth of God but rather that they feel Gods presence with them and that they read their names written in the book of life for truly friends if any look at the deed done as to rest or glory in that that mind is not like to Christs therefore dear children in all your fiery tryals look up unto the Lord that you may as the three children did know one in and amongst you who beares the form of the Son of God then shall you be safely preserved through the fire but the woe will take hold of all that are with Child or give suck to any other birth in themselves or others which beares not the Image and forme of the Son of God and also to them that flee in the winter time of Gods judgements before judgement is brought forth unto victory and also those who take their flight on the sabbath day which is the light and power of the Lord wherein all are to rest whereby all the people of the Lord are preserved unto Salvation but they that depart from the light and power where the Tree of Life is known to be food for the Soul to feed upon any other food will be found to be in the foolish Virgins State therefore what I say unto one I say unto all Watch yea watch and pray lest you enter into temptation for the Spirit is willing which will help your infirmities and supply your wants but the flesh is weak and there is no temptation but is common to man therefore all to the name the Arke for as it was in the dayes of Noah even so shall it be in this day of the comming of the Son of Man whose appearance is and will be in overflowing flames of fire as the Lords appearance was in Noahs day with overflowing floods of water who shall abide his coming who shall dwell with devouring fire and with everlasting burnings none but the innocent birth whose Kingdom and delight is not of this World nor in the honour glory or riches thereof but delighteth in the Law of God day and night his dwelling shall be on high his bread shall be sure his water shall never fail for his defence shall be the munition of the eternal Rock of ages which is the power of God the stone cut out of the Mountain without hands which shall strike at the feet of all carved images imaginations and pleasant pictures although they may appeare Goldlike yet down must they all fall and that shall remain onely which the fire cannot consume therefore blessed and happy shall they be that takes the Babilonish Childe when it is young and dasheth it against that Heavenly stone that the Cockatrice may be crushed in the egge that the Serpent may not be brought forth to beguile you as he beguiled Eve but in the Heavenly power and Tower all dwell which is the place wherein the Lord will perfect his own work by the instrument which is his own power so mans tool or hammer is not to be used or heard in the Temple of God for it is his powerfull word which made all things in the beginning which creates anew and fastens us unto himself as a nail in a sure place Oh! feel it so that you may go no more forth then shall you be as pillars in the house of God even so be it saith my Soul Read and weigh these lines in the pure fear and dread of the Lord God that nothing may be taken amisse although they be but as the Widdowes mite and the overflowing of my Cup but as the drop of a bucket in comparison of the 〈…〉 tionable fulness which is in the infinite Lord God J. S.
that salvation may be unto you for walls and bulworks for assuredly as ye abide in the spirit which is the name that is given for salvation the gates of hell shall never prevail against you but ye shall be like mount Sion which shall never be removed and ye shall see the mighty God of Jacob will carry on his own work until he hath accomplished it unto his praise which work will be glorious as he brings us into the unity of the Faith into the fulness of the measure stature of Christ unto that perfect man then shall all that is in part be done away and then shall the rest be glorious in the Lord of Sabbaths Ah! travel on travel on in the growth in the life which is eternal that ye may grow from strength to strength until ye appear before him in Sion that Sion's songs may be sounded forth in the living land all that can be said is little to what the Lord God hath prepared and laid up in store for all them that dwell in his fear Blessed are all those that fear the living God all waies they shall read and witnesse it Excellent and as you sink down into the love of God you will feel these lines deep and weighty for truly friends as they did arise in my heart the extent did open so largely in the overcomings of Gods love that my heart was melted and my bowels sofâ—ned and melted that my eyes were filled with tears that the glory of the Lord should be so largely revealed unto so unworthy a creature as I who was so deeply plunged in sin and iniquity as I was in time past that his love should arise so abundantly as to cover such a multitude of sins as I had committed against him that the Lord God should manifest himself so graciously in Christ reconcileing and not imputing Oh dearly beloved in this wonderful love of our God feel me that in this his great love we may all dwell that we may be all like minded one towards another that there may be no striking at our fellow servaÌ„ts c. But if any one be overtakeÌ„ in a fault you that are spiritual restore such an one with the spirit of meekness for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God therefore strive not to overcome evil with evil but strive to overcome evil with good be gentle courteous and merciful as your heavenly Father is and walk in love for it is a most excellent way for love seeketh not her own but the good of all love suffereth all things and endureth all things and it will seek to cover but not uncover the nakedness it is the affectionate part which tosseth the creature either above all or below all as it bares rule therefore dear Lambs in the unchangeable love of God in Christ Iesus all dwell that ye may be rooted grounded and established in the present truth that you may follow the Lamb whethersoever he goeth that the true fellowship may never be broken Amen saith my Soul Oh! you weaklings sick and wounded ones who are ready to cry out in the purity of your spirits that there is none like unto you ye see your selves so beset with temptations that with little David you are ready to cry out that surely you shall one day fall by the Enemiâ—s hands Oh! read with me the mystery of the Parable in the tenth of Luke the 30th the 16th and the 19th There was a certain man that went from the pure holy seed in his own perticular and then being from the new living way in the perticular which is Christ the seed where the theif cannot enter where he met with the reasoning dispâ—â—ing doubting and questioning part by the which he was robbed and stripped of his faith strength hope and confidence that he was deeply wounded and more then half dead and being in great distresse the enemy in such a case will seek to lead forth to look our for help where none is to befound or else to despair as if no help were to be had perswading poor bruised and wounded Lazarus to go to the rich gluttons gate who glutteth himself by feeding of the tree of knowledge and a profession of what the dear Saints and servants of God enjoy for that was his cloathing and riches wherein there was not one crum of life to refresh poor Lazarus withall but the doggs that fed upon the crums that fell from the rich mans table licked the sores but never reached or refreshed the life then seeing there was no help without Christ the life then did Lazarus die to all perishing food and when there was none found to help or relieve then did the good Samaritan Christ the life appear which is full of heavenly Oyle Balme and sweet odours even the fountain of all vertue and fulness in whom there is healing for every disease therefore hear you diseased of the land you poor helpless ones the cry of my soule hath been greatly unto the Lord on your behalf Oh! fear and hear for this is the answer that I recieved from the Lord on your behalf as I lay upon my bed Look up unto me all ye ends of the earth and be ye saved saith the Lord God of Hostes and as the Serpent was lifted up in the wilderness even so is the Son of man lifted up in this his day that all that are diseased or wounded may be healed by looking upon him therefore dear Friends look not at your weakness or wounds for the looking at them will cause you to be more weak wounded but look up unto the Lord for in him is everlasting strength for I know one that hath passed through the fire and hath endured the flames that he hath cryed out as it were in the belly of Hell who desired water to quench the flames and having it in a glass he dropt it down to lay the heat thereof but his strength failed him and his flesh failed him and his heart hath failed him but the Lord his God never failed him who in that needful time sent his faithful messenger saying unto me in the word of the Lord thou shalt not die 〈◊〉 the Lord will spare thee for the seeds sake so he sent forth his word and healed and recovered me out of the horrible pit and hath set me upon the Rock and hath put a new song into my mouth which causeth me to sound forth the high praise of the living God as with the sound of a trumpet in the firmament of his power who is ascended on high to lead Captivity captive that his liveing peace may be over the earthly and his good will in me is strong towards the afflicted and bruised that they which have been hurt may be recovered Oh! dear friends feel me that the same minde may be in you which is in Christ Jesus for my soul is in travel that no form may abide in you but what is in Christ the light that
A Salutation to the litle flock Who doe choose Christ to be their Rock Lift up your heads in the light of Christ for the day of your redemption draws near With a message from the Lord alone For the healing of the sicke and wounded one And an exhortation unto all to give up unto the death that they may be crown'd with life DEar and tender Babes Lambs and Children whome my heavenly Father hath begotten unto himself by the immortal seed of the word of life which lives and abides for ever Unto you doe I send greeting in the overflowings of my heavenly Fathers love which he hath caused to stream forth in me towards you Dear hearts you are so near and dear unto me that I have been and am overcome with love as I have felt many of you in the bosome of the Father which is open to receive you as you sink down out of your selves for that is the Babes state unto which the Kingdome belongs which is not in word but in power whereby ye are preserved Oh! dear Lambs in the perfect love of my God feel me for in that am I drawn forth to salute and kisse you one by one even with the pure sincere undefiled lips of the love of God Oh! let me have a place in your hearts in that which never changeth that we may not love in word or in shew but indeed and in truth that we may be Epistles written in one anothers hearts that all may know that wee are true disciples in deed because wee love one another for love is the fulfilling of the Law and they that dwell in love dwell in God and God dwelleth in them the Lord hath filled my cup with his loving kindness Oh! drink a full draught with me for I am as if I were sick with love Oh! the weight of the glorious love of my God with me feel that it may presse through your vessels that your tongues may be touched and your lips may be opened that living songs and Hallelujahs may arise unto the living God for praises becomes his house it s a comely thing to sing praises unto the Lord in the Spirit and with understanding also Oh! let the high praises of the Lord be in your mouths and then the two edged sword will be in your hands for they are inseperable for the Lord our God is fearfull in his praises by them are the righteous ladded and the wicked astonished and tormented for when the righteous seed sings for joy of heart the wicked shall weep and howl for vexation of Spirit and so the Spirit of truth which is to lead you into all truth and so into the joy of the Master the which shall be the condemnation and torment of the wicked and the day of their destruction drawes near for the Lord will pleade with all flesh by his sword and by fire and a consumption is determined by the Lord upon all flesh and he will terribly shake the Earth that all may be overturned and removed that may be shaken that he may be the All in the rising of his glorious day which is at hand Oh! be not daunted or dismayed although the Sea may swell the Lion like nature roar and the Devil may rage yet they shall never prevail against the least Babes as they abide in the faith but the least shall be as David and the litle one as a strong Nation although the troubles and trials of the righteous seed be many so that sorrow may endure for a night yet joy will come in the morning that those which suffer with Christ shall reign with him over all the powers of Hell and darkness both within and without Litle Children wait to see and feel him to arise in your own perticulers who is to set our foot upon the Egiptian Sea of darkness from whence the boisterous waves of all strife and contention arise about outward things and outward formes of worship wherein the true power of God hath been wanting that there may be no more appearance of Sea as to disturbe your peace but his foot you may feel to keep it under until the tongue of that Egiptian Sea be dried up that there may be no Mountains of drie Land in your way but that one foot may stand on the Earth also that the Mountain of his holyness may be established on the top of the Mountains that the Sea of glas mingled with fire a River as cleer as Christ all flowing from the Throne of God ye may see and feel where the Antient of dayes sits who will judge the whore the false Prophet and the Beast which is all that may be numbred up which is on the mans part that man may cease from his labour and sore travel that peace may be upon Earth and all the glory may be to God on high that the good will may be to men that no root of bitterness may ever more arise that sendeth forth bitter springs which occasioneth the meek to fall as they drink thereof therefore dear Children drink ye alwayes of the pure fresh pleasant springs that arise from the pure Fountain of all vertue go not forth but in the light dwell and then shall you be salted seasoned and swadled with the love of God that the banner of his love may be over you and then the noise of war will be no more heard amongst the Camp of God on mans part for the battel is the Lords and he will fight it therefore fear not but stand still and see the salvation of God for the Lord will bring to passe his work his great work his Act his strange Act for the Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ yea he shall rule amongst the Children of men for the Kingdom is his the power glory honour victory triumph and pure refreshings are his Oh! feel his comforts delighting your Souls that your joy may be full that your glorying and whole delight may be in the Lord alone that we may not be our own in any thing because the Lord hath purchased us with his own blood Oh! therefore let us give up wholy unto him that he may glorify himself in our bodies in our spirits and souls which are the Lords that he may make a quick work on the Earthly and cut it short in his righteousness that Sion may be his glory Ierusalem the praise of the whole Earth Oh! dearly beloved of the Lord how great is the work of the Lord which he hath begun to work in you for Oh! you dear ones who have received a measure of his spirit as an earnest of your inheritance whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption Dear Lambs in the spirit wait and dwell that it be nor grieved or quenched that over all it may arise cover you in this day of battel that the knowledge of the Lord may be Armour of proof on the right hand and on the left