not come to Moses nor the shaking Mountain the Thundrings Lightnings and Whirlwinds and what it was that led to Christ and what it was to be in him and under the Government of his Grace directing them to the blessed Principle of Light and Truth and Grace which God had shed abroad in our hearts I declared the nature and manner of the appearing and operating of this Principle and appealed to their own Consciences for the truth of what was said And I can truly say the holy Life of Jesus was revealed amongst us and like Oil swom at the top of all In this I was moved to kneel down and pray great brokenness fell upon all and that that was before the World began was richly manifested in us and amongst us The Meeting done the great Man and his Wife blest us and the work of God in our hands saying with tears in his eyes My house is blessed for your sakes and blessed be God that I ever lived to see you And thus we left them though with much difficulty for they prest us with great earnestness both to eat and to lodge with them and were hard to bear our refusal They said it we was a Scandal to their house that they should let such good people as were to go out of it or suffer us to lodge in any other place But we declared our pre-engagement elsewhere and that it was not for want of true kindness towards them One passage I had almost forgot to mention I was said he once at table with the Duke of Holsteyn at Frederickstadt when the Magistrates came to complain against a people called Quakers in that City The Duke was ready to be prejudiced against them but at the very naming of them I conceived a more than ordinary kindness in my mind towards them I askt the Magistrate what they were for a People he told me that they would not pull off their hats to their Superiors I askt him whether they would pull off their hats to God he said yes said I that may be the reason why they will not pull them off to Man Do they live peaceably Yes Do they pay their Taxes Yes Do they rub their hats in your eyes No Do they do any harm with them No Why what is your Quarrel then not they meet in silence and they will speak or pray unless they be moved by the Spirit why that is according to the Doctrine of Scripture If this be to be a Quaker I would I were a Quaker too but said he I never saw one before but I bless God I see you now He very much inveighed against the false Christianity that is in the World and greatly magnified a tender mortified and retired Estate I have great hopes he and his Wife will eye the truth We returned to our Inn to supper and to bed Next morning we took Waggon for the Hague where we â—â—t with Docemius the King of Denmark's Resident at Ceulen who had been at Rotterdam to seek us and came back thither with hopes to meet us We had some service there with a Lawyer but were again disapâ—ointed visiting the Lady Overkirk â—ecause of her Husband's presence and the other retired Man beforâ—â—entioned was again from home the Judge would gladly have received us but a great Cause then depending commanded his attendance That Afternoon we took Boat for Delft and so to Rotterdam where we all arrived well It was my desire to have been the next day at a Meeting at Dort but it seems that Way that we hoped had been open for us was shut insomuch that we were prevented of that service However I applied my self to the perfecting of what yet wanted to be compleated in those Writings I left behind me to be printed The next day being the sixth day of the Week we had a very blessed publick Meeting taking therein our leave of the Country and after that was done we had another amongst Friends recommending to them the peaceable tender righteous Truth desiring that they might live and grow in it and be a People to the Lord's praise so should his Work prosper his Dominion enlarge and encrease among them In the Evening I had also a Meeting at my Lodging among the great People of that place of which I have before made mention and magnified be the Name of the Lord his Power did sweetly visit him and effectually reacht them that at their departure some of them fell upon our Necks and with Tears of Love prayed that they might be remembred by us and that they might have strength to answer our great Travel for them We recommended them unto the Lord and the pure Word of his Grace in their hearts The next day the generality of Friends of that place met at Sim. Johnson's house early in the Morning where we took our leave of one another in the Love and Power of the Lord feeling his living Presence with them that stayed and with us that went Several accompanied us to the Briel we arrived about Noon there accompanied us the King of Denmark's Resident who had been with us at those Meetings at Rotterdam P. Hendricks and Corn. Roeloffs of Amsterdam and A. Sonnemans B. Furly M. Sonnemans and Sim. Johnson with several others of Rotterdam The Pacquet-boat not being come we were necessitated to lie there that night That Night it was upon me in the earnest Love of God to salute the Princess and Countess with a few farewell-lines as followeth TO THE Princess Elizabeth c. Salvation in the Cross Amen Dear and truly respected Friend MY Soul earnestly desireth thy Temporal and Eternal Felicity which standeth in thy doing the Will of God now on Earth as 't is done in Heaven O dear Princess do it say the Word once in Truth and Righteousness not my Will but thine be done O God Thy Days are few and then thou must go to Judgment then an Account of thy Talent God will require from thee what improvement hast thou made let it prove and shew its own excellency that it is of God and that it leadeth all that love it to God O that thou mayest be able to give an Account with joy I could not leave this Country and not testifie the Resentments I bear in my mind of that humble and tender Entertainment thou gavest us at thy Court the Lord Jesus reward thee and sure he hath a Blessing in store for thee Go on be steadfast over-come and thou shalt inherit do not despond one that is mighty is near thee a present help in the needfull time of trouble O let the desire of thy Soul be to his Name and the remembrance of him O wait upon the Lord and thou shalt renew thy Strength the Youth shall faint and the young Men shall fail but they that trust in the Lord shall never be confounded I wish thee all true and solid Felicity with my whole Soul The Lord God of Heaven and Earth have
Desires new Affections new Love new Friendship new Society new Kindred new Faith even that which overcometh this World through many Tribulations and new Hope even that living Hope that is founded upon true Experience which holds out all Storms and can see to the Glory that is invisible to carnal Eyes in the midst of the greatest Tempest Now 't is the same blessed Seed of Light Life and Grace that from God the Father is sown in thy Heart and hath moved and wrought there that Change which thou hast witnessed from the Spirit of this World turn to it watch in it that by it thou mayest be kept from all that it discovers to be contrary to God especially from thy self from thy own runnings willings and strivings for whatsoever is not born of the Spirit is Flesh and that inherits not the Kingdom of God and all that sow to it shall inherit Corruption By this thou wilt come to feel not only all Sin to be a Burden but all thy own Righteousness yea all Man's Righteousness to be a Burden Thou wilt see the difference betwixt the Duties and Prayers which thou begettest and the Duties and Prayers which in thy true silence from all self-activity of Mind the Lord begets in thee O that thou mightest know the Mystery of the new Birth and what that is that can truly call God Father even that that is begotten of him which liveth and breatheth and hath its Beginning and Being in that Life which is hid with Christ in God and by which it hath been quickened to the Knowledg and Worship of Christ and God and this thou shalt not fail to know and enjoy as thou patiently sufferest the Lord to work his own Work in thee by his own blessed Spirit And that which will give thee to savour and discern the right Motions and Conceptions Duties and Performances in thy self from the false will give thee to savour and discern that which is right in others from that which is false that which is of God from that which is of Man Have a Care of gathering of Sticks and kindling a Fire of thy own and then compassing thy self about the Sparks of the Fire which thou hast kindled for the end of this State is to lie down in Sorrow because the heavenly Fire is absent which maketh the Sacrifice acceptable yea the Lord may stir in thy Heart and thou mayest bring forth but he that gives to conceive he brings to the Birth and he giveth Power to bring forth for without Christ we can do nothing and blessed are they that stir not before the Angel moveth the Waters and go not before Christ but are led by him and that awaken not their Beloved till he please in whose Hand the Times and the Seasons are O blessed are they whose Eyes are opened to see him always present a God always nigh at Hand whose Hearts are stayed upon his holy Appearance in them and they are thereby translated into his Likeness whose Faith and Hope is in Christ in them the Hope of Glory My dear Friend weigh these Things with a serious retired sweet and tender frame of Spirit and the God that hath called me and thee by the Light of his dear Son open thy Understanding to perceive the Truth as it is in Jesus and what is the Mystery of the Fellowship of the Saints in Light So to the Lord I recommend thee the Watchman and Keeper of Israel the Lord be thy Strength and holy Comfort and speak Peace to thee and never leave thee nor forsake thee till he hath conducted thee through all Tribulations to his everlasting Kingdom of Rest and Glory O dear Heart be valiant and stay thy self upon Christ Jesus the Everlasting Rock and feel him a Fountain in thy Soul feel his Blood to cleanse and his Blood to drink and his Flesh to eat feed upon him for God hath given him for the Life of the World I had seen thee had not thy Father 's strange sort of severity hindred I confess I do not use to be so treated in my own Country where the Lord hath raised up many hundreds of Witnesses that he hath gathered out of all Sects and Professions to worship him not in their Spirits or Wills but in his Will Spirit and Truth and we are generally after much Affliction and Suffering in good Esteem even with the great Ones of this World And this let me add for thy particular Comfort that though I have been a Man of great Anguish and Sorrow because of the Scorn and Reproach that hath attended my separation from the World having been taught of Jesus to turn my back upon all the sake of that Glory that shall revealed yet to God's Honour I 〈◊〉 say it I have an hundred friends one yea God hath turned 〈◊〉 Hearts of my Enemies towarâ— me he hath fulfilled his Promiâ—â— to turn the Hearts of the Parenâ— unto the Children For my Parenâ— that once disowned me for this bleâ—sed Testimony 's sake of the Jewâ—â— Christian Circumcision and Baâ—tism inward against the fleshly Chrâ—stian have come to love me abovâ— all and have left me all thinkinâ— they could never do and leave enougâ— for me O how good is the Lorâ— yea the Ways of his Mercy aâ—â— even past finding out Wheresore my dear Friend truâ—â— in the Lord for ever and the Goâ— of Abraham Isaac and Jacob the Goâ— of the Prophets and of the Apostles the God of all the Holy Martyrs oâ— Jesus illuminate fortify and preservâ— thee stedfast that in the end thou mayest receive the Reward of Life and Eternal Salvation to whoâ— be Glory and to the Lamb thaâ— sits upon the Throne one God and one Lord blessed and magnified for ever and ever Amen Thy great and faithful Love for the blessed and holy Truth 's sake W. Penn. Duysburgh 13 th of 7 th Month S.N. 1677. P.S. My dear Brethren and Companions G K. and B F. with me salute thee in the dear Loâ—e of God The enclosed I received from a religious young Woman at Franckfort We have a blessed Opportunity in this Town with some that have a desire after the Lord in which we are abundantly comforted We have just now received thy Message and Salutation from H.S. which hath exceedingly refreshed and reviveâ— us for our trouble waâ— not foâ— our selves but for thee and wâ— hope our Love will not turn 〈◊〉 thy Disadvantage for we menâ—â—â—ned nothing of thy Name nor thâ— Name of any other Person onelâ— that we desired to speak with the Minister of Mulheim and that waâ— only to the Souldier The Lord made us a good Bed in the Fields and we were very well satisfâ—â—â— We are going this Afternoon out of the Town towards Wesel from thence to Cleve and thence to Herwerden the Lord willâ—â—â— sâ— farewell in the Lord. To the Graef or Earl of Bruck and Falckensteyn Friend I Wish thy Salvation and the Lord reward thee Good for the Evil that thou shewedst unto
in which is Life his Candle hath hitherto rested on our Tabernacle and he hath made us glad in his own Salvation Eternal Glory to his excellent Name We immediately took a Post-Carr and came next day about two in the Afternoon to Cleve where we had a very pretious Meeting at an honest Procurator's House who received us with much love four or five more were present all Grave and Tender our Hearts were greatly affected with their love and simplicity We also visited the Lady Hubner who was kind to us Next Morning we set out for Nimeguen and thence immediately to Utrecht where we arrived that Night and took the Night-boat for Amsterdam because of a pressure upon my Spirit to be next day at the Meeting and the rather having intimated as much from Ceulen We arrived in the Morning at Amsterdam where we found our dear Friends generally well the City much Alarm'd and great Curiosity in some and Desires in others to come to the Meeting we had a very great Meeting and many People of note resorted God's Gospel Bell was rung the great Day of the great God sounded and the Dead was raised and much tenderness appeared in several O blessed be the Name of the Lord whose Work and Testimony prospereth The next day was spent in divers Affairs relating to the Truth The day following we had a Meeting with Galenus Abrahams the great Father of the Socinian Mennists in these Parts accompanied with several Preachers and others of his Congregation divers of our Friends were also present It continued about five Hours he affirmed in opposition to us That there was no Christian Church Ministry or Commission Apostolical now in the World but the Lord assisted us with his Wisdom and Strength to confound his Attempts Here endeth the Narrative I intend a Visit to the Hague to the Lady Overkirks Sister of the Somerdikes and some others that have sober Characters of Truth and Friends and thence to Rotterdam where I have much to do both with respect to Meetings and the Press G K. and B F. go with me Thus my Dear Friend have I given thee a tedious Narrative yet I hope not altogether unpleasant perhaps the brevity of my Letters hereafter may best Apologize for the length of this However I consider two things one is That thou hast time enough one time or other to look over it And next That I have plentifully as were thy requests demonstrated I have not forgotten thee O Dear Friend let us live and remember one another now absent in that Divine Sense in which the Lord God dissolv'd our Spirits when together O the Unity of this Faith the Purity of this Love and the Bond of this Peace The Lord Jesus be with thy Spirit and keep thee in this the Hour of thy Temptation that thou mayest come forth as Gold seven times tryed so shall thy Testimony shine for the God that hath called thee and he will reward thee with Honour Glory and Eternal Life Amen Thus saith the Lord I remember thee the kindness of thy Youth the love of thine Espousals when thou wentest after me in the Wilderness in a Land that was not sown Jerem. 2.2 Dear Friend consider this yet again The way of the just is Uprightness thou most upright do'st weigh the Paths of the Just yea in the Way of thy Judgment O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our Soul is to thy Name and to the Remembrance of thee With my Soul have I desired thee in the Night yea with my Spirit within me will I seek thee early for when thy Judgments are in the Earth the Inhabitants of the World will learn Righteousness Lord thou wilt ordain Peace for us for thou hast wrought all our Works in us O Lord our God other Lords besides thee have had Dominion over us but by thee only we make mention of thy Name Lord in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a Prayer when thy chastning was upon them Like as a Woman with Child that draweth near the time of her Delivery is in Pain and cryeth out in her Pangs so have we been in thy Sight O Lord. We have been with Child we have been in Pain we have as it were brought forth Wind we have not wrought any Deliverance in the Earth neither have the Inhabitants of the World fallen Thy dead Men shall live together with my dead Body shall they arise awake and Sing ye that dwell in the Dust for thy Dew is as the Dew of Herbs and the Earth shall cast out the dead Come my People enter thou into thy Chamber and shut thy door about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the Indignation be overpast For behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the Inhabitants of the Earth for their Iniquities the Earth also shall disclose her Blood and shall no more cover her Slain Isa 26.7 8. to 21. So come Dear Lord Jesus that was dead but is alive and liveth for ever Amen Very dearly Farewell Thy Friend that faithfully Travelleth for thy Redemption W.P. Amsterdam 10th of the 8th Month 1677. The same day we had a blessed Publick Meeting never to be forgotten O the Majesty Glory and Life that the Lord attended us with our Hearts were deeply affected with his Presence great Reverence and Brokenness was over the Meeting more than I had seen The Meeting done we were opposed by a Preacher who was closely encountred and pursued by several Merchants c. not of us that cryed he was Rude and Ignorant and that they had a Testimony for us who offered to Dispute in our Defence but the Priest run away they followed him till they housed him c. It was upon me this day to engage Galenus Abrahams to a second Conference that we might more fully debate and confute his grand Objections against the present Dispensation of Truth and the heavenly Ministry witnessed among Friends he refused not my offer of a second Meeting but sent me word his Business would not give him leave to let it be any time this day upon which the next was â—ixt for the Conference to begin at Eight which accordingly it did and held till One. The most impartial account of both these Conferences that I am briefly able to give followeth The Meeting ended and having refresht our selves after a solemn leave taken of our dear Friends at Amsterdam G. F. and I went that Night to Leyden accompanied by B. Furly coming there late at Night we forbore to inquire after any worthy in that place But the next Morning we found out two one a German of or near Darmstad who not only express'd much love to the Principle of Truth and unto us the Friends thereof but also informed us of a retired Person of great Quality that liveth about two hours back again towards Amsterdam at a Village called Nortwyck Our Resolutions of being
AN ACCOUNT OF W. Penn ' s TRAVAILS IN HOLLAND and GERMANY Anno MDCLXXVII For the Service of the Gospel of Christ by way of Journal Containing also Divers Letters and Epistles writ to several Great and Eminent Persons whilst there London Printed and Sold by T. Sowle near the Meeting-House in White-Hart-Court in Grace-Church-Street and at the Croked-Billet in Holy-well-lane near Shoreditch 1694. THE Preface to the Reader THis Ensuing Journal of my Travils in Holland and Germany in the Service of the Gospel of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was written for my own and some Relations and perticular Friends Satisfaction as the long time it hath lain silent doth show But a Copy that was found amongst the late Countess of Connaway's Papers falling into the Hands of a Person that much frequented that Family he was earnest with me both by himself and others to have leave to Publish it for a Common Good Which upon perusal I have found a willingness to comply with hoping that the Lord will make the Reading of it Effectual to some into whose Hands it may Fall as well those who have received a Dispensation of the same Ministry for Their Encouragement in their Publick Service for God as those who are under the same Ministry unto Zeal and Faithfulness For it is the Glorious Gospel-Day in which God is Exalting his Dear Son as Prophet Priest and King in the Hearts of his People Oh that the Nations would hear him their only Saving Health and Israels great Shepherd who takes care of his Sheep that hear his Voice and gives unto them that follow him in the daily Cross unto Regeneration Eternal Life And who hath sent and is sending forth his Servants to gather home the Sheep that are gone astray in all Nations that so there may be but One Shepherd and One Sheepfold according to the Glorious Promise made to these latter Times In which he would be the Teacher of his People himself For he is Teaching thousands by the Light Spirit and Grace of his Son Christ in whom he is well pleased To this God hath sent forth his Servants in this Day to turn all People as God's Call and Visitation to the Nations And blessed are all those that Hearken to this Testimony both Mediately and Immediately For God is awakening Men to the Knowledge of his Glory in the Face or Appearance of Christ by his Spirit in their Hearts and Consciences which reveal to Men the Father yea the deep things of God Oh that they would Hear and Fear and Learn the things that make for their Eternal Peace For if the Righteous scarcely are saved where O where shall they appear that neglect so great Salvation A Salvation that comes so neer them as to knock at the door of their Hearts that teaches them and trys their Reins and tells unto them their most inward Thoughts and brings a Time of Judgment over all their Words and Works This is Christ Jesus the Light of the World that was given of God for Salvation to the ends of the Earth He has Enlightned all and Shines to all and Calls all that they should see their Sins and be sorry for them and forsake them and take up his dayly Cross and follow him whom God hath given for an Example as well as a Propitiation for our Sins And none can know him to be their Propitiation that rejest him as their Example and Leader in their Lives and Conversations Wherefore Reader be Serious Inward and Inquisitive for thy Souls Sake What Faith hast thou One that over-comes the World or one that the Spirit of the World over-comes which is not the Faith of God's Elect without which we cannot please God For that Faith works by love Such a love to God as will not affend him but seeks his Glory through a most willing Obedience to his Holy Will Blessed are the Souls in which this love dwells For such have none in Heaven but God nor in the Earth in comparison of him As they receive all good from him so they resign all up to him and tho' it be through many Tribulations that they must attain the rest of God yet as nothing can seperate them from his love so neither can anything deprive them of their Reward in the End Wherefore Reader be thou perswaded to take thy Lot among that blessed Number if thou art not yet one of them Thou seest the way to that Divine Priviledge walk in it for the End Crowns all If one of that number that have chosen God for their Portion be Diligent Zealous and fervent in the Work and Service of God Redeem thy Time and Run thy Race with care and constancy looking to Jesus the Author that he may be the Finisher of thy Faith Remember who said there are many Mansions prepared for the Faithful Do we beleive and look for another World Let us not then live in this as if there were no other Let our Eyes be upon our better World and live here as Strangers that are but on our way to our Eternal Home that so we may Answer the End of God's Love by working out the Salvation of our own Souls by his Power with fear and Trembling knowing God will Judge all by Christ Jesus according to the Deeds done in the Body Reader this Journal is of a Religious Voyage and has some passages in it that may Engage thy Soul to Seriousness and let the see how Good God is to those that go of his Holy Errands May'st thou be heartily affected with this Testimony of his Love and Presence with his People and feel good desires raised in thee to serve the Lord also according to his blessed will in thy day that Peace thou may'st know to thy Soul when time here shall be no more I am Thy assured Friend in the best Things W. Penn. AN ACCOUNT OF MY JOURNEY INTO Holland and Germany BEING the First Day of the Week I left my Dear Wife and Family at Worminghurst in Sussex in the Fear and Love of God and came well to London that Night The next day I Emploied my self on Friends behalf that were in Sufferings till the Evening and then went to my own Mothers in Essex The next Morning I took my Journey to Colchester and met George Wats of London upon the Way who returned with me and came well to that Town that Evening We lodged at John Furly's the Elder but had a Blessed Meeting at Jonathan Furly's House that Night The next Morning early I left Colchester and came to Harwich about Nine accompanied with George Wats and John Furly the Elder William Tallcoat and J. Whiterly of Colchester where we found dear G. F. at J. Vanderwall's House with many more Friends After Dinner we went all to the Meeting where the Lord gave us a Blessed Earnest of his Love ' and Presence that should be with us in this Voyage for his overcoming refreshing Power did open all
to Worms from whence we the next Morning being the first day of the Week walked on Foot to Crisheim which is about six English Miles from Worms We had a good Meeting from the tenth till the third Hour and the Lord's Power sweetly opened to many of the Inhabitants of the Town that were at the Meeting yea the Vaught or chief Officer himself stood at the Door behind the Barn where he could hear and not be seen who went to the Priest and told him that it was his Work if we were Hereticks to discover us to be such but for his part he heard nothing but what was good and he would not meddle with us In the Evening we had a more retired Meeting of the Friends only very weighty and tender yea the Power rose in high operation among them and great was the Love of God that rose in our Hearts at the Meeting to visit them and there is a lovely sweet and true Sense among them we were greatly comforted in them and they were greatly comforted in us Poor Hearts a little handful surrounded with great and mighty Countries of Darkness 't is the Lord's great Goodness and Mercy to them that they are so finely kept even natural in the Seed of Life they were most of them gathered by dear William Ames The next Morning we had another Meeting where we took our leave of them and so came accompanied by several of them to Worms where having refresh'd our selves we went to visit the Lutheran Priest that was at the Meeting the sixth Day before at Crisheim he received us very kindly and his Wife not without some sense of our Testimony After we had discours'd about an Hour with him of the true and heavenly Ministry and Worship and in what they stood and what all People must come unto if ever they will know how to worship God aright we departed and immediately sent them several good Books of Friends in High-Dutch Immediately we took Boat about the third Hour in the Afternoon and came down the River Rhine to Mentz where we arrived about the fifth Hour in the Morning and immediately took an open Chariot for Frankfort where we came about the first Hour in the Afternoon We presently informed some of those People that had received us the Time before of our return to that City with desires that we might have a Meeting that Afternoon which was readily granted us by the Noble Women at whose House we met whither resorted some that we had not seen before And the Lord did after a living manner open our Hearts and Mouths amongst them which was received by them as a farther confirmation of the coming of the Day of the Lord unto them yea with much joy and kindness they received us The Meeting held till the ninth Hour at Night they constrained us to stay and eat with them which was also a blessed Meeting to them before we parted we desired a select Meeting the next Morning at the same Place of those that we felt more inwardly affected with Truth 's Testimony and that were nearest unto the State of a silent Meeting which they joyfully assented to We went to our Lodging and the next Morning we returned unto them with whom we had a blessed and heavenly Opportunity for we had room for our Life amongst them it was as among faithful Friends Life ran as Oil and swom a-top of all We recommended a silent Meeting unto them that they might grow into an holy Silence unto themselves that the Mouth that calls God Father that is not of his own Birth may be stop'd and all Images confounded that they may hear the soft Voice of Jesus to instruct them and receive his sweet Life to feed them and to build them up About the ninth Hour we departed from that Place and went to Vander Walls where the Meeting was the Time before and there we had a more publick Meeting of all that pleased to come The Lord did so abundantly appear amongst us that they were more broken than we had seen them at any time yea they were exceeding tender and low and the Love of God was much raised in their Hearts to the Testimony In this sensible frame we left them and the Blessings and Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ with and among them And after having refresh'd our selves at our Inn we took Boat down the Main to Mentz where we arrived about the fifth Hour 't is a great City but a dark and superstitious Place according to the Popish Way and is under the Government of a Popish Bishop we stayed not longer there than till our Boat was ready which might be better than half an Hour From Mentz we went on our way down the Rhine six German Miles and came that Night to Hampack from thence the next Morning we went by Bacherach Coblentz and other places upon the Rhine to Tresy that Night being about eleven German Miles Next day being the sixth Day of the Week we got to Cullen a great Popish City about the third Hour in the Afternoon We gave notice to a sober Merchant in that Town a serious Seeker aâ—ter God that we were there arrived who presently came to us We sat down and had a living and pretious Opportunity with him opening to him the Way of the Lord as to us it had been maniâ—ested intreating him if he knew any in that City who had desires after the Lord or that were willing to come to a Meeting that he would please to inform them of our being here and of our desire to meet with them He answered That he would readily do it This night when we were in Bed came the Resident of several Princes a serious and tender Man to find us out we had some discourse with him but being late promised to see us the next Day The next Morning came the aforesaid Merchant informing us that it was a busy Time several preparing for the Mass or great Fair at Frankfort yet some would come and he desired it might be at his House in the Afternoon about Three In the Morning we were to visit that Resident whom we met coming to see us but he returned and brought us to his House We had a good Time with him for the Man is an antient Seeker opprest with the Cares of this World and he may be truly said to mourn under them his Heart was opened to us and he blessed God that he had lived to see us We gave him an Account how the Lord appeared in the Land of our Nativity and how he had dealt with us which was as the cool and gentle Showers upon the dry and scorched Desart About Noon we returned Home after we had eaten we went to the Merchant's House to the Meeting where came four Persons one of which was the Presbyterian Priest who preach'd in private to the Protestants of that Place for they are no
that should fall upon them as a Milstone and grind them to Powder Therefore let Christ have his honour let him preach and speak among you and in you and you in him and by him only to sigh groan pray preach sing and not otherwise least Death come over you for thereby the Apostacy came in by their going before Christ instead of Christ going before them And wait in the Light and Spirit of Judgment that hath visited you that all may be wrought out that is not born of God so will you come to be born of the incorruptible Seed of the Word of God that liveth and abideth for ever That you may be a holy Priâ—sthood that offers up a living Sacrifice with God's heavenly fire that God may have his honour in you all and through you all by Christ Jesus And turning my self towards the Somerdikes with a serious and tender Spirit I thus exprest my self That you should be Pilgrims in the Inheritance of your Father I have a deep and reverent sense of O that you might dwell with him for ever and exalt him that hath so visited you with whom are the Rewards of Eternal Blessedness So I left the blessing and peace of Jesus among them departing in the love and peace of God and I must needs say they were beyond expectation tender and respectfull to us all of them coming with us but the ancient A. M. S. who is not able to walk to the outward Door giving us their Hands in a friendly manner expressing their great satisfaction in our Visit and being come by the Porch and meeting several persons of the Family I was moved to turn about and to exhort them in the presence of the rest to keep to Christ that had given them a sense of the Spirit of this World and had raised desires in them to be delivered from it and to know no Man after the Flesh but to have their Fellowship in Christ Union and Communion with God and one with another that all their Worship and Performances might stand in him that he might be all in all desiring that the Lord might keep them in his fear all the days of their appointed time that so they might serve him in their generation in his own universal Spirit to his glory who is blessed for ever The two Pastors and the Doctor came with us a Field's length where we took Waggon and the chiefest of them took occasion to ask me If the Truth rose not first amongst a poor illiterate and simple sort of people I told him yes that was our comfort and that we owed it not to the Learning of this World Then said he let not the Learning of this World be used to defend that which the Spirit of God hath brought forth for Scholars now coming among you will be apt to mix School-learning amongst your simpler and purer Language and thereby obscure the brightness of the Testimony I told him it was good for us all to have a care of our own Spirits Words and Works confessing what he said had weight in it telling him it was our care to write and speak according to the divine Sense and no humane Invention The Lord comforted my Soul in this service yea all that is within me magnified his holy Name because of his blessed Presence that was with us O let my Soul trust in the Lord and confide in him for ever O let me dwell and abide with him that is faithfull and true and blessed for ever-more So in a very sober and serious manner we parted being about the 12th hour at noon This night about ten we got to Lippenhusen where there is a little Meeting of Friends being about 25 English Miles The next morning we had a blessed Meeting among Friends many of the World came in were very serious and well-affected one whereof was a Magistrate of the Place The Lord pleads his own Cause and crowns his own Testimony with his own Power There is like to be a fine Gathering in that place After Dinner we took Waggon for the City of Groningen where we arrived at eight at night being about 25 English Miles The next morning we had a Meeting among Friends of that City whether resorted both Collegiant and Calvinist Students who behaved themselves soberly the Lord's Power was over all and his Testimony stands When Meeting was ended they went out and as I was concluding an Exhortation to Friends came in a flock of Students to have had some Conference with us but having set the time of our leaving the City we recommended them to the Universal love of God promising them some Books of our Principles with which they exprest themselves satisfied and civilly parted from us After Dinner we took Boat for Delfzyl and came there about six at night The next morning about seven we took Boat for Embden which is about three Leagues On Board of that Vessel it came upon me to write a Letter to Friends in England concerning the present Separatists and their Spirit of Separation which hath several times been opened unto me and had remained some days upon my spirit The Letter followeth This came upon me in the Ship between Delfzyl and Embden upon the the 16th of the 7th Month 1677 to send amongst you To Friends every where concerning the present Separatists and their Spirit of Separation Friends and Brethren BY a mighty Hand and by an out-stretched Arm hath the Lord God everlasting gathered us to be a People and in his own Power and Life hath he preserved us a People unto this Day and praises be to his Eternal Name no weapon that hath yet been formed against us either from without or from within hath prospered Now this I say unto you and that in his Counsel that hath visited us whoever goeth out of the Unity with their Brethren are first gone out of Unity with the Power and Life of God in themselves in which the Unity of the Brethren standeth and the Member of the Body in the Unity standeth on the top of them and hath a Judgment against them unto which Judgment of both great and small amongst the living Family that in the Unity are preserved they must bow before they can come into the Unity again yea this they will readily do if they are come into Unity with the Life and Power of God in themselves which is the holy Root that beareth the Tree the Fruit and the Leaves all receiving Life and Virtue from it and thereby are nourished unto God's praise And let all have a care how they weaken that or bring that under their exaltation and high imagination that it is revealed against For I feel that unruly Spirit is tormented under the stroke and judgment of the Power and in its subtilty is seeking occasion against the Instruments by whom the Power gave it forth Let all have a care how they touch with this Spirit in those Workings for by
we arrived on the Seventh day in the morning every way well through the Mercies of the Lord. We sent to inform her of our arrival and to know what hour it would be convenient for us to visit her who returned us this answer that being then imployed in the business of her Government it would be the 2d hour in the afternoon before she could be at leasure The time being come we went to visit her and found her and the Countess ready to receive us which they did with much love and tenderness I observed them to be much lower than ever and that our former blessed opportunities had had a blessed effect upon them That afternoon was imployed in the narrative of our travels which they heard with great attention and refreshment the whole discourse ended with a precious little meeting The house being clear of Strangers they both earnestly prest us to sup with them which being not well able to decline we submitted to At Supper the Power of the Lord came upon me and it was a true supper to us for the hidden Manna was manifested amongst us yea a blessed Meeting it proved to us O the reverent tenderness and lowly frame of Spirit that appeared this Evening both in the Princess and Countess The French-woman we found greatly improved both in her Love and Understanding yea she is very zealous and very broken she was always with us on these occasions After supper we returned to the Princesse's Chamber where we stayed till it was about 10. at Night at parting I desired the Princess would give us such another opportunity next day being the first day of the Week as we had the last time we were with her she answered me With all my heart But will ye not come in the Morning too I replied Yes willingly What time wilt thou be ready to receive us she answered at 7. About 7 the next Morning we came about eight the Meeting began and held till Eleven several Persons of the City as well as those of her own Family being present The Lord's power very much affected them and the Countess was twice much broken as we spoke After the People were gone out of the Chamber it lay upon me from the Lord to speak to them two the Princess and the Countess with respect to their particular conditions occasioned by these Words from the Countess I am fully convinc'd but O my Sins are great Whilst I was speaking the glorious Power of the Lord wonderfully rose yea after an awful manner and had a deep entrance upon their Spirits especially the Countesse's that she was broken to pieces God hath raised and I hope fixt his own Testimony in them We returned to our Inn and after dinner we came back to the second Meeting on that day which began about the second Hour in the afternoon And truly the Reverent Blessed Sure Word of Life was divided aâ—right the precious sense of Truth was raised in the Meeting There came more of the City than in the morning and we were much comforted in the Lord's power that was with us For the Truth had passage and the hungry were satisfied and the simple-hearted deeply affected This day at both Meetings was one of the Princess's Women that never was at Meeting before and she though very shy of us the last time became tender and loving to us she was truly reacht O magnified be the Name of the Lord whose presence was with us and whose arm stood by us After Meeting the Princess prest us to stay and sup with her pleading the quietness of the Family and that they were alone At Supper as the night before it was upon me to commemorate the Goodness of the Lord his daily Providences and how pretious he is in the Covenant of Light to the dear Children and Followers of the Light Great was the reverence and tenderness that was upon the Spirits of both Princess and Countess at that instant After Supper we returned to the Princess's Chamber where we spent the rest of our time in holy silence or discourse till about the tenth hour and then we repaired to our Quarters Next morning about eight we returned to the Court where the Princess and Countess were ready to receive us The morning was imployed in very serious Conference relating to the affairs practice and sufferings of Friends in England with which they seemed greatly affected When about the Eleventh Hour a ratling of Coach interrupted us The Countess immediately stept out to see what was the matter and returned with a countenance somewhat uneasie telling us that the young Princes Nephews to the Princess and the Graef of Donaw were come to visit her upon which I told them we should withdraw and return to our Lodging but intreated that for as much as we were to depart that night with the Post-Waggon we might not be disappointed of a farewell Meeting with them and the rather for that I had a great burden upon my Spirit which they readily complied with telling me these persons would onely dine and be gone As we went to the door the Countess stept before us and opened it for us and as I past by she lookt upon me with a weighty countenance and fetcht a deep sigh crying out O the cumber and entanglements of this vain World they hinder all good Upon which I replied looking her steadfastly in the face O come thou out of them then After we had dined in our Lodging something being upon me to write to the Professors of that Country I went up to my Chamber that I might be the more retired just as I was about the conclusion of the Paper cometh the Steward of the House to the Princess with this Message That the Princess intreated us to come to her for the Graef of Dâ—naw had a great desire to see us and to speak with us this brought a fresh Weight and Exercise upon us but committing all to the Lord and casting our care upon him we went Being arrived the Graef approacheth us in French at first took no great notice of our inceremonious behaviour but proceeded to inquire of us our success in our Journey and what we found answering our Journey and Inclinations Then we fell to points of Religion and the Nature and End of true Christianity and what was the way that leadeth to the Eternal Rest After some short debate about compleat satisfaction in this life we both agreed that Self-denial Mortification and Victory was the Duty and ought to be the endeavour of every sincere Christian From this I fell to give him some account of my Retreat from the World and the inducements I had thereto and the necessity of an inward work with which he seemed much pleased After this he fell to the Hat c. This choaketh and the rather because it telleth tales it telleth what people are it marketh Men for Separatists it 's blowing a Trumpet and visibly crossing the World and that the fear of
Minister of the Gospel be at the beck of any Mortal living or give his Soul and Conscience to the time and appointment of another the thing in it self is utterly wrong and against the very Nature and Worship of the new and everlasting Covenant You had better meet to read the Scriptures the Book of Martyrs c. if you cannot sit and wait in silence upon the Lord till his Angel move upon your Hearts than to uphold such a formal limited and ceremonious Worship this is not the Way out of Babylon And I have a deep sense upon my Soul that if the Young Man strive beyond the talent God hath given him to answer his Office and fill up his Place and wait not for the pure and living Word of God in his Heart to open his Mouth but either studieth for his Sermons or speaketh his own Words he will be utterly ruined Wherefore O Dear Friend have a care thou art no Snare to him nor he to thee Man's Works smother and stifle the true life of Christ what have you to do but to look to Jesus the Author of the holy desires that are in you who himself hath visited you tempt not the Lord provoke not God what should any Man Preach from but Christ and what should he Preach people too but Christ in them the hope of Glory Consider nothing feedeth that which is born of God but that which cometh down from God even the Bread of God which is the Son of God which giveth his life for the World feel it and feed on it let none mock God nor grieve his eternal Spirit that is come to seal them up from the mouth of Man that hath deceived them that Jesus the anointing may teach them and abide with them for ever Be stedfast and immoveable and this will draw the Young Man near to the Lord and empty him of himself and purge away mixtures and then you will all come to the Divine Silence and when all Flesh is silent before the Lord then is it the Lord's time to Speak and if you will hear your Souls shall live O my Soul is in great pain that you may be all chastly preserved in that divine Sense begotten in your Hearts by the eternal Word of God that abideth for ever that nothing may ever be able to extinguish it But more especially thou my Dear Friend mayest be kept in faithfulness for the Lord is come very near to thee and thou must begin the Work the Lord God expecteth it at thy hand if one Sheep break through the rest will follow wherefore watch O watch that thou may'st be strengthned and confirmed and strengthen all that is begotten of God in that Family by thy weighty savoury and circumspect life O how is my Soul affected with thy present condition it is the fervent Supplication of my heart that thou may'st through the daily obedience of the Cross of Jesus conquer and shine as a bright and glorious Star in the Firmament of God's eternal Kingdom So let it be Lord Jesus Amen We tenderly yet freely spoke ouâ— hearts to him before we parted which done in God's love we tooâ— our leave of him and Dusseldorp and got that Night to Duysburgh being the third Day of the Week We first visited Dr. Mastricht a Maâ— of a good natural Temper but a rigid Calvinist I perceived by him that they held a Consultation about seeing us at Bruch but they all concluded it was best to decline meeting with us because of the Graef he being ready to fling our Name in reproach upon them in his displeasure and this would confirm him in his Jealousies of them This might excuse the Countess but by no means Kuper and if I had any sense Mastricht was there with them upon design to frustrate the hopes we had conceived of meeting with her We from thaâ— descended to other things of weightâ— and in love and peace parted From his House we returned to our Inn and after Supper we visited the Schult who with much civility and some tenderness received us his Sister also came to us and we had a good little Meeting with them and our God was with us and his pure and tender life appeared for our Justification and pleaded our innocent Cause in their Consciences and so we parted with them leaving our Master's Peace amongst them The next day we came to Wesel being the 4th day where we understood by Dr. Schuler that thy Sister desired that we would be so kind as to see her when we returned upon that we went and visited her she received us very kindly Thy Brother in Law 's two Sisters were present we stayed with them at least two Hours Many Questions she put to me which I was glad to have an Opportunity to Answer for it made way for a Meeting she intreated us to come again if we stayed and told us our Visit was very grateful to her adding That because we past 〈◊〉 by the last time she concluded wiâ—â— herself we had no hopes of her with more to that effect From thence we went to Dr. Schuler's who freely offered us his House for a Meeting next day and indeed the Man is bold after his manner The next day about Seven I writ a Billiet in French to thy Sister to inform her of the Meeting to begin about Eight She came and her two Sisters with her there was Rosendale Colonel Copius and his Wife and about three or four more and to our great Joy the Lord Almighty was with us and his holy Power reached their Hearts and the Doctor and Copius confessed to our Testimony The Meeting lasted about three Hours being done we took our leave of them in the Spirit of Jesus and so returned to our Inn. The Taylor all this while afraid of coming to our Inn or to the Doctor 's to the Meeting great Fears have overtaken him and the poor Man liveth but in a dry Land After Dinner we visited Copius and Rosendale and at Copius's we had a blessed broken Meeting he his Wife Rosendale his Wife and another Woman Wife to one Dr. Willick's Brother present they were extreamly affected and overcome by the Power of the Lord 't was like one of our Herwerden Meetings indeed much Tenderness was upon all their Spirits This done and having left Books both there and with thy Sister we left Wesel with Hearts full of Joy and Peace and let me say this That more kindness more openness we have scarcely found in all our Travels O that this blessed Sense may dwell with them A Seed there is in that place God will gather yea a noble People he will find out And I doubt not but there will be a good Meeting of Friends in that City before many Years go about my love is great to that place O how God is our dear Lord to us who helpeth our Infirmities and carrieth through all Opposition and feedeth us with his Divine Presence