Works may praise him to whom all Praises doth belong and is freely ascribed from my Soul now henceforth and for ever Katherine Winn. The Testimony of Christopher Blackburne concerning my dear Friend Robert Lodge who departed this Life the 16th Day of the 7th Month 1690. Dear friends I could not with clearness be silent in this matter because I found it as a Duty incumbent upon me being one of the same Meeting to write a little amongst my Brethren concerning this faithful Champion of the Lord whom he hath taken to himself and is at Rest with him who is over all God blessed forever I being but young in years have not been so long acquainted with him as many have been but what I know I shall write He was a man that ever had a tender regard over me and other young Friends and I can truly say his Counsel and Advice to me when I was a Child was reaching and I hope will never be raced out of my remembrance and as I grew up I loved him as my Father he was of a lovely Countenance and an undaunted Spirit his Service was much in the Ministry he had a quiek discerning in a Meeting Oh how hath he laboured for the good of a Meeting and if at any time a Vail hath been over or that any seemed to be unconcerned Oh how he would have been weighted and laboured to with-draw the Vail and raise the Life at such a time and on the contrary when the Life was up in a Meeting and that he saw Friends in a Heavenly Order Oh it was Marrow to his Bones his very Countenance was comfortable to the Meeting and his Travel especially in che latter part of his days was much for the settling the Meeting in a divine Order and his Prayer for us that were young was frequent in this manner Heavenly God ingraft thy heavenly Truth in the Hearts of our Children that they may stand up to bear Witness for thee when it shall please thee to take us hence Now I come to his Sickness and Death which was on this manner Upon that 4th day at Evening I went to see him as was my usual manner when in that Town not knowing that he was Sick so asked him how he did he said He had a very bad Night the Night before but was something better He also told me how it was with him and said That many had dyed of the like Distemper but whether I dye or not the Will of the Lord be done So I went over Night to see him and he grew weaker and weaker yet he was able to go till the First Day and after the Meeting that day he got up by help for then he was taken with a strong Feaver which grew extreamly upon him and as he was getting up he said Blessed be God I have Heavenly Peace So after a while I going away took my leave of him for I had a sence of his Death and he said to me He was freely given up to the Will of God So the next day I went again but was not present when he did declare but I understood it was powerful as at other times so in the Evening I went but he was in a sweet Sleep and so continued till about the first or second Hour the next Morning and so departed this Life in a Heavenly frame arid is at Rest with God whom he served to the utmost of his Power I can truly say he was a man worthy of Everlasting Remembrance and one of the Worthies of God's Israel So seeing it was the pleasure of the great God to take him from us it is the desire of my heart that I with the rest of God's People may be kept and preserved in God's heavenly Truth as this man was so shall we meet again in God's Kingdom where we shall receive the full of what we enjoy the Earnest of here So seeing it hath been the pleasure of God who is the Orderer of all things and hath the Souls and Bodies of all Men at his dispose to take this dear Friend from us we have reason to be content knowing that our Loss is his Gain our Sorrow his Joy I cannot but return him the Praise who is God over all blessed for ever and evermore Amen Christopher Blackburne The Testimony of Rebecca Blackburne concerning Robert Lodge who departed this Life the 16th Day of the 7th Month 1690. HE was a dear and loving Friend towards me and his desire was much for the prosperity of Truth it was great joy to him to hear that the Truth prospered especially in those that were young and that they might bear their Testimonies for the Lord after the decease of the Elders One time after the Meeting he looking towards a young Girle turned him about and said The Lord bless you all Children which caused me to say within my self Whither is he going Now seeing the Lord hath taken him from us he is able to preserve those that are left behind and will do as we put our trust in him So to him that orders all things according to his pleasure do I return all the Honour and Glory both now henceforth and for evermore Amen Rebecca Blackburne The Testimony of Ann Blackburne concerning Robert Lodge THis dear Friend I knew him from a Child and was acquainted with him from his Youth He was of a quick apprehension and had much discourse with one Anthony Procter and Other Priests in the days of Oliver Cromwell but they were always put to the worst by him He was of a Valient Spirit from his Youth upward and it was great gladness of heart to me to see him in a Meeting it was also great Sorrow to me to part with so near a Friend but seeing it was the pleasure of God to take him from us iâ—â— my belief he is at rest with him who is God blessed for evermore Ann Blackburne The Testimony of Alice Clarke concerning Robert Lodge THis is my Testimony for my dear Friend Robert Lodge of Massam lately deceased he was an Instrument in the hand of the Lord and the Lord by him wrought upon the Hearts of many to turn them out of the broad way of destruction into the narrow way that leads to Life and Salvation and good cause have I amongst many more to praise the Lord that ever I was acquainted with him I being of the Meeting that he was of was many a time sweetly refreshed and comforted which I hope shall never be forgotten of me â—or raced out of my remembranceâ— and though he be gone from us yet his Spirit is with us in our Meetings as we come to the Spirits of just men made perfect he had a heavenly Gift and had good skill to use it so that he got love of most that knew him He was taken away of a short Sickness and what he spake relating to Truth in the time thereof was much to the satisfaction of all that loved him for he
SEVERAL Living Testimonies Given forth by divers Friends TO THE Faithful Labours and Travels Of that Faithful and Constant Servant of the LORD Robert Lodge Who was a true Minister of the Gospel of Christ a Valient Sufferer for the Testimony of a good Conscience one that held out to the end and is saved ALSO Two General Epistles written by himself long since to the Believers in Christ And are now Printed for their Edification and Refreshment The Name of the Righteous shall be had in Everlasting Remembrance c. Printed for T. Sowle And Sold at the Crooked Billet in Hâ—llâ—â—â—â—-Loâ—e Shâ—â—â—ditch 1691. The Testimony of Peter Hardcastle concerning the Life and Death of Robert Lodge THis our Friend and Brother a Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ Robert Lodge I was acquainted with before we were gathered to be a Meeting to sit down in silence to wait upon God in his Light for he then lived near me with one related to me and we had much discourse about Religious matters and he saw the Errors of the Priests more clearly than I did and was serviceable to me at that time But after this it pleased the Lord to send his faithful Servants amongst us to Preach the everlasting Gospel and they directed our minds to the Light of it in our Consciences and many were convinced of the way to eternal Life and Salvation and thus were we gathered to be a Meeting to sit in the silence of Flesh waiting upon God in his Light And in process of time we being gathered in the Name of the Lord Jesus he made his Power known in our Meeting in an admirable manner to the renting of the Vail and breaking down the partition Wall and raising our Souls from Death unto Life which caused great Joy and Comfort in us and amongst us And by the Power and Spirit of Life after a little time our deceased Brother Robert Lodge was moved to go into Ireland to bear Testimony with other Brethren of the everlasting Truth and way of Truth and Salvation and having done his Service there at that time he returned again into England and travelled in many parts of it and went into Ireland again and travelled in both Nations to visit the Gatherings of the Lord's People and to stir up their pure minds by way of remembrance of the manifold Mercies and Favours and Loving-kindnesses of God which he hath made known unto his People in this our day after the long Night of Apostacy And the Prophecy of Daniel is fulfilled in this our Age where he saith Many shall run to and fro and Knowledge shall be increased and he saith also They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many to Righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever Dan. 12. And he was Instrumental in the hand of God to turn many to Jesus Christ God's Righteousness the sure Foundation and Rock of Ages which yields living Water unto the Soul and so his Testimony reached to the Witness of God in the Consciences of many and I have been many times sweetly refreshed under his Testimony and Ministry Oh the sweet Union and Society and Fellowship we have had together in the Gospel it breaks my Heart and tenders my Spirit at this time when I am writing these Lines I loved him before we were gathered and much more since because of his Sincerity and Truth in his inward parts for he kept his first Love and Habitation in the Truth And he was Instrumental also for building up in the holy Faith that the Spirit of Opposition and Separation might not get advantage to draw us from the Spirit and Power of our Lord Jesus Christ he was committed to several Prisons in this Nation and in Wakefield-Prison he wrote an Epistle to Friends and when he suffered Imprisonment or otherwise for the Testimony of the Truth he was kept in patience and rested in the will of God So he having kept the Faith and Patience of our Lord Jesus and dying in the Lord is at Rest his Body is in the Grave but his Spirit is with the Lord Jesus and with the Spirits of just and holy Men and Women who have served the Lord in their day according to his Will revealed unto them by his holy Spirit Praises Honour and Glory to the Lord God and the Lamb for evermore So I having known him so long a time and some of his Tryals and Exercises and faithfulness to God and his Truth I could not well but give this short Testimony concerning him Peter Hardcastle senior Thomas Whitton his Testimony concerning the Life and Death of Robert Lodge THat the Memory of the Just may be had in Remembrance and the Travel of the Righteous in future Ages not forgotten this Testimony I have to bear for our dear Friend Robert Lodge who is now gone whose Exercises and Travels are at an end and I doubt not but that he is at rest with the Lord He was a man whom I knew above this thirty Years even from his Youth who received the Truth in his tender Years in a large measure and the Lord hath made him a very serviceable Instrument in his hand for gathering many to the Way of Life out of the ways of the World and that in his young Years both in this Nation and also in Ireland as many can testifie and not only so but the Lord hath as I may truly say made him a Son of Consolation amongst his People to the watering and refreshing of many weary Souls his Travels in Spirit I knew being one of the same Meeting even for the hindmost of the Flock and his sympathizing with those that travelled for the same I also knew him in the helping on the Work of the Lord and when that Life and Power of God rose in him in a Meeting to the opening his Mouth the Lord hath made his Words as the Balm of Gillead to the broken hearted Much might be said of his Service in and for the Truth in his day and toward the closure thereof he laboured with and for the young Friends that they may come up in the Footsteps of those who are gone before and at Rest with the Lord with many and frequent Supplications to the Lord for them that they might walk as becomes the Truth in their Generation The time of his Sickness was short but about three or four days and about three or four days a little ill before I going to see him asked him how he did and how it was with him he gave me account of his Distemper and Infirmness and did question his recovery of the same But saith he the Lord knows my Heart and that I have served him and it hath been of more account to me the gaining of one Soul than all my Labours and Travels So I have great cause to believe he was in a good sence of the Recompence of his Reward so leaving him very weak that night and
remembrance and left upon Record to future Ages in which I am concerned according to my little measure in a short Testimony for our dear Friend and well-beloved Brother Robert Ledge who is now deceased and his Travels at an end but many are in being who have reaped the benefâ—â—… thereof his lot fell to be in our parâ—… in the time of my Convincemenâ— and I being a Woman of a deject Mind he was the first that evâ—â—… reached me with Words of Comforâ— which were so printed in my hearâ— and ingraven in my mind that it nâ—ver yet was raced out but often wâ—… a strengthening to me through mâ—… Exercises and a confirmation of the love of God to my Soul It was afterwards my happiness to be of the same Meeting where many were the Spiritual Comforts I received by him he proclaimed Liberty to the Captives and spoke comfortable words to the Mourners in Sion his Words were as healing Medicines as Gillead's Balm to many wounded and weary Souls and that which he planted was frequently watered by him O the watering Seasons we have had that Fountain whicâ— frequently opened in him that Rivers and Streams thereof that were conveyed by him to many a thirsty travelling Soul did fill our Hearts with unutterable Joy and unexpressable Gladness which causeth a Lamentation to be taken up by us for want of such a be-dewing Instrument and loving Nursing-Father he was a Son of Consolation a planter indeed and also a waterer of the Lord's Plantation and frequently accompanied with the living presence and power of our heavenly God which gives the increase He was a sympathizer with innocent Friends in Joy and in Sorrow he could mourn with those that mourned and rejoyce with those that rejoyced yet his care was over the weak and hindermost of the Flock and we are bowed in Spirit For want of him for his presence could greatly have been desired by us and needful for us but he is dissolved and I believe is now with Christ which for him is far better and it is our hope which bears up our Spirits that the Lord will raise up Instruments to carry on his own Work to his own praises and he giveth and he taketh blessed be his Name for ever The time of his Sickness being short at which time I had been weak and but little recovered I had word if ever I thought to see him I might venture to go the next day I went with my Brother to visit him and found him very weak he looking up and saw me full of Sorrow with a pleasant Countenance yet in much brokenness cheerfully said What Woman we must meet again we must meet again in Eternity And sitting by him he gave me an account of his Distemper and of the exercise of his mind and the dealings of the Lord with him and said The Lord knoweth I never was Commissionated by him to go any way or to do any thing but I have willingly answered him and the Lord who hath been my Rock and Refuge my Shield and Buckler and a Sanctuary to me hath been with me all along to this very day With many such Expressions and in much brokenness and tenderness of Spirit he rendred Thanksgiving unto the Lord and being weak he seemingly fell asleep and I retiredly sat by him and that Life wherein we had often reached one another did spring venly Expressions and pure Praises to the Lord for his many Deliverances and great Preservations and the continuance of his living presence and the opening of the Fountain of his Life and Love unto us to this very day and time with heavenly Supplications unto the Lord for the continuance of his Loving-kindness and tender Mercies to his whole Heritage every where his Exercise continued for a considerable season as if he had been in a Meeting with much brokenness of Heart and tenderness of Spirit as a man filled with heavenly and divine matter which very much broke my Heart with his Son Nathan then by him which I hope will never be forgotten by me And after this he weakened very fast it being about the third hour of the day he did speak little more to me yet signifying his gladness of my recovery and also of my company and that all was well with him and falling into a Slumber and Rest more sweet and comfortable as we thought than his usual Sleep had been to him at other times in much quiet and great meekness he departed this Life about the first hour that Night And though he be dead his Works live to praise the Lord and great was the Work of his Day in turning many from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan to the living God he bore the burthen in heat of the day and was a true Traveller for Sion's sake his Life was comfortable his latter end happy he lived the Life of the Righteous and his latter end was like his And it is the fervent desire of my Heart the Lord will be pleased in love to his whole Flock and for his own Honour and great Name sake to raise up serviceable Instruments in his Work such work-men as need not be ashamed of their work but can rightly divide the Word of Truth such Labourers in his Vineyard as may gather many Sheaves into his Barn and Lambs into his Fold as this our deceased Brother did in the days of his Youth and in his tender years he thought not his Life dear to venture both by Sea and Land in this Nation and elsewhere and was instrumental in the Lord's hand to pluck many as Lambs out of the Wolves mouth and Brands out of the Fire which are as Monuments of the Lordâ—s mercy this day to praise him And as his Body decayed and strength failed great was his Travel and many his Supplications to the Lord on the behalf of young Friends that they might rise in their Day and Age to serve and honour him in their Generation O the Travels with the sweet flowing streams of Love reached to us by him can never be forgotten O the melodious sound that heavenly Harmony the eccho of Life which often sounded through him made the Morning-Stars to sing and the Saints to shout for joy O what can I say of him I am not able to express or utter the excellency of the Work of this the Lord 's worthy but hopes it will be done by others better accomplished for such a Work than I but in the discharge of what hath lain upon me according to my little measure in this short Testimony to leave to Posterity and for the encouragement of a future Age to keep in the Line of Life and walk in the Path of the Just where heavenly Felicity is to be attained and enjoyed and Spiritual Pleasures lived in which the Almighty in his unchangeable Love hath been pleased to continue from Age to Age and by a mighty hand reached from one Generation to another that in every Age his own