Days we intend to leave this City and pass to Graves-end where we purpose to take Shipping for Holland having a Concern upon us to visit the Low-Countries c. Things here at London are pretty well William Rogers and his Party are here we had a Meeting with them Yesterday which lasted nigh 12 Hours and about 7 this Morning begins again the Lord's Power was over all Glory to his Name for ever So with my cordial Love once more Saluting you all I am your Faithful Brother Roger Haydock London 28th of the 2d Month 1682. DEar P. H. J. A. C. M. C. J. K. E. K. and all my Beloved Friends in Holland To you all in the Covenant of Light who are Called and Chosen of God to be Heirs of Salvation and Life is the tender Salutation of my Love ever to you who are the Circumcision to whom the Adoption and Covenant appertains who are bound to keep the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus your Circumcision being that of the Heart and of the Ear that you may hear and do the Law of God which is written upon the Tables of your Hearts and be Witnesses of the bringing in of the better Hope which makes perfect as appertaining to the Consciences upon each of you Beloved in God and Christ my Love opens freely my Life greets you often your Remembrance lives with me you are near me in Life and in abiding Love is your Remembrance refreshing to me As a Brother my Heart is open to you the Breathings of my Life are for you that the Circumcised Adopted and Chosen amongst you may keep the Everlasting Covenant God hath made with you that you may not only be the Called but also the Chosen Faithful and True who continue to the end and be saved through the Effects of the Hope brought in which whosoever hath it purifieth himself even as he the Author of the Hope and Salvation is pure For my Beloved Friends we are not ignorant how that many have made their Circumcision Uncircumcision being turned with the Dogg to their vomit and with the Sow that was washed to the wallowing in the Mire and that too too many have broken Covenant with the Lord and cast his divine Law behind their backs being turned from the Grace of God into Lasciviousness and from Truth into a Lye and in the Lasciviousness and Lye have stood up to oppose the Grace and gainsay the Truth their end will be Destruction their Damnation slumbereth not We think it not strange that we meet sometimes with Exercises of this kind to wit Perils amongst false Brethren Satan's Transformings and the falling away of some who are gone out from us For the Apostle speaks of a Falling away that the Son of Perdition should be made manifest and again it 's said They went but from us that they might be made manifest that they were not of us When Eve and Adam fell away from God they died the Death the Devil and Satan was made manifest When Man went or fell from Truth to the Lye the Lyar was made manifest when Judas fell away the Son of Perdition was made manifest And there hath been a falling away from Truth to the Lye from God to the Devil from Christ to Belial and through the falling away is the Lye Devil and Belial made manifest in their Flesh whose Spirits fall away Now as through their falling away the Son of Perdition is made manifest so are they made manifest to us to be Sons of Belial who are in the Gall of Bitterness and Band of Iniquity and from the Gall which they are in bitter Fruits are brought forth by them being Men of corrupt Minds as to the Faith Reprobates And as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these Men resist the Truth they are Enemies to the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ I doubt not my Friends but that you have had your share of Exercise with some who are gone out from you or from the Truth which is your Life who probably may yet for some time have Assembled with you that they might give you the greater Exercise who themselves being of corrupt Minds have endeavoured to corrupt others and Judas like with a Kiss betray Truth into the Hands of Sinners and draw the weak and unstable into the Snare with them making the Weak to err and turning the Feeble out of the way which is a grief to the Upright-hearted Not but that they see that as Judas's Kiss could not cover his Treachery no more can their Kisses cover their Treachery for of all the Faithful whose Eyes are in their Head Christ they are seen and judged But for the sakes of the Weak and Feeble deluded by them and of the place it gives to the Devil and great occasion to the World to Blaspheme God his Truth and People it hath made sad the Heart which God hath not made sad However my Friends in and through these and all other your Exercises God hath been with you sanctifying Tribulations to you and confounding those that have set themselves against you on the one hand and on the other have they fallen that troubled you To God who is on your side be all the Praise What now remains to us who know the Righteous God pleads our Innocent Cause and that our Righteousness is of the Lord but that each of us who stand take heed lest we fall and that we use all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure before we go hence and be no more seen Let the feeble Knees amongst you be made strong that not one that is halting may be turned out of the way and let the strong of you be more strong You Fathers and Elders that know him that was from the beginning and you young Men and Brethren who are strong who have overcome the wicked One in you the Word of God abiding Being as the Watch-Men in Israel amongst the Circumcision and as Saviours upon Mount Zion unto the hindermost of them who worship God in Spirit And all of you who are Abraham's Children to whom Circumcision was given who was to Circumcise himself the Males in his House his Sons and his Servants bought with his Money Be you all Circumcised and when all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit is done away then keep you Covenant with God whose the Circumcision is who hath given you the answer of a good Conscience For as Circumcision in the Flesh appertained to the First Covenant and they that were Circumcised were bound to keep the Law of the First Tables so Circumcision in the Spirit appertains to the Second Covenant and the Circumcised are bound to keep the Law of the Second Table And those that will lose their Life they through Death shall come to have Life And such are Witnesses that the New Creature avails so that all the Circumcision may have that which avails the New Creature which is Created after God in Righteousness and perfect Holiness for
often express it and truly so was he to me every Day every Way and in every Respect no Tongue nor Pen can relate the full of that Comfort and Joy we had in God and one in another Yet we find such hath been the Pleasure of God concerning them he hath loved to try them in the most near and dear Enjoyments that it might be manifest he was loved above all that no Gift or Gifts may be preferred above the Giver but that he may be all in all and over all who is and is to come God blessed for ever and ever And truly there hath been great Care and Watchfulness one over another and over our own Spirits to see that our Love though great was bounded and kept within its Compass the Truth being its Original the Alpha and Omega also Although it hath been the Pleasure of God to try me in the removal of so great a Blessing from me sure it is that I may be the more inward to him and have his Love always in my Remembrance who gives and takes away and in all Bless his Name My Soul travels that I may always follow his footsteps of Self-denial in all things that I may finish my Course in this World to the Glory of God as he did and have my part in that Mansion of Glory with him eternal in the Heavens though it be my Lot to stay for a time in this World of Troubles yet I have hope in Immortality and Eternal Blessedness when time in this World shall be no more My dear Husband was a Man very Laborious in his time though he had several long weak Fits of Feavers and Agues yet when a little well regarded the Lord's Business above all Besides his Travels about home and here in England he travelled through Scotland and twice in Holland and Germany since we were Married and had great Services for the Lord in many Places as I doubt not but Accounts may be given and through Mercy for two Years last had his Health well and is gathered to his place like a Shock of Corn in its due Season and rests with the Lord for ever I have sometimes considered the suddenness and manner of his Removal although it was ordered by Providence that I was far remote at that Time in in the Service of Truth which was with his free Consent and Approbation being brought on my Way by him so far as Talk-Hill in Staffordshire where we parted in great Love and Sweetness the Glory of the Lord resting upon our Spirits in which Breathings ascended up to the Lord for each other And though I saw not his going away yet have seen in what he went that it was full of Zeal and Fervency in the Love of God and Life of Righteousness So in pure Submission to the Will of God I conclude this short but true Relation of my Worthy Dear Husband whose Name and Memorial is blessed and will live and be of a sweet Savour in the Hearts of the Righteous through Ages I am Truths Friend and a well-wisher to the Souls of all People Eleanor Haydock Penketh the 15th of the 3d Month 1697. Ashort Testimony to the Lord's Kindness and to the Life Ministry Sufferings Services and Death of our Worthy Friend Roger Haydock who departed this Life the 11th Day of the 3d Month 1696. WE are deeply affected and bowed in Soul in a sense of the Lord 's free Love and Goodness unto us in looking upon and visiting us in the time of our Uncleanness when we were unworthy of the least of his Mercies Oh! then was his Arm revealed for our Help Redemption and Salvation a Work of so great Kindness as ought ever to be had in Remembrance in that neither we noâ— any of the Children of Men can sufficiently set forth so great a Favour the Concern is of great Moment the only begotten Son of God laid down his Life to effect it We Travel in our several Measures that we and all the Lord 's gathered People may ever dwell in a Worthiness that we may be in the Lords hand Instruments to work the appointed work of our Day And under this tender sense we found our Hearts open to give the Salutation of unseigned Love to all our dear Friends where these may come with this brotherly Exhortation That you may all stir up one another to the Duty you owe unto the Lord that as a Church and People of our God's peculiar gathering you and we may be presented to him without Spot or Wrinkle And dear Brethren the dealings of the Lord with his Instruments and faithful Servants and the removing of them from us hath considerable Weight upon our Spirits and raiseth a holy Desire in us that we and you may not abate but encrease our Zeal Diligence and Labour that the Lords good Work begun may not stop but go on and prosper and that the great Lord of the Harvest may never want faithful Workmen Next hereunto O Reader We recommend to thy perusal this following Account of our said Friend Roger Haydock First As touching the manner of his Life we having several of us known and conversed with him from the time of his Convincement can say of it His Conversation was without Covetousness of Self-denial he was a good Pattern in Habit Plain in Meats and Drinks very Temperate and in his Actions and Concerns Careful that what he did might answer the better Part in all and justly offend none Walking he would often say he preferred before Talking and laboured that others might walk as they had Christ for an Example Secondly As to his Ministry though we need say little because it was known in most places where these may come We have from good Experience this Account to give That he preached the Gospel freely both in this and other Nations always possessed with a Care that Life and Vertue might put him forth and manifest him to his Auditors very weighty and deep things did often drop from his Mouth and although he had sometimes sharp Arrows to shoot at Babylon and against all Hypocrites and Double-Minded yet many times a Living Sweet Consolating Stream was conveyed through him to water the tender Plants and very often a Morsel to the Poor and Needy Very tender and kind to his Fellow-Labourers yea to the least Child that from a right Concern opened a Mouth for the Lord and for the sakes of such did many times sit whole Meetings through in Silence very kind in that Respect to Strangers yea such was the Care of this good Man that Friends might truly reap benefit in their Meetings that in many of our Week-day Meetings he used to wait amongst us in Silence that none might too much depend upon Words or be surfeited through the multitude thereof And when at any time he had upon him a Concern to visit Churches in remote Parts his manner was to lay before and wait for the Concurrence of this our Meeting which many times occasioned
pour out a double Portion of his Spirit upon us lest behind and raise up many more that so his Work may become Prosperous in the Earth Amen Oh how Comfortable is the Remembrance of that perfect Love Nearness and Unity that we enjoyed together without the least Jarr which made our Service and Labour together very easie and pleasant and our Conversation together very sweet And know that he was Open-hearted Free and Faithful to his Friend a great Lover as well as Promoter of Love Peace and Concord amongst Brethren able in Advice sound in Judgment tender and kind to the Weak every way ready to serve and help the Needful in every respect of a truly Humble and Lowly Spirit giving Preference to others especially Elders although a Man that had a kind of Greatness or Presence in a Manly Carriage or Deportment from which some might mistake him that knew him not in the Root of Life and Truth Fervent in Spirit Zealous for the Promotion of the Interest of Truth in a Godly-Discipline and Gospel-Order amongst all Friends and his Care and Labour that all might be found in the Practice of the pure Religion professed That so Zion might become Glorious the Praise of the whole Earth and the Church and Family of God be kept Pure and Chaste to shine forth in her Splendor the Eclipsing whereof in any respect I know was ever his Exercise and under the Exercise thereof have simpathized with him in Sorrow and Mourning whom I knew esteemed of and preferred the Peace Prosperity Wellfare and Increase of the Glory of Zion God's People far above his own His Natural Parts were great and augmented by a good and liberal Education All which being Sanctified as well as Inlarged by the Power of Truth made him both Honourable and Serviceable in the Church of Christ in many respects And tho' he be Dead yet Lives and Speaks amongst us and is Enjoyed in that Life which never Ends. And as he has turned many to Righteousness he now shines as a bright Star in the Firmament of God's Power and his Name will be of Lasting Remembrance amongst the Living T. Camm H. M's Testimony concerning our dear and faithful Friend Roger Haydock Deceased AMongst many of the Lord's Worthies whom in this our Day Age and Generation he hath endued with Wisdom Courage Valour and Prevalency in Innocency and Righteousness to make War without Carnal Weapons against the Spiritual Enemies of God and of his Son Christ Jesus the Lamb without Blemish that taketh away the Sin of the World this our dear Friend Roger Haydock was not one of the least who before I knew him was at the Challenges of Priests that opposed the Truth to which he bore Testimony several times engaged in Disputations as Defendant for the Truth professed and lived in by him and the People called Quakers against the false Charges of the Priests One Passage whereof being related to me by one of the party adverse to him when I was a Stranger to the Truth and to Roger Haydock tended to my Convincement and in hopes it may likewise be of good effect to others I shall here insert it viz. My Neighbour told me he had been at a Dispute between Mr. Cheyney as he called him and a Quaker whom I have since known to be Roger Haydock and and that Cheyney among other things charged the Quakers for not using Baptism of Infants Then I asked him how the Quaker answered to that He said Indeed the Quaker behaved himself very moderately and civilly in his way and answered That there was no Proof in the Scriptures of Truth for it and that it was only Men's Invention and by Man's Tradition that they held it and considering how they used it who professed the Scriptures to be their Rule which did not warrant them therein it appeared in them to be ridiculous both before God and Man Then I asked him What Proof Cheyney brought for it He answered to this effect That he did not understand that Cheyney brought any Proof for it This Relation induced me to seek for what Proof could be found for it because I had been taught that my Infant-Baptism was the Foundation of my Christianity thereupon diligently searching the Scriptures and after that reasoning with my Teachers I plainly saw there was no Proof from the Scriptures nor Authority from Christ to be found for it and that therefore my Foundation was unsound and the Building upon it dangerous and ruinous Therefore in a deep Sense of my want of a Foundation that could not be moved I left the Builders upon Infant-Baptism and earnestly sought unto the Lord who in his own time Revealed in me that Foundation which standeth sure even the Rock of Ages the Foundation of all the Generations of the Righteous that great Mystery hid from many Professors which is Christ in Believers the Hope of their Glory who Baptizeth them with Spiritual Water and Fire a Manifestation of whose Spirit is given to every Man to profit withal which inwardly Reproveth the Disobedient but Comforteth the Faithful who in it have true Unity and Fellowship one with another And in this I was in the Lord's time acquainted with this my aforesaid dear Friend and faithful Servant of Christ whose Service the Lord made of good effect to me by the aforesaid Relation of one that was as an Adversary to him and that a considerable time before I knew him for about the time that I left the aforesaid Builders my Teachers he was concerned in the Lord's Service in Ireland in the Year 1680. He was Laborious in the Service to which the Lord by his Grace had called him and for which he had fitted him in giving him largely to know and understand the deep Mysteries of his Kingdom and filling his Treasure with the durable Riches and Righteousness thereof And as he plenteously and freely received of the Lord so it was his delight and great Concern in the Counsel of God freely to give and impart Spiritual Gifts to others that many might be enriched with the same And therefore through great Travels Sufferings and Exercises he cheerfully went in the Lord's Service who blessed his Labours so that he was Instrumental in the Lord's Hand for the turning of many from Darkness to Light and from Satan's Power to God He was neither sparing of Himself nor his Substance to serve the Lord the Giver who blessed him as well with Temporal as Spiritual Blessings of both which he was very free in the Love of God to communicate having an especial Care over the Poor that none might want and a tender respect to the least appearance of Good in any that it might be incouraged He was concerned for the general Good of all but especially Serviceable in the Church of Christ being as a Pillar in the House of God firm and stable supporting the Weak and edifying the Houshold in Love His Ministry attended by the Lord's Power hath often hit my Condition
keep them Clofe Now we desire thee to satisfie us out of the New Testament and give us Chapter and Verse for these things which thee and you practice and let us see where it is written for the Apostle tells you you are not to presume above what is written as thou may'st see in 1 Cor. 4.6 for thou being a Bishop oughtest to satisfie us in a Scripture way And so we thy Prisoners desire thy Epistle and satisfaction from thee by the Scripture of the New Testament For our not paying thee Tithes the Lord knows is not for Covetousness or Rebellion but for Conscience sake to our God knowing that Christ said to his Disciples Freely you have received freely give as thou mayst see in Matth. 10. And what was set before them that they might Eat and if thou or any of thy Ministers if they be Ministers of the Gospel and abide in Christ's Doctrine we will receive them and thee into our Houses and set before you Meat and Drink and you shall freely Eat and Drink of our Carnal Things if you have any Spiritual Things to minister to us And did ever Christ or his Apostles cast any into Prison without Admonishing of them as thou hast done us Let us see where it is written So we leave our Cause with the Lord And as we are thy Prisoners having laid these things before thee whether thou wilt give thy Epistle and shew us Chapter and Verse for thy Practice or if thou canst not be silent Or whether thou wilt continue us or set us at Liberty we leave them with thee and rest satisfied For though in the World we have Tribulation yet in him that overcame the World we have Peace which the World cannot take away in which we rest whose names are Roger Haydock Heskin Fell Prisoners The third Person by them imprisoned and complained against because she had Liberty who by course of Law was released yet a Suit depending and therefore a Sufferer for her Testimony who with us we joyn in what we have writ Her name is Alice Haydock Lancaster Castle the 17th of the 8th Month 1676. A Brief ACCOUNT Of the Life Travels Sufferings and Death of Roger Haydock I Now having before me the Account at large of what Observations my dear Brother Roger Haydock in Manuscript had writ down with his own hand from the time of his Convincement to the day he was visited with Sickness could not omit communiating to all to whom this may come an Abstract thereof to manifest the Soveraignty of that Power Light and Life which made him what he was endued him with Understanding and Zeal and carried him along through his Pilgrimage both at home and abroad by Sea and Land and preserved him from the Depths of one hand from the heights of the other hand in that love which bears all things suffers through all things and reigns over all things In the 9th Month 1667. Roger Haydock was Convinced of the Truth and received it in the Love and Warmth of of it In the 2d Month following he and I being at a Meeting with Friends in Bury in Lancashire upon the 5th day of the said Month were then with five other Friends taken Prisoners and had before Robert Holt called Justice who by Mittimus committed us to the common Goal of Lantaster we Conscienciously refusing to give Bond to appear at the Sessions c. where we remained till the 28th of the 5th Month following and then were released Upon the 22d of the 11th Month 1669. he was apprehended and brought before the Justices at the Quarter Sessions at Manchester and by them for being at three Meetings in Bury fined 15 l. And upon the 12th of the 7th Month 1670. he had the exercise with his Mother and Brethren of Burying our deceased Father In the 9th Month 1671. he had a Concern in the Spirit of Christ to go into Cheshire to visit several of Friends Meetings there and then returned to his place In the 4th Month 1672. he was drawn forth to visit several of the Churches in Yorkshire and returned Afterwards 1672 and 1673. his Service lay sometimes in Yorkshire Lancashire and Cheshire but in Cheshire and Yorshire more particularly The Lord blessed his Service and Travels amongst those Churches for several People were convinced Upon the 3d of the 3d Month 1674. he was apprehended and sent to the common Goal at Lancaster for non-payment of Tithes there remained until the 12th of the 11th Month in the same Year then released In the 5th and 6th Month 1675. he visited several Churches in Cheshire Staffordshire Warwickshire Worcestersheir Herefordshire Shropshire and returned And the 23d of the 6th Month for being at a Meeting in Boulton in Lancashire he was fined 20 l. The 15th of the 7th Month following he was committed Prisoner to the common Goal at Lancaster for non-payment of Tithes by Ralph Bridock Bishop of Chester In the 8th Month following he did go to visit several Churches and returned In the 10th Month following he visited the Churches in Westmorland and returned The 20th of the 4th Month 1676. he had liberty to go into Cheshire where he had a Dispute with Priest Barber and returned In the 6th Month following by the Instigation of the said Bishop he was confined close Prisoner and it lay upon him to write to the said Bishop after which his Bonds were not so strait during the Bishop's Life The 23d of the 11th Month following he had liberty to go into Cheshire where he had a Dispute with John Cheyney Priest at Arley Hall which the Lord blessed with Success for several were Convinced He writ that Year a Book entituled The Skirmisher Confounded And in 1677. another entituled A Hypocrite Vnvailed Or a Blasphemer made manifest In the 9th Month 1677. he was many days under great Exercise and Travel of Spirit but in the end the Lord did reveal his Will unto which he submitted After he returned out of the North from visiting Friends there in the 5th Month 1677. The 13th of the 12th Month 1678. after the Bishop's Death he was releas'd so that he was a Prisoner from the 15th of the 7th Month 1675 to the 13th of the 12th Month 1678. Three Years four Months and twenty nine Days save what Liberty was allowed him which Liberty he greatly improved to the Honour of God who alone shall have the Praise In the same Year he was drawn to visit many of the Churches of Christ in the South to and again to Bristol and so for London and back into the North and so was constant in publishing the Gospel and bearing witness to the Light and Truth within in many places in this Nation bearing also a faithful Testimony against that Spirit which led into the Separation from Truth and the Unity of Friends and those tainted therewith having thereof a clear discerning as many can bear witness The 30th of the 3d Month 1679. he pass'd for London and through several
Journey was of great Service to me in my young Days and indeed a Time of Service to many in that County many were Convinced that Journey and many young ones strengthned and refreshed many drawings about that time had he had into that County of Chester and of great Service it was the Lord wonderfully blessed his Labours and there remains many Seals of his Ministry amongst which was my dear Brother John Low who was Convinced of the Truth and lived and dyed in It a faithful Man also his dear Wife Children and Servants besides many that way at which the Priests began to Rage and prepare War because many refused to put into their Mouths and could Buy their Merchandize no more receiving the Invitation that was free Come buy Wine and Milk without Money and without Price It was a glorious Time indeed and by the plenteous Preaching of the Gospel the Lord opened many Hearts to receive it as he did the Heart of Lydia of old and the Word of God grew in our Hearts that had received it in Love and the Lord opened my Mouth and touched my Tongue as with a Live Coal from his Altar that I might testifie to that Word of Life that Converts the Heart and gives Understanding to the Simple In this Time was he very Helpful and of great Service to me being always ready to lend an Hand of Help to weak ones to promote every good Word and Work About that time I with my Cousin Elizabeth Hodson went to visit Friends in some parts of Yorkshire and he brought us on our way as far as Bradley where we had a good Meeting where William Ellis and some others were Convinced there he left us and we travelled some Weeks in that County and had good Service for Truth and returned Truth prospering and Zeal and Fervency for it in our Hearts encreased About this time the Lord raised a Concern of Love in our Hearts each to other relating to Marriage In which Concern we felt the Lord's special Hand to order us It continued betwixt us for the space of five Years we never Created Opportunities to discourse it nor any Journey on purpose was made about it during that Time yet in the Way of Providence we met together sometimes in which we had some Discourse the Lord still evidencing to us his good Pleasure therein in which time we laboured in our respective Gifts in the Work of the Ministry being truly united in Spirit and daily sensible of one another's Exercises though much absent one from another outwardly he being concerned in Travels in the Labour of the Gospel though much a Prisoner yet the Lord made way for the Work 's sake that he travelled in many Parts of this Nation both North and South as also through the Nation of Ireland where he took Sickness which was then some Exercise to me being at such a distance but the Lord shewed me that at that time he should not Dye and blessed be the Lord he returned well with the Reward of his Labours Peace and Satisfaction After that he stayed a while and visited the Churches up and down in England where the Lord wonderfully blessed his Labours many were convinced and turned to Christ Jesus their Teacher and the Convinced were strengthned and built up together in that most holy Faith which gives Victory over the World and when clear of these Services here he went up to London to the Yearly-Meeting and found drawings for Holland and Germany which after the Yearly-Meeting was over he faithfully answered together with Roger Longworth his Companion at that time the Lord greatly blessed his Labours and made them effectual to many the same time I was at London with him at the Yearly-Meeting where we were refreshed together being devoted to the Work and Service of God which the Lord blessed and us in it I with dear Mary Warrel travelled from London west-ward through several Counties as Hampshire Dorsetshire Devonshire as far as Plymouth so back to Bristol and homeward The Lord was with us and blessed our Labours and we return'd in Peace After our return Home my dear Friend returned back from Holland that Winter and about this time the Lord gave us to understand our Concern of Marriage was near to be accomplished betwixt us in which we had regard to the Lord's Hand and Counsel It was compleated the Spring following the 6th Day of the 3d Month 1682. before many faithful Friends and others the Lord 's glorious Presence and Power was with us as a Crown upon his Ordinance And as we had evidence in our selves of the Lord's hand with us guiding us in that Affair so the Lord raised up his Testimony in the Word of Life in others And I may further say The Lord who joyned us together blessed Us when together so that we lived in great Love and Peace 14 Years and five Days in which time we were never straitned one towards another always of one Heart and of one Mind purely knit together in the Covenant of Life so that the Grave hath not broken our Fellowship it goes beyond the Grave where we can enjoy the Spirits of the Just the Separation that is made is only of Bodies not of Spirits Praises to God therefore My dear Husband as he was a faithful Man so was he a growing Man doubled his Talents and encreased his Gifts both as a Minister and as a Help in Government in the Church who being very Skilful and Wise therein settled many Affairs comfortably in the Church not only in our own County but Neighbouring Counties I may say of him He was wholly redeemed from the World altogether the Lord's in all Respects given up to him I saw his Growth daily and sometime rejoyced in it yet in my Joy there was some Heaviness looking he was nigh the Perfection of his Gifts and in a little time must go to his Rewards The sence of this came upon me with Sorrow when he was last in Holland which occasioned me to turn over all Affairs to see whether I had given the Lord occasion to withdraw so great a Blessing from me but blessed be the Lord I found all Accounts straight and no Rebuke upon my Spirit any way having always given him to the Lord according to that Promise I made before I took him by the Hand before so many Witnesses which was To give him to the Lord as long as he lived which the great Lord before whom only I promised helped me to the performance of so that my Heart was never strait there through our time and I may further say as freely as I gave so freely was I given to the Lord my dear Husband often expressing his great Love to me above all Visibles as the best of enjoyment he had in this World yet would say I was not too dear to give up to serve the Truth because in it I was made a Blessing to him more comfortable every Day than other he would
a weighty Sense of his Service to spring among us Many were convinced by him We have not heard of any of his Travels but some became Seals of his Ministry in all this as he did so do we attribute the Glory to God whose chosen Vessel he was Thirdly As this our said Friend was called to Believe and to Receive a part of the Ministry so did he joyfully embrace Sufferings as a part of his Calling and on the account thereof we several of us having been his fellow-Prisoners can with much certainty Testifie that he never turned his back or gave ground to Truth 's Adversaries in his Testimony but chearfully suffered Bonds as well as Spoil of Goods as the Lord permitted him to be tryed therein We can further add that all his Sufferings he underwent with great Simplicity as well as Patience the Lord's hand alone without Carnal Contrivance being truly regarded eyed and depended on for his Enlargement so that he was made to Triumph in the Lord for his Deliverance Fourthly The next part in which he was evidently manifested to us to be a Workman who needed not to be ashamed was his singular Care and watchfulness over the Flock of God amongst whom he was not only a good Apostle a Minister of the Spirit but a careful Over-seer an Instrument to Prune Dress Fence in and keep Clean that the Church of God might be kept in its Beauty and wear its own Livery even even the White-Linnen without Spot or Wrinkle We are truly sensible his Care and Labour tended to this He was a very seasonable and constant Attender of these our Meetings as well as others oftentimes was he opened amongst us in a short Testimony in God's Wisdom suitable to the occasion Cautious that neither he nor any amongst us might obstruct the Days Service by enlarging therein Weighty and Clear he was in handling the Concerns of Truth yea studious to propagate its Interest with all his Strength very Zealous that nothing might remain in the Churches either to be a stumbling-Block or occasion our Posterity to enquire why these things were left All Superfluities of Meats Drinks Apparel and Furniture as well as Feastings at Births Marriages and Burials and other needless worldly Customs he lived to see put a stop to and which he in the Lord's hand was made an Instrument to effect He would with Gravity Clearness and Plainness go through weighty matters and in handling was very Righteous for though he was of an humble Condescention to hear the mind of the least Member yet would he not submit the justness of a Matter or lessen his Judgment or the Stroak of Truth upon it for the Interest of either Friend or Brother and as ready he was to submit himself where he either mis-apprehended or was mis-informed In this manner we cannot forbear to tell it was he conversant amongst us a good help in Government for which sake we truly honoured him and on behalf of the Concern the Lord had laid upon him relating to the Discipline of the Church we can say to the Praise of God that what he recommended to Friends Practice in places abroad as he fell in their Monthly and Quarterly-Meetings not taking effect to be complyed with in his Life-time hath since his departure from us been put in Practice by them and a Benefit found thereby so that being Dead he yet Spâ—aketh his Life and Spirit Bent and Inclination have still their Motion in the Minds of many Much more might be truly said to the Praise of that Vertue that dwelt richly in him but our design was Brevity in this Undertaking and our only Aim therein the Exaltation of that Grace by which he was what he was to God his Church and People Lastly As to his Death It was sudden and surprizing to us in that not above three Days before it he seemed in full Strength both of Body and Mind and bare amongst us a living Testimony to that Universal Grace and Sufficiency of it by which we were called and in which all have Life Salvation and Peace and exhorted Friends to avoid every thing that would gender to Bondage c. The Day following he fell Sick as was supposed of a malignant Fever which continued violent upon him for about two days and a half and then dyed in the Presence of many Friends His Body was accompanied by a great number to Friends Grave-Yard in Penketh after the interring of the Corps was a very large Meeting many more than the Meeting-House could contain several Testimonies were born and a solid Weight of Divine Goodness over-shadowed the Meeting so that we may say Precious in the Eyes of the Lord is the Death of his Saints And now tho' our loss of so faithful a Friend and Fellow labourer cannot but affect us very nearly yet in this we are satisfied that in the good Pleasure of God he is taken from us And tho' he might according to the Course of Nature have lived many more Years yet as to his Growth and Ripeness we can say of him He died in a good Old Age having lived to behold his Ministry and Services crowned with the Conversion of many to the Faith and Establishment therein And we are under a full satisfaction that his Rest is glorious amongst his Fathers even faithful Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the Followers of the Lamb there to Sing Praises to God on high who is Worthy for ever and ever Given forth from our Mens-Meeting at Hartshaw the 18th of the third Month 1697. Signed on behalf of the Meeting by Richard Cuttan William Barns George Burch Joshua Crosby John Bispham Robert Tompson Robert Haydock James Laithwait Henry Mollineux John Burch Joseph Coppock John Johnson Richard Tarbuck Gilbert Thompson A few Lines by way of Testimony from Friends in Cheshire concerning Dear Roger Haydock Deceased THough we believe that many Testimonies will be given from several Faithful Friends concerning that good Man yet we that have reaped so great a Benefit from his Labours in Testimonies and other ways cannot keep wholly Silent concerning him For soon after he had received a Gift for the Ministry he found himself concern'd to visit This County and where in his first appearance he was very gladly received for he proved very Serviceable to many that waited for the Redemption of Zion and greatly helpful in strengthening and incouraging those whose Faces were turned thither-ward Thus meeting with so pleasing a Reception in his early Visits found himself ingaged to come often amongst us and he greatly grew and was filled with the Life and Power of God and his Service was much inlarged and very many were awakened that had fallen asleep in a kind of Self-security who were ready to cry out What shall we do to be saved For they were prick'd to the very Heart So prevalent was his Testimony so powerful was Truth And indeed several were Convinced and with great gladness received the Testimony of the Word of
Life who with those many more that were greatly supported and strengthened by his Labours as Living Epistles can set to their Seals to the Truth of his Apostleship Now our County being thus alarmed and stirred up and the beauty of many pleasant Pictures fading and Truth prospering and inlarging it self in many places The Men of the Long Robe begun to be angry for now some Member or Members withdrew from their Assemblies and joyned themselves to the poor despised Quakers This so inraged them that they made their Pulpits ring with the Noise of the Danger of the Growth and Infection of Quakerism and Exhibited their Black Charges against us and our Principles at random to frighten poor People from receiving the Truth of God Some of which being taken notice of occasioned several Publick Disputes in this County And in Vindicating of our Holy Profession against these our Opposers this our Friend of whom we are writing did more particularly appear And truly the Lord's Presence and Power appeared with and so enabled him that he not only clear'd up those Truths clouded through their Envy but so manifestly returned their Charges upon themselves that some were Convinced by those opportunities and several Confirmed In all which he behaved himself as a Man for God The Remembrance whereof is very sweet to many of us to this moment And indeed all along to his end he forgot not his Fatherly Care over us so that above many others we are really indebted to his Memory who hath been greatly Serviceable to us and hath done Valiantly His Travels have been considerable in this and foreign Nations of which we might inlarge but shall leave it to other Pens as also to speak of his Parts and Accomplishments which were very considerable And not to be tedious shall only add He Lived well and so he Died and his Work being finished was taken from us in the strength of his Age of whom the World was not worthy And was attended to his Grave by some Hundreds and many good and publick Testimonies were born to the Praise of that Power that had raised him up to be so serviceable to the Churches of Christ to the great Comfort of those many Mourners present at his Interment and he being Dead yet Speaketh Sign'd at our Quarterly-Meeting at Nulon-juxta Middlewich the 14th of September 1697 on the behalf of the Friends of this County By us Thomas Welch Sen. John Crosbey Thomas Rowland Richard Yarwood William Janney John Kennerly John Bradley John Bancroft Ralph Brock Thomas Buckley John Hobson Henry Murrey Joseph Maddock John Finnerley John Lamb Thomas Hyld Thomas Pott John Walker John Hough Shadrach Welch William Harrison John Merrick William Crames John Jarvis Thomas Butter Samuel Traford Thomas Welch Jun. Joseph Towers Peter Pricksley John Lorrance William Hancock Richard Davis Jacob Lawrance Hugh Buttler Esther Hall Mary Gandy Mary Hall Mary Bangs Eliz. Maddock Elinor Hyde Hannah Ashton Eliz. Williamson Elin Fornelly Ann Welch Mary Merrick Esther Crosbey Rachel Butter Rebekah Traford Ann Davis Katharine Lamb Martha Lamb Samuel Rilence Joseph Endon Hugh Burgis Tho. Williamson Roger Roe John Dutton William Hyde Richard Parkey Henry Maddock Benjamin Bangs Mary Peacock Maible Hancock Rebekah Pritchley Tabitha Ardern Rebekah Backley Ann Eaton Eliz. Ashbrook Eliz. Lawrance Martha Broadhurst Eleanor Cooke Esther Merrick Nehemy Bradley Hann. Littlemore Mary Worthington Margaret Garsell Elizabeth Welch Alice Rowland The Testimony of Thomas Camm concerning our dear Deceased Brother and Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ Roger Haydock IT is such as Die in the Lord who are Blessed being gathered to their Eternal Rest with the Spirits of Just Men made perfect and freed from Tears and Sorrows and manifold Sufferings Travels and Labours and whose Works follow them whose Names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life amongst the Living and is a sweet Savour and blessed Memorial to after-Ages And though we that are yet left behind may have loss in that they are outwardly removed from us yet ought therein to be content since it 's the good pleasure of the Almighty and the great Gain of them who are swallowed up in the Joy of the Lord unspeakable of which number it 's my present Sense and Testimony our dear Friend and Brother R. H. is one and has finished his Course here with Joy who in his day was a Man of God a faithful Man for the promoting the Interest of God his Truth and Righteousness given up to spend and be spent in the Service of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in all Faithfulness and Sincerity as well as plentifully Furnished thereto by him that hath the Infinite Treasures of Wisdom and Divine Knowledge and gives freely thereof to the Humble and Sincere in Heart and richly was this dear Man of God furnished for the Work of the Ministry which he was called to and found Faithful in for many Years to the finishing of his Course here and a Blessed Effect his Living and Powerful Ministry had upon the Hearts of many not only in turning them to the Lord's Way and Truth but also in Confirming Building up and Establishing many therein Being one of those Scribes commended by our Lord who are well instructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven and bringeth forth out of his Treasure things New and Old for the Instruction and Building up others many in this Nation and many others where he Travelled can Testifie and bear Witness unto Who are the Living Seals of his Ministry having good cause with thankful Hearts to bless the Lord on the behalf thereof It 's not with me to inlarge into the particular Travels and Labours of this Faithful Servant of the Lord in this and several other Nations supposing that may be the Work of others But as I well knew him and had an intimate and inward Acquaintance with him from the time that it pleased the great God of Eternal Glory to call sanctifie fit and furnish him to the Work of the Ministry which is most of Thirty Years by our often and frequent Travels together in that Work and Service in most parts of this Nation So that which I have in short to say and testifie herein with respect to God's Glory Service of his Truth and People and Discharge of Duty to and on the account of so Dear so Faithful and so greatly Beloved a Friend Brother and Companion is from Tried and long Experience and certain Knowledge as I felt it to spring and live upon my Mind in that Love and Life in which my Heart was firmly United to him as was Jonathan's to David Very shortly after I had the Heavy Tidings and Sorrowful Account of his being taken out of the Body and so removed from us as to outward Appearance under which Exercise I could not but mourn and say Ah my Brother I have a Loss of thee the Flock and Family of God has a Loss of thee and other Worthies at this time removed The Lord be intreated to
aright to my benefit satisfaction and comfort He was a Skilful Labourer in God's Vineyard knowing as well how to refresh water and gather in due season as to prune and keep up the Fence He was a Skilful and Valiant Soldier of the Lamb in Innocency shooting God's Arrows aright against Babylon and his Bow abode in its Strength He was not afraid of the Archers that shot at him having on the Shield of Faith which repelled their envious Darts His Fighting was not with Carnal but Spiritual Weapons under the Banner of Christ his Captain which is Universal Love in which Love he was rooted and grounded and flourished like a fresh and fruitful Tree more and more to the end of his time I was with him at a Meeting the day next before his Sickness began being but three days before his departure in which Meeting the Lord's Wisdom and Power in a great measure appeared with him opening many excellent things by him and his Service therein was great treating very fully and clearly of the sundry Dispensations of God towards Mankind in the several Ages of the World according to the several States and Conditions thereof in order that Mankind that had been in a lost and estranged Estate in Transgression might come again to be reconciled unto and acquainted with God their Creator and with him enjoy Everlasting Peace and Happiness Shewing also That God who at sundry times and in divers manners by his Angels and Prophets spoke unto Mankind formerly hath in these last days spoken to his People by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things by whom also he made the World who in the fulness of time came in the Body prepared for him Born of the Virgin Mary in which he spoke and did many excellent things and suffered many things yea even unto Death leaving to all that should believe in him an Example that they should follow his steps who laid down his Life for their Reconciliation to God and Redemption from all Iniquity And also according to the Scriptures he very clearly and largely declared and testified That the largest clearest and most general and excellent Dispensation of God's Love in his Son Christ Jesus is as it was in the Apostles time in this our Age and Generation in and by the Light and Spirit of Christ manifested in and unto his People who walk in Faithfulness and Obedience thereunto to which he Exhorted all and the Praise and Glory of all he ascribed to God whose Honour he sought and not his own The substance of which sound Declaration and living Testimony by the Lord's Power that attended it was so Imprinted in my Mind and Memory that day that I believe I shall never forget it So the Lord who had made him comely both outwardly and inwardly and adorned him with a meek low and quiet Spirit and with Wisdom clearly to discern the deep things of God in a great measure and to divide the Word of Truth aright in tender Love and sound Judgment was with him to the end of his time and when he had accomplished his great Service which the Lord called him unto and accompanied him in and blessed with success to the good of many he having fought the good Fight and kept the Faith and finished his Course laid down his Head in Peace and Died in the Lord the righteous Judge whose Cross in his time he having cheerfully born now enjoyeth the Crown of Everlasting Life and Righteousness and being at rest from his Labours his Works follow him and the Testimony of his Works Writings and Services may be of Benefit and Service in the Generations to come and his sweet Memorial will Live with the Just for ever He Departed the 11th Day of the 3d Month 1696. Henry Mollineux Given forth the 19th of the 8th Month 1697. Christopher Winn 's Testimony concerning Dear Roger Haydock Deceased AS touching this my dearly beloved Friend I cannot easily be silent but express something in Testimony concerning him for a three fold Reason First Because the Lord made him an Instrument to Preach the Word by which my hard and unbelieving Heart was reached and tender'd for although I had heard the Truth preached before by some Friends yet it was no more than a Wonder to me remaining still in gainsaying until it pleased God by his Ministry to open my Heart to receive the Word spoken by him by his explaination of that Prayer our Lord taught his Disciples and shewing who had right to call God Father was I convinced at which I often marvelled remembring my Zeal in my young Years for the repeating of it according to Tradition yet so it seemed good to the All wise God in whom I have believed and do reverently Bless his Name for sending his Messenger of Glad-tidings to Proclaim the acceptable Day and Preach the Gospel for which at that time he suffer'd Bonds and Imprisonment having only obtained Liberty for a little season which he bestowed in visiting the Churches I am through Mercy amongst others a Seal of his Ministry which he was careful as well as prudent to adorn in Conversation using sometimes in familiar Discourse to say He that Preaches abroad let him Preach at home He was self-denying for the Truth 's sake he was always in a Care and often in Admonition lest any should dishonour the Truth by out-going or disorderly walking whose Expression sometimes was To Walk in Truth was better than to Talk of it Secondly Because of my knowledge of him after my Convincement it falling to my lot of later time to be a Member of that particular Meeting he belonged to in which time he shewed that in him had God settled a Care as well to Build up in the Faith as to beget to it helpful to further and promote Vertue in us all and in no wise Censorious as to the Testimony of young Friends nor frowning whether they appeared before or after him Yea further without boasting I may say he was a Man greatly fearing the Lord apt to Teach prudent to Advise as well as able to do it I observed in difficult matters few too hard for him but by that Wisdom that was in him he had strength to go thâ—ow it So that his Death was a Surprisal as well as a felt and known Loss to the Churches amongst whom he frequently conversed and because thereof was their Hearts affected with Sorrow It may appear by his Journal he made use of his time leaving Wife and Children and Temporal Affairs to visit the Churches in these and other Nations My Third and Last Reason that hath been a motive to give this brief Relation is That near and true Respect I bore towards him in his Service amongst us in so much that with a tendered Mind I now remember him and a sence of his Spirit my Heart tenders And though to him to Dye is Gain yet to us Loss But who may say to God What dost Thou Or Why is it
Thus But rather strengthen our selves in the Lord that we may according to our Membership be more capable to serve the Lord and his People as we had him and others for Examples it was a Portion of the Lord's Spirit that made him a Worthy in Israel that hath made me at this time thus Testifie of him so that I can say He being Dead yet speaketh God by his goodness grant to raise many such helps in Israel to the dignifying of his Name which this our dear deceased Friend sought Since I have known Truth above twenty Years and observed the Conversation of such as were in Christ before me I have beheld few if any more remote from self-Praise or Exaltation I believe while in this Tabernacle I shall not forget his Advice to me the first opportunity I had with him after I was convinced by him viz. Not to Attribute any thing to Man but give God the Glory and with what Reverence and Gravity these things were expressed his Humility at that time reached the better part in me and I hope will remain as a Nail fastned in a sure Place My Prayer to the Lord is that he may raise many such Ministers in his now Israel to the furtherance of his Name Truth and Holiness and that many may be willing as he was to spend and be spent to go to and fro that Knowledge may be increased What I have already testified of this my Father and Friend for in his Bonds he begat me hath eased my Spirit I loved him dearly in his Life and no less at his Death whose Savour reached to People of all sorts and his Death lamented I was several times with him in his Sickness and was concerned in Mind to go down a little before his Departure so that with many good Friends I was present and saw him put off this outward Tabernacle though to our Sorrow yet in a full perswasion that he died the Death of the Righteous prepared for that future felicity which a numberless Number is following after which neither Hell nor Death Beast or false Prophet shall be able to hinder Amen Amen Although I could further Amplify and Enlarge this my Testimony yet shall desist with Real and Ardent Desires to the Lord that he may order our Conversation aright and that all that names the Name of Jesus may depart from Iniquity and be sanctified to reign with the Righteous World without End Christopher Winn. Penkâ—th near Warrington in Lancashire the 3d of the 3d Month 1697. William Ellis's Testimony concerning dear Friend Roger Haydock I Have much in my Heart concerning our dear Friend Roger Haydock tho' I cannot express to the full what I know of him but however I shall say the less not questioning but that there are Testimonies in the Hearts of many Friends to his Worth and Faithfulness and Service in the Blessed and Holy Truth wherein we have believed and felt the Blessed Effects of our Faith to the great Comfort and Consolation of our Souls It was about twenty one Years the last 3d Month since I was Convinced of the Blessed Truth And though I have since that day had many Instructors in Christ yet I have not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus was I begotten by him through the Gospel and the Operation of the Holy Spirit which did Effectually open a door of Entrance in my Heart as it opened a door of Utterance unto him It was at a Meeting at Bradley near Skipton in Yorkshire where he declared the Day of God which was broken forth in this Age in great Splendor to Enlighten Mankind he spoke many things which reached the States of many in that day alluding from the State of Israel of old who passed through the Sea and saw the wondrous Works which the Lord wrought for their Deliverance yet some forgot him and made themselves Idols of their Jewels and Earings saying These be thy Gods O Israel who brought thee out of the Land of Egypt and then sat down to Eat and Drink and rose to Play With many more precious Words wherewith he did sound forth the glorious Gospel I was abundantly satisfied that day with what I had felt and heard So I took heed unto the Word in my Heart unto which I had been directed by him and it grew and Increased and my Faith Increased and I became according to my small Measure obedient thereunto and my Soul was in love with the Truth and the Followers thereof especially with him who had been the Instrument of publishing the same to me his Feet was indeed beautiful unto me and I could say in Truth Blessed be him that Cometh in the Name of the Lord I saw his Zeal and was sensible of the Sincerity of his Heart and Endeavours in his Life-time to promote to his utmost the great Name of God And when through Providence I came to be more Intimately Acquainted with him I was confirmed in my sense of him and his Love to God and Zeal for the Truth and have in many private Opportunities with him been abundantly satisfied in the sweet Society and Fellowship we have injoyed together and I am fully perswaded that his Root was in the Truth and that he was sensible that the Root bore him and he grew therein and laboured much to bring People to be established upon the Sure Rock Christ Jesus the Root of Life upon which the True Church is Built And I know his Labours in that Respect was great and the Lord saw his Faithfulness and poured out upon him the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding and of a sound Mind to promote Good Discipline and Comely Order in his Church that She might be like the True Church of Old which John spoke of under the Similitude of A Woman who was clothed with the Sun and had the Moon under her Feet Which Glory did far Excel the Glory that attended Solomon in his best State for the sake of which the Queen of the South came far and was overcome with the Sight thereof Thus did he Labour and Travel in his Day spending himself that the Church might be adorned with the Comely Attire and Ornaments of the Holy Spirit and that the Name of the Lord Jesus her Head might spread to the Ends of the Earth Blessed be the great God of Heaven and Earth that raised up him and many more who could hold the Sword and be Expert in the War like the Cant. 3.7 8. Threescore Valiant Men of Israel who kept the Bed of Solomon Or like the Judges 20.15 16. Men of Benjamin who could Sling to an Hairs Breadth and not miss The Lord Raise up more such Faithful Labourers in his Vineyard and give them Wisdom and Zeal to Train up those who shall believe in the Truth in sound Discipline as well as in Word and Doctrine that he may Restore unto the Churc◠〈◊〉 1.26 Judges as at the First and 〈◊〉 as at the Beginning that Men may call them The City of
Word of Eternal Life of which this our faithful Friend was a Minister to which work the Lord by his Grace had called him and he freely gave up and devoted himself to that Service for which the Lord had well fitted and qualified him and made him of great Ability through the Spirit giving him sound Knowledge and deep Discerning to find out the Mysterious Workings of the Enemy of Mankind so that he was very skillful to divide the Word of Truth aright And at that time there was great Service to be done for the Lord for then many had tender Desires after the Knowledge of God and were Seeking and Enquiring after the way of Truth which leadeth to Eternal Life and to such he was an Helper and faithful Instructor in the Lord Jesus and being zealously Careful that he might compleat the Work and Service that the Lord had called him unto and promote the Interest and Honour of God and be Instrumental for the good of many of the Children of Men He went under a great Concern and Exercise of Spirit through great Travels Sufferings and Labour of Body preaching the Gospel of Christ freely that many might be turned to God and gain the Knowledge of him and be gathered into the one Fold and Pasture of Eternal Life out of the By-Ways and Dark Paths and Vain Religions of the worldly-minded and so might know a coming out of Darkness and a walking in the true Light and way of Life and Righteousness that they might please their Creator and answer the end of his Love revealed in his Son and manifested in the Light And the Lord who imployed him in his Service blessed his endeavours therein for many received his Testimony and thereby were turned from Darkness to Light and out of the Paths of Error into the Way of Righteousness His Labours and Travels are in part declared by his Journal which sheweth his Travels in several Countries and Nations and sometimes amongst People of a strange Language A blessed work he went through in faithfulness unto the End He was a great Helper and of great Service in the Church of Christ and his Labours and Ministry therein were very successful he was often prevalent to end Differences and Discord where the Enemy had sown any amongst Brethren His Doctrine received of the Lord was sound and deep Matters were often opened by him and it was his delight to do Service for God and to help the good Work forward in any he being earnestly concerned that all that knew God might Glorifie him as God And the Lord blessed him whilst here with such Mercies as appertain to the making of a Man's Life Comfortable in this World which the Lord saw no doubt he was worthy of who richlâ— recompenseth all those that Love him and Seek his Honour and the Welfare of his Church as this our faithful Friend did and his Memorial will be long upon the Earth amongst the Generations of the Righteous I might write much concerning him and his Vertuous Life which was Comely and Honourable and of a loving and friendly Behaviour amongst Men His Company was Pleasant and Profitable and many were sorry to part with him But though his Removal hence be a loss to many yet I am well assured that he hath gained thereby and is in the enjoyment of Peace and of an endless Treasure in Heaven amongst the number of the Blessed with Christ in his Kingdom and being at rest from his Labours his Works follow him And it is my earnest desire that we who are left behind which is but for a little space may so improve our Time and Gifts that in the end we may have a Share of the same Reward that is laid up for all the Faithful James Laithwait A Brief Account c. An EPISTLE to FRIENDS of Blackrod Meeting IN Love unfained do I Salute you and in the Fear of God Exhort you to Faithfulness and in the Word of the Lord Counsel you To be Watchful in your Meetings that the weighty Work and Service of God which he hath concerned you in be not slighted by any of you through Unfaithfulness and want of Watchfulness Friends The Seed which God hath sown is good if you be watchful it will grow and prosper and cover the Ground and the Earth will be blessed But if you sleep the Enemy will sow Tares which will grow up with it and choke it so the Ground that affords them nourishment will be cursed This is the Word of Truth unto you so as in Love to the Seed which is good and in Bowels of Compassion to your Immortal Souls which are of great Price in the sight of God desiring the Seed's Prosperity and your Souls Good in the sense of its Suffering and of the Deprivation of God's Love unto you who in this Incumbent Duty of Watchfulness have been negligent it hath been upon me many times in the Motion of God's Spirit to Reprove your Negligence and likewise Exhort and Admonish you to Faithfulness in that Duty whilst conversant with you even so since remote from you outwardly separated and under Bonds restrained the sence of the Non-performance of that so weighty a Duty on your behalf who are herein concerned whereby God's Righteous Soul hath been vexed and the Spirit of the Upright and Sincere-hearted to God amongst you have been made sad hath sometimes come before me to my grief and yet remaineth in my view to the saddening of my Spirit who am truly a well-wisher of Zion and one though outwardly confined yet travels for the Prosperity of Jerusalem in Spirit which is at liberty which Man cannot confine Therefore it entered my Heart in the Word of Truth to signifie God's Counsel unto you That ye be watchful that the good Seed which God hath sown may grow deeply having depth of Earth even room in the honest Heart that it may bring forth in some Thirty in some Sixty in some an Hundred fold but in all of you some to his Praise lest the Enemy sow his Seed and it grow and the Ground be nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned And Friends another word hath often run thorough me when present with you That you Love one another and the same word is in me though I be from you whereby I know the Cause yet remains in you And truly I may take up a Lamentation for you who are concerned who will not be counselled How often hath the Lord striven with you How often hath his Word been spoken unto you And how often hath his Servants laboured amongst you And do you yet live in Strife and Contention Truly I am sorry for you and that the precious Truth is dishonoured by you it is a grief upon my Spirit and upon the Spirits of the Upright-hearted among you If therefore you have an Ear to hear hear put away Strife Envy and Contention and labour a Reconciliation in the Love if so be the Lord's Anger may be appealed
Answ We truly and dearly own the Scriptures or Book called the Bible but the words contained in that Book are not all of equal Authority one with another See thy own Testimony concerning the Scriptures or Bible which is as followeth The Scriptures are not God Christ nor the Spirit but Laws and Doctrines Histories and Reports given by the Inspiration of God I say The words which God spake unto Man saying Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine Heart and thy Neighbour as thy self Were and Are of greater Authority than those words which as History or Relation declare of the Wars and Battels of the Jews and other such Historical Matters and of greater Authority to and among Christians than those words that related to Circumcision the Blood of Bulls Goats and Rams and the Ashes of an Heifer c. these being Shadows and to pass away And the words of Christ who said to his Disciples I am the Vine ye are the Branches as the Branches cannot bring forth Fruit except they abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me And without me ye can do nothing My Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you These words are of greater Authority than the Relation or Histories of the Apostles outward Travel by Sea or Land and they are of greater Authority than those words that speak of Paul's Cloak that he left at Troas mentioned in 2 Tim. 4.13 and all other such Historical Matters The People called Quakers do prefer and esteem the Book called the Bible or Holy Scriptures above any outward Writing or Book extant upon the Earth because of the Verity and Plenty of deep heavenly Sayings uttered by God unto Moses and the Prophets through the several Ages of the World and particularly and eminently through the heavenly Man Christ Jesus who was anointed with the Oyl of Gladness above his Fellows and filled with the Spirit without measure Nevertheless we do affirm that the Spirit of God in this Age hath moved several of us to write Books which have been Instrumental in his Hand for Good unto many with respect to their Immortal Souls God the Holy One changeth not neither is he to be limited and all our Books and Writings are not of equal Authority one with another some treat of our inward Experience of the Work of God in which are contained words that do direct Man and Woman to the Manifestation of the Spirit of God which is given them to profit withal to the Grace of God which brings Salvation to the Light wherewith Christ lighteth every one that comes into the World Some others of our Books do treat of our Sufferings and outward Exercises c. which though all of them be true yet some are of greater weight than others And Destruction comes upon People because they do not believe in and obey the Light Grace and Spirit of God which he hath given them to lead them out of Sin into all Truth Those who read our Writings without Prejudice may receive Good thereby as by Instruments which God makes use of and such who do so they will return the Glory to God as we do And those who read our Books in Envy and Malice the Murdering Spirit blinds their Minds and God doth condemn such And for J. C's saying He proved by Arguments the Scriptures rightly to be called by this Title The word of God Here the Reader hath no more but his say so which I deny to be any proof at all neither did he prove it but in this also is a Lyar. J. C. saith The Quakers acknowledge the Scriptures to be the Words of God by their own Confession every Scripture Word is God's Word Reply This is a dark Consequence J. C. hath drawn Though we own God's Words in the Scriptures to be his Words yet this doth not follow that we own every word in the Scripture to be God's Word For in the Scriptures there are words of the Serpent who is called the Devil and Satan words of wicked Men as well as God's words and words of good Men And hath not J. Cheyney here manifested his Falshood Let the Reader judge J. C. further saith R. H. in the Dispute denyed all Scripture to be given by Inspiration of God and would read the words 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture given by Inspiration of God is profitable leaving out Is c. Reply J. C. himself grants the word is not to be expressed in the Original Text but that the Original Text is read thus All Scripture given by Inspiration of God c. the word is not being expressed why then should R. H. be blamed for reading it according to the Original Text which was before the English Copy or Translation Yet there is extant some old English Bibles in which this Scripture is thus read All Scripture given by Inspiration of God is profitable c. And the word is and also the Conjunction and about which J. C. quarrels so much are left out But it seems J. C. will rather skirmish with his own Shadow than have nothing to do For what he grants to be true R. H. must if he can reach it be stigmatized as some Blasphemer But this way of skirmishing will never hurt R. H. nor stain his Reputation amongst good Men. R. H. acknowledged and doth acknowledge All Scripture given by Inspiration of God to be profitable c. But J. C. is Angry with him because he will not say All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God though he grants the word is not to be expressed in the Original Text therefore R. H's Reading is true And that all Scripture which is as much as to say All Writing is given by Inspiration of God I think J. C. himself If considerate will not assert for All Writing contains or comprehends every Writing that is written not only in the Scriptures of Truth the Books of the Prophets Evangelists the Epistles of the Apostles and other Writings of Truth extant but all other Writings extant of what matter or subject soever they treat If J. Chayney grants this that all Writing viz. all Books of what nature or kind soever that are written printed and published to the World are not given by Inspiration of God as sure he will then he grants all Scripture is not given by Inspiration of God for All Scripture comprehends all Writing and all Writing includes all Books that are written and all Books that are written are not profitable to the Man of God for Doctrine c. Then he must needs grant the Apostles Meaning was according to the Original Text with which the old English Bibles agree to wit All Scripture given by Inspiration of God is profitable c. This sense the Original Text will bear without any wrong to the Truth or the Apostle who spoke it forth To this the Apostle