the Lord was his upholder in all hardships And by his powerful arm did support him in all tryals and exercises that he met with Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever he did so worthyly walk in his life time obedient unto the grace of God which appeared in his heart that when it pleased the Lord to visit him with sickness the Lord made it casie unto him that he many times did say greater was his peace then his pain peace did far out ballance his pain and said I have not served the Lord for nought and very quietly took his sickness Saying he was well contented whatsoever way the Lord was pleased he was as a Dove harmless and as a Lamb Innocent also waited he upon the Lord until his change did come which when the time came that he no longer might live in that Body he prepared was to meet the Bridegroom and an admittance into the Bridegroom's Chamber was found where I know he is at rest and peace for ever more with the Lord. O Happy art thou dear William Happy and Blessed of the Lord art thou for ever Blessed art thou that is dead in the Lord. Thou shalt rest from thy labour and thy works do follow thee Amongst the Angels bright shall thou shine In Heaven's joy to remain for ever Where thou a Crown of life hast obtained A Diadem most bright shalt thou wear It was this thou laboured for here It is obtained now by thee in Heaven where it was sure there laid up for thee till thou thy Testimony had finisht Now rejoyce thou dear friend and brother In heaven's Glory shalt thou shine for ever William Rawes Thomas Atkinson his Testimony concerning Will. Wilson ANd this same Will. Wilson was a man indued with Heavenly and divine Knowledge which the Lord had given him and was made able to divide the word aright to every condition he had milk for the babes to nourish them withal and stronger food for men of strength to go on with boldness in the Lords work And for temporal affairs both for himself and others who made use of him he was so honest true and faithful in his dealings that none could justly lay any thing to his charge in this state he both lived and dyed as to the World but the remembrance of him will remaine for ages and generations yet to come I had good experience of himself many years and therefore I can give my Testimony for him that he was an honest faithful man although his body be gone the way of all flesh Thomas Atkinson William Walker his Testimony concerning Will. Wilson THis is my Testimony concerning my dear friend late deceased which the Lord hath taken away from among us and is received into everlasting rest with the Father where peace and joy is for evermore enjoyed This Testimony I have to bear and to leave upon record for him this day that his labour and travail was for the good of all for he being one that often frequented my Fathers house and he was made instrumental in the hand of the Lord in that family when we were young in years for in the remembrance of him my heart and soul and spirit is even broken many times within me so that many a time my Spirit cannot but mourn within me for want of such a dear friend though not as one without hope being well satisfied that his soul is in everlasting felicity where true rest and peace with the Lord for ever more And further this Testimony I have to bear for him that he was a man that was truely willing to labour with his hands in the creation and that alwayes a tender regard over his family for this I can truely say for him that it was his greatest joy that his children should be kept in the fear of the Lord in which the living God hath had a regard to answer for whom my Soul and Spirit on their behalf can truely at this time give unto God the praise to whom all true praises belongs for ever and for evermore saith my Soul William Walker Michael Wilsons Testimony concerning his Brother William Wilson WIlliam Wilson being my natural Brother and by trade a Taylor and I when young being his Apprentice as well as his Brother can in Reallity and truth give this Testimony concerning him who before his convincement he was one that sought the Lord to the utmost of his understanding then and for disputing about the things of God and the Scriptures he was behind few of the Professors of those times and was one that walked as Circumspectly as the most part of them did Being zealous in his way yet still some thing there was in him unsatisfied which the Lord in his own due time did satisfie and by his living and eternal power did raise to bear a Testimony for him unto which Testimony vaised by the Lord in his heart he was obedient and willing to be led and guided which led him into the way of God which is light for Christ said who is the way to God I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not abide in darkness but shall have the light of life In which light he came to see that a profession of the truth made not a Christian but a possession of it and also in it he came to see deceit both in Priests and Professors who talked of the way of the Lord but walked in the way of error preaching praying and singing for gifts and rewards having more regard for the fleece then for the flock seeking their gain from their Quarters having lofty Spirits and proud and haughty looks loving to go in long Robes that they may be taken notice of sitting in the highest Rooms of feasts and having the Cheifest places in the Synagogues and loving salutations in the market places and to be called master even Lording over people against which my dear Friend and Brother was several times moved by the living power of God to try and declare and in his holy light did testifie against them who had got on Sheeps Cloathing but inwardly was Ravening wolves for which he was cruelly handled at several Steeple-houses both by Priests and People as for instance When we went to work one time at a House where was one Charles Crow a Priest who came into the Room where we were working who walked a while to and fro in the Room with a Book in his hand somewhat larger then a pocket Bible unto whom my Brother moderately said Charles thou hast a great toyl in getting thy lesson at which words the Priest in a rage came and took him by the hair of his head where he was upon an high form sitting before the table and pulled him down to the ground panching him with his feet and knocking him on the head with the Book which knocking some Women in another Room heard and came at that time and prevented the Priest from doing any further harm And
The memorial of the just shall not rot of the Just shall not Rot. Or a Short COLLECTION OF Some of the letters of that faithful Servant of the Lord William Wilson VVHO Departed this life the tenth day of the fifth Month 1682 at his own House at Longdale-Chappelsteel in the County of Westmoreland TOGETHER VVith several Testimonies Concerning his faithfulnes in his day UNTO VVhich is added a brief accompt of some of the buffetings Imprisonments and spoiling of goods he patiently suffered for his Testimonies sake Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord he shall be as Mount Sion that cannot be moved LONDON Printed for Thomas Northcott in George-Yard in Lombard-street MDCLXXXV ERRATA PAge 3. l. 1. for lay r. laid l. 26. f. into r. to f. men r. me p. 7. l. 1. after 〈…〉 l. 5. f. r. had p. 12. l. 15. f. with r. in the p. 13. l. 12. after that r. 〈…〉 f. direct r. directs l. 32. after that r. it p. 14. l. 9. f. sin r. seen l 18. f. they r. 〈…〉 l. last f. all r. his p. 22. l. 2. blot out W. W. p. 24. l. 12. f. the from r. thee from 〈…〉 38 dele as p. 38. l. 1. f. though r. through p. 34. l. 30. f. his r. is p. 34. l. 17. r. 〈…〉 their l. 25. f. your r. you p. 37. l. 17. f. conetenous r. covetous p. 38. dele the 4 〈…〉 40. l. 24. after not put at p. 42. l. 20. f. Prioners r. Prisoner p. 43. l. 17. r. Testimony p. 53. l. 15. f. mortal r. immortal l. 21. f. have r. hear l. 26. f. messuge r. message l. 34. f. of r. for p. 56. l. 3. dele out p. 56 l 3 f hoest r honest l. 12. dele believers l. 16. f. casting r. causing There are several other mistakes which the Reader is desired to correct To the Reader FRiend whoever thou art that reads the ensuing Treatise may understand that there are only a few of the Letters and Epistles which have since his decease been found in loose papers and that many Heavenly Exhortations to friends which he wrote in his day are lost and but only as it were a few of many here inserted for although he was born and educated very meanly in this dark corner of the Earth and had very little Humane Learning only he could Read English and 〈…〉 little yet but slowly and was by his Trade and occupation a 〈…〉 the Lord was pleased to call him as he did Fisher-men and 〈…〉 of old into his Heavenly work and Ministery to bear 〈…〉 to his Name in many parts of this Nation and also Scotland 〈…〉 places and he was a faithful man and was given up to do 〈…〉 work and always had a word of Exhortation to the People that he met with or had to do withal so what thou here sinds presented to thy view did not proceed from any Humane Education or wisdom of Man but only what the Lord was pleased to reveal in him by his Spirit and so is not worded with high Scholastick words but even homely words and plain Countrey speech being always a man of a very lowly meek Spirit and easie to be intreated and being he had little Humane Learning is the reason why both time and place of some of his Writings is not taken notice of And this I have to say concerning him being one who hath several times joyned with him as in Arbitration to end differences between man and man that he was a very upright honest man and I never found him any way byassed by any for whom be was concerned but always was at work to seek out the truth and ground of every thing in difference and would never countenance deceit or such as had a mind to wrangle but did always reprove and discountenance such as he found had a mind of Suits and Controversies and commonly when he was appointed in such matters he had good success and seldom missed of his desired end for he was a lover of Peace and sought it often with all his might and was also an encourager of those that sought peace and loved to love in quiet though he would not have bowed a finger of his hand to satisfy the will of man contrary to what was manifested in him either in payment of Tythes or Priest Salaried or when he was brought before Magistrates and Rulers for the Exercise of his Conscience to wards God and for the blessed Truths sake which he professed and also was and now is a true Pofessor of and hath received a Crown of Glory with the God of Truth whose faithful servant and true warri ur he was and his Bow always abode in its perfect strength to shoot an Arrow at all manner of deceipt and hypocrisie though to the hazzard of his outward man by the violent hands of wicked and unreasonable men yet the Lord was always his deliverer who now hath taken him to his Eternal rest and removed all weights and burdens from his shoulders and tears from his Eyes for that he always suffered with those who were sufferers for Truths Testimony and was often made willing to put his Shoulder under anothers burden and hath often given ease to such as were heavy loaden by lending a hand of help and though I had not the happiness to be with him in the time of his Sickness save only the space of one hour the morning before he departed in which time he often said he had no trouble upon him although he was very weak yet he walked several times over the slower with me and also a little out of door saying his peace far exceeded his pain though he felt himself very weak and in a few hours after he sweetly departed this life the tenth day of the fifth Month in the year 1682. and is entred into everlasting Joy and blessedness with his God and hath received an inheritance in that Kingdom that shall never have end where many who are yet in this body who have been refreshed by him in his day have true unity with his Spirit and in remembrance of him can glorify and praise and give thanks unto his God who is over all and worthy of praise and thansgiving for ever His Wives Testimony Concerning her Dear Husband William Wilson A Living Test mony I have to give Concerning my Dear Husband He was a dear and tender Husband over me and that is the cause of my Sorrowing for the loss of his outward Body yet I can truely say I have peace and true unity with his Spirit as I ever had when we lived together Blessed and praised be the Name of the Lord for evermore who joyned us together in his Heavenly fear and pure unspotted love and was our guider on our way both inwardly and outwardly and in that same love that the Lord joyned us together in we lived in the same till the Lord was pleased to take him from me who is worthy of his own although
Sword of Gods Spirit that it may be broken down and all made as a plain before him and serve him in true feer with a perfect love and upright heart out of all forms shews or forms of Godliness in the true power and senceableness of the pure holy life which he hath raised up in us to bear his heavenly Image under his heavenly banner which is love under which we are to make wair in much patience in this day of Battle wherein they are fighting against us with a cause and we cannot resist them with Sword nor with Spear but in patience suffer under them all during the Lords time in which I rest and bid you all farewell This was as a part of my dear love to you my Friends because I wish you well William Wilson DEar friends that suffer in Carlile Prison for non payment of Tyths or otherwise in bearing a pure Testimony for the Holy God of eternal life unto you is my dear love and the tender Salutation of my life ye sufferers for the Lord do it with thearfulness of heart in the tenderness of your Spirits towards the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent a light into the world to lighten the blind Eyes and be the Glory of his People in the midst of Tribulations Persecutions or sufferings and friends I know that you are not unsensible of the eternal love of God which is more in this day then the whole world blessed be his holy name for ever friends it s no marvel that you suffer persecution for Righteousness sake seing the hard heartedness cruelty that is in the world through unbelief and hardness of heart amongst the sons and daughters of men who in these days have set themselves against the Lord and against his anointed his People and chosen ones whom God hath gathered and not men therefore friends of the same flock c sheep of his foald be you gathered together in the Lord and feel his daily love over all and above all your Persecuters and heads of your Enemies in the daly Cross and power of the righteous God of Heaven and Earth who gives you dominion over all in his power and authority to stand in the day of Tryal during the Lords time unto the time of God over all who is to be waited on above all blessed for ever who hath called you and us for that very purpose that we may waite upon his name and feel his strength and blessed presence and loving power in which friends you may have boldness with good Courage to testifie of his name unto all the world in your sufferings and in your Conversation as the Lord makes way in your heart for the glory of his truth and the honour of his eternal name which is become great amongst us and is the strong Tower of the righteous and safe hyding place of his people in the Storms and in the Tempest he his the sure stay of all them that trusts in him and stands to him in all Tryals and trouble whatsoever The Lord kindles up his own Spirit in them and riases up his own Seed which he hath blessed to magnifie his mercys over all and Rejoyce in the hearts of his called ones and gathered ones to place his name among in this day of his living truth in which he is much made manifest by the vallour of his Power which raigns in his Saints and faithful Servants to the glory of his name and counts the present sufferings of this life nothing to the glory that shall be revealed oh the endless love of God that is manifested in our hearts is it past expressing with my tongue or relating with my pen but this is my pure satisfaction that you know the Lord and is sensible men of his eternal truth which is able to fill your hearts with praises unto God and rejoyce in the midst of trouble and make you willing to lay down your lives for his sake if he should require it for his Testimony is true you know and can seal to it in your sufferings with the rest of many more of your Brethren and Sisters fellow Sufferers in this day who Witnesses their lives raised through sufferings who rejoyces that they are found worthy not being weary nor thinking time long but waits with much patience the Lords time some of our friends is released already in laying down their bodys in this their present sufferings for the Lord which they did I believe in much joy of heart a lightsomness of mind to the preaching of the truth of God and incouragment of friends in the truth who rejoyces with the faithful over all to the praise and glory of his name for ever and friends here is Copies of two Papers that were set upon their Corpses as they were had to then burial places and after spread abroad in the Country and sent up and down amongst friends and you may send Copies of them and you may see Service for them amongst friends or others if it be into Northumberland or in Scotland as you see way made there may beservice in sending them abroad so I rest your dear friend in the eternal truth of God and a sufferer for the same because I cannot swear Willam Wilson TO all you who say your are the Seed of Abraham Abraham believed God and so was found Righteous and all you that say you are of the same Seed and not in the same belief I say you are not the Children of Abraham did not the God of Israel promise by Moses whom you say you believe that he would raise up a Prophet like unto him and him the people should hear in all things and they that would not here that Prophet should be cut of from among the People so to you who are called Jews was I moved to write these few lines and to exhort you to that Prophet whom God promised to raise and I witness him raised and the goverment is laid on him and of his dominion there shall be no end and so to him I exort you all he is near to you even in your hearts and in your Consciences teaching you to deny all that is contrary to the God of Israel did not Moses say that the word is nigh thee in thy heart and in thy mouth to do it People this word become flesh and dwelt among us and this flesh was Crucified but the word lives and abides forever in which the Lord is worshipped and all other worships is Abomnable unto him doth he not say he is weary with the Sacrifices yea truely people he is wearyed with them for his delight is in his Elected one doth not the God of Isreal say behold my Servant whom I uphold my Elect in whom my Soul delighteth I put my Spirit upon him and he shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles verily people he is Judging the secrets of all hearts both of Jews and Gentiles so again I exhort you all to
turn your minds to within and see if the light will not judge righteously for the God of Isreal and will shew you plainly that he was a true Prophet whom your Fathers believed not and to this Prophet must you come before you know the God of Isreal even this word which is nigh in your mouth and in your hearts so none of you be ashamed to stoop to this word which is nigh did not the God of Isreal say that though the Children of Isreal were as the Sand of the Sea yet a remnant was to be saved so see which of you is of that remnant and what you are saved from for they who are saved are saved from sin and made clean by this word of Life but them who lives in sin and uncleaness are neither Children of Abraham no Servants to the God of Isreal but are a dishonour to the God of Isreal as also many are who profess Christ in words and lives not in the life of Christ such are a dishonour to his name and his woe is upon them but do not you stumble at them for their destruction is of themselves for though they be proud or lyers or coveteous they have not so learned of him for no such thing was found in him but the Light in you judges and condemns these things in both them and you and so to this we exhort you all which teaches truth in the inward parts and this is it the Lord requires W. W. We desire you English men to read this Paper ALL people repent and turn to the Lord God the Creator of all things in whose power we stand witnesses against all manner of evil as it doth appear and reproveth it as we are moved of the Lord and for this cause are we hated of the world but we marvel not for it hated him even Christ Jesus who is the Light of the world which lighteth every man that cometh into the world and this Light is in you all reproving you for sin and every evil work and all that is willing to be guided by it it leadeth out of the vanities of the world and not to Fashion our selves like unto this world and herein do we become a prey to the wicked and a gazing stock to the Nations in this day of the Lord but we have found him faithful that promises in obediance to him we shall eat the good of the Land and now we know him made manifest in the flesh destroying he works of the Devil and giving victory over the world and the Lusts thereof and truly people this is in love to all your Souls to whom it may come to be read and to this turn your minds that would redeem your Souls out of death the Light of Christ which Comprehendeth all them that live in wickedness be they never so high or low it searcheth the heart and tryeth the reins and is a sure witness for God and Condemns all the proud and wanton ones and the high and lofty ones and will bring them down to the ground and this hath been revealed by his Son to us and we are bold to declare is among you that God may be clear in all his judgments for he is just in all his doings and hath not brought destruction upon any without warning them aforehand so prize your time you know not your hour and make no mock at sin nor scorn not the Lords doings it is of his own good will that he hath revealed these things unto babes and sucklings and hid them from the Eyes of the wise and prudent and thus do we witness in our measures and do return him praise to whom all praise and honour doth belong and he will not give it to any other and he hath ordayned the foolish things of this world to confound the wisdom of the wise and to bring to nought the understanding of the prudent and all that would be wife let them first become Fooles that they may grow wise for the wisdom of God is fool shness to the world and mans wisdom must be destroyed before ever he know the wisdom of God for man by wisdom knows nor God for what as may be known of God is manifest in you and so friends to the Light of Christ Jesus the only Son of God the Father of life turn your minds and with it search your selves honestly and see how ye stand justified in the sight of God and aproved in his Light which doth never aprove of any evil but condmns all unrighteousness in whomsover it doth arise yea the very thoughts and intent of your hearts are seen in this Light and comprehended so all be warned and take heed how ye despise them who are sent of the Lord singlely and simplely to fore-warn you of the evil to come though they be never so simple yet faithful to him who hath called and is willing to waite in his council not fearing what man doth unto us but are willing to suffer any thing for righteousness sake knowing that sufferings was ever the Saints portion whosoever killed them thought they did God service therefore take heed to the Light and see what you do for we are not ashamed to bear our Testimony for Jesus before any for it is Truth and that never makes ashamed and our lives is not in our own hands neither dare we fly from the Lords Conucil to feed the wisdom of man but to that of God in you all do we hope to be made manifest though it is cross to the first nature at present yet upon your beds consider and in the Light examin whether you did see us act or speak any thing that was not of the truth and we desire to be convinced of it by Scripture otherwise be ashamed to speak against us if you find us not according to the Scriptures nay glory to God it is for no evil you can hate us but because we cannot follow to the same excess of Riot therefore you speak evil of us now to that of God in you all let it judge between you and us whether you do not love a drunkard better then be that reproves him ye or nay or a swearer or lyer or a conereous prophane proud Persons or they who are in the Fashiens of the world which is vain better then them who are redeemed out of them and stands witnesses against them yea or nay all these are works of darkness which the Children of God have no fellowship with but are to reprove them hath the God of this world so far blinded your Eyes that you cannot see these to be the works of the Devil and is not this a dishonor to our Nation that such cursed fruit as pride and haughtyness lightness and vainness as doth appear in many of you should be brought out of it to wit our Nation think it not strange if the Lord smite you with a curse for these things nor count us not deceivers because we cannot speak peace to you for there
not forget his Servants whom he hath chosen to place his name among who stands faithful unto him them will he deliver one way or other we need not look how the Lord knows what way makes most for his Glory as I remember the death of Oliver Atherton that sweet Martyr for the Lord in bearing the same Testimony who the same night before he dyed sang praises to the Lord in a most heavenly manner as many Witnesses can testifie because he suffered this lingering Marterdom for the Lord of Glory who ended the tenth and redeemed him out of the ninth as it is written in the declaration of his death that was set upon his Corps as he was carryed home to his family to be buryed as the Countess of Darby could witness who was his great Aversary and Prosecuter into Prison who dyed her self about six weeks after and then all the rest were released as by the providence of the Lord whom they suffered for And then they who we made as Widdows and fatherless for a time were eased of their sufferings as these who are now as poor Widows fatherless Children may die in due Season as the Lord sees good whom thou hast made through thy Jewish custom of taking tenths though in that day it was lawful for the Jews yet I never read in Scriptures that they sued at Law for them as thou doest nor received them for that end as thou doest nor made Widdows nor fatherless Children as thou dost nor lay'd men in Prison for them as thou doth nor when one Law would not serve went to another as thou hast done nor never gave Goalers strict charge over them as some of you have done but the Lord will revenge for these things to whom we leave it for I will repay it saith the Lord and this was I moved to write by the God of my life unto thee or whom it may concern in the behalf of my brethren and their wives and little Children who cannot do as much for themselves that thou may consider their cases who suffers for the Lord and dare not pay Tyths for pleasing man and thereby offend God who hath brought them to make a good Confession of his name before men and is not ashamed of their Christian duty to God who hath redeemed them out of the ninths and left them Witnesses against the tenths for his names sake Glory to the Lord for ever VV. W. A short Letter to the Priests and their hearers FRiends Christ Jesus who said he is the way of truth and the life John 1. saith also he is Light of the world and whosoever believes in him shall not abide in darkeness but shall have the Light of life John 8.12 So truely friends this is the Light of Christ Jesus which sheweth you sin and what is evil in you and this is that which is not of the world neither can the world receive it for the whole world lyeth in wickedness but this of God to which we speak doth never consent unto wickedness but reproveth all manner of evil whatsoever and sheweth you that you should not wrong one another but do to all men as ye would they should do to you friends this is the way of truth and to speak the truth one to another this will stand in the Light which is the truth and truly if you love God you will love the Light for God is Light and of Purer Eyes then to behold iniquity and a measure of the Spirit is given to every one of you by manifestation to profit withall so every one search honestly your own hearts and see how you have profited with it for truly an acount must you give of your deeds done in your bodies whether they be good or evil now all evil is manifest to be of the Devil as lying swearing theft drunkenness desembling deceiving with the rest of all ungodly actions therefore repent and forsake your sins and return from the evil of your doings for the Lord wills not the death of a sinner but rather that you would return from your wickedness and live to serve him alone in that which is holy and just and good for to live in sin and lusts of uncleaness is death and destruction and dear people strive to enter in at the staite gate which leadeth to life and few there be that find it but wide is the way and broad is the gate that leadeth to destruction and many there be that find it so I dearly exhort you all to read your conditions honestly and see how you stand justified in the Light of the Son of God and your time all to prize and turn to the Light while you have the Light reproving you for sin in Secret when as no mortal Eye doth behold and by believing and obeying it it will lead you out of darkness and this is the true Teacher and near unto every one of you all and cannot be removed into a corner but is present with us and you at all times and in all places and sees the very thoughts and intents of the heart and no other way is to the Father but by the Son who is the true Light that lighteth every man that comes into the world and this is in love to all your Souls let him that readeth understand and you that teacheth others whether you are taught your selves of him who is the true teacher Christ Jesus Secondly and whether they that are taught of him are taught to settle themselves at one certain place for so much a year as can agreed betwixt partys Thirdly whether they that be so are not of that sort that Esaiah saith seeks their gain from their Quarter and the hireling that Christ saith flyeth Fourthly whether they be not of that sort that stands praying in the Sinagogue hath upermost places in the Assemblys and is called of men Master Fifthly whether they have not mens Persons in admiration because of advantage and reverenceth honour one of anothor and calleth men Masters Sixly whether these be not of the same generation that Jermiah saith steal the words from their neightbour and saith the Lord saith when the Lord hath not spoken to them Sevenly whether these be not in the way of Canan envy and Balaum seeing after gifts and rewards W. W. Letter from Scotland to friends about Kendal in Westmoreland DEAR friends in and about Kendal these may signifie to you all who is desirous to heare of me that I am well blessed be the Lord for the same and my heart affcted with the deaar love of God unto you my true friends with whom I have fellowship in the heavenly Union and Comfortable Spirit of our eternal God who is present with us at all times and places who cannot be seperated from his own from his own life in his people who hath chosen him for their way and for their life cannot live without him who is life the Lord of hosts is his name he is my life my
it be a hard Exercise to me many a time now in my old age to part with so Dear a Husband but all is but a reasonable sacrifice for the Lord who is the preserver of our Souls that live in obedience unto his Will And this I can truely say and that to my great Comfort that when the Lord was pleased to call him from me upon the Truths Account whether in England or Scotland I never was his hindrance but was freely willing to give him up to the service that the Lord had called him unto for I have often bidden him take no care for any thing he left behind but have said perform thy journey as thou sees the Lord makes thy way which I know he did and that with faithfulness and that is his everlasting joy and my great comfort though I be left behind him in this World but my desire and â—â—eathing is to the Lord to preserve me and my two Daughters in his heavenly way to our lives end as he did my dear Husband who laid down his body as an innocent Lamb Saying often times I have not served the Lord unfruitfully and also said I have no trouble upon me and I am very sensible that all is well with him for he was a peaceable man to the very latter end of his daies Blessed and praised be the name of the Lord for evermore who hath received him unto his everlasting joy and felicity for evermore The 17th of the 11th Month 1682. Dorothy Wilson His Daughter Rebecca's Testimony concerning her Father THis is my Testimony concerning my dear and well beloved Father William Wilson he was a dear and tender Father towards me and that is the cause of my Shedding of tears many times but it is not without hope for I am Satisfied with many more who knew his Life and Conversation that he is entred into everlasting joy and felicity for evermore with his Maker And this I can truly say to my daily comfort he was a true director of Me and my Sister on the Spiritual Journey even Sion wards which he himself did travel on dayly and did bear a faithful Testimony for to the end of his daies both in England and other Nations where the Lord was pleased to call him tho through tryals and hardships but he thought all little enough for the Lord and his holy truths sake Oh blessed and praised be the name of the Lord for evermore for I can truly say my Father was raised up in a spiritual sence towards us his Family when he took his journey towards London and in much tenderness exhorted us with tears to keep in the true fear of the Lord that his name might be glorified by us with many more good and heavenly Exortations to us on this manner which was his last Testimony to us for he lived but two nights and one day after he came home from London and his outward body was much Spent but he was in a Sweet and heavenly frame of Spirit to his last breath and often said his peace was far above his pain And so lay down his head in peace where none can make him afraid Oh Lord God of Infinite love which hath broken my heart unto tenderness before thee thou hast been a Husband to my Mother and Father to Me and my Sister Oh Lord carry us on in thy heavenly way as thou didst my Father that thy name may be glorified by us in our little measures for it is the desire of my heart above all things to live in thy true fear that I may inherit the Crown of life as my Father doth Blessed and praised be thy holy name for evermore saith my Soul The 17th of the 11th Month 82. Rebecca Wilson Ruth Wilsons Testimony concerning her Father THis is my Testimony concerning my dear and faithful Father William Wilson who was a dear and tender Father over me which is the cause of my great lamentation when I heard of his decease for I was gone to Kendal to live and did never see him alive after he took his Journey towards London which was very hard for me to bear and went near my very life but in the Consideration of his holy and pure life that he lived in I am satisfied with many that did know him that he is in everlasting Joy and Eternity Blessed and praised be the name of the Lord for ever for he was ever instructing me on in that heavenly way that he himself travelled into his latter end and encouraging men in the way of the Lord often saying to my Sister and Me it would be the best portion that ever we could enjoy which we know now to be very true Blessed and praised be the name of the Lord for ever who hath made us sensible witnesses of it in our little measures and I desire at the Lords hand that I with many more may be preserved in the true fear of the Lord to my lacter end for I know my dear Father did often travel in Spirit for us his family when he was far separated from us outwardly sometimes in his Journey upon truths account and sometimes in his imprisonment for conscence sake and the Lord was with him in every needfull time and now he was pleased to take him out of this troublesome world into his everlasting joy where he hath laid down his head in peace where none can make him afraid and the desire of my heart is that I with my Mother and Sister may truely wait upon the Lord that we may know him to be as a Father unto the Fatherless and as a husband unto the desolate Widow for he is a strong Tower unto the upright in heart and a sure hiding place unto all his little ones O blessed and praised be his Holy Name for ever and evermore saith my Spirit Ruth Wilson William Rawes his Testimony concerning Will. Wilson COncerning our dear friend and brother William Wilson I have this Testimony to bear for him in true remembrance of him he was a man of a Meek and quiet Spirit which with the Lord is of great price he had also a good gift to declare the truth and was full of zeal and heavenly courage in the which he perform'd the same Also he was a good example and patern in his life and Conversation unto us by the which he preached truth unto us as well as by his words for he himself lived according to what he taught us for he was adorned with gravity and walked before us in humility yea he had a blamless conversation and was unspotted from the World so that his presence as well as his words was a strengthening and a comfort to the upright and honest-hearted he was a man that did suffer much for truth's sake both imprisonment often and spoil of goods which he took joyfully knowing that in Heaven he had a better and more enduring substance he patiently endured all saying he had counted the cost before he began to build
also at another time being one feast day in the Morning we were in his house at Langdal Chappel stile who then felt the Lord to move upon his spirit that he should go to Eshdal Steeple house in the County of Cumberland at which place he was Cruelly handled a few weekes before by one Priest Parker yet notwithstanding he was willing to go who witnessed that saying my people shall be a willing people in the day of my power said the Lord. And we went from his house within a Quarter of the ninth hour and we were in Eshdal Steeple-house within a quarter after ten between which places it being nine Miles and upwards of very rough way and Priest Fogo being there soon after we went in he went into the Pulpit during which time my brother stood silent And when he had done my brother spoke some words to the people concerning the Priest sayings and doings which made the Priest to rage And some of his hearers standing up being officers would have put my Brother forth but the Priest said let him alone then they sat down again very willingly expecting to hear a discourse between them but instead thereof the Priest came to him and took him by the Hair of his Head and by the same pulled him to the ground and drew him out of the Steeple-House while the Priest was thus exercised I said unto the people mind the fruits of your Priest the Scripture saith lay violent hands on no man which the Priest hearing came to me and in his rage and cruelty abused me in the beholding of which acts of Cruelty done to us the people was many of them set against the Priest which he perceiving got away home and then my brother had good service among the people a prety while but within a few months after the Priest met with a sharp reproof for his Cruelty when he was riding over some sands accompanied with several people he fell into a quick-sand and was immediately drown'd a just judgment of a persecutor And this in short is a true Testimony of some of the fruits of the Priests whom he in the light of the Lord went to reprove who made a great talk of Christ and Christianity yet notwithstanding proved as Cruel as the beasts of prey tearing wolves though covered with lambs skin And at several houses up and down the Country where we wrought he met with many envious spirits who also were great talkers of God and Christ and the Scriptures and the way to God but walked in their own wills and wayes and would not bow nor bend unto Christ the light and way to God they were climbed up so high in their imaginations and strengthned themselves in their self righteousness and came forth in the strength of the power of darkness to oppose the Truth and light of God which he bore Testimony unto yet in the name of the Lord he stopped the mouths of many gain-sayers and in the wisdom of God that was with him he caught the wise and crafty in their own snare And in a holy zeal and heavenly courage and living demonstration of the spirit of truth he declared the way of the Lord and his Exhortation was unto us who in some measure were turned to it that we should walk in the same and in it watch against that dark Envious proud haughty Spirit which lay near to draw from it and to do well and keep low in Gods holy fear and to deny our selves and take up the dayly Cross to our own wills and to be faithful in that little appearance of Light and Truth which we had already received and then the Lord would make known more unto us whose words many of us now are come to witness Blessed be the name of the Lord for evermore And this Testimony I have to bear concerning my dear Brother and it liveth in many and shall not dye that he was an Innocent man and lived in the fear of God and diligently sought the Exaltation of his holy way and his delight was to labour and travel that people might be gathered into the same and walk therein that in their day and time they might be an honour unto God for which end he made them and they who in this age do declare for the same and seeks to worship him in his own ordained way do meet with many hardships and cruel persecutions as did the faithful Servants of the Lord in former ages and as also did this innocent man But the Lord was near unto him in every strait and was unto him a present help in every needful time and in a living sence of his eternal power did in time of his sickness declare several sweet and heavenly Exhortations and also saying I know it will be well with me I have not served the Lord for nought his presence I feel with me and also said my love is generally to friends and standing upon the floor between two Friends with difficulty of breathing said Oh that every one would mind the Lord that they might reap life and then he sat down and like a Harmless dove left this life and so drew breath no more JOHN DIXON'S Testimony concerning William Willson I Being a Neighbour unto W. W. therefore have had a certain knowledg of him being many times conversant with him though at the time of his Convincement I was but young in years and before his Convincement when I learnt at School I had this knowledge of him that in those times he was one that diligently sought the Lord to the utmost of his understanding And that with the chiefest of professors in those times he was one that took great pains in going from one professing Priest to another and for disputing about the things of God and the Scriptures was behind few of them Yet still there was something unsatisfied in him notwithstanding the great and high profession then made untill his mind was turned to the Lord who by his holy and heavenly Light and glorious power did shine into his heart by which Light he came to receive the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus And this Heavenly treasure he had in his earthen vessel and willingly he attributed the excellency of the power thereof unto God to whom it did belong being truely subject thereunto for he was a man that had made self then of little or no Reputation therefore did the Lord exalt him and give him Wisdom Corage and Boldness and that in the sight of his Enemies to the Confounding of them and raising the witness of God in many For soon after his Conversion he was moved by the living power of God to cry against deceit iniquity oppression and transgression which abounded both in Priests and people and was cruelly handled at several Steeple-houses often by the Priests and sometimes by the people for the Lord from whom nothing can be hid he knows and many peopel did see how that one Priest Parker
of Eshdal in the County of Cumberland because this faithful and obedient servant by and through the Motion of the Divine Spirit of God did exhort people to mind that of God in their consciences and to turn to that holy Light and Law which he hath put in their inwards Parts that by the same they might come to know the will of God and do it I say because of these and such like words the Priest in a cruel rage did beat and wound him and with one of his Crutches did break his Head and caused the blood to run down his Shoulders and Back and being a lame man caused his Horse to be brought upon which he mounted and in the sight of the people did upon Williams bare head break his Staff in three pieces which made the people cry fie upon such merciless work So when the Priest had made an end of his savage dealing he set forwards to go home but before he got thither he met with a reproof for his Cruelty from him who rewards every one according to the deeds done with body whether they be good or evil for he stroak him with sickness so that he never came more at the Steeple-House during the time of which sickness he was very loathsome for he stinked above the ground and was even made an example by him who safely keeps his obedient ones from being devoured by the beasis of Prey who alone is worthy to be glorified for ever more And so the Lord God of life light and power who knows how to declare and to wrok both immediately and instrumentally who is never wanting unto his faithful and obedient Servants who truly depend upon his holy divine Spirit a measure of which he hath freely given to all mankind to be their instructer and leader into all Truth and they are blessed and for ever happy who are instructed and led thereby and are truely and really given up thereunto though they may meet with many difficulties and troubles as did this faithful Man W. W. but out of them all the Lord delivered him and in his holy power gave him dominion and in the Authority of the same sent him into Germany to bear a Testimony against the wickedness of the wicked and against the ungodliness of the ungodly warning the wicked to turn from his wicked wayes and the ungodly from their ungodly thoughts unto the light of God in their hearts and to the holy Measure of his divine Spirit in their inward parts for which he suffered great hardship in the city of Hambrough and in Germany and other places thereaways both by Sea and by Land And after he had finished his service which he had to bear for the Lord in those parts the God of Light brought him back again into his own native Country and outward habitation where he was a good instrument in the hand of the Lord both to the gathering and incouraging of many in and to the way of the Lord both in Declaration and also in life and Conversation For as he taught so he lived in humility dread and fear before the Lord being a good favour both in them that did believe and also in them that not believe reaching forth his hand daily for the good of all truely delighting in the way of the Lord rising early and walking late for the honour of the same and durst not bow bend nor honour no haughty nor proud losty mind because thereof he as well as many others of our dear friends have suffered great hardship for they that fear the Lord know right well and that by good experience it s the humble that God teacheth and he direct the meek and the lowly in the right way which way our dear friend W. W. was very bold to declare unto many and that in a living demonstration of the Spirit of Truth which is the most excellent teacher and teacheth to declare the way of God aright for without a harkening and giving up to be led and guided by it None can declare of the way of God aright nor perform their duty unto him therefore it s the concern of all to mind the measure or manifestation of the Spirit or grace of God which is freely given to all that they may profit therewith and those that truly comes to profit therewith they are often pusht at by them who do not mind it insomuch that is come to pass in our day as it was in the day of the Prophet he that now departs from iniquity becomes a prey to them who rebel against the Light Grace or Spirit of the Lord. And though this faithful warrier and servant of the Lord did faithfully suffer persecution in his own native Land near his outward habitation yet still the Lord preserved him having more for him to go through for it pleased the Lord to send him into Scotland several times there to declare his message freely which was that God is light and in him is no Darkness at all and so if possible to turn their minds from darkness to light from Satans power unto the power of the Lord unto which power every Soul ought to be subject and in the same to live and dwell and have their being so shall it be well with them when the time comes that they must lay down this earthly Tabernacle and must go hence and be no more sin for the Prophet said All flesh is grass and the glory of it as the flower of the grass withereth and the flower thereof fadeth away but the word of the Lord endureth for ever And the last time that this faithful Souldier of Christ who fought under his banner was in Scotland he was moved by the Spirit of the Lord to travel into the remote parts thereof where many times he was in jeopardie of his life there to declare unto them the way of the Lord freely for freely he had received therfore freely he did give as do all they Ministers of Christ Jesus who is come to learn of him and to obey his command who commanded his Ministers saying freely ye have received freely give And in these far and remote parts the Lord God of life and power of whom he had freely received was not a wanting unto him but was a present help in every needful time and was always neer to preserve his obedient traveller until he had finished his Testimony which freely he had received from the Lord to bear in these remote places and then the Lord God almighty of life and power who was his leader thither and his instructer there was his protector back again at whose coming his Relations Friends and Neighbours was very glad for though many had pusht at him and envied him looking and often expecting for his ruin and Inprisonment several of them did then stand in need of him for the Lord blest his labour every way and made him able and willing to help them in several of their necessities for his hand was alwayes open
to the needful and his delight was to do good to them that had done ill to him for indeed he overcame evil with that which was good So that they that formerly had been his enemies was made to say William Wilson is an honest Man for he walked circumspectly as those that are redeemed by the Lord seeking by all means to bring honour to the way of the Lord and to exalt the same over all the by-ways set up in the fallen wisdom of man for the way of the Lord is a spiritual way and his worship a spiritual worship for all that truly worships him it must be in Spirit and in Truth And not in forms traditions and outward observations as loe hear and loe there in this tradition and that observation which many have made a great stir about and been fitting up in their own wills and ways being degenerated from the Spirit of the Lord in which he is only alone worshipped And because this faithful servant and Minister of the Lord did often cry against those that taught for Doctrine the commandments of men being ignorant of the cammand of the Lord in themselves therefore he was often by them haled to prison and Cruelly handled as was hinted before And several times sued for tythe for John Ambross in the year 1682. did exhibit a bill in the Exchequer against him and several other of his friends because they could not give him tythe for his cure who in his bill of complaint to the said court affirmed that he was their Curate but it hath pleased the Lord to provide a better place for him Then John Ambross intended or sought for him for his intentions was if his unreasonable ends was not answered to put him in some prison or dungeon or such like place or else to ruinate him in his estate and so it s come to pass in our day and we are living witnesses of the words of the Prophet of the Lord concerning those that deceive people and caused them to err and bite with their Teeth and cry peace and he that putteth not into their mouths they even prepare war against him Micah 3.5 And this is that cure they Minister unto those who cannot put into their Mouths who in the light of the Lord hath seen their deceit and can in reality and truth give this certain Testimony that they are Curates of no value for those that have been feeding such Curates and have been living under their cure Twenty Thirty Forty or Fifty Years many of them hath as great reason to cry at this day as they had the first day they went to them no Health in us no Health in us And therefore all hath great need to walk in the spirit of the Lord that in the same they may pray unto him and say from such Biters Preparers of War and Curates Good Lord deliver us And from such Curates God almighty hath delivered his faithful servant William Wilson and placed him where they cannot touch him with their War nor come near him with all their sharp Instruments nor wound him with their Darts nor bruise him with their Blowes The good Curate who freely gives his Cure who is indeed a Phisicion of value who heals all that come unto him and doth depend upon him he alone hath taken care for him and given him rest from his labours for the Lord hath an eye to them that have an eye to him and he draws near to them that draws near to him and he is a true preserver of them that depend upon him and singly desire to walk in his way Which way this faithful man William Wilson had a tender regard unto who above all things desired that he might be preserved in the same and be in his day and time an honour to the same and in reality and truth so he was and for it he had a delight day and night to labour and travel and was in his journey and travel for the renown of the same when the Lord of life and power was pleased to visit him with sickness which he took very patiently earnestly desiring of the Lord to turn him which way he thought best and to bring him to his Wife and Children And according to his desire God almighty whom he served in reality of heart who had been with his saithful traveller and delivered him in many straits and dangers was at this time near unto him and strengthen his outward man according as he desired and brought him to his Wife and Children and outward habitation where several came to visit him unto whom he said it will be well with me what way soever the Lord be pleased to order me And the third day after he came home he was taken out of the Body during which time he set his House in order and several sweet and Heavenly exhortations he left among his Familly and within half an hour before his departure he walked over the Floor between another Friend and me who said my love is generally to Friends and then after a little space with great difficulty of breathing he uttered these expressions Oh that every one would mind the Lord that they might reap life which being spoken like a harmless Dove he sat down in his Chair and soon after drew breath no more William Rigg's Testimony Concerning William Wilson THis testimony have I to give for our dear Friend William Wilson that he was an innocent Man a lover of truth and righteousness and not only so but a walker therein for by his honest and upright life and Conversation he was a preacher of righteousness unto many as well as by Word and Doctrine which he was a labourer in for many years not only in this Land but in more remote parts of the World beyond the Sea and the Lord was with him and his power and presence did go along with him and the Lord made him instrumental in his hand for the good of many for it was the joy of his heart to see truth prosper and that many might come to enjoy that precious Pearl and Jewel of great worth the Kingdom of God in them which consisteth in Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost which he was made a living witness of And his testimony was living and powerful to the teaching of the witness of God in many not only by word and Doctrine but also by life and Conversation as I said before whereby he reached the best part in all Men with whom he was Concerned or where ever he was ordered to go so that all were forced to confess that he was an honest Man for he was of a lowly meek and Condescending Spirit unto the meanest Capacities whereby he got the love of many and he confirmed and scaled his Testimony not only by doing uprightly but also by suffering the spoiling of his goods and imprisonment of his body and also by blowes wounds and cruel usage by inhumane and unreasonable Men counting nothing too
nor all Agents can never prevail against the Lord vvill hear the cry of his own and plead the cause of the innocent and release the distressed and set his own life and power at liberty which lies groaning under the burden of oppression where it must not lye the Lord hath spoken and therefore he will deliver he hath striken and he will strike and by his strokes we are healed he hath wrought and he will work and who can hinder if the wicked have his prey for his season yet the Lord will bring him to his end but Gods prosperity and truth shall never have an end neither in this World nor in the World to come Therefore my dear and loving Wife whom God hath given me and not man we may well be content and waite with much patience the Lords time in all things knowing that it hath been our best time we can never call to mind the things that are past since we knew this truth of God but we have had comfort therein and I can never desire it otherwise if I should be restrained of the liberty of my body all the dayes of my life Thine W. W. Dear and loving Wife I Have nothing to write unto thee as yet but only the remembrance of my unfained love unto thee and my Children hoping you are in Health as I am at this preesnt I praise the Lord of Heaven and Earth for it is reasonable well with me every way I bless the Lord for it and desire to know how it is with thee tho indeed it goes near me to ask how things is with thee because I cannot help thee and that is my heaviness sometimes But the Lord will in due time plead my Innocent cause who knows the uprightness of my heart and that one hair of my head shall not uphold the false profits wayes nor the hirelings wages who saith and doth not I have been often assaulted to have it payed for me but my uprighteousness is known to the Lord and I cannot dissemble with my God but this is a Mystery to the World and therefore they cannot receive it but unto thee my loving Wife is it given to understand And therefore am I much comforted and the Lord preserve thee and my little Children in the true fear of God for our way is not to look out and therefore I can inwardly beseech the Lord for you all thy dear and loving Husband W. W. My love to all our Family Kendal the 14th of the 10th Month 1672. Will. Wilson My Dear Friends and Brethren who are like to be fellow sufferers with me in this case of not yielding to satisfie the will of this unreasonable man who is persecuting us for not paying him tythes or reckonings as he calls them TO all you my faithful Friends this is the word of advice unto you all that you see and examine your selves well and see how ye stand in Gods righteousness that so my Dear Friends your sufferings may never become your burden but that your establishment may be felt in Gods Righteousness with you all for my friends you had better never have put your hand to this plow then to look back therefore my friends examine well your own selves how you are minded in this concern for the Lord knows my heart I wish you all well 〈◊〉 the honour of Gods truth as mine own heart and therefore I would not have any of you all to go one step further then you feel the suffering seed of God Almighty to bear you up in your pure blessed minds that sees over all the sufferings that can happen in this present world For indeed Friends in this estate God will plead our cause and our suffering with him will bring a raigning with him and in this state friends you must look over Wife and Children which is near and dear unto you all but Gods righteousness is more then all and will bear you out over all and through all for the Lord alone will be your help and no man shall need to plead our cause but he will appear for us in his due time when he saith it is enough who shall be able to say Nay Therefore my friends feel your hearts purified from all double mindedness that single in God righteousness you may be found and so will his holy seed reign in your hearts and Gods blessing will be upon your Children that so you need not fear the want of any good thing unto them nor your Wifes the beloved of your Bosoms under God and therefore Friends in singleness of heart as having a sence of your Conditions I write these lines unto you for the bettering of your establishment in Gods Righteousness where you will never be made afraid to appear for the Lord and bear a single Testimony for his name and truth upon Earth for truly Friends this is the feeling of my heart and the full bent of my mind that if one hair of my head would serve in consideration of this task I could not give it I believe I shall not be a Hypocrite I would not be found out of Gods Righteousness doing mine own will but even the will of him that hath called me that his power might be more made manifest And therefore friends was this word of Exhortation the more in my heart unto you all that you might truly feel your own selves in that which will carry through or else as I said it were better never to step further then to faint by the way but hoping you are furnished with that heavenly spirit of life that will carry through to the end as need requries I take leave with you all and rest your loving Brother William Wilson And Friends LOok not back into Aegypt for help for it is in vain neither have we need so to do for the Lord is our helper therefore we need not fear what man can do unto us for Friends I dare not look out at any thing of any hand for if I do I am afraid and Gods witness would be against me and would be heavier then a thousand such as Ambrose the Priest could be and therefore that you eye and mind the Lord above all hireling Priests is the advice of your Friend and Brother Will. Wilson William Wilson being moved of and by the living power of God to travel into the North or remote parts of Scotland to declare what the Lord did then and there immediately reveal unto him during the time of which travail he wrote several letters into England to his Wife Coppies of which is as followeth Dear Wife IN the living truth of the Lord Jesus Christ doth the bowels of my unsained love salute thee in the unseparable life doth my dearest love reach unto thee in the unchangeable life of holiness where we cannot forget each other dear heart my life is often powred out before the Lord in consideration of thee my dear love the Lord thy God who hath seperated the from thy Mothers
information made by John Tomson Priest of Grasmire in Westmerland for speaking some words to the people in Gods fear and bidding them mind their teacher so at the next Sessions I was fined by Justice Fleeming and the rest of the Justices in one hundred Marks and committed into the Goal at Kindal until payment was made as the tenure of the Mittimus did run and so remaining in prison a while until the first Sessions next after At which time the same Justices sent for me who tendered me the Oath of Allegiance and because for Conscience sake I could not swear was sent to prison again there to remain till I took the Oath and paid the fine of an hundred Marks as aforesaid although in the year 1648. I had suffered the loss of all I had saving my life for the King as I made it appear yet I remained in prison above half a year and then was set free by the Kings act of indulgence In the year 1662. in the 10th month I was committed to prison at Lancaster with many more of my Friends by Warrant from Justice Fleeming and William Kirby for meeting together to worship God in Spirit and in Truth where at the next following Sessions I had the Oath tendered me again by these said Justices and others and because I durst not swear was committed to prison where I remained Twenty weeks In the year 1665. I was arrested by warrant from Justice Fleeming and Justice Braithwait for meeting with my Friends the 5th of the 9th Month at the house of Reignal Holme for which I was imprisoned one Month in Kendal in the year 1670. I was fined in twenty pounds by vertue of an act made to prevent Seditious Conventicles by Justice Fleeming and Justice Phillipson for speaking a few words of Truth in soberness in our peaceable meeting to Justice Phillipsons man who was turned informer for which I had taken from me two Cows worth five pound one Horse worth forty Shillings and Oate meal worth ten Shillings And again for speaking in a meeting at Fieldhead near Hanks-head I was fined in twenty pounds for which my goods was spoiled by William Satterthwait Constable James Harrison Warden and William Groves overseer all of Landal In the year 1673. for not paying six pence or seven pence in the year to Parson Ambross Priest of Grasmire for tythe I was arrested with an Exchequer process called a commission of Rebellion and cast into Prison at Kendal where I continued sixteen weeks and then set free by the Goaler being three weeks after the writ was not of date But these are small matters in consideration of what the God of my Life hath led one through since I knew his glorious Truth before the King came in for many a time have I suffered cruel Mockings Stackings Stoneing Buffitings Beatings and Knocking 's by the hirelings Priests and rude People and all for desiring the good of their Souls and that they might turn to the God of Light in whom there is no darkness at all and so come out of darkness that they might have the light of life William Wolson An Epistle General or a token of my Love and care in my measure of the Heavenly Father of Glory of Peace and of Love to all friends in their meetings as it is Judged meet and Convenient to be read IN the grace of God and love of the heavenly Father which hath visited us in this acceptable day of his abounding mercy I greet you all in the Virgine love and state of the pure Church of God which he hath called and gathered together in our day and age glory to his Name for ever who hath found us worthy to be members of the same and his eternal love and tender merties it even unto us day by day and time after time in our heavenly Meetings which he hath gathered us into that we may wait upon him in and think upon his Holy Name Blessed for ever be his name he hath set us in a holy state and brought us into a deep sence of his pure love which runs freely among us from day to day and keeps all the careful and upright in heart unto himself and they glorifie his holy name and all the careless and disordered persons doth dishonour his most holy and blessed Name and this will be their shame and great condemnation But the glory of the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed in the upright hearted and carefully minded Men and Women Sons and Daughters of the preclous life and seed of God which is risen amongst us in this our day and time of Gods love and heavenly visitations unto us who keeps the good order and state of the pure Church but unto them who rebelle against the spirit and regards not the good order and state of the pure Church unto such will the Lord appear and be angry with them if they do not amond and have a greater regard unto his most Holy Name and Place and Spirit which would cause them not to err not depart from the good order and Spirit of God unto the which they are called therefore my Friends Brethren and Sisters in the name of the Lord of Hosts I charge and warn you all that you keep to that of God in you all and that will keep you all in the remembrance of the beginning and let you all see the good order and state of the true Church in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God the light of the World in whom we are all to walk to move and have our being So remember my Friends how careful you all were at the first and tender at the beginning and troubled at that which was out of order and your Spirits grieved and could not well bear the things that some will now allow and be ready in defence thereof to say Alas Friends were weak at the first but we are more able to hear or to bear things now which were a great offence or trouble then Alas my friends the Lord was near unto us then and did uphold us in our weakness and was with us in all out undergoings and did uphold us on every hand and none could open their Mouths against his harmless Lambs but the Lord was sufficient in them to shut it again But now my Friends they have many things to lay to the charge of some Friends who frequently comes to our Meetings and yet they find them in the Customs of the World and not after Christ yea in very blameable and most reproveable fashions of the world which the Apostle forbids and saith Fashion not your selves like unto this world for the Fashions thereof passeth away and some in being too conformable in drinking too much at Ale-Houses and taking of Tobacco amongst them which is an evil savour unto the Lord and that which your Spirits could not bear at the first Alas Friends have you lost your first love or is your
tender zeal departed from you and also the common payment of tythes or such like dues so called is to much upheld among some of you which all is convinced of to be Jewish and Antichristian and many of our dear Friends that suffer for not paying of them is occasioned the more to suffer though the unfaithfulness of those who do pay or suffer it to be done as they in all parts of the Nation who gathers tythes is ready to blash poor harmless Friends in the face with and this is one thing the Lord is greatly offended with who is able to preserve uphold and deliver the faithful and yet all go under his name this doth occasion his grief and furthermore my Friends the Lord is grieved with some Slackening their Zeal in your Meetings and being so heavisome when you are met together to wait upon the Lord then do some let in the careless mind and so loses their pure zeal and deadness and drowsiness comesover and burdens the seed of God in others and doth hurt in your Meetings and occasions the world to open their Mouths against us and this is a great evil and doth cause the Lord to be angry with us and is pitiful over those that suffers by them And this is out of the good order and state of the true Church and a great spot in some families Oh Friends Have you not Houses to eat and to drink in and are they not also to sleep in Oh my Friends think of those things it is Gods free love to you to tell you of your faults who is found faulty herein that thereby you may amend and renew your strength in the Lord who is able to give you strength and power over all these things and will do it to all who is willing and obedient to the cross of Christ Oh my Friends I cannot forbear but I must tell you of one thing which as I thought I was in a Meeting and as I thought we were but heavisome and not as we should all of us have been and there was among us as little Child of about six years old and she began to cry and weep bitterly yea very sore and I did behold the little Child and I saw that here weeping was of God and she cryed sore so that I prayed earnestly to God in my heart for the little Child that she might speak if ought troubled her Spirit concerning Gods Church and People and immediately the little Child spoke and said Friends should not sleep in their Meetings and immediatly I awoak and saw the state of the true Church and the disorder that was among Friends and the little Child was a Virgin and in the state of the true Church and without spot and blameless in the sight of God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is able to present us all perfect without spot or wrinkle in the sight of our God who hath called us all to repentance and newness of life in which the Lord God of Eternal life keep you all my Friends Brethren and Sisters in the Lord. Your Friend and Brother in my measure of God W. W An Epistle to Friends of Haukeshead Meeting DEar Friends Brethren and Sisters in the Church of the first born and of the Royal Seed of the most high God grace mercy and peace be multiplyed among you to whom God hath revealed what he hath determined and is now manifesting in this day of his power that every one of you in the Light and life might stand single out and over the snares of those whom God is laying aside as the broken reeds of Aegrpt that his own name might be trusted in and his mighty arm alone felt and seen in leading and preserving his people to his Glory Oh! my Friends my desire is much for you that you be kept faithful in the Lord. Oh! I say that I am glad when I read you near me in the life of God a top of all this world and its Wayes and its Love and Fellowship and Fashions and Customs which all perish with the using but my Friends dwell in that which seperates and puts a difference between you and the World to wit the light that Judges the World and hath given you clearly to see the just Condemnation of the World because of its evil deeds So let your Fellowship be in the Light my Dear Friends and live dear and near one with another and one to another that so the world by you dayly may be judged and feel your dayly Seperation from any thing that you see to be evil and be not perswaded by any means of fleshly reasoning or consultation with flesh and blood which cannot inherit the Kingdom of God but draws out into the Kingdom of this World and so breads your peace with God Oh! my Friends feel dayly your clearing up by the Truth and your freedom from the in tanglements of the World that you may feel how the Lord doth set you upon his most holy Hill that you may shine as lights unto the World For this end hath the Lord called and chosen us that we may dwell and abide in his Light and shew forth his praise unto the World and his glorious works unto the ends of the Earth And I may say again I am with you in the Lord whom I feel and find faithful my life is raised with you out of the dust and set a top of the world and the things of the world with you my friend of God read me near you in the life of God but Oh! it would be sad to me to feel any of you with whom I have had Union in the Lord by his Spirit to be degenerated and drawn aside by the love of this present World and the wiles of the Enemies which will be presented in this time of tryal by perswading to stay at home or rest a while until the heat of prosecution be over as it hath done some already in some places which when they appear in the face of the truth it will be their shame because they have harkned to the deceipt of their hearts and not unto the truth as it is in Jesus which never makes ashamed but bears the Cross and dispises the shame and runs the tace with patience because of the joy that is set before them So my beloved Brethren and Sisters let nothing perswade you to fly the Cross at any time lest you should lose your Crown of courage and boldness and so be covered with shame and contempt neither let any that do fly the Cross at any time be your example but rather draw them into the fellowship and love of the cross again by your example of faithfulness and obedience and by your not giving heed to seducing Spirits but persevering on in the Gospel of the Kingdom of Patience bearing them as Children who be weak and tender among you But that which is hard and would not obey the Gospel is for the hammer and for the
is no peace to the wicked faith our God and is it not adishenour to our Nation that so many of you should be comed out of it having not the love of God in you may read Christs own words on John 5th and 41 42 43 and 44. the verses O blush and be ashamed that you would lay the dishonour of our Nation upon those who are innocent and harmless fearing to dishonour God who hath power over us all therefore repent and turn to the Lord God of life and Light least suddain destruction come upon you and this in love to all your Souls whether you will hear or forbear R. H. W. W. Here follows a Letter written to Captain Loaler whin he was in Kendal in Westmoreland with his Soldiers written in the behalf of Regnal Walker and George Benson who had Well packs to Kendal and was sent into visit him in Prisen To the Priests ALL you Priests and great Scholars who is in your Tongues of humane Learning and is proud of it take heed to your selves that you set not your Hebrew Greek and Latine above the head Christ Jesus the Son of God who is the life and the power of God and so make a God to your selves of your great learning which is humane and can never give the knowledge of God for Pilat who delivered Christ to be Crucified of the Jews caused Hebrew Greek and Latine to be set over Christs Head take head I say unto you you proud Scholars that you do not so for the Lord is greived with your Pride and Presumtion of Tongues which may be cut of in a moment and when you dye your Tongues dyes with you but the pure living God endures for ever so you send Scholars and foolish Priests who is making to your selves a God after your own way and will not have him after his own way which is Christ within manifested in the flesh destroying the Devils work now in People as he did great Miracles in the days of his Flesh among the Jews but they could not believe then no more then ye can believe that he is now made manifest in sinful flesh destroying the Devils work in the flesh that all through him might be saved from the Devils work which is sin and wickedness would you separate God from poor ignorant People that would believe in the light of his Son in their own hearts and confine him to your great Schools of Humane Learning that none can know the way of God but you alas for you for all your Tongues of humane Learning you are no nearer knowing of Christ now in this dispensation of revealing himself in man then Pilat was that delivered him up to the Jews in that day and time and you are worse then he for he did it not willful but would have let him go So see where your Hebrew Greek and Latin is while you are ignorant of Christ the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world here the poor blind and ignorant may have the benefit of Chirst as they believe in the light that gives the true knowledge of God whom to know is life and that never dies and here is none shut out of knowing God I say the Lord shuts none out as you would do with your Scholarship if you could but the Lord is risen and he did arise in the days past to confound the wisdom of the wife and bring to nought the undrstanding of the Prudent he is setting up his Son to Raign in the hearts of his People that believes in his name and they are not ashamed to confess his name before the men of this generation who seems mighty in their day but the Lord is blasting the wisdom of man and hath said it shall not rule over his People for they have been a pray over long to thir Mouths that have said the Lord saith when he hath never spoken to them therefore this I say unto you foolish and not wise who is proud of your Hebrew Greek and Latine and thinks that God cannot be known in any other way then your teaching of him you are deceived for God will not be mocked by you for he is setting up his Son to Raign a top of all that ever hath been set a top of him either in this time or in times past W. W. Here follows several Letters that were written to those in Authority when he was Prisoner in Lancaster Goal for not Swearing To the Judges of the Assise at Lancaster JUdge or Judges I desire them or you to read this little Note and then consider the poor mans state that suffers for the Lord God eternal and his holy Truth as it is in Jesus and dare not disobey his Comands manifestest in his heart that he may do them wheresoever he be and obey his sayings who saith Swear not at all but let your yea be yea and your nay nay whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil and the same Christ commands to do the truth and to speak the truth from my heart wheresoever I be in all places and at all times in the which I desire that I may be kept faithful to the end that I may live in peace with my eternal God of Heaven and of Earth and follow peace with all men that be upon the face of the whole Earth for the Lord God hath called me to peace and out of wars and strife Although in the year 1648. I was in wars for the King and did remain with faithfulness unto the end till we were not a Party able to stand any longer and took leave of my Captain who did bid me shift for my self which was but sorrowful to me and that night was I taken Prisoner and stript to the Shirt from my back and that Night had like to been starved to death and afterwards sed in Prison with a penny a day and shamefully used in Prison and had not left to my back that any would have given me a peny for and much more then this did I suffer for the Kings service which I might have escaped all them if I would have taken up Arms with the other Party then and have betrayed my friend which thing my heart stood against and truly friends I must relate much concerning my sufferings with a heavy heart because of so little regard that was taken of me and my poor coming home nor never gave me a penny pay to this day neverheless I freely wish that you and all men knew the reality and truth of my heart to the King and all his true Subjects much more might I write but would not be tedious in writing very much I am a poor man and hath a small Family whose mentenance depends only on my labours by which I did mentain them well but now I cannot because I am here in Prison for my Conscience sake because I cannot swear but stands in obediance to Christs Commands my Allegiance to the King stands in Faithfullness
and truth which I hope I shall reman into the end so I desire that I might have free liberty to live at home and Labour for my Family William Wilson a poor man and means well One to the Justices and Magistrates FRiends Friends that be in Authority a few words from a Prisoner of yours Christ saith Swear not all this is Christs Command Swear not at all and they that loves me keeps my sayings saith Christ marke and be not offended at any of his Servants which keeps his saying and cannot swear at all but lets their comunication be yea yea nay nay for what as is more cometh of evil as saith Christ Matt. 5. Truely friends my heart is turned towards God with many more of my brethern in this the day of our God and we cannot Swear at all for we have learned obediance unto his Doctrin and therefore we are willing to keep his sayings whatever we suffer by man for friends consider I shall put my case with the rest of my brethrens who be of the same Faith to your own selves to judge Christ he saith Swear not at all you say you must Swear so whether it be better to obey God or man Judge ye likewise the Apostle James saith to his brethren above all things my breathren Swear not at all least you sall into Condemnation Jam. 5 but you say Swear or else you shall go to Prison consider this friends and Judge Charitably whether is to be obeyed now if sufferings must be we these to suffer for Christ sayings rather then for much sayings for if we do not Swear we must fall into Prison and if we do Swear we are sure to fall into Condemnation marke that but it is better for us to obey God then man man so we cannot Swear at all whatever we suffer I hope we shall not break our peace with God for pleasing men for we know the Lords care is over them that fear him and he will visit for these things So take heed how you cause us to suffer for not swearing counting it a breach of your Law for us to keep Christ own sayings that is offended in any of you to see us wear our own hats on our heads and to here us speak Gods truth plainly from our hearts without swearing was ever any of Gods people offended at these things or caused any to suffer for not swearing consider friends and take heed how you oppress tender Consciences and cast into Prison them that cannot Swear for Conscience sake and lets Swearers have their Liberty for I am one willing to suffer for not swearing rather then to deny Christ because I love and obey the Lord Jesus Christ which saith Swear not at all VVilliam VVilson Servant of the same Lord. One to Justice Fleming of Rydale OH Justice Fleming that ever this report should be sounded in our Ears that within thy Libertys such spoyling should be amongst thy Nighbours we never had the like in our Parish nor never expected that our own Justice should have made such work as set men of spoyling true mens goods who themselves dare not spoyle nor do any hurt to any man upon the face of of the whole Earth because of their Conscience towards the God of Heaven which is appeared in these latter days and is come and hath taken up his aboad with them and keeps them unto himself out of all spoyling again when they are spoyled of their Cloaths of Horses and their goods which they had honestly gotten by their hard labour and industry and hath learned to live peaceably amongst their Neighbours and a godly life in Christ Jesus who saith learn of me but not to spoyle true mens goods who for Conscience sake cannot Swear nor break of their godly Meetings which God hath set up and not man therefore consider and call in the spoylers from spoyling of true men thy Neighbours who have none in the Earth to plead their cause but gives themselves up to God and all they have to suffer for his sake having received the earnest of the Spirit and the assurance of etern I life from which they never intend to fly for all that ever mortal man can do unto them in this case for it is in matter of holy worship to our God which all the spoylers in the world is out of and all ungodly men an truths gainsayers which be in these latter days and though many Fools and Bablers that is applauded in these latter days for their fooliry and their fordness Jaging and waging in the streats like fools in a play the Lord hates such who fears not him that hath made them but walks in wickedness making a mock at sin and sporting themselves against the Lord and them that fear his name of which sort I am one and am not ashamed to confess his name among men though it be to my great loss and hinderance in this world as all my neighbours can tell and my wife and little children knows the want of me as thine may do of thee in time for ought I know which I do not desire more then I desire my own should want me but if thou knew what it were I believe thou would not be so hard hearted and my friend Willam Grave is lying at the point of Death and this day one Prioner is lying dead and its a wonder and a mercy of God I am not so to and many more of us you have casten into Prison and not one of you that comes to visit us but we may rather think you wish us all dead as thy brother Willam did babling below a man and much more a Captain and thy Cozen Will. Kirby reported the night you had done that wicked act of casting us all into Prison that you had had an honourable Bench and that thou was such a man as was not in many parts and your whole service had almost been taken up about the Quakers and you had hall'd the Fox and stayed his Hambrough Quaker from traveling or the like words to that purpose which is below a man or man-hood to vant of Casting men into Prison it irkes my heart that ever men should be so Foolish as to do as you have done with us in sending us as thou sent us and its thought caused the death of two and the sickness of others it make the Country cry out shame shame and indeed it vexes me that my Country man should loose his honor in being so hard against poor Quakers as many calls us and had gained it so in other things as I have heard thy name honoured among men where I have been both for carrage and understanding so Justice Fleming consider and let men of tender Consciences have their liberty as others doth in other places and be not so hard of the Lords people Even who are engaiged to meet together fearing the Lord as saith the Scriptures they that seared the Lord met often together and spake often one
unto another and the Lord harkered and heard it and a book of rememberance was written for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his name as we are Witnesses of is those days though we be hated of men not knowing the Scriptures and as we have believed Christ and the Scriptures so do we keep his commands who saith he that loves me keeps my sayings who saith Swear not at all and in obediance to this very thing we stand who suffers here in Lancaster Castle because we cannot Swear nor break the Commands of Christ which if we should it were a shame to us and below our honour and Scollarship which we have learned in Christ that never Swear and so taught his Disciple who sufferred for his Doctrin in their days as we do more in our days with much Joy of heart that we are counted worthy to suffer for his sake and bear our Testimony to all the world that God is true and every man a lyer who doth not truth and so remaines in his sins which truth sets free from and so we trample upon those things which is below if we bear our Testomony unto death as some of our friends and brethren have already done in these nasty holes and stinking Prisons where men may easily get their death I could gladly find to be with thee that we might reason together upon the things of which so greatly doth concern our everlasting peace and honour in the Lord which is far above all the honour in this world in my Eye it is above the hat and knee which men may throw in the mire and where lyes it then but that honour which is from above is placed in the heart and is there to remaine for ever and if it were about other things as matters concerning the Kings service I could relate unto thee my sufferings to be great as to me and none of you took care for me then I might then do as I could for you and I have sufferred since in Clivers days for that service and I was in Prison for my Conscience sake at Carlile and that unjustly too what is it I am born to do to suffer still and that unjustly too both then for the King and now by his friends and never had as much as a penny pay to this day cannot that I believe was was Casten and gathered in their days for me as Edward Benson of Hyclose John Midlefel of Langdale knew them but the times turned so their minds turned and kept what they had for ought I know and little regarded my Imprisonment and poor coming home which made me think it of my self being so poor and knew not how to mend it when others mockt at me and I might have gotten away as they did which shewed their Lovalty to the King to be but small when mine was made manifest so I think it were little enough if I had my pay now to help mee in Prison and I hope pity will now in thy heart towards towards my Wife and little Children that they may not want or else what Charity lives with thee so it s for my Religion that I suffer here which I love to reason for with Ministers or Magistrates or any men that fears God of Heaven and loves the Seriptures which is useful to desid Controversies about Religion and this is the thing that is settled in my heart and my desire is that I may labour in the fear of the Lord and not be chargable to any man and live a Godly life and lay open wickedness and deceipt to the view of the whole world as the eternal God move it in my heart unto whom I stand in obediance and dare not swear at all Thy friend and Neighbour Willam Wilson and a lover of thy souls and everlasting peace and if I could Swear I should take that Oath as soon as any that you set much by Lancaster Castle the 9th of the 12th Month 1663. A Letter to Edward Stanley of Dalegarth in Eshdale EDward Stanley I desire the read this paper over to the end with patience if thou canst E. S. thy ungodly deeds shews thee forth to be an ill example amongst thy Neighbours and they that fears not God learns at thee and loves thy evil deed and thy ungodly ways is a strength to to those that fears not God but with thy self would not have God nor good men to live among you but strives with strength and cruelty to shut the Contry of them that fears the Lord and worships his most holy name which ungodly men and cursed Swearers is not fit to name the Lord remembers all thy doings that thou hast done against his people that fears his name and he will not forgit thy cruel doings that thou did unto John Gunson his wife and little Children and James Stanton and his Innocent life in which he lives unto God and darest not be offenced in Christ for all the world if thy weight had been ten times greater then that thou hast already laid on him he hath so truly learned Christ Oh the Lowing of John Gunsons Beasts when he caused their Ears to be cut off shall rise up in Judgment against thee and the harmless Sheep thou took from James Stanton shall plead his innocent cause and condemn the to thy face and every Fleece of Wool thou took from him shall cry out against thee and all their goods thou so evilly got shall do thee nor thine no good and they shall live and praise the Lord when thou shall fear and shame to hear of thy ungodly deeds the very name of God shall fear thy Soul and good men thou shall shun and Hills and Mountains shall thee fly O whether wilt thou run we are not afraid to Worship God his Truth will bear us out it is no other thing we suffer for and therefore we are stout and doth not fear the loss of all that ever we possess the Lord will plead our harmless cause and will deliver us And all our Foes will scattered be as dust upon a Hill When he will gather his Lambs that doth his holy will Remember how thou went about to do his People wrong VVho in his fear together met though not contemning long The Lord considered well their cause and knew the need they had And brought them home again in time which made the needful glad And therefore we are not to fear the worst that man can do For serving of so good a God that will consider so I have believed the God of heaven that maketh all mankind And do not fear to worship him who ever be left behind Consider well the Poor mans state that liveth near to thee And do him good if that thou canst it will thy comfort be For he would do to thee no harm I fully do believe Nor wrong the things belongs to thee whatever one would him give Or say to him in such case the Lord hath taught him so To Pray for
him that Persecutes and pardon every Foe The Poor mans name is Nicholas Tyson I belive thou hast nothing against him but for his worship to God and God is without respect of persons for whosoever feareth him and works righteousness is accepted of him and he will remember all those things that is done against those harmless people and will clear their cause and their oppressors shall not go free for they are written where they can never be blotted out by the power and cunning sleights of men and it grieves many good mens hearts that ever such unreasonable men should bear the name of Christians that work such wicked works for ungodly gain and use the Kings name for a cover wickedly didst thou work and evil will be the end of it if thou look not to it in time the Lords decree is gone out against injustice and ungodly deeds that 's done against his People that he hath promised to preserve and deliver out of all their troubles though they suffer for the tryal of their Faith therefore Repent for thou must come to Judgment and an account must thou give and how canst thou appear before the Lord in those things that makes thee shame before men the world crys out of thee and saith it will never be forgotten it deserves to be posted up in the Markets and Steplehouses when seven years is come and gone the Lord abhors thy doings it stinks in his Nostrils but the poor innocent sufferers is a sweet smell in his sight this is in love to thy Soul that thou mayst remember thy evil deeds done and past that thou mayst learn Repentance in due time before it be too late for the Lord wills not the death of a Sinner but rather that he would turn from his wickedness and live Thy friend and lover of thy Soul Willam Wilson Written in the 9th Month 1664. with my own hand A Letter to John Ambrose Priest of Gaissiner in the County of Westmoreland JO. Ambrose wilt thou remember thy Prisoner that thou hast in Prison for the Lords cause and not for any due debt I owe thee for if thou wert a Minister of Christ thou would ask me none and as thou art not a Minister of Christ I owe thee none therefore let me forth of Prison that I may go at liberty and do my service as it s required at my hand or else let it fall on thy own neck and then it will be to heavy for the to bear yea and all that will take thy part This I write unto thee that I may let thee know that thou hast the Lords Servant in thy hand and will not let me go for not paying thee Wages that doth me no service nor work but the first work thou doth to me is sending me to Prison a work we never read of in all the Scriptures that all the men of God that ever we read on did cast men into Prison for their Bellys but if thou wilt not let me out do as thou will and let the Lord do as he will for I am well content but I must remember thee of the evil work which thou has done in casting me into Prison from my Wife and Childred but the Lord will Plead my cause and set me at liberty when thou and all unrighteousness shall be made fast for ever therefore remember what I have told thee and do good while thou may for thy time will spend and thy Repentance prove too late let me not lye here while thou is feeding and feasting thy self but remember the Widdow and Fatherless as it were Fatherless Children thou hast made by casting me into Prison from them and will not let them have their right the Lord allows them this must stand upon thy head thou unrighteous man if thou wilt not let me go as the Lord requires it of thee for he hath more for me to do then thou knows on therefore say not but thou art warned from the Lord before thy evil day come upon thee which will overtake thee as a Theif in the Night and come upon thee as an armed man when there is none to deliver thee so send thy Letter to fetch me forth if thou will if thou wilt not do even as thou will So I leave thee William Wilson JO. Amborse I am here in Prison upon thy account for about six pence or seven pence by the year which I should never have refused to pay to thee if I were convinced that thou were one of Christs Ministers but as I am perswaded that thou art not I rather choose to suffer for the non payment of it then to pay it contrary to that of God in mine own Conscience thou had better have taken a Cow or a Horse form my Wife and Childred then have cast me into Prison from them the Lord will hear their cry of Oppression more for want of me then for the want of either Cow or Horse and I would wish thee for the good of thy own Soul to let me out again that I may work for my Living and it will be more honour to thee among men and less condemnation before the Lord if thou have any respect either to old or young Wife or Children hear their cry for want of me their Father which if thou will not I doubt not but the Lord will hear their cry and deliver when thou canst not resist and in the undaunted Spirit of God I can rest and wait with much patience who am thy friend and lover though I have a little tasted of thy Envy yet I desire the welfare of thy Soul if possible the Lord may grant it Kendal the 29th of the 9th Month 1672. William VVilson Here follows two short Letters to John Kirby in the behalf of two friends imprisoned by him for Tyths JO. Kirby I can do no less then let thee know that we remember these two friends of ours which thou ungodlyly hast cast into Prison for non payment of Tyths and not only we the friends of the Lord but even the Lord himself doth remember them with many more of his dear Children who suffers for the same Holy Testimony for whose sakes the Lord of Glory will plead with their Adversarys by Fire and Sword the Lord hath spoken it by me and that thou is one of them that the Lord will plead with for the sakes of his Servants George Benson and Richard VValker their wives and little Children who is dayly mourning for the loss of their natural fathers whom the Lord of life and Glory is as Subject to hear as they are to mourn and hast said Ah ah I will ease me of mine Adversarys I will be avenged of mine oppressors I will be known that I am the Lord notwithstanding my Enemies who promise themselves ease and peace when they have done the Devils work by casting into Prison as it is said the Devil shall cast some of you into Prison but the Lord remembers these things and will
while he knows not the works of the Devil destroyed in him that he may know God to work all his works in him and through him to his own praise and Glory for ever and the heart of man can never be upright unto God while in the old nature with old Adam in the fall which brought death upon all men and in that state man cannot stand up for the Lord as a living witness against sin and wickedness and all unrighteousness of men because he remains in death for all his duties and performances in that nature is without God and without Christ in the world and man in the Flesh cannot please God so people as I have said you that loves and desires to serve the true and living God must come to the Light of his Son in your hearts and be willing to be taught of him who tells you plainly you should not lye nor swear an oath nor do to any but as you your selves would be done by and heare you may know a learning of Christ the good Teacher and Bishop of your Souls and this is in love to you all who desires singly after God for none else can receive it given forth in Scotland by R. R. and VVilliam VVilson A Letter sent to Justice Willam Kirby from Lancaster Gaol 1663. WIllam Kirby the whole cause of my being imprisoned is laid upon thee for thy Cozen Fleming said it was because he was informed that I was as a traveller which I heard thee say with my own Eares and made answer in the open Sessions and if this be the cause as I am informed its shamful that I should be imprisoned for travelling the Lords business six or seven veirs since which was when I saw thee in Hambrough it would but be a shame to thee that I should publish this abroad concerning thee that I should be cast into Prison for this which was past six or seven years since being change of government since and an act of Indulgence since an Act of Grace if it had been a Transgression in those days thou ought not to punish me for it now I believe no Laws in the Land will bear thee out to do it for I believe your act is for them that departs from their house or habitation and meets together to the terrisying of the Kings Subjects which I should be loath to do being the Kings friend as was manifested in the year forty eight both by my continuance with the longest in his service here and suffering imprisonment and the loss of all that I had and more as I can make it appear by my neighbours after I got home and there was none of the Kings friends that then took any care of me then I might have been starved for them then as I am Prisoner by them now and I have as good reason to have this in my mind now by which I had like to have lost my life and lost all I had for obediance to the King as thou to have my travel for the Lord into Hambrough in thy mind where my brother and I was used like dogs sometimes by the dogs nature in many of our English men which we found therein pride and haughtyness which the Lord will abase and bring to nought when we shall be exalted for our abediance unto God and testifying of his eternal truth which shall never dye and of which we shall never be ashamed when ungodly sinners and wicked men shall be consounded and brought to naught therefore consider if envy have rested in thy mind to do we a mischief ever since that time it is a wicked deed of thee and thou had need to amend it and shortly to least the Lord should cut thee off before the time then it would be too late to remember this my friend And I brought a good messuage into the City of Hambrought and that unto you that did understand my Language but you did receive our messuage but badly and entreated the Lords Servants with many dangers as we dayly found among you in the streets and in your English Church as my body found by your unreasonable blows and thrusting by you English men the like was never received among the Dutch by us but our God delivered us then as he will do now to our great comfort and our eternal Peace in that we were found faithful in his work did never shrink to any one of you whom we found out of the way of God in wildness wickedness lightness and vanity lustfulness pleasure and pride of life which things we boldly bare our Testimonys against in the Faith Fear and Power of the Eternal God of Heaven and Earth which did preserve us and will preserve us as we in his Faith abide for whose Faith and Testimony I suffer in Prison now in Lancaster Castle without any just cause or breach of any Law that should have exposed me so imprisonment but only thy Imformation to Justice Fleming of my traveling as it is to me related therefore the cause of my writing is that thou may take care and oversight of my Wife and Children which thou hast caused to be left desolate by staying me in Prison from them and when Justice Fleming was willing that I should have a little Liberty from the Goaler and would joyn with the in any thing thou did as his Brother Roger wrote unto thee then thou did write that the Goaler might let me have some liberty but it most be upon his own account for thou would not meddle in the thing which rather caused my streightning then otherways and also Thomas Watters of Bootle whose time might ill be taken up in lying here his Wife being near down lying and having little help about her a little liberty at this time might do him much good so consider and let not the ery of innocent Children fall upon thy head least thou come to be dealt with as thou deal'st with us in keeping us them from helping of them in their time of need and we fear thou will be but a bad friend to them in need therefore let one line or two be under thy hand to the Goaler if thou would have us do good to our Familys as some others have done before thee and then it may be well accepted of so to that of God I leave thee which never wrought evil nor never will work evil thy Friend and a Traveller for the Lord and his Truth Will. Wilson a sufferer also for the same it s not this slip out of thy mind but it was even a shame thou should send so many of thy hoest Neighbours to Prison like Vagabonds from Constable to Constable as not caring for us but sent us away to Prison where I believe it caused the death of two of us and the third was very near the point of death if he yet recover and thou would not come to see us till thou came to work wickedness against us as many hundreds can witness for
daily food my Soul satisfier the refresher of my bowels and inward part where the world knows me not and therefore they Judge me like unto themselves But my friends with you whom God hath called and chosen to place his name among is my blessed fellowship and communion in the Light of his heavenly Son Christ Jesus who hath made choice of us without respect of Persons O my dear 〈…〉 may all be continued in faithfulness and rightness of heart unto him in fear to walk while we have one day to spend my friends feal Gods to love you as at the first and yours to him as at the begining and so shall the truth never become as an old thing nor you in the least measure dye to it my dear friends its far from me to stand up to teach or instruct any of you but as the Lord hath freely made me pertaker and sharer with you of his devine heavenly love I cannot but in the remembrance of the same return you an answer of the continuance of his love to my Soul that you thereby may be remembred of the same that we may feel one another in the everlasting love that can never decay nor never be forgetten by them that loves God and the blessed and pure appearance of his Son Christ Jesus the Light of the world my friends since I parted with you I have been in the furthest part of all Scotland as to the Maineland and have had good service there for the Lord for people was very willing to heare the truth and enclined in words very much but you know the old agents that was ever ready to stir up help and Instruments against the true Light the now shines to wit the Priests of this generation but all will fail them its God must be Gloryfied the Priests worship will come to an end they have had worship enough its God must now be worshiped he will not give his Glory to another and likewise in the Isle of Stormie where a dore was open for us and our Testimony received with much gladness and we kindly entertained for a little space while we had freedom and so returned and leaves the work to God and we were also in the Isles of Ortners in the Town of Kirkway where there is a very like people in the Lords time but Bishops and Priests have Lordly power over poor people and keeps them much in Bondage but they have a very great sight into the ways of all sorts of professions and the true Light discovers them all And so my dear friends who have made full proof of the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ in you own hearts you it is that can give a Testimony of the same for while man be not come into full obediance of the Light he never knows the true ground nor benefit of the same and so with my dear love to you all as if I named you all I take leave and rests your friend in the Lord according to my measure William VVilson FRiends I could well have found to have written to you ear this but being so far distant I could not see how it could be safely conveyed neither was I very free till I saw something of my return which is now prety large for we are at this present come within about fourteen or fifteen miles of Aberdeen and so as God permits after visiting friends in my way I hope to the Lord to see you with comfort ere long be sure to let my wife and friends of Haukshead Meeting here from you or else send them these lines on a Second day with my love to them all From Auworthy the fifth day of the seventh Month 1673. William Wilson YOU that usurp Authority over poor people and bears rule by your means the day of the Lord hasten upon you which will strip you naked and bare and reward you according to your works and then where will your Authority be you Rulers and Magistrates who Rules not according to the just Law of God but according to your own wills the Lord will justly recompence his wrath and vengence upon your unrighteousness you corupt members and fruitless trees which plead for sin and imperfection and here you uphold the Devils Kingdom who raigns in sin and here you are found Enemies to God and his righteousness and I am a witness for the living God against you all who acts contrary to the just Law of God and bears Testimony to his name who is the Author and finisher of my faith and perfects his own work and clenseth from all sin by his blood all that walk in the Light as he is in the Light but you who walk in darkness hath not this hope neither that faith which purifies the heart but are going on in the broad way professing God and Christ with your mouth Prosecutes the life and power as did the same generation in all ages past halling beating scoffing scorning and shuting into Prison them that did confess his name and declared against all deceipt operly against all sin and evil as they were moved but the Lord will be avenged for these things therefore hast to Repentance and amend your lives for the Kingdom of God is at hand William Wilson ALL people that desires to serve the living God in newness of life must of necessity turn your minds into the Light of his Son Christ Jesus in your own hearts for that is he that gives the true knowledge of God whom to know is life eternal and this is he whom God hath sent into the world to be a Light to lighten all people that through him they might believe and be saved for he is the Saviour of his people from their sins so people whatsoever makes manifest sin is Light and whatsoever is reprovable is reprov'd with the light for the light proves the world of sin of righteousness and of judgment and this is he that sets up true Judgment in the heart and gives thee to descern between the good and the evil and lets the see the thoughts of thy heart in which thou dost behold thy State how thou stands approved unto God and this is near thee will never deceive thee and as thou finds thy obediance unto God and walking in the Light of his Son which never consents to the evil of thy doings so shalt thou find Gods power and Spirit beating witness with thy Spirit that thou art a Son of God guided by the Spirit of God and cannot fulfil the lusts of the Flesh and this must every one come to witness whoever comes to witness the Lord Jesus Christ to be their Saviour who is the Saviour of his people from their sins for while man and woman lives in their sin they are dead while they leive and all dutys performances and prayers to and professions of God and Christ is no more then if they cut off a dogs neck or offered up Swins blood for the works of man are a vaine thing