shall fall out lay down the Money and give in an Account at the next Quarterly Meeting in Order to their Relief if it appear that they are thereby overcharged and let all things be done without Favour Affection Relation or any respect to Persons even for the Lord's Sake and his blessed Everlasting Truth that God may bless and prosper his People And let all things be written down both as to your monthly and quarterly meeting Collections what you Receive what you Disburse that all may be fair and clear to the satisfaction of all that desire to see and Examine the Books And the Lord's Fear and Life and Power was over all in which the Lord God preserve his for ever The next day being the Seventh day of the Week was imploied in visiting of Friends and preparing our selves for a further Journey that is to say G. K. R. B. B. F. and My self Finding Letters here from the Friends of Dantzick complaining of their heavy Sufferings they underwent informing us also that the King of Poland was there asking advice about an Address to Him it fell upon me to write the following Letter in the Name of the Friends of Dantzick TO THE KING OF POLAND Great Prince ACtions of Justice Mercy and Truth are worthy of all Men but in a most excellent manner of the serious consideration of Kings and Princes We certain Inhabitants of the City of Dantzick have been long great Sufferers not for any Wickedness committed against the Royal Law of God or any Breach of those Civil Laws of this City that relate to the well Government of it in all Natural and Civil things but purely and only for the cause of our Tender Consciences towards God This severity being by us represented to the Magistrates of this City we could not as yet receive from them any Relief some expressing as if easing the Burthen of our Oppressions should give thee O King an occasion of Dissatisfaction against them who art our acknowleged Protector Being thus necessitated and in a manner driven to make this address unto Thee take it not amiss that we with that Humility and Patience that becometh the Servants and followers of Jesus and with all manner of Christian respect and sincerity of Mind briefly relate to Thee the most Fundamental Principles most surely believed by us which we hope Thou wilt believe deserve not those Punishments that are inflicted upon us as evil doers 1. We do reverently believe that there is one God and Father one Lord Jesus Christ and one Holy Spirit and these three are one Eph. 4.6 2. We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to have been given forth by Divine Inspiration and that they are profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness able to make the Man of God wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 3.15 16. 3. That these Holy Scriptures are not to be understood but by the Discoveries Teachings and Operations of that Eternal Spirit from whence they came 4. We beleive that all Mankind through Disobedience to the Spirit of God are fallen short of the Glory of God and in that State are under Condemnation but that God out of his infinite Goodness and Kindness hath sent his Son a Light into the World that whosoever believeth and obeyeth this Light should not abide in Darkness but have the Light of Eternal Life 5. We believe this Gift of Light and Grace through Jesus Christ to be Vniversal and that there is not a Man or Woman upon Earth that hath not a sufficient measure of this Light and to whom this Grace hath not appeared to reprove their ungodly Works of Darkness and to lead them that obey it to Eternal Salvation And this is the great Condemnation of the World at this Day under all their great professions of God Christ Spirit and Scriptures that though Christ hath enlightned them yet they will not bring their Deeds to the Light but hate the Light and love their dark Customs and Practices rather than the Light because their Deeds are Evil. 6. We do believe in the Birth Life Doctrine Miracles Death Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ our Lord and that he laid down his Life for the Vngodly not to continue so but that they should deny their Wickedness and Vngodliness and live Soberly Righteously and Godlikely in this present evil World as the Saints of old did that were redeemed from the Earth and sat in Heavenly places 7. We do believe that as the Devil through Man's Disobedience brought sin into Man's Heart so Christ Jesus through Man's Belief in and Obedience to his Holy Spirit Light and Grace cleanseth the Heart of Sin destroyeth the Works of the Devil finisheth Transgression and bringeth in everlasting Righteousness that as the Devil hath had his Kingdom of Darkness in Man so Christ may have his Kingdom of Light Life Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost in the Heart of Man and not that Christ Jesus saveth Men from Wrath and not from-Sin for the Wages of Sin is Death in whose heart soever it liveth but the Gift of God is Eternal Life to all that believe and obey through Jesus Christ 8. We do believe that all true Ministry and Worship only stand in the experimental Sense Operations and Leadings of this Holy Light Spirit or Grace that is shed abroad in the Hearts of Men and Women to conduct them in the Holy way of Regeneration unto Life Eternal this was the Ancient Apostolical Doctrine they spoke what they had seen Tasted and Handled of the Word of God And this is our Faith Doctrine and Practice in this day And be not displeased with us O King we intreat thee if we give this for the reason of our absenting our selves from the publick and common Ministry or Worship Namely that we have no Taste or Relish no Sense or Evidence that their Ministry and Worship are Authorized and performed by the Apostolical Power and Spirit of Jesus but rather that they are the Inventions Studies and Powers of Man's Nature all which are but strange Fire and therefore cannot kindle a true and acceptable Sacrifice to God for it is not Man's Spirit and degenerate Nature Speaking and Professing the Words of God's Spirit that giveth acceptance with the Lord or adminstreth Heavenly Edification to Men nor can we believe that where Envy Passion Wrath Malice Persecution Envy and Strife Lusts Vanity Wantonness and Worldly Mindedness have such Sway and Power that the true Christian Spirit Life and Doctrine can be heartily received and followed And as this is the Reason in the sight and presence of that God that made Heaven and Earth and will Judge the Quick and Dead wherefore we cannot join in the common and publick Worship of these parts so doth the same Light and Spirit of God lay an Holy necessity upon us with a Meek and Quiet Spirit to come together after the
and trembling and lose not that sweet and precious Sense that the Lord hath begotten in thee it is soon lost at least weakened but hard to recover wherefore let not the Spirit of the World in any of its appearances vain Company unnecessary Discourse or Words or worldly Affairs prevail upon the civility of thy Nature for they will oppress the innocent Life and bring grievous weights and burdens upon thy Soul and prolong the coming of the Lord whom thou lookest for and put the Day of thy Redemption a far off O beware of this compliance Let me put thee in mind of that sensible resolution so frequently and so passionately repeated Il faut que je rompe Il faut que je rompe Ah this speaketh a weight this weight a sense and this sense a strong Conviction Now be assured that till Obedience be yielded to that present manifestation and conviction the good things desired and thirsted after can never be Enjoyed Wherefore my dear Friend be faithful and watch against the Workings oâ— the Spirit of this World in thy self that the Nature and Image of it in all things may be crucified that thou mayst know an entire Translation with holy Enoch and walk with God Jesus the holy Light is this Cross and Power of God that killeth and maketh alive and 〈◊〉 is the heavenly Vine too if thou abideâ—â— in him thou wilt bring forth fruit bâ—â— if thou abidest not in him thou wilt noâ— bring forth that fruit in which his heavenly Father only can be glorified O see what the mind dayly abideth in O my Soul is even ravisht with the sence of that holy and quiet habitation In me saith he you shall have peace but in the World trouble however be of good cheer I have overcome the world I am not of the World as if he had said I am not of the Worlds ways Worships Customs nor Fashions for what ever is of the nature and spirit of this World hath no part in me and as I am not of this World neither are you of this world for I have chosen you out of the world out of the invention out of the worships and fashions â—f the world you are to leave them all to come out of them all and live and walk as Pilgrims in the world that is strangers To what To the life and practice of the World not using but renouncing the vain Customs and Ceremonies yea the whole Conversation of the World remembring that the friendship of this World is Enmity with God and what if the World hate you it hated me first and the Disciple is not greater than his Master nor the Servant than his Lord if you were of the World the World would love you and not reproach and persecute you for the World loveth its own O my dear Friend mayst thou be perfectly sensible what it is not to be of this World But there is yet a farther mystery in these Words not discerned even of many in whom some tenderness and inquiry is begotten much less of the worldly Christians This World hath a false Earth and a false Heaven a false Foundation and a false Ioy not only gross Wickedness but Iniquity in a Mystery inwardly and outwardly The Whore false Prophet and Dragon and all their Off-spring are here concerned This is their World that must be burnt with fire that Christ is not of nor his true Disciples O the Light of Jesus discovereth it And he is that spiritual Solomon that giveth true judgment and that saveth the living Child the true Birth giving it to the right Mother and not to the false pretender And all that hear his voice and follow him shall receive true Light discerning and Judgment to whom all Judgment is given They shall know his Voice from Man's There are two Trees of differing Natures have contrary Fruits and Leaves the one is the Tree of Life that is Christ the other the Tree of Death and that is Satan the fruit of the one giveth life the fruit of the other bringeth Death the leaves of the first Heal the leaves of the last Poison many that discern the Tree cannot clearly distinguish the Branches And those that see many Arms and Branches cannot distinctly behold the fruit much less the leaves this cometh by the gradual Discoveries and Revelations of the Light of Jesus the Word of God as it is daily received and daily obeyed yea and that Word is the Ax and Sword of the Almighty to cut it down daily feel the strokes of this eternal searching Light and Word at the very root of this corrupt Tree this evil one and his corrupt Nature Works and Effects for which end Jesus Christ is come and therefore is called a Saviour which is little known in truth to the Christians of this World Ah my dear Friend thou knowest this Word yea thou hast felâ— it O hide it in thy heart Treasure it up it up in thy Soul and love it and abide with it for ever Alas Whether shouldst thou go This hath and is the the Word of Eternal Life daily therefore watch and wait that thou mayest be grafted more and more into it that thou mayest live and grow by the virtue and life of it and that it may grow in thy heart as it grew among the first Christians the holy followers of the persecuted Jesus and when it searcheth thy Wound and cutteth away thy dead flesh yea when it separateth between the Soul and the Spirit of this World and divideth between Joints and Marrow when it cutteth off the right hand and plucketh out the right eye O watch unto Prayer and pray that thou mayest endure O keep the holy patience of this pure and living Word and this very Word will keep thee in the hour of thy sharpest Trials and sorest Tribulations O all virtue is in it O 't is a tried Word a sure refuge the staff and strength of the Righteous in all Ages 'T was David's Teacher and Buckler a Light to his feet and a Lamhorn to his Paths Walk thou in the Light thereof and thou shalt not stumble in this word is life as in the root and this life is the Light of Men They that receive and love the Light of it will therein receive divine Life from it to live to God this is the bread of God that cometh from God and seedeth and leadeth up to God by this only that which is born of God liveth and is nourished this is that Carcass to which the wise Eagles gather see thou gatherest to no other nor feâ—dest on no other This is that hidden Manna that cometh from heaven that feedeth God's Israel the World hath a Manna but it perisheth but this endureth for ever for 't is not of Man nor from Man but immortal and from God hid from the knowledge of all the vain Christians in the World So that the Israel of God can say to the Children of this World and that in Truth and
manner of the Ancient Christians that were the true Followers of Jesus and with Godly fear and a retired Mind to wait upon God and Meditate in his Holy Law of Life that he hath writ in our Hearts according to his New Covenant-Promise that he may Feed us Teach us Strengthen us and Comfort us in our inward Man and as by this Holy Spirit according to the Practice of the Churches of Old any are inclined or moved to Reprove Exhort Admonish Praise or Pray we are found exercised in these Holy Practices Now O Prince give us poor Christians leave to Expostulate with Thee Did Christ Jesus or his Holy Followers endeavour by Precept or Example to set up their Religion with a Carnal Sword Called he any Troops of Men or Angels to defend him Did he encourage Peter to dispute his escape with the Sword But did he not say put it up Or did he countenance his over zealous Disciples when they would have had Fire from Heaven to destroy those that were not of their Mind No but did not Christ rebuke them saying ye know not what Spirit ye are of And if it was neither Christ's Spirit nor their own Spirit that would have Fire from Heaven Oh! what is that Spirit that would kindlâ—â—ire on Earth to destroy such as peaceably dissent upon the account of Conscience if we may not wish that God would smite Men of other judgments because they differ from us in which there is no use of Carnal Weapons can we so far deceive our selves as to esteem our selves Christians and Followers of Christ whilst we incourage Men with Worldly Weapons to persecute such as dissent from us O King When did the true Religion Persecute When did the true Church offer Violence for Religion Were not her Weapons Prayers Tears and Patience Did not Jesus conquer by those Weapons and vanquish Cruelty by Suffering Can Clubs and Staves and Swords and Prisons and Banishments reach the Soul convert the Heart or convince the understanding of Man When did violence ever make a true Convert Or bodily punishments a sincere Christian This maketh void the end of Christ's coming which is to save Men's lives and not to â—estroy them to perswade them and noâ—â—o force them yea it robbeth God's Spiâ—it of its Office which is to convince the World that is the Sword by which the Ancient Christians overcame It was the Apostle's Testimony that their Weapons were not Carnal but Spiritual but the Practice of their pretended Successors proveth that there Weapons are not Spiritual but Carnal Suppose we are Tares as the true Wheat hath alwaies been called yet pluck us not up for Christ's Sake who saith Let the Tares and the Wheat grow together until the Harvest that is till the End of the World let God have his due as well as Caesar the judgment of Conscience belongeth to him and mistakes about Religion are best known to him And here give us leave to mind thee of a noble Saying of one of thy Ancestors Stephen King of Poland I am King of Men not of Consciences King of Bodies not of Souls and there have been found and still are among the Emperors Kings Princes and States of the World some that have had that noble Spirit of indulging their Conscientious dissenting Subjects and not only with Gamaliel and Gallio not to persecute but also eminently to protect and defend them from the Hatred and Violence of their Enemies Be not then less Noble than they consider how Quietly and Comfortably our Friends live under other Governments And indeed we conceive it to be the Prudence of the Kings and States of the World for if the wise Man say true The Glory of a Prince is in the Multitude of his People but this Practice saith No the Glory of a Prince is in the Conformity of the People to the Canons of the Clergy which seemeth to strike at all Civil Society which consisteth in Men of Virtue Parts Arts and Industry But let Men have never such excellent Abilities be never so Honest Peaceable and Industrious all which render them good and profitable Subjects to the Prince yet they must not live within their Native Country unless they will sacrifice the Peace of their Consciences by an Hypocritical Submission to the Canons and Fashions of the Church Is not this O Prince to set the Church above the State The Bishop above the King to waste and give away the Strength and Glory of a Kingdom O that thou mayest be wise even in thy Generation and use the Power that God hath given thee for God and Truth and Righteousness that therein thou mayest be like unto God who Peter telleth us Accepteth of all that fear him and work Righteousness throughout the World whose Sun shineth upon all whose Rain cometh upon all And least any should be so injurious to us as to render us Enemies to Civil Government Be it known unto thee O King that we Honour all Men in the Lord not with the vain invented Honours of this World but with the true and solid Honour that cometh from above but much more Kings and those whom God hath â—laced in Authority over us for we beâ—ieve Magistracy to be both Lawfull and â—sefull for the Terrifying of all Evil Doâ—rs and the Praise and Encouragement â—f those that do well The Premises duely Considered we â—ntreat thee O Prince to take our suffering Case into thy serious Regard and bâ— that Power and Influence thou hadst with the Magistrates of this City to recommend our suffering Condition to their serious Consideration that we may no longer lie under these not only Vnchristian but Vnnatural Severities but receive that speedy and effectual Relief which becometh Christian Magistrates to give to their own sober and Christian People The first day of the Week being come the Meeting began about the Eleventh Hour and held till about the Fourth Hour in the Afternoon There was a mighty Concourse of People from several places of this Country and that of several Perswasions Baptists Presbyterians Socinians Seekers c. and God was with his People and his Word of Life and Power of Wisdom and Strength covered them yea the hidden things both of Esau and Jacob the mystery both of Iniquity and Godliness were opened and declared in the Demonstration of the Eternal Spirit that day and O Blessed and Magnified be the Name of the Lord that hath not only not left himself but also his Servants not without a Witness Oh he is worthy to be Lov'd and Fear'd and Obey'd and Reverenced for ever The next day G.K. R.B. B.F. and my self having taken our leave of dear G.F. and Friends took Boat for Naerden where we Arrived about the Second Hour in the Afternoon and after having Eaten we took our leave of those Friends that had Accompanied us hither and begun our Journey in the common Post-waggon to Osnaburg where we came the Fourth day following in the Evening We past
through a very dark Country to that place yet I felt not so great a weight and suffering in my Spirit as six Years ago when I went through the same places At Osnabrug we had a little time with the Man of the Inn where we lay and left him several good Books of Friends in the Low and High Dutch Tongues to Read and to dispose of The next morning being the fifth day of the Week we set forward to Herwerden and came thither at Night This is the City where the Princess Elizabeth Palatine hath her Court whom and the Countess in Company with her it was especially upon us to Visit and that upon several Accompts 1. In that they are Persons seeking after the best things 2. That they are actually Lovers and Favourers of those that separate themselves from the World for the sake of Righteousness For the Princess is not only a private supporter of such but gave protection to De Labadie himself and his Company yea when they went under the reproachfull Name of Quakers about seven Years since This Man was a Frenchman that dissatisfied with the loosness and deadness of the French Protestants even at Geneva it self left them and came for Holland and so vehemently declaimed against the Apostacy of the Priests and People there that the Clergy were inraged and stir'd up the Magistrates against him and the rather because many followed him and several Women of great Quality Upon this the Princess giveth them an invitation and they came and were protected by her but since some miscarriages falling out in that place she thereupon in good measure withdrew her Favour from them and they removed into another place I was moved to Visit this Man and his Company six years ago and did see him and his two great Disciples but they would not suffer me to see the People which I laboured for I in that day saw the airiness and unstableness of the Man's Spirit and that a Sect-master was his Name and it was upon me both by Word of Mouth and Writing to let them know that the Enemy would prevail against them to draw them into inconvenient things if they came not to be stay'd in the Light of Jesus Christ and to know the Holy Silence and that at last they would come to fall out one with another and moulder away which is in some measure come to pass as I fear'd for I clearly perceived that though they had received some Divine Touches a danger there was they would run out with them and spend them like Prodigals not knowing then where to stay their Minds for daily Bread yea though they were something Angelical and like to the Celestial Bodies yet if they kept not their Station they would prove fallen Stars they moved not in the motion of him that had visited them but were fill'd with gross Mixtures and thereby brought forth mixt Births That is to say things not Natural but Monstrous In fine they were Shy of us they knew us not yet I believed well of some of the People for a good thing was stirring in them and in this Case was the Countess commendable in that she left all to have joined with a People that had a pretence at least to more Spirituality and Self-denial than was found in the National Religion she was bred up in for God had reacht her as she told me about Nine Years ago and that by an extraordinary way Now it seemed great pity to us that Persons of their Quality in the World should so willingly expose themselves for the false Quaker the reprobate Silver the Mixtures and that they should not be acquainted with the Life and Testimony of the true Quakers Now about a Year since R.B. and B.F. took that City in the way from Frederickstadt to Amsterdam and gave them a Visit in which they informed them somewhat of Friends Principles and recommended the Testimony of Truth to them as both a nearer and more certain thing than the utmost of De Labadie's Doctrine They left tender and loving Soon after this Getrueydt Dircks and Elizabeth Hendricks from Amsterdam visited them and obtained a Meeting with them improving that little way God by his Providence had made more closely to press the Testimony and though they especially the Countess made some Objections in relation to the Ordinances and certain Practices of Friends yet she seemed to receive at that time satisfaction from them These Visits have occasioned a Correspondence by way of Letter betwixt them and several of us wherein the Mistery of Truth hath been more clearly opened to their Understandings and they have been brought nearer into a waiting Frame by those Heavenly Directions they have frequently receiv'd by way of Epistles from several of us This Digression from the present History I thought not altogether unnessary or unpleasing But to Return being arrived at that City part of which is under her Government we gave her to understand it desiring to know what time next day would be most proper for us to Visit her She sent us word she was glad that we were come and should be ready to receive us the next Morning about the Seventh Hour The next morning being come which was the sixth day of the week we went about the time she had appointed us and found both her and the Countess ready to receive us which they did with a more than ordinary Expression of Kindness I can truly say it and that in God's fear I was very deeply and reverently affected with the Sense that was upon my Spirit of the great and notable day of the Lord and the breakings in of his Eternal Power upon all Nations and of the raising of the slain Witness to judge the World who is the Treasure of Life and Peace of Wisdom and Glory to all that receive him in the Hour of his Judgments and abide with him The Sense of this deep and sure Foundation which God is laying as the Hope of Eternal Life and Glory for all to Build upon fill'd my Soul with an Holy Testimony to them which in a living Sense was followed by my Brethren and so the Meeting ended about the Eleventh Hour The Princess intreated us to stay and Dine with her but with due regard both to our Testimony and to her at that time we refused it desiring if she pleased another opportunity that day which she with all chearfulness yielded to She her self appointing the Second Hour So we went to our Quarters and some time after we had Dined we returned The Meeting soon began there were several present besides the Princess and Countess it was at this Meeting that the Lord in a more eminent manner began to appear the Eternal Word shewed it self a Hammer at this day yea sharper than a two edged Sword dividing asunder between the Soul and the Spirit the Joints and the Marrow yea this day was all Flesh Humbled before the Lord it amazed one struck another broke another
yea the noble Arm of the Lord was truly awakened and the weight and work thereof bowed and tendered us also after an unusual and extraordinary manner that the Lord might work an Heavenly Sign before them and among them that the Majesty of him that is risen among the poor Quakers might in some measure be known unto them what God it is we serve and what Power it is we wait for and bow before yea they had a Sense and Discovery that day what would become of the Glory of all Flesh when God shall enter into Judgment Well let my right hand forget its Cunning and my Tongue cleave to the roof of my Mouth when I shall forget the loving kindness of the Lord and the sure Mercies of our God to us his Travelling Servants that day O Lord send forth thy Light and thy Truth that all Nations may behold thy Glory Thus continued the Meeting till about the Seventh Hour which done with Hearts and Souls filled with Holy Thanksgivings to the Lord for his abundant Mercy and Goodness to us we departed to our Lodging desiring to know whether our coming the next day might not be uneasie or unseasonable to her with respect to the Affairs of her Government it being the last day of the Week when we were informed she was most frequently attended with Addresses from her Peoplâ— but with a loving and ready Mind she replyed That she should be glad to see us the next Morning and at any time when we would The next Morning being the Seventh day we were there betwixt Eight and Nine where R.B. falling into some discourse with the Princess the Countess took hold of the Opportunity and Whispered me to withdraw to get a Meeting for the more inferiour Servants of the House who would have been Bashful to have presented themselves before the Princess and blessed be the Lord he was not wanting to us but the same blessed Power that had appeared to Visit them of High appeared also to Visit them of Low Degree and we were all sweetly tender'd and broken together for Vertue went forth of Jesus that Day and the Life of our God was shed abroad amongst us as a sweet savour for which their Souls bowed before the Lord and confess'd to our Testimony which did not a little please that Noble Young Woman to find her own report of us and her great care of them so effectually answered Oh what shall we say is there any God like our God Who is glorious in Holiness fearful in Praises working Wonders To his Eternal Name Power and Arm be the Glory for Ever The Meeting done the Princess came to us expressing much Satisfaction that we had that good opportunity with her Servants telling us she much desired they should have a true and right Character of us and that therefore she chose to with-draw that they might have freer access and that it might look like their own Act on Words to that Purpose The Twelfth Hour being come we returned to our Inn letting them understand we purposed the Lord willing to Visit them some time that Afternoon I must not here forget that we found at our Inn the first Night at Supper a Young Merchant of a sweet and ingenious Temper belonging to the City of Bremen who took occasion from that Night's Discourse the sixth day at Dinner and Supper and the Seventh day also to seek all opportunities of conference with us and as we have reason to be believe he stayed Twenty Four Hours in that City on our Account We opened to him the Testimony of Truth I know not that in any one thing he contradicted us At last he plainly discovered himself unto us to be a Follower of a certain Minister in Bremen that is even by his Fellow-ministers and Protestants reproached with the Name of Quaker because of his singular sharpness against the formal lifeless Ministers and Christians in the World We laid fast hold upon this and askt him in case any of us should Visit that City if he would give us the opportunity of a Meeting at his House which he readily granted us So we gave him some Books recommending him to the true and blessed Testimony of Christ Jesus the Light and Judge of the World and Life of them that receive him and believe in him and so we parted It being now about Three in the Afternoon we went to the Princess's where being come after some little time the Princess and Countess put me in Remembrance of a Promise I made them in one of my Letters out of England namely that I would give them an account at some convenient time of my first Convincement and of those Tribulations and Consolations which I had met withal in this way of the Kingdom which God hath brought me to After some pause I found my self very free and prepared in the Lord's love and fear to comply with their request and so after some Silence began But before I had half done it was Supper time and the Princess would by no means let us go we must Sup with her which importunity not being well able to avoid we yielded to and sat down her to Supper among the rest present at these Opportunities it must not be forgotten that there was a Countess Sister to the Countess then come in to Visit her and a French Woman of Quality the first behaving her self very decently and the last often deeply broken and from a light and slighting Carriage towards the very Name of a Quaker she became very intimately and affectionately kind and respectful to us Supper being ended we all returned to the Princess's Chamber where making us all to sit down with her she with both the Countesses and the French Woman prest from me the Continuance of my Relation but none more than the Countess ' s Sister which tho' late I was not unwilling to oblige them with because I knew not when the Lord would give me such an opportunity and I found them affected It continued till about Ten at Night yet many particulars omitted partly through forgetfulness and partly for want of time howbeit I must needs say they heard me with an Earnest and Tender Attention and I hope and believe the Lord hath made it profitable unto them This done some discourse they had upon it and afterwards we spoke about a Meeting for the next day being the first day of the Week and that we might have not only as many of her own Family but as many of her Town as would willingly be there she yielded to it and appointed the Meeting to begin at the Second Hour so we parted being near the Eleventh Hour at Night The next Morning we had a Meeting among our selves in our Chamber wherein the Lord refresht us and there was a great Travail upon our Spirits that the Lord would stand by us that day and magnifie the Testimony of his own Truth by us that he might have a Seed and People
in that place to lift up a Standard for his Name At Dinner there were several Strangers that came by the Post-Waggon that day among whom there was a Young Man of Bremen being a Student of Duysburgh who informed us of a sober and seeking Man of great Note in that City of Duysburgh to him we gave some Books There was one more who was tender and inquiring to whom also we gave some Books The Second Hour being at Hand we went to the Meeting where were several as well of the Town as of the Family the Meeting began with a weighty Exercise and Travel in Prayer that the Lord would glorifie his own Name that day and by his own power he made way to their Consciences and sounded his wakening Trumpet in their Ears that they might know that he was God and that there is none like unto him Oh the day of the Lord livingly dawned upon us and the searching Life of Jesus was in the midst of us Oh! the word that never faileth them that wait for it and abide in it opened the way and unsealed the Book of Life yea the quickning Power and Life of Jesus wrought and reacht to them and vertue from him in whom dwelleth the God-head bodily went forth and blessedly distilled upon us his own Heavenly Life sweeter than the Spices with pure Frankincense yea than the sweet smelling Myrrh that cometh from a far Country and as it began so it was carried on and so it ended Blessed be the Name of the Lord and confided in be our God for ever Assoon as the Meeting was done the Princess came to me and took me by the hand which she usually did to us all coming and going and went to speak to me of the Sense she had of that Power and Presence of God that was amongst us but was stopt and turning her self to the Window brake forth in an extraordinary Passion crying out I cannot Speak to you my Heart is full claping her Hands upon her Breast it melted me into a deep and calm tenderness in which I was moved to Minister a few words softly to her and after some time of Silence she recovered her self and as I was taking my leave of her she interrupted me thus Will ye not come hither again Pray call here as ye return out of Germany I told her we were in the Hand of the Lord and being his could not dispose of our selves but the Lord had taken care that we should not forget her and those with her for he had raised and begotten an Heavenly Concernment in our Souls for her and them and that we loved them all with that love wherewith God had loved uâ— with much more to that purpose She then turned to the rest of the Friends and would have had us all gone down to Supper with her but we chose rather to be excused we should Eat a bit of her Bread and Drink a glass of her Wine if she pleased in the Chamber where we were At last we prevailed with her to leave us The Countess the French Woman and the Countess's waiting Woman stay'd with us and we had a very retir'd and seasonable Opportunity with them After the Princess had Supt we went all down and took our Solemn leave of her the Countess her Sister the French Woman with the rest of the Family whose hearts were reach'd and opened by our Testimonies recommending unto them Holy Silence from all Will-worship and the Workings Strivings and Images of their own Mind and Spirit that Jesus might be felt of them in their Hearts his holy Teachings witnessed and followed in the way of his Blessed Cross that would crucifie them unto the World and the World unto them that their Faith Hope and Joy might stand in Christs in them the Heavenly Prophet Shepherd and Bishop whose voice all that are truly Sheep will hear and follow and not the voice of any stranger whatever So we left them in the Love and Peace of God praying that they might be kept from the Evil of this World So we returned to our Lodging having our Hearts filled with a weighty Sense of the Lord's appearance with us in that place and being late towards the Ninth Hour we prepared to go to Rest The next Morning being the Second day of the Week G.K. B.F. and my self got ready to begin our Journey towards Franckfort w câ— by the way of Cassel is about 200 English Miles R. B. prepared himself to return by the way weâ—came directly back to Amsterdam But before we parted we had a little time together in the Morning in our Chamber whither came one of the Princess's Family and one of the Town The Lord moved me to call upon his great Name that he would be with them that stayed and with them that returned also and with us that went forward in wild and untrodden places and his blessed Love and Life over-shadowed us yea he filled our Cup together and made us drink into one Spirit even the Cup of Blessings in the Fellowship of the everlasting Seed in which we took leave of one another and after having Eaten it being about the Seventh Hour we departed the City We came to Paderborn that Night six German Miles which are about thirty six English it is a dark Popish Town and under the Government of a Bishop of that Religion howbeit the Woman where we lodged was an Ancient Grave and Serious Person to whom we declared the Testimony of the Light shewing her the difference betwixt an outside and an inside Religion which she received with much kindness We left some Books with her which she took readily There was also with us at Supper a Lutheran that was a Lawyer with whom I had very good Service in opening to him the great loss of the power of Godliness as well among them who separated from Rome as in the Roman Church which he confessed I directed him to the Principle of Light in his Conscience that let him see the lifeless State of the false Christians and if he turned his mind to that Principle and waited there for Power he would receive Power to Rule and Govern himself according to true Godliness and that it was the loss of Christendom that they went from this Principle in which the Power standeth that conformeth the Soul into the Image and Likeness of the dear Son of God and thither they must come again if ever they will have the true knowledge of God and enjoy Life and Salvation with much more to that purpose all which he received lovingly The next Morning we set forwards toward Cassel but through great foulness of Weather having only naked Carts to Ride in the Waters being also High with the Rains We got not to Cassel till the next day which was the Fourth day of the Week It being late we made little inquiry that Night being also wearied with the foulness of the Ways and Weather But the next day we
made our usual Inquiry viz. who was worthy in the City and found some that tenderly and lovingly received us to whom we declared the Visitation of the Light and Love of God Among the rest was Dureus our Countryman a Man of Seventy Seven Years of Age who had learned in good Measure to forget his Learning School Divinity and Priest's Craft and for his approaches towards an inward Principle is reproachfully saluted by some with the honest Title of Quaker 't is much better than Papist Lutheran or Calvinist who are not only ignorant of but Enemies to Quaking and Trembling at the Word of the Lord as Moses and others did Upon the Sixth day of the same week about Noon we set out towards Franckfort having left several Books behind us which hath been our Practice in our Journey At Franckfort we Arrived the Second day about Noon being just a Week from Herwerden and having from thence and Cassel made known our intentions of coming to that City two considerable Persons came and met us about half a German Mile from the City informing us of several well affected in that Town upon which we told them the end of our coming and desired to have a Meeting with them in the Afternoon which we easily obtained at the House of a Merchant one of the two that met us The persons that resorted thither were generally People of considerable Note both of Calvinists and Lutherans and we can say they received us with gladness of Heart and embraced our Testimony with a broken and reverent Spirit thanking God for our coming amongst them and praying that he would prosper this work in our Hands this ingaged our hearts to make some longer stay in this City We therefore desired another Meeting the next day which they cheerfully assented to where several came that were not with us the day before and the Lord that sent us into the Land was with us and by his Power reached to them insomuch that they confessed to the Truth of our Testimony Of these Persons there were two Women one a Virgin the other a Widow both Noble of Birth who had a deep Sense of that power and presence of God that accompanied our Testimony and their hearts yearned strongly towards us the Virgin giving us a particular invitation to her House the next Morning where we had the most blessed Opportunity of the three for the Lord's power so eminently appeared that not only those that had been with us before were most effectually reacht but a certain Student residing in the House of a Lutheran Minister sent for by that Young Woman was broken to pieces and magnified that blessed power which appeared Also there accidentally came in a Doctor of Physick who unexpectedly was affected and confessed to the Truth praying God to prosper us This was the blessed Issue of our Visit to Franckfort But there is one thing more not unfit to be mentioned Among some of those that have Inclinations after God a fearful Spirit together with the shame of the Cross hath entred against which our Testimony in part striking we took Notice it was as Life to these noble Women for that was it as they told us which had long opprest them and obstructed the work of the Lord amongst them Therefore said the Young Virginour Quarters are free for you let all come that will come and lift up your Voices without fear for said she it will never be well with us till Persecution come and some of us be lodged in the Stadthouse that is the Prison We left the Peace of Jesus with them and the same Afternoon we departed out of that City being the fourth day of the week Here I writ an Epistle to the Churches of Jesus TO THE CHURCHES OF JESUS Throughout the WORLD Gathered and settled in his Eternal Light Power and Spirit to be one Holy Flock Family and Houshold to the Lord who hath Redeemed them from among all the Kindreds of the Earth Godly Zeal Wisdom Power Perseverance and Victory with all Heavenly Blessings be multiplied among you in the Name of the Lord. William Penn. Printed in the Year 1677. TO THE CHURCHES OF JESUS Throughout the VVORLD Gathered and settled in his Eternal Light Power and Spirit to be One Holy Flock Family and Houshold to the Lord c. Dear Friends and Brethren WHO have been visited with the Fatherly Visitation from on High and have received God's Eternal Word and Testament in your Hearts by which you have been gathered home to Christ Jesus the true Shepherd from all the Idol-Shepherds and their barren Mountains and unprofitable Hills where you have been scattered in the Dark and Gloomy Day of Apostacy and by hiâ— Light Spirit and Power have been convinced of Sin Righteousness and Judgment and can say The Prince of thiâ— World is judged by his Holy Righteous and powerful Appearance in you untâ— whom all Judgment in Heaven and Earth is committed who is the blessed Lamâ— of God the Light and Saviour of the World who is King of Salem and Prince of Peace My Soul loves you with everlasting Love even with the Love with which my God and your God my Father and your Father hath loved me and visited my Soul and your Souls in this do I dearly salute and embrace you all in this the day of the fullfilling of his glorious Promises to his Church in the Wilderness and Witnesses in Sack-cloth And O magmagnified be his Name and everlastingly praised and renowned be his holy Power and Arm by which he hath reached unto us and brought Salvation near us For he hath found us out and hath heard our Solitary Cries the deep and mournful Supplications of our bowed Spirits when we were as the â—ittle silly Dove without its Mate and â—he lonely Pelican in the Wilderness when we were ready to cry out Is â—here none to save is there none to help O when shall the Time and Times and half a Time be finisht when shall the One Thousand Two Hundred and Sixty Days be accomplisht and when shall the Abomination that stands in the Holy Place â—â—e cast out when shall the Captivity of the People be turned back O when shall Babylon come into Remembrance before God the Dragon Beast and False Prophet be cast into the Lake And when shall the Law go forth out of Sion and the Word of the Lord out of Jerusalem When shall Sion become the Joy and Jerusalem the Praise of the whole Earth And when shall the Earth be covered with the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waâ—ers cover the Sea Friends The Lord of Heaven and Earth hath heard our Cries and the full time is come yea the appointed time is come and the Voice of the Eâ—ernal Spirit in our Hearts hath been And Friends let it never pass out of our remembrance what our God hath done for us since he hath made us a People Hath any Weapon formed against us prospered hath he
called us and not protected us hath he given Power to conceive and not to bring forth hath he not sheltered us in many a Storm did he ever leave us under the Reproaches and Contradictions of Men nay hath he not spoken Peace to us were we ever cast out by Men and he forsook us No the Lord hath taken us up Were we ever in Prison and he visited us not hungry and he fed us not naked and he clothed us not or have we been sick and he came not to see us When were the Jails so close that he could not come in and the Dungeons so dark that he caused not his Light to shine upon us O nay he hath never left us nor forsaken us yea he hath provided richly for us he hath brought us into the Wilderness not to starve us but to try us yet not above our measure For he fed us with Manna from on high with pure Honey and Water out of the Rock and gave his good Spirit to sustain us By Night he was a Pillar of Fire to us to comfort us and by Day a Pillar of Cloud to hide and shelter us He was a Shadow of a mighty Rock that followed us and we never wanted a Brook by the way to refresh us Was God good to Israel outward Much more hath he abounded to his spiritual Israel the proper Seed and Off-spring of himself O the noble Deeds and valiant Acts that he hath wrought in our Day for our Deliverance He hath caused One to chase Ten and Ten an Hundred and an Hundred a Thousand many a Time None hath been able to snatch us out of his Hands who abode in his Truth For though the Winds have blown and the Sea hath raged yet hath he rebuked the Winds and the Sea for his Seed's sake He hath said to the Winds Be still and to the Sea Thus far shalt thou come and no further He hath cast up a high Way for his Ransomed to walk in so plain that though a Fool he shall not err therein This is the Light in which all Nations of them that are saved must walk for ever And therefore Friends let us stay our Minds in the Light of the Lord for ever and let the Awe Fear and Dread of the Almighty dwell in us and let his Holy Spirit be known to be a Covering to us that from the Spirit of this World we may be chastly kept and preserved unto God in the holy Light and Self-denying Life of Jesus who hath offered up himself once for all leaving us an Example that we should also follow his Steps that as he our dear Lord and Master so we his Servants and Friends and Children might by the eternal Spirit offer up our selves to God in Body in Soul and in Spirit which are his that we may be his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works to the Praise of him that hath called us which Calling is an high and an holy Calling by the eternal Light and Spirit in our Consciences O that it might for ever remain in high Estimation with us and that it may be the daily Watch and Travel of us all in the Presence of the Holy and Living God that hath called us to make our great Call and Election sure which many have neglected to do who have been convinced by the blessed Light and Truth of Christ Jesus revealed in their Hearts and who for a time have walked among us have been overcome by the Spirit of this World and turned their Hands from the Plough and deserted the Camp of the Lord and gone back into Egypt again whereby the Heathens have blasphemed and the Way and People of the Lord greatly have suffered Therefore O my dear Friends and Brethren in the Sense of that Life and Power that God from Heaven so gloriously hath dispensed among us and by which he hath given us multiplied Assurances of his Loving-kindness unto us and crowned us together with heavenly Dominion and in which my Spirit is at this time broken before the Lord do I most earnestly entreat you to watch continually lest any of you that have tasted of the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come fall by Temptation and by Carelesness and Neglect tempt the living God to withdraw his fatherly Visitation from any of you and finally to desert such for the Lord our God is a jealous God and he will not give his Glory unto another He hath given to Man all but Man himself and him he hath reserved for his own peculiar Service to build him up a glorious Temple to himself so that we are bought with a Price and we are not our own Therefore let us continually watch and stand in awe that we grieve not his Holy Spirit nor turn his Grace into Wantonness But all of us let us wait and that in a holy travail of Spirit to know our selves sealed by the Spirit of Adoption unto the Day of our compleat Redemption when not only all our Sins but all Sorrows Sighings and Tears shall be wiped away from our Eyes and everlasting Songs of Joy and Thanksgivings shall melodiously fill our Hearts to God that sits upon the Throne and to his blessed immaculate Lamb who by his most precious Blood shall have compleatly redeemed us from the Earth and written our Names in the Book of Life Friends The Spirit of the Lord hath often brought you into my Remembrance since I have been in this desolate Land and with Joy unutterable have I had sweet and precious Fellowship with you in the Faith of Jesus that overcometh the World For though absent in Body yet present in him that is Omnipresent And I can truly say you are very near and very dear unto me and the Love that God hath raised in my Heart unto you surpasses the Love of Women And our Testimony I am well satisfied is sealed up together And I am well assured that all that love the Light shall endure to the End throughout all Tribulations and in the End obtain Eternal Salvation And now Friends as I have been travelling in this dark and solitary Land the great Work of the Lord in the Earth has been often presented unto my view and the Day of the Lord hath been deeply upon me and my Soul and Spirit hath frequently been possessed with an holy and weighty Concern for the Glory of the Name of the Lord and the spreading of his everlasting Truth and the Prosperity of it through all Nations that the very Ends of the Earth may look to him and may know Christ the Light to be given to them for their Salvation And when the Sense of these things hath been deeply upon me an holy and strong Cry God hath raised in my Soul to him That we who have known this fatherly Visitation from on High and who have beheld the Day of the Lord the Rising of the Sun of Righteousness who is full of Grace and full of Truth
and have beheld his Glory and confessed it to be the Glory of the only begotten Son of God and who by Obedience to his appearance are become the Children of Light and of the Day and as the First-Fruits to God after this long Night of Apostacy might for ever walk and dwell in his holy Covenant Christ Jesus the Light of the World because in him we have always Peace but out of him comes all the Trouble And whilst this heavenly Sense rested with me the Lord God that made me and called me by his Grace unto Salvation laid it upon me to visit you in an holy Exhortation And it is the Exhortation of my Life at this time in the earnest and fervent Motion of the Power and Spirit of Jesus to beseech you all who are turned to the Light of Christ that shineth in your Hearts and believe in it That you carefully and faithfully walk in it in the same Dread Awe and Fear in which you began that that holy Poverty of Spirit that is precious in the Eyes of the Lord and was in the Days of your first Love may dwell and rest with you that you may daily feel the same heavenly Hunger and Thirst the same Lowliness and Humility of Mind the same Zeal and Tenderness and the same Sincerity and Love unfeigned that God may fill you out of his heavenly Treasure with the Riches of Life and crown you with holy Victory and Dominion over the God and Spirit of this World That your Alpha may be your Omega and your Author your Finisher and your first Love your last Love that so none may make Shipwrack of Faith and of a good Conscience nor faint by the Way And as in this State we are kept in holy Watchfulness to God as in the beginning the Table which our heavenly Father spreads and the Blessings with which he compasseth us about shall not become a Snare unto us nor shall we turn the Grace and Mercies of the Lord into Wantonness but we shall eat and drink in an holy Fear apparel our selves in Fear buy and sell in Fear visit one another in Fear keep Meetings and there wait upon the Lord in Fear yea whatsoever we take in hand to do it shall be in the holy Fear of God and with an holy Tenderness of his Glory and Regard to the Prosperity of his Truth yea we shall deny our selves not only in the unlawful things but in the things that are even lawful to us for the Sake of the many Millions that are unconverted to God For my Friends and Brethren God hath laid upon us whom he hath honoured with the beginning of his great Work in the World the Care both of this Age and of the Ages to come that they may walk as they have us for Examples yea the Lord God hath chosen you to place his Name in you the Lord hath entrusted you with his Glory that you might hold it forth to all Nations and that the Generations unborn may call you Blessed Therefore let none be Treacherous to the Lord nor reward him Evil for Good nor betray his Cause directly by wilful Wickedness nor indirectly by Negligence and Unfaithfulness But be zealous and valiant for Truth on Earth let none be slothful or careless O remember the slothful Servant's State And let the loving-kindness of the Lord overcome every Soul to Faithfulness For with him are Riches and Honour and every good thing And whither should any go he hath the words of Eternal Life O let none loose their Testimony but hold it up for God let thy Gift be never so small thy Testimony never so little Through thy whole Conversation bear it for God and be true to what thou art convinced of And wait all upon the Lord that you may grow in your heavenly Testimony that Life may fill your Hearts your Houses and your Meetings that you may daily wait to know and to receive Power to do the Will of God on Earth as it is in Heaven And O! that the Cross of Jesus may be in high and honourable Esteem with every one that the Liberty of all may stand in the Cross which alone preserveth for it is the Power of God that crucifieth us to the World and the World to us And through Death way is made unto Life and Immortality which by this blessed Cross the Gospel the Power is brought to Light So shall the Seed of Life that God hath sown in our Hearts grow and in that Seed shall we all come to be Blessed unto whom God hath appointed the Dominion over us and it is good for all to live under the Holy Government of it for the Ways of it are the Ways of Pleasantness and all its Paths are Peace and all that are born of it can say Thy Scepter is a Scepter of Righteousness And O! That all Friends every where may continually bow unto his righteous Scepter and keep to his holy Law which is written in their Hearts that it may be a Light to their Feet and a Lanthorn to their Paths So shall they come to witness that holy Promise made good unto them That the Spirit which I have given unto him the Seed and the Words which I have put into his Mouth shall not depart from him nor from his Seed nor from his Seed's Seed unto all Generations Wherefore Friends redeem the Time because the Days are Evil God hath given you to see they are so and be ye separated more and more yea perfectly disentangled from the Cares of this World And be ye not cumbred with the many things but stand loose from the things that are seen which are Temporal And you that are Poor murmur not but be Patient and trust in the Lord and submit to his Providence and he will provide for you that which is convenient for you the Days of your appointed Time And you that are Rich keep in the Moderation and strive not to multiply earthly Treasure nor to heap up uncertain Riches to your selves but what God hath given you more than what is convenient for your own Use wait for his Wisdom to employ it for his Glory that you may be faithful Stewards of this World 's Mammon and the Lord God shall reward you into your Bosoms of the Riches of that Kingdom that shall never have an End O my Friends and Brethren whether Rich or Poor in Bonds or at Liberty in whatsoever State you are the Salutation of the universal Life of Jesus is to you And the Exhortation is to bow to what is made known unto you and in the Light by which ye have received in measure the Knowledg of God watch and wait diligently to the farther Revelation of the Mind and Will of God unto you that ye may be endued from on High with Power and Might in your inward Man to answer the call and requirings of the Lord that ye may be enabled to make known to the Nations what is the Riches
Name's-sake that had called them And Jesus himself that made a good Confession before Pontius Pilate who hath consecrated through his Blood a new and living Way for all that come unto God by him who is made a high Priest higher than the Heavens one that can be touched and moved and is daily touched and moved with our Weakness and Infirmity that through him we may be made strong in the Lord and more than Conquerors through him that hath loved us Wherefore let it not seem as if some strange thing had happened to you for all these things are for the Trial of your Faith which is more precious than the Gold that perisheth 'T is the old Quarrel Children of this World against the Children of the Lord those that are born after the Flesh warring against those that are born after the Spirit Cain against Abel the Old World against Noah Sodomites against Lot Hagar against Sarah Ishmael against Isaac Esau against Jacob Egyptians against Israelites the false Prophets against the true Prophets as Isaiah Jeremiah c. the Jews under the Profession of the Letter of the Law against Christ that came to fulfil the Law and all his spiritual Followers and Disciples And all the false Apostate Christians against the true and Spiriritual Christians and Martyrs of Jesus So your Conflict is for the Spiritual Appearance of Christ Jesus against those that profess him in Words but in Works and Conversations every day deny him doing Despight to the Spirit of Grace in themselves and those that are led by it But though Gog and Magog shall gather themselves together to lay waste the City of God yet the Lord hath determined their Destruction and he will bring it to pass Wherefore rejoyce O thou little Hill of God and clap thy Hands for Joy for he that is Faithful and True Just and Righteous and able to deliver thee dwells in the midst of thee Who will cause thee to grow and increase till thou becomest a great Mountain till thou becomest the Praise of the whole Earth and the whole Earth be filled with thy Glory And to you all who are the followers of the Lamb of God who was dead but is alive and lives for evermore who is risen in your Hearts as a bright shining Light and is leading you out of the Nature and Spirit of this World in the Path of Regeneration I have this to say by way of holy Encouragement unto you all the Lord God Eternal that was and is and is to come hath reserved for you the Glories of the last Days and if so be that the Followers and Martyrs of Jesus in Ages past when the Church was going into the Wilderness and his Witnesses into Sackcloth were notwithstanding so Noble and Valiant for the Truth on Earth that they loved not their Lives unto the Death and suffered joyfully the Spoiling of their Goods for the Testimony of Jesus how much more ought you all to be encouraged unto Faithfulness who are come to the Resurrection of the Day which shall never more be eclipsed in which the Bride-groom is to come to fetch you his Spouse out of the WILDERNESS to give you Beauty for Ashes and the Garment of Praise for the SPIRIT of HEAVINESS who will cover you with his Spirit and adorn you with his fine Linen the Righteousness of the Saints Lean upon his Breast for ever and know your joyning in an Everlasting Covenant with him that he may lift up the Light of his Countenance upon you and delight to do you Good that in blessing he may bless you increase you and multiply you in all spiritual Blessings now and for ever that to God through him you may live all the Days of your appointed Time to whom be Glory and Honour Praises and Thanksgivings in the Church throughout all Ages and for ever I am In the Faith Patience Tribulation and Hope of the Kingdom of Jesus your Friend and Brother William Penn. My Companions in the Labour and Travel of the Testimony of Jesus G. Keith and B. Furley salute you all in the Love of our God We have passed through several Cities of Germany and are now at Franckfort where the Lord hath given us Three blessed Opportunities with a serious and seeking People whereof as in other places of this Country many of them are Persons of great Worldly Quality Blessed be the Name of the Lord to whom be Glory be for ever W.P. Franckfort the 22d of the 6th Month 1677. The fifth Day we arrived by the way of Worms at Crisheim in the Paltzgrave's Country where we found to our great Joy a Meeting of tender and faithful People But it seems the Inspector of the Calvinists hath injoined the Vooght or chief Officer not to suffer any preaching to be among our Friends who poor Man fearing the Indignation of the Clergy came next Day to desire Friends not to suffer any preaching to be amongst them lest he should be turned out of his Place To whom we desired Friends to say that if he pleased he might apprehend us and carry us to the Prince before whom we should give an Account of our Testimony But blessed be the Lord we enjoyed our Meeting quietly and comfortably of which a Coachful from Worms made a part amongst whom was a Governour of the Country and one of the chief Lutheran Priests It came upon me in this Place to salute the Princess and Countess with this following Epistle A Salutation to Elizabeth Princess Palatine and Anna Maria dâ— Hornes Countess of Hornes at Herwerden in Germany My worthy Friends SUCH as I have such I give unto you the dear and tender Salutation of Light Life Peace and Salvation by Jesus Christ the blessed Lamb of God with the unspeakable Joy of which he hath replenished my Soul at this time that my Cup overfloweth which is the Reward of them that chearfully drink his Cup of Tribulations that love the Cross and triumph in all the Shame Reproaches and Contradictions of the World that do attend it My God take you by the Hand and gently lead you through all the Difficulties of Regeneration and as you have begun to know and love his sweet and tender Drawings so resign the whole Conduct of your Lives to him dispute not away the precious Sense that you have of him be it as small as a Grain of Mustard-seed which is the least of all Seeds there is Power in it if you do but believe to remove the greatest Mountains of Opposition O pretious is this Faith yea more pretious than the Glory and Honour of this World that perish It will give Courage go with Christ before Caiaphas and Pilate yea to bear his Cross without the Camp and to be crucified with him knowing that the Spirit of God and of Glory shall rest upon them to the Inheritors of this Faith is reserved the eternal Kingdom of Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost O be you of that little Flock unto whom
Jesus said Fear not for it is my Father's good pleasure to give you a Kingdom And to be of this Flock you must become as Sheep and to be as Sheep you must become harmless and to become harmless you must hear and follow the Lamb of God as he is that blessed Light which discovereth and condemneth all the unfruitful Works of Darkness and maketh harmless as a Dove which word All leaveth not one Piccadillo or Circumstance undiscovered or unjudged and the word Darkness taketh in the whole Night of Apostacy and the word Vnfruitful is a plain Judgment against all those dark Works Wherefore out of them all come and be you separated and God will give you a Crown of Life which shall never fade away O! the lowness and meanness of those Spirits that despise or neglect the Joys and Glories of Immortality for the sake of the things which are â—een that are but Temporal debasing â—he Nobility of their Souls abandoning the Government of the Divine Spirit and embracing with all ardency of Affection the sensual Pleasures of this Life but such as persevere therein shall not enter into God's Rest for ever But this is not all that hindereth and obstructeth in the holy Way of Blessedness for there is the World's Fear as well as the World's Joy that obstructeth many or else Christ had not said Fear not to his little Flock The Shame of the Cross is a Yoke too uneasy and a Burden too heavy for Flesh and Blood to bear 't is true but therefore shall Flesh and Blood never enter into the Kingdom of God And not to them that are born of the Flesh but to those that are born of the Spirit through the Word of Regeneration is appointed the Kingdom and that Throne which shall judg the twelve Tribes of Israel and all the World The Lord perfect what he hath begun in you and give you Dominion over the Love and Fear of this World And my Friends if you would profit in the Way of God despise noâ— the Day of small things in youâ— selves Know this that to desire anâ— sincerely to breathe after the Lord iâ— a blessed State you must seek beforâ— you find Do you believe make noâ— haste extinguish not those small Beginnings by an over-earnest or impatient desire of Victory God's time is the best time be you faithful and your Conflict shall end with Glory to God and the Reward of Peace to your own Souls Therefore love the Judgment and love the Fire start not aside neither flinch from the scorchings of it for it will purify and refine you as Gold seven times tried then cometh the Stamp and Seal of the Lord upon his own Vessel Holiness to him for ever which he never gave nor will give to reprobate Silver the state of the Religious Worshippers of the World And herein be comforted that Sion shall be redeemed through Judgment and her Converts through Righteousness and after the appointed time of Mourning is over the Lord will give Beauty for Ashes the Oil of Joy for Mourning and the Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heaviness then shall you be able to say Who is he that condemneth us God hath justified us there is no Condemnation to us that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Wherefore my dear Friends walk not only not after the fleshly Lusts but also not after the fleshly Religions and Worships of the World for that that is not born of the Spirit is Flesh and all Flesh shall wither as the Grass and the Beauty of it shall fade away as the Flower of the Field before God's Sun that is risen and rising but the Word of the Lord in which is Life and that Life the Light of Men shall endure for ever and give Life Eternal to them that love and walk in the Light And I entreat you by the Love you have for Jesus have a care how you touch with fleshly Births or say Amen by Word or Practice to that which is not born of the Spirit for God is not to be found of that in your selves or others that calleth him Father and he hath never begotten it in them that Latitude and Conformity is not of God but secretly grieveth his Spirit and obstructeth the growth of the Soul in its Acquaintance and intimate Communion with the Lord. Without me saith Jesus you can do nothing and all that came before me are Thieves and Robbers If so O what are they that Pray Preach and Sing without Jesus and follow not him in those Duties but even in them crucify him O that I may find in you an Ear to hear and an Heart to perceive and embrace these Truths of Jesus And I can say I have great cause to hope and patiently to wait till the Salvation of God be further revealed to you and the whole Family with whom I must acknowledg I was abundantly refreshed and comforted in that God in measure made known the Riches of his Grace and Operation of his Celestial Power to you and his Witness shall dwell with you if we never see you more that God magnified his own Strength in our Weakness With him we leave our Travels affectionately recommending you to his holy Spirit of Grace that you may be conformed to the Image of his own dear Son who is able and ready to preserve you O stay your Minds upon him and he will keep you in perfect Peace and abide with you for ever The Almighty take you into his holy Protection now and for ever I am Your true Friend ready to serve you with fervent Love in the Will of God William Penn. My dear Companions G. K. and B.F. do with me give you the dear Salutation of unfeigned Love and those in the Family that love and desire to follow the Lord Jesus in Sincerity and Truth without wavering P. S. We are this Evening bound towards Manheim the Court of the Prince Palatine and travell'd about twelve English Miles on foot That Night we lodged at Franckenthall and goâ— the next Morning being the seventh Day of the Week to Manheim but were disappointed of our Design which was to speak with the Prince for he was gone the Day before to Heydelbâ—rgh his chief City about fifteen English Miles from that Place and considering that by reason of the Meeting next Day with Friends at Crisheim already appointed we could neither go forward nor stay till he returned and yet being not clear to come away as if we had never endeavoured to visit him it was upon me to write him this following Letter to let him know we had been there and briefly our End in coming To the Prince Elector Palatine of Heydelbergh Great Prince IT would seem strange that I both a Stranger and a Subject should use this freedom of Address to a Prince were he not one whose Actions shew him to be of a free Disposition and easy Access to all
ways allowed in that City Surely the true Day and Power of the Lord made known it self to the Consciences of them present yea they felt that we were such as had been with Jesus and that had obtained our Testimony through the Sufferings and Travels of the Cross They were tender the Resident and Merchant conducted us to our Inn and from thence to the Boat being about seven at Night We set out towards the City of Duysburgh of the Calvinist Way belonging to the Elector of Brandenburgh in and near to which we had been informed there were a retired and seeking People We arrived there next Day about Noon being the first Day of the Week the first thing we did after we came to our Inn was to inquire out one Dr. Mastricht a Civilian for whom we had a Letter to introduce us from a Merchant of Cullen Whom quickly finding we informed him what we came about desiring his Assistance which he readily promised us The first thing we offered was an Access to the Countess of Falchensteyn and Bruch He told us she was an extraordinary Woman one in whom we should find things worthy of our Love that he would write to her to give us an Opportunity with her that the fittest time was the present time in that we might find her at the Minister's of Mulheim on the other side of the River from her Father's Castle for that she used to come out the first Day Morning and not return till Night That we must be very shy of making our selves publick not only for our own sakes but for hers who was severely treated by her Father for the Sake of those Religious Inclinations that appeared in her although her Father pretended to be of the Protestant Religion We therefore dispatched towards Mulheim having received his Letter and being also accompanied by him about one third of the way but being six English Miles and on foot we could not compass the Place before the Meeting was over for it was past three before we could get out of Duysburgh and following that way which led to the back-side of the Greaf's Castle and Orchard which was also a common way to the Town tho if we had known the Country we might have avoided it we met with one Henry Smith Schoolmaster and Catechiser of Speldorp to whom we imparted our Business and gave the Letter of Dr. Mastricht of Duysburgh to introduce us to the Countess He told us he had just left her being come over the Water from the Worship but he would carry the Letter to her and bring an Answer suddenly but notwithstanding staid near an Hour When he came he gave us this Answer viz. that she would be glad to meet us but she did not know where but rather inclined that we should go over the Water to the Minister's House whither if she could she would come but that a strict hand was held over her by her Father After some more serious Discourse with him concerning the Witness of God in the Conscience and the Discovery Testimony and Judgment of that true Light unto which all must bow that would be Heirs of the Kingdom of God recommending him to the same we parted he returning homewards and we advancing to the Town but being â—â—cessitated to pass by her Father's Castle who is Seignour of the Country it so fell out that at that very instant he came forth to walk And seeing us in the Habit of Strangers sent one of his Attendants to demand who and from whence we were and whither we went calling us to him and asking us the same Questions We answered that we were Englishmen come from Holland going no further in these Parts than his own Town of Mulheim But not showing him or paying him that worldly Homage and Respect which was expected from us some of his Gentlemen ask'd us if we knew whom we were before and if we did not use to deport our selves after another manner before Noble-men and in the presence of Princes We answered we were not conscious to our selves of any Disrespect or unseemly Behaviour one of them sharply replied Why don't you put off your Hats then is it respect to stand covered in the presence of the Soveraign of the Country We told them it was our practice in the presence of our Prince who is a great King and that we uncovered not our Heads to any but to the Almighty God Upon which the Graef called us Quakers saying unto us We have no need of Quakers here get you out of my Dominions you shall not go to my Town We told him that we were an innocent People that feared God and had good-will towards all Men and that we had true Respect in our Hearts towards him we would be glad to do him any real Good or Service and that the Lord had made it Matter of Conscience to us not to conform our selves to the vain and fruitless Customs of this World or words to this purpose However he commanded some of his Souldiers to see us out of his Territories to whom we also declared somewhat of the Reason and Intention of our coming to that Place in the Fear and Love of God who were civil to us We parted with much Peace and Comfort in our Hearts and as we passed through the Village where the Schoolmaster dwelt yet in the Dominions of the Graef we called upon him and in the sense of God's Power and Kingdom open'd to him the Message and Testimony of Truth which the Man received with a weighty and serious Spirit For under the Dominion of the Graef there is a large Congregation of Protestants called Calvinists of a more religious inward and zealous frame of Spirit than any Body of People we met with or heard of in Germany After we had ended our Testimony to him we took our leave desiring him not to fear but to be of good Courage for the Day of the Lord was hastning upon all the Workers of Iniquity and to them that feared his Name wherever scattered throughout the Earth he would cause the Sun of Righteousness to arise and visit them with Healing under his Wings and to remember us with true Love and Kindness to the Countess Daughter to this Greaf and to desire her not to be offended in us nor to be dismayed at the Displeasure of her Father but eye the Lord that hath visited her Soul with his holy Light by which she seeth the Vanity of this World and in some measure the emptiness and deadness of the Religions that are in it and he would preserve her from the Power of the Wrath of Men that worketh not the Righteousness of God So we left the Peace of Jesus with him and walked on towards Duysburgh being about six English Miles from thence and near the eight Hour at Night The Lord was with us and comforted our Hearts as we walked without any outward Guide through a tedious and solitary Wood about three Miles long
me and my Friends the last night if it be his Will But since thou art a mortal Man one that must give an Account in common with all to the Immortal God let me a little expostulate with thee By what Law on Earth are Men not scandalous under no Proscription harmless Strangers about lawful Occasions and Men not Vagabonds but of good Quality in their own Country stopt menaced sent back with Souldiers and that at Sun-set exposed to the Night in an unknown Country and therefore forced to lie in the Fields I say by what Law are we judged yea thus punished before heard Is this the Jus Gentium or Germanicum Naturale or Christianum Oh! Where 's Nature Where 's Civility Where 's Hospitality But where 's Christianity all this while Well but we are Quakers Quakers What 's that for a Name Is there a Law of the Empire against that Name No Did we own it No but if we had the letters of that Name neither make up Drunkard Whore-master Thief Murderer nor Traitor Why so odious then What harm hath it done Why could Jews pass just before us that have crucified Christ and not Quakers that never crucified him but Ignorance is as well the Mother of Persecution as Devotion and the false Christian and the false Jew have but one Father But Argumentum ad hominem my Friend bear with me a little Art thou a Christian How canst thou be rude uncivil and persecute then Thou art to love Enemies not abuse Friends harmless Strangers Well but this Life is dead this Doctrine antiquated Jesus Christ turn'd out of doors I perceive What art thou for a Christian A Lutheran Yes Canst thou so lately forget the Practises of the Papists and with what Abhorrence thy Ancestors declared against such sort of Entertainment Were not they despised mocked and persecuted And are their Children treading in the steps of their old Enemies Friend 't is not reformed Words but a reformed Life that will stand thee instead 't is not to live the life of the Unregenerate Worldly-minded and Wicked under the Profession of the Saint's Words that will give an Entrance into God's rest Be not deceived such as thou Sowest such must thou Reap in the Day of the Lord. Thou art not come to the Berean-state that tried all things and therefore not noble in the Christian sense the Bereans were noble for they judged not before Examination And for thy saying We want no Quakers here I say under favour you do for a true Quaker is one that trembleth at the Word of the Lord that worketh out his Salvation with fear and trembling and all the Days of his appointed Time waiteth in the Light and Grace of God till his great Change cometh and that taketh up the daily Cross to his Will and Lusts that he might do the Will of God manifested to him by the Light of Jesus in his Conscience and according to the holy Precepts and Examples in the holy Scriptures of Truth laid down by Jesus and his followers for the Ages to come Yea he is one that loveth his Enemies rather than feareth them that Blesseth those that Curse him and prayeth for those that despitefully treat him as God knoweth we do for thee And O that thou wert such a Quaker Then wouldst thou Rule for God and act in all things as one that must give an account to God for the Deeds done in the Body whether Good or Evil. Then would Temperance Mercy Justice Meekness and the Fear of the Lord dwell in thy Heart and in thy Family and Country Repent I exhort thee and consider thy latter End for thy Days are not like to be many in this World therefore mind the things that make for thy Eternal Peace least Distress come upon thee as an armed Man and there be none to deliver thee I am Thy Well-wishing Friend W.P. Duysburgh 3d. 7th m. 1677. S.V. This having done we went to Dr. Mastricht's to inform him of what had past who tho' of a kind Disposition and very friendly to us yet seemed surprized with fear the Disease of this Country crying out What will become of this poor Countess Her Father hath called her Quaker a long time behaving himself very severely to her but now he will conclude she is one indeed and he will lead her a lamentable Life I know said he you care not for suffering but she is to be pittied We told him that we both loved her and pittied her and could lay down our Lives for her as Christ hath done for us in the Will of God if we could thereby do her good but that we had not mentioned her Name neither was the Letter that he gave us to her so much as seen or known of her Father But still he feared that our Carriage would incense the Graef so much the more against both his Daughter and all those serious and inquiring People up and down the Country We answered with an earnestness of Spirit That they had minded the Incensings and Wrath of Men too much already and true Religion would never spring or grow under such fears and that it was time for all that felt any thing of the Work of God in their Hearts to cast away the slavish fear of Man and to come forth in the boldness of the true Christian life yea that Sufferings break and make way for greater Liberty and that God was wiser and stronger than Man We askt him if there were any in that City who enquired more diligently after the way of the Lord he recommended us as we had already been informed in another place to the Family of the Praetor or chief Governour of the Town whose Wife and Sister more especially were seeking after the best things So we parted with him in love and by the help of his Daughter were conducted to this Family We had not been long there before a School-master of Dusseldorp and withal a Minister came in enquiring after us having hâ—ard at Mulheim where he preached the day before to the People or else by the way of our attempt to visit that place and the Entertainment we received at the hands of the Gâ—â—ef He sat down with us and though we had already a sweet Opportunity yet feeling the Power to rise the Meeting renewed And O magnified be the Name of the Lord he witnessed to our Testimony abundantly in all their Hearts and Consciences who were broken into much tenderness and certainly there is a blessed Power and Zeal stirring in that young Man yea he is very near the Kingdom So we took our Leave of them leaving the Lord's Peace and Blessing upon them It was now something past the 12th Hour of the Day In the way to our Lodging we met a Messenger from the Countess a pretty young tender Man near to the Kingdom who saluted us in her Name with much love telling us That she was much grieved at the Enteâ—tainment of her Father towards us advising us not
to expose our selves to such Difficulties and Hardships for it would grieve her Heart that any that came in the Love of God to visit her should be so severely handled for at some he sets his Dogs upon others he puts his Souldiers to beat them But what shall I say That it self must not hinder you from doing good said the Countess We answered him that his Message was joyful to us that she had any regard to us and that she was not offended with us We desired the Remembrance of our kind Love unto her and that he would let her know that our Concern was not for our selves but for her We invited him to eat with us but he told us he was an Inhabitant of Meurs and was in haste to go home so we briefly declared our Principle and Mesâ—â—ge recommending him to Christ the true Light in his Conscience and parted So we went home to Dinner having neither eaten nor drank since first-day Morning and having lain out all Night in the Field We had no sooner got to our Inn but the Man was constrained to come after us and sat down with us and enquired concerning our Friends their Rise Principles and Progress and in all things that he desired satisfaction about he declared himself satisfied Dinner being done and all cleared we departed that City being about thâ— fourth Hour in the Afternoon and for want of Accommodation were forced to walk on foot 8 English Miles to a Town called Holton where we rested that Night The next Morning we set out for Wesel and got thither at Noon The first thing we did as had been our Custom was to enquire who was worthy particularly for two Persons recommended to us by the Countess of Hornes that lives with the Princess Elizabeth But upon enquiry we found one of them was gone to Amsterdam with his Wife who had been formerly a Preacher but being conscienciously dissatisfied with his own Preaching laid it down and is now in a seeking State But in lied of him we found out three more with the other Person that had been recommended to us We bespoke a Meeting amongst them after Dinner which acâ—ordingly we had at a Woman's House of good Note in the Town who told us That she had been long in a solitary Estate dissatisfied with the Religions generally profest in that Country waiting for Salvation and she hoped that now the time was come and that we were the Messengers of it The Lord was with us in the Meeting and their Hearts were opened by the Word of God to receive our Testimony as glad Tidings of Salvation Meeting being done we immediately returned to our Lodging desiring we might see them together in the same place the next Morning to take our Leave of them to which they readily assented Next Morning we came and had a precious Meeting with them and there were some present that were not there the Night before So we left them in much Love and went to our Inn where after having refresht our selves we went to Rees where we met with a Counsellor of Gelderlandt with whom we had a good Opportunity to declare the Testimony of Jesus who received it and parted with us in much kindness From thence we went to Emrick and there called upon an eminent Baptist-teacher recommended to us by one of Wesel we spent some time with him opening to him the way of Life as in the Light it is manifested to all that love and obey the Light and of that more spiritual and pure Ministry that from the Living Word of God is received by many true Ministers in this Day the Man was somewhat full of Words but we felt the living Visitation of the Love of God reacht to him and so we left him making all the haste we could to get to Cleve that night which accordingly we did though late being forced to walk one third-part of the way on foot That Night notwithstanding one of us went to a certain Lady to whom we had Recommendations from the Princess and that was particularly known to one of us informing her that we were come to that City desiring to know what time next day we might give her a Visit she appointed Eight in the Morning About that time we went to see her she received us considering her Quality and Courtship far from any appearance of Offence at our Deportment We told her our Message and Visit was to those of that City that had any Inclinations or Desires Hunger or Thirst after the true and living Knowledge of God for that end we had left our own Country and had wandred up and down in several parts of Germany she told us That some there were that searched after God but the feared the Name of Quaker would make them shy because they were called Quakers themselves by People of the same Profession only for being more serious and retired in their Conversation We replied That it was an honour to the Name that all Sobriety throughout Germany was called by it this ought to make the Name less odious yea it will make the way easier for those that are truly called so or that are Quakers indeed it will take off much of the wonder and it may be of the Severity of the places where we come that the Name is gone before us and hath received a Dwelling-place in their Towns and Cities In fine to all such God had committed to us the Word of Life to preach and such we seek out in all places where the Lord bringeth us and hitherto we can say it to the praise of our God he hath vindicated our Service and Testimony by his own blessed Power shed abroad in their hearts to whom we have been sent So she told us she would send for an Attorney at Law one that was more than ordinarily eminent having deserted the Church and being therefore reproached with the Name of Quaker In this Interval we had close discourse with her a Woman certainly of great Wit high Notions and very ready Utterance so that it was hard for us to obtain a true silence a state in which we could reach to her But through some travel of Spirit more than ordinary we had 〈◊〉 sweet time of refreshment and the Witness was raised in her and we really and plainly beheld a true Nobility yea that which was sensible of our Testimony and did receive it By this time the person she seâ—t for came and a blessed sweet time we had for the power and presence of the Lord our staff and strength into which our eye hath been throughout all our travels that we might onely be acceptable in that plenteously appeared amongst us the Lord have the glory of his own work both confessing to the truth of what had been said and the Attorney to the living sense in which the truth had been declared We would have returned to our Inn to eat according as we had appointed in the
Christian Worship Upon which I forsook the University and resolved to be one of this Family and this I can say in the fear of the Lord. P. Ivon concludeth This is what we have to say concerning the Work of God amongst us All this while I minded not so much their Words as I felt and had Unity with a measure of divine Sense that was upon them Certainly the Lord hath been amongst them yea I had a living Sense in my heart that somewhat of the Breath of Life had breathed upon them and though they were in great mixtures yet that God's love was towards them After some silence I began on this wise I come not to judge you but to visit you not to quarrel or dispute but to speak of the things of God's Kingdom and I have no prejudice but great love and regard in my heart towards you Wherefore hear me with Christian patience and tenderness I do confess and believe that God hath touched your hearts with his divine finger and that his work is amongst you that it was his Spirit that gave you a sight of the vanity and folly of this World and that hath made you sensible of the dead Religions that are in it 'T is this Sense I love and honour and I am so far from undervaluing or opposing this tender sense I feel upon you that this is it I am come to visit and you for the love of it And as for the reproaches that may attend you on the score of your separation with all the Reports that therefore go concerning you they are what I respect you for being well acquainted with the nature and practise of this World towards those that retire out of it Now since I have with patience and I can truly say with great satisfaction heard your account of your Experiences give me the like Christian freedome to tell you mine to the end you may have some sense of the Work of God in me For those who are come to any measure of a divine Sense they are as looking-glasses to each other seeing themselves in each other as face answereth face in a glass Here I began to let them know how and when the Lord first appeared unto me which was about the 12th Year of my Age Anno 1656. How at times betwixt that and 15 the Lord visited me and the divine Impressions he gave me of himself Of my Persecution at Oxford how the Lord sustained me in the midst of that hellish darkness and debauchery of my being banisht the College the bitter Usage I underwent when I returned to my Father whipping beating and turning out of doors in 1662 of the Lord's dealings with me in France and in the time of the great Plague in London In fine the deep sense he gave me of the Vanity of this World of the Irreligiousness of the Religions of it Then of my Mournful and Bitter Cries to him that he would show me his own way of Life and Salvation and my Resolutions to follow him whatever Reproaches or Sufferings should attend me and that with great reverence and brokenness of Spirit How after all this the glory of the world over-took me and I was even ready to give up my self unto it seeing no such thing as the Primitive Spirit and Church on the Earth and being ready to faint concerning my hope of the restitution of all things and that it was at this time that the Lord visited me with a certain sound and testimony of his eternal Word through one of those the World calls a Quaker I related to them the bitter Mockings and Scornings that fell upon me the Displeasure of my Parents the Invectiveness and Cruelty of the Priests the strangeness of all my Companions what a Sign and Wonder they made of me but above all that great Cross of resisting and watching against my own Inward vain Affections and Thoughts Here I had a fine opportunity to speak of the Mystery of Iniquity and Ungodliness in the Root and ground and to give them an account of the Power and Presence of God which attended us in our publick Testimonies and Sufferings after an indirect manner censuring their Weaknesses by declaring and commending the contrary practises among Friends too large to be here related And notwithstanding all my Sufferings and Tryals by Magistrates Parents Companions and above all from the Priests of the false Religions in the World the Lord hath preserved me to this day and hath given me an hundred fold in this World as well as the assurance of Life everlasting Informing them of the tenderness of my Father to me before and at his death and how through patience and long-suffering all opposition was conquered Then beginning my Exhortation unto them which was on this wise That therefore since God had given me and them a divine Sense of him our Eye might be to him and not to Man that we might come more into a silence of our selves and a growth into that heavenly Sense That this was the Work of the true Ministry not to keep People to themselves ever teaching them but to turn them to God the new Covenant-teacher and to Christ the great Gospel-teacher Thus John did and thought it no dishonour that they left him to go to Christ Behold the Lamb of God saith he that taketh away the Sins of the World And even John's Disciples left him to follow Christ Nay John testifies of himself That he was to decrease and Christ was to encrease Wherefore I prest them to have their eye to Christ that taketh away the Sin that is from Heaven heavenly to see that he increase in them Yea that henceforward they should know no Man after the Flesh no not Christ himself That their knowledge of and regard and fellowship one with another would stand in the Revelation of the Son of God in them which is God's great Prophet by whom God speaketh in these latter days And if their Ministers be true Ministers they will count it their glory to give way to Christ and that they decrease and Christ encrease that the instrument giveth way to him that useth it the Servant to the Lord which though it seemeth to detract from the Ministers yet it was and is the glory of a true Minister that God and Christ should be all in all and that his Will should be fulfilled For the day of the Lord God was come and all People must look to him for Salvation That all People must now come to keep God's great Sabbath to rest from meer Man and the Spirit of Man and all Men's thoughts words and works and that if they were true Believers they were at least entring into their rest I closely recommended that to them that they might not be of those that begin in the Spirit and end in the Flesh for that those that should do so and thereby break God's Sabbath-day should be stoned to death by the Stone which is cut out of the Mountain without hands yea
that should fall upon them as a Milstone and grind them to Powder Therefore let Christ have his honour let him preach and speak among you and in you and you in him and by him only to sigh groan pray preach sing and not otherwise least Death come over you for thereby the Apostacy came in by their going before Christ instead of Christ going before them And wait in the Light and Spirit of Judgment that hath visited you that all may be wrought out that is not born of God so will you come to be born of the incorruptible Seed of the Word of God that liveth and abideth for ever That you may be a holy Priâ—sthood that offers up a living Sacrifice with God's heavenly fire that God may have his honour in you all and through you all by Christ Jesus And turning my self towards the Somerdikes with a serious and tender Spirit I thus exprest my self That you should be Pilgrims in the Inheritance of your Father I have a deep and reverent sense of O that you might dwell with him for ever and exalt him that hath so visited you with whom are the Rewards of Eternal Blessedness So I left the blessing and peace of Jesus among them departing in the love and peace of God and I must needs say they were beyond expectation tender and respectfull to us all of them coming with us but the ancient A. M. S. who is not able to walk to the outward Door giving us their Hands in a friendly manner expressing their great satisfaction in our Visit and being come by the Porch and meeting several persons of the Family I was moved to turn about and to exhort them in the presence of the rest to keep to Christ that had given them a sense of the Spirit of this World and had raised desires in them to be delivered from it and to know no Man after the Flesh but to have their Fellowship in Christ Union and Communion with God and one with another that all their Worship and Performances might stand in him that he might be all in all desiring that the Lord might keep them in his fear all the days of their appointed time that so they might serve him in their generation in his own universal Spirit to his glory who is blessed for ever The two Pastors and the Doctor came with us a Field's length where we took Waggon and the chiefest of them took occasion to ask me If the Truth rose not first amongst a poor illiterate and simple sort of people I told him yes that was our comfort and that we owed it not to the Learning of this World Then said he let not the Learning of this World be used to defend that which the Spirit of God hath brought forth for Scholars now coming among you will be apt to mix School-learning amongst your simpler and purer Language and thereby obscure the brightness of the Testimony I told him it was good for us all to have a care of our own Spirits Words and Works confessing what he said had weight in it telling him it was our care to write and speak according to the divine Sense and no humane Invention The Lord comforted my Soul in this service yea all that is within me magnified his holy Name because of his blessed Presence that was with us O let my Soul trust in the Lord and confide in him for ever O let me dwell and abide with him that is faithfull and true and blessed for ever-more So in a very sober and serious manner we parted being about the 12th hour at noon This night about ten we got to Lippenhusen where there is a little Meeting of Friends being about 25 English Miles The next morning we had a blessed Meeting among Friends many of the World came in were very serious and well-affected one whereof was a Magistrate of the Place The Lord pleads his own Cause and crowns his own Testimony with his own Power There is like to be a fine Gathering in that place After Dinner we took Waggon for the City of Groningen where we arrived at eight at night being about 25 English Miles The next morning we had a Meeting among Friends of that City whether resorted both Collegiant and Calvinist Students who behaved themselves soberly the Lord's Power was over all and his Testimony stands When Meeting was ended they went out and as I was concluding an Exhortation to Friends came in a flock of Students to have had some Conference with us but having set the time of our leaving the City we recommended them to the Universal love of God promising them some Books of our Principles with which they exprest themselves satisfied and civilly parted from us After Dinner we took Boat for Delfzyl and came there about six at night The next morning about seven we took Boat for Embden which is about three Leagues On Board of that Vessel it came upon me to write a Letter to Friends in England concerning the present Separatists and their Spirit of Separation which hath several times been opened unto me and had remained some days upon my spirit The Letter followeth This came upon me in the Ship between Delfzyl and Embden upon the the 16th of the 7th Month 1677 to send amongst you To Friends every where concerning the present Separatists and their Spirit of Separation Friends and Brethren BY a mighty Hand and by an out-stretched Arm hath the Lord God everlasting gathered us to be a People and in his own Power and Life hath he preserved us a People unto this Day and praises be to his Eternal Name no weapon that hath yet been formed against us either from without or from within hath prospered Now this I say unto you and that in his Counsel that hath visited us whoever goeth out of the Unity with their Brethren are first gone out of Unity with the Power and Life of God in themselves in which the Unity of the Brethren standeth and the Member of the Body in the Unity standeth on the top of them and hath a Judgment against them unto which Judgment of both great and small amongst the living Family that in the Unity are preserved they must bow before they can come into the Unity again yea this they will readily do if they are come into Unity with the Life and Power of God in themselves which is the holy Root that beareth the Tree the Fruit and the Leaves all receiving Life and Virtue from it and thereby are nourished unto God's praise And let all have a care how they weaken that or bring that under their exaltation and high imagination that it is revealed against For I feel that unruly Spirit is tormented under the stroke and judgment of the Power and in its subtilty is seeking occasion against the Instruments by whom the Power gave it forth Let all have a care how they touch with this Spirit in those Workings for by
we arrived on the Seventh day in the morning every way well through the Mercies of the Lord. We sent to inform her of our arrival and to know what hour it would be convenient for us to visit her who returned us this answer that being then imployed in the business of her Government it would be the 2d hour in the afternoon before she could be at leasure The time being come we went to visit her and found her and the Countess ready to receive us which they did with much love and tenderness I observed them to be much lower than ever and that our former blessed opportunities had had a blessed effect upon them That afternoon was imployed in the narrative of our travels which they heard with great attention and refreshment the whole discourse ended with a precious little meeting The house being clear of Strangers they both earnestly prest us to sup with them which being not well able to decline we submitted to At Supper the Power of the Lord came upon me and it was a true supper to us for the hidden Manna was manifested amongst us yea a blessed Meeting it proved to us O the reverent tenderness and lowly frame of Spirit that appeared this Evening both in the Princess and Countess The French-woman we found greatly improved both in her Love and Understanding yea she is very zealous and very broken she was always with us on these occasions After supper we returned to the Princesse's Chamber where we stayed till it was about 10. at Night at parting I desired the Princess would give us such another opportunity next day being the first day of the Week as we had the last time we were with her she answered me With all my heart But will ye not come in the Morning too I replied Yes willingly What time wilt thou be ready to receive us she answered at 7. About 7 the next Morning we came about eight the Meeting began and held till Eleven several Persons of the City as well as those of her own Family being present The Lord's power very much affected them and the Countess was twice much broken as we spoke After the People were gone out of the Chamber it lay upon me from the Lord to speak to them two the Princess and the Countess with respect to their particular conditions occasioned by these Words from the Countess I am fully convinc'd but O my Sins are great Whilst I was speaking the glorious Power of the Lord wonderfully rose yea after an awful manner and had a deep entrance upon their Spirits especially the Countesse's that she was broken to pieces God hath raised and I hope fixt his own Testimony in them We returned to our Inn and after dinner we came back to the second Meeting on that day which began about the second Hour in the afternoon And truly the Reverent Blessed Sure Word of Life was divided aâ—right the precious sense of Truth was raised in the Meeting There came more of the City than in the morning and we were much comforted in the Lord's power that was with us For the Truth had passage and the hungry were satisfied and the simple-hearted deeply affected This day at both Meetings was one of the Princess's Women that never was at Meeting before and she though very shy of us the last time became tender and loving to us she was truly reacht O magnified be the Name of the Lord whose presence was with us and whose arm stood by us After Meeting the Princess prest us to stay and sup with her pleading the quietness of the Family and that they were alone At Supper as the night before it was upon me to commemorate the Goodness of the Lord his daily Providences and how pretious he is in the Covenant of Light to the dear Children and Followers of the Light Great was the reverence and tenderness that was upon the Spirits of both Princess and Countess at that instant After Supper we returned to the Princess's Chamber where we spent the rest of our time in holy silence or discourse till about the tenth hour and then we repaired to our Quarters Next morning about eight we returned to the Court where the Princess and Countess were ready to receive us The morning was imployed in very serious Conference relating to the affairs practice and sufferings of Friends in England with which they seemed greatly affected When about the Eleventh Hour a ratling of Coach interrupted us The Countess immediately stept out to see what was the matter and returned with a countenance somewhat uneasie telling us that the young Princes Nephews to the Princess and the Graef of Donaw were come to visit her upon which I told them we should withdraw and return to our Lodging but intreated that for as much as we were to depart that night with the Post-Waggon we might not be disappointed of a farewell Meeting with them and the rather for that I had a great burden upon my Spirit which they readily complied with telling me these persons would onely dine and be gone As we went to the door the Countess stept before us and opened it for us and as I past by she lookt upon me with a weighty countenance and fetcht a deep sigh crying out O the cumber and entanglements of this vain World they hinder all good Upon which I replied looking her steadfastly in the face O come thou out of them then After we had dined in our Lodging something being upon me to write to the Professors of that Country I went up to my Chamber that I might be the more retired just as I was about the conclusion of the Paper cometh the Steward of the House to the Princess with this Message That the Princess intreated us to come to her for the Graef of Dâ—naw had a great desire to see us and to speak with us this brought a fresh Weight and Exercise upon us but committing all to the Lord and casting our care upon him we went Being arrived the Graef approacheth us in French at first took no great notice of our inceremonious behaviour but proceeded to inquire of us our success in our Journey and what we found answering our Journey and Inclinations Then we fell to points of Religion and the Nature and End of true Christianity and what was the way that leadeth to the Eternal Rest After some short debate about compleat satisfaction in this life we both agreed that Self-denial Mortification and Victory was the Duty and ought to be the endeavour of every sincere Christian From this I fell to give him some account of my Retreat from the World and the inducements I had thereto and the necessity of an inward work with which he seemed much pleased After this he fell to the Hat c. This choaketh and the rather because it telleth tales it telleth what people are it marketh Men for Separatists it 's blowing a Trumpet and visibly crossing the World and that the fear of
Man greatly prevalent with too many serious people in that Land cannot abide starteth at and runneth away from him howbeit the Lord enabled me to open the thing to him as that it was no plant of God's planting but a weed of Degeneracy and Apostacy a carnal and earthly Honour the effect feeder and pleaser of pride and of a vain mind that no advantage redounded to mankind by it and how could they that ought to do all to the glory of God use that vain and unprofitable custom which cannot be done to the glory of God I intreated him seriously to consider with himself the rise and end of it whence it came whom it pleased and what that was that was angry that it had it not I also told him of the sincere and serviceable respect which Truth substituteth in place thereof and exhorted him to Simplicity and Poverty of Spirit to believe that Jesus he professed to be his Saviour whose outside as well as Doctrine pleased not the Jews and so we parted he took his leave of the Princess and then of us with great Civility After he was gone the Princess desired us to withdraw to her Chamber and there we began our farewell Meeting the thing lay weighty upon me and that in the deep dread of the Lord and eternally magnified be the Name of the Lord that overshaddowed us with his Glory his heavenly breaking dissolving Power richly flowed amongst us and his ministring Angel of Life was in the midst of us Let my Soul never forget the Divine Sense that overwhelmed all at that blessed farewell I took of them much opened in me of the Hour of Christ's Temptation his Watchfulness Perseverance and Victory about the ten Virgins what the true Virgin was the true Oyl and Lamp what the Bride-groom his Door Chamber and Supper and in conclusion that torrent of heavenly melting Love that we were all deeply affected I fell on my Knees recommending them unto the Lord crying with strong Cries for their Preservation and beseeched the Lord's Presence with us and so ended After some pause I went to the Princess and took her by the hand which she received and embraced with great signs of a weighty kindness being much broken I spoke a few words apart to her and left the Blessing and Peace of Jesus with and upon her Then I went to the Countess and left a particular Exhortation with her who fervently beseeched me to remember and implore the Lord on her behalf From her I went to the French-woman and bid her be faithful and constant to that which she knew she was exceedingly broken and took an affectionate and reverent Leave of us Then I spoke to the rest and took leave severally of them my Companions did all the like They followed us to the outward Room and there it was upon me to step to the Countess and once more to speak to her and take my leave of her which she received and returned with great Sense Humility and Love So turning to them all my Heart and Eye to the Lord I prayed that the Fear Presence Love and Life of God with all heavenly Blessings might descend and rest with and upon them then and for ever Home we went for our Lodging clear'd the House exhorted the Family left Books and then took Waggon for Wesel about 200 English Miles from Herwerden we rid three Nights and Days without lying down on a Bed or sleeping otherwise than in the Waggon which was only covered with an old ragged Sheet the Company we had with us made Twelve in number which much streightned us they were often if not always Vain yea in their religious Songs which is the fashion of that Country especially by Night they call them Luther's Songs and sometimes Psalms We were forced often to reprove and testify against their Hypocrisy to be full of all vain and often prophane Talk one hour and sing Psalms to God the next we shewed them the Deceit and Abomination of it We passed through several great Towns by the way as Lipstad Ham c. many Discourses we had of Truth and the Religion and Worship that was truly Christian and all was very well they bore what we said But one thing was remarkable that may not be omitted I had not been six hours in the Waggon before an heavy weight and unusual oppression fell upon me yea it weighed me almost to the Grave that I could almost say My Soul was sad even unto Death I knew not at present the Ground of this Exercise it remained about 24 hours upon me then it opened in me that it was a travel for the Seed that it might arise over all in them I had left behind and that nothing might be lost but the Son of Perdition O the strong Cries and deep Agonies many Tears and sincere bowings and humblings of Soul before the Lord that this holy sense which was raised in them might be preserved alive in them and they for ever in it that they might grow and spread as heavenly Plants of Righteousness to the glory of the Name of the Lord. The Narrative from the 27th of the 7th Month inclusive to the 10th of the 8th Month exclusive is inserted in the following Letter to the Countess of Hornes beginning in P. 220. and ending with P. 244. For Anna Maria de Hornes stiled Countess of Hornes at Herwerden in Germany My dear Friend O That thou mayest for ever dwell in the sweet and tender Sense of that divine Love and Life which hath visited thy Soul affected and overcome thy heart O tell me hath it not sometimes raised thy Spirit above the World and fill'd thee with fervent and passionate desires yea holy resolution to follow Jesus thy blessed Saviour who hath given his most precious Blood for Thee that thou shouldest not live to thy self but to him that hath so dearly purchased thee O the Retired Humble Reverent Frame that I have beheld thee in when this blessed life hath drawn thee into it self and adorned and seasoned thee with its own heavenly Vertue beautifying thy very Countenance beyond all the vain and foolish Ornaments of the wanton Daughters of Sodom and Egypt for therein are Charms not known to the Children of this World O that this holy and chast Life may be always pretious with thee and that thou mayest be for ever chastly kept in the Love and Fellowship of it That out of this World's nature spirit and practice thou mayest be redeemed by him who is the Way the Truth and the Life who as thou watchest with thy holy vigilance will not only daily manifest the Devices of the Enemy to thee but save thee from him For Christ's work in thee is thy sanctification as it is in him his Father's Will as he said of old to his Disciples This is the Will of God even your Sanctification O my dearly beloved Friend â—e stedfast immoveable without wavering and work out thy great Salvation with fear
Minister of the Gospel be at the beck of any Mortal living or give his Soul and Conscience to the time and appointment of another the thing in it self is utterly wrong and against the very Nature and Worship of the new and everlasting Covenant You had better meet to read the Scriptures the Book of Martyrs c. if you cannot sit and wait in silence upon the Lord till his Angel move upon your Hearts than to uphold such a formal limited and ceremonious Worship this is not the Way out of Babylon And I have a deep sense upon my Soul that if the Young Man strive beyond the talent God hath given him to answer his Office and fill up his Place and wait not for the pure and living Word of God in his Heart to open his Mouth but either studieth for his Sermons or speaketh his own Words he will be utterly ruined Wherefore O Dear Friend have a care thou art no Snare to him nor he to thee Man's Works smother and stifle the true life of Christ what have you to do but to look to Jesus the Author of the holy desires that are in you who himself hath visited you tempt not the Lord provoke not God what should any Man Preach from but Christ and what should he Preach people too but Christ in them the hope of Glory Consider nothing feedeth that which is born of God but that which cometh down from God even the Bread of God which is the Son of God which giveth his life for the World feel it and feed on it let none mock God nor grieve his eternal Spirit that is come to seal them up from the mouth of Man that hath deceived them that Jesus the anointing may teach them and abide with them for ever Be stedfast and immoveable and this will draw the Young Man near to the Lord and empty him of himself and purge away mixtures and then you will all come to the Divine Silence and when all Flesh is silent before the Lord then is it the Lord's time to Speak and if you will hear your Souls shall live O my Soul is in great pain that you may be all chastly preserved in that divine Sense begotten in your Hearts by the eternal Word of God that abideth for ever that nothing may ever be able to extinguish it But more especially thou my Dear Friend mayest be kept in faithfulness for the Lord is come very near to thee and thou must begin the Work the Lord God expecteth it at thy hand if one Sheep break through the rest will follow wherefore watch O watch that thou may'st be strengthned and confirmed and strengthen all that is begotten of God in that Family by thy weighty savoury and circumspect life O how is my Soul affected with thy present condition it is the fervent Supplication of my heart that thou may'st through the daily obedience of the Cross of Jesus conquer and shine as a bright and glorious Star in the Firmament of God's eternal Kingdom So let it be Lord Jesus Amen We tenderly yet freely spoke ouâ— hearts to him before we parted which done in God's love we tooâ— our leave of him and Dusseldorp and got that Night to Duysburgh being the third Day of the Week We first visited Dr. Mastricht a Maâ— of a good natural Temper but a rigid Calvinist I perceived by him that they held a Consultation about seeing us at Bruch but they all concluded it was best to decline meeting with us because of the Graef he being ready to fling our Name in reproach upon them in his displeasure and this would confirm him in his Jealousies of them This might excuse the Countess but by no means Kuper and if I had any sense Mastricht was there with them upon design to frustrate the hopes we had conceived of meeting with her We from thaâ— descended to other things of weightâ— and in love and peace parted From his House we returned to our Inn and after Supper we visited the Schult who with much civility and some tenderness received us his Sister also came to us and we had a good little Meeting with them and our God was with us and his pure and tender life appeared for our Justification and pleaded our innocent Cause in their Consciences and so we parted with them leaving our Master's Peace amongst them The next day we came to Wesel being the 4th day where we understood by Dr. Schuler that thy Sister desired that we would be so kind as to see her when we returned upon that we went and visited her she received us very kindly Thy Brother in Law 's two Sisters were present we stayed with them at least two Hours Many Questions she put to me which I was glad to have an Opportunity to Answer for it made way for a Meeting she intreated us to come again if we stayed and told us our Visit was very grateful to her adding That because we past 〈◊〉 by the last time she concluded wiâ—â— herself we had no hopes of her with more to that effect From thence we went to Dr. Schuler's who freely offered us his House for a Meeting next day and indeed the Man is bold after his manner The next day about Seven I writ a Billiet in French to thy Sister to inform her of the Meeting to begin about Eight She came and her two Sisters with her there was Rosendale Colonel Copius and his Wife and about three or four more and to our great Joy the Lord Almighty was with us and his holy Power reached their Hearts and the Doctor and Copius confessed to our Testimony The Meeting lasted about three Hours being done we took our leave of them in the Spirit of Jesus and so returned to our Inn. The Taylor all this while afraid of coming to our Inn or to the Doctor 's to the Meeting great Fears have overtaken him and the poor Man liveth but in a dry Land After Dinner we visited Copius and Rosendale and at Copius's we had a blessed broken Meeting he his Wife Rosendale his Wife and another Woman Wife to one Dr. Willick's Brother present they were extreamly affected and overcome by the Power of the Lord 't was like one of our Herwerden Meetings indeed much Tenderness was upon all their Spirits This done and having left Books both there and with thy Sister we left Wesel with Hearts full of Joy and Peace and let me say this That more kindness more openness we have scarcely found in all our Travels O that this blessed Sense may dwell with them A Seed there is in that place God will gather yea a noble People he will find out And I doubt not but there will be a good Meeting of Friends in that City before many Years go about my love is great to that place O how God is our dear Lord to us who helpeth our Infirmities and carrieth through all Opposition and feedeth us with his Divine Presence
not come to Moses nor the shaking Mountain the Thundrings Lightnings and Whirlwinds and what it was that led to Christ and what it was to be in him and under the Government of his Grace directing them to the blessed Principle of Light and Truth and Grace which God had shed abroad in our hearts I declared the nature and manner of the appearing and operating of this Principle and appealed to their own Consciences for the truth of what was said And I can truly say the holy Life of Jesus was revealed amongst us and like Oil swom at the top of all In this I was moved to kneel down and pray great brokenness fell upon all and that that was before the World began was richly manifested in us and amongst us The Meeting done the great Man and his Wife blest us and the work of God in our hands saying with tears in his eyes My house is blessed for your sakes and blessed be God that I ever lived to see you And thus we left them though with much difficulty for they prest us with great earnestness both to eat and to lodge with them and were hard to bear our refusal They said it we was a Scandal to their house that they should let such good people as were to go out of it or suffer us to lodge in any other place But we declared our pre-engagement elsewhere and that it was not for want of true kindness towards them One passage I had almost forgot to mention I was said he once at table with the Duke of Holsteyn at Frederickstadt when the Magistrates came to complain against a people called Quakers in that City The Duke was ready to be prejudiced against them but at the very naming of them I conceived a more than ordinary kindness in my mind towards them I askt the Magistrate what they were for a People he told me that they would not pull off their hats to their Superiors I askt him whether they would pull off their hats to God he said yes said I that may be the reason why they will not pull them off to Man Do they live peaceably Yes Do they pay their Taxes Yes Do they rub their hats in your eyes No Do they do any harm with them No Why what is your Quarrel then not they meet in silence and they will speak or pray unless they be moved by the Spirit why that is according to the Doctrine of Scripture If this be to be a Quaker I would I were a Quaker too but said he I never saw one before but I bless God I see you now He very much inveighed against the false Christianity that is in the World and greatly magnified a tender mortified and retired Estate I have great hopes he and his Wife will eye the truth We returned to our Inn to supper and to bed Next morning we took Waggon for the Hague where we â—â—t with Docemius the King of Denmark's Resident at Ceulen who had been at Rotterdam to seek us and came back thither with hopes to meet us We had some service there with a Lawyer but were again disapâ—ointed visiting the Lady Overkirk â—ecause of her Husband's presence and the other retired Man beforâ—â—entioned was again from home the Judge would gladly have received us but a great Cause then depending commanded his attendance That Afternoon we took Boat for Delft and so to Rotterdam where we all arrived well It was my desire to have been the next day at a Meeting at Dort but it seems that Way that we hoped had been open for us was shut insomuch that we were prevented of that service However I applied my self to the perfecting of what yet wanted to be compleated in those Writings I left behind me to be printed The next day being the sixth day of the Week we had a very blessed publick Meeting taking therein our leave of the Country and after that was done we had another amongst Friends recommending to them the peaceable tender righteous Truth desiring that they might live and grow in it and be a People to the Lord's praise so should his Work prosper his Dominion enlarge and encrease among them In the Evening I had also a Meeting at my Lodging among the great People of that place of which I have before made mention and magnified be the Name of the Lord his Power did sweetly visit him and effectually reacht them that at their departure some of them fell upon our Necks and with Tears of Love prayed that they might be remembred by us and that they might have strength to answer our great Travel for them We recommended them unto the Lord and the pure Word of his Grace in their hearts The next day the generality of Friends of that place met at Sim. Johnson's house early in the Morning where we took our leave of one another in the Love and Power of the Lord feeling his living Presence with them that stayed and with us that went Several accompanied us to the Briel we arrived about Noon there accompanied us the King of Denmark's Resident who had been with us at those Meetings at Rotterdam P. Hendricks and Corn. Roeloffs of Amsterdam and A. Sonnemans B. Furly M. Sonnemans and Sim. Johnson with several others of Rotterdam The Pacquet-boat not being come we were necessitated to lie there that night That Night it was upon me in the earnest Love of God to salute the Princess and Countess with a few farewell-lines as followeth TO THE Princess Elizabeth c. Salvation in the Cross Amen Dear and truly respected Friend MY Soul earnestly desireth thy Temporal and Eternal Felicity which standeth in thy doing the Will of God now on Earth as 't is done in Heaven O dear Princess do it say the Word once in Truth and Righteousness not my Will but thine be done O God Thy Days are few and then thou must go to Judgment then an Account of thy Talent God will require from thee what improvement hast thou made let it prove and shew its own excellency that it is of God and that it leadeth all that love it to God O that thou mayest be able to give an Account with joy I could not leave this Country and not testifie the Resentments I bear in my mind of that humble and tender Entertainment thou gavest us at thy Court the Lord Jesus reward thee and sure he hath a Blessing in store for thee Go on be steadfast over-come and thou shalt inherit do not despond one that is mighty is near thee a present help in the needfull time of trouble O let the desire of thy Soul be to his Name and the remembrance of him O wait upon the Lord and thou shalt renew thy Strength the Youth shall faint and the young Men shall fail but they that trust in the Lord shall never be confounded I wish thee all true and solid Felicity with my whole Soul The Lord God of Heaven and Earth have
thee in his keeping that thou mayest not loose but keep in that Divine Sense which by his Eternal Word he hath begotten in thee Receive dear Princess my sincere and Christian Salutation Grace Mercy Peace be multiplied among you all that love the Lord Jesus Thy Business I shall follow with all the diligence and discretion I can and by the first give tâ—ee an Account after it shall please the Lord to bring me safe to London All my Brethren are well and present thee with their dear love and the rest that love Jesus the Light of the World in thy Family Thou hast taught me to forget thou art a Princess and therefore I use this freedom and to that of God in thee am I manifest and I know my integrity Give if thou pleasest the Salutation of my dear Love to A.M. de Hornes with the inclosed Dear Princess do not hinder but help her that may be required of her which considering thy Circumstances may not yet be required of thee Let her stand free and her freedom will make the passage easie unto thee Accept what I say I intreat thee in that pure and heavenly love and respect in which I write so plainly to thee Farewell my Dear Friend and the Lord be with thee I am more than I can say Thy Great Lover and Respectful Friend W.P. I referr thee to the Inclosed for Passages We visited Giltall and Hooftman and they us they were at one or two of the Meetings at Amsterdam Vale in aeternum For ANNA MARIA de Hornes stiled Countess of Hornes Jesus be with thy Spirit Amen BEloved and much Esteemed for the sake of that love which is raised in thy Heart to the Eternal Truth of God the increase of which I earnestly desire that thou mayst be more than Conqueror through the powerful Workings of that divine Love in thy Soul which casteth out all fear and overcometh the World In this eternal Love it is that I love thee and would be loved of thee blessed are they that hold their fellowship in it It is Pure Harmless Patient Fervent and Constant In fine it cometh from God and leadeth all that receive it to God indeed it is God and they that live in God live in Love If we keep and abide in him that hath visited us we shall always feel his love as a fountain and Wonderful are the Effects of it O it can lay down its Life for its Friend it will break through all Difficulty and hath Power to conquer Death and the Grave This transcendeth the Friendship of the World and the Vain-glorious Honours of the Courts of this World O this kindness is inviolable our purest Faith worketh by this Love O the Tenderness of that Soul in which this Love liveth and hath place the Humility and Compassion that always keeps it Company and who can lively enough describe the lovely Image it giveth the attracting and engaging Conversation it hath but it is discerned and greatly valued by the Children of Love who are born of it which all the Children of Light are What shall I say it is the great Command and keepeth all the Commands Love pure and undefiled it fulfilleth the Law and Gospel too Blessed are they that feel any of this Love shed abroad in their Hearts with this Love it is that God loved us and by the Power of this Love Christ Jesus hath died for us Yea 't is this Love that quickeneth us to Jesus that enflameeth our Souls with pure and ardent Love to him and Zeal for him Yea 't is this holy Love that forsaketh Father and Mother Sister and Brother Husband Wife and Children House and Land Liberty and Life for the sake of Jesus that leaveth the Dead to bury the Dead and followeth Jesus in the narrow Way of Regeneration that can trust him in the Winds and in the Earthquakes in the Fire and in the Waters yea when the Floods come in even unto the Soul this despondeth not neither murmureth and as it cannot despair so it never presumeth yea it can triumphantly say What shall be able to separate me from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus Shall Principalities or Powers Things present or Things to come Shall Life or Death O no neither Time nor Mortality My Dear Friend let this noble Plant of Paradise grow in thy Heart wait upon the Lord that he would Water it and Shine upon it and make an Hedge about it that thy whole Heart may be replenished with the heavenly increase and fruits of it O that thou mayst grow in thy inner Man in Wisdom Strength and a pure Understanding in favour with God and with all People that are in the same Nature and Image for the World only loveth its own I hoped not to have been so quick upon my last long Letter but God's pure Love that hath redeemed me from the Earth and the earthly Nature and Spirit moved fervently upon my Spirit to Visit thee once more before I leave this Land I deferr'd it to this Extremity and being not clear to go hence I send thee my Christian Salutation in this pure Love that many Waters cannot quench distance cannot make it forget nor can time wear it out My Soul reverently boweth before the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that it would please him to preserve thee Fear him and thou needest not fear for the Angel of the Lord encampeth about those that trust in his Name The Angel of his Eternal Presence guard thee that none of the Enemies of thy Soul's Peace may ever prevail against thee Perseverance and Victory be thy Portion in this World and a Crown of endless Glory be thy Reward in that which is to come Amen Since my last being the next day after the Date thereof we had a meeting with Galenus Abrahams and his Company for they are the most virulent and obstinate Opposers of Truth in that Land the success thou mayst perhaps see suddenly in Print and therefore I may defer the Narrative only in general our Dear Lord our Staff and Strength was with us and Truth reigned over all That Night we went to Leyden where we visited some Thence next day to the Hague where also we had a little Meeting O the Lust and Pride of that place thou camest into my Mind as I walked in the Streets and I said â—n my self Well she hath chosen the better part O be faithful and the Lord will give thee an eternal Recompence Thence we came to Rotterdam where the Lord hath given us several heavenly Opportunities in Private and Publick We are now come to the Briel and wait our Passage the Lord Jesus be with you that stay and with us that go that in him we may live and abide for ever Salute me to my French Friend bid her be Constant I wish thy Servants felicity but thine as mine own God Almighty overshadow thee hide thee under his Pavillion be thy Shield Rock and
therefore laid aside so shall it Vindicate us in Due Time in the Eyes of all Nations and present us a People owned beloved and protected of God in whom we have firmly believed Nor is this Presumption as some may think who being not so well acquainted with that Entire Resignation and Supreme Faith of which Jesus is the Author that removes Mountains into the Sea conclude from meer Natural and Human Considerations against us yet we know him in whom we have believed and the same that hath Cured us of our Diseases the same said unto us Arise and Walk in this Way of Faith Trust in me and not in another And truly this is much of that Wonder which Men shall have in their Minds and Mouths about us in those Latter Days In Troubles not to be dejected and in Jeopardies not to be concerned to make to our selves Defences but as the Lillies that neither toil nor spin yet feed and grow so we may both be preserved and become Victorious without Worldly Force or Projections For we must shew our selves to be that Little City and Hill of God that hath only his Salvation for our Walls and Bulwarks by whom he will renown his Arm and magnifie his Power above the Arts and Contrivances of Men. Our Weapons and our Armour is Spiritual it hath prevailed and it will prevail if we keep in the Faith which was first delivered to us a blessed Shield by which the Just live And therefore My Dear Friends let us be Careful not to mingle with the Crowd lest their Spirit enter us instead of our Spirit entering them and we thereby come to fall into the same Temptations they are liable to of Fear and Flying to the Hills and Mountains to protect them confiding in the Arm of Flesh to deliver them no no! they must come to us we must not go to them Yet can we not be Unsensible of their Infirmities as well as we shall not be free from some of their Sufferings we must make their Case as our own and travail alike in Spirit for them as for our selves Let us stand in the Counsel of our God and he will make us Preachers-forth to them of the Works of his Divine Power and the Virtue of that Faith which comes from Heaven yea he will make us as Saviours to the People that they may come to know the Holy Law and Word of the Lord their Creator in their Hearts and have their Minds and Souls turned to him and stay'd upon them that Iniquity may no more abound nor Ungodliness find a place but that in Truth Righteousness and Peace they may be establisht and the Land keep its SABBATH to the Lord for ever Then shall God lift up the Light of his Countenance upon us and water us from Heaven and bless us with all Temporal and Spirital Blessings and we shall be yet called THE ISLAND SAVED BY THE LORD Amen Amen! This was upon my Soul from God to you I could not Visit you all with a Distinct Message upon many Accounts besides the Time is Short and the Confusion appears to me to be at hand Therefore have I sent it by way of Epistle with the Brotherly Salutation of Unfeigned and Unalterable Love to you all in your Respective Meetings and Families And the Lord God of our Visitation and Redemption stir you up to these things and keep us all in his Holy Fear Wisdom Love and Patience through all those Travails and Exercises to the End of our Days that having finisht our Testimonies our Heads may go down to our Graves in Peace and our Souls be received into the Rest which is reserved for the Righteous with God and with his Blessed Lamb forever I am Your Brother and Companion through the many Tribulations of our Day and Testimony William Penn. Worminghurst in Sussex the 4th of the 9th Month 1678. I desire that this Epistle may be read in the Fear of the Lord in your several Meetings 22d 5. Month. London 2â—d Essex 24th Colchester 25th Harwich 26th â— Month. 27th 2â—th Briel Rotterdam 2â—th 30th 5 Month. 31st Leyden 1st 6 Month. Haerlem Amsterdam 12th 6 Month. 13th 6 Month. 14th 6 Month. 15th 6. Month. 16th Naerden 18th Osnabrug 19th 6 Month. Herwerden 10th 20th 6 Month. 11th 12th â— Month. 12th 22th 6 Month. 13th 23th 6 Month. Paderborne 14th 24th 6 Month. 15th 25th Cassel 16th 26th 17th 27th 6 Month. Frankfort 21st 31st 6 Month. 22 1 6 Mon. Isa 59.21 5.23 6 Month. Crisheim Franckenthall 7.25 6 th Month. Manheim 1.26 6th Month. Worms Crisheim 2.27 6 th Month. Worms 3.28 Mentz Frankfort 4.29 6 th Month. Mentz Hampack 5.30 6 th Month. Tresy 6.31 Cullen 7.1 7 th Month. 1.2 7 th Month. Duysburgh Mulheim 2.3 7 th Month. Duysburgh Holton 7th Month. 3.4 Wesel 7 th Month. 4.5 Rees Emrick Cleve 7th Month. 5.6 Nimwegen Utrecht 7 th Month 6.7 Amsterdam 7 th Month 7.8 7 th Month. 1.9 Horn. 7 th Month. 2.10 Enckhuysen Workum Harlingen 7 th Month. 3.11 Wesel Leeuwaerden Wiewart 7 th Month. 5.13 Lippenhusen 7 th Month. 6.14 Groningen 7.15 Delfzyl 7 th Month. 1.16 Embden Lier 17 th 2. Bremen 7th Month. 3.18 7th Month. Herwerdâ—n 7.22 7 th Month. 8.23 7 th Month. 2. â—4 7 th Month. 3.25.4.26 27 7th Month. Wesel 28th Duysburgh 29th Dusseldorp 8.30 Ceulen 2.1 8th Month. Dusseldorp 3.2 Duysburgh 3. 8th Month. Wesel 5.4 8th Month. 6.5 Cleve 8th Month. 7.6 Utrecht 1.7 Amsterdam 2.8.5 3.9 8 th Month. 4.10 5.11 Leyden 8 th Month. 6.12 Hague Delft Rotterdam 8 th Month. 7.13 8 th Month. 1.14 2.15 8th Month. Nortwyck 8th Month. 4.17 Hague Delft Rotterdam 8th Month. 5.18 6.19 8 th Month. 7.20 Briel 8 th Month. 1.21 2.22 3.23 Harwich 4.24 Colchester 8 th Month. 5.25 6.26 London 9th Month. 5.1 Worminghurst Hague