tender zeal departed from you and also the common payment of tythes or such like dues so called is to much upheld among some of you which all is convinced of to be Jewish and Antichristian and many of our dear Friends that suffer for not paying of them is occasioned the more to suffer though the unfaithfulness of those who do pay or suffer it to be done as they in all parts of the Nation who gathers tythes is ready to blash poor harmless Friends in the face with and this is one thing the Lord is greatly offended with who is able to preserve uphold and deliver the faithful and yet all go under his name this doth occasion his grief and furthermore my Friends the Lord is grieved with some Slackening their Zeal in your Meetings and being so heavisome when you are met together to wait upon the Lord then do some let in the careless mind and so loses their pure zeal and deadness and drowsiness comesover and burdens the seed of God in others and doth hurt in your Meetings and occasions the world to open their Mouths against us and this is a great evil and doth cause the Lord to be angry with us and is pitiful over those that suffers by them And this is out of the good order and state of the true Church and a great spot in some families Oh Friends Have you not Houses to eat and to drink in and are they not also to sleep in Oh my Friends think of those things it is Gods free love to you to tell you of your faults who is found faulty herein that thereby you may amend and renew your strength in the Lord who is able to give you strength and power over all these things and will do it to all who is willing and obedient to the cross of Christ Oh my Friends I cannot forbear but I must tell you of one thing which as I thought I was in a Meeting and as I thought we were but heavisome and not as we should all of us have been and there was among us as little Child of about six years old and she began to cry and weep bitterly yea very sore and I did behold the little Child and I saw that here weeping was of God and she cryed sore so that I prayed earnestly to God in my heart for the little Child that she might speak if ought troubled her Spirit concerning Gods Church and People and immediately the little Child spoke and said Friends should not sleep in their Meetings and immediatly I awoak and saw the state of the true Church and the disorder that was among Friends and the little Child was a Virgin and in the state of the true Church and without spot and blameless in the sight of God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is able to present us all perfect without spot or wrinkle in the sight of our God who hath called us all to repentance and newness of life in which the Lord God of Eternal life keep you all my Friends Brethren and Sisters in the Lord. Your Friend and Brother in my measure of God W. W An Epistle to Friends of Haukeshead Meeting DEar Friends Brethren and Sisters in the Church of the first born and of the Royal Seed of the most high God grace mercy and peace be multiplyed among you to whom God hath revealed what he hath determined and is now manifesting in this day of his power that every one of you in the Light and life might stand single out and over the snares of those whom God is laying aside as the broken reeds of Aegrpt that his own name might be trusted in and his mighty arm alone felt and seen in leading and preserving his people to his Glory Oh! my Friends my desire is much for you that you be kept faithful in the Lord. Oh! I say that I am glad when I read you near me in the life of God a top of all this world and its Wayes and its Love and Fellowship and Fashions and Customs which all perish with the using but my Friends dwell in that which seperates and puts a difference between you and the World to wit the light that Judges the World and hath given you clearly to see the just Condemnation of the World because of its evil deeds So let your Fellowship be in the Light my Dear Friends and live dear and near one with another and one to another that so the world by you dayly may be judged and feel your dayly Seperation from any thing that you see to be evil and be not perswaded by any means of fleshly reasoning or consultation with flesh and blood which cannot inherit the Kingdom of God but draws out into the Kingdom of this World and so breads your peace with God Oh! my Friends feel dayly your clearing up by the Truth and your freedom from the in tanglements of the World that you may feel how the Lord doth set you upon his most holy Hill that you may shine as lights unto the World For this end hath the Lord called and chosen us that we may dwell and abide in his Light and shew forth his praise unto the World and his glorious works unto the ends of the Earth And I may say again I am with you in the Lord whom I feel and find faithful my life is raised with you out of the dust and set a top of the world and the things of the world with you my friend of God read me near you in the life of God but Oh! it would be sad to me to feel any of you with whom I have had Union in the Lord by his Spirit to be degenerated and drawn aside by the love of this present World and the wiles of the Enemies which will be presented in this time of tryal by perswading to stay at home or rest a while until the heat of prosecution be over as it hath done some already in some places which when they appear in the face of the truth it will be their shame because they have harkned to the deceipt of their hearts and not unto the truth as it is in Jesus which never makes ashamed but bears the Cross and dispises the shame and runs the tace with patience because of the joy that is set before them So my beloved Brethren and Sisters let nothing perswade you to fly the Cross at any time lest you should lose your Crown of courage and boldness and so be covered with shame and contempt neither let any that do fly the Cross at any time be your example but rather draw them into the fellowship and love of the cross again by your example of faithfulness and obedience and by your not giving heed to seducing Spirits but persevering on in the Gospel of the Kingdom of Patience bearing them as Children who be weak and tender among you But that which is hard and would not obey the Gospel is for the hammer and for the
turn your minds to within and see if the light will not judge righteously for the God of Isreal and will shew you plainly that he was a true Prophet whom your Fathers believed not and to this Prophet must you come before you know the God of Isreal even this word which is nigh in your mouth and in your hearts so none of you be ashamed to stoop to this word which is nigh did not the God of Isreal say that though the Children of Isreal were as the Sand of the Sea yet a remnant was to be saved so see which of you is of that remnant and what you are saved from for they who are saved are saved from sin and made clean by this word of Life but them who lives in sin and uncleaness are neither Children of Abraham no Servants to the God of Isreal but are a dishonour to the God of Isreal as also many are who profess Christ in words and lives not in the life of Christ such are a dishonour to his name and his woe is upon them but do not you stumble at them for their destruction is of themselves for though they be proud or lyers or coveteous they have not so learned of him for no such thing was found in him but the Light in you judges and condemns these things in both them and you and so to this we exhort you all which teaches truth in the inward parts and this is it the Lord requires W. W. We desire you English men to read this Paper ALL people repent and turn to the Lord God the Creator of all things in whose power we stand witnesses against all manner of evil as it doth appear and reproveth it as we are moved of the Lord and for this cause are we hated of the world but we marvel not for it hated him even Christ Jesus who is the Light of the world which lighteth every man that cometh into the world and this Light is in you all reproving you for sin and every evil work and all that is willing to be guided by it it leadeth out of the vanities of the world and not to Fashion our selves like unto this world and herein do we become a prey to the wicked and a gazing stock to the Nations in this day of the Lord but we have found him faithful that promises in obediance to him we shall eat the good of the Land and now we know him made manifest in the flesh destroying he works of the Devil and giving victory over the world and the Lusts thereof and truly people this is in love to all your Souls to whom it may come to be read and to this turn your minds that would redeem your Souls out of death the Light of Christ which Comprehendeth all them that live in wickedness be they never so high or low it searcheth the heart and tryeth the reins and is a sure witness for God and Condemns all the proud and wanton ones and the high and lofty ones and will bring them down to the ground and this hath been revealed by his Son to us and we are bold to declare is among you that God may be clear in all his judgments for he is just in all his doings and hath not brought destruction upon any without warning them aforehand so prize your time you know not your hour and make no mock at sin nor scorn not the Lords doings it is of his own good will that he hath revealed these things unto babes and sucklings and hid them from the Eyes of the wise and prudent and thus do we witness in our measures and do return him praise to whom all praise and honour doth belong and he will not give it to any other and he hath ordayned the foolish things of this world to confound the wisdom of the wise and to bring to nought the understanding of the prudent and all that would be wife let them first become Fooles that they may grow wise for the wisdom of God is fool shness to the world and mans wisdom must be destroyed before ever he know the wisdom of God for man by wisdom knows nor God for what as may be known of God is manifest in you and so friends to the Light of Christ Jesus the only Son of God the Father of life turn your minds and with it search your selves honestly and see how ye stand justified in the sight of God and aproved in his Light which doth never aprove of any evil but condmns all unrighteousness in whomsover it doth arise yea the very thoughts and intent of your hearts are seen in this Light and comprehended so all be warned and take heed how ye despise them who are sent of the Lord singlely and simplely to fore-warn you of the evil to come though they be never so simple yet faithful to him who hath called and is willing to waite in his council not fearing what man doth unto us but are willing to suffer any thing for righteousness sake knowing that sufferings was ever the Saints portion whosoever killed them thought they did God service therefore take heed to the Light and see what you do for we are not ashamed to bear our Testimony for Jesus before any for it is Truth and that never makes ashamed and our lives is not in our own hands neither dare we fly from the Lords Conucil to feed the wisdom of man but to that of God in you all do we hope to be made manifest though it is cross to the first nature at present yet upon your beds consider and in the Light examin whether you did see us act or speak any thing that was not of the truth and we desire to be convinced of it by Scripture otherwise be ashamed to speak against us if you find us not according to the Scriptures nay glory to God it is for no evil you can hate us but because we cannot follow to the same excess of Riot therefore you speak evil of us now to that of God in you all let it judge between you and us whether you do not love a drunkard better then be that reproves him ye or nay or a swearer or lyer or a conereous prophane proud Persons or they who are in the Fashiens of the world which is vain better then them who are redeemed out of them and stands witnesses against them yea or nay all these are works of darkness which the Children of God have no fellowship with but are to reprove them hath the God of this world so far blinded your Eyes that you cannot see these to be the works of the Devil and is not this a dishonor to our Nation that such cursed fruit as pride and haughtyness lightness and vainness as doth appear in many of you should be brought out of it to wit our Nation think it not strange if the Lord smite you with a curse for these things nor count us not deceivers because we cannot speak peace to you for there
daily food my Soul satisfier the refresher of my bowels and inward part where the world knows me not and therefore they Judge me like unto themselves But my friends with you whom God hath called and chosen to place his name among is my blessed fellowship and communion in the Light of his heavenly Son Christ Jesus who hath made choice of us without respect of Persons O my dear 〈…〉 may all be continued in faithfulness and rightness of heart unto him in fear to walk while we have one day to spend my friends feal Gods to love you as at the first and yours to him as at the begining and so shall the truth never become as an old thing nor you in the least measure dye to it my dear friends its far from me to stand up to teach or instruct any of you but as the Lord hath freely made me pertaker and sharer with you of his devine heavenly love I cannot but in the remembrance of the same return you an answer of the continuance of his love to my Soul that you thereby may be remembred of the same that we may feel one another in the everlasting love that can never decay nor never be forgetten by them that loves God and the blessed and pure appearance of his Son Christ Jesus the Light of the world my friends since I parted with you I have been in the furthest part of all Scotland as to the Maineland and have had good service there for the Lord for people was very willing to heare the truth and enclined in words very much but you know the old agents that was ever ready to stir up help and Instruments against the true Light the now shines to wit the Priests of this generation but all will fail them its God must be Gloryfied the Priests worship will come to an end they have had worship enough its God must now be worshiped he will not give his Glory to another and likewise in the Isle of Stormie where a dore was open for us and our Testimony received with much gladness and we kindly entertained for a little space while we had freedom and so returned and leaves the work to God and we were also in the Isles of Ortners in the Town of Kirkway where there is a very like people in the Lords time but Bishops and Priests have Lordly power over poor people and keeps them much in Bondage but they have a very great sight into the ways of all sorts of professions and the true Light discovers them all And so my dear friends who have made full proof of the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ in you own hearts you it is that can give a Testimony of the same for while man be not come into full obediance of the Light he never knows the true ground nor benefit of the same and so with my dear love to you all as if I named you all I take leave and rests your friend in the Lord according to my measure William VVilson FRiends I could well have found to have written to you ear this but being so far distant I could not see how it could be safely conveyed neither was I very free till I saw something of my return which is now prety large for we are at this present come within about fourteen or fifteen miles of Aberdeen and so as God permits after visiting friends in my way I hope to the Lord to see you with comfort ere long be sure to let my wife and friends of Haukshead Meeting here from you or else send them these lines on a Second day with my love to them all From Auworthy the fifth day of the seventh Month 1673. William Wilson YOU that usurp Authority over poor people and bears rule by your means the day of the Lord hasten upon you which will strip you naked and bare and reward you according to your works and then where will your Authority be you Rulers and Magistrates who Rules not according to the just Law of God but according to your own wills the Lord will justly recompence his wrath and vengence upon your unrighteousness you corupt members and fruitless trees which plead for sin and imperfection and here you uphold the Devils Kingdom who raigns in sin and here you are found Enemies to God and his righteousness and I am a witness for the living God against you all who acts contrary to the just Law of God and bears Testimony to his name who is the Author and finisher of my faith and perfects his own work and clenseth from all sin by his blood all that walk in the Light as he is in the Light but you who walk in darkness hath not this hope neither that faith which purifies the heart but are going on in the broad way professing God and Christ with your mouth Prosecutes the life and power as did the same generation in all ages past halling beating scoffing scorning and shuting into Prison them that did confess his name and declared against all deceipt operly against all sin and evil as they were moved but the Lord will be avenged for these things therefore hast to Repentance and amend your lives for the Kingdom of God is at hand William Wilson ALL people that desires to serve the living God in newness of life must of necessity turn your minds into the Light of his Son Christ Jesus in your own hearts for that is he that gives the true knowledge of God whom to know is life eternal and this is he whom God hath sent into the world to be a Light to lighten all people that through him they might believe and be saved for he is the Saviour of his people from their sins so people whatsoever makes manifest sin is Light and whatsoever is reprovable is reprov'd with the light for the light proves the world of sin of righteousness and of judgment and this is he that sets up true Judgment in the heart and gives thee to descern between the good and the evil and lets the see the thoughts of thy heart in which thou dost behold thy State how thou stands approved unto God and this is near thee will never deceive thee and as thou finds thy obediance unto God and walking in the Light of his Son which never consents to the evil of thy doings so shalt thou find Gods power and Spirit beating witness with thy Spirit that thou art a Son of God guided by the Spirit of God and cannot fulfil the lusts of the Flesh and this must every one come to witness whoever comes to witness the Lord Jesus Christ to be their Saviour who is the Saviour of his people from their sins for while man and woman lives in their sin they are dead while they leive and all dutys performances and prayers to and professions of God and Christ is no more then if they cut off a dogs neck or offered up Swins blood for the works of man are a vaine thing
us by Fining of some and partially singling me out and put the Oath to me which hath not sworn this many years nor never shall I fully believe in my heart neither for nor against any man for I have learned Christ and am a Christian and cannot swear at all though thou hast wickedly separated me from my Wife and Children which I maintained well with my labour and kept them from charge so now see thou to that and inquire of them how they can live without me and my maintainance and let thy Warrant be as strong for the relieving of them in manner as I did as it was for carrying me to Prison and in giving the Gaoler charge over me in the Sessions for not swearing and so break Christs commends which thing is a shame to thee when it will be a honour unto me likewise a poor man of Bootle for coming over to Swarthmore Meeting thou proffered him the Oath and caused him to stay in Prison from his Wife and Children which is an ungodly deed of thee and the rest that did it So consider this and either let us go to live at home or take care for our Wives and Children seeing thou hast power to cast us into Prison surely thou hast power to look to our Charge we have lest behind us and think not that it is far to look to Bootle for there is need for the man I know Thy friend Willam Wilson A Letter to William Wilson Priest of Windermer in the County of Westmoreland IN the weighty consideration of the service God hath laid on his Servants to make his name known in the Earth throughout the whole world and to declare his love and kindness unto the Sons and Daughters of men who are in the fallen State and doth not know the work of God in the new Creation Regeneration and Restoration whereby man is restored up to God again out of the fallen State in which all men have had a place and being from God in the fall and without God in sin and iniquity which hath made the great seperation and being at a distant from the living God Therefore with pitty unto thy Soul Willam Wilson who is now placed in VVindermer to Preach unto people there do I speak and also desire thee to beware and take heed what thou dost against the Lord and his people whom he hath raised up by his Power and they must bear Testimony to his Holy Name which is but little known and much less regarded by a prophane people whose Lives and Conversations is not conversant with the great God of Heaven and Earth as they ought to be neither hath their being with him as they should therefore was a necessity upon us to declare his blessed Truth unto Gods witness in man that they might come to heare and understand the things that belong to their everlasting peace to their mortal Souls and this is all and ever was all the end we have or ever had in meeting So were the place of your worship that we whom God hath revealed his Son in may not smother him neither strangle him the womb but must let his mouth be open who hath right to speak who speaks from Heaven whose voice we have heard and shape wee have seen and cannot but declare his love to all men on the face of the whole Earth that they may have and see and understand and not be Ignorant of the things of God but have the knowledge of him whom to know is life and this is the Substance in short of what hath lain upon us this many years even unto the Souls of people that we may be clear of their blood and our God in his Judging whether they will hear or forbear this is our messuage and Service we ow to our God and duty unto his people as all people are his by Creation and of right his Son should Raign in them So we leave the work unto the Lord who can work and none can hinder who hath the hearts of people in his disposing and can turn them as he pleases and this is he whom we own and in whose name we trust whatever we suffer for the same we are freely given up as into the hands of a faithful Creator who is God over all blessed of ever and for evermore So now I say unto thee VVillam Wilson who is called of men Master and born up by an outward power without and hath them to back and uphold thee and is yet dark and ignorant of the power of God within which is the higher power even God to dwell in us and walk in us according to his promise of old which is made good to us in our age and we must confess Christ before men who is Gods righteousness and Gods great power and Salvation unto lost man and as I said before he must not be smothered in the Womb but must have his liberty to speak in his people And if thou take this ill out and call it a provocation or disturbance and so do evil and intreat his people evil for their work and Service the Lord will reward the there after Therefore this is the pitty was in my heart at the moving to write this unto thee that as thou art provoked to wrath and fury as was plainly seen in thee who would not let God Messengers declare their messuage and deliver unto people what God had to say by them who may be might never have had the like upon them there again but caused them abusively to be halled out of our peaceable Meeting So I say take heed believes that thou do not provoke the Lord our God to Anger and sore displeasure against thee even for so doing for the Lord will take notice of those things and reward every man according to his works be they good or be they evil therefore I say let things alone and do not provoke the Lord to Anger by thy casting them to suffer but rather seek to turn away his wrath while it is kindled but a little and this is part of what arose in my mind unto thee to aquaint thee with and inform thee of and advise thee to whether thou wilt hear or forbear it is in pitty to thy Soul and for the preventing of further trouble thereof which will not be easily taken away if thou persist herein and do evil to those people So say not afterwards that thou was not warned for in plain words from the mouth of thy friend thou art warned as well as the people by one whose life is given up unto God in my measure to serve the living God in my day nor doubting nor fearing what man can do unto me for my heavenly Testimony that God hath given me to bear in this blessed day of his love which is offered unto all mankind upon the face of the whole Earth so the wo and trouble will be unto them that seeks to stop the Current of his love from runing freely as from Vessel to Vessel that as we have freely received we may freely give so this is all at present as a gentle warning in love unto thee to prevent the danger that may come by doing of evil to thy Neighbours which thou ought to love as thy self or else thou art guilty of the breach of Gods Commandment and doth the things thou ought not to do therefore I say again be warned who is a lover of thy Immortal Soul whose name is known unto the world to be VVillam Wilson of Longdalechappellsteel
hard to suffer for the testimony of Jesus and for the love of him who had satisfied his Soul he was seeking the truth in its purity and glory which he did receive and did continue faithful to the Lord in what he had received of him even until the day of his departure out of the body so that his memorial is blessed and he hath left a sweet smelling savour behind him and the sweet unity of his life and the blessed fellowship of his Spirit lives and remains with us and as he lived an innocent life so was his latter end comfortable It was not my happiness to see him in his sickness yet I had the Relation by several honest Friends that he was in a sweet and heavenly frame of Spirit and when he was asked how he did he would have said he was well for my pain said be cannot mount so high but my peace is above it but I hope further account of this will be given by some that were eye and ear witnesses well tho his body be gone to its place and his Spirit to God that gave it and is entered into his rest with the Lord and is Crowned with an immortal Crown of life and glory which was laid up for him and not for him only but for all them that love the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ yet the unity of his life lives in my heart and I have fellowship with him in Spirit and even at the time of the writing of this Testimony my heart is made glad and my Soul is sweetly refreshed in the remembrance of the blessed seasons which we have had together for many of them is fresh in my remembrance and I do remember his Exhortation was often to Friends to keep in the unity of the Spirit for said he it is of a longer extent then we it will live and remain when we are gone of the truth of which I am made a living Witness glory to God for ever And so I desire unto the Lord God of Righeousness and Truth that all the gathered sheep of my Heavenly Fathers fold may be preserved from the Ravenous Beasts of Prey and that we my all be kept faithful in our Testimony for the Lord while we have a day that we may lye down our heads in peace with the Lord as do I stedfastly believe our dear Friend and Brother William Wilson hath done By a lover of Truth and Righteousness William Rigg James Pask 's Testimony concerning William Wilson WIlliam Wilson was truly a Man of God who did much good and was a Pillar in the House of God in his Generation he did not gad abroad to change his way or go out from the pure way of God but stedfastly keep and walked in it all his dayes after he came to know it he was a man of love to God and his people that is good and knew well how to chuse the good and refuse the evil unblamable in holiness and served the living and true God saithfully his rest is glorious and his reward great in Heaven with the Lord God and the Lamb for ever and ever For his labour of love and service in the Church of God which very much he desired the welfare and prosperity of he overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of his Testimony which he held who loved not his life to the death I cannot but think of him and lament for the Churches loss thereabouts of such a tender overseer of such a Friend and saithful Brother and for his Widow and Childrens loss of such a Husband and Father so careful for their good so loving and tender to them I desire they all may be contented and rest satisfied in the will of the Lord in which he is gone to his eternal rest from us all as to visible appearance but that spirit of God in which he walked still we enjoy to our great comfort in all our tribulations I knew him well Five and Twenty Years he was ever very dear and near to me we travelled through Scotland together many years since where we patiently endured what exercises perils and troubles we then met with having a good and Estectual service for the Lord God in that Nation which after we had truly performed we returned in peace and Gods favour In the pure love of God was I moved to give this Testimony on the behalf of this my late dear Brother and companion in the work of the Lord who is fallen asleep and taken up his everlasting Rest in Christ Jesus who lives and Reigns for ever and evermore James Pask WILLIAM WILSON was arrested with several more of his Friends and had before Justice Fleeming and Justice Kirby only for meeting together in Gods name and fear for which he the said W. W. with several other friends was sent to Lancaster-Castle where he had the Oath of Alleagance tendered to him upon the refusal of which he was sent to prison again and there remained several months who soon after the Assizes his fidelity being made known to the King was released and set free from that bondage William Wilson who for conscience sake could not pay Six pence or Seven pence a year to Priest Ambross Parson of Grovenor was by him sued in the Exchequer court and run to a writ of Rebellion and by vertue of the same arested and cast into Prison several Months during which time he wrote several letters to Dorothy his Wife and Friends Coppies of some of them is as followeth Dear Wife I received thine from Ambleside and hath heard of thee since by B. B. and J. W. and its satisfaction to me that I hear of thine and my Childrens Health and wellfare And I long to see that opportunity that thou might come to see me but dear Wife I do not at all desire it till thou canst well for Alas I know that thou hath over much travelling up and down about thy needful affairs but the Lord will order as he sees good and all will be well in his due time we have had true experience of Gods love to us and therefore we may speak for we can tell of his goodness towards us and may believe in the same For there is no doubtfulness in our cause for he knoweth our hearts and the end of all our doings and sufferings and therefore he will deliver in his season and that is to be waited for with us all thee and me and all that knows the Lord for he that will not spare to reprove Kings for the sakes of his anointed of which anointing we have all received a measure of he will not spare an old Hireling Priest who are in the steps of following after the wages of unrighteousness and greedily seeking his Prey and even devouring the poor if it were possible will not the Lord hear for the sake of his own Ye he will hear and be revenged even for the sake of his dearly beloved and Anointed whom the Devil
nor all Agents can never prevail against the Lord vvill hear the cry of his own and plead the cause of the innocent and release the distressed and set his own life and power at liberty which lies groaning under the burden of oppression where it must not lye the Lord hath spoken and therefore he will deliver he hath striken and he will strike and by his strokes we are healed he hath wrought and he will work and who can hinder if the wicked have his prey for his season yet the Lord will bring him to his end but Gods prosperity and truth shall never have an end neither in this World nor in the World to come Therefore my dear and loving Wife whom God hath given me and not man we may well be content and waite with much patience the Lords time in all things knowing that it hath been our best time we can never call to mind the things that are past since we knew this truth of God but we have had comfort therein and I can never desire it otherwise if I should be restrained of the liberty of my body all the dayes of my life Thine W. W. Dear and loving Wife I Have nothing to write unto thee as yet but only the remembrance of my unfained love unto thee and my Children hoping you are in Health as I am at this preesnt I praise the Lord of Heaven and Earth for it is reasonable well with me every way I bless the Lord for it and desire to know how it is with thee tho indeed it goes near me to ask how things is with thee because I cannot help thee and that is my heaviness sometimes But the Lord will in due time plead my Innocent cause who knows the uprightness of my heart and that one hair of my head shall not uphold the false profits wayes nor the hirelings wages who saith and doth not I have been often assaulted to have it payed for me but my uprighteousness is known to the Lord and I cannot dissemble with my God but this is a Mystery to the World and therefore they cannot receive it but unto thee my loving Wife is it given to understand And therefore am I much comforted and the Lord preserve thee and my little Children in the true fear of God for our way is not to look out and therefore I can inwardly beseech the Lord for you all thy dear and loving Husband W. W. My love to all our Family Kendal the 14th of the 10th Month 1672. Will. Wilson My Dear Friends and Brethren who are like to be fellow sufferers with me in this case of not yielding to satisfie the will of this unreasonable man who is persecuting us for not paying him tythes or reckonings as he calls them TO all you my faithful Friends this is the word of advice unto you all that you see and examine your selves well and see how ye stand in Gods righteousness that so my Dear Friends your sufferings may never become your burden but that your establishment may be felt in Gods Righteousness with you all for my friends you had better never have put your hand to this plow then to look back therefore my friends examine well your own selves how you are minded in this concern for the Lord knows my heart I wish you all well 〈◊〉 the honour of Gods truth as mine own heart and therefore I would not have any of you all to go one step further then you feel the suffering seed of God Almighty to bear you up in your pure blessed minds that sees over all the sufferings that can happen in this present world For indeed Friends in this estate God will plead our cause and our suffering with him will bring a raigning with him and in this state friends you must look over Wife and Children which is near and dear unto you all but Gods righteousness is more then all and will bear you out over all and through all for the Lord alone will be your help and no man shall need to plead our cause but he will appear for us in his due time when he saith it is enough who shall be able to say Nay Therefore my friends feel your hearts purified from all double mindedness that single in God righteousness you may be found and so will his holy seed reign in your hearts and Gods blessing will be upon your Children that so you need not fear the want of any good thing unto them nor your Wifes the beloved of your Bosoms under God and therefore Friends in singleness of heart as having a sence of your Conditions I write these lines unto you for the bettering of your establishment in Gods Righteousness where you will never be made afraid to appear for the Lord and bear a single Testimony for his name and truth upon Earth for truly Friends this is the feeling of my heart and the full bent of my mind that if one hair of my head would serve in consideration of this task I could not give it I believe I shall not be a Hypocrite I would not be found out of Gods Righteousness doing mine own will but even the will of him that hath called me that his power might be more made manifest And therefore friends was this word of Exhortation the more in my heart unto you all that you might truly feel your own selves in that which will carry through or else as I said it were better never to step further then to faint by the way but hoping you are furnished with that heavenly spirit of life that will carry through to the end as need requries I take leave with you all and rest your loving Brother William Wilson And Friends LOok not back into Aegypt for help for it is in vain neither have we need so to do for the Lord is our helper therefore we need not fear what man can do unto us for Friends I dare not look out at any thing of any hand for if I do I am afraid and Gods witness would be against me and would be heavier then a thousand such as Ambrose the Priest could be and therefore that you eye and mind the Lord above all hireling Priests is the advice of your Friend and Brother Will. Wilson William Wilson being moved of and by the living power of God to travel into the North or remote parts of Scotland to declare what the Lord did then and there immediately reveal unto him during the time of which travail he wrote several letters into England to his Wife Coppies of which is as followeth Dear Wife IN the living truth of the Lord Jesus Christ doth the bowels of my unsained love salute thee in the unseparable life doth my dearest love reach unto thee in the unchangeable life of holiness where we cannot forget each other dear heart my life is often powred out before the Lord in consideration of thee my dear love the Lord thy God who hath seperated the from thy Mothers
womb and hath in measure brought thee to be of the womb of eternity where thou mayest feel the invisible sence of Gods eternal love towards thee and thy Dear Children and he cannot forget his own that is without question Canst thou forget the Children of thy Womb its possible thou may but the Lord cannot forget his Children whom he hath called to forsake all and follow him his dayly blessings cannot but attend such every day that comes over their heads Dear love My life is with thee in the Lords presence but my Body is at Aberdeen at this present with the. My good Friends where I feel their care is over me and my companion that walks with me Oh pray that we may walk worthy or else all is in vain O we have need to be watchful against that old nature that would be ready to leaven into the old lump again and reckon that Gods Truth may be holden there but it is not so our God is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity it is the old man must be put off and Christ Jesus the new man must be put on which followeth after Righteousness And this is that alone that seasons our hearts with grace and preserves our minds in his fear and in his true love we are kept which loves one another and thinks no evil but bears one another in love exhorts one another in love and gathers into unity one with another that the Devil cannot get any power to hurt or scatter us from God nor one from another and in this are we known to be of God if we love one another that so God who for Christs sake hath shewed his love unto you may be glorified and honoured by you And thus much at present I feel to write unto you even the Lord Love that is large unto us that our dayly prayers may be to be kept in it to his glory and praise for ever my dear Wife thou knowst my love is dear unto Friends thou must let it be so remembred unto all our Meeting Dear Wife I say little of my return as yet but the Lords will be done that is my whole desire for I am many miles from the end of my Journey whether I hope I shall attain unto in Gods time I am not hasty but rather desires to be of use or service amongst Friends as I go For this first day I hope to be at Allan at a meeting where many hath of late as they say have a desire to hear it is about twelve miles beyond Aberdeen on the third day after a meeting of Friends at another place and then on my journey as God makes way and in the mean time think it not long but solace thy self in the singleness of heart with the Lord who will ever be as an Husband unto thee and to my Children as a Father and inperfect sense of the same and in dear love with thee and all men living upon Earth I take leave with thee and rest and remain thine in the Lord while I am William Wilson From Aberdeen in the North of Scotland the 25th of the 5th Month 1673. Now my dear and loving Wife I Can write some encouraging lines unto thee whereby I hope to the Lord that sent me away from thee that by his powerful assistance I may see thee again ere it be long for the Lord hath pleased to set me as free from the North end of Scotland to come home again to thee and my Children as he did set me free from you to God and did visit his seed in that remote part of the Earth and the Isles thereabout where his witness lies slain in many though not wholly dead in others though in great bondage but the Lords power is the same there as it was with us at the beginning and he is able to raise up even those that are dead and bring to life those that are staggering and release his own out of Captivity though it may seem to be through many straits and difficulties his arm is not shortned and it must be stretched forth to his own praise Dear Wife it is fourteen years since a Friend was here amongst this people and as I said unto thee it was the very day and time for me to go as thou knowst I said unto thee before I left thee I could not deferr the time any longer for this was the very year and time and I was the man that was to go and so dear Wife having accomplished my end in the name of God I can return in great peace for at this present I feel no other for my end in all things is Gods Glory and my Souls Peace as thou knows right well I have never sought my self in those things and so as I saw afore hand hath much come to pass for my partner as I said to thee when I spoke through Faith was such a one as feared not the face of any man that did appear against God and we have sound of all sorts but the Lords blessed truth was set over all heads and all Priests and people we need not much to relate that now And I have been pretty well preserved in Health only a little in the Isle of Stromy I was aguish a little but I kept over it as well as I could and mended again in three or four dayes I have thought often O that I had but one word how thou were and my Children but I see not how that can be and therefore I can wish in pationce hoping all is well Dear Wife I have written to thee since I came from home six times before this whether thou have received them or not the last was from Aberdeen six weeks before this but I can say little of writing more before I come though it may be a month or more yet or I can get home if all be well but as to that I leave it to the Lord thou mayst be glad that the Lord hath preserved us amongst the untoward Generation and set us safe again amongst them that believe I hear that dear G. F. is come again into England my heart is glad of the happy return let my dear love be minded to all Friends in General of all meetings round about as thou lights with any of them thou must not expect my coming hastily or I cannot travel hard but I am very well both as to body and mind if any write to London let me be minded to our Friends that went to London so with my love that never changeth I rest from Awbonthy the 5th day of the 7th month in Scotland 1673. W. W. A Coppy of an Account of some of the sufferings of William Wilson which account was found amongst his Papers written with his own hands since the Restoration of King CHARLES the II as followeth IN the year 1660 on the 22th day of the 7th Month I was arrested with a Warrant from Justice Braithwait of Ambleside by T. D. Constable of Langdal upon
is no peace to the wicked faith our God and is it not adishenour to our Nation that so many of you should be comed out of it having not the love of God in you may read Christs own words on John 5th and 41 42 43 and 44. the verses O blush and be ashamed that you would lay the dishonour of our Nation upon those who are innocent and harmless fearing to dishonour God who hath power over us all therefore repent and turn to the Lord God of life and Light least suddain destruction come upon you and this in love to all your Souls whether you will hear or forbear R. H. W. W. Here follows a Letter written to Captain Loaler whin he was in Kendal in Westmoreland with his Soldiers written in the behalf of Regnal Walker and George Benson who had Well packs to Kendal and was sent into visit him in Prisen To the Priests ALL you Priests and great Scholars who is in your Tongues of humane Learning and is proud of it take heed to your selves that you set not your Hebrew Greek and Latine above the head Christ Jesus the Son of God who is the life and the power of God and so make a God to your selves of your great learning which is humane and can never give the knowledge of God for Pilat who delivered Christ to be Crucified of the Jews caused Hebrew Greek and Latine to be set over Christs Head take head I say unto you you proud Scholars that you do not so for the Lord is greived with your Pride and Presumtion of Tongues which may be cut of in a moment and when you dye your Tongues dyes with you but the pure living God endures for ever so you send Scholars and foolish Priests who is making to your selves a God after your own way and will not have him after his own way which is Christ within manifested in the flesh destroying the Devils work now in People as he did great Miracles in the days of his Flesh among the Jews but they could not believe then no more then ye can believe that he is now made manifest in sinful flesh destroying the Devils work in the flesh that all through him might be saved from the Devils work which is sin and wickedness would you separate God from poor ignorant People that would believe in the light of his Son in their own hearts and confine him to your great Schools of Humane Learning that none can know the way of God but you alas for you for all your Tongues of humane Learning you are no nearer knowing of Christ now in this dispensation of revealing himself in man then Pilat was that delivered him up to the Jews in that day and time and you are worse then he for he did it not willful but would have let him go So see where your Hebrew Greek and Latin is while you are ignorant of Christ the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world here the poor blind and ignorant may have the benefit of Chirst as they believe in the light that gives the true knowledge of God whom to know is life and that never dies and here is none shut out of knowing God I say the Lord shuts none out as you would do with your Scholarship if you could but the Lord is risen and he did arise in the days past to confound the wisdom of the wife and bring to nought the undrstanding of the Prudent he is setting up his Son to Raign in the hearts of his People that believes in his name and they are not ashamed to confess his name before the men of this generation who seems mighty in their day but the Lord is blasting the wisdom of man and hath said it shall not rule over his People for they have been a pray over long to thir Mouths that have said the Lord saith when he hath never spoken to them therefore this I say unto you foolish and not wise who is proud of your Hebrew Greek and Latine and thinks that God cannot be known in any other way then your teaching of him you are deceived for God will not be mocked by you for he is setting up his Son to Raign a top of all that ever hath been set a top of him either in this time or in times past W. W. Here follows several Letters that were written to those in Authority when he was Prisoner in Lancaster Goal for not Swearing To the Judges of the Assise at Lancaster JUdge or Judges I desire them or you to read this little Note and then consider the poor mans state that suffers for the Lord God eternal and his holy Truth as it is in Jesus and dare not disobey his Comands manifestest in his heart that he may do them wheresoever he be and obey his sayings who saith Swear not at all but let your yea be yea and your nay nay whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil and the same Christ commands to do the truth and to speak the truth from my heart wheresoever I be in all places and at all times in the which I desire that I may be kept faithful to the end that I may live in peace with my eternal God of Heaven and of Earth and follow peace with all men that be upon the face of the whole Earth for the Lord God hath called me to peace and out of wars and strife Although in the year 1648. I was in wars for the King and did remain with faithfulness unto the end till we were not a Party able to stand any longer and took leave of my Captain who did bid me shift for my self which was but sorrowful to me and that night was I taken Prisoner and stript to the Shirt from my back and that Night had like to been starved to death and afterwards sed in Prison with a penny a day and shamefully used in Prison and had not left to my back that any would have given me a peny for and much more then this did I suffer for the Kings service which I might have escaped all them if I would have taken up Arms with the other Party then and have betrayed my friend which thing my heart stood against and truly friends I must relate much concerning my sufferings with a heavy heart because of so little regard that was taken of me and my poor coming home nor never gave me a penny pay to this day neverheless I freely wish that you and all men knew the reality and truth of my heart to the King and all his true Subjects much more might I write but would not be tedious in writing very much I am a poor man and hath a small Family whose mentenance depends only on my labours by which I did mentain them well but now I cannot because I am here in Prison for my Conscience sake because I cannot swear but stands in obediance to Christs Commands my Allegiance to the King stands in Faithfullness
unto another and the Lord harkered and heard it and a book of rememberance was written for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his name as we are Witnesses of is those days though we be hated of men not knowing the Scriptures and as we have believed Christ and the Scriptures so do we keep his commands who saith he that loves me keeps my sayings who saith Swear not at all and in obediance to this very thing we stand who suffers here in Lancaster Castle because we cannot Swear nor break the Commands of Christ which if we should it were a shame to us and below our honour and Scollarship which we have learned in Christ that never Swear and so taught his Disciple who sufferred for his Doctrin in their days as we do more in our days with much Joy of heart that we are counted worthy to suffer for his sake and bear our Testimony to all the world that God is true and every man a lyer who doth not truth and so remaines in his sins which truth sets free from and so we trample upon those things which is below if we bear our Testomony unto death as some of our friends and brethren have already done in these nasty holes and stinking Prisons where men may easily get their death I could gladly find to be with thee that we might reason together upon the things of which so greatly doth concern our everlasting peace and honour in the Lord which is far above all the honour in this world in my Eye it is above the hat and knee which men may throw in the mire and where lyes it then but that honour which is from above is placed in the heart and is there to remaine for ever and if it were about other things as matters concerning the Kings service I could relate unto thee my sufferings to be great as to me and none of you took care for me then I might then do as I could for you and I have sufferred since in Clivers days for that service and I was in Prison for my Conscience sake at Carlile and that unjustly too what is it I am born to do to suffer still and that unjustly too both then for the King and now by his friends and never had as much as a penny pay to this day cannot that I believe was was Casten and gathered in their days for me as Edward Benson of Hyclose John Midlefel of Langdale knew them but the times turned so their minds turned and kept what they had for ought I know and little regarded my Imprisonment and poor coming home which made me think it of my self being so poor and knew not how to mend it when others mockt at me and I might have gotten away as they did which shewed their Lovalty to the King to be but small when mine was made manifest so I think it were little enough if I had my pay now to help mee in Prison and I hope pity will now in thy heart towards towards my Wife and little Children that they may not want or else what Charity lives with thee so it s for my Religion that I suffer here which I love to reason for with Ministers or Magistrates or any men that fears God of Heaven and loves the Seriptures which is useful to desid Controversies about Religion and this is the thing that is settled in my heart and my desire is that I may labour in the fear of the Lord and not be chargable to any man and live a Godly life and lay open wickedness and deceipt to the view of the whole world as the eternal God move it in my heart unto whom I stand in obediance and dare not swear at all Thy friend and Neighbour Willam Wilson and a lover of thy souls and everlasting peace and if I could Swear I should take that Oath as soon as any that you set much by Lancaster Castle the 9th of the 12th Month 1663. A Letter to Edward Stanley of Dalegarth in Eshdale EDward Stanley I desire the read this paper over to the end with patience if thou canst E. S. thy ungodly deeds shews thee forth to be an ill example amongst thy Neighbours and they that fears not God learns at thee and loves thy evil deed and thy ungodly ways is a strength to to those that fears not God but with thy self would not have God nor good men to live among you but strives with strength and cruelty to shut the Contry of them that fears the Lord and worships his most holy name which ungodly men and cursed Swearers is not fit to name the Lord remembers all thy doings that thou hast done against his people that fears his name and he will not forgit thy cruel doings that thou did unto John Gunson his wife and little Children and James Stanton and his Innocent life in which he lives unto God and darest not be offenced in Christ for all the world if thy weight had been ten times greater then that thou hast already laid on him he hath so truly learned Christ Oh the Lowing of John Gunsons Beasts when he caused their Ears to be cut off shall rise up in Judgment against thee and the harmless Sheep thou took from James Stanton shall plead his innocent cause and condemn the to thy face and every Fleece of Wool thou took from him shall cry out against thee and all their goods thou so evilly got shall do thee nor thine no good and they shall live and praise the Lord when thou shall fear and shame to hear of thy ungodly deeds the very name of God shall fear thy Soul and good men thou shall shun and Hills and Mountains shall thee fly O whether wilt thou run we are not afraid to Worship God his Truth will bear us out it is no other thing we suffer for and therefore we are stout and doth not fear the loss of all that ever we possess the Lord will plead our harmless cause and will deliver us And all our Foes will scattered be as dust upon a Hill When he will gather his Lambs that doth his holy will Remember how thou went about to do his People wrong VVho in his fear together met though not contemning long The Lord considered well their cause and knew the need they had And brought them home again in time which made the needful glad And therefore we are not to fear the worst that man can do For serving of so good a God that will consider so I have believed the God of heaven that maketh all mankind And do not fear to worship him who ever be left behind Consider well the Poor mans state that liveth near to thee And do him good if that thou canst it will thy comfort be For he would do to thee no harm I fully do believe Nor wrong the things belongs to thee whatever one would him give Or say to him in such case the Lord hath taught him so To Pray for
him that Persecutes and pardon every Foe The Poor mans name is Nicholas Tyson I belive thou hast nothing against him but for his worship to God and God is without respect of persons for whosoever feareth him and works righteousness is accepted of him and he will remember all those things that is done against those harmless people and will clear their cause and their oppressors shall not go free for they are written where they can never be blotted out by the power and cunning sleights of men and it grieves many good mens hearts that ever such unreasonable men should bear the name of Christians that work such wicked works for ungodly gain and use the Kings name for a cover wickedly didst thou work and evil will be the end of it if thou look not to it in time the Lords decree is gone out against injustice and ungodly deeds that 's done against his People that he hath promised to preserve and deliver out of all their troubles though they suffer for the tryal of their Faith therefore Repent for thou must come to Judgment and an account must thou give and how canst thou appear before the Lord in those things that makes thee shame before men the world crys out of thee and saith it will never be forgotten it deserves to be posted up in the Markets and Steplehouses when seven years is come and gone the Lord abhors thy doings it stinks in his Nostrils but the poor innocent sufferers is a sweet smell in his sight this is in love to thy Soul that thou mayst remember thy evil deeds done and past that thou mayst learn Repentance in due time before it be too late for the Lord wills not the death of a Sinner but rather that he would turn from his wickedness and live Thy friend and lover of thy Soul Willam Wilson Written in the 9th Month 1664. with my own hand A Letter to John Ambrose Priest of Gaissiner in the County of Westmoreland JO. Ambrose wilt thou remember thy Prisoner that thou hast in Prison for the Lords cause and not for any due debt I owe thee for if thou wert a Minister of Christ thou would ask me none and as thou art not a Minister of Christ I owe thee none therefore let me forth of Prison that I may go at liberty and do my service as it s required at my hand or else let it fall on thy own neck and then it will be to heavy for the to bear yea and all that will take thy part This I write unto thee that I may let thee know that thou hast the Lords Servant in thy hand and will not let me go for not paying thee Wages that doth me no service nor work but the first work thou doth to me is sending me to Prison a work we never read of in all the Scriptures that all the men of God that ever we read on did cast men into Prison for their Bellys but if thou wilt not let me out do as thou will and let the Lord do as he will for I am well content but I must remember thee of the evil work which thou has done in casting me into Prison from my Wife and Childred but the Lord will Plead my cause and set me at liberty when thou and all unrighteousness shall be made fast for ever therefore remember what I have told thee and do good while thou may for thy time will spend and thy Repentance prove too late let me not lye here while thou is feeding and feasting thy self but remember the Widdow and Fatherless as it were Fatherless Children thou hast made by casting me into Prison from them and will not let them have their right the Lord allows them this must stand upon thy head thou unrighteous man if thou wilt not let me go as the Lord requires it of thee for he hath more for me to do then thou knows on therefore say not but thou art warned from the Lord before thy evil day come upon thee which will overtake thee as a Theif in the Night and come upon thee as an armed man when there is none to deliver thee so send thy Letter to fetch me forth if thou will if thou wilt not do even as thou will So I leave thee William Wilson JO. Amborse I am here in Prison upon thy account for about six pence or seven pence by the year which I should never have refused to pay to thee if I were convinced that thou were one of Christs Ministers but as I am perswaded that thou art not I rather choose to suffer for the non payment of it then to pay it contrary to that of God in mine own Conscience thou had better have taken a Cow or a Horse form my Wife and Childred then have cast me into Prison from them the Lord will hear their cry of Oppression more for want of me then for the want of either Cow or Horse and I would wish thee for the good of thy own Soul to let me out again that I may work for my Living and it will be more honour to thee among men and less condemnation before the Lord if thou have any respect either to old or young Wife or Children hear their cry for want of me their Father which if thou will not I doubt not but the Lord will hear their cry and deliver when thou canst not resist and in the undaunted Spirit of God I can rest and wait with much patience who am thy friend and lover though I have a little tasted of thy Envy yet I desire the welfare of thy Soul if possible the Lord may grant it Kendal the 29th of the 9th Month 1672. William VVilson Here follows two short Letters to John Kirby in the behalf of two friends imprisoned by him for Tyths JO. Kirby I can do no less then let thee know that we remember these two friends of ours which thou ungodlyly hast cast into Prison for non payment of Tyths and not only we the friends of the Lord but even the Lord himself doth remember them with many more of his dear Children who suffers for the same Holy Testimony for whose sakes the Lord of Glory will plead with their Adversarys by Fire and Sword the Lord hath spoken it by me and that thou is one of them that the Lord will plead with for the sakes of his Servants George Benson and Richard VValker their wives and little Children who is dayly mourning for the loss of their natural fathers whom the Lord of life and Glory is as Subject to hear as they are to mourn and hast said Ah ah I will ease me of mine Adversarys I will be avenged of mine oppressors I will be known that I am the Lord notwithstanding my Enemies who promise themselves ease and peace when they have done the Devils work by casting into Prison as it is said the Devil shall cast some of you into Prison but the Lord remembers these things and will
not forget his Servants whom he hath chosen to place his name among who stands faithful unto him them will he deliver one way or other we need not look how the Lord knows what way makes most for his Glory as I remember the death of Oliver Atherton that sweet Martyr for the Lord in bearing the same Testimony who the same night before he dyed sang praises to the Lord in a most heavenly manner as many Witnesses can testifie because he suffered this lingering Marterdom for the Lord of Glory who ended the tenth and redeemed him out of the ninth as it is written in the declaration of his death that was set upon his Corps as he was carryed home to his family to be buryed as the Countess of Darby could witness who was his great Aversary and Prosecuter into Prison who dyed her self about six weeks after and then all the rest were released as by the providence of the Lord whom they suffered for And then they who we made as Widdows and fatherless for a time were eased of their sufferings as these who are now as poor Widows fatherless Children may die in due Season as the Lord sees good whom thou hast made through thy Jewish custom of taking tenths though in that day it was lawful for the Jews yet I never read in Scriptures that they sued at Law for them as thou doest nor received them for that end as thou doest nor made Widdows nor fatherless Children as thou dost nor lay'd men in Prison for them as thou doth nor when one Law would not serve went to another as thou hast done nor never gave Goalers strict charge over them as some of you have done but the Lord will revenge for these things to whom we leave it for I will repay it saith the Lord and this was I moved to write by the God of my life unto thee or whom it may concern in the behalf of my brethren and their wives and little Children who cannot do as much for themselves that thou may consider their cases who suffers for the Lord and dare not pay Tyths for pleasing man and thereby offend God who hath brought them to make a good Confession of his name before men and is not ashamed of their Christian duty to God who hath redeemed them out of the ninths and left them Witnesses against the tenths for his names sake Glory to the Lord for ever VV. W. A short Letter to the Priests and their hearers FRiends Christ Jesus who said he is the way of truth and the life John 1. saith also he is Light of the world and whosoever believes in him shall not abide in darkeness but shall have the Light of life John 8.12 So truely friends this is the Light of Christ Jesus which sheweth you sin and what is evil in you and this is that which is not of the world neither can the world receive it for the whole world lyeth in wickedness but this of God to which we speak doth never consent unto wickedness but reproveth all manner of evil whatsoever and sheweth you that you should not wrong one another but do to all men as ye would they should do to you friends this is the way of truth and to speak the truth one to another this will stand in the Light which is the truth and truly if you love God you will love the Light for God is Light and of Purer Eyes then to behold iniquity and a measure of the Spirit is given to every one of you by manifestation to profit withall so every one search honestly your own hearts and see how you have profited with it for truly an acount must you give of your deeds done in your bodies whether they be good or evil now all evil is manifest to be of the Devil as lying swearing theft drunkenness desembling deceiving with the rest of all ungodly actions therefore repent and forsake your sins and return from the evil of your doings for the Lord wills not the death of a sinner but rather that you would return from your wickedness and live to serve him alone in that which is holy and just and good for to live in sin and lusts of uncleaness is death and destruction and dear people strive to enter in at the staite gate which leadeth to life and few there be that find it but wide is the way and broad is the gate that leadeth to destruction and many there be that find it so I dearly exhort you all to read your conditions honestly and see how you stand justified in the Light of the Son of God and your time all to prize and turn to the Light while you have the Light reproving you for sin in Secret when as no mortal Eye doth behold and by believing and obeying it it will lead you out of darkness and this is the true Teacher and near unto every one of you all and cannot be removed into a corner but is present with us and you at all times and in all places and sees the very thoughts and intents of the heart and no other way is to the Father but by the Son who is the true Light that lighteth every man that comes into the world and this is in love to all your Souls let him that readeth understand and you that teacheth others whether you are taught your selves of him who is the true teacher Christ Jesus Secondly and whether they that are taught of him are taught to settle themselves at one certain place for so much a year as can agreed betwixt partys Thirdly whether they that be so are not of that sort that Esaiah saith seeks their gain from their Quarter and the hireling that Christ saith flyeth Fourthly whether they be not of that sort that stands praying in the Sinagogue hath upermost places in the Assemblys and is called of men Master Fifthly whether they have not mens Persons in admiration because of advantage and reverenceth honour one of anothor and calleth men Masters Sixly whether these be not of the same generation that Jermiah saith steal the words from their neightbour and saith the Lord saith when the Lord hath not spoken to them Sevenly whether these be not in the way of Canan envy and Balaum seeing after gifts and rewards W. W. Letter from Scotland to friends about Kendal in Westmoreland DEAR friends in and about Kendal these may signifie to you all who is desirous to heare of me that I am well blessed be the Lord for the same and my heart affcted with the deaar love of God unto you my true friends with whom I have fellowship in the heavenly Union and Comfortable Spirit of our eternal God who is present with us at all times and places who cannot be seperated from his own from his own life in his people who hath chosen him for their way and for their life cannot live without him who is life the Lord of hosts is his name he is my life my
while he knows not the works of the Devil destroyed in him that he may know God to work all his works in him and through him to his own praise and Glory for ever and the heart of man can never be upright unto God while in the old nature with old Adam in the fall which brought death upon all men and in that state man cannot stand up for the Lord as a living witness against sin and wickedness and all unrighteousness of men because he remains in death for all his duties and performances in that nature is without God and without Christ in the world and man in the Flesh cannot please God so people as I have said you that loves and desires to serve the true and living God must come to the Light of his Son in your hearts and be willing to be taught of him who tells you plainly you should not lye nor swear an oath nor do to any but as you your selves would be done by and heare you may know a learning of Christ the good Teacher and Bishop of your Souls and this is in love to you all who desires singly after God for none else can receive it given forth in Scotland by R. R. and VVilliam VVilson A Letter sent to Justice Willam Kirby from Lancaster Gaol 1663. WIllam Kirby the whole cause of my being imprisoned is laid upon thee for thy Cozen Fleming said it was because he was informed that I was as a traveller which I heard thee say with my own Eares and made answer in the open Sessions and if this be the cause as I am informed its shamful that I should be imprisoned for travelling the Lords business six or seven veirs since which was when I saw thee in Hambrough it would but be a shame to thee that I should publish this abroad concerning thee that I should be cast into Prison for this which was past six or seven years since being change of government since and an act of Indulgence since an Act of Grace if it had been a Transgression in those days thou ought not to punish me for it now I believe no Laws in the Land will bear thee out to do it for I believe your act is for them that departs from their house or habitation and meets together to the terrisying of the Kings Subjects which I should be loath to do being the Kings friend as was manifested in the year forty eight both by my continuance with the longest in his service here and suffering imprisonment and the loss of all that I had and more as I can make it appear by my neighbours after I got home and there was none of the Kings friends that then took any care of me then I might have been starved for them then as I am Prisoner by them now and I have as good reason to have this in my mind now by which I had like to have lost my life and lost all I had for obediance to the King as thou to have my travel for the Lord into Hambrough in thy mind where my brother and I was used like dogs sometimes by the dogs nature in many of our English men which we found therein pride and haughtyness which the Lord will abase and bring to nought when we shall be exalted for our abediance unto God and testifying of his eternal truth which shall never dye and of which we shall never be ashamed when ungodly sinners and wicked men shall be consounded and brought to naught therefore consider if envy have rested in thy mind to do we a mischief ever since that time it is a wicked deed of thee and thou had need to amend it and shortly to least the Lord should cut thee off before the time then it would be too late to remember this my friend And I brought a good messuage into the City of Hambrought and that unto you that did understand my Language but you did receive our messuage but badly and entreated the Lords Servants with many dangers as we dayly found among you in the streets and in your English Church as my body found by your unreasonable blows and thrusting by you English men the like was never received among the Dutch by us but our God delivered us then as he will do now to our great comfort and our eternal Peace in that we were found faithful in his work did never shrink to any one of you whom we found out of the way of God in wildness wickedness lightness and vanity lustfulness pleasure and pride of life which things we boldly bare our Testimonys against in the Faith Fear and Power of the Eternal God of Heaven and Earth which did preserve us and will preserve us as we in his Faith abide for whose Faith and Testimony I suffer in Prison now in Lancaster Castle without any just cause or breach of any Law that should have exposed me so imprisonment but only thy Imformation to Justice Fleming of my traveling as it is to me related therefore the cause of my writing is that thou may take care and oversight of my Wife and Children which thou hast caused to be left desolate by staying me in Prison from them and when Justice Fleming was willing that I should have a little Liberty from the Goaler and would joyn with the in any thing thou did as his Brother Roger wrote unto thee then thou did write that the Goaler might let me have some liberty but it most be upon his own account for thou would not meddle in the thing which rather caused my streightning then otherways and also Thomas Watters of Bootle whose time might ill be taken up in lying here his Wife being near down lying and having little help about her a little liberty at this time might do him much good so consider and let not the ery of innocent Children fall upon thy head least thou come to be dealt with as thou deal'st with us in keeping us them from helping of them in their time of need and we fear thou will be but a bad friend to them in need therefore let one line or two be under thy hand to the Goaler if thou would have us do good to our Familys as some others have done before thee and then it may be well accepted of so to that of God I leave thee which never wrought evil nor never will work evil thy Friend and a Traveller for the Lord and his Truth Will. Wilson a sufferer also for the same it s not this slip out of thy mind but it was even a shame thou should send so many of thy hoest Neighbours to Prison like Vagabonds from Constable to Constable as not caring for us but sent us away to Prison where I believe it caused the death of two of us and the third was very near the point of death if he yet recover and thou would not come to see us till thou came to work wickedness against us as many hundreds can witness for
and truth which I hope I shall reman into the end so I desire that I might have free liberty to live at home and Labour for my Family William Wilson a poor man and means well One to the Justices and Magistrates FRiends Friends that be in Authority a few words from a Prisoner of yours Christ saith Swear not all this is Christs Command Swear not at all and they that loves me keeps my sayings saith Christ marke and be not offended at any of his Servants which keeps his saying and cannot swear at all but lets their comunication be yea yea nay nay for what as is more cometh of evil as saith Christ Matt. 5. Truely friends my heart is turned towards God with many more of my brethern in this the day of our God and we cannot Swear at all for we have learned obediance unto his Doctrin and therefore we are willing to keep his sayings whatever we suffer by man for friends consider I shall put my case with the rest of my brethrens who be of the same Faith to your own selves to judge Christ he saith Swear not at all you say you must Swear so whether it be better to obey God or man Judge ye likewise the Apostle James saith to his brethren above all things my breathren Swear not at all least you sall into Condemnation Jam. 5 but you say Swear or else you shall go to Prison consider this friends and Judge Charitably whether is to be obeyed now if sufferings must be we these to suffer for Christ sayings rather then for much sayings for if we do not Swear we must fall into Prison and if we do Swear we are sure to fall into Condemnation marke that but it is better for us to obey God then man man so we cannot Swear at all whatever we suffer I hope we shall not break our peace with God for pleasing men for we know the Lords care is over them that fear him and he will visit for these things So take heed how you cause us to suffer for not swearing counting it a breach of your Law for us to keep Christ own sayings that is offended in any of you to see us wear our own hats on our heads and to here us speak Gods truth plainly from our hearts without swearing was ever any of Gods people offended at these things or caused any to suffer for not swearing consider friends and take heed how you oppress tender Consciences and cast into Prison them that cannot Swear for Conscience sake and lets Swearers have their Liberty for I am one willing to suffer for not swearing rather then to deny Christ because I love and obey the Lord Jesus Christ which saith Swear not at all VVilliam VVilson Servant of the same Lord. One to Justice Fleming of Rydale OH Justice Fleming that ever this report should be sounded in our Ears that within thy Libertys such spoyling should be amongst thy Nighbours we never had the like in our Parish nor never expected that our own Justice should have made such work as set men of spoyling true mens goods who themselves dare not spoyle nor do any hurt to any man upon the face of of the whole Earth because of their Conscience towards the God of Heaven which is appeared in these latter days and is come and hath taken up his aboad with them and keeps them unto himself out of all spoyling again when they are spoyled of their Cloaths of Horses and their goods which they had honestly gotten by their hard labour and industry and hath learned to live peaceably amongst their Neighbours and a godly life in Christ Jesus who saith learn of me but not to spoyle true mens goods who for Conscience sake cannot Swear nor break of their godly Meetings which God hath set up and not man therefore consider and call in the spoylers from spoyling of true men thy Neighbours who have none in the Earth to plead their cause but gives themselves up to God and all they have to suffer for his sake having received the earnest of the Spirit and the assurance of etern I life from which they never intend to fly for all that ever mortal man can do unto them in this case for it is in matter of holy worship to our God which all the spoylers in the world is out of and all ungodly men an truths gainsayers which be in these latter days and though many Fools and Bablers that is applauded in these latter days for their fooliry and their fordness Jaging and waging in the streats like fools in a play the Lord hates such who fears not him that hath made them but walks in wickedness making a mock at sin and sporting themselves against the Lord and them that fear his name of which sort I am one and am not ashamed to confess his name among men though it be to my great loss and hinderance in this world as all my neighbours can tell and my wife and little children knows the want of me as thine may do of thee in time for ought I know which I do not desire more then I desire my own should want me but if thou knew what it were I believe thou would not be so hard hearted and my friend Willam Grave is lying at the point of Death and this day one Prioner is lying dead and its a wonder and a mercy of God I am not so to and many more of us you have casten into Prison and not one of you that comes to visit us but we may rather think you wish us all dead as thy brother Willam did babling below a man and much more a Captain and thy Cozen Will. Kirby reported the night you had done that wicked act of casting us all into Prison that you had had an honourable Bench and that thou was such a man as was not in many parts and your whole service had almost been taken up about the Quakers and you had hall'd the Fox and stayed his Hambrough Quaker from traveling or the like words to that purpose which is below a man or man-hood to vant of Casting men into Prison it irkes my heart that ever men should be so Foolish as to do as you have done with us in sending us as thou sent us and its thought caused the death of two and the sickness of others it make the Country cry out shame shame and indeed it vexes me that my Country man should loose his honor in being so hard against poor Quakers as many calls us and had gained it so in other things as I have heard thy name honoured among men where I have been both for carrage and understanding so Justice Fleming consider and let men of tender Consciences have their liberty as others doth in other places and be not so hard of the Lords people Even who are engaiged to meet together fearing the Lord as saith the Scriptures they that seared the Lord met often together and spake often one