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
it be a hard Exercise to me many a time now in my old age to part with so Dear a Husband but all is but a reasonable sacrifice for the Lord who is the preserver of our Souls that live in obedience unto his Will And this I can truely say and that to my great Comfort that when the Lord was pleased to call him from me upon the Truths Account whether in England or Scotland I never was his hindrance but was freely willing to give him up to the service that the Lord had called him unto for I have often bidden him take no care for any thing he left behind but have said perform thy journey as thou sees the Lord makes thy way which I know he did and that with faithfulness and that is his everlasting joy and my great comfort though I be left behind him in this World but my desire and â—â—eathing is to the Lord to preserve me and my two Daughters in his heavenly way to our lives end as he did my dear Husband who laid down his body as an innocent Lamb Saying often times I have not served the Lord unfruitfully and also said I have no trouble upon me and I am very sensible that all is well with him for he was a peaceable man to the very latter end of his daies Blessed and praised be the name of the Lord for evermore who hath received him unto his everlasting joy and felicity for evermore The 17th of the 11th Month 1682. Dorothy Wilson His Daughter Rebecca's Testimony concerning her Father THis is my Testimony concerning my dear and well beloved Father William Wilson he was a dear and tender Father towards me and that is the cause of my Shedding of tears many times but it is not without hope for I am Satisfied with many more who knew his Life and Conversation that he is entred into everlasting joy and felicity for evermore with his Maker And this I can truly say to my daily comfort he was a true director of Me and my Sister on the Spiritual Journey even Sion wards which he himself did travel on dayly and did bear a faithful Testimony for to the end of his daies both in England and other Nations where the Lord was pleased to call him tho through tryals and hardships but he thought all little enough for the Lord and his holy truths sake Oh blessed and praised be the name of the Lord for evermore for I can truly say my Father was raised up in a spiritual sence towards us his Family when he took his journey towards London and in much tenderness exhorted us with tears to keep in the true fear of the Lord that his name might be glorified by us with many more good and heavenly Exortations to us on this manner which was his last Testimony to us for he lived but two nights and one day after he came home from London and his outward body was much Spent but he was in a Sweet and heavenly frame of Spirit to his last breath and often said his peace was far above his pain And so lay down his head in peace where none can make him afraid Oh Lord God of Infinite love which hath broken my heart unto tenderness before thee thou hast been a Husband to my Mother and Father to Me and my Sister Oh Lord carry us on in thy heavenly way as thou didst my Father that thy name may be glorified by us in our little measures for it is the desire of my heart above all things to live in thy true fear that I may inherit the Crown of life as my Father doth Blessed and praised be thy holy name for evermore saith my Soul The 17th of the 11th Month 82. Rebecca Wilson Ruth Wilsons Testimony concerning her Father THis is my Testimony concerning my dear and faithful Father William Wilson who was a dear and tender Father over me which is the cause of my great lamentation when I heard of his decease for I was gone to Kendal to live and did never see him alive after he took his Journey towards London which was very hard for me to bear and went near my very life but in the Consideration of his holy and pure life that he lived in I am satisfied with many that did know him that he is in everlasting Joy and Eternity Blessed and praised be the name of the Lord for ever for he was ever instructing me on in that heavenly way that he himself travelled into his latter end and encouraging men in the way of the Lord often saying to my Sister and Me it would be the best portion that ever we could enjoy which we know now to be very true Blessed and praised be the name of the Lord for ever who hath made us sensible witnesses of it in our little measures and I desire at the Lords hand that I with many more may be preserved in the true fear of the Lord to my lacter end for I know my dear Father did often travel in Spirit for us his family when he was far separated from us outwardly sometimes in his Journey upon truths account and sometimes in his imprisonment for conscence sake and the Lord was with him in every needfull time and now he was pleased to take him out of this troublesome world into his everlasting joy where he hath laid down his head in peace where none can make him afraid and the desire of my heart is that I with my Mother and Sister may truely wait upon the Lord that we may know him to be as a Father unto the Fatherless and as a husband unto the desolate Widow for he is a strong Tower unto the upright in heart and a sure hiding place unto all his little ones O blessed and praised be his Holy Name for ever and evermore saith my Spirit Ruth Wilson William Rawes his Testimony concerning Will. Wilson COncerning our dear friend and brother William Wilson I have this Testimony to bear for him in true remembrance of him he was a man of a Meek and quiet Spirit which with the Lord is of great price he had also a good gift to declare the truth and was full of zeal and heavenly courage in the which he perform'd the same Also he was a good example and patern in his life and Conversation unto us by the which he preached truth unto us as well as by his words for he himself lived according to what he taught us for he was adorned with gravity and walked before us in humility yea he had a blamless conversation and was unspotted from the World so that his presence as well as his words was a strengthening and a comfort to the upright and honest-hearted he was a man that did suffer much for truth's sake both imprisonment often and spoil of goods which he took joyfully knowing that in Heaven he had a better and more enduring substance he patiently endured all saying he had counted the cost before he began to build
also at another time being one feast day in the Morning we were in his house at Langdal Chappel stile who then felt the Lord to move upon his spirit that he should go to Eshdal Steeple house in the County of Cumberland at which place he was Cruelly handled a few weekes before by one Priest Parker yet notwithstanding he was willing to go who witnessed that saying my people shall be a willing people in the day of my power said the Lord. And we went from his house within a Quarter of the ninth hour and we were in Eshdal Steeple-house within a quarter after ten between which places it being nine Miles and upwards of very rough way and Priest Fogo being there soon after we went in he went into the Pulpit during which time my brother stood silent And when he had done my brother spoke some words to the people concerning the Priest sayings and doings which made the Priest to rage And some of his hearers standing up being officers would have put my Brother forth but the Priest said let him alone then they sat down again very willingly expecting to hear a discourse between them but instead thereof the Priest came to him and took him by the Hair of his Head and by the same pulled him to the ground and drew him out of the Steeple-House while the Priest was thus exercised I said unto the people mind the fruits of your Priest the Scripture saith lay violent hands on no man which the Priest hearing came to me and in his rage and cruelty abused me in the beholding of which acts of Cruelty done to us the people was many of them set against the Priest which he perceiving got away home and then my brother had good service among the people a prety while but within a few months after the Priest met with a sharp reproof for his Cruelty when he was riding over some sands accompanied with several people he fell into a quick-sand and was immediately drown'd a just judgment of a persecutor And this in short is a true Testimony of some of the fruits of the Priests whom he in the light of the Lord went to reprove who made a great talk of Christ and Christianity yet notwithstanding proved as Cruel as the beasts of prey tearing wolves though covered with lambs skin And at several houses up and down the Country where we wrought he met with many envious spirits who also were great talkers of God and Christ and the Scriptures and the way to God but walked in their own wills and wayes and would not bow nor bend unto Christ the light and way to God they were climbed up so high in their imaginations and strengthned themselves in their self righteousness and came forth in the strength of the power of darkness to oppose the Truth and light of God which he bore Testimony unto yet in the name of the Lord he stopped the mouths of many gain-sayers and in the wisdom of God that was with him he caught the wise and crafty in their own snare And in a holy zeal and heavenly courage and living demonstration of the spirit of truth he declared the way of the Lord and his Exhortation was unto us who in some measure were turned to it that we should walk in the same and in it watch against that dark Envious proud haughty Spirit which lay near to draw from it and to do well and keep low in Gods holy fear and to deny our selves and take up the dayly Cross to our own wills and to be faithful in that little appearance of Light and Truth which we had already received and then the Lord would make known more unto us whose words many of us now are come to witness Blessed be the name of the Lord for evermore And this Testimony I have to bear concerning my dear Brother and it liveth in many and shall not dye that he was an Innocent man and lived in the fear of God and diligently sought the Exaltation of his holy way and his delight was to labour and travel that people might be gathered into the same and walk therein that in their day and time they might be an honour unto God for which end he made them and they who in this age do declare for the same and seeks to worship him in his own ordained way do meet with many hardships and cruel persecutions as did the faithful Servants of the Lord in former ages and as also did this innocent man But the Lord was near unto him in every strait and was unto him a present help in every needful time and in a living sence of his eternal power did in time of his sickness declare several sweet and heavenly Exhortations and also saying I know it will be well with me I have not served the Lord for nought his presence I feel with me and also said my love is generally to friends and standing upon the floor between two Friends with difficulty of breathing said Oh that every one would mind the Lord that they might reap life and then he sat down and like a Harmless dove left this life and so drew breath no more JOHN DIXON'S Testimony concerning William Willson I Being a Neighbour unto W. W. therefore have had a certain knowledg of him being many times conversant with him though at the time of his Convincement I was but young in years and before his Convincement when I learnt at School I had this knowledge of him that in those times he was one that diligently sought the Lord to the utmost of his understanding And that with the chiefest of professors in those times he was one that took great pains in going from one professing Priest to another and for disputing about the things of God and the Scriptures was behind few of them Yet still there was something unsatisfied in him notwithstanding the great and high profession then made untill his mind was turned to the Lord who by his holy and heavenly Light and glorious power did shine into his heart by which Light he came to receive the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus And this Heavenly treasure he had in his earthen vessel and willingly he attributed the excellency of the power thereof unto God to whom it did belong being truely subject thereunto for he was a man that had made self then of little or no Reputation therefore did the Lord exalt him and give him Wisdom Corage and Boldness and that in the sight of his Enemies to the Confounding of them and raising the witness of God in many For soon after his Conversion he was moved by the living power of God to cry against deceit iniquity oppression and transgression which abounded both in Priests and people and was cruelly handled at several Steeple-houses often by the Priests and sometimes by the people for the Lord from whom nothing can be hid he knows and many peopel did see how that one Priest Parker
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
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
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
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
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
information made by John Tomson Priest of Grasmire in Westmerland for speaking some words to the people in Gods fear and bidding them mind their teacher so at the next Sessions I was fined by Justice Fleeming and the rest of the Justices in one hundred Marks and committed into the Goal at Kindal until payment was made as the tenure of the Mittimus did run and so remaining in prison a while until the first Sessions next after At which time the same Justices sent for me who tendered me the Oath of Allegiance and because for Conscience sake I could not swear was sent to prison again there to remain till I took the Oath and paid the fine of an hundred Marks as aforesaid although in the year 1648. I had suffered the loss of all I had saving my life for the King as I made it appear yet I remained in prison above half a year and then was set free by the Kings act of indulgence In the year 1662. in the 10th month I was committed to prison at Lancaster with many more of my Friends by Warrant from Justice Fleeming and William Kirby for meeting together to worship God in Spirit and in Truth where at the next following Sessions I had the Oath tendered me again by these said Justices and others and because I durst not swear was committed to prison where I remained Twenty weeks In the year 1665. I was arrested by warrant from Justice Fleeming and Justice Braithwait for meeting with my Friends the 5th of the 9th Month at the house of Reignal Holme for which I was imprisoned one Month in Kendal in the year 1670. I was fined in twenty pounds by vertue of an act made to prevent Seditious Conventicles by Justice Fleeming and Justice Phillipson for speaking a few words of Truth in soberness in our peaceable meeting to Justice Phillipsons man who was turned informer for which I had taken from me two Cows worth five pound one Horse worth forty Shillings and Oate meal worth ten Shillings And again for speaking in a meeting at Fieldhead near Hanks-head I was fined in twenty pounds for which my goods was spoiled by William Satterthwait Constable James Harrison Warden and William Groves overseer all of Landal In the year 1673. for not paying six pence or seven pence in the year to Parson Ambross Priest of Grasmire for tythe I was arrested with an Exchequer process called a commission of Rebellion and cast into Prison at Kendal where I continued sixteen weeks and then set free by the Goaler being three weeks after the writ was not of date But these are small matters in consideration of what the God of my Life hath led one through since I knew his glorious Truth before the King came in for many a time have I suffered cruel Mockings Stackings Stoneing Buffitings Beatings and Knocking 's by the hirelings Priests and rude People and all for desiring the good of their Souls and that they might turn to the God of Light in whom there is no darkness at all and so come out of darkness that they might have the light of life William Wolson An Epistle General or a token of my Love and care in my measure of the Heavenly Father of Glory of Peace and of Love to all friends in their meetings as it is Judged meet and Convenient to be read IN the grace of God and love of the heavenly Father which hath visited us in this acceptable day of his abounding mercy I greet you all in the Virgine love and state of the pure Church of God which he hath called and gathered together in our day and age glory to his Name for ever who hath found us worthy to be members of the same and his eternal love and tender merties it even unto us day by day and time after time in our heavenly Meetings which he hath gathered us into that we may wait upon him in and think upon his Holy Name Blessed for ever be his name he hath set us in a holy state and brought us into a deep sence of his pure love which runs freely among us from day to day and keeps all the careful and upright in heart unto himself and they glorifie his holy name and all the careless and disordered persons doth dishonour his most holy and blessed Name and this will be their shame and great condemnation But the glory of the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed in the upright hearted and carefully minded Men and Women Sons and Daughters of the preclous life and seed of God which is risen amongst us in this our day and time of Gods love and heavenly visitations unto us who keeps the good order and state of the pure Church but unto them who rebelle against the spirit and regards not the good order and state of the pure Church unto such will the Lord appear and be angry with them if they do not amond and have a greater regard unto his most Holy Name and Place and Spirit which would cause them not to err not depart from the good order and Spirit of God unto the which they are called therefore my Friends Brethren and Sisters in the name of the Lord of Hosts I charge and warn you all that you keep to that of God in you all and that will keep you all in the remembrance of the beginning and let you all see the good order and state of the true Church in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God the light of the World in whom we are all to walk to move and have our being So remember my Friends how careful you all were at the first and tender at the beginning and troubled at that which was out of order and your Spirits grieved and could not well bear the things that some will now allow and be ready in defence thereof to say Alas Friends were weak at the first but we are more able to hear or to bear things now which were a great offence or trouble then Alas my friends the Lord was near unto us then and did uphold us in our weakness and was with us in all out undergoings and did uphold us on every hand and none could open their Mouths against his harmless Lambs but the Lord was sufficient in them to shut it again But now my Friends they have many things to lay to the charge of some Friends who frequently comes to our Meetings and yet they find them in the Customs of the World and not after Christ yea in very blameable and most reproveable fashions of the world which the Apostle forbids and saith Fashion not your selves like unto this world for the Fashions thereof passeth away and some in being too conformable in drinking too much at Ale-Houses and taking of Tobacco amongst them which is an evil savour unto the Lord and that which your Spirits could not bear at the first Alas Friends have you lost your first love or is your