who sits upon the earthly Throne unto the most Inferior in the Kingdom and by this Principle of Love in our own hearts which is of God we are made to bear Love and Good will towards all people and by it we are taught to loy Enemies to Bless and Curse not to Pray for them who De spitefully useth us and to do Good to them that Beateth us and not in the least to render Evil for Evil but endeavour to overcome in our selves and others Evil with Good and by it we are preserved from joyning with the spirit of Envy and from being led by the spirit of Revenge which ruleth in many and leadeth into secret Plottings and evil Contrivances by way of Conspiring to raise Tumult and Insurrection which spirit with all its fruits we deny and judge and all those who are led by it to Contrive and Plot against any or to seek the Destruction of any people though our Enemies such we disown and their actions we defie the Lord is our witness And by the Principle of Love in our hearts are our Consciences made very tender to God-ward insomuch as that we would not willingly and knowingly sin against him and are willing rather to suffer the loss of all External things yea even Life and all then to break our peace with God which we value more then ten thousand Worlds and because we endeavour in the strength and power of the principle of love in our hearts to keep our Consciences void of offence towards God and because we dare not do those things though they be set up by men and tollerated and compelled to be done by a Law which we are perswaded by the unerring spirit of Truth we ought not to do neither joyn with any therein and because we dare not forbear doing those things though prohibited by the Laws of men there from which we are perswaded by the spirit of Truth is our duty towards God to do and perform therefore are we a suffering People this day and for no other Cause the Lord is our witness to the truth hereof And ever since the Lord our dear and tender God who alone hath been and now is our Helper Strength and Refuge and hath stood by us and supported and preserved us or else we had not been a People at this day did raise us up to be a People for to bear witness to his Way and Truth and against the false Ways evil Works false Worships Idolatry Sin and Wickedness of the World we have been a suffering People and all along we have suffered by every Power that hath come up to Rule and all along we have suffered for only our Consciences towards God if our Enemies have had no Law in force against us neither could find any thing on our parts whereby they might take a just occasion against us then have they as Daniel's Persecutors did against him who sought his Destruction without a Cause given them by him even made Laws on purpose to Insnare us and Trappan us concerning our Conscience towards God for which we did suffer by the other Rulers even many ways viz. by Stocking Stoning cruel Whipping Rayling Reviling and cruel Abuses even Imprisonment until Death and spoyling of Goods in a more abundant manner then I can relate and all hath been for our Consciences to God all which we have born and waded through in Patience through the strength of the upholding merciful Arm of our God and by him have been kept from seeking Revenge upon our Enemies but have committed our Cause to God who Judgeth Righteously and Justifieth those whom men Condemn unto whom alone Vengence belongs and he will repay it who will render unto man according to his Works And even at this day our Sufferings are greater then before and now are we even as Sheep appointed for the Slaughter and all is because we endeavour to keep our Consciences void of offence towards God and because we dare not joyn with that Idolatrous Worship which God abhors but must as moved of the Lord rather bear Testimony against Idolatrous Worships and Worshippers vvhatever vve suffer And because vve dare not Svvare at all knovving if vve should Svvear at all we should then transgress the Commands of Christ Matthew Chaper 5. Verse 34 c. James Chapter 5. Verse 5 c. And because vve follovv the practices of the Primitive Christians and dear not forsake the Assembling of our selves together but must as vve are taught of the Lord meet together in the pure fear and dread of the Name of the Almighty God even for no other end the Lord vvho knovveth the secrets of all hearts is our vvitness but to Wait upon the Lord and to Pray to the Lord and to Build up Strengthen and Edifie one another in the Lord and to Serve and Worship God in Spirit and in Truth vvherein God vvho is a Spirit is only Worshipped aright by his Spirituallized people vvho are born of the Spirit and guided and led by the Spirit of Truth into all Truth And it is not in Rebellion and Contempt to King Charles and his Lavvs that vve meet together to vvorship God neither do vve do it in a Cross Stubborn Self-vvill as by some vve are charged the Lord is our vvitness but even in a Cross to our ovvn vvills and in Obedience to the vvill of God vvhere fore vve have peace in the Lord for vvhose sake vve suffer and stand justified in the sight of God though by Men and their Lavvs counted Transgressors Novv Friends as your Moderation in measure hath appeared in this day of hot Persecution and hath been manifested heretofore tovvards the Lords tender Conscientious people in this Tovvn vvhich I believe the Lord hath taken notice of who hath regard unto those vvho have respect to his people and truly it is my Souls desire even for your ovvn good that your Moderation tovvards the people of God called Quakers or any other people vvhose Consciences are tender to God-vvard may continue still and increase more and more so as that ye might not in the lest degree have a hand any more in the Sufferings of the Innocent but might rather chuse as meek Moses did to suffer Affliction vvith the Suffering Abused Tribulated Afflicted People of God then to be found Prosecutors of any unjust Lavv against them for indeed happy in that particular is the man that hath no hand in the sufferings of the Lords people for sure I am the Lord God hath regard unto his people though disregarded by such as know not God nor his People and though Hated and Persecuted by the World yet Loved of the Lord and very dear unto him and though Contemptible Ridiculous and Absurd in the eyes of the wisemen of this World yet Beautiful Comely Delectable and Precious in the eyes of the Lord and what evil any do to them because of their Consciences towards God the Lord takes it as done unto himself and if one
A COLLECTION OF CERTAIN Epistles Testimonies Of Divine Consolation Experience and Doctrine Written by that Faithful Patient and Long-Suffering Servant of Christ William Bennit Who Finished his Testimony the 23d day of the 4th Month 1684. In the County Goal at Ipswich in Suffolk And I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the Dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their Labours and their Works do follow them LONDON Printed and Sold by Andrew Sowle at the Crooked-Billet in Holloway-Lane near Shoreditch 1685. THE CONTENTS TO my dear Father and Mother pag. 25. A Tender and Vnfeigned Salutation of Love and Good-Will to Professors Or a tender Invitation and Call unto all People in whose Hearts there hath been and still is some true desiring and breathing after the Lord God who hath long been hunting abroad amongst the many Forms and Liknesses and have been running from one broken Cistern to another and have been long spending their Money for that which is not Bread and their Labour for that which hath not rightly satisfied their Souls For them to retire inward unto that in their own Hearts which is the Authour of the desiring in them after God even the pure spiritual Light of Christ Jesus in their own Consciences which will lead and bring them that do it follow and obey unto the well-spring of Life the fountain of living Water where they may drink abundantly and be satisfied unto the fold of everlasting Rest unto the fresh pastures of Life where they may feed and lie down and enjoy true rest and satisfaction for their Souls pag. 33. For Friends of Truth in the Town of Yarmouth pag. 59. God only Exalted in his own Work or the Works of God Praiseth him in Sion Or a Song of Deliverance from a great and sore Captivity Thraldom and Bondage under the King of Egyptian Darkness the God of the World where the Soul was fast bound as with strong Chains and Fetters but now Ransomed by the out-stretched Arm of Gods Almighty Power and art come to Sion with Songs of everlasting Joy upon thy Head and hast obtained Joy and Gladness and thy Sighing and Mourning is fled away pag. 63. To Gods Lambs in Prison Greeting pag. 75. To Friends in the Love of Truth Greeting pag. 77. To Friends of Truth pag. 78. To Friends of Truth in Prison pag. 79. To the Suffering Lambs of the Lords Flock in Prison Greeting pag. 81. This to go among Friends of Truth to be read among them when assembled together in the pure fear and dread of the most high God pag. 84. To Friends pag. 90. To the Magistrates of Edmonds-Bury pag. 92. To Friends of Truth in the Town of Colchester Greeting pag. 100. Somâ— Prison Meditations of an humble Heart pag. 108. This to go among Friends to be read among them when assembled together in the pure Fear and Wisdom of God pag. 142. A Testimony to the true Light that lightens every man that comes into the World pag. 150. To Friends in Edmonds-Bury Goal pag. 157. To Friends Sufferers in Norwich-Castle pag. 158. To Friends Brethren and Sisters c. pag. 161. The Work and Mercy of God conducing to his Praise Or a Demonstration of the Visitation of Gods Love to my Soul in the days of my Youth Being a Testimony of the Light of Christ in the Conscience which discovereth and judgeth Sin also if loved and obeyed saveth from Sin and redeemeth the Soul unto God pag. 167. To those that are young in Years c. pag. 179. To all People that live and delight in Wickedness pag. 181. To those that are seeking the Living God in the Dead Forms pag. 191. To those that are backslided from the Truth pag. 194. To those that profess the Truth yet walk contrary thereto iâ— Life and Conversation pag. 197. To all those that are convinced of the Truth but still remain in the Worlds ways pag. 198. To those that are newly convinced of the Truth pag. 200. To the true Mourners in Sion pag. 203. A General Salâ—tation of Love to the Children of Light pag. 207. To Friends pag. 211. A Loving Exhortation and Warning to Sea-men and all others whom it doth concern pag. 214. Edmond Cross HIS TESTIMONY For his Deceased Friend William Bennit THis Testimony lives in my Heart and is upon me to bear for and concerning my dear and well beloved Friend William Bennit whom with many more worthy Ones God Almighty in his endless Love unto mankind raised up and endued with power from on high to preach the Everlasting Gospel of Life and Salvation in our Age and forever blessed be the Lord who hath caused his blessed Work to prosper by them to the gathering many Thousands to himself notwithstanding the great opposition they have meet with both from the Enemy of mankind within and the Exercises Hardships and cruel Persecutions from his Instruments without yet so powerfully did the Lord appear in them that the Inhabitants of the Earth was awakened and Trembling took hold of many Judgment was laid to the Liâ—e and Righteousness to the Plumit yea the sound of the Gospel by these worthy Messengers Preached went through the Earth and many of its Inhabitance thereby came to learn Righteousness amongst which worthy Messengers this my dear Friend William Bennit was one who laboured in the service of the Gospel for the gathering in the out-casts of Jacob and the disperced of Israel He was a man wholly given up both in Body and Mind to serve the Lord and what he did for God he did it with all his Might he spared no pains wherein he might serve the Truth which to do was his whole delight his care was great over the Church of Christ and whole Family of God and when in Bonds for the Gospel sake he visited them with divers good Epistleâ— full of heavenly Exhortations and Comfort to the great refreshment of God's Children oh the sence of the want of him doth often make me sad knowing how serviceable he was in the Church though I doubt not but the Lord can raise up some worthy Ones to succeed him in the Work and Service whereunto he was called oh the many sweet refreshments which I have had with him cannot be forgotten what shall I say for the want of him whose presence hath often times been very comfortable to me I believe years to come will know the want of him I had inward acquaintance with him above many and can testifie he was endued with many divine Attainments he had the true qualifications of an Elder and Minister of Christ and walked in Holiness Meekness and Godly Fear towards all men he never exalted himself above any but as a perfect example in Humility Self-Denial and Meekness he behaved himself towards the Meanest his Zeal for the Truth appeared to be very great for though he was a very weak man as to his bodily strength yet in
remember that in which God first appeared viz. the measure of Gods Gift or Grace in their Hearts there to stay their Minds often mentioning the command of God to Jacob who after many Tryals Travels and Exercises and after God had given him great encrease of Riches as Flocks and Herds VVives and Children which he devided into three Bands in order to meet his Brother Esau admiring the goodness of the God of his Fathers who had given him all that Riches who only with his Staff did some time before travelled over Jordan yet after all this God commanded him to go to Bethel the place where the Lord at first appeared to him when he fled from his Brother Esau there to dwell and erect an Alter and call upon his Name He often had it upon him to put Friends in mind of speaking the true Language to say thee or thou to a single Person without respect of Persons the contrary being false and so out of the Truth it was likewise much upon him to exhort Friends to feel the concern of Truth upon their Spirits that in the true sence thereof they might feel the drawing of the Love of God to Meet and Assemble themselves together in his Name and Fear and that they might truly know and understand the end of their meeting and what God therein requires of them that they might not go to Meetings as many People go to their Church as they call it to be a little serious while they are there and when they are gone thence let their minds out as if they had left their God behind them such a coming to meetings would not stand any one in stead in a time of Exercise or a day of Tryal much might be writ as to the good Exhortations Admonitions Advice and good-Counsel which oftentimes opened in his Heart in the Meetings and Assembles of Friends but I must refer my friendly Reader to the persual of his Cordial and Soul refreshing Epistles as in the Life they are Read by which they were given forth for his or her further satisfaction only I cannot pass by as not to mention his frequent wrestlings in Prayer with the Lord for the good of all but more especially for those of the Houshold of Faith not forgetting the Sufferers of all sorts whether in Body or in Mind particularly such as suffer Imprisonment for the Testimony of a good Conscience he often prayed that God would be pleased to make the Prison as a Pallace to them through the incomes of his heavenly Life and blessed Presence in and to their Souls and such as lay upon a Bed of Sickness that God would be their Comfort such as travelled by Sea or Land in the Work or Service of the Lord that he would be their Support and by his living Power and Presence them accompany that their Service might be effectual they enabled with cheerfulness to undergo what it should please God to permit or suffer to befal them for their Testimony sake he often interceeded with God for his very Enemies having learned that Lesson to love Enemies that it would please the Lord to turn their Hearts and to open their Eyes that they may see against whom they are striving and against whom they are setting themselves in battle aray as Bayers Thorns against consuming Fire that they might behold him whom with their Sins they had Pierced whom in his Members they had Persecuted that they might mourn over him and if it were the will of God Repent Return be Converted and Healed he oft remembred this the Land of his Nativity in his Suplications to God that it would please him if so it seemed good in his sight to prevent those impending Judgments that hang over it ready like a dreadful Tempest to break and fall upon it by its speedy Repenting and breaking off from those great Sins and Evils that abound and superabound in it which in Nature seem to Equal if not Exceed the Sins of Sodom and that it would please God if that it seemed good in his sight to frustrate confound and bring to nought the devices contrivances and consultations of that wicked Spirit and those wicked Instruments that device contrive and consult its Overthrow and Destruction Thus did the Love of God flow from the Heart of this Servant of his not only to Friends but to Enemies having so learned of his Master Christ Jesus whom he faithfully served in his Generation and with whom he forever resteth Now Friends having hinted something of the Testimony this good man bore for God in Life and Conversation and also in Word and Doctrine having a dispensation of the Word of Life committed to him to declare to others he being an able Minister of the same now it remains to speak something of his Testimony he bore for God in Suffering it was not only given him to Believe but to Suffer for the Name of Christ in which by the permission of God he had a large share especially by Imprisonment which many times was long and tedious had he not been supported by the Power of God for whose Cause he Suffered and in whose Will he was truly contented to undergo what wicked men were permitted to inflict upon him for his Conscience sake towards God eying the Will of God in all in which was his Peace and true lasting Satisfaction the principal places of his Imprisonment were at Yarâ—oth Norwich-Castle Blibro Melton Ipswich and Edmonds-Bury in the last of which he remained a close Prisoner scarce setting his Foot over the Threshold in five Years time he was several times a Prisoner in Melton Goal as likewise in the County Goal at Ipswich where he breathed his last Breath in which two places latterward my self with several of our Friends in and about Woodbridg were Prisoners with him as particularly in this Persecution which began five Years since by Edmond Brume Priest of Woodbridg but committed by Justice Bacon and Justice Bohon for refusing to take an Oath where he remained Prisoner about half a Year but after some breathing space our old Persecuting Adversary Priest Brume began afresh to breath out his Threatnings like the Persecutors of old and getting a Justice for his turn began to stir up the Town Officers and disturb our Meeting who of themselves might be unwilling and upon the 12th day of the 6th month 1683 there came to our Meeting the aforesaid Officers wherâ— our dear Friend William Bennit was upon his Knees in Prayer to God from which he was violently haled away by one Robert Chapman a Constable being put forward thereto by John Firman Church warden and with several others of us taken out of our peaceable Meeting at Woodbridg and carried before Edmond Jenny of Bredfeild Justice who committed us to Melton Goal for being at a Quaker-Meeting which is contrary to Law as saith the Mittimas at which this innocent man greatly rejoyced that the Lord see it meet for him to bear his Testimony in
seeth to be Vain and Evil if it could gain the whole World by it but truly the Professors are out of this Condition though they can talk of the Fear of the Lord and scarce one of a 〈…〉 is come â—here into that state but this is a hard 〈…〉 is able to bear it yet it is a true saying though 〈…〉 believe it oh the largest Talkers and Declarers and Knowers even of the highest sort are farthest from the Life of Truth which is holy for truly such are settled on their Lees and have been building long and very high and have gathered much Riches and it is hard for these to loose all and their Building to fall and not one Stone to be left upon another but all to be thrown down oh the Lord God of Compassion is a gathering many tender Hearts from amongst them who hunger and breath after him and is not satisfied with the Husks the Shadows and Dead Forms in which they dwell and poor Hearts they have been long running from Mountain to Hill and have sought after the Lord even fervently Day after Day Year after Year and could not find him whom their Souls longed for but now such is the Lord a gathering into his Fold where they shall enjoy their Shepherd and their Souls shall not want So once more do I in tender Love direct you to the Gift of God in your own particulars and therein wait upon the Lord for Power from the Lord over that which is contrary to the Lord and condemnable by his Light in your own Hearts and keep in the fewness of Words for too many Words becometh not those who professeth Godliness but let your Words be few and let them savour of the Grace of God which leadeth into a Meek Sober Modest Chast Lifâ— that so your upright sober Conversation may preach Righteousness even to the convincing of them who have been as Teachers over you whom ye will come to see as you keep to the measure of God and know them to be a People whose Minds are at Liberty and are at case in the Flesh and know not a Stay to their Minds a Stop to their Thoughts a Bridle to their Tongues which if they be not come to know feel and abide therein let their Knowledge never so large their Declarations never so high their Words never so deep yea and true also yet I say and my saying is true though hard to many to bear that if such come not and keep not to that which is to be a Stay to the Mind a Stop to their Thoughts a Brible to their Tongues a Lanthorn to their Fâ—â—â— a Light â—o their Steps their Knowledge their Declarations their Works and their Suffering it is all in vain and a Babe of the Heavenly Birth sees and comprehends them and their large Coverings are to narrow to hide them from their Eye Well into the hand of the Lord do I commit you for to come to be gathered into and preserved in the pure Fear of God Watchful and Diligent in the Light and to War and Wrestle in the strength of it against that which you see is to be Mortified so be willing to pass through the strait Gate into the narrow Way to walk which few findeth and are made willing to walk therein But the First shall be Last and the Last First for many are Called and but few Chosen And dear Ones one thing more I have to say unto you beware and take heed of Condemning one another for doing that Evil which you see your selves are addicted unto but first see it Subdued and Mortified in your selves whether it be in Word or Action before you Condemn others for it though they be Prophane People and when you spake a Word of Reproof to any beware of doing it in a light Frothy way as many do even in the light Airy Spirit which bringeth forth the same things in themselves but let it be done in the Sober Solled Seasoned Savoury Holy Spirit of the Lord God that it may reach to the VVitness of God in them unto whom you speak and then is it profitable so the Lord God Almighty Infinite and VVise preserve me and you and all his little Ones in his holy Awe and Dread and therein to pass the time of our Pilgrimagâ— here in Fear and Trembling Farwell From your Son who is come into the Heirship of Eternity William Bennit Bliborough Goal the 5th Month 1661. A tender and unfained Salutation of Love and Good-will to Professors c. THe Lord God Almighty hath and is a looking down upon the Sons and Daughters of Men and hath and doth behold many of them even as poor scattered Sheep without a Shepherd wandering as in the Desarts and waste howling Wilderness wandering as upon the barren Mountains and dry Heaths hungry and thirsty their souls unsatisfied seeking diligently for food upon the barren Mountains running from Mountain to Mountain and from Hill to Hill and cannot find that Food that will truly satisfy their hungry Souls and running from one broken Cistern to another and cannot find one drop of water that will truly refresh their thirsty Souls who are seeking the living God amongst the dead Forms and seeking Meat among the Shells and the Substance among the Shadows and cannot find that which they seek after nor enjoy him whom their Souls longeth for seeking rest and can find no true Rest desiring to know where the Lord God the good Shepherd of Israel feeds his Sheep and Lambs and where they lie down in quietness and rest free from the fear of Evil. And this the Lord God of pity hath seen and in his Infinite tender bowels hath been and now is moved with yearnings of pity and compassion towards them and for his own Seeds sake he hath and is in Mercy to them Ezek. 34. 11 c stretching forth the Hand of his loving kindness unto them to gather in one the scattered to gather together in one the dispersed to bring home the wanderer and the prodigal that hath long fed upon the husks among the Swine to the Fathers house of plenty where there is bread enough and water faileth not Yea the Lord God Almighty of Heaven and Earth hath and is lifting up an Ensign for the Nations and hath and will assemble the out-casts of Jacob and the dispersed Judah from the four corners of the Earth and hath and will return the Captivity of his People and then Jacob shall be glad and Israel shall rejoyce in him the steam of Psal 14. 7. Jesse which doth and shall stand for an Ensign for the people and unto him doth and shall the Gentiles seek and his rest is and shall be sweet and glorious to the poor for whom he will Judge in Righteousness and Reprove with Equity for the meek of the Earth who will smite the Earth with the Rod of his Mouth and with the breath of his Lips will he slay the Wicked and Rule the Nations
them they receive power through it to become the Sons of God for through his Grace doth he manifest his power in them that believe in the Light to the drawing of their hearts and minds out of the ungodliness and worldly lusts and to the teaching of them to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world and thus the free Grace of God bringeth Salvation to their Souls And so dear people thus you who come to believe in the Light to love and obey the Light in your own Consciences will come to feel and witness the work of the Lord God in your hearts the working and opperation of the Word of Life to the casting out of the Bond-woman and her Son which is not to inherit to the binding of the strong man and casting of him out yea the Old man with his deeds is to be put off and you renewed in the spirit of your minds and the new Man is to Eph. 4. 20 21 22 23. be put on who after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness to put him on and to bring him forth before all men the only begotten Son of God who is full of Grace and Truth Mercy and Love Pity and Compassion Purity and Holiness and Good-will towards all who loveth Enemies and doth good to them that hate him c. So coming to the Light Christ Jesus you come to the Substance to him in whom the Figures Types and Shaddows end in and so come to witness him in you who fulfils all Righteousness he who is the end of the Law for â—ighteousness sake unto them that believe in him and to be Circumcised in him with the Circumcision Col. 2. 11 12. made without hands by the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the Circumcision of Christ which the outward Circumcision was a figure of and to witness the Baptism of Christ which is with the Holy Ghost and fire which John's Baptism with water outward was a true figure of and he bore Testimony unto Christ the Light of the world who said I must decrease but he must increase I indeed baptise you with water but he Christ Jesus who was before me shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire whose fan is in his hand and he shall throughly purge his floor the Wheat he shall gather into his Garner but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire So the outward water was but a type the outward washing a type of the inward washing and inward cleansing and inward purging and purifying by the Water of Life or the Blood of Jesus that cleanseth from all sin which is felt thus to work in them who believe in the Light and walk in the Light and they come to know that begotten in them that feeds upon the flesh of Christ which is the living Bread upon which the living Soul seeds and is the Substance which the Bread and Wine outward did figure out which the Manna that God gave the Israel of old in the Wilderness was a pure type of the heavenly Manna the living Bread vvhich the birth that is born of God feeds upon and lives thereby and grows up into Eternal life The day of gathering is come wherein the Lord God of everlasting bowels of Compassion is a gathering the despersed and seeking that which was lost and bringing back that which was driven away and healing that Ezek. 34. 12 13 14 9 16. which was sick and binding up that which was broken but the strong and the fat he is feeding with Judgment The Lord is a gathering people out of the Forms Shels and Shadows wherein many have long stuck and is bringing of them to the Substance and life it self out of the many Sects and heaps and divers ways into the one pure path into the one way of Life Light Peace Truth and Righteousness who by the one Spirit hath and is baptising them who believe in the Light 1 Cor. 12. 13 into the one body wherein the unity the oneness and the fellowship is witnessed blessed be his Name The way of the Lord is pure and Righteous and unchangable I am the Way the Truth and the Life saith Christ John 14. 6. Rom. 10. 8 John 12. 46. 8. 12. the immortal Word which saith Paul is nigh in the heart to be obeyed and done This is he the Light the Salvation of God the true Light that lighteth every man that commeth into the world who saith None can come unto the Father but by me I am come a Light into the world saith Christ that whosoever believe in me shall not abide in darkness but shall have the light of life Therefore dear people love the Light and believe in the Light while ye have the Light that so you may become children of the Light and become heirs of an Inheritance incorruptible that will never fade away There is no obtaining the Crown but through the Cross and this you will come to know who come to love the Light and to be taught of him and to learn of him who is meek and low in heart Mat 11. 29 and 6. 13. and 10. 38. and to follow him in the strait and narrow way that leads to life which few there be that find it and walk therein He that will be my Disciple saith Christ must deny himself and take up his dayly Cross and follow me This you will come to feel and witness if you be followers of the Light a dayly denying of self you will know a denying of your own wills your own desires your own thoughts your own affections your own words and works your own wisdom and righteousness and a daily taking up the Cross an hourly living in the Cross through which you must come to be crucified to the World its Vanity its Pomp Pastime and Pleasures Sins and Iniquities vain Words Psal 6. 14 Works Fashions Customs Inventions and Traditions so coming to be crucified with Christ unto the world and to be Baptised into death with him unto sin you will come to live with him unto God in the life of Righteousness in whom then you will find that Rest Satisfaction Joy Comfort and Peace which no man can give unto you So dear people who are seeking and desiring after the Lord God to find peace and comfort to your souls this I leave with you flee not from that which doth judg you in your own hearts for sin and evil and bring trouble upon you and sorrow upon you and woundeth and pierceth you in secret because of Transgression I say love that flee not from it for oh dear people how many is there that when they have been judged by Gods pure light in their hearts for their sins when trouble and sorrovv and distress hath seized on them because of their sins vvhich Gods Witness hath set in order before their eyes then have they run unto vain helps and run unto man for
Lord God is her Dowry and blessed for evermore is the soul that is joyned with her in a perpetual Covenant never to be broken We all in this Prison who suffereth upon Truth account are in a measure of Health at present through the Love and Goodness of our God blessed and praised be his Name for evermore whose tender Compassion faileth not towards them who love him therefore are his people not Consumed but preserved as Lambs in the midst of devouring Wolves by him the good Shepherd of Israel who stopeth the Mouths of Lyons and chaineth up the Beast of Prey for his little Flocks sake whom he so dearly loveth that they may behold his Power and admire his Love and trust in his Name and return the Praise unto him whose Mercies are over all his Works glory to God in the highest my Love salutes you all farewell dear Friends W. E. SOME Prison Meditations OF AN Humble Heart Given forth from a Child in Israel whose soul very dearly loveth his Heavenly Fathers Children much desiring and travelling in Spirit for their Prosperity in the Truth even as for his own soul and the Author hereof believing and knowing that this following Treatise may if the Lord will be of service unto many of the tender honest simple single upright-hearted ones who are following on to know the Lord in the footsteps of Righteousness and who desireth to pass over on to the end in the strait way of Holiness therefore even for their sakes is this following Treatise Published from a constraint of Gods love in singleness and simplicity of Heart OH Oh my Soul be not unmindful of the large mercy and goodness of the Lord shewed towards thee neither forget the exceeding loving kindness of the Holy One manifested unto thee oh my Soul oh let the sence of what the Lord thy dear tender pitiful compassionate God hath done for thee continually be fresh in and upon thee oh my Soul for the Lord thy God hath freely done that for thee which none besides him the mighty one could do Oh my Soul the Lord hath brought thee out of the Pit even out of the horrible Pit and out of the Mire and Clay wherein thou once stuck so fast as that thou couldst never have been able to have gotten out by all means possible thou couldst have invented but must have sunkdeeper and deeper therein and so have perished for ever had not the Lord God of infinite mercy helped thee who did cast his eye of pity and compassion upon thee and out of his meer mercy love and free grace stretched out his hand to help thee oh my soul when none besides him could help thee and by his arm of his loving kindness lifted thee up out of the horrible pit out of the mire and clay and hath set thy feet upon a Rock which stands sure and can never be moved and thereon he establisheth thy goings praises pure living righteous praises to the Lord thy God be rendered by thee oh my soul even forever and for evermore Oh my Soul remember thou wast once even like a poor filly Sheep without a Shepherd wandering upon the barren Mountains and dry Heaths in the Wilderness and solitary places full of Trouble Sorrow and Perplexity and knew not the way to the Fold of Rest oftentimes mourning and weeping alone as a Dove without her Mate when no eye saw thy sorrow but the Lord alone often saying in thy heart whose State and Condition is so miserable as mine who so Poor and Desolate as I none knowing how it is with me but the Lord alone And indeed the Lord then saw thee and knew how it was with thee oh my soul and he the tender God of unfathomable bowels of Compassion behold thee in that day when thou didst eat thy bread Weeping and mingled thy drink with Tears and he the compassionate one heard thy secret crys and knew thy secret desires and thy sighing and groaning entred into his ears and thy tears which thou dropped upon his Alter laid open unto the view of the eye of thy tender merciful God and his tender bowels was moved with pity towards thee and for his own Seeds sake he had compassion upon thee oh my soul and helped thee in the day of thy Trouble and delivered thee out of Distress who freely reached forth his Arm unto thee and took thee by the Hand and brought thee out of the Wilderness and desolate Places and set thy feet in the right way which hath led thee to a City of Habitation and to the Fold of Rest and now the Lord who both sought thee and found thee out and brought thee out of the Wilderness and from off the barren Mountains he is become thy Shepherd oh my soul and how canst thou want any good thing he oftentimes feedeth thee and even causeth thee to lie down in green Pastures leadeth thee by the still Waters even Shilc's brook which runs softly and he spreadeth thy Table in the sight of thy Enemies and anointeth thy Head with the oyl of Cladness and causeth thy Cup to overflow with new Wine and hath brought thee to sit under thy own Vine and under thy Fig-tree and none shall make thee afraid oh my soul Oh the Goodness of the Lord oh the Kindness of the Lord oh the Mercy of the Lord oh the Pity of the Lord oh the Compassion of the Lord God of tender Bowels is even Unutterable Unspeakable Unfathomable and Incomprehensible Oh the Heighth oh the Depth oh the Length oh the Breadth of the Love of the Lord Oh my soul truly when thou meditatest of the goodness of the Lord and considerest of his loving kindness and mercy shewed towards thee oh how can but the sence thereof pitch thee even upon a stand of admiration Oh surely surely when thou oh my soul lookest back into his Works considerest how much he hath wrought in thee and for thee thou canst see no end of his praises oh praises oh living praises holy righteous praises unto the pure holy righteous Lord God be ascribed by thee oh my soul for ever and for evermore Oh my Soul as thou art kept in the fresh sence and remembrance of the great Loving Kindness the great Mercy the great Pity and unspeakable Compassion of the Lord thy tender God which he hath and daily doth manifest unto thee oh my soul oh how canst thou but in the sence of Gods unspeakable Love abound in Love in Pity in Mercy in Kindness in Tenderness and Compassion towards all People but especially towards all Souls who are Seeking Thirsting Hungring Breathing Crying and Painting after Righteousness Peace everlasting Rest and eternal Happiness Oh my soul the Lord thy God knoweth the frame of thy Spirit the Lord knoweth the tenderness of thy Bowels and the openness of thy Bosom towards all the Seekers after Righteousness towards all the Travellers to Sion and towards all the Mourners therein Oh my soul remember how that at
the high and mighty one the holy one of Israel is their Shepherd and he even continually watcheth over them and greatly careth for them and he it is who hath giving bounds to the raging Sea and he limits the proud Waves thereof and shutteth up her Floods as he pleaseth he can let forth the Wind and suffer a Storm and he can make a Calm when he pleaseth he can cause the Sea and the Wind to obey him and therefore the Children of God need not to fear none besides the Lord who will suffer nothing to besal them but what shall work for good to all his chosen faiâ—hful ones wherefore it is good for all the Children of the Lord confidently to trust in the Lord and not at all fear though their Enemies pursue hard after them and say in their hearts Come come we will pursue them we will overtake them our Lusts shall be satisfied upon them we will have the desire of our Hearts concerning them we will draw our Swords and our Hands shall destroy them and we will try whether their Gods in whom they say they trust be able to deliver them from the stroke of our Hands Well let not Israel heed the boasting and threatning of his Enemies nor regard the pâ—rposes of his Adversaries though they pursue hard after him and say We will bring them back again into Egypt or else we will totally Destroy them Yet let not Israel fear for the Lord his God is between him and his Enemies and fights for him against his Adversaries and he in his Anger will look down upon them and trouble their Host and take off their Chariot wheels and will blow in his Wrath upon them and the Sea of his righteous Indignation shall cover them and they shall sink as Lead in the bottom of his righteous Judgments and he will get himself a Name through the destruction of Sionâ— Enemies and Honour and Magnifie himself through the deliverance of his Chosen who will work wonders for his Redeemed insomuch as the Dukes of Edom shall be amazed and even trembling shall take hold upon the mighty men of Moab and all Nations shall shiver and quake before the mighty God of Israel who is dreadful in Holiness fearful in Praises doing Wonders Oh let Israel honour his God in believing in him and in trusting in his Name in relying and depending upon his Arm of everlasting strength and patiently without murmurings to wait upon the Lord for he that is to come will come and wilâ— not tarry whose work is before him and his reward is with him even Joy for the Mourners in Sion and Beauty for Ashes Gladness for the heavy hearted in Jerusalem Freedom for Bondage Freedom from Weights Burdens and grievous Oppressions Oh let all the Children of the Lord wait without fainting upon the Lord for yet a little while and the voice will be heard saying rejoyce and even sing for joy ye Saints Servants and Prophets of the most High and triumph in the Lord Almighty over the Beast and false Prophet and over the Whore which hath corrupted the Earth who hath long sat as a Queen and said in her heart she should never see Sorrow with whom the Nations of the Earth hath committed Fornication and she hath made Nations Kindreds Tongues and People drunk with the wine of her Fornication who hath long deceived the Nations with her golden Cup which hath been filled with Abominations and in her is found all the Blood of the Martyrs and Servants of Jâ—sus which hath been shed upon the Earth and she hath rid upon the Beast that rose out of the Sea who received his seat great power and authority from the Dragon who persecuted the true woman that was clothed with the Sun and had a Crown of twelve Stars upon her head who sought to devour her Man-child and made war against the remnant of her Seed who keep the Commands of God and have the Testimony of Jesus these cannot worship the Beast nor his name nor receive his mark but these worship God alone and are followers of the Lamb through many tribulations whose garments are made white in his Blood by whom they are redeemed from amongst men these the Beast and false Prophet have sought to Kill Persecute and root out from off the face of the Earth but wo wo wo to the Beast false Prophet and the Whore for the day of their Judgment is come Misery Calamity Distress Destruction is coming upon them she the mother of Harlots the mother of Witchcrafts the Abominations of the Earth shall utterly be Destroyed and totally Burnt with Fire for strong is the Lord God Almighty who Judgeth her and now sing O Heavens and rejoyce ye who live therein over mystery Babylon the great for it is fallen it is fallen as a mighty Milstone into the bottom of the Sea never more to arise again Amen Halleluâ—ah And the Lord will thunder from Heaven upon thy Enemies oh Sion and will break thy Adversaries to peices and will give strength to thy King and exhalt the horn of his Anointed and he shall Reign and Rule and Prosper and execute Justice and true Judgment in the Earth in his days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and sit under his own Vine and none shall make him afraid then shall it be said to Jerusalem fear not and to Sion let not thy hands be slack the Lord in the midest of thee is mighty he hath saved thee he hath set thee free from thy Trouble he will rejoyce over thee with Joy he 'll joy over thee with Singing then it shall be said sing oh Daughter of Sion and shout oh Israel and rejoyce withal thy heart oh Daughter of Jerusalem for the Lord hath taken away thy Judgment he hath cast out thy Enemies and thy Warfare is acomplished and thy great Travel is finished and now thou shalt rest from thy Labour and they who have Laboured and Mourned with thee and for thee shall rejoyce for Joy with thee and suck and be satisfied with the sweet consolation of thy Breast and milk out and be delighted in the abundance of thy Glory oh the Lord thy Husband thy maker the God of hosts is his Name will extend Peace Joy Comfort everlasting Refreshment as a mighty Stream and endless Consolations as a River oh then shall they be Comforted in thee after their Sorrow and be born up upon thy Sides and dandled upon thy Knees for as a Woman comforteth her only Son so will the Lord comfort Jerusalem in the sence whereof her Children shall rejoyce and their Souls be right glad and flourish as an herb and their Spirits shall praise and sing glory unto him who is Lord and King of Heaven and Eartâ— who is worthy worthy of all Glory Praise and Honour for ever and for evermore Amen saith my soul The thing which the Lord hath purposed must be accomplished in his season and the thing that he
more and more unto the Lord and one unto another and that the sence of his Goodness and loving Kindness Mercy Pity and Compassion shed abroad and manifested towards you may always be fresh in and upon your hearts that indeed the largness of his endless unchangable unspeakable Love may be by your Souls admired and be an engagement and tye upon every particular one to oblige your Hearts and bind your Souls unto the Lord God and unto his immutable invinceable Truth oh dear Friends much hath the Lord done for us and let his doings be still marvelous in our eyes let his own Works shew forth his Praise whose Mercies endureth for ever dear Friends the Lord God of Compaâ—â—â—on sought and found us out in the cloudy dismal dark Day when we were scattered upon the barren Mountains and dry Heaths wandering as silly Sheep without a Shepherd but now hath he gathered us together and even made us a Family like a Flock and brought us down into the low Valley and hath given us fresh and green Pasture to Feed in and streams of living Water to Drink of and now the Lord the Almighty Jehovah is our Shepherd and his everlasting powerful Name our Fold and therefore are we not Consumed though the Beasts of the Field have come forth against us to destroy us and the roaring devouring Lyons have been very greedy of their Prey yet are we preserved unto this day because the Lord hath been our defence on the right hand and on the left who hath and doth Fight for mount Sion and as the Hills are round about Jerusalem so hath the Lord been still is and will be round about his People as the munition of Rocks for evermore and their Bread shall not fail and their Water shall be sure O let all that fear the Lord trust in him whose Mercies are everlasting Oh dear Friends the Lord once found us in a sollitary Place and in a waste howling Wilderness Hungry Thirsty Naked and Desolate our way hedged up as with Bryers and Thorns and there must we have Perished had not the tender God of Bowels looked upon us with an eye of Pity and Compassion and helped us in the day of our Distress how did he lop the Bough with Terrour and the strong one of stature he hewed down he did cut up the Thicket of the Forest as with Iron and Lebanon did fall by a strong Arm and made a way for us in the Wilderness and a path through the Thickets he laid low the Mountains before us and removed away the Hills and made the crooked Paths strait before us and was a Refuge to us from the Stoâ—m and a Shelter to us from the Heat and as the shadow of a Rock unto us in a weary Land and now hath he brought us into a right Way which leads to a City of Habitation to a quiet dwelling Place where the Lord feeds his Flock and causeth them to lie down at Noon-day oh marvellous are the Works of the Lord and the Living can sing of his Mercies his tender Compassion faileth not towards the House of Jacob he is a Father unto Israel and Ephraim is his first Born let Judah shew forth is Praises whose Mercy endureth for ever Oh dear Children of my heavenly Father remember we once sate as by the Rivers of Babylon and Weeping we thought upon Sion Mourning in the sence of our separation from her even as a Woman Mourneth for her only Son and then we could not sing the Lords Song in a strange Land but were as a Dove without her Mate and the alone Sparrow upon the House top as the Pelican in the Wilderness and as the alone Quaile in the stubble Field as a Woman forsaken and gâ—ieved in Spirit asking the way to Sion with our Faces thither-ward saying in our hearts we would be joyned again unto the Lord in a perpetual Covenant never to be broken And how graciously hath the Lord returned again our Captivity as streams in the South and hath brought us on the way to Sion with Joy and Gladness and our Sighing and Mourning is in measure fled away oh the Lord is worthy to be Feared and his holy Name is worthy to be Honoured and Magnified in the Congregation of the Righteous for his Mercies abids for ever Oh dear Babes we who once did sit in Darkness have seen a great and glorious Light and unto us who once sat under the Region and shadow of Death is the Light of Life risen and the blessed day sprung from on high shineth in our Habitatâ—on and the Lord is unto us an everlasting Light and let us for evermore walk in his Light as becometh Children of Light shining in our holy Lives and blameless unspoted Conversations as Lights in the World to the Praise and Glory of God whose Goodness and Mercy is without end Dear Babes the Lord hath brought us forth of the Prison House and lifted us up out of the dark miery Dungeon hâ— hath raised us out of the Dust and taken us as from the Dunghil to set us among Princes and to inherit the seat of Renown which is the Chair of Humility Oh the Height and Depth Length and Breadth of the Love Goodness and Mercy of the Lord let our hearts be rent and broken before him and humbled in his Presence and let us walk before his Holiness and tremble at his Word and bow down unto his holy Name and stand in awe of the Lord for whom Praises waits in Sion Now seeing the Lord hath done so much for our Souls let us wait upon him for Strength and Power daily thereby to endure to answer the largness of his Love in all Obedience and Faithfulness to him who hath broke our Bands asunder and snapt our Cords in â—ieces and now dear Friends let us stand stedfast in that Liberty whereinto the Lord by his Truth hath brought us and not be intangled with the Yoke of Bondage as too to many are who were once made Free by the Lord oh how have some for fear of Persecution started aside out of the narrow Way into the broad Way and some for the Love Favour and Honour of this World are departed from the Faith and have made Shipwrack of a good Conscience and some through the deceitfulness of Riches and some through the Cares and Cumbrances of this World the Seed of God is Choked again and the Earth is come over it again and the World hath eaten up their Hearts and their Minds are become carnal again and the Goodness of the Lord is forgotten by them and the Spirit of Slumber hath shut them up and for these doth my Soul mourn in secret and travel for their Restoration and in the sence of what is come upon them how can we but Fear and Dread the Lord and Watch and Pray and keep close to the saving preserving power of his Grace which hath kept us unto this day Praises to his Name for ever Oh
and to limit the affectionate part from leading and drawing the Heart and Mind into things below into created Objects and into Bondage to the cares of this Life and troubles and cumbrances of this World which doth not profit but hinder to God-ward The Light is the Girdle of the Loins of the Mind of those that love it to gird up their Hearts and Minds unto God that in him their peace may be perfect The Light is a stop to those Thoughts which are reproveable by it The Light is a Bridle to the Tongue and they that know it so to be dare not say in a self-will our Tongues are our own and we will speak The Light ruleth over the Souls and Bodies of those that believe in love follow and obey it and teacheth and enableth such to yield their Members Servants of Righteousness unto God even as they have when they were Servants to Sin yeilded their Members Servants to Unrighteousness and of Iniquity unto Iniquity The Light is the Author of the true and living Faith which giveth victory over the World and is a shield unto the Soul to fend off the fiery darts of the Devil and worketh by Love to the purifying of the Heart The Light is the Author to the true Hope which is an Anchor unto the Soul sure and stedfast and is held in a pure Conscience void of Offence towards God and Man The Light is the Author of true Patience long Suffering Forbearance Forgiveness and Contentedness it teacheth to be patient in all Tryals Tribulations Troubles Straits and Difficulties and teacheth in all conditions to be contented and not to murmur against the Lord whatsoever he permit to come to pass The Light teacheth his Children to love one another fervently with a clean heart oh how good is God to Israel to them that are of a clean heart The Light teacheth to endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace The Light teacheth the Younger to yield and submit themselves to the Elder in the Lord and to hearken unto Counsel Instruction and Reproof he teacheth all his Children to be subject one to another he cloathes them with Humility adoâ—neth them with Meekness and beautifies them with lowliness of Spirit The Light teacheth the Strongest to condesend to the Weakest and to serve the Meanest in Love to bear with the infirmities of the Feeble to help and hold up the Halting and to draw forward the backward with the Cords of Love and to cast a Garment over thy Brothers Nakedness The Light in those that love it puts out the eye that watcheth for evil and condemneth that part that boasteth it self and rejoyceth at anothers fall and strengthens it self with prejudice against another through his failing which thing is as most abominable filth in the pure eye of the Light The Light doth not countenance evil in any but judges and discovers it though hid under a profession of Truth The Light is like unto the Touchstone that trys Silver from Tin it tryeth and discovereth the Good from the Bad it tryeth Motions Thoughts Words Works and Spirits The Light is a Stone which God hath laid in Sion Elect and Precious which they that believe shall not be ashamed and unto those that believe he is very Precious but unto them that believe not he is as a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence at whom the seeming wise Master-Builders have and do stumble and he whom tâ—â—â—ise Professors of this Age and great Rabbies and Learned Orators set at nought the same is become the Head and Chief Corner Stone in Gods House by the vertue of which Stone they that bâ—â—ieve in him are quickened and made living Stones meet to be joyned unto him the Light in whom the Building being fitly framed together groweth up unto an holy Temple in the Lord The Light was in the beginning before the Darkness was and is now made manifest to extinguish the Darkness and to fill the dark corners of the Earth with the bright beams of his Glory he is the First and the Last he was before Time and will remain when that which in time is passed away The Light is the Beginning and the End the Foundation and Top-stone the Root and Off-spring of David and the Bright Morning-Star whose blessed Day Abraham saw and was glad he dwelt among the seven golden Candlesticks and was with the Church in the Wilderness in the days of old He is the Light of the holy City New-Jerusalem which John in the Lords Day saw coming down from God prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband The Light giveth the Churches to know that it is he that searcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins from whom no Hypocrite in Sioâ— can be hid who said I come quickly and my Reward is with me to give unto every one according as his Work But who shall abide the Day of his Coming in which the Heavens pass away with a great noise and the Elements melt with fervent heat and who shall stand when he appeareth who is like Refiners Fire and like Fullers Soap purifying his Sanctuary and cleansing his Temple in which he delights to dwell He is the Word that was in the beginning by whom all things were made that was made and in him there is Life and his Life is the Light of men and he is the true Lâ—ght that lighteth every man that cometh into the World he is the Express Image of his Fathers Glory and is called the Son of God in whom dwelleth all fulness of Joy Happiness and Eternal Felicity who is God over all and above all blessed blessed for ever and evermore Amen VV. B. OH happy and blessed are the People who though they once were Darkness yet now are Light in the Lord Oh walk ye oh walk ye as Children of the Light bearing the pure Image of the Father of Lights in whom is no Darkness at all nor variableness or shadow of turning but is the same yesterday so to day and for evermore FRiends that are Sufferers upon Truths account in Edmonds-Bury Goal are in a measure of health through the Love Goodness and Mercy of the Lord blessed and magnified be his Name this 7th day of the 10th Month 1667. and their dear love in the precious Truth dearly reaches forth unto all faithful Friends every where and you are often in their remembrance desiring the Lord may prosper you and bless you with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus our Lord and keep you with us and the whole Israel of God by his Almighty Power through Faith in his Name unto his Heavenly Kingdom and enable us all to finish the work the Lord hath given us by his Power to do that we may glorifie him on Earth that he may glorifie us with himself with that glory he had before the World began even so be it and Amen faith my Soul To Friends Sufferers in Norwich-Castle DEar Suffering Lambs whom the Wolves seek to
this day our God knows it Angels and Men know it and our Enemies one day shall be made to know it to their sorrow that we are a Suffering Persecuted People singly for our Conscience towards God and for our Obedience and Faithfulness to him therefore my dearly beloved Ones rejoyce in the Lord and lift up your Heads in his Name over all the Wrath and Cruelty of the Ungodly and think not strange concerning the Fiery Tryals that are come to try you and to prove your Love to God his Way and Truth as though some strange thing had happened unto you but rejoyce in the lowly fear of the Lord inasmuch as you are made partakers of the Sufferings of the Seed that when its glory shall be more and more revealed in and upon your Souls you may rejoyce with exceeding Joy in that you suffer on Gods account not as Murderers and Evil doers but as true Christians and Followers of Christ Jesus and true Worshipers of the God of Daniel in Spirit and in Truth And my dear Friends if ye suffer the spoyling of your Goods Bonds Banishment or Death for meeting together in the Fear and Name of the Lord to wait upon him and for performing you Duty and Obedience unto him and for keeping of your Consciences void of offence towards him truly the Cause is good and worth the suffering for it is not our own Cause but the Lords therefore let us commit it unto him unto whom we câ—n make our Appeal and spread our Complaint before him and pour forth our Cries unto him who seâ—th our Troubles and beholdeth the grievous Oppression and manifold Burdens Afflictions and Sufferings of his Poor Abused Tribulated Persecuted People whose innocent Cause he the Almighty Jevovah of worm Jacob will assuredly plead for them against their Enemies and wo will be to the Oppressors and Spoylers of Gods Heritage Dear suffering Lambs cast your Care upon the Lord he careth for you and for your little ones and hold fast Faith and a good Conscience whatever you suffer hold fast the Truth you have received that none may take your Crown of Joy Comfort Peace and Blessing from you and keep in the meekness patience and long suffering of Jesus suffering the spoyling of your Goods Joyfully glorifying the Lord in suffering according to his will giving him Thanks and Praise instead of Murmuring that he hath counted you worthy not only to Believe but also to Suffer for his blessed Name sake knowing in your selves you have in Heaven a far better induring substance therefore cast not away your Faith Hope and Confidence which hath such great Recompence of Reward but truly Friends you have need to abide in the patient long suffering Spirit of Jesus that after you have done the will of God and suffered for the same you may receive the Promise if any man faint and turn back he looses his reward of his sufferings but I hope my dear Friends you are not of the number of those that turn back unto Perdition but of them that believe and receive the end of your hope even the Salvation of your Souls And dear Friends take Courage and put on Strength and lift up your Heads in the Name of the Lord who is with his People and from them he will not go he is on our side and taketh our part we know it and our Enemies will feel it to their sorrow he will fight for us let us hold our peace and be still from reasoning with Flesh and Blood though he suffer us to be tryed as Gold is tryed in the Fire yet not wholly to be Destroyed after he hath done such great things for us and appeared on our behalf and hath manifested himself to be our God and we to be his People and after he hath Blessed us and Prospered us and Preserved us through all the Wrath and Cruelty of men hitherto and now hath made us a Family like a Flock and put his Jewels upon us and Cloathed us with the Garment of Salvation and Arayed us with the Robe of Righteousness and Beautified us with his Comliness and Betrothed us unto Himself in Mercy in Judgment in Righteousness and in Truth will he now suffer us wholly to be extinguished from being a People shall our Enemies have their full desires of us to root us out wholly from amongst them that they may blaspheme our God and say he was not able to Deliver them out of our hand surely no remember what Balack King of Moab had Consulted what Balaam Son of Beor answered him even from Shittim unto Gilgal that you may know the Righteousness of the Lord who keepeth Covenant with his People neither doth his tender Compassions fail unto the House of Jacob therefore let us trust in the God of our hope who delivered Just Lot from the vexation of the wicked Sodomits and his Poor Oppressed Israel out of the hand of cruel Pharaoh who delivered David from the paw of the Bear and the paw of the Lyon and from the hand of the uncircumcised Philistine who delivered Daniel out of the Lyons-Den and the three Children out of the Fiery Furnace good Jeremiah out of the low miery Dungeon and â—â—ul and Silas out of the Prison-House he the Living God whose Arm is not shortned nor abated in Strength Power and Might will assuredly deliver his oppressed People at this day in his own time when he hath tryed them throughly and hath Purged his Gold and refined his Silver and separated the Chaff from his Wheat and made up his precious Jewels and manifested the approved in his sight then will he arise as in Mount Paron and be wrath as in the Valley of Gideon to bring to pass his Work his strange Work at the hearing thereof the Ears of many doth and shall Tingle and the Heathen be Astonished and Confounded and fall before the glorious Majesty of the God of worm Jacob then shall â—ion Rejoyce and Israel be right Glad and the Mourners be Comforted and the heavy Hearts be Refreshed and the Oppressed Delivered from the Yoak The Lord God Almighty hasten the Accomplishment of his own Work in his own time to his own Glory and Renown Amen So my dearly beloved Friends my heart is open to you and my Soul simpathises with you in your Sufferings and my Crys and Prayers are to the Lord for you knowing that great and many are your Tryals that doth attâ—nd many of you poor hearts how willingly could I help you But unto the Lord the Great Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls the Keeper of the Flock of Israel I must commit you and resign you up to him who careth for you and watcheth over you and intends good unto you for he loveth you though he suffers hard things to befall you which will work for your good and bring many of you more neerer to the Lord and make you more and more like him that though the Hills shall be removed and the Mountains depart
yet his Everlasting Kindness shall not be removed neither the Covenant of his Peace be taken from you his People that keep Covenant with him your God so the Almighty be with you in all your Tryals and Temptations and his Arms of tender mercy bear up all the Weak and Little Ones among you whose desires are Upright before him that none such may fall through the Fury of the Adversary and Temptations of the Enemy but that you all may be kept by the power of your God through Faith in his Everlasting Name to the end to finish your Testimony in Faithfulness with Joy to his Glory and your Endless Peace Happiness and Filicity in him the God of your Hope Amen The God of Peace be with you and Comfort you with his Love oh Lord God Everlasting keep all thy dear People in this hour and power of Darkness hide them in the hollow of thy Hand and let the Banner of thy Love be over them dispose of them O Lord as seemeth good unto thee only let not thy Faithfulness to them and their Faith to thee be wanting and let them be tendered by thee as the first Fruits unto thee after the long Night of Apostacy that eclipsed thy Glory from the face of the Earth My dear love remains with you Farwel dear Friends Edmondâ— Bury common Goal this 8th of the fifth Month. From your true Friend and Brother in the Patient Suffering for the Testimony of Jesus William Bennit THE VVork and Mercy of GOD Conducing to his Praise Or a Demonstration of the Visitation of God's Love to my Soul in the days of my Youth Being a Testimony of the Light of Christ in the Conscience which discovereth and judgeth Sin also if loved and obeyâ—d saveth from Sin and redemeeth the Soul unto God Published in bowels of pity and love to all those that have desires after the Way of Truth and are yet seeking it abroad in their Imaginations and are mourning and groaning under the burden and weight of Sin hoping and desiring that if the Lord will such may meet with some incouragement and direction hereby for them to turn their minds into the Light of Christ in themselves and in it to believe and wait for power over and freedom from Sin that true lasting peace in God they may come to witness to the true and full satisfaction of their Souls All thiags that are reproved are made manifest by the Light for whatsoever doth make manifest is Light c. That which may be known of God is manifest in them c. Wherewith shall a Young man cleanse hiâ— way by taking heâ—d thereunto according to thy Word thy Word I have hid in my Heart c. Eph. 5. 13 c. Rom. 1. 16. Psal 1. 19. 9 11. VVHen I was but young in Years the Lord God of Light Life and Power of tender Love of infinite Compassion and everlasting bowels of Mercy was pleased then in some measure to visit me by or with his pure Light in my own Conscience which many a time did check and reprove me for my Sins and brought my Evil-doings to my remembrance and judged me in my own Heart for Evil and sometimes brought trouble upon my Mind for my Sins but I was not then sensible that it was the Light of Christ Jesus who is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World which then in my own Conscience did check reprove and judge me for Evil and sometimes broke my false ease and rest in Sin insomuch as I could not go on in Sin Wildness and Vanity without being somewhat troubled terrified and reproved for my Sin at one time or other though when I was among idle Children voic of the fear of God I ran into Sin and Wickedness with them and for the present time I acted in Sin with great Delight and Joy but when I came to be still quiet and alone in the Fields or elsewhere then would the pure Witness of God arise in me with its reproofs and set my Sins in order before me and brought my Evil Doings to my remembrance which I had acted out of the pure fear of the Lord God and then Trouble for a time took hold on me and Sin became my burden but I soon got from under that Burden at Ease and Liberty again and ran into Sin and Vanity again and thus year after year I went on in rebellion against the Witness of God in my own Conscience taking delight and pleasure in those things I knew were Evil yet the Lord God whose tender Bowels of Pity and Compassion did then in Mercy hover over me for good to me in that day did sometimes stop me from speaking and acting that Evil I intended to speak or do preserved me out of many gross Evils which many others were addicted unto and overcome with And in those days when I was alone in the Fields I cryed and prayed unto the Lord and desires were stirring in me after the knowledge of him his Way and Truth but I prayed to a God I knew not I imagined a God afar off and did not then know it was the Lord that did search my Heart and discovered unto me my Thoughts and judged me for Sin I then knew not that that was the Light Way and Truth of God in my own Heart which sometimes begot desires in me to know the Truth and to walk therein but my mind was abroad as it is with many at this day who have desires after Truth and Righteousness but are seeking abroad in Carnal Ordinances Forms Likenesses Beggarly Elements Rudiments of the World Ceremonies and Traditions of men and knew not that that in me was Truth which sometimes stopt me from Lying and Swearing and when I knowingly told a Lye it would accuse me when no man could accuse me for it and as I grew in years for I may truly say there was something stirring in me at times after the Lord ever since I was 6 or 7 years of Age and when I came to be about 14 years old and to be a Prentize and in outward Thraldom and Bondage it pleased the God of infinite loving-kindness to visit me more then formerly by his pure Light and Spirit which encreased in striving with me daily that I scarce knowingly committed any Evil but the Light would soon judge me for it yea the Lord God with his pure Light and Gift did persue me hard and followed me close calling to me in my Heart with his still Voice to come out of Sin out of evil Words and Works but I like Samuel when he was a Child knew not that it was the Lord that did call for he was though near me as a Stranger to me and I knew not his Voice but went astâ—ay as a wandering Sheep yet had I desires to know the way to the â—old and to know where the Lord feedeth his Flook and causeth them to lie down in Peace Quietness Rest where none
vain wild wanton corrupt Nature that defileth and polluteth your Hearts and Minds Lives and Conversations and so you will come to be changed and born again of the Seed incorruptible of the Word of God which is nigh in the Heart to be obeyed and done but if you delight in evil doing and hate the Light of Christ in your own Consciences which judgeth you for Sin and will not come to the Light but live and abide in Darkness and will not receive God's Counsel and Warnings nor hearken unto his Reproofs nor have none of his Ways but will follow your own ways wills and works and fulfill the lusts and desires of your own Hearts and vain devices and imaginations of your own Minds and will not that the Light should rule over you to govern you in the pure fear of the Lord and to lead you into holiness of Life to guide you into the way of Truth and Righteousness then will the Light be your Condemnation and leave you without excuse vvhen the Lord renders unto you according to your Works and the wages of Sin is Death but the gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ Therefore dear People love it and imbrace it vvhilst it is near you even knocking at the Door of your Hearts oh hearken to it and let it have place in your Hearts and refuse not the Love and Mercy of the Lord tendered to you in the Light nor harden not your Hearts against the eternal good peace and happiness of your ovvn Souls lest the Day of your Visitation pass over and the Night of everlasting Darkness Sorrow Misery and Calamity overtake you and shut you up forever To all People that live and delight in wickedness The shew of their Countenance doth witness against them they declare their Sin like Sodom and hide it not Because I have called and ye refused c. Ye have set at nought all my Counsel and would have none of my Reproof c. I will laugh at your Calamity and mock when your Fear cometh c. Behold the day cometh that shall burn as an Oven and the Wicked and they that do wickedly shall be as Stubble c. Now consider this all you that forget God lest I tear you in Pieces and there be none to deliver Isa 3. 9. Prov. 1. 24 25 26. Mal. 4. 1. Psal 50. 22. AND you oh People that are void of the pure fear of the Lord God and have given up your Hearts to work Wickedness with Greediness who rush into Sin and Ungodliness as the Horse rusheth into the Battle and drinking up Iniquity as the Ox drinketh in Water taking pleasure in Unrighteousness and delighting in Uncleanness and wallowing in the Mire of your own Filthiness and Corruption fulfilling the Lusts of your unclean Hearts in Swearing Lying Drunkenness Whoredom Pride Couzening Defrauding and such like Wiâ—â—edness whereby you grieve â—he Lord day after day and wound bruise burden and oppress his righteous Spirit as a Cart is oppressed with sheaves oh repent repent and cease from the evil of your doings and leave off your wicked ways lest the Lord God tear you in Pieces and there be none to deliver Oh tremble ye careless Ones before the Lord Almighty who can consume you in a Moment and cut you off in the twinkling of an Eye oh dread the Lord God and fear his great and dreadful Name for the hour of his Judgment is come oh stand in awe of him who made the Heaven and the Earth the Sea and Fountains of Waters who giveth the Sun for a Light by Day and the Ordinances of the Stars and Moon for a Light by Night who divided the Sea when the Waves thereof did roar who hath his way in the Whirlwind and in the Storm and the Clouds are as the dust of his Feet who meeteth out the Heavens with a span and measureth the Waters of the Sea in the hollow of his Hand he comprehendeth the Dust of the Earth as in a Measure and weigheth the Mountains as in Seales and the Hills as in a Ballance in comparison of whom all Nations are but as a drop of the Bucket and as the small dust of the Ballance Oh will you not fear the Lord and dread his Majesty and tremble before his Presence who is a terrible one to the Workers of Iniquity that will not Repent who cometh vvith Fire and his Chariot like a Whirlvvind to render his Anger against the Wicked and Ungodly in Fury and his Rebukes in flames of Fire for by his Fire and by his Svvord vvill he cut dovvn the strongest Oakes and tallest Ceders and vvill plead vvith all Flesh and the slain of the Lord shall be many wherefore repent repent and tremble tremble before the Lord God ye Workers of Iniquity for the day the mighty terrible dreadful day of the Lord God Almighty is come and yet a coming and vvo vvo to the Bryars and Thorns that cumber the Earth for the day shall burn as an Oven and the Wicked and they that do vvickedly and vvill not take vvarning and repent but still harden their Hearts against the Lord and against his precious Servants that vvarn you to repent vvhose Souls mourn and lament over you in the sence of the Sadness Wretchedness Miserableness and Deplorableness of your Conditions shall be as Stubble and the Day vvill burn them up both Root and Branch and the Fire vvill burn up the Bryars and Thorns and clense the Earth that Truth Righteousness Justice and Mercy may spring and flourish therein and the Mouth of Iniquity be stopt forever And the day of the Lord God vvill be upon every one that is proud and lifted up against the Lord and his anointed and the loftiness of the stoutest in Heart against the Lord shall be laid low and the haughtiness of Men shall be humbled and the Lord God holy just and true shall be exalted in that day when the Wicked shall flee to the Rocks and hide themselves as in the Caves of the Earth for the fear of the Lord and the Glory of his Majesty when he cometh to shake terribly the Earth and to overthrow the Seat of Wickedness forever and to punish the World for their Sins and the Wicked for their Iniquity and cause the Arrogancy of the Proud to cease and to lay low the Haughtiness of the Terrible Wherefore oh People prepare prepare by true Repentance with speed to meet the Lord in the way of his Judgments before his dreadful Fury break forth against you as devouring Fire Oh bring forth Fruits worthy of Repentance and amendment of Life oh why will you die and perish in your Iniquities forever the Lord desireth not the destruction of a Sinner but rather he should return in time from his Wickedness and learn Righteousness and Live yea Let the Wicked forsake his Wickedness and the Vngodly man his Thoughts and turn unto the Lord with his whole Heart and he will have mercy upon
him for with the Lord there is great Mercy and plentious Redemption who also is just in all his Ways and equal in all his Doings and righteous in all his Judgments and he will not be mocked by any such as People sow such must they â—â—ap and the wages of Sin is Death Oh how many have been the Warâ—ings of the Lord to the People of this Nation Time after Time Year after Year Line upon Line Precept upon Precept but how few have ponderously weighed them received them and laid them to Heart And how hath the Lord in part executed his righteous Judgments in and upon this poor Nation and how few have learned Righteousness thereby but the greatest part of thy Inhabitants oh England are still daily adding Sin unto Sin and heaping of Iniquity upon Iniquity and so fitting themselves for a day of Slaughter And instead of being truly humbled under the hand of God and to mourn in Sack-cloath and Ashâ—s many are sporting themselves in Musick and Dancing in ringing of Bells Camping and Wrestling and many other Games and Vanities as Bull-baiting and Bare-baiting by which the Creatures are oppressed to make them Sport also their wiâ—ked Stage-playes and Games which are abomination to the Lord and ashame to a Nation-professing Christianity O! how doth Swearing and Drunkenness abound and many take pleasure to overcome one another in the Sin of Drunkenness which is abomination to the Lord. And you that are Tavern and Ale-House-keepers put not your Guests upon spending the good Creatures of God upon their Lust for your own Gain and Interest sake but rather restrain them lest you become guilty with them of their Sins and so partake with them of their Plagues And all your observable Days and Times in which you take liberty to sport your selves in Games and Vanity ought to be left off for your Customs are vain you that observe a Time as you pretend in honour of Christ which you spend in excess of Eating and Drinking Musick and Dancing Gaming and Revelling in these things you dishonour Christ and not honour him but grieve his holy Spirit and add Sin unto Sin and the greater will be the condemnation of such except they Repent and truly a great and sore Plague is come upon many People evâ—n hardness hardness of Heart So that indeed neither the Warnings nor Wâ—ings Mercies nor Judgments of the Lord will take impression on them to move them to Repentance and in the sence of this my Heart is grieved and my Soul mourneth in secret because of the hardness of their Hearts which doth signifie theâ— to be as Vessels of wrath fitted for Destruction Oh how doth all manner of Wickedness abound and Ungodliness appear with open Face and blush not at rebuke oh how doth Pride super-abound and Peoples Hearts so puffed up therewith that many scarcâ— know what to eat drink or put on oh the â—ields are even white for the Harvest Sinners grown ripe for Vengance Iniquity is coming to its-full height the Fat 's overflow with Wickedness oh how are the Proud counted happy and the Workers of Iniquity set up but the Meek of the Earth are despised and the humble and contrite Ones are killed all the day long and counted as Sheep for the Slaughter and they that reprove Sin in the Gate are Hated and Persecuted and he that departeth from Iniquity and learns Righteousness maketh himself a Prey Oh the Lord hath seen it and it displeaseth and grieveth him because of the multitudes of the Transgressions and Abominations of the Sons of men and Violeâ—ce and Cruelty that filleth the Earth but the Lord will arise as a man of War and ease himself of his Enemies and avengâ— himself of his Adversaries for because Judgment is not speedily executed against an Evil work therefore the Heartâ— of the Sons and Daughters of men are set in them to do wickedly but what will be the end thereof Oh England oh England how ofâ—â—n would the Lord in mercy have gathered thy Inhabitants unto himself as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under â—eâ— Wings but thou wouldest not therefore hath the Lord in Judgment partly made thee desolate Oh thy great City thy great City whose Abominations reached Heaven and her Sins came up before the Most High how hath the Lord God mighty in Power and righteous in Judgment layed her Glory in the Dust covered her Dignity with Ashes and marr'd her Beauty with Burning Oh how hath he made of a City an Heap of a defenced City a Ruin of a Palace of Strangers to become a ruinous Heap And oh how few of thy Inhabitants oh England have weightily laid it to Heart or have seriously and diligently taken notice of the cause of the Destruction thereof the Lord Could have destroyed the People with their Habitations but the Lord in Mercy spared them that his Mercy might move them to Repentance Oh England how hath Judgment after Judgment been executed upon thine Inhabitants how hath the Lord visited thee with Plague Fire and Sword yet their Hearts are still stout against the Lord and his People their minds haughty and they will not bow their Hearts to the Lord nor break off from their evil doings and wicked wayes therefore is his Hand stretched forth still and they that will not take Warning and Repent must feel his heavy stroke Oh say not any of you in your Hearts Tush the Lord hath done his worst oh the Lord he hath begun and he can make a full end and who amongst you can stay his Hand or escape his stroke when he smites or where can you hide your selves from the Lord therefore bow fear and tremble before him and submit your selves and meet him by True and Unfeigned Repentance and that is the way for you to escape the Stroke of his Fury The Lord is a God full of long-suffering and full of patience and forbearance and long woeth Sinners and waiteth day after day to be Gracious even to the Rebellious but his patient forbearing will come to an end towards those that will by no means repent and be reclaimed from the evil of their wayes and against such his Anger and Wrath will break forth as Fire and they like Stubble ready dry will be consumed therein Therefore you that have not yet wholy sinned out the day of your Visitation prize prize that littletime you have and make good use thereof in diligently minding and seeking after those things that concern your eternal Peace before you go hence and be no more Oh dear People every where my love is to you and pity and tender compassion is in my Heart for you and your good and welfare eternally I desire especially you unto whom I am known in the Feâ—â— even you my Neighbours and Countrymen whose resident is in Kirtly Peakfield Layestouff and those parts Oh my Soul tenders your eternal happiness and desires the Salvation of your Souls yea love and good will is in my Heart towards you and
to all People oh that you your selves did tender and seek after the Salvation of your Souls more then you do Remember when sometimes you have been in great jepardy of your Lives at Sea and the Lord hath in Mercy delivered you how little have some of you Eyed the Mercy and delivering Hand of the Lord therein but have been ready to ascribe the honour of your deliverance to the Anchor Cable and Man-hood c. More then to the Lord and when you have been in great danger of your Lives and saw no way but you must perish have you not then cryed to the Lord to deliver you and the Guilt of your Iniquities being hung upon your Consciences have you not been ready to make Promises in your distress to the Lord that if he spared your Lives you would repent and return unto him and fear and serve him and forsake the Evil wayes and when the Lord hath answered your desires and in mercy hath given you your Lives for a Prey when you came to Land have you then performed your Vows and Promises to the Lord or have you not gone on in Sin and Evil still let Gods witness in every Conscience speak for unto that I make my appeal Consider seriously how it stands between God and your own Souls and how greatly it concerneth you Sea-men and so it doth all other People to mind their latter â—nd and to be ready for sudden death it is a blessed thing to be fit to dye and to feel peace with God Dear People your Souls are immortal and must hereafter be in a sence and feeling of Joy Peace and Rest or else of Sorrow Misery and Torment even to all Eternity wherefore it concerns every particular one to mind above all other things and seek-after the eternal peace and happiness of your Souls in time before it be too late it is Sin Wickedness Unbelief and Hardness of Heart that doth separate People from the Lord and that draws down the wrath and curse of God upon them wherefore people must first be separated and clensed from that to wit Sin which separates them from the Lord and from his Love Peace and Blessing before they can witness their Reconciliation unto God in his Son and enjoy his Love Peace and Blessings Oh dear People I beseech you do not deceive your own Souls by being satisfied with a talk of being saved and redeemed by Christ c whilst you remain in your Sins for whom Christ saves he saveth from their Sins not in their Sins and they that witness Christ to be their Redeemer are redeemed from a vain Conversation and have their Consciences purged from dead works and their Hearts clensed and washed in his Blood which is his Life and Light from Sin and Corruption that so they might serve him in newness and holiness of Life Therefore consider be still serious and ponderous in Heart and retire your minds inward to the pure Light of Christ in your own Consciences that true and faithful Witness of God which keeps a Record of the deeds done in the Body and according to his Record must every man be judged according to his works so take heed unto the Light it will shew you your conditions and how it stands with your poor Souls to Godward that will deal plainly with you will not deceive you though indeed your Teachers who preach for Hire divine for Money have do deceive you by crying Peace to you lulled you asleep in your Sins have as it were daubed you up with untempred Morter and as it were sewing Pillows under your Arm-holes so long as you put into their Mouthes give them hire help to maintain their God which is their Belly But wo to such Teachers that feed with the Fat and clothe with the Wool and for filthy Lucre and Gain from their Quarters will cry peace unto the Wicked unto whom while they remain in their wicked state there is no true peace saith the Living God oh they are Blind Leaders of the Blind and how many are faln into the Pit of Perdition that have been led by them Therefore dear People cease from your Teachers who have not profitted you at all but keep you ever learning but never able to bring you to the knowledg of the Truth which until you do come to know freedom from the bondage of Sin and Corruption you cannot witness therefore to the Light in all your Consciences come for that is Truth and love it and obey it and you will by it receive power over Sin and be enabled to cast off the Yoak of Iniquity and to take up the Yoak of Christ and embrace that Cross which crucifies to the World and worldly things unto the Lust and Wickedness thereof and such are true Disciples of Jesus that learn of him who is meek and low in their Hearts and that do deny themselves and take up the daily Cross to their own Wills Thoughts Words Works Desires and Affections and follow him through many Tribulations in the narrow way of Holiness for it is not he that calls Lord Lord but he that doth the Will of God that inheriteth the Kingdom of God not the Sayers or Knowers of the Will of God are justified but the Doers of the Will are justified not they that only confess with the Mouth day after day that they are miserable Sinners c. as both Priest and People do and yet still Year after Year remain the same if not grow worse shall find mercy but they that not only confess but forsake and turn from the evil in Heart Life and Conversation unto that which is good shall find mercy and forgiveness and remission of Sins Oh mind the good thing in you which is grieved and burdened with the evil and turn in your minds to it and it will let you see those things that are reproveable Drunkard turn in thy mind to the Light in thy own Conscience and it will shew thee judge and reprove thee for thy Drunkenness Swearer turn into the Light and it will judge thee for Swearing for Lying Pride Envy Malice Reviling Cheating Defrauding Covetousness Fornication yea All things that are reprovable are made manifest by the Light and that which maketh manifest is Light thou that hatest the Light and lovest thy Evil deeds and wilt not come to the Light because it will reprove thee there thou hast learned thy condemnation For this is the condemnation of the World that Light is come into the World and men love Darkness rather then the Light because their deeds are evil but they that do good love the Light and bring their deeds to the Light to try them whether they be wrought in God and such are justified by the Light So while you have the Light believe in the Light that you may become Children of the Light so unto the Light in all your Consciences I am made manifest and in true unfained love and bowels of
pity tenderness and compassion to your immortal Souls have I cleared my Conscience in giving you warning to Repent and turn from the evil of your own ways unto the Lord while you have a time before the door of Mercy be shut against you forever and time unto you be no more From one that tenders the Eternal happiness and good of your Immortal Souls a Sufferer in Bonds for the Testimony of a good Conscience William Bennit To those that are seeking the Living God in the Dead Forms Having a Form of godliness but deny the Power thereof from such turn away c. Why seek ye the Living among the Dead he is not here but is risen c. Know you not your selves how that Christ Jesus is in you except you be Reprobates 2 Tim. 3. 5. Luke 14. 5 6. 2 Cor. 13. 5. AND all dear People that are scatered among the many Sects and Heaps who have honest sincere desires and thirstings after the Lord oh love and compassion is in my Heart towards you and my Soul pities you and the more because you are seeking the Living God among the Dead Forms Shadows Carnal Ordinances Beggerly in comparison of the Life of Truth Elements and Rudiments of the World but cannot there find true lasting peace rest comfort and satisfaction for the immortal Souls Oh Christ is risen he is not there his Appearance is now more hidden more invisible more inward therefore stay not in Shadows rest not in the Likeness without Life pitch not your Tent in the Form without the Power Come come away you thirsty Ones from the Wells of man's digging which can hold no Water that will rightly and kindly satisfie your thirsty Souls and wait to know the Spring opened in your own Hearts which cometh from Christ the Fountain of living Water and drink thereof and be satisfied and go no more forth to the broken Cisterns but wait within in the Light for the Springs of Life to refresh your thirsty Souls Oh! come out of the Shadows to the Substance Christ the Light in you except you be Reprobates Oh! the Spirit and the Bride says Come and he that drinketh says Come and let him that is athirst come and drink of the Water of Life freely why do you spend your Time for that which is not Bread and your â—abour for that which doth not truly satisfie your Souls Oh! feed no longer upon the Husk upon Words without Life upon Knowledge without Power for that will puff you up in your own Eyes and elevate you in your own Conceits and shut you out from the Tree of Life and though you may seem to grow Rich and increase with Goods and want nothing yet when your Eyes come to be opened you will see your selves Poor Blind and Naked for he that covereth himself with a Covering of Words and Knowledg and a Profession without Life his Covering is not the Fine Linnen whitâ— and clean which the Wife Virgins that follow the Lamb are cloathed with who have Oyl in their Vessels the Light Life and Substance in themselves but they that only get Words and Knowledge into the Comprehension and grow rich in the Brain and have their Religion in their Head and know not the pure undefiled Religion in the Heart such are Foolish Virgins that have Oyl only in their Lamps and though such may blaze and give a seeming great Light in Words yet such one day will want Oyl and their Lights will go out the Lord will dry up all standing Waters that have no Spring he will blast all Professions out of the Light all Gatherings out of the Name and Power of God the Lord will scatter therefore come away from among them you Unsatisfied and Thirsty Ones whose Souls pant after the Lord and are weary of the Husks and hunger after the Substance And deceive not your own Souls by creating to your selves a false Peace by applying the Promises to your selves and acting Faith as you say upon a Promise but seriously consider in the Fear of the Lord and examine your own Hearts with the Light of Christ in your own Consciences whether you be in that State and Condition that the Promises of Life Eternal are unto yea or nay There is great Difference between man's applying the Promises forcing him to believe they belong to him and God's applying them and sealing them to the Soul by his own Spirit The Promises of God are Yea and Amen in Christ Jesus the Covenant of Light and Life and those that are converted into him pertake with him of the Promises of Life eternal but he that is in Christ is a New Creature the old things are passed away and all things become new and such walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and so come to be Heirs with Christ of that Kingdom that is without End But for any to set themselves to believe that they are elected in Christ Jesus unto Life eternal and so count the Promises of God are theirs when they are not become New Creatures in Christ but are in their Sin such deceive their own Souls for Vnless a man said Christ be born again he cannot enter into God's Kingdom So all you hungry Souls turn in your Minds to the Light of Christ Jesus in your Consciences and wait in it to know Bread in your own Houses Christ in you the Bread of Life which the living Soul feeds on and lives by that you may know the fresh and green Pasture and with us feed therein and drink of the still Waters and rest with us in the Light in the Fold that so we may all know and have one Shepherd and be all of one Sheepfold To those that are backslided from the Truth Remember therefore from whence thou art faln and Repent and do thy first works c. Return oh backsliding Israel c. I will heal thy backsliding c. But if you will not hear my Soul shall weep in secret c. Because the Lord's Flock is gone into Captivity Rev. 2. 5. Jer. 3. 12. Hosea 14. 4. Jer 14. 17. AND you who have tasted of the Power of an Endless Life and were convinced of the precious immutable Truth of God and had in measure received it in the love and obedience of it and by it were in part set free from the bondage of Sin and Corruption and redeemed out of the pollutions of the World but now are Apostatized from the Lord and have forsaken his precious Truth and People and like Demas embraced this present World again and are turned like the Dog to his Vomit and like the Swine that were washed to wallow in the Mire again and have made ship-wrack of Faith and a good Conscience and have proved treacherous both to God and his People and have denyed the Womb that bore you and the Brest that gave you suck and have turned from the Grace of God into wantonness and done dispite to the Spirit of Truth and hath trampled
Earth have cause to speak well of the Lord and to trust in his holy Name we are the People for mightily and wonderfully hath the mighty God done and wrought for us though the blind World sees it not Oh! how have we been as Lambs among Lyons and yet not devoured but wonderfully preserved by the secret Power and invisible Arm of the Lord our Shepherd who hath been our Defence when the Beasts of the Forrest have come forth to Devour and the Wolves have been greedy of their Prey then hath the Lord sought for Mount Sion and defended the Hill thereof and though some said We 'll pursue we 'll overtake our Lust shall be satisfied on them we 'll draw our Swords and our Hands shall destroy them yet how hath the Lord blown in his Wrath upon them the Sea of his Judgment hath covered them and they are sunk as Lead in the bottom of the mighty Waters and we yet through mercy are alive and have a being among the Living to speak well of the Lord and to make mention of the Goodnesâ— of our Good and to declare of his Kindness and to praise him for his Works which are marvelous in our Eyes Oh! his Love his Mercy and tender fatherly care over and towards us extends beyond the demonstration of Words and oh let the sense thereof be engraven upon the table of our Hearts that it may humble us and keep us low before the Lord and be an Obligation upon every Soul of us to bind and engage us unto the Lord and his Truth forever How mightily hath the Lord limitted and quieted the raging Sea and made a Calm oh that all Friends might take notice of the great Mercy and Love of the Lord to us in this particular and mind the end of the Lord therein and let us all take heed we Sin not because Grace and Mercy to us abounds lest it provoke the Lord to Anger and be a moving cause to induce him to let forth the Wind and suffer a Storm again Oh that none might get into a false ease and liberty and wrong security because of the present Calm but all to keep retire in that which fitteth and maketh ready for Tryals when they come in by and through which we have been upheld preserved hitherto even by the secret Power Arm of the Lord which is not shortned that it cannot save but is the same that ever it was and it hath been our Helper in six Troubles and in the seventh has not been wanting to us to help us when there hath been none to help and to support and uphold us when there hath been none to uphold but Loads Burdens and Oppressions have been heaped upon us and to comfort us when nothing but Sorrow and Trouble from the World compassed us about and when we have had nothing as from men but the Bread of Adversity the Water of Affliction even then hath the Lord our tender God been the Comforter of our Hearts the Refresher of our Souls the Rejoycer of our Spirits and the Lifter up of our Hands when we have been bowed down with the Oppressions of our Enemies his â—resence hath been with us in the Prison-house and in the low Dungeon and hath not left us to this day and assuredly never never never will leave us if we leave not him but will be with us until we have finished our Course and fulfilled the dayes of our appointed Time and our Change come So dear Friends unto the Lord I commit you who knoweth how it is with all his Babes and Children and beholdeth all their Tryals Straits and Sufferings inward and outward and his ear is open to the cry of the Poor and groanings of the Needy who is God all-sufficient for all those that trust hope relie and depend upon him and able to keep them by his power through Faith in his Name unto his heavenly Kingdom So the Lord be with you all and the Almighty protect and defend you and keep you from Evil unspotted from the World and preserve you in Love Peace and Unity with himself and one with another in his innocent unfained Love in his Light Life Power and Truth and make and keep you all of one Heart and one Mind and one Soul that you all with one consent may still worship and serve the Lord God in the one Spirit and the one Truth in which I dearly greet salute and embrace you all and remain your Friend and Companion in the Patience and Tribulation of Jesus Farwell dear Friends William Bennit Dear Friends IN the Love which waxeth not Old neither is subject to Change which God hath shed abroad in the hearts of those that believe in the Light through the operation of his Eternal Spirit in this Love which openeth our Hearts unto the Lord and one another doth the unfeigned Salutation of my Soul reach forth unto you as in which Love Iabide I cannot forget the Family of Love and Houshold of Faith neither can length of Time nor distance of Place â—onds nor Tribulations extinguish the remembrance of you whom the Lord â—ath chosen out of the Elect Seed from out of the Faâ—ilies of the Earth to place his Name among and to maniâ—est his Power and Glory in and through you his People to the praise of your God in your Generation dear Friends who are called to be made pertakers of the Blessed Everlasting Inheritance of the Saints in Light and through Faith in the Light of Life you are called and raised up to bear Testimony unto him whom the Nations Despise but unto you that believe in him he is Pretious and you that have seen his Bâ—auty and beheld his Comliness and have tasted of his Love and have savoured the sweetness of his preâ—ious Oyntment which hath healed your Wounds and cured your Diseases and with which your Souls have been Bathed Warmed and sweetly Refreshed unto you that have tasted of his Divine Vertues who is the Light of â—he World he is the chiefest of ten Thousand who hath called and chosen you out of the World to follow him in the Regeneration and to bear his Image before the World and to shew forth his Testimony against the World therefore do the World hate you and desire and seek your Destruction and would tempt you and by cruelty force you from the beloved of youâ— Souls but dear Hearts every one cleave in spirit unto the Lord and hold fast his blessâ—d Truâ—h received into your Hearts that the Enemy within nor his Instruments without by all their Temptaâ—â—ons and Cruelty may never move you to decline nor degenerate from that blessed Testimony which God hath given you to bear for him in the midst of a Wicked and Uâ—godly Generation who must fill up the measure of their Iniquity that Judgment may come upon them to the full and the measure of your Sufferings must also be fulfilled therefore dear Lambs hold fast Faith and a good Conscience and pâ—t
on Courage and Strength unto the end and hold fast the Word of Patience that you may be kept in the hour of Temptation and the Preservation of your Souls you may come to witness by the Power of God through all Tryals Troubles Losses Straits Afflictions and Tribulations that the Lord suffereth to befal you trust you in him and depend upon his everlasting Arm which is your help stay and strength God will restrain the Wrath of our Enemies and dissipate the Purposes and confound the Evil Devises of our Adversaries so far as it seemeth good unto him the Lord God Everlasting who keepeth Covenant with his People and whose tender Mercy Compassion and Fatherly Care faileth not towards the House of Jacob his blessed soul refreshing strengthening Presence be with all his People to Feed Nourish and Strengthen them and Cherish them Support and Uphold them Comfort and Consolate them in all their sufferings for his Names sake and bear up all his little Ones for whom my Soul is in Travel and the Lord keep all his in the Covenant of his everlasting Love that if our Earthen Vessels be Broken and turned to the Dust for the Testimony of Jesus our Souls may rest with the Lord so whether we Live wâ— may Live to God or whether we Dye we may Dye unto God that whether we Live or Dye we may be the Lords and he be glorified in us either by Life or Death which is the desire of your Friend and Brother in the love of Truth Dear Lambs my love remains with you though Bonds hold me close be you bundled up together in Love Peace and Unity that you may be a help strength and comfort one to another in the Lord and let none be careless but all watch and keep close to the Lord and keep your meetings and wait upon God to be fitted for every Tryal yet to come neither let any be discouraged or surprized with fear through the terror of your Enemies you know that the Lord hath carried us through much already his Arm is not shortned our God is a God of Wonders let us stand still and see his Salvation which he will manifest on the behalf of the meek of the Earth that are appointed as Sheep for the Slaughter and hath no helper but the Lord God Almighty hasten it for his own Elects sake which cryeth Day and Night unto him Amen saith my Soul even come Lord Jesus come quickly and take unto thee thy great power to Reign for unto thee belongeth the Dominion for thou art worthy let all Nations come and Worship before thee and give Glory to thy Name who art Just in all thy Ways and Righteous in all thy Judgments thy Counsels of old are Faithfulness and Truth Bury Goal this 18th of the 9th Month 1670. William Bennit A Loving Exhortation and Warning to SEA-MEN and all others whom it doth concern YOV that go down to the Sea in Ships that do Business in great Waters where you see the Works of the Lord and his Wonders in the deep great Cause have you to fear and love the great God of Heaven and Earth who giveth you Life and Being who is the God of all your Mercies who in Mercy hath oftentimes preserved you in great Danger and Peril and delivered you when you have been ready to Perish Oh forget not his Mercy towards you but Repent speedily and Fear and Dread his great Name and stand in Awe and Sin no more against him whose Power is over all who commands the Winds and the Seas and they obey him When sometimes you have been in Great Jeopardy of Your Lives and the Lord hath in Mercy delivered you how little have some of You Eyed the Mercy and delivering Hand of the Lord therein â—ut have been Ready to ascribe the Honour of your Deliverance to the Anchor Cable and Manhood more then to the Lord and when you have been in Great Danger of your Lives and saw no Way but you must Perish have you not then cryed to the Lord to deliver you and the Guilt of your Iniquities being heavy upon your Consciences have you not been ready to make Promises to the Lord in your Distress that if he spared your Lives ye would Repent and turn unto him and Fear and Serve him and forsake your Evil Ways And when the Lord hath answered your Desires and in Mercy hath given you your Lives for a Prey when you came to Land have you then performed your Vows and Promises to the Lord or have you not gone on in Sin and Evil still let God's Witness in every Conscience speak for unto that I make my Appeal Consider how greatly it concerneth you Sea-men and so it doâ—h all other People to mind their latter End and to be ready for suddain Death let every particular One consider seriously how it stands between God and their own Souls Oh it is a blessed Thing to be fit to Dye and to feel Peâ—ce with God it is their Sins and Iniquities that make People unfit for God's Kingdom they that dye in their Sins must perish as Christ said unto some Except you repent you shall likewise perish without Holiness and Purity none can see God The Soul of Man is Immortal and can never Dye but must when it leaves the Body be in a feeling Sence of Joy and Peace or Wo and Misery forever The Wicked and all that forget God must be turned into Hell Oh that all People Young and Old may repent and return to the Lord with their whole Hearts and he will shew them Mercy Prize your time for it is precious and you know not how short it is Oh fear and dread the Eternal God that giveth you Life and Being and can take it away when he pleaseth It is not a talking of being Saved and Redeemed by Christ and of his dying for you will stand you in any stead that live in Sin and Vanity Christ said A Man must be born again or else he cannot see the Kingdom of God So dear People both Young and Old mind the Pure Divine Light of Christ Jesus in your own Consciences that which Checketh and Reproveth you when you speak or act that which is Evil and come to Obey it for it is the Way of Life and will Lead you if you obey it out of all Sin Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts into the Way of Life and teach you to live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present Evil World Then Peace with God will be the Portion of your Souls The 15th of the 3d Month 1675 Written in Tender Bowels of Vnfeigned Love to your Souls by a Friend to all People William Bennit THE END