A Faithfull VVARNING TO ALL BACKSLIDERS Who hold the Truth in Vnrighteousness FOR To return to the Lord and cleave to the Light which leadeth out of Darkness IT is now in my heart to discover unto you the manner of my falling from the Truth notwithstanding I had tasted of the Lords Love and did come in measure to see what was laid up for them that love him in his appearance VVHâ—n the time of Trials came on that the Lords People were carried to Prison the reasoning part got up in me the which the Enemy soon joyned with shewing me the danger that might happen if I went to Meetings that then I should or might be put into a Prison then as I said the reasoning part got up insomuch that I began to take care for my Wife and Children and Family considering the weak capacity of my Wife she being altogether uncapable of mannaging my Trade it must of necessity fail which Friends I would have you to take notice this was whilst the reasoning part was gotten up which when that began first to enter if I had stood in that which did discover it not to be of God my heart had been kept clean but joyning to the evil that caused the Lords Presence to be withdrawn then did the Devil transform himself into an Angel of light shewing me that Friends did not do so well as the Infidels did for they took care of their Families then the thoughts of this began to minister to me a false peace insomuch that I became one that did weaken the weak and to lay a stumbling-block in their way so then when I had done this yet had I no peace but was still condemned in my Conscience then the transformed Angel had another way signifying to me that I might be serviceable in my bâ—â—ng forth of Prison for I might go and serve the Body of Friends which did for a little while satisfie but yet the Lords Love was such that he shewed me that was not enough but had I should go to the Meetings and bear my Testimony for God who caused the Light to shine and had shined into my heart which gave me to understand my duty towards God and man aâ—d walked in it and obeyed it But when I had thoughts of obeying the Will of the Lord then would my Wives tears flow from her eyes which drew me to be tender to her and not standing in the Cross I came more and more to lose my portion Then the Devil drew me to acquaint my self with those that did also flee the Cross and we began to daub our selves with untempered Morter and so grew light and vain and so come to speak our own words and to think our own thoughts and to do our own work and so become rebelious Children unto him that was our Father whilst we obeyed the Light in our hearts which shewed our duty towards God but we reâ—using to obey it the Enemy came amongst us and sowed his seed and so here was a waring in us for victory insomuch that we or I had no peace but continually filled with trouble at the very time when I was jesting and jearing the Light in my heart did condemn me and at my lying down or at my rising up I was so condemned that I had some breathings towards the Lord for to desire forgiveness and was ready to cry unto the Lord Father forgive me but before the word Father was uttered the Lords Witness would arise in my heart and shew me that I was not to call God Father for I had done the will of the Devil which caused me to remember what was said of some that was calling God Father and was doing the works of the Devil and I was out of the redeemed state as well as they but as for my dealing amongst men I have very little to charge my self with but can truly say as to that point I kept my self very much unspotted of the World and â—isplaid had some respect for the same of the Truth and could not endure to hear the Truth evil spoken of although I was in a great measure departed from it So by my plain dealing among men I was esteemed with many up and down the Country my name was famous insomuch that my Trade did much increase so that I came to be very much hurried in the World which did choak the Seed more and more and so became worse and worse so the god of the World blinded the mind that when I would have done the will of God something or other lay in the way which did hinder so Death and Darkness came to reign and to rule and have the preheminence insomuch that the Light which did shine once in me came to be darkned so then that wicked Prince began to reign over the Seed and kept it in bondage which would have reigned over the Devil had it been obeyed as it ought to have been for I could and did witness it so once but by disobedience I became a Captive to the Devil to do his will in a great measure But yet had there not been a Seed I may say I might have been as Sodom or made like unto Gomorrah but I can say I was kept out of the practice of many things which at some times was almost or altogether concluded in my mind to act therefore who is like unto the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob who left us a Seed or else what had become of me in this apostatising state When I was first convinced of the Truth and Living Way then accounted I all but dross and dung in comparison of Christ the Way the Truth and the Life insomuch that the Lord was pleased to manifest himself unto me in his Way which was by Christ the Light that lighteth every one that comes into the World so as I come to the Light of Jesus I come to see that I had done amiss in giving money to the Parish Priest whose Doctrine I could not own I had been a hearer of those people called Baptists before I came to hear Truth declared by the Servant of the Lord Edward Borough at which time when I went to hear him I went not to hear the despised people called Quakers so as to receive their Doctrine but rather gaze at them to see their manner when I first came in he that went with me seemed to be very much dissatisfied with what my dear Friend layed down for which cause he spake unto me my answer was to him I had heard nothing but what was truth at which time I come away when the Meeting was parted or the Friends one from each other with joy which I knew not how to express but coming to a Relations house I declared to the Woman that I had heard the Truth declared and that I did never know the way to which I could witness satisfaction but in this Way which was that there was the Light of Christ
falling from my eyes and then felt the power of God strong in me which did begin to work out the evil thing that was concluded should be carried on in the Serpents subtilty there did the Lord work in me just like unto a man that is removing his houshold goods though I had been so traitorous to his Light and had cast his counsel behind my back although he gave me precept upon precept and line upon line Oh what a God have I a God full of mercy whose mercies endureth for ever When the Meeting was over I came home and as I sat at dinner with the rest of my Family I could scarcely for bear weeping and fell to admonishing them bearing my testimony against my self for being negligent in the work of the Lord also did encourage them to go to our Meeting and also spoke unto my Wife to go who soon did submit to my desire and did go with me whilst I was in the Meeting I was very much broken tears would have flowed from my eyes but being among those that knew me I fled the cross in that and did strive very much to forbear and did all the time of the meeting with much ado which did hinder the Lords work which he had begun afresh in me but when I came to signifie to my wife that I was to go forth along with the Lords people the garb she was in caused me to be ashamed and confounded in my self considering once the hopeful condition that she was in which was she had imparted with her Rings and pluckt of Lace and layed by many things this come to be layed before me and the Witness for the Lord in me shewed me these things had not been had I kept faithfull to the Lord So that this did so work upon me that though I had resisted the Will of God in the Meeting yet when I was coming out of it I could not hold any longer but broke forth into tears to the view of some although I would have hid it I could not but did cry louder then ordinary and so I continued shedding of tears as I went along the street and did strive to hide them from my wife but could hardly do it who is like unto our God which plucked me as a Brand out of the Fire what can I do whereby I may requite his Love shall not I be given up in his will to bear my testimony amongst his people if it be required of me yes verily and shall I sacrifice my self and all that I have unto the Lord for his Love which is never to be forgotten oh praises and glory be unto him for ever and for evermore who hath called me out of Darkness into his marvellous Light who did appear unto me in the night of Darkness and caused his Light to shine in which the power is withessed in which the victory is obtained oh praises be unto thee my God who art God of Gods and Lord of Lords who by thy Light Life and Power did reach unto me in a needfull day and in a time of trouble what shall I render unto thee thanksgiving and obedience for ever for thou needest not any outward thing that I have therefore how shall I answer thy loving kindness Lord thou knowest the secrets of all hearts thou knowest my simplicity thou knowest the very end of my writing it in love to all that have backslidden to encourage them to return unto my Father all that have been Prodigals as well as I return I can assure you in my Fathers House there is Bread enough and to spare I warn all to return to the Father who willeth not the death of any but that all might live therefore be encouraged whilst it is day for otherwise the night will overtake you when it will be too late therefore whilst it is to day hear his voice and do not harden your hearts towards to the Lord why will ye die I beseech you return put not the day afar off who knoweth how short our time may be here in this World Seek the Lord while he may be found call upon him whilst he is neer for he hath shewed us his Servants that he will not always strive with man whom he hath given precept upon precept and line upon line here a little and there a little Friends all consider your latter end and the length of time that is after we come to lay down the body into the dust also consider that whilst ye do abide here you have no peace here but a false peace For there is no peace to the wicked saith my God But ye Backsliders I direct my words unto you whom the Lord committed of his hidden Treasures whom the World knoweth not I say I direct my words chiefly unto you that you might come to answer the Will of the Lord that so you may come to have an Inheritance among them that are sanctified you are often in my thoughts a pity doth arise in my heart towards you I beseech you return to the Light and walk in the Light that ye may come to enjoy fellowship with the children of God oh the height the depth of the Love of God my tongue cannot express what is in my heart towards you return I beseech you come to a true search do not heal nor cover your selves with false coverings any longer but turn your minds inward commune with your own hearts and be still separate your selves from those external things that you may come to inherit a portion of internal things that ye may come to enjoy the Crown that is laid up for all those that fear him but this is my testimony for the Truth of our God that none shall come to enjoy the Crown but as they come to take up the Cross and thy own will deny and subject it to the Will of God for that is the way to obtain a better inheritance then the Kings of the Earth enjoy which hath not an inheritance that will never fall a Crown immortal Earthly Crowns will fall from the head but this Heavenly Crown will never fall world without end Oh Friends do not sell your Crown for a mess of Pottage do not sell the Lords Inheritance to Eternity for an inheritance in the Earth which none knoweth how little while they may enjoy it Oh consider I say again consider the Lords Love is to you the Lord hath opened his Treasures of Love unto you through me his Servant who am given up in the Will of the Lord to serve him and to follow the Lamb whithersoever he leadeth Oh Lord God of Heaven and Earth my Soul doth praise thee thy Name is to be honoured by me who hath done great things for me who was as it were wallowing in my blood then didst thou appear and shewed me that I was as the Prodigal was that had spent his portion upon Harlots in adulterating from the Lord also shewed me that there was Bread enough in thy House
thou Lord spoke unto me to the informing of me just as a man doth his Friend all but the sound of the tongue Oh what a Father have I what a God have we that pardoneth sin and transgression in us though we have rebelled and done despite to his Spirit of Grace in resisting it in its appearance which would have taught us to have denied all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to have lived godly and righteously in this present world Oh Lord thy Love is never to be forgotten what shall separate thee from us O Lord shall tribulation shall persecution nay Lord in thee is my strength thou art my Captain thou hast gathered me from off the barren Mountains thou hast pluckt me out of the horrible pit out of the mire and clay thou hast set my feet upon a Rock thou hast established my goings this can I say Lord thou knowest the Covenant that I have made with thee it is in thy Wisdom I write and in thy Stength of my self I cannot do it but thou art my chief Captain thou art my Strength thou art my Fortress therefore I give thee the glory who is worthy of all thanks all the praise for ever When thou camest unto me as I lay upon my bed thou didst shew me that there was yet a door of Mercy open if I would return did it not then arise in my heart Speak Lord thy Servant heareth glory be unto thee who hath caused the Light of thy self to appear in me who was in bondage to sin and to the power of darkness which is the Devil who is the God of the World and ruleth in the children of disobedience praises be unto thee whose presence is with me who art my Strength and doest put me upon this great work which is of weighty concernment for there he many Gazers at me and us who are wise in the comprehending part they would be glad to have me to write my own words but I am in the Will of my God who is my Guide who leadeth me into all Truth not to write any thing that is in my own will but what I do is in the will of the Lord insomuch that the mouthes of some will be stopped which otherwise would be apt to say I did it in my own will to be seen of men but the Lord knoweth my heart I have no reservation at all in my mind but that my God may be glorified and my Soul comforted and strengthened that I may never grow faint or weary but still press forward toward the mark which is set before me which is the end of Gods calling me out of darkness into his marvellous Light and this doth arise in my heart that whither soever these lines may come which were written in the fear of the Lord and in obedience unto his Name that they be not read in a mind that is filled with prejudice let all of that be removed as it is out of me at the writing hereof the Lords Love is raised in me which doth cause me to write to inform all that there is yet a day of mercy held forth for all that will come out from among those that are resisting the Counsel of the Lord yea those that resisteth his Will and are doing the will of the Devil I bear my Testimony for the Lord there is yet a day of mercy If you will return unto him he will return unto you and he will heal your backslidings and remember your sins no more Therefore be encouraged for I was as bad as some of you yet the Lord hath appeared to me by his Light which never consenteth to sin this as is heeded and obeyed it will lead unto the Father For none cometh unto the Father but by the Son who is the Way the Truth and the Life nor doth any come unto the Son but whom the Father draweth So in love to all have I took my pen in hand who am of my self altogether insufficient but God hath hath hid those things from the wise and prudent and hath revealed them to Babes and Sucklings that his Name may be glorified and your Souls comforted for ever praises be unto my God for ever and for ever world without end Amen saith my Soul And by me this is written in the simplicity of my heart without any self end the Lord knoweth my heart therefore let all be carefull of speaking evil of what they know not lest in so doing they should offend This being all I find of necessity to write at this time I rest in the Love of my Father who hath in measure begotten me again unto himself and hath caused me to make a covenant with him never to leave him but to follow him through good report and through evil report knowing that I shall reap if I faint not for it is they that indure to the end that shall be saved This in pure love to all who are yet resisting the Light in their Consciences to warn them to return whilst it is day for it is to day if you will hear the Lords voice in you harden not your hearts as they did in the old World who lived in pleasure marrying and giving in marriage till the Flood came and swept them away all but Nōah and eight persons as the Scriptures of Truth doth declare Oh Father who is sufficient for these things I could not do this without thy Presence without thy Counsel without thy assistance Lord take thou the glory who art worthy of all and none besides thee of all praises and thanksgiving now and for evermore Amen Written in the true fear of the Lord by me his Servant Anthony Tompkins The 2d day of the 11th Moneth 68. 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