hath made her self ready and the way of the Lord is pleasant to you and his commands are not grievous no unclean thing can passe over nor no Lyons whelps can tread therein but it is called the way of holinesse where only the ransomed of the Lord do walk even your mountain is established upon the top of all hills and all Nations shall flow unto it Sing praises for ever for the kingdome of endless peace is come which passeth understaning and of glory which no mortall eye can behold and of life which no flesh can live in Oh my beloved come up hither and I will shew you what God hath done for you he hath rebuked the Sea and driven back the floods of waters which compassed you about he hath scattered your enemies with a whirlwind and he hath given you to feed upon the flesh of Kings and of Captaines Can you call to mind the doings of your God and his marvellous works brought to passe and not cry out in praises for evermore O drink and be refreshed and eat and be satisfied for ever and let your soul delight it self in fatness the planting of the Lord you are and his own purchased possession he hath separated you from the womb and hath called you out of kindreds and ye are the Royall seed of the off-spring of the Lord Almighty and all Nations shall call you blessed And O thou North of England who art counted as desolate and barren and reckoned the least of the Nations yet out of thee did the branch spring and the Star arise which gives light unto all the Regions round about in thee the Son of Righteousness appeared with wounding and with healing and out of thee the terror of the Lord proceeded which makes the earth to tremble and be removed out of thee Kings Princes Prophets did come forth in the name and power of the most High which uttered their voyces as thunders and laid their swords on the neck of their enemies and never returned empty from the slaughter Though I be as by the waters of Babylon in a strange land and as a Pilgrim and Stranger destitute but not forsaken as dying but behold I live yet if I forget thee let my right hand forget her cunning and let my name be blotted out of the book of life O how I love the holy seed which in my eye is precious no man can hinder my boasting of thee for I am sealed among you in the Record of eternal life to bee read among you in the light where I am known to you and where my unity stands with you in the love and life which never changes and you are my mother and my brother and sister who doth the will of my Father Our God is a consuming fire and his habitation is compast about with dread and terror The Heathen shall see and fear and the inhabitants of the earth shall tremble our God is everlasting burnings and it is tempestuous round about his throne and he reignes for evermore and though thou be despised and set at nought and counted as the off-scouring of all things and the scorn of the Heathen yet thy King reigns upon Mount Sion and if he utter his voice all flesh shall tremble and before him thy adversaries shall fall and thy persecutors shall be confounded for thou shalt never be forgotten of thy God but with his arm wil he defend thee and compass thee about and thy seed shall be increased and thou Ierusalem shalt be made the praise of the whole earth for among you is laid the sure foundation and the tryed stone Christ Jesus the light of the world upon whom you have believed which unto the Nations is a stumbling stone but unto you precious bring in your testimony and set to your seal is there salvation in any other but in him who is the light of the world nay there is no redemption wrought but by him nor no deliverance but through him his is the Kingdome the Power and the glory and he is become all in all and you are no more of this world but are of the chosen generation and of the royal Priesthood a people Redeemed unto whom there is none like among the thousands of Israel and Iudah whose God is the Lord whose Saviour is the Prince of Righteousness who covers your heads in the day of Battel and smites your enemies in the hinder parts and wounds them in the fore-head And now my beloved let his name be had in remembrance for evermore and let his praises be declared throughout Ages to come and walk you worthy of his everlasting love wherewith he hath loved you more then your brethren let his name be exalted by righteousness by purity and by a blameless life and bring forth the fruits of righteousness and peace and let yout light shine forth into the world and your good works abound plentifully for you are as a City set on a hill and as a lighted candle to shine abroad and are created unto good works Let faith hope love and unity be increased among you and let mercy and judgement and equity flow down and be established for ever never to be removed Let joy and long-suffering and meekness and temperance spring out and be you perfect as your heavenly father is perfect Stand upon your watch Tower and bee not shaken nor drâ—w 〈◊〉 aside to follow any other Gods nor to bow to any 〈◊〉 Image nor joyn your selves to strangers and mingle not your seed with the adulterous generation nor take not nor give not in marriage with them but keep your selves from the Idols of the heathen be not defiled with them but abide in your strength you know where it lies by which you may work good and be preserved from evil and you need not that any man teach you for you are taught of God and are far from oppression Ye children of light worship your God for ever who is light and in him is no darkness at all who is the same and changes not whose mercy endures for ever Be followers of the Lamb as undefiled Virgins and let your soul scorn the glory of Babylon and Aegypt for ever for you are not your own but are bought with a price no more to serve your selves but the Lord of Israel for ever Put on your Armour and gird on your Sword and lay hold on the spear march into the field and prepare your selves to battel for the Nations doth defie our God and saith in their heart Who is the God of the Quakers that we should fear him and obey his voice Arise arise and sound forth the everlasting word of war and judgment in the ears of all Nations sound an Alarum and make their ears to tingle Our Enemies are whole Nations and multitudes in number of a rebellious people that will not come under our law which ariseth up against us and will not have our King to reigne but tramples his honour under foot and
enlarge your border And the eternal God of power be with you chosen ones for the Lords work you shall have your reward Nay he is come and his reward is with him I know you have it and witness his power and his presence with you so my dear ones in that which limits all and chains all and keeps under all deceit dwell and abide for ever in the living power which makes the strong man bow down and the Devils tremble and the unclean spirits roar and the power you know where is your life that all the powers of death cannot reach and therefore doth the potsheards of the earth strive in vain to set briars and thorns in battel against him in vain do they rage for notwithstanding all that God hath set and will set his own Son upon the holy hill of Sion glory unto him for ever shout out for joy oh ye sufferers for him who are set free by him and your freedom can none take away for he is greater then all even him in whom ye have beleeved standing in his power wisdom and councel who is neer you that none is able to pluck you out of his hand for he hath the keyes of David who opens and none shuts and bindes and none can loose even he who rebukes the windes and seas and they obey him and causes a great calme and causes the waters to abate nay to stand of a heap and dries up the tongue of the Egyptian Sea that his ransomed ones may go over into the rest and he that hath and doth believe in him is entred into the rest where we all meet in one in him who is the Judge of all the world the light of the world and our life who believe in his name but the condemnation of all the world who walk in unrighteousnes for ever and ever For with the pure upright he dwells and his throne is established in righteousness for ever and ever and unto our God who lives for ever shall all the powers of the earth bow to whom be glory and eternal praise of all his redeemed ones for ever and ever F. H. O All ye Sons of Sion and ye daughters of the King who is glorious within who have waited for the Bridegroom Oh my beloved ones you who have long sitten in a solitary place and have been as a silly Dove without a heart hath bin as a widow desolate as a par ched heath you that hath wandred up down in the long night of darknes knew no rest but were as one cast off by all all that passed by you laughed at your sorrow you have been as a hissing and as a proverb to all and as a mark to shoot at by all your faces have been as the tents of Kedar parched and your skin withered for want of refreshment and as a dead tree that bears no fruit Oh yee who have come through great tribulation and have suffered the loss of all the spoiling of all even the greatest riches the chiefest Jewels who have lost all your knowledge and wisdome and become fools for Christ's sake and hath parted with all and hath suffered the indignation of the Lord to pass over all and hath drunk of the cup of fury at the hand of the Lord who have suffered hunger famine pestilence and earth-quakes and the darkning of the Sun and the Moon lost her light and the stars have fallen and the pillars of heaven hathbeen shaken the Earth hath been removed out of its place as a cottage and you have cried out in the midst of all this he hath forgotten to be gracious his mercy come to an end The womb hath been shut up desolation and sorrow loss of children and widowhood in a day came upon you Oh ye tossed afflicted and not comforted that have been as Eunuchs dry and barren as in the drought of summer that have been as Pelicanes and as Doves who have sorrowed for the loss of her Mate and as one in sorrow for the losse of her first-born who have been in bitterness and none could comfort you I am one with you your state I know I love you eternally yea ye are my brethren and Sisters for ever sealed in my heart and engrrveu to be read for ever I see you I behold you I kiss you and embrace you with an holy kiss of everlasting love which overcomes death and hell which love thinks no ill ye that are made partakers of this love knows what I say Ye that have waited for him and wait and suffer the spoyling of all I am married unto you I came forth of the same womb which is eternity free for ever free-born not in bondage because the Prince of this world is judged and cast out and the glory of the Lord revealed Come forth ye sons and daughters of Jerusalem which is free from above utter forth your voice sing aloud the Bridegroom is come and is coming and ye that have suffered the spoyling of all rejoice for evermore lift up your Voices as Trumpets He is come he is covered with righteousness as with a robe his countenance is as the morning his eyes is brighter then the sun his voice is life eternal salvation is round about him he dwells in eternal life life is in his right hand and joy is in his presence and peace for evermore he is a tryed stone he is a rock which the righteous flies to he hides his under his wings covers them wth his feathers Beauty beauty glory glory eternity eternity ness Almightiness power riches honor dignity and dominion strength wisdom and goodness fulness satisfaction eternal treasure durable riches infiniteness is his Name for ever unexpressible I am filled with his love and power he opens the windows of heaven he rains his showres as silver drops and as fine Myrrhe as sweet odours he nourishes the yong he carries the Lambs in his arms of love he drives gently them that are with young he is true and faithful for ever he keeps covenant he is long-suffering and kinde who can declare his power I am lost in the incomprehensible being of eternal love Oh my dear ones come up hither fellow-Citizens of Jerusalem which is from above who is our Mother which few know but you who are written in the Lambs book of life sound forth his praise trumpet forth his power declare his Name among the people that it may sound into the ears of Generations to come this is he we have waited for this is he who hath begotten us to himself to reign with him the Lamb upon Mount Sion as Kings and Priests and Judges of the Prince of darkness death and hell for ever salvation honor and glory be to him for ever eternall infinite Praises Praises to him for ever who was dead and is alive and lives for evermore King of kings for ever majesty glory and power and eternal renown is in his right hand for ever his redeemed ones lives for ever dwells follows lives in him for ever no beast can touch the mountain where he dwells but he dies for ever Come away my beloved ones drink abundantly and be refreshed and praise his names for ever eternally I am shed and spilt among you never so as now never to be separated out of the eternal oneness sound forth his praise declare his word let it go forth as thunder let the Heathen bow let the Princes of this world fall and the kings worship at his feet for ever let the disputers tongue cleave to the roof of his mouth for ever let all flesh keep silence for ever Babylon is fallen and become the habitation of Devils for ever the judge of all the world hath confounded and cursed her language for ever God is risen and sits upon his Throne eternal wisdome is come and the Ancient of dayes all carnall shall be confounded stop all mouths in the dust for ever Eternity shall speak and judge for ever whom he binds is bound for ever whom he looseth he looseth for ever whom he remits are remitted the Devil is chained the grave gives up her dead and the sea and hell all is judged by him that lives for ever O beloved ones who are the children of my eternall father who have eaten at his Table and drunken of the new wine in the Kingdome of God who are nourished dandled upon the lap of everlasting love who suck at the breasts of everlasting consolation your beauty is comely I am ravished I am filled Iam filled with love to you all I am sick of love your beauty hath ravished my heart come sit down my dear Lambs together in the fold where no wolf can come and let us rejoyce together and sound forth his praise who hath washed us and cleansed us and covered us and made us worthy to enter into the fold the Bride-chamber to eat with him of the bread of life for ever at the eternal Table of life the Bridegroom is come friends of him I know you rejoyce greatly because of his voice And now my deer beloved ones follow him for evermore in the eternal light and life where we were bred brought forth and nourished and are unknown to all the world but me you know and I know you in one who is the condemnation of the world and in him I meet you and leave you in his arms I lie down with you in the bosome of eternal love life peace joy and rest for ever where none can make us afraid Bandon in Ireland the 7th month 1655. My name ye know my voice ye know this is to all my beloved brethren who are redeemed from ye earth Francis Howgill
the enmity which is against God and it slain in you daily that so you may see him that is the Saviour of the soul and take heed of rebelling against the Lord who hath given you a measure of his true light to lead you from sin if you love it unto righteousness from whence it comes even from the righteous Judge of all the world who judgeth every man out of the book of his conscience and so prize the everlasting love of God to your souls that you may see him who lives for ever And all Babes who are born again who have suffered the pangs of death and know the indignation of the Lord against sin and the terror of the Lord against the man of sin who have roared for the disquietness of your-hearts who have born the indignation of the Lord and are come to the giving forth of the Law where there is thundring and Earth-quakes and terror and great hail and fire and smoke even such as was not since the beginning in somuch that you could not hear his Voice and live nor see his face and live Stand still in patience and let it have its perfect work in you and bear the indignation ye that are in it if you endure the tribulation with patience hope you will see and a time of refreshment will come endure the cross that the mortal and earthly and carnal may be judged and the ground shaken and taken away and that you may see the liuing hope to stay your mindes upon And ye who are enliuened and doth witness the Law of righteousness set up in you which is a Schoolmaster and keeps in the fear stand in it and keep in the fear low in soberness and calmness and then you will see your hearts purified daily and the cursed nature judged which is out of its course and it bridled and subjected and the Law which is pure and holy and eternal which stands for euer in power and force against the transgressor to judge all Righteousness and so wait that you may see the Lyon tamed and the wilde Heifer yoked and the yoke of Christ born and the wilde colt tamed by him upon which never man sate before then and not till then is Hosanna sung And all wait in your measures dear Babes that the milk of the Word you may see and be nourished by it and grow up as living branches about the Table of the Lord And all you yong men and Virgins that know Virginity keep your Virgin you in whom the Prince of this world is judged and cast out and the righteous law of God revealed and given forth in which you stand and walk and hath peace from him who is the Law-giver and Judge who hath saved you from your iniquities and blotted out your sins for his own Name sake You who knows the living Water and Spirit of which you are born again and witnesses the birth which enters into the Kingdome of God where no mortal or unclean beast can come Keep in the life and power of God which limits all and chains all under that the life of the Son of God may live and speak in you and be bold In the dread of God stand and that which leads into slavery keep out And now being made partakers of his everlasting love walk worthy of his love and of the high calling whereunto you are called who hath created you in Christ Jesus unto holiness and righteousness for ever that to the praise of his grace which you are saved by by which you have obtained the remission of sins and an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified So wait in the living Hope and the living Faith in which God is well pleased in which you ask and receive of him and are accepted of our heavenly Father And this Faith ye know which is a present power and a shield against all temptations and a Helmet and as a Fortress by which you are preserved safe standing in it and putting it on in the day of trial My dear Brethren of the everlasting Kindred and Heirs of the everlasting Promise wait all in patience having received an earnest of the inheritance that never fades away to the end abide in the Fathers counsel and at Wisdom's gate Ye know what I say I write not unto you because you know not the truth but because you know and are made free in your measures by him who is the Truth and the Way in which all our fathers and you also have obtained a good Report even of all the houshold of Faith and take heed of the glory of the World and look not at hardship for verily all the suffering is nor worthy to be compared to that glory which is revealed and to be revealed unto all that wait and abide in patience and faithfulness unto the end but be ye as good souldiers endure hardship that you may receive the end of your hope and the euerlasting prize and the purchased possession and the Crown of glory which God will give unto you in his own day which is coming on towards you if you continue in the hope in the faith and in the love unfeigned which thinks no ill by which and in which love we have Victory ouer the Grave Sin and Death which he hath freely shedabroad in our hearts unto whom be everlasting Praise for ever and ever To him which was dead and is aliue and liues for euermore the Mediator of the new Gouenant of life and peace in which we haue access freely to the Throne of grace and are accepted in him who is the condemnation of all the World who hate the light but your life the light of the world God blessed for ever and ever And all you Fathers and Elders and honorable Women who are not a few whose bones and sinews are filled with marrow and fatness who wait at the Altar of the Lord and knows the Merey-seat which hath ouershadowed you and the golden Vessel in which is the hidden Manna by which all the children of the Lord are fed round the Table of the Lord out of the euerlasting treasure-house of my Father Watch ouer the Flock of Christ Jesus in euery place and region and quarter where the Lord hath set you and gouern them in all wisdom and righteousness that the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ may be adorned And take care of them willingly knowing this the Lord requires of you and hath called you unto and to nourish the plants and the young ones and the babes and that every one may know their place and watch and instruct in all wisdom and correct and reprove in the name and power of our Lord Jesus that no rebellious nor sloathfull may grow up nor be harboured among you but all in diligence may be kept in the fear of the Lord in their places that the Gospel of Christ Jesus be not evill spoken of nor the heathen blaspheme And therefore my dear brethren be diligent in the work of the