Pharoah and his host he utterly destroyed in his wrath and delivered thee oh my soul out of his hand and destroyed them who would have destroyed thee and gave thee dominion over them that had dominion over thee and thou sawest them lie dead as by the Sea shore glory glory glory ah glory glory and pure praises praises to God to the Lord God even thy God oh my soul and now oh my soul thou canst sing a song of deliverance a song of victory and triumph and go into the Sanctuary of God to the Altar of God thy God even God thy exceeding joy ah and upon the Harp thou canst praise God the Lord thy God thy delight and joy Oh! oh my soul my soul thou in the lowly fear and holy dread of the Lord thy tender God and in truth and righteousness livingly and experimentally canst say the Lord my God is my strength and my song he also is become my salvation he is my Rock and strong Tower his work is perfect a God the God of truth and righteousness just and right he is the holy one whose dwelling is on high in the holy place and with him also who is of a poor and a meek and a contrite spirit and that trembleth before his Holiness and fears and dreads before his dreadful Name ah ah thy right hand O Lord thy right hand O Lord God of power is become glorious in power is become mighty in power thy right hand O Lord God Almighty hath dashed in pieces mine enemies by the greatness O Lord my God by the greatness of thy wonderful excellency thou hast O Lord confounded them that rose up against me thou lettest forth thy wrath and consumed them as stubble before a mighty fire thou lettest forth the breath of thy fury and blew upon them and scattered them as chaff before a mighty wind Oh! oh who can stand before thy indignation thy dreadful indignation who can abide the extream fierceness of thy anger thy fury is poured forth like fire thou breakest the râ—cks in pieces the mountains tremble before thee the mighty God thou utterest thy voice and the Heathen tremble thou roarest and the Kingdoms are moved and the earth melteth at the appearance of thy presence who cometh with fire and thy Chariots like a whirle-wind thou renderest thy anger with fury and thy rebukes with flames of fire thou hast thy way in the whirle-winds and the Clouds are as the dust of thy feet Thou art the mighty God who can but fear before thee and tremble at thy eternal presence thou roarest out of thy Sion and utterest thy voice from thy Jerusalem and the Inhabitants of the earth tremble thereat but still thou art the hope of thy People and the strength of thy ransomed ones their strong Tower their present Helper in the time of trouble Wherefore I 'll not fear though the Earth be removed and carried into the midst of the Sea and though the Sea roar and be terrible and the Mountains shake with the swellings thereof and the Hills fly before it though the tall Cedars of Lebanon fall and the strong Oaks of Bashan bend before it yet I will not fear the Lord is with me and he will not forsake me but he will help me and that right early Wherefore I will only fear before the Lord before the Lord my God the mighty eternal God of mighty eternal Power who measureth out the Heavens as with a span and measureth the waters of the Seas in the hollow of his hand who comprehendeth the dust of the Earth in a measure weigheth the Mountains as in scales and the Hills as in a ballance who taketh up the Islands as a very little thing before whose face the Heavens and the Earth flee away and behold there appeareth no more Sea Oh! who can but fear before thee O Lord my God the enemy said I 'll pursue I 'll overtake I 'll not spare my lusts shall be satisfied on him But O Lord O Lord God my God thou wert my God near to help in the time of need and in the time of greatest need appeared appeared in the greatest power of love O Lord thou blew upon them and the Sea covered them and they sunk as Lead in the bottom of the mighty Waters O Lord O Lord God who is like unto thee who amongst the gods is like unto thee the only God who art dreadful in holiness fearful in praises doing wonders Oh! let the people hear and be afraid and the Dukes of Edom be amazed and let trembling take hold of the mighty men of Moab oh who can but fear before thee O Lord my God Thou hast redeemed me and led me forth in thy power and guided me in thy strength unto thy holy habitation thou wilt bring me in and plant me in the mountain of thy Inheritance in thy Sanctuary O Lord which thy hands have established wherein I shall live with thee O Lord my God for ever Ah glory glory glory unto thee O Lord God my God The Lord is a man of war the Lord of Host is his name Pharaoh and his mighty men hath he drowned in the Sea but he hath saved thee oh my soul So Lord let thine enemies perish but let them that hope in thy mercy live for ever to declare thy wonders and magnifie thy name in the land of the living Ah! glory glory ah glory glory to God the mighty God ah praises praises honour and thanksgiving unto thee O Lord my God who lives for ever and for evermore Amen Oh! oh what is this what is this that the Lord thy tender God of infinite bowels of pity hath done for thee oh my soul thou wert a slave in the Land of Egypt and the Lord hath redeemed thee oh my soul thou wert in darkness and the Lord hath given thee light and thou wert under the region and shadow of death and he hath brought thee forth in the to Land of life Thou wert in the prison shut up in the prison-house bound up with chains and fetters in the low dungeon of darkness and he hath broken thy chains and snapt thy fetters asunder and loosed thy bonds and broke up the prison door and pulled down the prison house and set thee free oh my soul Oh my soul my soul thou wert a captive in the Land of Babylon estranged from the Common-wealth of Israel and an Alien from Sion sitting sorrowful and solitary by the River of Babylon in the Land of Captivity mourning when thou thoughst upon Sion for thou wert a Captive in a strange Land and sorrow through the sence of thy woful Captivity and Alienation from thy native Land compassed thee about and trouble on every hand tears was thy drink daily sorrow thy meat and groans and sighs thy greatest joy thou wentest bowed down all the day long with an heart aking and thine eyes dropping with tears because of the oppressions of thine enemies and burdens of thine oppressours
precious Servants who were and are by scoffing Ishmael's Brood in scorn called Quakers whom I now ovvn in the Lord and the pure Witness of God in my own Heart bore Testimony to the Truth declared by them but long it was after I was in some measure convinced of the Truth before I steely gave up my Heart to obey the Truth but the Lord in time did overcome my Heart by the Power of his Love his inspeakable Love and made me willing to resign up my Heart in obedience to him and this Truth and to bow down to the Yoak and to take up the daily Cross which I learned by loving and taking heed to the Light and to dispise the Shame and to follow the Lord in that way viz. the Light which before had judged me for Sin begat desires in mâ— to know the Way which I knew not while my mind was abroad and knew not the Lord nigh who now teacheth and guideth me by his Light and Spirit in the way of Truth and Righteousness wherein I have found Peace Rest and true satisfaction for my Soul and witness my Teacher nigh though it hath been my portion with many other Berthren sometimes to eat the Bread of Adversity and to drink the Water of Affliction yet my Teacher and Comforter can none remove from me but he is and hath been with me in the Prison house and in the low Dungeon so that which now keeps me in Peace and Unity with the Lord and in Fellovvship vvith his People the same thing and not another vvas it that did formerly check reprove and judge me for Evil and brought trouble upon me for my Sins and that raised desires in me after the Lord as I have explicated in the fore-going Lines though I deny not but that I have novv a greater measure of Light and Grace then I had then yet the Light in quality and nature is the same for although the Light or Seed of the Kingdom vvhich consisteth of Joy Peace and Righteousness in the Holy Ghost be in the unbeliever and unconverted even as the least of all other Seeds yet nevertheless vvhere or in vvhomsoever it be received in the Faith Love and Obedience of it in such it grows and increases until it become the greatest in them and under its shadovv they come to sit vvith great delight and its Fruit becomes svveet to their taste and as a little Leaven in three measures of Meal it vvorketh and operateth in the Hearts and Minds of those that believe in the Light until it hath vvrought out the old leaven of Malice Sin and Corruption and leavened the Heart and Soul into its ovvn nature frame and quality so the same Light vvhich did condemn me for Sin vvhen I vvas in disobedience to it the samâ— hath and doth save me from Sin and now justifies me as I am kept in the Faith and Obedience of it and now it ministers Peace and Rest unto me and before it ministred Trouble and Condemnation So this I assert and affirm experimentally for an unerrable invincible Truth against all the Opposers Gainsayers Fighters and Undervaluers of the Light viz. that the Light of Christ who is the true Light that lighteth every one that cometh into the World even in the Conscience of that man or woman that is in Unbelief and in the Unconverted State is one in nature and quality with the Light in that man or woman that is in the belief of it and converted by it and the Light of Christ in the Conscience of the Drunkard and Swearer that doth check judg and reprove him for his Sins if it be believed in loved and obeyed is able to save him from his Sins but that man or woman that loveth Evil and hateth the Light and will not come to the Light but reject it such do not feel nor witness the saving healing vertue and restoring redeeming power of the Light but is only unto them a Judg and Condemner but they that receive it in the love and belief thereof such in through and by the Light receive power to become the Sons of God and joynt Heirs with Christ of the Kingdom of God which endures forever So blessed blessed be the Lord my tender God who is worthy worthy to be praised praised by my Soul in the sence of his Love Goodness and Grace whose Mercy hath been and is wonderful towards me unto whom be honour glory praise thanksgiving and obedience for evermore And my Soul having obtained mercy of the Lord and having tasted of his Goodness and Graciousness and experienced his Tender Fatherly Dealings with and towards my Soul my Heatt is opened with Love and Good will to all People Desiring their Good and Eternal Welfare in God To those that are young in Years c. Minde thy Creator in the dayes of thy Youth before the Evil day come c. Eccles 12. 1. c. ANd you who are yet young and tender in Years mind the Light of Christ in your Consciences which checketh and reproveth for Evil and idle words and works and it will learn you if you love it to fear and mind the Creator in the daies of your Youth before the Evil daies come and the Years when ye shall say We have no pleasure in them Oh say not any of you We are young and have many Years yet to spend wherefore we will take the pleasâ—re and delights of our Youth and seek the Lord afterward and Repent when we are old c. But remember the Lord God your Maker giveth unto you Life Breath and Being and how soon he may cut the threed of your lives and take you away from all your delights and vanities you know not for many he taketh away in their Youth Wherefore trifle not away your precious time in Sin and Vanity in vain Sports and Gameings or any Wickedness lest your Hearts come to be hardened in Ungodliness and you grow old in Iniquity and when it is too late you diligently seek repentance but you find it not wherefore take warning and mind those things in time before it be too late that concern the eternal Peace Rest and Happiness of your immortal Soul and first seek the Kingdom of God rather then the Riches Glory and Honour of this World which is all passing away and will not help in the day of Calamity and hour of Distress and Misery which will overtake the Wicked and all those that forget God as a Thief in the Night therefore mind and fear the Lord your Maker and take heed unto the Light in all your Consciences which is pure and holy and hath no unity with any evil thought word or work and love and believe in the Light that you may become Children of the Light if you love the Light it will save you from your Sins and redeem you from a vain Conversation and learn you to take up a daily Cross to your own Wills Desires Lusts and Affections and to Yoak down the
unspeakable Love and free Grace Admired and his holy Name Feared and Obeyed by whose Grace thou art what thou art and his Grace bestowed upon thee hath not been in vain blessed blessed be the Lord and pure holy praises to him and glory and halleujah to him in the highest Amen saith my soul Oh Lord what was I and what was my Fathers house I was neither a Prophet nor a Prophets Son what was I that the King of Glory should cast his eye upon me even when I lay as among the Pits what was I that he should hold forth the Scepter unto me and I should find favour in his sight who regarded my low Estate and raised me out of the Dust and brought me from off the Dunghill to sit among Princes Oh my Soul the Lord hath done much for thee since the day he formed thee in the Womb and brought thee forth for his Praise he hath made the crooked things strait before thee and rough smooth and Mountains he hath laid low before thee and removed many a Hill out of thy way and he hath made a way for thee in the Wilderness and a path through many a Thicket he hath lopt the Bough with terrour and the great one of stature hath been hewn down he did cut up the Thicket of the Forrest with Iron and Lebanon did fall by a mighty one oh he hath made the hard things easie unto thee oh how hath his Love made thee willing to bow thy neck to the Yoak and to take up the Cross and totally to despise the Shame and to follow the Lamb through some Tryals and Tribulations whose love hath drawn thee after him whose love hath as it were made thee to forget thy fathers House Oh how hath his love caused me to cast off other lovers and to love the Lord my God who is now become my Treasure and my heart is with him so that if I be shut up in Prison if I enjoy him oh then Days Months and Years may pass over my head and Time is not thought long nor Sufferings hard because of the enjoyment of the presence of the Lord my Treasure whom my soul loveth for whose sake I am willing to suffer whose pure sweet refreshing comfortable Presence makes a Prison delightsome to me â—raises pure living praises to my God for ever who hath been with me in six Troubles and in the seventh he hath not lefâ— me he is my Buckler my Shield my Strength my Rock my Safe-Guard my strong Tower wherefore I 'le not fear the threats of the Wicked neither regard the cruelty of the ungodly nor heed the purposes of my Enemy nor mind the determinations of unrighteous Men through the strength of my God I will not fear though the Earth be removed and carried into the midst of the Sea and though the Mountains shake through the swelling thereof though the Heathen rage and the People imagine vain things and the Rulers take counsel against me I le not fear what man can do unto me for the Lord is with me and I shall not be moved and thâ— Lord will help me and that right early yet alas for me poor poor worm I am but a Child weak and feeble but indeed having had great experience of the love of my God and of his tender Fatherly care over me how can I but confidently trust hope rely and depend upon my God believing that he the mighty one will enable me the weak one to wade through and endure those tryals he pleases to exercise me withal who through his love and mercy hath caused my Tryals to work for my good praises to his name for evermore who hath nine times delivered me out of the hands of unreasonable men out of their Prisons and Holes where I have suffered for the Testimony of my God through his enabling of me without murmuring against him praises unto him alone no honour no glory but unto God saith my soul who hath kept me by his power from bowing to the Beast or drinking of the Whores Cup pure praise to my dear God for evermore who will free me once again from Bonds in his own time I am willing to wait thy season oh my God who art with me and oh let me never depart from thee O Lord and then I know thou wilt never leave me but thou wilt be my God to help me still and to support me still and to comfort me still and refresh me still and quicken me still and to feed me still with Bread from Heaven fresh Manna Morning by Morning and give me to drink of the River of thy Pleasure Daily who wilt enable me to stand faithful to thee unto the end of my days that I may finish my Testimony for thee thy Name and Truth in this thy day even with Joy and lay down my Head in Peace in thy tender Bosom of endless Love oh my tender God and therein repose with thy dear Children for evermore and have my full satisfaction of love in thee thou Fountain of Love and therein fetch my full breath for evermore oh let it be so oh let it be so oh my dear God for thy own Seed sake to thy own praise thou holy one who is worthy worthy of all glory glory honogr and everlasting thanksgiving and pure living praises for ever and evermore Amen Hallelujah glory and eternal renown to the almighty one in the highest Amen Oh my soul thou dearly loveth the whole Flock of God where-ever they are scattered upon the face of the Earth oh thou greatly desireth their Prosperity and Tranquility and that the Lord may prosper and bless them withal spiritual Blessings in Christ Jesus Oh the Lord God keep all his Children every where in this hour power of Darkness and preserve his dear Babes and tender Lambs in this day of great Tryal and manifold Temptation Oh the Lord keep all those who make mention of his Name in Sincerity and Truth from bowing in the least degree unto the Beast and from drinking the least drop of the Whores Cup although she should be permitted to drink their Blood Oh the Lord God Almighty keep his Sheep and Lambs who were once scattered abroad in the cloudy dark day whom he hath sought and found out and gathered out of the desart Places and waste howling Wilderness whom he hath brought from off the barren Mountains and dry Heaths into the low low low fresh green Valley where the pure sweet refreshing consolating springs of Life Eternal encompasseth them about Oh the Lord keep them still and quiet minding their Feeding and not at all hâ—â—â— he raging of the Sea nor regard the unmerciful Waves thereof which often looks very high as if they would quite oâ—â— floâ— the Valâ—â—y of the low Places and drown all who flee not unto the Mountains for Refuge and Safety but oh let not the hâ—ep and Lambs and little ones fear nor at all flee to the Hâ—llâ— for Refuge for behold the Lord