Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	lord_n	soul_n	vex_v	2,562	5	11.2017	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A56574	A testimony to the Lord's power and blessed appearance in and amongst children wherein is expressed the great love of God to them, who, as young and tender, have tasted of his good word & heavenly life. Published for the use of Friends, and to prevent various reports, that they may have a true account in the following testimonies, given forth by faithful witnesses. Here are also added to what was before printed, several pretious testimonies and epistles, which are as the effects of the appearance and opperation of that great power & wisdom of God in and amongst them.	Taylor, Frances, d. 1685.; Paterson, A., Quaker, attributed name. aut; Taylor, Christopher, ca. 1615-1686, attributed name. aut; Matern, John, 1639 or 40-1680. aut	1679 (1679)	Wing P683B; ESTC R217119	22,314	71

Satisfaction unutterable was ministred to them who waited upon the Lord for this to see their Expectation answered in this Matter what greater Joy could be afforded surely none I can truly say it was more to me I hope to my dying Day never to forget it then all Visible or Created Comforts whatsoever And so as the Lord did in a wonderful manner break forth in his Living Power upon the 4th day being the 4th day of the 4th Moneth so we have witnessed since and do witness daily Praises to our God for it the same Arm of Power to work in our Family-Meetings so that for some Nights we have gone to Bed with the Tears in our Eyes being filled with the Love of so tender and merciful a Father who thus had visited us in his love and filled our Hearts with unexpressible Joy And this I say more on the behalf of the Children that some have been so livingly refreshed in our Evening-Meetings that after they have been in Bed their Sleep hath been taken from them for several hours together and their Souls have been ●●lled with Praises and Thanks-givings more then could be uttered This I was constrained to say for the Lord that he is no hard Master that he takes no pleasure in the Death of Sinners but thus even in our day as of Old so fatherly tenderly and condescendingly he deals with People even with the renderaged as to accommodate himself in his appearance to their Capacities that they may feel him at work in their inward parts who worketh all his Childrens work in them and for them to the everlasting renown and praise of his worthy Name forever Now let all be invited hereby to bow and submit their Necks to the Yoke of Christ and let them be made willing to take it upon them for truly it is light to them that are made willing in the day of his mighty Power Further let me intreat all who have been sharers with me in this late and continued Heart-breaking Power to walk worthy of the same that we together may pass the time of our sojourning here in fear that in the end when we shall lay down these Tabernacles we may be admitted unto the full Fruition and compleat Enjoyment of his favour who hath called us and that very early whose favour is better then Life whereof of late we have had a large Earnest to the refreshing of our Souls and the establishing of them in his fear Everlasting Praises Glory and Renown be sounded forth unto our bountiful Lord and Master Christ Jesus World without End Amen A. PATERSONE Here follow several Living Testimonies given forth by the SCHOLLARS Dear Father Mother MY Duty is remembred unto you both with my dear Love to my Brother and Sisters and unto the rest of the Family hoping you are all in good Health as I am at this present I have sent you a Book whereby you may know the State and Condition our Family is in at present how wonderfully the Lord hath wrought amongst us for as he hath begun a blessed Work in the Hearts of many in these latter Ages to destroy and break down the Power of Darkness and to set up his own Kingdom so he will go on in his mighty Power and Strength and will make his Arm bare for the bringing back of the Out-casts of Israel For as he promised That Righteousness shall cover the Earth as the Waters cover the Seas so will he perform it in its appointed time which now in some measure is begun I am constrained to tell you what the Lord hath done for my Soul how day after day he hath followed me with tender Mercy willing me to turn from my Wickedness and vain Imaginations and to obey and worship him the Creator of all things I being troubled and vexed in my Conscience by the grievous Terrors and Judgments of God did often times lie Howling and Crying in my Bed for one or two Hours together so that sometimes I could scarce sleep but as if I had been Tormented in the very Depth of Hell and forever cast out of the sight of God never to receive Mercy from him but the Lord full of Mercy and Love did by degrees help me and delivered me out of the Claws of the Enemy and so by waiting more and more upon him I became yet more sensible of my State and Condition and did pray unto the God of Heaven That he would teach me his Way wherein I should walk before him in Singleness and Uprightness of Heart and would alwayes preserve me in his holy Fear For as it is said A bruised Reed will he not break nor the smoking Flax will he not quench until he send forth Judgment unto Victory this have I witnessed in my particular And again They that wait upon the Lord renew their strength this also hath the Lord made me a witness of for sometimes sitting down in his Fear and Dread with my Mind only staid upon him and waiting for his presence he hath melted my Heart and bowed down my Spirit before him by the blessed in-breaking and over-powerings of his tender Love that so I could not but praise him and honour him that in such a gracious and bountiful manner hath appeared unto me and in abundance of Love manifested himself unto me and I have gone to my rest in Peace with he hath brought me out of Aegypt wherein I was a Captive and a Bond-slave under the Prince of the Power of Darkness with a desire never to return back into Aegypt for it is said They that go down into the Deep see the Wonders of God So the Lord before whom I stand knows I have a living Desire that I may alwayes be kept in his Fear and walk worthy of the Love which he hath manifested unto me and obey him that so what I am I may be to him and alwayes may be kept Low and Humble before him giving him the Praise Glory Honour and Renown unto whom it belongs now henceforth and forever Amen So I rest Your Dutiful Son James Claypoole Waltham-Abby the 5th Mon. 1679. Dear Mother I Received a Letter by which I understand it hath been the Will of the Lord God to take away my Father out of this World for which I am very sorry but since it hath been the Will of the Lord I am sati●fied for the Lord is merciful O! his Mercies have been very great and his Kindness unutterable to me who can say so who brought me to the place where he would have Mercy O! where he would make himself manifest O! in bringing me out of the Pit of Darkness the Saying is fulfilled I was found of them that sought me not I was made manifest to them that asked not after me So dear Mother I would desire and beg of thee that thou wouldst send my Brother hither O! Mother the Lord is here here he hath been pleased to make himself manifest Therefore Mother I would desire

out of the Full unto Christ Jesus that never fell that they may feel themselves growing up in his heavenly Life as living Members of him the blessed Head then will they come to understand that these Things are from the Lord when the inward Eye and Ear is opened they will with me hear their Testimony That these things are of the Lord. The 6th day of the 5th Moneth 1679. G. LAWRY A Copy of a Letter to A. P. DEar A. P. c. I cannot omit but certifie some-what of our last Nights's Exercise in our Meeting in our Family how mightily the Power of the Lord appeared amongst us first breaking in upon Two Young Lads and so passed through the rest with such Dread and Power that there was an exceeding great shaking and tenderness amongst them rather more than on that notable Fourth day so that it was not without difficulty to bring several of them into stilness again But at the last it being late they went to Bed and there many of them lay Crying Weeping and Lamenting for two or three Hours together Others in a diverse Exercise some who had been sober and formerly good conditioned meek and gentle the Power was meek with them and overcame them in a most blessed manner so that they were filled with heavenly Praises uttering such words as sweet-conditioned Souls are wont to do when they are sealed by the Lord's Spirit Others most bitterly Lamenting their Conditions especially one of the aforesaid Lads for about three Hours together in his Bed exceeded and cryed out for Mercy so Dreadfully that I never as I remember heard a more Terrible Exercise from small or great When I told him how patiently his Bed-fellow lay besides him he answered The reason was because he had not been so Wicked as himself had been If I could but write down the Speeches of the poor Children under their various Exercises I may well say it would be as a wonderful Thing and such a Lesson as many Hearts would be broken to read but what shall I say but admire the Love and Mercy of the Lord in these Things C. was blessedly disposed on and was truly refreshed in his Soul and with him and several others there was a secret inward Harmony from a feeling Sense of God's pure Visitation and some more dreadfully feized on and broken in upon by the Authority of the Power so that it was admirable to behold the varity of the Exercises suitable to the subject Matter Condition and Disposition of every Child This is a hint to thee of the matter who I know dearly loves us and will be refreshed at any time to hear of our Wellfare So leaving the rest to W. C. who was with us in the Meeting if thou pleasest to enquire of him with mine and my Wife 's dear Love to thee and thy dear Wife c. I rest thy dearly loving Brother in the Fellowship of God's Truth Waltham-Abby the 24th of the 4th Moneth 1679. C. Taylor A Copy of a Letter to T. T. DEar Brother c. the 24th of the 4th Moneth 1679. we sitting towards Evening with the Family and Children being in all about Fifty the Lords sweet and tender heart-breaking Power was with us in a shower of abundance of Love Mercy and Gentleness thorowout which caused abundance of melting Tears and great Soul-gladness like unto the Love and Tenderness of a most tender Father in Forgiveness and Mercy after Correction and Submission under the same I mean especially as to such who had been more stubborn And the more mild and gentle-conditioned were under the pure sense of the same Power in pure Love and sweet Tenderness with an encrease of what had been poured out before at the other Meetings so that the whole Meeting and Family at that time was as I may truly say overpowered with Divine comfort in the sense of God's pure Love nothing else from God declared to them but that they should admire his sweet Love and Mercy and how good the Lord was how gentle kind and most tender over them together with the great admiring of the same Love being filled with it so that the heavenly Flame of it drowned all manner of Sorrow at that time and conquered all sense of Terror and Judgment nothing but Love at that time and Mercy appearing and overcoming all so that it was wonderful to behold the great Gravity and Sense of the Children in such an Exercise there being such a general Heart-breaking Power over powering them in such a manner with Gods blessing throughout declared amongst them all And now I may say that there is not one who hath been of the worst Temper and Disposition hore at present but in pleading with them about their Conditions in the sense of God's Truth have been broken into a sensible acknowledgment with weeping Eyes so far hath the most blessed Power of the living God appeared in this place a Day much groaned and longed for to see Glory to the Lord forever And certainly the living God will bestow more of his heavenly Blessings upon us by the still pouring forth of his heavenly Spirit as we are dear and tender before him and of his Glory Amen So dear Brother admire with us the excellency of God's pure Love and pray with us that we all may be kept in the sweet and humble acknowledgment of all his most tender Mercies And oh that we may never give the least occasion whereby the Lord may with-draw the sense of such great Love and Mercy from us Amen Amen So dear Brother if I could tell thee I would how full of sweet Melody my Soul is at present from the sense of this his pure goodness and how full of Joy and Gladness and heavenly Praises Oh! the glorious heavenly Power of the Lord God how when he pleases it most wonderfully overcomes the Hearts and Souls of his beloved and tender Children Oh dear Brother feel feel what my Soul can admire but my Tongue far unable to utter neither lawful for any man to do in this earthly Tabernacle in which we reach unto thee dearly and to thy dear Wife And I am thy dear Brother C. Taylor The following Testimonies are from the Teachers of the Children A testimony concerning the Goodness and Mercy of God our heavenly Father in Christ Jesus manifested to the Children of our Family IN the sence of the great Love and tender Mercies of the Lord God who hath often graciously visited and livingly refreshed my Soul in our Evenings or Family's Meetings I can and do bear this living and faithful Testimony That at a Meeting the 23d of the 4th Moneth called June in the Evening the great God and Father of Mercy in a special and wonderful manner did abundantly pour forth of his good and holy Spirit of Life and Grace upon our Spirits through Jesus Christ our Saviour by which our Souls and Spirits were broken and melted before him That Waters did gush out of of the Rocks

Springs were opened in dry places and the very Depth did utter forth its Voice I my self was so overpowered and overcome with this heavenly Life Virtue and Power of God that I did shake and tremble before Him the mighty God of Heaven and Earth who by his quick and powerful Voice shaketh the Wilderness and breaketh the Cedars of Lebanon at whose appearance and look the Earth Trembles and at whose touch the Hills Smoke This his great Love and powerful Operation upon my Heart and Spirit being livingly refreshed and comforted by it did cause my Soul to magnifie the Lord and my Spirit to rejoyce in God my Saviour singing and making sweet Melody in my Heart to the Lord because he did so graciously answer the Desire of our Souls and powerfully break in upon the Hearts and Spirits of our Children revealing himself in his great and Almighty Power among them in and through which their Hearts were broken their Spirits melted and their Souls humbly-bowed before him as the alone searcher of the Heart and tryer of the Reins making known to every one his state and condition and bringing to Light the hidden things of Darkness and Counsels of the Hearts which brought Sorrow and Trouble upon them and caused many of them to lament and cry out before the Lord. Oh! who can appear and stand before the great Judge of the Quick and Dead and not Tremble at his Word and not Howl and Cry as under the Sense of his Judgments till they be brought forth unto Victory and the Soul comes to feel Redemption from Sin and Iniquity through the Blood of Jesus Christ We are living Witnesses of this great and powerful Work of the Almighty God in and amongst the Children of our Family by which he hath begun to work out their Salvation with Fear and Trembling and to turn their Minds from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto himself that they may receive Forgiveness of Sins and Inheritance amongst them which are sanctified by Faith in Christ Jesus to the great comfort and satisfaction of our Souls who was thus graciously pleased to appear and reveal himself in and among us in his heavenly Power and Authority for my Soul hath often been poured out before the Lord on their behalf that he would be pleased to reach unto their Hearts in his heavenly quickening Power that at length they might come to experience in themselves what hath-often been declared to them by others that so in the sense of this Heart-breaking Power they might learn to fear him their Creator in the dayes of their Youth and their Souls might be engaged and constrained to love and obey him Now the Lord hath heard our Cry and answered our Desire he hath manifested his great Love Favour and Mercy unto them and us in the sense whereof my Soul did and doth rejoyce praising and glorifying his Name on their and our behalf I can bear my witness in Truth that the sense of the goodness of the Lord did rest upon my Spirit all the Night long that after I awaked my Eyes were full of Tears and my Soul full of holy Praises and Thanks-giving unto the Lord because of his tender Mercies and great Love towards us breathing to the Lord that he in his heavenly blessed Power would carry on his great Work of Regeneration that he hath begun in and upon our Spirits and to Bless us daily more and more with all Spiritual Blessings in Christ Jesus to the Praise and Glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved according to the Riches of his Grace wherein he hath reached and abounded towards us to declare unto our Souls that he has pardoned our Sins and received us into his Fatherly Love and Care What shall I say of the next following Meeting I am not able to express the sweet refreshing Life Virtue and Power of our heavenly Father arising in us with healing under his Wings For as the Evening before Fearfulness and Trembling came upon many and Horror had overwhelmed them so now at this time the sweet Love of a most tender and merciful Father embracing their Spirits did sweetly and livingly refresh and comfort their Souls he healed the broken in Heart and bound up their Wounds with the Balm of his heavenly Life Virtue and Power to the great comfort and satisfaction of our Souls who partook of the Water of Life that the Lord poured forth and made us to drink of in and through which the Spirit of the Humble was quickened and the Heart of the Contrite Ones revived Now as the Lord in those two Meetings hath appeared and revealed himself in and to us in a most special gracious and powerful manner so his Sweet and Heart-melting Love and tender Mercies have hitherto followed us from Meeting to Meeting sensibly and livingly Refreshing Comforting Strengthening and Confirming our Souls in his Love Life Vertue and Power until this very Day Praises Praises Praises Glory and Honour be to our God henceforth forever and forever Moreover it is sealed to my Spirit by the holy Spirit of the Lord God That We shall be Monuments of his Tender Mercies and Fatherly Love and Care These are the Words which livingly arose in my Heart as we were lately gathered together and arise again as I am writing this Testimony for God I say We shall be Monuments of his tender Mercies and fatherly Love and Care if we keep Low Humble Meek and Tender before him he will instruct us and teach us in the Way which we shall go and guide us with his Eyes if we alwayes Fear and Dread his holy powerfull Name which he hath revealed unto us and poured forth in and among us as a good and precious Ointment which causes us to be glad and to rejoyce in him and to love him with all our Heart Soul and Mind In the sense of this great Love and tender Mercies of the Lord God my Soul desires that I and every one of us especially our dear Children that have with us tasted of the good Word and Power of the World to come by which our Souls have been quickened and livingly refreshed and comforted may be alwayes kept in a living sense of the Lovingkindness and Goodness of the Lord towards us that so we may walk in Humility Righteousness and Holiness before him who hath reached to our Souls and made us sensible of our inward State and Condition and also of his Love Grace and Mercy that we may walk worthy of this his great Love and Dread and Fear him in our Hearts alwayes having the Eyes of our Mind towards him that in his Light shining in our Souls we may see even the least appearance of Evil waiting in it we may receive Power to be kept and preserved out of it lest by entring in or consenting to it we should offend the Lord and cause him to with-draw his sweet Love and to hide the Light and Favour

of his Countenance from us which would bring Sorrow Anguish and Destruction upon our Souls Oh! let us walk worthy of this great Love let every one of us be circumspect in our Lives and Conversations that our Enemies who Reproach and Blaspheme the holy Name and powerful Work of the Lord God who hath graciously and gloriously appeared in and among us may behold our Holy Innocent Upright Life and Conversation and by it may be reached and convinced that not the Devil but the Lord God in his holy Life Virtue Power and Spirit hath appeared in and among us by which he hath wrought a new Heart and renewed a right and holy Spirit in us the blessed Effect whereof is Holiness and Righteousness which Work is not of Man much less of the Devil but of the Everlasting Pure and Holy God who in his Everlasting Holy Pure and Quickning Power hath begot us again into the heavenly Image of his dear Son Christ Jesus which consists in Holiness and Righteousness and Truth which the Devil is out of Having therefore received Grace and Mercy Life Virtue and Power of God let us cleanse our selves from all Filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God that we may shew forth the heavenly Vertue and Power of him that hath called and translated us from Darkness into his marvelous Light and turned from Satans Power to his own Holy Pure and Living Power in which we are inabled to do good Works new created of God in Christ Jesus unto good Works that we may walk therein in which if we are found walking doing the Works of God we shall never fall again for so an entrance shall be ministred unto us abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who is the true Light which lights every man that comes into the World in which heavenly and divine Light we daily receive Life Virtue and Power to escape the Corruption that is in the World through Lust and to live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World to the Honour and Praise of him that hath called us to Glory and Virtue For this is the very end of the heavenly living powerful Appearance of our God in the midst of us that in and through the heavenly Power of his Son Christ Jesus reveal'd in us in his divine heavenly Light Life and Spirit he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People zealous unto good Works and that so out of the Mouthes of Babes and Sucklings he may perfect Praises for his Name Let us therefore always be found in Well-doing that our Light may shine before men that they may see our good Works and glorifie our Father which is in Heaven who dwells in the Light and is Light in which if we walk therein we have fellowship with him and one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son which cleanses us from all Sin is inwardly known and felt and the true Fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ comes to be witnessed Righteousness and Holiness is shewn forth in our Lives and Conversations by which our heavenly Father comes to be praised and glorified For herein is our heavenly Father of his Children glorified when ●hey bring forth much Fruit of the Spirit which is in all Goodness and Righteousness and Truth always proving and doing what is acceptable unto the Lord to whom be Glory and Honour Praises and Hallelujah Wisdom and Dominion from my Soul in the living Sense of his great Love and tender Mercies now henceforth forever and ever Amen Amen The 5th of the 5th Moneth 1679. Testified by me J. M. VVHen I consider the Goodness Mercy and Love of Almighty God to the Sons and Daughters of Men so largely manifested and suited to every Capacity and Condition to this end and purpose that all even from the least to the greatest may be made sensible and living Monuments of his wonderful Work which he hath been carrying on in all Ages less or more but now in this latter Age of the World is cutting the Work short in Righteousness I see it clearly in the Light of the Lord for which my Soul and Heart is overcome with Praises and Thanksgivings to him who I see takes pleasure to dwell with the lowly in Heart and that are willing to follow him whithersoever he in his Requirings may lead Glory to his blessed Name forever I say the consideration of the Lord 's wonderful Dealing with people but more especially with the young Ones in our Family constrains me at this time to open my Mouth in my small Measure to declare of his Wonderful and Soul-ravishing Virtue livingly witnessed to in my measure and also am an Eye Ear-Witness but which is more I find it seal'd in my Heart that the Lord hath begun a blessed Work in and among the Younger sort so that I can say in Truth The Lord hath been here the blessed Effects whereof do sufficiently declare it Oh! how is my Soul overioy'd when I see that wild Nature which bore rule in some changed and brought under so that I may justly say with the Prophet and do witness the same both in my own particular as also I declare it on the behalf of the Children That in some I see instead of the Tkorus comes up the Fir-tree and instead of the Bryar comes up the Myrtle-tree and it is for the Lord a Name for an Everlasting Sign that shall not be cut off This hath been the End and Tendency of all the Upright-hearted Ones in their Labour and daily Exercise in this Family who are more nearly concerned in them And Oh! let all Hearts joyn with me at this time and at all times to Praise and Extol the God of all Goodness who in his Love hath given us an Earnest of our Desires which is more to us than Thousands of Silver or Gold This the Lord hath been bringing to pass for several years past by his Almighty Power and Out-stretched Arm invisibly in the Hearts of the Young Ones and now is more manifestly begun to shew forth his Power to the melting of the Rocky-hearted and tendring of them into Tears which was livingly witnessed to by many who felt the Power of the Almighty to overshadow them in a Wonderful and Soul-ravishing manner at our fourth day's Meeting in Waltham-Abby so that in the Sense of the goodness of the Lord tendred to my Soul and the Souls of the Children there present I was broken into Tears having a deep sense of the Work of the Lord in my own particular to work in my Heart as also I was overcome with Joy to feel the Lord's Power so wonderfully to work on the Childrens Minds that they were melted and broken to the Amazement of many there present who never saw such a Day nor witnessed the Lords Power to change them in their Minds Oh! but what Joy what Comfort what

thee to send my Brother hither lest he perish in his Sins and Iniquities I am perswaded if he came hither the Lord would have Mercy upon him as he had upon me who was an Abominable Sinner So this is all at present but my Master and Mistress remember their Love to thee and I would desire thee to salute my Sister in my Name with my Love to my Brother I rest Thy Obedient Son Philip Dymond Written in the 10th Moneth 1679. OH the Love of the Lord who can express it Oh! when the mighty God pours out of his Water of Life into our Souls we are even constrained to sing Praises to his Name Oh! how can I in any measure express the Love of the Most High through his Son Jesus Christ Oh! the Most High doth draw us with the Cords of his infinite Love Oh! our God is a God of Mercy a God of infinite Love When I consider when I was in Aegypt's Bondage and a Captive to the Devil how many times would he call me out but I knew not that it was he yet at last he made his Arm bare to me and drew me out of the Pit of Darkness with the Cords of his Love And it is now my Testimony for the Lord That he is coming to teach his People himself And Wo to the Teachers that take Tythes and are like AEgypt's Task-masters for the Wrath of the Lord is kindled against them that he will neither leave them Root nor Branch But let us fear the Lord and be Valient for his Truth and he will certainly bless us with his Blessings from above So unto him do I commit my Soul with the Souls of all his People to whom be all Honour Renown and Dominion who is worthy of it God blessed forever and evermore From one that desires the Prosperity of his blessed Truth and in some measure has felt the Operation of it Philip Dymond Written the 29th of the 11th Mon. 1679. Dear Father Mother MY Duty is remembred unto you hoping you are in good Health as I am at this present writing Praises be to the God of Heaven and Earth who of his Loving-kindness hath appeared unto me in the day when I went astray and rebelled against him running apace to my own Destruction in that day it pleased God to give me a sight of my Sin so that I certainly know that my Redeemer liveth Praise Honour and Glory be to the Lord God of Power who hath so plentifully visited my Soul with his Love and Kindness So thinking meet to accquaint you with my present Condition and Exercises having no more at present I recommend you to the Lord the Father and Maker of all good things I rest Your Dutiful Son John Weight Written in the 9th Mon. 79. Dear Friend A. P. MY dear and true Love salutes thee desiring thy Well-fare I have at this time writ a few Lines unto thee which I hope may find thee in good Health Forasmuch as when thou wast with us the mighty Power of the Lord broke in amongst us and tendered our Hearts so also it hath continued with us unto this day which I desire may never depart from us I can really say The preserving Hand of the Lord is time after time witnessed to keep us and preserve us and his intent is to do our Souls good so that in him may be our Peace and Salvation for sometimes waiting upon him in his blessed Light for his appearance he doth so lovingly and fatherly appear that he overcometh our Souls so that we cannot but Praise and Glorifie him that so graciously should visit us in his Love as he said In the Day of my Power my People shall be a willing People And even at the writing of these Lines he hath broken my Heart before him O! how is the Lord found of them that seek after him How beautiful is he in his Arisings How doth he fill them that hunger and thirst after him Now are the dayes of Comfort come even now are the dayes of Rejoycing and being Glad in the Lord approaching unto our Souls for he that wounded us hath in some measure healed us he that made our Hearts sad hath now caused us to rejoyce in him the Creator of Heaven and Earth for who were we or our Fathers Houses that the Lord should have respect unto us but in his Mercy hath he done it therefore it is my Desire that we may all be faithful unto the Lord in that he hath committed unto us so shall we have more Much might be written in the Openings of the Lord but this is sufficient as I think to acquaint thee how it goes with us Farewell and be saluted From thy dear Friend James Claypoole Junior Waltham-Abby the 19th of 10th Moneth 1679. WHen in the Fear of God I consider the wonderful Care that he hath of the Children of men and how he strives with them by his Spirit to work out their Deliverance and that both in Old and Young my Heart is melted within me for in the Consideration of these things he hath often exercised me even in the Consideration of his Kindness towards the Children of Men even towards those who are but of young and tender Years O! when I consider how plentifully he hath poured forth of his Spirit in and among Children and how my Soul with many others hath been overcome by the living Sense of the Holy and Heavenly Living and Eternal Power of the Lord God of Heaven and Earth that hath appeared amongst us to the comforting of our Souls and how his heavenly Presence hath and doth still follow us from time to time in our Assemblies to our great Joy I cannot but thank the Lord and praise his holy Name for his care that he hath had over me in bringing me amongst them to be made a Traveller with them in that heavenly Truth which he revealeth unto us time after time in and through his Son Christ Jesus For although I had some sense of the Power of God before and was really convinced in my Mind that the Way wherein I have been brought up was the Way to Eternal Life to those who were Possessors of that Truth which they did profess and I did in some measure seek after the Possession of the same yet when I came into this Family and amongst those Children among whom God doth so wonderfully appear I was made to confess before the Lord that all that I had done was but very little in comparison of that wherein I saw others exercised and under the sense of the same Power did I secretly cry unto the Lord That I also might be made Partaker of that Power that did so fill their Hearts and that he would forgive me my Sins and blot out mine Iniquities that I had hitherto committed and that I might feel his Saving Arm to redeem me from the Bondage of Corruption wherein I felt my self deeply entangled Which Cry I do really know was of the

admire the Love of God in my Heart when I have been sensible how he hath condescended in reaching unto the Capacity of several of the Children whom I have really felt to be reached and blessedly tendered by the Power of an Endless Life Yea and the Lords Glory hath shined and doth many times shine amongst us so that sometimes it hath been in my Heart That the Lord hath begun to build up his Sion among us as to the Educating of Children for we can say to his Praise and Everlasting Glory That he hath done more in a short time for some Children here than ever any Teacher could be able to do Glory be to his Name who is the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and of their Seed for he is known to be the God of his People in this Day who are in the Faith of Abraham and of their Children also as they walk in his heavenly Way which he hath again revealed in this his glorious holy Day O! the riches of his Love and the infinitness of his Kindness towards all the Sons of men but more especially towards them whom he hath gathered into the knowledge of his ever-blessed Truth and in whom he hath revealed his Son who are his Witnesses on the Earth whom he hath loved with a singular Love in his Son Christ Jesus and given him unto them to be their Leader and Commander and not only so but he hath begun to visit many of their Children in their Young and Tender Years which cannot but be unspeakable Joy unto all Upright-hearted Parents to see and feel their Children visited with the same holy Arm of Power wherewith they were visited when they were gone far astray from the Lord which to feel in themselves is now their chiefest Joy How much more then will their joy abound to fell it operate in their Children while they are Young and Tender And now for the Encouragement of all who rejoyce to hear of the Prosperity of God's Eternal Truth I do testifie for the Lord and to the Praise of his great Name That the Lord our God hath not withdrawn the Sense of his Power and Heavenly Presence as to the General from us in this Family but at all times many of us are sensible as we are retired in our Minds that the Lords Love is towards us and we do alwayes feel his Power in our Meetings whereby our Souls are refreshed and we are thereby confirmed from time to time and in the Faith and Belief of the Prosperity of the Lords Work which he hath begun amongst us For notwithstanding that the Enemy may work at times in some of the Children to draw their Minds into Wildness and Disorder yet the Lords Power is over all and that contrary Spirit is much chain'd and kept down by the Revelation of Gods Heavenly Power whereby a Remnant are kept in a blessed Measure since the first time that they were thorowly reached thereby and do grow in Weightiness daily and in the experience of the work of Truth in their Hearts which is indeed great cause of joy unto all those of the Lords People who are concerned in them And so that the Lord God of Heaven and Earth may carry on this his Glorious Work among the Children and Off-spring of his People not only in this Nation but in all Nations and Islands where he hath gathered them is the Desire and earnest Breathing of my Soul From one who travails for the Prosperity of God's Truth in the Earth and at present is exercised among the Children in the School of Waltham-Abby Alexander Seaton Written the 17th of the 11th Mon. 1679. OH my Dearly Beloved Friends when I was alone and my Mind exercised in the Truth this Cry came thorow me That the Lord hath heard our Cryes and hath bottled up our Tears and hath answered our Desires in a Blessing upon the Children and hath broken the Wills of many that they fear before him and now is he fulfilling his Promise and that blessed Saying That Righteousness shall Cover the Earth as Waters the Seas that is all over for verily it cannot be said all over except Young as well as Old come to know the Lord. And this is my Testimony That the Time is at hand for a blessed Day have we seen of the Lords pouring forth of his Spirit upon Young and Tender Children that they may know him and fear before him And I can say of a Truth That we have of our Family Children that truly fear the Lord and do truly hunger after Righteousness O! how doth the Lord appear to us in our Family Meetings that we are overcome with his wonderful Presence and our Childrens Hearts broken before him that they cannot contain from Praising his holy Name His Glory doth so arise upon us that our Meetings are indeed to Admiration The Lord doth so follow us from Day to Day and from Meeting to Meeting as our dear Friends can witness with us holy Praises saith my Soul be to our God forever Do we not read in the Scriptures of Truth That Children in the dayes of Old have Blasphemed the Name of the Lord Scoffed at his People and Servants and were Cursed forever But now blessed be his Name he is appearing in his Love and Mercy unto Children that he may Bless them forever Ah! what the Lord hath done a few Moneths and Weeks past that the like hath scarce been heard of in many Ages or Generations amongst Children My Soul desires that the Sense of it may ever remain amongst us for we can never be able to speak it forth how Unutterable indeed are his Mercies unto us and his Wayes past finding out Oh! the Sense of this overcomes me that all within me is constrained to praise the Lord and magnifie his holy Name for he is Worthy Worthy Worthy saith my Soul O! how hath he broken in amongst us in our Meetings like a mighty Man of War that nothing hath been able to stand against him but we have fallen down before him with Praises and sweet Melody in our Mouthes that sometimes we could scarce know how to depart to go to our Natural Rest And when we have been in our Beds sometimes our Eyes could take no Rest for several Hours we have so admired the Lord's doings with us The Lord hath Determined That this His Blessed Work in this His Day shall be a President to the Ends of the Earth that the Generations to come may Magnifie his Holy Name who lives forevermore Written in the 11th Moneth 1679. Frances Taylor THE END

A TESTIMONY TO THE Lord's Power AND Blessed Appearance In and Amongst CHILDREN Wherein is expressed the great Love of God to them who as Young and Tender have tasted of his good WORD heavenly LIFE Published for the Use of Friends and to prevent various Reports that they may have a True Account in the following Testimonies given forth by Faithful Witnesses Here are also added to what was before Printed several pretious Testimonies and Epistles which are as the Effects of the Appearance and Opperation of that great Power Wisdom of God in and amongst them Printed in the Year 1679. Dear Friends WHEN I consider the great Love of God in this Day extended so largely both to small great it is to my great admiration and especially the hand of God reaching abundantly towards Children how wonderfully he hath appeared to them that in their Generation they may be God's Faithful Witnesses as we have been in our Day as the Lord hath kept us Faithful Some of the Openings of that Life in them and Pratlings of their Lips as tender Babes in Christ Jesus are here presented to be read in the Additional Epistles and Testimonies to what was before Printed Many other precious Epistles and Testimonies we have by us which were written to their Unconverted Friends and Relations which at this time we thought not so meet to be published C. T. OH dear Children into whose hands this Book may be recommended whether in the Truth or out of the Truth but I hope it may meet with many that are in the Truth a word is put into my Heart to Encourage you that fear the Lord and walk in his Way and an Invitation to you that fear him not And when this comes to your hands take this holy Exhortation and enter into your Closets and with Seriousness and Godly Fear read this Book which was at first put forth at that time when that Hellish Report was raised of us That the Devil arose amongst us This Book I say was put forth then to take away the Reproach and now many other things are added unto it of the Effect of that Great and Notable Day and the pouring forth of the Lords blessed Power and Spirit poured forth upon our Children a Holy Day indeed Forever let it be had in remembrance of us and of all those that truly fear the Lord a Notable Day indeed Verily the Devil Roared at it and stirred up his Instruments to Blaspheme this his holy Work but in the Name of the Lord We Defie him and them Ah! dear Children what may we say unto you of some of ours that live in the House with us that were once wild and disorderly as well as others but the Lord hath made them to Lament for their Sins and I know they have repented of them and the Lord hath been pleased to shew Mercy unto them and now they love his Righteous Wayes and the Lord hath filled their Hearts with his holy Praises and hath also constrained them to write to their Relations that live in Sin and do earnestly beseech them To Repent of their Evil Wayes and Defie the Devil who is the whole Cause of the Misery and Sorrow that falls upon the Sons Daughters of men for transgressing the holy Law of God that is written in their hearts Oh! how do they Lament over them that they may come to Fear the Lord walk in his Way with them that they may be blessed with them forever And many blessed things are amongst them too large here to relate This greatly exercised me this Morning and I could have no Rest until I had it writ down and then God's Peace confirmed me that I had done his Will Frances Taylor The 29th of the 11th Moneth 1679. A Testimony to the Everlasting Power of God which in Ages past hath wonderfully appeared in Sons Daughters which hath been Despised Mocked and Evil spoken of by the Wisdom which is from below that sees it not nor can know it which heavenly Power hath appeared in our Days and hath wrought wonderfully in and upon the Hearts of many even to the amazement of many and it hath met with the same Spirit of Opposition now as formerly calling it Madness Witch-craft and Diabolical Delusion It was prophesied of Old That the Lord would work a Work which some should not believe if it were told them This in part hath a Remnant seen in these Dayes and even of late as hereafter is mentioned UPon the 4th day of the Moneth called June 1679. at a Meeting in the Town called Waltham-Abby in Essex of the People call'd Quakers where was present about Forty or Fifty Young Boyes and Maidens God's heavenly Power brake forth in some Maids and Young Girls it begun with Three or Four at first broke them into Tears and Melting of Heart continued so a small time then it reached two or three of the Younger Boys which melted them into Tears and in a very small time reached all the Boyes and Young Girls many of them being but about Eight or Nine and Ten Years old the Power was so mighty that they were all broken into Tears some into Trembling and at last it reached unto the Elder People so that all in the Meeting was broken by the Power into Tears and Melting which did continue for about one Hour until the Meeting was ended This I was an Eye and Ear Witness of and felt God's Power wonderfully to the gladding of my Heart and answering the Breathings of my Soul which I have many a time had in a Travail to the Lord for the Children That the Lord might visit them in their Young Dayes after which Meeting I had this Hope and Faith raised up in my Soul which to some I did declare that God had a Work to work with some of these Children which he would bring forth e're long And several signal Testimonies hereof hath the Lord brought forth since as hereafter appeareth from other Eye and Ear Witnesses thereof And although Men in the Fallen Wisdom see not understand not not believe that this is from the mighty Power of God yet there is a Remnant gathered by this Power and have Experience of the Operation thereof how it hath wrought in them even in some when they were Young these are God's Witnesses that this is his Work yea it is fealed to them by his Spirit And let all the Mockers know God's Work in our Day will be too heavy for them and except they will Repent will be a Stone of stumbling upon which they will fall and be broken to pieces yea those that slight and neglect the Day of their Visitation untill it be too late this same Power they stumble at will fall upon them and Grind them to Powder This is from one who Travails and Breaths to the Lord that his Everlasting Power may be more and more revealed in the Hearts of the Sons and Daughters of men that many may be gathered