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
hath determined must be fulfilled in despite of all the powers of Darkness Oh that all thy Babes and Lambs may willingly wait thy appointed time O Lord God Almighty oh dear God keep all thy people retire in thy Name that so what ever thou suffers to befal their Bodies their Souls may be safe bundled up in the bundle of Life wrapped therein for evermore for a terrible day is like to be upon all Flesh and who can be able to abide it Oh dear God increase the Patience of thy People strengthen the Faith of thy Chosen oh support the Weak and uphold the little Ones which cannot go alone oh that none of thy Flock may faint nor grow weary oh that all thine might stand in the day of Tryal and be kept in the hour of Temptation and born up under all Sufferings that so in the end they may come forth as Gold seven times refined in the Fire that they may shine as Stars in the Firmament of thy Power making mention of thy Goodness Graciousness and Kindness O Lord God Almighty declaring of thy mighty Acts and sing of thy Mercies and wonderful doings and Glorifie Magnifie Honour and Praise thee thou mighty everlasting and powerful one who art from all Eternity to all Eternity whose Throne is established of old whose Scepter beareth sway in Righteousness whose Kingdom is Everlasting glory and hallelujah to thee in the highest for ever and for evermore yea praises praises pure living praises every minute be rendered unto the Lord Almighty saith thâ— sâ—ul of W. B. OH arise arise thou holy righteous Seed of the Covenant of Life Eternal Arise arise thy Light is come and the Glory of thy God is risen upon thee Oh thou lovely one Nations shall come to thy Light and Kings to the brightness of thy Rising Ah thou beautiful one thy Sons shall come from far and thy Daughters from the ends of the Earth Arise arise thou beautiful one who art altogether lovely Oh how sweet is thy Love thou lovely one oh how excellent is thy Love thou choice one oh thy love thy love is more precious then Rubies more sweeter then Hony oh thy love is better then Wine Oh how hath thy love overcome the hearts of many and won them unto thee oh thy love draws many after thee oh how doth thy love cause many to cast off all their other Lovers to follow thee thou lovely one oh thou art become unto many Souls who loveth thee thou lovely one even the chiefest of ten thousands whose eyes are opened to see thy Beauty and to behold thy Comeliness thou beautiful one oh thou art hid from the Polluted neither can the Unclean behold thy excellent Beauty the Vulture's eye cannot perceive thy Comeliness nor they who hath eyes full of Adultery and cannot cease from Sin and have hearts exercised with coveteous practises and are gone a whoring after many Lovers oh from these thou art hid thou lovely one even as a Garden inclosed as a Spring shut up as a Fountain sealed from them Oh arise thou choice one and let thy Beauty appear unto those who have not seen thy Beauty and let them taste of thy Love that so they may cast off all other Lovers and follow thee cast off all and cleave unto thee with their whole hearts Oh arise arise thou beloved one and shine forth in thy excellent Glory that even the Nations may be ravished with thy Beauty and Kingdoms overcome with thy Love and be drawn after thee that a blessing in thee they may obtain Oh arise and let thy Fruitfulness appear thou precious one and let Joy and Gladness fill thy heart thou lovely one for the days of thy rejoycing is come and coming and the days of thy mourning oh Sion is fleeing away Oh thou beloved one thou hast been even as a Woman forsaken and grieved in Spirit and few or none of the Sons or Daughters of Men hath looked upon thee with an eye of pity oh thou hast been as the Owle in the Desart and as the alone Sparrow upon the house top and as the alone Quail in the stubble fields and as a Dove mourning alone without her Mate who hast set solitary alone as in the Wilderness and none among the Sons of Men to comfort thee oh thou beloved anointed one thou hast been like unto a man of Sorrow and very deeply acquainted with Grief often Smitten often Grieved often Afflicted often Wounded often Pierced and Oppressed even as a Cart that is pressed with Sheaves and yet the Sons and Daughters of Men hath not esteemed thee although indeed thou patient one thou hast been wounded by their Transgressions and grieved smitten and pierced and bruised by their Iniquities and hath born the weight of their Sins and the burden of their Transgressions even while they like Sheep have gone astray every one following his own way Feasting themselves as for a day of Slaughter whilst thou hast been Mourning because of the Iniquity of the People Eating and Drinking and rising up to Play whilst thou hast been Weeping and Groaning in secret because of the multitude of their Transgressions who hath heaped Sin upon Sin and Iniquity upon Iniquity and hath loaded thee therewith which hath been as an impress of ten thousands upon thee thou tender one and unto thee they had no regard they took no notice of thy Sorrow and Burdens But oh thou beloved one thy God thy tender God who hath loved thee with an everlasting Love took notice of thy Sorrow and he saw thy Grief and beheld thy sore Weights and Burdens and took cognizance of thy grievous Oppressions and he heard the voice of thy Weeping and thy Tears which thou droppedst upon his Alter lay in the view of the eye of his pitiful Soul and he beheld thy great Travel and thy Sighing and Groaning entered into his Ears and his tender tender Bowels of infinite Love Mercy Pity and everlasting Compassion was and is moved towards thee and he hath determined to comfort thee with an everlasting Comfort thou patient suffering one and the Nights of thy Sorrow shall vanish away for ever and the Days of thy Mourning shall be over Oh thou beloved one lift up thy Head lift up thy Head in the strength of thy God and gird up thy Loines with Courage in the power of his Might for thy Winter is almost over and gone and shall no more come the Storms are vanishing away and shall no more appear the nipping Frosts are dissolving by the Sun of Righteousness who is arisen upon thee with healing in his wings Ah lift up thy voice like the sound of a Trumpet and shout like the voice of a King and sing for joy thou beloved one for thy Spring is come thou lovely one thy Summer is come thou lovely one the singing of Birds is come thou beautiful one and the voice of the Turtle is heard in thy Land thou delicate and choice one let thy heart
and to limit the affectionate part from leading and drawing the Heart and Mind into things below into created Objects and into Bondage to the cares of this Life and troubles and cumbrances of this World which doth not profit but hinder to God-ward The Light is the Girdle of the Loins of the Mind of those that love it to gird up their Hearts and Minds unto God that in him their peace may be perfect The Light is a stop to those Thoughts which are reproveable by it The Light is a Bridle to the Tongue and they that know it so to be dare not say in a self-will our Tongues are our own and we will speak The Light ruleth over the Souls and Bodies of those that believe in love follow and obey it and teacheth and enableth such to yield their Members Servants of Righteousness unto God even as they have when they were Servants to Sin yeilded their Members Servants to Unrighteousness and of Iniquity unto Iniquity The Light is the Author of the true and living Faith which giveth victory over the World and is a shield unto the Soul to fend off the fiery darts of the Devil and worketh by Love to the purifying of the Heart The Light is the Author to the true Hope which is an Anchor unto the Soul sure and stedfast and is held in a pure Conscience void of Offence towards God and Man The Light is the Author of true Patience long Suffering Forbearance Forgiveness and Contentedness it teacheth to be patient in all Tryals Tribulations Troubles Straits and Difficulties and teacheth in all conditions to be contented and not to murmur against the Lord whatsoever he permit to come to pass The Light teacheth his Children to love one another fervently with a clean heart oh how good is God to Israel to them that are of a clean heart The Light teacheth to endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace The Light teacheth the Younger to yield and submit themselves to the Elder in the Lord and to hearken unto Counsel Instruction and Reproof he teacheth all his Children to be subject one to another he cloathes them with Humility adoâ—neth them with Meekness and beautifies them with lowliness of Spirit The Light teacheth the Strongest to condesend to the Weakest and to serve the Meanest in Love to bear with the infirmities of the Feeble to help and hold up the Halting and to draw forward the backward with the Cords of Love and to cast a Garment over thy Brothers Nakedness The Light in those that love it puts out the eye that watcheth for evil and condemneth that part that boasteth it self and rejoyceth at anothers fall and strengthens it self with prejudice against another through his failing which thing is as most abominable filth in the pure eye of the Light The Light doth not countenance evil in any but judges and discovers it though hid under a profession of Truth The Light is like unto the Touchstone that trys Silver from Tin it tryeth and discovereth the Good from the Bad it tryeth Motions Thoughts Words Works and Spirits The Light is a Stone which God hath laid in Sion Elect and Precious which they that believe shall not be ashamed and unto those that believe he is very Precious but unto them that believe not he is as a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence at whom the seeming wise Master-Builders have and do stumble and he whom tâ—â—â—ise Professors of this Age and great Rabbies and Learned Orators set at nought the same is become the Head and Chief Corner Stone in Gods House by the vertue of which Stone they that bâ—â—ieve in him are quickened and made living Stones meet to be joyned unto him the Light in whom the Building being fitly framed together groweth up unto an holy Temple in the Lord The Light was in the beginning before the Darkness was and is now made manifest to extinguish the Darkness and to fill the dark corners of the Earth with the bright beams of his Glory he is the First and the Last he was before Time and will remain when that which in time is passed away The Light is the Beginning and the End the Foundation and Top-stone the Root and Off-spring of David and the Bright Morning-Star whose blessed Day Abraham saw and was glad he dwelt among the seven golden Candlesticks and was with the Church in the Wilderness in the days of old He is the Light of the holy City New-Jerusalem which John in the Lords Day saw coming down from God prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband The Light giveth the Churches to know that it is he that searcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins from whom no Hypocrite in Sioâ— can be hid who said I come quickly and my Reward is with me to give unto every one according as his Work But who shall abide the Day of his Coming in which the Heavens pass away with a great noise and the Elements melt with fervent heat and who shall stand when he appeareth who is like Refiners Fire and like Fullers Soap purifying his Sanctuary and cleansing his Temple in which he delights to dwell He is the Word that was in the beginning by whom all things were made that was made and in him there is Life and his Life is the Light of men and he is the true Lâ—ght that lighteth every man that cometh into the World he is the Express Image of his Fathers Glory and is called the Son of God in whom dwelleth all fulness of Joy Happiness and Eternal Felicity who is God over all and above all blessed blessed for ever and evermore Amen VV. B. OH happy and blessed are the People who though they once were Darkness yet now are Light in the Lord Oh walk ye oh walk ye as Children of the Light bearing the pure Image of the Father of Lights in whom is no Darkness at all nor variableness or shadow of turning but is the same yesterday so to day and for evermore FRiends that are Sufferers upon Truths account in Edmonds-Bury Goal are in a measure of health through the Love Goodness and Mercy of the Lord blessed and magnified be his Name this 7th day of the 10th Month 1667. and their dear love in the precious Truth dearly reaches forth unto all faithful Friends every where and you are often in their remembrance desiring the Lord may prosper you and bless you with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus our Lord and keep you with us and the whole Israel of God by his Almighty Power through Faith in his Name unto his Heavenly Kingdom and enable us all to finish the work the Lord hath given us by his Power to do that we may glorifie him on Earth that he may glorifie us with himself with that glory he had before the World began even so be it and Amen faith my Soul To Friends Sufferers in Norwich-Castle DEar Suffering Lambs whom the Wolves seek to
of him be great who still do here abide Yet in our God we are compleat while we in Truth reside In which the living God preserve and from the World defend All those that put their trust in him and keep them to the end That in the closurâ— of our Daâ—s our Heads in peace may ly And fill d our Mouths may be with Pray'rs unto the Lord on hy Who over all is worth and only prais'd be he That never â—axeth old nor ever Changed can be Walton the 30th of the 8th Month 1684 Edmond Cross Six Verses writ by another Hand WAs ever Dust more Dignified while t' was a House of Clay For heavenly Life did there abide its Vertue to display An Humble Meek and Harmless Soul within this Dust did dwell Which all the Glory of this World abundance did excell This Dust on Earth it had a Name whilst it on Earth did move But that same Life which mov'd the same theirs few do know or Love The Dust is left the Soul is gone in Life for ay to dwell From sight of every mortal one in Glory to excell Thy Dust within the Earth do ly my Dust shall ly by thine Our Souls in Life shall dwell on high our Fellowship divine And though by Death we leave our Dust our Souls remain forever And from the Spirits of the Just no worldly Power can sever William Peart HIS TESTIMONY CONCERNING William Bennit Reader MAny has been the faithful Witnesses which God hath raised in his day blessed be his holy Name that hath been truly honoured with his Power and living Presence in which they have gone forth in his Work and Service in order to the gathering in of his numberless Number which he is a gathering from the ends of the Earth to Inhabit in his new Jerusalem that heavenly City come down from God the City of the Saints Solemnity where the living Praises are continually Sung to the God of Zion the King of Saints to whom be ascribed all Honour and living Praises as is due saith my Soul forever Amen Now Friends many of these Embassadors and Agents for the King of Heaven it hath pleased his heavenly Majesty to end their Commission by calling them home to that place of rest prepared for the Faithful where the oppression of the Oppressor ceaseth and not so much as his voice heard himself being forever shut out the Memorial of them is blessed their Names will be honorable in Ages yet to come and the Children yet unborn will bless the Lord on their behalfs much might be writ in a general way as to those worthy Witnesses before mentioned but that which is before and chiefly at this time upon me is to leave a Testimony to Prosterity that lives in my Heart concerning that faithful Servant of God and of his People and worthy Minister of Christ Jesus dear William Bennit a man indeed of a meek Moses like Spirit in whom the Lord had in a large measure fulfilled his Promise viz. to make a man more pure then fine Gold yea then the golden Wedg of Oâ—â—er for indeed the Lord had tryed him in the Furnice of Affliction and had in a large measure purified him from the Oare or earthly mixture and made him a chosen Vessel fit for his own use for saith Solomon When the Silver is refined from the Drâ—ss there is a Vessel for the Refiner as this good man was a Vessel of honour fitted for that use whereunto the Lord had called him which was to bear a living Testimony for his Name in which he was found very faithful not in Word and Doctrine only but iâ— Life and Conversation also in which he shined as a Light upon a Candlestick which gives a Light to all which be in the Room so was the godly Life of this ever blessedman of which I am Treating it gave a Light easie to be discerned by all who are of the Family Houshold of Faith nay his and Truth 's Enemies see it and were made oft-times to confess it and say that he was a man of an Honest Godly Upright Life such a Luster Brightness did it cast that Truth was greatly honored by it not only in the Town of Woodbridg where he dwelt but where ever he came or was known his Life preached Truth his Carriage was Innocent his Words were very Savoury savouring of what his Heart and inward parts was filled with which ministered Grace to his Hearers And as to that Testimony that God had given him to bear for his Name in Word and Doctrine he was very faithful in it and was oft-times drawn in the Love of God to travel upon the account of it in great Weakness and Infirmness of Body which for the most part possessed him but great was the Strength and Vigor of his inward man which oft-times as it were swallowed up the weakness of the outward man I have often seen him go into a Meeting when it was thought he had more need have been in Bed such many times was his Weakness and Illness but strong was that Love in which he was drawn forth to serve the Lord his God which oft-times in the Assemblies of God's People flowed from him as sweet streams from a pleasant Fountain to the great refreshment of the right Seed and nourishment of the true Birth in the sence of which his Heart was often filled with that strength of Life and heavenly Courage that he would appear like a Gyant greatly refresht with new VVine ready to run a Race where there was no appearance of the bodily weakness as before but when his Testimony hath been ended and Service for that time over he hath been like onâ— ready to give up the Ghost his before-mentioned weakness again repossessing his earthly House of Clay by which I have often observed how in a wonderful manner as to the outward man the mighty Power of God attended the blessed Testimony and acceptable Service of this Servant of Christ he was a worthy and honorable Instrument in the hand of the Lord and many were turned to the Lord by him for the Lord of the Vinyard imployed him therein both to Plant and VVater he being very well accomplished and fitted for both being thereunto educated by the Power of God in the School of Christ He delightd much in breaking up of untill'd Ground often having Meetings where there was never any by Friends before and the Lord very much blessed and prospered his Labour in that very respect in adding to his Church thereby He was indeed the Father of many Children who were begotten by him into the Faith of the Lord Jesus Christ God had given him a ready Utterance his Tongue was as the Pen of a ready Writer often minding Friends of the day wherein they first received the Truth to remember their first Love that though they had known much experienced much had witnessed a large encrease in the Riches of God's Kingdom yet to
be in the lest degree exalted above him but still keeping low in him dwelling beneath him at his footstool and whatever thou receivest from him when he calls for it return it back to him and be nothing without him but what thou art in him alone knowing that what thou art it is by him and what thou hast it cometh from him Therefore be nothing without him and return his own to him for he is worthy that his own should praise him And in the belly of a humble lowly broken contrite spirit dwell oh my soul where thou mayst serve God with thy tears dwelling in the sence of the freeness of his love and mercy in what he hath done for thee that the remembrance thereof may rend thy bowels before him passing thy pilgâ—image here in fear and trembling before the Lord thy God unto whom unto whom unto whom be glory glory glory praises praises praises thanksgiving honour and eternal renown be rendered unto his eternal name who is blessed blessed blessed for ever and ever Amen Amen Halelujah in the highest Amen glory glory ah glory Halelujah in the highest Amen Amen saith my soul Oh my soul where didst thou begin but in the sence of Gods dear tender precious most excellent love stirring in thy heart and there must thou end and rest satisfied and lay thee down quiet in peace with Gods most dear Babes and tender innocent Lambs unto whom thou cleavest as flesh to their bones towards whom thy bowels thy bowels thy tender bowels do unspeakably yearn with secret pantings in thy inward parts through the weight of love that abides in and upon thee oh my soul my soul my soul William Bennit To Gods Lambs in Prison Greeting DEar Friends and suffering Lambs shut up together in nasty holes oh you dear Suffering Tribulated Conscientious ones of the tender God of love life and power I whom am your dear and tender Friend and Companion in thâ— pure patience and long suffering of the Seed incorruptible do most dearly greet you and intirely salute you and sweetly imbrace you in the love of the Lord your God who hath not only counted you worthy to believe in him the mighty God but dear ones he hath also counted you worthy to suffer for his holy name sake because of your Faithfulness and for your Obedience unto his most sweet excellent everlasting Truth ah dear Lambs the witness hereof feel in your selves yea I believe my dear Friends that you know and feel the holy witness of the holy God of holiness in your own hearts bearing a true testimony to your own souls that your such confinment and sufferings is because of your obedience to the Lord your compassionate God of infinite bowels wherefore ye Lambs ye dear Lambs of the Lord God of power in him be ye comforted in the middest of your sufferings for him and be refreshed in the middest of your afflictions and consolated in the middest of your tribulations and be you made glad and rejoyce in the middest of your tryals even in the middest of all glorifying praising and honouring your tender God for his rich mercy towards you to be partakers of the sufferings of his seed oh my dear Friends my tender bowels is at this time opened unto you and my soul streams with streams of love of dear intire love towards you which fâ—oweth forth in the true sence and feeling and simplicity that my soul hath of your sufferings of which I partake in spirit and in the sence of your Faithfulness my soul is refreshed and bound thereby to praise your God and my God on your behalf Dear Lambs I believe that the sweet comfortable presence of the Lord God Almighty is with you and doth so accompany you as that your cup of sufferings is made sweet unto you so as that you can drink it off with gladness knowing and seeing that it is the will of the Lord to permit it to be given unto you whole will and not your own your innocent souls desire to do Ah dearly beloved Friends what shall I say unto you that ye might thereby be comforted that my soul in the sence there of might be made glad well dear Babes the fountain and fulness of everlasting joy and gladness is the bosom wherein you are to be wraped up and to repose together for evermore if you keep the faith to the end The streams whereof I know do often refresh your souls which overcomes you with its sweetness and lifts you up above all your sufferings and even make hard things become easie unto you â—lory glory and pure praises in spirit be shouted out unto the mighty God of worm Jacob the everlasting Jehovah of Israel unto whom dearly and beloved Friends I commit you all most intirely and fervently desiring that he the only Lord who is your tender God may for his own seeds sake minister to all your necessities and supply all your wants and cause your strength power wisdom and love with pure patience content and long suffering in him to abound daily more and more Amen saith my tender soul So dear ones read and savour my love in the Word which is more pretious then all words whatsoever wherein dear Lambs repose together and the milk thereof dear Babes suck and be refreshed thereby Farewell dear Lambs I am your dear Friend and Brother in the Lord. WILLIAM BENIT To Friends in the Love of Truth Greeting MY dear and tender beloved Friends in the love of God and in his pure pretious everlasting Truth whereof he hath in the freeness of his pure grace and endless love made us pertakers with the rest of his dear Babes and Children and whereof he hath made us witnesses in our measures in this his blessed day spring from on high which is come and coming which is brook and breaking forth in great glory so that its brightness shall reach unto the utmost dark corners of the Earth even to the exstinguishing of the Night and to the expelling the darkness which hath covered the Earth and the gross darkness which covered the People Ah dear hearts the blessed beams of the brightness of this blessed day spring from on high hath reached unto our souls which were once sealed up in the Darkness under the shadow of the Night and hath and doth shine in our hearts giving of us the true knowledg of the true and living God and thereby hath guided our feet out of the crooked slippery paths of darkness wherein we once walked stumbling as the blind into the paths of peace even into the path of the just which as a shining light shineth more and more until the perfect day for which the Lord our dear and tender God is worthy worthy to receive pure living praises from the breath of his own life in our souls who is worthy that his own should praise him for its sacrifice is acceptable and pleasant unto him who is God over all blessed for evermore Dear hearts in
Earth have cause to speak well of the Lord and to trust in his holy Name we are the People for mightily and wonderfully hath the mighty God done and wrought for us though the blind World sees it not Oh! how have we been as Lambs among Lyons and yet not devoured but wonderfully preserved by the secret Power and invisible Arm of the Lord our Shepherd who hath been our Defence when the Beasts of the Forrest have come forth to Devour and the Wolves have been greedy of their Prey then hath the Lord sought for Mount Sion and defended the Hill thereof and though some said We 'll pursue we 'll overtake our Lust shall be satisfied on them we 'll draw our Swords and our Hands shall destroy them yet how hath the Lord blown in his Wrath upon them the Sea of his Judgment hath covered them and they are sunk as Lead in the bottom of the mighty Waters and we yet through mercy are alive and have a being among the Living to speak well of the Lord and to make mention of the Goodnesâ— of our Good and to declare of his Kindness and to praise him for his Works which are marvelous in our Eyes Oh! his Love his Mercy and tender fatherly care over and towards us extends beyond the demonstration of Words and oh let the sense thereof be engraven upon the table of our Hearts that it may humble us and keep us low before the Lord and be an Obligation upon every Soul of us to bind and engage us unto the Lord and his Truth forever How mightily hath the Lord limitted and quieted the raging Sea and made a Calm oh that all Friends might take notice of the great Mercy and Love of the Lord to us in this particular and mind the end of the Lord therein and let us all take heed we Sin not because Grace and Mercy to us abounds lest it provoke the Lord to Anger and be a moving cause to induce him to let forth the Wind and suffer a Storm again Oh that none might get into a false ease and liberty and wrong security because of the present Calm but all to keep retire in that which fitteth and maketh ready for Tryals when they come in by and through which we have been upheld preserved hitherto even by the secret Power Arm of the Lord which is not shortned that it cannot save but is the same that ever it was and it hath been our Helper in six Troubles and in the seventh has not been wanting to us to help us when there hath been none to help and to support and uphold us when there hath been none to uphold but Loads Burdens and Oppressions have been heaped upon us and to comfort us when nothing but Sorrow and Trouble from the World compassed us about and when we have had nothing as from men but the Bread of Adversity the Water of Affliction even then hath the Lord our tender God been the Comforter of our Hearts the Refresher of our Souls the Rejoycer of our Spirits and the Lifter up of our Hands when we have been bowed down with the Oppressions of our Enemies his â—resence hath been with us in the Prison-house and in the low Dungeon and hath not left us to this day and assuredly never never never will leave us if we leave not him but will be with us until we have finished our Course and fulfilled the dayes of our appointed Time and our Change come So dear Friends unto the Lord I commit you who knoweth how it is with all his Babes and Children and beholdeth all their Tryals Straits and Sufferings inward and outward and his ear is open to the cry of the Poor and groanings of the Needy who is God all-sufficient for all those that trust hope relie and depend upon him and able to keep them by his power through Faith in his Name unto his heavenly Kingdom So the Lord be with you all and the Almighty protect and defend you and keep you from Evil unspotted from the World and preserve you in Love Peace and Unity with himself and one with another in his innocent unfained Love in his Light Life Power and Truth and make and keep you all of one Heart and one Mind and one Soul that you all with one consent may still worship and serve the Lord God in the one Spirit and the one Truth in which I dearly greet salute and embrace you all and remain your Friend and Companion in the Patience and Tribulation of Jesus Farwell dear Friends William Bennit Dear Friends IN the Love which waxeth not Old neither is subject to Change which God hath shed abroad in the hearts of those that believe in the Light through the operation of his Eternal Spirit in this Love which openeth our Hearts unto the Lord and one another doth the unfeigned Salutation of my Soul reach forth unto you as in which Love Iabide I cannot forget the Family of Love and Houshold of Faith neither can length of Time nor distance of Place â—onds nor Tribulations extinguish the remembrance of you whom the Lord â—ath chosen out of the Elect Seed from out of the Faâ—ilies of the Earth to place his Name among and to maniâ—est his Power and Glory in and through you his People to the praise of your God in your Generation dear Friends who are called to be made pertakers of the Blessed Everlasting Inheritance of the Saints in Light and through Faith in the Light of Life you are called and raised up to bear Testimony unto him whom the Nations Despise but unto you that believe in him he is Pretious and you that have seen his Bâ—auty and beheld his Comliness and have tasted of his Love and have savoured the sweetness of his preâ—ious Oyntment which hath healed your Wounds and cured your Diseases and with which your Souls have been Bathed Warmed and sweetly Refreshed unto you that have tasted of his Divine Vertues who is the Light of â—he World he is the chiefest of ten Thousand who hath called and chosen you out of the World to follow him in the Regeneration and to bear his Image before the World and to shew forth his Testimony against the World therefore do the World hate you and desire and seek your Destruction and would tempt you and by cruelty force you from the beloved of youâ— Souls but dear Hearts every one cleave in spirit unto the Lord and hold fast his blessâ—d Truâ—h received into your Hearts that the Enemy within nor his Instruments without by all their Temptaâ—â—ons and Cruelty may never move you to decline nor degenerate from that blessed Testimony which God hath given you to bear for him in the midst of a Wicked and Uâ—godly Generation who must fill up the measure of their Iniquity that Judgment may come upon them to the full and the measure of your Sufferings must also be fulfilled therefore dear Lambs hold fast Faith and a good Conscience and pâ—t
blessed be the Lord who hath exalted my low Estate and brought me from off the Dunghil and given me a Mansion in the Father's House and a place at the Table with his Children though I once by hearken to my Enemy said I was a Dog and not worthy to eat of the Childrens Bread and so I kept good things from me by yeilding to my Adversary who would still have feed me with his food even the dust of the Earth that so I might have continued always Weak Lean Barren and Feeble and never to have been able to overcome him but the Lord my tender God who thought upon me in the day of my distress when I was poor and needy hath rebuked him and hath put him under my Feet the mighty the Lord hath brought down from his Seat and exalted him of low degree he hath delivered Jacob out of the hand of him that was too strong for him and though he was a Worm and no Man and the cry was How shall Jacob arise yet the Arm of his God hath raised him from the Earth and hath set his Feet upon the Necks of his Enemies and hath given him power to tread upon the Mighty as the Potter treadeth Clay and this is the Lord's doings and it is marvelous in the eyes of his Servants blessed be his name for ever it is the Lord that lifteth up the weak Hands that hung down and strengthens the feeble Knees and mâ—kes strait their Paths that that which is Lame may not be turned out of the Way but that rather it may be Healed that the Halâ—ing may go upright and the Lame may leap as an Hart and the Tongue of the Dumb might sing of the goodness of the Lord and the Mourner rejoyce in him whose Mercy endureth forever So believe hope and trust you in the Lord all ye that love him and mourn and long for him and in patience and contentedness without fainting in your minds wait for him for the Lord is good to the man that waits upon him to the Soul that seeketh him and it is good both to hope and quietly to wait upon the Lord more then he that wanteth and waiteth for the Morning for with the Lord there is great Mercy and plentious Redemption who redeemeth Jacob out of all his Trouble and is with him in the Fire and in the Water and in all his Afflictions he forsook him not Therefore trust you hope relie and depend you upon the Lord all you that love him and cast your care upon him for he cares for you whose tender compassion and faithfulness will never fail to the House of Israel A General Salutation of Love to the Children of Light AND all dearly beloved Friends everywhere who are faithful to the Lord and his Truth in your several measures and places my very dear and unfained love in the precious Truth of our God extends unto all the honest and upright in Heart who love and delight in Truth and Righteousness and seek the Praise Honour and Glory of God alone Grace and Love be with you Mercy and Peace attend you Joy and Comfort fill you and the Blessing of the Most High rest upon and remain in with you Day and Night and the Lord keep you all in the Faith of the Elect Seed in which is your Victory over the World in which stand fast and keep your Dominion in the Lord over the Earth earthly things that the Earth may be the Foot-stool of your Minds Heaven your Throne and you to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus and to use the World as if you used it not being loose in heart to that which perisheth with the using oh that all Friends that are free from and void of the Cares of this Life and Cumbrances of this World may prize and stand fast in their Freedom and not be forward and hasty in the affectionate part to run their selves into Bondage to those things that profit not but hindreth to God-ward and prove as Bryars and Thorns to the choaking or quenching of the growth of the Seed of Life in the Heart there is a mind that hunts and desires after and is ready if it be not limitted to form and create unto it self a Freedom that stands not in the Liberty of the Sons of God the Liberty of the Sons of God and Children of the Light stands in that which is a Yoke to the World's Liberty and their Freedom stands in that which is Bondage to the carnal Mind and crucifies unto the World and wordly things also there is a mind that is ready to endeavour and seek to put off and to keep out of those things which in their proper place may be said to be lawful that it seeth it hindreth the growth into the Eternal and endangereth the Souls standing to God-wards and truly that is the more purer mind that serves one Master God alone Indeed dear Friends I am ready to desire that this mind which was in Christ Jesus may have dominion in our Hearts more and more that as Strangers and Pilgrims we may be in and to the World and the love thereof and the Lord â—lone become object of our Love and his Truth the covering of our Eyes that so the desire of our Souls may be unto him and unto the remembrance of his Name which is like precious Oyntment pour'd forth giving a pleasant smell and a sweet delectâ—ble savour and therefore do the Virgins love him and remember his Love more then Wine yea more then Father Mother Husband Wife Children Silver Gold Houses Lands yea he is the chiefest to them of ten thousand and the Upright love him for he is altogether comely Oh! dearly beloved Friends much hath the Lord God of power done for us since the day he found us laid among the Pits and raised us up from the Dunghil of our own Corruption and sâ—id unto us Live who were dead in Sins and Trespasses oh how greatly hath he blessed and prospered us in despite of the spirit that hath so eagerly sought and endeavoured to devour us and extinguish us from being a People and hath even made us a Family like a Flock and though Balak and Balaam's spirit the Beast Jezabel and false Prophets have sought Inchantments against us to Curse us yet the God of blessings has greatly Blest us in our Sufferings Tribulations and Afflictions and has made Joseph as a fruitful Bough by the Wall whose Branches grow over the Wall that doth and will let until it be taken out of the way though the Archers of Babylon have shot at him and grievously wounded him yet his Bow notwithstand his great Affliction hath abode in Strength and the Hands of his Arms have been made strong by the hand of the mighty God of Jacob who has blest Joseph and unto the uttermost bounds of the everlasting Hills shall he be blessed forevermore Oh dear Friends if any People now in being upon the