Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	abhor_v	able_a	know_v	20	3	3.3692	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50608	The Memory of that servant of God, John Story, revived shewing what manner of man he was from his youth to his grave, by the testimonies of several friends, to whom he was well known, and by whom, for his work sake in the truth, he was greatly beloved : to which is adjoyned something written by him, &c., in his latter years, wherein his judgment is shewn concerning some particular things, and his great desires for love, unity, concord, and peace in the church of Christ.	Wilkinson, John, d. ca. 1683. Brief relation concerning the life and death of John Story.	1688 (1688)	Wing M1702; ESTC R19789	42,298	47

him to be and through that gift and wisdom that was bestowed upon him he knew how to behave himself aright in the Assemblies of Gods People and amongst his fellow servants and could give very good counsel and advice unto such as were but young in the work and se●vice of the Ministry but indeed in this respect he had not that opportunity to manifest very much of that gift of Wisdom that God had endued him with because too many of late years did to much Disesteem Slight and Reject his Counsel and good Advise for he was a true honest-man and so was his Conversation among men even from his young years unto his latter end nor ever was as we could understand addicted to any Vice from his Child-hood unto his dying day neither was he subject to Flatter or Dessemble with any for his own ends But we believe that he abhored deceit and flattery from the bottom of his heart and Doubtless he did not any way deserve those vilyfying terms of a Dark or Creeping Spirit for we never knew him to creep after or dissemble with any for his own self-Intrest neither did he ever that we know off by flattery seek after the favour of any Great or Rich Men that so he might gain thereby but as a true Minister of Christ and an able Preacher of the Gospel that sought not after his own profit or applause Coveting no mans Silver nor Gold but the real Good Benefit and Wellfare of Souls And as he had freely received a Dispensation of the Gospel from the Lord so did he freely Minister of it unto others as the Lord did order him being as we said before an able and sound Preacher dividing the Word aright and was very Intelligible and plain unto mean Capacities Demonstrating the way of Life and exhorting all to walk therein and we believe that he did not in the least preach for filthy Lucres sake but of a ready and willing mind according to the requirings of Gods holy and blessed Spirit yea doubtless in this respect he might surley have said as Samuel did whose Ox or Ass did he take or whose Gold or Silver or Riches or Land did he seek or covet after He was a good Pastor who had a tender regard and care of the Flock of God where the Lord did order his service and especially among such where he had laboured much in gathering and confirming of them his care was great that they might be truly Instructed in the way of Life and gathered unto the gift and grace of God in themselves and that in it all might waite upon God to recevie a Divine and Heavenly understanding and come to be truly Centered and Established upon the Rock of Ages and in the Truth and way of God And it was his Care and Labour that none might walk disorderly unto the dishonour of God but that such might be Reproved Advised and Admonished as Friends did either feel Drawings in themselves so to do or as there was a seasonable Opportunity wherein Friends might do it in love and tenderness in a more general way as they saw it their places that if possible none might go astray Likewise on the other hand it was his care that Friends might not be Imposed on or over much driven into the Ceremonial part of Religion having an Understanding given him to discern how apt People have been to be led and to run into Imitations and the practice of Outward Things which some others have practised and so by that means have not taken that regard unto their own measures of the Spirit of God in themselves as they ought to have done But have through a kind of Zealous Mistake sometimes cryed up and esteemed the Traditions and Inventions of Men as Ordinances of God and such have been very forward in Judging and Condemning of others who were of a better Understanding and did see further than themselves And forasmuch as our dear Friend J. S. was by some who profess the Truth misrepresented unto many Friends that did not know him as a Person that was against good Order in the Church and as if he was a Man of a Loose and Libertine Spirit or that he did countenance others in their Failings c. It is with us to testifie that as it was our Lot to be well acquainted with him as any in these parts to our Knowledge were for many years yet we did never know him to oppose any good Order which any of Gods People did believe was their Duty to perform either Male or Female because Gods People are and ought to be a free and willing People and what they do as unto God it ought to be from a willing Mind and not by Man's Constraint Mark it was against the Imposing of it and so not against any good Order in it self which Friends might be in the practice of for we do know that he did love to see good Order among Friends and that things might be done decently but he was not for laying the Stress of Salvation upon any Outward Things or Methods that were or might be practiced among Gods People for that would be an Idolizing of it and Hippocrites may come into an Outward Conformity or Uniformity with Outward Orders or Methods when they are neither Heirs of Salvation nor Members of that Church which is in God of which Jesus Christ is Head for he would say That it was an incumbant Duty on Christians to be Charitable to the Poor and to relieve their Necessities But after what Manner or Method they did extend their Charity so that the end was answered he thought it indifferent For we read in History the Church at Jerusalem did Collect every First Day or once a Week but the Church of the Gentiles once a Month and doubtless they did not fall out or differ about their Method while they stood in Gods Counsel And as to Liberty that as he did abhor taking any Liberty in Unrighteousness so on the other hand he was one that did stand much for that Christian Liberty which is in Christ Jesus and he did both spend and was spent for the Gospel of the Kingdom which doth not consist in the strict Observance of any Outward Observations or Traditions or Inventions of Men but to wait upon God and serve him according to the Manifestation of his own Spirit that he hath given to Man to profit withal and then If the Truth doth make us free are we free indeed we say it was this Christian-Liberty that stands in Truth and Righteousness that J. S. did stand for and so do we and that all may know the Spirit of Truth to be their Leader in the Things that they do and perform as unto God that so none may act in those things from anothers Measure but from the measure of Gods Grace in themselves without being Judged one of or by another about their Christian Liberty and Freedom in the Truth And further we have to say

the Neighbourhood And as he in his Life time was of a grave and reverent Deportment even so was he accompanyed to his Grave People generally bemoning his death but the Hearts of Friends was generally filled with sorrow and their Eyes with Teares by reason of that inward affection they bare unto him as also the great sense of the great Loss they sustained in his Death who hath been a living example of Righteousness amongst us both in Life and Doctrine even in a manner from his Child-hood as if he had been Chosen from the Womb and Sanctified for a Vessel of honour and as he often exhorted others to continue walking in the way of Truth that in the latter end they might attain and come more fully to possess the Joyes of the everlasting Kingdom where all the Troubles and Sorrows of this present Life shall be wiped away and come to an end So Doubtless he is now entred into the full fruition of those never-fading Joyes wherein all the sorrow and sighing and Troubles of this present Life is come to an end and is Ascended out of the reach of wicked Tongues and Pens But what can be said Doubtless God endued him with Divine Wisdom to a large degree and accompanyed him with his Devine Power and Presence in Declaring the way of Life and opening the Misteries of the Kingdom to the comfort and Consolation of many who now mourn in Secret for his absence and I fear that time to come may know the want of such and I also fear that many in this present time have also rendred themselves unworthy of such but I desire we may make a good use of these things and that we look to our own standing and that we may walk according to the exhortations and counsel delivered unto us both by him and other his faithful Companions which have answered the Truth in our own hearts There was a very good opportunity for J. W. and others to bear a Testimony to Truth and the People gave very Diligent attention while he exhorted and Counseled to follow those things that make for peace and brings to rest in the latter end clearly Demonstrating the way thereunto with such things further as opened in him suitable upon that occasion G. D. The Testimony of John Jennings by way of Preface to the following Testimonies of several Friends in Wiltshire Courteous and Friendly Readers BE It known unto you that what is here written by way of Lamentation Testimony of our Deceased Friend John Story is not to draw forth the Minds of any for to admire him or any other Instrument that the Lord may make use of for the good of any Person or People but that which is here written is truly to certify all friendly People unto whom it may come what manner of Life Doctrine and Conversation this our deceased Friend did Live and Declare whilst he was amongst us and if any through envy or prejudice either against him or any of us doth or shall endeavour to gainsay oppose or invalidate this our Testimony concerning him we doubt not but that by Gods assistance we shall be throughly enabled for to Vindicate the same against any Opposers hereof for we know that what is here written of him is what is true and according to the best of our knowledge and indeed we had rather come short of commending any Person rather than to praise or commend any beyond their due deserts But forasmuch as it hath so happened that this worthy Man and Servant of God hath been by some too much abused in his Christian Reputation and mis-represented as an Apostate or Dark and Creeping Spirit it was so much the more on some of our Spirits for to give forth this following Testmony that as friends might truly know what he was amongst us and what Just Cause we had truly to love and esteem him as a servant of Christ even unto the last and truly as the power and presence of God was with him in his Ministry in former years when he was generally well spoken of by most or all that did love the Truth in these parts So we can truly say that at the last Meeting which he had in this Country the Lord did appear by him and through him as in former times unto the Edifieing and Comforting of his People and we had a very good and comfortable Meeting and therefore if any have let in any Prejudice or hard thoughts against him because they may have heard an evil report of him we do advise such to be more carful how they do receive Reports and let in prejudice against any of Gods servants least they do there by hurt themselves and break their own Inward Peace and as concerning others who have villified this servant of God either by their hard speeches or Writings against him it is with us to advise such for to Repent of what they have already done and to learn to do so no more least they are found fighters against God and his faithful servants and in thus doing we have thus far cleared our Consciences towards all such and shall leave the effect thereof unto God and desire all those that Read the following Testimony for to Read it without Prejudice or Carping at what is written but to read it as in Gods fear and with a serious and considerate mind that so they may the better understand what they read and consider of it If any sober and moderate Inquirer that is yet Ignorant of the matter should ask or inquire of us what was the ground or cause wherefore the said J. S. have been so misrepresented as an Apoastate and a dark and creeping spirit if he was such an honest man as you seem to signifie To this we shall give in short this Answer That as far as we could yet ever understand the Real ground and cause of it was because he did not so far conform and submit unto the seting up and establishing of some outward Orders and Ceremonys amongst Friends and as some that did or yet doth profess the Truth would have had him to have done and if any should yet inquire why he did not submit unto others for Unities sake To this we Answer that this Question might more properly have been proposed unto him in his Life time and if it had been so Proposed doubtless he would have given a sound and proper Answer thereunto yet forasmuch as he is gone and cannot now Answer for himself we do believe that we may truly give this Answer on his behalf viz. That it was for conscience sake that he could not or did not Conforme and submit unto the setting up such Orders and Ceremonies as others would have had him to have don and douptless he thought them to be superfluous and more then was Really needful for to be so strictly practiced amongst Gods People and that this was the Real ground and Cause wherefore he hath been so Callumniated and mis-represented we have case to

Things and lay it to heart for this is not doing as you would have others do unto you and do not think that the Saints Unity stands in those Things but in the Spirit and Truth Therefore Friends I do exhort and admonish you all to repent of the Evil you have done against the abovesaid Servant of the Lord J. S. or against any other of his Faithful Friends and Brethren and beware in time to come and watch in the Light of the Son of God against that Spirit in you that Lusts to Envy or to Hate Oppose or Persecute your Brethren And remember what the Apostle John said He that saith he is in the Light and hateth his Brother is in Darkness and walketh in Darkness and knoweth not whether he goeth because the Darkness hath blinded his Eyes So let this be a Warning unto you all that you may not in time to come stop or hinder any of the the Servants of the Lord in the Work of the Ministry that so you may avoid that Sentence of Go ye Cursed and which will be the Portion of all those that are found smiting their Fellow Servants R. A. Leonard Coal's Testimony DEar John Story whom the Lord made an Instrument in his Hand and fil'd with Heavenly Treasure and gave him his Word to Declare which he often did in the Counsel and Wisdom received of God dispensing it aright to the Capacities and Understandings of the Hearers for the opening thereof and did reach to Gods Witness in many he was well known to me and I had through the Goodness of the Lord opportunity to accompany him of late in some of his Travels in which time and ever since I knew him which was about twenty years he always behav'd himself as a Pattern of Righteousness which answered the Good in all He was always ready to give Advice to the Weak and Instruction to those who were enquiring the Way to Gods Kingdom and through the Operation of Gods Spirit could direct them to distinguish between the Im●ginacions of the Enemies deceitful working and Imaginations of their own Hearts and the true Mo●ions of Gods Spirit which Motion I am fully perswaded he knew right well he much desired and prayed for Quietness and Unity in the One Spirit of God and that all Friends might know it and follow the Leadings and Guidance of it in all things that relate to Gods Worship and Service and that they might not act by Imitation on that account and that People might come to know the way to Gods Kingdom and walk in it he often desired God to forgive those that spoke evil of him and that they might repent of their Slanderous and Lying Reports and False Prophesies of him And now the Lord hath taken him to himself out of the reach of them all he is gone to his Rest where no Sorrow nor Tears are I am fully perswaded And it is my earnest Desire that the Lord would be pleased to raise up more such Instruments for his own Work and Service as it pleaseth him L. C. Benjamin Coal's Testimony SInce I heard of the Decease of dear John Story there hath been a Testimony in my Heart to give forth concerning him whom I dearly loved for the Truths sake in which I have been often Comforted and truly Refreshed through him It is now towards twenty years since I came acquainted with him and our long Imprisonment in the heat of Persecution of Friends in Reading he came several times to Visit us in Prison and many pretious opportunities we had with him in Prison and were thereby wuch comforted and strengthened in our Suffering condition and many Hearts were tendered and sweetly consolated at that time in a real sense of the living presence of the Lord God which was with us and some that came into the Prison were Convinced of the Truth since which he hath often Visited us in our Meetings also I have from time to time been in his company both in Publick and Private and taken many serious Observations of his Deportment which hath been Grave and as a Servant of Christ yea it was such that from the first to to the last time I saw him which was not many Months since I never had acquaintance with any that exceeded him in a good Life and Conversation And the Lord endued him with a Gift beyond many in declaring the Truth and many were Convinced and turned to God by him He had a divine Understanding given him to divide the Word aright he was able and ready to inform Peoples Understandings to give Counsel and good Advice to Sion's Travellors who were at any time in a bewildred condition whereby many were often relieved and comforted that have been in trouble under the temptations of the Enemy of mans Peace He was of a loving kind Temper to all and his Company was very comfortable to me when Trials and Sufferings have attended Friends upon any account for a Testimony to the Truth he hath been an Encourager and Strengthener to many therein and I never knew him to speak slightingly or account it an Indifferent thing to be faithful to God in that respect or in any other good Work and Service wherein we might serve the Lord and one another but frequently exhorted and counselled Friends to be Zealous and Dilligent in wairing upon the Lord to know and answer his Requirings both by Doing Suffering and bearing Testimony for his Name and Truth upon Earth that so they might Honour the Lord and come to rest in Peace for ever And notwithstanding he met with many Exercises and Troubles among men yet the Lord was pleased to give him much Patience and when he hath been grieved and abused by any he manifested much of a Spirit of Forgiveness and Longsuffering towards his Opposers not rendring Even for Evil. I have often heard him speak much in Commendation of many Antient Brethren which are Deceased whom the Lord raised up to Preach and Publish the Everlasting Gospel in the beginning and how pretious and acceptable the Visitation of the Lord was to many that were in Distress and Mourned in solitary Places for want of the Saving Knowledge of God which is Life to the Soul And in a godly Care for the Honour and Propagation of Truth and the good of Soules I know he was often very deeply concerned and bowed in Spirit and was a man of Sorrows often with much fervent Zeal praying for the Prosperity of the Lords Work and that all that which was of a hurtfull nature might be utterly destroyed from among the Lords People and that Love unfeigned with the increase of Righteousness which brings everlasting Peace might abound amongst us For this was his soul often in supplication and Prayers unto the Lord God both in Publick and Private amongst Friends Oh! What shall I say for my heart is filled at this time and often tendred in the remembrance of the Lords Love and those sweet and seasonable Opportunities which

would readily confess and we say the Truth in us would readily have condemned it even as it now doth and if it shall please the Lord to manifest unto us a Service in those Meetings in the Country as well as City the same Integrity towards God which hath dwelt in us these many years past we believe will become a Bond on us to joyn Hand and Heart with others our Brethren and Sisters therein but till then our desires are that this may not become an Occasion of straitness in Spirit each toward the other but that embracing the wholesome Counsel of the Apostle in another Case If in any thing ye are otherwise Minded wait till God reveal it we may walk together in that pure undefiled Love of our God which thinketh no Evil. 2dly That though many of our Brethren see a Service in Recording Condemnations and leaving them upon Record to Posterity yet from that inward Sence and Heavenly Understanding we have we see no necessity to leave them upon Record to Posterity or retain them when the Sin is blotted out and remitted by the Lord neither to be extended farther than the Offence is known nor yet to continue longer than the memory of the Offence abideth but if any see meet from an inward sense of the Truth in themselves to leave such a Testimony relating to themselves to Posterity we have therewith Unity That this our sense may be no occasion of straitness of Spirit each toward the other is the earnest desire of our Souls who desire the Prosperity of Truth and Peace amongst all the Churches of God 3dly As to Tythes we can in truth say 't was never so much as in our thoughts to speak any words whatsoever with the least intent to strengthen any in the Payment thereof nor yet to weaken the Faith of any having a testimony in our hearts that Tythes as at this Day paid are Antichristian 4thly That as Groanings Sighings Soundings and Singings may proceed from Deceitful Spirits so also we declare Groanings Sighings Soundings and Singing may be the Fruit of the Spirit of the Lord among Gods People and that as the first is discouraged the second ought to be incouraged and the earnest Desire of our soul is that as to these things nothing but the Spirit of Truth and Sound Judgment may appear either to reprove or Incourage and though we are accused as if we were Opposers of such Groanings c. which the Truth approved yet God is our Witness we know it not 5thly That though we have been represented as Persons incouraging Flying in time of Persecution We say we are not Conscious to our selves of so doing for we believe those who stand not to their Testimony but flyes therefrom in the Day of Persecution may truly be counted either weak in Faith or departed from the Faith And thus having given our Inward Sence according to the Uprightness and Integrity of our Hearts concerning these five General Heads from whence all the 44 Articles do arise We shall with this conclude That the God of Heaven is our Witness our Desires are to approve our selves Men of Peace in the Abhorrency of all Fleshly Liberty and Looseness to follow after Truth and Righteousness that the Reign of the Power of the Eternal God may be over all so will the Kingdoms of this World become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ As to the two Questions answered by the Friends and Brethren met on this Occasion we in the Fear of the Lord say We in the proposing thereof had not the least thought to obtain your Yea and Nay with intent thereby to strengthen such who may be accounted our Party in any thing that is contrary to Truth nor to incourage Looseness or Bad Spirits but Conscientiously to remove the Scruples of some and further we say we are better satisfied with your Explication therein than with your bear Yea and Nay for we as well as you are sensible Apostates and Bad Spirits seekinga Fleshly Liberty have made use of Arguments deducible from such Principles of Truth to oppose the Power of God it self and the Practice af Gods People in the Power John Wilkinson John Story John Story 's Epistle to Friends in the North in which is signified his Desires for true Unity and Reconciliation Friends IN the Love of God and our Lord Jesus Christ which is Holy and Unchangeable for ever do I Salute you The Occasion of my Writing at this time is to let you know that my Soul hath been deeply exercised from day to day in the inward Considerations that have been with me for some time how the Holy Name of God is Blasphemed and the Profession of his Truth dishonoured among Unbelievers by the Reports that are spread abroad amongst them of the Divisions that are amongst us who have in scorn been called Quakers and also for the hurt and havock that I perceive is at this day made amongst the Heritage of God through this secret and subtil working of the Antient Enemy of Mankind who at this day as in days past hunts to and fro seeking whom he may destroy Now forasmuch as there hath been great Discourses amongst Friends touching a Separate Spirit and Meeting in the North meaning thereby a Spirit and Meeting that is Separate from the Truth and that I have been a strength to such a Spirit and Meeting I have this to say that the Searcher of all hearts knows I own no such Spirit or Meeting that is Separate from the Truth neither have I ever been a Setter up or Actor in any such Meeting for though I am accused that the Subscription of my Name to a Paper amongst others entitules me to be a Setter up of a Separate Meeting yet I am not in my Conscience convinced there is any one Word therein which justly entitles me to be a Setter up of the Meeting called a Separate Meeting For the Paper of Proposals I Signed was intended to Re-unite that Meeting and I am perswaded all Understanding Men that Signed did it for that End and if any thing therein had seemed to them too strait why did not they to whom it was sent desire a loving Discourse about it that they might have understood our meaning before they had either replyed or sent it abroad in which we should have been ready to have given our sence more fully which several have already done and though I have been by some abusively called a Captain the Lord is my Witness my desire neither hath been nor is to be a Captain over any to the Praise of the Lord I speak it I have learned the Truth of our Lord Jesus better than so for I know him that is the Captain of our Salvation ought to be the alone Leader of his People and the earnest breathing of my Soul is that as for many years past I have approved my self to the Friends of Truth the Lords Servant so I may to the end of my days and

as I have approved my self a Man of Peace so my Desires are that the Peace of God in the Love and Unity of the Truth may abound amongst you And now Friends I shall leave it to the Righteous God to Judge whether what is now proposed be not according to the Spirit of Truth which by its appearance in every Member of the Church of Christ at this day is become the only Lawgiver in every such Member in Matters that relate to the World to come for by it we are instructed in our Heavenly Duties to God Viz. How to Sacrifice to Worship and Serve him acceptably by Obedience to all his Requirings and through the same are the Lords People led into such Methods or Outward Practices wherein they are helpful and Serviceable each to other in their Generation for the Lord alone ought to be ey'd in and beyond Outward Forms though his Presence hath been and still is with his People in those Forms he leads into and so to him let us look who was before all Time and Days of this Fading World and is the Alpha and Omega the Beginner and Finisher of the Work of our Redemption which was and which is and which is to come the Almighty who alone ought to be minded beyond all visible Things and unto him in all our Exercises whether Inward or Outward my Soul desires we may all be kept even in that Spiritual Appearance of our Lord and Saviour which is that acceptable Day which shines in the Inward Man through which God hath made me amongst many other of his Servants partaker of that Heavenly Religion which is unspotted many of you know our Beginning was in his Holy Spirit and Power through which Death is and shall be more fully abolished and Life and Immortality brought to Light in and through which Power alone the Saints have and shall be throughly Sanctified and Perfected for ever and through it are the Heirs of that Eternal Inheritance and Heavenly Kingdom which outlasts all Outward Things and never fadeth away where all the Longings Earnings and Desires of the Righteous shall be fully Answered and Satisfied for evermore with the full Injoyment of that Life and Immortality over which the Second Death hath no Dominion and then may it be truly said of such That they are entred in and do take their Possessions Now into this Life in which the Heavenly Brotherhood and Fellowship of Saints stand the Lord gather you all more and more that whatever hath appeared in any contrary thereto may by his Word of Life be broken down subdued and rise no more that into the Bond of Peace and Union in the Truth ye may be again United and become Co-workers together as Gods Heavenly Family in the Love even in that Love which thinks no Evil for the Desire of my Soul is that ye may be cemented and Established together upon that Everlasting Rock and Foundation which the Gates of Hell and Death can never prevail against I shall now conclude with those wholesome words of the Apostle of our Lord and Saviour Put on therefore as the Elect of God Holy and Beloved Bowels of Mercies Kindness Humbleness of Mind Meekness Long-Suffering Forbearing one another if any Man have a Quarrel against any even as Christ forgave you even so do ye and above all these Things put on Charity which is the Bond of Perfectness and let the Peace of God Rule in your Hearts to the which you are called Col. 3. 12. So in the Desire to the Lord God that these things may truly be weighed and have place with you I rest Your Servant in the Work and Labour of the Gospel John Story POST-SCRIPT LET this Epistle be read in an Assembly to be appointed for both Meetings Viz. that called Quarterly and that called Separate in or near Kendal for my earnest Desire is that it should be so Read because as I said before I have a Concern upon my Spirit thus to write unto you both the things therein Contained I Recommend to Gods Witness in all your Consciences not desiring to Impose on any I knowing this that where it is awakened there will be an Answer to the Spirit of Peace and Truth in which 't was wrote and though some have given forth their false Censures and false Prophesies concerning me and others laid various Temptations before me which I look upon to be the Work of the Common Enemy that so I might have Stumbled and Fallen though those in whom it hath so wrought may not have an Eye open to see it yet my Joy and Rejoycing in the Lord is that they have not yet removed me from the hope of the Gospel Blessed be the Name of God for ever more for to his Praise and Glory and in his Fear which hitherto hath Preserved me I speak it my Cryes the Lord hath heard and he hath given me a certain Knowledge of his Way otherwise I might have been in great Danger to have sunk into the Pit of Confusion and never risen more but his Love is unchangeable his Mercy never fails them that put their Trust in him this by long Experience can I now Speak therefore I exhort and intreat you all to turn your Minds to his Inward Appearance through which his Love which is stronger than Death will be shed abroad in your Hearts and his Power be felt which will remove that which hath been the Cause of your Breach that you may come again to walk together in that Heavenly Charity through which no former Miscarriage will be remembred and so come to Serve him with one Heart in that way of Life which he hath made known unto us in these latter Days and thus you may finish your Course with Joy and leave this World in Peace and Injoyment of Immortality and take your Possessions in that Kingdom in which the Fulness of Joy that ever shall be is Inherited and where through the Earnest and Assurance of the Heavenly Kingdom the last End of the Righteous is Crowned with Honour and in that Day the many Temptations that have and do attend Gods People in this Fading Life shall cease and never be again J. S. Calne the last of the 7th Month 1677. And at present for a Conclusion we Thus End NOw as to all such that have or yet may think to defame us by saying in a proud scoffing manner These are Storians or of Story ' s Spirit we know nothing that he either held or practised on a Religious Account but what was agreeable to the Holy Scriptures and the Testimony of Gods Spirit as received amongst us in the Beginning so he is gone to his Grave no Sect-Master but a Follower of Christ and we never desire to follow him nor any Man but in the Steps and Way of that Stable Truth that shall outlast all New Inventions and Envious Nick-Names And although for a time the multitude of Israel did give their Ear-rings or Jewels of Prey to Giddion to make a Golden Ephod and said he should Rule over them the Evil Snare and Shame it afterwards brought upon them and him might be a Warning to others Giddions Beginning was Glorious and wonderfull but when the Hearts of that People began to turn from the Lord they tempted Giddion they were suffered to be a Snare to one another FINIS ERRATA Page 8. Line last but 2 for of trouble read of the trouble p. 11. l. 22. f. as Friends r. all Friends p. 12. l. 16. f. and as some r. as some l. 39. f. Opposers at r. Opposers of or at p. 13. l. 29. f. amongst you r. against you p. 19. l. 15. f. are we r. we are p. 26. l. 33. f even r. evil p. 28. l. 1. f. Keep 's r. Keyes and the Folio to be made 28. p. 32. l. 3. f. one r. own l. 33. f. now r. nor l. 43. f. thy years r. the year