Christ down from above or to descend that is to bring Christ from beneath c. but the word to wit Christ is nigh thee in the heart and in the mouth to be obeyed and done and this is the Word of Faith that Paul preached nigh in the heart Even Christ in them â—he living hope that was as an Anchor to their Souls sure and stedfast the hope of Glory And Paul exhorted the Corinthians to examine themselves and to prove themselves whether they were in the Faith whether they knew not Christ to be in 2 â—or 13. 5. them except they were Reprobates And John in his writing to the Saints reminds them of that within which they had heard from the beginning and says to them Let that remain in you to wit The word which was in the beginning which you have heard from the beginning and if it shall remain in you ye shall continue in the Son and in the Father and tells them That they should not need that any man should teach them but as the anoynting which they had received of God abiding in them should teach them which was the Truth to wit Christ the Truth in them the anoynted the anoâ—nting And as he had and did teach them so they were to abide in him so they knew Christ in them witnessed the Power of God within the Truth witâ—iâ— the Word nigh in their hearts the Spirit of God in their inward parts by which they were led guided taught anâ— instructed For so many as are the Sons of God saith Paul are led by the Spirit of God and he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his and this gave them an understanding in the things of God even the Spirit of God For no man knows the things of God saith Paul but by the Spirit â—f God through which he was made anable Minister of the New 1 Cor. 2. 10 11 12 Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit which giveth life And he Preached the everlasting Gospel Christ the Power of God the Word nigh in the heart and said If our Gospel be hid it is hid from them that are lost in whom Mark in whom the God of the world the Prince of the power of the Air that wicked spirit that worketh in the hearts of the children of disobedience hath blinded their minds lest the light of the glorious Gospel Christ Jesus should shine in and unto them But God who commandeth light to shine out of darkness hath shined Mark in our hearts to give us the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus and we have this treasure in the Earthen vessel that the glory may be of God and not of us so the Saints Preached up Christ the Word of Life the Light the Truth within and Rom 1. 19. 1 Cor. 12. 7. Tit. 2. 11. said That which is is to be known of God is manifest in them and Paul says That the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall and the free Grace of God saith he Mark that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that we denying ungodliness and worldly lusts should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world And the Saints they witnessed their reconciliation and were born again they felt and knew that in themselves of which they were born again even Christ 1 Pet. 23 24 25. in them the Seed incorruptible the Word of God which lives and abides for ever by which they were begotten again unto God and quickened by the Word of life even they who were once as dead stones were raised up as living Children unto Abraham and so they came to taste that the Lord was good and gracious to taste and handle of the Word of Life and to seed upon the Bread 1 Cor. 12. 13. of Life and to drink of the Cup of Blessing and so by one Spirit were baptised into one body and were made to drink into one Spirit wherein they worshipped and served the Lord God and had Unity with the Lord in and through the Eternal Spirit and Unity one with another which united their Souls unto each other and unto the Lord God over all blessed for ever Ah dear people you in whose hearts there is true desires and secret thirstings after the living God where-ever ye are scattered among the many Sects and people towards you doth my soul yea my tender soul yearn and stream with love and good-will and for your sakes dear people doth my Soul travel in the womb of Supplication that you might come to enjoy that which you are seeking after and come to possess that you are thristing for and for your sakes mostly is this written in tender bowels of unfeigned love and pity to your souls And dear people you that have true desires in you after the Lord and hath been seeking of him where you cannot find him and hath been running from Mountain to Hill and from Hill to Mountain from one broken Cistern to another from one dead Form to another but still are unsatisfied and are sensible that you still notwithstanding your long profession and confession of God and Christ in words and notwithstanding your practicing some things that you read of which the Saints once performed in obedience of the Spirit of Truth which led them thereunto want the feeling enjoyment of the Love and sweet Peace of God and go groaning daily under the burden of the bondage of sin and corruption and desires to be set free therefrom Oh dear people retire retire with your minds inward you who have been seeking a God a far off and hunting after the Lord without retire to within and wait to know the Lord God near you to know his pure Truth in your inward parts his pure Spirit in you to lead and guide you to teach and instruct you for God is a Spirit and his teachings are spiritual he must be known in Spirit worshipped in Spirit and in Joh 4. 21 22 23 24. Truth not at the Mountain neither at Jerusalem not in this set Form nor in the other Form As lo here and lo there but in the Spirit is the Lord God known and worshipped aright by them who are born of the Spirit And so the spiritualized people who are born oâ— the Spirit and lives in the Spirit and are taught and led by the Spirit of Truth these are the peculiar people who Worship the God of Truth who is a Spirit in the Spirit and in the Truth and these are acceptable Worshippers with the Lord who own no Worship but his own which he teacheth his people by his Spirit and they that is ignorant of the Spirit of God they are ignorant of the true Worship of God which is in the Spirit and although such may seem to Worship God yet their Worship is not of God nor accepted with God It is the purified Sons of Levy who have passed through
this suffering time among his Friends Brethren at home because it was reported he should be sent to Edmonds-Bury Goal and in the aforesaid Prison at Melton he was kept very close and the next Sessions at Woodbridg he was brought into the Court where an Indictment was preferr'd against him for being Riotously and Routously assembled with many others c. to which after many sound Reasons and Arguments to prove our Meetings Innocent without any other design but purely to Wait upon and Worship the Lord as good experience hath shewn and therefore no way Hurtful or Dangerous to the Government c. he pleaded not Guilty it was demanded whether or no he would give Bail for his appearance the next quarter Sessions to be of the good Behaviour which he refused to do knowing he had not Mis-behaved himself so he was again returned to Prison and kept very close and when the next Sessions came about at Woodbridg he was again brought into the Court where Christopher Melton of Ipswich was Chairman as at the Sessions before where he with some other Friends was put on to Tryal and after a great deal of arguing between the Prisoners and the Court the Jury went out and after a considerable time returned and being asked whether the Prisoners were Guilty or not Guilty the Foreman answered not Guilty at which the Chairman was highly displeased and perswaded them at the Bar to alter their Verdict that they were guilty of an unlawful Assembly a practice how just I shall leave to the Judgment of the Impartial Reader and as if this were not useage hard enough they devised another piece of Cruelty which was to remove him to Ipswich to be fined and in a very cold day in the sharpest of this last Winter which for excess of Cold the like cannot be remembered when it was late in the latter part of the Day Snowing very fast all the way he went so that before he got to the Prison it was late in the Evening and being many of us there for want of Beds and for want of timely notice to have made Provision among others of us this tender man was forced to set up all Night in that wet and cold Condition and then he was called upon at that Sessions in Ispwich and fined twenty Pound at which he was no ways dismayed and so he was returned to Prison till he should pay his Fine where he meet with hard usage from the Jayler he not answering his unreasonable demands remained close Prisoner until the next Sessions at Ipswich where he was again called into the Court and nothing of the Fine spoken of but Thomas Covel Clark of the Peace told him they had a particular order from the King to deal with him then he was profferred the Oath of Allegance which he refusing he was again returned to Prison after which in some short time it pleased the Lord to visit him with more then ordinary Sickness which more and more encreased upon him in which time he desired to see several of his dear Friends as he said before he dyed thereby signifying his departure to be at hand and so upon the twenty third day of the fourth Month 1684 about three in the Morning like an innocent man he laid down his Head in peace with God dyed a faithful Sufferer for Christ Jesus in a Testimony against the Persecutors of our Age and my desire is that his innocent Blood may not be laid to the charge of them that had a hand in his last Suffering in which he sealed his Testimony with his Life And there is one thing yet with me concerning my deceased Friend which is worthy of Observation that is when even Persecution was stirred up among us if he had happened to have been from home upon the publick service of Truth when once he heard of it he was not satisfied until he got home to get his Shoulder to the Work such was his care and respect to his Testimony at home in a time of Suffering the which makes our loss and want of him to be very great especially at such a time as this when suffering for the Truth abounds in which he was a good Pattern and indeed time will discover the want of him more then at present it is by some perceived the Lord make up and restore our loss according to his own good will and pleasure though his bodily Presence be removed from us yet his Life is felt to remain blessed be the Name of the Lord. As at the very hour of his departure his dear Wife with several other Friends sitting by the Corps the Life newly departed very sorrowful for their great loss though his great gain I say as they thus sate in retirednâ—ss of Mind the Love Life of God broke in upon them in an abundant manner to their great Refreshment and Satisfaction which signified thus much that though he had taken away his Servant from them yet his Life should remain and it will remain with them that walk worthy of it for it is a never failing Treasure And thus Friends I have given you a brief account of the Life Sufferings and End of this Messenger of Christ who hath delivered his Message and done the Work of God in his Day and Friends that which remains to us is thaâ— we may be found in our Day working the Work of God in answering the Requirings of God that so we may come to finish our Course with Joy and lay down our Heads in Peace as this Servant of God did which is the desire of your Friend Woodbridge the 24th of the 5th Month 1684. William Peart A COLLECTION OF Certain Epistles OF Divine Consolation c. Dear Father and Mother MY Indeared Love abounds towards you and in that which hath brought me into true obedience to God and Man do I salute you and am present with you as you come to be gathered thereunto even into the spirit of holiness in which is the unity of the Faithful into which Spirit wait to feel your growth and your obedience therein more and more which growth standeth not in Words but in Life and in Power and wait to feel your increase therein and decrease in Words which are out of the Power of God many have grown rich in Words and accounted that their growth without the Life and have feed upon the Knowledge more then upon Life and unto such the Famine is to come therefore dear Hearts yea exceeding dear to me oh keep to the measure of God in your own Particulars and be obedient to its operation that you may come to witness your translation into the â—â—rth Imâ—ortal which transâ—ation standeth not in Words but in Life and Power therefore feel the operation of the Power of God â—â— work out and mortifie that which is reproveable by it oh obedience to the operation thereof is required by it of the Creature for as it is to work upon the Soul so
by you I count not my Life too dear to part with for the Testimony of my God in whom is my Confidence Trust and Hope who hath formed me for his praise whose I am unto you my Conscience I have cleared and whether ye will hear or forbear I am clear of your Blood who am a Friend to your Souls and Bodies and desire the welfare of both and am one who loveth righteous Government and Governours who are for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well and such Rulers I truly honour in my heart though not with the vain custom of the Hat neither with the deceitful flattering titles of this World This is from a true lover of your Souls who desâ—reth your everlasting welfare and tranquility in the Lord who is a Sufferer by you but not for evil doing but for doing well the Lord is his witness that this is true whose Servant he is whatever he be by you or any accounted of Edmonds-Bury common Goal this 8th Month 1665. William Bennit To Friends of Truth in the Town of Colehester Greeting DEarly beloved Friends and Brethren who have tasted of the love and goodness â—f the Lord and of the sweetness and pretiousness of his unchangable Truth the virtuous workings and powerful opperations whereof you have felt in your hearts whereby you witness and experience in measure your Souls set at liberty from the bondage of Sin and Corruption to serve the living God in holiness of Life to the praise of your God who hath raised you out of the dust by his Power and quickned you by his Life and formed you by his own Wisdom and given you his good Spirit to guide and lead you teach and counsel you comfort and refresh you oh he hath given you a taste of the Word of Life and power of the World to come oh he hath living Witnesses of his Name and Truth whereof you are made partakers and that which you have seen and known felt and tasted of the same you have through the strength of the Lord born Testimony unto even by Word by Deed by Life and Conversation and through great Sufferings manifold Tribulations and Afflictions all which the Lord your tender God hath inabled you to wade through and hath kept you from fainting unto this day who hath been with you in six Troubles and in the seventh dear Babes he hath not left you but in all your Afflictions for his Name-sake he hath been afflicted with you and the Angel of his presence hath been your defence on the right hand and on the left oh how hath he carried you in his tender Bosome and born you up in his Arms and lead you gently when you were Weak Young and Tender and made the Crooked strait and the Rough smooth before you and thrown down many a high Mountain before you and removed many a lofty Hill out of your way who hath made a way for you in the Wilderness and a path through many a Thickit and hath made the hard things easie he hath been a Shelter to you from the Heat and a Refuge to you from the Storm and many a time hath been unto your Souls as the shadow of a Rook in a weary Land who hath given you Bread when you were Hungry and Water to satisfie your Thirst who Strengthned you when you were Weak and Inriched you when you were Poor who Healed you when you were Wounded and bound you up when you were broken to Pieces who Comforted you in the midst of Sorrow and hath Refreshed you when you have been heavy hearted and lifted up your heads when they were bowed down because of the Oppression of your Enemies Oh how exceeding large is the love of the Lord your tender compassionate God of endless bowels of tenderness oh your own experience of his Love his Mercy his Pity his Compassion his Goodness his Kindness and his Tender Fatherly Care and Dealings towards you is much larger then what I can demonstrate with words oh how can you then but still trust in his Name rely upon his Arm and depend upon his saving Health and hope in his tender Bowels who is the same yesterday to day and for evermore who hath been with you when Trouble hath compassed you round to keep you from Dispair and with you in the midst of Perplexity to keep you from being Distressed and with you in the midst of Persecution to Sucker and Cherish you and refresh your hearts as with New Wine and oh surely dear Babes he is with you still to Comfort you still to Refresh you still to Feed and Nourish you still to Strengthen you still to Uphold and Support you still to Keep and Defend you and surely he will never leave you nor forsake you if you forsake him not but will cleave unto you as you cleave unto him and will still be your God and you shall be his People still and rest in him for ever when in this World you shall be no more Oh dear Friends my soul loveth you wherefore I cannot forget you but often remember you especially since the Lord hath been pleased to visit that place with such fore Affliction and to give it to drink so deeply of the Cup of his Righteous Judgments and oh my soul desires that the Lord may keep and hide your Souls in the hollow of his hand whatever Affliction he suffers to come upon your Bodies and oh that he may inable you to wade through all and to bear all with Patience and Contentedness and think not any of you the Lord cares not for you or that he dis-regards you â—ecauâ—e he doth or may permit the Beesom of his Righteous Juâ—gements which he hath sent forth to sweep away the Wâ—cked to sweep away many of your Bodies from off the Earth neither murmur against the Lord who may do what pleaseth him and yet all his doings are Equal and Righteous altogether and how strange soever his doings appear to the carnal reasoning fleshly part yet assuredly he intends good in all his deallings towards all the honest simple innocent upright hearted ones and it is inwardly well with such whatsoever outwardly the Lord suffereth to befall them and it shall be well with their Souls eternally whatever the Lord permits to come upon their Bodies and truly the sence of these things I know doth cause Joy to spring inwardly in the midst of outward Sorrows and Comfort in the midst of Heaviness Rest in the time of Trouble and Content and Satisfaction in the midst of Affliction and maketh that soul to bear all with patience without murmuring against the Lord and makes such to say The will of God be done well it is the Lord that suffereth it thus to be and why should I murmur against him seeing he knoweth what is best for me and will not suffer any thing to besal me but what through his Love and Mercy shall work for my good as I cleave
Rend and Devour in the tender Love of the great Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls is my heart opened to you to visit you with a few Lines and in the name of my God and your God my Father and your Father I say unto you he whom you serve hath seen your Afflictions and hath beheld your Sufferings and hath took notice of your Burdens and cognizence of your grievous Oppressions and hath heard your Groanings and hath beheld your Tears he assuredly will in his own time rebuke your Enemies and plead your innocent Cause with your Oppressors and ease you of and free you from your great Afflictions therefore dear suffering Lambs of my heavenly Father lift up your Heads in the Name of the Lord God and take Courage and be Strong in his Power and Truth which is in you and with you and on your sides and it is the Truth that shall prevail against all its Enemies and its Opposers shall be Confounded and the Truth of our God shall Flourish over all therefore dear Hearts still cleave to the precious Truth of God made known unto you and let nothing separate you from it oh blessed be the Lord that he hath begotten such a Love in you to him and his Truth that such is your love thereunto that you are willing to undergo Reproaches Abuses and spoyling of your Goods Imprisonment and to be separated from your Friends and Relations for Truths sake oh dear Lambs great is your Reward if you abide to the end and faint not in well doing oh my heart is open to you in the tender Love and Bowels of Emanuel and my soul is refreshed in your Faithfulness and though many of your Faces I never saw yet I am one with you in your Sufferings wherein my soul simpathiseth with you and hath unity with your Testimony for the Lord and my spirit doth praise the Lord the God of your Salvation on your behalf in that he hath so mightily upheld you and born you up in his Arms in the midst of your Tryals though you of your selves are Weak yet the Lord is Strong whose Strength you know by experience is manifested in Weakness therefore trust hope and depend you upon the Lord forever who is and will be your exceeding great reward cast your care upon him for he your God careth for you and yours he is a Father to the Fatherless and a Husband to the Widow he is the Comforter of the Comfortless and gladeth the heavy hearted Oh be still quiet patient and contented in your Minds and wait upon the Lord and be not at all terrifyed by your Adversaries but in the lowly fear of the Lord God rejoyce in that he hath counted you worthy not only to believe but to suffer for his Name sake oh your Reward no man can take away as you continue faithful to the Lord dear Lambs my Bowels yearn towards you and in the Fathers love I salute you desiring that Grace Mercy and Peace may rest upon you and the blessing of the most High distil upon you as dew upon the tender Herbs that you ye tender Plants may grow and be like Willows by the Water Courses and as Cedars by the Rivers side that your Leaf may not wither neither cease bearing Fruit so dear suffering Lambs as none is to be through Joy Exalted above what is meet so none through Sorrow is to be Dejected or cast down but every one in all Conditions is to learn to be Contented with the will of the Lord and none to murmur against the Lord because of the Prosperity of the Wicked and Advancement of Sions Enemies for though they seem to Flâ—uâ—ish like a green Bay-Tree yet they will become like Grass upon the House top that withereth before it is grown up So unto the Lord God I commit you who careth for all his and is a present help in the time of need and leaveth not his Sheep and Lambs when the Wolves come to Devour but he the mighty God standeth by his People and sighteth for mount Sion and defends the Hills thereof and will put to flight her Enemies and with the Breath of his Mouth expel and scatter the Clouds Fogs and Mists that ariseth out of the bottomless pit of Darkness that then oh Sion thy Glory may appear as the Morning without Clouds and as the Sun in its Brightness thy Beauty may shine forth and thy Enemies be Astonished and Confounded forever This is the salutation of my Love who am your Fellow Sufferer and Companion in the Patience and Tribulation of Jesus the Lord God be with you and support the weak and little ones among you and keep you all Faithful to the end and preserve you in Love and Unity one with another Amen saith my soul Bury Goal 1669. William Bennit Dearly Beloved FRiends Brethren and Sisters in the Heavenly Spiritual Relation of the Immortal Incorruptible Seed of Life Eternal of which you are born again and become Heirs of an Inheritance that is Everlasting by Faith in Christ Jesus in and from whom Joy and Peace Mercy and Grace be multiplyed in and unto all your Souls Amen Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who through his abundant Mercy and free Grace hath called us and with the Arms of his Everlasting Kindness hath gathered us and by his Almighty Power hath raised us up to be unto him a People to live unto him in his Life and to walk before him in Truth and Righteousness and to Serve and Worship him in his own Way and Spirit and to bear Testimony thereunto and against the contrary in Word and Doctrine in Life and Conversation and for our Testimonies sake the Nations are angry with us and the Earth is moved and the Waters troubled and swell against us as if we should be swollowed up and wholly over-whelmed with the Floods of the Wrath of the Dragon who seeks to drown the blessed and glorious appearance of the man Child who is to rule the Nations in Justice in Mercy in Judgment in Righteousness and Truth well my dear Friends though at this day we are a suffering People and as it were Killed all the day long and appointed Sheep for the Slaughter and are set as a prey for the Beast of the Field and Lyons of the Forrest and though the Jaws of Death and Gates of Hell seem to be opened wide against us as if we should be swallowed up quick and be extinguished from being a People yet notwithstanding we can rejoyce in the Lord our God because our sufferings are infflicted upon us not for evil doing but for well doing and our Enemies have found no just Cause given them of us thus to give us up to the Spoylers and into the hands of Wicked Ungodly Unreasonable men but altogether without a Cause given of us have they taken an occasion against us as Daniel's Persecutors did against him concerning the Law Commands and Worship of our God so that at
preaching the Gospel he was carried forth with such Fervency and Zeal for the Lord being by the mighty Power of God upheld that at such times there appeared no Infirmness of Body in him and notwithstanding the weakness of his Body he often Travelled in the service of the Gospel being freely given up to spend and to be spent for its sake his Ministry was plain prevalent vvhereof he had a very good Gift he vvas vvell acquainted vvith the holy Scriptures of Truth vvhich he made much use of for the opening the Understandings of People vvhich often proved very Effectual for the convincing of many And as he vvas an incessant Labourer in the Gospel vvhere-ever he came so also vvas he as Valiant in suffering for the same vvhen ever called thereunto as the many grievous Imprisonments vvhich he hath met vvith for the Gospel's sake doth vvitness for he hath for his Testimonies sake been cast into divers Goals as Yarmouth Bliborough Ipswich and Melton several times also at Edmonds-Bury vvhere he lay amongst the Fellons nigh eight years together lastly he vvas taken from a Meeting at Woodbridge and committed to Melton Prison vvhere he lay till the quarter Sessions held at Woodbridg unto vvhich he vvas brought and vvas by an order of Sessions removed from thence to Ipswich Prison being then in the Winter season though he vvas very vveak at that time and not fit to be carried forth the Weather being very cold and at that time it Snovved very much yet vvas he in the midst of all hurried avvay I vvas then vvith him and vvith grief of Heart beheld this cruel Treatment of this innocent Lamb vvho then said If it lay in his freedom to go or not although he might gain much as to the outward he could not go his weakness was such yet for the Truths sake he was freely given up though it proved the dissolution of his Body as indeed it so happened for he never got over it but grew weaker and weaker till upon the 23 d day of the 4th month 1684 in the Prison House in Ipswich the place of his Confinement he finished his Testimony and laid down his Head in perfect Peace thus vvas this good man Persecuted unto Death who freely forgave them that Persecuted him and oh saith my Soul if it may stand vvith the vvill of God that they may find Repentance before they go hence that his Blood may not be required at their hands Well he is now gone beyond the reach of all his Enemies he hath run the blessed Race he has fought the good Fight hath kept the Faith and is now Crowned with that Eternal weight of Glory which never endeth and though he be removed from us yet his Life remains with us and his Name is a sweet memorial unto us yea he shall be reckoned amongst the Generations of the Righteous and time shall never blot him out of their Remembrance who served the Lord withal his Heart and loved not his Life unto Death for his Name sake Oh the remembrance of this my dear Friend hath often times been a refreshment to me and the many sweet and precious oppertunities I have had with him are at this time fresh in my remembrance I cannot forget those heavenly bedewings and sweet streams of divine Life from the God of Life who is the Fountain of all our well-springs which often times ran through his Vessel as through a Conduit Pipe to the great refreshment of his Children Oh when I consider his service in the Church of Christ and how ready he was to help the Weak and encourage the Feeble yea to reach forth his helping hand unto all that none might be left behind and that now at such a time as this wherein Tryals and Exercises seem to abound upon us it should please the Lord to removed him from us my Spirit is bowed before the Lord in the consideration thereof for a tiâ—e my Soul was afflicted within me being deeply sensible of the great loss of him at this time of day But while I was Meditating in the consideration hereof my Soul was revived in the feeling of the Springs of Life to arise which sprang up in this wise God is the same that ever he was his Arm is not shortned that it cannot Save neither is his Ear heavy that it cannot hear the crys of his Children but his care is and will be over all those that put their trust in him and against such no Weapon howsoever formed shall Prosper and that he hath not removed his Servant from us thereby to weaken us but rather that we should wholly look unto him only from whom alone our Salvation comes who vvill certainly take care of all those who are faithful unto him in their Testimony for his Name and will supply such with whatsoever he sees is needful for them yea the same Power that kept and preserved this our dear Friend through all his Tryals and Exercises who hath now finished his Course with Joy will also preserve us as we are faithful thereunto in which the Lord keep and preserve all his People through all their Tryals and Exercises to the end is the breathing of my Soul OH thou my dear Friend who art now from us gone Vnto thine everlasting Rest in the Eternal one Who now for all thy Labours in which thou didst abound Rewarded art with endless Life and art with Glory Crown'd Oh worthy man of God thy Name for ever shall Recorded be amongst the Rightous Gen'rations all Thou lovedst not thy Life to Death but gave up all unto The service of God s Truth most pure and for it didst forgâ— The World and all things else that unto thee was near That thou mightst be for evermore with thy Redeemer dear And though thy Body is gone and Flesh consumed be Thy Spirit with thy God doth live to all Eternitie Where from thine Eyes all Tears are wip'd and Joy for eâ—e is found And Cloth'd now art with Garments pure and Pleasures doth abound And from thine Enemies reach which did thee sore annâ—y Who for the sake of Truth they sought thy Body to destroy Thou now exalted art over all Mortallity Where neither ravenous Beast nor yet the voulterus Eye 〈◊〉 ever thee molest no nor disquiet thy peace Which as a River great doth flow and never more shall cease Ah thou Valiant one indeed who never turn'd aside But to thy God wert faithful found when ever thou wert tride Great is our went of thee for which my Soul doth cry â—nto the Lord our God who only can supply Oh righteous God make up our loss to thee I only pray That thou wouldst please to raise up Children to him this day And fill them with thy Grace and therein make them shine Forth in thy most glorious Power both heavenly and divine That so thy holy Truth for which he did engage May over all exalted be now in this latter age And though our loss
it worketh not without the Soul 's yeilâ—ing obedience thereunto so far as to work its translation yet not the Soul's work but the work of God in and upon the Soul for though Christ is come a Light into the World and is the Salvation of God yet they that believe not in him he is their Condemnation and yet sufficient Salvation to them who believe in him and obey him for as the Light manifesteth Evil yet if the Creature yeild not obedience thereunto he cannot have â—ower over the Evil but if he yeild obedience to the Light it gives him power over Evil yet not the Creatures Power but the Power of God which begetteth thâ— Will and â—h◠〈◊〉 also therefore perfect obedience to the Light the Lord requireth of every one and daily to Watch and Wrestle â—gainst that which is condemnable by the Light for so long as the Creature knowingly lives in that whether in Words â—â— Deedâ— that it seeth to be reprovable by the Light it cannot injoy perfect peace with God for the peace of God is enjoyed iâ— the Light and truely if that Condemn surely the Lord doth not Justifie though many believe they are Justified in the sight of God through Christ although the Witness of God leâ—s them see that they are yet in their Sins and condemns them for Sin and this Faith or rather Unbelief which leads them to believe that they nor none else can be made free from all Sin on this side the Grave and yet they imagin that they are free from it in the sight of God but beware of that Faith for it is accursed and is not the true Faith which is the gift of God which through Christ saveth from all Sin for that Faith admits of Sin but the Faith of Gods Elect sets free from all Sin for where the Wicked one hath seated this Faith or Perswasion in the Heart it is hard indeed for such a one to come to Live in the Life of Truth which is holy for as the Light doth let the Soul see it is in its Sins and brings Trouble and Condemnation upon the Mind for Sin and begets a desire also in the Heart to be freed from Sin for it feels it lie as a weighty load upon its Conscience behold even then the Wicked one who hath begot this perswasion in the Creature that it cannot be freed from all Sin here though freed from Sin in the sight of God and this perswasion causes the Creature to do dispite to the Spirit of Grace and strive to quench its Reproofs and so get at ease in that cursed Faith and in that wrong Believe and sit down short of the Peace of God so that which begot desires in the Creature to be freed from Sin comes to be vailed and slain and many Thousands are in this State who are large Boasters who are boasting that they are Justified by Christ and that Christ hath done all for them and if they can believe it that is sufficient and yet still in their Sins Now the Apostle Paul saith If while we seek to be Justiâ—â—ed by Christ we our selves be found Sinners Is Christ therefore the Minister of Sin God forbid and he saith Shall we continue in Sin that Grace may abound God forbid for how can we who are Dead to Sin Live any longer therein and he said They who are Justified by Faith through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus which Redemption is a redeeming out of Sin and their Faith gave them power over the World and did not admit of Sin as the Professors Faith doth who believe they can never be free from all Sin in this Life Oh in tender Love I beseech you to beware of that Delution and Perswasion of the Wicked one for it is very dangerous and a broad way which the Creature is prone to run into now there is a great difference betwixt such who with the Light seeth much Sin which they are addicted unto yet to be subdued and it is their sore Burden and they in the strength of the Light wrestle against it and so feel it daily decrease and that Faith begoâ— by which they see and believe that they shall be made Conquerors over all as they abide faithful to the Light which lets them see Sin I say there is a great difference betwixt such as are there in that State travelling out of Sin out of Egypt where the Bondage is towards Sion where the Freedom is and such as are sate down satisfied in a false Confidence and in a wrong Belief continuing in their Sins and believe they shall not be free from it here but you know otherwise therefore in the Life of what you know abide for truly it is the Life that must make alive and keep alive to God which Life is the Light of men the true Light which lighteth every one thaâ— cometh into the World and is the Salvation of God and therein wait and feel your Minds exercised in its operation for this changeth the Mind the Thoughts the Affections and Desires for as they have been Earthly so they become Heavenly and it becomes the Souls delight to answer the end of the Lord and to endeavour to walk worthy of his Love and it becomes its Life to do the Will of God and to follow the Leadings of his Spirit which leadeth out of Evil but before this be witnessed the strait and narrow Way must be known felt and lived in and there must be a passing through the Fire through the Water through the one Baptizing which baptiseth into Death and so translateth into Life in which Life it will become your Life to do the Will of God Oh dear Father and Mother keep I beseech you to the Gift of God in your own particulars and be obedient to its Leadings and therein watch diligently continually and with it try your Thoughts and Words and Intents before you bring them forth and if they be reprovable give theâ— up to the Light the Fire to be consumed dear Hearts it is in unexpressible Love that I write thus unto you and be very wary of spaking things by contraries which you are addicted to for there is no Lye of the Truth and he that abideth in the Truth is preserved out of the Lye he that loveth the Light bringeth his Deeds to the Light to try them whether they be wrought in God so be not forward to utter Words but feel the Light of Christ to guide and lead you and bring your Thoughts and Words to it to try them whether you may speak them yea or nay now if they be reprovable by the Light then they are to dye and not be brought forth for if they be this grieveth the Righteous Spirit of God and breaks your Peace with the Lord for if his Witness Condemn he doth not Justifie so the Creature keeping low in the pure Fear and Dread of the Lord it dare not do that whether in Thought Word or Deed which it
with his Iron Rod and break the Heathen to pieces like a Potters Psal 2. 8. 9. Vessel who hath Righteousness for the girdle of his Loins and Faithfulness the girdle of his Reins who hath on the Brestplate of Righteousness and a Helmet of Salvation on his Head who hath put on the Garment of Vengeance for cloathing and is clad with Zeal as with a Cloak who with the two-edged sword that proceeds out of his mouth makes War in Righteousness who hath on a Vesture dipt in blood and his Name is called the Word Rev. 19. 13 Isa 42. 6 7. 4â— â— Luk. 2. 30 31 32 Isa 35. 5 6 7. of God This is he whom the Lord giveth for a Covenant of the people and for a light of the Gentiles to be his Salvation to the ends of the Earth to open the Blind eyes to unstop the Deaf ears to cause the tongue of the Dumb to sing and the Lame to leap as an Heart to cause water to come forth of the Desert and streams in the Wilderness the parched ground to become a pool and dry heaths springs of water to make the Wilderness and the solitary place glad and the Desert to rejoyce and blossom as a Rose who is anointed of God to Preach glad Tidings to the poor to bind up the broken hearted to proclaim Isa 61. 1 2 3. Liberty to the poor Captive and to comfort the the Mourners in Sion to give beauty for ashes the oyl of Joy for Mourning the garment of Praise for the Spirit of heaviness that they may flourish as Trees of Righteousness of the Lords own planting bringing forth fruit unto him 1 Sam. 2. 4 5 6 7. that he in and through them may be glorified He brake thâ— bowes of the Mighty and that which is weak and feeble he girds with Strength and Courage the Full and Rich he causes to hire out for bread and causeth the hunger of the hungry to cease who causeth the barren to bear seven and she that hath had many children to wax barren and feeble he woundeth and healeth he killeth and causeth to live he bringeth down and raiseth up even the poor he raiseth out of the dust and the beggar from the dunghil to set them among the Princes and to inherit a Crown of Glory This is he who maketh all things a New and Rev. 21. 1. 5 Isa 65. 17. causeth all old things to pass away who causeth the old Heavens and the old Earth to pass away and dryeth up the Sea and creates a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness this is he which worketh the strange work the marvelous work which causeth the ears of those that hear thereof to tingle This is he who is the strong Arm of Gods Mighty Power which is stretched forth towards the helpless to deliver the poor and needy out of the hand of him who is too strong for them Isa 52 1â— The Arm of Gods Salvation which he is making bare before the eyes of the Captives that they may see him and come unto him who is Mighty upon whom help is laid to deliver them and to save to the utmost them that come unto him this as I said is the hand of Gods loving kindness which in mercy is stretched forth towards you who cannot be satisfied with the husks shells and shadows but thirst and desire after him the Substance the living Bread which the living Soul feeds upon and lives and grows up thereby into Eternal life Ah dear People this is the Salvation of God whom I declare of and Salvation is not to be had in another besides him who is the Immortal word Luk 2. 29 30. of Eternal life which abides for ever which was in the beginning before the visibles were by whom all things were made whether visible or invisible and without Joh. 1. 1 c. him was nothing made that was made and in him the Word was life and this life is the light of men and he is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world and was in the world and the world knew him not He came unto his own and his own received him not but unto them that received him he gave power to become the Sons of God Who had a body prepared him in which he suffered the Will of him that sent him who was born of the Virgin Mary whom King Herod sought to destroy who was circumcised the eighth day and likewise baptised by John the Baptist who likewise eat the Passeover with his Disciples for he came to fulfil all Righteousness who was betrayed by Judas who was judged to die by Ponrius Pilate who was Crucified without the Gates of Jerusalem who was laid in a Sepulcher who rose again the third day according to the Scriptures who ascended up into Heaven and sitteth at the Right hand of God who is glorified with the same Glory that he had with the Father before the world began who came again unto his Disciples according to his promise who said unto them I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you I will send you a Comforter that shall abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth I am Joh. 14 16 18 26. the Truth saith Christ whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but you know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be Mark in you yet a little while and the world sees me no more Mark this you who are so much gazing and looking for his coming without but still fail of your expectation that you know not his coming within you to be a Comforter But you see me and because I live you shall live also saith Christ to his Disciples and in that day you shall know that I am in the Father and you in me and I Mark in â—ou and he the Spirit of Truth shall lead you into all Truth and shall teach you all things and shall shew you all things to come and bring all things to your remembrance that I have said unto you and shall reprove the world of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgement And his Disciples according to his Luk. 24. 29. Acts 2. 4. command waited at Jerusalem until they were indued with power from on high and had received the promise of the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Truth which caused them to speak the wonderful things of God as the Eternal Spirit of Truth gave them utterance and then they were come to witness his Word fulfilled when he said He dewlleth with you and shall be in â—ou and this is the immortal Word which was in the beginning which Paul who witnessed Christ the Son of God revealed in him and was Gal. 1 15 16. by him the eternal Spirit made an able Minister of him Preached to wit Christ within who said Rom. 19. 6 7. 8. None should need to ascend that is to bring
to Publicans and Sinners he through Beelzebub the Prince of Devils doth cast out Devils c And truly I may say not out of a prejudiced mind of Enmity towards any for my Soul bears love and good-will towards all men that it is as it were the same now with many of the Professors in this age who as the Jews made a large boast and profession of Moses the Law and the Prophets and hated him the life of them doth make a large boast of Christ in words and of his dying at Jerusalem which I believe he did according as the Scripture testifie and that he hath done all for them and if they can but believe it that is enough c. And yet whilest they are thus professing him in words behold many of them are enemies to his Life and so enemies to him whom they boast of who is the Word that was in the beginning in whom was life and his life is the light of men The true light saith John that lighteth every man that cometh John 1 9. into the world vvhich the Professors say is a natural light that vvhich convinceth vvicked men of sin in their ovvn hearts and judgeth them for evil doing it is a natural light say the Professors and so call the life of the Word vvhich is the light of men natural it 's a natural conscience say some it 's an insufficient light it 's a common grace c. so common it is indeed that as Paul says it hath appeared unto Titus 2 11. all men even that grace that brings Salvation nay some blasphemously vvill presume to say it 's a spirit of delusion a spirit of errour and these are under the vvo vvho call the Truth errour and the Light Isa 5. 20 23 36. darkness and the Good evil and these one day shall knovv their blasphemy and their vvords shall become their burden and these are in great darkness and ignorance indeed thick darkness fills their habitation even the darkness of Egypt that may be felt and it is hard indeed for such to be brought into the pure light and unchangable Truth of God although vvith the Lord God Almighty nothing is impossible and these like the Scribes and Pharisees vvho although they professed God in vvords and said Mat. 23. 13. they had one Father even God sought to shut up the Kingdom of Heaven from men and vvould neither enter in themselves nor suffer them that vvould and so these vvhile they profess Christ in vvords they speak evil of his Light and Truth and vvill neither ovvn it themselves nor suffer as much as in them lie them that vvould but cryes out take heed bevvare of the light the Quakers prate of it is darkness say they it vvill deceive you and delude you and lead you into Errour c. But let all people knovv the light vvhich the people of God called Quakers speak of and in bovvels of love direct peoples minds unto is the life of the Word vvhich is Immortal Eternal Permanent Divine and Immutable and not Natural Joh. 1 2 3 9. Thou vvhoever thou art and vvhatever by men thou art accounted of that doth make a large profession of God Christ and the Scriptures of Truth in vvords and doth hate and speak evil of the Light the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world thou art a hater of God and of Christ and art of Antichrist against Christ although thou professest him in words and sayst thou art saved by him and justified by him c. yet if thou hatest his light in thy own Conscience which doth check thee for evil doing and prick thee for thy sins in secret thou art in enmity to him and condemned by the Light and not justified and thy confession of Christ in words will not save thee from his Righteous Condemnation vvhilst thou hatest his pure light in thy Conscience and thy profession is for the fire and unto the Light thou must come before thou canst find true peace with the Lord God Yea whatever thou art who art climed and a climing up in thy Imaginations and a soaring up aloft with the god of the world the Prince of the power of the Air above the Light the Door into the fold striving to enter into the fold and not by the Door to wit the Light thou art the Thief John 10. 1 8 9. and Robber who runs before Christ the Light the Door into the Fold and thou must come down come down to that which appears a small thing in thy eye who art swell'd big in thy fleshly wisdom from which the things of Gods Kingdom is hid even to that which thou counts a foolish thing a weak a poor thing 1 Cor. 1. 27 28 29 30 31. and 19. 20 21. not worth the minding or heeding but this is it the foolish thing in thy eye that is to confound thy wisdom and turn it into foolishness that so thou beecoming a fool may be made wise in it This is the weak thing in thy eye which is to confound thy strength and make thee weak that thou mayst be strong in it and the poor thing in thy eye which is to rob thee of all thy Riches that thou becoming poor in it may be made Rich so where is the Wise the Rabbi the Scribe the Disputer of this world Hath not God made foolish the Wisdom of this world for the world by wisdom knows not God and so the boaster is excluded that God may have the Glory and all flesh abased and silent before him who of God is made unto his Saints that love his Light and are led by his Spirit Wisdom Strength Power Righteousness Justification and Redemption who have the heavenly Treasure in the Earthen vessel that the glory may be of God who is worthy of all Glory and Praise for ever So heed not dear people you who have any desire in you after the Lord what this man or the other saith of the Light but love the Light and take heed unto it for that which judges and condems sin in you which John 3. 20 is that which seperates you from the Lord and hinders your peace with the Lord and is the cause of your burden and sorrow this you shall not need to fear will delude you That is a spirit of delusion that leads into sin and evil beware of that but that which reproves you for evil in your own hearts and manifests the deeds of darkness take heed unto it for that is the Light that doth make manifest Eph. 5. 13 14. darkness that which is reprovable is made manifest by the Light for whatever makes manifest is Light and that will not onely make manifest the sin and evil but as you come to turn your minds in unto it and love and follow it it will save you from your sins and redeem your minds and souls unto God for who receive his Light his pure Grace in
them as a pillar of Fire by night and a pillar of a Cloud by day c. and yet behold they are drawn back again by the Enemy of their Soul through their yielding unto his Temptations and receiving his Pâ—oâ—fers and are turned as the Dog to his Vomit and as the Sow that was washed to her wallowing again in the mire and hath even madâ— Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience and are proved treacherous Children denying their Father who begat them and casting off their Mother who travelled in pain to bring them forth and hating the Womb that bore them and the Paps which gave them suck and this hath come upon them through Carelesness and Sloathfulness and through Reasoning and Consulting with the Enemy of their Souls and through looking at the Trouble Tryal Sufferings Streights and Difficulties which appeared in their way and through lusting after the Flesh-pots of Egypt through looking back into the Ease Pleasure Riches and Honour of this World which hath carried them away captive again into Egypt into the house of Bondage again wherefore oh my soul watch watch and stand fast in that Liberty which the true Christ the Power of God hath brought thee into and take heed thou be not intangled again in the yoak of Bondage Oh my soul if there be some who once were in some measure Fresh Green Tender Living and Fruitful unto God who now have lost their Freshness Greenness Tenderness and Fruitfulness towards God and now Coldness Deadness and Barrenness is come upon them to God-ward and their Love and Zeal for the Lord waxed cold oh my soul if it hath thus happened unto some oh how canst thou but fear before the Lord least the same should happen unto thee also And if some there be whose minds are gotten into a full Liberty and are at ease in the Flesh living above the Cross of Christ Jesus which Crucifies to the World and grown Careless and Negligent spending their time often with vain Talking foolish Jesting and needless Communication how ought all to spend their time in waiting upon the Lord in meditating and exercising themselves in the things of God being very watchful over their Thoughts Words Works and Actions having the pure fear of the Righteous God fresh in their hearts standing in awe of him always least they should Sin against him in Thought Word Deed lying down rising up in his pure fear Eating Drinking and doing all things in the pure fear of the Lord knowing a stay to their Minds a stop to their Thoughts a bridle to their Tongues a watch before their Mouth and a fearing in their Hearts least they should not be watchful enough over their Lives and Conversations yea even over their very Carriage and Gesture their words being very few sober and savoury even savouring of the grace of God in their hearts they desiring and endeavouring to walk so as that they might in Life Carriage and Conversation be as holy Patterns and righteous Examples of Love of Peace of Holiness and Purity of Meekness and Lowliness of Tenderness and Pity of Mercy and Compassion of Patience and long Suffering of Sobriety and Gentleness c. that so they might walk as becometh Saints Bâ—aâ—eless and Harmless as Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Generation amongst whom to shine as Lights to the adorning of the Truth of God professed by them and to the Glory Honour and 〈◊〉 of the Lord God and to the Joy Comfort Refreshment Peace and Consolation of their own Souls Oh this condition is very sweet blessed and happy wherefore â—leave cleave and keep close unto the Lord thy tender compassionate God and then assuredly the Lord will cleave unto thee and will not leave thee oh my soul wherefore lift up thy head in the strength of the Lord and look up unto the holy one whose dwelling is on high in the holy place and with thee oh my soul as thou art kept humble in Hâ—art contrite in Spirit meek in Mind and trembleth at his Word and look not at thy own Weakness Feebleness and Inability but keep thy eye unto the Lord and trust in his Name relie and depend upon his Arm and hope in his tender Bowels who maketh the Poor Rich the Weak Strong the Simple Wise wait thou patiently upon him and look not out at the greatness of others measures neither look thou at the smalness of thy own least Faintness Weariness and Discouragement should thereby come in upon thee and thou murmur because thy measure is no greater but be thou contented and truly satisfied with thy portion and be faithful unto the Lord in thy measure and being faithful in the little thou shalt be made ruler over much and enter into the joy of the Lord wait upon him who hath freely given in thee what thou hast of him and he can give thee more there was nothing in thee that was of thee which induced the Lord to communicate that measure of his fulness unto thee which he hath dispensed to thee but of his own meer mercy tender love and free grace who of his own free will hath begotten thee again unto a living hope so that thou well knowest that it is not he that willeth nor he that runneth but God who sheweth mercy Oh thou hadst not awakened out of the sleep of Sin and Corruption had not the mighty God thundred from his dwelling place upon thee and awakened thee oh my soul surely thou hadst never been raised out of the dust of Sin and grave of Iniquity had not the Lord of his own free will raised thee up and brought thee forth by his own Almighty power Oh my soul surely thou hadst never as of thy self turned unto the Lord had not the Lord of his own free will turned thee and after thou wast turned thou Repentedst and after thou wast Afflicted thou smotest upon thy Thigh yea thou wast consounded because thou borest the shame of thy youth and surely my soul after the Lord had turned thee in measure to him thou hadst not followed him in the narrow and strait Way through the Cross in the Self-denial had not the Lord thy God drawn thee after him by the cords and woings of his tender Love and surely thou hadst turned back again from the Lord into the Mire and Durt again and hadst never Stood untill this Hour but must have Fainted and Dyed ere this Day had not the Lord of his own free will Kept thee Preserved thee Upheld thee and Supported thee by his own almighty Power whose Grace hath been sufficient for thee both in the day of Prosperity and in the day of Adversity in the time of Tryal in the hour of Temptation and so let all Flesh be silent in thee oh my soul and the Lord only Exalted and the Boaster for ever Excluded and God alone have the Glory and self wholly slain and the Lord alone Honoured and Praised and his
Babes we had need continually to stand upon our watch Tower having the Loins of our Minds girded up unto God with the Girdle of Truth having on the Breast-plate of Righteousness and the Shield of Faith the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God that we may be able to send off the Fiery Darts of the Ememy within and be able to shun his Wiles and to keep out of his Snares that we may never be betrayed of the simplicity and innocency of Truth as it is in Jesus Oh how hath he prevailled over some and drawn them into a self separation and particularily from the Body which is joyned unto Christ the Head from whom the Body receiveth Vertue whereby every Member is Nourished and all comes to supply its Plaee and Office in the Body and so is of service to the Body as it keeps its Order and so every Member being in unity one with another are as meet helps one to another and so the Strong in some things may help the Weak and the Weak in some things may help the Strong so that the Hand cannot say unto the Foot I have no need of thee but every Member to be as Servants one to another and all in Subjection to Christ the Head that the encrease of the Body may be witnessed unto the Edifying of it self in Love Dear Friends if some who under pretence of ceasing from Man and Words and Forms c. doth absent from the Assemblies of the Righteous and withdraw from the Meetings of the People of God c. yet I hope the Lord will preserve you from that Spirit and I hope the Love and Power of his Truth will stir up your Hearts and constrain you to be very diligent and faithful in meeting together in the holy Fear and Name of the Lord God to wait diligently upon him in the measure of his Light Life and Truth received that so ye may daily receive Teaching Counsel and Instruction from the Lord and receive of his heavenly Dew and Vertue whereby you may daily be Quickned Warmed and Inlivened in the inward man and be kept alive unto God Green and Fresh as the Willow by the Rivers side as the Lillies in the Vallies and as a watered Garden giving a sweet smell and delectable savour that the Blessings from on high may be showred down upon you more and more that your Fruit may encrease to the praise of his holy Name So dear Babes I commit you unto the Preservation and Protection of the Lord God who in this the day of great Tryals hath mightily stopped the raging Sea and hath limited the proud Waves thereof and hath shut up her Floods as he hath seen meet oh let every poor little tender honest hearted one put their trust in the Lord if they be never so Poor Weak and Feeble in their own Eyes let them cast their care upon the Lord for he careth for them and rely upon the arm of his Mercy and hope in his tender Bowels and he will be Strength to thee who without him art Weak and he will be Riches to thee who without him art Poor believe and trust thou in him and hearken not to the false Accuser neither joyn to the Consulter but be still and know the Lord is God al-sufficient for thee and all those that lean upon him for Help and that depend upon him for power he is able and ready to save in the hour of Temptation to support in the day of Tryal to uphold in the greatest Storm and to keep in Patience until it be over and gone and a Calm comes again Dear Friends and Brothren in that Love which is unspeaâ—able doth my Soul dearly salute you and imbrace you simpathising with you in your Tryals desiring to Mourn with all them that Mourn and to Rejoyce with them that Rejoyce and unto him you are left who is able to Comfort the Mourners among you and is ready to left up the Light of his refreshing Countenance upon the heavy hearted and bowed down under the burdens of the Righteous Seed to strengthen the feeble Knees and to heal the Wounded and bind up the broken in heart that they that hath or doth sit in the solitary place of Mourning may be filled with the Joy of the Lord and that they that yet are bowed down with the false Accuser of the Brethren and lie mourning in the pit of Distrust Unbelief and Desparation may mount upon the wings of Faith unto thâ— holy hill of Zion thereon to stand with the Lamb and to sing the new Song which none can sing but the Redeemed of the Lord so be it saith my Soul From your true Friend and Companion in the Faith and Patience and long Suffering of Jesus who is often with you in Spirit though in Body Separated and Confined from you being still close shut up in Prison with several of the Lords Lambs whose good Presâ—nce is with us blessed be hâ—s Name upon whom we wait for Deliverance believing that the Almighty God who delivered Just Lot from the Wicked Sodomits whose Ungodliness vexed his Righteous Soul from day to day and who delivered his People of Old out of Egypt and freed them out of the Hands of oppressing Pharaoh and who delivered David out of the Paw of the Lyon out of the Paw of the Bear and from the hands of the uncircumcised Philistine who delivered Jeremiah out of the low miery Dungeon and Daniel out of the Lyons Dâ—n who delivered the three Children out of the Fiery Furnace and Paul and Silaâ— out of the Prison-House he the Living God who changeth not whose hand is not shortned that it cannot save will at this day deliver his People out of all their Sufferings and free them of their Burdens Weights and grievous Oppressions in his own time Blessed are all they that durst not look out at time as some have done to their one hurt but wait pariently upon the Lord who can change Times and Seasons as he pleaseth who dwelleth in the Heavens and also ruleth over the Kingdoms of men and setteth up and throweth down as he pleaseth who seeth all the Works of the Sons of men and pondereth all their doings he is a God of Knowledg and by him actions are weighed he excelleth in Strength Power Wisdom and Mercy and his Throne is from everlasting and his Kingdom without end who is God over all blessed for evermore Let none get into a false security because of the present Calm the Lord can suffer a Storm and make a Calm again when he pleaseth let all Watch and Pray and Fear before the Lord and wait upon him to be fitted for-Tryals that so no Storm may come upon you before you are aware of it and before you be ready for it Dear Babes Read and Feel my Love in the Truth and therein let not your Love be wanting one to another but live in Love Unity and Peace and the God