Blind As for rehearsal of all those former sailings therein contained if they were true yet rightly considered and impartially weighed may say since those Divisions a great manifestation there hath been of such Spirits to whom those names may deservedly be attributed tho' for many Years I have been counted a Dissenter Yet I nor many more never took pleasure to lay the Nakedness of any open but rather to cover for his Names sake who hath kept us in his Truth by which we have been preserved I have seen I have seen an Enemy enter the House and hath not been discover'd till they come into the Cool out of the Hurry and Noise and hear the call of the still Voice and herein my Soul with many other of my Christian Friends have been Blessed and by this we are led to Unite and to be truly reconciled in that Spirit by that Heavenly Jesus that true Reconciler of Man to his Maker And of this from thy true Friend be assured it was not from the Spirit of Hypocrisie Policy or any carnal or selfish End no no our House is not Built on that Sandy Foundation but on Christ Jesus that Rock of Ages which leads his in the way of Everlasting Peace which Peace cannot be declared but as it is felt of which Peace hath my Soul tasted largely and can say truly since into this happy state the Lord hath brought me I have experienced more of that Heavenly Joy and Everlasting Peace than ever I knew before but I thank the Lord who gave me a share thereof under every dispensation he hath led me through and can say they were all good in their time but this excelleth them all well knowing the Administration of John to be Glorious in its Time yet He that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he into which Kingdom that thou may'st have an entrance after all thy Travels and come into this Sabbath and Rest with God will be a true Joy to thy Friend of which I can say with many more of my dear Friends whom I know not but as I feel them in this Spirit It is the Way and there is not another And for all those that are other wise-minded the Lord sned a Famine to come on the outward Knowledge that they may know to be led to the Spiritual Joseph whoever comes unto him 〈◊〉 upbraideth no one with what is past but receives them with his Love and embraceth them and they partake with him of the Fatness of the good Land Of this I am a witness and remain Thy True Friend S. B. S. B. AS to a Fast I desire this may be solemnly proclaimed a Fast from Strife Malice and every evil Work as new Born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word of Life and grow thereby in which we shall be accepted of God and truly reconciled to one another Postscript I Did not intend to have Printed this Letter I sent to a Friend but finding he hath Printed the Letter he sent to me as an Answer to W. R's Book I sent him which Book I had good Unity with and with all that are of a reconciling Spirit which to my Comfort I find many sincere hearted therein and as the vail of Prejudice comes to be taken of the Heart we shall see one another as God seeth us to whom I approve my Heart let Men Judge of me as they please it is not from any Evil or Insinuating self-end I can truly say for my self and many more true Christian Friends whose Hearts in this matter of Reconciliation is not to gain Praise of Men God is our witness but we are led to Unite by that blessed Spirit who hath shewed us of what and in what the Kingdom of Heaven consists of which is true Righteousness Joy and Peace in the holy Spirit which I with many more have tasted and could be glad all that oppose would come and taste and see how good the Lord is and with what the Immortal Soul is Refreshed I could never find satisfaction in any visible thing till I received the Word of God in which Word I find the Key of David Which opens and none can shut and shuts and none can open and that is that that opens the Mystery of the Kingdom of God in which the Father Son and Spirit is to be koown which Word of Faith gave the true understanding to the Prophets and Apostles and to all the Faithful of God to this day And in that way which some call Heresie Worship I the God of my Fathers believing all the Law and the Prophets and in Jesus Christ who is the Author and Finisher of our Faith S. B. O Lord Out of the deep I cried unto thee and thou pluckedst my feet out of the Mire and Clay and hast set them in the right way And being converted strengthen my Brethren Unto which I have this further to add when I first heard the confused noise made by G. K. and T. B. which appearance was and is to me like the Golden Calf and beholding many I knew which I thought had been more grafted in the Word of Life than to go after it for which I was greatly troubled but the heavenly still Voice gave me this Satisfaction fret not thy self be still it is a Cloud I suffer the Wind thereof shall blow away the Chaff but I will gather my Wheat thereby nearer together and this I know to be a certain Truth by which my Heart hath been often refreshed for which my Soul Praise thou the Lord. S. B. And unto all those who have raked up the miscarriages and evils and printed it and given it abroad to defame the People called Quakers whose Principles shall out-last their Malice and was some of us of their Spirit to render evil for evil revileing for revileing might say that of some of them that would cause shame who covered their foolish actions with the name of the Lord but it was and is such a Lord of which there is many but not the true God as some can witness but cover'd it from Men hopeing time might work them to see their weakness and know the true Lord over-ruling all their false Imaginations who may be truly compared to Saul when gone from the true God he goes to the Witch of Endor and she raised up what he would see but not what he should see so he was never the better for it but his Enemies prevailed and he fell by his own Sword so shall envy slay the wicked Man and they in darkness shall grope for the door but shall not find it All this is true and I own before all Men the Principle of the Quakers And have this to say for my self and many more I well know however our Enemies may render us vve knovv this by our selves and our Consciences bears us vvitness vve have in good Conversation vvalked before God and Men vvhich vvill speak for us in the gates of our Enemies and
A Small ACCOUNT GIVEN FORTH By one that hath been a Traveller For these 40 Years in the Good OLD WAY And as an Incouragement to the Weary to go forward I by Experience have found there is a Rest remains for all they that truly trusts in the Lord. Psalms 31.14 I trusted in thee O Lord and said thou art my God Psalms 31.24 All ye that trust in the Lord be strong he shall establish your Hearts S. B. Printed in the Year 1698. AS God by his Grace having inclined my Heart to be Merciful and I have had the Comfort of doing Good whilst I had an opportunity in the things as he in this Life is pleased to commit to my Care I have as in his sight walked in the uprightness of my Heart and as in those things partaining to this Life I have endeavoured to keep a good Conscience So in Love to all that may have the Reading of this small Book I am willing to give them an understanding as I have found where it is to be attained as Christ said There is but one good and that is God and as we come be guided by his good Spirit it will lead us into all things that are good without which we cannot inherit Eternal Life And whatever any may think of me who look with an evil Eye yet to my Friends that looks with an Impartial Eye it will be received as it is intended good will to all and to those remain a Friend S. B. The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom A good understanding have all those that keep his Law AND as a Traveller to the good Land of Rest and Peace and having in measure attain'd thereunto by that Heavenly Guide Christ Jesus the true Light that hath been my Instructer and Helper without which I am nothing nor can do any thing as I ought to do I am made free to relate something of my attainment thereunto I was Born of good Parents Educated according to the Church of England and tho' Young Zealous therein yet could not my Immortal Soul be therewith satisfied but a desire was begotten in me to know the true God the which to attain I endeavoured the best way I could by Prayer and Fasting in secret not to be seen of any But God whose Eye saw me and my true desire therein knowing herein I was not safe tried me and by one thought which arose in my Heart concerning God which I could not help dashed all my Building to pieces and I thought my self the worst Creature living thus night and day I had great trouble within but resolv'd in the midst of all and made it my resolution to follow the thing that is good and that God that saw me though I saw not him I was by this often comforted and it became my Song Great are the Troubles of the Righteous but the Lord delivers out of them all and sometimes betwixt Hope and Fear I travelled from Twelve Years of Age to Eighteen about which time by Providence I was led into the North at which time by wonderful changes wrought in them by which they had the name given them called Quakers a People so contrary to my Education and the many strange Reports that were raised of them was rather frightful than desireable to me but that God that saw the great desire I had to know him the only true God and Jesus Christ his Son led the blind by a way I knew not and by one not called a Quaker but one true to the Church of England and a sufferer for King Charles the first I received a true Account of the Principles and good Lives of these People which in Simplicity of Heart was related to me of which I was made seriously to consider and in a short time felt a Power arise in my Heart and I said this is it I have waited for and with great Power it rent the Vail chased away my dark thoughts gave me some understanding of the Scriptures and I could say I have heard of thee and have read of the Wonders thou didst for the Children of Men but that was not mine but now by thy great Power and Change thou hast wrought in me I came to know thee O God and by this and in no other way can I be satisfied and that thou the Immortal God may'st have the Glory of thy own good Work which I never received of Man neither did I ever see or hear any of them called Quakers till three Years after or more but returned into my own Country North-Hampton-shire to my Relations and not long after came to London and made it my business and went secretly amongst all persuasions except Papists and Ranters to see if I could find any that had the sence to know God and his Son Jesus Christ within them But I could find no outward thing could give my Soul satisfaction neither then nor now and in that State I walked alone three Years but being at a Meeting in great Allhallows one Edw. Burroughs came in and stood up and spoke at which I with others was amazed having never seen nor heard any of them before but was resolved to hear him again but by the many strange reports raised of them I was afraid but I Prayed to the Lord my God in whom I trusted that I might not be deceived for he knew I had nothing in my Eye but to have a further manifestation of Him whom to know is Life Eternal of the which he resolved me and with Signs and Tokens of his Love confirmed me and I could and can say it was and is of God and is the Truth and proceeds from the same Rock from which all the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles had their teaching Christ Jesus the Rock the Mystery hid from Ages and Generations is made known unto us of which Knowledge I have learn'd as they did who said what is to be known of God is manifest in them which is the Key of David which opens and shuts and gives the true Understanding of the Mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven and the true knowledge to all those who have in true Obedience submitted to his Yoke and their Wills subjected to his Will these shall find his saving Virtue of Life which Life being received and joyned too with all the Heart it will endow them with the Heavenly Virtue in Christ Jesus our High Priest and Captain of our Salvation And with Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit of God and those that willingly give up all they have unto him shall find in it more than they can believe or the Carnal Mind can apprehend for they knew what they said that the Carnal Mind knows not the things of God for they are Spiritually discerned and to be carnally minded is Death but to be spiritually minded is Life and Peace which is a certain Truth and according to the Holy Scriptures from which I desire neither from Them nor my Neighbour to
is able in his time to plead it tho' there may be evil doers amongst us If Christ had one in twelve that was not enough for the Jews and some that followed him to say he was not in the Truth because Judas betrayed him and Peter deny'd him and he in that Agony bearing our griefs Isa 53. to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me all this must needs stumble the Eye that looked out but they remembred his promise and waited at Jerusalem for the fulfilling of it who said he would come and he did come which confirmed them and so it hath done us And now something to you my dear Children whom I never deck'd in the extreams of formality to make my self or you seem what you were not but this was and is my desire for you seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof and all other things shall be added unto you be sure to Remember your Creator in the days of your Youth and you shall find the Comfort of it in your Old Age or at your Death when all the Glory of this World will stand you in no stead And though some of you have met with some Disappointments yet you shall find as I have done all things work together for good and bring you nearer to God which I have ever desired for you more than for Silver or Gold tho' therein some of you have had a blessing beyond my desire and my comfort is you all set your Faces Sion-ward and to your Parents have been Dutiful Loving and Obedient for which God will bless you as you continue in his Grace This is written by one that hath been called a Dissenting Quaker which I desire not to be from faithful Friends for I never knowingly dissented from the Truth but loved it and though in some things was not satisfied yet kept as near as I could in Word and Deed to hurt no one but endeavoured to answer a good Conscience towards God and all Men in which I have found him near to help me and the blessing to my Soul and Body and have a true Love to all the sincere in Heart by what name soever called And as through Dispensations and Administrations and Gifts which are all by the same Spirit God is pleased to give a further manifestation of Himself who is a Spirit in that way shews Himself to Man as he can receive him which was and is his great Love knowing how happy he is made by it and unhappy without it and God's great Condescension therein who seeks Man before Man seeks Him because he is good and would have Us be like unto Him and take delight in Us and we in Him and in this way he led all his faithful People before the Law and after which Law was given by Moses by Divine Inspiration many Years after some of those things were done which all had their signification and pointed at Christ Jesus coming in the Flesh who when come said before Abraham was I am and they in the Wilderness drank of the same Spiritual Rock which Rock is Christ the Messenger of God and of the New Covenant the Law written in the Heart unto Him must all come that will truly know the Interpretation of what 's contained in both Old and New Testament which was declared from the Spirit and Power of God in the true Seed and that were left to be profitable especially to the Man of God through Faith in Christ Jesus by which we may see as our Minds are turned to God the Examples of those that followed the Lord their God and there make a true spiritual Application and see how far we are come into the good work of God in the proving of our Hearts as Abraham Offered up Isaac so must every one offer up what God requires to manifest our love to God and for all such who by Faith walk God will provide himself a Sacrifice and so Jacob the wrestler with God sent from his Father's House to go into a strange Land and have no dependency on any outward or visible thing in this his Journey yet Travels on and the Sun sets night comes on on this Stone lays his head and thus rests on the faithfulness of God to him in all conditions and then is the ladder of true experience seen where the Angels of God ascend and descend at the foot abode and you will say God was here and I knew it not and here Jacob received his blessing to whom Children was given and there was a striving as by the best Mind and Spirit you shall find the eldest by Nature will seek to rule and strive against the beloved of the Father And Joseph the true born Son sold into Egypt to provide Corn for Jacob and his Sons but they must go down to fetch it and this is to be known in its time and season and the Scripture fulfilled and the spiritual meaning therein known As Saul the first King over Israel for stature and appearance Beautiful annointed of the Prophet to be King but God saw beyond outward appearances into the Heart and they that go out from God their strength their defence is gone and they shall become weak as Soul did and their Enemies prevail then contemtible David who by his Brethren dispised him God saw and by the Arm of God's strength had killed the Lyon and the Bear and in that Power by which he overcame the Latter by believing in the same Power he overcame the greatest of his Enemies and this made him King in Saul's stead though with him he had long Wars to Fight the Lord's Battle but Solomon by the true Wisdom of God must Build the House in whose Reign there is Peace and Safety and he shall Judge and give true Judgment betwixt the Mother and the Child and Christ's Kingdom Typified in Solomon's consists of Righteousness Peace and Joy which is very delightful and desirous because the satisfaction the Soul receives thereby and hath a true sight of the Love of God in all he doth is but to make his Creature Man happy which Love is so great it cannot be expressed for the which all those that have received it praise God and all that have not come out of themselves and seek the Kingdom of Christ not in words but in Truth that they may partake with thy Saints in Glory and thereby see the Emptiness and Vanity of this World whether it be Profession Pleasure Riches Honour the Excellency of this Excels them all And to all you sincere hearted as Cornelius was to whom Peter was sent who said I see of a Truth God is no respecter of Persons but amongst all that truly fears God and works Righteousness are therein accepted yet God was pleased by Peter to Preach and Testifie unto Jesus Christ as his anointed who was crucified and to his Resurection from the Dead Acts 10. that in and through him they might believe and receive the Gift of
the Holy Ghost and of Power and thereby the inward cleansing from Sin and Pollution and by the Power and Work of Christ to become the Sons of God which no outward thing can do but whoso therein believes shall find Power in that Gift which God hath given which is a true discerner of the thoughts and intents of the Heart to which I would persuade all that are weary and heavy laden to come unto and they shall assuredly find Rest to their Souls by Christ Jesus the Substance unto which all Men must bow in the inwardness of their Hearts for the day of his bright Appearance is at hand and Behold he comes with Clouds Rev. 1.7 yet they that are gazing abroad cannot see him being veil'd from that Eye and Mind as he was unknown to the Jews formerly who had a great expectation of the coming of the Messiah who came in the will of God at the appointed time yet he not coming in that Glory and great Appearances they expected him they could not believe nor think that it was he and now there is great expectation in some of his second appearance some saying Lo here and some Lo there and yet still are disappointed and strangers to his appearance in Spirit but to them who truly look for him he shall appear the second time without Sin unto Salvation and there the true inward Christians shall see him in his Glory and enter into his Kingdom which exceeds all the glory of this World neither can the wise imaginary part in Man give a true description thereof but as God's Wisdom rises up into the Throne and hath the Government of the Mind they shall know the depth of these things from him that gives it and give him the Praise who hath brought them into so happy estate who desires well for every Creature both Man and Beast who groans for deliverance And as a Man comes to be gathered into the light and changed into the Nature of Jesus Christ the whole Creation will reap great benefit thereby and as many as have seen the beginning of the good Work of God in what he did He divided the Light from the Darkness and saw the Light and it was Good and so he went on in every day's Work till the whole Creation was finished and as we read in the Old we must find it in the New for he saith I will make a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein shall dwell Righteousness And as in the first he went on in order in his Work so you shall find him now and though by him called into the Vine-yard to work it shall find in many a high and strong will which would obstruct the good Work of God and that Hammon like gets upon the Kings Horse but he 's not Mordica that sits low in sackcloth at the gate and where this is in what pretence so ever in whom Pride rises and prevails it will if suffered destroy the Seed of the Jews but he that sees in secret will reveal the matter and that Spirit shall be brought down let its cloathing be never so glorious God hath decreed to exalt Mordicai who is of the true Seed he is found worthy and the Lord lives he shall Reign whose Right it is though the Heathen rage and the People imagine a vain thing yet will he set his Son upon the holy hill of Sion I could not well omit one thing more to give satisfaction to some who may think I am one that goes under the name that ministers to the People but I am not but this I give as my experience to all that are traveling to find rest with God in his Kingdom of Peace but to appear in a Publick Assembly there to speak I never did and I am of the Apostle's mind Let such Women as want Instruction or would usurpe Authority over the Man keep Silence in the Church and give place to Man to whom God hath given Preheminency and made fit for that great Work in which Work had not I satisfaction in my self and been strengthened by those worthy good Ministers through the weakness of some others who thereto pretend and as I well know run when they are not sent I might have stumbled but I saw how ever Justified by others divers of them were not nor are not upon the right Ground and some of them have been blown away like Chaff with the Wind not but that I know there is many Good and Vertuous Women who are appointed for good Examples in their Families who in Modesty Sobriety Charity and good Works a good Life and Conversation with these I joyn and in that Life I desire to Preach to my Children Friends Neighbours and Servants and they that in this rightness of Heart Live shall deceive none but gain to themselves a lasting Establishment which shall be of good Savour never to be repented of and as in this I desire to do unto all as I would be done unto and that in Truth and Sincerity I have here writ may be for the good of all to help the Feeble and strengthen the Weak and that from the ground of Integrity and in Good Will to all Men and it being received in the good Mind will cover any Weakness herein contained and make that use of it as it is intended Good Will to all and Glory to God Yet as there was formerly so there is now he that is born after the Flesh Persecutes him that is born after the Spirit whose Censures I expect not to escape it being so natural to the Litteral Jews when they could find nothing to accuse Christ of whilst upon the Earth sought what they could to intrap him in his Words but God gave him that Wisdom to see in them and cautioned his Disciples not to give the Childrens Bread to Dogs nor Pearls to Swine least they trample them under Foot and turn again and Rent you under Christ's Protection I leave my self This writ by one that hath waited at Wisdom's Gate for Instruction who hath given me an entrance to know as I have here declared and all that would go higher to see the Bride the Lambs Wife must be guided thereto by the Meek and Humble Spirit of Jesus without which there is no Safety though they may understand all Mysteries and give much to the Poor and have all those Gifts the Apostle mentions in the 13 of the 1. Epistle to the Corinthians and yet if the most excelent gift of Charity be wanting that thinks no Evil which boasteth not c. but Suffereth Believeth Hopeth and Endureth all Things and rejoyceth in God alone he that is here will out-last all other let their pretences be what it will and they that come not here let them change their Habits their Customs and as some call it the Worlds Fashions yet if they come not to see the World's Covetousness unto which the Heart of Man is naturally inclined rooted out the Earth will open and swallow up that