Death This is no Outward visible Sign not signified so But separates man from his Lusts that always stood his foe Thus in his flesh Christ he took up the Comforts of Mans Life And laid them down at Gods own Will to reconcile the Strife For God it was that was in Christ the World to reconcile Now in his stead Embassadors hath sent to us the vile Though 't was not him did the Offence but was the Offended Yet his Embassadors pray us to be re-con-ci-led Here 's Grace indeed not only free but doth a begging come And Messengers t' intreat the World to accept this Ransome The which none could lay down for it but He of 's own accord Did purchas 't with his precious Blood and so of right is Lord. Yet doth not use Commanding Power but Love is his own way And those that will not this shall Rule as Enemies he will slay But this last Baptisme doth set the True Baptismes on The answer of a good Conscience by Christs Resurrection For as Christs flesh it suffered the same mind we must have No longer in our sins to live which to our Soul 's a Grave But now the Gospel it is preacht the dead sleeper's awake Yea he is come to Judgement to God Life to him doth make For that he would no longer have our Souls in Prison lye But by his quickning Spirit preach and free-ed us thereby Who sometime disobedient were yet God did suffer long Waiting as in the dayes of Noa who griev'd his Spirit strong And now unto the Will of God he doth subjection give No more unto the Gentiles Will resolveth he to live This is that Tabernacle which down nere shall any take Nor Cord thereof shall broken be removd shall be no Stake For here the Glorious Lord will be Rivers and Streams whereon No Gally nor no gallant Ship at all shall pass upon For that mens Tacklings loosed are their strength at Ours doth fall They cannot well strengthen their Mast or spread abroad their Sail For t is the Lord that is our King and our Lawgiver to How can we then lack any thing for ought he bids us do Oh this also is Wisdoms Gate Why he you then so mad If ever that your Souls be sav'd to 's Church God must you add Wisdom cryed hath without and uttered voice in street Yea in the Market place she calls where Pharisees do greet In the chief Places of Concorse the opening of the Gate Yea in their great Assemblies to where multitudes were sate How long ye simple ones will ye love your simplicity Turn ye unto this Church that ye may eat and live thereby And Scorners Why do ye delight in this your scorning Trade You being Fools Knowledge do hate t is sin thus hath you made At Gods reproof if now you 'l turn he 'll pour on you his Spirit His words unto you he 'll make known that you may Life inherit But this much know if you refuse and do not him regard But do his Councel set at nought with this he 'll you reward For mocking he will mock again at your Calamity And laugh when as your fear doth come it 's desolation nigh Then you may call but God will now to answer give at all Because you did not answer him when he to you did call For you none of his Counsel would Reproof's you did despite And would not choose the Fear of God but hated Knowledge wise Therefore the fruit of your own way is meat for you to eat Your own devices you shall fill who shut out Wisdom great In Vs the Time is come to pass last dayes pro-phe-si-ed That the Mountain of the Lords House should be established And on the Top exalted is above all barren Hills And many People to us flow thus God his House now fills And we his People bid you come to this the Lords Mountain It is the House of Jacobs God t is he o're it doth Raign Here he doth teach us his own Way the Pathes that we should walk From out of Sion flowes that Law whereof we joy to talk This is the Word which God the Lord sends from Jerusalem That doth among the Nations Judge rebuking much of them So that they have their Swords now beat into Plow shares we see And their Spears into Pruning-Hooks this LOVE makes all agree So Nation doth not lift up Sword for Esau doth embrace His Brother Jacob in his Armes this makes War cease 'T is Grace So we with Isay bid you come to this house with accord Desiring you to walk with us in the Light of the Lord. We are the City on a Hill there set that all may see Therefore alwayes in Cottages still this we cannot be For that we are not to be hid but set there to be shown And that through the Power of God to others should be known Which is the Light the Christ in us the Hope of Glory to And doth cast out the Reprobate this work he is to do The Blind make see and Deaf to hear tho Mountebancks do rage Leapers are cleans'd Dumb do speak this throws them off the stage And this also is freely to we witness it truly And if that we should hold our peace stones would against us cry For what are we more then wrought stone 't is God that doth us raise To he the seed of Abraham for to shew forth his Praise Tho in the Wilderness we 're squard and now appear but loose Yet being brought together all we do make God a House Whereby the Workemans Worke is seen for that he hath them tryed And made them like the Corner-stone to answer every side Yea Judgement to the Plumet hangs and Righteousness to 'th Line For to make all upright and true according to his mine These living stones together set may plainly see each other The Mighty workmanship of God in Sister and in Brother Yea t is the Standard of the Lord the Ensigne he hath ser For all Nations to flock unto tho Small things day is yet And though that we be Quakers call'd by most people in scorn Yet we the true Assembly be and Church of the First-born For in our heart God he doth dwell whose Spirit is a Sword Which was the cause that we were made to tremble at his Word And when the Lord with Odours sweet doth this his own House fill Oh then all others that pass by its sweetness favour will And if that any Lydia come that is to God so dear Whose heart the Lord hath o-pen-ed she 'll feed upon our chear For in these publick Mountains God to all will make his Feast And Messengers to 'th high way send for to invite his Guests These are the Feasts of Charity made by the God of Love On Heavenly Manna here we feed which comes from God above We being many are one Bread of which we partake all And when we 'r hungry doth us feed both now and ever shall This also
THE POOR Widows Mite Cast into the LORD'S TREASURY Wherein are contained Some Reasons in the Justification of the Meetings of the People of God called QUAKERS with an Approbation of several Truths held by them and the ground of Dark Persecution Discussed Written by a Woman of the South who came from the ends of the Earth to hear the Wisdom of him that is greater than Solomon and doth a far off behold the happy Estate of his Friends and Servants who stand continually before him to hear and receive Wisdom from him who is the true Emanuel Now lest it should be counted a Libel or any should think we dare not own it in the World I have subscribed my Name A MITE if ALL is more than ALL Than they Abundance have That have not FAITH to give up ALL Their ALL will not them Save Printed for the use and benefit of such Bees as suck their Hony from the Flowers and Blossoms that God makes to spring that they may have to keep themselves alive in the dark stormy Winter 1671 THE Widows Suite TO Her FRIEND T. S. whom she desires to be IMPRIMATOR to her Small Mite My Friend THese Lines to thee are sent that thou mayst them review Because I know thou dost Believe and Seest in things are True So that if ought be Unsav'ry and thou dost know the Fault Thou having in thy House Seas'ning put thereto the Earths Salt Moreover I not willing am that Truth at all be Blam'd Nor would I do or give out ought that any should be sham'd Therefore unto the Sanctu'ry I do my Weights forth bring The Ballance thereof them to try this is the only thing To have all right and made good weight Infirmities to heal And what Weights equal are and just on them to strike the Seal Which when they have Truths Seal on them Oh! then none will question Let the Noble Bereans search they 'l find the Weights all one The Poor WIDOWS MITE Cast into the LORDS TREASURY Where in are contained in short some reasons in the Justification of the Meetings of the People of God called QUAKERS c. NO Prologue Preface Frontispice nor no Epistle have To Usher in this little Mite that long hath lain in Grave But now a Resurrection hath and from the Grave is come And in the Holy City walks though before deaf and dumbe Nor did it see at all for that in 's very Birth 't was blind Nor taste the goodness of his God nor could him feel or find Now Praises praises unto him that quickned hath dry Bones By breathing makes the sences live to Abraham's Seed of Stones This is the mighty Power of God on us that blind were born His giving forth his Light his Christ his Everlasting â—…orn His Gospel Grace and Righteousness his Joy his Peace his Strength His mighty Arm Salvation brings unto us now at length With Wisdom Truth and Holiness which is to Sanctifie And cleanse this little New-born Babe which long in sin did lye This is the true Emanuel that doth his People save From all the sins that they have done that kept their Souls in Gravâ—… This is the Spirit that quickens us this is the time of Love When in our Blood we wallowing were Oh then What did 〈…〉 Our Father could not seeing he by birth an Am'rite was Nor Mother either cause that she came of the Hittits These fleshly earthly Canaanites could not help in that day Of the Souls great calamity God only is its stay For Pitty pitty no Eye had on it for to help when It was cast out and loath'd of all Love to it God had then He then did purge and purifie that Birth that is his own The which is born of the Spirit by a new Name is known And He it is deliverance brings from Satans Power and Might And hath translated us into his Sons marvelous Light Whereby we wonder and admire his Mercies manifold And from his Truth cannot retire his Truth doth make us bold And valiant for it upon Earth for which we All have lost For in our Building we sate down and did cast up the Cost And by the same our Souls have gain'd let th' world go as it will Let Life or Death or Sufferings come so God be with us still This is the Test we have for God in this we all agree That of our selves no help we have All is of Grace and Free For Obligations we have none wherewith the Lord to tye But the Free Promises he makes on them we do relye So those that true experience have pray tell it to each other What for their Souls the Lord hath done be it Sister or Brother This is the Cause that we do Meet together it 's Gods due That we may serve and witness Him by his Word which is true For in the mouth of two or three when they witness Allone Gods Word it is established and Truth prevails upon The Hearts and Souls of them that hear both IN and OVT also Whereby they the same Spirit know that is in many MO. This was the Order Paul did give the Co-rin-thi-ans to That to one place the Church should come and this also should do The Prophet or to Prophesie to Judge the others were By the same Spirit which they spoke that to them Truths did clear And if amongst them there did come one that believed not Convicted then he is of all and Judgement is his Lot And thus the secrets of his heart all manifested be So falling down upon his Face then worship God will he And of a truth report that God it is that lives in you This way th'unlearned come to know the Way of God that 's true Here one by one may Prophesie that all may hear and learn And also may be comforted that to Gods Spirit turn We Members of each others are being Christs Body dear Which he hath purchas'd with his Blood and plac'd in us his Fear For we be they the which are built on the Foundation Of Prophets and Apostles to Jesus Christ's Corner-stone In whom also the Building is fitly fram'd together Grown unto an holy Temple from which God will not sever For being Built together are through the Almighty Spirit An Habitation of God the which he will Inherit And so the Head it cannot say to 'th Foot I need not thee Nor eke the Eye unto the Ear O be thou gone from me For that the Body is but One yet Members hath it Many Apeare there would Deformity if lack there were of Any This Body God hath temper'd so the Members each with other That all should have the self same care Vncomly parts to cover Not to Rejoyce at Nakedness as did that cursed Cham But as Japhet and blessed Shem going backwards cover'd shame So what is wanting in each one a supply others have To Minister unto each wants by it their Soules to save And this all is by the same Spirit diversities of Guifts With
be freed from sin or death this Doctrine they do preach Whereby we all our Life-time have been kept in misery They also boldly do affirm that Paul he then did lye When unto God he did give thanks which was his strength and stay For that he had deliverance through Jesus Christ the Way And though Paul in his Agony did ask the question so From this Body of sin and death Who shall deliver Who This question it was only writ ' cause he would answer make Who was the alone Deliverance and for whose onely sake For none such tender pitty had to the poor wretched man To bind his wounds and 's wants supply but th' good Samaritan Who poured oyl into his wounds set him on his own Beast And brought him unto Christs own Inne the place of all Souls Rest With Wounds bound up and Charges paid this Love the Lord doth send With Stock laid in for future time what the poor Soul should spend Now shall not Paul when he is cleans'd and other Leapers to Return and give to God the thanks to whom alone t is due With David also come and tell what for his soul is done And that no Condemnation is in Jesus Christ Gods Son For they now walk not after flesh another Law they have The which of Spirit is and Life that doth their poor Souls save And this doth also set them free from Flesh Law Sin and Death And makes dry Bones together come for God sends for his Breath Which is the Gospel-Power of God which those Ministers hide Whose minds the God of this World blinds lest he should be espide Thus they go forth and People tell from sin they can't be freed Whilst on this side the Grave we are So their Lord's Lord indeed So making void the mighty Power of the Emanuel Who came to save People from sin Lyes of him they do tell As if his Hand were shortned and weakned were his Power Or that the World the Divels were for to rule every hour Whereas all Power in Heaven and Earth unto the Son is given And he must surely Raign on Earth though's Enemies have striven Him to oppose yet if not here Oh where shall Gods Son Raign For all his Enemies Death and Hell shall every one be slain For he must Rule till these be brought under his feet then shall The Son his Kingdom re-assigne and God be all in all So stop your mouths you Messengers that are Satanical For the Lords Christ is come to Raign his Rule must be your Fall And all your mighty Captains to which are of his Empire For Dragon Beast False Prophet to shall be cast in the fire For the Lords Christ came to destroy all the works of the Devil That Righteousness E'relasting may be brought from all that 's evil And if he were not to destroy his works in this world wrought What other World doth he work in that any out have sought When he his Messengers and Works are all cast in the fire What Works can he or they then do that any can desire 'T is also in this wicked World Gods Grace Salvation brings Teaching us worldly Lusts to shun and each ungoly thing And in this present world to live godly and soberly And to relieve in Righteousness the fatherless thereby The Widow likewise to visit this is Religion pure From the Worlds spots thus to keep clear the Devil can't endure And if all this you can't believe take your own evidence Of your own Doctrine the result and Catachistick sence Whereby this Truth it is confirm'd ' gainst all to be the same Where Children they are taught to say what 's promis'd in their name That the Devil and AL his works they must and will forsake And AL the Pomps and Vanities of this world leave to take And AL the sinful Lusts also of the Flesh which do rise ALL these they must be now forsook that did their hearts surprize And these not only to be left but they Gods Word must keep And his holy Commandements all their Life not in sleep This Christian Article of Faith they must fully believe Though they themselves their works destroy yet this to learn they give Oh is no here Babel built now anon pull'd down again This is the Dialect they speal of Sounds this is the strain Object But some may say For all this yet Paul in his flesh did feel A Prick Buffeting of Satan and this God did not heal Answ All this is true in his Warfare Pricks in the flesh he may And Buffetings of Satan to who sought him to destroy For when that â—e a Souldier was of Satan on his side He then with might did Persecute Christians could not abide And like his Master went about roaring for to devour And Letters had from the High Priest to take all in his Power And said himself He was e'en mad ' gainst all on God did call He went from house to house and did them unto Prison hall Now all this time there was no cause Satan should buffet Saul Till that he had his Champion lost and was convert to Paul And now who otherwise can think but Paul bufft'ed must be by his old Master that he serv'd now they do not agree Moreover must not Paul now have the measure he hid give And now the Wheel's upon him turn'd till the Lord him relieve So this no evil was in Paul nor ought that was unjust Though to the Lord he three times sought ' cause he did on him trust This seeking to the Lord did shew who had the power and might And that himself was but weakness 't was God must for him fight The Answer was he should not Fear sufficient was his Grace Him to defend and Courage give his Enemies to face He now must be a Souldier for his new Master t is right Therefore with Pricks and Buffets to his old Master doth fight Against him in temptation in raising of his mind To glory in the things he saw to which before he 's blind But by the Shield of Faith he did defend himself from evil And quenched hath the fiery darts cast at him from the Devil And Gods Light Armour on he put with the Sword of the Spirit The Helmet of Salvation to all 's Free here is no Merit So with this Armour and Weapon Paul did fight a good fight Against the Devil kept the Faith by Gods Pow-er and Might And by this Faith he did resist the Devil and made him fly And in this Faith the Victory got also a Crown thereby The which the Righteous God will give unto his Souldiers all That under this his Banner fight and on his Name do call So all may see that this was not an evil then in Paul But Souldiers marks of Jesus Christ the which we must bear all And his seeking thus unto God is as a sucking Child That seeketh for its Mothers Breast that is tender and mild And when the Child had suckt its
so it is decreed now So Hamon is the first of all that ever yet I 've read Who got forth such a cruel Law yet we find of his Seed Thus also Nebuchadnezzar who in his Pallace walkt Said Is not this Great Babylon with much such glorying talkt That I have built for the House of the Kingdom that is mine And by the might of my Power thus slighting Gods Divine And also for the honour of alone my Majesty As if at all there had not been a Power that 's on high While these words were in the Kings mouth there fell a voice from heaven The Kingdom is departed now that unto thee was given This was the Image-making man and Persecutor too That cast i' th fire who would not to 's Image Worship do Therefore let none think that we do 't through peevishness of mind For we for it good Reason have and Precepts too Divine Examples too you see we have recorded in Scripture Of Gods Judgements that on men fell which were both just and sure As hard-hearted Pharaoh did keep Israel in Bondage great And when Liberty it was sought with God he would not treat But said Who is the Lord that he at all should him obey With such presumptuous words as these from his proud heart did say And in the stead of Liberty did make their Burthens more For which upon his Head God did full many Judgements poure Bloody waters Froggs Lice and Flies with Boyles and Blanches many Hail Locusts Darkness and First-born were slain he left not any And yet for all those Judgements which fell on him as his due So hard-hearted he yet still was that Israel he 'd pursue So Gods People in a great strait being thus surrounded By standing kill Salvation saw of God and Pharaoh drounded This is for you a warning then that follow step by step That regard not Fire War or Plague but over these things lep Tho you count those things Accidents which unto you are given But that you should no Covers have God shews you signs from heaven Yea and such signs all your Wise men with their Egyptian Art Could tell the coming of the same which made them all to start Nor what th' effect or influence these Blasing-Stars would be That in one year did shew themselves not one or two but three Thus Pharaohs drown'd and Hamons hang'd Nebuchadnezzar's due To lose his Kingdom and Herod eaten with worms was to So all proud persecuting Spirits Examples here 's for you For God is now the same also his Judgements just and true For his Hand is not shortned but can help 't is our stay Nor is his power now weakend more than 't was yesterday For all the Honour and Glory of Man is but a lye And if there were no Worshippers of Idols they would dye This Honour God he will not give to graven Images Nor his Glory to mortal men tho they him near so please For that the Kingdom it is his the Power and Glory too And Honour for ever and e're to him alone t is due For if the Angel which to John shewd Mysteries manifold Would not be bow'd to or worshipt how dare man be so bold For he our Fellow-servant was and of our Brethren to Which Jesus Testimony had and Prophesying Spirit true These are the highest attainments of Angels and of Men That maketh them honourable yet are they but Brethren And so they dare not now to bow or worship give each other Or glory in ought that they have for 't cometh from another And now all earthly Images you all must now be dumbe And speak no more for your glory now Gods Kingdom is come And his Almighty Power shall you altogether grind And in the Sea your Ashes cast that henceforth none you find This is the little Stone the which out of the Mountain's cut Though without hands your Images shall break as a small Nut. These Idols of Silver and Gold they shall to Moles be given The which blind Vermin in Earth creep shut up from th' Light of heaven And the blind Bats must have a part that are Birds of the night The which cannot abide the Day to fly in peoples sight Therefore alone to God we 'l bow and worship him alway Who is our Fountain Treasure Stock our Light Life Bread and Stay And therefore now Man speak no more for to be bow'd unto For Gods Prerogative it is and he must have his due If Saints and Angels they would not at all be bow'd to then What spirit have all those that do seek worship now from men For if Gods Messengers and Gifts we must not once admire Oh then Whose Messengers are they that Glory do desire For all the Gifts and Graces wâ—…ch God he doth to us send That him alone we should praise which is both Author and End For we the Israel of God are while we walk in this sphere So no Weapon against us formd shall prosper Sword or Spear If in the Fire we are cast oh there 's the Son of God Or through the Water made to pass oh there 's also the Lord. So to be burnt or over-flowd no cause we have to fear For Angels Lyons mouths do stop of 's Daniels he hath care If Oxen must not muzzeld be that do tread out the Corn Oh then what care will he have of his Babes that are new born But if that yet we do please men Gods Servants we are not And when men worldly honour seek it signifies a Blot That they from God departed are in whom men honour have And gone into the World from him who do its honour crave Saul is a figure unto such who Gods Word disobeyd And God from him departed was oh then he cryd and said Before the People honour me oh this was all his cry For those that have forsaken God on this alone rely But this is sad and desmal to Worlds glory for to gain Out of Gods presence to be cast into eternal pain In this Doctrine it is observ'd the Persecutors proud Which will not to this Image bow Life hardly is allow'd And God he is so just and true in Judgement he 'll not act Till plainly the notoriousness appear doth of the Fact Cain he cannot at all be cast out of Gods presence till The Blood of Abel he hath spilt then Judgement on him fell So you that offer unto God the Sacrifice of Praise Which Offering he doth respect and also did alwayes Thus to the Will of God you must your selves and all commit Tho Caldees and Sabeans too themselves against you set For the Chastisements of the Lord we never must refuse ' Cause ye no Bastards are but Sons he to himself doth chuse And when that you corrected are Obedience thereby learn You shall not need to fear but God the Rod forthwith will burn Now if the ground-work you would know in fine of all this evil From th' Dragon and old Serpent t is or spirit of