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
visited in his endless unchangeable Love even in his making known and manifesting in and unto your souls his pure pretious Truth whereof he hath in measure made you pertakers with his dear Children and Witnesses of in your measures blessed be his Name who hath raised you up to bear a Testimony for him and his Truth which you profess who also hath inabled you through the power of his Love thereunto in this the day of your tryal in that great Town And my dear Friends my soul earnestly desires that you all may dwell and abide in the remembrance and living sence of the loving-kindness of the Lord towards you in his freely making known his Truth unto you that indeed the sence of his Love may bind your hearts and souls to be faithfull unto the Lord and his truth which you profess in still bearing your Testimony for the same in this the day of tryal standing as noble faithfull witnesses for the Truth every one of you in your measures amongst that hard hearted and crooked Generation in the midst of whom my dear friends you in the Light may shine as Lights in the blamless Life and unreproveable Conversation even to the praise of the Lord God and to the honour of his truth which you profess Now dear friends the Lord hath caused you hitherto to bear a testimony for him and against that wicked spirit of Persecution which would limit the Lord in his people in this particuler fix in your meeting and assembling your selves together in his fear to wait upon him and to worship him in spirit and in truth though it hath been though Sufferings And dear friends in the meekness of love unfeigned I Cry unto you saying oh do not grow faint nor weary of bearing your testimony still for the truth and worship of God in your meeting together in his name for dear Friends wherein can we in one particular exercise of the spirit of truth bear a larger testimony for the truth then in our meeting and assembling our selves together in the truth to worship the God of truth in the spirit of truth seeing that this is the thing above many which the wicked spirit of persecution doth so eagerly and so highly oppose and so eanestly seek and so greatly indeavour to deprive us of and confine us from wherefore dear Friends I cannot but in the Love and Zeal of the truth exhort you all not to neglect meeting together in the fear of God so long as the Lord permit you Liberty so to do And oh let not the smalness of your number you little Flock who are hated and rejected by the world be any discouragement to you in this matter but oh rather be you incouraged thereby in the strength of the Lord in love to his truth to bear up your testimony in that great Town in the midst of so many Persecutors faithfully in your measures even to the honour of the Lord his truth My dear friends let me say again neglect not meeting together through giving way to the slothâ—ul careless spirit or through letting in the fear of man into your hearts for indeed my dear friends although you be a poor small Remnant for whom my soul travelleth with the Lord for your preservation yet behold as you keep your meetings in the fear and name of the Lord you will feel and injoy his living presence in and amongst you which will make your meetings profitable unto you And dear Babes in stillness quietness in peace patiâ—nce and contentedness possess your souls in the dominion of truth to reign over all those thoughts reasonings and consultings which the Enemy of your souls would infuse into your minds whereby he would raise trouble and tumult in your hearts and bring faintness and weakness upon you And dear Friends lend not an ear to listen after the rumours and reports of the world nor heed not the boasting of the wicked neither regard the threatning of truths Enemies but dear Babes continually lend an ear unto the Lord and hearken you unto his Counsel and have continual regard unto him in your hearts and wait to feel his presence with you continually and know your unity with him and every perticular one feel and find in your selves that the Lord God almighty is on your sides and then my dear Friends you need not matter who are against you if the Lord be for you so dear Lambs be faithful to the Lord and to his truth in your measures and be not Dâ—scouraged nor Danted through the sence of the rage wroth and bitterness of your Enemies and through the feeling of your own weakness and feebleness but trust ye in the Lord and hope ye in his tender bowels which are opened with groanings of compassion towards his poor afflicted suffering people who is and yet will be a strength to the poor and needy a refuge unto them from the storm and a shadow unto them from the heat a helper in the time of need a Deliverer out of trouble in the greatest straits who will appear to help his helpless ones whâ— have no other helper but the Lord. So the Lord God almighty be with you and gird up your loins with Courage Boldness Strength and Valour and spread upon you the mantle of faithfulness and cause you to persevere on in the perpetual patience and to abide in the continual content therein to run the race that is set before you which you have begun And the Lord almighty of heaven and of earth for his own seeds sake keep you from fainting by the way and carry you through all whatever either outwardly or inwardly you do or may meet withal and keep you and preserve you unto the end that in the end dear Lambs we may lay down our heads together in the sweet bosom of the Lord God of everlasting rest peace and quietness in whose sweet meek heavenly humbling melting love my soul dearly salutes you all and commits you all unto the Lord God almighty Farewell dear Friends Dwell together in that love which thinks no evil therein forgiving and forbearing one another even as the tender God of bowels hath forgiven you and born with you day after day and time after time and dwell all in the meek spirit of self-denial keeping the unity in the spirit in the bond of peace Norwich-Castle the 3 d Moneth 1664. Your tender Friend and Brother WILLIAM BENNIT God only Exalted in his own Work OR THE Works of God Praiseth him in Sion OR A Song of Deliverance from a great and sore Captivity Thraldom and Bondage under the King of Egyptian Darkness the God of the World where the Soul was fast bound as with strong Chains and Fetters but now Ransomed by the out-stretched Arm of Gods Almighty Power and art come to Sion with Songs of everlasting Joy upon thy head and hast obtain'd joy and gladness and thy sighing and mourning is fled away witnessed unto and experienced in that Vessel whose earthly
who sits upon the earthly Throne unto the most Inferior in the Kingdom and by this Principle of Love in our own hearts which is of God we are made to bear Love and Good will towards all people and by it we are taught to loy Enemies to Bless and Curse not to Pray for them who De spitefully useth us and to do Good to them that Beateth us and not in the least to render Evil for Evil but endeavour to overcome in our selves and others Evil with Good and by it we are preserved from joyning with the spirit of Envy and from being led by the spirit of Revenge which ruleth in many and leadeth into secret Plottings and evil Contrivances by way of Conspiring to raise Tumult and Insurrection which spirit with all its fruits we deny and judge and all those who are led by it to Contrive and Plot against any or to seek the Destruction of any people though our Enemies such we disown and their actions we defie the Lord is our witness And by the Principle of Love in our hearts are our Consciences made very tender to God-ward insomuch as that we would not willingly and knowingly sin against him and are willing rather to suffer the loss of all External things yea even Life and all then to break our peace with God which we value more then ten thousand Worlds and because we endeavour in the strength and power of the principle of love in our hearts to keep our Consciences void of offence towards God and because we dare not do those things though they be set up by men and tollerated and compelled to be done by a Law which we are perswaded by the unerring spirit of Truth we ought not to do neither joyn with any therein and because we dare not forbear doing those things though prohibited by the Laws of men there from which we are perswaded by the spirit of Truth is our duty towards God to do and perform therefore are we a suffering People this day and for no other Cause the Lord is our witness to the truth hereof And ever since the Lord our dear and tender God who alone hath been and now is our Helper Strength and Refuge and hath stood by us and supported and preserved us or else we had not been a People at this day did raise us up to be a People for to bear witness to his Way and Truth and against the false Ways evil Works false Worships Idolatry Sin and Wickedness of the World we have been a suffering People and all along we have suffered by every Power that hath come up to Rule and all along we have suffered for only our Consciences towards God if our Enemies have had no Law in force against us neither could find any thing on our parts whereby they might take a just occasion against us then have they as Daniel's Persecutors did against him who sought his Destruction without a Cause given them by him even made Laws on purpose to Insnare us and Trappan us concerning our Conscience towards God for which we did suffer by the other Rulers even many ways viz. by Stocking Stoning cruel Whipping Rayling Reviling and cruel Abuses even Imprisonment until Death and spoyling of Goods in a more abundant manner then I can relate and all hath been for our Consciences to God all which we have born and waded through in Patience through the strength of the upholding merciful Arm of our God and by him have been kept from seeking Revenge upon our Enemies but have committed our Cause to God who Judgeth Righteously and Justifieth those whom men Condemn unto whom alone Vengence belongs and he will repay it who will render unto man according to his Works And even at this day our Sufferings are greater then before and now are we even as Sheep appointed for the Slaughter and all is because we endeavour to keep our Consciences void of offence towards God and because we dare not joyn with that Idolatrous Worship which God abhors but must as moved of the Lord rather bear Testimony against Idolatrous Worships and Worshippers vvhatever vve suffer And because vve dare not Svvare at all knovving if vve should Svvear at all we should then transgress the Commands of Christ Matthew Chaper 5. Verse 34 c. James Chapter 5. Verse 5 c. And because vve follovv the practices of the Primitive Christians and dear not forsake the Assembling of our selves together but must as vve are taught of the Lord meet together in the pure fear and dread of the Name of the Almighty God even for no other end the Lord vvho knovveth the secrets of all hearts is our vvitness but to Wait upon the Lord and to Pray to the Lord and to Build up Strengthen and Edifie one another in the Lord and to Serve and Worship God in Spirit and in Truth vvherein God vvho is a Spirit is only Worshipped aright by his Spirituallized people vvho are born of the Spirit and guided and led by the Spirit of Truth into all Truth And it is not in Rebellion and Contempt to King Charles and his Lavvs that vve meet together to vvorship God neither do vve do it in a Cross Stubborn Self-vvill as by some vve are charged the Lord is our vvitness but even in a Cross to our ovvn vvills and in Obedience to the vvill of God vvhere fore vve have peace in the Lord for vvhose sake vve suffer and stand justified in the sight of God though by Men and their Lavvs counted Transgressors Novv Friends as your Moderation in measure hath appeared in this day of hot Persecution and hath been manifested heretofore tovvards the Lords tender Conscientious people in this Tovvn vvhich I believe the Lord hath taken notice of who hath regard unto those vvho have respect to his people and truly it is my Souls desire even for your ovvn good that your Moderation tovvards the people of God called Quakers or any other people vvhose Consciences are tender to God-vvard may continue still and increase more and more so as that ye might not in the lest degree have a hand any more in the Sufferings of the Innocent but might rather chuse as meek Moses did to suffer Affliction vvith the Suffering Abused Tribulated Afflicted People of God then to be found Prosecutors of any unjust Lavv against them for indeed happy in that particular is the man that hath no hand in the sufferings of the Lords people for sure I am the Lord God hath regard unto his people though disregarded by such as know not God nor his People and though Hated and Persecuted by the World yet Loved of the Lord and very dear unto him and though Contemptible Ridiculous and Absurd in the eyes of the wisemen of this World yet Beautiful Comely Delectable and Precious in the eyes of the Lord and what evil any do to them because of their Consciences towards God the Lord takes it as done unto himself and if one
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
remember that in which God first appeared viz. the measure of Gods Gift or Grace in their Hearts there to stay their Minds often mentioning the command of God to Jacob who after many Tryals Travels and Exercises and after God had given him great encrease of Riches as Flocks and Herds VVives and Children which he devided into three Bands in order to meet his Brother Esau admiring the goodness of the God of his Fathers who had given him all that Riches who only with his Staff did some time before travelled over Jordan yet after all this God commanded him to go to Bethel the place where the Lord at first appeared to him when he fled from his Brother Esau there to dwell and erect an Alter and call upon his Name He often had it upon him to put Friends in mind of speaking the true Language to say thee or thou to a single Person without respect of Persons the contrary being false and so out of the Truth it was likewise much upon him to exhort Friends to feel the concern of Truth upon their Spirits that in the true sence thereof they might feel the drawing of the Love of God to Meet and Assemble themselves together in his Name and Fear and that they might truly know and understand the end of their meeting and what God therein requires of them that they might not go to Meetings as many People go to their Church as they call it to be a little serious while they are there and when they are gone thence let their minds out as if they had left their God behind them such a coming to meetings would not stand any one in stead in a time of Exercise or a day of Tryal much might be writ as to the good Exhortations Admonitions Advice and good-Counsel which oftentimes opened in his Heart in the Meetings and Assembles of Friends but I must refer my friendly Reader to the persual of his Cordial and Soul refreshing Epistles as in the Life they are Read by which they were given forth for his or her further satisfaction only I cannot pass by as not to mention his frequent wrestlings in Prayer with the Lord for the good of all but more especially for those of the Houshold of Faith not forgetting the Sufferers of all sorts whether in Body or in Mind particularly such as suffer Imprisonment for the Testimony of a good Conscience he often prayed that God would be pleased to make the Prison as a Pallace to them through the incomes of his heavenly Life and blessed Presence in and to their Souls and such as lay upon a Bed of Sickness that God would be their Comfort such as travelled by Sea or Land in the Work or Service of the Lord that he would be their Support and by his living Power and Presence them accompany that their Service might be effectual they enabled with cheerfulness to undergo what it should please God to permit or suffer to befal them for their Testimony sake he often interceeded with God for his very Enemies having learned that Lesson to love Enemies that it would please the Lord to turn their Hearts and to open their Eyes that they may see against whom they are striving and against whom they are setting themselves in battle aray as Bayers Thorns against consuming Fire that they might behold him whom with their Sins they had Pierced whom in his Members they had Persecuted that they might mourn over him and if it were the will of God Repent Return be Converted and Healed he oft remembred this the Land of his Nativity in his Suplications to God that it would please him if so it seemed good in his sight to prevent those impending Judgments that hang over it ready like a dreadful Tempest to break and fall upon it by its speedy Repenting and breaking off from those great Sins and Evils that abound and superabound in it which in Nature seem to Equal if not Exceed the Sins of Sodom and that it would please God if that it seemed good in his sight to frustrate confound and bring to nought the devices contrivances and consultations of that wicked Spirit and those wicked Instruments that device contrive and consult its Overthrow and Destruction Thus did the Love of God flow from the Heart of this Servant of his not only to Friends but to Enemies having so learned of his Master Christ Jesus whom he faithfully served in his Generation and with whom he forever resteth Now Friends having hinted something of the Testimony this good man bore for God in Life and Conversation and also in Word and Doctrine having a dispensation of the Word of Life committed to him to declare to others he being an able Minister of the same now it remains to speak something of his Testimony he bore for God in Suffering it was not only given him to Believe but to Suffer for the Name of Christ in which by the permission of God he had a large share especially by Imprisonment which many times was long and tedious had he not been supported by the Power of God for whose Cause he Suffered and in whose Will he was truly contented to undergo what wicked men were permitted to inflict upon him for his Conscience sake towards God eying the Will of God in all in which was his Peace and true lasting Satisfaction the principal places of his Imprisonment were at Yarâ—oth Norwich-Castle Blibro Melton Ipswich and Edmonds-Bury in the last of which he remained a close Prisoner scarce setting his Foot over the Threshold in five Years time he was several times a Prisoner in Melton Goal as likewise in the County Goal at Ipswich where he breathed his last Breath in which two places latterward my self with several of our Friends in and about Woodbridg were Prisoners with him as particularly in this Persecution which began five Years since by Edmond Brume Priest of Woodbridg but committed by Justice Bacon and Justice Bohon for refusing to take an Oath where he remained Prisoner about half a Year but after some breathing space our old Persecuting Adversary Priest Brume began afresh to breath out his Threatnings like the Persecutors of old and getting a Justice for his turn began to stir up the Town Officers and disturb our Meeting who of themselves might be unwilling and upon the 12th day of the 6th month 1683 there came to our Meeting the aforesaid Officers wherâ— our dear Friend William Bennit was upon his Knees in Prayer to God from which he was violently haled away by one Robert Chapman a Constable being put forward thereto by John Firman Church warden and with several others of us taken out of our peaceable Meeting at Woodbridg and carried before Edmond Jenny of Bredfeild Justice who committed us to Melton Goal for being at a Quaker-Meeting which is contrary to Law as saith the Mittimas at which this innocent man greatly rejoyced that the Lord see it meet for him to bear his Testimony in
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
them they receive power through it to become the Sons of God for through his Grace doth he manifest his power in them that believe in the Light to the drawing of their hearts and minds out of the ungodliness and worldly lusts and to the teaching of them to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world and thus the free Grace of God bringeth Salvation to their Souls And so dear people thus you who come to believe in the Light to love and obey the Light in your own Consciences will come to feel and witness the work of the Lord God in your hearts the working and opperation of the Word of Life to the casting out of the Bond-woman and her Son which is not to inherit to the binding of the strong man and casting of him out yea the Old man with his deeds is to be put off and you renewed in the spirit of your minds and the new Man is to Eph. 4. 20 21 22 23. be put on who after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness to put him on and to bring him forth before all men the only begotten Son of God who is full of Grace and Truth Mercy and Love Pity and Compassion Purity and Holiness and Good-will towards all who loveth Enemies and doth good to them that hate him c. So coming to the Light Christ Jesus you come to the Substance to him in whom the Figures Types and Shaddows end in and so come to witness him in you who fulfils all Righteousness he who is the end of the Law for â—ighteousness sake unto them that believe in him and to be Circumcised in him with the Circumcision Col. 2. 11 12. made without hands by the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the Circumcision of Christ which the outward Circumcision was a figure of and to witness the Baptism of Christ which is with the Holy Ghost and fire which John's Baptism with water outward was a true figure of and he bore Testimony unto Christ the Light of the world who said I must decrease but he must increase I indeed baptise you with water but he Christ Jesus who was before me shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire whose fan is in his hand and he shall throughly purge his floor the Wheat he shall gather into his Garner but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire So the outward water was but a type the outward washing a type of the inward washing and inward cleansing and inward purging and purifying by the Water of Life or the Blood of Jesus that cleanseth from all sin which is felt thus to work in them who believe in the Light and walk in the Light and they come to know that begotten in them that feeds upon the flesh of Christ which is the living Bread upon which the living Soul seeds and is the Substance which the Bread and Wine outward did figure out which the Manna that God gave the Israel of old in the Wilderness was a pure type of the heavenly Manna the living Bread vvhich the birth that is born of God feeds upon and lives thereby and grows up into Eternal life The day of gathering is come wherein the Lord God of everlasting bowels of Compassion is a gathering the despersed and seeking that which was lost and bringing back that which was driven away and healing that Ezek. 34. 12 13 14 9 16. which was sick and binding up that which was broken but the strong and the fat he is feeding with Judgment The Lord is a gathering people out of the Forms Shels and Shadows wherein many have long stuck and is bringing of them to the Substance and life it self out of the many Sects and heaps and divers ways into the one pure path into the one way of Life Light Peace Truth and Righteousness who by the one Spirit hath and is baptising them who believe in the Light 1 Cor. 12. 13 into the one body wherein the unity the oneness and the fellowship is witnessed blessed be his Name The way of the Lord is pure and Righteous and unchangable I am the Way the Truth and the Life saith Christ John 14. 6. Rom. 10. 8 John 12. 46. 8. 12. the immortal Word which saith Paul is nigh in the heart to be obeyed and done This is he the Light the Salvation of God the true Light that lighteth every man that commeth into the world who saith None can come unto the Father but by me I am come a Light into the world saith Christ that whosoever believe in me shall not abide in darkness but shall have the light of life Therefore dear people love the Light and believe in the Light while ye have the Light that so you may become children of the Light and become heirs of an Inheritance incorruptible that will never fade away There is no obtaining the Crown but through the Cross and this you will come to know who come to love the Light and to be taught of him and to learn of him who is meek and low in heart Mat 11. 29 and 6. 13. and 10. 38. and to follow him in the strait and narrow way that leads to life which few there be that find it and walk therein He that will be my Disciple saith Christ must deny himself and take up his dayly Cross and follow me This you will come to feel and witness if you be followers of the Light a dayly denying of self you will know a denying of your own wills your own desires your own thoughts your own affections your own words and works your own wisdom and righteousness and a daily taking up the Cross an hourly living in the Cross through which you must come to be crucified to the World its Vanity its Pomp Pastime and Pleasures Sins and Iniquities vain Words Psal 6. 14 Works Fashions Customs Inventions and Traditions so coming to be crucified with Christ unto the world and to be Baptised into death with him unto sin you will come to live with him unto God in the life of Righteousness in whom then you will find that Rest Satisfaction Joy Comfort and Peace which no man can give unto you So dear people who are seeking and desiring after the Lord God to find peace and comfort to your souls this I leave with you flee not from that which doth judg you in your own hearts for sin and evil and bring trouble upon you and sorrow upon you and woundeth and pierceth you in secret because of Transgression I say love that flee not from it for oh dear people how many is there that when they have been judged by Gods pure light in their hearts for their sins when trouble and sorrovv and distress hath seized on them because of their sins vvhich Gods Witness hath set in order before their eyes then have they run unto vain helps and run unto man for
Pharoah and his host he utterly destroyed in his wrath and delivered thee oh my soul out of his hand and destroyed them who would have destroyed thee and gave thee dominion over them that had dominion over thee and thou sawest them lie dead as by the Sea shore glory glory glory ah glory glory and pure praises praises to God to the Lord God even thy God oh my soul and now oh my soul thou canst sing a song of deliverance a song of victory and triumph and go into the Sanctuary of God to the Altar of God thy God even God thy exceeding joy ah and upon the Harp thou canst praise God the Lord thy God thy delight and joy Oh! oh my soul my soul thou in the lowly fear and holy dread of the Lord thy tender God and in truth and righteousness livingly and experimentally canst say the Lord my God is my strength and my song he also is become my salvation he is my Rock and strong Tower his work is perfect a God the God of truth and righteousness just and right he is the holy one whose dwelling is on high in the holy place and with him also who is of a poor and a meek and a contrite spirit and that trembleth before his Holiness and fears and dreads before his dreadful Name ah ah thy right hand O Lord thy right hand O Lord God of power is become glorious in power is become mighty in power thy right hand O Lord God Almighty hath dashed in pieces mine enemies by the greatness O Lord my God by the greatness of thy wonderful excellency thou hast O Lord confounded them that rose up against me thou lettest forth thy wrath and consumed them as stubble before a mighty fire thou lettest forth the breath of thy fury and blew upon them and scattered them as chaff before a mighty wind Oh! oh who can stand before thy indignation thy dreadful indignation who can abide the extream fierceness of thy anger thy fury is poured forth like fire thou breakest the râ—cks in pieces the mountains tremble before thee the mighty God thou utterest thy voice and the Heathen tremble thou roarest and the Kingdoms are moved and the earth melteth at the appearance of thy presence who cometh with fire and thy Chariots like a whirle-wind thou renderest thy anger with fury and thy rebukes with flames of fire thou hast thy way in the whirle-winds and the Clouds are as the dust of thy feet Thou art the mighty God who can but fear before thee and tremble at thy eternal presence thou roarest out of thy Sion and utterest thy voice from thy Jerusalem and the Inhabitants of the earth tremble thereat but still thou art the hope of thy People and the strength of thy ransomed ones their strong Tower their present Helper in the time of trouble Wherefore I 'll not fear though the Earth be removed and carried into the midst of the Sea and though the Sea roar and be terrible and the Mountains shake with the swellings thereof and the Hills fly before it though the tall Cedars of Lebanon fall and the strong Oaks of Bashan bend before it yet I will not fear the Lord is with me and he will not forsake me but he will help me and that right early Wherefore I will only fear before the Lord before the Lord my God the mighty eternal God of mighty eternal Power who measureth out the Heavens as with a span and measureth the waters of the Seas in the hollow of his hand who comprehendeth the dust of the Earth in a measure weigheth the Mountains as in scales and the Hills as in a ballance who taketh up the Islands as a very little thing before whose face the Heavens and the Earth flee away and behold there appeareth no more Sea Oh! who can but fear before thee O Lord my God the enemy said I 'll pursue I 'll overtake I 'll not spare my lusts shall be satisfied on him But O Lord O Lord God my God thou wert my God near to help in the time of need and in the time of greatest need appeared appeared in the greatest power of love O Lord thou blew upon them and the Sea covered them and they sunk as Lead in the bottom of the mighty Waters O Lord O Lord God who is like unto thee who amongst the gods is like unto thee the only God who art dreadful in holiness fearful in praises doing wonders Oh! let the people hear and be afraid and the Dukes of Edom be amazed and let trembling take hold of the mighty men of Moab oh who can but fear before thee O Lord my God Thou hast redeemed me and led me forth in thy power and guided me in thy strength unto thy holy habitation thou wilt bring me in and plant me in the mountain of thy Inheritance in thy Sanctuary O Lord which thy hands have established wherein I shall live with thee O Lord my God for ever Ah glory glory glory unto thee O Lord God my God The Lord is a man of war the Lord of Host is his name Pharaoh and his mighty men hath he drowned in the Sea but he hath saved thee oh my soul So Lord let thine enemies perish but let them that hope in thy mercy live for ever to declare thy wonders and magnifie thy name in the land of the living Ah! glory glory ah glory glory to God the mighty God ah praises praises honour and thanksgiving unto thee O Lord my God who lives for ever and for evermore Amen Oh! oh what is this what is this that the Lord thy tender God of infinite bowels of pity hath done for thee oh my soul thou wert a slave in the Land of Egypt and the Lord hath redeemed thee oh my soul thou wert in darkness and the Lord hath given thee light and thou wert under the region and shadow of death and he hath brought thee forth in the to Land of life Thou wert in the prison shut up in the prison-house bound up with chains and fetters in the low dungeon of darkness and he hath broken thy chains and snapt thy fetters asunder and loosed thy bonds and broke up the prison door and pulled down the prison house and set thee free oh my soul Oh my soul my soul thou wert a captive in the Land of Babylon estranged from the Common-wealth of Israel and an Alien from Sion sitting sorrowful and solitary by the River of Babylon in the Land of Captivity mourning when thou thoughst upon Sion for thou wert a Captive in a strange Land and sorrow through the sence of thy woful Captivity and Alienation from thy native Land compassed thee about and trouble on every hand tears was thy drink daily sorrow thy meat and groans and sighs thy greatest joy thou wentest bowed down all the day long with an heart aking and thine eyes dropping with tears because of the oppressions of thine enemies and burdens of thine oppressours
by â—â—ds and self-inâ—â—â—â—st to condecend to do that thing willingly which we know â—ould cause Gods Truth to suffer his holy Name to be dishonoured his holy Spirit to be grieved and our Consciences to be defiled thereby ah in this frame of spirit free given up state the Lord God of power keep us by his power with the rest of his dear innocent suffering Lambs elsewhere for his own name-sake even unto the end until our Testimony for the Lord which he in his beloved Son hath counted us worthy to bear in this his day be finished to the praise glory and renown of his holy powerful name and to the everlasting Joy and eternal Peace of our immortal souls Amen saith my soul which doth fervently desire dear suffering Lambs that the holy living presence of my God may be in with and amongst you all to your Joy and Comfort and that his power may uphold you and that his strength may support you and keep up your heads above all your sufferings and tryals that so none may grow weary nor faint in your minds but you may be made strong in the Lord and be able in the power of his might to resist thresh hammer and beat down every thought and all carnal reasonings and fleshly consultings that your Enemy and Adversary in your own hearts would infuse into your minds which indeed if entertained how soon may they who are strong thereby become weake and they who witness freedom be brought again into bondage and be again caught in the Serpents snares ho is exceeding busie within as well as without seeking daily whom he may devour and betray of the simplicity of truth and draw back again unto himself Dear Lambs you are in measure acquainted with his subtilty yea blessed be the Lord who hath open'd your eyes and you see him and his temptations and crafty allurements and not only so but you know how to escape them so as not to be overcome by tâ—em but resist them overcome him and his temptations thâ—ough the strength of the Lord who hath called and redeemed you from under his power yet not withstanding my dear Friends let me say unto you in the brotherly love and tenderness of my soul watch and keep close unto the Lord in your own hearts that unto him you may be kept faithful unto the very end who will make way for your deliverance in his own time and season and he will plead your righteous cause with his and your Adversaries in his season to your Joy and their Sorrow Whâ—â—efore wholely commit your cause unto the Lord your God who watcheth over you and careth for you and will never leave you but will stand by you and help you in the needful time even all you whose trust and hope is in him alone and can use no other weapon to plead your cause with but the â—â—rd of his mouth So dear Lambs in the pure patience and long suffering of the Lamb our Captain and Leader and Example that meek one who saith love Enemies possess your souls and rest in stilness and peace and quietness and contentedness in the Ark of safety whâ—ch the Lord hath prepared for his Family to bear them up above the floods until the waters abate and dry land appear So the Lord be with you all and bundle you up together in his innocent love which thinketh no evil therein to serve him with your whole hearts and one an other with all self-denial none to strive except to be most meâ—kâ—st and lowâ—st in mind so that you all way be tender affectionated one towards another forgiving and fâ—rbearing one another in love the stâ—oâ—g bearâ—ng with the infirmities of the weak that even as dear Children of one Father you may dwell together in peace and in pure unity in the spirit of holiness that a Joy and a Comfort you may â—e to each other in the Lord upon whom dear Lambs wait â—ogether very diligently that of his fulness you may all receive who is ready bountifully to minister that of himself unto all his tender Lambs and breathing Babes who wait upon him which he seeth is meet for them even to their daily nourishment joy comfort and reâ—reshment So in the pure bowels and tender everlasting love of the tender God of compassion doth my soul dearly salute you all who loveth the Lord uprightly and who make mention of his name in sincerity and truth and are willing to suffer for the same whether you be in bonds or out of bonds my love reacheth unto all the upright in heart Farewel dear Lambs From your Friend and Companion in the patience and long suffering of the Lamb who hath must and shall have the victory over all his Enemies to Triumph and Reign in Dominion Eternally Norwich Castle 29th of the 7th Month 1664. William Bennit This to go among Friends of Truth to be read amâ—ng â—hâ—m when assembled together in the pure fear and dread of thâ— most Hâ—gh God DEarly and tenderly beloved Friends the dear tender unfeigned salutation of my tender soul reâ—châ—â—h unto you all who loveth the Lord and his Tâ—uâ—h with your whole hearts and who make mention of his holy name in sincerity and truth even in the meek render lowly holy seed of eternal life made manifest quickned and in measure raised up in my soul even in this innâ—cenâ— seed of immortallity doth the love of â—y soul extend towards you all and I very dearly desire your prosperity and â—ranquility therein even as I do â—esire for my own soul and thaâ— this lowly holy seed and meek innocent life oâ— Jesus may daily spring grow up and flourish in every particular soul of you all that so though it was once the lest of all Seeds in you even as a little grain of Musterd-Seed hid in the Earth it may become the greatest the highest and strongest of all things in you over-povvering you and over-shadowing you that so unto you it may become a pleasant Bower of spices and as a sweet smelling savour that you may even joy to sit under its shadow even with great delight its fruit be exceeding sweet to your taste Ah Babes therein is Peace to be injoyed which is Eternal which passeth all Understanding therein is Joy unspeakable and full of glory to be injoyned therein is Blessedness which is everlasting Happiness which is endless to be injoyed out of it there is none Ah Lambs therein is Power to be received whereby to overcome him who hath the power of Death to wit the Devil and to break his Head and withstand all his Temptations and strong Assaults and various Alurements and many Inticements and power therein to withstand thresh hammer and beat down all those Thoughts Reasonings and Carnal Fleshly Consultations which he your greatest Enemy would infuse into your Minds and raise up in your Hearts whereby to disturb and break your Peace and raise Trouble and Tumults and Insurections in your Minds that so
to him and am faithful unto him though my Earthen Vessel may be broken to peices and be turned to the dust and be taken away as the Wicked are who know not God yet nevertheless I know it shall not be with my soul as it shall be with the Wicked for it shall go ill with them that Die and be cut-off in their Sins but through the love of the Lord it is and shall be well with my soul for that shall Live and never Die whatever comes upon my Earthen Vessel wherefore I will not say in a murmuring way Lord why is it thus that as to outward appearance thou takest away the Righteous with the Wicked and cuâ—est off them that fear thy Name vvith them that fear thee not as if thou hadst no regard to thy people nor respect to them that call upon thy Name nor care over those vvho serve thee vvith an upright Heart but I vvill be still and knovv that the Lord he is God and may do as seemerh good in his Eye vvhose vvorkings are Mysterious and his doings very Strange and his actings very Marvellous in the eyes of many vvho is even to vvonderful for his people unto vvhom he intends good altogether for oh he loveth them and they are dear unto him as the Apple of his Eye they are his Portion vvhich he hath chosen and his Inheritance for ever vvhich he hath purchased for himself vvho is God over all blessed for evermore Oh dear Friends Brethren and Sisters my dear unfeigned Love extends to you all in the Truth of our God vvherein my soul salutes you vvho Love and Serve the Lord vvith a sincere and upright Heart and in Spirit I am vvith you though outvvardly separated from you for the Seeds sake and truly my soul simpathiseth vvith you in your Tryals Afflictions both invvardly and outvvardly and oh that I could help you saith my soul but vvell I can cry unto him vvho is able to help you unto vvhom dear Babes I must leave you who knoweth how it is with ever one of you all and is not wanting in his Love Mercy Pity Tenderness Compassion and Care towards you who loveth him and watcheth in his holy fear whose tender bowels is more largely open towards his tender innocent hearted ones then their weakness is able to comprehend Oh the Lord Almighty be with you and the Arm of his Power incompass you about and bear you up and keep you from Fainting and Falling as some have done to the dishonour of the Lord and grief of your Souls and preserve you unto the end of your Daies that you may finish your Course with Joy and lay down your Heads in Peace and rest from all your Troubles Sorrows Tryals Sufferings and Afflictions and receive the reward laid up for the Faithful who abide to the end this is the desire and breathing oâ— my soul to the Lord for you who is your Friend and Companion in the Faith Patience and long Suffering of Jesus and one that wisheth that Grace Mercy and Peace Joy Comfort and everlasting Refreshment with Strentgh Wisdom and Might may be augmented unto you all and that the love of God may abound and super-abound in all your Souls and surpass all your Sufferings that thereby your hearts may be kept open towards God and one to another in a large manner and that you continue tender affectionated one to another in the Truth and be as meet-helps one to another both outwardly and inwardly to your Comfort and to the Praise of the Lord God Almighty into whose hands I commit you dear Babes and the Lord be with you and Comfort the Mourners amongst you and Refresh the heavy hearted ones and lift up the bowed down and heal the Wounded and comfort the Languishing with love and lift up the weak Hands and confirm the feeble Knees and not suffer that which is Lame to be turned out of the way but rather heal it that the Halting may go upright and the Lame may leap as an Hart and the Tongue of the Dumb may sing of the goodness and loving kindness of the Lord and make mention of his Mercy and declare of his Doings and magnifie his Name in the the Land of the Living Amen Halelujah From your Friend and Brother in the Truth who hath often had you in remembrance and also longed to visit you with a few Lines but desirous to wait the Lords time read and feel my love in that which is more precious and excellent then all Words whatsoever wherein we are hid together Farewel dear Lambs William Bennit Edmonds-Bury Goal the 3th Month 1666. THE original of the foregoing Lines was chiefly write to Friends in the Town of Colchester but having freedom in the Lord and even pressed thereunto by his Love I thought meet to send Copies thereof to go among Friends in Suffolk Norfolk or elsewhere as Friends have freedom to Communicate them one to another And dear Friends let this signifie unto you that my soul loveth you and have a remembrance of you and a Brotherly care and affection towards you in the Truth wherein I desire your Prosperity Tranquility and Preservation in this day of Tryal in this hour and power of Darkness even as I desire for my own Soul the Lord my God even your God is my Witness desiring that I and you with all who love the Lord in Sincerity and that make meation of his Name in Truth and Righteousness may all be kept close in Heart and Mind unto the Lord standing upon our watch in the Light with the loines of our minds girded up unto God having on the Brest-plate of Righteousness and the Helmet of Salvation to guide stear and order us aright that we may not be Bewildred in this day of Storms and Tempests and especially to have and hold fast the Shield of Faith by which we may be able to quench and send off all the Fiery Darts of the Wicked within and without yea to have on the whole Armour of Light being fitted for the Fiery Tryals and Tribulat on s that so nothing may come upon us unawares before we be fitted for it oh that it might not be with any of those who profess Righteousness as iâ— was with the People in the daies of Noah who were Eating and Drinking and Sporting themselves Marrying and giving in Marriage and knew not till the Flood came and swept them away but oh that we may all stand upon our Watch-Tower and all hold fast our Integrity in the Lord and keep close to our first Love and none to deale unkindly towards the Wife of his youth by casting her off and going after other Lovers but all be tender over her and still love her with your whole Hearts and cleave unto her for she is a Spotless Virgin and never was Defiled with the alluring man of Pleasure she is very Beautiful Amiable and Comely in the Eyes of the pure in heart and the Glory of the
thee again and it shall bring thee unto his holy Hill and to his Tabernacle and then shalt thou go to the Altar of God of God thy exceeding joy and upon thy Harp shalt thou praise the Lord thy God thy Delight and Joy oh it is good for thee both to hope and quietly to vvait upon the Lord for the Lord is good to the Man that vvaits upon him unto the Soul vvhich seeketh him and cannot be satisfied vvithout him oh vvait patiently upon him even as a Servant vvaiteth upon his Master and as a Maiden at the hand of her Mistress so do thou vvait for the Lord and even as the Husbandman vvho sovveth his Seed in the Earth hath long patience for it until he receiveth the early and latter Rain so do thou vvait patiently upon the Lord vvho vvill be unto thee as the early and latter Rain in due season wait upon him he who is to come will come and will not tarry and his reward will be with him even fulness of Joy Comfort Peace Rest and sweet Satisfaction unto thee for surely surely the Lord will never leave thee nor forsake thee if thou forsake him not indeed he may seem to hide his Face from thee for a time but without doubt he will appear again to thy Comfort who cannot live without him oh my soul the Lord heareth thee often saying in secret alass What is the Glory of the World unto me what is the Honour and Praise of the World unto me what is the Favours Friendship and Estimation of the World to me what is the Vanities vain Sports Delights Pleasures of the Sons and Daughters of Men to me oh surely all these things are but as Drofs and Dung unto me in comparison of the Lord my God who is the Fountain of everlasting Joy Delight and Pleasure oh if I enjoy him fully I have enough he is the joy of my Heart the rejoycing and glading of my Spirit the strength of my Reins the girdle of my Loines wherefore how can I live without him oh my soul the Lord intends good unto thee by all his dealings with thee if he withdraw for a time and hide his Face from thee for a season it is thereby to let thee see what thou art without him how Poor how Weak how Feeble how Foolish how Empty how Dead how Dry how Cold how Barren and Unfruitful art thou without the Lord that so thou being made truly sensible of thy own Weakness and Inability may be the more sensible of the needfulness of the supporting Power and upholding Arm and saving Grace of the Lord thy God and the more to relie and depend upon the Lord oh my soul though the Lord withdraw his presence from thee thou comest the more to know what the want of his presence is and comest to learn to prize the sweet enjoyment of his presence the more and to hold him fast and cleave unto him and to be very vigilent and careful thou dost not grieve him nor do the thing that may cause him to withdraw himself from thee oh my soul Oh my soul thou must learn to know how to Want and how to Abound how to be Full and how to be Empty how to be Rich and how to be Poor and in every Condition to be content and not to murmur against the Lord the Lord can open and none can shut and he can shut and none can open the Lord ean open the windows of Heaven and shower down abundantly upon thee oh my soul and even make a Plenty in thy Land even cause thy Store to abound with Corn and thy Fat 's over flow with new Wine and he can also shut up the windows of Heaven for a time make a Famine in thy Land if he pleaseth and thou must not say unto him in a murmuring way why dealest thou thus with me for indeed he may do vvhat he vvill do and yet all his doings are Just Righteous altogether and in all his dealings vvith thee he thy dear tender nursing Father intends good unto thee oh my soul Oh my soul vvhen the Fountain openeth and the great Deep overflovveth and fills thee vvith plenty of all things needful for thee even then oh my soul dread and fear thou before the Lord and take heed of being lifted up in Heart of being puffed up in Mind of being exalted in Spirit and bevvare of a false Ease and vvrong Liberty and false Security vvhich may soon steal upon thee at such a time if thou do not abide upon the Watch and dread the Lord and drink the draughts of Joy in the pure fear and trembling never departing there-from in vvhat ever thou enjoy of the Lord or receive from the Lord or do and suffer for the Lord keep lovv in Heart meek in Mind humble in Soul tender in Bovvels contrite in Spirit and then oh my soul thou art in a safe condition truly my soul vvhen thou appearest Wise Strong Rich and Full enough even then thou art rather in greater danger then vvhen thou appearest Weak Poor and Empty in thy ovvn eyes although thou art not then vvithout danger but hast cause to fear and vvatch in all conditions oh my soul vvhen thou appearest Weak Poor and Feeble in thy ovvn eyes even then take heed of distrust and doubting but hold fast thy Trust in the Lord and let thy Confidence in his Name be firm and Hope in his tender Bowels be sure and constantly relie and depend upon him and honour him in believing in him and if he kill thee yet trust thou in him and never leave him for alas whether shouldst thou go he hath the word of eternal Life who is worthy to be Glorified Magnified Honoured and Praised Feared Served Loved and Obeyed forever and for evermore Oh my soul thou dearly lovest thy Fathers Children oh the Lord knoweth how near and dear his dear Babes and tender Lambs are unto thee oh my soul oh thou knowest them in the Spirit of Love wherein thou delightest to Imbrace them even those whom outwardly thou never saw and in spirit to clasp them about and kiss them with a Kiss of Peace and hug them in the Bosom of Indearedness ah thy Bowels thy Bowels is open unto them and thy Love is dear indeed towards them as the Lord thy God knoweth and oh that love might abound in thee more and more and in the hearts of all the Children of Light it may abound one towards another as in Days past and Years which are gone that it may appear to all we are of God who is Love and that we all are true Disciples of Christ in that we love one another not only in Shew and in Word but in Deed and in Truth loving one another fervently with a pure heart Oh my soul thou defirest to simpathize vvith thy Fathers Children in their Tryals Sufferings and Afflictions and in spirit to bear a part vvith them therein oh thou desirest even to Mourn
be filled with Melody thou blessed one who art cloathed with Chastity and keepeth thy Virginity in the Chamber of Purity oh thy beloved is come and into his Banqueting-House he is bringing thee where his Banner over thee is Love where he will stay thee with Flaggons and comfort thee with Apples and cause thee to drink of his spiced Wine and of the juice of his Pomgranets oh Sion rejoyce thou in his Love for the days of the glading of thy heart is come thou tender one who hast been tossed with tempest not comforted thou hast been termed Desolate and Forsaken thou hast been as one Barren and Unfruitful but now arise arise lengthen thy Cords and strengthen thy Stakes and enlarge the Curtains of thy Habitation for lo thou fruitful one thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left and thy Seed shall inherit the Gentiles and thy Off-spring the People the North shall give up and the South shall not keep back they shall come from the East and from the West flock unto thee as Doves to the Window thy Sons shall come from far and thy Daughters be nursed at thy sides thou shalt cause many wast places to be Builded and many Buildings to fall and desolate plaees to be Inhabited and Inhabited places to be laid desolate and barren Mountains to become fruitful Valleys and fruitful Places to become barren Mountains and the Wilderness become a Vinyard of sweet Grapes the Forrest as a City of Habitation the parched Ground to become a Pool and dry Heaths springs of Water oh arise arise thou beloved one and let thy Fruitfulness be manifested to the Nations break forth in thy excellent Glory shine forth in thy glorious Beauty as clear as the Morning without Clouds fair as the Moon and bright as the Sun that thou mayst appear as a royal Diadem in the hand of the Lord and as a Crown of Glory in the hand of thy God that far off Nations may see thy Beauty and remote Kings may see thy excellent Glory and be won by thy Love unto thee that they who hath Hated thee may Love thee bccause of thy Love that did extend to them even whilst they hated and rejected the woings of thy Love oh my soul loves thee in thy Love thâ—u lovely one oh kiss me kiss me with the Kisses of thy Mâ—uth for thy Love is better then Wine oh thou beautiful one thy Love overcomes my heart thy Love draweth me after thee oh thou art pleâ—sant unto me thy presence is more desirable then all things my heart can desire oh if thou hidst thy Face thou bountiful one then am I bowed down for the smiles of thy comely Countenance is the rejoycing of my Heart and the glading of my Soul the refreshing of my Spirit as marrow to my Bones and strength to my Reins oh thou art my Joy in Sorrow my Comfort in Mourning my Help in Need my Strength in Weakness my Riches in Poverty my Bread in Hunger my Water in Thirst my Refuge from Storms my Shelter from Heat and as the shadow of a Rock to me in a weary Land oh how can I but love thee in thy Love thou lovely one oh thou art my Mother who hath travelled in great pain to bring me forth thou art the Womb that bore me and the Paps that gave me suck the Cradle of my rest and the Bed of repose oh can I forget thee how can I forget thee who hath done so much for me even that which no man could do oh thou lovedst me first before I loved thee thou lovely one and with thy Love thou woedst me and by thy Love thou overcamest my heart and drew it after thee and now thou amiable one the desire of my soul is unto thee and unto the remembrance of thy Love oh my Soul desireth thee in the Night season and in the Morning I will seek thee early thou art as a cluster of Campire and as a bundle of Mirrh unto me thou shalt lie all Night between my Breasts oh thou lovely one let me repose in thy Bosom and fold me in thy Arms oh thy Love thy Love ovcrcomes my Heart thy Beauty even makes me sick of Love oh let me remember thy Love more then Wine it is the upright loves thee and it is the pure in heart who seeth thy Beauty and beholdeth thy excellent Comeliness oh let thy Love still draw me after thee oh let me never leave thee oh that I may never forsake thee nor be unmindful of thy Love which I have known to be stronger then Death and him who hath the power of Death oh thou art a Tree of Life to those who take hold on thee and blessed is every Soul that retaineth thee Oh thy ways are ways of Pleasantness and all thy paths are green and delightsom to those who love thee oh in thee is my rest in thee is my peace in thee is my joy in thee is my comfort in thee obtain I blessing and happiness thou art my Joy and the Crown of my Rejoycing for ever and for evermore Oh wherefore hold me hold me with thy Love thou Lovely Blessed One and let me never depart from thee and then I know thou wilt never depart from me but I shall be thine and thou shalt be mine in a perpetual Covenant which never shall be broken Oh thou Comely Beautiful Choice One thy Riches is durable for the Glory the glory the glory of the Lord thy God is thy Dowry for evermore Unto whom be ascribed all honour and glory eternal praises and renown and everlasting dominion for evermore so be it saith my Soul and Amen saith my Spirit Oh come Lord Jesus come quickly and take unto thy self thy great power to Reign for thou art worthy worthy saith my Soul glory to thee in the highest for evermore Amen Written in Edmonds-Bury common Goal in the year 1665. William Bennit This to go among Friends to be Read among them when assembled together in the pure Fear and Wisdom of God DEarly beloved Friends and Brethren Sheep of the Lords Pasture Lambs of the Lords Flock and Lillies of the Lords Field the comely beautiful Garment of Innocency Meekness Love Truth and Righteousness which doth cover many of you even affecteth my Heart and induceth my Soul dearly to love you and Spirit to travel for your Welfare Tranquility and Preservation even in every particular respect desiring the Lord God of Blessings may Bless and Prosper you in Truth and Righteousness and that his Grace and Love Mercy and Peace with Joy and Consolation Strength and Wisdom may be augmented and multiplied in and unto all your Souls that so the encrease of him the fulness of all durable Riches to your Souls you may witness and that the Fountain of Life with whom is the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg may be inlarged unto you that of his fulness you daily may receive whereby your Hearts may be opened and enlarged
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
and to limit the affectionate part from leading and drawing the Heart and Mind into things below into created Objects and into Bondage to the cares of this Life and troubles and cumbrances of this World which doth not profit but hinder to God-ward The Light is the Girdle of the Loins of the Mind of those that love it to gird up their Hearts and Minds unto God that in him their peace may be perfect The Light is a stop to those Thoughts which are reproveable by it The Light is a Bridle to the Tongue and they that know it so to be dare not say in a self-will our Tongues are our own and we will speak The Light ruleth over the Souls and Bodies of those that believe in love follow and obey it and teacheth and enableth such to yield their Members Servants of Righteousness unto God even as they have when they were Servants to Sin yeilded their Members Servants to Unrighteousness and of Iniquity unto Iniquity The Light is the Author of the true and living Faith which giveth victory over the World and is a shield unto the Soul to fend off the fiery darts of the Devil and worketh by Love to the purifying of the Heart The Light is the Author to the true Hope which is an Anchor unto the Soul sure and stedfast and is held in a pure Conscience void of Offence towards God and Man The Light is the Author of true Patience long Suffering Forbearance Forgiveness and Contentedness it teacheth to be patient in all Tryals Tribulations Troubles Straits and Difficulties and teacheth in all conditions to be contented and not to murmur against the Lord whatsoever he permit to come to pass The Light teacheth his Children to love one another fervently with a clean heart oh how good is God to Israel to them that are of a clean heart The Light teacheth to endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace The Light teacheth the Younger to yield and submit themselves to the Elder in the Lord and to hearken unto Counsel Instruction and Reproof he teacheth all his Children to be subject one to another he cloathes them with Humility adoâ—neth them with Meekness and beautifies them with lowliness of Spirit The Light teacheth the Strongest to condesend to the Weakest and to serve the Meanest in Love to bear with the infirmities of the Feeble to help and hold up the Halting and to draw forward the backward with the Cords of Love and to cast a Garment over thy Brothers Nakedness The Light in those that love it puts out the eye that watcheth for evil and condemneth that part that boasteth it self and rejoyceth at anothers fall and strengthens it self with prejudice against another through his failing which thing is as most abominable filth in the pure eye of the Light The Light doth not countenance evil in any but judges and discovers it though hid under a profession of Truth The Light is like unto the Touchstone that trys Silver from Tin it tryeth and discovereth the Good from the Bad it tryeth Motions Thoughts Words Works and Spirits The Light is a Stone which God hath laid in Sion Elect and Precious which they that believe shall not be ashamed and unto those that believe he is very Precious but unto them that believe not he is as a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence at whom the seeming wise Master-Builders have and do stumble and he whom tâ—â—â—ise Professors of this Age and great Rabbies and Learned Orators set at nought the same is become the Head and Chief Corner Stone in Gods House by the vertue of which Stone they that bâ—â—ieve in him are quickened and made living Stones meet to be joyned unto him the Light in whom the Building being fitly framed together groweth up unto an holy Temple in the Lord The Light was in the beginning before the Darkness was and is now made manifest to extinguish the Darkness and to fill the dark corners of the Earth with the bright beams of his Glory he is the First and the Last he was before Time and will remain when that which in time is passed away The Light is the Beginning and the End the Foundation and Top-stone the Root and Off-spring of David and the Bright Morning-Star whose blessed Day Abraham saw and was glad he dwelt among the seven golden Candlesticks and was with the Church in the Wilderness in the days of old He is the Light of the holy City New-Jerusalem which John in the Lords Day saw coming down from God prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband The Light giveth the Churches to know that it is he that searcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins from whom no Hypocrite in Sioâ— can be hid who said I come quickly and my Reward is with me to give unto every one according as his Work But who shall abide the Day of his Coming in which the Heavens pass away with a great noise and the Elements melt with fervent heat and who shall stand when he appeareth who is like Refiners Fire and like Fullers Soap purifying his Sanctuary and cleansing his Temple in which he delights to dwell He is the Word that was in the beginning by whom all things were made that was made and in him there is Life and his Life is the Light of men and he is the true Lâ—ght that lighteth every man that cometh into the World he is the Express Image of his Fathers Glory and is called the Son of God in whom dwelleth all fulness of Joy Happiness and Eternal Felicity who is God over all and above all blessed blessed for ever and evermore Amen VV. B. OH happy and blessed are the People who though they once were Darkness yet now are Light in the Lord Oh walk ye oh walk ye as Children of the Light bearing the pure Image of the Father of Lights in whom is no Darkness at all nor variableness or shadow of turning but is the same yesterday so to day and for evermore FRiends that are Sufferers upon Truths account in Edmonds-Bury Goal are in a measure of health through the Love Goodness and Mercy of the Lord blessed and magnified be his Name this 7th day of the 10th Month 1667. and their dear love in the precious Truth dearly reaches forth unto all faithful Friends every where and you are often in their remembrance desiring the Lord may prosper you and bless you with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus our Lord and keep you with us and the whole Israel of God by his Almighty Power through Faith in his Name unto his Heavenly Kingdom and enable us all to finish the work the Lord hath given us by his Power to do that we may glorifie him on Earth that he may glorifie us with himself with that glory he had before the World began even so be it and Amen faith my Soul To Friends Sufferers in Norwich-Castle DEar Suffering Lambs whom the Wolves seek to
if you do them He that knoweth the Fathers Will and doth it not is worthy of many stripes John 13. 17. AND all you that are convinced of the Truth Way of God but do not resign up your Hearts in obedience to walk therein but still remain in the broad way of the World partaking with them of their Sins Idolatry and falfe Worship and though you see the Vanity and Evil thereof yet for by-ends and carnal self-interests to save your selves from Reproach and Suffering you joyn with them therein against the pure Witness of God in your own Consciences and if you continue partaking with them of their Sins how can you but expect also to partake of their Plagues except you haste out from among them and embrace and receive the Truth in the Love and Obedience of it Oh! come out come out from amongst them and be you separated and touch no more the Unclean Thing that the Lord may receive you unto himself and become your God and you become his People Oh! you that know the Fathers Will and do it not are you not worthy of many Stripes Oh poor Hearts shun not the Cross any longer neither be ashamed of the Reproach nor ashamed of the Lord and his People before Men but give up your Hearts to obey the Lord and his precious Truth and take up the daily Cross that crucifies unto the World and Worldly Things unto the Sin Wickedness Formal Worships Vain Customs Ceremonies Pride and Vanity thereof and follow the Lamb in the narrow Way of Holiness and be willing to Suffer with Christ and you shall Reign with him and love not your Lives unto Death and you shall have a Crown of Life Oh! how long hath the Lord been woing many of you day after day if not year after year and hath long waited knocking at the Door of your Hearts in his Grace to be Gracious unto you who desireth not that you should perish in your Rebellion and Disobedience Oh! that the sense of his Goodness Mercy and Patient forbearing towards you might overcome your Hearts and make you willing to resign up your selves to walk in the Way of Truth before the Lord cease striving with you who hath said His Spirit shall not always strive with Man lest the Day of your Visitation pass over your Heads Therefore come forward you that halt and linger behind in the Borders of Babylon and Subburbs of Egypt and come nigh you that stand afar off gazing to see what will become of us He that is not with me said Christ is against me he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad none can serve two Masters God and Mammon To those that are Newly Convinced of the Truth Ye were like Sheep going astray but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls He shall gather his Lambs in his Arms and carry them in his Bosom 1 Peter 2. 25. Isaiah 40 11. AND all you who are newly convinced of the precious Truth and Way of God and have in measure received Truth in the love and belief of it and have and daily do give up your hearts to obey the Truth and to walk in the Way of Righteousness and Path of Holiness Dear Ones unto you my Heart is open in the tender Bowels of my heavenly Fathers Love and happy and blessed of the Lord God are you if you do not faint nor grow weary in your Minds nor turn back again as some have done but persevere on to the End Oh! dear Babes whom the Lord mighty in Power hath by his out stretched Arm brought out of Egypt the Land of Darkness and House of Bondage and hath set your Faces towards Canaan the good Land of Liberty Light Rest and Peace Oh travail on travail on ye weak Ones in the strength of the Lord and drawings of his Light and look not back to Egypt again remember Lot's Wife and fear not the God of the World the Prince of the Power of the airy mind even that wicked Spirit that once had dominion in and over you and kept you Bond-slaves in darkness to Sin and Corruption though he the Enemy of your Souls Liberty Peace and Rest may pursue hard after you with his whole Host of Temptations Snares and Allurements both inward and outward and also a Sea of Troubles Straits Difficulties and Sufferings may appear in your Way both within and without and Mountains of Fears Doubts and carnal Reasonings on every side and also something in you ready to murmur complain and say Oh! that we had tarried still in Egypt and not set one step towards Canaan for the Way is so strait and the Path so narrow the Sufferings so hard and the Difficulties and Dangers so great and various that we fear we shall perish by the way and not get to our desired Rest therefore let us turn back again before we go any further Oh! fear not neither turn back but stand still from reasoning carnally and look not at the Straits Tryals Dangers Sufferings and Losses that may appear before you neither look at your own VVeakness Feebleness and Inability nor at the Strength and Temptation of your Enemy but look up ye little ones unto the Lord and trust you in the Strength of his Arm for he is God all-sufficient for you therefore cast your care upon him and he will make a VVay for you through the Sea and divide the VVaters of the great Deep and make a VVay for you in the VVilderness and a Path through the Thickets and make the Crooked Strait before you and the Rough Smooth he will throw down the Mountains and remove away the Hills and lead you in a VVay you know not and in a Path you never before trod in and will make the hard things easie unto the VVilling and Obedient that turn not back again to their old Lovers but love Truth and Righteousness and follow on to know the Lord in his VVay all such he will give to drink of the Brook by the VVay and feed with Bread from Heaven whereby you shall be refreshed and your Strength renewed daily in which Strength you shall be able to travail on without fainting and to run and not be weary until you come to your desired Rest and see the Travail of your Souls and be satisfied with the Enjoyment of that you have travailed after So the Lord be with you and keep your Eye single unto himself that your Hearts may be full of Light that nothing may cause you to stumble and fall into the Snares of the Enemy who hath hindred many that once begun to run well oh mind and keep to that in your own Hearts which makes you truly sensible of your particular States and Conditions and in that sense daily wait upon the Lord diligently and patiently for the sweet Refreshings from his Presence and for the distillings of his Heavenly Dew that so the tender Plants of Righteousness and Lilly of Holiness may grow and spring
Earth have cause to speak well of the Lord and to trust in his holy Name we are the People for mightily and wonderfully hath the mighty God done and wrought for us though the blind World sees it not Oh! how have we been as Lambs among Lyons and yet not devoured but wonderfully preserved by the secret Power and invisible Arm of the Lord our Shepherd who hath been our Defence when the Beasts of the Forrest have come forth to Devour and the Wolves have been greedy of their Prey then hath the Lord sought for Mount Sion and defended the Hill thereof and though some said We 'll pursue we 'll overtake our Lust shall be satisfied on them we 'll draw our Swords and our Hands shall destroy them yet how hath the Lord blown in his Wrath upon them the Sea of his Judgment hath covered them and they are sunk as Lead in the bottom of the mighty Waters and we yet through mercy are alive and have a being among the Living to speak well of the Lord and to make mention of the Goodnesâ— of our Good and to declare of his Kindness and to praise him for his Works which are marvelous in our Eyes Oh! his Love his Mercy and tender fatherly care over and towards us extends beyond the demonstration of Words and oh let the sense thereof be engraven upon the table of our Hearts that it may humble us and keep us low before the Lord and be an Obligation upon every Soul of us to bind and engage us unto the Lord and his Truth forever How mightily hath the Lord limitted and quieted the raging Sea and made a Calm oh that all Friends might take notice of the great Mercy and Love of the Lord to us in this particular and mind the end of the Lord therein and let us all take heed we Sin not because Grace and Mercy to us abounds lest it provoke the Lord to Anger and be a moving cause to induce him to let forth the Wind and suffer a Storm again Oh that none might get into a false ease and liberty and wrong security because of the present Calm but all to keep retire in that which fitteth and maketh ready for Tryals when they come in by and through which we have been upheld preserved hitherto even by the secret Power Arm of the Lord which is not shortned that it cannot save but is the same that ever it was and it hath been our Helper in six Troubles and in the seventh has not been wanting to us to help us when there hath been none to help and to support and uphold us when there hath been none to uphold but Loads Burdens and Oppressions have been heaped upon us and to comfort us when nothing but Sorrow and Trouble from the World compassed us about and when we have had nothing as from men but the Bread of Adversity the Water of Affliction even then hath the Lord our tender God been the Comforter of our Hearts the Refresher of our Souls the Rejoycer of our Spirits and the Lifter up of our Hands when we have been bowed down with the Oppressions of our Enemies his â—resence hath been with us in the Prison-house and in the low Dungeon and hath not left us to this day and assuredly never never never will leave us if we leave not him but will be with us until we have finished our Course and fulfilled the dayes of our appointed Time and our Change come So dear Friends unto the Lord I commit you who knoweth how it is with all his Babes and Children and beholdeth all their Tryals Straits and Sufferings inward and outward and his ear is open to the cry of the Poor and groanings of the Needy who is God all-sufficient for all those that trust hope relie and depend upon him and able to keep them by his power through Faith in his Name unto his heavenly Kingdom So the Lord be with you all and the Almighty protect and defend you and keep you from Evil unspotted from the World and preserve you in Love Peace and Unity with himself and one with another in his innocent unfained Love in his Light Life Power and Truth and make and keep you all of one Heart and one Mind and one Soul that you all with one consent may still worship and serve the Lord God in the one Spirit and the one Truth in which I dearly greet salute and embrace you all and remain your Friend and Companion in the Patience and Tribulation of Jesus Farwell dear Friends William Bennit Dear Friends IN the Love which waxeth not Old neither is subject to Change which God hath shed abroad in the hearts of those that believe in the Light through the operation of his Eternal Spirit in this Love which openeth our Hearts unto the Lord and one another doth the unfeigned Salutation of my Soul reach forth unto you as in which Love Iabide I cannot forget the Family of Love and Houshold of Faith neither can length of Time nor distance of Place â—onds nor Tribulations extinguish the remembrance of you whom the Lord â—ath chosen out of the Elect Seed from out of the Faâ—ilies of the Earth to place his Name among and to maniâ—est his Power and Glory in and through you his People to the praise of your God in your Generation dear Friends who are called to be made pertakers of the Blessed Everlasting Inheritance of the Saints in Light and through Faith in the Light of Life you are called and raised up to bear Testimony unto him whom the Nations Despise but unto you that believe in him he is Pretious and you that have seen his Bâ—auty and beheld his Comliness and have tasted of his Love and have savoured the sweetness of his preâ—ious Oyntment which hath healed your Wounds and cured your Diseases and with which your Souls have been Bathed Warmed and sweetly Refreshed unto you that have tasted of his Divine Vertues who is the Light of â—he World he is the chiefest of ten Thousand who hath called and chosen you out of the World to follow him in the Regeneration and to bear his Image before the World and to shew forth his Testimony against the World therefore do the World hate you and desire and seek your Destruction and would tempt you and by cruelty force you from the beloved of youâ— Souls but dear Hearts every one cleave in spirit unto the Lord and hold fast his blessâ—d Truâ—h received into your Hearts that the Enemy within nor his Instruments without by all their Temptaâ—â—ons and Cruelty may never move you to decline nor degenerate from that blessed Testimony which God hath given you to bear for him in the midst of a Wicked and Uâ—godly Generation who must fill up the measure of their Iniquity that Judgment may come upon them to the full and the measure of your Sufferings must also be fulfilled therefore dear Lambs hold fast Faith and a good Conscience and pâ—t