it was said in the dayes of old the Lord shall appear to render Vengeance on them that trouble you but to you that are troubled peace and rest with the Lord so notwithstanding all her trouble her Soul now resteth in peace with the Lord for ever and ever All this was when she was unmarried that she suffered at Banbury and after this was over and she at liberty again she travelled through these parts and went down Westward where the Lord gave her to an honest man and she became his Wife and they lived very comfortably together and had five goodly Children after they were marryed together which she hath left behind her with her true Husband which hath given a good Testimony for her of her faithfulness and also of her Sufferings whilst she was his Wife for she was not then free from Sufferings because she continued in Faithfulness to the same blessed Testimony for which the Enemies of the Lord rose up against her in the beginning for she bore Witness to the Light of Christ Jesus that he is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World according to John's Testimony that was a man sent from God John 1.9 to bear Witness to the same blessed Light who also said of him in him was Life and the Life was the Light of men so it is the Light of Jesus that is the Light of men and this is the Testimony that John bare of the true Light which the World that lies in Wickedness Hates and Persecutes Revises and Villifies the blind Formal Professors as well as open Prophane as the Jews and Pharisees did by our Lord and Master when he was visible upon the earth who wickedly said he had a Devil and that he cast out Devils by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils so the Servant is not greater than his Lord as he said at that day and the holy Scripture bears Testimony of the same Here followeth her HVSBAND'S Testimony concerning her AS concerning Jane Whitehead my dear Deceased VVife whose Maiden Name was Jane Wough this is my Testimony concerning her That she was one that feared God and wrought Righteousness and did in all things both in her Life and Conversation endeavour to keep a Conscience void of Offence tovvards God and all men and did endeavour as much as in her lay according to the Gift of Grace given unto her to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace vvith all the Faithful yet still nevertheless vvhen she did apprehend any thing to be amiss among those that did Profess the Truth she vvould in much uprightness of heart vvithout Partiality deal plainly vvith them as is vvell knovvn by Friends in those parts and vvhen she had a sense upon her of that Spirits entrance upon any under any pretence or likeness vvhatsoever that vvould sovv Discord and break the Concord and Unity among Friends and Brethren With vvhat grief of heart and Soul have I heard her complain of it and seen her with Diligence endeavour to stop it For truly it vvas the great joy of her Heart and Comfort of her Soul to be in the Company of Upright-hearted Friends and to keep in the Fellowship of the Gospel of Christ Jesus vvith the Brotherhood And she vvas alvvayes of an open heart to Distribute to the Necessity of the Saints and vvas ready according to Truth 's Requirings to serve the Truth and Friends in any thing she could and never thought she could do too much for those that truly feared and served the Lord in their Generation And she being called forth neer about tvventy years ago and a necessity laid upon her from the Lord to bear VVitness unto the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the VVorld vvhich had shined in her Heart and Conscience unto vvhich Call of the Lord she became obedient and gave her Back to the Smiter and her Cheek to them that have not spared their Cruelty tovvards her Yea she took up the Cross and despised the Shame for the Joy that vvas set before her For I have heard her sometimes say that if it might have stood vvith the VVill of Lord she could have rather chosed to dye than to have undergone those things that lay upon her for she vvas many times called forth after her first Convincement to bear VVitness in the Steeple-houses to the Truth against their False VVorship vvhere she met vvith much hard Usage from the Savage People and a great deal of Reproach from her Relations and Acquaintance beyond vvhat may easily be expressed though aftervvards they seeing her Integrity became very Loving and Respective to her And she vvas sometimes cast into Prisons vvhere she vvas faithful in her Testimony till the Lord made vvay for her Deliverance And many times as she Travelled in obedience to the Lord on Truths account she suffered much Hardship in the outvvard a great deal of hard Travel Hunger and Cold yet she said in much tenderness of heart and in the sense of the Lords Love that he could make a Cup of cold VVater as good to her as VVine and she said at that time it vvas as pretious unto her although it was a time unto her in which she Travelled as in a Land unsown yet blessed be the Lord the effects of her Labour Travels and Sufferings have in many places of this Nation been seen she having been an Instrument in the hand of the Lord for the Convincing and turning of many to Righteousness from Darkness to Light and from Satans Power to God to which end the Lord endued her with his Heavenly Gift and made her Ministry effectual as many can bear Witness for her though of her self she was weak and could do nothing yet had Faith in Christ who enabling her could do all things that he called her unto And since she came into these parts the Lord hath made her Ministry very effectual through his Heavenly Gift to the Establishing and Confirming of many in Gods everlasting Truth and his Heavenly Presence did much accompany her and oft fill her Vessel and his Power was in her Ministry that the Weak were Comforted and those that were ready to Faint were abundantly refreshed as many in those parts can truly bear her Witness and through all her Service in the Labour of the Gospel this was her Comfort as I heard her several times say That she never sought her self as she could appeal to the Lord and to the Consciences of all people where she had Travelled but for the good of Souls and the advancement of Gods blessed Name and his everlasting Truth Yea I may truly Testifie on her behalf that she coveted no mans Silver and Gold nor Apparel for what she had of her own she spent on Truth 's account before she was my Wife and since when the Lord hath laid a necessity upon her to Travel in his work and Service she hath had freely of me and the Lord hath blessed
us so that we never wanted any thing And this I give as a Testimony against the vain imaginations that have risen in the minds of some Carnal Professors in those parts And truly the Lord made her a blessing unto me in many Respects whose secret hand did bring us together and now hath taken her from me again who was so neer and dear unto me and she is out of the reach of all her Enemies and Persecuters and those that did hate her for the Gospels sake and is at Rest with the Lord with whom is her Reward for ever and ever Yea Blessed are the Dead that dye in the Lord they rest from their Labours and their works shall follow them And that which remains as a desire in my heart is That I may serve the same God to the end of my dayes who never failed her under any Exercise or Tryal that she was accompanyed with for when the Officers sometimes were taking our Goods for to levy a Fine for a Meeting they asked her whether we did still intend to keep Meetings and she answered as it was in her heart Yes we resolve to follow the Lord fully Moreover under the great Exercise or weakness of Body that she was in before her departure she often acknowledged that the Lord was wonderful good unto her for though sometimes she might be under some Exercise of mind by reason of her great Weakness yet she was kept quiet and patient and did often say That the Lord had broke in upon her and with his Heavenly Presence did fill her to the Comfort of her Soul and the Joy of Heart as she did many times acknowledge and said O that the 〈◊〉 may never take his presence from me It was so 〈◊〉 pretious and desirable unto her and blessed be the Lord he was good unto her to the very last she was kept sensible and did acknowledge that she had the Testimony of his Love and that it would be well with her and that she had no desire to live any longer in this World and a little before her departure she had no desire to have her Children with her though they were very neer dear unto her but having given them a Charge to be obedient to their Father and that they should mind Truth and then the Blessing of the Lord would be with them so she desired to be retired and the morning before her Departure she had a sense that the time of her Departure was at hand so she 〈◊〉 a Friend that she was going to her long home and that morning she desired me to go about my occasions though all along before she still desired my Company and I being sometime wanting was called in again she being now upon Departing our dear Friend J. Anderdon being with me we went in unto her and he held her by the hand and I held her up about the neck and she manifested her Sensiblenss and her Faithful Constant Love to me unto the very last and so departed in the Love and Peace of God as several had a Testimony of it that were there present The 28th day of the 7th month 74. was the day of her Departure and she was Buryed the 6th day of the 8th month following being accompanyed with very many Friends and many Neighbours So They that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many to Righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever South-Gadbury the 8th day of the 8th month 75. Thomas Whitehead Here followeth a Relation of more of her Sufferings the 28th day of the 9th Month 1671. JAne Whitehead was brought to Ilchester Prison with a young Child Sucking at her Breast through the Envy and Wickedness of the Priest of North-Cadbury one John Atwood who malitiously Swore against her she being accused that she came into his Congregation with Force and Arms and did Interrupt him and Disturb his whole Congregation which was a very Lye for she neither used Force nor Arms but spake soberly in the Fear of God bearing her Testimony for the Truth against the Covetous Practises of the False Hirelings and spake the words of Truth and Soberness and we are well satisfied that no True Minister nor good People would be offended nor disturbed at this yet notwithstanding R.H. a Justice Committed her to Prison from her Husband and four small Children and one tender Child she carryed in her Arms and brought them again from Ilchester Prison to the Sessions at Wells in the Winter Season and through the fallacious actions of the Priest sent her back to Prison again where she remained until the 2d month 72. all the Cold Winter yet the Goaler was civil towards her but the Lord will plead her innocent Cause in his own Season with those her Enemis as he hath done with other that rose up against her for the Lord was with her in the time of her Exercises who did uphold her by the word of his power and gave her strength and courage to encounter with Truths enemies and blessed be his Name for ever he hath now brought her through the War to Peace and everlasting Rest to sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God for ever and hath Crowned her with Victory with a Crown of immortality and eternal Life Glory over all to the Lord God and the Lamb that sits upon the Throne Therefore dear Friends you that are but young and tender who are convinced of the everlasting Truth of the living God and have believed in the Light of his blessed Son Christ Jesus our Lord this is my Councel in the Love and Councel of the Lord unto you all That you abide in the Light and yield all holy Subjection by living in obedience unto it according to the Divine operation and holy requirings of the Spirit of Truth in your inward parts that you hearken to the councel of it and be willing to be led and guided by it and to receive instruction from it at all times and upon all occasions that the way of the Lord may become your delight for ever and the path of the Just the place of your footsteps that so through righteousness you may obtain the blessing of peace from the hand of the Lord as your portion for ever and ever Therefore travel on in the strength of the Lord ye tender Children of the day of Gods everlasting Love I say travel on with Courage with chearful hearts and ready minds in the footsteps of the flock of the holy Companions as this our dear faithful deceased Friend hath done that so you may with the Lords Worthies Open ye everlasting doors that the holy Nation may come in that so you may come truly to be of the general Assembly of the Church of the first Borne whose names are written in Heaven and to the innumerable Company of Angels to the Spirits of Just men made perfect and to God the Judge of all to receive an
Tabernacle shall be dissolved you may receive a house not made with hands eternally in the Heavens which is the end of all our Labour and Travels and Sufferings that the Lord may be glorified and peoples Souls may be saved from the dreadful day and terrible Wrath and Vengeance of the Lord God and the Lamb which is due to the wicked by reason of their Wickedness sin and ungodliness and will be their portion for ever if they do not repent and turn to the Lord by amendment of life Yea Tribulation and Anguish upon every soul that does evil upon the Jew first and also upon the Gentile for if Judgment begin first at the house of God where shall the sinners and ungodly appear So you dear Travellers that are turned Sion-ward run the race with patience that is set before you even the race of Salvation and so run that ye may obtain the prize even the Salvation of your Souls for the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong for though Kings of Armies fly apace yet the woman that sits at home divides the spoil whose feet abide in her own house and goe not into the Chambers of Death Oh my dear Country-men and Women my neer and dear Relations Kindred and Acquaintance for my heart is enlarged for your lakes in the tender Love of God that hath opened my heart by the bowels of his own Compassion to invite you all and intreat you all to turn unto the Lord and seek him while he may be found and call upon him while he is neer for he is not far from every one of you therefore turn unto him with your whole hearts that you may receive at the hands of the Lord who is a merciful God even the tenders of Life and Salvation which he is now holding forth freely in his Son Christ Jesus our Lord who delighteth not in the death of a sinner but had rather that all should turn from the evil of their wayes and live Therefore I say again Receive the Tenders of his Universal Love held forth in the Light of his beloved Son for in him are all the Promises of God Yea and Amen for ever for in him is Salvation and plentious Redemption for all that put far from them the evil of their doings who cease to do evil and learn to do well then though their sins were as scarlet he will make them as snow and though they were as Crimson they shall be as Wool therefore do not delay but turn to the Light of his pure Spirit in your own hosoms that Reproves for sin in secret and bears witness against ungodliness for the Scriptures do declare that God hath not left himself without a Witness and this is his faithful Witness even Christ Jesus therefore turn unto him I beseech you all unto whom this may come and slight not the day of your Visitation least you never have another for who knows how soon the Lord may call you out of this world then it will be too late to cry to the Lord for mercy when the Gate of mercy is shut and you left to receive a Reward from the hand of the Lord for your evil deeds done in the body for there is no Repentance in the Grave but as the tree falls so it lies and as Death leaves so Judgment finds therefore while you have time Prize it and come down from the high Mountains of your own casting up in your vain imaginations and come O come into the low Vally of Jehosaphat where the true Judgment of the Lord is received for Zion is Redeemed through Judgment and her Converts with Righteousness for when Judgment is set up in the earth then the Inhabitants thereof learn Righteousness and the Prophet saith The fruits of Righteousness that shall be peace the effects of it quietness and assurance for ever but no peace to the Wicked saith my God no peace to the Persecuters of the Lords people no peace to the Despisers of the true Light of Christ within no peace to the blind Seers nor sleepy Watchmen nor false hireling Priests that oppress the poor and live by the sweat of other mens brows no peace to the idle Shepherds that feed with the fat and cloath with the wool and make a prey upon the Flock who pull the sheaf from the hungry and the fatherless from the breast such are they that rebel against the Light who cry peace peace unto people while they put into their mouths but when any for good Conscience sake refuse to put into their mouths then they prepare War against them and fly to the Law to recover treble or other damage against them no peace to the Backsliders and proud boasters who have Apostatized from the Truth and no peace to the false hearted nor double minded and rebellious that never yet came to the Truth No Peace to any of the wicked unless they Repent cease to do wickedly But true peace is the portion of the Righteous who in faithfulness follow the Lord and peace to those that love Uprightness who take delight to walk in the way of the Lord which is a way of holiness and without holiness none can see the Lord therefore turn unto him I beseech you all and embrace the light of his Spirit and make no longer delay let not his Locks be wet with the drops of the night whilst he stands knocking at the door of your hearts but open unto him that he may come in and sup with you and you with him that so you may come by living experience to witness the fulfilling of those weighty sayings that stand upon Record in the holy Scriptures and those Prophesies spoken of by the Prophets in the dayes of old who said Thus saith the Lord I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh upon Sons and upon Daughters upon Servants and upon Hand-maids and they shall Prophesie I will write my Law in their hearts and put my Spirit in their inward parts I will be their God and they shall be my people I will be their Father and they shall be my Sons and Daughters This is our God and in whom we have believed that is good and gracious unto the Children of men who gives gifts unto the Rebellious for thus saith the Lord I gave them my good Spirit to instruct them but they rebelled against it and some there were of old that did despight to the Spirit of Grace and such there are in this Age but if they do not obey the Spirit of Grace their end will be miserable A few words to those that have Apostatized from the Truth and so Conclude ANd now you Backsliders let your eye be turned unto the Lord in the light of his Son from whom you are fallen and look for his fiery indignation to take hold of the transgression to destroy the Adversary of your souls that hath drawn you aside from the Lord and be willing to bear his indignation
because you have sinned against him that through Judgment you may be redeemed to your first Love and to do your first Works lest the Lord come unto you quickly and take vengeance upon you to the full and grind you to powder ye fallen Stars that have lost your light that are drawn down from Heaven to the earth by the strength of the Dragons power O consider in time vvhere you are vvandering like Fugitives and Vagabonds in the earth and be not high-minded but fear and consider from vvhence you are fallen and hovv you have forgotten the dayes of your tenderness and have let hardness of heart come over you again O behold the desolation the ruine the breaches that are come upon you by reason of your Wanderings from your first tenderness vvhen the Lord broke in upon you and tendered your hearts in his everlasting loving kindness but you have not prized his love but have wandered from his pure light O consider the goodness of the Lord and turn again unto him that he may shew you mercy remember how the Lord shewed John things that were to come how that there should be War in Heaven Michael and his Angels against the Dragon and his Angels and John saw to the end of the war that the Dragon and his Angels could not prevail against Michael and his Angels but was overcome and was cast out of Heaven to the earth and their place was no more found in Heaven and this made them rage because they had no place in heaven so the Dragon was wrath with the Woman that brought forth the Man-Child and he cast out his floods after her even the floods of Persecution and made War with the remnant of her Seed that kept the Testimony of Jesus and the Word of God and in their Wrath they blasphemed the Name of God his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven and this John saw in the Spirit which reacheth unto this present time for have we not seen the day in this our age that many of you entred into the Heavenly Profession and had for a time a small part in the heavenly fellowship of the knowledge of God but after you had known him not glorifying him as God nor liking to retain him in your knowledge but growing heady and high-minded and giving your power to the Dragon to make War with the Saints those that have kept their habitation in the Truth here begins the War for they have laboured with you and sought you with much tenderness that you might not be utterly driven away that you might not be cast out of the heavenly fellowship and fall into utter desolation but you still joyning with the Dragon to make War with them so there was no help for you but that you must be overcome and so be cast out of heaven into the earth and this hath been the cause of your rage and anger because you were cast out by them that have kept the word of their Testimony in faithfulness for this was that which John saw that they overcame by the word of their Testimony and the blood of the Lamb and O with what diligence care and patience have the faithful Brethren strove with you seeking your Return but O how hath their care been flighted by you and had in derision among you who have given reproachful terms to those Meetings that have been set apart on this account for the repairing of Breaches and building up the waste places and gathering into Peace and Unity where the Faithful Brethren have been very diligent to build up the Ruines and Desolations but O how have they been by some set at nought and ill requited for their labour of Love even by such who have been ready to lay waste and make Breaches and sow Dissention and cause Divisions among Brethren but said the Apostle Mark them that cause Divisions amongst you and avoid them for they that gather not with us scatter abroad and I right well know that none that abides not in the unity of the Spirit ever gathers to God let them pretend never so fair but it is possible that they may gather to themselves by their feigned words and fair speeches but they shall not long continue but their folly shall be made manifest those that are heady and high minded and will not take counsel of the Lord nor hearken to the voice of his Servants but are ready to say in a way of contempt as Miriam did in the dayes of old Hath the Lord spake only by Moses hath he not also spake by us but the Lord brought her to Judgment that spake contemptuously of his Servant Moses as some are ready to say at this day of the Ancients of Israel by reason of their care over the flock and family of God the same spirit also is ready to rise up against them as it did in the dayes of old in them that said You Sons of Levi you take too much upon you and so now such as are careless themselves and idle themselves are ready to say of others they take too much upon them and so slight the labours and travels of the Ancients of Israel who have the care of the Churches upon them and have born the burthen and heat of the day and have been in perils by Sea and perils by Land taking care that things might be well among Friends every where and that true love and unity might be encreased and that which is evil kept down and this is well pleasing unto the Lord and this work the Lord hath blessed and prospered and made it effectual for good and those who abide in the truth have seen a service in it for the Lord notwithstanding all the opposition for this we know that such as oppose the work of the Lord will not prosper let them cover themselves with never so fair pretences with greater enjoyments of the Lord this covering will prove too narrow to hide them from the wrath of the Lord when they are appostatized from the truth and from the comely order in the Unity of the Spirit and from the followship of the Gospel of peace such as came forth with us but were not of us So they went forth from us that it might be manifest to all people that they are not of us But oh ye backsliders that have appostatized from the truth and have crucified the Lord afresh and put him to open shame you that have not wholly sinned out your day Return return unto the Lord that he may heal your backslidings and shew mercy unto you and love you freely for his own names sake who hath moved in my heart in the bowels of his own compassions to call upon you to return unto him that he may shew you favor before his anger break forth against you his decree be sealed that you perish not in your gain-saying Apostacy and the earth swallow you up and you become miserable for ever therefore Consider if it be not too late for there is mercy with him and bowels of compassion for all that truly seek him in uprightness of heart Thus I have cleared my Conscience whether you will hear or forbear from one that travels for the prosperity of Sion and loves Unity and peace among brethren truly desiring the welfare of all people that they may come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved and that these that do already know it may abide in it for ever and ever which is the true and hearty sincere desire of your true Friend that seeks for peace and Unity Cyrencester the 2d day of the 9th month 1675. Theophila Townsend THE END