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
A COLLECTION OF CERTAIN Epistles Testimonies Of Divine Consolation Experience and Doctrine Written by that Faithful Patient and Long-Suffering Servant of Christ William Bennit Who Finished his Testimony the 23d day of the 4th Month 1684. In the County Goal at Ipswich in Suffolk And I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the Dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their Labours and their Works do follow them LONDON Printed and Sold by Andrew Sowle at the Crooked-Billet in Holloway-Lane near Shoreditch 1685. THE CONTENTS TO my dear Father and Mother pag. 25. A Tender and Vnfeigned Salutation of Love and Good-Will to Professors Or a tender Invitation and Call unto all People in whose Hearts there hath been and still is some true desiring and breathing after the Lord God who hath long been hunting abroad amongst the many Forms and Liknesses and have been running from one broken Cistern to another and have been long spending their Money for that which is not Bread and their Labour for that which hath not rightly satisfied their Souls For them to retire inward unto that in their own Hearts which is the Authour of the desiring in them after God even the pure spiritual Light of Christ Jesus in their own Consciences which will lead and bring them that do it follow and obey unto the well-spring of Life the fountain of living Water where they may drink abundantly and be satisfied unto the fold of everlasting Rest unto the fresh pastures of Life where they may feed and lie down and enjoy true rest and satisfaction for their Souls pag. 33. For Friends of Truth in the Town of Yarmouth pag. 59. 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 obtained Joy and Gladness and thy Sighing and Mourning is fled away pag. 63. To Gods Lambs in Prison Greeting pag. 75. To Friends in the Love of Truth Greeting pag. 77. To Friends of Truth pag. 78. To Friends of Truth in Prison pag. 79. To the Suffering Lambs of the Lords Flock in Prison Greeting pag. 81. This to go among Friends of Truth to be read among them when assembled together in the pure fear and dread of the most high God pag. 84. To Friends pag. 90. To the Magistrates of Edmonds-Bury pag. 92. To Friends of Truth in the Town of Colchester Greeting pag. 100. Somâ— Prison Meditations of an humble Heart pag. 108. This to go among Friends to be read among them when assembled together in the pure Fear and Wisdom of God pag. 142. A Testimony to the true Light that lightens every man that comes into the World pag. 150. To Friends in Edmonds-Bury Goal pag. 157. To Friends Sufferers in Norwich-Castle pag. 158. To Friends Brethren and Sisters c. pag. 161. The Work and Mercy of God conducing to his Praise Or a Demonstration of the Visitation of Gods Love to my Soul in the days of my Youth Being a Testimony of the Light of Christ in the Conscience which discovereth and judgeth Sin also if loved and obeyed saveth from Sin and redeemeth the Soul unto God pag. 167. To those that are young in Years c. pag. 179. To all People that live and delight in Wickedness pag. 181. To those that are seeking the Living God in the Dead Forms pag. 191. To those that are backslided from the Truth pag. 194. To those that profess the Truth yet walk contrary thereto iâ— Life and Conversation pag. 197. To all those that are convinced of the Truth but still remain in the Worlds ways pag. 198. To those that are newly convinced of the Truth pag. 200. To the true Mourners in Sion pag. 203. A General Salâ—tation of Love to the Children of Light pag. 207. To Friends pag. 211. A Loving Exhortation and Warning to Sea-men and all others whom it doth concern pag. 214. Edmond Cross HIS TESTIMONY For his Deceased Friend William Bennit THis Testimony lives in my Heart and is upon me to bear for and concerning my dear and well beloved Friend William Bennit whom with many more worthy Ones God Almighty in his endless Love unto mankind raised up and endued with power from on high to preach the Everlasting Gospel of Life and Salvation in our Age and forever blessed be the Lord who hath caused his blessed Work to prosper by them to the gathering many Thousands to himself notwithstanding the great opposition they have meet with both from the Enemy of mankind within and the Exercises Hardships and cruel Persecutions from his Instruments without yet so powerfully did the Lord appear in them that the Inhabitants of the Earth was awakened and Trembling took hold of many Judgment was laid to the Liâ—e and Righteousness to the Plumit yea the sound of the Gospel by these worthy Messengers Preached went through the Earth and many of its Inhabitance thereby came to learn Righteousness amongst which worthy Messengers this my dear Friend William Bennit was one who laboured in the service of the Gospel for the gathering in the out-casts of Jacob and the disperced of Israel He was a man wholly given up both in Body and Mind to serve the Lord and what he did for God he did it with all his Might he spared no pains wherein he might serve the Truth which to do was his whole delight his care was great over the Church of Christ and whole Family of God and when in Bonds for the Gospel sake he visited them with divers good Epistleâ— full of heavenly Exhortations and Comfort to the great refreshment of God's Children oh the sence of the want of him doth often make me sad knowing how serviceable he was in the Church though I doubt not but the Lord can raise up some worthy Ones to succeed him in the Work and Service whereunto he was called oh the many sweet refreshments which I have had with him cannot be forgotten what shall I say for the want of him whose presence hath often times been very comfortable to me I believe years to come will know the want of him I had inward acquaintance with him above many and can testifie he was endued with many divine Attainments he had the true qualifications of an Elder and Minister of Christ and walked in Holiness Meekness and Godly Fear towards all men he never exalted himself above any but as a perfect example in Humility Self-Denial and Meekness he behaved himself towards the Meanest his Zeal for the Truth appeared to be very great for though he was a very weak man as to his bodily strength yet in
to Publicans and Sinners he through Beelzebub the Prince of Devils doth cast out Devils c And truly I may say not out of a prejudiced mind of Enmity towards any for my Soul bears love and good-will towards all men that it is as it were the same now with many of the Professors in this age who as the Jews made a large boast and profession of Moses the Law and the Prophets and hated him the life of them doth make a large boast of Christ in words and of his dying at Jerusalem which I believe he did according as the Scripture testifie and that he hath done all for them and if they can but believe it that is enough c. And yet whilest they are thus professing him in words behold many of them are enemies to his Life and so enemies to him whom they boast of who is the Word that was in the beginning in whom was life and his life is the light of men The true light saith John that lighteth every man that cometh John 1 9. into the world vvhich the Professors say is a natural light that vvhich convinceth vvicked men of sin in their ovvn hearts and judgeth them for evil doing it is a natural light say the Professors and so call the life of the Word vvhich is the light of men natural it 's a natural conscience say some it 's an insufficient light it 's a common grace c. so common it is indeed that as Paul says it hath appeared unto Titus 2 11. all men even that grace that brings Salvation nay some blasphemously vvill presume to say it 's a spirit of delusion a spirit of errour and these are under the vvo vvho call the Truth errour and the Light Isa 5. 20 23 36. darkness and the Good evil and these one day shall knovv their blasphemy and their vvords shall become their burden and these are in great darkness and ignorance indeed thick darkness fills their habitation even the darkness of Egypt that may be felt and it is hard indeed for such to be brought into the pure light and unchangable Truth of God although vvith the Lord God Almighty nothing is impossible and these like the Scribes and Pharisees vvho although they professed God in vvords and said Mat. 23. 13. they had one Father even God sought to shut up the Kingdom of Heaven from men and vvould neither enter in themselves nor suffer them that vvould and so these vvhile they profess Christ in vvords they speak evil of his Light and Truth and vvill neither ovvn it themselves nor suffer as much as in them lie them that vvould but cryes out take heed bevvare of the light the Quakers prate of it is darkness say they it vvill deceive you and delude you and lead you into Errour c. But let all people knovv the light vvhich the people of God called Quakers speak of and in bovvels of love direct peoples minds unto is the life of the Word vvhich is Immortal Eternal Permanent Divine and Immutable and not Natural Joh. 1 2 3 9. Thou vvhoever thou art and vvhatever by men thou art accounted of that doth make a large profession of God Christ and the Scriptures of Truth in vvords and doth hate and speak evil of the Light the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world thou art a hater of God and of Christ and art of Antichrist against Christ although thou professest him in words and sayst thou art saved by him and justified by him c. yet if thou hatest his light in thy own Conscience which doth check thee for evil doing and prick thee for thy sins in secret thou art in enmity to him and condemned by the Light and not justified and thy confession of Christ in words will not save thee from his Righteous Condemnation vvhilst thou hatest his pure light in thy Conscience and thy profession is for the fire and unto the Light thou must come before thou canst find true peace with the Lord God Yea whatever thou art who art climed and a climing up in thy Imaginations and a soaring up aloft with the god of the world the Prince of the power of the Air above the Light the Door into the fold striving to enter into the fold and not by the Door to wit the Light thou art the Thief John 10. 1 8 9. and Robber who runs before Christ the Light the Door into the Fold and thou must come down come down to that which appears a small thing in thy eye who art swell'd big in thy fleshly wisdom from which the things of Gods Kingdom is hid even to that which thou counts a foolish thing a weak a poor thing 1 Cor. 1. 27 28 29 30 31. and 19. 20 21. not worth the minding or heeding but this is it the foolish thing in thy eye that is to confound thy wisdom and turn it into foolishness that so thou beecoming a fool may be made wise in it This is the weak thing in thy eye which is to confound thy strength and make thee weak that thou mayst be strong in it and the poor thing in thy eye which is to rob thee of all thy Riches that thou becoming poor in it may be made Rich so where is the Wise the Rabbi the Scribe the Disputer of this world Hath not God made foolish the Wisdom of this world for the world by wisdom knows not God and so the boaster is excluded that God may have the Glory and all flesh abased and silent before him who of God is made unto his Saints that love his Light and are led by his Spirit Wisdom Strength Power Righteousness Justification and Redemption who have the heavenly Treasure in the Earthen vessel that the glory may be of God who is worthy of all Glory and Praise for ever So heed not dear people you who have any desire in you after the Lord what this man or the other saith of the Light but love the Light and take heed unto it for that which judges and condems sin in you which John 3. 20 is that which seperates you from the Lord and hinders your peace with the Lord and is the cause of your burden and sorrow this you shall not need to fear will delude you That is a spirit of delusion that leads into sin and evil beware of that but that which reproves you for evil in your own hearts and manifests the deeds of darkness take heed unto it for that is the Light that doth make manifest Eph. 5. 13 14. darkness that which is reprovable is made manifest by the Light for whatever makes manifest is Light and that will not onely make manifest the sin and evil but as you come to turn your minds in unto it and love and follow it it will save you from your sins and redeem your minds and souls unto God for who receive his Light his pure Grace in
this Form and in the other Form running from Mountain to Hill from one Man to another to enquire for him vvhom our Souls long for but vve still vvant the true enjoyment of him And although man hath told us vve should find him there in this Way and in the other Way in this Form and in the other Form in this Ordinance and the other Ordinance wherein we have been tossed about and turned from one broken Cistern to another but still wâ— want true satisfaction for our souls for we want the true enjoyment of the assurance of the Love and Peace of God wherefore come let us no longer hunt abroad nor run any longer from one man to another But oh come let us retire our minds inward and in stillness and quietness in sollidness and seriousness let us wait upon the Lord and he himself will teach us of his wayes and lead us into the path of Righteousness where we shall meet him whom our souls hath long panted after even as the Hart panteth after the water Brooks wherefore let us wait upon the Lord for the Lord is good to the man that waiteth for him to the â—am 3 25 26. Soul that seeketh him Therefore come let us both hope and quietly without hunting any more abroad wait to find and feel in our selves the salvation of the Lord that so we may in truth come to find and to say He is come he is come and made manifest in us whom our souls longed after and behold his reward is with him even joy comfort peace rest and satisfaction to our souls Lo this is the Lord we have waited for him Lo this is our God whom vve have vvaited for novv let us rejoyce and be glad in his salvation and praise his Eternal Name I say dear people tovvards you is the opening and yearning of my bovvels in the casting of this my Mite amongst you in the meekness and humility of my soul and the God of Heaven for his ovvn Seed sake make it a service of good to you And then vvill the onely end of my soul herein be ansvvered thereby vvho am your friend and one vvho desires that you off the barren mountains may be gathered and brought dovvn into the lovv valley into the fresh pastures of life vvhere you may feed vvith Gods Babes and Lambs and lie dovvn in the sold of rest and peace that you might find bread in your own houses and vvater in your cisterns the oyl in the Cruse that vvill not fail but vvill satisfie your souls in drought and make fat your bones that you might become like a vvatered garden and like a spring of vvater whose vvaters fail not Take this as a Salutation of the love and good-vvill of my soul to you vvho am a friend to all people one that ovvns and desires to tender nourish strengthen the least appearance of God in any A lover of honesty and uprightness in vvhomsoever I find it but a hater of hypocrisie and deceit A Traveller in the vvomb of supplication for the restoring and gathering in of the scattered sheep and bringing home the dispierced of the Fold that all may knovv one sheep-fold and one shepherd From one of the least amongst many of the chosen Generation and peculiar people of God called Quakers vvhose earthen vessel is knovv by this Name WILLIAM BENNIT Postscript DEar People you in whose hearts there is some tenderness and conscienciousness towards the Lord God if you because of by-ends and self-interests and through letting in by your reasoning and consulting with flesh and blood the slavish fear of man whose breath is in his Nostrils and can but if by God permitted kill the body doth consent and condescend thereby for to save your selves from or out of sufferings either by body or estate to do and joyn with that which you are really perswaded in your hearts is quite contrary to the mind and will of God and so knows it to be evil and also contrary to your own Consciences hereby in so doing you may engage the Lord God against you in your fearing man more then God and come to loose your tenderness and conscienciousness to God-ward and so hardness of heart may come upon you and so you wholly die and wither away as to all tenderness and conscienciousness towards God even as grass upon the house top But you dear people in whom there is tenderness and conscienciousness towards the Lord God if you be faithful to the Lord in your not joyning with nor consenting to do the thing for any by-ends or private interests whatsoever although it be set up and tollerated and compelled to be done by a Law from man which you are in your hearts truly and really perswaded is evil and contrary to the mind and will of God and also contrary to your own Consciences but rather are willing to expose your selves to suffer whatever the Lord God of Almighty power and everlasting strength before whose Eternâ—l Almightiness and Everlasting Powerfulness all the strength and power of the Arm of flesh is even like a puff of smoak before a mighty wind shall suffer man who to day is and to morrow is not to inflict upon you you hereby will even engage the Lord God of everlasting bowels of infinite compassion who is and will be a strength to the poor feeble weak and needâ— a shadow unto them from the heat a refuge unto them from the storm when the blast of the terrible One come upon them like an overflowing flood to stand for you and to help you in your need and in your greatest straights when you as Peter are ready to cry Help Lord I sink to appear to and for you in the greatest measure of his love who right well knows what you have need of to minister strength unto you proportionable to your tryals And hereby dear people â—our tenderness and conscientiousness may dayly increase and you come to make conscience of that which you have not made conscience of and then you may come to find and witness that this day of tryals sufferings and tribulations is a blessed day to you and turneth through the mercy and loving kindness of the Lord towards you for your good so that you may come to bless and praise his name for it unto whom be praise and glory for evermore But a woful day to Hypocrites who hath gotten on a garment of profession of God and Christ c for a cloak to cover their unrighteousness and deceit an unwelcome day to them a terrible day to them for it will stain their crowns and mar their beauty and subdue their strength and slay their power and pull down their strong holds rip off their sheeps cloathing pull down their gay Tombs and painted Sepulchres and their rottenness stink and nakedness will appear So be it so be it Amen saith my soul For Friends of Truth in the Town of Yarâ—outh DEar Friends whom the Lord God Almighty hath
vvith them that Mourn and to Weep vvith them that Weep in secret and to Rejoyce vvith them that Rejoyce and to Travel in Spirit vvith and for the Travellers to Sion and vvith the Travellers in Sion and to watch with those Watch-men which the Lord hath set upon the walls of Jerusalem who for Sions sake cannot be still and for Jerusalems sake cannot hold their peace who cease not to cry day and night to the Lord and can give him no rest until he establish Jerusalem and make her a praise in the whole Earth for evermore Oh my soul be watchful and wary that thou dost not in the least degree seek Glory Honour and Praise to thy self and to be had in esteem by others but oh wait to feel self wholly Baptized into Death and made of no Reputation and take heed that thy left hand know not what thy right hand doth and do nothing to be seen of men or whereby to be accounted of by others but in all thou dost appeal unto him who seeth imsecret and he it is who will reward thee openly seek thou to be only known and manifested to the pure uâ—erring Witness in all Consciences and to stand justified and approved by it and that is enough no Honour no Glory no Praise but to God alone oh strive not for Lordship and Mastership over others but rather strive to be most Meekest Lowest Humblest Tender and Contite in Mind and Spirit condesending even to the Lowest and serving the Meanest in love seeking Peace and Unity amongst Brethren with all self-denyal bearing forbearing and forgiving for the Seeds sake bearing with the infirmities of the Weak and Feeble watching for the good in all without respect of Persons but not to watch for evil in any for that is abominable in the eyes of the Lord and seek thou the glory of God alone the honour of his Name exaltation and spreading forth of his Truth the freedom growth and reign of the Seed of God in the hearts of all the prosperity of his tender Lambs Babes and Children that they may all stand in this day of Tryal and be preserved in this hour of Darkness and Temptation and even to seek the good of all yea the good of thy greatest Enemies and have nothing but love and good will towards thy greatest Persecutors seeking the Salvation of all people but not the Destruction of any And oh my soul be circumspect and vigilent to walk so as becometh the Gospel and thee to be an adorning to the Truth of God and to be as an holy example and righteous pattern unto all people where-ever I come that I may be unto the Lord as a sweet smell and delectable savour that the blessing of the Lord my God may be pouâ—ed down upon me yet more and more that I might become fruitful unto the Lord my God and be an instrument in his hand amongst the Sons and Daughters of men to the praise glory honour and renown of the Lord Almighty for evermore oh my soul watch and fear before the Lord and take heed thou dost not that thing to please others which thou knowest is not approved by the Lord keep thy eye unto the Lord look not ouâ— at others to walk by Imitation and if thou seest him or her one or another whatever they be accounted of do those things which the Lord allows thee not to do do not thee do them because another doth them but watch and keep close unto the Lord and take counsel of him Oh my soul do not judge or justifie those things which thou hast not a true discerning in because an other judges or justifies them but rather be passive in that matter and stand still and wait upon the Lord for a perfect understanding in all things Oh my soul seek not Liberty to the Flesh beware of that counted Freedom which is indeed Bondage which hath stollen upon many in their latter days oh my soul indeavour to put off those things which in their placâ— are said to be Lawful which are a means to hinder thy growth into the Eternal And oh walk wisely before all men giving no offence to the Jew nor Gentile nor to the Church in God knowing that there is that which is Lawful but not Expedient there is that which is Lawful but it Edifies not wherefore forbare what may be forborn and yet be not brought under the power of any thing below the life but seek after those things which make for Edification Love Peace and Unity for God is the author of Peace and not the author of Confusion Strife Contention and Debate Oh my soul thou dost greatly desire that I might not appear in the sight of any of the Lords Lambs and little ones to be morâ— then what I really am in and through the grace of God by which I am what I am and his grace which he hath freely bestowed upon me hath nor been in vain praises to his Name forever oh I would not be accounted of by any little one to be more then what â— am in the Lord but rather let me be hid lest honour should be ascribed unto that unto which it doth not belong for indeed all honour belongs to God alone alas all Flesh is as Grass and what is Man he is but a Vessel wherein God may â—ppear or disappear as he pleaseth and indeed the Lord is jealous of his Glory and he will not give it unto another wherefore my soul seek the glory honour and praise to God alone unto whom only it is due for ever and evermore Oh my soul thou doest not want the love the dear unfeigned love of the Lords dear Babes tender Lambs and Children and oh thou desirest thou mayst not want their prayers for thee oh my soul that I may be preserved in this day of trial and be enabled by the Lord to finish my Testimony for him to his praise and my comfort joy and peace for evermore Oh my soul fear thou before the living God and very diligently take heed lest thou vvho stand'st should fall as several hath done to their ovvn vvoe and to the dishonour of God and to the causing his unchangable Truth to be evil spoken of and many seekers after Righteousness to stumble the hands of Sions Enemies thereby strengthened against the Faithful of the Lord vvhose hearts are made sad vvhom the Lord hath not made sad even in the sence of the sad condition of those vvho once in some measure vvere acquainted vvith the Lord once tasted of his Goodness and Graciousness of his svveet unspeakable Love and Peace and even in some measure tasted and handled of the vvord of Life and of the povvers of the World to come vvho vvere delivered out of spiritual Egypt by an out-stretched Arm and mighty Povver and by the same Povver carried through the spiritual Sea and Wilderness and did in measure eat of the spiritual Meat and drink of the spritual Rock vvhich vvas made unto
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
the Blood of the Covenant wherewith you were in measure sanctified under your Feet as an unholy thing and have slain the Just and crucified the Righteous in your selves Oh poor poor Hearts my Soul pities you and mourns in secret over you and cannot but lament the sadness and deplorableness of your Conditions oh better you had never known the Truth then after you have known it to turn from it to your old Lovers again Oh whither will you go you Backsliding ones where and in what will you hide your selves from the Lord now you are departed from him if you go from Sea to Sea he will find you out and what can defend you from his wrath oh where and in what can you find true Peace Rest and happiness for your Souls seeing you have forsaken him in whom alone it is to be enjoyed Oh are you not sensible that you want true Peace Oh you that have forsaken the Father's House of plenty and are gone out among the Swine who feed upon the Husks oh poor Hearts do you not sometimes a little come to your selves and then remember the Father's House and do you not then find some inclination and desire to return again if you do return how know you but that he will have compassion on you and receive you into his House again though you have been spending your Portion among Harlots and have deal so treacherously by him and so much wounded and grieved him and his Children yet notwithstanding if you can throughly return unto him with your whole Hearts he can and will receive you and heal your Backslidings blot out your Sins forgive you your Transgressions against him and love you freely Therefore return return you backsliding Ones why why will you die and perish forever oh repent and do the first Works turn your minds inward to the pure and just One in your selves which you have grieved wounded and oppressed as a Cart is oppressed with Sheaves Oh that you might look upon him whom you have pierced and behold him whom you have wounded and even mourn and lament over him Oh to the pure holy faithful Witness of God in your own Consciences which you were at first turned unto you must come and the righteous Judgment of the Lord you must own and wait in yea a dreadful Cup you must drink before you can enjoy true lasting peace in God Oh that you could be willing to drink it and to pass again through the Fire and Sword yea through Death to come to eat again of the Tree of Life and live forever Oh that all you that are betrayed like Sampson of their strength by the Adulterous mind so as that the Philistine the uncircumcised Nature hath prevailed over you and put out your Eyes that you are become Blind and cannot see that beauty and comeliness in the Lord and his Truth which you once saw oh that the Lord would be pleased to visit you again that like as the Hair of Sampson grew again his strength increased so that he slew more of his Enemies at his Death then he did in all his Life so the Seed of God may be raised again in your Hearts and the strength therein and thereby may be renewed and grow that by your dying again unto that which is contrary to the Will of God you may witness greater Victory in the Lord over your Enemies and know more of them slain then ever you did Oh! you that find and are sensible that the Lord hath not wholly given you over but is yet striving with you by his pure Witness in you to return unto him his Truth and People again Oh! return before it be too late and before the Door of Mercy be forever shut against you for then if you seek the Blessing with Tears as Esau did you will not obtain it and though you call Lord Lord open unto us we have Eaten and Dâ—unk in thy Presence and in thy Name we have cast out Devils and have had power over unclean Spirits and have done many great Works yet notwithstanding he will say Depart from me ye Workers of Iniquity I know you not Therefore be sober and serious and ponderously consider and let these things take deep Impression in your Hearts which are wrote in true Love Pity and Bowels of Compassion to your Immortal Souls by a Mourner over you and a Travailer in Spirit for your Restoration To those that profess the Truth yet walk contrary to the Truth in Life and Conversation For many walk of whom I have told you often and now I tell you weâ—ping that they are Enemies to the Cross of Christ c. Phil. 3. 18 19. ANd all you who make a Profession of the Light and Truth in Words but in Works deny it whose Conversations are loose and vain and not consistant with your Profession nor answerable but repugnant to Truth you do not conduce to the honour of Truth but produce a dishonour thereunto by your loofe disorderly walking whereby you also give the Enemies of Truth advantage against the Truth for them to reproach the Truth and those that walk and live in the Truth and also you are a stumbling Block in the way of the simple-hearted that hath a Love and Desire towards Truth and a Grief and Burden to the Faithful that love the Truth and live in it and seek the Glory and Honour thereof and also you deceive your own Souls by being satisfied with a Profession of Truth without the possession thereof and you have no true peace where you are nor unity with the Lord nor fellowship with his People for the unity and fellowship of the Saints is in the Light and holy Life of God and they that are out of the Light though they profess it are out of the unity of Faith and fellowship of the Sons of God and such are but gotten into the outward Court where the Gentiles the uncircumcised in Heart can come but blessed are all they that do the Will of God and keep his Commandments and have right to the Tree of Life and enter through the Gate into the City where no unclean thing can come So all you that profess the Truth and walk contrary to the Truth come to be faithful and obedient to the Truth that in the Way of Truth and Righteousness you may walk as becometh Truth and that in the Light you may shine as Lights in your holy Lives and blameless unspotted Conversations to the praise and glory of God and to the peace rest comfort and happiness of your own Souls verily no Hypocrite in Sion can be hid from the Lord who giveth the Churches to know that it is he that scarcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins who saith I come quickly and my reward is with me to give to every one according as his work shall be To all those that are Convinced of the Truth but still remain in the World's Ways If you know these things happy are you