also at another time being one feast day in the Morning we were in his house at Langdal Chappel stile who then felt the Lord to move upon his spirit that he should go to Eshdal Steeple house in the County of Cumberland at which place he was Cruelly handled a few weekes before by one Priest Parker yet notwithstanding he was willing to go who witnessed that saying my people shall be a willing people in the day of my power said the Lord. And we went from his house within a Quarter of the ninth hour and we were in Eshdal Steeple-house within a quarter after ten between which places it being nine Miles and upwards of very rough way and Priest Fogo being there soon after we went in he went into the Pulpit during which time my brother stood silent And when he had done my brother spoke some words to the people concerning the Priest sayings and doings which made the Priest to rage And some of his hearers standing up being officers would have put my Brother forth but the Priest said let him alone then they sat down again very willingly expecting to hear a discourse between them but instead thereof the Priest came to him and took him by the Hair of his Head and by the same pulled him to the ground and drew him out of the Steeple-House while the Priest was thus exercised I said unto the people mind the fruits of your Priest the Scripture saith lay violent hands on no man which the Priest hearing came to me and in his rage and cruelty abused me in the beholding of which acts of Cruelty done to us the people was many of them set against the Priest which he perceiving got away home and then my brother had good service among the people a prety while but within a few months after the Priest met with a sharp reproof for his Cruelty when he was riding over some sands accompanied with several people he fell into a quick-sand and was immediately drown'd a just judgment of a persecutor And this in short is a true Testimony of some of the fruits of the Priests whom he in the light of the Lord went to reprove who made a great talk of Christ and Christianity yet notwithstanding proved as Cruel as the beasts of prey tearing wolves though covered with lambs skin And at several houses up and down the Country where we wrought he met with many envious spirits who also were great talkers of God and Christ and the Scriptures and the way to God but walked in their own wills and wayes and would not bow nor bend unto Christ the light and way to God they were climbed up so high in their imaginations and strengthned themselves in their self righteousness and came forth in the strength of the power of darkness to oppose the Truth and light of God which he bore Testimony unto yet in the name of the Lord he stopped the mouths of many gain-sayers and in the wisdom of God that was with him he caught the wise and crafty in their own snare And in a holy zeal and heavenly courage and living demonstration of the spirit of truth he declared the way of the Lord and his Exhortation was unto us who in some measure were turned to it that we should walk in the same and in it watch against that dark Envious proud haughty Spirit which lay near to draw from it and to do well and keep low in Gods holy fear and to deny our selves and take up the dayly Cross to our own wills and to be faithful in that little appearance of Light and Truth which we had already received and then the Lord would make known more unto us whose words many of us now are come to witness Blessed be the name of the Lord for evermore And this Testimony I have to bear concerning my dear Brother and it liveth in many and shall not dye that he was an Innocent man and lived in the fear of God and diligently sought the Exaltation of his holy way and his delight was to labour and travel that people might be gathered into the same and walk therein that in their day and time they might be an honour unto God for which end he made them and they who in this age do declare for the same and seeks to worship him in his own ordained way do meet with many hardships and cruel persecutions as did the faithful Servants of the Lord in former ages and as also did this innocent man But the Lord was near unto him in every strait and was unto him a present help in every needful time and in a living sence of his eternal power did in time of his sickness declare several sweet and heavenly Exhortations and also saying I know it will be well with me I have not served the Lord for nought his presence I feel with me and also said my love is generally to friends and standing upon the floor between two Friends with difficulty of breathing said Oh that every one would mind the Lord that they might reap life and then he sat down and like a Harmless dove left this life and so drew breath no more JOHN DIXON'S Testimony concerning William Willson I Being a Neighbour unto W. W. therefore have had a certain knowledg of him being many times conversant with him though at the time of his Convincement I was but young in years and before his Convincement when I learnt at School I had this knowledge of him that in those times he was one that diligently sought the Lord to the utmost of his understanding And that with the chiefest of professors in those times he was one that took great pains in going from one professing Priest to another and for disputing about the things of God and the Scriptures was behind few of them Yet still there was something unsatisfied in him notwithstanding the great and high profession then made untill his mind was turned to the Lord who by his holy and heavenly Light and glorious power did shine into his heart by which Light he came to receive the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus And this Heavenly treasure he had in his earthen vessel and willingly he attributed the excellency of the power thereof unto God to whom it did belong being truely subject thereunto for he was a man that had made self then of little or no Reputation therefore did the Lord exalt him and give him Wisdom Corage and Boldness and that in the sight of his Enemies to the Confounding of them and raising the witness of God in many For soon after his Conversion he was moved by the living power of God to cry against deceit iniquity oppression and transgression which abounded both in Priests and people and was cruelly handled at several Steeple-houses often by the Priests and sometimes by the people for the Lord from whom nothing can be hid he knows and many peopel did see how that one Priest Parker
it be a hard Exercise to me many a time now in my old age to part with so Dear a Husband but all is but a reasonable sacrifice for the Lord who is the preserver of our Souls that live in obedience unto his Will And this I can truely say and that to my great Comfort that when the Lord was pleased to call him from me upon the Truths Account whether in England or Scotland I never was his hindrance but was freely willing to give him up to the service that the Lord had called him unto for I have often bidden him take no care for any thing he left behind but have said perform thy journey as thou sees the Lord makes thy way which I know he did and that with faithfulness and that is his everlasting joy and my great comfort though I be left behind him in this World but my desire and â—â—eathing is to the Lord to preserve me and my two Daughters in his heavenly way to our lives end as he did my dear Husband who laid down his body as an innocent Lamb Saying often times I have not served the Lord unfruitfully and also said I have no trouble upon me and I am very sensible that all is well with him for he was a peaceable man to the very latter end of his daies Blessed and praised be the name of the Lord for evermore who hath received him unto his everlasting joy and felicity for evermore The 17th of the 11th Month 1682. Dorothy Wilson His Daughter Rebecca's Testimony concerning her Father THis is my Testimony concerning my dear and well beloved Father William Wilson he was a dear and tender Father towards me and that is the cause of my Shedding of tears many times but it is not without hope for I am Satisfied with many more who knew his Life and Conversation that he is entred into everlasting joy and felicity for evermore with his Maker And this I can truly say to my daily comfort he was a true director of Me and my Sister on the Spiritual Journey even Sion wards which he himself did travel on dayly and did bear a faithful Testimony for to the end of his daies both in England and other Nations where the Lord was pleased to call him tho through tryals and hardships but he thought all little enough for the Lord and his holy truths sake Oh blessed and praised be the name of the Lord for evermore for I can truly say my Father was raised up in a spiritual sence towards us his Family when he took his journey towards London and in much tenderness exhorted us with tears to keep in the true fear of the Lord that his name might be glorified by us with many more good and heavenly Exortations to us on this manner which was his last Testimony to us for he lived but two nights and one day after he came home from London and his outward body was much Spent but he was in a Sweet and heavenly frame of Spirit to his last breath and often said his peace was far above his pain And so lay down his head in peace where none can make him afraid Oh Lord God of Infinite love which hath broken my heart unto tenderness before thee thou hast been a Husband to my Mother and Father to Me and my Sister Oh Lord carry us on in thy heavenly way as thou didst my Father that thy name may be glorified by us in our little measures for it is the desire of my heart above all things to live in thy true fear that I may inherit the Crown of life as my Father doth Blessed and praised be thy holy name for evermore saith my Soul The 17th of the 11th Month 82. Rebecca Wilson Ruth Wilsons Testimony concerning her Father THis is my Testimony concerning my dear and faithful Father William Wilson who was a dear and tender Father over me which is the cause of my great lamentation when I heard of his decease for I was gone to Kendal to live and did never see him alive after he took his Journey towards London which was very hard for me to bear and went near my very life but in the Consideration of his holy and pure life that he lived in I am satisfied with many that did know him that he is in everlasting Joy and Eternity Blessed and praised be the name of the Lord for ever for he was ever instructing me on in that heavenly way that he himself travelled into his latter end and encouraging men in the way of the Lord often saying to my Sister and Me it would be the best portion that ever we could enjoy which we know now to be very true Blessed and praised be the name of the Lord for ever who hath made us sensible witnesses of it in our little measures and I desire at the Lords hand that I with many more may be preserved in the true fear of the Lord to my lacter end for I know my dear Father did often travel in Spirit for us his family when he was far separated from us outwardly sometimes in his Journey upon truths account and sometimes in his imprisonment for conscence sake and the Lord was with him in every needfull time and now he was pleased to take him out of this troublesome world into his everlasting joy where he hath laid down his head in peace where none can make him afraid and the desire of my heart is that I with my Mother and Sister may truely wait upon the Lord that we may know him to be as a Father unto the Fatherless and as a husband unto the desolate Widow for he is a strong Tower unto the upright in heart and a sure hiding place unto all his little ones O blessed and praised be his Holy Name for ever and evermore saith my Spirit Ruth Wilson William Rawes his Testimony concerning Will. Wilson COncerning our dear friend and brother William Wilson I have this Testimony to bear for him in true remembrance of him he was a man of a Meek and quiet Spirit which with the Lord is of great price he had also a good gift to declare the truth and was full of zeal and heavenly courage in the which he perform'd the same Also he was a good example and patern in his life and Conversation unto us by the which he preached truth unto us as well as by his words for he himself lived according to what he taught us for he was adorned with gravity and walked before us in humility yea he had a blamless conversation and was unspotted from the World so that his presence as well as his words was a strengthening and a comfort to the upright and honest-hearted he was a man that did suffer much for truth's sake both imprisonment often and spoil of goods which he took joyfully knowing that in Heaven he had a better and more enduring substance he patiently endured all saying he had counted the cost before he began to build
to the needful and his delight was to do good to them that had done ill to him for indeed he overcame evil with that which was good So that they that formerly had been his enemies was made to say William Wilson is an honest Man for he walked circumspectly as those that are redeemed by the Lord seeking by all means to bring honour to the way of the Lord and to exalt the same over all the by-ways set up in the fallen wisdom of man for the way of the Lord is a spiritual way and his worship a spiritual worship for all that truly worships him it must be in Spirit and in Truth And not in forms traditions and outward observations as loe hear and loe there in this tradition and that observation which many have made a great stir about and been fitting up in their own wills and ways being degenerated from the Spirit of the Lord in which he is only alone worshipped And because this faithful servant and Minister of the Lord did often cry against those that taught for Doctrine the commandments of men being ignorant of the cammand of the Lord in themselves therefore he was often by them haled to prison and Cruelly handled as was hinted before And several times sued for tythe for John Ambross in the year 1682. did exhibit a bill in the Exchequer against him and several other of his friends because they could not give him tythe for his cure who in his bill of complaint to the said court affirmed that he was their Curate but it hath pleased the Lord to provide a better place for him Then John Ambross intended or sought for him for his intentions was if his unreasonable ends was not answered to put him in some prison or dungeon or such like place or else to ruinate him in his estate and so it s come to pass in our day and we are living witnesses of the words of the Prophet of the Lord concerning those that deceive people and caused them to err and bite with their Teeth and cry peace and he that putteth not into their mouths they even prepare war against him Micah 3.5 And this is that cure they Minister unto those who cannot put into their Mouths who in the light of the Lord hath seen their deceit and can in reality and truth give this certain Testimony that they are Curates of no value for those that have been feeding such Curates and have been living under their cure Twenty Thirty Forty or Fifty Years many of them hath as great reason to cry at this day as they had the first day they went to them no Health in us no Health in us And therefore all hath great need to walk in the spirit of the Lord that in the same they may pray unto him and say from such Biters Preparers of War and Curates Good Lord deliver us And from such Curates God almighty hath delivered his faithful servant William Wilson and placed him where they cannot touch him with their War nor come near him with all their sharp Instruments nor wound him with their Darts nor bruise him with their Blowes The good Curate who freely gives his Cure who is indeed a Phisicion of value who heals all that come unto him and doth depend upon him he alone hath taken care for him and given him rest from his labours for the Lord hath an eye to them that have an eye to him and he draws near to them that draws near to him and he is a true preserver of them that depend upon him and singly desire to walk in his way Which way this faithful man William Wilson had a tender regard unto who above all things desired that he might be preserved in the same and be in his day and time an honour to the same and in reality and truth so he was and for it he had a delight day and night to labour and travel and was in his journey and travel for the renown of the same when the Lord of life and power was pleased to visit him with sickness which he took very patiently earnestly desiring of the Lord to turn him which way he thought best and to bring him to his Wife and Children And according to his desire God almighty whom he served in reality of heart who had been with his saithful traveller and delivered him in many straits and dangers was at this time near unto him and strengthen his outward man according as he desired and brought him to his Wife and Children and outward habitation where several came to visit him unto whom he said it will be well with me what way soever the Lord be pleased to order me And the third day after he came home he was taken out of the Body during which time he set his House in order and several sweet and Heavenly exhortations he left among his Familly and within half an hour before his departure he walked over the Floor between another Friend and me who said my love is generally to Friends and then after a little space with great difficulty of breathing he uttered these expressions Oh that every one would mind the Lord that they might reap life which being spoken like a harmless Dove he sat down in his Chair and soon after drew breath no more William Rigg's Testimony Concerning William Wilson THis testimony have I to give for our dear Friend William Wilson that he was an innocent Man a lover of truth and righteousness and not only so but a walker therein for by his honest and upright life and Conversation he was a preacher of righteousness unto many as well as by Word and Doctrine which he was a labourer in for many years not only in this Land but in more remote parts of the World beyond the Sea and the Lord was with him and his power and presence did go along with him and the Lord made him instrumental in his hand for the good of many for it was the joy of his heart to see truth prosper and that many might come to enjoy that precious Pearl and Jewel of great worth the Kingdom of God in them which consisteth in Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost which he was made a living witness of And his testimony was living and powerful to the teaching of the witness of God in many not only by word and Doctrine but also by life and Conversation as I said before whereby he reached the best part in all Men with whom he was Concerned or where ever he was ordered to go so that all were forced to confess that he was an honest Man for he was of a lowly meek and Condescending Spirit unto the meanest Capacities whereby he got the love of many and he confirmed and scaled his Testimony not only by doing uprightly but also by suffering the spoiling of his goods and imprisonment of his body and also by blowes wounds and cruel usage by inhumane and unreasonable Men counting nothing too
is no peace to the wicked faith our God and is it not adishenour to our Nation that so many of you should be comed out of it having not the love of God in you may read Christs own words on John 5th and 41 42 43 and 44. the verses O blush and be ashamed that you would lay the dishonour of our Nation upon those who are innocent and harmless fearing to dishonour God who hath power over us all therefore repent and turn to the Lord God of life and Light least suddain destruction come upon you and this in love to all your Souls whether you will hear or forbear R. H. W. W. Here follows a Letter written to Captain Loaler whin he was in Kendal in Westmoreland with his Soldiers written in the behalf of Regnal Walker and George Benson who had Well packs to Kendal and was sent into visit him in Prisen To the Priests ALL you Priests and great Scholars who is in your Tongues of humane Learning and is proud of it take heed to your selves that you set not your Hebrew Greek and Latine above the head Christ Jesus the Son of God who is the life and the power of God and so make a God to your selves of your great learning which is humane and can never give the knowledge of God for Pilat who delivered Christ to be Crucified of the Jews caused Hebrew Greek and Latine to be set over Christs Head take head I say unto you you proud Scholars that you do not so for the Lord is greived with your Pride and Presumtion of Tongues which may be cut of in a moment and when you dye your Tongues dyes with you but the pure living God endures for ever so you send Scholars and foolish Priests who is making to your selves a God after your own way and will not have him after his own way which is Christ within manifested in the flesh destroying the Devils work now in People as he did great Miracles in the days of his Flesh among the Jews but they could not believe then no more then ye can believe that he is now made manifest in sinful flesh destroying the Devils work in the flesh that all through him might be saved from the Devils work which is sin and wickedness would you separate God from poor ignorant People that would believe in the light of his Son in their own hearts and confine him to your great Schools of Humane Learning that none can know the way of God but you alas for you for all your Tongues of humane Learning you are no nearer knowing of Christ now in this dispensation of revealing himself in man then Pilat was that delivered him up to the Jews in that day and time and you are worse then he for he did it not willful but would have let him go So see where your Hebrew Greek and Latin is while you are ignorant of Christ the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world here the poor blind and ignorant may have the benefit of Chirst as they believe in the light that gives the true knowledge of God whom to know is life and that never dies and here is none shut out of knowing God I say the Lord shuts none out as you would do with your Scholarship if you could but the Lord is risen and he did arise in the days past to confound the wisdom of the wife and bring to nought the undrstanding of the Prudent he is setting up his Son to Raign in the hearts of his People that believes in his name and they are not ashamed to confess his name before the men of this generation who seems mighty in their day but the Lord is blasting the wisdom of man and hath said it shall not rule over his People for they have been a pray over long to thir Mouths that have said the Lord saith when he hath never spoken to them therefore this I say unto you foolish and not wise who is proud of your Hebrew Greek and Latine and thinks that God cannot be known in any other way then your teaching of him you are deceived for God will not be mocked by you for he is setting up his Son to Raign a top of all that ever hath been set a top of him either in this time or in times past W. W. Here follows several Letters that were written to those in Authority when he was Prisoner in Lancaster Goal for not Swearing To the Judges of the Assise at Lancaster JUdge or Judges I desire them or you to read this little Note and then consider the poor mans state that suffers for the Lord God eternal and his holy Truth as it is in Jesus and dare not disobey his Comands manifestest in his heart that he may do them wheresoever he be and obey his sayings who saith Swear not at all but let your yea be yea and your nay nay whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil and the same Christ commands to do the truth and to speak the truth from my heart wheresoever I be in all places and at all times in the which I desire that I may be kept faithful to the end that I may live in peace with my eternal God of Heaven and of Earth and follow peace with all men that be upon the face of the whole Earth for the Lord God hath called me to peace and out of wars and strife Although in the year 1648. I was in wars for the King and did remain with faithfulness unto the end till we were not a Party able to stand any longer and took leave of my Captain who did bid me shift for my self which was but sorrowful to me and that night was I taken Prisoner and stript to the Shirt from my back and that Night had like to been starved to death and afterwards sed in Prison with a penny a day and shamefully used in Prison and had not left to my back that any would have given me a peny for and much more then this did I suffer for the Kings service which I might have escaped all them if I would have taken up Arms with the other Party then and have betrayed my friend which thing my heart stood against and truly friends I must relate much concerning my sufferings with a heavy heart because of so little regard that was taken of me and my poor coming home nor never gave me a penny pay to this day neverheless I freely wish that you and all men knew the reality and truth of my heart to the King and all his true Subjects much more might I write but would not be tedious in writing very much I am a poor man and hath a small Family whose mentenance depends only on my labours by which I did mentain them well but now I cannot because I am here in Prison for my Conscience sake because I cannot swear but stands in obediance to Christs Commands my Allegiance to the King stands in Faithfullness
of Eshdal in the County of Cumberland because this faithful and obedient servant by and through the Motion of the Divine Spirit of God did exhort people to mind that of God in their consciences and to turn to that holy Light and Law which he hath put in their inwards Parts that by the same they might come to know the will of God and do it I say because of these and such like words the Priest in a cruel rage did beat and wound him and with one of his Crutches did break his Head and caused the blood to run down his Shoulders and Back and being a lame man caused his Horse to be brought upon which he mounted and in the sight of the people did upon Williams bare head break his Staff in three pieces which made the people cry fie upon such merciless work So when the Priest had made an end of his savage dealing he set forwards to go home but before he got thither he met with a reproof for his Cruelty from him who rewards every one according to the deeds done with body whether they be good or evil for he stroak him with sickness so that he never came more at the Steeple-House during the time of which sickness he was very loathsome for he stinked above the ground and was even made an example by him who safely keeps his obedient ones from being devoured by the beasis of Prey who alone is worthy to be glorified for ever more And so the Lord God of life light and power who knows how to declare and to wrok both immediately and instrumentally who is never wanting unto his faithful and obedient Servants who truly depend upon his holy divine Spirit a measure of which he hath freely given to all mankind to be their instructer and leader into all Truth and they are blessed and for ever happy who are instructed and led thereby and are truely and really given up thereunto though they may meet with many difficulties and troubles as did this faithful Man W. W. but out of them all the Lord delivered him and in his holy power gave him dominion and in the Authority of the same sent him into Germany to bear a Testimony against the wickedness of the wicked and against the ungodliness of the ungodly warning the wicked to turn from his wicked wayes and the ungodly from their ungodly thoughts unto the light of God in their hearts and to the holy Measure of his divine Spirit in their inward parts for which he suffered great hardship in the city of Hambrough and in Germany and other places thereaways both by Sea and by Land And after he had finished his service which he had to bear for the Lord in those parts the God of Light brought him back again into his own native Country and outward habitation where he was a good instrument in the hand of the Lord both to the gathering and incouraging of many in and to the way of the Lord both in Declaration and also in life and Conversation For as he taught so he lived in humility dread and fear before the Lord being a good favour both in them that did believe and also in them that not believe reaching forth his hand daily for the good of all truely delighting in the way of the Lord rising early and walking late for the honour of the same and durst not bow bend nor honour no haughty nor proud losty mind because thereof he as well as many others of our dear friends have suffered great hardship for they that fear the Lord know right well and that by good experience it s the humble that God teacheth and he direct the meek and the lowly in the right way which way our dear friend W. W. was very bold to declare unto many and that in a living demonstration of the Spirit of Truth which is the most excellent teacher and teacheth to declare the way of God aright for without a harkening and giving up to be led and guided by it None can declare of the way of God aright nor perform their duty unto him therefore it s the concern of all to mind the measure or manifestation of the Spirit or grace of God which is freely given to all that they may profit therewith and those that truly comes to profit therewith they are often pusht at by them who do not mind it insomuch that is come to pass in our day as it was in the day of the Prophet he that now departs from iniquity becomes a prey to them who rebel against the Light Grace or Spirit of the Lord. And though this faithful warrier and servant of the Lord did faithfully suffer persecution in his own native Land near his outward habitation yet still the Lord preserved him having more for him to go through for it pleased the Lord to send him into Scotland several times there to declare his message freely which was that God is light and in him is no Darkness at all and so if possible to turn their minds from darkness to light from Satans power unto the power of the Lord unto which power every Soul ought to be subject and in the same to live and dwell and have their being so shall it be well with them when the time comes that they must lay down this earthly Tabernacle and must go hence and be no more sin for the Prophet said All flesh is grass and the glory of it as the flower of the grass withereth and the flower thereof fadeth away but the word of the Lord endureth for ever And the last time that this faithful Souldier of Christ who fought under his banner was in Scotland he was moved by the Spirit of the Lord to travel into the remote parts thereof where many times he was in jeopardie of his life there to declare unto them the way of the Lord freely for freely he had received therfore freely he did give as do all they Ministers of Christ Jesus who is come to learn of him and to obey his command who commanded his Ministers saying freely ye have received freely give And in these far and remote parts the Lord God of life and power of whom he had freely received was not a wanting unto him but was a present help in every needful time and was always neer to preserve his obedient traveller until he had finished his Testimony which freely he had received from the Lord to bear in these remote places and then the Lord God almighty of life and power who was his leader thither and his instructer there was his protector back again at whose coming his Relations Friends and Neighbours was very glad for though many had pusht at him and envied him looking and often expecting for his ruin and Inprisonment several of them did then stand in need of him for the Lord blest his labour every way and made him able and willing to help them in several of their necessities for his hand was alwayes open
and truth which I hope I shall reman into the end so I desire that I might have free liberty to live at home and Labour for my Family William Wilson a poor man and means well One to the Justices and Magistrates FRiends Friends that be in Authority a few words from a Prisoner of yours Christ saith Swear not all this is Christs Command Swear not at all and they that loves me keeps my sayings saith Christ marke and be not offended at any of his Servants which keeps his saying and cannot swear at all but lets their comunication be yea yea nay nay for what as is more cometh of evil as saith Christ Matt. 5. Truely friends my heart is turned towards God with many more of my brethern in this the day of our God and we cannot Swear at all for we have learned obediance unto his Doctrin and therefore we are willing to keep his sayings whatever we suffer by man for friends consider I shall put my case with the rest of my brethrens who be of the same Faith to your own selves to judge Christ he saith Swear not at all you say you must Swear so whether it be better to obey God or man Judge ye likewise the Apostle James saith to his brethren above all things my breathren Swear not at all least you sall into Condemnation Jam. 5 but you say Swear or else you shall go to Prison consider this friends and Judge Charitably whether is to be obeyed now if sufferings must be we these to suffer for Christ sayings rather then for much sayings for if we do not Swear we must fall into Prison and if we do Swear we are sure to fall into Condemnation marke that but it is better for us to obey God then man man so we cannot Swear at all whatever we suffer I hope we shall not break our peace with God for pleasing men for we know the Lords care is over them that fear him and he will visit for these things So take heed how you cause us to suffer for not swearing counting it a breach of your Law for us to keep Christ own sayings that is offended in any of you to see us wear our own hats on our heads and to here us speak Gods truth plainly from our hearts without swearing was ever any of Gods people offended at these things or caused any to suffer for not swearing consider friends and take heed how you oppress tender Consciences and cast into Prison them that cannot Swear for Conscience sake and lets Swearers have their Liberty for I am one willing to suffer for not swearing rather then to deny Christ because I love and obey the Lord Jesus Christ which saith Swear not at all VVilliam VVilson Servant of the same Lord. One to Justice Fleming of Rydale OH Justice Fleming that ever this report should be sounded in our Ears that within thy Libertys such spoyling should be amongst thy Nighbours we never had the like in our Parish nor never expected that our own Justice should have made such work as set men of spoyling true mens goods who themselves dare not spoyle nor do any hurt to any man upon the face of of the whole Earth because of their Conscience towards the God of Heaven which is appeared in these latter days and is come and hath taken up his aboad with them and keeps them unto himself out of all spoyling again when they are spoyled of their Cloaths of Horses and their goods which they had honestly gotten by their hard labour and industry and hath learned to live peaceably amongst their Neighbours and a godly life in Christ Jesus who saith learn of me but not to spoyle true mens goods who for Conscience sake cannot Swear nor break of their godly Meetings which God hath set up and not man therefore consider and call in the spoylers from spoyling of true men thy Neighbours who have none in the Earth to plead their cause but gives themselves up to God and all they have to suffer for his sake having received the earnest of the Spirit and the assurance of etern I life from which they never intend to fly for all that ever mortal man can do unto them in this case for it is in matter of holy worship to our God which all the spoylers in the world is out of and all ungodly men an truths gainsayers which be in these latter days and though many Fools and Bablers that is applauded in these latter days for their fooliry and their fordness Jaging and waging in the streats like fools in a play the Lord hates such who fears not him that hath made them but walks in wickedness making a mock at sin and sporting themselves against the Lord and them that fear his name of which sort I am one and am not ashamed to confess his name among men though it be to my great loss and hinderance in this world as all my neighbours can tell and my wife and little children knows the want of me as thine may do of thee in time for ought I know which I do not desire more then I desire my own should want me but if thou knew what it were I believe thou would not be so hard hearted and my friend Willam Grave is lying at the point of Death and this day one Prioner is lying dead and its a wonder and a mercy of God I am not so to and many more of us you have casten into Prison and not one of you that comes to visit us but we may rather think you wish us all dead as thy brother Willam did babling below a man and much more a Captain and thy Cozen Will. Kirby reported the night you had done that wicked act of casting us all into Prison that you had had an honourable Bench and that thou was such a man as was not in many parts and your whole service had almost been taken up about the Quakers and you had hall'd the Fox and stayed his Hambrough Quaker from traveling or the like words to that purpose which is below a man or man-hood to vant of Casting men into Prison it irkes my heart that ever men should be so Foolish as to do as you have done with us in sending us as thou sent us and its thought caused the death of two and the sickness of others it make the Country cry out shame shame and indeed it vexes me that my Country man should loose his honor in being so hard against poor Quakers as many calls us and had gained it so in other things as I have heard thy name honoured among men where I have been both for carrage and understanding so Justice Fleming consider and let men of tender Consciences have their liberty as others doth in other places and be not so hard of the Lords people Even who are engaiged to meet together fearing the Lord as saith the Scriptures they that seared the Lord met often together and spake often one
not forget his Servants whom he hath chosen to place his name among who stands faithful unto him them will he deliver one way or other we need not look how the Lord knows what way makes most for his Glory as I remember the death of Oliver Atherton that sweet Martyr for the Lord in bearing the same Testimony who the same night before he dyed sang praises to the Lord in a most heavenly manner as many Witnesses can testifie because he suffered this lingering Marterdom for the Lord of Glory who ended the tenth and redeemed him out of the ninth as it is written in the declaration of his death that was set upon his Corps as he was carryed home to his family to be buryed as the Countess of Darby could witness who was his great Aversary and Prosecuter into Prison who dyed her self about six weeks after and then all the rest were released as by the providence of the Lord whom they suffered for And then they who we made as Widdows and fatherless for a time were eased of their sufferings as these who are now as poor Widows fatherless Children may die in due Season as the Lord sees good whom thou hast made through thy Jewish custom of taking tenths though in that day it was lawful for the Jews yet I never read in Scriptures that they sued at Law for them as thou doest nor received them for that end as thou doest nor made Widdows nor fatherless Children as thou dost nor lay'd men in Prison for them as thou doth nor when one Law would not serve went to another as thou hast done nor never gave Goalers strict charge over them as some of you have done but the Lord will revenge for these things to whom we leave it for I will repay it saith the Lord and this was I moved to write by the God of my life unto thee or whom it may concern in the behalf of my brethren and their wives and little Children who cannot do as much for themselves that thou may consider their cases who suffers for the Lord and dare not pay Tyths for pleasing man and thereby offend God who hath brought them to make a good Confession of his name before men and is not ashamed of their Christian duty to God who hath redeemed them out of the ninths and left them Witnesses against the tenths for his names sake Glory to the Lord for ever VV. W. A short Letter to the Priests and their hearers FRiends Christ Jesus who said he is the way of truth and the life John 1. saith also he is Light of the world and whosoever believes in him shall not abide in darkeness but shall have the Light of life John 8.12 So truely friends this is the Light of Christ Jesus which sheweth you sin and what is evil in you and this is that which is not of the world neither can the world receive it for the whole world lyeth in wickedness but this of God to which we speak doth never consent unto wickedness but reproveth all manner of evil whatsoever and sheweth you that you should not wrong one another but do to all men as ye would they should do to you friends this is the way of truth and to speak the truth one to another this will stand in the Light which is the truth and truly if you love God you will love the Light for God is Light and of Purer Eyes then to behold iniquity and a measure of the Spirit is given to every one of you by manifestation to profit withall so every one search honestly your own hearts and see how you have profited with it for truly an acount must you give of your deeds done in your bodies whether they be good or evil now all evil is manifest to be of the Devil as lying swearing theft drunkenness desembling deceiving with the rest of all ungodly actions therefore repent and forsake your sins and return from the evil of your doings for the Lord wills not the death of a sinner but rather that you would return from your wickedness and live to serve him alone in that which is holy and just and good for to live in sin and lusts of uncleaness is death and destruction and dear people strive to enter in at the staite gate which leadeth to life and few there be that find it but wide is the way and broad is the gate that leadeth to destruction and many there be that find it so I dearly exhort you all to read your conditions honestly and see how you stand justified in the Light of the Son of God and your time all to prize and turn to the Light while you have the Light reproving you for sin in Secret when as no mortal Eye doth behold and by believing and obeying it it will lead you out of darkness and this is the true Teacher and near unto every one of you all and cannot be removed into a corner but is present with us and you at all times and in all places and sees the very thoughts and intents of the heart and no other way is to the Father but by the Son who is the true Light that lighteth every man that comes into the world and this is in love to all your Souls let him that readeth understand and you that teacheth others whether you are taught your selves of him who is the true teacher Christ Jesus Secondly and whether they that are taught of him are taught to settle themselves at one certain place for so much a year as can agreed betwixt partys Thirdly whether they that be so are not of that sort that Esaiah saith seeks their gain from their Quarter and the hireling that Christ saith flyeth Fourthly whether they be not of that sort that stands praying in the Sinagogue hath upermost places in the Assemblys and is called of men Master Fifthly whether they have not mens Persons in admiration because of advantage and reverenceth honour one of anothor and calleth men Masters Sixly whether these be not of the same generation that Jermiah saith steal the words from their neightbour and saith the Lord saith when the Lord hath not spoken to them Sevenly whether these be not in the way of Canan envy and Balaum seeing after gifts and rewards W. W. Letter from Scotland to friends about Kendal in Westmoreland DEAR friends in and about Kendal these may signifie to you all who is desirous to heare of me that I am well blessed be the Lord for the same and my heart affcted with the deaar love of God unto you my true friends with whom I have fellowship in the heavenly Union and Comfortable Spirit of our eternal God who is present with us at all times and places who cannot be seperated from his own from his own life in his people who hath chosen him for their way and for their life cannot live without him who is life the Lord of hosts is his name he is my life my