with his Iron Rod and break the Heathen to pieces like a Potters Psal 2. 8. 9. Vessel who hath Righteousness for the girdle of his Loins and Faithfulness the girdle of his Reins who hath on the Brestplate of Righteousness and a Helmet of Salvation on his Head who hath put on the Garment of Vengeance for cloathing and is clad with Zeal as with a Cloak who with the two-edged sword that proceeds out of his mouth makes War in Righteousness who hath on a Vesture dipt in blood and his Name is called the Word Rev. 19. 13 Isa 42. 6 7. 4â— â— Luk. 2. 30 31 32 Isa 35. 5 6 7. of God This is he whom the Lord giveth for a Covenant of the people and for a light of the Gentiles to be his Salvation to the ends of the Earth to open the Blind eyes to unstop the Deaf ears to cause the tongue of the Dumb to sing and the Lame to leap as an Heart to cause water to come forth of the Desert and streams in the Wilderness the parched ground to become a pool and dry heaths springs of water to make the Wilderness and the solitary place glad and the Desert to rejoyce and blossom as a Rose who is anointed of God to Preach glad Tidings to the poor to bind up the broken hearted to proclaim Isa 61. 1 2 3. Liberty to the poor Captive and to comfort the the Mourners in Sion to give beauty for ashes the oyl of Joy for Mourning the garment of Praise for the Spirit of heaviness that they may flourish as Trees of Righteousness of the Lords own planting bringing forth fruit unto him 1 Sam. 2. 4 5 6 7. that he in and through them may be glorified He brake thâ— bowes of the Mighty and that which is weak and feeble he girds with Strength and Courage the Full and Rich he causes to hire out for bread and causeth the hunger of the hungry to cease who causeth the barren to bear seven and she that hath had many children to wax barren and feeble he woundeth and healeth he killeth and causeth to live he bringeth down and raiseth up even the poor he raiseth out of the dust and the beggar from the dunghil to set them among the Princes and to inherit a Crown of Glory This is he who maketh all things a New and Rev. 21. 1. 5 Isa 65. 17. causeth all old things to pass away who causeth the old Heavens and the old Earth to pass away and dryeth up the Sea and creates a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness this is he which worketh the strange work the marvelous work which causeth the ears of those that hear thereof to tingle This is he who is the strong Arm of Gods Mighty Power which is stretched forth towards the helpless to deliver the poor and needy out of the hand of him who is too strong for them Isa 52 1â— The Arm of Gods Salvation which he is making bare before the eyes of the Captives that they may see him and come unto him who is Mighty upon whom help is laid to deliver them and to save to the utmost them that come unto him this as I said is the hand of Gods loving kindness which in mercy is stretched forth towards you who cannot be satisfied with the husks shells and shadows but thirst and desire after him the Substance the living Bread which the living Soul feeds upon and lives and grows up thereby into Eternal life Ah dear People this is the Salvation of God whom I declare of and Salvation is not to be had in another besides him who is the Immortal word Luk 2. 29 30. of Eternal life which abides for ever which was in the beginning before the visibles were by whom all things were made whether visible or invisible and without Joh. 1. 1 c. him was nothing made that was made and in him the Word was life and this life is the light of men and he is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world and was in the world and the world knew him not He came unto his own and his own received him not but unto them that received him he gave power to become the Sons of God Who had a body prepared him in which he suffered the Will of him that sent him who was born of the Virgin Mary whom King Herod sought to destroy who was circumcised the eighth day and likewise baptised by John the Baptist who likewise eat the Passeover with his Disciples for he came to fulfil all Righteousness who was betrayed by Judas who was judged to die by Ponrius Pilate who was Crucified without the Gates of Jerusalem who was laid in a Sepulcher who rose again the third day according to the Scriptures who ascended up into Heaven and sitteth at the Right hand of God who is glorified with the same Glory that he had with the Father before the world began who came again unto his Disciples according to his promise who said unto them I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you I will send you a Comforter that shall abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth I am Joh. 14 16 18 26. the Truth saith Christ whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but you know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be Mark in you yet a little while and the world sees me no more Mark this you who are so much gazing and looking for his coming without but still fail of your expectation that you know not his coming within you to be a Comforter But you see me and because I live you shall live also saith Christ to his Disciples and in that day you shall know that I am in the Father and you in me and I Mark in â—ou and he the Spirit of Truth shall lead you into all Truth and shall teach you all things and shall shew you all things to come and bring all things to your remembrance that I have said unto you and shall reprove the world of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgement And his Disciples according to his Luk. 24. 29. Acts 2. 4. command waited at Jerusalem until they were indued with power from on high and had received the promise of the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Truth which caused them to speak the wonderful things of God as the Eternal Spirit of Truth gave them utterance and then they were come to witness his Word fulfilled when he said He dewlleth with you and shall be in â—ou and this is the immortal Word which was in the beginning which Paul who witnessed Christ the Son of God revealed in him and was Gal. 1 15 16. by him the eternal Spirit made an able Minister of him Preached to wit Christ within who said Rom. 19. 6 7. 8. None should need to ascend that is to bring
Christ down from above or to descend that is to bring Christ from beneath c. but the word to wit Christ is nigh thee in the heart and in the mouth to be obeyed and done and this is the Word of Faith that Paul preached nigh in the heart Even Christ in them â—he living hope that was as an Anchor to their Souls sure and stedfast the hope of Glory And Paul exhorted the Corinthians to examine themselves and to prove themselves whether they were in the Faith whether they knew not Christ to be in 2 â—or 13. 5. them except they were Reprobates And John in his writing to the Saints reminds them of that within which they had heard from the beginning and says to them Let that remain in you to wit The word which was in the beginning which you have heard from the beginning and if it shall remain in you ye shall continue in the Son and in the Father and tells them That they should not need that any man should teach them but as the anoynting which they had received of God abiding in them should teach them which was the Truth to wit Christ the Truth in them the anoynted the anoâ—nting And as he had and did teach them so they were to abide in him so they knew Christ in them witnessed the Power of God within the Truth witâ—iâ— the Word nigh in their hearts the Spirit of God in their inward parts by which they were led guided taught anâ— instructed For so many as are the Sons of God saith Paul are led by the Spirit of God and he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his and this gave them an understanding in the things of God even the Spirit of God For no man knows the things of God saith Paul but by the Spirit â—f God through which he was made anable Minister of the New 1 Cor. 2. 10 11 12 Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit which giveth life And he Preached the everlasting Gospel Christ the Power of God the Word nigh in the heart and said If our Gospel be hid it is hid from them that are lost in whom Mark in whom the God of the world the Prince of the power of the Air that wicked spirit that worketh in the hearts of the children of disobedience hath blinded their minds lest the light of the glorious Gospel Christ Jesus should shine in and unto them But God who commandeth light to shine out of darkness hath shined Mark in our hearts to give us the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus and we have this treasure in the Earthen vessel that the glory may be of God and not of us so the Saints Preached up Christ the Word of Life the Light the Truth within and Rom 1. 19. 1 Cor. 12. 7. Tit. 2. 11. said That which is is to be known of God is manifest in them and Paul says That the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall and the free Grace of God saith he Mark that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that we denying ungodliness and worldly lusts should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world And the Saints they witnessed their reconciliation and were born again they felt and knew that in themselves of which they were born again even Christ 1 Pet. 23 24 25. in them the Seed incorruptible the Word of God which lives and abides for ever by which they were begotten again unto God and quickened by the Word of life even they who were once as dead stones were raised up as living Children unto Abraham and so they came to taste that the Lord was good and gracious to taste and handle of the Word of Life and to seed upon the Bread 1 Cor. 12. 13. of Life and to drink of the Cup of Blessing and so by one Spirit were baptised into one body and were made to drink into one Spirit wherein they worshipped and served the Lord God and had Unity with the Lord in and through the Eternal Spirit and Unity one with another which united their Souls unto each other and unto the Lord God over all blessed for ever Ah dear people you in whose hearts there is true desires and secret thirstings after the living God where-ever ye are scattered among the many Sects and people towards you doth my soul yea my tender soul yearn and stream with love and good-will and for your sakes dear people doth my Soul travel in the womb of Supplication that you might come to enjoy that which you are seeking after and come to possess that you are thristing for and for your sakes mostly is this written in tender bowels of unfeigned love and pity to your souls And dear people you that have true desires in you after the Lord and hath been seeking of him where you cannot find him and hath been running from Mountain to Hill and from Hill to Mountain from one broken Cistern to another from one dead Form to another but still are unsatisfied and are sensible that you still notwithstanding your long profession and confession of God and Christ in words and notwithstanding your practicing some things that you read of which the Saints once performed in obedience of the Spirit of Truth which led them thereunto want the feeling enjoyment of the Love and sweet Peace of God and go groaning daily under the burden of the bondage of sin and corruption and desires to be set free therefrom Oh dear people retire retire with your minds inward you who have been seeking a God a far off and hunting after the Lord without retire to within and wait to know the Lord God near you to know his pure Truth in your inward parts his pure Spirit in you to lead and guide you to teach and instruct you for God is a Spirit and his teachings are spiritual he must be known in Spirit worshipped in Spirit and in Joh 4. 21 22 23 24. Truth not at the Mountain neither at Jerusalem not in this set Form nor in the other Form As lo here and lo there but in the Spirit is the Lord God known and worshipped aright by them who are born of the Spirit And so the spiritualized people who are born oâ— the Spirit and lives in the Spirit and are taught and led by the Spirit of Truth these are the peculiar people who Worship the God of Truth who is a Spirit in the Spirit and in the Truth and these are acceptable Worshippers with the Lord who own no Worship but his own which he teacheth his people by his Spirit and they that is ignorant of the Spirit of God they are ignorant of the true Worship of God which is in the Spirit and although such may seem to Worship God yet their Worship is not of God nor accepted with God It is the purified Sons of Levy who have passed through
visited in his endless unchangeable Love even in his making known and manifesting in and unto your souls his pure pretious Truth whereof he hath in measure made you pertakers with his dear Children and Witnesses of in your measures blessed be his Name who hath raised you up to bear a Testimony for him and his Truth which you profess who also hath inabled you through the power of his Love thereunto in this the day of your tryal in that great Town And my dear Friends my soul earnestly desires that you all may dwell and abide in the remembrance and living sence of the loving-kindness of the Lord towards you in his freely making known his Truth unto you that indeed the sence of his Love may bind your hearts and souls to be faithfull unto the Lord and his truth which you profess in still bearing your Testimony for the same in this the day of tryal standing as noble faithfull witnesses for the Truth every one of you in your measures amongst that hard hearted and crooked Generation in the midst of whom my dear friends you in the Light may shine as Lights in the blamless Life and unreproveable Conversation even to the praise of the Lord God and to the honour of his truth which you profess Now dear friends the Lord hath caused you hitherto to bear a testimony for him and against that wicked spirit of Persecution which would limit the Lord in his people in this particuler fix in your meeting and assembling your selves together in his fear to wait upon him and to worship him in spirit and in truth though it hath been though Sufferings And dear friends in the meekness of love unfeigned I Cry unto you saying oh do not grow faint nor weary of bearing your testimony still for the truth and worship of God in your meeting together in his name for dear Friends wherein can we in one particular exercise of the spirit of truth bear a larger testimony for the truth then in our meeting and assembling our selves together in the truth to worship the God of truth in the spirit of truth seeing that this is the thing above many which the wicked spirit of persecution doth so eagerly and so highly oppose and so eanestly seek and so greatly indeavour to deprive us of and confine us from wherefore dear Friends I cannot but in the Love and Zeal of the truth exhort you all not to neglect meeting together in the fear of God so long as the Lord permit you Liberty so to do And oh let not the smalness of your number you little Flock who are hated and rejected by the world be any discouragement to you in this matter but oh rather be you incouraged thereby in the strength of the Lord in love to his truth to bear up your testimony in that great Town in the midst of so many Persecutors faithfully in your measures even to the honour of the Lord his truth My dear friends let me say again neglect not meeting together through giving way to the slothâ—ul careless spirit or through letting in the fear of man into your hearts for indeed my dear friends although you be a poor small Remnant for whom my soul travelleth with the Lord for your preservation yet behold as you keep your meetings in the fear and name of the Lord you will feel and injoy his living presence in and amongst you which will make your meetings profitable unto you And dear Babes in stillness quietness in peace patiâ—nce and contentedness possess your souls in the dominion of truth to reign over all those thoughts reasonings and consultings which the Enemy of your souls would infuse into your minds whereby he would raise trouble and tumult in your hearts and bring faintness and weakness upon you And dear Friends lend not an ear to listen after the rumours and reports of the world nor heed not the boasting of the wicked neither regard the threatning of truths Enemies but dear Babes continually lend an ear unto the Lord and hearken you unto his Counsel and have continual regard unto him in your hearts and wait to feel his presence with you continually and know your unity with him and every perticular one feel and find in your selves that the Lord God almighty is on your sides and then my dear Friends you need not matter who are against you if the Lord be for you so dear Lambs be faithful to the Lord and to his truth in your measures and be not Dâ—scouraged nor Danted through the sence of the rage wroth and bitterness of your Enemies and through the feeling of your own weakness and feebleness but trust ye in the Lord and hope ye in his tender bowels which are opened with groanings of compassion towards his poor afflicted suffering people who is and yet will be a strength to the poor and needy a refuge unto them from the storm and a shadow unto them from the heat a helper in the time of need a Deliverer out of trouble in the greatest straits who will appear to help his helpless ones whâ— have no other helper but the Lord. So the Lord God almighty be with you and gird up your loins with Courage Boldness Strength and Valour and spread upon you the mantle of faithfulness and cause you to persevere on in the perpetual patience and to abide in the continual content therein to run the race that is set before you which you have begun And the Lord almighty of heaven and of earth for his own seeds sake keep you from fainting by the way and carry you through all whatever either outwardly or inwardly you do or may meet withal and keep you and preserve you unto the end that in the end dear Lambs we may lay down our heads together in the sweet bosom of the Lord God of everlasting rest peace and quietness in whose sweet meek heavenly humbling melting love my soul dearly salutes you all and commits you all unto the Lord God almighty Farewell dear Friends Dwell together in that love which thinks no evil therein forgiving and forbearing one another even as the tender God of bowels hath forgiven you and born with you day after day and time after time and dwell all in the meek spirit of self-denial keeping the unity in the spirit in the bond of peace Norwich-Castle the 3 d Moneth 1664. Your tender Friend and Brother WILLIAM BENNIT God only Exalted in his own Work OR THE Works of God Praiseth him in Sion OR A Song of Deliverance from a great and sore Captivity Thraldom and Bondage under the King of Egyptian Darkness the God of the World where the Soul was fast bound as with strong Chains and Fetters but now Ransomed by the out-stretched Arm of Gods Almighty Power and art come to Sion with Songs of everlasting Joy upon thy head and hast obtain'd joy and gladness and thy sighing and mourning is fled away witnessed unto and experienced in that Vessel whose earthly
who sits upon the earthly Throne unto the most Inferior in the Kingdom and by this Principle of Love in our own hearts which is of God we are made to bear Love and Good will towards all people and by it we are taught to loy Enemies to Bless and Curse not to Pray for them who De spitefully useth us and to do Good to them that Beateth us and not in the least to render Evil for Evil but endeavour to overcome in our selves and others Evil with Good and by it we are preserved from joyning with the spirit of Envy and from being led by the spirit of Revenge which ruleth in many and leadeth into secret Plottings and evil Contrivances by way of Conspiring to raise Tumult and Insurrection which spirit with all its fruits we deny and judge and all those who are led by it to Contrive and Plot against any or to seek the Destruction of any people though our Enemies such we disown and their actions we defie the Lord is our witness And by the Principle of Love in our hearts are our Consciences made very tender to God-ward insomuch as that we would not willingly and knowingly sin against him and are willing rather to suffer the loss of all External things yea even Life and all then to break our peace with God which we value more then ten thousand Worlds and because we endeavour in the strength and power of the principle of love in our hearts to keep our Consciences void of offence towards God and because we dare not do those things though they be set up by men and tollerated and compelled to be done by a Law which we are perswaded by the unerring spirit of Truth we ought not to do neither joyn with any therein and because we dare not forbear doing those things though prohibited by the Laws of men there from which we are perswaded by the spirit of Truth is our duty towards God to do and perform therefore are we a suffering People this day and for no other Cause the Lord is our witness to the truth hereof And ever since the Lord our dear and tender God who alone hath been and now is our Helper Strength and Refuge and hath stood by us and supported and preserved us or else we had not been a People at this day did raise us up to be a People for to bear witness to his Way and Truth and against the false Ways evil Works false Worships Idolatry Sin and Wickedness of the World we have been a suffering People and all along we have suffered by every Power that hath come up to Rule and all along we have suffered for only our Consciences towards God if our Enemies have had no Law in force against us neither could find any thing on our parts whereby they might take a just occasion against us then have they as Daniel's Persecutors did against him who sought his Destruction without a Cause given them by him even made Laws on purpose to Insnare us and Trappan us concerning our Conscience towards God for which we did suffer by the other Rulers even many ways viz. by Stocking Stoning cruel Whipping Rayling Reviling and cruel Abuses even Imprisonment until Death and spoyling of Goods in a more abundant manner then I can relate and all hath been for our Consciences to God all which we have born and waded through in Patience through the strength of the upholding merciful Arm of our God and by him have been kept from seeking Revenge upon our Enemies but have committed our Cause to God who Judgeth Righteously and Justifieth those whom men Condemn unto whom alone Vengence belongs and he will repay it who will render unto man according to his Works And even at this day our Sufferings are greater then before and now are we even as Sheep appointed for the Slaughter and all is because we endeavour to keep our Consciences void of offence towards God and because we dare not joyn with that Idolatrous Worship which God abhors but must as moved of the Lord rather bear Testimony against Idolatrous Worships and Worshippers vvhatever vve suffer And because vve dare not Svvare at all knovving if vve should Svvear at all we should then transgress the Commands of Christ Matthew Chaper 5. Verse 34 c. James Chapter 5. Verse 5 c. And because vve follovv the practices of the Primitive Christians and dear not forsake the Assembling of our selves together but must as vve are taught of the Lord meet together in the pure fear and dread of the Name of the Almighty God even for no other end the Lord vvho knovveth the secrets of all hearts is our vvitness but to Wait upon the Lord and to Pray to the Lord and to Build up Strengthen and Edifie one another in the Lord and to Serve and Worship God in Spirit and in Truth vvherein God vvho is a Spirit is only Worshipped aright by his Spirituallized people vvho are born of the Spirit and guided and led by the Spirit of Truth into all Truth And it is not in Rebellion and Contempt to King Charles and his Lavvs that vve meet together to vvorship God neither do vve do it in a Cross Stubborn Self-vvill as by some vve are charged the Lord is our vvitness but even in a Cross to our ovvn vvills and in Obedience to the vvill of God vvhere fore vve have peace in the Lord for vvhose sake vve suffer and stand justified in the sight of God though by Men and their Lavvs counted Transgressors Novv Friends as your Moderation in measure hath appeared in this day of hot Persecution and hath been manifested heretofore tovvards the Lords tender Conscientious people in this Tovvn vvhich I believe the Lord hath taken notice of who hath regard unto those vvho have respect to his people and truly it is my Souls desire even for your ovvn good that your Moderation tovvards the people of God called Quakers or any other people vvhose Consciences are tender to God-vvard may continue still and increase more and more so as that ye might not in the lest degree have a hand any more in the Sufferings of the Innocent but might rather chuse as meek Moses did to suffer Affliction vvith the Suffering Abused Tribulated Afflicted People of God then to be found Prosecutors of any unjust Lavv against them for indeed happy in that particular is the man that hath no hand in the sufferings of the Lords people for sure I am the Lord God hath regard unto his people though disregarded by such as know not God nor his People and though Hated and Persecuted by the World yet Loved of the Lord and very dear unto him and though Contemptible Ridiculous and Absurd in the eyes of the wisemen of this World yet Beautiful Comely Delectable and Precious in the eyes of the Lord and what evil any do to them because of their Consciences towards God the Lord takes it as done unto himself and if one
Babes we had need continually to stand upon our watch Tower having the Loins of our Minds girded up unto God with the Girdle of Truth having on the Breast-plate of Righteousness and the Shield of Faith the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God that we may be able to send off the Fiery Darts of the Ememy within and be able to shun his Wiles and to keep out of his Snares that we may never be betrayed of the simplicity and innocency of Truth as it is in Jesus Oh how hath he prevailled over some and drawn them into a self separation and particularily from the Body which is joyned unto Christ the Head from whom the Body receiveth Vertue whereby every Member is Nourished and all comes to supply its Plaee and Office in the Body and so is of service to the Body as it keeps its Order and so every Member being in unity one with another are as meet helps one to another and so the Strong in some things may help the Weak and the Weak in some things may help the Strong so that the Hand cannot say unto the Foot I have no need of thee but every Member to be as Servants one to another and all in Subjection to Christ the Head that the encrease of the Body may be witnessed unto the Edifying of it self in Love Dear Friends if some who under pretence of ceasing from Man and Words and Forms c. doth absent from the Assemblies of the Righteous and withdraw from the Meetings of the People of God c. yet I hope the Lord will preserve you from that Spirit and I hope the Love and Power of his Truth will stir up your Hearts and constrain you to be very diligent and faithful in meeting together in the holy Fear and Name of the Lord God to wait diligently upon him in the measure of his Light Life and Truth received that so ye may daily receive Teaching Counsel and Instruction from the Lord and receive of his heavenly Dew and Vertue whereby you may daily be Quickned Warmed and Inlivened in the inward man and be kept alive unto God Green and Fresh as the Willow by the Rivers side as the Lillies in the Vallies and as a watered Garden giving a sweet smell and delectable savour that the Blessings from on high may be showred down upon you more and more that your Fruit may encrease to the praise of his holy Name So dear Babes I commit you unto the Preservation and Protection of the Lord God who in this the day of great Tryals hath mightily stopped the raging Sea and hath limited the proud Waves thereof and hath shut up her Floods as he hath seen meet oh let every poor little tender honest hearted one put their trust in the Lord if they be never so Poor Weak and Feeble in their own Eyes let them cast their care upon the Lord for he careth for them and rely upon the arm of his Mercy and hope in his tender Bowels and he will be Strength to thee who without him art Weak and he will be Riches to thee who without him art Poor believe and trust thou in him and hearken not to the false Accuser neither joyn to the Consulter but be still and know the Lord is God al-sufficient for thee and all those that lean upon him for Help and that depend upon him for power he is able and ready to save in the hour of Temptation to support in the day of Tryal to uphold in the greatest Storm and to keep in Patience until it be over and gone and a Calm comes again Dear Friends and Brothren in that Love which is unspeaâ—able doth my Soul dearly salute you and imbrace you simpathising with you in your Tryals desiring to Mourn with all them that Mourn and to Rejoyce with them that Rejoyce and unto him you are left who is able to Comfort the Mourners among you and is ready to left up the Light of his refreshing Countenance upon the heavy hearted and bowed down under the burdens of the Righteous Seed to strengthen the feeble Knees and to heal the Wounded and bind up the broken in heart that they that hath or doth sit in the solitary place of Mourning may be filled with the Joy of the Lord and that they that yet are bowed down with the false Accuser of the Brethren and lie mourning in the pit of Distrust Unbelief and Desparation may mount upon the wings of Faith unto thâ— holy hill of Zion thereon to stand with the Lamb and to sing the new Song which none can sing but the Redeemed of the Lord so be it saith my Soul From your true Friend and Companion in the Faith and Patience and long Suffering of Jesus who is often with you in Spirit though in Body Separated and Confined from you being still close shut up in Prison with several of the Lords Lambs whose good Presâ—nce is with us blessed be hâ—s Name upon whom we wait for Deliverance believing that the Almighty God who delivered Just Lot from the Wicked Sodomits whose Ungodliness vexed his Righteous Soul from day to day and who delivered his People of Old out of Egypt and freed them out of the Hands of oppressing Pharaoh and who delivered David out of the Paw of the Lyon out of the Paw of the Bear and from the hands of the uncircumcised Philistine who delivered Jeremiah out of the low miery Dungeon and Daniel out of the Lyons Dâ—n who delivered the three Children out of the Fiery Furnace and Paul and Silaâ— out of the Prison-House he the Living God who changeth not whose hand is not shortned that it cannot save will at this day deliver his People out of all their Sufferings and free them of their Burdens Weights and grievous Oppressions in his own time Blessed are all they that durst not look out at time as some have done to their one hurt but wait pariently upon the Lord who can change Times and Seasons as he pleaseth who dwelleth in the Heavens and also ruleth over the Kingdoms of men and setteth up and throweth down as he pleaseth who seeth all the Works of the Sons of men and pondereth all their doings he is a God of Knowledg and by him actions are weighed he excelleth in Strength Power Wisdom and Mercy and his Throne is from everlasting and his Kingdom without end who is God over all blessed for evermore Let none get into a false security because of the present Calm the Lord can suffer a Storm and make a Calm again when he pleaseth let all Watch and Pray and Fear before the Lord and wait upon him to be fitted for-Tryals that so no Storm may come upon you before you are aware of it and before you be ready for it Dear Babes Read and Feel my Love in the Truth and therein let not your Love be wanting one to another but live in Love Unity and Peace and the God
Earth have cause to speak well of the Lord and to trust in his holy Name we are the People for mightily and wonderfully hath the mighty God done and wrought for us though the blind World sees it not Oh! how have we been as Lambs among Lyons and yet not devoured but wonderfully preserved by the secret Power and invisible Arm of the Lord our Shepherd who hath been our Defence when the Beasts of the Forrest have come forth to Devour and the Wolves have been greedy of their Prey then hath the Lord sought for Mount Sion and defended the Hill thereof and though some said We 'll pursue we 'll overtake our Lust shall be satisfied on them we 'll draw our Swords and our Hands shall destroy them yet how hath the Lord blown in his Wrath upon them the Sea of his Judgment hath covered them and they are sunk as Lead in the bottom of the mighty Waters and we yet through mercy are alive and have a being among the Living to speak well of the Lord and to make mention of the Goodnesâ— of our Good and to declare of his Kindness and to praise him for his Works which are marvelous in our Eyes Oh! his Love his Mercy and tender fatherly care over and towards us extends beyond the demonstration of Words and oh let the sense thereof be engraven upon the table of our Hearts that it may humble us and keep us low before the Lord and be an Obligation upon every Soul of us to bind and engage us unto the Lord and his Truth forever How mightily hath the Lord limitted and quieted the raging Sea and made a Calm oh that all Friends might take notice of the great Mercy and Love of the Lord to us in this particular and mind the end of the Lord therein and let us all take heed we Sin not because Grace and Mercy to us abounds lest it provoke the Lord to Anger and be a moving cause to induce him to let forth the Wind and suffer a Storm again Oh that none might get into a false ease and liberty and wrong security because of the present Calm but all to keep retire in that which fitteth and maketh ready for Tryals when they come in by and through which we have been upheld preserved hitherto even by the secret Power Arm of the Lord which is not shortned that it cannot save but is the same that ever it was and it hath been our Helper in six Troubles and in the seventh has not been wanting to us to help us when there hath been none to help and to support and uphold us when there hath been none to uphold but Loads Burdens and Oppressions have been heaped upon us and to comfort us when nothing but Sorrow and Trouble from the World compassed us about and when we have had nothing as from men but the Bread of Adversity the Water of Affliction even then hath the Lord our tender God been the Comforter of our Hearts the Refresher of our Souls the Rejoycer of our Spirits and the Lifter up of our Hands when we have been bowed down with the Oppressions of our Enemies his â—resence hath been with us in the Prison-house and in the low Dungeon and hath not left us to this day and assuredly never never never will leave us if we leave not him but will be with us until we have finished our Course and fulfilled the dayes of our appointed Time and our Change come So dear Friends unto the Lord I commit you who knoweth how it is with all his Babes and Children and beholdeth all their Tryals Straits and Sufferings inward and outward and his ear is open to the cry of the Poor and groanings of the Needy who is God all-sufficient for all those that trust hope relie and depend upon him and able to keep them by his power through Faith in his Name unto his heavenly Kingdom So the Lord be with you all and the Almighty protect and defend you and keep you from Evil unspotted from the World and preserve you in Love Peace and Unity with himself and one with another in his innocent unfained Love in his Light Life Power and Truth and make and keep you all of one Heart and one Mind and one Soul that you all with one consent may still worship and serve the Lord God in the one Spirit and the one Truth in which I dearly greet salute and embrace you all and remain your Friend and Companion in the Patience and Tribulation of Jesus Farwell dear Friends William Bennit Dear Friends IN the Love which waxeth not Old neither is subject to Change which God hath shed abroad in the hearts of those that believe in the Light through the operation of his Eternal Spirit in this Love which openeth our Hearts unto the Lord and one another doth the unfeigned Salutation of my Soul reach forth unto you as in which Love Iabide I cannot forget the Family of Love and Houshold of Faith neither can length of Time nor distance of Place â—onds nor Tribulations extinguish the remembrance of you whom the Lord â—ath chosen out of the Elect Seed from out of the Faâ—ilies of the Earth to place his Name among and to maniâ—est his Power and Glory in and through you his People to the praise of your God in your Generation dear Friends who are called to be made pertakers of the Blessed Everlasting Inheritance of the Saints in Light and through Faith in the Light of Life you are called and raised up to bear Testimony unto him whom the Nations Despise but unto you that believe in him he is Pretious and you that have seen his Bâ—auty and beheld his Comliness and have tasted of his Love and have savoured the sweetness of his preâ—ious Oyntment which hath healed your Wounds and cured your Diseases and with which your Souls have been Bathed Warmed and sweetly Refreshed unto you that have tasted of his Divine Vertues who is the Light of â—he World he is the chiefest of ten Thousand who hath called and chosen you out of the World to follow him in the Regeneration and to bear his Image before the World and to shew forth his Testimony against the World therefore do the World hate you and desire and seek your Destruction and would tempt you and by cruelty force you from the beloved of youâ— Souls but dear Hearts every one cleave in spirit unto the Lord and hold fast his blessâ—d Truâ—h received into your Hearts that the Enemy within nor his Instruments without by all their Temptaâ—â—ons and Cruelty may never move you to decline nor degenerate from that blessed Testimony which God hath given you to bear for him in the midst of a Wicked and Uâ—godly Generation who must fill up the measure of their Iniquity that Judgment may come upon them to the full and the measure of your Sufferings must also be fulfilled therefore dear Lambs hold fast Faith and a good Conscience and pâ—t
preaching the Gospel he was carried forth with such Fervency and Zeal for the Lord being by the mighty Power of God upheld that at such times there appeared no Infirmness of Body in him and notwithstanding the weakness of his Body he often Travelled in the service of the Gospel being freely given up to spend and to be spent for its sake his Ministry was plain prevalent vvhereof he had a very good Gift he vvas vvell acquainted vvith the holy Scriptures of Truth vvhich he made much use of for the opening the Understandings of People vvhich often proved very Effectual for the convincing of many And as he vvas an incessant Labourer in the Gospel vvhere-ever he came so also vvas he as Valiant in suffering for the same vvhen ever called thereunto as the many grievous Imprisonments vvhich he hath met vvith for the Gospel's sake doth vvitness for he hath for his Testimonies sake been cast into divers Goals as Yarmouth Bliborough Ipswich and Melton several times also at Edmonds-Bury vvhere he lay amongst the Fellons nigh eight years together lastly he vvas taken from a Meeting at Woodbridge and committed to Melton Prison vvhere he lay till the quarter Sessions held at Woodbridg unto vvhich he vvas brought and vvas by an order of Sessions removed from thence to Ipswich Prison being then in the Winter season though he vvas very vveak at that time and not fit to be carried forth the Weather being very cold and at that time it Snovved very much yet vvas he in the midst of all hurried avvay I vvas then vvith him and vvith grief of Heart beheld this cruel Treatment of this innocent Lamb vvho then said If it lay in his freedom to go or not although he might gain much as to the outward he could not go his weakness was such yet for the Truths sake he was freely given up though it proved the dissolution of his Body as indeed it so happened for he never got over it but grew weaker and weaker till upon the 23 d day of the 4th month 1684 in the Prison House in Ipswich the place of his Confinement he finished his Testimony and laid down his Head in perfect Peace thus vvas this good man Persecuted unto Death who freely forgave them that Persecuted him and oh saith my Soul if it may stand vvith the vvill of God that they may find Repentance before they go hence that his Blood may not be required at their hands Well he is now gone beyond the reach of all his Enemies he hath run the blessed Race he has fought the good Fight hath kept the Faith and is now Crowned with that Eternal weight of Glory which never endeth and though he be removed from us yet his Life remains with us and his Name is a sweet memorial unto us yea he shall be reckoned amongst the Generations of the Righteous and time shall never blot him out of their Remembrance who served the Lord withal his Heart and loved not his Life unto Death for his Name sake Oh the remembrance of this my dear Friend hath often times been a refreshment to me and the many sweet and precious oppertunities I have had with him are at this time fresh in my remembrance I cannot forget those heavenly bedewings and sweet streams of divine Life from the God of Life who is the Fountain of all our well-springs which often times ran through his Vessel as through a Conduit Pipe to the great refreshment of his Children Oh when I consider his service in the Church of Christ and how ready he was to help the Weak and encourage the Feeble yea to reach forth his helping hand unto all that none might be left behind and that now at such a time as this wherein Tryals and Exercises seem to abound upon us it should please the Lord to removed him from us my Spirit is bowed before the Lord in the consideration thereof for a tiâ—e my Soul was afflicted within me being deeply sensible of the great loss of him at this time of day But while I was Meditating in the consideration hereof my Soul was revived in the feeling of the Springs of Life to arise which sprang up in this wise God is the same that ever he was his Arm is not shortned that it cannot Save neither is his Ear heavy that it cannot hear the crys of his Children but his care is and will be over all those that put their trust in him and against such no Weapon howsoever formed shall Prosper and that he hath not removed his Servant from us thereby to weaken us but rather that we should wholly look unto him only from whom alone our Salvation comes who vvill certainly take care of all those who are faithful unto him in their Testimony for his Name and will supply such with whatsoever he sees is needful for them yea the same Power that kept and preserved this our dear Friend through all his Tryals and Exercises who hath now finished his Course with Joy will also preserve us as we are faithful thereunto in which the Lord keep and preserve all his People through all their Tryals and Exercises to the end is the breathing of my Soul OH thou my dear Friend who art now from us gone Vnto thine everlasting Rest in the Eternal one Who now for all thy Labours in which thou didst abound Rewarded art with endless Life and art with Glory Crown'd Oh worthy man of God thy Name for ever shall Recorded be amongst the Rightous Gen'rations all Thou lovedst not thy Life to Death but gave up all unto The service of God s Truth most pure and for it didst forgâ— The World and all things else that unto thee was near That thou mightst be for evermore with thy Redeemer dear And though thy Body is gone and Flesh consumed be Thy Spirit with thy God doth live to all Eternitie Where from thine Eyes all Tears are wip'd and Joy for eâ—e is found And Cloth'd now art with Garments pure and Pleasures doth abound And from thine Enemies reach which did thee sore annâ—y Who for the sake of Truth they sought thy Body to destroy Thou now exalted art over all Mortallity Where neither ravenous Beast nor yet the voulterus Eye 〈◊〉 ever thee molest no nor disquiet thy peace Which as a River great doth flow and never more shall cease Ah thou Valiant one indeed who never turn'd aside But to thy God wert faithful found when ever thou wert tride Great is our went of thee for which my Soul doth cry â—nto the Lord our God who only can supply Oh righteous God make up our loss to thee I only pray That thou wouldst please to raise up Children to him this day And fill them with thy Grace and therein make them shine Forth in thy most glorious Power both heavenly and divine That so thy holy Truth for which he did engage May over all exalted be now in this latter age And though our loss
Pharoah and his host he utterly destroyed in his wrath and delivered thee oh my soul out of his hand and destroyed them who would have destroyed thee and gave thee dominion over them that had dominion over thee and thou sawest them lie dead as by the Sea shore glory glory glory ah glory glory and pure praises praises to God to the Lord God even thy God oh my soul and now oh my soul thou canst sing a song of deliverance a song of victory and triumph and go into the Sanctuary of God to the Altar of God thy God even God thy exceeding joy ah and upon the Harp thou canst praise God the Lord thy God thy delight and joy Oh! oh my soul my soul thou in the lowly fear and holy dread of the Lord thy tender God and in truth and righteousness livingly and experimentally canst say the Lord my God is my strength and my song he also is become my salvation he is my Rock and strong Tower his work is perfect a God the God of truth and righteousness just and right he is the holy one whose dwelling is on high in the holy place and with him also who is of a poor and a meek and a contrite spirit and that trembleth before his Holiness and fears and dreads before his dreadful Name ah ah thy right hand O Lord thy right hand O Lord God of power is become glorious in power is become mighty in power thy right hand O Lord God Almighty hath dashed in pieces mine enemies by the greatness O Lord my God by the greatness of thy wonderful excellency thou hast O Lord confounded them that rose up against me thou lettest forth thy wrath and consumed them as stubble before a mighty fire thou lettest forth the breath of thy fury and blew upon them and scattered them as chaff before a mighty wind Oh! oh who can stand before thy indignation thy dreadful indignation who can abide the extream fierceness of thy anger thy fury is poured forth like fire thou breakest the râ—cks in pieces the mountains tremble before thee the mighty God thou utterest thy voice and the Heathen tremble thou roarest and the Kingdoms are moved and the earth melteth at the appearance of thy presence who cometh with fire and thy Chariots like a whirle-wind thou renderest thy anger with fury and thy rebukes with flames of fire thou hast thy way in the whirle-winds and the Clouds are as the dust of thy feet Thou art the mighty God who can but fear before thee and tremble at thy eternal presence thou roarest out of thy Sion and utterest thy voice from thy Jerusalem and the Inhabitants of the earth tremble thereat but still thou art the hope of thy People and the strength of thy ransomed ones their strong Tower their present Helper in the time of trouble Wherefore I 'll not fear though the Earth be removed and carried into the midst of the Sea and though the Sea roar and be terrible and the Mountains shake with the swellings thereof and the Hills fly before it though the tall Cedars of Lebanon fall and the strong Oaks of Bashan bend before it yet I will not fear the Lord is with me and he will not forsake me but he will help me and that right early Wherefore I will only fear before the Lord before the Lord my God the mighty eternal God of mighty eternal Power who measureth out the Heavens as with a span and measureth the waters of the Seas in the hollow of his hand who comprehendeth the dust of the Earth in a measure weigheth the Mountains as in scales and the Hills as in a ballance who taketh up the Islands as a very little thing before whose face the Heavens and the Earth flee away and behold there appeareth no more Sea Oh! who can but fear before thee O Lord my God the enemy said I 'll pursue I 'll overtake I 'll not spare my lusts shall be satisfied on him But O Lord O Lord God my God thou wert my God near to help in the time of need and in the time of greatest need appeared appeared in the greatest power of love O Lord thou blew upon them and the Sea covered them and they sunk as Lead in the bottom of the mighty Waters O Lord O Lord God who is like unto thee who amongst the gods is like unto thee the only God who art dreadful in holiness fearful in praises doing wonders Oh! let the people hear and be afraid and the Dukes of Edom be amazed and let trembling take hold of the mighty men of Moab oh who can but fear before thee O Lord my God Thou hast redeemed me and led me forth in thy power and guided me in thy strength unto thy holy habitation thou wilt bring me in and plant me in the mountain of thy Inheritance in thy Sanctuary O Lord which thy hands have established wherein I shall live with thee O Lord my God for ever Ah glory glory glory unto thee O Lord God my God The Lord is a man of war the Lord of Host is his name Pharaoh and his mighty men hath he drowned in the Sea but he hath saved thee oh my soul So Lord let thine enemies perish but let them that hope in thy mercy live for ever to declare thy wonders and magnifie thy name in the land of the living Ah! glory glory ah glory glory to God the mighty God ah praises praises honour and thanksgiving unto thee O Lord my God who lives for ever and for evermore Amen Oh! oh what is this what is this that the Lord thy tender God of infinite bowels of pity hath done for thee oh my soul thou wert a slave in the Land of Egypt and the Lord hath redeemed thee oh my soul thou wert in darkness and the Lord hath given thee light and thou wert under the region and shadow of death and he hath brought thee forth in the to Land of life Thou wert in the prison shut up in the prison-house bound up with chains and fetters in the low dungeon of darkness and he hath broken thy chains and snapt thy fetters asunder and loosed thy bonds and broke up the prison door and pulled down the prison house and set thee free oh my soul Oh my soul my soul thou wert a captive in the Land of Babylon estranged from the Common-wealth of Israel and an Alien from Sion sitting sorrowful and solitary by the River of Babylon in the Land of Captivity mourning when thou thoughst upon Sion for thou wert a Captive in a strange Land and sorrow through the sence of thy woful Captivity and Alienation from thy native Land compassed thee about and trouble on every hand tears was thy drink daily sorrow thy meat and groans and sighs thy greatest joy thou wentest bowed down all the day long with an heart aking and thine eyes dropping with tears because of the oppressions of thine enemies and burdens of thine oppressours
be in the lest degree exalted above him but still keeping low in him dwelling beneath him at his footstool and whatever thou receivest from him when he calls for it return it back to him and be nothing without him but what thou art in him alone knowing that what thou art it is by him and what thou hast it cometh from him Therefore be nothing without him and return his own to him for he is worthy that his own should praise him And in the belly of a humble lowly broken contrite spirit dwell oh my soul where thou mayst serve God with thy tears dwelling in the sence of the freeness of his love and mercy in what he hath done for thee that the remembrance thereof may rend thy bowels before him passing thy pilgâ—image here in fear and trembling before the Lord thy God unto whom unto whom unto whom be glory glory glory praises praises praises thanksgiving honour and eternal renown be rendered unto his eternal name who is blessed blessed blessed for ever and ever Amen Amen Halelujah in the highest Amen glory glory ah glory Halelujah in the highest Amen Amen saith my soul Oh my soul where didst thou begin but in the sence of Gods dear tender precious most excellent love stirring in thy heart and there must thou end and rest satisfied and lay thee down quiet in peace with Gods most dear Babes and tender innocent Lambs unto whom thou cleavest as flesh to their bones towards whom thy bowels thy bowels thy tender bowels do unspeakably yearn with secret pantings in thy inward parts through the weight of love that abides in and upon thee oh my soul my soul my soul William Bennit To Gods Lambs in Prison Greeting DEar Friends and suffering Lambs shut up together in nasty holes oh you dear Suffering Tribulated Conscientious ones of the tender God of love life and power I whom am your dear and tender Friend and Companion in thâ— pure patience and long suffering of the Seed incorruptible do most dearly greet you and intirely salute you and sweetly imbrace you in the love of the Lord your God who hath not only counted you worthy to believe in him the mighty God but dear ones he hath also counted you worthy to suffer for his holy name sake because of your Faithfulness and for your Obedience unto his most sweet excellent everlasting Truth ah dear Lambs the witness hereof feel in your selves yea I believe my dear Friends that you know and feel the holy witness of the holy God of holiness in your own hearts bearing a true testimony to your own souls that your such confinment and sufferings is because of your obedience to the Lord your compassionate God of infinite bowels wherefore ye Lambs ye dear Lambs of the Lord God of power in him be ye comforted in the middest of your sufferings for him and be refreshed in the middest of your afflictions and consolated in the middest of your tribulations and be you made glad and rejoyce in the middest of your tryals even in the middest of all glorifying praising and honouring your tender God for his rich mercy towards you to be partakers of the sufferings of his seed oh my dear Friends my tender bowels is at this time opened unto you and my soul streams with streams of love of dear intire love towards you which fâ—oweth forth in the true sence and feeling and simplicity that my soul hath of your sufferings of which I partake in spirit and in the sence of your Faithfulness my soul is refreshed and bound thereby to praise your God and my God on your behalf Dear Lambs I believe that the sweet comfortable presence of the Lord God Almighty is with you and doth so accompany you as that your cup of sufferings is made sweet unto you so as that you can drink it off with gladness knowing and seeing that it is the will of the Lord to permit it to be given unto you whole will and not your own your innocent souls desire to do Ah dearly beloved Friends what shall I say unto you that ye might thereby be comforted that my soul in the sence there of might be made glad well dear Babes the fountain and fulness of everlasting joy and gladness is the bosom wherein you are to be wraped up and to repose together for evermore if you keep the faith to the end The streams whereof I know do often refresh your souls which overcomes you with its sweetness and lifts you up above all your sufferings and even make hard things become easie unto you â—lory glory and pure praises in spirit be shouted out unto the mighty God of worm Jacob the everlasting Jehovah of Israel unto whom dearly and beloved Friends I commit you all most intirely and fervently desiring that he the only Lord who is your tender God may for his own seeds sake minister to all your necessities and supply all your wants and cause your strength power wisdom and love with pure patience content and long suffering in him to abound daily more and more Amen saith my tender soul So dear ones read and savour my love in the Word which is more pretious then all words whatsoever wherein dear Lambs repose together and the milk thereof dear Babes suck and be refreshed thereby Farewell dear Lambs I am your dear Friend and Brother in the Lord. WILLIAM BENIT To Friends in the Love of Truth Greeting MY dear and tender beloved Friends in the love of God and in his pure pretious everlasting Truth whereof he hath in the freeness of his pure grace and endless love made us pertakers with the rest of his dear Babes and Children and whereof he hath made us witnesses in our measures in this his blessed day spring from on high which is come and coming which is brook and breaking forth in great glory so that its brightness shall reach unto the utmost dark corners of the Earth even to the exstinguishing of the Night and to the expelling the darkness which hath covered the Earth and the gross darkness which covered the People Ah dear hearts the blessed beams of the brightness of this blessed day spring from on high hath reached unto our souls which were once sealed up in the Darkness under the shadow of the Night and hath and doth shine in our hearts giving of us the true knowledg of the true and living God and thereby hath guided our feet out of the crooked slippery paths of darkness wherein we once walked stumbling as the blind into the paths of peace even into the path of the just which as a shining light shineth more and more until the perfect day for which the Lord our dear and tender God is worthy worthy to receive pure living praises from the breath of his own life in our souls who is worthy that his own should praise him for its sacrifice is acceptable and pleasant unto him who is God over all blessed for evermore Dear hearts in
by â—â—ds and self-inâ—â—â—â—st to condecend to do that thing willingly which we know â—ould cause Gods Truth to suffer his holy Name to be dishonoured his holy Spirit to be grieved and our Consciences to be defiled thereby ah in this frame of spirit free given up state the Lord God of power keep us by his power with the rest of his dear innocent suffering Lambs elsewhere for his own name-sake even unto the end until our Testimony for the Lord which he in his beloved Son hath counted us worthy to bear in this his day be finished to the praise glory and renown of his holy powerful name and to the everlasting Joy and eternal Peace of our immortal souls Amen saith my soul which doth fervently desire dear suffering Lambs that the holy living presence of my God may be in with and amongst you all to your Joy and Comfort and that his power may uphold you and that his strength may support you and keep up your heads above all your sufferings and tryals that so none may grow weary nor faint in your minds but you may be made strong in the Lord and be able in the power of his might to resist thresh hammer and beat down every thought and all carnal reasonings and fleshly consultings that your Enemy and Adversary in your own hearts would infuse into your minds which indeed if entertained how soon may they who are strong thereby become weake and they who witness freedom be brought again into bondage and be again caught in the Serpents snares ho is exceeding busie within as well as without seeking daily whom he may devour and betray of the simplicity of truth and draw back again unto himself Dear Lambs you are in measure acquainted with his subtilty yea blessed be the Lord who hath open'd your eyes and you see him and his temptations and crafty allurements and not only so but you know how to escape them so as not to be overcome by tâ—em but resist them overcome him and his temptations thâ—ough the strength of the Lord who hath called and redeemed you from under his power yet not withstanding my dear Friends let me say unto you in the brotherly love and tenderness of my soul watch and keep close unto the Lord in your own hearts that unto him you may be kept faithful unto the very end who will make way for your deliverance in his own time and season and he will plead your righteous cause with his and your Adversaries in his season to your Joy and their Sorrow Whâ—â—efore wholely commit your cause unto the Lord your God who watcheth over you and careth for you and will never leave you but will stand by you and help you in the needful time even all you whose trust and hope is in him alone and can use no other weapon to plead your cause with but the â—â—rd of his mouth So dear Lambs in the pure patience and long suffering of the Lamb our Captain and Leader and Example that meek one who saith love Enemies possess your souls and rest in stilness and peace and quietness and contentedness in the Ark of safety whâ—ch the Lord hath prepared for his Family to bear them up above the floods until the waters abate and dry land appear So the Lord be with you all and bundle you up together in his innocent love which thinketh no evil therein to serve him with your whole hearts and one an other with all self-denial none to strive except to be most meâ—kâ—st and lowâ—st in mind so that you all way be tender affectionated one towards another forgiving and fâ—rbearing one another in love the stâ—oâ—g bearâ—ng with the infirmities of the weak that even as dear Children of one Father you may dwell together in peace and in pure unity in the spirit of holiness that a Joy and a Comfort you may â—e to each other in the Lord upon whom dear Lambs wait â—ogether very diligently that of his fulness you may all receive who is ready bountifully to minister that of himself unto all his tender Lambs and breathing Babes who wait upon him which he seeth is meet for them even to their daily nourishment joy comfort and reâ—reshment So in the pure bowels and tender everlasting love of the tender God of compassion doth my soul dearly salute you all who loveth the Lord uprightly and who make mention of his name in sincerity and truth and are willing to suffer for the same whether you be in bonds or out of bonds my love reacheth unto all the upright in heart Farewel dear Lambs From your Friend and Companion in the patience and long suffering of the Lamb who hath must and shall have the victory over all his Enemies to Triumph and Reign in Dominion Eternally Norwich Castle 29th of the 7th Month 1664. William Bennit This to go among Friends of Truth to be read amâ—ng â—hâ—m when assembled together in the pure fear and dread of thâ— most Hâ—gh God DEarly and tenderly beloved Friends the dear tender unfeigned salutation of my tender soul reâ—châ—â—h unto you all who loveth the Lord and his Tâ—uâ—h with your whole hearts and who make mention of his holy name in sincerity and truth even in the meek render lowly holy seed of eternal life made manifest quickned and in measure raised up in my soul even in this innâ—cenâ— seed of immortallity doth the love of â—y soul extend towards you all and I very dearly desire your prosperity and â—ranquility therein even as I do â—esire for my own soul and thaâ— this lowly holy seed and meek innocent life oâ— Jesus may daily spring grow up and flourish in every particular soul of you all that so though it was once the lest of all Seeds in you even as a little grain of Musterd-Seed hid in the Earth it may become the greatest the highest and strongest of all things in you over-povvering you and over-shadowing you that so unto you it may become a pleasant Bower of spices and as a sweet smelling savour that you may even joy to sit under its shadow even with great delight its fruit be exceeding sweet to your taste Ah Babes therein is Peace to be injoyed which is Eternal which passeth all Understanding therein is Joy unspeakable and full of glory to be injoyned therein is Blessedness which is everlasting Happiness which is endless to be injoyed out of it there is none Ah Lambs therein is Power to be received whereby to overcome him who hath the power of Death to wit the Devil and to break his Head and withstand all his Temptations and strong Assaults and various Alurements and many Inticements and power therein to withstand thresh hammer and beat down all those Thoughts Reasonings and Carnal Fleshly Consultations which he your greatest Enemy would infuse into your Minds and raise up in your Hearts whereby to disturb and break your Peace and raise Trouble and Tumults and Insurections in your Minds that so
Glory and Renown of his eternal powerful Name and to your endless Joy and everlasting Peace in him your tender God in whose pure tender unseigned Love doth my soul kiss you imbrace you clasp you about saying in spirit Oh the Lord the mighty God gird up your Loins with Courage Strength and Valour daily and spead over you all the mantle of Faithfulness keep you all in the pure patience and sweet contentedness and in true submission to his holy heavenly will which is your Sanctification whose will may be done in you all that indeed the Power the Glory the Kingdom and Dominion may be his and he alone may Reign in you whose right of due it is who was Dead and is a Live and lives forever and evermore unto whom be glory in the highest for evermore Amen Oh the holy living presence of the Living God of Holiness be in with and among you all in whose Love Life and Truth in my measure my soul is united and closely cleaveth to all the Children of the most high God and they are very dear unto the soul of him who is your Friend Brother and Companion in the innocent Love and Life of God over all blessed for evermore farewel dear Lambs T is 1665. William Bennit Dear Friend IN that which is Eternal and unchangable doth the unfeigned Salutation and tender Love of my Soul extend towards thee who art oft in the remembrance of my Soul which is in some measure sensible of the many Troubles Crosses and Tryals which thou hast been in and now art exercised with and truly dear Heart my soul desireth that thâ— Lord may inable thee to wade through them all in the pure Patience and true Contentedness and that thou mayst find the strong arm of Gods mighty power in the beating down keeping â—nder that part which would complain and murmur against the Lord and count him a hard Master and freet its self because the Wicked Flourish and the Ungodly spread themselves like a green â—ay-Tree and the workers of Iniquity are set up â—nâ—â—â—e Pâ—oud Lord it over the Meek of the Earth and â—â—eaâ— upon the Righteous as Diâ—t in the Streets Killed all the day 〈◊〉 aâ—d Oppressed like a Cart with Sheaves I say needful it is to feel that part which would freet it self because of thâ—se things chained down by the Meek Lowly Lamb like Patient Peaceable Spirit of the patient pitiful long-suffeâ—ing God of Forbearance and Mercy and to feel it curting and beating all Prejudice and Enmity that would be springing up from the murmuring fretting part against those who are â—â—struments of Iniquity and Servants to that Spirit that Persecutes and Oppress the Innocent and behold this Spirit of meekness keeps in coolness gentleness and patience and giâ—â—â—h dominion over that Spirit which in haste yet as it thâ—nâ—s in a Zeal for God crys for Fire to come down from Heavâ—n to devour those who are Instruments of Cruelty Iniquity and Oppression and indeed this Spirit of Love inableth to love Enemies to Bless and Curse not and seeks no Revenge but makes willing to leave all to the Lord unto whom dear Heart let us commit our Cause and sure I am he will plead it with his and our Enemies in his own time even to their Destruction and Calamity and to our Joy and Comfort in the end in the mean while the Lord keep us in contentedness and in dominion over that Spirit that would limit God to mans time and counteth that God is slack concerning his Promise who indeed is not slack as that Siprit counts slackness but is a God long suffering desiring not the Death nor Destruction of a Sinner but that rather he may repent and Live Oh that all those that profess his Name may be like-minded with him according to our measures and growth in him the Living God who is blessed forevermore My dear tender hearted Friend my Soul doth likewise desire fervently that thee and I and all the rest of our heavenly Fathers Family may be kept close unto the measure of the free grace and love of the Lord God in our own hearts that by it we may continually be kepâ— in the lowly fear and pure aw of him who hath called us out of Darkness into his marvelous Light wherein let us watch carefully over our Thoughts Words and Works lest in haste through carelesness for want of watchfulness we should speak or do any thing that may grieve the holy Seed and wound the Just one in our selves and bring a burden and load upon our own Souls wherefore dear Heart I cannot but desire that I with thee and all who love Righteousness may be kept watchful in the â—â—wly Fear close unto the grace that keeps humble out of the many words in the fewness of words that so in sweet stilness peace and quietness we may possess our souâ—â— and injoy the sweet incomes of the sweet Love and sweet pure refreshing streams of the Fountain of Life according to our measures that so even in the midst of our Tryals and Sufferings our heâ—rts may be made glad in the Lord and our souls may rejoyce in him over all the Rage and Cruelty of the Wicked that we may keep our standing on the Rock against which Gog and Magog and the whole Host of the powers of Darkness is not able to prevail and herein the Lord keep us saith my soul for evermore So dear Heart I leave thee unto the Lord in whom my Love is dear unto thee and my Soul simpathize with thee in thy Tryals and Sufferings and desire the Lord may bear thee up above them all in the bosom of his Love and Patience and minister daily unto thee what he knoweth is meet for thee and keep thee in a contentedness with his heavenly will that so thou mayst say with thy whole heart Lord not my will but thy will be done and submitted unto in all things whose will is our Sanctification So dear tender Heart in the innocent Love which drew me forth to write these lines unto thee I rest and remain thy dear Friend in the Truth William Bennit 1665. To the Magistrates of Edmonds-Bury Friends I hope your Nobillity and Moderation will be so far made manifest as to read over these following Lines with Patience and I desire you may Seriously consider of them and Sollidly to weigh them in that equall Ballance the Light of Christ in your Consciences before you Judge of them VVE whom the World in scorn call Quakers are a People that liveth in the pure fear of the Lord God and without boasting we can truly say we are a People who are led and guided by a peaceable Principle of Love which we have received of God who is the Fountain of Love by which Principle of Love we are made to live peaceable with all men as much as in us lies and fervenly to desire and seek the good and welfare of all People even from him
of Love and Peace be with you and his Blessings rest upon you Farwel dear Friends William Bennit Eâ—monds-Bury common Goal this 25th of the first Month 1667. A Testimony to the True Light that lightens every Man that comes into the World The People that did sit in Darkness have seen a great and glorious Light and unto those that were under the Region and Shadow of Death is the Light of Life arisen and the Blessed Day sprung from on high and shineth in their Tabernacles and that which they have seen heard felt and tasted of the same they have and do bear Testimony unto though few there be that have received their Testimony For who hath believed our Report and unto whom is the Arm of the Lord Revealed But come ye O House of Israel and let us walk in the Light of the Lord. THE Light revealed within is the narrow Way to Life Eternal and the Door into the Fold of Everlasting Rest The Light-is the Entrance into the fresh and green Pasture wherein the Lord feedeth his Elock and causeth them to lie down in peace and quietness out of the reach of the Beasts of prey The Light leads and draweth those that obey it out of Darkness and from under the region and shadow of Death into the Land of the Living there to dwell under the region shadow of Light and Life The Light breaks the Bonds of Sin in pieces and snappeth â—he Cords of Iniquity asunder and sets the Soul free from the Bondage of Corruption to serve the Loâ—d in the Life of Righteousness The Light draweth and leadeth those that believe in it and obey it out of the Alienation and Separation from God into the Everlasting Covenant of Life and Love where the Soul is in unity with the Lord The Light searcheth the Heart and operateth in the secrets of the Minds of those that obey it and like unto Leaven worketh the Heart and Mind into its own nature frame and quality The Light is Pure Holy and Undefiled and hath no unity with the least impure Thought Word or Work but Judgeth and Condemns it The Light is Meek Contrite Lowly and Humble condemns that honour that is corrupt and is from below and standeth in respect of Persons and it seeketh the honour of God only The Light Baptizeth self into Death slayes the Boaster puts Flesh to silence that God may speak in his Temple who is not to be denied the Mouth to speak by The Light is the heavenly Treasure in the earthen Vessel that brings honour and glory unto God The Light hath no fellowship with Darkness he that saith he is in the Light and hath unity with the Light and yet loveth and walketh in Darkness lyeth and the Light hath no room place or entertainment in his heart The Light teacheth those that love it to love Enemies its fruit is Love no Envy no Malice no Hatred no Bitterness no Enmity no Prejudice no Discord no Backbiting no Reviling no evil Whispering proceedeth from the Light the Light condemns it all and that ground from whence it springs The Light hath no unity with any unfruitful works of Darkness but reproves them The Light teacheth to render Good for Evil and to forgive Enemies and to pray for Persecutors and to have love and good will to all People and to seek and desire the Eternal good and wel-fare of all Souls he that hates and envies his Enemies abideth not in the Light Envy is of the Evil-one he that saith he walketh in the Light and hates his Brother lyeth and errs from the Truth The Light teacheth to love God with thy whole heart and thy Neighbour or Brother as thy self He that saith he loves God and hates his Brother is a Lyer he that loveth him that begetteth doth also love those that are begotten of him Love thinketh no Ill to Enemies much less to Brethren The Light leadeth his Children into Love Peace and Unity with God and one with another in the Life of Righteousness oh the unity the unity of Brethren in the Light Love and Life of God is exceeding precious and comely it s compared like to precious Oyl poured on the Head that runs down on the Beard even Aarons Beard that went down to the skirts of his Garment and like the dew of Hermon and like the dew that descended upon the Mountain of Sion where the Blessing is and where the Lord maketh unto his People a Feast of fat things The Light teacheth and maketh to be of one Heart of one Mind of one Soul and in all those that walk in it begetteth one consent to serve and worship the only wise God in the one Spirit and one Truth The Light giveth a good Understanding a clear Discerning a sound Judgment The Light leadeth not into strife and contention nor into rents divisions and parties nor into a particularity and self-separation from the Body nor into self-conceitedness nor into high airy notions nor into a climing up in imaginations after high discoveries and so slight the day of small things and neglect thy obedience to the present gift through an expectation of something greater to come yet unrevealed and such like Lucifer mounts high in their Conceits and Imaginations but will fall to the side of the Pit but the Light condemns all this and judges that Spirit that leadeth thereinto which Spirit soweth Discord among Brethren which is Abomination and that Spirit leadeth some to speak evil of Dignities and to dispise Dominion and to rebel against the Order and Government of the Lamb The Light judgeth that Spirit that setteth up and keepeth up out of the comly descent order of Truth that thing that tends to strife and breaking unity among Brethren The Light teacheth those that love it to seek and endeavour for Love Peace and Unity among Brethren with all Self-denial The Light teacheth to take away the occasion of stumbling in thy Brothers way The Light teacheth to be very wary and careful of giving Enemies advantage to strengthen themselves against Truth and the Wicked occasion to reproach it and those that live in it The Light teaches to live and walk in a holy godly Life and blameless Conversation as becometh the Gospel of Truth and as becometh Saints of the Most High The Light in those that love it crucifieth the Flesh with the lusts and affections thereof and teacheth those that love it how to possess their Vessels in Sanctification and Honour The Light crucifieth the Heart unto the World and worldly things and redeemeth the Mind from the Earth and earthly things and teacheth to use the World as if thou usedst it not The Light draweth the Mind out of the many things where all offend into the one thing needful which giveth not nor receiveth an offence but judges the offences and that ground from whence they come The Light is Supernatural and is to over-rule the Naturals and to keep them within the bonds of the Government of Truth