that we have had together in the enjoyment of God's Power and Presence in our Spiritual exercise from time to time Within this 34 years since 〈◊〉 Lord our God brought 〈◊〉 â—o believe in his Nâ—me and maâ—◠〈…〉 whereby Redemption from the evil of the World is known and the freeing vertue of the eternal Truth witnessed And when I consider his sincerity and-zeal he was alwaies concerned for the Testimony of Jesus for the promoting of the glorious Gospel Worship and for the good of the Brotherhood in which heavenly exercise the Lord did endue him with wisdom and gave him a discerning eye and the Spirit of a sound mind and true judgment in the Authority and Dominion of which he was made bold and valiant for the Truth of God upon earth and therein was a terror to Evil-doers where eâ—er he came of all sorts as Priests hypocritical Professors and profane or will-Will-worshippers of any kind And if any had been overtaken with a fault as the Apostle said he would have endeavoured to have restored them with the Spirit of Meekness good Advice and sound Judgment and he would have said our God hath put us upon a Spiritual Travel and ought not to leave a Hoof in Egypt he was a a strength and encourager to the Faithful And as concerning his Travels in godly Zeal for the Truths sake both in England Scotland and some parts of America tho his Gift was not much in Declaration yet he had the word of Wisdom discerning and sound Judgment good Advice and Admonition to Friends and for the establishing them in the Faith and Truth of God where ever he came and herein the Lord prospered his Work and labour of Love in his service And he was faithful in his Testimony against Tythes the Hirling Priests and Impropriators and was a great sufferer by them And was faithful and zealous for meeting to Worship God in the Spirit and in the Truth as Christ Jesus set it up above sixteen hundred years since tho for standing his Testimony herein He was a Sufferer but in all these exercises he was valiant and stedfast and the Lord God did bear up his head and through the enjoyment of Gods power and presence he was content in every condition of a chearful mind and good example And when weakness of Body attended him and the time of his departure drew hear his love to God and good will to his Brethren filled his heart with tenderness and heavenly comfort in the feeling sence of which I with other Friends being present was made glad in the Lord on his behalf for he talked with me very sensibly within unto hours of his departing at which time I was assured he was Reodtemed from the Earth and quit of all Worldly trouble and care and in the enjoyment of the seasoning Grace and sanctifying power of God he hath ceased from his Labour and left a good savour behind him and laid down his Head in peace This being the sence and Testimony of one of his old acquaintance the blessed Truth and Unity of the peaceable Spirit of Life Robert Barrow James Taylor his Testimony of Robert Widders THis is a short but true account of the faithfulness and innocency of Robert Widders being with him some months to visit Friends both in prison and out of prison in Cheshire Darbyshire Yorkshire Bishoprick often meeting with hardships in the way it being in Winter wicked people would take up Stones and roul them in Snow and cast them at us And in all this time and travel dear Robert was still meek and harmless yet noble and valiant for the Truth of God. And I am satisfied that my faithful and well beloved Friend is entered into everlasting Rest Joy and Peace where I hope e're long to be also This is written in much weakness of Body by me James Taylor who is since Dead James Lancaster his Testimony concerning Robert Widders THis Testimony I have concerning our dear Friend and my fellow Traveller in the Service of God late deceased at his own House at Kellet in Lancashire yet lives in the Spirit in our remembrance of his works and labour of love with us in out Service all along as we travelled in the Truth soon after it appeared amongst us being well informed in our selves by a Messenger of God sent of him into our North Country calling us out of the worlds worships and forms and likenesses to the substance Jesus Christ c. his Light within Gods Covenant so came our peace made manifest within in our Hearts Souls Minds and Spirits and so came to know what did belong to our peace in that day of our Visitation from on high from God by his Light Grace and Spirit within and so were called to go to our neighbouring County called Cumberland that they might come to the same the Light of Christ Jesus within in whom and by whom we found that which we had lost in Adam in the fall thorow disobedience to God we found Souls Life and Peace This was our message all along in that County And afterward in Scotland in Northumberland Bishoprick Yorkshire and in our own County Lancashire and in several Counties in England with London City and were well refreshed meeting with our Brethren there who had been in the same work with us and had our reward from God and Life and peace in our own Bosoms that which will last and indure and abode with us in all forms and tempests great and high Winds made great Tossings and put great fears upon many But blessed everlastingly be the Name of our God in which we first believed and went out none of these things did move us so that we might finish our course and testings as he my dear Brother and fellow Traveller has done and ended his days in peace And I farther give in my Testimony concerning our dear Brother Robert Widders who was a Man as my self stricken in years yet was willingly given up at the requirings of the Lord as to go into some parts of America where we arrived at Barbados in seven weeks time where we visited our Friends and Brethren in the Truth and from thence he with other Friends passed to Jamaica and was very serviceable there and from thence Robert Widders with other Friends passed to Virginia and so to Mary-land after that Robert with other Friends passed thorow the Wilderness to East and West Jersey Long-Island New-York and so by several Islands to Rhode-Isâ—and and New England where we had many precious meetings amongst Friends And after our Service was performed in New-England with much difficulty Robert Widders with other Friends returned thorow the Wilderness to Virginie and Mary-land again and had good Service there in our Journey where many were turned from the dumb Idol Shepherds to serve the living God in the Spirit and in the Truth And so with much hardship in the Wilderness having nodwelling places to lay our Heads in but in the open wilderness
with them is and ever will be of blessed Memory having served out his Generation and attained to a good old Age and the honorable Gray Hairs is gathered to Rest in endless Gâ—ory Amen Thomas Camm Cammsgill 6 of 4 Mo. 1687. William Hugginson his Testimony of the Life and Death of that ancient Friend and faithful Brother in the Truth as it is in Jesus Robert Widders I having had good experience and knowledge of him near Forty Years can do no less than give a short account of his Godly Life and holy Conversation he had amongst us surely he was a Man of a noble Spirit indued with a large wisdom in Heavenly things He had also a deep discerning of the Spirits of men so knew right well how to speak to their condition and that in a right Season his words being in the Lise and Power he hath left many living witnesses to speak forth the same And he was a good example in times of Tryals and Sufferings both in Body and Goods amongst us for he had a large share of both as doth appear in his own Testimony of Sufferings before written only this I can say being of the same Meeting with him and very intimate and open hearted in the things of God and well knew his care and diligence both in our quarterly monthly and particular Meetings and more especially in our great suffering time by the Informers His advice was to me and that very tenderly as one said that he became Eyes to the Blind and Legs to the Lame and many precious Exhortations proceeded out of his mouth to the refreshing and comforting of the lowest Member or hindermost of the Flook and Heritage of God. He was so tenderly affectioned that his very Life was given up to serve the Lord in his day to strengthen and to stir up the pure Spirit of God in the very lowest member so that I was and am sensible that he answered the mind and will of God and did that which was right in his Sight and laid down his Head in peace with him And now the remembrance of that great and dear love that he had to our Family often breaks my Heart into tenderenss and refresheth my Soul so that I can say my Family misseth him But to the Almighty God we must all submit to whom be Glory and praise for evermore Amen And now dear Robert thou art gone surely living with the Eternal one in that heavenly mansion of Rest and peace for evermore Amen William Hugginson Thomas Dockrey his Testimony concerning Robert Widders AS for our faithful Friend and Servant of the Lord Robert Widders He was called early of the day of God when it pleased him to visit his Seed in the North of England who in the year 1652. sent his faithful Minister and joyful Ambassadour G. F. with others to declare his Name and his Truth and his Gospel and the way of Peace Life and Salvation by Jesus Christ which indeed was the greatest joy and satisfaction to many a Soul in these parts that ever they met with who had been seeking after the Lord his peace power and presence which now many hath found and lived in and hath finished their time and course here to the laying down of their Heads in peace with God to whom be praise for ever Robert Widders owned the Truth above 34 years he was a Man zealous of mind and fervent in Spirit and true in Heart to serve the Lord God faithfully all his days after he was turned to the Lord and to his eternal Truth He was steadfast in Faith and of a sound judgment and deep discerning who visited many in Sickness of body and them that were in trouble of Conscience and had a true discerning of their spiritual conditions and could have spoken a word in season sutable to them And to those that were innocent and truly desirous after good he was loving and tender and of a chearful Countenance But to the Hypocrites and false in Heart he was sharp and threshing having the Spirit of Judgment so that his Spirit might often have been known by his Countenance But he greatly loved Unity amongst Brethren in the Spirit and power of the Lord God. And he was one that chosed rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasure of Sin and of this world for a season For as it may be seen before in this little Book he was a great Sufferer both in Imprisonment and spoiling of Goods For his Testimony to the Truth and for keeping his Conscience clear he was freely given up and faithful and true in and thorow them all well knowing that the Doctrine of Jesus was and is true Blessed are these that suffer Persecution for Righteousness sake theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven and had rather have suffered much than that the Lord and his holy Truth should be dishonoured or his people evil spoken of And now he hath finished his course and kept the Faith having lived in the Truth and dyed in the Lord Aged about sixty eight years and blessed are such for they Rest from their Labour and their Works follow them And he is gone as to his natural Life but his Spirit and Life spiritually yet remaineth and lives as He that believeth in me said Jesus hath everlasting Life And this is the will of him that sent me That every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting Life and I will raise him up at the last day And he that liveth and believeth in me shall never die And the Saints in the Apostles days had a Life hid with Christ in God who were come to the Spirits of just men made perfect to the general assembly and Church of the first-born whose Names are written in Heaven And to God the judge of all to whom all must give account and who is the just rewarder of all according to their deeds done in the Body be they good or evil And we that yet remain in the Body God Almighty keep and preserve us faithful and true to him to his Glory to the end of our days and to our eternal Peace and Felicity Amen Thomas Dockrey Thomas Jackson his Testimony of Robert Widders THis Testimony I have to give concerning our dear and faithful Friend Robert Widders He was a zealous Man and sincere for God in his day and servent in Spirit always ready and willing to serve the Lord wholly resigned thereunto in Spirit and Body and Estate and his Travels Exercises Tryals and Sufferings doth certifie ever since he was called into the work of the Lord and he was called early and indured the heat of the day And after I came into acquaintance and fellowship with him he was a Strength and Comfort to me for which I have cause to magnifie the Lord on his behalf for I was sensible of his labour of Love and care in the Church of God that it must be preserved in Unity as
by Thomas Goall Justice upon the Iuformation of Richard Gibson and Thomas Lucas aforesaid Constables and Robert Robinson Warden And the 10th day of the 9th Month came the said Officers and took Goods from Robert Widders worth 9 s. 6 d. And again Robert Widders for having a peaceable Meeting at his House the 26th of the 8th Month 1684. was fined the second time 20 l. for his House by the said Robert Bindless Justice upon the Information of the said Rich. Gibson and George Eskrigge both of Over Kellet which George Eskrigge said it was against his will. And the 20th day of the 10th Month came the said Richard Gibson Black-smith and Thomas Lucas Constables and Robert Robinson Warden by Warrant from the said Justice Bindless and rifled the House of Robert Widders shot back locks and pulled out staples of Doors and Arkes altho they were told what was in them and that it was not according to the Act and then took Goods worth 10 l. 5 s. so let it fall Robert Widders for being at a Meeting at John Bachouse of Yelland the 14th of the 10th Month 1684. was fined 10 s. by the said Justice Bindless upon the Information of John Smith Constable and Thomas Watson Warden both of the said Yelland had Goods taken from him worth 10 s. by the said Richard Gibson Thomas Lucas and Robert Robinson all of Over Kellet aforesaid the 20th day of the 10th Month 1684. Thus the sufferings of Robert Widders that Noble Innocent Sufferer and Faithful Servant and Witness for the Lord God may be seen in short  l. s. d. His Suffering for Tithes 143 11 00 His Sufferings for Sunday Shillings 00 10 00 His Sufferings for Meetings 37 18 02 Total 181 19 02 And likewise his suffering Imprisonment for the Testimony of the Truth and keeping his Couscience clear was once at Carliste and several times at Laneaster which particularly are not here set down And of his going to Steeple-houses and sometimes of his speaking to Priests and People and warning them to repent here is twelve particularly set down besides divers others in the Bishoprick or else where not here inserted Likewise Râ—bert Widders writ many Letters when he was in America and from divers other parts where he was in the Service of the Lord he writ to his Relations and Friends of his Love to them with good Advice and Counsel with seasonable Exhortations To be Faithful and Noble and Valiant for God and his Truth over all Gain-sayers For Truth will stand and Remain when all Hypocrisie and deceit will fail and come to an end Tho all his Writings particularly are not here set down But here are several Writings and Testimonies concerning this true and Noble Man for God in his day Robert Widders And of his Spirit Gists and Service in the Church of God of which Christ Jesus is the holy eternal head from several Friends as may be seen here following The Tâ—stimony of Jane Widders concerning her dear Husband Robert Widders THis Testimony I have to give for my dear and truly loving Husband That his Love was true and sincere to God and for the prosperity of his blessed Truth was zealous He was a man ever since it pleased God to joyn him and me together as Man and Wife that was inclining to seek after the Lord. And in the time of his outward profession was zealous and honest according to what he then knew till it pleased the Lord thorough the Testimony and direction of his faithful Servant and Minister G. F. To turn his mind from Darkness to the Light of Christ within who through believing obeying Christ and the Light of Life and taking up the Cross to self came to witness true peace with God and so receiving the Truth in the Love of it he became a companion of them that suffered for the Truth He was so faithful to God and true for the good of his Soul that he would have been loath to have fled the Cross for any outward advantage Oh the integrity of his Spirit and heart I might speak much of the same But it is known to God and I hope to many faithful Brethren and Sisters in the Lord whom he hath left behind under the exercise of this transitory world Oh! it is the Cry and breathing of my Soul unto God that he would preserve me in faithfulness as he hath done my deat Husband to the end of my daies and finishing my Course here During the time of his weakness of Body he was kept by the Lords Power in a sweet and precious frame of mind and patientness of Spirit as one that had Resigned himself up into the Will of God and many precious Scriptures passed thorow him in that time as one that might in Truth declare what God had done for his Soul as that of the Prophet where he saith The Lord will comfort Zion and repair her decayed places making her Desart as a Paradice and her Wilderness as the Garden of the Lord Mirth and Joy shall be found there Thanksgiving and the voice of Praise And again that of the Prophet where he saith The work or fruit of Righteousness shall be Peace and the effect of Righteousness quietness and assurance for ever He would often have said his heart was filled with the Love of God and that there was nothing betwixt him and the Lord. Thou hast taught me the way of Life and makest me full of Joy with thy Countenance And seeing it is the will of God to take my dear Husband unto himself to rest with him in eternal Glory who was a dear and tender Husband unto me Oh that I in a holy submission to his blessed will may be given up desiring in all things to be made conformable to his heavenly mind who alone is worthy to be seared served worshipped and bowed unto who is God over all blessed for ever Amen Jane Widders Thomas Widders his Testimony concerning his dear and tender Father Robert Widders THis Testimony I have to bear concerning my dear and Loving Father who is Deceased for whom I ever had a Reverent esteem and that upon a double account First as he was a tender natural Father unto me Secondly as he was an Example of a holy Life and Conversation and good Advice and Counsel to me Also he was sincere and zealous for the propagation of the Name and Truth of God in his Day which I know by true experience was the desire of his heart that all who took upon them the profession of the holy Name of Jesus might walk answerable to the same by taking heed to the manifestation of the Spirit and the appearances of the Grace of God given them for that end that they might live up in obedience to the same He had likewise a large share of the sufferings of the People of God in his Day and Age and did bear his Testimony Faithful for Christ Jesus whom he witnessed to be come the High Priest
over the Houshold of God. And against the changable Priesthood as seeing to the end thereof to the bringing in of the better hope whereby all them that believe are brought nigh unto God and for the holding of his Testimony with a constant mind he was exposed to great Sufferings but through the assistance of the Almighty God of Jacob and the putting on of the Heavenly Armour he was enabled to pass thorow them all like a valiant man for which everlastinglâ— blessed and praised be the Name of the holy pure powerful God saith my Soul. He was a man that was given up to obey the Lord in what he required of him neither would he reason with flesh and blood but had his eye directed by the Lord to the recompence of the heavenly Reward which I believe was more to him than all the fading World. Oh the remembrance of his Spirit and the coming up of the same in the endless life doth often tender my heart In the time of his weakness of Body he was very patient and often blessing and prasing the Name of the Lord for his favours and mercy to him through Christ Jesus And having been in a weak Fit he said Miâ—e eye beholds Jerusalem a quiet-Habitation into the possession whereof it is the belief of my heart God had gathered him as one of the number of his Faithful Disciples and Followers to rest with him in eternal blessedness for ever and evermore Amen and Amen saith my Soul Thomas Widders My Father was about 68 years old when he deceased at his House in Over Kellet who was Convinced and owned the Truth above 34 years who died the 20th of the First Month 1686. The Testimony of Margaret Fox concerning Robert Widders I Have a Real and true Testimony in my heart to bear for my dear Friend and Brother Robert Widders who was a Faithful Servant of the Lord and a good Souldier under the Banner of Jesus Christ in his Day he never did shrink nor staâ—â—ed aside in no scrive not sufferings the Lord suffered him to be exercised in I have known him and been conversant with him Thirty four years and we were made partakers of the eternal Truth near together in the beginning of the infancy of Truth among us now in out Age when the Morning Stars Sang together He was called forth to the service of the Lord early in this glorious Day that hath ever since shined upon us glory be to the Son of Righteousness for ever He went forth in the power and demonstration of the Spirit and turned many unto God early in his Day He was of a quick understanding and the Gift of the Spirit of discerning was plentifully bestowed upon him And tho he was not very much in Declaration yet I know and many also can bear Witness and Testimony that his very presence and countenance and eye was refreshment and comfort unto them and that the witness of God in their hearts would have answered his appearance the power of the Lord was so quick and lively in him What I write is Sealed in my heart to be true He was a dear and a faithful Brother to me and to my Children in all our Tryals and Sufferings It is too much for me to write here what comfort strength and assistance he hath been to me and mine both when we were in Prison and out of Prison he would not have failed to come to see us night or day over two dangerous Sands if it had been in the deep of Winter many a time hath he done so of his own accord and for the most part I have been sensible of his coming before he came so near and dear he was unto me But what shall I say his Life and all that ever he had was given up freely to the Lord and his service I believe he never neglected any service of the Lord if it was made known unto him either in England or Scotland or America beyond the Seas He left his Wife and Family and took his Life in his hand and went Joyfully to the service of the Lord. And when he went first forth into Cumberland and thereawaies he was beaten and stoned and knocked down O! the Imprisonments and cold Winters that he passed thorow so that his body was so starved that he never quite recovered while he lived He gave his back freely to the Smiter upon every occasion and now in the latterend of his daies the Tythe-mongers fell upon his outward Estate and swept away many of his Goods and when he had a little more together the Tythe-monger and the Informers came again and fetched it away so that in the latter end of his daies his Sufferings were great through the Spoilers who suffered the spoiling of his Goods joyfully for Christs sake So that this good Man hath gone thorow many sorts of sufferings and now he is gone to his Rest and his Father for whom he hath suffered where he certainly receiveth an eternal Reward with a Well done good and faithful Servant enter thou into the Joy of the Lord. I was with him in his sickness and he was as patient as a Lamb tho he could take little food except such as he could drink so he passed quietly and patiently away and the Lord dealt gently and kindly with him and he is now in everlasting bliss and felicity with the eternal God whom he served and suffered for M. F. Sarah Bachouse her Testimony of Robert Widders THis Testimony did arise in me in tenderness and brokenness of Spirit concerning our dear Friend Robert Widders who hath laid down his head in peace with the Lord. He was a man sincere for God and did bear a faithful Testimony for him to the end of his daies Sarah Bachouse Alice Hugginson her Testimony concerning Robert Widders THis Testimony arises in my heart as a following stream and issues out to the melting of my Spirit and the refreshing of my Soul with the tendering love of God in the remembrance of my dear Friend and faithful Brother Robert Widders who in his life time amongst us was a good Example and pattern of holy life in and with whom I have often been refreshed and my heart overcome with the overcomings of the dear love of God to my Soul so that I can say dear Robert thou art from us gone surely for ever to live with the eternal One in Joy and Peace for evermore Oh the heart-breaking tendering love that springs a new and fresh in me in the remembrance of him often refresheth my Soul being satisfied that his Memorial in the Truth will never die nor wear out Alice Hugginson Anne Camm her Testimony concerning Robert Widders I Feel a Concern upon my Spirit to write a few lines concerning my Dear deceased Friend and Brother Robert Widders who was a Man that I dearly loved and honoured in the Truth for surely he was worthy being Faithful in his day and Valiant for the Lord and his blessed Truth I
can truly say he was Dear and Pretious unto me one whom I had true comfort in and refreshment by him in our converse together one of the valiants of Israel I may say he was that never turned his back but stood Faithful and Valiant for the living Truth upon the Earth and was a great incourager of all that made profession of the blessed Truth to be Faithful to the Lord and true in their Testimony thereunto as he had time and opportunity Oh! what shall I say my Soul lov'd him dearly he was a true Friend of mine in the time of my Exercise his true care and many tender visits of which I have many times been a partaker the very remembrance hereof makes my heart tender before the Lord and even pray unto him that he would raise up many living Testimony bearers for the Propagation of his ever lasting Truth for which this my entirely beloved Friend and Brother did labour without Weariness and Travel without Fainting in his day Oh! wherewithal shall I take up a Lamentation sufficient for the loss or removal of so near a Friend or amply demonstrate the tender Affection that ever lived in my heart since the time I was first acquainted with him howbeit in this is my Spirit comforted and my Soul hath cause to praise the Lord on his behalf that is to say The true sence and consideration of his unfeigned and innocent life together with his blessed and comfortable departure a few hours before which I was with him and we were truly refreshed together by the same heart-tendring power which hath often consolated our Spirits in the daies that are past And further this Testimony lives in my heart that the Lord hath given him a Mansion in the fulness of Joy and set a Crown of Rejoycing upon his head where all tears are wiped away and sorrow ended where he shall sing praises to the everlasting God who sits upon the Throne and the Lamb who is eternally worthy to be glorified for evermore Amen Anne Camm Cammsgill 30 of 3 Mo. 1687. Thomas Camm his Testimony concerning Robert Widders IT was no doubt the serious Observation of a good man of Old and therefore recommended unto others that is to say to mark the Upright man especially his latter end because it is blessedly accompanied with peace notwithstanding that in his Pilgrimage here he may meet with many troubles and deep exercises yet the Lord his God delivereth out of all of whose faithfulness our dear deceased Friend and Brother was a living witness For tho in his time he met with manifold Troubles and great Sufferings for the Truths sake that he had received in the love thereof and did bear a Faithful Testimony unto being like upright Joseph of Old sorely shot at yet his bow still abode in strength his Arms being made strong by the Mighty God of Jacob in whose power his Faith stood firm unto the end without either â—ainting or wavering a good Example to all that knew him And the Memory thereof will live and be of good savour to Ages to come For the Righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance It is not with me to enter into the particulars of his Sufferings but to leave that to others more capable Yet having known him this thirty four years ever since the Lord visited us with his Gospel day that sprung from on high and broke forth as a Morning without Clouds which he with the first in these parts received with great Joy and gladness of heart and in this time have I known most of his Sufferings both by way of Imprisonment and the great spoil of his Goods both for his Noble Testimony against the Antichristian Yoke of Tythes and for Meeting with the Lord 's innocent People to worship the eternal God. I shall in a general way say That his sufferings exceeded most that I know being several times stript of much that was within the reach of the wicked Spoilers But as his Sufferings and Troubles exceeded so also did his Christian Constancy and Valour well may he be called one of the Valiants of God's Israel O the Nobility the Zeal the Courage and resignedness of his Spirit into the Will of God in his greatest exercises which fully demonstrated his love to the Truth and his regard to the blessed Testimony thereof hath often affected my Spirit for I never saw him in the least dejected or concerned when his Cattle Corn and Household Goods was as it were by Wholesale swept away But as one that knew well for what he suffered and enjoyed the sweetness of an eternal Rew 〈…〉 in heavenly I reasure in an hundred sold here together with 〈…〉 of a lassing Crown in Eternity Could and had 〈…〉 to be as chearful and well content in the want of those 〈◊〉 things as in the abounding thereof which he through the 〈…〉 ing of Almighty God had had a large share in yet like upright Job he blessed God that gave and also permitted them to be taken away I cannot but with affection remember his frequent expressions in dircourse of our or other Friends Sufferings as also mention some of them that is to say It is well with all that suffer for Truth 's Cause they are blessed they enjoy peace There is nothing that hath come but there hath been need for it and a service in it for all our Sufferings worketh together for our good and Gods glory and the remainder of the wrath of man will be restrained c. And as his Nobility and Courage was exemplary and of service to many so also was his care and counsel so that many have cause to bless the Lord on the behalf thereof I may also add to the Nobility of his Spirit great Gravity mixed with a Lamb-like innocency which was as a garment of Praise upon him and made him right lovely in the eyes of the upright together with his sound judgment clear discerning and savour whereby a perfect distinction was made betwixt things of contrary natures tho under one name or likeness And as he was tender to cherish every appearance of good yet sharp and piercing was his Testimony against all wickedness and deceit so that it was hard for workers of Iniquity or Hypocrites to stand before him being filled with indignation against all false-heartedness deceit and hypocrisie But his very soul was bound up with the upright in heart and his Joy made full in the Faithful to Truths Testimony And now the Lord whom beloved above all and feared above the wrath of Man and faithfully served in his day hath given him a Crown of Glory and a blessed portion in the rest that remains sure for the People of God where his manifold sufferings are come to an end his sorrows ceased and all tears for ever wiped from his eyes being ascended far above the reach of the wicked one and his Persecutors where his Spirit lives with Just men made perfect in Christ our Lord and
one Body of which Jesus Christ is head and that it might be presented without spot or wrinkle or any such thing unto God the Father He was a good example and adorned his profession with a good Conversation which is the substantial part of Religion He was one of the Valiants in Isruel whose Bow abode in strength and carried perfectly to the mark his Bow was bent against Hypocrifie and Deceit and Unrighteousness his Feet was shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace But prepared and ready to trample upon that which would have risen in opposition to the Life and power of Godliness though never so fair a shew he was of a good discerning and found in judgment his Countenance very amiable to those that were faithful to God and his Truth But terrible to the workers of Iniquity his deportment was Grace and Comely I had a reverent esteem of him in my Heart being one of the same Meeting with him he is often fresh in my remembrance for I have often been refreshed with his presence And altho his Body be removed from us yet his memorial lives with us and is worthy to be recorded to future Ages that by the Foot steps of the Flock of Christ's Companions many who make a true enquity after the beloved of their Soul may come into the fold of Rest and lay down their Heads in everlasting peace as he hath done when time here shall be no more Thomas Jackson Robert Hubbersty his Testimony concerning Robert Widders THis loving Testimony I have to bear for our ancient and well beloved Friend and Brother Robert Widders who indeed was a very Fatherly man amongst us for so I can truly call him in respect of his Godly care and unseâ—gned love he had unto the Lords Children and People for indeed he was one of the Lords Valiants who ventured his life freely for the Captain of his Salvation and was never weary nor fainted in his service that he required on him tho he went many times as with his life in his Hand to many Steeple-houses and spoke the word of the Lord faithfully both to Priests and People who often recieved great abuses from them and castings into Prisons But blessed be the Lord for ever more who gave him courage and boldness and made him of an undanted Spirit that he grew more and more valiant for the Lord and did bear the Burthen in the heat of the day and passed thorow great Sufferings both in Body Prisons and Goods for bearing his faithful Testimony to the Truth and for keeping his Conscience clear in the sight of God. But this good man indured all with great patience constancy and chearfulness Dear Robert the remembrance of thee refresheth my Soul for thou ever preferred the Lords business before thine own and was very faithful and valiant for him and never lost an Inch of Ground He was a Man of a quick sight spiritually of good discerning and sound judgment I speak my own experience of him and as I took his Counsel it always wrought to a good effect He was one that truly feared the Lord his delight was in obeying of him who taught him to live a Godly life in this evil World and hath made his latter end everlastingly blessed And now dear Robert thou hast been an upright man and hath followed the Lord fully and hath received the Answer of a good and faithful Servant and is entered into the joy of the Lord to reign with him in Glory out of the reach of all the Persecutors and greedy Informers But certainly the Lord will plead with them in Judgment who will reward all according to their deeds done in the Body and out of the Body be they good or evil Robert Hubbersty John Hudson his Testimony of Robert Widders THE Testimony that I have to bear for our dear Friend Robert Widders he was a Man of a Noble and discerning Spirit and very weighty in judgment he was tender of the young in the Truth and if any walked disorderly he was ready to labour with them for their good by exhorting them and would have dealt plainly with all people and would have said that was the purest love that dealt plainest and if any was weak and had a tenderness in them he was kind to such and would have admonished them to mind the Lord and he would give them strength over the Enemy yea he was a Man that was valiant for the Lord and his Truth as his life and Sufferings does demonstrate as by Imprisonments and spoiling of his Goods for Tithes and by the Informers But in them all still was noble and chearful and exhorting Friends to be faithful and trust the Lord with all who was a strength to me in the time of my Sufferings when the Informers followed us very hotly both week-days and other Meetings dear Robert was very constant tho weakly of Body and incouraged Friends to be faithful to the Lord and diligent to their Meetings and the Lord in mercy did strengthen us and made us willing to give up for his Name and Truth-sake and the Lord hath given us peace therein And tho dear Robert suffered much by the Tythe-mongers and Informers yet he was still Noble Patient and chearful who was so good an Example as is worthy to be had in Remembrance And tho he be removed outwardly to endless Rest with the Lord yet his Memorial of good Savour lives with us John Hudson The Testimony of John Beakbayne concerning Robert Widders THis Testimony I have to bear He was a man quick spirited and of a chearful Countenance and when the Messengers of the Truth came among us he was one with the first in these parts that received them and their Testimony which he hath faithfully kept and holden even to the last of his daies He was sharp in Reproof gentle in Admonition his Bow abode in strength he was as a sharp Sword to Deceit and Hypocrisie but as Balm and Oyl to help the Tender and afflicted in Spirit about spiritual things I being newly Convinced of the Truth he was ready to give good Advice to me and told me as concerning the Work of Truth That there was nothing got but through Judgment which then I knew little of but since hath found it the way to Life and Mercy I have been Prisoner with him several times at Lancaster and his chearful Countenance and good Example and Advice to Friends alwaies Ministred strength and comfort He was as an Elder and his presence was encouraging And tho he be gone as to the outward man yet his Life and Spirit is in our Remembrance His Sufferings were great yet he never did shrink what ever Storm or Tempest came but followed Christ Jesus his Captain through sufferings patiently and hath obtained an eternal Reward where the Spoilers cannot come John Beakbayne Robert Barrow his Testimony of Robert Widders O It is freshly in my mind the many comfortable daies and sexsons of Love