Anointed and lay your Plots in the deep and fetch your counsel out of the bottomless Pit that you may ensnare the righteous Seed whom the World in scorn calls Quakers who in love to your Souls do you warn as you will eternally answer before the Lord God of Heaven and Earth to give over Plotting against the Righteous and inventing evil devices against the Innocent for in the eternal Light you are seen and in your secret works of darkness you are discovered and all you that will not take warning now when the Lord calls you to turn to his Light but his Counsel rejects and continue in the evil of your doings To you this is the Word of the Lord All your Plots and Counsels shall not prosper against the Righteous for he that sits in Heaven doth laugh the Lord shall have you in derision for not any Plot shall prevail against Israel nor unrighteous Counsel stand before Zions King who will break you with the rod of Iron and dash you in pieces like a Potters Vessel that plots against him to oppose him in his appearance In the Hearts of his Saints for in what you do to the least of those you do it to me saith Christ and better a Milstone were hanged about your Neck and you cast into the bottom of the Sea than to offend the least of those that believe in my Name From the Spirit of the Lord that will not always strive with Man you are once more warned now while you have time prize it and turn to the Light of Christ in your Consciences which lets you see the secret evil of your Hearts and wait in the Light for the Power of Christ to destroy the plotting wicked inventing minde and to guide you in the strait and narrow way of self-denial and the daily Cross in perfect obedience to the Law of God least you perish in your disobedience for the Lord God of Israel is arising in mighty Power to plead the Cause of his persecuted oppressed People and to scatter all their Enemies that plot against them as Dust before the Wind for they that plot against the People of God and for them digs a Pit shall fall into it themselves for not any Weapon formed against them shall prosper for all shall know the mighty God is with Israel his People and that the King of eternal glory dwells in Mount-Sion who is the strength of his people and of his Dominion there shall be no end and in that day all both high and low rich and poor that slight the comfort of the Lord and continue in enmity against him and his appearance in the Hearts of his Saints then will you know what hath been and is declared to you from the righteous Seed is to you the Word of the Lord God He that hath an Ear to hear let him hear Witnessed by the righteous Seed whom the World in scorn calls Quakers who are in the common Goal in Northampton for the Truths sake REad with understanding in the fear of the Lord this is the Word of the Lord to you Dear Friends Servants and Children of the most high God whom he hath called out of the World be faithful all of you in his Counsel to wait for his Power you to guide in all your thoughts words and works in his pure fear in obedience to his Will I charge you in the presence of God be valiant for your freedom in your dwelling in the Power of God that he may be your Arm against the fiery Darts of the Devil him to resist in his appearance in all his Wiles who goes about like a roaring Lyon to devour you every way seeking to get into you your minds from the pure to draw into the vibsile things your affections there to captivate your wills to satisfie in created and perishing objects as in the knowledge of the Truth in the fleshly wisdom to feed with the Swine upon the Husk the Form and Image of what you have enjoyed or of what you see in the Light and Vision and doth not enjoy it in the Possession but spake in the airy drunken spirit Words without knowledge with them sits decked a painted Beast above the Cross and thou whose condition this is art the foolish Virgin that appears in the ouâ—ward formality in the sight of Men with a Lamp like the wise Virgin but not dwelling in the Power of God wants the Oyle of joy and gladness in the power of his love which the wise Virgins have in their Lamps that dwell in the pure Light and Power of God which keeps all the affections in order to the Spirit of Truth and bridles the Tongue not to utter words before the Lord but in the silence on him to wait till his Spirit move his mind to declare from the living Power what the Soul possesses and enjoys in Christ the Husband of the wise Virgin who is the Bride the Lambs Wife I charge and command you all in the presence of the living God who make mention of his Name examine your Hearts search them and try your ways with the Light that comes from Christ which will discover all your conditions in the Book of Concience there you will see how you stand in the presence of God wherein the state of the foolish Virgin in the airy Spirit feeding upon words spoken in the Light and Viâ—ion there boasting in pride of what thou possessest not and through the subtilty of the Devil is turned from the pure Power to flee the Cross and so make Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience or whether you be in the state of the wise Virgin that in the pure Light waits and dwells in the Power which chastiseth that which would your Garments defile keep daily in the Cross and then the Soul is kept pure and clean to follow the Lamb with boldness whithersoever he goes and enters with him into the rest prepared for the People of God where thou the foolish Virgin shalt not come until thou from thy folly and fleshly wisdom return to the pure Light with it to judge and in it to wait for his Power Christ Jesus the Fountain of wisdom thee to guide in faithful obedience to the Father of Light. All dear Children of the Lord be valiant bold and faithful that in the pure Light Power and Life of God you may all stand in the day of tryal which the Lord will bring upon you all that make mention of his Name for power shall be given to the Beast his Horn to exalt even to the host of Heaven for the cleansing of the Sanctuary that all painted Beasts that are enemies to the Cross that hath defiled the Sanctuary of the living God in coming before him amongst his Saints and Children for from among them shall they come trembling before the power of the Beast when he utters his voice for all to come to his Image him to worship then shall all you Children of the most high God whom
Birth Immortal which in you breathes through over and above all the Pomp Pride and Pleasure of the World to enjoy the fulness of Life in Christ who liveth forever with the Light of the Lord judge all your own thoughts and desires which would draw from the Light that in the Life of God you reign over all Doubts Fears Cares Representations of evil and hardships which would look you in the Face in this trying day which is now manifest to the sight of all people that fear the Lord all take heed of consulting with Flesh and Blood or suffering an evil Spie to go forth in the reach of your Sence reason to fore-see how you may pass through such tryals as may appear to your Sence if you hearken to these reasonings you go from the Light and so will be weakned in your spiritual Travel as Israel was in the daies of old So all dear Lambs and chosen Vessels in the Light of the Lord wait to receive his strength to tread down every motion that is out of the Life of the voice of Christ the high Priest over the houshold of God you all hear and feel who saith in his Light believe in the Name of the Lord and you shall see his mighty Works brought to pass while you stand still in Obedience and Peace with the Lord and he will clear your Innocency and smite the Hearts of them that devise mischief against you so shall you behold the Lord in his glory pleading your Cause with the raighty of the Earth whom he will make to confess and say it is in vain to afflict a People whom the Lord supports or to destroy whom the Lord God will save for as it hath been proclaimed in your Ears certainly it shall come to pass the Lord will try all that they may be known who are born of him for whom God will appear to carry through with joy whatever he calls unto and by his mighty Arm will bring deliverance unto us who cannot handle Sword nor Spear neither trust in the Arm of Flesh but in the spiritual Power and Life in the Light which he will exalt over all contrary to him so will he make his Name famous in the Earth because of his glory which he will reveal to cover the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea and all ungodliness will be buried in the deep and sink as a Stone to the bottom thereof and never rise agaâ—n over the Just but the Righteous shall rejoyce that the Lord reigneth their Strength and Life blessed for ever So all Brethren and Sisters lift up your Heads in the valiant Spirit of the Lamb which bears all things and endures all things that in his Light Life and Power every particular reign over whatever is contrary to him and rest in peace in a faithful resignation to the heavenly Will of the Lord and in his Name meet and his presence you will feel in the mid'st of you who will not suffer one hair of your Heads to perish but which is for his glory and as you abide faithful to him for the eternal comfort of our Souls for ever so in Faith and Patience in the Power of the Lord all in your own measures received of God stand stand still all in the pure unity with the Lord and with one another in his living Dominion rest in peace God will give you an answer of all your Prayers and Tears an expected end in refreshing your Souls with his Light and Power and Life forever in whom you shall sit under your own Vines and never more shall any make you afraid the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it through your Brother in the Tribulation and Kingdom of Patience in Christ Farewell W. D. From York Castle the 4 th of the 9 th Month 1662. Dear Lambs and Babes LIft up your Heads in the Light and Life of God that you may keep the Word of his patience which will carry you up over and above all the afflâ—ctions you meet withall in this present World for the Lord is dear over you and your lives are pretious in his sight who hath called you to witness forth his glorious Truth this day through Tribulations and Afflictions to enter the Kingdom Oh be bold and valiant in the Patience of the Lamb and in the love of his own Life feel his vertue filling you that in the eternal unity you may grow Pillars in his Temple unmoveable to bear your faithful Testimony to the astonishment of the Enemies of Sion and the praise and glory of the God of our Strength Life and Righteousness over all who Reigneth and Ruleth for ever and the God of Life bless preserve and keep you in Unity and Love over all in his Life to Reign to his glory for ever Farewell W. D. From York Castle the 2 d of the 7 th Month 1662. Dear Suffering Brethren FOR the Testimony of the Name of the Lord the strength of the Almighty God is with you and the eternal Crown of glory shall rest upon your Heads that in your faithful Obedience refresheth the Flock of the living God Oh lift up your Heads you chosen Vessels in the Light of the Lord arise up in his Strength and Reign over every thought and whatever would streighten you of drinking in of the fulness of the vertue of God that you may alwaies be fall of the Power of the Spirit to water the Plants and build up the Feeble in mind and speak a word in due season to the Weary and Oppressed in Spirit that the Blind may see and the Lame walk and the tongue of the Dumb loosed to praise the Name of the Lord in the Assembly of his People that the glory of the Lord may be spread abroad in and through you his chosen Vessels whom the Lord hath called to be the first-Fruits amongst many Brethren The eternal glory of the Lord rest upon you and cover you saith your Brother and Companion in the Name of the Lord. W. D. From York Castle the 21 th day of the 8 th Month 1662. Dear beloved Brethren and Sisters IN the eternal love of the Lord Jesus Oh my dear beloved ones love the Lord Jesus and delight your Hearts in his Light Power and Life of our beloved who hath chosen you in his eternal love to make known his everlasting Salvation in the sight of all people that he may get himself a Name over all in carrying you in your faithful Testimony to the astonishment of all that know not God and exalting his glorious Name over all and spreading his renown to the ends of the Earth Oh be valiant my beloved Friends in resisting the thoughts of your own Hearts that in the eternal depth of the love of God in Christ you grow and abound to the eternal comfort of one another and the glory and praise of God over all blessed for ever and ever in which Farewell W. D. York Castle the 17 th of the 1 st Month 1662
the Lord in silence you have no Oyle in your Lamps you are turned from the Light that would lead you to the Power of God which would preserve in the true thirsting to wait for refreshment that is in his presence so you are Imprisoned and Starved for want of Food while you are in a silent Meeting amongst the wise Virgins who feed on the immortal Bread which comes down from Heaven the Flesh and Blood of Jesus Christ which daily strengthens them in the Power of God which gathers all their Hearts together in one where the union is in the invisible being in silence rejoycing together in the Lord to the Consciences of you foolish Virgins I speak you are strangers to the life the wise Virgins enjoyes though amongst them you come your life is in beautifying the outside of the Lamp with words being quickly spoken but the fear of God is not before your Eyes but your Wills are out of the Cross a false joy arises in you speaking what you do not possess priding and glorying in other mens Lines end contending for Truth with that mind that is out of the Truth and so become Trees blosoming with leaves but bears no Fruit and here your folly is made manifest while you speak to others your selves are under Reproof in that you are strangers to the life of God I charge and command you silence Flesh and speak not before the Lord you foolish ones that dare to make mention of his Name while the worker of Iniquity raigns in you whom the Lord will destroy except you repent therefore all Friends who make mention of the Name of the living God examine your Hearts search them and try your ways with the Light that comes from Christ with it read your condition in the Book of Conscience there will you see how you stand in the presence of the living pure holy God whether in the state of the foolish Virgins that is turned from the Light of Christ that did convince them of Sin and so gets into the form of the Truth but an Enemy to the Cross so make Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience c or whether you be in the state of the wise Virgins that loves the Light and in it to wait to dwell in the Power which chastiseth that nature which would draw from the Light and your Garments defile daily in the Cross and there your Souls is keept pure and chaste to follow the Lamb where ever he goes and enters with him into the rest that is prepared for the People of God where the foolish Virgins shall not come until they from their foolish Wisdom return into true obedience to the Father of Light c. Dear Children of the Lord God be valiant bold and faithful in your measures that in the Light Life and Power of God you may stand in the day of great tryal which the Lord will bring upon all you that make mention of his Name for power will be given to the Beast his Horn to exalt even to the host of Heaven for the clearing of the Sanctuary of the Lord then will all foolish Virgins and painted Beasts that are enemies to the Cross of Christ who hath defiled the Sanctuary of the living God in coming before him amongst his Saints and Children c. from amongst them they shall come trembling before the power of thâ— Beast when he utters his voice and commands all to Worship his Image but then shall all you Children of the most high God whom he hath called â—o be faithful to him in his eternal Power rejoyce who will you keep in that day in rest and peace in the ancient of days who will sit to judge in Righteousness all that withstands the rising of his Glory and of his Dominion there shall be no end Friends meet together in the true silence of your Spirits to wait in the Light for the unlimited Spirit of the Lord to manifest his Power in you to bruise the Serpents Head in all his appearance in you to put an end to Sin and to bring in everlasting Righteousness that you in him may grow up in the pure nature of the most high God over all blessed foâ— ever Amen God almighty keep you all faithful in his eternal Power in himself to bear his Name in Righteousness that his Name may be written in your Fore-heads that all that see you may witness you to be of the Righteous Seed that the Lord hath Blessed his Eternal Power and Presence keep you in the eternal unity of the Spirit and bond of Peace where I am with you in the unchangable Love and Life c. W. D. I desire you to let this be Read in your Meetings with a good understanding in the fear of the Lord for this is the Day I will make separation betwixt the Wise and the Foolish between those that fear the Lord and those that fear him not saith the Lord God almighty ALL Saints and Children of the most high God abide with God in the calling whereunto you are called which call is the measure of Light given unto you which witnesseth against all the deceitful twisting of the Serpent within you and seals up to your Spirits the eternal love of God in the free Covenant of life in Iesus Christ All in your measure as you have received of the Lord walk faithfully with him so will you be preserved pure clean and unblamable before him and will be fortified by the Arm of his eternal Power against all the deceit subtilty windings and twistings of the Serpent within you and without you I charge you all in the presence of the Lord God to abide with God in what he hath communicated to you and run not out from the Witness of the eternal Spirit that hath sealed you up in measure in the Power of his love Thou that doest run out to speak further then thou witnessest art a filthy Drunkard that lavisheth out thy self without the fear of the Lord and so spends and wasts upon thy Lusts and the plagues and vengance of the Lord is thy Portion thou filthy Drunkard for no Drunkard nor Lustful person shall inherit the Kingdom of God. All dear Lambs and Children of the Lord abide in the Witness of the eternal Spirit which will pass Judgment and bruise the Head of the Serpent in you so will you be armed against all the glorious appearances of the Serpent without to keep him out of the Scriptures and the least of you in the Truth of God will overturn all Priests and all the Men of the World that dwell in their Serpentine Wisdom and makes a Trade of the Letter speaking and disputing of the Saints conditions as the Devil did about the Body of Moses but cannot witness the Scriptures sealed up to their Souls by the eternal Spirit now all you that dwell in the Truth in your measure will comprehend them to be Houses built upon the Sand tall Cedars aspiring up into the Air
give you power over them you would take away all Laws that burthened the Consciences of his people and they should have free liberty to worship him in Spirit and in Truth according to his Law written in their own hearts and according to your desires the Lord appeared while you in his counsell stood and gave all into your power according to the desires of your own hearts and now is the time of your tryall wherein the Lord is trying you all this day whom he hath put power into your hands which if you now forget the Lord God who appeared to you when you were little in your own eyes in the day of your distress and deny to perform your Promises you made to the Lord when he delivered you out of the hands of those that sought your lives but contrary to all your Promises abuse your Power you are intrusted with to build up again what you seem'd to destroy which cost the price of so much blood in establishing Laws which are contrary to Scripture and the righteous Law of God in the Conscience and by them think to scatter the power of the holy people and to weary out the Saints of tlle most high God in turning Judgment backward and keeping Justice afar of that Truth falleth in the Streets and Equity cannot enter so he that departeth from Evil maketh himself a prey to your wills and the Lord God seeth it and is displeased with you that there is no Judgment for his People Therefore to you this is the Word of the Lord that abuse your power you are intrusted with in perverting judgment as before-written thus saith the Lord God The Pit you dig for my people ye shall fall into it your selves and my people I will deliver by the Arm of my mighty power and according to your deeds I will to you repay and recompence fury and vengeance to you my Adversaries and will you sweep away with the Beesom of my wrath except you repent and your blood shall be upon your own heads and you shall not escape but come to your End and none shall help you He that hath an Ear to hear let him hear And be fore-warned now in this day of your Visitation wherein the Lord hath to you sent you to forewarn of the evil that is a coming upon you that you may speedily to him return and lay your Crowns in the dust at the Feet of Jesus Sions King and in his Counsel stand which is the Light in the Conscience that in you witnesseth against every vain thought and wicked imaginations and in the Light wait his Power you to guide to perform your Promises and to take away all Laws contrary to Scripture and the righteous Law of God in the Conscience that the righteous Law of God may be your Guide which is the Guide of all the Children of God then will the Lord God of Heaven and Earth be with you and with the Arm of his mighty Power destroy all that Plot or rise up against you before whom he will make the unrighteous Powers of the Earth to shake if you abide faithful in his Counsel and will make you a terrour to the Evil-Doers and a praise to them that do well and will bring you into the eternal Peace and Rest he hath prepared for his People but if you reject his Counsel and cast his righteous Law behind your backs as you have done and follow the counsel of your own hearts all that have an Eye to see read and understand Prov. 29.1 He that hath been often reproved and hardeneth his Neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy And in that Day I shall be clear of your blood who in love to your Souls hath not hid the Counsel of God from you which he hath made known to me that you may be left without excuse in the day of the Lords Anger when he doth perform what he hath spoken Then shall I be remembred whom the World knoweth by Name William Deusbery and by some of you that profess to minister justice cast into Prison and there kept in the common Goal in Northampton for the Word of God and Testimony of Jesus Christ. From the Goal in Northampton the 25 th day of the 4 th Moneth 1655. O England England over all in thee I lament who Persecutes the Sons and Daughters of the most high God he hath to thee sent thee to forewarn of the evil day that is coming upon thee O That thou in this day of thy Visitation did know the things belonging to thy Peace which the living God tenders to thee in this day of his mercy wherein he waits on thee to be gracious unto thee and to make thee the glory of all the Nations of the World and in all thy Straits for thee appeared and in his mighty Power hath destroyed all that did secretly Plot and Rise up against thee to establish unrighteous Laws and them bind upon the Consciences of those that feared the Lord in thee and walked humbly before him according to the measure of Light received and now hath he appeared in the day of his mighty Power in thee O England to exalt the Kingdom of Christ in the Hearts of his Saints and hath sent them to Preach his everlasting Gospel in thee to turn the minds of the People from Darkness to Light which comes from Christ in it to wait for his Power to guide out of all Sin and Uncleaness into union and fellowship with the Father of Light which many of you People in England seemed to desire above all things and content to give up your lives to withstand them that did appear to bind any unrighteous Law upon you and by it to take advantage against you concerning the Law of God which you professed to love and to delight in your liberty in it more then in your nearest and dearest Relation or Life or any outward enjoyment and all you in that day who were faithful to the Lord according to the measure of Light manifest in you the Lord God did appear for you and in his mighty Power hath scattered those that stood up in enmity against you to bind Laws upon your Consciences which is contrary to Scripture and the righteous Law of God in the Heart and the Lord hath given you power over all those your Enemies and now have you free liberty which they cannot take from you to worship God in Spirit and in Truth according to the desires you seemed to manifest in the day you cryed to the Lord when you were in distress and now is the Lord come to visit you in his tender mercy and hath sent his Ministers to Preach his eternal Word freely without Money or Price in season and out of season to reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine which many of you People in England who promised the Lord to worship him in Spirit and Truth now his counsel reject and turns to the Teachers you have
Power thereof So under all thy profession is most cruel oppression every one oppressing one another according unto their power from the highest unto the lowest so that the cry of the oppressed Seed within the Hearts of thy Inhabiters O England and those that are oppressed in outward oppressions in thee hath entered into thr Ears of the Lord God of Sabbath and he is coming in Power to set the oppressed free and to bring them to Sion which in the eternal Riches of his Love he made known to me where Sion was according unto the desires he had raised up in my Heart and the Word of the Lord came unto me saying I will gather my People out of all Forms and Observations and out of all Kindreds Tongues and Nations and I will pour my Spirit upon them and purge away their filth with the Spirit of Iudgment and of Burning and I will write my Law in their Hearts and put my Spirit in their inward Parts and they shall not depart from me but shall be bound up in union with me in the free Covenant of Life in the Lord Jesus and one with another in the one Spirit so shall the Lord be one and his People one and this is Sion the City of the living God to whom all the promises of the Lord are according unto the Scripture of Truth wherein they need not to Teach every Man his Neighbour and every Man his Brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least unto the greatest for I will be merciful unto their unrighteousness and their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more And this is the holy City the New Ierusalem which Iohn bare witness of wherein there is no Temple for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it And the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof And the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the Light of it and the Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honour unto it and the Gates of it are not shut at all by day for there shall be no night there and there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither that works abomination or makes a lye but they that are written in the Lambs Book of Life and all that walk in the Light of Christ within which Light exerciseth the Conscience and leads into the holy City the New Ierusalem where the true Worshippers of the Father are who worship him in Spirit and in Truth and are come out of the night and need no Candle neither light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall raign forever and ever And this is the true Church in God Sion which shall become the praise of the whole Earth and from whence the Law shall go forth according unto the promise of the Lord and the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem Then shall Righteousness run down with a mighty stream and Oppression shall cease And this glory of the Lord which he hath made known unto me shall be made manifest to the Inhabiters of England if you will hearken diligently to the Counsel of the Lord which is the Light in your Consciences and in it wait on the Lord to be guided by his Power I waited in the Counsel of my God in the Calling where I was placed until the Year 1652. and in the eighth Month of the Year as it is accounted of men the Word of the Lord came unto me saying The Leaders of my People causes them to err in drawing them from the Light in their Consciences which leads to the anointing within which the Father hath sent to be their Teacher which would lead them into all Truth to seek the Kingdom of God in Observations where it is not to be found So my People perish for want of Bread Freely thou hast received freely give and minister and what I have made known unto thee in secret declare openly Which Word constrained me by the Power of it to leave my Wife and Children and to run to fro to declare to Souls where their Teacher is the Light in their Consciences which the Lord hath given unto every one a measure to profit withal for the exercise of the Conscience towards God and Men and waiting in the Light for the Power of Christ he would lead them up to the living Fountains of Water where their Souls would find refreshment in the presence of the Lord and their Bread should be sure and their Water never fail as the Lord hath made manifest to my Soul and to worship him in Truth at New Ierusalem to sing Hallelujahs and Praises among the redeemed Sons and Daughters of God in the beauty of holiness unto the Lord God that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for evermore To you Rulers of England whose names will be honourable if you will honour the Lord in obeying his Counsel which is the Light in your Consciences that he may guide you in all your ways to you I am moved to write Thus saith the Lord God Almighty I will overturn overturn overturn until I have given it unto him whose right it is as you have seen the Power of the Lord manifest on many that were in the place where you are who all professed the Name of Christ but they would not obey his Counsel the Light in their Consciences but walked after the counsel of their own Hearts and improved their power for their own ends and dissembled with God and the Countrey but our righteous God hath overturned them to their everlasting shame and contempt Now if you will not obey the Light in your Consciences to rule in the Power of the Spirit to break every Yoak of unrighteousness and put every filthy and abominable thing out of the sight of the Lord that the oppressed may be set free but you will cause both small and great to worship the Image of the Beast in forcing them to obey the Heathenish and Unrighteous Laws made by Nebuchadnezar's nature proud flesh who set up himself a King to oppress all under his power and set up whom he would to Rule and Raign with him over others in Tyranny Cruelty and Oppression in all unrighteousness which Beast received a deadly wound with a Sword by the little Horn spoken of in Daniel before whom three Horns fell and the Horn had Eyes to see what they should do the Light in their Consciences and a Mouth which speaketh great things what they would do for the glory of God whose look was more stout then their Fellows I beheld the same Horn made War with the Saints of the most high God and prevailed against them as it is fufilled Many of them
nor suffer them that are entering in to enter in and here you shut all from the Kingdom of Heaven which is within them in drawing them from the Light in their Consciences which would lead them unto the Word of Faith which is in their Hearts the anointing of the Father wherein they need not to teach one another but as the Anointing teaches which is in Truth and is no Lye which all the Children of the Lord are witnesses of in their measures who walk in the Light and see your deceits how you Murder and Destroy Souls for Money to maintain you in Pride and Pleasure though the Light in your Consciences cry against you for your practices but you hate it and will not obey it but to it I speak which will witness me eternally when the Book of Conscience is opened to your Condemnation who shut all people out of the Kingdom of God which is within them in turning them aside from the Light in their Consciences which the Lord hath given unto every one a measure to guide them into the Kingdom And then you make a prey of them in telling them they must wait for the Kingdom of God in Observations which you call Ordinances which you have set up in your imaginations of the Saints Conditions which is Recorded in the Scripture of Truth Some of you say Lo here is Christ in the Presbiterian practice and saith another Lo he is here in the Independent practice and the Anabaptist saith Lo he is here and others that walk in outward Observations say Lo he is here according as Christ fore-told that such would come that would say Lo here is Christ Lo there is Christ as it is fulfilled in you who draw people to seek the Kingdom of God in outward Obsevations but saith Christ Believe them not for the Kingdom of God comes not with Observations for as the Lightning cometh out of the East and shineth unto the West so shall the coming of the Son of Man be And this I witness but you turn them from the Light in the Conscience which would lead them into the Kingdom to look forth at the glorious Image you have set up in outward Observations and they must pay you so much a Year for it as will maintain you in Pride and Pleasure to be Masters among the Sons of Men and so you Worship the works of your own Hands offering up Sacrifice to an unknown God whom you ignorantly Worship having no Scripture for many things you do There is no Scripture for your Call into the Ministry of the Gospel of Christ by human Wisdom nor for your making Bargains with the People for so much a Year There is no Scripture for your sprinkling Water on the Face of a Child calling it Baptism There is no Scripture for your stealing the Saints Words in taking a part of Scripture and adding to it your wisdom tearing it in sunder in Doctrines Reasons Uses Helps Motives according unto the fancies of your Brains There is no Scripture for your particular Houses that you have to creep into where none must come but your selves and whom you please to declare your Sermon as you call it which is a divination of your own Hearts one day after another one year after another There is no Scripture for your putting Davids words into the Mouths of poor ignorant People to sing praises unto the Lord as O Lord I am not puffed in mind I have no scornful eye I water my Couch with my tears all the night make I my Bed to swim all my Bones do tremble When they cannot witness these Conditions and so cause them to Blaspheme the Name of God and when the Light in their Consciences cries against them for Lying in the presence of God and Blaspheming his great and glorious Name You tell them it is the Light of a natural Conscience and so murders their Souls in shutting them out of the Kingdom of God as the Scribes and Pharisees and all the false Prophets did that denied Christ to be the Light who enlightens every one that comes into the World And here you are found to be among the false Prophets Scribes and Pharisees walking in their ways and every Tree is known by its Fruits which all the Prophets walked in the Light and Christ that was the Light cryed Wo against and you are all turned out of the way in rejecting the corner-Stone Christ which enlightens the Conscience of every one to guide them unto him as the false Builders did and go in the way of Cain to Murther and greedily run after the error of Balaam who loved the Wages of unrighteousness So as a Troop of Robbers wait for a Man so do you company of Priests Murder in the way by consent as the Priests did when the Lord sent Hosea the true Prophet to cry against them for you commit Lewdness in turning every one from the Light in their Consciences which the Lord hath given unto every one a measure according unto their ability to guide them up into the Kingdom of God and you turn them aside to seek the Kingdom in Observations hearkening unto the dark inventions of your Brains in adding your Wisdom unto the Testimony of Christ and this is your Portion the Plagues written in the Book will be added upon you Here I have cleared my Conscience dealing plainly with you declaring unto you where you are as the Lord hath made known unto me that you may be without excuse in the mighty day of the Lord which will speedily come upon you wherein you shall give account for the Blood of Souls that have been shut out of the Kingdom and destroyed by you To the Light in every one of your Consciences I speak which shall eternally witness me when the Book of Conscience is opened Repent Repent and give over deceiving the People and destroying their Souls and haste haste to meet the Lord in returning within to be guided by his Counsel the Light in your Consciences which you have rejected least ye perish in your gain-saying Kiss the Son in obeying his Counsel the Light in your Conscience that lets you see the evil of your doings least you perish in the way for if his anger be kindled a little blessed are all they that trust in him To all you who have set up a finer Image in Gospel Ordinances as you call them under the Forms of Independent and Anabaptist and say you are the Saints whom the Lord hath chosen and have only right to the best of the Creatures to Eat of the Fat and be Clothed with the finest of the Wool and make merry with the Creatures and live in pleasure and when the Light in your Conscience cries against you to Vse your Liberty but not as an occasion to the Flesh to make no provision for the Flesh to satisfie it and
the lusts thereof but you must be Perfect as your heavenly Father is Perfect You regard it not but hearken unto the counsel of your own Hearts which draw you to look at the words of Paul where he saith I find a Law in my members warring against the Law of my minde so ye wrest the Scripture to your own destruction for your encouragement to live in the Flesh and say none must be free from the body of Sin while he is here in the body And thus you deceive your selves and all whom you draw from the Light in your Conscience which cries for a perfect fulfilling of the Law of God within for the Soul that sinneth it shall dye Though Paul did complain of a body of Sin it was in his growth and it was his burden which made him cry O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me And he witnessed it put off The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death for Christ is made manifest to destroy the work of the Devil and not to destroy the Law to save Man from the condemning power of the Law while he lives in transgression of it for the Law hath power over the fleshly Man so long as he lives But he came to fulfil the Law and all the Saints bear witness of it in their measure some witness it fulfilled others wait following the Lamb daily in the Cross till they come to the fulfilling of it that the righteousness of the Law may be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Therefore mind the Light in your Consciences diligently hearken unto it and it will smite your glorious Image of Forms and Observations and break it to peices and will rend off all your glorious Coverings of your outward Profession and will let you see the Wo. is unto them that are covered and not with the Spirit of the Lord. To the Light in your Consciences I speak which will eternally witness me if you hearken unto it to be guided by it you will never find rest in outward Forms and Observations but in putting off the body of Sin through the obedience of the Spirit that the righteousness of the Law may be fulfilled in 〈◊〉 in walking no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit For they that are Christ's have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts and the body is dead in regard of Sin but the Spirit is alive unto Righteousness And this you must witness or else all your Religion is vain and your Souls will perish To you Inhabiters of England How long will you drink of the Cup of Abominations the Wine of the Fornication of the Whore which hath made you Drunk and all Nations to lay out your Money for that which is not Bread to the Merchants of Babylon who fill unto you the Cup of Abominations in drawing you from the Light in your Consciences which is given unto every one of you a measure to guide you up to God to seek for the Kingdom of God in Observations and Christ saith it is not in Observations but within so they keep you in Captivity in Babylons Kingdom under the power of Sin Hell and Death To every particular Inhabiter of England I write Come out of Babylon all Forms and Observations and Traditions which are set up by the will of Man Now is Babylon come in remembrance before God and the vials of wrath must be poured upon her and upon her Merchants for by their Sorceries are you Inhabitants of England and all Nations deceived and in her is found the Blood of the Prophets and Saints and of all that were slain upon the Earth Haste haste come out of her least you partake with her in her Sins and so partake with her in her Punishment which will speedily come upon her for the Mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it return within every one in particular examine your Hearts and mind the Light in your Conscience and it will always let you see where your Hearts are and what they delight in for it is the Heart the Lord requires he will no longer be Worshipped in Words Forms and Observations but in Spirit and in Truth and in sincerity in the inward part Therefore every one be faithful in taking heed to the Light in your Consciences which the Lord hath given to every one a measure to profit withal for the exercise of the Conscience towards God and Men in minding your watch to wait in the Light in measure it will bring to Judgment all the powers of darkness in you and the righteous Law of God will cry through your earthly and carnal Hearts till Judgment be brought forth into Victory and your wills will be brought in subjection unto the Will of God to wait on him for refreshment from his presence who satisfieth the hungry with good things And take heed of consulting with Flesh and Blood for that leads into Pride and Disobedience into Hell and Destruction mind the Light in your Conscience which is the sure word of Prophecy that you cannot be deceived taking heed unto it as unto a light that shines in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-Star arise in your Hearts diligently hearken unto it and you shall eat that which is good and your Soul shall delight it self in Fatness There is your Teacher within you the Light in your Consciences loving it and obeying it is your Life hating it and disobeying it is your condemnation To that pure Light in your Consciences I speak which will eternally witness me when the Book of Conscience is opened in you Now you have time prize it in waiting on the Lord in the Light to make your Calling and Election sure in putting off the old Man and his deeds and putting on the Lord Iesus Christ in righteousness and holiness without which no Man shall see the Lord in so doing you shall escape the Wrath of God which is coming upon the Children of disobedience in this Nation and else where for the Lord will make the Earth as the Garden of Eden and hath begun his great and strange Work in this Nation which shall make the Ears of them that hear to tingle wherein he is exalting the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus which Kingdom shall break down all the Kingdoms of the World and shall fill the whole Earth For the mighty day of the Lord is coming that shall burn as an Oven and all you that are Proud and all you that do wickedly shall be Stubble and the day that cometh shall burn you up saith the Lord of Hosts and it shall leave of you neither Root nor Branch But unto you that fear the Name of the Lord shall the Sun of Righteousness arise
is in them that was in Christ Jesus Phil. 2.5 who is the brightness of the Fathers glory Heb. 1.3 7. The seventh false Accusation thou saist we say that he that trusts in Christ that dyed at Ierusalem for Salvation shall be deceived Reply This Charge is false as the other in the presence of God we witness against thee no other Christ we bear Testimony of to be the Salvation of lost Man and Woman but that Christ according to Scripture Testimony who was born of the Virgin and made a good Confession before Pilate and suffered at Ierusalem and rose again the third day and ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right Hand of God and this Christ we witness the true Light Who lighteth every one that comes into the World and saith I stand at the Door and knock who opens I will come into him and Sup with him and he with me Rev. 3.20 and we witness him faithful And as many as receives him to them he gives power to become the Sons of God and this is the condemnation of all because they believe not in him Iohn 12. 8. The eight false Accusation thou saist we reproach Christs Institutions and holy Ordinances with the odium of Mens Traditions outward Observations inconsistant with Gods Kingdom and compares them to Nebuchadnezar's great Idol c. Reply Thy Charge is false Christs Institutions and holy Ordinances we own in the Dispensation of time they were to be continued and what is now in this Dispensation of time known in the administration of his Spirit we own but who upholds any Idolatry in observing any thing by Tradition and not guided by the Spirit of Christ and so walk contrary to the perfect Law of God in the Conscience and though their words be never so glorious in outward appearance in crying the Ordinances of Christ while they deny to be guided by Christ they are no Ordinances of Christ but an Image set up in the proud exalted nature which Nebuchadnezar set up his Image in which with the Power of God shall be thrown down and thou with the rest of the Idol Worshippers shall be broken to pieces and Lies shall not save thee for the Lord will exalt his Name and his Children that observe his holy Ordinances shall raign in his spiritual Power that preserves them therein to observe the movings of his Spirit which doth lead to worship the Father in Spirit and Truth according to Scripture Testimony Iohn 4.23 24. And when thou Iohn Timson hast presented thy false Accusations and Lies to the Reader in the Preface of thy Book that they might receive the Falshoods and Lies that are written therein and these Lies and Slanders which are here laid before thee and witnessed against in the answer thereto returned will sufficiently prove to thy face and be manifest to that of God in every ones Conscience that thou hast spoken unadvisedly with thy Lips when thou saist thou Lies not and all these Lies found in thy Mouth given forth publickely for all to read and thou declares to the Reader that the Lord knows what diligence and tenderness of Bowels thou hast had to prepare it for them c. Reply Blush for shame O vain Man to appeal to the Lords knowledge of thy diligence and tenderness of Bowels to prepare so many Lies and Falshoods for People to read thou shalt certainly know that the Lord takes notice of thee and he will lay thee open and make thee manifest and Lies shall not cover thee nor be thy refuge Isa. 28.17 when our God will clear his Truth and thy Tongue and all others that rise up against him shall fall in Judgement the day shall declare it Further thou goes on saying as for those persons that have answered me who have charged me with bringing sorth many Lies and Slanders and have made a noise thereof as if I was some carnal lying wretch that matters not what I write Reply To that of God in every ones Conscience I appeal that Lies proceed from a carnal wretched Heart and the Lord is making thee manifest who would make Lies thy refuge which with the Light thou art seen and thy Lies turned upon thee that in the Light thou mayst be read what thou art and in the Light our Books are known and no such thing is in our Books as thou falsly charges us with and would make People believe is written therein in giving the sence of our words in thy dark mind and for the Simples sake an answer is returned to clear the Truth of God in what he hath given out by his Spirit both in word and writing and whether thou wilt receive it yea or nay thou shalt know and all others that Christ is the Authority of the Scripture and when he spoke them forth he spake as one having Authority and not as a Scribe and who in his Light walk cannot be perswaded to turn from him by any Lies and Reproaches thou canst cast upon them who saist we are wholly turned from the Truth which against thee witness it is not so let God be Judge and in his day make manifest what we are in whose Will we rest as moved of him to witness against the Falshoods thou hast further charged upon us in what followeth Thou hast not done justly nor honestly in that thou hast not Printed the Questions as given forth by thee and Answers as returned by us and in an answer to what is of thee required to prove the Charge thou chargest us withal in thy Reply to the Answer to the first Question and the false Accusations Lies and Slanders is not proved in all thou hast writ The one Baptism we own Eph. 4.5 and the Watch in the Church we own in the Spirit of life which in order doth keep in obedience to the pure God who is the God of order and not of confusion but keeps his Children in himself purely to live according to what is profest Further thou goest on and queries what proof would we have is it not our own prophane Language both in Papers and Conference it is no news to hear most of their Way dispute against water Baptism the Lords Supper a setled fixed Ministry over particular Churches and queries further what Quakers administer water Baptism the Lords Supper and constantly watches over a particular Flock or else for shame thou saist we must own the Charge and confess our Sin in telling the World these are thy lying Slanders Reply Prophane Language we deny and Shadows and Figures we witness done away the Substance being come water Baptism was in its time a Figure of the Substance as Iohn witnesses to whom that Dispensation was committed Mat. 3.11 I indeed Baptize with Water unto Repentance but he that comes after me is mightier then I whose Shooes I am not worthy to bear he shall Baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire And Iohn's Baptism we deny to be in force he did decrease and Christ
will declare the Lord will gather his People together according as it s declared Revelations 5.9 And the Lye and false Accusâ—tion will still rest on thee for charging William Deusbery as before written and the impudent Lyar he will not be found when the Lord will separate between the precious and the vile then shall it be known who walk in outward Forms and deny Christ the Light and those that live in the Light Life and Power of Christ them to lead in the daily cross which keeps them in a pure Life and holy Conversation and thy false Accusations doth not us pinch neither do we any thing to evade but witness the Truth against thy false Accusations and in patience do finish our Testimony in sufferings and all with us that in the Light walk are in the Ordinances of the Gospel Church and witness the everlasting Gospel where all types shadows and figures are done away which thou so much cryes up and the Lord will throw thee and all down and a day of tribulation shall come upon thee and thou shalt not escape except thou repent And whereas thou revilest us for saying that the Spirit is the only rule of Faith and Life Ioh. 16.13 which thou sayst that promise was made directly to the twelve Reply Who art thou that limits the holy One the promise of his Spiriâ— is to all who wait on him in the manifestation of his Spirit according to the Testimony of Scripture 1 Cor. 2.7 8 9. the manifestation of his Spirit is given to every one to profit withal for to one is given by the Spirit the Word of Wisdom to another the Word of Knowledge by the same Spirit to another Faith by the same Spirit to another the Gifts of Healing by the same Spirit c. And for thy unsavory words which in reproach calls us proud Worms that vilifie and diminish from the Scripture c. Reply Pride is thy own we do not vilifie nor diminish the Scriptues we witness them a true Testimony of Christ the Life and who in his Light walk know the Truth of the Scriptures as it is in Jesus Eph. 4.201 And whereas thou saist in confession to what was declared to thee that Abel Enoch and Noah had Faith before the Scriptures were written to which thou quotes Heb. 1.1 God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son and thou saist before there was any thing commited to writing the Lord did more visibly reveal his Will by Voice Visions Angels c. But since he hath committed his whole Will unto writing by the Prophets and Apostles these former manners are ceased and thou saist to look for the same discoveries still by Voice Vision or Inspiration is madness we run into Reply Thou vain Man who dare to say the Lord hath ceased making himself known to his People by Voice Vision or Inspiration holy men of God did speak and do speak as Inspired by the Spirit of God and moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 And the Lord hath promised in the latter days I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh Ioel 2.28 29. Acts 2.17 18. Ier. 31.33 34. Heb. 8.9 10 11. Isa. 54. â—3 All the Children of the Lord who are led by his Spirit doth witness these Scriptures fulfilled and knoweth the Lord is faithful according to his promise who will recompence into thy Bosom thy just reward for speaking evil of his Truth and whil'st thou deniest the manifestation of his Spirit which the Lord manifests to his People as is Recorded in the Scripture of Truth thy pride and confusion thou hast made manifest and neither knowst Moses Ministry nor the Apostles which thou in a busie mind speaks of in thy dark understanding which leads thee to fill thy Book with false Accusations as in thy 10th Page where thou saist we do not make any clear difference between the outward Declaration and the Word of Faith. Reply For the Simples sake as we have declared the Truth we do declare it which is witnessed with all the Children of Light the Word of Faith is in the Heart and in the Mouth and who are guided by it their Hearts are kept pure Faith purifies the Heart Acts 15.9 whether they have the outward Declaration yea or nay and they that have the outward Declaration and though they read it if they mind not the Word which is Life and Light which gave forth the Scriptures they do not live according to the Scripture for they are without Faith who are not guided by the Word Faith comes not by a bare reading the outward Declaration Faith is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 given to his Children who diligently hearken to his Word which is Life and the Life is the Light of Men. And for thy charging us with contradictions confused Nonsence bitter Censures and Shuffles and how notorious false it is wherein we say that not any do know the Scriptures by the outward Declaration Reply To the Light of Christ in all Consciences we appeal let the Righteous judge a natural Man knows not the things that are of God though he read the outward Declaration for they are spiritually discerned 1. Cor. 2 14. and none is found worthy to open the Seals of the Book but the Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda c. Rev 5.3.5 and then thou deniest Gods speaking to his People by Voice Vision or Inspiration and saist they run into madness that expect any such thing here thou art found in the Contradictions confused Nonsence bitter Censures and Shuffles and notorious Falshoods which thou hast fasly charged us withal and it is turned upon thy own Head and proved out of thy own Mouth that while thou art making a shew in words to maintain the Scripture Authority thou deniest both the Dispensation of the Spirit of God in Christ the Light and the Scriptures which bare Testimony of him as is manifest in the Reply to what thou hast writ in the Sixth and Eighth pages And whereas thou in the Eleventh Page callst us deceivers and saith to those thou callst thy Friends we have them abused by the deceit and cheats of our own Hearts c. Reply Deceit and Cheats thou art proved to be in and what thou endeavors to do in the deceit of thy Heart against the Truth thou wilt see thy hope fail thee and not a Blessing but a Curse upon thy endeavors which to thy Face is proved in what is before written to be contrary to the Dispensation of the Spirit and Scripture for which the terror of the Lord shall take hold on thee for thy uttering words without knowledg and speaking evil of the things thou knowest not as in the Twelth Page And whereas thou appeal'st to them thou callst thy Friends how their Hearts have been heated and warmed by Power of the Word and Sacraments c. Which is now
in contempt and reproach by those that seduce you Which thou chargest upon us and â—aist thou hast clearly discovered our Slanders Shifts and Shuffles and our reproaching the Ordinances and Institutions of our Lord as Heathenish by comparing them to that great Image of that Heathen King Dan. 3.3 And how we deny the Scripture to be a perfect Rule of knowing God believing in him and living unto him and reproach thee to be a lying Slanderer for charging us with that which is an apparent Truth as thou saist thou hast proved by our lying Papers and that we have reproached thee falsly and the Lies are returned upon our own Heads whilst thou saist we witness our selves Perfect and without Sin and have entred the new Ierusalem into which none shall enter that make a Lie c. Reply Them thou callst thy Friends who are in the Light with all the Children of the Light do witness that their Hearts were never warmed in Sacraments no such words is found in Scripture and thou that art pleading for the Authority of Scripture is with the Light of Christ in all his Saints denied and thy Sacraments which is not found in Scripture and in the Light thou art clearly seen the Slanders Shifts and Shufflels are thy own as is manifest in the Answer to the same Reproach and Accusations in the Second and Third Pages of thy Book and what we witness is according to Scripture which we own and in many things thou hast writ as before is manifest by thy own words the Scripture thon deniest so on whose Head the falshood remains to the Children of Light is made manifest and the day will further declare it wherein Christ our King shall be exalted over all in whom our perfection and cleansing from Sin is and leads us into new Ierusalem into which nothing enteâ—s that works Abomination or makes a Lie but who enter therein are led by the Spirit of Christ in whose Mouth is found no guile he that hath an Ear to hear let him hâ—ar And whereas thou saist to some of them thou callst thy Friends some of you have heard William Deusbery say of himself that he was as Perfect as that Christ that died at Ierusalem this is witnessed by one of Credit and Fidelity amongst your selves I forbear his name In Deusbery's new Brith he thus witnesseth of himself Reply Thy Spirit in the Light is seen who hast published what thou hast received from a nameless Author and thy Accusation is false which thou hast published to the World there were never any heard William Deusbery say of himself that he was as Perfect as that Christ that died at Ierusalem and that thou callst his new Birth will be a witness against thee there is no such word exprest by him as thou saist this nameless Author hath related of him In the presence of God he called William Deusbery doth witness that self is imperfect and self Righteousness as a filthy Ragg and a menstruous Cloath c. Isa 64.6 And he doth witness Christ Iesus the true Light which lighteth every own that comes into the World Iohn 1.9 which discovers the imperfection and filthiness of self with all its righteousness and his Perfection is in Christ the Light which he doth witness the same Christ and no other but he which suffered at Ierusalem who is the brightness of his Fathers glory c. Heb. 1.3 13.8 Which he thou falsly accusest as before written which all the Children of Light do witness the Righteousness of God in Christ the Light 2 Cor. 5.21 which for the Simples sake the Truth is witnessed forth in the presence of God which the Lord will clear from the Lies and Slanders cast upon it and he shall be known what he is whom you call a proud polluted Worm that dare exalt himself to a Perfection equal with God which are thy own words and what thou hast gathered up from others who falsly accuse as thou dost which words was not spoken by him thou callst a proud polluted Worm who can bear thy Revilings but for the Truths sake that the Simple do not stumble at the Way of Truth doth witness against thy false Accusations and Revilings which thou hast filled thy Book withal As in the 14th and 15th Pages Speaking to them thou callst Friends whom thou saist is seduced and thou declares that those whom thou chargest with seducing them doth reach them to cease from all Religious Duties of commanded Worship without scruple or check of Conscience before they can enjoy God or be taught immediatly what to do first put out the true Light and Power of Conscience to do his Office by despising the means of enlightning and convincing it to act in the Soul and then resolves to follow the immediate Commands of Conscience without questioning the Author of those Laws at all Reply Thy Accusation is false we do not teach any to ceafe from all religious duties of commanded worship neither put out the true Light we teach all to be obdient to the commands of God who saith this is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased hear him Mat. 17.5 And we bear Testimony of him that he is the true Light that lighteth every one that comes into the World Ioh. 1.9 and convinces the World of Sin Righteousness and Judgment Ioh. 16.8 and he alone commands in the Conscience for God and is the Author of the prefect Law handed in the hand of a Mediator to whom we exhort all to be subject and in whom all the Children of Light walk Col. 2.6 And for thy expressing a depth of deceit and delusion which thou chargest upon us which is found in thy self who hath made Lyes thy refuge to slander the Innocent which is further manifest in thy 16th Page Thou fayst we take no notice of Scripture authority as if they were altogether out of date which false Accusation is witnessed against in what is returned in answer to the preface of thy Book And in the 17th and 18th Pages thou chargest us with impudent fore-heads to make a shew of one thing and intend another purposely minded to deceive and yet they tell us often that as they write so they mean and speak the Truth in plainness most horrible hypocrisie and deceit which nothing but a lying and a knavish Head dare go about to excuse c. And all those unsavory words as before written wherein thou sayest we have discovered to purpose the deceit of our answer in saying the Revelations of Christ are according to Scripture and where the new Covenant is witnest the Law is written in the Heart and the Witness and Testimony of Jesus within bearing witness with our Spirits that we are Sons of God. Reply Doing any thing of purpose to deceive through Hypocrisie or Knavish Heads we deny and in the presence of God we speak the Truth in plaâ—â—ness and do witness there is no deceit in saying the Revelations of Christ are according to Scripture
and all in the new Covenant do know the Law of God written in their Hearts and the Witness or Testimony of Jesus within 1 Iohn 5.10 bearing witness with their Spirits that they are the Children of God Rom. 8.16 and this declared is neither deceitful nor knavish which is the unsavory words thou chargest on us let the Truth of God in all Consciences judge to whom they belong the Scriptures we are not against they bear Testimony of Christ the Light whom we witness the way to the Father Mat. 11 27. None knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him by the revelation of the Spirit of God is the things of God known to his People 1 Cor. 2.9 10 13. Rom. 8.11 16. according as is recorded we witness the Scriptures fulfilled in Christ the Light who is our Life Col. 3.3 4. And whereas thou queries did ever any read of the Law and Testimony in the Heart and that the Law and Testimony in the Heart is the Law of the new Covenant Reply Who hath read the Scripture in the fear of God hath read what the Lord hath promised as declared Isa. 8.16 Bind up the Testimony seal the Law among my Disciples and Ier. 31.33 This shall be the Covenant I will make with the House of Israel in those days saith the Lord I will put my Laws in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts Heb 8.10 11 12. and the Law written in the Heart we witness and the Lord faithful in performing according to his Promise in the new Covenant And thou goest on in Page 19 and 20 calling us Impostors and Pervertors of the new Covenant and to be in Idle proud Fancies and itching Humors of our own Brains in our Apostate Condition Reply We in the Light can bear thy reproach and have witnessed the Truth that it may stand a witness against thy revilings and in the Lord we rest who will make manifest whether thou or we be the Pervertors of the new Covenant and guilty of what thou chargest us with And whereas thou in the 22d Page says that William Deusbery tells us that the mighty day of the Lord is appeared in the North of England and is rising towards the South and shall over-spread this Nation and all the Nations of the World c. what the mans fancy and design is in bruiting and making such a noise of the appearance of the mighty day of the Lord judge ye I am sure he hath sufficiently discovered his own folly in blazing abroad such Dreams of his own lying Heart c. Reply In thy 2d Page thou hast enlarged thy self concerning that Book calling it a lying Paper c. and the Truth is witnessed in answer to thy charge and this in answer to what is here written Fancies Bruitishness Folly Dreams and Lyes William Deusbery denies the Truth he hath declared as the Lord hath him moved in Faithfulness to the Souls of all People that they be not found the sloathful Servants putting the Day of the Lord afar off in this his Day wherein the Hour of his righteous Judgment is come Rev. 14.7 to all that wait on him the Truth is declared that all men may prepare in the Light the Lord to meet and no longer in sloathfulness remain least he come upon them as a Thief in the Night and if the Day of the Lord do not arise over all the World and the Kingdoms of the World became the Kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ and the Lord perform not as is declared then say the Lord hath not spoken by me who is known to the World by name William Deusbery And in the 22d Page thou sayst we have set our selves in the Throne of Christ judging the whole World. Reply Thy Accusation is false self we deny to Christ we are subject who sits on his Throne and is come and coming in his Saints to judge the World Iude 14 15. 1 Cor. 6.2 and 2.5 And in the 23th page thou sayst why do not we command the Dead to rise and appear before us and many other unsavory words are there exprest Reply A wicked and Adulterous Generation shall seek after a sign and there shall no sign be given it but the sign of the Prophet Jonah Mat. 16.4 And whereas thou chargest Howgill and Burrough as thou callst them with pernitious Blasphemous Opinions Reply Thy Accusation is false they are faithful Men serving their Generation in the Light Ministers of Christ in whom is witnessed the God-head dwelling Bodily Col. 2.9 and in him we are one in God they that joyn to the Lord are one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 he that can receive it let him And whereas thou in the 29th Page saist that the Revelations of Christ that are according to Scripture are either Texts of Scripture expressed or rational Deductions Consequences and Conclusions that naturally flow from particular passages of Scriptures and not any other Revelations can be pleaded for a Rule Reply Thy dark mind is shut out from knowing the Revelations of Christ and though thou sayst that answer that was returned to these words was not to purpose it stands a witness against thee and will be found to purpose in the Light when thy reward thou shalt have for all thy unsavory words exprest in thy Book And in the 33th Page where thou falsely accuses us that we will allow of no Laws of God nor Scripture but the Revelations and Edicts of our own bewitched Hearts c. And when thou hast reviled us with false Accusation as before written thou beseechest those thou callst thy dear Friends to be serious in their Thoughts of what thou hast written in discovering our deceits and blasphemies denying the Rule that all things are to be tryed by and make themselves the absolute rule and we must not question what they say though it be never so insolent and to be abhorred of all sober Christians c. Reply Thou hast brazened thy Face to slander the Truth of God with Lies and Blasphemies which is the Foundation of all Heresie and there thou art found and thy Accusation is false Christ the Rule that all things is to be tryed by we own and deny our selves and to the Light of Christ in all Consciences we appeal whether thou or we deny the Rule thou that saist the Revelations of Christ are either Texts of Scripture expressed or rational Deductions Consequences c. as before written or we who witness Christ the true Light revealed by the Fâ—ther 〈…〉 knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Mat. 1â— 27 Luke 10 22. Let all that are in Christ with sobriety in the Light judge And for the rest of thy Slanders in the 37â—â— and 38th Pages where thou saist these miserable Worms un-Covenant themselves and un-Christ themselves as if they cared not for Grace and Mercy in standing before God denying the Scripture c. And in the
40th Page thou saist of those in scorn called Quakers thou can safely say they deny the benefit that comes to the Church by Christ's suffering in that Flesh that he received from the Virgin Mary or else deny it to bâ— a real Body of Flesh and so make it but a Type and a Figure of Christ in the Saint who are his true real Body which he now suffers in and by his suffering makes satisfaction for them making the Death of the Cross of none effect Reply The miserable Worms that un-Covenant themselves and un-Christ themselves who denies Christ the Light thou art found to be one who in thy dark mind art working Abomination and making Lies which thou hast published to the World in thy Books and thy place thou maist read â—s is Recorded Rev. 21.27 And the rest of thy Accusations Recorded in the 40th Page we witness against and for the Simple sake declare as followeth that benefit came to the Church by Christ's suffering in that Body God gave which was born of the Virgin Mary and with one Offering hath Christ perfected for ever them that are Sanctified Heb. 10.14 And these are his Saints in whom he is now revealed who are his Body Eph. 1.23 which now suffered by thee and all that are of the Murdering Generation who bore false witness against Christ when he was in that Body which they Crucified at Ierusalem and thou hast manifest thy self to be of the same Murdering Generation who hath publishâ—â— to the World thy false witness against the Innocent to perfect thy evil intent towards the Body of Christ if the Lord prevent thee not but thou shalt know the Lord faithful that thou and all that forms your Tongues against him shall fall in judgement Isa. 54.17 And what is charged upon thee in Answer to thy Reply to the Answer to the third Question that thou sets at nought the Corner Stone and prefers the Testimony of him before him limitting the eternal Son of God as thou hast in what is Printed in the 55. Page where thou speakst of the Scripture that they are designed of God to be the only Instrument and Vessel of his Spirit to convey the knowledge of Christ as Redeemer to lost Man and without them Christ is not known at all to any saving ends Reply Who art thou that dare thus utter Words vvithout knovvledge Christ is known where the Father reveals him to be the Souls Life vvhether they have the Scripture yea or nay according to the Will of God he makes known his mind to his People who wait upon him in his fear and the secrets of the Lord are with those that fear him Psal. 25.14 And the Spirit of the Lord is witness with our spirits that we are the Children of God O Man repent least the Lord cut thee off and thou perish in thy gain-sayings And further thou hast written in Reply to what was returned in Answer to the Question before mentioned the most of thy false Accusations are answered in what was returned to the former part of the Book and all thy false Accusations and Reproaches denyed with the Light and for the Simples sake there is returned in Answer to thy Questions which thou hast propounded 1. Qu. Where read we of a perfect Law of God in the Heart and where is it made the Rule and Ground of the Saints Obedience Ans. the Law of God is perfect Psal. 19.7 and is the Rule to which the Saints are to walk in obedience to and to be guided by Psal. 119.12 and the Law to be in the Heart is proved Psal. 40.8 I delight to do thy will O God yea thy Law is within my Heart 2. Qu. Whether the Law in the Heart be under another Covenant distinct from the perfect Law of God declared in Scripture 3. Qu. What vve are to understand by the Lavv of God in the Heart vvhich is the same vvith Scripture vvhether the 10th Commandements vvritten in Tables of Stone only or all those positive Precepts of Gospel-Worship and Obedience conjoyned vvith them also Ans. To thy 2d and 3d Questions in the old Covenant the Lavv vvas vvritten in Tables of Stone vvhich Lavv having a shadovv of good things to come and not the very Image of the things can never vvith those Sacrifices vvhich they offered Year by Year continually make the comers thereunto perfect Heb. 10.1 And vvhen he came vvho saith Lo I come to â—o thy vvill O God he taketh avvay the first that â—e may establish the second ver 9. by vvhich vvill vve are sanctified thorow the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all ver 10. and by one Offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified whereof the holy Ghost is a Witness to us as he said before This is the Covenant that I will make with them saith the Lord I will put my Laws in their Hearts and in their Minds will I write them ver 14 15 16. Ier. 31.33 4. Qu. Whether the Law in the Heart without the use of Scriptures make any Evangelical discoveries of the Person Natures and Offices of Christ as he is Redeemer of lost Man Ans. Thy feigned Words we wave the Truth we witness the Law in the Heart witnessed in the New Covenant Christ is known to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6.15 And the faithful High Priest Heb. 2.17 3.1 4.15 5.6 7.26 10.21 who hath made us Kings and Priests to God and his Father c. Rev. 1.6 5. Qu. Whether all shall be saved that have the Law of God written in their Hearts by virtue of the New Covenant or any be saved that live to Years of discretion that know not Christ as the Scriptures testifie of him in order to his coming to the World to save sinners Ans. All are saved who are guided by the righteous Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ which sets them free from the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8.2 And what Years soever any live unto they have no discretion to know Christ as the Scriptures testifie of him but they who in his Light wait upon him to be guided by him for who hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Rom. 8.9 And for the rest of thy Aspersions and Revilings thou hast writ calling us Deceivers that fear the Authority of man or else we would deny Christ himself Reply Christ we do not deny but him we own who respects no Mans Person Rom. 2.11 and in him no fear of Man is and we in him Reign over thee and all the authority of the power of Darkness that stands in opposition to Christ the Son of God to whom every Knee must bow Phil. 2.10 the day shall declare it And in what thou hast replied to the Answer to the fourth Question which thou chargest to be untrue to say That Man in the fall as he stands in the state of corrupt nature hath not therein any Light
without Christ to do any thing acceptable to God c. Which thou goest about to prove the contrary and saist there is the Light and use of reason and understanding faculties though corrupted And further thou says This Light of corrupt reason as before exprest presents to the conscience good and evil c. Reply In the Light thou art seen to be in the corrupt Fountain from whence all these corrupt words hath come which thou hast Printed in thy Book and thy words are not true Corrupt reason of Man doth not present to the Conscience things good and evil a corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good Fruit Mat. 7.18 There is nothing makes manifest Darkness but Light Ephes. 5.15 which all men in the Fall is gone from out of the way and there is none that doth good no not one Rom. 3.9 10 11. c. And the natural Man receives not the things that are of God nor can he know them because they are Spiritually discerned 1. Cor. 12.14 And all the Righteousness of Man in this state is as a filthy Rag and a menstruous Cloath Isa. 64.6 And this is the state of Man in corrupt Nature And the Light that convinces Man of this dark and corrupt Estate he is in is the Light of Christ that convinces the World of Sin Righteousness and Judgment Iohn 16.8 So we that were sometimes Darkness are now Light in the Lord Ephes. 5.8 And who walk in the Light there is no occasion of stumbling â— Iohn 2.10 And whereas thou saist Thou knowst we Lie as thou hast made it manifest Reply It is not so thou hast not yet made manifest and Lie that we have spoken by any truth thou hast declared And thou goest on as in thy 89th Page thou saist The rational Soul of Man corrupted is called the Candle of the Lord which we invent to be Christ which is false we deny that the corrupt Soul of Man is the Candle of the Lord or Christ. And further thou saist It was thy intended work to go thorow all the Answers to the ten Questions but for want of thy Paper which thou saist we detained from thee contrary to our Promise In which thou saist not true for the promise was to thee thou should have a Copy of thy Paper which thou sent to us when it was ready for thee which was not then written neither was any time set down of thy having it and as way was made a Copy according to our promise came to thy Hands And in the close of thy Book thou goest on aâ— thou begun saying we deny Scripture as to the 〈…〉 were intended and reproach the Ordinances of the Lord Jesus which the Scriptures Teach under the 〈◊〉 of Heatheâ—ish Worships c. which is 〈◊〉 to in the Truth declared a witness to stand against all the Reproaches that thou hast cast upon the Truth of the living God and the God thou art pleading for cannot crown thee with honour in the day wherein the living God will exalt his Son and clear the Innocency of his People then shall the God whose worship thou art defending be confounded and Confusion and Shame shall stop thy Mouth and if this come not to pass as declared then say the Lord hath not spoken by me And in that thou call'st thy Postscript in the end of thy Book the things therein thou falsely accusest us with and calls them the Rocks which we are to manifest how we shall escape which is clearly made manifest in what is written in answer to thy Book Only this where thou saist we make no difference between the visible professing Church and the Pagan World all may be saved alike if they will c. Reply They that make a visible Profession of Christ and deny to walk in the Light of his Spirit are of the World that lies in Wickedness 1 Iohn 5.19 Mat. 7.21 as well as them thou call'st the Pagan World and not any can be saved by what they do in their own wills all that is done in that nature is abomination to God as is plain in to Answer what thou hast writ in Pag. 70. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that shews mercy Rom. 9.16 which he makes manifest in the riches of his Grace in Christ the Light who leads all that obey him in the strait way of self-denial and the daily Cross in obedience to the Will of God which is our sanctification And he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are one Heb. 2.4 1 Thes. 4.31 He that can receive it let him For the Truths sake that the Simple be not turned out of the way by the false Accusations Reproaches and Aspertions thou hast cast upon it what is before written in Answer to thee the Truth doth clear and the Answer to thy ten Questions which thou chargest to be deceitful that they may witness for themselves against what thou hast cast upon them that all that desire to know the Truth may them read The Questions and Answers are as followeth 1. Qu. Whether the writings of the Scriptures are a Declaration of the holy Will and Mind of God that necessarily oblige the Servants of God that profess him to believe and observe whatever is revealed therein to be believed and done and whether the Scripture alone be a perfect Rule of Faith and Life unto all of years amongst us yea or nay Ans. The Scriptures is a true Declaration of the things believed amongst the Saints and a true Testimony of Jesus Christ but not any do them know neither can believe what is written therein only by the outward Declaration and Testimony of Scripture but by the Word of Faiâ—h which is in the Heart and in the Mouth which is the Word of Faith which we Preach Rom. 10.7 8. 2. Qu. Whether any other Revelations and Observations not to be found in the Scripture be binding to the Consciences of those Persons that have the benefit of the Scripture or whether such Revelation or Dictates within a Mans Heart and Soul be as binding to the Conscience and to be urged to a Mans self or others as the Scriptures are Ans. The Revelations of Jesus Christ is according to Scripture which Revelation binds up the Testimony and Seals the Law in the Hearts of his Disciples and what Dictates is in the Conscience or Heart of Man contrary to the Law and Testimony is not to be regarded but disowned and judged with the Light which comes from Christ the Saints Life who guides them in a pure Life and holy Conversation according to Scripture Isa. 8.20 3. Qu. Whether any thing besides the Scripture is constituted of the blessed God to reveal Christ as Redeemer and Saviour to the Spirit of miserable lost Man to bring Man unto happiness or whether corrupt Man without the knowledge of Scripture may ordinarily attain unto Salvation yea or nay Ans. No Man can come to the Son any other way but whom the
Brethren that need not be written unto in lines of this nature but to all who hath or may have their mouths opened in the true motion of the Spirit of God and hath not yet overcome and escaped the danger where many have received loss as before written with a godly jealousie over you in tender bowels I beseech you watch and pray that in the Light and Power of God you always be kept And when any motion of the Spirit of the Lord ariseth in you to exercise the Gift God hath given you first search your Hearts and see that you be at peace with Christ in you your elder Brother that in the sense of your peaceable union with him your Hearts be truly broken and your Spirits truely humbled and abased before the Throne of his glory in which power bring your gifts to his Altar and keep within the bounds of the Spirit then shall your Sacrifices whether it be Exhortation Prayer or Praises answer the witness of God in all his People and God will accept of your faithfulness in the returns of his own Spirit to his glory forever And whatever the Lord doth in you or with you rejoyce not over much in Spirits being made subject but rather rejoyce in the power that keeps self in the Death that your names you always behold written in the Lambs Book of Life then will you be full of vertue as branches in the Vine of Gods righteousness whose leaf shall never wither but you shall be always Faithful and your leaf shall be for the healing of the Nations and an Eternal Judgment shall rest and abide in you in the pure discerning of all the unstable wandering Spirits that are as before written which is the Stars that the great Dragon draws after him from the heavenly Light and throws them down again to the Earth because through pride they kept not their estate in the meek humble Spirit of the Lord of Glory Oh my dear Brethren in the unity and bonds of the meek humble Spirit of our God my Soul blesseth the Name of the Lord for you and your faithfulness is as marrow to the bones of the feeble and as sinews to the loynes of the weak therefore let us in the true motion of the meek peaceable Spirit of the almighty God go on in his service and let us wrestle with the most high in the prevaling power of his own Spirit for the bringing again the captivity of Sion that they that have mourned before our God with us in years past may be restored and brought from the Mountains where they are scattered into the Light and Fold of rest with us to lye down in the Shephards Tent where we find safety in the heat of the day and in the hollow of his hand he will keep us untill the indignation be over past Therefore you valiants amongst the people who in the meek humble Spirit shines as the Angels of Glory every one be faithful in the power of the most high God in whom you shall stand as Saviours upon Mount Sion in your living Testimony which causeth the dead to hear the living Voice the Lame to Walk the Blind to See the Dumb to Speak forth the high Praises of the mighty God which shall cause the Ears of them that know not God to tingle and the Hearts of the righteous to rejoyce and forever glorifie the Name of the Lord that hath kept you humble little and low as to self but mighty powerful prevailing in the pure peaceable eternal Dominion of which there is no end Where my Soul rests who hath now given forth what hath for some time lain upon me to clear my Conscience to all that ever have tasted in any Measure of the good Word of God and the Power of the World to come that they may certainly know whether they abide in the Vine of Gods Righteousness yea or ndy Therefore Let them that hath an Eye to see let them see or an Ear to hear let them hear or an Heart to understand let them understand what the Spirit saith to the Churches in the eternal Judgment and Word of Truth through Your Brother and Fellow-Labourer in the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ Farewel W. D. Send this with care abroad to be read in the Fear of God in the Assemblies of the Church of the first Born. The Word of the Lord to his beloved City New Ierusalem come from God cloathed with the excellency of the Glory of his Love and is the Bride the Lambs Wife with the flowings of the tender compassionate Bowels of the Lord Jesus to all the Mourners in Sion and the Afflicted desolate People who wait for his comming as for the Morning and hath not satisfaction in any thing but in the enjoyment of his sweet and comfortable Presence OH Ierusalem thou beloved amongst the People who art become the beautiful Bride the Lambs Wife Oh how did he seek thee in the day of thy Divorcement when thou wast weeping in the barren Wilderness as a desolate Widow who had not any to comfort thee when thy greatest Mournings and breakings of Heart were thy greatest comfort And the more thou drunk the Tears that was shed for the want of him was thy greatest satisfaction Oh the weary daies thou had'st upon the Earth because thy Languishing Soul knew not where to meet with thy beloved neither did'st thou know how to walk in the steps of the Flock of thy Companions who was comforted with his Presence whom thy Soul wanted then was he near unto thee though thou knew it not enlivening the desires that were towards his Name And in the acceptable day he sent forth whom he had ordained to declare unto thee the glory of his Love in the Light of his own Life in which he hath covered thee this day as with a Wedding Garment and in it thou appearest comely in his sight and acceptable in his Presence And for thy sake oh Ierusalem thou City of the Living God what hath been endured How many Innocent Lambs have suffered its hard to be expressed to bring gald-tidings unto thee of him whom thy Soul thirsteth after How have the Striplings sent out in Gods Authority run to and fro in the Earth willing to spend and be spent in all services of Love to perswade thee to forsake all that hath intangled thy mind and hindred thee from the innocent Life of thy Beloved Thy mighty Men with many of the Sons and Daughters of glory have sealed their living Testimony with their Blood in the patience and sufferings of the Lamb of God that thou mayst be affected with the excellency of the glory of him whom thy Soul desireth And now the Lord God requireth of every particular Son and Daughter of Sion To Watch and Pray that not any enter into Temptation and all that have any stain upon their Garments come to the Fountain which is opened for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in which is the Heart-breaking love of
Holy God you trample and reign over the greatest subtilty which in the Mistery of iniquity transforms it self as is before written that so you may in the service of Love in the meek healing compassinate Spirit of Jesus gather all the tender hearted forth of all Sects Forms and Opinions with all that hath strayed from the foot-steps of the Flock of the Companions in the Light of the Lord with us to walk in faithfulness all their days until their change come that if it be possible that not any may be lost who hunger after righteousness and hath their Faces set towards Sion That so in the heavenly Harmony all that have truly sought the Face of God may in his pure Light Life and Dominion walk together with us in the unlimitted Bowels of Love in the Lord Jesus to the confounding of all Sion's Enemies who in the time determined of our God shall come bending to the Soles of the Feet of the afflicted suffering Lambs of my Father who Love the Lord better then your Lives and your Neighbour as your self yea and they that withstand you shaâ—l in the day determined of God confess it is in vain for any to strive to bring to pass their evil intents upon a People beloved of God whom he will carry through by his Almighty Power and save with the Arm of his Salvation for every Tongue lifted up against you shall fall in judgment and all Weapons formed against you shall not prosper but come to nought and you shall see the mighty salvation of God for your joy which the Lord will hasten more and more to the astonishment of all that withstand the rising of his Glory and you shall certainly know this is to you the Word of the Lord God declared thorow your Brother and Companion in the Tribulation and Kingdom of Patience in the Lord Jesus Christ. Farewel W. D. From the Common Goal in Warwick sent forth at the command of the Lord the 8 th of the 3 th Moâ—eth 1665. Blessed are they that overcometh through the Blood of the Lamb and the word of their Testimony and love their lives no more to Death The Discovery of Mans return to his first Estate by the Operation of the Power of God in the great work of Regeneration And a Word to the Back-slider who hath tasted of the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come and hath turned from the Grace of God into wantonness and gone back into spiritual Sodom and Egypt where our Lord is crucified Also a discovery of mystery Babylon and her Merchants And a word to the hard-hearted unbelieving Iews Professors who profess Christ in words but stumble at his Light in their Consciences to theiâ— own Destruction With a Word to all Saints who have set their Faces towards Sion to seek the Lord their God and to those that are waiting therein to worship him in Spirit and Truth And a Word of Consolation unto the travelling Child that yet sits in Darkness being deeply afflicted and wounded in Spirit through ignorance of Salvation in the New Covenant in Christ Jesus the Light. All Men and Women behold and see in what Estate you were Created ANd God said let us make Man in our Image God created Man in his own Image and in the Image of God created he Him Male and Female created he them And the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to dress and keep it and the Lord God Commanded the Man saying of every Tree in the Garden thou mayest freely eat but of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye the death The Serpent was more subtile then any beast of the Field which the Lord God had made he said unto the Woman ye shall not surely die for God doth know that in the day you eat thereof your Eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil And when the Woman saw the Tree was good for food and that it was pleasant unto the Eyes and a Tree to be desired to make one wise she took the Fruit thereof and did eat and gave also to her Husband with her and he did eat And the Eyes of them both were opened and they knew that they were naked and they sewed fig-leaves together and made them aprons And they heard the Voice of the Lord God walking in the Garden in the cool of the day and Adam and his Wife hid themselves from the Presence of the Lord among the Trees of the Garden and the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him where art thou And he said I heard thy voice in the Garden and was afraid and because I was naked I hid my self And he said who told thee that thou wast naked hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat and the Man said the Woman whom thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the Tree and I did eat And the Lord God said unto the woman what is this that thou hast done the woman said the Serpent beguiled me and I did eat And the Lord God said unto the Serpent because thou hast done this thou art cursed above all Cattel and above every Beast of the Field upon thy Belley shalt thou go and Dust shalt thou eat all the Days of thy Life And I will put Enmity betwixt thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed it shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel And the Lord God said Behold this Man is become as one of us to know good and evil and now lest he put forth his Hand and take also of the Tree of Life and eat and live forever therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the Garden of Eden to till the ground from whence he was taken And he drove out the Man and placed at the East of the Garden of Eden Cherubims and a flaming Sword which turned every way to keep the way of the Tree of Life Every Man and Women behold and see how you are fallen from the estate and condition you were created in you were created in the Image of God to delight alone in him but you are fallen in obeying the counsel of the Serpent and are driven out of the Presence of God into the Earth and there your minds are feeding upon the dust of the Earth created oâ—jects which will perish some delight in Father and Mother some in Wife and Children some in Houfe and Lands some in Money and Gold some in Meats and Drinks some in Raiment what they shall put on some in Lusts and Pleasures in Wantonness vain idle Communication foolish Jesting and Laughter which is Madness and Folly and some in Honour and Preferments in this World wherein their Hearts are lifted up in Pride and Exaltation above others
whom they have power over not considering how you are driven out from the Presence of the Lord wherein you were placed in the beginning and some there are that feed upon the letter of the Scripture conprehending God and Christ in their Wisdom from what the Saints of the most high God had spoke forth from the Life they enjoyed in Christ Jesus which was in them the hope of their Glory and Man in his Serpentine Wisdom steals the Saints words into his understanding and never knows the Life and Power thereof in himself and so speaks a divination of his own Brain a Riddle to his own Heart and while he speaks to others himself is a Cast-way Every Man and Woman in particular deal justly with your Hearts and see where your Hearts are and what they delight in for in some of these created objects you delight in and feed upon if you cannot witness your change by the Eternal and Powerful Word of Truth for into the Earth you are driven from the Presence of God and these are the Fruits which spring forth of the Earth which is in your Hearts Self-love Pride Covetousness Anger Revenge Hastiness Frowardness Back-biting hard-Heartedness Cruelty and Oppression Lust and Uncleanness Drunkenness Impatiency and Unbelief and you are fenced out from coming to the Tree of Life with Cherubims and the flaming Sword which turns every way to keep the Tree of Life So every one see what you can witness of your return again unto God from whence you are separated by the Disobedience and evil of your Hearts and see what is the Ground of the hope of your callings and by what Power you are acted in your Obedience unto God whether by the Power of the first Adam or by the Power of the Second for if thou upon the Convincement of the evil of thy ways do not wait in the Light which is in thy Conscience that convinceth thee of the evil of thy doings for Power from the Lord to guide thee forth of the evil which the Light discovers which would guide thee into the Kingdom of God but thou runnest out into the Wisdom of the first Adam to seek the Kingdom of God in outward Forms and Observations according as thou comprehendest of the Saints practices and thou imitatest their practices in thy Wisdom and though thou walkst never so strictly in these outward Forms thou art alive in the first Adam sewing fig-leaves together to cover thy nakedness a piece of new cloth in an old Garment thou art putting new Wine into old Bottles and art building up a Tower to get up to God in thy heathenish and Babylonish Wisdom and confusion will come upon thee in the day when the Lord comes to look for Fruit thou wilt be found a fruitless Tree that cumbers the Ground Cain with his offering up Sacrifice unto God in thy first nature Esau seeking the Birth-right with Tears who shall never find it and all the Fruit that is raised in thee is from Hagar the Bond-woman and thou hast thy end for thy self in all that thou dost which is thy Hire which thou expectest in the end life for thy Labour and Obedience and thou regards not the Glory of the Lord and his Fear is not before thine Eyes therefore every Man and Woman deal justly with your own Hearts under what name or title soever thou be whether thou be a Teacher of others or a Professor of what thou comprehendest to be Truth from the Testimony the Saints gave forth from the Life and Power of Christ that was in them and thou expectest Life in thy outward Forms and Observations and mindest not to be guided by the Light which is of Christ in thy own Conscience which Light guided the Saints that gave forth the Scriptures and while thou disobeyest that Light profess what thou wilt thou art in the fall first Adam is yet alive in thee Cain is not yet banished nor Esau reprobated nor the Bond-woman and her Son cast out which are all figures and types of the first nature which is yet alive in thee and thy will is thy guide and thy Heart is in the Earth notwithstanding all thy profession and thou art a painted beast made drunk with the Wine of the wrath of the Whore which is thy Wisdom which comprehends that which thou never didst know manifest in it self and sits deckt as a well favoured Harlot above the Cross of Christ thou wilt be found a Thief and a Robber who comes not in by the Door Jesus Christ but climbs up some other way and thus far went the Scribes and Pharisees and the young Man who had kept the Commandments from his youth but when he should have sold all for Christ he went away sorrowful And thus far went Paul when he persecuted Jesus Christ according to the Law he walked blameless and all thy strict walking to get Life in Observations according to the Letter is striving again to get to the Tree of Life by thy own power who art fenced out with Cherubims and a flaming Sword which turns every way to keep the way of the Tree of Life And if thou never sawest thy self fenced out from the Presence of God notwithstanding all thy righteousness in observations thou art not come so near God as to see the flaming Sword which is placed to meet thee in every way thou turnest to get life in thy own power and to cut thee down and kill thee that Christ may be thy life thou art alive in the first Adam and art in the death for death reigns over all from Adam to Moses and Moses is until the Prophets and the Prophets till Iohn and Iohn until Christ and if thou canst not witness that thou art come to Moses profess what thou wilt thou hast not set thy Face towards God nor one step in the strait and narrow way to Eternal Life but art going the broad way to destruction whatever thou be whether a Teacher of others or a Professor of what thou comprehendest to be Truth from the Letter of the Scripture under what Form Name or Title soever thou be thou art a dead Man and a dead Woman and the wrath of God abides on thee though thou seest it not Rom. 7.9 There Paul witnesseth I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandment came sin revived and I dyed Friends every one in particular deal justly with your Hearts see what you can witness of your death with Christ by the powerful word of Truth which enlightens the Conscience and condemns sin in the flesh for every one would ascend with Christ to be partakers of the Life and Glory with him but he becomes a stumbling Stone to be Baptized with him into his sufferings and death and this thou must witness before ever thou come to sit with him in Heavenly Places for it is they and they alone that
shall reign with him who suffer with him and they that are dead with him shall live with him it is the dead that hears the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live arise thou that sleepest in the dust of the Earth securely in thy earthly serpentine Wisdom thy mind feeding upon the dust of the Earth created objects which will perish arise stand up to Judgment that Christ may give thee Life this is required of thee O Man to do justly love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God examine thy Heart and deal justly with thy own Soul There is a Light in thy Conscience which Light is of Christ minding it it will let thee see the mystery of Iniquity that lodgeth in thy Heart which is deceitful and desperately wicked and this Light in thy Conscience which discovers unto thee the evil of thy Heart is of the eternal Word of God and was from the beginning according as it is written in the outward Testimony of the Truth In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word is God and the same was in the beginning with God all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made in him was Life and the Life was the Light of men and the Light shineth in Darkness and the Darkness comprehends it not Every one arise out of your earthly wiâ—dom and mind the Light in thy Conscience and wait on the Power of the Lord in it and it will bring thee to Judgment before the Throne of the Lamb where the righteous Law will be opened in thy heart that will cry through thy earthly heart for Righteousness and Judgment and the Book will be opened in thee where thou shalt see all written that thou hast done in the Body and shall give an account for every idle word and receive thy reward for what thou hast done and thy reward is Wrath and Condemnation which will pass upon thee from the Presence of the Lamb for thy disobedience and breaking of the righteous Law which must be fulfilled and what way soever thou turnest to get Life in outward Forms and Observations the flaming Sword which is the righteous Law that goes out of the Mouth of the Lamb it will turn every way and meet thee and cut thee down and cast thee into Hell where there is Weeping and Wailing for want of the presence of God and thou canst do nothing to pacifie the Wrath of God which is gone out against thee Now wouldst thou hide thy self as Adam did when he appears in thy Heart thy Fig-leafed Garment of Prayers Tears Forms outward Observations according unto thy comprehension of the Letter will not cover thy Nakedness it served to cover the Nakedness from the sight of Men but now when the Lord appears in thy Heart thou canst not stand before him now comes Cain in thee to be driven from the Face of God to be a Fugative and a Vagabond in the Earth notwithstanding all his Sacrifice and Esau in thee Repâ—obated never to have the Blessing though he seek it with Tears and the bond Woman and her Son cast out and the first Adam now slain with the sharp Sword that goeth out of the Mouth of the Lamb and art made to give up thy Soul to God whose it is to do with thee what he will if he destroy thee forever he may and if he save thee from eternal Death it is his free Love now art thou Baptized with Christ into his Sufferings and Death where thou liest sealed down under the eternal Judgment of God and there perisheth for ever for any power or help thou hast in thy self and this is the Administration of Moses where thou liest condemned for ever under the righteous Law without any help or hope until the Administration of the Prophets that prophesie of a Christ that hath satisfied the righteous Law of God for thee who art lost and condemned under the power of the Law of Moses and now there is a secret hope raised up in thy Soul and thou lookest up from under the condemning power of Moses for a Saviour and the Prophets are until Iohn and of all that were born of Women there was not one greater than Iohn for he is a burning and shining Light that lets thee see the filthiness of thy Heart and the Law shines in its purity to condemn the earthly Man in thee but he streghthens the hope in thee that was raised up by the Prophets to see the beauty and excellency of Jesus Christ which ravishes thy lost condemned Soul that thou art willing to sell all for him the Scripture now being fulfilled in thee who witness this From the days of Iohn even until now the Kingdom of God suffers violence and the violent take it by force now is every Mountain and Hill laid low in thee and crooked ways made strait and the rough way in thee made smooth and thou waitst in the Wilderness and lost condition of thy self for the Salvation of God to be manifest to thee in Jesus Christ and in the appointed time of the Father the Son of Man comes to thy Soul as a Thief in the Night as the lightning from the East to the West so is his appearance in thee and causes thy dead Soul to hear his Voice which witnesses to it eternal Life freely through his own Blood and thy Soul hears his Voice and by the Word of his Power is made to live and art sealed up by the holy Spirit of Promise the Spirit of God bearing witness with thy Spirit that thou art his Child now comest thou to witness the second Adam to be a quickning Spirit and Isaac the promised Seed to be heir for ever and that the wages of sin is death but the Gift of God is Eternal Life and that by Grace thou art saved through Faith in the Lord Jesus not of works least any should boast and he that hath hope in him purifies himself as he is pure and the Love of Christ constrains thee now who can witness this work of Regeneration manifest in thee to follow him whithersoever he goes no more to obey him for Life as thou didst when thou wast without seeking him in Forms and Observations but now the Love and Life thou enjoyest in Christ Jesus constrainâ— thee to deny thy self and take up thy cross daily and follow him Now art thou come into the beginning to live in the Lord guided by the powerful word of Faith the Light that shines in thy Heart which is the Light of the City New Ierusalem to which thou art come to Worship the Father in Spirit and Truth and all that are come to walk in the Light of the City New Ierusalem are the true Israel of God that are taught of God to whom the New and everlasting Covenant is made
which all things were created and without him was nothing made this Word is Life and the Life is the Light of Men and the Light shines in darkness and the darkness comprehends it not this Light is the word of Faith the Apostle exhorted to take heed unto Say not in thy Heart who shall ascend up to Heaven to fetch Christ down or down into the deep to fetch him up the Word is nâ—gh thee in thy Heart and in thy Mouth and this is the word of Faith which we Preach the unction of the holy one given of the Father so that we need not to teach one another but as the anointed teacheth us which is truth and no lye which is the sure word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well to take heed as unto a light shining in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-Star arise in your Hearts All people return within give up your selves freely to be guided by that Light that discovers to you the evil of your Hearts and none be discouraged because you see an evil Heart but prize the Love of God that discovers it to you and whatever the Light makes manifest to you to be evil Wait on the Lord for power and he will give you power to obey and in being faithful in a little more will be communicated from the Lord so will the righteous Law be set up in your Hearts that will cry through your earthly and carnal Hearts for Righteousness and Judgement and so will bring you to an account for every idle word and all deeds done in the body Look up unto the Lord against whom you have Sinned and he will arm you with power to what he layes upon you with patience to undergo his Will until all the powers of the Earth in you be famished and slain under his righteous Judgments then will Judgment be brought forth unto Victory that you can no longer live without the loving kindness of your Father in Christ Jesus Now is the Parable fulfilled the little grain of Mustard-Seed grown up above all Herbs and the little leaven hath leavened the whole lump and the Prodigal starved forever if his Father receive him not freely into his House Thou that canst witness this condition stand still in the Will of God he will raise up his seed in thee to trust in his Name and to delight in the eternal Covenant of Love and Life he hath made with thy Soul in the Lord Jesus Christ and will guide thee by the Word of his Power in a way thou knowest not forth of Babylon where thou wast an inslaved Captive under the power of the filthy Beast which is thy will and the Whore the Mother of Witchcrafts which is thy wisdom which enthralled thee under the Powers of darkness to satisfie the lusts of thine own Heart which led thee to destruction up to Sion to live by Faith in the Lord Jesus which will purifie thy Heart and set thy Soul free from under the powers of darkness into the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God where thou shalt sing the Songs of Sion Hallelujahs and Praises forevermore unto the Lord God that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever W. D. To all inslaved hard-hearted and unbelieving Jews in this Nation and elsewhere who are made drunk with the Wisdom of the Whore and bewitched through the abundance of Sorceries to put the Day of the Lord afar off looking for Christs coming in the Spirit as the hard-hearted unbelieving Iews in the Letter did for his coming in the Flesh according to the promise but they limited the Holy One according to their carnal wisdom expected his coming in great Pomp and Glory and when he came in that poor despised way contrary to their expectations they stumbled at him and would not own him to be their Saviour but rose up against him and put him to Death Matth. 27.1 to vers 50. BEhold you hard-hearted and unbelieving Iews do you not look for Christ coming in the Spirit according to his promise as they did for his coming in the Flesh but you limit the Holy One as they did expecting Christ to come in Power and Glory according to your own fancies and so put the Day of the Lord afar off you in rejecting and despising the Counsel of Jesus Christ the pure Light in your Consciences which lets you see every evil thought word and action and cryes behind you This is the way walk in it but you disobey the Light and hearkens to the counsel of your Hearts as the Iews in the Letter did that put Christ to Death and so you slay the Witnesses in Spiritual Sodom and Egypt in your Hearts where our Lord is Crucified in not regarding the Counsel of Christ which is that Light that shines in your dark Hearts which knocks at the Door according to his Word I stand at the Door and knock if any Man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come into him and will Sup with him and he with me Oh thou enslaved Soul under the power of Babylon in thee come forth mind the Light in thee which is the sure word of Prophesie whereunto you do well to take heed as unto a light shining in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-Star arise in your Hearts stand not out against this secret Counsel of Christ in you lest you perish in your gain-sayings for if his anger be kindled a little blessed are all they that trust in him All give up give up freely to be guided by the Counsel of the Lord the Light in you believing in his Power that is present with the Light he will lead you daily through the Cross in the straight way of his Sufferings and Death where the old Man will be put off with his deeds and so you shall have right to the Tree of Life and shall enter with him through the Gates into the City New Ierusalem where you shall have communion with the Father and the Son and an inheritance with those that are sanctified in Christ Jesus and shall reign as Kings upon Earth to the Praise and Glory of the Riches of the Grace of our Heavenly Father to whom alone be all Power Dominion Honour and Glory for ever and ever W. D. A Word from the Lord to all that are waiting on the Lord in Sion and those that are weeping and are seeking the Lord their God asking the way to Sion with their Faces thitherwards FEar not ye Mourners in Sion the Lord waits on you to be gracious unto you and though he give you the Bread of Adversity now and the Water of Affliction yet shall not your Teacher be removed into Corners any more but your Eyes shall see your Teacher and your Ears shall hear a Voyce behind you saying this is the way walk in it when you turn to the right Hand or to the left therefore every one
thee in the Pleasure of our God in whom I remain Thy dear Brother W. D. A General Epistle Dear Friends WHom the Lord hath in this his Glorious Day visited and in his Light plucked as Brands out of the Fire to wait upon him that his Great Work of Regeneration may be perfected in all of you to your Eternal Comfort and the Glory of the Name of our God forever c. And my dear Friends seeing many are Called and few Chosen many Convinced that are not Converted and many come forth with us and go forth from us that are not of us as by sad Experience hath been witnessed c. and from the deep Sense of this working of the Enemy I am constrained to send this Epistle amongst you knowing the Kingdom of God is compared unto Ten Virgins Five Wise and Five Foolish who had all Lamps and slumbred in the Secure Mind until they were awakened to enter in with their Lord then were the Foolish Virgins made manifest that though they had Lamps like the other yet wanting the Oyl they neither did or could enter c. Oh! dear and tender Friends let all Dread the Lord who make mention of his Name in the Light of Christ for this Parable is to you unto whom the Lord hath sent to preach to you and in you the Word of his Kingdom And this is upon my Spirit in the Word of the Lord to you all convinced of the precious Truth of our God turly to examine and search your Hearts with the Light of Christ Jesus that you may have a certain Knowledge how it is with you and how you escaped the subtil Wiles of the Enemy which have hindred so many from the Possession of the Life of Truth and that you may truly discern how the Enemy draws into the Foolish Conceitedness in the Out-side and Formal Profession of the Truth feeding upon the Knowing Part and so stoppeth the Hunger that should reach the Life and then in an Exaltedness saith I See Know am Clothed and want Nothing when they are Blind Naked Miserable and want all things and this is the State of all the Foolish Virgins who dwell in the Outward Court and place all their Confidence in the Form and Outside and Profession of Truth and so has lost the Sense of that Heavenly Hunger which must possess the Life hid with God or else it must mourn out its days in Sorrow Therefore all dear Friends watch diligently to the Heart-searching Light that this Mystery of Iniquity you may all discern that so the Enemy may not prevail against you to turn you aside either to the Right Hand or to the Left that whatever the Lord has convinced you of to be Evil you may wait upon him for Strength to preserve you out of it that so you may Answer God's Witness in the Regulation of your Conversation in the Uprightness of your Hearts so you may stand clear before the Lord that you are willing to do and suffer whatever the Lord should call you to and when you have done all this then be you watchful to the Heart-searching Light that the Enemy doth not draw your Minds to place your Confidence in the Work of Righteousness you have done as the Ground of your Hope and Calling in Christ and want Faith in him and so cause you to rest in your Services and so come short of the hidden Life enjoyed through Faith in the Light and Life of Christ our Righteousness I beseech you dear Friends Wait to know your Passage in this great Mystery where the Entrance is into the Straight Gate where all the Foolish Virgins though their Lamp in the Outward Profession be never so Glorious yet through Pride in their Attainments never entered into this Rest and here is the farthest that ever any come that make a Profession of Truth that go from us and are not of us So tender Friends that truly seek God's Glory and so love his Light that you are willing to give up Life and all to do his Will and when the Enemy would draw you to rest in what you have done and so take the Jewels of God and play the Harlot and deck Your Selves you Dreaâ— the Lord and in his Light you see more Light and you see That all that you have done is your Duty and your reasonable Service which you must do or otherwise you perish eternally and yet your poor Souls in the Light travail on in the Foot-steps of the Flock of the Mournful Companions who are weeping in Secret and inwardly seeking the Lord God to be Married unto him in that hidden Life which is hid with Christ in God and until you enjoy the Marriage-Union in deep Humiliation you wait in the Light for the Lord to create you to a lively Hope in Christ Iesus the Second Adam And you tender Children of my Father who can understand in your Heavenly Travail and Exercise of Spirit what is here written Lift up your Heads and stay your Minds in the Light of the Lord Jesus which ransacks your Hearts and doth not only keep you in Holiness of Conversation but makes you weary of living under the Dominion of your own Thoughts and Wills Therefore I beseech you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ watch to the Heart-searching Light that discerns your Thoughts and Intents and judgeth your Thoughts and all Fearfulness and Unbelief and wait in the Measure of the Light and Life that quickeneth your immortal Souls and hath begotten heavenly Breathings Hungerings and Thirstings to eat the Flesh and drink the Blood of the Lord Jesus Oh thou blessed Birth let not Streightness be upon thy Spirit for the Bowels of the almighty God earn towards thee which cannot be satisfied with any Thing but the pure Presence of Christ to reign in thy Heart and to exercise heavenly Authority in his Throne in thy Conscience Oh tender Babe born of the immortal Seed leâ—d not thy Ear to any of thine own Thoughts Doubts and Unbelief neither to the Accuser who seeks every way to discourage thee for trusting in the Name of the Lord but diligently incline thou thy Ear to the righteous Counsel which is the Light and Life The Lord will satisfie thy Hungry and Thirsty Soul with his everlasting Loving-kindness in Christ Jesus and will create thee to a lively Hope and marry thee to himself in his own Righteousness where thou wilt receive Dominion to reign over thy own Thoughts and thy own will and to walk in his Strength in the Word of Faith which will give thee Victory over the World within and without so will thy Heart be kept pure thy Conscience clean and thou cloathed with the glorious Garment a meek low and a quiet Spirit and so become the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus the second Adam and the Lord of Life and Glory and here is the Dwelling-place of all the Sons and Daughters of Sion Citizens of the new Ierusalem who walk
in the Light as he is in the Light and so are Partakers of his Divine Nature and as he is so are we in this present World bearing his Name in his righteous Power guiding us in his Light Thought and Will which keeps us in the Heavenly Fellowship with the Father in the Son and one with another in him So all my dear Friends Brethren and Sisters who do witness proud ambitious Self buried in this Heavenly Baptism in Conformity to Christ in his Death and you made alive through Faith in Christ our Light and Life as you have received Christ so walk in him in all Humility and godly Fear and true Watchfulness that your own Thoughts Will and Unbelief have no Dominion over your Spirits but every Minute of Time as they appear through Faith in Christ the perfect Light and Life keep your Dominion and reign over them And thus in Christ being victorious over all Self in you you will reign as Kings in the Authority of the glorious Truth of God over all the Power of Darkness without you So whatever you suffer for the Testimony of the Name of Christ he takes it as done unto himself and better a Milstone were hanged about their Necks and they cast in to the Sea then hurt or offend the least of you my Brethren and Sisters who are regenerated and born again and your Confidence is in the Lord alone So in all your Sufferings whether spoiling Goods or imprisonments or whatever your Trials be from the Sons of Men that you meet withall for your Testimony in the Blessed Truth of God let nothing Discourage you but judge all your own Thoughts and in the Glorious Light and Life in Christ Jesus rest in Peace in the pure Contentation within the Gates of Sion where your Faith and Patience will so abound in you that you shall weary out all your Persecutors and the Blessing of the Aâ—mighty God will be upon your Families who are rent one from another to fulfil the Sufferings of the Body and you shall wear your Crowns who thus patiently wait in a Quiet Mind and Resigned Will And in the Word of the Lord I declare it to all you who suffer Imprisonment as is before written That all the Wrath of the Power of Darkness shall not be able to keep you an Hour longer then the King of Eternal Glory hath determined for the Renown of his Glorious Truth on Earth and your Comfort forever Therefore let Patience have its perfect work for in Peace are we to Conquer and in Quietness to Prevail over all that resist the rising of the King of Glory who liveth in us who hath been Dead but now Alive in whose Life keep your Habitation in the Word of Faith which is in our Hearts and in our Mouths and this is the Word of Faith we preach unto you and which you are to contend for against all Evil Attendances both within and without for by this Word of Faith are the Armies thaâ— would alienate your Souls from the Enjoyment of the Lord within you beaten back and overcome and the Mouth of the Roaring Lyon stopt and all the Fiery Darts of the Devil both within you and without you quenched therefore as the Valiants of Christ Jesus in his Name and Nature contend for the Faith which is delivered unto us his Saints for this is our Victory that overcomes the World even our Faith as it was with our Brethren of old in Ages past I have fought a good Fight I have kept the Faith henceforth is laid up for Me a Crown of Eternal Glâ—ry And here iâ— our Fellowship with the Father in the Son and one with another in him and all dear Brethren and Sisters in this Word of Faith keep your Meetings both valiantly and faithfully that so none of you be found forsaking the assembling of your selves as the manner of some is who are out of the Word of Faith but as the Lord hath counted you worthy to be his Dwelling-place on Earth and his Tabernacle amongst the Children of Men Prize every Oportunity the Lord affordeth you to meet together in his Powerful Holy Name with the Loins of your Minds girt up with the Word of Faith in you which will empty you of Self and cloth you with the Garment of deep Humility and fill you with the Riches of his Everlasting Love and Endless Mercies for God dwelleth with the Humble but the Proud he beholds afar off So without Faith in the Name of Christ and a Humble Spirit the In-dwelling Presence of the King of Eternal Glory you cannot enjoy Therefore I charge you in the Name of the Lord Hearken not to any Suggestions within you nor Counsels without you that would draw you to sleight or forsake meeting together in the Name of the Lord Jesus but let every particular Member know your Service in the Body that by your Faithfulness others be encouraged to meet with you to wait in the Light to feel the Living Refreshings of the Lord and when you are refreshed with the Income of God's sweet Presence be watchful that not any utter words rashly before the Lord to spend your Talent in a forward Spirit to satisfie the Lust that would appear further then the Lord would have them as some have done which has brought them under a great Vail of Darkness and have lost their Way and returned with Sorrow to the burdening the Hearts of the Righteous but Tender Plants wait to know and truly discern between the Milk of the Word and the Words for the Milk of the Word is a Sweet Stream in the Refreshing to the Nourishment of this heavenly Birth that it may grow thereby and some the Enemy hath drawn to speak forth that which they in a retired Silence were to feed upon and grow up in its Nature Therefore dear Friends wait in the Light that the Word of the Lord may dwell plentifully in you as it is written so are we Witnesses If any have my Word let him speak my Word faithfully is not my Word like a Fire and a Hammer that breaks the Rocks in pieces which sealeth up the Testimony God calleth unto in the Heart of his Disciples Therefore all be very circumspect in this weighty Matter that whatever you feel of the Refreshings of God in you that you do not let any thing come forth either in Words or Sounds or any Noises but what is brought forth in the Authority of this Living and Powerful Word then will the Blessing of the Lord attend what is brought forth be it much or little either in Words or Hymns or Joyful Sounds do not quench it but answer the Lord in the Authority of the Word of Eternal Life and the Sons and Daughters of the Lord who are thus exercised will not burden any but it will be a Stream of Refreshing in the Hearts of all the Righteous thus will every Vessel be preserved in the Life of Truth and not go but as the Presence
to him and I have been very well as to any matter of Sickness until this Sickness came upon me And dear Mother I would have thee remember my love to my dear Sisters Relations and Friends and now I have nothing to do I have nothing to do A Friend answered Nothing Mary but to dye Then she said to her Mother I desire thee to give me a little clear Posset drink then I will see if I can have a little rest and sleep before I dye When the Posset drink came to her she took a little and desired her Mother to give her a little drink to wash her Mouth Then she said to her Mother I have a swelling behind my Ear but I would not have any thing done to it nor to my sore Throat nor Mouth for all will be well enough when I am in my Grave Then she asked what time a day it was it being the latter part of the day her Grand-Father said the Chimes are going Four she said I thought it had been more I will see if I can have a little rest and sleep before I dye And so she lay still and had a sweet rest and sleep and then she awaked without any Complaint and in a quiet peaceable â—rame of Spirit laid down her head in peace when the Clock struck the fifth hour of the 9th day of the 2d Moneth 1680. We whose Names are under-written were Eye and Ear Witnesses of what is before expressed as near as could be taken and does not much vary from what she declared as the Substance though much more sweet and comfortable Expressions past from her but for brevity-sake are willing this only to publish who stood by her when she drew her last Breath William Dewsbury her Grand-Father Mary Sam her Mother Jone Deusbury her Aunt Hannah Whitthead a Friend Dear Friends IN the Light of Christ to wait upon him to renew you in the Spirit of your minds to serve the living God. My dear Friends mind your Calling unto which you are called to wait in the Light to retain God in your Knowledge to feel the work of Regeneration perfected in you that you may truly learn to take up the Cross daily and to feel the heavenly Power manifest it self in the Light to raise you up in the Life that makes self of no Reputation and dryeth up the Tongue of the Egyptian Sea and bringeth all Flesh to true silence in you before the Lord then will not any be hasty to utter words before him but all in true Watchfulness and Prayer wait for the heavenly Inspiration of his holy Spirit to overcome your spirits and to sanctifie you in making you obedient to the Heavenly Government of Christ Jesus in you who will lead you forth of your own thoughts and wills in a humble subjection to his blessed Light Life Thought and Will which will order you in all faithfulness to walk with God in your Families to be good Examples by your good Conversation that so you may set up a Throne in the Consciences of your Children and Servants and all with whom you have to do in having all your words and works seasoned with the good savour of the Spirit of the Lord that he may give you an assurance that the Church of God is in every particular Family and that you are his dwelling-Place amongst the Children of Men then will the Angels of his Presence pitch their Tents about you in the day when this Scripture shall be fulfilled as it is written Pour forth thy Vengeance O Lord upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon all the Families that call not upon thy Name And dear Friends be watchful in Prayer always that you may enjoy the heavenly Life to exercise you in all faithfulness strive to exceed in Humility and Carefulness in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ to meet together that he may exercise guide and order you in all Services upon the account of the blessed Truth of our God that in the meek spiritual Life and Love you be subject to serve the Lord and one another in all love and tenderness of Heart in doing unto others as you would have them do unto you then will the Lord take delight in you and make you manifest to be his chosen Jewels and Saviours upon Mount Sion in repairing the Breaches and restoring the Desolate in bringing back again in the Bowels of Love those that have been driven away or turned aside either to the right hand or to the left in the hour of Temptation and daies of Tryal Oh you meek humble minded spirited People of the Almighty God lift up your heads and keep your minds staid upon the Lord to help you to keep your Habitations of Peace within the Gates of Sion where Salvation we have for Walls and Bulwarks whose confidence is in the Lord alone in whom I beseech you live in the endeared Love of Christ Jesus who gave his Life to Redeem us to himself and gave strength to his Redeemed ones to forsake Wife and Children to give up our lives daily in Tumults Stripes Blood-shed with cruel Sufferings both in Prison and when at Liberty for to bring Enemies out of enmity in the Light to be in union with God Oh be intreated to seek the Lord to subject all your minds to this Love of God in Christ Jesus to rule in you then will the desire of my Soul be answered in your restoring and gathering to God as is before written who will then build you up in the unity of the Spirit and bond of Peace which will enable you with Patience and meekness to weary out and overcome whatever is contrary to his pure peaceable and blessed nature the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Through your Brother and Companion in the Kingdom of Patience and Tribulation in the Lord Iesus Christ. W. D. Warwick Goal the the 10 th day of the 12 th Month 1680. A General Epistle to be Read in the Fear of God. In and amongst the Assemblies of his People My Dear Friends IN the Light of the Lord all Watch and Pray that you may receive Power through Faith in the Name of Christ to Reign over your own Thoughts and Wills then will you Delight in taking up the Daily Cross to the Mortifying of the Earthly Members That your Conversations may be as becometh the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ which will make you Manifest to the Witness of God in every Conscience that you are the Salt of the Earth that have kept your State and Habitation in God and doth retain the Sweet Savoury Spirit of Life which Seasons all your Words and Works and Ministers Grace to all with whom you have any concern to the Exalting Gods Blessed Truth over all that Watch for Evil which will cause their Eyes to fail and frustrate their Expectations for ever Amen And Deaâ— Friends I beseech you be Faithful upon all Accounts for the Service of the
Enemies but many were Convinced and received the Truth in the Love of it in beholding the Unity of faithful Friends to their everlasting Comfort and the Honour of the Name of the Lord forever which caused my Soul with the rest of the faithful Labourers to praise the Name of the Lord in blessing the Travel of our Souls and giving us to see the Fruit of our Labour â—n hâ—s Vineyard and the Peace and Unity of his People But of late I have heard that thou my antient Friend Edward Nightingal and Iohn Cox with some other in that City doth meet in a Separating spirit from the rest of Friends in that City which casts a Stumbling-block in the way of many And instead of gathering People to receive the Truth you scatter and drive them away and giveth great advantage to them that watch for evil and is of a bad savour and a Wounding of the Spirits of them that truly fear the Lord I can truly say that your meeting in that Separating spirit which is such an evil savour in the Nation hath been and is more Affliction to me then all Persecutions and Imprisonments I have endured unto this day Therefore I intreat and beseech thee my Antient Friend Edward Nightingal with all that meet in the Separation from the rest of Friends in the City to turn your minds to the Light of Christ in you that will let you see you have not done well and with it judge that which hath led you to Separate from meeting with Friends and return to meet with Friends in the City in the sweet Concord Love and Unity in the Life of the Blessed Truth as in the days of old and Years past of which I am a witness with the rest of faithful Friends that in all our Meetings whether in the Prison or in the City we never wanted the sweet appearance of Christ our Life in us and amongst us according to his Promise and our Comfort then and so is it now with all that meet in his Name and Unity with his People as we did in those days which was many Years before the Enemy could get any enterance to make a breach amongst them that make Profession of Gods blessed Truth and to draw some into a self Separation as he hath done you and too many elsewhere For I do assure you it is the work of the Enemy of your Souls for you should not have Separated but have kept your places amongst Friends and not have taken offence because Friends see there might be some service for Truth in meeting twice on the First Day it is very like in that City some that had a Love to Truth might get an opportunity to come to one of the Meetings It is very much to me how you let the Enemy get over you as to cause you to Separate from Friends which if you had kept your places in meeting with Friends you in time might have seen a Service in meeting twice a day as well as they For you may be sure that Separation neither restores any to love the Truth neither gathers any to God but rather scattereth and driveth away some that was gathered in Love to Truth by the painful and faithful Labourers that was truly sent of the Lord as is before written Therefore in the earnings of tender Bowels of the Love of God to you I once more beseech you that you in Humiliation wait in the Light of Christ he will let you see how the Enemy led you from the Light out of your places when you Separated from Meeting with Friends and in yeilding obedience to the Light it will bring you into your places again to meet with Friends to your Comfort and the Honour of the Name of the Lord according to the Counsel of the Lord in my Heart here sent unto you But if you reject the Council of the Lord which in his Love I am moved to send these Lines unto you then shall I Lament your Conditions because of the evil consequence your Separation will produce to your sorrow and wounding many God would not have Wounded for which you must give an account And before you lay down your Heads in peace you will remember me who hath not hide from you the Counsel of the Lord. W. D. Warwick the 21 st day of the 11 th Month 1684. A General Epistle to Friends from that Ancient Servant of Christ William Dewsbury MY Dear Friends and Brethren who are called forth of the World and pluckt as Brands out of the Fire by the Heavenly Power of God and hath Convinced you of his Everlasting Truth in the Light of Jesus Christ My dear Friends as have you received the Truth in some measure watch and pray and Believe in the Name of Christ that his Power you may feel in the Heavenly Inspiration of his blessed Spirit to lay Judgment to the Line and Righteousness to the Plummet that all that is not Obedient to the Light of Christ may be kept down and buried in the Heavenly Baptism under the Sentence of Death as it was and is with all the Children of God who have received the Sentence of Death in our selves that we may have no confidence in our selves but alone trust in the Living God which will keep you all in the sweet seasoned savory Spirit of Life in all your Words Tradings and Dealings amongst the Children of Men then will you be manifest and known to all People to be the Salt of the Earth who retain the savour of the Heavenly Life in the Blessed Truth in you that every one according to your Measure may be felt upon all occasions continually streaming forth in the savoury Spirit of Life to the Comfort of your own Families and the City of God who over all is Blessed forever And my dear Friends I desire all to be watchful that not any come short of what is required of them both Rulers of Families and Parents of Children while you have a day to be with them call your Families together to wait upon the Lord in the fear of his Name certainly the Lord will answer the end of your endeavours in causing the savoury Life to stream through you to season your Servants and Children that the Church of God may be in every paâ—ticular Family and Habitation of his People Great is tâ—e concern upon my Spirit for the Children of all that profess the blessed Truth of God that all Parents may stand iâ— their places to bring up their Children in the fear of the Lord while they are in their Minority and tender Years and under their tuishion not to be too indulgent to them in suffering the Spirit of the World to rule in them to have their own wills and to do those things which are not according to the Truth of God and to connive at their Children instead of reproving of them and crossing the Spirit of the World in them and causing them to be content with such things as is
hath caused many a sorrowful Heart and given cause to the Enemies of God to rejoyce which hath been a greater Exercise and Trouble to me then all the sharp Persecutions and Imprisonments I have endured for the Word of God and Testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ c. Therefore in the Bowels of the Love of God I beseech and entreat you all who have been or is concerned in what is before written let the Love of God so abound that in it all labour for Peace and Unity in Christ the Prince of Peace who in love laid down his Life for us when we were Enemies and called many of his Children in our Age to give up their Lives in the heaâ— of the Day Weeks Months and 〈◊〉 to gather Enemies unto the knowledge of 〈…〉 with God therefore wait for the heavenly Wâ—sdâ—m to bear one with another that if any who are Conscientious to God and Blameless in their Conversations having a concern upon their Spirit to declare in publick Assemblys the Truth to edifie the People I beseech you in the love of God that not any through disaffection shew at least any publick opposition but rather speak to the Party in private if there be any occasion for him to be spoken to so will the Enemy be prevented of casting a stumbling block in the way of tender spirited People that comes in love to be Comforted in the Meeting and in so doing it will cause Love and Unity to abound amongst Friends that in the Love of God all may be restored that hath been scattered and brought again into Unity to meet all together in the Everlasting Truth to feel the Healer of Breaches to reign who is the restorer of the Desolate exalted in his Kingdom in all your Hearts to offeâ— up a Peace-offering in passing by all Offences that have caused Dis-union and to bind you all up in the Unity of the Spirit and Bond of Everlasting Peace to meet all together who profess Gods Blessed Truth to Praise his Holy Name all as one and one as all while we are here in these mortal Bodies and forever when time here shall be no more even so be it with you all saith my Soul in the Name of the Lord to whom is my Prayers that all may be accomplished as above written until it be so with you I shall remain your exercised Brother in the Kingdom of Patience and Tribulation of our Lord Jesus Christ. William Dewsbury My dear Friends through the sharp Persecutions that was passed through in the heat of the day and many long Imprisonments being nineteen Years a Prisoner in this Town of Warwick and four of them being kept close Prisoner it hath pleased God to suffer my Health to be Impaired that many times I am forc'd to rest two or three times in going to the Meeting in the Town not being of ability of Body to travel as in Years past I do in the Love of God visit you with this Epistle desiring it may be carefully read in the Fear of the Lord in the Assemblies of his People that Peace and Eternal Vnity may be amongst you in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Given forth in the movings of the Peaceable Spirit and Word of Reconciliation in the Lord Iesus Christ to whom is my Prayers that all Convinced may wait to be made of the number of the Slain of the Lord and conformable to Christ in his Death that they may witness his quickening Power to raise them up in the Resurrection of Life to enter into the Gates of Sion to dwell in the City of new Jerusalem where Peace is within her Gates and Quietness amongst all that have their Habitation therein having Salvâ—tion for Walls and Bulwarks and are the blessed of the Lord preserved by him to the Honour of his Name forever Amen W. D. Warwick the 4th of the 10th Month 1686. These following Epistles were found in Manuscript without Dates To all you proud Priests that dare to add your Wisdom to the Testimony of Jesus KNow this as from him that he is come to lay open your Deceits and the Conjuring deceiving Inventions of your own Brains which you sell for so much in the Year to maintain you in Pride and Lust for to eat of the Fat and be cloathed with the finest of the Wool and so deceive the simple and lead them on in Blindness and Darkness in making people believe the Inventions of their own Brains to be the Word of the most high God as in taking part of the Testimony of the word Jesus and add to it the Inventions of their own Wisdoms branching it into Doctrines Reasons Uses Helps and Motives according as their fancies guides them and then takes the pure Testimony of Jesus to prove the truth of this their Conjuring deceiving Inventions though the Scripture tells you that no Prophesie is of any private Interpretation for the Prophesie came not by the will of Man but holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and saith Iohn in the Revelations I saw in the right Hand of him that sat upon the Throne a Book written within and on the back side sealed with seven Seals And I saw a strong Angel Proclaiming with a loud voice Who is worthy to open the Book and loose the Seals thereof and no Man in Heaven or in Earth or under the Earth was able to open the Book or look thereon now when Iohn saw that the mystery of Salvation was hid from all Creatures he wept much because none was found worthy to open the Book neither to look thereon And one of the Elders said to Iohn weep not behold the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah of the Root of David hath prevailed to open the Book and loose the Seals thereof and hath revealed his mind to his Servants that obey his Counsel to him be all Glory and Honour and Power for evermore Oh cease thou vain Man from adding thy Wisdom in opening the Seals in telling poor ignorant people what means the Scriptures by thy studied Sermons and Expositions which is the Invention of thy own Brains and putting words into the Mouths of poor ignorant people to sing Praises to the most high God for there is none can sing but the ransomed of the Lord and they return to Sion with joy and singing and everlasting joy is upon their Heads And the Apostle saith If any be Afflicted let him Pray if any be merry let him sing Oh therefore come down you vain proud Men that call your Traditions the Worship of God and causes the people to err by your Lies and by your Lightness And I sent them not neither commanded them therefore they do not profit this People at all saith the Lord Hear what the Lord saith unto you I testifie to every Man that hears the words of the Prophesie of this Book if any Man add unto these things God shall add to him the Plagues that are written
guide them forth of it in the Light to have union and fellowship with the Father of Light in Christ to whom you are come to be your Wisdom and he will establish your Souls in righteousness and peace that give up your selves to be guided by him Dear Friends Let the love of God that hath pluckt you as Brands out of the Fire and hath counted you worthy to be as the first Fruits of the Lamb constrain you to be faithful upon your watch to wait in the Light of Christ to dwell in his power that in it you may grow up in his Life and pure discerning to know the Deceit in all appearances and the Beast in his lying Wonders who keeps all in a Form of Truth that lends an Ear to him but out of the Life but in the Light of Christ you may know him he leads into a Form of words when the Life speaks not so the Soul doth not enjoy what the Mouth speaks and the Beast which is the Will is at Liberty from under the Yoke and out of the Cross painted with the Saints words and with you sits deckt a painted Beast above the Cross of Christ working lying Wonders in â—â—rming Sights and Groans when the pure Seed of God is not regarded which is in Prison the sighing and groaning of that the Lord hears and he will deliver that which Sighs and Groans to him for deliverance with groans that cannot be uttered and the Deceit also will work violently in you whose minds are turned from the pure Light to form and immitate the true Power that did pass through you from the Life but being faithful in your watch in the Light of Christ you may know him in his deceitful working in the mind he leads out of the Fear of God into a formality to appear before men so into Pride and Emulation which is to be thrown down and condemned with the Light of Christ. This is the word of the living God to you his dear and chosen Children in the Light all meet often together and take heed of lending an Ear to the Adversary the Devil who goes about like a roaring Lyon to tear you from the Light and to Sow the Seed of Enmity to watch over one another with an evil Eye to spie out one anothers weakness and to declare it to others behind their backs and to lay open their infirmities and discover their shame and uncover their nakedness thou who practises this art turned from the pure Light into Hams cursed nature which the wrath of God is to and is to be condemned with the Light of Christ in which thou must wait and own the condemnation upon that nature and to blind and pluck out that evil Eye and to open the pure single Eye to judge the deceit and guide thee in Obedience to the Light least thou perish in thy disobedience Dear Friends in the pure Light Power and Life dwell and take heed of speaking words in the sight and visions of the Truth when you are not in the Life and Power all mind the Union in the Power which will be manifest in all that wait in the pure fear in the silence of your Spirits in the Light for the living Power of Christ to declare it self in you and even through you to the praise of his Name who is worthy for this is the Word of the most high God to you his Sons and Daughters whom he hath chosen in his eternal love to watch over one another in love with a single Eye as over your own Souls and if you see any of the Children of Light through the Subtilty of the Devil prevailed against and turned from the Light take heed of laying open their infirmities to discover there Shame in uncovering there Nakedness to others but thou that discovers their conditions in tender Bowels of love minister to the pure in the Conscience to raise up the Witness to restore them again with the Spirit of Meekness then wilt thou save their Souls from Death and hide a multitude of Sins and here is Christ and his Disciples serving one another in love washing one anothers Feet in ministring to the pure to wash away the filthy nature and bearing one anothers burthens so fulfilling the Law of Christ who did bear the Burthen for us when we were Enemies he died for us and in fulness of time hath manifested his mighty power in you in raising up his Seed that you might be of the first Fruits in him to grow Trees of Righteousness in his Vineyard to bring forth Fruits to the praise and glory of his great and glorious Name who alone is worthy God Blessed forever God Almighty be with you his dear and chosen Children and his powerful and dreadful Spirit accompany you in all your ways and his eternal Power establish you in Vnity of the Spirit and Bond of Peace that in it yâ—u may stand over all the World and the troubles thereof within you and without you in his Power stand fast and unmoveable in the will of God where I am present with you saluting you in the Bowels of tender love in the eternal Vnity W. D. Dear Pretious and Beloved Friends CAlled in the Light of the Lord to stand living witnesses for God in the midst of a crooked wicked perverss and untoward Generation Dear Friends all in the Light and pure meek Spirit of the Lord enter into the Chamber of Rest which God hath prepared for you in his unlimitted Power to dwell there to stay your Minds and keep your Confidence and hold fast your Faith that so the door may be shut that not any thing enter which would cause feebleness of mind faintness of Spirit or in the least measure would cause you to stagger at the promises of the Lord who hath promised he will never leave us nor forsake us that what tryal soever any of us be called unto who love the Lord and have given up our names unto him he will not suffer one hair of our Heads to perish but what shall be for the Glory of his Name and the Comfort of our Souls forever as many of us are witnesses of the faithfulness of our God in making our passage pleasant through all Tryals and Suffering that hath been unto this day which is now manifesting it self as was proclaimed amongst you in times past Therefore I beseech you all dear Friends put not the day of the Lord afar off for a general Tryal will go on all that make mention of the Name of the Lord that it may be known who are truly born of God and who are not that so his pretious Jewels may be made up which doth and shall more and more shine forth in the brightness of his Glory being established in his Light Life and Love which the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against because the Lord is the strength of all that is born again and for their sakes he is making a short work in the Earth and to
hasten his peculiar People through the Tryals according to the determination of his own will for the Glory of his Name and the eternal Comfort of the righteous Seed which the Lord hath blessed that so he may establish Peace in the Earth and Purity and Holiness amongst the Children of Men which will be the end of all these Tribulations therefore wait in the Faith and Patience you chosen Vessels of the Lord anâ— be faithful in obedience as at other times with the Loyns of your minds girt up to the Lord in his unlimitted Power to rest and reign in a quiet still mind giving up both Goods and Life fâ—eely casting all your care upon the Lord who will answer the expectation of his People and work a mighty deliverance neither by Sword nor Spear but by his own out-stretched Arm in the day of his dreadful and terrible Vengeance which he is hastening upon the Earth that shall cause all Hearts to fail that know not God the Wicked shall confess to his righteous Judgments and the Righteous shall bow before him and the Heathen shall know he is our God and that we have not trusted in his Name in vain for he will judge righteously upon the Earth and give unto every Man according to the Deeds done in the Body then wo wo wo to the Proud and Wicked it shall go ill with them Ah but you dear Suffering Innocent People of the Lord lift up your hands and rejoyce for the Lord is dear over you as the apple of his Eye and great is the reward of the faithful 't is you shall reap the Fruit of your doings and shall rejoyce when the Wicked shall Roar and Howl in the sence of his fierce Wrath for he will get himself a glorious Name in consuming his Enemies with the breath of his Mouth and the brightness of his Coming even so hasten thy Work O Lord it s the breathing of my Soul with all thine that thy dear Children may be delivered from all their Oppressors that in thy Power and Life they all be kept by thee to the perfecting thy Glory forever where is the Rest of your dear Brother W. D. Dear Children of the living God LIft up your Heads in the Light of the Covenant of God and Reign in his Life and Power over all that would draw your minds from staidness in his fulness and give God a Sacrifice of Soul Body all he hath given you In the word of his patience to stand valiant when you are called of God let not Demas's nature be obeyed in any to forsake God and imbrace this present evil World. Dear Children as you have received Christ the Light Life and Power of the Father so let us walk in faithfulness to finish our Course to the Glory of our God who is now bringing to pass what he hath revealed to his Servants that we may shine in the Glory of the Word of Faith and Patience in Jesus Christ our Life in whom we do and shall enjoy all things needful in whatever is endured for his Name sake Oh be bold and valiant in Christ you in his Word and Life and Patience shall Reign forever to brâ—ng a Blessing upon all the Earth the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it through his Servant W. D. My dear beloved Brethren ANd blessed Companions in the Tribulations Kingdom and Patience in the Lord Jesus Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplyed in and amongst you to perfect you in the Dominion of the Almighty God to keep the Word of his Patience in faithfulness quietly to rest in that Will of God that the weighty Seed of God in you stand in pure liberty to keep you all in the Life and Power of Truth that every one of you may have the Seal of the Spirit of God in your own Hearts that you suffer for the Word of God and Testimony of Jesus Christ then whatever is done to you he takes it as done unto himself and will judge your Cause in Righteousness to the Confusion of the Faces of them that afflict you in this his day wherein he wilâ— bring forth his Praises over all the Earth to the astonishment of the Nations and People that know not God c. Oh my dear Friends the Lord recompence into your Bosoms an Hundred fold for your faithfuâ—ness to the Lord in which you have caused his Renown to sound over the Land to the comfort of the Hearts of the Upright you have largely consolated and made glad my Heart in these my Bonds and caused my Soul to rejoyce with high Praises unto my God in whom I behold the Travel of my Soul and am satisfied in my return to the Prison-House bearing the Sheaf with joy Stand faithful Witnesses for the Almighty God blessed forever even the Lord God of eternal Power keep you in the savory Life together in Love and Unity and Faithfulness unto the end and in all things your words to be few and in the fear of God So saith my Soul in the Name of the Lord Farewel Your dear Brother W. D. FRiend thou who wast in the Place of the Mayor in Terrington the Thirtieth day of the seventh Month with the others that say with thee they are in Commission to do Justice the day before mentioned you abused the Power committed to you and turned your Swords against the Innocent whom you wounded inasmuch as you could In the fear of God consider what you have done is this the Fruit of your Fasting and Humbling your selves as you say when you have done to Smite with the Fist of Wickedness and instead of entertaining Strangers you use them so Barbarously as was made manifest when I was with you this is not to Rule for God an account you must give to the Judge of Heaven and Earth Oh Men How will you stand in that day when it shall be said unto you I was Sick and in Prison and you Visited me not Hungry and you gave me no Meat Naked and you Clothed me not a Stranger and you took me not in The day is near to this account you will be called with the Lord of Life and Glory and though you say When did we see thee in Prison or a Stranger and took thee not in the answer to you as is Recorded in the Scripture of Truth Inasmuch as you did it not to the least of those that Believed in my Name you did it not to me saith Christ of whom the Scripture Testifies Oh Men while you have time prize it and sleight not the day of God's Mercy and come unto him and diligently encline your Ear to his Counsel the Light in your Consciences that lets you see the evil of your Hearts and your unjust proceedings against Innocent Men and wait in the Light that will shew you as is written that the Lord may give you Repentance unto Life that you perish not in the day of his fierce Wrath wherein he will recompence to every one according to