of the Lord goes before them Therefore let all dread and fear the Mighty God who have received any Gift to see that the True Birth possess the Gift which Birth makes Self of no Reputation that so the Lord of Life may exercise every one in the Improvement of their Gift to the Comfort of his People and his Eternal Glory and none go further then they have Assurance they are called of the Lord and his Heavenly Powerful Presence goes before them so will the Lord bless the Travel of every Soul and the Body be kept in the Pure Sweet Seaâ—oned and Savoury Life which edifieth the Body in the Love and Life of God which cannot be exprest and all that will not wait thus to be exercised as is here written but go out of their Places burthen the Life weary the Faithful and if they do not give over and submit to the Government of Christ to reign in them and wait in true Silence that they may speak no more of him but as he uttereth his Voice through them my Soul pitieth them for they will be as Wandring Stars and Darkness will come upon them therefore be Warned whose Consciences witness what is here written to be your Conditions c. And all tender Friends be very watchful and careful to keep your Meetings upon all Services on Truth 's Account both Sons and Daughters born of God that there may be no Confusion but a sweet Submission to one another in the Light and Life of Christ Jesus that as the Lord hath blessed your Meetings and Labour of Love for the Body's sake keep your Minds stay'd upon the Lord out of all Consultings with Flesh and Blood or any Strivings to appear to be any thing but what the Lord is in you to keep you all in Humility in a pure Subjection unto Christ that he may silence all the Councils fo Flesh in you and keep you in his holy dread and pure Fear to receive Wisdom from him to guide you to determine all Matters brought before you so that every one have your Eye to the Lord to eye his Glory in all your Words and Works so will Love abound and the Blessing of the Lord will be in the midst of you to guide you all in his pure Fear to do to every one as you would be done unto and watch over one another with a Pure Single Eye at all times that your Single Eye may be to the Good in one another and your Tenderness in the Love of God in all Humility to reach to the Measure of God to raise it up and thus will you stand in the Heavenly Nature Saviours upon Mount Sion to bring again them that stray and so restoring them with the Spirit of Meekness and here is Christ and his Desciples Washing one anothers Feet in all Humility and Heavenly Condescention one unto another the Strong bearing the Burden of the Weak and gently leading them forth out of that which burdens the Pure into the Light and Path of Life where the building up one another is in the most holy Word of Faith where we sit together in our Heavenly Places in Christ where Self is made of No Reputation but every one Serving the Lord casting down our Crowns before his Throne and with one accord singing the Songs of the Redeemed from the Earth all Glory all Honour all Praises and Thanksgiving Dominion be giving unto him who is found worthy to sit upon the Throne in our Consciences to feed us with the Brâ—ad that is sure and refresh us with the Water that never â—aileth so we that are many are made one Bread eating the Flesh of Christ and drinking his Blood where we have Life and that abundantly and we comforted together in our Heavenly Mansions in our sweet and pure Fellowship of the Gospel in Christ our Righteousness who is One his Name and Nature One in all his People and Salvation is unto us for Walls and Bulworks and here have we Peace in this Holy City New Ierusalem which the World knoweth not neither can they take it from us and here is no Strife nor Contention within her Gates but we witness the Promise of the Lord fulfilled I will make Ierusalem a Quiet Habitation In this City there is no more Curse but the Name and Image of God is written in the Foreheads of them that dwell therein that all that have to deal with them as they mind God's Witness in any Measure will confess These are the People of the Most High God born of the Righteous Seed which the Lord hath Blessed And in this Heavenly Government dear Brethren and Sisters all keep your Meetings and the blessed Persence of the Lnrd fill all your Hearts and inlarge his Love in you and amongst you to your mutual Comfort one of another and the Honour of his Great Name who is over all God blessed forever So will you dear Friends and Brethren comfort the Hearts of all Travelling Friends and Brethren who have not loved their Lives to Death to serve the Lord and gather you home into this Heavenly Rest the very Sense of their faithful Labours and Travels seeking nothing for Themselves but the Honour of God and your Establishment in this Rest it takes deep Impression upon my Heart both they that have finished who here did wear the Garments of Humility and now the Crown of Eternal Glory and my dear Brethren that are yet on this side the Grave who are labouring in the Service of the Lord in Faithfulness in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus dear Friends let your Hearts be affected as mine is that the End of their Labours may be answer'd in your Faithfulness in keeping your Meetings according to all the Exhortations that you have had through the Faithful Labourers and is expressed in this Epistle that you may grow up as an Holy Priesthood offering up the living and holy Sacrifice in your faithful Testimony and pure Unity of Spirit and Bond of Peace where my Soul is bound up with you in this Heavenly Rest in Christ Jesus our Light and Life over all exalted in us to Reign who is worthy forevermore in whom I rest Your Dear Brother W. D. London the 14 th of the 11 th Moneth 1675 Titus Oates's Certificate concerning William Deusbery and the Quakers Mr Whitfeald YOurs I Received in which mentions one Deusbery his name is William Deusbery a Quaker whom you would do well to Discharge He is no Iesuit nor like one I look upon it to be more discretion not to medle with any Protestant Dissenters in this day but bend our forces against the common Enemy of the Protestant Religion the Papist And endeavour to win by Arguments those that are Dissenters from us Sir here is a Certificate from some that hath known him these Twenty years and upwards who are Men of repute in their Generation and Protestants And I pray did you ever know that there was ever such a
fear seized upon my soul for a long time after and Iudas Condition was cast into my mind untill it were shewed that the seal of the Covenant was the spirit of Christ and no outward Element and the supper was the body and blood of Christ which the world doth not know nor I at that time but was made to wait for the manifestation of it to me Then I durst joyn no more wiâ—â— the world in that practise nor in their practise in singing Davids conditions which they called Psalms for the light in my Conscience let me see the evil of my heart that I was not in Davids condition the sence of which stopped my mouth and while they were singing I did mourn and weep for want of the pure spirit that David had that caused him to sing neither could I apply the promises which they told me belonged to me for I found no promise belonging to that nature but the wrath of God abode upon me for my disobeying his Counsel in me the Light in my Conscience but being ignorant it was his Counsel I departed from it and lent my Ear to those without that said they spoke from the Mouth of the Lord so was deceived and caused to err by their Lies that did draw me to seek the Kingdom of God in observations without but the Word of the Kingdom was in me and executed the righteous justice of God upon my adulterous heart that took counsel and not at his Mouth till I was consumed and my Body was brought so weak I was not able to answer the expectation of him whom the Lord had placed me with though my Conscience was clear I did what I was able and he in his carnal wisdom thought I was in a Consumption and was in minde sometimes to have sent me away to my Friends in the Flesh and other times he would have the men the World calls Doctors to apply some things to my Body for my Recovery but I was not free to let them but once for fear of giving them offence for I knew my infirmity was the evil of my heart that separated me from the presence of my God and how to be freed from it none told me and when I found no help in outward observations in Reading Praying Hearing or Meditating of what I heard my sorrow and misery was so great it constrained me to run to those the World calls Ministers and Professors which appeared to me had most acquaintance with God to ask them what I might do to be saved and they spoke smooth things to me to believe in the Name of Jesus Christ and to apply the promises but that he was to be found within me none told me which added to my sorrow telling me to believe in Christ I knew not where he was then at that time did the Wars begin in this Nation and mine Eyes being still abroad to do something in outward observations for my life the men called Ministers cried Curse ye Meroz because they went not forth to help the Lord against the mighty Then I was willing to give my body to death in obedience to my God to free my soul from 〈◊〉 that I might escape the Wrath I lay under 〈◊〉 get acquaintance with him I joyned with that little Remnant which said they fought for the Gospel but when I was amongst them I found as much ignorance of the Gospel as was in those I had been with none told me what the Gospel was but the Letter which is the outward Testimony and Declaration of the Gospel which is Christ who is the Glad-tydings to Sinners but they called the Letter the Gospel as I had heard before so I found no rest to my Soul amongst them Then I heard there was in Scotland a reformed Church whom they said walked in the fear of the Lord I journyed into that Country and to Edenbrough where I found nothing but formallity their Teachers calling to the people to seek the Kingdom of Heaven in outward observations as I had heard in England Then I returned back to England again and went amongst those that called themselves the Church of Christ who are called by the name Anabaptists and Independants who was setting up a more glorious Image in outward observations and said they were the Children of God but I could not joyn with them for the Testimony of his Love my Soul wanted And then the Lord discovered to me that his Love could not be attained in any thing I could do in any of these outward observations so in all these my turnings in my carnal wisdom seeking the Kingdom of God in observations without thither the flaming Sword turned which kept the way of the Tree of Life and fenced me from it and cut me down and rent all my Fig-leave Coverings destroyed that minde that looked out to seek the Kingdom of Heaven in observations or to hearken any more to hear the Word of the Lord from 〈◊〉 Then my minde was turned within by the Power of the Lord to wait in his Counsel the Light in my Conscience to hear what the Lord would say And the Word of the Lord came unto me and said Put up thy Sword into thy Scabard if my Kingdom were of this World then would my Children Fight Knowest thou not that if I need I could have twelve legions of Angels from my Father which Word enlightned my Heart and discovered the mystery of iniquity and that the Kingdom of Christ was within and the Enemies was within and was spiritual and my Weapons against them must be spiritual the Power of God Then I could no longer Fight with a carnal Weapon against a carnal Man for the Letter which man in his carnal wisdom called the Gospel and had deceived me but then the Lord discovered to me the deceits of all these men in England that were seeking the Kingdom of Heaven in outward observations and the Messenger of the Covenant forth of his Mouth proceeded the two-edged Sword with which he slays his Enemies cut me down and caused me to yeild in obedience to put up my carnal Sword into the Scabard and to leave the Army Then I returned to my outward Habitation and Calling I had in the World and there laboured with my Hands my minde being turned within to wait upon the Lord in the way of his judgments and this I witness the Administration of Moses in which Cain is banished Esau reprobated Pharoah plagued the first born of Egypt slain and my will brought in subjection for the Lord to do with me what his will was if he condemned me he might and if he saved me it was his free Love and in this condemned estate I lay crying in the depth of misery without any hopes of deliverance by any thing I could do to pacifie the Wrath of God till the Administration of the Prophets that witnessed to my Soul there was free redemption
laid up for me in the Lord Jesus and by the power of the Word of their Testimony there was a secret hope raised up in me to wait for his coming there I waited till the Administration of Iohn and I witness that of all that is born of a Woman there is none greater then Iohn for he is a burning and a shining Light who discovered more of the mystery of iniquity in me in his Administration and the sence of my condition was more manifest and the cry of my condemned Soul was great and could not be satisfied but breathed and thirsted after Christ to saye me freely through his Blood or I perished for ever and in this condemned estate I lay waiting for the coming of Christ Jesus who in the appointed time of the Father appeared to my Soul as the Lightnings from the East to the West and my dead Soul heard his voice and by his voice was made to live who created me to a lively hope and sealed me up in the everlasting Covenant of life with his Blood then I witnessed the wages of Sin and Death and the Gift of God eternal Life through Jesus Christ my Lord and I witnessed according to Testimony of Scripture Death raigns over all from Adam to Moses and Moses untill the Prophets and the Prophets untill Iohn and from this day the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force there is no rest to the Soul till Christ be manifest and this the Scripture witnesseth and I witness these Scriptures fulfilled in me in the year according to the accoâ—t 1645. The Witnesses that stood before the God of the Earth and had power to plague the Earth having finished their Testimony the Beast ascends out of the bottomless Pit and makes War against them and kills them and their dead Bodies lay in the Streets of the great City spiritual Sodom and Egypt where our Lord was Crucified and this Scripture was fulfilled in me in the year according to account 1648. Then Kindreds Tongues and the Nations of the Earthmade merry over the Witnesses and I see the abomination that maketh desolate which is spoken of by Daniel the Prophet standing in the holy place where it ought not and then was I led by the Spirit into the Wilderness and tempted of the Devil that the Scripture might be fulfiled Luke 4.1 In that day and hour of temptation which was in the time as the lines following giveth Testimony I witnessed these Scriptures fulfilled in me of Pauls condition wherein he complained as I then did who found a Law in my members Warring against the Law of my minde that when I would do good evil was present with me the sence of which caused me to cry Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this Death And as I was crying to the Lord to free me from the burthen I groaned under the Word of the Lord came unto me saying My Grace is sufficient for thee I will deliver thee and by the power of this Word I was armed with Patience to wait in his Counsel groaning under the body of Sin in the day and hour of temptation until it pleased the Lord to manifest his Power to free me which was in the year according to the account 1651. The Spirit of Life from God entred into the Witnesses and they stood upon their Feet then great fear fell upon all that saw them and the Temple of God was opened in Heaven and I saw in the Temple the Ark of his Testament and there were Lightnings Voyces Thunder Earthquakes and great Hail then mystery Babylon the great the Mother of Harlots and the Abomination of the Earth which made all Nations drunk with the Wine of the Wrath of her Fornication she was discovered in me and God remembred her when the mighty day of the Lords power was manifest upon her Jesus Christ was revealed from Heaven in flaming fire pouring vials of wrath upon her and rendring vengeance upon all in me that knew him not and disobeyed his Gospel and purged away the filthy nature that did me imbondage with the Spirit of judgement and with the Spirit of burning so through the righteous Law of life in Christ Jesus I was made free and am from the body of Sin and Death and through these great tribulations my Garments is washed and made white in the Blood of the Lamb who hath led me through the Gates of the City into the new Ierusalem where there is nothing enters that works abomination or makes a lie but what is written in the Lambs book of Life where my Soul now feeds upon the Tree of Life which I had so long hungred and thirsted after that stands in the Paradise of God where there is no more curse not night but the Lord God and the Lamb is my Light and Life for ever and ever I witness I am regenerated and born again of the immortal Seed and hath partaked on the first Resurrection on whom the second Death hath no power And this I declare to all the Inhabitants in England and all that dwell upon the Earth that God alone is the Teacher of his People and hath given to every one a measure of Grace which is the Light that comes from Christ that checks and reproves for Sin in the secrets of the Heart and Conscience and all that wait in that Light which comes from Christ which is the free Grace of God for the Power of Jesus Christ to destroy Sin and to guide them in obedience to the Light so shall they come to know the only true God and Father of Light in Christ Jesus who is the way to him And this I witness to all the Sons of men that the knowledge of eternal Life I came not to by the Letter of the Scripture nor hearing men speak of the Name of God I came to the true knowledge of the Scripture and the eternal rest they testifie it in Christ by the Inspiration of the Spirit of Jesus Christ the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah who alone is found worthy to open the Seals of the Book and I witness none else can for he alone opened the Seals of the Book in me and sealed it up to my Soul by the Testimony of his own Spirit according to his own promise I will bind up the Testimony and seal the Law amongst my Disciples and I will write my Law in their Hearts and put my Spirit in their inward parts and they shall not depart from me neither shall they need to teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother for all shall know me from the least of them to the greatest for I will be merciful to their Vnrighteousness and their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more and all my Childern shall be taught of me saith the
what I may whilst I have a being amongst the Sons of Men to the glory of his Name for ever And this is the state of the true Disciples of Christ that cannot feed of the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge although in your Journey and Travels dear Vessels of the Lord you see the Tree of Knowledge to be good where it stands in its place but the Fruit is not good to eat and feed upon because Knowledge puffeth up but Grace maketh humble Therefore dear Brethren and Sisters born of God who cannot live in any enjoyment but as you enjoy the Life and Presence of God from whence every good and perfect gift comes And dear Lambs although some of you be in your own Eyes the meanest amongst the People of the Lord yea at sometimes your Trials is so great that you are ready to account your selves unworthy to be numbred amongst the People of the Lord and yet you dare not disobey him neither can you live without his presence Oh you dear Children of God! lift up your heads over all Temptations and Accusations of the Enemy for your Groans and Cries are entred into the Ears of the Lord God who in the Bowels of his Love and Mercies doth constrain me to proclaim the day of the tender compassion of the Lord to all you who are truly poor in your Spirits Oh blessed are you among the Children of Men for yours is the Kingdom of God. Therefore be not weary of waiting upon the Lord for in his own time he will turn your Sorrows into Joy and give to you the spirit of Praises for the spirit of Heaviness as he hath done to many who have endured the like Temptations Tryals and Sufferings under which you wait this day for Deliverance and the Lord will be the same to you therefore be of good comfort for as the Serpent was lifted up in the Wilderness so is the Son of Man lifted up in the Light and Covenant of Life to heal your Wounds and save you from Sâ—n and to give you Victory over the Enemy in all his appearances so that you thorow Faith in the Name of Christ make War in Righteousness and fighting the good Fight in keeping the Faith you will he made more then Conquerors thorow his Love that he will shed abroad in your Hearts which will cause you to speak of his goodness and praise his Name for all his Mercies And all dear Children of the Lord who do witness in measure that you are truely baptized into his Death â—nd so are made partakers of his Resurrection as is before written which is the Life that worships him according to his own Will and so is truly accepted of him watch and pray that you may be guided in the power of his Spirit in all your ways And be careful that not any be hasty to utter words before the Lord neither suffer any sighs or groans or any thing to be heard to pass thorow you but as you have the seal of the Spirit of the Lord that he requires it of you this I am commanded to lay as a charge upon you that so all Flesh may be truly silent before the Lord and not any voice to be heard but the living Spirit of the Lord speaking in his People which you that wait in the fear of the Lord and minds his leadings may truly know as it is written so doth his Children witness He that hath my Word saith the Lord let him speak my Word faithfully Is not my Word like a Fire and a Hammer that breaks the Rocks in pieces Therefore all mind to feel the Word of the Lord speaking in you that the pure burning Life of the Spirit may be tasted and felt in whatsoever you be exercised in that so you might be fully assured it is not your own work as Man speaking of God but the Lord alone uttering his own voice in the forcible power of his own Spirit in what you are exercised in whether it be to pray in Sighs or Groans or in words or to speak in Exhortation or Praises you are not to quench the Spirit of the Lord in this his day â—hat he is come and doth appear in giving divers gifts unto his People in his appearance as he did amongst his Disciples who waited at Ierusalem for the pourings forth of his Spirit from on high but they that were strangers to the work of the Spirit could not taste the Life that spake in them but said They were mad and full of new Wine c. but the Lord justified them it being the work of his own Spirit and although he gave unto them various gifts yet all in the unity of himself in which they sacrifice in returning to the Lord his own with advantage to the glory of his great Name as his Children doth at this day blessed be his Name for ever that forth of the Mouthes of Babes his praise is declared in their measures as it is with those of higher growth in the Lord and so do the faithful Labourers reap the Fruit for which they Travel that all the People of the Lord may be filled with his Spirit and in the exercise and leadings thereof become a Body of living Ministers and a Family of Prophets the strong leading the weak by the Hand and in tender Love building up one another in their most holy Faith which gives the Victory over the World to Reign in the Heavenly Dominion which causeth the Children of the most high in the Authority of the Lord to say to the greatest Persecutors Oh man do what thou hast power the God whom we serve is able to deliver us out of thy Hand but if he will not we are resolved in his strength to suffer what he permitteth Man to do and this is the holy resolution of all that are Born again and cannot hide your Heads in the time of Persecution because you are Born of the Royal Seed and have overcome the beggerly cowardly earthly-spirit through the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of your Testimony and no more to love your lives to Death And all dear chosen Vessels of the Lord seeing he hath manifested his Grace so largely to you with all diligence be obedient in walking answerably to his Love and Mercy received that as living Witnesses for God you may shine forth in the beauty of Holiness in all your ways and be careful in keeping your Meetings at the time appointed every one endeavouring to be the first at the Meeting that so not any give way to a careless spirit as some have done and so come to Meetings when others have been a considerable time together and so becomes a burden to the diligent and obedient Servants of the Lord and so the Meetings are not so profitable to your comfort as when you meet diligently at the time waiting in the fear of the Lord to feel his sweet Presence which will keep you awake in the Life of his own Spirit to