amongst whom the Lord sent this his dear Servant and Messenger George Fox with the Message of Life at the publishing whereof in the Demonstration of the Spirit and Power of Jesus Christ the aforesaid John Camm my dear Father with John Audland Francis Howgil Edward Borough Richard Hubberthorn and many Hundreds more were convinced and their hearts opened as was the Heart of Lydia in former days and by the Revelation of the day of God and the inshining of his Heavenly Light in their Hearts they came to see that they wanted the lively possession of what they had made a great profession of which profession several of them had esteemed of as great riches of all which they came to be spoiled their Wisdom that stood in words only being confounded they became as Fools and at the Revelation of Jesus Christ they consulted no more there with but it became as Dross and Dung in comparison of the excellent Knowledg of Jesus Christ revealed by his Spirit to regenerate them and sprinkle their Hearts and Consciences from dead words to which they were Stangers notwithstanding their great profession under the sence of which great was the Gry and the Lamentation of many unspeakable for the day of the Lord was dreadful and terrible upon every high and exalted thing and many lofty ones and tall Cedars high in profession were bowed down under the mighty hand of Gods Power and Judgment begun at the House of God the Heart his Temple and by the Spirit of Judgment and Burning the eternal God entered and begun his blessed Work in order to redeem purge and make clean Vessels for his own use and service through and by whom he might carry on his blessed design and work in the Nations to the Glory of his Eternal Name And John Camm amongst many others was bowed down under the mighty Power of the Lord and the operation of the blessed Spirit was effectually known in his Heart and Soul whereby he was made willing to take up the Cross and become a Fool for Christ's sake forsaking the World and all the Glory Delights Pleasures Wisdoms and Riches of it of which he had enjoyed a share equal if not above many of his degree for naturally he was a Wise Man in Worldly matters having at that time great concerns and dealings therein and the World seemed to smile upon him and the riches and glory of it had exceedingly encreased and was then likely to encrease more yet notwithstanding all this the Lord so prevailed by his Power and Spirit in his Heart that he was made willing to part with all and counted it a blessed exchange to be made an Heir in Christ of that durable Riches laid up in Heaven that his Soul had Travelled for so that it was no hard thing for him to forsake all for Christ's sake and become a despised Follower of him through many Tribulations And after a day of great trouble and inward exercise through the blessed operation of that Spirit of Judgment and Burning wherein he saw the old Heavens and Earth to pass away as a Scrole and all things to be made new even as a prepared Vesselâ— the Lord filled him with his Power and Spirit and put his Word in his Mouth called him from all his outward concerns and enjoyments to publish the same word in the Demonstration of his eternal Power unto which he of a ready mind was made obedient and Travelled into all the Northren Countries to the Borders of Scotland and to London to declare the Message of the Lord to Oliver Cromwel then called Protector being accompanied by dear Francis Howgil who were two of the first that published the Message of Truth in that City as in this our day gloriously revealed and made known In a little time after his return from London he with J. Audland F. Howgil Edward Borough and Richard Huberthorn who have all blessedly finished their Course and time here in that blessed Work which the Lord called them unto being entred into the Joy of the Lord the Labours together with part of the Travels of Francis Howgil Edward Borough and Richard Huberthorn are already collected by other Brethren to which the Reader is referred these five Brethren Travelled out South-ward John Camm and Edward Borough through the middle of the Nation the others through other parts as the Lord directed them and after some time they all met together with several other Brethren at London where the Lord had a great Work but after some time John Camm and John Audland were called towards Bristol after that time Travelling together where and in the Countries adjacent was a Door effectually open'd unto them and many Hundreds were by the Word and Testimony of Truth by them published convinced and turned to God many of whom have to this day kept their Integrity to God and are their living Epistles and can bless the Lord on their behalfs who made them instrumental in his Hand to beget them again into a lively hope in Christ the Lord through whom they have a strong hope to receive an Inheritance amongst the Sanctified being prepared to the Kingdom of glory everlasting How gloriously the Lord appeared in that City and the Countries adjacent and how he prospered his Work in the Hands of these his Servants how great and manifold their Labours Travels and Perils in those Parts I am not able to relate but shall leave in hope that some one or other of my Brethren in those Parts may be engaged to perform some part of that work who may have a larger knowledge thereof as being present with them in many of their exercises which were not a few to my knowledge but such was their zeal for the Lord and the prosperity of his work that their very lives was not dear unto them for the Lord the Gospel and his Peoples sake but to spend and be spent they were freely in the will of the Lord given up their care and watchings being for the prosperity of his work continually And being that my Father was but naturally of a weak constitution of Body inclining to be Consumptive by the many and daily Travels that he underwent his outward Body did waste and his strength spend exceedingly having a most violent Cough so that for several Years before his death he was never able to walk on Foot half a Mile at one time nay many times he was not able to go up one pair of Stairs into a Meeting-place without help yet nevertheless while the Meeting continued through the enlivening Power and Spirit of God would have been over the sence of his Bodily weakness but after the Meeting was over many times as one ready to be dissolved In this outward weakness he Travelled through many Countries and places of the Nation to the confirming and strengthning of the Flock of God for several Years sometimes taking me along with him to wait upon him his weakness being grown so great that he was not
work sake on the contrary where any was slack or negligent or taught themselves in an exalted mind it grieved his Spirit exceedingly I have known him often to lament and mourn under the exercise thereof Some time before he was taken out of the Body he had a clear sight or Vision upon his Bed I being at that time with him concerning two I shall not need to name them the Vision being fulfilled hath marked them out to all whose Eyes are open who were with him in the beginning called to the work and service of the Gospel and being in measure together with himself concerned therein yet grew slack in that work and begun to be exalted and gathered to and sought themselves and being that his Spirit was so grieved therewith and time hath given to see the clear fulfilling thereof I have had it weightily upon my Spirit for a long time as my Husband and some other Friends can bear me record to publish the same for the Glory of that eternal God that reveals his Secrets to those that fear him and by his holy Spirit gives to see things to come and also for the service of Truth and Friends and as a reproof upon the slack and exalted ones who seek themselves not the Glory of God nor the good or unity of his People upon whom its evidently fulfilled and in as much as the Lord hath made way for the foregoing Testimony relating to my dear Husband J. A. deceased in the discharge of my Conscience and to ease my Spirit of its Burthen I am engaged to insert the Substance thereof as followeth judging it both a proper place and season It was on this wise viz. He saw a very large Mine where there was very much precious Ore to be digged out but with great and hard Labour and the Lord and Master had called him with many more to Labour in this Mine in order to work and digg out this good and precious Ore and who was most dilligent in Labour was to be most liberally rewarded and the command was that they might work in every part of the Mine but must all gather to oneplace and to one heap the work prospered and became exceeding great to the glory of the Lord and their Joy comfort who were found diligent but in process of time he looked behind him upon others that were labouring and amongst them beheld two who had been antient Labourers to begin to slack and would but work where it was most easie in their own time and by their own appointment not regarding the command of their Lord and not only so but when they found a piece of Ore more rich and goodly then some other whether it was of their own digging or no they did gather it to another private heap of their own for themselves to their own benefit and not the Lords whereupon he cryed out in the grief and bitterness of his exercise to see such disobey the Lords command in gathering to their own heap Ah! Lord it was thy command that we should all work at thy appointment and gather to one heap and for a time it was so and thy Heap encreased and Work prospered but now there 's two that 's begun to gather to themselves to their own heap and not to thee And being in a great exercise of mind and Spirit he a woke and the power of the Lord was upon him and did make him Tremble very much and under the sence of what he had seen he did sigh and mourn greatly whereupon I asked him what was the occasion of so great exercise and he told me with much Sorrow what he had seen concerning those two Labourers that had been called to the work and gathering to the Lord with him and many others and whilest faithful were loved with a Brotherly love for their works sake and further told me that the thing would come to pass and be fulfilled in a few years as certainly it is as many can testifie yet notwithstanding Gods gathering goes forward and his heap daily encreases and the idle slack unfaithful and the self-gatherers shall be covered with Rags and shall have their Portion with the rebellious in a dry Land. Before his departure he would often be speaking of his being taken from me desiring me to be content therewith for the Lord would care for me and by his heavenly Providence order for the supply of my want of him as I kept my trust in the Lord And truly even so it hath come to pass blessed be the Lord who hath blessed me with the enjoyment of another faithful Husband according to my Hearts desire to my unspeakable comfort so that I might justly reflect upon my self for great ingratitude if I should not both humbly and thankfully acknowledge the care and blessing of my God to be exceeding large and great for which my Soul is under Obligation for ever to extol and magnifie his holy living and powerful Name And thus having in the fore-going Testimony cleared my Spirit as it lived with me in the sight of God I shall conclude with an humble Address to his heavenly Majesty in the behalf of all his gathered ones that they may be kept and preserved in all faithfulness and holy Obedience by the Arm of his everlasting power that having run their race and finished their course they may with their Brethren that are gone before be swallowed up in immortallity for evermore and that by the same eternal Arm that hitherto hath not only girded me with strength to undergo many Trials and deep exercises but also hath been abundantly stretched forth to double and redouble blessings both spiritual and temporal upon me I may be assisted to answer the unspeakable Mercies of my God in all Faithfulness and holy Obedience and having fought the good fight of faith and finished my course with joy in the fulness of Gods appointed time being made acceptable in the beloved Son I may enter into that eternal Kingdom of Glory that 's prepared for the faithful into which my late dear Husband with a Remnant of faithful Brethren are already entered to rest with the Lord in the heavenly enjoyment of them and together with them to Laud and Praise his honourable Name in the Highest World without end Amen Amen Camsgil the 4th day of the 2th Month 1681. Ann Camm A Testimony to the glorious Morning of the Day of unexpressible Visitation of the Love of God in particular to the City of Bristol and adjacent Parts and to the great and mighty Power of the Lord appearing in and with his two precious Servants Jobn Camm and John Audland who came to the City in the year 1654. AFter the long and tedious Night of Apostacy spread over Nations and dismal Darkness over People it pleased the Lord God of Heaven and Earth to visit this Northern Island and first the Northern part thereof with the Morning of his ever blessed day from whence came the aforesaid blessed
his Power will descend wonderfully in an increasing manner and his Glory will shine his River of Life flow yea rhe Spring of the great deep will be broken up and the Windows of Heaven will be opened that you may be abundantly filled with Joy and Thanksgivings holy Renown and Songs of deliverance with spiritual high Praises ascending his Throne which will be as sweet Incense and a Sacrifice acceptable to our God. And here you shall spend the residue of your days in Dominion over both the Snares of the Enemy attending Prosperity and Liberty Adversity and Persecution seeing over all things that have their rise in Mortality and Time feeling Mortality swallowed up of Life immortal and so gathered to the general Assembly to the Church of the first born to the Spirits of just Men made perfect yea to the first and last God the Judge of all to whom be immortal high Praises and holy Renown for ever and for evermore But if the wonderful Blessings tender Mercies and following loving Kindnesses that the Lord God Almighty every way extends unto us in this Age be not duely reverently and obediently taken notice of but instead thereof any shall forsake and be unmindful of the Lords tender Mercies and thereby imbrace lying Vanities going out of the spiritual Diligence into a spiritual Idleness through which a spiritual Slumber overtakes and the Lamp thereby be inwardly neglected the spiritual Watch and Cross slighted and not duely regarded but the Earth and earthly things take up the exercise of the Mind and Affections Then I say instead of injoying what is above expressed Tribulation and Anguish will seize upon all such and the dreadful Judgement of the eternal God that lives for ever and ever will overtake all such unfaithfulness A dreadful Cup ye shall drink of from the Hand of God and distress from the rebukes of the Lord shall distress you and you shall be numbred amongst the people of his Indignation in his dreadful approaching day of signal pleadings with all Flesh that have corrupted its way before him and therefore hear fear and dread the holy Name of the Lord and whilest it s called to day bow before him and speedily return unto him least your day pass over and ye sleep the Sleep of eternal Death and Destruction and be separated for ever from his refreshing Presence in which is Life and from the glory of his divine Power Therefore all dear Friends every where retire inwardly see feel and understand the Counsel of the Lord which unto you springs all retire inward that are not there in great humility before the Lord that you may feel the blessed Work of God blessedly begun perfecting your inward man growing in the Root of Life and as you have professed the Knowledge of a spiritual Oracle before the Nations you may approve your selves in the sight of God following its Instructions in all things and go not without it lean upon the Lord and cry to him to gu de you with his Eye and lead you by his Arm and so guide you in the way everlasting and this is his promise whilest you keep with him he will be with you never leaving nor forsaking you if you do not leave and forsake him his Presence and glorious Arm of Salvation shall surround you to the renown of his Name and consolation of his People Amen Amen C. Marshall The Several BOOKS EPISTLES Written By those Two Faithful Servants of the LORD John Camm and John Audland John Camm to O. Cromwell ON the last day of the first Moneth called March about two of the Clock in the Morning I was moved of the Lord to write these ensuing Lines and to lay before thee the cause of our coming hither to London Friend we came not to thee to Petition any thing from thee in the outward but in the tender Bowels of Love to exhort thee to mind thy own condition how thou standest in relation to the Lord God of Heaven and Earth who is Powerful and Pure and Holy who will not acquit the Wicked but will wound the hairy scalp of him who goes on in iniquity before whose Presence all stands naked and bare who knows and sees all the secrets of thy Heart thy out-goings and in-comings to whom thou must give account of all things done in the Body whether they be good or evil Therefore in love to thy Soul were we moved to come to exhort thee to stand in the fear of the Lord and in his Counsel and to mind the Light in thy Conscience which is puâ—e and oâ— God to guide thee in the great Affairs of the Nations for to keep in his fear is safe for dreadful and terrible will the day of the Lord be to all who are found out of his fear and acting in their own wills and bounding and limiting the Spirit of the Lord and walking contrary to the pure Law of God the Light in their Consciences And we knowing the Terrors of the Lord were moved to exhort thee in love to thy Soul for the righteous Seeds sake which lies in bondage every where under the oppressing nature that thou might'st be an Instrument in the Lords Hand to take off Oppression from of the necks of the â—eople and to remove their Yoke which hath been promised long and now the power is in thy Hand and thou must give an account to the Lord how thou hast Ruled for him for the mighty day of the Lord is come and is coming wherein all Faces shall gather blackness it is a day of Darkness of bitter Lamentation and Woe at whose Presence the Mountains shall melt and the Hills shall tumble down before him and all the tall Cedars shall bow and the strong Okes shall be broken down and the Roofs rent and the Earth shall remove out of its place it s a day wherein the Lord will plead with all Flesh with his Sword and with Fire In which day the Lofty shall be brought down and the Lord alone exalted which day we witness fulfilled in us in measure Praises Praises to the Lord God for evermore And therefore Friend we having this Testimony made manifest in us by the eternal Spirit of God we declare this unto thee that thou mayest not be found acting against the Truth for they who are guided by the Spirit of God will do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth By which Spirit we are gathered out of the World up to God and have escaped the Polutions of the World and by it we are brought in obedience to the pure Law of God which is written in our Hearts and his Spirit within us is our Teacher and so we deny all the teachings of Men who have not this Law and Spirit to guide them and for so doing we suffer by them who are not guided by that Spirit For my Sheep know my Voice saith Christ and they follow me and will not follow a Stranger and we know the voice of Christ
is shed amongst you so in the pure Light abide which is your Eye by which you will see the Lords Love to you and wait in it that you may know the washing and the cleansing by the Blood of Jesus which Purifies the Heart and Sprinkles the Conscience and so the Mistery of Faith you will know so this is the Word of the Lord to you to exhort you and charge you that you all wait upon him from whence strength comes that your strength may be renewed that you may grow dayly and increase in the Riches of the Love of God and that you meet often together and dwell in Love and in the Bond of Peace and joyn to nothing which is contrary to the Pure Life for thou that joyns to that which defiles the wo is upon thy Head from the Lord God and there is the Hypocrite and the Dissembler which hath the Form but not the Power whose mind joyned to the Harlot and wo is the end of that profession therefore all dwell in that which keeps pure in the Measure that all may be crucified and mortified which is upon the Earth and from the Earth and abide in that which mortifies daily and crosseth the Earthly part and works it out and this is the Word of God to you whose minds are turned to wait in that which turns the mind the same leads up into the endless Life so the Mighty Power of the Lord God be amongst you and keep you that all strong holds may be broken down and that the Word of Life ye may all dwell in which gives Life and cuts down all that which is against the Life so fare you well The Lord God of Power carry you along on your Journey to the Eternal Sabboth we are your Servants for the Truth sake and the Seed sake Salute us to all Friends our Love flows freely to you your growth is our joy and riches growing in the Life you will see the Crown of Life and raign over the World and there we are your dear Brethren in Joy and in Tribulation John Audland John Camm The Testimony of Mabel Benson concerning John Camm her late Husband deceased THis short Testimony I have to bear for and concerning John Camm my dear Husband deceased that he was a tender dear and loving Husband to me one that feared the Lord and was freely given up to spend and be spent in the Service of Truth as Hundreds can testifie his life and delight being therein to the end of his dayes a pattern of Holiness he was in his Life and Conversation to the Flock of God he was exceeding noble and faithful in the Testimony of Truth he never shrunk in the time of his greatest Tryals which were not a few the Lord being always with him to the astonishment of his Enemies after he had travelled several Years in the work of the Ministry though in great Bodily Weakness the Lord was pleased in his Mercy to bring him home to his outward being to finish his course in much Peace to my great satisfaction the which in Measure abated my sorrow in the loss of him as to his Bodily presence together with my being well satisfied that he is at rest with the Lord and made richly to partake of the joys of Heaven in everlasting Life therein to praise the King of everlasting Glory unto all eternity Amen Mabell Benson John Audland's Letters and Epistles To Friends soon after he was gone forth in the Ministry Dear Hearts IN the eternal Truth every one in your Measures mind your own condition and be Low Meek and Humble for such the Lord teacheth Mind the fear of the Lord always to dwell in it that his secrets may be opened for in the fear the secrets are made manifest and the Pure know the secrets but the Wisdom of God is hid from the vulterous eye but that eye which comes out of Death comprehends Death and the Grave and sees God which no Man can but the Son declares him for he sees him Now dear Hearts wait for the Son to be made manifest in you every one in particular keep your Eye single that your whole Body may be full of Light. My dear Hearts be bold in this day of the Lord and valiant for the Truth upon Earth you who are redeemed from the Earth up to God to serve him and are called let nothing stand between but keep open that Eye which comprehends all the Earth keep out the Earth lest that the Eye be vailed keep clean within that nothing grow up within but what is pure that so you may discern the impure and you who are kept pure be bold to reprove the Unfruitful works of darkness and have no Fellowship with them neither within nor without for if any thing be spared within it will spare without and to be Rebellious is as the Sin of Witchcraft Oh my dear Hearts my care is that you grow in the Truth and that you may keep single every one in your Measure take heed of coldness and dulness in any but dwell in Authority and speak in Authory that deceit may be confounded and banished from among you that so the Pure may be cherished in the Truth none be Careless but be Watchful and Watch one over another in Love that you may be established in Righteousness that the Land may rejoyce and the Peaceable flourish and all the Unrighteous be cut down by the Righteous And Friends dwell in the Power of Truth and mind the Presence of the Lord with you always which keeps bold and causeth you to tread upon all the Worlds Ways Words Worships Priests and Deceits that so you may be fed upon the Mountains in a large Pasture Dear Friends mind your daily feeding in that which is eternal and feed not the Carnal nor labour not for the Bread which perisheth but for that which endureth for ever And all Friends take heed of looking back for if any draweth back my Soul hath no pleasure in him But all dear Friends press forward in the strait way my Hearts desire and prayer to the Lord is that you may grow and increase in the Increase of God and that you may all be Faithful for there is your Crown Oh be Faithful to the end that you may inherit all things and be partakers of that which never shall have end and keep in the Cross daily which will Crucifie daily and Mortifie daily your Affections which be upon Earth for the day of the Lord is approaching the good and happy day glad-Tydings to the Prisoner but a day of Terror to the Wicked and to all that live in filthiness who profess much Love to God with their Mouthes but the Heart going after Covetousness And a word to all you who are in that condition who draw near God with your Mouthes but your Hearts far from him to you who are convinced of the Truth of God and denies the Priests in words and come to Meet amongst the Saints
his hand and power against them that so turn their hand and power against his people for obeying him and exercising their Consciences towards him in waiting upon him and worshipping him according to that which he hath made manifest to them and such will be more inexcusable for persecuting now than the Jews were in former dayes for then the Saints met together and professed the Name of Jesus which the Jews did not say they believed in Besides it was in appearance such a new way and so different to the Law and manner of Worship which the Jews had that they had some seeming colour in their way but now for they that profess the Name of Christ and the Sicrptures of the New-Testament and the Saints Practice and Christ's Commands to be obeyed for these all things considered to persecute people for owning the Commands of Christ for practising the same things which they cannot but read the Saints practised and to hale people and commit them to Prison for meeting in the Name of Jesus to Worship God and to wait upon him yea and to be so far from cherishing such as to act the very parts of them that made havock of the Church and haled out both Men and Women and was exceedingly mad and caused some to Blaspheme and committed to Prison for the same things it doth appear to be great evil and to be even Sin against knowledge against their own Prefession as Christans and cannot be parallel'd with any of the Saints but with the Persecutors who hated and evilly entreated the Servants of the Lord in former Ages who never could accomplish their end though they caused many to suffer and now to put all out of doubt and to give all who opposeth the People of God in the way of God an absolute answer that they shall not be able to accomplish their end and therefore it would be far better to be quiet and to mind the Royal Law of Christ lest they by acting contrary do bring innocent suffering and Blood upon their own Heads and incur God's heavy Yoke of displeasure against them yea and a Fire be kinded in their own Bowels and a Worm which shall not dye and a dart strike through the Heart and Liver and so the end be as bitter as Worm-wood and as sharp as a two edged Sword these are Instruments of War which the Lord hath in his Quiver which is reserved for the Day of Battel when God pleads with all Flesh by Fire and by his Sword when the slain of the Lord shall be many when he will rain Snares upon the wicked Fire and Brimstone and grievous Tempests this is the Potion of their Cup But indeed we do desire the Conversion and Salvation even of our Persecutors and therefore to put all out of doubt as is before said that there is no prevailing against the Lord nor against the Sion of the Holy One in whom the Lord is We say the living God of Heaven and Earth hath made manifest unto us the Way to Life and called us to walk in it and united our Hearts together as many as live in his Power to serve him and to wait upon him and to meet together to Worship him in Spirit and Truth and we are perswaded to obey the Lord and believe in the Lord that he will strengthen us in his Way and Will unto the end For our strength is in the Lord and not of our selves who hath called us to follow him through good report and bad report and not to deny his Way because of sufferings but to endure in patience and let the Lord plead our cause in the Hearts of his Enemies Obj. And if any say Why will you not swear And why will you meet seeing there is a Law against you Ans For these two things we say We dare not disobey the Lord for fear of punishment or suffering outwardly and we meet together in the Name and Fear of the Lord Because the Lord God of Life requireth it of us that we should meet in his Name and Power and wait upon him and edifie one another in his Love and Life and in our Meetings waiting upon the Lord we have the presence of the living God of Life with us and the feeling of the vertue of his Love in our Hearts and he lifts up his Countenance upon us yea and comforteth us by his free Spirit whereby we know and are assured that it is according to the mind and will of the Lord and that he speaks Peace unto us And this being the real Truth let all the honest-hearted judge how we can in Conscience leave that which God requireth of us in obedience to which we have God's presence with us and do that which Man requireth of us contrary to the Truth in observing of which we should fall into Condemnation and feel God's anger and the Testimony of his Spirit against us to judge us which would be greater sufferings in the inward Man then all the outward sufferings which we may meet with for in these being faithful the Lord comforteth our Hearts 2. Again We meet together to wait upon the Lord because we fear the Lord God he hath placed his Fear in our Hearts and we know him to be great and mighty a great King above all Kings and a great God above all God s that is able to do whatsoever he will in Heaven and in Earth and in the Kingdoms of men and we know he is worthy to be Worshipped and to have the Heart given up unto him for he hath Power to change the Heart which Men by all their force cannot do and to give true and lasting Peace which the World can never take away and his Fear being in our Hearts we account him Lord and Ruler in our Consciences and worthy to be obeved in Heart Soul and Spirit And because we fear him more than Man we are bound in Duty to obey him for he hath power over both Soul and Body which Man hath not for Man can but kill the Body he hath not power to kill the Soul neither hath he power to redeem the Soul neither can Man convert the Soul by any force or penalty outwardly therefore Man doth but labour in vain for he can neither kill nor cure the Soul but the Lord whom we fear hath Power and is able to kill and to make alive And because we fear him more than Man therefore we chuse to obey him rather than Man and to meet in God's Fear And this being our Condition let the sober-hearted judge How can we deny the Lord who hath all Power and hath quickned us and redeemed our Souls from Death and go to obey Man contrary to Christ's Doctrine who hath no power over the Soul. Surely as we stand in God's Fear and Counsel we may not do this Evil and Sin against our God. 3. Again we meet together to wait upon the Lord because God hath made it manifest to us and perswaded
Years We say Men are not true Christians by Generation neither by an outward Profession but by an inward Change in the Heart wrought by the Power of God in the Regeneration And so if it be but a few Years in comparison since we or any of us were changed and turned to the Lord yet it was in the time when the Lord was pleased and saw good to visit us and we can truly say it was an acceptable day and time when we were turned from Darkness to the true Light and from the power of Satan to God And we are glad of it and can say Blessed be the Lord for it if it had been but yesterday that any of us were renewed in the Spirit of our minds to God for it is matter of Joy to us that the Lord hath gathered us in our day and time from off the barren Mountains into his Fold to wait upon him and to receive teaching and satisfaction from him This is far more to us to know the Lord changing us in our day and bringing us to know the things that pertain to our everlasting Peace than to have a large Profession of the Saints Words and yet to be out of the Saints Life and out of the way where true Peace and Rest is found to the Soul and so the Lord having manifested his Truth to us and brought us into the Religion in which he manifests his Presence to us we are content to wait in the Will of the Lord and may not forsake our Religion nor the Assembling of our selves together because Man saith to the contrary but walk according to the Gift of God by which only it is that true and faithful Service is performed unto him 4. Again we meet together to wait upon the Lord that our Consciences may be kept clear towards him that we may have the answer of a good Conscience towards God which if we should walk contrary to that which the Lord hath made manifest here would be shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience for so it was formerly if any forsook the Lord and his Truth after they had tasted of his good Word if they fell away from that which they had once known and professed of the Truth and Gospel of Jesus they made shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience and then they could not have the answer of a good Conscience neither had they Peace with God and what remained if they continued so but a certain fearful looking for of Judgement and fiery Indignation which will devour And therefore we knowing the preciousness of the answer of a good Conscience towards God do prize it and esteem it as a Jewel of great worth and we may not forsake the Way of the Lord wherein we have the answer of a good Conscience because of outward Force and go into that in which we should suffer Anguish and have a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and a sting in our own Consciences therefore we can put it to all who fear the Lord to judge of if it be not safe for us to abide in the Way of the Lord and to be faithful to him though we may meet with Sufferings in this World. 5. Again we meet together in the Fear of the Lord and own the doctrine of Christ to live in it because we are perswaded in the Fear and Power of the Lord God of Life who is our strength that nothing shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which we have in Christ Jesus our Lord the Love of God is so Comfortable and his Favours is so refreshing to us and the Testimony of his Spirit is so satisfactory in our Hearts that we are perswaded nothing will be able to separate us our Strength is in the Lord and he is all-sufficient to keep us through all by his mighty Power unto the end waiting upon him and abiding in his Power he is able to save to the uttermost and this were the Saints formerly perswaded off that nothing should be able to separate them from the Love of God and they met with many hardships and were oftentimse cruelly intreated and shamefully handled as the Scriptures declare yet through all the Lord was with his people and comforted their hearts in their following of him and the Love of God abounded to them and in them and they were Conquerors through him that loved them Now if any at that time denyed the Truth for fear of man or any other thing they came to suffer in their hearts and to feel sorrow in their inward man for when iniquity enters into the heart it darkens the understanding and also the creature loseth the sence of the Love of God and if there be not Repentance and a returning unto the Lord Iniquity grows more strong and love grows cold in such and the heart grows worse and worse and is hardned by degrees against the Lord and his people and then there is a separation from the Love of God and the feeling and earnest of sorrow and tribulation upon every one that doth evil therefore we are perswaded that it is safe for us to wait upon the Lord in the way which he hath made manifest unto us that so we may receive the Power to renew our strength that we may walk on in the Path of Life and nothing separate us from the Love of God which we have in Christ Jesus Shall tribulation or affliction or Principalities or Powers separate us from the Love of God Shall force by carnal weapons or Prisons cause us to deny that which God hath made manifest unto us Is there Powers against us Thrones against us well this is safe for us to abide in the counsel of God that we may always feel his Love in our hearts and if we suffer let us suffer here because of our faithfulness to the Lord If we must go to Prison let us stand in the Power of God that his Love and Life blessing and heavenly Presence may be with us Better to suffer outwardly in Prisons and Holes and have the Love and presence of the Lord with us then to disobey the Lord and walk contrary to his gift and so suffer inward anguish and sorrow of heart and some thing separate us from the Love of God and then who can speak peace to us if the Lord speak trouble but if the Lord speak peace it 's no matter though man may speak trouble though the wrath of man may rise high yet he that doth whatsoever he will in Heaven and in Earth he can make it to turn to his Praise and the rest of it he will restrain and blessed are they that have the Lord with them on their side he speaks peace to them in the midst of all his love refresheth our Hearts and so to put all out of doubt we are perswaded in the Power of the Lord that nothing will be able to separate us from the Love which we have in our Saviour and here it
Servants of the Lord Jesus having received the everlasting Gospel from the Angel of Gods presence to Preach in the demonstration of his Mighty Power with which indeed they were filled John Camm was an Ancient man full of Zeal and Fervency in the Gospel endued with the precious Gift of discerning and sound Judgment terrible to the man of Sin and full of bowels and tenderness to the travelling Souls Sharp and terrible to the evil but sweet and Friendly to the tender and well inclined unto the way of Righteousness not sparing his weak body which he offered up even unto Death to serve the Lord God in his blessed work of gathering which he saw in a plentiful manner to his great satisfaction a farther Testimony of him as to his Country Life Travels and Death is given by his dear Wife and Thomas Camm his Son and his Wife to which I refer His memory is blessed and his place is among the living Ancients in Jerusalem John Audland was a younger man of a sweet ruddy and amiable Countenance and of a chearful Spirit one of the Wise in heart filled with the excellent bright sparking glorious Power of the Lord God everlasting in which he appeared many times so filled that immortallity shined in his Face and his Voice was as Thunder therein dreadful in the Strengh of the Lord of Hosts against the man of Sin and those in Covenant therewith terrible in the dread of God against the Workers of iniquity but livingly tender to the sensible Travellers and poor in spirit Ah! my Soul hath a sensible remembrance how the Doctrine given him of Christ Jesus dropt as dew and sweetly descended as the refreshing Rain He was a Labourer indeed Night and Day in the Labour of the Gospel in which he extreamly spent himself and his fervent and unexpressible Travells in and about the City of Bristol I am well satisfied laid a Foundation for the wasting his natural Life which was spent and offered up for the Truth and in the work of it and indeed he with dear honourable John Camm was instrumental in the Hand of the Almighty God of our Gatherings and the spending their lives and strength was most in their Labours and Travels amongst us in the City and adjacent parts of which I was an eye and ear witness being with them frequently These two faithful Ministers of Christ Jesus came to the City of Bristol in the 5th Month 1654. and first they came amongst a seeking people who kept one day in the week in fasting and praying waiting for and breathing in Spirit after the Morning and Visitation of of God and Day of Redemption and amongst us they spoke the powerful Word of Life in the dread of his Name that lives forever and we were seized on and smitten even to the Heart and that Day and the Visitation of it over took us which we had longed and waited for and from Darkness to the marvellous Light of the Lord we were turned Some Meetings we had before the more general gathering in and about that City which began on this wise On a first day in the morning I went with these two Servants of God about a mile and half from the City to a little spring of Water where I often had spent many Solitary hours in my tender years seeking the Lord where we sat some time and drank of the spring After some hours of the morning were spent I saw in them a great travel in Spirit Trembling J. A. said let us be going into the City so we came to the Street called Broadmead to a house where were several People met together enquiring after these two men of God. John Audland was under a great exercise of Spirit and said Is here any one that has any interest in any Field An ancient man said I have in a Field prety near notice being given to the People in the house they came forth and as we went along people in the Streets went also to the Field called Earls-mead so that we came a pretty number where some Seats or Stools were brought Dear John Camm began to speak renderly and in great Zeal directing to the heavenly Grace of God and â—estifying against Sin and Iniquity fervently to which some were attentive in this season I perceived a great exercise of Spirit on my dear Friend and Father in Christ Jesus J. Audland who very much trembled After dear John Camm stood down he stood up full of dread and shining brightness on his countenance lifted up his Voice as a Trumpet and said I proclaim spiritual War with the Inhabitants of the Earth who are in the Fall and Seperation from God and Prophesie to the sour winds of Heaven and these words dropt amongst the Seed and so went on in the mighty Power of God Almighty opening the way of Life But ah the seizings of Souls and prickings at heart which attended that season some fell on the Ground others crying out under the sence of opening their States which indeed gave experimental Knowledge of what is recorded acts 2. 37. Indeed it was a notable day worthy to be left on Record that our Children may read and tell to their Children and theirs to another Generation that the worthy noble Acts of the Arm of Gods Salvation may be remembred which have been the way of the Lord leading his Servants through Generations c. At this Meeting many were effectually convinced and from Darkness to Light turned after which our Meetings grew larger and larger They visited the Meetings of them called Independants and Baptists testifying amongst them in great power the things given them of God directing the poor and needy in spirit that saw their want of the Lord Jesus Christ no longer to seek the Living amongst the Dead but look from the Mountains and Hills dead Ways and Worships unto Christ Jesus the Foundation of Life and Salvation and there was added unto the gathering daily and great dread was round about and in our Meetings under the seasonings of the holy Ghost Oh! the Tears Sighs and Groans Tremblings and Mournings in the sight of the middle will of partition that we saw then in our awakened States that stood between us and the Lord and in the sight and sense of our spiritual wants and necessities Oh! the hungrings and thirstings of Soul that attended daily and great travels of Spirit to obtain through the working of the mighty Power of Gods dominion and Spiritual Victory over the Enemy of our Souls who had lead us in the Paths of Death and Darkness and indeed as the Visits of Gods holy and ever blessed Day was signal and unexpressible as aforesaid so I Testifie in the fear and dread and awe of God Almighty we received the Gospel with a ready mind and with broken Hearts and affected Spirits and gave up to follow the Lord fully casting off the weights and burdens and the Sin that easily besets and from the evil ways and vanities of this
unity it s like the precious Ointment on the head that ran down upon the Beard even Arons Beard and went down to the Skirts of his Garment as the Dew of Hermon and as the Dew that descended upon the Mountains of Sion for there Mark the Lord commanded the blessing even Life everlasting This was the state the holy Power of the great God gathered a people into For concerning them it is left upon record they continued daily in fellowship and that with one accord Now dear Friends we clearlysaw felt and understood in the precious Morning of our tender Visitation that the same ancient Power of the Lord that wrought powerfully first to disunite us from the nature which separated us from God and then to bring us up into unity and fellowship with himself in his dear love and therein one with another For here ever was and is the the Foundation of the true Unity even that of the Spirit in which love the Body edifies it self and is increasing and building up a holy Habitation for God through the Spirit so then all abiding and growing up in the love of God and walking with him in the divine nature Unity encreaseth amongst all the Members and Branches taken out of the wild-Olive and planted into and abiding in the Vine of Life Christ Jesus our Head and Law-giver and here the Church of Christ grew up into a state of being clothed with the Sun and the Moon under her Feet Ah! precious blessed sweet and glorious station But did it always thus continue in the Apostles dayes Ah! no the old Serpent the Enemy of mans welfare wrought powerfully and cunningly first to draw forth from the R oot of Life and out of the holy Love and spiritual subjection to this glorious Power that had gathered them to a daily inward walking with God and to draw out of a spiritual exercise of the Spiritual Cross and holy Watch as before has been demonstrated c. And then fruit from another Root was brought forth as the Reader may note in several Epistles and in John's Testimony to the seven Churches of Asia Then the Power of the Lord that had gathered them moved to exhort to put away bitterness Wrath Anger and Clamour Evil-speakings and Malice Ephes 4. And now dear Friends with your Lamps trimmed and burning look inward searching every corner of your Hearts that clear unto your own understandings every one of your states may appear as it is in the sight of the pure al-seeing God that so all the Enemies darknings and vailings and turnings aside by what way or means soever may be clearly with the Light of the Lamb seen and discovered And tender Friends those that have seen the sweet lovely precious stateof Unity and Concord that the excellent Power of the Lord God Almighty gathered into and was gathering into in the blessed morning of our day and the spiritual advantages comforts joy refreshments and divine Satisfaction that attended the Church of Christ in this true and spiritual Unity with our the Lord Jesus Christ and one with another and on the other hand Head the anxious exerising consequences of the Enemies prevailing to break unity and of the lamentable effects thereof so that all the true hearted sincere spirited to God cannot but on the on Hand admire prize and unexpressibly esteem the precious Unity And on the other hand greatly dread the turnings aside and going out of it For those who have kept their Habitation and lived to God as they have tasted and enjoyed the sweetness and beheld the amiableness of this Unity and Amity so they have felt the sorrows and anguish of the effects of the contrary which have caused them to go many days and months with bowed down Souls crying to the Almighty God of tender compassion Night and Day under the unexpressible weight thereof and the tender God of Love bowed his ear to the cry of the Poor and sighing of the Needy and has arisen in the might of his Power and the Majesty of his Glorious Presence hath relieved and his holy Arm has been made bare through which he hath redeemed his Darling from the Dog and his dear ones from the Devourer and still continues working to bring into this precious unity in the holy Light of Life with God in Christ Jesus and one with another And now dear Friends every where unto you and to the Generation coming after I have this Warning and tender Advice to leave behind me in the Name of my God that hath been with me in my Travels in his Power Work and Labour of the Gospel of Life and Salvation Keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace and let none give way to a prejudicing Spirit which leads into secret Whisperings Back-bitings and such like evil and pernicious Fruits the working of which Spirit is like a Moth in a Garment dividing destroying spoyling and eating up for indeed as Sion is a City at Unity with it self under the seamless Garment of Christ Jesus and there all are well and safe growing increasing and flourishing so when the Spirit abovesaid prevails to draw out of Sions Gates and from within her Walls of Salvation Oh! what deplorable work and havock will it make in its Growth and Progress working as I said before of the Moth gradually and secretly first but as it prevaileth and increaseth in its growth and strength it will appear as a roaring devouring Lyon seeking whom it may devour and swallow up Here comes in Pride and haughtiness of Spirit puffed up with the abundance of injoyment of outward things Emulations Heart-risings evil Jelousies Bitter-speakings Detractings and abundance of evil Fruit ariseth from this evil Root of Bitterness which Root and Fruit is to be brought under and sunk down under the eternal Judgment of the holy glorious sweet Power of the Lord. And therefore Friends I say unto you in the Name of the Lord God eternal let none give strength or any incouragement or nourishment any way to this Spirit in any of its murthering workings in any Heart but let it be looked on as a Vagabond and Fugitive in the Earth and so as it is kept out of the Camp of God and from Israels dwellings by the sweet living bright Power of the great God of heaven and earth it will perish under Truths Judgement set up in every soul and so the nature thereof as well as its evil rending and dividing fruits will be worn out and destroyed for ever And then all keeping in the first love pure fear living awe and holy dread fearing to offend our God and tender Father persevering in an inward keeping the holy Watch and abiding in Subjection and Obedience to the spiritual Cross in staidness of Mind soundness of Judgment and clearness in Understanding you see Comprehend and Fathom all the Enemies Devices Temptations and Snares and the Lord God beholding you in a stedfast Habitation of Obedience and spiritual tenderness before him
which God hath made manifest lâ—seth his Testimony where fruits would be brought forth unto Death and not unto Life and the Hand of the Lord will turn against such for them that honour the Lord he will honour but they that slight his Counsel and despise his Will shall be lightly esteemed all which duly considered we cannot as we live to God but bear witness to his Name and hold forth that Testimony which the Lord hath committed unto us 7. Again We are given up to obey and serve the Lord according to that which he hath made known unto us because no man must give an account unto God for us or answer for us in his day when the secrets of all Hearts shall be manifest and he will reward every one according to their deeds Bâ—t we must stand before the Judgement-Seat of Christ to receive a Portion from him and not others for us Therefore we may not deny the Lord because of Force Pains Prisons or Penlties because they that so force us will not answer for us though weight enough may be upon themselves yet that would not free us if we should forsake the Way of the Lord made known to us And let all people in soberness judge what reason there is that others should force us from that which we believe to that which they believe and yet if we perish by that means they can neither help us nor answer for us Is it not therefore meet that we should live in that Way in which we dare dye and give up all unto the Lord in and not be forc'd out of that Way in which vve have Peace and Love and the presence of the Lord vvith us into a vvay vvhere pain and anguish would fill our hearts and leanness and emptiness would be upon our souls and yet they that forced us from our good Haven and safe Harbour where vve lay at Anchor safe from the storm vvould neither bring us to any sure resting place nor yet preserve us from Winds and Storms and terrible Tempests but vve must by reason of such a force unavoidably suffer shipvvrack We say We may call Heaven and Earth yea Angels and all just men to bear vvitness to our Cause yea and the Eternal God of Life in vvhose hand is the breath of all living to judge between us and our Persecutors in this matter Hearken unto me ye that know righteousness the People in whose heart is my Law fear ye not the reproach of men neither be ye afraid of their revilings for the Moth shall eat them up like a Garment and the Worm shall eat them like Wool but my Righteousness shall be forever and my Salvation from Generation to Generation Isa 51. 7 8. J. A. A Question Answered which was proposed by the Bishops Official at several Places in Westmoreland to the people called Quakers in his Visitation so called about the 7 th Month 1663. Question WHY do you not come to your Parish Church or to the place of publick Worship appointed by the Laws of the Land to hear Divine Service and to join in Prayer with the Congregation and to perform other Rites and Cerimonies of according to the Church of England Answ First the â—postle saith Let every Man be fully perswaded in his own mind Now we are not perswaded in our minds either that God requireth it of us to come to these Places to Worship him or that it can be proved by the holy Scriptures according to the Practice of the Saints that we ought to come to these Places Secondly because we are not perswaded in our minds and that upon good Grounds and Reasons according to the holy Scriptures That the Priests which there serve the Cure so called are Ministers of Jesus Christ sent of God But much perswaded in our minds that God never sent them And that for these four Reasons First Because their Call to the Ministry is not the same as were the Call of the Ministers of Christ Theirs was by the Spirit of Christ not of Man nor by Man Theirs are of Man and by Man Time servers Men pleasers Covenanbreakers having a face to serve every turn and time not serving the Lord but their own Bellies and they used to say before they abjured the Covenant that they had not the infallible Spirit which the Apostle had and what Spirit is entered into them since let all that fear the Lord judge Secondly Because we are not perswaded that their Practice in their Ministry is not according to the Practice of the Ministers of Christ but according to the practice of the false Prophets and false Apostles which the Scripture testifies against Thirdly Because their Maintenance in their Ministry is not according to the Maintenance of the Ministers of Christ but like the false Prophets and them that went in Cain's way and Balaam's way greedily after Gifts and Rewards yea and preparing War against them that puts not into their Mouths Fourthly Because we are perswaded that their Doctrine is not according to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles but the contrary for they deny the Light of Christ which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World to be spiritual and sufficient to guide in the ways of Peace and this is contrary to Christs Doctrine and his Apostles again they say all that ever people do is Sin while they are here though Saints and people must never have freedom nor victory over Sin while they live upon the Earth and this is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles They say all they do is Sin their best Actions are Sin their Prayers are Sin to this we consent therefore they are not the Prayers of the Upright which God delights in nor were they ever sent of God whose Prayers and best Actions are Sin â—nd therefore being the Hirelings and Strangers which Christ never sent we are perswaded we ought not to hear them nor go after them Again Thirdly we come not to these places because we are not fully perswaded in our minds that the people there met together are the true Church of Christ or his Members And that for these three Reasons First Because they are a Company of miserable Sinners that err and stray like lost Sheep from the ways of God and are grievous Offenders of Gods holy Laws as that themselves confess therefore say we unredeemed yet in the way of Death not in the way of Life yet we do not deny but confess that there is a time when people do so err and are out of the right way but this in the Unconverted state such are not the Church of Christ nor Members of his Body while they are dead in Sins and Trespasses for the Saints who are Members of the true Church are quickned by the Power of God and ate raised up to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Secondly The people there met together do that which they ought not to have done and leave undone that