and all we have And the Fryar told us if we would come to their Masse-house and receive their holy Sacrament we should be the most eminent Catholicks in all Malta but we denied them in the Name of the Lord and all their dead foppery which they have invented Here we are kept under the Inquisition as they say till they have Orders from the Pope of Rome what they should do with us We beseech you all faithful Friends pray for us for great are our trials Did you but know the abominations that the Devil hath invented here you would think it were tryal enough But here we have cruel mockings and the same contradictions trials and temptations that ever the servants of the Lord had Christ himself It is the wonderful Power of God that we are preserved till this time for all the whole Island are Papists and given up to Idolatry We are despised of all people and abhorred of all Nations and because they cannot have any just thing against us they do invent lyes against us but the Lord is on our side for else the Enemy would soon destroy us for great is their rage and we have continual War with them night and day we feel behold their threatnings and cruelty is more than our tongues can express Great is the love of our God for he doth refresh us with the sweet drops of his mercy and doth water us every moment with the everlasting springs of his Love or else we had fainted long ago Oh! let all who know the Lord praile and glorifie his holy Name for ever and ever Amen Dear Friends Friends farewel in the Lord. From us who are in outward Bonds in the City of Malta for the Testimony of Jesus glory be to his Name for ever who hath counted us worthy We are in health at present blessed be God Katharine Evan. Sarah Chevers Several other Writings to D. B. whilest he was in MALTA OH thou tender-hearted one whom our God and our Eternal Father hath sent to relieve us his poor innocent Lambs in hard bondage and deep captivity which thou art an eye-witness of none can receive or discern it but those that do see it But our Heavenly Father who hath respect to the rest of them that believe in his Name hath sent thee to be an eye-witness in some measure of what we have undergone Oh my dear precious and endeared one thou meek Lamb thou innocent Dove who dost bear the likeness beauty and brightness of that unspotted one that is come in the Volume of the Book to do the Will of God We can give in our Testimony for thee that thou camest here in the Power and Authority of the Most High to which the tall Cedars were made to bow and the strong Oaks to bend praises praises be given to our everlasting God for evermore Oh my dearly beloved Brother thy beauty shineth indeed thou art all glorious within and without thy Garments are perfumed with all delightsome scents We smell the sweet odours thereof and do feel the fulness of Love and Life which runs from thy tender heart day and night to us and in the same unity of Love do our hearts stream forth to thee and thou knowest full well Oh how have our hearts and bowels been melted for thee our heads and eyes have run with tears and our souls have been poured forth to our Heavenly Father for thy preservation and we do truly labor to see thy face before thou comest Glory and praises be given to our Eternal Lord God Amen saith our spirits that he doth vouchsafe us so great a mercy as to behold the face of so precious a Friend We do beseech God to moderate us with his Eternal Spirit that we may always be mindful of his mercies and never to let his benefits slip out of our minds We have been near death many times when we had none to come near us but those that preacht death and destruction to us I have lain twelve dayes or more in a fast in strong travel night and day that my dearly beloved Yoke-Mate would have been glad if the Lord would have taken me out of the body because of my weak affliction Then the English Fryar which was here came up and down to us and down to us and would say to my Friend She is ready to depart send for me and take notice what torment she will be in a thousand Devils will be about her to fetch her soul to Hell because she will not be a Catholick And after we vvere parted vve vvere called to fast so that my Friend vvas so vveak that she put on such linnen upon her head as she thought to lie in her Grave We did eat but little in a Month together vvhen our money vvas almost done till vve did knovv the mind of the Lord vvhat to do Then they did run to and fro like mad men and the Fryars did come and say The Inquisitor sent them to tell us vve might have any thing vve vvould eat and they did say it vvas not possible that ever creatures could live vvith so little meat for so long a time together They bring us meat and say the English Consul did send it It vvas a glorious Fast indeed the Lord did appear vvonderfully in it praises be given to him for ever Amen We vvere very vveak because the povver did vvork so strongly I had no manner of food in my body five or six days together We did lie in clothes because vve had no strength to put them off nor one to make our bed Then vve did speak to the Fryar that vve might come together but he said they had no such order if vve vvould have a Physician vve might And there vve lay none knovving from morning to morning vvhether vve vvere deador alive We vvere kept quiet and still till the Lord's time was come they brought many things for us to eat Then the Lord said Thou mayest take as freely as if thou hadst laboured for it with thy hands I will sanctifie it to thee through the â—ross And he said unto Sarah she should eat of the fruit of her hands and be blessed And we did eat and were refreshed and glorified the Lord We did cry mightily unto the Lord night and day that we might not eat nor drink to offend him vve vvould rather dye The Lord vvas vvell pleased vvith our Sacrifice and did encrease our strength and administred comfort to us honor and glory be to his blessed Name for ever In the lowest of all our conditions we were kept a top of all the Mountains so that they could not make â—â—hrink or bow one â—or or tittle to any of their Precepts or Commands Yet the Fryars have commanded us in the Name of their God to kneel vvith them in prayer The time is too little for me to disclose the twentieth part of the terrible trials but whensoever we were brought upon any tryal the Lord did take away all
faithful Husband Friend and Brother begotten of my Eternal Father of the immortal Seed of the Covenant of Light Life and Blessednesse I have unity and fellowship with thee day and night to my great refreshment and continual comfort praises praises be given to our God for evermore who hath joined us together in that which neither Sea nor Land can separate or divide My dear heart my soul doth dearly salute thee with my dear and precious Children which are dear and precious in the Light of the Lord to thy endless joy and my everlasting comfort glory be to our Lord God eternally who hath called you with a holy Calling and hath caused his Beauty to shine upon you in this the day of his Power wherein he is making up of his Jewels and binding up of his faithful ones in the Bond of everlasting Love and Salvation among whom he hath numbred you of his own free Grace in which I beseech you dear hearts in the fear of the Lord to abide in your measures according to the manifestation of the Revelation of the Son of God in you keep a diligent watch over every thought word and action and let your minds be staid continually in the Light where you will find out the snares and baits of Satan and be preserved out of his Traps Nets and Pits that you may not be captivated by him at his will Oh my dear Husband and Children how often have I poured out my soul to our everlasting Father for you with Rivers of tears night and day that you might be kept pure and single in the sight of our God improving your Talents as wise Virgins having Oyl in your Vessels and your Lamps burning and cloathed with the long white Robes of Righteousness ready to enter the Bed-Chamber and to sup with the Lamb and to feed at the Feast of fat things where your souls may be nourished refreshed comforted and satisfied never to hunger again My dear hearts you do not want teaching you are in a Land of Blessedness which floweth with Milk and Honey among the faithful Stewards whose mouths are opened wide in righteousness to declare the Eternal Mysteries of the everlasting Kingdom of the endless joys and eternal glory whereinto all the willing and obedient shall enter and be blessed for ever My dear hearts the promises of the Lord are large and are all Yea and Amen to those that fear his Name he will comfort the Mourners in Sion and will cause the heavy-hearted in Jerusalem to rejoice because of the glad tydings they that do bear the Cross with patience shall wear the Crown with joy for it is through the long suffering and patient waitings the Crown of Life and Immortality comes to be obtained the Lord hath exercised my patience and tryed me to the uttermost to his praise and my eternal comfort who hath not been wanting to us in any thing in his own due time We are Witnesses he can provide a Table in the Wilderness both spiritual and temporal Oh the endless love of our God who is an everlasting Fountain of all living refreshment whose Chrystal streams never cease running to every thirsty soul that breatheth after the springs of Life and Salvation In our deepest affliction when I looked for every breath to be the last I could not wish I had not come over Seas because I knew it was my Eternal Father's Will to prove me with my dear and faithful Friend in all afflictions and miseries the Lord remembred mercy and did not leave nor forsake us nor suffer his faithfulness to fail us but caused the sweet drops of his mercy to distil upon us and the brightness of his glorious countenance to shine into our hearts and was never wanting to us in Revelations nor Visions Oh how may I do to set forth the fulness of God's Love to our souls No tongue can express it no heart can conceive it nor mind can comprehend it Oh the ravishments the raptures the glorious bright-shining countenance of our Lord God who is our fulness in emptiness ourstâ—ength in weakness our health in sickness our life in death our joy in sorrow our peace in disquietness our praise in heaviness our power in all needs or necessities He alone is a full God unto us and to all that can trust him he hath emptied us of our selves and hath unbottomed us of our selves and hath wholly built us upon the sure Foundation the Rock of Ages Christ Jesus the Light of the world where the swelling Seas nor raging foaming Waves nor stormy winds though they beat vehemently cannot be able to remove us Glory honor and praises is to our God for ever who out of his everlasting Treasures doth fill us with his Eternal Riches day by day he did nourish our souls with the choicest of his mercies and doth feed our bodies with his good Creatures and relieve all our necessities in a full measure praises praises be to him alone who is our everlasting portion our confidence and our rejoicing whom we serve acceptably with reverence and God-like fear for our God is a consuming fire Oh my dear Husband and precious Children you may feel the issues of Love and Life which stream forth as a River to every soul of you from a heart that is wholly joined to the Fountain my prayers are for you day and night without ceasing beseeching the Lord God of Power to pour down his tender mercies upon you and to keep you in his pure fear and to encrease your faith to confirm you in all righteousness and strengthen you in believing in the Name of the Lord God Almighty that you may be established as Mount Sion that can never be moved Keep your souls unspotted of the world and love one another with a pure heart fervently serve one another in love build up one another in the Eternal and bear one anothers burdens for the Seeds sake and so fulfil the Law of God This is the Word of the Lord unto you my dearly beloved Dear hearts I do commit you into the hands of the Almighty who dwelleth on high and to the Word of his Grace in you who is able to build you up to everlasting life and eternal salvation By me who am thy dear and precious Wife and Spouse in the Marriage of the Lamb in the bed unndefiled K. E. My dearly beloved Yoak-mate in the Work of our God doth dearly salute you Salute us dearly to our precious Friends in all places I do believe we shall see your faces again with joy Dearly salute us to T.H. R.S. and his sister S.B. and his daughter N.M. and his dear Wife with all the rest of our dear Friends in Bristol T.C. and his deart Wife and Daughter and all Friends in Bristol or else-where J.G. and his precious Wife Children and Servants with all Friends Our dear love to E.H. with her Husband and Children at Alderberry The original of this was written in the Inquisition in Malta in
gnash with heir teeth when vve were at prayer there was a Fryer and other great men the Fryer would run as if he had been at his Wits end and call to the Keeper and he vvould run for the English Fryer and he would go the Jnquisitor for counsel and sometime they would send them word they should have a remedy J should be sent to Rome and sometimes the Fryers would come but had not power to say any thing to me of it The Lord did say to us Cut up your Uoice like the noise of a Trumpet and sound forth my Truth like the shout of a King There was one that life waâ— arisen in him but they were upon him as Eagles til they had destroy'd him he did undergo terrible Judgements all the time he was in the Inquisition Our money served us a year and seven Weeks and when it was almost gone the Fryars brought the Inquisitor's Chamberlain to buy our Hats We said we came not there to sel our clothes nor any thing we had Then the Fryar did commend us for that and told us we might have kept our money to servâ— us otherwise We said No we could not keep any money and be chargeable to any We could trust God He said He did see we could but they should have maintâ—ined us while they kept us Prisoners And then the Lord dâ—d take away our stomacks we did eat but little for three or four Weeks and then the Lord called us to fasting for eleven dayes together but it was so little that the Fryars came and said that it was impossible that Creatures could live with so little meat as they did see we did for so long time together and asked what we would do Aâ—d said their Lord Inquisitor said We might have any thing we would We said We must wait to know the mind of God what he would have uâ— to do We did not fast in our own Wills but in obedience to the Lord. They were much troubled and sent us meat and â—aid â—he English Consul sent it We could not take any thing till the Lord's time was come We were weak so that Sarah did dâ—ess her head aâ— she would lye in her Grave poor Lamb J â—ay looking for the Lord to put an end to the sad trial which way to seemed 〈◊〉 in his â—ight Then J heaâ—d a voice saying Ye shall not dye J beâ—iâ—ved the Lord and his glory did appear much in ourâ—ast he was very gracious to us and did refresh us with his living presence continually and we did behold his beauty to our great â—oy and câ—mfort and he was large to us in his promâ—ses so that we were kept quiet and still the sting of Death be in taken away our souls hearts and minds were at pâ—ace with the Lord so that they could not tell whether we were dead or alive but as they dâ—d all to us once a day till the time the Lord had appointed we should eat and they were made to bring many good things and said them down by us so that Scripture we witnessed fulfilled Our Enemies treated us kindly in a strange Land said I. But we were afraid to eat and cryed to the Lord and said We had rather dye than eat any thing that is polluted and unclean The Lord said unto me Thou mayest as freely eat as if thou hadst wrought for it with thy hands I will sanctifie it to thee through the Cross. And he said to Sarah Thou shalt eat the fruit of thy hands and be blessed We did eat and were refreshed to the praise and glory of our God for ever We did eat but little in two Months and they did bring us what ever we did speak for for 8. or 10. dayes and afterward we were so straitned for want of food it did us more hurt than our Fast. Yet the Lord did work as great a Miracle by our preservation as he did by raising Lazarus out of the Grave The Fryars did say the Lord did keep us alive by his mighty power because we should be Catholicks We said the Lord would make it manifest to us then they should know the Lord had another end in it one day But still they said There was no Redemption for us We said with the Lord there was mercy and plenteous Redemption VVe bid them take heed ye be not found fighters against God They said We were foolish women We said we were the Lord's fools and the Lord's Fools were right dear and precious in his sight and wo to them that do offend them He said they were the Lord's fools and shewed us their deceitful Gowns and their shaven Crowns and said they did wear it for God's sake to be laught at of the world We said they did not wear it for God's sake unless they were moved of the holy Spirit of God to wear it He said it was no matter they did wear it because of their Superiors mark and before it was for God's sake as he said He thought to bring us under him for our food and did make us suffer a while though the Inquisitor and the Magistrates had taken a course we should want for nothing But the Lord did torment him and all the rest till they did bring us such things as were fitting Then he did work all that he could to send me to Rome and was coming two or three times for what I know to fetch me forth but the Lord vvould not suffer them and vvhen they savv they could not prevaile that vvay they said vve should go both but the Fryar should go first because he vvas not vvell he got leave to go he vvas so vveary of coming to us that he did beseech the Lord Inquisitor he might come no more to us He told Sarah I was a Witch and that I knew what was done at London and he vvould come to me no more he said Because vvhen he did tell me a company of lyes I said I had a witness for God in me which was faithful and true and I did believe Godâ—s witness The Diviners did vvax mad and did run as at their vvits end from Mountain to Hill and from Hill to Mountain to cover them They ran to the Inquisitor and vvrit to the Pope and vvent to him their King did not hide them at all some of them did gnash vvith their teeth and even gnavv their tongues for pain Yet the rest vvould not repent of their blasphemy sorcery nor inchantments but do post on to fill up their measures Oh! the Lord revvard them according to their vvorks A little before the Fryar vvent to Rome he came to the Inquisition Chamber vvith a Scribe to vvrite concerning us to carry it vvith him I savv him as God vvould have it the Lord said There is thy deadly foe They vvere vvriting part of three dayes and vvhen they had ended it the Lord would not let me eat till the Scribe did come where I was that I might pronounce vvo against
unto me in a dream and said There were two English Friends in the City which did plead for our liberty in our behalf and he had taken all fear away from them and made them bold And in a little while after the Magistrates sent for us forth and askt us whether we were sick or whether we did want any thing and were very tender to us and said we should write to England and bid the Scribe give us Ink and Paper he said he would but he was so wicked he did not They did not tell us of any English that were there but there was one Francis Steward of London a Captain of a Ship and a Fryar of Ireland which came to the City together for what we know and they did take great pains for us and went to their Ruler and the Inquisitor and to several Magistrates and Fryars and the new English Consul with them and wrought much amongst them that all were willing to let us go save the Inquisitor they said and he said He could not free us without an Order from the Pope But we had many heavy Enemies besides which vvould not be seen but they obtained the favour to come and speak with us which was a great thing in such a place They sent for us to the Court-Chamber and the English Consul askt us if we were willing to go back to England We said if it were the Will of God we might The Captain spake to us with tears in his eyes and told us what they had done for us but could not prevail It is this Inquisitor said he the rest were made free you have preached among these people he said We told him we were called upon the Testimony of our Conscience and the truth that we have witnâ—ssed forth among them we should stand to maintain with our blood He said if they could get us off he would freely give us our passage and provide for us and he Vessel was his own We cold him his love was as well accepted of the Lord as if he did carry us He offered us money he savv the Lord vvouldâ— not suffer us to take any He took our Names We told them they took us out of our way and put us into the Inquisition and bid us changâ— our minds and we could not the Lord had changed us into that which changed not if they would burn us to ashes or chop us as Herbs to the Pot. The Fryar said We did not work which was false we had Work of our own and did work as we were able We told him our Work and Maintenance was in England And they said it was true He said We would not accept of the Inquisitors Dyet We did not know who did prepare for us we did receive our meat as we had freedom in the Lord. Then he said We had suffered long enough and too long but we should have our freedom in 〈◊〉 days and that they would send to the Pope for an Order And there were many English ships that way but the Captain saw it was a very hard thing so that it grieved him to the heart He prayed God to comfort us and he went away and we do beseech God to bless and preserve him unto everlasting life and never to let him nor his go without a blessing from him for his love he did venture himself exceedingly in that place But after he was gone they arose up against us with one accord the Inquisitor came up into a Tower and lookt down upon us as if he would have eaten us and they did try us for our lives again and did shut up our doors many Weeks we could not tell for what at length the Inquisitor came into the Tower again and Sarah was moved to call to him to have the door opened for us to go down into the Court to wash our clothes Then he gave command for the door to be opened once a Week and in a little while 't was open every day But great was our affliction indeed and she told him if we were the Popes Prisoners we would appeal to the Pope and he should send us to him But them in the prison with us especially the Fryar were mortal Enemies to us but yet they would have fed us with the choicest of their meat and would gladly give us whole Bottles of Wine if we would receive it and were greatly troubled because we did refuse to eat and drink with them and did persecute us exceedingly but the Lord did visit them with his dreadful Judgements the Fryar was tormented night and day his body did perish the Doctors and Chyrurgions did follow him a long time And there were two or three English Ships there came into harbour and Sarah saw the coming of them in a Vision of the night and there was great pleading for us that we saw but she heard a Voice saying We could not go now So we were made willing to wait the Lords time Then they sent for us forth when the Ships were gone and askt us if we would be Catholicks And we said we were true Christians and had received the Spirit of Christ and he that had not the Spirit of Christ was none of his The English Consul told us of the Ships and said they would not let us go unless we would be Catholicks and that we must suffer more imprisonment yet and said he did what he could for us One of the Magistrates shewed us the Cross We told them and said We did take up the Cross of Christ daily which is the great Power of God to crucifie sin and iniquity So we told them that one of their Fathers did promise us our liberty We did think that Fryar was too tender-hearted to stay among them he did take a great deal of pains for us the Captain said we told him he would never have cause to repent it the blessing of God would be upon him for any thing he should do for us for we were the Servants of the living God and he promised us our freedoms in a little time This following I received from them in other Papers to Friends D. B. O Dearly beloved Friends Fathers and Elders and Pillars of Gods Spiritual House and Brethren and Sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ in the measure of Love and Life of our God do we salâ—te you all and do embrace you in that which is Eternal and we do greatly rejoice and glorifie the Name of our Heavenly Father that he hath counted us worthy to be partakers of the death and sufferings of his blessed Son with you though we be the least of Gods Flock yet we are of the true Fold whereof Christ Jesus is Shepherd and he hath had as tender a care over us as he hath had of any of his Lambs which he hath called forth in this the day of his Power and hath carryed us through and ever as great afflictions as most of our Brethren and sufferers for his Name both in
her pride It 's not their golden Candlesticks nor Lamps that be so many That can shine through the Clouds so thick to give a Light to any To lead to a true resting-place where they may still behold The beauty of God's glorious face more bright than fined Gold Thou seest oh Lord what man hath done for to exalt himself Against the Lord thy blessed Son who is our saving health They have changed his glorious Form and Image that 's so bright And fashion'd it like sinful man corrupted in thy sight Arise oh Lord arise in haste and punish for these things These men that have sought thy disgrace that they might reign as Kings Over thine own Inheritance contrary to thy will To keep them still in ignorance without knowledge or skill But now the God of Power is come to raise up Sion bright And to build up Jerusalem in all the Heathens sight The Gates of Hell shall not prevail though they be wide strong Against the gathering in of all that to the Lord belong All glory honor laud and praise be to the Lord of Might Who hath made known in these our dayes his Way his Truth his Light Concerning the Cross of Christ which is not a visible sign or a piece of Wood but the invisible and immortal Power of the Lord God and his Wisdom unto salvation to and in all them that believe is the same Christ the Power of God and the wisdom of God But the same Crosse is to the outward Jew or Christian a stumbling-block and to the wise Greek that 's exalted and puft up in the knowledge above and over the meek life foolishness as saith the Scripture 1 Cor. 1. 18 19. CHrist's Cross I do embrace Which gives me an entrance into Grace Sin and Death it doth deface And makes me run a glorious race A Crown of Life and Grace I do obtain And sin and death is daily slain And Christ himself alone to reign Through the Cross I do obtain The Cross of Christ is more to me Than all the Treasures I can see It brings me to my resting-place For to behold God's lovely face The Cross of Christ is Power indeed Against the Serpent and his seed And salvation it doth bring To all that do believe thereâ—n The Cross of Christ is my delight It doth uphold me day and night It keeps me from the power of sin Through Christ who is my Heavenly King Without the Cross I cannot be From sin and death at all set free The Cross alone doth crucifie Transgression sin iniquity It doth break down the middle Wall And slays the enmity withall And makes of twain one perefect man And so renews Christ for me again The Cross of Christ it doth destroy That Nature that doth disobey In those that do themselves deny And take it up most willingly And daily bear it after him Who is our Lord and Prince and King And not at all to let it down Till they come to enjoy the Crown The Cross of Christ is power and life It doth destroy all mortal strife It keepeth from the Power of sin All those that love to walk therein All that do own Christ Jesus Cross Through self-denial they must pass For to be purged from their sin And no longer live therein The Cross of Christ doth operate Through every vein and vital part The heart and reins to cleanse from sin Of them that 's exercis'd therein They that live in sin and wicedness are enemies to Christ Jesus Cross For all sin and uncleanness doth pierce the life of Christ Jesus Perfect Love and breathings of undefiled Life to the Seed of God greeting THe streams of beauty pure and bright That springeth up both day and night MY love to truth doth me constrain In Prison ever to remain If it be so that even I Cannot in truth be set at liberty My deare Redeemer's face so bright Doth shine upon me day night His count'nance doth exceed all Captivity and bodage thrall Amen K. E. My Love It cometh from a harmless Dove Within vvhose breats doth still remain God's perfect praises to maintain I have not time nor place to shovv The love vvhich from my soul doth flovv The blessing of the Almighty be upon thee And upon the vvhole Israel of God Amen THese Writings follovving are Copies of divers Letters which they had written to their Friends and near Relations in the time of my visitation of them But it came so to pass that as they were handing the same through the Grace of the Prison by the hand of another man to be communicated to my hand being then present in the Room also that the said Letters were intercepted and in the first place communicated to the Pope's Lord Inquisitor and he forthvvith sent for the Consul and charged him to get the same truly copied forth Then the Consul vvas vvrath vvith me that he should be exercised vvith so much trouble But in the Light and Counsel of my God I seeing and â—novving that there vvas nothing in them but vvhat came from a good ground of innocency and truth and pure natural affection I was moved in bovvels of tender love lest the said Letters should be finally miscarried or shut up in obscurity therefore I propounded to the Consul If that were such a trouble to him if he would let me have the Letters I should copy them out truly And after some time he consented and gave them into my hand and laid it upon my Conscience to perform as I had said which I did with gladness of heart not in submission to his Will but in obedience to the God of Love and Peace which guided me in the same and so after I had finished them I gave the fair Copies into the Consul's hands for his Lord Inquisitor And so in the wisdom of the Lord which is wiser than the Serpents I obtained the very desire of my heart for his Truth and Peoples sake and retained the Original Copies and in the endless Love and Power of the Lord Almighty which was and is with me and accompanied me blessed and magnified be the Power of his excellent Majesty and Glory â—men over the heads of the lofty Mountains and barren Hills I brought the Treasures of a blessed and good ground away with this body in which I am so that they were not onely in my hands but also the precious substance and virtue of the same that accompanied them even in my heart within my bosom and the Words of Wisdoms Life did I wear as a Chain of precious Stones and Diamonds about my neck and as Bracelets and Ornaments of a comely and delicate chaste Bride about my hands and loins and behold the Almighty Lord and King of Eternal Life that had so mightily preserved me in the shadow of his hand of Almightiness which stopt the mouths of devouring Lyons and chained and limited the ravening and devouring wild Beasts of the Forrest even he the King of
blessedness and endless glory filled my heart with his spotless and unexpressible Love And as I lay upon the deck of the Vessel in which I was a passenger and a stranger among men of many and divers Nations in the morning of the day I felt and beheld the exceeding glory of the Lord under the secret shadow of his Almightiness in a Vision of God and in the same I beheld the Bride the Lamb's Wife prepared for the Bridegroom 's coming and why should not I declare somewhat of the felicity that mine eye in the Eternal Life of Blessedness saw albeit the rest is unutterable which I felt and know how to be silent in the Father's presence where every Babe knoweth my voice which is to give a sound in their ears to whom I write and not to spread Pearls before Swine that will defile and trample on them That mine eye mine eye hath seen and perfectly beheld the Free-born from above coming out of the Wilderness covered with goodly and comely Raiment white and clean as the light of the Sun or as a Stone most precious clear as Chrystal and mine eye beheld a Crown which was embraced in the Arms of the Bridegroom and the Crown was well adorned with many Stars which did excel each other in glory and mine eye beheld the Son as a Bride groom rejoicing over the Virgin-Bride of his Espousal so that I was even sick with pure and undefiled love Mine eye mine eye did so affect my heart so that I awaked in the same in the morning of a clear day and I looked and behold the Sun was arisen-above the Horizon of the Earth and Waters and my Life abundantly blessed and magnified the living Lord my King and my God the Rock of my strength and saving health of his Annointed and behold I had seen a Vision of God in the morning-Light and the sweet solution of the same was given me to treasure up within my very heart till an appointed time and season the children of the Morning-light may right-well read the same as they sit together in their several places that 's over and above the earth and be comforted and refreshed at the joyful sound of the same voice that brings the glad tydings of the good things yea and my Spirit with you the blessed of the Lord shall bless his Name who is the mighty God in the midst of us Even so Amen Ha-le-lu-jah Praise ye the Lord Salvation to his Name Ye Saints in Life Free from all strife Your voice sound forth the same My Life shall sing To Sion's King His Love in peace and glory Who hath so free Begotten me Into his Life that 's holy Among his Saints Messengers His fame my heart shall sound Because their life is free from strife In love that doth abound My prayers in the life that 's clean shall from the same ascend Unto the God of Love and peace that he may you defend To perfect love and unity that it may more abound for so your fame in his pure Name Doth give a certain sound Unto the Nations round about your same aloud shall sing to call them all both great and small To bow to Sion's King Your Gates alwayes Of perfect praise Full wide shall open stand that all may come i' th free-born Son Th' Light to dwel in your Land Of rest and peace in righteousness T'th living way that 's holy so you shall sing and fruit shall spring Within the City holy The Vine that 's true shall compass you That sit under his shade with great delight in his clear sight None shal make you afraid Within the perfect love here is no fear So in the Father's sight you are right dear My bowels and my soul my very heart To you ye living Saints extends much could I write in the true light But ye can read my Friends Without a Book of words Which finally may end My mind that 's clean Come read the same Behold I am your friend In Jacob's Land Where he did stand I' th place that 's blest Where he did rest Who like a Prince prevail'd with the true Lord of Might Who also blessed him even in the morning-Light Selah And seeing that it happened so that the Copies of the Letters of the Lords Prisoners were left in the hands of their Enemies in a strange Land it is seen meet to insert them among the rest of their Writings for the good of many of their own Nation of England who may right-well savour the tender love and virtue of true and pure natural affection not onely to their kindred and Fathers House but also to their own Countrey all of which they were truly called to forsake as was good old Abraham our Father who in obedience to the good Word and Commandment of the Almighty God went forth not knowing whither he went even as these poor and many more who are deemed by the wise of this world foolish things not well considering how that the Lord hath chosen the poor of this world and made them rich in faith and also chuseth base things and weak things and foolish things to confound the things that are mighty and to bring to nought things that are to the end that no flesh should glory in his presence who with his mighty hand and outstretched arm of Dignity and excellent Power is defacing and staining the pride of all glory and bringing into contempt all the honorable of the Earth that 's out of order and bringing down the haughtiness and loftiness of man who shall know that it is the everlasting and terrible God of Eternity when he ariseth to shake terribly the Earth that presseth down and oppresseth the Seed of his Bowels and trampleth on the principal Wheat that came out of the good Husband-mans right hand for which the God of Heaven is visiting the Nations as in the ancient days Albeit he hath long time held his peace in the habitation of his Holineess where his Honor dwelleth but behold behold he is arising in the greatness of his strength even as a Lyon over his prey or as a Lyonness bereaved of her young for out of Sion hath he uttered his voice and thundered forth the Majesty of his powerful Word of Salvation through the Gate of his beloved City Jerusalem from on high free-born which hath ecchoed into the ears hearts of the Hypocrites surprized the double-minded with fear on every hand for he hath cryed and yet will in the spirit of his Prophesie through his Sons and Daughters in whom he which is holy dwelleth to make waste Mountains and Hills and to devour at once as in the ancient dayes and my spirit saith Even so the Lord hasten it Amen for his Elects sake Katharine Evans to her Husband and Children For the hand of JOHN EVANS my right dear and precious Husband with my tender-hearted Children who are more dear and precious unto me than the apple of mine eye MOst dear and
the 11th Month of the year 1661. Sarah Chevers to her Husband and Children MY Dear Husband my love my life is given up to serve the living God and to obey his pure Call in the measure of the manifestation of his Love Light Life and Spirit of Christ Jesus his onely begotten Son whom he hath manifested in me and thousands by the brightness of his appearing to put an end to sin and Satan and bring to light Immortality through the preaching of the everlasting Gospel by the Spirit of Prophesie which is poured out upon the sons and daughters of the living God according to his purpose whereof he hath chosen me who am the least of all but God who is rich in mercy for his own Name sake hath passed by mine offences and hath counted me worthy to bear testimony to his holy Name before the mighty men of the Earth Oh the love of the Lord to my soul my tongue cannot express neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive of the things that God hath laid up for them that fear him Therefore doth my soul breath to my God for thee and my Children night and day that your minds may be joined to the Light of the Lord Jesus to lead you out of Satans Kingdom into the Kingdom of God where we may enjoy one another in the Life Eternal where neither Sea nor Land can separate in which Light and Life do I salute thee my dear Husband with my Children wishing you to embrace Gods love in making his Truth so clearly manifest amongst you whereof I am a Witness even of the everlasting Fountain that hath been opened by the Messengers of Christ who preach to you the Word of God in season and out of season directing you where you may find your Saviour to purge and cleanse you from your sins and to reconcile you to his Father and to have unity with him and all the Saints in the Light that ye may be fellow-Citizens in the Kingdom of Glory Rest and Peace which Christ hath purchased for them that love him and obey him What profit is there for to gain the whole world and lose your own souls Seek first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and all other things shall be added to you Godliness is great gain having the promise of this life that now is and that which is to come which is fulfilled to me who have tasted of the Lords endlesse love and mercies to my soul from a moving of the same love and life do I breath to thee my dear Husband with my Children my dear love salutes you all my Prayers to my God are for you all that your minds may be joined to the Light wherewith you are lightened that I may enjoy you in that which is Eternal and have community with you in the Spirit He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit one heart one mind one soul to serve the Lord with one consent I cannot by Pen or Paper set forth the large love of God in fulfilling his gracious promises to me in the Wilderness being put into prison for God's Truth there to remain all days of my life being searched tryed examined upon pain of death among the Enemies of God and his Truth standing in jeopardy for my life until the Lord had subdued and brought them under by his mighty Power and made them to feed us and would have given us money or clothes but the Lord did deck our Table richly in the Wilderness the day of the Lord is appearing wherein he will discover every deed of darkness let it be done never so secret the light of Christ Jesus will make it manifest in every Conscience the Lord will rip up all coverings that is not of his own Spirit The God of Peace be with you all Amen Written in the Inquisition-Prison by the hand of Sarah Chevers for the hand of Henry Chevers my dear Husband give this fail not I do not well remember that this was one of the surprized Letters A Letter to a Kinswoman of S. C. S. P. MY dear Kinswoman I dearly salute thee with thy Husband and thy tender Babes I am not unmindful of thee nor of thy love that thou shewedst to me I know thou shalt not lose thy reward thou hast found refreshment in it for it was of the Lord My Burthen was weighty for the Lord I would have fled the Cross but praises be to the Lord that kept me to it that I might not lose the Crown I was straitned in it till I gave up to it praised be the Name of our God for ever Amen Stand fast in the Lord let none take thy Crown The God of Power preserve and keep thee low and single in his fear pressing forward to the prize of an incorruptible Crown of Glory Peace and Rest out of all strife Keep to the pure life watch the Enemy keep thy mind staid in the measure of God's Grace that is able to make thee wise unto salvation and to give thee an inheritance with the rest of the Children of Light My tender lamb fear and dread the living God keep in his presence go not out to let in the Enemy to break thy peace and to darken thy understanding and to vail over the pure from beholding thy Saviour Incline thine ear to him give up to a daily Cross to thy own will Stand single empty wait upon the Lord to be fill'd with his fulness let him be all thy treasure ask of him he giveth liberally Believe and thou shalt receive his promise is large I have found it so Having nothing yet enjoying all things I have tasted handled and felt of his everlasting love and indurable Riches my life is wrapt up in it I have found him whom my soul loveth Oh what might I do to set him forth He is the choicest of ten thousands therefore doth my soul love him My life is given up for him his truth for to declare Lord guide me in thy path and keep me in thy fear Amen Thy dear Aunt My dear love and life is with thee and I do embrase thee in the Arms and Bosom of my Eternal Father's love with thy dear Husband and little ones Another in the same Paper to Friends MY dearly beloved Sisters and Friends of Truth I dearly salute you in the Light Life and Love of our God which is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost wherein I do rejoice and have union with you My Life is given up to serve the Lord. O how my soul travels for the Seed of God's Kingdom to be sown throughout all Nations for the gathering in of Christ's scattered Flock and for the destruction of sin and Satan For our God is weighing the Mountains in Skales and the Dust in equal 〈◊〉 Ballance He is a pulling down the mighty and raising the meek humble lowly he is a feeding the poor and hungry with good things but the rich he sends
empty away My dear Babes and Lambs seed of the sincere Milk of the Word of Life that you may grow up in it and wax strong in spirit to praise the Lord and to glorifie him who is worthy Be strong in the Lord and in the Power of his Might seek him earnestly call upon him continually let your whole Meditations be staid in him alway Seek him earnestly deny your own thoughts and words give heed to the Light bring all your deeds to it give up all that is contrary to be slain stand single empty naked before the Lord that you may be fill'd with the streams of his everlasting Love Oh my dear hearts our God is full of love stand not back press forward let nothing hinder you the Lord calls for you My Son give me thy heart The promise of our God is as large to you as to any if you can believe your straitness is in your selves For God is a full Fountain abundance of love runs forth to them that can trust him I can witness it in the barren Wilderness he caused streams of living water to break forth I cannot express it is so large therefore doth my soul thirst after you my dear ones the love of God is to you My dear Sisters I have you in my remembrance and do pray to my God and your God 〈◊〉 that you may be enlarged in your measures to praise the Lord and to be kept in a sensible feeling of his power daily and that you may encrease in Wisdom Strength and Power over Gods Enemies The Blessing of the Lord God Almighty be with you and preserve you by his Mighty Power unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen Salute me to my Sister S. R. there is a tender Plant in her I do feel it to my comfort praises be to the Lord. I am in health I praise the Lord and do want nothing the Lord is my portion I cannot want he hath deck't my Table richly he hath annointed my head with Balm it runneth down the skirts of my cloathing Written in the Inquisition-Prison at the Isle of Malta a sufferer for the Seeds sake Farewel at this time Amen Your dear Sister in the Lord SARAH CHEVERS Another from K. E. to her Husband and Children with somewhat from both the Lords Prisoners to Friends the which was taken with the rest of the Letters in the Inquisition and copied out for their Lord Inquisitor DEar Husband with my dear Children I beseech you together to wait in the patience having your minds alwayes staid upon the Lord Keep out of incumbrances for that is the Enemies opportunity to step in when the mind is gone forth and to vail the pure and darken the understanding and so hinder you of the pure enâ—oyment of the beholding the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Take no more upon you then you are able to perform in the Spirit of moderation and meekness for that is in the sight of God of of great prâ—ze See the Lord going before you in all your occasions that you may be prosperous in all youâ— undertakings wait diligently upon the Lord to be seasoned with his Grace that you may come to a pure understanding of the motions of his Eternal Spirit and to a true knowledge of the operation of his hands So you will be able with all Saints to comprehend what is the heigth and the depth and the length and the breadeth of the riches of his Grace and Love towards mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord Amen saith my spirit This is the counsel of the Lord unto you I do often remember M. H. I do desire she may be brought up in the fear of God and want for nothing that is convenient for her salute me to her dearly I have been very sensible dear Husband of thine and our Children and many dear friends more of your sorrowful souls mourning hearts grieved spirits troubled minds for us as being Members of one body Christ Jesus bâ—ing our Hâ—â—d we must needs suffer together that we may 〈◊〉 together a true sorrow begets a true â—oy a true Cross a true Crown We do believe it is our heavenly Fathers will and purpose to bring us back as safe to England as ever he brought us thence for his own glory though we are some of the least of Christ's Flock yet we do belong to the true Fold and our Shepherd hath had as great a care of us as he could have for any of his Lambs and hath brought us through great affliction praises be given to his glorious Nâ—mâ— of us and you and all that know him for ever Though we are absent in body in the Will of God from you yet we are present â—n spirit in the Will of God with you and do receive the benefit of all your prayers daily and do feel the Springs of Liâ—e that do stream from all the faithful hearted to our great refreshment and strengthening After our money was gone the Lord Inquisitor with the rest in Authority put a great allowance in one of their servants hands for our maintenance bâ—cause we could take no money our selves the Lord of Heaven did forbid us to meddle with any and he did send to know whether we did want any clothes he would send it to the Prison to us This was the large love of our God to us and we were made contented with that we had till the Lord God who is rich in mercy and full of all Grace and is never unmindful of any which trust in his Name of his everlasting love did send his faithful Messenger whose feet are beautiful and â—ace is comely cloathed with a bright shining Garment from the Crown of the head to the sole or the foot and came in great power and strength indeed armed with the whole Armour of Light and drest in the Majesty of the Mostâ—High and being commissioned of the Higher Power went to the Lord Inquisitor to demand our lawful liberty which would not be granted except we could get some English Merchants of Legorn or Messaena to engage four thousands Dollers that we should never come into those parts again the Lord who alone is our Life and Redeemer moved our dear Brother to offer his own body to redeem ours but it would not be received then he offered to lay down his own dear and precious life for our liberty Greater love can no man have than to lay down his life for his Friend the Lord will restore it into his bosom double his service can never be blotted out his Name is called Daniel Baker his outward being is near London a right dear and precious heart he is The blessing strength and power of the Almighty be upon him and his and overshadow them for ever Amen Greater comfort could never be administred to us in our conditions Glory honor and praise to our God for evermore Amen This is a dear and sweet Salutation in that which never changeth fadeth
the Lord of Life to them after I had offered up my body and to lay down my life for these poor innocents my dear friends and so with my voice I saluted them in the Lord's Truth as they stood at the prison-Grates with these words in the behalf of the general Assembly of the Saints in light to wit The whole Body of God's Elect right dearly owneth your Testimony and you are a sweet savour unto the Lord and his people And forasmuch as one of these poor afflicted Lambs replied and said on this wise as if it was a trouble to them that they could not be more serviceable Then my heart being melted and my bowels of pity mercy and compassion being moved I said That it was a wonderful mercy of the Lord in as much as they were preserved in their own measure of Truth and pure innocency for which my heart praised the Lord for what mine eye saw which right dearly affected my heart and we were well refreshed at that season in the sweet presence of our living God albeit our bodies were at a distance but so as we could behold each others face through the Prison bars of Iron in the Inquisition Now for so much as in the Wisdom of God it is seen meet that the fore-mentioned and following Writings which came from their hands might appear to publike view that thereby every Member of the one Body may have a right understanding and not onely so but also a sensible feeling not onely of the trials and sufferings in part of these innocent Lambs but also of the consolations of each other as fellow-Members of the infinite Body of which Christ Jesus the Lord is both King and Head in whom be endless dominion and pure glory and eternal salvation Amen And so I being as it were constrained to publish the acceptable Words that sound and savor of pure innocency and clear truth for the Elect's sake in the same Love and Life I am the more free hereunto even as a Child that differs but little from a servant as I am in the Father's Love Power and Grace of Life fitted to serve the undefiled Life of the least in the Kingdom of Blessedness and to administer comfort or what else I have received from the Eternal Fountain or Fulness for the use or service of either Body Mind Soul or Spirit of my own Flesh or Family seeing no man ever hated his own Flesh and he is worse than an Infidel that provideth not for his own Family especially them of his own House This is a sweet Salutation to God's Elect Church in England and Ireland RIght dear precious and Heavenly ones whose Beauty shineth bright and at whose Name the hearts of the Heathen do tremble We who through the everlasting Mercies of our God are Members of the same Body and are held in strait Captivity and hard Bondage for witnessing forth the same Testimony and Covenant of pure Light Life and Truth of our God with you dear and faithful ones indeed We here in the same Covenant of pure Love and Bowels of tenderness do dearly salute and embrace you all glorifying and praising our Eternal Father for you all who hath counted us worthy to partake of the fellowship and sufferings for the Bodies sake with you in tribulations fiery trials manifold temptations fastings watchings heats and colds and cruel threatning and persecutions perils by Sea and perils by Land standing in jeopardy of our lives year after year and looking every hour day and night for many Weeks together when we should be brought out to Execution but though Proclamation was made and they came up to the very Caâ—e with a Drum and Musquets to fetch us out to destroy us yet the Lord God of everlasting strength who in the deepest of all dangers and greatest extremity when all hopes were past did but blow upon them with the breath of his nostrils and they did flye as dust before the Wind for which we do entreat all Friends to glorifie our God on our behalf for never did the Lord our God work greater deliverance for any than he hath done for us from time to time who are the least and weakest for what we know that ever the Lord our God sent forth in so great weighty a Work but all things are possible with him who made and created all things it is he alone which carrieth on his own work by his own mighty Power and the glory shal be his own for evermore Amen Oh our dearly beloved Friends did you know but the third part of the afflictions the Lord our God hath carried us through you would say The Lord hath wrought as great a Miracle in our preservation as ever he did in raising Lazarus out of the Grave And in the greatest of our afflictions we could not say in our hearts Father would thou hadst not brought us here but cryed mightily to our God for power to carry us through whatsoever should be inflicted upon us that the Truth of our God might not suffer through our weakness And the Lord did hear us and answered us in righteousness and carried uâ— on with all boldness and made our fore-heads as Flint and our Brows as Brass in the faces of our Enemies that whensoever we were brought forth upon trial all fear was taken away that we stood as Iron-Gates and Castle-Walls in the faces of our Enemies so that they said we would fain be burned but we answered No we would not willingly be burned but if our Heavenly Father doth call us to suffer in that kind for his Name sake he will give us power to go through it and we have great cause to believe it for our Lord God never called us to do any service for him but he gave us power and made way for his own Work glory and praise be to his holy Name for ever Dearly beloved friends marvel not why Israel is not gathered in all this time it is not for want of labour nor travel nor grief nor pain fasting nor mourning nor weeping nor love to their souls but it is because of the great oppression For here are a willing people but they dare not until the Lord make way for them Truly Friends we have not been idle since we saw your faces nor have we had much ease to the flesh but do travel night and day for Sion's prosperity and perfect joy and for the reparation of Jerusalem and her pure praise though our sorrows are deep and our afflictions grievous yet we do wait with patience to reap the peaceable fruits of righteousness and enjoy the benefit of our uprightness Praises be to our God for ever he hath kept us by his power and holiness that our Enemies have not one jot or tittle against us but for the Truth of our God and that we could not join with them so they would not suffer us to have one line of refreshment but stript us out of all so that we could not
or what was my Father's House or what is the Land of my Nativity that I a poor â—â—flicted 〈…〉 should be raised up to see and perceive what mine eye 〈◊〉 eve in thy Eternal Power and puâ—e Life beholdâ— Oh my God! thou hast known the innocent travel of my soul â—hich 〈…〉 know the same is not hid from thee even from the day of my birth unto this moment through no small trials and tribulations and through the exercise of manifold temptations yet behold my Life is preserved a at this time And oh my heart my mind my soul my spirit in thy pure undefiled Life and Virtue blesseth thy Name thy pure Name which thy Virgins love and live in and in the same they glorifie thy beloved and the Wings of thy Majesty overshadoweth them and their delight is under the secret shadow of thy Almightiness blessed be thy Glory blessed be thy undefiled Power blessed and magnified be thy pure Wisdom and let the same be so even in the Tabernacles of the just for ever Thou Lamb of Immortality the Thrones the Kingdoms and Eternal Dominions are thine and over all thy Throne is and shall be exalted and thy Lambs behold thy glory and thy Majesty in this the day of thy terrible and glorious appearance Wisdom Riches Glory Power Might and Dominion everlasting with Eternal Salvation over all to thy Name Amen saith my Spirit in the Life which is was and for ever shall be the same which liveth and abideth for ever and fâ—deth not away In the same I commend thy dear tender Lambs to be preserved according to thy unsearchable Wisdom and counsel of thine own heart to thy everlasting Renown and Glory and their Eternal comfort and joy and felicity with thy Saints and Angels in the Light of thy countenance and in everlasting remembrance in the powerful and Eternal Kingdom of Immortality if I be no more in this World when this body is gone to its place according to thy Eternal Purpose and Decree in thy Eternal Counsel so be it saith my spirit yea and Amen saith my soul which blesseth and magnifieth thy Eternal Name in asmuch as thou hast so far fulfilled thy living Word of Prophesie and not onely so but much more also in the desire of my heart in the behalf of thy dear tender suffering and long-suffering Seed of thine own bowels for which be innumerable Praises Wisdom Salvation Glory and Dominion to thy holy Name Amen Amen MY right dearly and well-beloved Friends of Eternal Life of the Church of the first-born of the living God which is the Pillar and ground of Truth of which Christ Jesus our Lord is the alone and onely Head Peace be unto you in him who is arisen in his pure immortal life and hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Word of his Power and his Eternal Gospel of Peace which is not hid from us but it 's clearly manifest in us by his coming who ariseth with healing in his wings Glory Dominion living endless praises Immortal to his Name now and for evermore and let all the upright in heart with my precious life say Even so Amen Dear suffering and long-suffering Lambs ye know that as I came in the Eternal Love and Peace of Immanuel God's Lamb to visit and serve you and minister to your necessities the which in the same Life and Peace and in the integrity and uprightness of heart and in its pure innocency my God knoweth and behold I call your Life that 's manifest in you in which is our perfect unity as Members of one Body to bear me record That I have endeavoured in the good will of my God to perform the same and verily the hand and blessing of Almighty God is with me and hath blessed me and so my reward is with me and my work hath been manifest before me even in the Light of his Countenance that liveth for ever and this Scripture is fulfilled in me also The Father worketh hitherto and I work So my dear Friends I have honestly and nakedly before the Lord cleared my Conscience so far concerning you and on your behalf which is my reasonable service and so I leave the same to the living Testimony of the Lord Jesus which you hold and for which I am satisfied and in the behalf of the whole body of God's Elect you have so long suffered So the Eternal God of Power Dominion and Glory of Heaven and Earth consolate support and strengthen you to the end that your Testimony may be finished with joy to his ever â—asting praise to whom onely it belongs and so my Spirit in the Light and Life Immortal saith Even so Amen Farewel dear Lambs I am your true Brother D. B. Joseph was not made known to his Brethren the first time though his Bowels earned towards and over them till at last he could no longer forbear crying out with tears saying I am Joseph your Brother and little Benjamin the youngest he dearly loved you know This 5th day of the Week and the 30th of the 11th Mo. 1661. When my face you do not see Wait in the Eternal Life and then remember me So farewell and feel the Well-spring of Life This and many other Papers was communicated to each others hands which are seen meet not to be added hereunto with the jeopardy of my life and what else did attend us but magnified and for ever blessed be the living Lord and his Goodness Wisdom and Salvation who prospered his Work and Workers in his own Life of lasting Righteousness through and over self over all that which must dye and go to its place Amen DANIEL Here followeth somewhat relating to the Travel and Service of D. B. which he hath freedom to giveforth for the Truth 's sake and Friends satisfaction THe intent of the Spirit of the Lord within my heart and mind stirring me up to write somewhat concerning my travel from my Native Countrey Kindred and Father's House being freely given up to serve the Lord his Truth and People in the Power and Gospel of God I having no imposition or necessity at all laid upon my Conscience as from any mortal man but certainly it was a pure necessity from the living God of Heaven Earth many of his faithful servants Messengers sons daughters that were are as dear precious to me as my own life may beat me record on the Lords behalf unto the truth of what I write on this wise surely in the counsel everlasting the thing was hid from me then whether ever I should return to my Native Countrey or not However in the love and favour of God and in his fear set up within my heart was I given up with my body also offered as a living Sacrifice which was but my reasonable sacrifice to give a sound to the Nations afar off of the mighty day of our God and his blessed Truth the Light of Jesu-manifest in every Conscience in which Light we
have most assuredly believed unto salvation And verily the Power and pure Presence of his Eternal Strength was with me through many hardships trials and tribulations the right hand of the hiding of his Power did sweetly guide strengthen support me even as it did and doth his Lambs whom he so send forth as among Wolves in his Dovelike innocency harmlesness wisdom which is as wise or rather wiser than the Serpents And this Scripture have I well witnessed fulfilled whilst travelling from one Nation to another people as my Father did in the ancient days And on this wise with three more Brethren so freely given up with one consent in the behalf of the Gospel everlasting that is now preaching again to the Nations Tongues and Kindreds We set forward the 16th of the third Month and we sweetly parted with our right dearly beloved Friends Brethren Fathers and near Relations that were flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone and from all our outward acquaintance and Native Countrey in the Will Love and Spirit of our God in the same day from Graveseâ—d we set forth and at the end of 44. days we arrived at Legorn in Italy where we gave a certain sound of our innocent service and Message of Salvation and of-its life and blessedness coming upon the Nations as a weight either to condemnation or justification as the same is received or rejected among them And thus as we had opportunity among the men of our own Nation the Jews and others we gave a sound and the blessing of the God of Heaven and his Presence was with us whether the Nations of men did hear or forbear but the Witness of God in sundry was reached and the same answered in us And herein we are so far well satisfied whilst others were hardened who defied us and our Testimony as their uncircumcised Fathers always did resist and gain say the truth that saves from sin and so finally from its condemnation And it came to pass after that we had waited upon the Lord to understand his good will and pleasure he answered us in the joy of our hearts and we received his counsel and communicated of the same to each other's satisfaction in the love of God in which we were wel confirmed to obey the same until the death as the Lord our God might have permitted for his Name 's sake who then further ordained us to be separated viz John Stubs and Henry Fell to pass on towards Alexandria and my dear brother and companion Richard Scostrop with me to pass Eastward to Smyrna and Constantinople in Asia and after a little season we parted in the goodness of God And when 24. dayes were finished having in the mean time touched a little season at the Island Zant we arrived at Smyrna But behold it came to pass immediately at out coming there was not a little stir together with the evil surmizings and what else arising up as a flood with threatnings breathed forth from the Apostate Christians especially men of no small degree of our own Nation against us when Turks Jew Greeks Heathens and others were not altogether so evil affected as to let us from the exercise of our Conscience void of offence towards God and man and so to hold forth the example of the harmless Life and unblameable Conversation in all equitableness in Doctrine Life and Practice of what we professed in the midst of them But oh how the Christians by Name in Asia who should first have received the Word of saving-health how did they defie and reproach not onely us but our living Testimony and Message of Blessedness which day by day was sounded in their ears notwithstanding the Lord God lay not what they did against us to their charge when they have most need of Mercy and Peace with God if happily repentance unto life be witnessed by them who know not what they did yea and my spirit is ready to say Amen for their sakes that hated us without a cause as the same unbelieving nature did our Lord and Maâ—â—er whom we love serve and honor in the same and therefore keep his sayings which are not grievous to us in that one and the self-same Spirit which reproves the World for sin in which we worship him as the Father the which guideth into all truth from all evil concerning which we wel admonished their minds to subject to the one and to avoid and turn from the other each having their proper effects attending them as anguish woes judgements and disquietments upon the soul and conscience that doth evil and contrariwise blessings peace glory honor and the goodness of God attending the soul of man which worketh good in the Light of the same excellent Spirit of God which exerciseth the Conscience in temperance and sobriety meekness and gentleness of Christ. And on this wise we besought the men of our own Nation together with many more in them parts that they may become a sweet savour of the pure life of Christ and Christianity indeed and in truth which tends to answer the Witness of the Eternal God manifest in Turks Greeks Jews Heathens and Apostate Christians among the dark Nations where they have their conversation Yet I am constrained to express somewhat of their manner of dealing with us to our good Wherefore men of reasonable and honorable understanding may bear with me to the end that the honest-hearted may be informed to beware of a persecuting Spirit which is not of God neither ever was it born of him Their threatnings encreased daily and they burthened themselves exceedingly with us whose deportment and behaviour they were made to confess to as did the Consul and divers others which in truth they could not say otherwise but that it was temperate innocent harmless and unblameable in our conversation Magnified be the Lord and blessed be his Grace of Life by which we in submission to the same were guided herein But because our Testimony was not for but against whatsoever might be said in truth to be evil unjust or unequitable which is dishonorable therefore were we hated of the high and lofty to the disquieting of their own rest day and night because they burthened themselves so with the truth and innocency of the Lord's Testimony which our Life held forth among them who received not the same in his love that they migâ—t be saved not onely from sin but also from the wrath to come So they forthwith sent a Message from Smyrna to the great City Constantinople to the King's Embassador of England and besought him to expel us out from among them of Asia that we might not have a being in the extent of their Authority in visiting them on this wise as by the annexed Warrant thou that reads the same may understand A Copy of the Warrant which they produc't and prosecuted WHereas we are informed that there is lately arrived with the Zant Frigot one Daniel Baker with his Companion commonly called Quakers
spiritual and so the Lord hath made me as a burthensome stone among them My heart blesseth his Name that wonderfully preserved me Yet some of them came to see somewhat of my innocency About 24. dayes I abode upon the said Island they daily continuing their threatnings against me as aforesaid and many times attempted me to take my passage to Cicillia or to some parts of Italy to produce the unreasonable and unchristian-like Obligation demanded by them but in the fear of God I with my dear friends withstood them and they were freely given up rather to suffer then to hurt God's truth and people thus to gratifie them who as it doth appear the Spirit of the Lord God of truth rules neither in Pope nor in any of his Lords Priest or Jesuits that exerciseth such Lordship over the innocent long-suffering Heritage of the everlasting God The time hasteneth and behold it cometh to pass that the weight of eternal Vengeance is coming over them which the man of 〈◊〉 and his sons of perdition will not be able to bear For the doleful cry of the Innocent it sighs and groans with tears hath long uttered its voice which hath ascended into the ears of the most high who is higher hen the highest yet hath he respect unto the needy to uphold them yea and to such as are of an upright contrite lowly and trembling heart What if I should say the God of love and long-suffeering dwels in such and verily their sacrifice is acceprable in his bosome that liveth for ever and I am a living witness that the sweet testimony and innocent sufferings of these his long-suffering Lambs is right dear and precious in his eye which is the light of his countenance and so is is not otherwise but the same in oneness with his people concerning them And so in the endless Mercy Blessing and Peace of our God we parted and I came away with the love and peace of my God within my heart having the answer and living testimony of a good Conscience and in the wisdom of God brought away these their words and writings which testifieth somewhat of their sufferings and faithfulness unto the Lord his truth and people which I right well know cannot be shut out of the Record of life Eternal unto which I bear record again that they have been and are a sweet savour unto the Lord God of faithfulness and so their reward which attends the same in not onely with them but with all the sons and daughters of truth and innocency that are so travelling in their long-sufferings which are but light and momentary in competition to the Eternal weight of glory which afterwards is to be revealed in the same that suffered in all generâ—tions even from righteous Abel unto this day of our God to whom be wisdom glory salvation and everlasting thanksgivings and dominion for ever Amen saith my soul and spirit even so Amen And it came to pass in the third month of the year 1662. also after my God had well preserved me in my passage and in his work and service from Malâ—â— to diverse places in Italy till I came to the Straights Mouth of the Mediterranean Sea at the place called Gibralter it was the pleasure of the Lord God to suffer the wind and weather to continue contrary well nigh about 30 daies in which season I suffered many trials and tribulations in spirit having little or no rest in the same because of the Vision and words of the Everlasting which sounded often up to my understanding even as the roaring of a Lyon which mine eye saw and mine ear heard also in the year 61. when I was a Prisoner for the pure Word and testimony of God and his Truth in Worcester City Jayl before I departed England and the place was the high Mountain of Gibralter that stands within the King of Spains Dominion which was the subject of the Vision and ofen as I cast mine eye upon the scituation of the place the pure life and power of God's Eternal presence did arise up in me in the Word of Life so that I saw clearly that some great exceeding weighty service for his Name and eternal Truths sake was to be done by me which was so terrible and dreadful to me when as I entred into reasoning so that I was brought down even to the jaws of death in dust and ashes and as Jonah turned his back upon Niniveh the same temptation attended me also to my wounding before I could give up for I fled often from the place to escape with my life from among such an unreasonable and bloody generation and the Lord would not be intreated to let such a bitter Cup pass unfulfilled but behold with the sound and stroak of his eternal Word his Spirit of Life became awakened quickned and mightily revived in me in his Wisdom over all fear of the Nations of men and the same brake through the snares and bonds of death and over destruction and the true seed that mourned cried Not my will but thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven and so it was a hard thing to part with little Isaac which is received again in the Covenant of promise of Life and that was offered up which fled so often but at last was caught in a thicket When the ships of diverse Nations attempted to pass through but the God of heaven whom the wind and sea obeieth suffered them not but they knew not what the matter was which was revealed within my heart as the displeasure of God was against them to humble them also as I told them often by words and writings to clear my conscience albeit they strove being perplexed in their minds and attempted often to wit 7 or 8 times in about 21 daies and could not pass but about 2 or 3 leagues and on this wise it happened it would â—ther prove calm and then the currant would drive them back into the Streights again sometimes and otherwhile storms and tempests would scatter them as a figure of Pharaoh and his Hoste of Egyptian darkness so that the Charet-wheels mine eye saw struck off so that they drove but heavily within and without and at last I gave out among them that God had service for me to do at that place and my life was given up to do his will if I never saw my Native Country Kindred or Fathers house at all any more and therefore the pleasure of the Lord in his mighty power had made me wiâ—ling and also gave me dominion through and over the bonds and snares of death and destruction as it were to lay down my precious life that I may take it again together with the body which through his righteous judgments he had prepared to perform the good pleasure of his Almightiness for his Truth and Names sake Now the heavenly voice was often founded within my heart on this wise saying O Jerusalem cut off thine hair and further more to gird