the Lies and Lightness of these false Prophets which the Lord is against who run when the Lord never sent them as the false Prophet did when the Lord sent his true Prophet Ieremiah to cry against them Ier. 23.32 All People who desire to know the living God let the time past be sufficient you have followed Men who have deceived you and cease from them and turn to the true Prophet whom Moses the Servant of the Lord declared the Lord God would raise up Deut. 18.15 his Elect and Chosen Servant to raise up the Tribe of Iacob and to restore the preserved of Israel whom he hath also given for a Light to the Gentiles and to be his Salvation to the Ends of the Earth whom Isaiah the Prophet declared the Lord would raise up to open the Fountain of Life and Salvation to all that Thirst Isaiah 55.1 2 3 and now witnessed with all that hearken to his Counsel who calls to every one that Thirsteth Come ye to the Waters and he that hath no Money come ye buy and eat yea buy Wine and Milk without Money and without Price wherefore do you lay out your Money for that which is not Bread and your Labour for that which satisfieth not hearken diligently to me and eat that which is good and let your Souls delight it self in fatness incline your Ear and come unto me hear and your Souls shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David all People no longer look forth the glad Tydings of the Gospel of the eternal Salvation is heard within in this day of the Lords Mercies wherein he is teaching his People himself as was declared by the Prophet Isaiah 54.13 and now witnessed with all the Children of Light whose minds are turned within to wait on the Lord for teaching and to establish them in the Covenant of Life and Peace who is performing his promise to all that wait on him which he declared by his Servant the Prophet Ier. 31.33 34. This shall be the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel in those days saith the Lord I will put my Law in their Hearts and write it in their inward Parts and will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People and they shall no more teach every Man his Neighbour and every Man his Brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will be merciful unto their Vnrighteousness and their Sins and their Iniquities will I remember no more Therefore every one that desires to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent turn your minds within and examine your Hearts search and try your ways with the Light that Christ Jesus hath enlightned you withall that shews you in your Hearts what is Sin that Pride and Covetousness is Sin Lying and Swearing is Sin Dissimulation Cheating Couzning is Sin vain idle Communication foollish Jesting and Unbelief is Sin and these things you know in your own Consciences to be Sin by the Righteous Law of God in the Heart that reproves you for them in the secret of the Heart and Conscience there is your Teacher the Spirit of the Lord within which in this mighty day of his Power he is pouring his Spirit upon all Flesh according to his promise declared by the Prophet Ioel 2.28 29. And now witnessed with his Sons and with his Daughters who walk in the Light led and guided by his Spirit within which keeps the Conscience void of offence towards God and towards Man Every one diligently hearken to the Counsel of the Lord the Light that witnesseth for God in the Conscience give up to be guided by it then you need no more be taught of Men neither shall your Teacher be removed any more into a Corner but thine Eye shall see thy Teacher and thine Ear shall hear a voice behind thee saying This is the Way walk in it when thou turns to the right Hand or to the left as was declared by Isaiah the Prophet Isa. 30.20 which is now witnessed and that is the living Word of God within that hath raised desires in you towards God every one in whom desires is raised wait in the Light and Power within that hath raised the desires and the Lord will then strengthen and give you power to wait on him in the way of his Judgments till the Carnal Earthly Sensual minds which hath lead you to delight in Lusts and Pleasures and created enjoyments below God be cut down and slain with the Word of God within which is a sharp and two edged Sword to slay down the first Man which is of the Earth earthly then will you come to witness to be the slain of the Lord and the sentence of Death upon the first Man who hath lead you from God with all the Wisdom Strength and Righteousness you had in him and in the Power of the Spirit you will be brought to the true sence of the Poverty of your Spirits to Hunger and Thirst after the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus the Light him to prize and love and self judge and deny with his Light and in his Light wait to dwell in his Power you to guide in every Word and Work in the Light where your union and fellowship will be with the Father of Light who will you keep that faithful in him abide and dwell in his mighty Power and Wisdom as he moves thee witness his mind in his pure Power to the confounding of the mighty Wise and Prudent men who is exalted in the wisdom of the World and Counsel of their own Hearts not regarding to be guided by the Counsel of God in Christ the Light. To you tender Babes and Children of the most high this is the Word of the Lord God in whom desires are raised towards his Name his Counsel mind in you and stand faithful in it according to his Word declared to you and consult not with Flesh and Blood in the Light and Life lift up your Heads and freely give up Soul and Body to the Lord God of Heaven and Earth that he may exhalt in you the Kingdom of Jesus Christ to guide you in perfect obedience to his Righteous Law written in the Heart for the exercise of the Conscience towards God and Man and fear not Man whose Breath is in his Nostrils who stands up to oppose the Lord in this mighty day of his Power wherein he is exalting Christ Jesus the Light to be King for ever In his Light be faithful to the Lord and though you be hailed before Rulers Governours and Kings for a Testimony against them take no thought what you shall say but keep within stand in the Counsel of God it shall be given you in the self-same hour my Heavenly Father will in you speak and his Enemies confound before his mighty Power in you and
Hands but they themselves are as natural bruit Beasts living without the fear of God in Pride Covetousness Dissimulation and Hypocrisie full of self-Love making their Bellies their God delighting their Hearts in the Creature enjoyments and visible Objects and are men-Pleasers having their Person in Admiration and them respecting for Advantage And these Men who are ignorant of the only true God you have followed to Teach you to know God who hath drawn you to worship an unknown God in the ignorance of your minds so have they destroyed the Souls of many and you People perish for want of Knowledge Hoseah 4.6 in being caused to err with the Lies and Lightness of these false Prophets which the Lord is against who run when the Lord never sent them as the false Prophets did when the Lord sent his true Prophet Ieremiah to cry against them Ier. 23.32 All People who desire to know the living God let the time past be sufficient you have followed Men who have deceived you and cease from them and turn to the true Prophet whom Moses the Servant of the Lord declared the Lord God would raise up Deut. 18.15 his elect and chosen Servant to raise up the Tribes of Iacob and to restore the preserved of Israel whom he hath also given for a Light to the Gentiles and to be his Salvation to the ends of the Earth whom Isaiah the Prophet declared the Lord would raise up to open the Fountain of Life and Salvation to all that thirst Isa. 55.1 2 3. and now witnessed with all that hearken to his Counsel who calls He every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters and 〈◊〉 that hath no Money come ye buy and eat yea buy Wine and Milk without Money and without Price Wherefore do you lay out your Money for that which is not Bread and your Labour for that which satisfies not Hearken diligently to me and eat that which is good and let your Soul delight it self in fatness Incline your Ear and â—â—me unto me hear and your Souls shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David All People no longer look forth the glad tidings of the Gospel of eternal Salvation is heard within in this day of the Lords Mercy wherein he is â—â—â—ching his People himself as was declared by the â—rophet Isa 54.13 and now witnessed with all the Children of Light whose Minds are turned within to wait on the Lord for Teaching to establish them in the Covenant of Life and Peace who is performing his Promise to all that wait on him which he declared by his Servant the Prophet Ier. 31 33 34. This shall be the Covenant I will make with the House of Israel After those days saith the Lord I will put my Law in their Hearts and write it in their inward Parts and will be to them a God and they shall 〈…〉 adâ— they shall no more teach every Mâ—n his 〈◊〉 and every Man his Brother saâ—ing â—â—ow the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of 〈◊〉 saith the Lord for I will be mercifull to their â—â—â—ighteousness and their Sin and their Iniquity will I â—â—â—ember no more Therefore every one that desires to know the onely true God and Christ Jesus whom he hath sent Turn your minds within and examine your Hearts search and try your ways with the Light Christ Jesus hath enlighted you withal that shews you in your Hearts what is Sin that Pride and Covetousness is Sin Lying Swearing is Sin Dissimulation Cheating Coâ—sning is Sin vain idle communications foolish Jesting and Unbelief is Sin and these things you know in your Consciences to be Sin by the righteous Law of God in the Heart that reproves you for them in the secret of the Heart and Conscience there is your Teacher the Spirit of the Lord within which in this Mighty Day of his Power he is pouring his Spirit upon all Flesh according to his promise declared by the Prophet Ioel. 2.28 29. and now witnessed with his Sons and Daughters who walk in the Light led and guided by his Spirit within which keeps the Conscience void of offence towards God and towards Men. Every one diligently hearken to the Counsel of the Lord the Light that witnesses for God in the Conscience give up to be guided by it thâ—n you need no more to be taught of Man neither shall your Teacher be removed any more into a Corner but thine Eye shall see thy Teacher and thine Ear shall hear a Voice behind thee saying This is the way walk in it when thou turns to the right Hand or to the left as was declared by Isaiah the Prophet Isa. 30.20 which is now witnessed and that is the living Word of God within that hath raised desires in you towards God every one in whom desires is raised wait in the Light and Power within that hath raised the desires and the Lord will them strengthen and give you Power to wait on him in the way of his Judgments till the carnal earthly sensual Mind which hath led you to delight in lusts and pleasures and created enjoyments below God be cut down and slain with the Word of God within which is as sharp as a two-edged Sword to slay down the first man which is of the Earth earthly then will you come to witness to be the slain of the Lord and the sentence of Death upon the first Man who hath led you from God with all the Wisdom Strength and Righteousness you have had in him and in the Power of the Spirit you will be brought to the true sence of the poverty of your Spirits to hunger and thirst after the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus the Light him to prize and love and self-judge and deny with his Light and in his Light wait to dwell in his Power you to guide in every word and work in the Light where your union and fellowship will be with the Father of Light who will you keep that faithful in him abide and dwel in his mighty Power and Wisdom as he ye move to witness his mind in his pure Power to the confounding of the mighty wise and prudent Men who is exalted in the Wisdom of the World and counsel of their own Hearts not regarding to be guided by the Counsel of God in Christ the Light. To you tender Babes and Children of the most High this is the Word of the Lord God in whom desires is raised towards his Name his Counsel mind in you and stand Faithful in it according to his Word declared to you and consult not with Flesh and Blood but in the Light and Life lift up your Heads and freely give up Soul and Body to the Lord God of Heaven and Earth that he the Kingdom of Jesus Christ may exalt in you to guide you in perfect Obedience to his righteous Law written in the Heart for the exercise of the
the Hearts of the great and mighty Men of the Earth shall fail and paleness shall gather into their Faces the dread of the holy God will be with you who faithfully give up to be guided by his Counsel in the power of his own Spirit one shall chase a Thousand and five put ten Thousand to flight the Decree is gone forth Christ shall be King in Gods time over all the Nations of the World and all the powers of the World that him withstand he will break them to pieces like a Potters Vessel so shall they become as Dust before his Breath the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it who is giving the Kingdoms of this World to his Son and to you that wait for his appearance the living sound is come that doth witness that not any Weapon formed against him shall prosper in this day of his appearance in the Hearts of his Saints In the presence of the Lord I charge you stand fast in the Counsel of our Lord Jesus Christ the Light in the Conscience and according to the measure you have received be faithful in walking with God in perfect obedience to his Will freely giving up your Bodies to finish your Testimony in Sufferings if the Lord call you for it is not given to believe but to suffer with him and they that suffer with him shall Raign with him and the Son of Man is perfect in sufferings and you that are faithful to the 〈◊〉 he will lay no more upon you then he gives you strength to bear he will guard you with the Angel of his presence and compass you about with Salvation for Walls and Bulwarks and you shall know this is to you the Word of the Lord God the day will declare it All people who dwell upon the Earth fear the living God who hath Created the Heavens and Earth and the Fountains of Waters and all turn to the Light of Christ that witnesses for God in the Conscience against Sin in its appearance in the secret of the Heart and diligently incline your Ear to the Counsel of Christ the Light that he may guide you by his Spirit least through your disobedience you perish before him in this mighty day of the Lords Power in which he is coming with Fire and Sword to plead with all Flesh and not any that transgresseth his Righteous Law in their Consciences shall escape his Righteous Judgments in this his day he is bringing down the loftiness of Man and the haughtiness of Spirit he is laying low and is exalting his Son Christ Jesus to be King and over all to Rule the Heathen he will give him for his Inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for his Possession and the Kingdom he will establish to his Son whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and of his Dominion there shall be no end therefore let all the Kings and Princes of this World mind the Light of Christ to guide them to rule for God to break the bonds of Iniquity and let the oppressed go free that in all things they may have an Eye to the glory of God in obeying the Righteous Law of God in your Consciences to do as you would be done unto in taking up the daily Cross to that nature which would hinder for doing Justice and for shewing Mercy and 〈◊〉 humbly with the Lord. Given forth by the movings of the Spirit of God in and through his Servant W. D. DEar Friends Servants and Children of the most high God whom he hath called and chosen out of the World be faithful all of you in his Counsel wait his Power to guide you in all your Thoughts Words and Works in his pure fear in obedience to his Will I charge you in his presence be valiant for your freedom in dwelling in the Power of the living God that he may arm you against the fiery Darts of the Devil him to resist in his appearance in all his Wiles who goes about like a roaring Lyon to draw you every way seeking to get your minds from the pure to draw into the visible things your Affections there to captivate your Wills to satisfie in created and perishing Objects or in the knowledg of the Truth in the fleshly Wisdom to feed with the Swine upon the Huskes the form and image of what you have injoyed or what you see in the vision what you do not injoy in the possession and speak in a Drunken Spirit words without knowledg and with them sits a painted Beast the will at liberty out of the Cross and thou whose condition this is art the foolish Virgin turned from the pure Wisdom of God the Light of Christ that convinced thee of Sin and now appearest in the outward formallity in the sight of Men with a Lamp like the wise Virgins but not dwelling in the Power of God wants the Oyle of joy and glâ—dness in the power of his Love which the wise Virgins hath in their Lamps which exerciseth their Conscience and keeps all their affections in order to the Spirit of Truth which bridles their Tongues not to utter words before the Lord but in true silence wait upon him until his Spirit move his mind to declare from the living Power the Soul possesses and enjoys in Christ the Husband of the wise Virgins whom he moves his mind to declare from the living Power the Soul enjoys in true possession in Christ who is the Bride the Lambs Wife who by his Power keeps her Lamp trimed always breathing and thirsting for him to manifest his Power to take away Sin and renew the Image of God and the perfect Man to witness in Christ Jesus the Souls life to raign in her for ever And beloved are you that Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness for you are the Children of the Kingdom of my Father and with you my life is bound up and to you this is the Word of the Lord fear not lift up your heads and wait in the Light with boldness in it look up to Christ your King he will appear as the Lightning from the East to the West and you shall behold him Riding upon the wilde Asses Coalt your wilde nature subjecting it to himself and skiping over all Mountains and leaping over all Hills that hath separated you from the presence of God and will heal your Infirmities and satisfie your thirsty Souls and give you the end of your hope the Salvation of your Souls where you shall sit down with him in the Kingdom of the Father to rejoyce in the Power of eternal love and life which is in his presence for ever and evâ—r and this is the Childrens Bread that comes down from Heaven But you foolish Virgins that sits in the outward form and profession of the Truth your Lamps are empty of the Power of God which should cast down your Wills and keep them in the daily Cross so you are possessed with a dull sottish drousie earthly careless spirit which is weary of waiting upon
he will carry his tender Lambs in his Armes and the dear suckling Babes at the Breasts of his Consolation and to cause his young men in Christ to rejoyce in the purity of his nature and the Handmaids and Daughters of Glory to triumph in his Comliness with which he will cover them that love the Light and his pure nature better then their lives the aged among his people he will cloath them with Wisdom and the grave solid ponderous weighty Spirit shall more and more possess the Ancients among his Children a pure perfect eternal Judgment he hath plac'd in the midst of thee oh Sion that shall keep forth and bind the ravenous ones for it shall be as a wall for the preservation of his lovely City Ierusalem and great is and shall be the encreasings of God upon all thy Inhabitants that abhor self and love the Light and delights to walk in faithfulness up to the requirings of the Lord in this his dreadful day wherein he is purging his Sanctuary through great sufferings according to the word of the Lord as hath been declared let no discouragement be upon your Spirits for the mighty Jehovah is with every particular Babe of his Kingdom and dear and pretious is your lives in the sight of the Lord a Woman may forget her sucking Child but the Lord will not forget you that trust in his Mercies and though the Cup look bitter which many hath to drink in this trying day fear not you beloved People but stand approved in the Light of Jesus and whatever you meet withal his presence will accompany you in sweetning your passage daily more and more for his bowels earns abundantly to you who in the holy resolution in his heavenly Power is freely given up to do and suffer whatever the pleasure of the Lord is â—hat he may glorifie his Name in the Earth in disposing of you to the eternal renown of his Name forever Oh you dear Babes of the holy Seed abide in your safe dwelling in the Light over all fear of what ever man can do for the determination of God is not any more wrath shall have power then shall turn to his praise for the Lord hath given his Angels charge over you and they pitch their Tents continually about you and in vain it is for man to strive to afflict you whom the Lord will save or to destroy whom the Lord will preserve Therefore be glad oh Sion in thy God this day and let thy Inhabitants oh Ierusalem shine forth in the glory of the Heavenly power of the most high God who dwelleth in the middst of thee for the day of thy deliverance he is hastening and to make inquisition for the Blood of thy tender Children who has sufferred spoylings of their Goods and many Stripes Prisons Afflictions and Death for the Word of God and Testimony of Jesus Christ Therefore in the Word of his Patience every one stand in your several conditions gird up in the Light the mind to the Lord unmoveable in his strengâ—h to bear your Testimonies the strong leading the weak by the Hand that all in the gentle sweet leading Spirit of Life in eternal Unity live and walk in the heavenly Authority in peace and faithfulness until death where the Crown of eternal glory shall be your reward in the power of his everlasting dominion to Praise and Magnifie his Name with Hallelujahs and high praises in the beauty of his Life forever and for evermore Amen And further this ariseth in my Heart dear beloved vessels whereâ—oever God hath placed you in the Earth whatever appears amongst the Children of men in the Light of Christ stand still and dwell in your peaceable rest forever that to the witness of God in every Conscience we may be manifest to be the Children of the eternal God of Peace in whom is our diligent watchings and waitings upon our God to order us in his Power and Wisâ—om in our peaceable lives to be a blessing to all the Inhabitants of the Land of our Nativity from the highest to the lovest in what we may to perswade them to walk in the Fear of the Lord that they may escape in the day of terrible wrath which the mighty God will manifest in the day of his dreadful vengeance upon the ungodly that so by our conversation in Christ the measure of God in all their Consciences may testifie for us that in us the peaceable holy Seed is raised which the Lord hath blessed and in which we know that neither height nor depth principalities nor powers things present nor things to come prisons nakedness peril or sword life nor death can never seperate us from the sweet refreshing Life and Peace we have together in Christ the Righteousness Strength and Dominion forever In whom Rests the Soul of your Brother in the word of his Patience with you Farewell W. D. Warwick Goal the 8 th of the 11 th Month 1663. The Word of the Lord to Sion the New Ierusalem the Bride the Lambs Wife the Eâ—cellency of all the Glory that is amongst the People though she be now in deep Sufferings in fulness of time God will clear the Innocency of her Children and all the Nations of the Earth shall call her the Blessed of the Lord yea the holy City in whom the Lord dwells to manifest his Glory upon the Earth amongst the Children of men forever O Sion who is brought forth in the beautiful and glorious Birth of the morning of the Day of the Almighty God thou Ierusalem the Bride the Lambs Wife O what Tongue can express of what is felt in the heavenly Treasures and Fulness of the Most High who watches over thee for good and not for evil in this day of thy great Tryal wherein Judgment is begun at the House of God that he may prove you to be his People in the sight of the Nations and manifest his mighty Power for your deliverance in the presence of the People to the astonishment of all the proud and stout-hearted among the Children of men In the ability of the strength of the Lord I declare his Word to thy tender Children O Sion whom the Lord God beholds how you are compassed about with the ravenous Beasts of the field and given up by the Children of men for to be laid waste and to race up the Foundation of your strength if it were possible that so the pure and living Worship of God in the Spirit may not be known in the Earth O dear and tender Children of the Immortal Birth which maketh Self of no reputation whom the Lord hath called and chosen to be his living Witnesses upon the Earth to bear Testimony of his great and glorious Name amongst the People fear not Man whose breath is in his nostrils neither regard evil tydings of what men intend to do with you O be faithful upon your watch that you may stand in a good Authority in the Light and Life over all the
the Lord in silence you have no Oyle in your Lamps you are turned from the Light that would lead you to the Power of God which would preserve in the true thirsting to wait for refreshment that is in his presence so you are Imprisoned and Starved for want of Food while you are in a silent Meeting amongst the wise Virgins who feed on the immortal Bread which comes down from Heaven the Flesh and Blood of Jesus Christ which daily strengthens them in the Power of God which gathers all their Hearts together in one where the union is in the invisible being in silence rejoycing together in the Lord to the Consciences of you foolish Virgins I speak you are strangers to the life the wise Virgins enjoyes though amongst them you come your life is in beautifying the outside of the Lamp with words being quickly spoken but the fear of God is not before your Eyes but your Wills are out of the Cross a false joy arises in you speaking what you do not possess priding and glorying in other mens Lines end contending for Truth with that mind that is out of the Truth and so become Trees blosoming with leaves but bears no Fruit and here your folly is made manifest while you speak to others your selves are under Reproof in that you are strangers to the life of God I charge and command you silence Flesh and speak not before the Lord you foolish ones that dare to make mention of his Name while the worker of Iniquity raigns in you whom the Lord will destroy except you repent therefore all Friends who make mention of the Name of the living God examine your Hearts search them and try your ways with the Light that comes from Christ with it read your condition in the Book of Conscience there will you see how you stand in the presence of the living pure holy God whether in the state of the foolish Virgins that is turned from the Light of Christ that did convince them of Sin and so gets into the form of the Truth but an Enemy to the Cross so make Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience c or whether you be in the state of the wise Virgins that loves the Light and in it to wait to dwell in the Power which chastiseth that nature which would draw from the Light and your Garments defile daily in the Cross and there your Souls is keept pure and chaste to follow the Lamb where ever he goes and enters with him into the rest that is prepared for the People of God where the foolish Virgins shall not come until they from their foolish Wisdom return into true obedience to the Father of Light c. Dear Children of the Lord God be valiant bold and faithful in your measures that in the Light Life and Power of God you may stand in the day of great tryal which the Lord will bring upon all you that make mention of his Name for power will be given to the Beast his Horn to exalt even to the host of Heaven for the clearing of the Sanctuary of the Lord then will all foolish Virgins and painted Beasts that are enemies to the Cross of Christ who hath defiled the Sanctuary of the living God in coming before him amongst his Saints and Children c. from amongst them they shall come trembling before the power of thâ— Beast when he utters his voice and commands all to Worship his Image but then shall all you Children of the most high God whom he hath called â—o be faithful to him in his eternal Power rejoyce who will you keep in that day in rest and peace in the ancient of days who will sit to judge in Righteousness all that withstands the rising of his Glory and of his Dominion there shall be no end Friends meet together in the true silence of your Spirits to wait in the Light for the unlimited Spirit of the Lord to manifest his Power in you to bruise the Serpents Head in all his appearance in you to put an end to Sin and to bring in everlasting Righteousness that you in him may grow up in the pure nature of the most high God over all blessed foâ— ever Amen God almighty keep you all faithful in his eternal Power in himself to bear his Name in Righteousness that his Name may be written in your Fore-heads that all that see you may witness you to be of the Righteous Seed that the Lord hath Blessed his Eternal Power and Presence keep you in the eternal unity of the Spirit and bond of Peace where I am with you in the unchangable Love and Life c. W. D. I desire you to let this be Read in your Meetings with a good understanding in the fear of the Lord for this is the Day I will make separation betwixt the Wise and the Foolish between those that fear the Lord and those that fear him not saith the Lord God almighty ALL Saints and Children of the most high God abide with God in the calling whereunto you are called which call is the measure of Light given unto you which witnesseth against all the deceitful twisting of the Serpent within you and seals up to your Spirits the eternal love of God in the free Covenant of life in Iesus Christ All in your measure as you have received of the Lord walk faithfully with him so will you be preserved pure clean and unblamable before him and will be fortified by the Arm of his eternal Power against all the deceit subtilty windings and twistings of the Serpent within you and without you I charge you all in the presence of the Lord God to abide with God in what he hath communicated to you and run not out from the Witness of the eternal Spirit that hath sealed you up in measure in the Power of his love Thou that doest run out to speak further then thou witnessest art a filthy Drunkard that lavisheth out thy self without the fear of the Lord and so spends and wasts upon thy Lusts and the plagues and vengance of the Lord is thy Portion thou filthy Drunkard for no Drunkard nor Lustful person shall inherit the Kingdom of God. All dear Lambs and Children of the Lord abide in the Witness of the eternal Spirit which will pass Judgment and bruise the Head of the Serpent in you so will you be armed against all the glorious appearances of the Serpent without to keep him out of the Scriptures and the least of you in the Truth of God will overturn all Priests and all the Men of the World that dwell in their Serpentine Wisdom and makes a Trade of the Letter speaking and disputing of the Saints conditions as the Devil did about the Body of Moses but cannot witness the Scriptures sealed up to their Souls by the eternal Spirit now all you that dwell in the Truth in your measure will comprehend them to be Houses built upon the Sand tall Cedars aspiring up into the Air
the names of Blasphemers Deceivers Seducers and Disturbers of the Peace so make Lies their refuge as that Persecuting spirit ever did in all Ages To stop the lying Mouth and for the Simple sake that desire in the truth of their Hearts to know the leadings of the Spirit of Truth in the way to know the only true God I here publickly declare to the Inhabitants of England and to all that dwell upon the Earth what I was in the fallen estate and how the Lord raised me up by the arm of his mighty Power and carried me on through the great work of regeneration that all may know the Truth I am sent to bear Testimony to the Consciences of those that dwell upon the Earth is not any Seducing nor contrary to the Truth of the Gospel but is according to the Truth as it is in Jesus He that hath an Eye to see let him see and an Eâ—re to hear let him hear The first Birth I Was conceived in Sin and brought forth in Iniquity and in that state lived and delighted in pride and pleasures lightness and vanity as all do in that nature untill I was about eight Years of Age though before that time when I did live in vanity the Light in my Conscience did witness against me and caused some trouble in me but I departed from the Light and so followed the counsel of my own Heart that lead me into vanity to live without the fear of God And about the time when I was eight Years of Age of my natural birth the Word of the Lord came unto me I created thee for my glory an account thou must give to me for all thy words and actions done in the Body which word enlightned my Heart and opened the Book of Conscience in me where all was written I had done in the Body ever since I had any remembrance and when I had read my condition how I had lived without God who created me for his glory the Word of the Lord then came unto me Shall the Axe boast it self against him that heweth therewith or shall the Saw magnifie it self against him that shaketh it as if the Staff should shake it self against him that lifteth it up or as if the Staff should lift up it self as if it were no Wood and by the Power of the Word of the Lord that spoke in me my understanding was enlightned and my Conscience bore witness that it was my condition I had lifted up my self against the living God in living without his fear who created me to live in obedience to him but I had lived in disobedience to him untill that day so deep sorrow seized upon me and I knew not what to do that I might get acquaintance with the God of my Life who created me for his own praise and glory then I ceased from my vain conversation which I had lived in and began to read the Scriptures and Books and mourn and pray to a God I knew not where he was but expected him without looking up towards the Firmament where my carnal imaginations told me he was and as I had heard those the World calls Ministers whom I went to hear whose words did witness with my carnal imagination of God they said he was above the Skies calling it Heaven but I felt the hand of the Lord within me executing justice upon the wicked in me and what way ever I turned to seek him in observations thither the flaming Sword turned which was placed against me to keep the way of the Tree Life and execute the righteous justice of God upon me So I stood before the Throne of the Lamb reading in my mournful estate the sentence of condemnation that passed upon me from the glory of his presence and in this condemned estate I continued and through the ignorance where God was what his Worship was I strove to satisfie his justice in outward observations imitating what the Saints did sometimes in Fasting and Praying which was the practice of Cornelius and others of the Saints of the most high God as I found recorded in the Scripture of Truth But notwithstanding all my strict walking in observations in which I was seeking the Kingdom of God I found him not but the flaming Sword cut me down so my sorrow increased for I found none in my condition that I could declare it to Then it pleased the Lord to order my Friends in the flesh to put me to keep the Sheep where I was retired from company so my minde was kept in my mournfull estate where my great ease was in mourning to a God I knew not nor none could tell me where I should get acquaintance with him in the place where I was in the outward being in a Town called Allathorp nigh Pocklington in Yorkshire but hearing of a people about Leeds that walked more strictly in profession of the name of God then any did where I was I had no rest in my spirit till my Parents in the flesh sent me thither to be an Apprentice not regarding what Calling so I might be amongst those that feared the living God that I might be acquainted with the God of my life who had created me for himself and the desires the Lord raised up in me were answered when I was thirteen years old of my naturall birth I was bound an Apprentice to a Cloath-maker in a Town called Holdbeck near Leeds and as I hard so it was there was much speaking of God which they called preaching and professing him in words from the letter of the Scripture what the Saints had spoken forth so intimating the Saints practice in their carnall wisdom seeking the Kingdom of God in outward observations as I had done before I came there but when I met with none that could tell me what God had done for their souls in redeeming them from the body of sin which I groaned under and separated me from the presence of God though I walked strictly with them in their outward observations running to hear one man after another which they called Ministers yet I found no rest nor peace to my weary soul but the flaming sword the righteous Law of God cryed in me for a perfect fulfilling of the Law of God and did meet with me where-ever I was that I could finde no peace in that worship of God the world hath set up as in receiving the bread and wine which they told me was the seals of the Covenant which was long ere I durst receive it because I saw not my selfe prepared for the evil of my heart stood before me and when I was to receive it I sought the Lord to keep me by his Power that I might receive it worthily and when I did receive it my desire was the Lord would seal up his love to my Soul but I found nothing sealed up to my soul with it Then much
fear seized upon my soul for a long time after and Iudas Condition was cast into my mind untill it were shewed that the seal of the Covenant was the spirit of Christ and no outward Element and the supper was the body and blood of Christ which the world doth not know nor I at that time but was made to wait for the manifestation of it to me Then I durst joyn no more wiâ—â— the world in that practise nor in their practise in singing Davids conditions which they called Psalms for the light in my Conscience let me see the evil of my heart that I was not in Davids condition the sence of which stopped my mouth and while they were singing I did mourn and weep for want of the pure spirit that David had that caused him to sing neither could I apply the promises which they told me belonged to me for I found no promise belonging to that nature but the wrath of God abode upon me for my disobeying his Counsel in me the Light in my Conscience but being ignorant it was his Counsel I departed from it and lent my Ear to those without that said they spoke from the Mouth of the Lord so was deceived and caused to err by their Lies that did draw me to seek the Kingdom of God in observations without but the Word of the Kingdom was in me and executed the righteous justice of God upon my adulterous heart that took counsel and not at his Mouth till I was consumed and my Body was brought so weak I was not able to answer the expectation of him whom the Lord had placed me with though my Conscience was clear I did what I was able and he in his carnal wisdom thought I was in a Consumption and was in minde sometimes to have sent me away to my Friends in the Flesh and other times he would have the men the World calls Doctors to apply some things to my Body for my Recovery but I was not free to let them but once for fear of giving them offence for I knew my infirmity was the evil of my heart that separated me from the presence of my God and how to be freed from it none told me and when I found no help in outward observations in Reading Praying Hearing or Meditating of what I heard my sorrow and misery was so great it constrained me to run to those the World calls Ministers and Professors which appeared to me had most acquaintance with God to ask them what I might do to be saved and they spoke smooth things to me to believe in the Name of Jesus Christ and to apply the promises but that he was to be found within me none told me which added to my sorrow telling me to believe in Christ I knew not where he was then at that time did the Wars begin in this Nation and mine Eyes being still abroad to do something in outward observations for my life the men called Ministers cried Curse ye Meroz because they went not forth to help the Lord against the mighty Then I was willing to give my body to death in obedience to my God to free my soul from 〈◊〉 that I might escape the Wrath I lay under 〈◊〉 get acquaintance with him I joyned with that little Remnant which said they fought for the Gospel but when I was amongst them I found as much ignorance of the Gospel as was in those I had been with none told me what the Gospel was but the Letter which is the outward Testimony and Declaration of the Gospel which is Christ who is the Glad-tydings to Sinners but they called the Letter the Gospel as I had heard before so I found no rest to my Soul amongst them Then I heard there was in Scotland a reformed Church whom they said walked in the fear of the Lord I journyed into that Country and to Edenbrough where I found nothing but formallity their Teachers calling to the people to seek the Kingdom of Heaven in outward observations as I had heard in England Then I returned back to England again and went amongst those that called themselves the Church of Christ who are called by the name Anabaptists and Independants who was setting up a more glorious Image in outward observations and said they were the Children of God but I could not joyn with them for the Testimony of his Love my Soul wanted And then the Lord discovered to me that his Love could not be attained in any thing I could do in any of these outward observations so in all these my turnings in my carnal wisdom seeking the Kingdom of God in observations without thither the flaming Sword turned which kept the way of the Tree of Life and fenced me from it and cut me down and rent all my Fig-leave Coverings destroyed that minde that looked out to seek the Kingdom of Heaven in observations or to hearken any more to hear the Word of the Lord from 〈◊〉 Then my minde was turned within by the Power of the Lord to wait in his Counsel the Light in my Conscience to hear what the Lord would say And the Word of the Lord came unto me and said Put up thy Sword into thy Scabard if my Kingdom were of this World then would my Children Fight Knowest thou not that if I need I could have twelve legions of Angels from my Father which Word enlightned my Heart and discovered the mystery of iniquity and that the Kingdom of Christ was within and the Enemies was within and was spiritual and my Weapons against them must be spiritual the Power of God Then I could no longer Fight with a carnal Weapon against a carnal Man for the Letter which man in his carnal wisdom called the Gospel and had deceived me but then the Lord discovered to me the deceits of all these men in England that were seeking the Kingdom of Heaven in outward observations and the Messenger of the Covenant forth of his Mouth proceeded the two-edged Sword with which he slays his Enemies cut me down and caused me to yeild in obedience to put up my carnal Sword into the Scabard and to leave the Army Then I returned to my outward Habitation and Calling I had in the World and there laboured with my Hands my minde being turned within to wait upon the Lord in the way of his judgments and this I witness the Administration of Moses in which Cain is banished Esau reprobated Pharoah plagued the first born of Egypt slain and my will brought in subjection for the Lord to do with me what his will was if he condemned me he might and if he saved me it was his free Love and in this condemned estate I lay crying in the depth of misery without any hopes of deliverance by any thing I could do to pacifie the Wrath of God till the Administration of the Prophets that witnessed to my Soul there was free redemption
he hath called and chosen to be faithful to him in his eternal Power rejoyce who will you all keep in that day in rest and peace in the ancient of days who shall sit to judge the Beast and the Whore their Kingdom to break down and destroy in his eternal judgement for evermore and will Rule over them by the Arm of his mighty Power and of his Dominion there shall be no end for to him it belongs forevermore Meet often together in the fear of the Lord his Power to manifest in you to his praise who is worthy forever Amen I charge and command all in the presence of the Lord God who make mention of his Name that you speak not at any time to any in your own will or to one another or to any without or to exhort them when you are guilty of the same thing in the exalted Spirit out of the Cross be silent thou Fool first judge thy self with the Light and in the Power dwell to cast the Beam out of thy own Eye and that thy own House be kept in order then wilt thou see clearly to take out the Mote out of thy Brothers Eye and how to exhort others how to walk in order to the Spirit of Truth and watch over one another with a single Eye All you that fear the Name of the Lord in tender love bear one anothers Burthens and exhort one another to build up one another in your most holy Faith God almighty be with you all his faithful Servants and Children and in his eternal Power keep you in himself that in him you may grow up in his pure nature to bear his Name in righteousness that his Image may be written in your Foreheads that all that sees you may know you to be the righteous Seed the Lord hath blessed his eternal Power preserve you and keep you and build you up in the purity of the Spirit and bond of Peace where I am with you in the eternal unity and in the unchangable Love and Life William Deusbery From Northampton Goal the 19 th of the 3 d Month 1655. A TRUE PROPHECIE OF THE Mighty Day of the Lord. Which is coming and is appeared in the North of England and is arising towards the South and shall over-spread this Nation and all Nations of the World. WHEREIN The Lord is redeeming Sion forth of her long inthral'd Captivity in Babylons Kingdom where she hath been scattered in the cloudy and dark day into Forms and Observations and there kept by the Priests and Teachers of the World who ran when God never sent them Now is the Lord appearing in this day of his mighty Power to gather his elect together out of all Forms and Observations Kindreds Tongues and Nations and is making up his Jewels his mighty Host and exalting Jesus Christ to be King of Kings to lead his Army he hath raised up in the North of England and is marched towards the South in the mighty power of the living Word of God which is sharp as a two-edged Sword to cut down High and Low Rich and Poor Priests and People and all the Powers of darkness in the Land and all the World over that are fruitless Trees that cumbers the ground defiles the Flesh and walks in disobedience to the righteous Law of God the pure Light in the Conscience For who falls on this Stone shall be broken but on whom it falls shall be ground to Powder So shall this Nation and all the Nations of the World be Conquered and the Victory witnessed neither by Sword nor Spear but by the Spirit of the Lord. A Word from the Lord to all the Inhabitants of England Rulers Priests and People to haste to meet the Lord with speedy Repentance and returning within to hearken diligently to his Counsel the pure Light of Christ in your Conscience to be guided by his Power else you shall perish in your gain-sayings For if his anger be kindled a little blessed are all they that trust in him O England who lies in the faln and lost estate separated from the true and living God by thine Iniquities notwithstanding all thy Profession of his Name in outward Forms and Observations Repent Repent and turn unto the Lord God Almighty who waits on thee to be gracious unto thee and to make thee the glory of all the Nations of the World if thou wilt diligently hearken unto his Counsel the Light that is in the Conscience of every one to wait in it upon the Lord God that he may guide thee by his Power And this I have to declare unto thee from the Lord which he hath made known unto me concerning thee O England certain years ago when the everlasting Covenant of Life was confirmed unto my Soul in the Lord Jesus Christ that I should go with the ransomed of the Lord unto Sion I enquired of my God to manifest unto me where Sion was that I might return thither to worship him in Spirit and Truth there being so many confused cries in thee O England who professes to worship the only true God some saying Lo here is Christ in the Presbyterian practice so called and the Independants so called cries Lo he is here and the Anabaptists so called saying Lo he is here and others in outward Forms saying He is here according as Christ foretold that the time would come when they shall say Lo here is Christ and lo there as it is fulfilled in thee but Christ saith Believe them not look not forth for the Kingdom of Heaven is within And as the Lightning that shineth out of the one part under Heaven and shineth unto the other part under Heaven even so shall the Son of Man be in his day And this I witness and while I was waiting on my God to make known unto me where Sion was the Word of the Lord came unto me with witness to my spirit that Christ was not divided and that there was no rent in his Garment For the Lord is one and his People one and that all thy outward Forms of Worship O England where thou art waiting for Christ in Observations is contrary to his Will for Christ saith The Kingdom of God is not in Observations neither shall they say lo here or lo there for behold the Kingdom of God is within you And that all thy strict observing of thy outward Forms is but imitating the Saints practices in thy babylonish heathenish Wisdom so there is nothing but confusion in thee and that all thy outward Forms is the outward Court which is without the Temple that the Angel was not to measure for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy City shall they tread under foot and this was made known unto me from the Lord my God to be the estate and condition thou stoodst and doest stand in O England in all thy outward Forms and Observations Having a Form of Godliness but denying the
have been Persecuted and some cast into Prison by their power and this is the Beast that had power to give Life to the Image that the Image of the Beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not Worship the Image of the Beast should be killed and this is fulfilled that when the Beast received his deadly wound with the Sword of the righteous Justice of God then did the other Beast which was the power that Raigned after him give life to the Image of the Beast that the Image of the Beast spoke and this was fulfilled in giving power to the unrighteous Laws where the Priests and unrighteous Lawyers and Judges that Iudge for Rewards that as many as would not worship the Beast in obeying the will of proud flesh must be Killed cast into Prison and there Starve and be broken to pieces and by the power of proud Nebuchadnezar's nature must be cast into places some into close Prison by the wrath of proud flesh and must neither Buy nor Sell to have any benefit of the Law but he that hath the mark of the Beast and the number of his Name Here is the Patience and Faith of the Saints And you Saints of the most high God stand in his Will for these words are sealed up until the time of the end and you shall stand in the Lot at the end of the days Here is Wisdom Let him that hath understanding count the number of the Beast for it is the number of a Man and his number is six Hundred threescore and six Now if you hold up this glorious Image which was set up by Nebuchadnezar's nature proud flesh in human wisdom which that Image spoken of in Daniel was but a tipe and figure of this which now shines gloriously in Forms and Observations and deny the Life and Power of Jesus Christ you will be found to be the strength and glory of this great Image And this I declare unto you from the eternal God of Power You shall be overturned as all that have gone before you which have set up this great Image and caused all both small and great to bow down and worship it The Stone cut out of the Mountain without Hand shall smite this glorious Image and break it to pieces and it shall become like the Chaff of the Summer Threshing-Floor and the Wind shall carry it away and no place shall be found for it and the Stone that smites the Image shall become a great Mountain and shall fill the whole Earth O be valiant for the Truth upon Earth ye Rulers of England and give over building up Sion with Blood and Ierusalem with Iniquity as it hath been in this Nation by all that upheld this Image which the Lord hath overturned and cast out before you and is still held up by you The Heads thereof judge for Reward and the Priests teach for Hire and the Prophets thereof divine for Money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord amongst us no evil can come upon us O prize your time and stand steadfast in the Counsel of the Lord the Light in your Consciences hearken unto it let it alone guide you in all your Counsel that Christ may be Head in you all then will the glory of God be the end of all your undertakings and you will remove this filthy and abominable thing out of the sight of the Lord the Judges that judge for Rewards and the Lawyers that plead for Money and the Priests that teach for Hire and set over the People to judge their Causes Men fearing God and hateing Covetousness to judge their Causes without Rewards and that the People may be taught freely without Money or Price by the free Spirit of Christ in the Hearts of his Saints who cannot but declare freely as we have freely received Then will the mighty Power of God go along with you in all your ways if you will stand in his Counsel and walk in his fear to depart from all evil which is the beginning of Wisdom and your names will become a sweet savour through the power of the Lord among his Saints as all the names of the Righteous are and you shall partake of the glory of the Lord which he is manifesting to his chosen People in this Nation which he hath chosen to make known his Power in exalting the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and will make it the glory of all the Nations in the World and the mighty God of Power will be unto us Salvation for Walls and Bulwarks and we shall sit under our Vines and Fig-trees and none shall make us afraid And this shall be the Portion of your Cup if you will deny your selves and diligently hearken to the Counsel of the Lord the Light in your Consciences to which I speak which shall eternally witness the Truth declared unto you For the Mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it who hath raised up his own Seed in his People in this Nation which cannot cleave to this great Image which was set up by those that were in the place where you are which the Lord hath overturned and cast out in his Indignation and is not yet taken away by you and while you uphold it the anger of the Lord is kindled against you There is no peace to the Wicked saith my God. This is the day that the God of Heaven will set up his own Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left unto other people but shall stand for ever and ever Here I have cleered my Conscience in declaring unto you what my God hath made known unto me concerning you and the Nation which shall shortly come to pass He that hath an Eye to see let him see and he that hath an Ear to hear let him hear To all you unrighteous Judges that judge for Rewards and Lawyers that plead for Money who devour the Creation and set people at variance destroy many Families and delight in unrighteousness and to all Oppressors high and low who grind the faces of the Poor and causes them to groan under your Cruelty and Oppression hear the Word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God Howl and Weep for the misery which is coming upon you for the cry of the Oppressed hath entered into the Ears of the Lord and he is coming to render vengeance upon you and set the Oppressed free For the rust of your Money and Gold shall eat your Flesh as it were Fire for you have heaped up Treasures for the last day and ye shall be cut down ye fruitless Trees that cumber the ground and cast into the Lake for it is the place prepared for you and for all fearful and unbelieving and the Abominable and Murtherers and Whoremongers and Sorcerers Idolaters and all Lyars shall have their part
nor suffer them that are entering in to enter in and here you shut all from the Kingdom of Heaven which is within them in drawing them from the Light in their Consciences which would lead them unto the Word of Faith which is in their Hearts the anointing of the Father wherein they need not to teach one another but as the Anointing teaches which is in Truth and is no Lye which all the Children of the Lord are witnesses of in their measures who walk in the Light and see your deceits how you Murder and Destroy Souls for Money to maintain you in Pride and Pleasure though the Light in your Consciences cry against you for your practices but you hate it and will not obey it but to it I speak which will witness me eternally when the Book of Conscience is opened to your Condemnation who shut all people out of the Kingdom of God which is within them in turning them aside from the Light in their Consciences which the Lord hath given unto every one a measure to guide them into the Kingdom And then you make a prey of them in telling them they must wait for the Kingdom of God in Observations which you call Ordinances which you have set up in your imaginations of the Saints Conditions which is Recorded in the Scripture of Truth Some of you say Lo here is Christ in the Presbiterian practice and saith another Lo he is here in the Independent practice and the Anabaptist saith Lo he is here and others that walk in outward Observations say Lo he is here according as Christ fore-told that such would come that would say Lo here is Christ Lo there is Christ as it is fulfilled in you who draw people to seek the Kingdom of God in outward Obsevations but saith Christ Believe them not for the Kingdom of God comes not with Observations for as the Lightning cometh out of the East and shineth unto the West so shall the coming of the Son of Man be And this I witness but you turn them from the Light in the Conscience which would lead them into the Kingdom to look forth at the glorious Image you have set up in outward Observations and they must pay you so much a Year for it as will maintain you in Pride and Pleasure to be Masters among the Sons of Men and so you Worship the works of your own Hands offering up Sacrifice to an unknown God whom you ignorantly Worship having no Scripture for many things you do There is no Scripture for your Call into the Ministry of the Gospel of Christ by human Wisdom nor for your making Bargains with the People for so much a Year There is no Scripture for your sprinkling Water on the Face of a Child calling it Baptism There is no Scripture for your stealing the Saints Words in taking a part of Scripture and adding to it your wisdom tearing it in sunder in Doctrines Reasons Uses Helps Motives according unto the fancies of your Brains There is no Scripture for your particular Houses that you have to creep into where none must come but your selves and whom you please to declare your Sermon as you call it which is a divination of your own Hearts one day after another one year after another There is no Scripture for your putting Davids words into the Mouths of poor ignorant People to sing praises unto the Lord as O Lord I am not puffed in mind I have no scornful eye I water my Couch with my tears all the night make I my Bed to swim all my Bones do tremble When they cannot witness these Conditions and so cause them to Blaspheme the Name of God and when the Light in their Consciences cries against them for Lying in the presence of God and Blaspheming his great and glorious Name You tell them it is the Light of a natural Conscience and so murders their Souls in shutting them out of the Kingdom of God as the Scribes and Pharisees and all the false Prophets did that denied Christ to be the Light who enlightens every one that comes into the World And here you are found to be among the false Prophets Scribes and Pharisees walking in their ways and every Tree is known by its Fruits which all the Prophets walked in the Light and Christ that was the Light cryed Wo against and you are all turned out of the way in rejecting the corner-Stone Christ which enlightens the Conscience of every one to guide them unto him as the false Builders did and go in the way of Cain to Murther and greedily run after the error of Balaam who loved the Wages of unrighteousness So as a Troop of Robbers wait for a Man so do you company of Priests Murder in the way by consent as the Priests did when the Lord sent Hosea the true Prophet to cry against them for you commit Lewdness in turning every one from the Light in their Consciences which the Lord hath given unto every one a measure according unto their ability to guide them up into the Kingdom of God and you turn them aside to seek the Kingdom in Observations hearkening unto the dark inventions of your Brains in adding your Wisdom unto the Testimony of Christ and this is your Portion the Plagues written in the Book will be added upon you Here I have cleared my Conscience dealing plainly with you declaring unto you where you are as the Lord hath made known unto me that you may be without excuse in the mighty day of the Lord which will speedily come upon you wherein you shall give account for the Blood of Souls that have been shut out of the Kingdom and destroyed by you To the Light in every one of your Consciences I speak which shall eternally witness me when the Book of Conscience is opened Repent Repent and give over deceiving the People and destroying their Souls and haste haste to meet the Lord in returning within to be guided by his Counsel the Light in your Consciences which you have rejected least ye perish in your gain-saying Kiss the Son in obeying his Counsel the Light in your Conscience that lets you see the evil of your doings least you perish in the way for if his anger be kindled a little blessed are all they that trust in him To all you who have set up a finer Image in Gospel Ordinances as you call them under the Forms of Independent and Anabaptist and say you are the Saints whom the Lord hath chosen and have only right to the best of the Creatures to Eat of the Fat and be Clothed with the finest of the Wool and make merry with the Creatures and live in pleasure and when the Light in your Conscience cries against you to Vse your Liberty but not as an occasion to the Flesh to make no provision for the Flesh to satisfie it and
the lusts thereof but you must be Perfect as your heavenly Father is Perfect You regard it not but hearken unto the counsel of your own Hearts which draw you to look at the words of Paul where he saith I find a Law in my members warring against the Law of my minde so ye wrest the Scripture to your own destruction for your encouragement to live in the Flesh and say none must be free from the body of Sin while he is here in the body And thus you deceive your selves and all whom you draw from the Light in your Conscience which cries for a perfect fulfilling of the Law of God within for the Soul that sinneth it shall dye Though Paul did complain of a body of Sin it was in his growth and it was his burden which made him cry O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me And he witnessed it put off The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death for Christ is made manifest to destroy the work of the Devil and not to destroy the Law to save Man from the condemning power of the Law while he lives in transgression of it for the Law hath power over the fleshly Man so long as he lives But he came to fulfil the Law and all the Saints bear witness of it in their measure some witness it fulfilled others wait following the Lamb daily in the Cross till they come to the fulfilling of it that the righteousness of the Law may be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Therefore mind the Light in your Consciences diligently hearken unto it and it will smite your glorious Image of Forms and Observations and break it to peices and will rend off all your glorious Coverings of your outward Profession and will let you see the Wo. is unto them that are covered and not with the Spirit of the Lord. To the Light in your Consciences I speak which will eternally witness me if you hearken unto it to be guided by it you will never find rest in outward Forms and Observations but in putting off the body of Sin through the obedience of the Spirit that the righteousness of the Law may be fulfilled in 〈◊〉 in walking no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit For they that are Christ's have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts and the body is dead in regard of Sin but the Spirit is alive unto Righteousness And this you must witness or else all your Religion is vain and your Souls will perish To you Inhabiters of England How long will you drink of the Cup of Abominations the Wine of the Fornication of the Whore which hath made you Drunk and all Nations to lay out your Money for that which is not Bread to the Merchants of Babylon who fill unto you the Cup of Abominations in drawing you from the Light in your Consciences which is given unto every one of you a measure to guide you up to God to seek for the Kingdom of God in Observations and Christ saith it is not in Observations but within so they keep you in Captivity in Babylons Kingdom under the power of Sin Hell and Death To every particular Inhabiter of England I write Come out of Babylon all Forms and Observations and Traditions which are set up by the will of Man Now is Babylon come in remembrance before God and the vials of wrath must be poured upon her and upon her Merchants for by their Sorceries are you Inhabitants of England and all Nations deceived and in her is found the Blood of the Prophets and Saints and of all that were slain upon the Earth Haste haste come out of her least you partake with her in her Sins and so partake with her in her Punishment which will speedily come upon her for the Mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it return within every one in particular examine your Hearts and mind the Light in your Conscience and it will always let you see where your Hearts are and what they delight in for it is the Heart the Lord requires he will no longer be Worshipped in Words Forms and Observations but in Spirit and in Truth and in sincerity in the inward part Therefore every one be faithful in taking heed to the Light in your Consciences which the Lord hath given to every one a measure to profit withal for the exercise of the Conscience towards God and Men in minding your watch to wait in the Light in measure it will bring to Judgment all the powers of darkness in you and the righteous Law of God will cry through your earthly and carnal Hearts till Judgment be brought forth into Victory and your wills will be brought in subjection unto the Will of God to wait on him for refreshment from his presence who satisfieth the hungry with good things And take heed of consulting with Flesh and Blood for that leads into Pride and Disobedience into Hell and Destruction mind the Light in your Conscience which is the sure word of Prophecy that you cannot be deceived taking heed unto it as unto a light that shines in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-Star arise in your Hearts diligently hearken unto it and you shall eat that which is good and your Soul shall delight it self in Fatness There is your Teacher within you the Light in your Consciences loving it and obeying it is your Life hating it and disobeying it is your condemnation To that pure Light in your Consciences I speak which will eternally witness me when the Book of Conscience is opened in you Now you have time prize it in waiting on the Lord in the Light to make your Calling and Election sure in putting off the old Man and his deeds and putting on the Lord Iesus Christ in righteousness and holiness without which no Man shall see the Lord in so doing you shall escape the Wrath of God which is coming upon the Children of disobedience in this Nation and else where for the Lord will make the Earth as the Garden of Eden and hath begun his great and strange Work in this Nation which shall make the Ears of them that hear to tingle wherein he is exalting the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus which Kingdom shall break down all the Kingdoms of the World and shall fill the whole Earth For the mighty day of the Lord is coming that shall burn as an Oven and all you that are Proud and all you that do wickedly shall be Stubble and the day that cometh shall burn you up saith the Lord of Hosts and it shall leave of you neither Root nor Branch But unto you that fear the Name of the Lord shall the Sun of Righteousness arise
must increase whose Baptism we own according as is Recorded in the Scripture of Truth and since he ascended there is no Scripture doth witness his sending any to Baptize with Water Paul who was sent after he ascended what he did in the liberty given him his liberty he knew when he circumcised Timothy and Baptized Crispus and Gaius and the Household of Stephanus besides I know not that I Baptized any other saith Paul for Christ sent me not to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel not with wisdom of words least the Cross of Christ should be of none effect 1 Cor. 1.16 17. And Iohn who bore record of the Word of God and Testimony of Jesus Christ Rev. 14.6 saith I saw an Angel in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel to Preach to them that dwell in the Earth and to every Nation and Kindred Tongue and People John did not say he did fly through the midst of Heaven Preaching the everlasting Gospel and Baptizing with Water we know Iohn was faithful in his Testimony of Jesus Christ who is now revealed and the Angel is come and the Gospel Preached and the Shadows done away And Bread and Wine were the Supper of the Lord in the Dispensation of time a Figure of his Death which were fulfilled when he had suffered and rose again and now he is known to stand at the Door and knock if any Man hear my voice and open the Door I will come in and Sup with him and he with me saith Christ Rev. 3.20 And we being many are one Bread and one Body c. 1 Cor. 10.17 and know the Wine renewed in our Fathers Kingdom Christ the Substance we now witness Shadows and Figures done away he that can receive it let him And the Churches set up by the will of Man we deny and the fixed Ministry set up over them by the will of Man that watch for the Fleece bear rule by their means and seeks their gain from their Quarter these we deny Ieremiah 5.31 and Isaiah 56.11 And those in scorn called Quakers do watch over the Flock of God every one as the Lord them calls and not for filthy Lucre as the Priests that bear Rule by their means do neither by constraint but of a ready mind 1 Pet. 5.2 in obedience to the Spirit of the Lord as he them move and thy Slanders thou hast not yet proved our Consciences do witness it that what thou hast accused us with is a Lie and not the Truth And thou further sayes that William Deusbery in a lying Paper as thou calls it which is entituled A true Prophecy of the mighty Day of the Lord already risen in the North of England c. In which Paper he makes it his work to slander the Ordinances of Gospel worship under the notion of outward Observations which Christs Kingdom comes not in Luke 17.20 and thus he accounts of all the Ordinances and Institutions prescribed by Christ himself in the Apostolical Churches and accounts all the strict observing of outward Forms of worship is but imitating the Saints practices in their Babilonish and Heathenish wisdom all these outward Forms are the outward Court without the Temple Pag. 1.2 Reply The Lie will be found in thy own Mouth in calling that a lying Paper a true Prophecy it is of the mighty day of the Lord and for thy saying William Deusbery makes it his work c. as before written thy Charge is false and the Truth is witnessed against vain Man who in his dark mind seeks the Kingdom of God in Observations where it comes not Luke 17.20 neither shall men say Lo here or lo there he called by name as before written doth witness they are not the Ordinances of Christ according as is declared of them they will be found and made manifest to the shame and confusion of their Faces who in their own wisdom imitates the Saints practices in Forms which they did practice in Life and Power in the Dispensation of time they served their Generation in the manifestation of the Spirit according to the Will of God. And whereas thou sayst in Pag. 4. it is more clear that he prophanely compares the holy Ordinances and Institutions of the Lord to that great Image set up by Nebuchadnezars proud nature spoken of by Daniel and that that Image was but a Tipe and Figure of this which now shines gloriously in Forms and Observations And thou sayst that in his speaking to the Anabaptists and Independents he tells them they have set up a finer Image in the Gospel Ordinances as they call them and what other Ordinances thou sayst doth these or you set up but what was practised in the Apostolical Churches thus you may see how this Impostor doth reproach the holy things of God. Reply Blush for shame who sayst William Dewsberry compares the holy Ordinances and Institutions of our Lord to that great Image c. Holy Ordinances and Institutions of the Lord is not rhere exprest by him where thou sayst he then so compares he witnesses against the Image you have set up in your minds of the Truth as you conceive where you are in confusion that doth you divide into Forms and Observations as before written to look for the Kingdom of God to come and though you call them the Ordinances of Christ you denying Christ the Light you to guide in the daily cross you are in the same nature wherein Nebuchadnazar cast the Lord Servants into the fiery Furnace because they witnessed against his Image so do you who walk in your imaginations and deny Christ the Light cause the Servants of the Lord that walk in the Life and cannot bow to your Image but witness against it to be haled out of your Meeting Places beaten stoned whipt stockt imprisoned which are the fruits of Nebuchadnezâ—rs nature as is manifest this day amongst those against whom he witnesseth and who is the Impostor and reproaches the holy things of God the fruit makes manifest he that hath an Eye to see let him see And further thou sayst that he in the height of his insolent rashness and madness saith thus The Word of the Lord came unto me saying I will gather my Peopel out of all Forms and Observations and out of all Kindreds Tongues and Nations and I will pour out my Spirit upon them And this thou sayst he writes in a different Character as if it were all Scripture by this you may see is proved what I have accused them with in denying the Ordinances and Administrations of the Gospel Churches true and yet this impudent Lyar tells me it s a lying slander they would render me a Lyar for telling them the Truth but it seems they can rather and with more ease deny the Accusation then prove themselves Saints and stand to it thus when they are pincht they will say and unsay and any thing to evade Rashness and Madness is thy own in speaking evil of that thou knowest not the day
and all in the new Covenant do know the Law of God written in their Hearts and the Witness or Testimony of Jesus within 1 Iohn 5.10 bearing witness with their Spirits that they are the Children of God Rom. 8.16 and this declared is neither deceitful nor knavish which is the unsavory words thou chargest on us let the Truth of God in all Consciences judge to whom they belong the Scriptures we are not against they bear Testimony of Christ the Light whom we witness the way to the Father Mat. 11 27. None knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him by the revelation of the Spirit of God is the things of God known to his People 1 Cor. 2.9 10 13. Rom. 8.11 16. according as is recorded we witness the Scriptures fulfilled in Christ the Light who is our Life Col. 3.3 4. And whereas thou queries did ever any read of the Law and Testimony in the Heart and that the Law and Testimony in the Heart is the Law of the new Covenant Reply Who hath read the Scripture in the fear of God hath read what the Lord hath promised as declared Isa. 8.16 Bind up the Testimony seal the Law among my Disciples and Ier. 31.33 This shall be the Covenant I will make with the House of Israel in those days saith the Lord I will put my Laws in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts Heb 8.10 11 12. and the Law written in the Heart we witness and the Lord faithful in performing according to his Promise in the new Covenant And thou goest on in Page 19 and 20 calling us Impostors and Pervertors of the new Covenant and to be in Idle proud Fancies and itching Humors of our own Brains in our Apostate Condition Reply We in the Light can bear thy reproach and have witnessed the Truth that it may stand a witness against thy revilings and in the Lord we rest who will make manifest whether thou or we be the Pervertors of the new Covenant and guilty of what thou chargest us with And whereas thou in the 22d Page says that William Deusbery tells us that the mighty day of the Lord is appeared in the North of England and is rising towards the South and shall over-spread this Nation and all the Nations of the World c. what the mans fancy and design is in bruiting and making such a noise of the appearance of the mighty day of the Lord judge ye I am sure he hath sufficiently discovered his own folly in blazing abroad such Dreams of his own lying Heart c. Reply In thy 2d Page thou hast enlarged thy self concerning that Book calling it a lying Paper c. and the Truth is witnessed in answer to thy charge and this in answer to what is here written Fancies Bruitishness Folly Dreams and Lyes William Deusbery denies the Truth he hath declared as the Lord hath him moved in Faithfulness to the Souls of all People that they be not found the sloathful Servants putting the Day of the Lord afar off in this his Day wherein the Hour of his righteous Judgment is come Rev. 14.7 to all that wait on him the Truth is declared that all men may prepare in the Light the Lord to meet and no longer in sloathfulness remain least he come upon them as a Thief in the Night and if the Day of the Lord do not arise over all the World and the Kingdoms of the World became the Kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ and the Lord perform not as is declared then say the Lord hath not spoken by me who is known to the World by name William Deusbery And in the 22d Page thou sayst we have set our selves in the Throne of Christ judging the whole World. Reply Thy Accusation is false self we deny to Christ we are subject who sits on his Throne and is come and coming in his Saints to judge the World Iude 14 15. 1 Cor. 6.2 and 2.5 And in the 23th page thou sayst why do not we command the Dead to rise and appear before us and many other unsavory words are there exprest Reply A wicked and Adulterous Generation shall seek after a sign and there shall no sign be given it but the sign of the Prophet Jonah Mat. 16.4 And whereas thou chargest Howgill and Burrough as thou callst them with pernitious Blasphemous Opinions Reply Thy Accusation is false they are faithful Men serving their Generation in the Light Ministers of Christ in whom is witnessed the God-head dwelling Bodily Col. 2.9 and in him we are one in God they that joyn to the Lord are one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 he that can receive it let him And whereas thou in the 29th Page saist that the Revelations of Christ that are according to Scripture are either Texts of Scripture expressed or rational Deductions Consequences and Conclusions that naturally flow from particular passages of Scriptures and not any other Revelations can be pleaded for a Rule Reply Thy dark mind is shut out from knowing the Revelations of Christ and though thou sayst that answer that was returned to these words was not to purpose it stands a witness against thee and will be found to purpose in the Light when thy reward thou shalt have for all thy unsavory words exprest in thy Book And in the 33th Page where thou falsely accuses us that we will allow of no Laws of God nor Scripture but the Revelations and Edicts of our own bewitched Hearts c. And when thou hast reviled us with false Accusation as before written thou beseechest those thou callst thy dear Friends to be serious in their Thoughts of what thou hast written in discovering our deceits and blasphemies denying the Rule that all things are to be tryed by and make themselves the absolute rule and we must not question what they say though it be never so insolent and to be abhorred of all sober Christians c. Reply Thou hast brazened thy Face to slander the Truth of God with Lies and Blasphemies which is the Foundation of all Heresie and there thou art found and thy Accusation is false Christ the Rule that all things is to be tryed by we own and deny our selves and to the Light of Christ in all Consciences we appeal whether thou or we deny the Rule thou that saist the Revelations of Christ are either Texts of Scripture expressed or rational Deductions Consequences c. as before written or we who witness Christ the true Light revealed by the Fâ—ther 〈…〉 knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Mat. 1â— 27 Luke 10 22. Let all that are in Christ with sobriety in the Light judge And for the rest of thy Slanders in the 37â—â— and 38th Pages where thou saist these miserable Worms un-Covenant themselves and un-Christ themselves as if they cared not for Grace and Mercy in standing before God denying the Scripture c. And in the
Conscience towards God and Men and fear not Man whose breath is in his nostrils who stands up to oppose the Lord in this mighty Day of his Power wherein he is exalting Christ Jesus the Light to be King for ever in his Light be faithful to the Lord and though you be haled before Rulers Governours and Kings for a Testimony against them take no thought what you shall say but keep within staid in the Counsel of God it will be given you in the self-same hour my Heavenly Father will in you speak and his Enemies confound before his mighty Power in you and the Hearts of the great and mighty Men of the Earth shall fail and paleness shall gather into their Faces the dread of the holy God will be with you who faithfully give up to be guided by his Counsel in the Power of his Spirit one shall chase a Thousand and five put ten thousand to Flight the decree is gone forth Christ shall be King over all the Nations of the World and all the Powers of the World that him withstand he will break them with his iron rod and dash them in pieces like a potters Vessel so shall they become as dust before his breath the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it who is giving the Kingdoms of the World to his Son and to you that wait for his apperance the living â—ound is come that doth witness that not any weapon formed against him shall prosper in this day of his appearance in the Hearts of his Saints In the presence of the Lord I you Warn and Charge stand fast in the Counsel of the Lord Jesus Christ the Light in the Conscience and according to the measure you have received be faithful in walking with God in perfect obedience to his Will freely giving up your Bodies to finish your Testimony in sufferings if the Lord call you for it is not given only to believe in him but to suffer with him and they that suffer with him shall Raign with him and the Son of Man is perfect in sufferings and you that are faithful to the Lord he will lay no more upon you then he gives you strength to bear with the Angel of his presence he will you guard and campass you about with Salvation for Walls and Bulwarks and you shall know this is to you the Word of the Lord God The Day will declare it ALL People who dwell upon the Earth from the highest to the lowest fear the most high and living God who hath Created Heaven and Earth and the Fountains of Waters all return to his Counsel the Light of Christ that witnesseth for God in the Conscience against Sin in its appearance in the secret of the Heart and diligently encline your Ear to the Counsel of Christ the Light that he may guide you by his Spirit least through your disobedience you perish before him in this mighty Day of the Lords Power in which he is coming with Fire and Sword to plead with all Flesh and not any that transgresseth his righteous Law in the Conscience shall escape his righteous Judgment in this his Day He is bringing down the loftiness of Man and the haughtiness of his Spirit laying low and exalting his Son Christ Jesus to be King over all to Rule The Heathen he will give him for his Inheritance and the uttermost Parts of the Earth for his Possession and the Kingdom he will establish to his Son whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and of his Dominion there shall be no end Come down ye Kings Princes and Rulers in the World who in the Throne sit in Pride exalted to rule in your Wills contrary to the pure perfect Law of God the Light of Christ in your Consciences to which you must come and own your Condemnation for your Pride and Disobedience and to his Counsel the Light in your Consciences return in subjection to Christ the Son of God and at his Feet your Crowns lay down and Honours in the Dust before him and wait on him in his Counsel the Light that he may guide you by his Spirit in the fear of God to walk humbly before him in your Places to Rule for God to break the Bonds of iniquity and let the Oppressed go free that the glory of the most high God alone you seek and not great things for your selves as you have done and in this day of darkness while you have lived without the fear of God not regarding to be guided by his pure perfect Law the Light of Christ in the Conscience let the time past be sufficient you have lived to your selves without God in the World and with all diligence obey the Word of the Lord which is to you declared in this day of your Visitation wherein the Lord tenders eternal Salvation to you in Christ the Light in whom the Father is well pleased with all that obey him which if you be obedient to Christ and wait on him to guide you by his Counsel the Light he will you lead in the strait and narrow way of self-denial and daily Cross into the holy City new Ierusalem the Light of which all Nations that are saved walk therein and the Kings of the Earth shall bring their Glory and Honour unto it where your Souls will be refreshed with the living mercies of God in Christ the Light to praise him for ever in the beauty of Holiness but if you his Counsel reject and walk in Pride self-Love delighting your Hearts in the glory of the World and the pleasures therein and so slight this day of your Visitation then the things belonging to your Peace will be hid from your Eyes and sudden Destruction as a Whirlwind shall overtake you for Sions King whom you disobey will break you with his Rod of Iron and dash you to pieces like a Potters Vessel and you shall be cut down and slain with the Sword that proceeds out of the Mouth of him whose Name is called the Word of God. Now while you have time to him submit and kiss the Son in obeying his Counsel the Light in the Conscience least you perish in the way for if his anger be kindled a little Blessed are all they that trust in him Remember you are warned in your Life-time he that hath an Ear to hear let him hear The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall Raign for ever and ever Rev. 11.15 He that can receive it let him Dear Friends BRethren and Sisters in the Eternal Light of Christ Jesus whom my Heavenly Father hath gathered you to wait upon him that you might be the holy Presthood and Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus every one in particular mind your calling in the Light and watch diligently in the Light the Life to feel a raising you up in the pure being with God in Christ your Souls to delight in the pure Fellowship with the Father in the Lord Jesus and
one with another in him that in the Measure of life in Christ your Souls be kept free at Liberty in him the shame to dispise and the Cross to take up in Obedience to the movings of the Spirit of Life which you will all know the movings of the Life it overcomes the Soul into it self and seals up its own Testimony to all that wait in the Fear of the Lord with diligence in the Measure of Light All in singleness of Heart wait upon God that the Life in every one of you in particular exercise you in singleness in the service of the Lord in what he calls you unto to his praise and know the Seed of God in you all to keep you Faithful up to God that in him you grow in the living union to reign over all in the Light and Life for ever and all of you in the Fear of the Lord God wait for an understanding that the Seed of God you may know and the movings of the Life in it that not any abuse the Liberty and in the dark minde take upon you to utter words before the Lord in his presence I lay it upon you let his dread be upon you that in his fear you be preserved all low to wait in the Light and Life that in it you grow in unity and in the Power and dread of God keep out the dead airy spirit that utters words out of the Life and brings in a dead formality which burdens the Seed of God. My dear Brethren and Sisters in the Life of my God and your God that are faithful to him I beseech you all in the tender Bowels in the Lord Jesus Christ minde your union with the righteous Seed in you all that the Cross be laid to the Ground of all evil and his Seed over you reign and in you and thorow you Minister as you are called of God to the building up one another in the Life and Power that the dark airy spirit be kept forth from amongst you and death with its formality broken down and kept out with the Life you will all enjoy in the righteous Seed of Christ the Light over all God blessed forever that in you not any thing of God be opprest but in freedom serve him Amen God Almighty in the Life you all keep up faithful him to serve in answering his witness in all your Consciences that you may your Generation serve according to his will and finish your course with Ioy. W. D. London the 9 th of the 2d Month 1657. Dear Friends BRethen and Sisters in the Light and Life in Christ whom my Heavenly Father hath gathered forth of the World to make known in you his Eternal Power and Wisdom that he may be known to be the Everlasting God who is come down to dwell with the Sons and Daughters of Men this to you is the Word of the Lord prize the mercy of the Lord who hath plucked you as Brands out of the Fire and looked upon you in the day when you were in your Blood and no Eye to pity you then did he stretch out the Hand of his Power and in the Light hath gathered you and counted you worthy to be first Fruits in Christ to wait upon him to receive of the eternal riches of the Treasure of the Kingdom of Heaven forever let the mercy of the Lord God be a Seal upon you to constrain you all humbly to walk in his pure fear faithfully to answer the Light of Christ in faithfulness what is made known unto you and when you have done the will of God in Obedience to what you are called to in the outward watch in the Light the Power of God you in his fear low in your minds to keep that the Enemy that will attempt to lead to boast of what 's done be judged down and reigned over and you preserved kept safe in your Tents in your pure dwellings in the Power of the Lord God and there wait God to keep you in a pure understanding his Seed to know that you to it be joyned and raised in it over the unrighteous Seed to reign in all its appearances to trample upon it in the Power of the righteous Seed the Lord hath blessed all watch watch watch diligently and wait Wisdom to receive to seperate between the holy and the unholy in you all that the movings of the Life in the Light you all know and in the movings of the Life in the Light for that Wisdom of God to guide you in the pure Knowledge of the service he calls unto so will God seal unto you his counsel and his secrets he will not hide but reveal to you that fear him and you will have the Presence of the Lord accompanying you in his pure service in the presence of the 〈…〉 I lay it upon you all waâ—â— to 〈…〉 is the 〈◊〉 of God as is made manifest to you in the Light that not any of you who make mention of the Name of the pure God lend an ear to the Enemy that will draw your Hearts from the pure fear and waâ—ting in the Life to form in your minds the similitude likenâ—ss of 〈◊〉 Truth and lead you in a dead formality and to abuse the movings of the Life which you have felt in putting new Wine into the old Bottles there will 〈◊〉 arise in its strength and lead you in rashness to speâ—k of that you see and do not possess for the Bottle will burst and spill the new Wine and from tâ—â—s ground is all rashness in uttering words out of Goâ—s Wisdom and hard speeches in judging out of the Knowledg of God and this with the Light into Condemnation must come In the fear of the Lord God wait the living wisdom to guide you and quench not any movings of the Spirit I lay it upon you wait the Lord to Seal unto you his mind that in his movings you may answer his Will which the Light will guide you to know the intent of every motion in word and in works that in it you stand approved in the Integrity of your Hearts to God every one in particular there faithful to be found in the Power of God that in all the movings of the Spirit of Life the earthly wisdom be judged out with all its Reasonings and Consultings that you all may know that new Man in Christ in which the new Bottle is witnessed that preserves the new Wine which is committed to you in the Kingdom of God your Souls to refresh and make glad in his presence to minister it forth in his living Power and Wisdom to refresh the Weary Burthened and Oppressed Soul with the comâ—ort of the Spirit of Life in which your Souls are made glad in God so will you all come to the pure ministry in the Life which in the measure will overcome in its self which you will all feel and as you are moued of God be faithful strangle not the Birth neither quench
the movings and in the presence of the Lord I warn you wait for an understanding in the Life you to lead neither to add nor diminish so will Death with all its Formality be kept out of you and from amongst you let none burthen the Seed with an airy dead spirit in the Form out of the Life All wait in the Life to be kept every one in particular in your own Habitations with God in the Life to dwell and as moved in the overcoming Power and Life in you let no thoughts hinder the Life for declaring it self who are overcome with the Power of it in any Service which you are called unto to the building up one another or witnessing to the World then will the presence of the Lord God be felt within you and amongst you to guide you all in his Wisdom to his praise and to be tender one over another and know your union one with another and in it bear one anothers Burthens and in the tender Bowels of Love in the movings in the Life judge out all strife all disorderly Spirits who would Rule amongst you and build up one another in your most holy Faith that in it you grow in the unity of the Spirit and bond of Peace in Christ to stand over all deceit in its appearance within and without over it to Raign in the Dominion of the Spirit of Life you in him all faithful to keep unto the end so the dread of the Lord God you will feel compassing you about and make you terrible as an Army with Banners before one of you that is in the Resurrection and Life in Christ shall a Thousand flee and Five put Ten Thousand to â—light for you in the Life are the Host of Heaven before whom the Nations shall shake and the Inhabitants of the Earâ—h shall tremble and before the Power which preserves you in the Life faithful until the Sufferings of the righteous Seed be fulfilled shall the Hearts of all the whole World fail in the day that the Lord God will make you manifest in the Eyes of all People you are his Jewels who faithful in his Liâ—e abide he will Crown you with eternal Dominion in his Life to Reign over all the powers of Darkness within and without that in the unity in the Life you grow up together in his presence to delight to praise his Name for evermore the everlasting Power of God guide you in a pure understand in his Life up in himself to serve your Generation according o his Will in faithfulness unto the end Amen The Decree is gone forth over all the World Christ Iesus shall be King blessed are all they that bow dâ—wn in obedience to his Light all that disobey and withstand shall fall down before him until the Kingdoms of this World become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall Reign for ever and ever the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it W. D. Given forth the 22 d of the 3 d Month 1657. in Kent SInce my last from the Lands-end in Cornwel dated the 17th of the 7th Month great were the service of my God in that Country on the 27th day being the first day of the week I was at a Meeting at Humphry Lowers a Man that had been a Justice which was near the High Sheriffs of the County who was wicked against the Truth of our God it were said he threatened to break the Meeting which in the Power of my God I did stand which Chained him that the Meeting continued precious in the Lord The 29th of the Month I was at a Meeting at Lanceston after the Meeting I Journied into Devonshire as the Lord had let me see I should meet with a storm in the outward in the Country or near it that day it was manifest I was stayed with certain Men in a Town called Torrenton and a guard of Men with Halberts set over me then brought before the Mayor and other Justices who were some of them very cruel and wicked against the Truth of God and did deal very rudely with me they in great wrath took my Hat off my Head and threw it on the ground and committed me to Prison where I was two nights and near three days and was many times brought before them who did charge me very strictly to be a Jesuite that was come from beyond the Sea they read unto me many new Laws as to proceed against me as a Vagabond which then the Lord reigned over them as in that he set me free then they read to me the Oath of Abjuration and said I must take it which was denied and the Truth declared against it the Pope and all Idolatry the second day at night they brought me forth and they would know how I came to be a Minister of Christ much being spoken to it in my Examination the day before as of my coming from my Wife and Children to Preach the Word of eternal Life through the Countries into Cornwell in answer to their questions I was free in the Lord to declare to them how I came to be a Minister of Christ which cut them to their Hearts that one Justice wept and the Justices Clark said if thou hadst spoke thus much before here had not been this to have done Then I did speak in answer to what was propounded but they would not hear Then some of them stormed against me for my Hat and sent me to Prison again many times I was brought before them to see if they could ensnare me in the wisdom of God I stood innocent They made a Mittimus to send me to the common Goal at Exeter some of them would not have me to go but he that had the chief rule said to me thou shalt not see my Face any more until thou art before the Judge the next Assizes at Exeter I answered do what thou hast power my Innocency will plead for me I was had again to Prison and the Mittimus given I lay on the Prison Floor without straw or any thing on the Second day of the eighth Month I was brought before them my God had then pleaded my Cause and changed the Heart of Man which failed in them when I was brought before them the Man that said I should see his Face no more until I was before the Judge at Exeter he pulled the Mittimus in pieces before my Face and said to me thou art free So did my God set me free out of the Hands of unreasonable Men according to his promise he made to me Praises to the Name of my God for ever The first day after I was at a Meeting in Summersetshire the 4th day being the 7th of the saâ—e Month at a Meeting where as they said were near a Thousand the next day I was with T Salthouse and the rest in Prison with him at night with many Friends the next day at a Meeting in Wilshire on the 11th day being the first day of
dry Spirits which is hasty to utter words before the Lord so will Israel be full of virtue and the Churches be covered with the glory of the most high in the savory Life which shall reign forever and in it be tender one over another to restore one another in the Spirit of meekness let your Bowels be enlarged to the poor and let your Compassions flow to the helpless and the needy whether in the inward of the outward man and the God of all Compassions cloath you with the Garment of his vertue to his Praise and Glory And all you valiant Vessels and Antients in Israel how have you refreshed the Children of the most high God in your travells in the strength of the Almighty in the gathering the great multitudes of the Israelites of our God to behold his glory in the Light of the Son all put on the excellent Garment of the feeling virtue more and more that by pure Judgments the healing tender Spirit be placed in Israel that if any that comes forth with us be struck with the Adversary that would weaken them from walking in the Path of life Oh you Antients in Israel who were willing to lay down your lives to gather them to the Light in that Life feel your bowels open to support them in the hour of Temptation and draw them in the pure Judgment which is surrounded with Mercy so will the excellency of the Glory of God be your Crown which to my great comfort in measure I feel set upon your heads this day that so the tender bowels of the true Shephard may abound in you who leaves the ninety and nine to seek the lost and strayed of the House of Israel who shall praise the Lord to see the Antient of days sitting amidst and amongst the Antients of Israel cloathing all with his meek low tender healing restoring Spirit so will the judgment committed to you be pure and establishing Sion in her pure holiness and freedom then will few be lost or scatered in the Israel of God and the Children will be bold to speak forth the mind of the Lord in prayer or praises or what exercise they are called unto in the presence of his People and you who have travelled for the freedom of Sion's Children which will become as a Family of Prophets every one prophesying one by one as the Lord gives utterance and the Antient of days governing you and all his Israel to judge in righeousness in which the Spirits of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets in this day of the freedom of Sion whom the Lord is exalting over all in his heavenly dominion to reign to his praise forever And all you Saints in Light what tribulation soever ariseth in the Earth as for the Testimony whereunto we are called of God look not forth from the Lords Power in you but every one abide in your Tents in the measure of his powerful Life and you will feel the Antient of days in and with every one of you to lead you on in the Testimony whereunto you are called in the Light with boldness to endure the tryal till you all have finished that whereunto you are called in Christ the Light who is come in his Saints to judge the World and to break down the wickedness thereof with the Breath of his Mouth and the Brightness of his coming in his heavenly Authority to clear his Peoples Innocency in all he calls unto to the confounding of the unrighteous Generation whom he will tread upon as Morter and bring to nought whatever will not have his righteous Life to reign for the Kingdom of this World shall become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall break the battle out of the Earth his Government shall be over all and of his Dominion shall be no end the Mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it through his Servant who remains your Brother and Companion in Tribulation in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ. W. D. Given forth the 8 th Month in Newgate Prison 1661. DEar Children of the most high God dwell in his eternal Power to keep your Habitation in the Light to stand over above and atop of all that is contrary to the Will of God in the living Faith tread down Sathan under your feet trample upon him as the Valiant Lambs of the Lord that in his holy Mountain you may dwell together in his eternal powerful Dominion Reign over all that would vail you from the full enjoyment of the Life of God and in the strength of the Son of God walk together in his pure Life comfort one another in bearing the Burdens of the Weak and gently leading them in the Power of God that they may sit down in the holy Mountain of God with them that have overcome in the Name of the Lord Jesus to offer up an acceptable Sacrifice in the pure operating Life in the strength of the Power and Wisdom of God to stand out of all dead Formality in the Life to feel the Lord Rule in you and amongst you to guide you in his Wisdom that if any Simple heart through weakness should utter words out of the savory Life in what you may bear it in the Meeting and after speak to them to restore them with the Spirit of meekness that so in Love and Unity you all may grow in the Wisdom of the Father as dear Children in all things doing to one another as you would be done unto in singleness of Heart in the sight of God freely Ministring according to your Ability both to the inward and outward Man to the Reâ—ief of your Brethren and Sisters that are in need that God may take pleasure to dwell in the midst of you to fill you all with his comfortable Presence to his Praise and Glory for ever W. D. Newgate Prison London the 13 th day of the 12 th Month 1661. Dear Brethren and Sisters BOrn of the Birth of the Morning of the powerful Day of God abide in the powerful Life satisfie your Souls with the fulness of the Presence of God in your faithful watchfulness in his Light let no Dalilah allure you from his fear least the Philistine bind you and the Vncircumcised come over you to the sorrow of your Hearts In the Light and Life of God arise let no stain come upon you let the Righteous Garment of the Son of the Day cover you and in the glory of his Light and Life you all walk and shine in the glory of the brightness of the Father of everlasting Mercy Comfort and eternal Salvation to you his dear Children that dread and fear before him and delight your Hearts alone in him keep your Meetings in his Power that in it you be all bound up in his Life his vertue to feel in the strength of his Love filling every one of you that in the overflowings you may refresh one another that in the unity in the powerful Life you
the gathering the Brethren from far and the Sisters from the ends of the Earth who shall bless the Name of the Lord for ever for you that endure in faithfulness unto the end the Crown of glory shall rest upon you forever The eternal God in his everlasting Power keep you in the deep Life of his Son in unity to finish your Testimony to his Glory Farewel W. D. Given forth in Newgate Prison London the 13 th day of the 12 th Month 1661. Dear Lambs keep in the unity in the Life and Power of God and let your words be few W. D. Dear Friends THe Eternal God of rest and peace is amongst you in him Rule over all that would draw from the everlasting Power and peace in God his peace be with you in his Light Power and Life to establish you that in the first love you grow in unity and in it reign to the endless praises and glory of the God of peace and the comfort of one another forever Even so be it with you saith my Soul in the Name of the Lord. Farewell W. D. London Newgate Prison the 12 th day of the 12 th Month 1661. Dear Brethren and chosen Vessels of my Father HOw do you comfort my Heart in your faithful obedience to the God of our Salvation lift up your Heads you blessed Lambs of the holy God dwell in his love and delight your Hearts in the Light of his Countenance continually and in the Life of the Lord let your love abound one towards another that in the strength thereof you may comfort one another in these trying days and with the Light judge every thought that would streighten you for drinking in the fulness of the vertue of God that so you may all fill your Hearts with gladness and keep the word of his patience till the time determined God will work your deliverance with all his Elect to his praise and glory forever Fare you well your Brother W. D. 25 th day 11 th Month 1661. Dear Brethren GReat is the charge that is committed to you as to your watchfulness over your own Hearts and the great people amongst whom you are placed Oh you Brethren walk in the unity in the Life of God it will be the great comfort of them chosen Jewels of God in that place the strength of the Life and Love of God will wait to cover you it will flow through you in the unity as a River to water the Garden of God and cause it to grow full of the fruit of the Spirit which is Love Joy Goodness Peace against which their is no Law so â—hall your names be honorable in Israel and many shall bless and praise the Name of the Lord for your watchfulness meekness and lowliness and tender love in the Power of God to build the decay'd Walls of Sion and repair her desolate places to the rejoycings of all that love the Lord our God. His Powerful Presence be with you and bind you up as one in his Life in all your undertakings for the comfort of Sion and the Blessing of the Almighty God be with you and rest upon you to his Glory forever Your Brother W. D. From Newgate Prison the 5 th day of the 9 th month 1661. This was writ and directed to several Friends in Bristol Dear Friends in God ALL in the measure abide that in the unlimitted power and life in his Kingdom you stand to keep your dominion in his heavenly authority these trying days wherein Husband is called to forsake Wife Wife Husband Parents Children and Children Parents and other Creature-enjoyments for the Testimony of the Name of the Lord so all you Families of God that are or shall be called to bear your Testimony prize the mercy of the Lord who hath made you his chosen Jewels and the first-fruits amongst many Brethren to fulfil the measure of the sufferings that is yet behind in the name and power of the Lord Jesus arise whether Husband Wife Parents or Children in bonds or out of bonds and take to you the sharp threshing Instrument which is the Power of God that you may thresh inwardly all the Mountains of thoughts fears or unbelief representation of all hardships and every desire and imagination that would draw from a peaceable rest in God in the Name of the Lord I lay it upon you be valiant for your Freedom and with the powerful Instrument of God thresh and bruise down the Mountains as chaff and dust and thresh upon the head of the great red Dragon the old Serpent the Devil and spare him not and be not afraid of encountering for mighty is the Lord that hath called you to conquer him so keep his head under with the threshing Instrument bruise down and keep under all that would disquiet you or draw you from your rest that so in peace in Christ you all may abide in a pure resignation to the will of the Father that in the Habitation of peace in his Kingdom you in his dominion reign over above and atop of all below the Light so wiâ—l your joy flow as a River your triumph and dominion in the authority of God over all the Mountains of this World within and without in the Mountain of the holy Life in Christ to reign admire and souâ—d out in the low minde and holy fear the new song with triumph over the Devil and his Angels and the accuser of the Brethren which you will see cast down and you shall tread upon him and bruise him under and all that would joyn with him with the sharp threshing Instrument the mighty Power of God which you have received in Christ the Light and in all things you do one for another let love abound in the Innocent Life in God doing as you would be done unto in the sight of God and you that are servants in Families which be in sufferings I lay it upon you be faithful that the good savour of God be found amongst you to the praise of the Lord and you that are out of bonds in what you may be assistant eveâ—y way as the Wisdom of God leads bearing one anothers burthens to fulfil the Law of Christ who is taking to him his great Power to reign forever even the strength of the mighty God be with you and lift up all your Heads in his Authority to stand and to keep the word of his Patience to finish your Testimony to the praise and glory of his Name over all blessed forever of whose Dominion there is no end in which you dear Lambs may feel me and read me in the Life which is hid from the World but known to you in the secrets of God where our eternal Joy and Triumph is for ever whatever becomes of the outward Man in the Will of God farewell yea farewell in the Name of the Lord. W. D. Given forth in Newgate Prison London the 3 d day of the 1 st Month 1661 62. Dear and chosen Vessels IN the
Consolation her broken Cisterns hath failed her What shall we do in this day she shall be spoken for which is come upon us though at present she cannot draw near but Mourns at a distance and Cries in secret for want of the enjoyment of the God of our Saâ—vation Oh let your Bowels open to her and let your Hearts breath unto the Lord that he may seal his Counsel unto her and cause her to walk in the Light of the Lord with us whom he hath raised to be the first Fruits amongst many Brethren to bear his glorious Testimony over and above the Heads of all the wrath of the Children of Men that withstands the Appearance of God who will cause them to bow before his Glory in the day he will clear the Innocency of his beloved people which shall smite the Hearts of them that know him not neither by Sword nor Spear nor strength of the Arm of Flesh but with the breath of his Mouth and the brightness of his comming which shall spread his Fame over the Nations to gather our Brethren from far and Sisters from the ends of the Earth yea the mighty shall bow to his Scepter and the Nations that are saved shall walk in his Light with us whom he hath made as dear unto himself as the Apple of his Eye and though a Woman may forget her sucking Child yet the Lord will not forget any that fear him but he will lead through all Tribulations with Joy in his heavenly Power untill we have finished our Course with gladness to the glory of the Name of the Lord forever And this is the Portion and the Lot of thy Inheritance thou beautiful Bride the Lambs Wife against whom every Tongue that is lifted up shall fall into Judgement and the Weapons formed against thee shall not prosper for the Lord hath made thee a burthensome Stone to the Nations and the praise of the whole Earth and the desires of the people shall be to the Name of the most high God who dwells in the midd'st of thee and hath displayed his Banner of Love over thee and hath turned his fury away from thee and never any more shalt thou want the fresh Springs of Life who loves the Light and bathes thy Soul in the Ocean of his inexpressible Mercies The Lord will keep thee in the safety of his Power and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against any of the Sons and Daughters who waâ—â— in the Light of thy City O Ierusalem in whom there is no more Curse but the Throne of God and of the Lamb is in thee and his Servants doth serve him and they do see his Face and his Name is written in their Fore-heads and there is no Night there neither need of Candle nor Light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them Light and they do Reign forever as the Lord hath spoken Through your Brother and Companion in the Tribulation and Kingdom of Patience in the Lord Iesus W. D. Given forth in York Castle the 19 th of the 1 st Month 1663. Let this be sent abroad to be read in the fear of the Lord in the holy Assemblies of the Church of the first born where she is scattered to the ends of the Earth The Breathings of Life To God's Spiritual Israel Through A faithful Follower of the Lamb in the Regeneration and Kingdom of Patience and Tribulation and now a Sufferer in Bonds for the Testimony of the Lord Jesus known to the World by the Name of William Deusbury DEar Children and Chosen Vessels of the Eternal Everliving God whom he hath plucked as Brands out of the Fire and hath manifested his heavenly powerful operating Spirit to lead you in his holy fear to wait upon him in the way of his Judgments which hath buried and 〈…〉 in the Death that you could not find â—ny Comâ—ort or Satisfaction unto your hungry thirsty Sâ—â—ls but in lying down in true subjection to the Judgments of the Lord manifest in the Light until the Lord broke in upon you when your wills were subjected with his tender love and bowels of free mercy which caused the Dead to live the Lame to walk the Deaf to hear and the Dumb to speak forth the wonders of the Lord. Oh you dear Companions in the Tribulations and Patience of Jesus when I remember you my heart is broken and as a man overcome with the Compassions of the Lords love that flows out towards you in which my Soul exhorteth you to dread the Lord and fear continually before the heavenly Majesty of our God and be faithful upon your watch that the Enemy which you know goes abroad as a roaring Lion to devour you that he may be trampled upon and never get Entrance to stain your pure Garments which you know never could be washed but in the blood of the Lamb And all take heed of giving way in the least measure to what you know would intangle you in any bondage do not rely upon your own strength though you have and do reign in the glorious dominion standing in the Light yet if there be the least hearkning to the Enemy to tamper with him though you may think you may be able to subject the disposition of nature he works upon if he draw you from the Light you will be insnared and distress and sorrow will come upon you as an Armed man and under Gods Judgments you must lye until the Lord raise you up again in the renewings of his mercy in the Light of his own Covenant Therefore dear Children of the Immortal birth I cannot but say once more unto you Watch watch with all circumspection and diligence stand faithful upon your watch that in the Light of the Lord the eye of discerning be kept open in you that you may discern the Mysterious workings of the subtil Enemy of your souls peace And take heed of taking any liberty to your selves in any thing but what you know stands approved in the Light Power and Life which hath so freely manifested it self in regenerating and renewing you in the spirit of your minds let your souls continually prize the Light and the Sin-condemning power to love it above all things that you may stand in the Marriage-union in the power which destroys the works of the Devil and keeps the Soul in pure freedom to walk with the Lord rejoycing in the daily Cross where Self is crucified and the Soul set free in the pure Liberty in the love and life of the most High to magnifie and praise his name in the beauty of holiness forever and ever Oh beloved ones look not at Self nor at any storm or tempest that ariseth through temptation or tryals of what nature soever as to vail you from beholding of the lovely countenance of Jesus the beloved of our Souls Oh lift up your heads all that love the Light for the Lord our God in the bowels of everlasting compassions will draw near you more and more and
the Glory of my Name forever Therefore in my Life stand faithful in resistance of every evil Thought or whatever would cause you to murmer or desire any thing but what you know will advance the Glory of my Name and the Exaltation of my Truth over all that riseth up against it in your being truly subject to the measure of my Light and Life that will not let any seek a Pre-eminence or esteem amongst Men neither let Self-striving nor Self-serving have power in any but in true Humility Love and Meekness watch one over another and let the strong take the weak by the Hand that you may all gently in Love Meekness and holy Fear dread my Name and serve one another that your Love may be manifest unto me saith the Lord your God and one unto another in the naked simplicity of your Spirits then will I make my Dwelling amongst you and with you and my dreadful and glorious Presence you shall all feel mightily in you and amongst you moving in the exercise of my Spirit to the Renown of my Name and the Comfort of one another and I will Crown you with heavenly Blessings and the Glory of my Powerful Life and you shall praise my Name forever that I made you my Jewels and counted you worthy to suffer for the Testimony of my Name I will go before you through all the Waters and Floods of Afflictions and I will appear with you before all the Counsels of the Sons of Men and my saving Power shall compass you about in your hot and sharp Afflictions all you who have your Confidence alone in me the LORD your GOD. Therefore trust in my Name ye my dear Children and cast all your care upon me And if any of you joyfully suffer the Spoiling of your Goods I will supply with what is needful for you and yours And if any of you seal your Testimony in the Word of my Patience with your Blood I will take care of your tender Wives and Children or Parents for whom your Souls have been poured forth in Prayers unto me for their good Therefore hear my Word which is sounded unto you from the Throne of my Grace and eternal Glory Rejoyce not too much in Spirits being made subject but throw down your Crowns before me that there be not a Self-seeking Self-serving Spirit in the Family of my People but all feel the Birth Immortal raised up in the Resurrection of my Life in you all which truly makes Self of no Reputation so that all Loftiness be laid low and all Haughtiness bowed down in every one that I the Lord God in you all may be loved obeyed and exalted who is taking and will take to me my greaâ— Power to exalt the Meek upon the Earth and reign over all the Pride of the Children of men that is exalted above my Witness in their Conscience that so my Sons may be brought from far and my Daughters from the ends of the Earth in the sight of all People whom I will make to confess in Subjection to my Power That you are the beloved People of the most high God and of the righteous Seed which the Lord hath Blessed and not any Weapon formed against you shall prosper but come to nought which will be hastened for your Comforts and certainly performed according to what is here declared to your Eternal Joy and you shall assuredly know the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it The Word of the Lord before expressed came to me in the Prison-House in Warwick the 13 th day of the first Month 1664. which constrained me to send it to be read amongst you dear faithful and suffering People of the Almighty God in whom I remain your Brother and Companion in Tribulation and Kingdom of Patience in the Lord Iesus Christ. W. D. Oh thou beloved Seed of God in London Hartford Bristol Redding and Colchester with all in other Places where the Power of Hell and Darkness is begun to make War in the fierceness of his Wrath and great Fury as though he would destroy and utterly lay waste ALL you dear Children born again of the Royal Seed who is raised up in the Power of the most High to bear the Name of the Lord in the Earth and to shine forth in the lively Image of his own Nature amongst the People in your loving the Lord Jesus better then all the World and the created objects and enjoyments therein and in this day of your great Trial you are found faithful in the Name of the Lord to withstand all the Power of Hell and Darkness and to make War in Righteousness neither with Sword nor Spear but in the Word of the Patience of the Lamb of God who overcame and was made perfect in sufferings Oh you chosen Vessels whom the Lord â—ath counted worthy to stand in the heat of the Trial in the excellent noble Life to bear your Testimony with the hazard of the loss of your estates and Liberty even to Banishment yea to lay down your lives if the Lord require it at your Hands to the comforting and incouraging of all your dear Brethren whose eyes are upon you and their Prayers and Breathings to the Lord for you that he may carry you on with boldness and sweeten your Passage until in faithfulness you have finished what is determied of the Lord in drinking of this Cop he is handing unto you that he may make you manifest to be his dear and chosen Jewels to the perfecting of the praise and glory of the Name of our God over all blessed forever Oh you valiant Brethren and beloved Sisters cloathed with the excellency of the glory of the incomprehensible God lift up your Heads in the Name of the Lord trample upon all the fear of Man and upon aâ—l the Representations of hardships of parting with dear and tender Wife or loving Husband or with your dear and tender Children which lyes near to the Hearts of loving Parents Oh how doth the compassion of a Father flow forth towards them and the earning of the Bowels of a tender and loving Mother towards the dear and tender Children when the Trial looks in the Face of being separated from them and to see their Faces no more Dear chosen Vessels of the most high God let not any of these things enter into you as to trouble or weaken your Testimony for the Lord who hath commanded me to write unto you to cast your care upon the Lord and be faithful in standing approved before him in your faithful Testimony he will be more then Wife to Husband or Husband to Wife or Parents to Children or Children to Parents yea he will instruct our Children with his Spirit and teach them his Fear though they should be in the Hands of their Enemies so that our Children shall not want the thing that is good for them The Lord hath sealed his Counsel to me which I here declare unto you Parents of tender Children whose Trial is
in the Earth for his Seed sake and many that shall have their lives given them for a prey shall receive the Word of Eternal Life in that City and great shall be the number who shall submit to the Government of Christ and they shall bless the Lord for you that love not your lives to death for the Glory of God and gathering the Sons and Daughters of Men to the Knowledge of God by your holy lives and sweet walking in all holiness of Conversation Oh blessed be the day that ever you were born yea my Soul Glorifies God for you that ever you had a being you faithful Lambs in the City of London and else where scattered according to the Will God Though you now drink a Cup of great Affliction the day of Eternal Joy is sprung up to thee which none can take away an eternal Freedom shall be unto thee Oh Sion Kings shall come unto thee and Princes to the rising of this thy Glorious Day and all thy Enemies shall fall before thee and thou shalt be the Glory over all the Earth and the chosen Diadem in the Hand of thy God amongst the People who shall as much love thee as they now hate thee and esteem of thee as they now despise thee for thou Oh Sion art the Plant of the Lord the Tree of Righteousness in whom is the vertue of the mighty God of Heaven and the leaf of thy Tree shall heal the Nations and put an end to all their distractions the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Through one that dwells within thy Gates thou Glorious and Beautiful Sion Church of the first Born the Beloved Bride the Lambs Wife forever Blessings Glory and Praises Hallelujahs Eternal Honour and Renown be unto thy God and King who reigneth in thee and is exalting his Kingdom over all the Kingdoms of this World and of his Dominion there shall be no end W. D. From the Common Goal in Warwick the 12 th of the 6 th Meneth 1665. For the dear Daughters of Sion whom the Lord hath or shall suffer their dear and tender Husbands to be separated from them beyond the Seas or else-where for the Testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ. DEar Handmaids of Glory whom the Lord hath counted worthy to part with your dear and tender and beloved Husbands for the Name of the Lord assuredly many puts their Shoulders to help to bear the Burthen of your Tryals this day O the Tears and breakings of Heart that is poured forth before the Lord for your dear Husbands and you and your tender Children you are Families of many prayers and assuredly shall be known to be Families of many Mercies O dear Daughters of Sion be content with your Cup handed forth to you this day and bless the Name of the Lord that you are accounted worthy to be the first Fruits among the beloved Daughters What could the Lord do more for you then to count you worthy to suffer in this nature to give you such blessed Husbands that are set as glorious Lights in the face of all People Dear chosen beloved Daughters of Sion let it be seen you love the Lord Jesus more then your dear Husbands and stand over the affectionate Part and solace your Souls in the Love and Life of the Lord Jesus your eternal and beloved Husband and Comforter of your real Husbands and will make us all to rejoyce in whatever he calls us unto we diligently watching and judging our selves and resting in the Light and Will of God in which the Lord establish you you deâ—r beloved Daughters of Sion for whom breathes the Soul of your dear Brother daily to the Lord to strengthen you and your dear Husbands and all that love the Lord Jesus Christ In whom fare you well W. D. Warwick common Gaol the 10 th of the 8 th Month 1664. For my dear honorable Brethren who are or may be sentenced to be Transported to the Isles beyond the Sea for the Testimony of the Name of the Lord Jesus MY dear Friends in the suffering of the Lamb who liveth and reigneth forever and ever and shall overcome all his Enemies in the day determined that all his Enemies shall bow under the Soles of his Feet then shall all that oppress you call you the blessed of the Lord forever O my dear Brethren lift up your Heads in the Light and Life of Jesus for whom you suffer abide in his Light reign over your thoughts of either Wife or Children or whatever would trouble your minds for giving up freely in this your Testimony O you valiants among the People the first Fruits and the leading Champions the Lord is with you and Thousands and ten Thousands shall bless the Name of the Lord for your faithful Testimony which shall sound over Nations to the gathering the People and bringing in our little Sister who hath no Breasts to feel the Consolation of the life of our Beloved for whom we suffer this day O my dear Brethren triumph trimuph in the face of all your Enemies it shall be well with you wheresoever the Lord suffers you to be carried and as to your tender Wives and Children the Lord hath said to my Soul it shall be well with them the blessing of the Lord shall rest upon them forever and ever and with you to the comfort of the Isles that wait for his Law therefore in the peaceable power of the Lord go on you chosen Brethren of the suffering seed which the Lord hath blessed O happy men that ever you were born and blessed be the day that ever the Lord called you in his Power to stand faithful in what the Lord requires of you in which living Testimony you stream through the whole Body as a River of Oyle and vertuous refreshings whose memorial shall never perish but preach to Ages and Generations to the Glory of the Name of our God forever O go on with gladness with trimuph for it is to bring in the Seed from all the ends of the Earth that our Brethren may come from far and Sisters from the end of the World O mighty God cover thy faithful Servants with thy glorious Power and cause them and their Families to rejoyce in thy disposing of them forever and ever Amen My Life in the suffering Spirit go with you in the Name of the Lord forever my dear Companions in these bonds Salute you in the Love of the Lord. Farewel W. D. From the Common Gaol of Worwick the â—0 th of the 8 th Month 1665. The Word of the Lord to all Children born again of the Immortal Seed as the Salutation of the Bowels of the unlimitted Love of the Father flowing forth to you in the forcible Power of his own Life thorow your Brother and Companion in Tribulation and Kingdom of Patience in the Lord Jesus Christ. DEar and honourable Brethren and Sisters Oh how doth my Soul bless the Name of the Lord for you who stands faithful to God in your living
Righteousness thereof you shall have all satisfaction in the fulness of the Love of God though separated one from another and let none of your Eyes look out at any that deny the Lord of Life before Men who in the profession of his Name came forth with us and goes forth from us because they are not of us for as I have proclaimed in your Ears many years ago so I proclaim it again in the word of his faithfulness who liveth for ever That all that profess the Light and Name of Jesus and hath an Eye to self in what they do and doth not follow him with a single Heart in his work of Regeneration before the trying day be over they will deny him and wither as though they had never made mention of him but all you Lambs that fear and dread the Name of the Lord and freely gives up to be governed by his powerful Spirit and in the least measure wait in the Light self to be buried down under this Judgment and your Souls raised in the Resurrection of Jesus and born again of the Seed of God which cannot depart from him but must follow him let the power of darkness over all the Face of the Earth do what it is permitted Oh the beholding of you Children of the immortal birth it is known to the Lord the earning of Bowels in the meltings and breakings of my Heart and I am streamed into you as a River in the unexpressible unlimited love and Life of my God and your God where feel and taste and let us solace in the invisible in-dwelling love of a tender Father where no vulterous Eye can behold nor any venomous Beâ—st shall enter to sting the beloved Babes begotten of the Father any more And dearly beloved Brethren and Sisters where ever the Lord orders you watch diligently that in the sweet reserved Spirit in the heavenly Wisdom you walk together in the loving meek holy Spirit of the Lord Jesus and in the nearest fellowship and familiarity with any one watch to the Light to be covered alwayes with his Spirit of Sanctification that you may stand before the Throne of the Lamb with the pure Garment of his own righteousness to the Glory of his great Name forever And in all your words and works be tender over one another in love in what you may and the strong bearing the burthen of the weak that the holy meek lowly healing Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ may rule in you all binding up your Hearts together in the eternal unity of the Spirit and bond of Peace where ever the Lord orders any of you his faithful Children that you with us and we with you may be as Sinews to the Loynes and Marrow to the Bones of one another in the meek lowly Spirit of Christ our Head and Life that in him we all may be manifest to the whole World to be the Children of the most High God through the aboundings of his vertue in and amongst us who are born again and is the Church of the first born the pure Bride of the Lamb of God who abhors to live in any thing that is not of his nature and in sincerity of Heart have given up our names to him and in his Glorious Majestical cominion tramples upon all false births feigned self-creating self-serving Spirits who are gone from the Innocent Life and make to themselves Pleasant pictures in a voluntary humility and smooth words and gestures and outward appearances to enter the affectionate part and betray the Innocent as with a Kiss but in the tryal of the day that is come upon all pleasant things and pleasant pictures they are found serving themselves and Iudases to the Innocent Life of those that are regenerated by the Power of the most High and redeemed from the Earth therefore to you that stand girt up in the Light Thought and Will of God to reign over all the pollutions of this World I write as to my Honourable Brethren and Sisters desiring you all to resign to the faithfulness of God that his al-sufficiency may preserve you out and over all the clouding thoughts of your own Hearts that in the pure discerning you may taste and weigh all Spirits of what nature they are in what Nation Country or Island soever you are ordered to go and lay not your Hands hastily upon any neither regard their feigned smooth words and behaviour but in the Life of the Lord Jesus wait that he may give you Ability in his pure Wisdom to make your passage in the invisible entrance through all outward appearances to try and taste what they are inwardly to God in the measure of the Heart searching Spirit you have received of the Father that so you may all be kept and preserved in the intire union in the sincere Life to reign over all false births in the dominion to walk with the Lord and one towards another in the eternal inâ—xpressible unlimitted pure holy chaste Love of our Father in the Lord Jesus who in his unlimitted Love laid down his Life for us and with his Blood hath redeemed washed and cleansed us that we might have access to the Throne of his Glory continually to offer up the living Sacrifice of Halelujahs and high Praises Glory and Honour unto the Lord God and to the Lamb that sits upon the Throne our Light Life Strength and Righteousness Joy Peace Tranquility and everlasting Felicity over all God blessed forever of whose dominion there is no end And in his Glorious Powerful Resurrection and Dominion keep your state with God that his tender Bowels may be inlarged in you to all where you feel any true breathings and heavenly desires towards the Name of the Lord though in some outward things they may differ let not that shut up your Bowels but in the openings of the Spirit of the Lord in what you may Minister to the enlivening of that in them which the Lord hath begotten to hunger for him Oh I beseech you ease my Heart in this matter for I am in travel till all that hunger for the righteousness of God under what denomination soever be all gathered to the Light of Jesus there to receive an understanding to feel the Spirit of the Lord make a separation in condemning sin in the Flesh and quickning in Spirit in the Resurrection in the Powerful Life in Christ that so our little Sister that hath no Breast scattered among Languages Tongues and People in the Nations by your sweet and holy Conversations in the meek lowly and loving chaste Spirit of the Lord Jesus may be gathered in the Light and Life of â—esus with us to sit down at the table of our God to drink continually the Cup of Salvation in which work O my God bless thy Servants with thy prosperous presence where ever thou sends them and all you chosen Lambs comfort my Heart in what my Soul desires in this thing that as in the pure discerning of the Spirit of the
Holy God you trample and reign over the greatest subtilty which in the Mistery of iniquity transforms it self as is before written that so you may in the service of Love in the meek healing compassinate Spirit of Jesus gather all the tender hearted forth of all Sects Forms and Opinions with all that hath strayed from the foot-steps of the Flock of the Companions in the Light of the Lord with us to walk in faithfulness all their days until their change come that if it be possible that not any may be lost who hunger after righteousness and hath their Faces set towards Sion That so in the heavenly Harmony all that have truly sought the Face of God may in his pure Light Life and Dominion walk together with us in the unlimitted Bowels of Love in the Lord Jesus to the confounding of all Sion's Enemies who in the time determined of our God shall come bending to the Soles of the Feet of the afflicted suffering Lambs of my Father who Love the Lord better then your Lives and your Neighbour as your self yea and they that withstand you shaâ—l in the day determined of God confess it is in vain for any to strive to bring to pass their evil intents upon a People beloved of God whom he will carry through by his Almighty Power and save with the Arm of his Salvation for every Tongue lifted up against you shall fall in judgment and all Weapons formed against you shall not prosper but come to nought and you shall see the mighty salvation of God for your joy which the Lord will hasten more and more to the astonishment of all that withstand the rising of his Glory and you shall certainly know this is to you the Word of the Lord God declared thorow your Brother and Companion in the Tribulation and Kingdom of Patience in the Lord Jesus Christ. Farewel W. D. From the Common Goal in Warwick sent forth at the command of the Lord the 8 th of the 3 th Moâ—eth 1665. Blessed are they that overcometh through the Blood of the Lamb and the word of their Testimony and love their lives no more to Death The Discovery of Mans return to his first Estate by the Operation of the Power of God in the great work of Regeneration And a Word to the Back-slider who hath tasted of the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come and hath turned from the Grace of God into wantonness and gone back into spiritual Sodom and Egypt where our Lord is crucified Also a discovery of mystery Babylon and her Merchants And a word to the hard-hearted unbelieving Iews Professors who profess Christ in words but stumble at his Light in their Consciences to theiâ— own Destruction With a Word to all Saints who have set their Faces towards Sion to seek the Lord their God and to those that are waiting therein to worship him in Spirit and Truth And a Word of Consolation unto the travelling Child that yet sits in Darkness being deeply afflicted and wounded in Spirit through ignorance of Salvation in the New Covenant in Christ Jesus the Light. All Men and Women behold and see in what Estate you were Created ANd God said let us make Man in our Image God created Man in his own Image and in the Image of God created he Him Male and Female created he them And the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to dress and keep it and the Lord God Commanded the Man saying of every Tree in the Garden thou mayest freely eat but of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye the death The Serpent was more subtile then any beast of the Field which the Lord God had made he said unto the Woman ye shall not surely die for God doth know that in the day you eat thereof your Eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil And when the Woman saw the Tree was good for food and that it was pleasant unto the Eyes and a Tree to be desired to make one wise she took the Fruit thereof and did eat and gave also to her Husband with her and he did eat And the Eyes of them both were opened and they knew that they were naked and they sewed fig-leaves together and made them aprons And they heard the Voice of the Lord God walking in the Garden in the cool of the day and Adam and his Wife hid themselves from the Presence of the Lord among the Trees of the Garden and the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him where art thou And he said I heard thy voice in the Garden and was afraid and because I was naked I hid my self And he said who told thee that thou wast naked hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat and the Man said the Woman whom thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the Tree and I did eat And the Lord God said unto the woman what is this that thou hast done the woman said the Serpent beguiled me and I did eat And the Lord God said unto the Serpent because thou hast done this thou art cursed above all Cattel and above every Beast of the Field upon thy Belley shalt thou go and Dust shalt thou eat all the Days of thy Life And I will put Enmity betwixt thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed it shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel And the Lord God said Behold this Man is become as one of us to know good and evil and now lest he put forth his Hand and take also of the Tree of Life and eat and live forever therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the Garden of Eden to till the ground from whence he was taken And he drove out the Man and placed at the East of the Garden of Eden Cherubims and a flaming Sword which turned every way to keep the way of the Tree of Life Every Man and Women behold and see how you are fallen from the estate and condition you were created in you were created in the Image of God to delight alone in him but you are fallen in obeying the counsel of the Serpent and are driven out of the Presence of God into the Earth and there your minds are feeding upon the dust of the Earth created oâ—jects which will perish some delight in Father and Mother some in Wife and Children some in Houfe and Lands some in Money and Gold some in Meats and Drinks some in Raiment what they shall put on some in Lusts and Pleasures in Wantonness vain idle Communication foolish Jesting and Laughter which is Madness and Folly and some in Honour and Preferments in this World wherein their Hearts are lifted up in Pride and Exaltation above others
and are corrupted because of my foolishness I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go mourning all the day long And may be none of you in all that place can witness the Condition and so Blasphemes the Name of God who will be Worshipped in Spirit and Truth and this is the rule given out from him If any be afflicted let him Pray if any be merry let him sing Psalms And there is none merry but the ransomed of the Lord who returns to Sion with joy and singing And everlasting joy shall be upon their Heads and they shall obtain gladness and joy and sorrow and sighing flyes away All People may search the Scriptures and see how you have been deceived by your Teachers who have caused you to seek your lost God in carnal and dead Observations which they have not any Scriptures for all cease from them for the Lord complains of them The leaders of my People causeth them to err saith the Lord of Hosts and now are these Scriptures fulfilled in these Men which the Apostle Prophesied of This know also that in the last daies perilous times shall come for Men shall be lovers of their own selves Covetous Boasters Proud Blasphemers disobedient to Parents Unthankful Unholy All People see are not your Teachers so Self-lovers before they come at you they must know what they must have Covetous Griping for much and if you will not give them so much as they can have in another place they will not come at you here is Self-love and Covetousness manifested without natural affections Truce-breakers false Accusers Traytors heady high-minded lovers of Pleasures more then lovers of God having a Form of godliness but denying the power thereof from such the Apostles exhorts to turn away All people behold and see all these Scriptures are fulfilled in your Teachers they speak against Pride and live in it against Covetousness and live in it they teach by their words to be natural affectionated one towards another and they walk contrary causing poor people to pay to maintain them in Pride and high Ranks in the Earth who can scarce get Bread for their Bellies and Cloathes for their Backs yet they force them to pay them being void of all natural affections and they are Truce-breakers breakâ—ng all Bonds and Covenants if they can get more Money in another place Thus they shew forth to all the World that they are lovers of Pleasures more then lovers of God and have a Form of godliness in words but deny the power thereof from such turn away for of this sort are they which creep into Houses and lead captive silly Women laden with Sin and divers Lusts these Scriptures are fulfilled in your Teachers every one hath his particular House to creep into where none must come but themselves or whom they please which is contrary to the practice of Christ or any that he sent forth they went through the Countries Towns Cities Villages according as they were guided by the Spirit of God to declare what he gave them to speak and your Teachers lead silly Women captive laden with Sin and led away with divers Lusts ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth do not they tell you to look for Christ's coming in such Observations as they set up which is nothing but the invention of their Brains for Christ tells you The Kingdom of God comes not with Observations but it s within you But many of them that deny that the Light in your Consciences which makes manifest the evil of your Hearts is the Kingdom of God calling it the Light of a corrupt Conscience so shuts the Kingdom of Heaven against Men and will neither enter in themselves to be guided by the pure Light of the Kingdom of Christ within them nor suffer them that are entring in to enter as the Scribs and Pharisees did now as Iannes and Iembres withstood Moses so do these Men resist the Truth Men of Corrupt minds Reprobate concerning the Faith but they shall proceed no farther for their folly shall be made manifest to all Men as theirs also was and no Man shall buy their Merchandize any more All you enslaved Captives in the Kingdom of Babylon Why will you lay out your Money for that which is not Bread and your Labour for that which satisfies not hearken diligently unto Jesus Christ the Light that lets you see the evil of your Hearts to be guided by it and you shall eat that which is good encline your Ears saith Christ and come unto me hear and your Souls shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Mind the Call of a powerful and tender Father in the Lord Jesus who calls Come forth of Babylon my People and touch no unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord God Almighty Friends prize your times slight not the day of the Lords mercy for he waits to be gracious and saith I stretch forth my Arm all the day long to a back-sliding and gain-saying People Every one mind your conditions deal justly with your own Hearts see what your Hearts hath fellowship with and guides your minds for the Kingdom of Christ is within you it is not in Observations as your Teachers tells you for they deceive you therefore Christ for-warned us for looking forth at those which would come in the latter days that would say Lo here is Christ lo there is Christ as it is in these our days some say Lo here is Christ in the Presbyterian practice the Independents say He is there and the Anabaptists say Lo he is here But Friends mind what Christ saith unto you Believe them not look not forth the Kingdom of Christ is not in any of those nor in any other outward Observations but be awarned the Kingdom of Christ is in you and that is the Light that lets you see the evil of your Hearts and Christ compares it to a grain of Mustard-seed the least of all seeds and it grows up above all other Herbs and becomes a Tree that the Fowls of the airâ—lodges therein and he compares it to a little Leaven that a Woman took and hid in three measures of Meal and it leavened the whole lump These are earthly Parables and Figgures which Christ laies down speaking to the earthly and carnal Heart of Man that he may read his condition within Therefore despise not the day of small things but mind the Counsel of the Lord Jesus the little Light that shines in thy dark Heart look upon the â—igures the Parables the little Leaven which is hid in three measures of Meal it changes the whole lump into the nature of it self so the little Light that shines in thy dark Heart is the powerful word of Faith Which was in the beginning by
Hearts day and night and dare not disobey him in what he makes known unto them though they hazard their Liberty and all enjoyments yea life it self so tender are they over the Glory of the Lord who hath given them victory over sin and all selfishness through the Blood of the Lamb and the word of their Testimony no more to love their lives to death c. But Oh you Rulers though God hath stayed his Hand in a great measure that the sound of mortality is not so loud in the Ears as hath been yet how do you answer the end of the Lord seeing that few Prisons in the Nation but the Lords People are in them because of the exercise of their pure Consciences towards the Lord and other cruel proceedings in rending Husband from Wife and Wife from Husband and Parents from Children and Children from Parents and inhumanely banishing them out of their Native Country for these things and other wicked proceedings the Hand of the Lord is stretched out still and the pale Horse is on his way passing to and fro in the Nation and he that rideth thereon is Death smiting and cuting down with the Sword of Plague and Pestilence and if so be you proceed as you have done in executing these cruel Laws against the innocent then will the commission of the Rider of the pale Horse be enlarged and what flesh can stand before the pale Horse seeing the Rider thereon is Death as is recorded in the Scriptures of Truth Rev. 6.8 Oh my Bowels is moved within me for the calamity that will come upon the Nation if you Rulers continue your Persecution for the day of the Lord hastens that they that do wickedly shall be as stubble and the Maker thereof shall be as a Spark and he will blow up the flame in the fierceness of his wrath and who can stand in this terrible dreadful day wherein Christ shall be revealed in flames rendering Vengeance on all them that know him not and obey not the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ c. Further this I exhort all mind what you say and do who hath hardened their Hearts in a boasting Spirit and said we see no difference but these People we cast in Prison God cuts off in a common Calamity as well as others the sence of their sufferings causeth many a Cry and Tear to be poured forth before the Lord and the mighty God answered and said unto my Soul I have beholden the cruelty of Men how they have stowed my People up in Prisons and in the Ship where the infection was and them that hath been taken away their Blood shall be required at their Hands who cast them into Prison and as to all in general that fell in the common Calamity that feared my Name it was to stain the pride of the glory of all Flesh as well amongst my People as others that my People might wait in my Light to stand in a true preparation for the day of their dissolution therefore I take away my People in my everlasting loving kindness from the evil to come but the wicked I cut off in my Fury and they shall reap the fruit of their own doings and this is the substance of what the Lord hath said in taking away his People in this common Calamity therefore let the stout-hearted bend and no more boast themselves in loftiness of their minds to see the righteous taken away for if the judgment begin at the House of God and the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the wicked and ungodly and Sinners appear for yet a little while and the Lord will plead the cause of his People with terrible Vengeance he will manifest himself and the Rod of the wicked shall nor always lye upon the backs of the righteous but their long continued Afflictions will be accomplished in time therefore you meek gentle and peaceable quiet People who abhor every appearance of evil abide in the Word of Patience and pray for them that Persecute you that if it be the Will of God we may prevail with the Lord that their Eyes may be opened and their Hearts softned that they may break off from their evil doings and so escape the terrible vengeance as is before written wherein the Lord will break the Battle out of the Earth and establish purity and peace amongst a people called by his Name that as they have sowen in Sorrow and long-suffering they shall reap with Joy in this great and terrible day of the coming of our Lord which is nigh to be revealed wherein he will say to the wicked that hath imprisoned and afflicted his People Go ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels and to his righteous Blessed suffering Seed he will say Come you Blessed of my Father enter into the Kingdom prepared for you before the Foundation of the Earth was laid so shall every one reap the fruit of their doings whether it be good or evil according to their deeds so shall be their reward from the Lord who is over all Blessed for ever Oh London London yea I say once more you Inhabitants of London whose lives was given you for a prey and you stand as Monuments of Gods Mercy to this day while many of your dear Relations Neighbours and Acquaintance were cut down with him that rid upon the pale Horse Oh that you would lay it to Heart who are yet living before the Lord and all turn to the Counsel of the Lord the Light and Manifestation of his Spirit in your own Consciences to guide you in all fear and dread of the Eternal God to wait upon him to feel the opperation of his holy Spirit to guide you in all your words and works that so you may be a good savour unto the Lord in your faithful Obedience to the measure of his Spirit that so he may take delight in you and take away the reproach that hath been cast upon you the Inhabitants of the City of London c. But if you People in the City of London do not prize the Mercies of the Lord but slight all his kindnesses and harden your Hearts and not regard the reproofs of his Spirit but delight your Hearts in pride pleasures pomp riches and glory in this present World and with so doing provoke the Eyes of the Glory of the Great God Oh then what shall I say unto you Inhabitants of London who thus requiâ—e the Lord notwithstanding all his Favours and boundless Mercies which he hath manifested to you in the sight of all People this day Oh if you do not speedily return to the Lord by repentance and break off from all your ungodly ways in obeying the sin-reproving Spirit of the Lord God in your own Consciences I must take up a Lamentation for you in the sence of the misery that I feel will come upon you for the Lord hath determined to bring you down and if you will not be intreated to hearken to
his Counsel the measure of his Spirit in you to guide you in his holy Fear that you may be Heirs of his living Mercies through your holy Conversations then will he come upon you in the fierceness of his Wrath and break you to peeces like Potsherds and get his Glory over all your Heads in the Revelation of his righteous Judgments wherein the Rider of the pale Horse shall execute the pleasure of his own will as he did the last Year upon thy Inhabitants Oh thou City of London so now art thou warned through the Constrainments of the Spirit of the Lord through him that could have no rest till he signified unto thee what is here given forth what the determination of God is Therefore Wo Wo unto the Wicked for it shall go ill with them But Oh blessed be the Faithful Lambs happy are you dear precious and blessed Vessels your Faithfulness to God in your watching waiting in the Light of the Son of Righteousness for whom you have stood as Pillars in the strength of the Almighty Ah your tenderness and love to God and one unto another in the days of great Calamity that hath been amongst you is recorded in the Book of Eternal Remembrance of the living God and in the Hearts of his Righteous Generation never to be forgotten Oh take your Crown of everlasting Blessings you innocent Lambs and Children of Light in the City of London Oh be valiant and keep your state with God that his pure saving sanctifying Spirâ—t may guide you all in purity of Life and Conversation and in the aboundings of the Pure Holy Love to God and one unto another the mighty Jehovah will shew himself for you in the day of great Tribulation you shall rejoyâ—â— when the wicked shall Howle yea you shall tryumph in the Pure Dominion of the Lord of Glory when the wicked shall be turned into Hell and all that forget God the Mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it Through your Brother in the Tribulation and Kingdom of Patience of the Lord Iesus W. D. Given forth in Obedience to the Lord the 10 th of the 3 d Moneth 1666. Blessed are all who are united to God in the Lord Jesus yea happy are the People that have the Lord for their God. A General Epistle given forth from the Spirit of the Lord to be Read in his Fear in the Assemblies of the Church of the First-Born gathered in these Northern-Countries and in all Countries and Islands where-ever the People of the Lord are scattered over the Face of the Earth Dear Friends CAlled in the Light of the Lord Jesus to stand living Witnesses for him upon the Earth amongst the Children of Men Oh! the Bowels of the Love of the Lord that is in my Heart to you that when I was nigh unto death to the sight of all that saw me as to the outward Man and scarce able to speak I was constrained to give forth the substance of what is now sent amongst you for a perfect discovery of your conditions seeing that many are called and few chosen and many convinced that are not converted therefore are these lines written that you may truly know whether you be born again and redeemed from the Earth yea or nay And in order thereunto let every Man and Woman search their Hearts with the Light of the Lord and it will truly manifest whether you be born again and so feed upon the Tree of Life or otherwise you rest in outward formal conformity to the Tturh and the heart in the Earth and that Spirit will turn against Truth and hath done And some others are drawn to delight their Hearts in the Gifts Parts and knowledge which the Lord hath given them more then in the Lord the Fountain from whence they come and so abuse the gift and feeds upon the fruit of the Tree of Knowledg which puffeth up and maketh Man wise in his own eyes and say in his Heart I am wise and rich sees and wants nothing when they are Blind miserable naked and wants all things and whatever any profess as to the Service of God that is in this condition they have an end to themselves in what they do which grieveth the Spirit of the Lord when Men and Women in a discoursitive Spirit takes upon them to declare the Truth when the Lord neither calls them nor speaketh by them so are the Children born of the Royal Seed burthened for such have turned against the Truth and the Children born of it whom the Lord hath and will ease in the day determined when all mouthes shall be closed in silence but who are opened by him and not any Voice be heard but his own Spirit speaking in and thorow his own Children born of him who alone seeks his Glory and not any thing for themselves which must be denied Therefore seeing the Enemies wiles are great and many let all dread the Lord and who have been led astray wait in the heart-searching Light to see the Mystery of Iniquity where it led them forth and return to the Light to judge down proud exalted self which hath turned against the Truth and bring into true Poverty and abhoring of self to wait at the Throne of Grace for the Lord to raise you up in the Resurrection which raised up Jesus from the dead and in this Life contentious Self is buried in death and the true unity is known where the Lord alone is exalted in purity joy love and peace in all his from the least to the highest growth and all Flesh abased before him who is worthy of all Obedience Praise and Glory for ever Amen And all dear Friends and Brethren that love the Light and rejoyce in the Judgments of the Lord to have subtil Self buried in the true Death that what gifts of the Spirit soever the Lord gives unto you and the Enemy tempt you never so strongly to puff you up in a self-priding spirit in what you have received of the Lord yet his fear is so minded by you which keeps you in a true sence of your nothingness and emptiness in your selves which causes you to wait in true self-denâ—aâ— for the daily assistance and renewing of your strength in the Resurrection of Life in the Lord Jesus and the more he manifests his Power with you the more empty and nothing you appear in your own Fyes And so is the true Birth known which makes Self of no repuration that the Lord may be exalted in his unlimitted power in manifesting himself in the poverty emptiness and nothingness of his people who are born of him that not any Flesh may glory before him but all in truth to say the Lord doth all in me and through me and the Lord shall have the Glory and I will sit in the dust at his feet with all my Brethren and Sisters to serve him and his People through whom we are raised up to sit in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus in
what I may whilst I have a being amongst the Sons of Men to the glory of his Name for ever And this is the state of the true Disciples of Christ that cannot feed of the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge although in your Journey and Travels dear Vessels of the Lord you see the Tree of Knowledge to be good where it stands in its place but the Fruit is not good to eat and feed upon because Knowledge puffeth up but Grace maketh humble Therefore dear Brethren and Sisters born of God who cannot live in any enjoyment but as you enjoy the Life and Presence of God from whence every good and perfect gift comes And dear Lambs although some of you be in your own Eyes the meanest amongst the People of the Lord yea at sometimes your Trials is so great that you are ready to account your selves unworthy to be numbred amongst the People of the Lord and yet you dare not disobey him neither can you live without his presence Oh you dear Children of God! lift up your heads over all Temptations and Accusations of the Enemy for your Groans and Cries are entred into the Ears of the Lord God who in the Bowels of his Love and Mercies doth constrain me to proclaim the day of the tender compassion of the Lord to all you who are truly poor in your Spirits Oh blessed are you among the Children of Men for yours is the Kingdom of God. Therefore be not weary of waiting upon the Lord for in his own time he will turn your Sorrows into Joy and give to you the spirit of Praises for the spirit of Heaviness as he hath done to many who have endured the like Temptations Tryals and Sufferings under which you wait this day for Deliverance and the Lord will be the same to you therefore be of good comfort for as the Serpent was lifted up in the Wilderness so is the Son of Man lifted up in the Light and Covenant of Life to heal your Wounds and save you from Sâ—n and to give you Victory over the Enemy in all his appearances so that you thorow Faith in the Name of Christ make War in Righteousness and fighting the good Fight in keeping the Faith you will he made more then Conquerors thorow his Love that he will shed abroad in your Hearts which will cause you to speak of his goodness and praise his Name for all his Mercies And all dear Children of the Lord who do witness in measure that you are truely baptized into his Death â—nd so are made partakers of his Resurrection as is before written which is the Life that worships him according to his own Will and so is truly accepted of him watch and pray that you may be guided in the power of his Spirit in all your ways And be careful that not any be hasty to utter words before the Lord neither suffer any sighs or groans or any thing to be heard to pass thorow you but as you have the seal of the Spirit of the Lord that he requires it of you this I am commanded to lay as a charge upon you that so all Flesh may be truly silent before the Lord and not any voice to be heard but the living Spirit of the Lord speaking in his People which you that wait in the fear of the Lord and minds his leadings may truly know as it is written so doth his Children witness He that hath my Word saith the Lord let him speak my Word faithfully Is not my Word like a Fire and a Hammer that breaks the Rocks in pieces Therefore all mind to feel the Word of the Lord speaking in you that the pure burning Life of the Spirit may be tasted and felt in whatsoever you be exercised in that so you might be fully assured it is not your own work as Man speaking of God but the Lord alone uttering his own voice in the forcible power of his own Spirit in what you are exercised in whether it be to pray in Sighs or Groans or in words or to speak in Exhortation or Praises you are not to quench the Spirit of the Lord in this his day â—hat he is come and doth appear in giving divers gifts unto his People in his appearance as he did amongst his Disciples who waited at Ierusalem for the pourings forth of his Spirit from on high but they that were strangers to the work of the Spirit could not taste the Life that spake in them but said They were mad and full of new Wine c. but the Lord justified them it being the work of his own Spirit and although he gave unto them various gifts yet all in the unity of himself in which they sacrifice in returning to the Lord his own with advantage to the glory of his great Name as his Children doth at this day blessed be his Name for ever that forth of the Mouthes of Babes his praise is declared in their measures as it is with those of higher growth in the Lord and so do the faithful Labourers reap the Fruit for which they Travel that all the People of the Lord may be filled with his Spirit and in the exercise and leadings thereof become a Body of living Ministers and a Family of Prophets the strong leading the weak by the Hand and in tender Love building up one another in their most holy Faith which gives the Victory over the World to Reign in the Heavenly Dominion which causeth the Children of the most high in the Authority of the Lord to say to the greatest Persecutors Oh man do what thou hast power the God whom we serve is able to deliver us out of thy Hand but if he will not we are resolved in his strength to suffer what he permitteth Man to do and this is the holy resolution of all that are Born again and cannot hide your Heads in the time of Persecution because you are Born of the Royal Seed and have overcome the beggerly cowardly earthly-spirit through the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of your Testimony and no more to love your lives to Death And all dear chosen Vessels of the Lord seeing he hath manifested his Grace so largely to you with all diligence be obedient in walking answerably to his Love and Mercy received that as living Witnesses for God you may shine forth in the beauty of Holiness in all your ways and be careful in keeping your Meetings at the time appointed every one endeavouring to be the first at the Meeting that so not any give way to a careless spirit as some have done and so come to Meetings when others have been a considerable time together and so becomes a burden to the diligent and obedient Servants of the Lord and so the Meetings are not so profitable to your comfort as when you meet diligently at the time waiting in the fear of the Lord to feel his sweet Presence which will keep you awake in the Life of his own Spirit to
the glory of his Name and the comfort of one another which will cause you to prize the opportunities God gives to you not knowing how soon you may be deprived of them c. And be tender one over another and watch over one another with a pure single eye and every one see the Beam cast out of your own Eye before you go to spy a Moâ—e in others And if any Brother or Sister offend you that know speak to them privately in all tenderness to restore them and this know Whoever turns a Sinner from the error of his ways saves a Soul from Death and hides a multitude of Sins But if they will not hear take two or three more and speak to them again in the spirit of meekness waiting and seeking the Lord for their recovery but if they will not hear but persist in wickedness then acquaint the Church whom the Lord in his Wisdom will order to deal with them for his own glory And in all things you do I dearly beseech you do unto others as you would be done unto your selves that so you may all in your measures stand as Saviours upon Mount-Sion to the glory of the Lord in the power of his own Spirit which will cause the Whisperer Bcakbiter False-accuser and Tale-bearer to be clensed away and cast out of the House of the Lord that so in the good order of the Holy Spirit of our God we may all live that he alone in his Dominion may reign in us and amongst us whose Government is upon his Shoulders and all the Crowns of the Gory of Man cast down at his Feet that he may be exalted in ordering every member of the Body in their place and service to his everlasting Praise and Glory Even so dear Father carry on thy work in all the Churches of the Saints scattered over the face of the Earth that in the Eternal unity they may be established in the Lord being one and his Name one and all the contrary swept away with the Breath of thy Mouth and brightness of thy coming So come Lord Jesus take to thee thy great Power and reign in thy Authority in and amongst thy dear Children to the astonishment of the Nations and all people that are not born again and to the Exaltation of thy own Name and Kingdom over all who is worthy to reign blessed for ever and of whose Dominion there is no end And all you faithful Labourers in the Gospel of Christ who in true innocency travel in his Strength and seeks not any thing for your selves in what you do but to Glorifie the Lord in establishing his People in the living Unity in his own Spirit Oh blessed are you amongst the People my Soul Praises the Lord for you and blesseth his Name that ever he raised up such a Spirit in you that in all the greatest riches of the Spirit God gives to you yet you remain truly poor in your selves and in deep humilty become Servants to his People for the Lords sake and being poor you make many rich in that which will abide fresh and green in the Winter Storms and will not fade away in the Terrible Blasts which will come for the trial of his People and cause all Hearts to fail but what is born of his own nature Oh dearly beloved Brethren feel my Bowels of enlarged love which floweth to you in the Love and Life received and enioyed thorow death where there is no variableness nor shaddow of change I remain your Brother in the Word of his Patience to endure the Suffering according to his determination with all that love the Lord better then their lives W. D. Warwick the 14 th of the 10 th Month My dear Friends IN these trying days be not afraid of what Man can do whose Breath is in his Nostrils and lock up to the al-sufficiency of the Almighty God to stay your minds in him who hath counted you worthy to Suffer for him In all humility walk faithfully before him unto the end he is your reward and will give unto you a Crown of Life forever even so be it with you in the Name of the Lord is the breathing of my Soul for you whom my Soul loves and keep your Meetings in the Authority and Life of the meek and patient Spirit which wares out and overcomes all things that is not of its nature Read this in the fear of the Lord amongst Friends W. D. Warwâ—ck the 5 th of the 3 d Month 1671. For my dear Brethren George Whitehead A. Parker and Brethren concerned in the General Meeting My dear Brethren IN the Love of the Lord my Soul in the endeared Life of God is with you if the Lord had set my face to have been with you I should have been present in Body but I am ordered otherways having much upon me while the Door is open therefore my breathing to the Lord is that he may cover you in that Assembly with his Glory and heavenly Wisdom as I believe he will to the comfort of his People that so all Hearts may be gladed in feeling his pure Power and heavenly Refreshing in you My dear Brethren in the Light and Life of God whom my Soul loves and remains Your dear Brother in the Vnity of the Spirit of our dear Father who hath called us by his Name W. D. Bristol the 7 th day of the 3 d Month 1673. My dear Brethren Friends are generally in a sweet state with God in this City and where I have passed both to my comfort and yours in the Lord blessed be his Name forever Dear Brother IN the Covenant of Life in Christ our head my Soul salutes thee and simpathizeth with thee in thy exercise in thy Bonds with breathings to the Lord to sweeten all our ways what he calleth us unto with his living Presence to the perfecting of his glory forever Amen Dear George Fox I have been through many Counties in the North Countrey and the comfortable Persence of the Lord did manifest it self in all the Assemblies of his People to all our comfort in him our Head and Life blessed forever All was very peaceable and great Resort to Friends Meetings of all sorts of People and not any opposition but all Meetings parted in peace And it would be too tedious to mention the names of them that minded their Love to thee through all the Counties where I Travelled but generally all the Ancient Friends in Cumberland Northumberland Byshopprick and York-shire Darby-shire Notingham-shire Leicester-shire and in this Town desired to have their dear Love remembred to thee and the deep sence of thy Labour and Travel is fresh upon their Spirits which causeth many Prayers to be poured forth before the Lord if it be his good Will and Pleasure to give thee strength of Body and Liberty to Travel amongst them to their great comfort as in the days of old and years past but in the Will of our God our Souls rests with
thee in the Pleasure of our God in whom I remain Thy dear Brother W. D. A General Epistle Dear Friends WHom the Lord hath in this his Glorious Day visited and in his Light plucked as Brands out of the Fire to wait upon him that his Great Work of Regeneration may be perfected in all of you to your Eternal Comfort and the Glory of the Name of our God forever c. And my dear Friends seeing many are Called and few Chosen many Convinced that are not Converted and many come forth with us and go forth from us that are not of us as by sad Experience hath been witnessed c. and from the deep Sense of this working of the Enemy I am constrained to send this Epistle amongst you knowing the Kingdom of God is compared unto Ten Virgins Five Wise and Five Foolish who had all Lamps and slumbred in the Secure Mind until they were awakened to enter in with their Lord then were the Foolish Virgins made manifest that though they had Lamps like the other yet wanting the Oyl they neither did or could enter c. Oh! dear and tender Friends let all Dread the Lord who make mention of his Name in the Light of Christ for this Parable is to you unto whom the Lord hath sent to preach to you and in you the Word of his Kingdom And this is upon my Spirit in the Word of the Lord to you all convinced of the precious Truth of our God turly to examine and search your Hearts with the Light of Christ Jesus that you may have a certain Knowledge how it is with you and how you escaped the subtil Wiles of the Enemy which have hindred so many from the Possession of the Life of Truth and that you may truly discern how the Enemy draws into the Foolish Conceitedness in the Out-side and Formal Profession of the Truth feeding upon the Knowing Part and so stoppeth the Hunger that should reach the Life and then in an Exaltedness saith I See Know am Clothed and want Nothing when they are Blind Naked Miserable and want all things and this is the State of all the Foolish Virgins who dwell in the Outward Court and place all their Confidence in the Form and Outside and Profession of Truth and so has lost the Sense of that Heavenly Hunger which must possess the Life hid with God or else it must mourn out its days in Sorrow Therefore all dear Friends watch diligently to the Heart-searching Light that this Mystery of Iniquity you may all discern that so the Enemy may not prevail against you to turn you aside either to the Right Hand or to the Left that whatever the Lord has convinced you of to be Evil you may wait upon him for Strength to preserve you out of it that so you may Answer God's Witness in the Regulation of your Conversation in the Uprightness of your Hearts so you may stand clear before the Lord that you are willing to do and suffer whatever the Lord should call you to and when you have done all this then be you watchful to the Heart-searching Light that the Enemy doth not draw your Minds to place your Confidence in the Work of Righteousness you have done as the Ground of your Hope and Calling in Christ and want Faith in him and so cause you to rest in your Services and so come short of the hidden Life enjoyed through Faith in the Light and Life of Christ our Righteousness I beseech you dear Friends Wait to know your Passage in this great Mystery where the Entrance is into the Straight Gate where all the Foolish Virgins though their Lamp in the Outward Profession be never so Glorious yet through Pride in their Attainments never entered into this Rest and here is the farthest that ever any come that make a Profession of Truth that go from us and are not of us So tender Friends that truly seek God's Glory and so love his Light that you are willing to give up Life and all to do his Will and when the Enemy would draw you to rest in what you have done and so take the Jewels of God and play the Harlot and deck Your Selves you Dreaâ— the Lord and in his Light you see more Light and you see That all that you have done is your Duty and your reasonable Service which you must do or otherwise you perish eternally and yet your poor Souls in the Light travail on in the Foot-steps of the Flock of the Mournful Companions who are weeping in Secret and inwardly seeking the Lord God to be Married unto him in that hidden Life which is hid with Christ in God and until you enjoy the Marriage-Union in deep Humiliation you wait in the Light for the Lord to create you to a lively Hope in Christ Iesus the Second Adam And you tender Children of my Father who can understand in your Heavenly Travail and Exercise of Spirit what is here written Lift up your Heads and stay your Minds in the Light of the Lord Jesus which ransacks your Hearts and doth not only keep you in Holiness of Conversation but makes you weary of living under the Dominion of your own Thoughts and Wills Therefore I beseech you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ watch to the Heart-searching Light that discerns your Thoughts and Intents and judgeth your Thoughts and all Fearfulness and Unbelief and wait in the Measure of the Light and Life that quickeneth your immortal Souls and hath begotten heavenly Breathings Hungerings and Thirstings to eat the Flesh and drink the Blood of the Lord Jesus Oh thou blessed Birth let not Streightness be upon thy Spirit for the Bowels of the almighty God earn towards thee which cannot be satisfied with any Thing but the pure Presence of Christ to reign in thy Heart and to exercise heavenly Authority in his Throne in thy Conscience Oh tender Babe born of the immortal Seed leâ—d not thy Ear to any of thine own Thoughts Doubts and Unbelief neither to the Accuser who seeks every way to discourage thee for trusting in the Name of the Lord but diligently incline thou thy Ear to the righteous Counsel which is the Light and Life The Lord will satisfie thy Hungry and Thirsty Soul with his everlasting Loving-kindness in Christ Jesus and will create thee to a lively Hope and marry thee to himself in his own Righteousness where thou wilt receive Dominion to reign over thy own Thoughts and thy own will and to walk in his Strength in the Word of Faith which will give thee Victory over the World within and without so will thy Heart be kept pure thy Conscience clean and thou cloathed with the glorious Garment a meek low and a quiet Spirit and so become the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus the second Adam and the Lord of Life and Glory and here is the Dwelling-place of all the Sons and Daughters of Sion Citizens of the new Ierusalem who walk
to him and I have been very well as to any matter of Sickness until this Sickness came upon me And dear Mother I would have thee remember my love to my dear Sisters Relations and Friends and now I have nothing to do I have nothing to do A Friend answered Nothing Mary but to dye Then she said to her Mother I desire thee to give me a little clear Posset drink then I will see if I can have a little rest and sleep before I dye When the Posset drink came to her she took a little and desired her Mother to give her a little drink to wash her Mouth Then she said to her Mother I have a swelling behind my Ear but I would not have any thing done to it nor to my sore Throat nor Mouth for all will be well enough when I am in my Grave Then she asked what time a day it was it being the latter part of the day her Grand-Father said the Chimes are going Four she said I thought it had been more I will see if I can have a little rest and sleep before I dye And so she lay still and had a sweet rest and sleep and then she awaked without any Complaint and in a quiet peaceable â—rame of Spirit laid down her head in peace when the Clock struck the fifth hour of the 9th day of the 2d Moneth 1680. We whose Names are under-written were Eye and Ear Witnesses of what is before expressed as near as could be taken and does not much vary from what she declared as the Substance though much more sweet and comfortable Expressions past from her but for brevity-sake are willing this only to publish who stood by her when she drew her last Breath William Dewsbury her Grand-Father Mary Sam her Mother Jone Deusbury her Aunt Hannah Whitthead a Friend Dear Friends IN the Light of Christ to wait upon him to renew you in the Spirit of your minds to serve the living God. My dear Friends mind your Calling unto which you are called to wait in the Light to retain God in your Knowledge to feel the work of Regeneration perfected in you that you may truly learn to take up the Cross daily and to feel the heavenly Power manifest it self in the Light to raise you up in the Life that makes self of no Reputation and dryeth up the Tongue of the Egyptian Sea and bringeth all Flesh to true silence in you before the Lord then will not any be hasty to utter words before him but all in true Watchfulness and Prayer wait for the heavenly Inspiration of his holy Spirit to overcome your spirits and to sanctifie you in making you obedient to the Heavenly Government of Christ Jesus in you who will lead you forth of your own thoughts and wills in a humble subjection to his blessed Light Life Thought and Will which will order you in all faithfulness to walk with God in your Families to be good Examples by your good Conversation that so you may set up a Throne in the Consciences of your Children and Servants and all with whom you have to do in having all your words and works seasoned with the good savour of the Spirit of the Lord that he may give you an assurance that the Church of God is in every particular Family and that you are his dwelling-Place amongst the Children of Men then will the Angels of his Presence pitch their Tents about you in the day when this Scripture shall be fulfilled as it is written Pour forth thy Vengeance O Lord upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon all the Families that call not upon thy Name And dear Friends be watchful in Prayer always that you may enjoy the heavenly Life to exercise you in all faithfulness strive to exceed in Humility and Carefulness in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ to meet together that he may exercise guide and order you in all Services upon the account of the blessed Truth of our God that in the meek spiritual Life and Love you be subject to serve the Lord and one another in all love and tenderness of Heart in doing unto others as you would have them do unto you then will the Lord take delight in you and make you manifest to be his chosen Jewels and Saviours upon Mount Sion in repairing the Breaches and restoring the Desolate in bringing back again in the Bowels of Love those that have been driven away or turned aside either to the right hand or to the left in the hour of Temptation and daies of Tryal Oh you meek humble minded spirited People of the Almighty God lift up your heads and keep your minds staid upon the Lord to help you to keep your Habitations of Peace within the Gates of Sion where Salvation we have for Walls and Bulwarks whose confidence is in the Lord alone in whom I beseech you live in the endeared Love of Christ Jesus who gave his Life to Redeem us to himself and gave strength to his Redeemed ones to forsake Wife and Children to give up our lives daily in Tumults Stripes Blood-shed with cruel Sufferings both in Prison and when at Liberty for to bring Enemies out of enmity in the Light to be in union with God Oh be intreated to seek the Lord to subject all your minds to this Love of God in Christ Jesus to rule in you then will the desire of my Soul be answered in your restoring and gathering to God as is before written who will then build you up in the unity of the Spirit and bond of Peace which will enable you with Patience and meekness to weary out and overcome whatever is contrary to his pure peaceable and blessed nature the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Through your Brother and Companion in the Kingdom of Patience and Tribulation in the Lord Iesus Christ. W. D. Warwick Goal the the 10 th day of the 12 th Month 1680. A General Epistle to be Read in the Fear of God. In and amongst the Assemblies of his People My Dear Friends IN the Light of the Lord all Watch and Pray that you may receive Power through Faith in the Name of Christ to Reign over your own Thoughts and Wills then will you Delight in taking up the Daily Cross to the Mortifying of the Earthly Members That your Conversations may be as becometh the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ which will make you Manifest to the Witness of God in every Conscience that you are the Salt of the Earth that have kept your State and Habitation in God and doth retain the Sweet Savoury Spirit of Life which Seasons all your Words and Works and Ministers Grace to all with whom you have any concern to the Exalting Gods Blessed Truth over all that Watch for Evil which will cause their Eyes to fail and frustrate their Expectations for ever Amen And Deaâ— Friends I beseech you be Faithful upon all Accounts for the Service of the
Blessed Truth of God to meet together in his Holy Fear that you may receive the Holy Inspiration of his Spirit to Exercise you in what Service God is pleased to call you unto whether in Prayer to God or in Exhortation to Build up one another in your most Holy Faith to raise up the Life in all thâ— every one that 's Overcome with the Powerful and Hâ—avenly Motions cast their Mite into Gods Treasury and give him his own Advantage so will you feel the Encrease of his Government in you that are Faithful in the true Measure of Light and Life more and more he will give unto you to the Edifying of one another in love So will you become Epistles written in one anothers Hearts with the Pure Spirit of the Living God which will bind you up in the Unity of the Spirit and Bond of Peace and what Exercise soever is met withal whilst you are in the Mortal Body Pray to the Lord to keep you in the Life of his own Spirit that Patience may have its Perfect work that if you be Smitten on the one Cheek turn the other Cheek to the Smitter also and if you be Reviled Revile not again but in deep Humility and Patience Wait in the Pure Meek and Peaceable Spirit of our Lord Jesus who was made perfect through Sufferings So are his Dear and Chosen Jewels who bear his Name in Righteousness and have their Eye to the God of their Help and their Confidence in the Lord alone Oh ye Blessed of the Lord be Glad in his Name who will not let any of you Suffer whose Confidence is in him alone any more then he will give Strength to Bear and will Sweeten the Cup of your Tribulation with his Blessed Presence which will cause your Hearts to Rejoyce and Sing in all your Tryals and will give you your Portion forever with the Blessed Assembly that Iohn Spoke of in the seventh of the Revelations a number that no man could number that had passed through the Great Tribulation and washed their Garments and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb Therefore are they before the Throne of God and serve him day and night in his Holy Templâ— and he that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them and Feed them and lead them to the Living Fountains of waters where God will wipe away all Tears of Sorrow from their Eyes forever And this is your Portion you dear Children of the living God who in true Love to him have waited upon him in the Light of Christ to be Buried with him in his Spiritual Baptism and made conformable to him in his Sufferings and Death And in the deep sense of your present strait being made Conformable in Measure to our Lord and Saviour you Cry as he did upon the Cross my God my God why hast thou forsaken me when he bore the Sins and Transgressions of his People Even so do you his Dear Children in your Measure passing through the Great Tribulations being made of the Number of the Slain of the Lord. Here is first a passing through the Great Tribulation and to be made of the Number of the Slain of the Lord and being truly Humbled into his Blessed Will in the deep sense of the poverty of Spirit there Wait upon the Lord until he Create you to a lively Hope and give you a Possession of his Blessed Life that is hid with Christ in God and so marry you to himself in his own Righteousness which he gives you for to be your Wedding Garment And now this Love of God constrains you to walk in all Strict Observations that are Required of you to be done but no more to Lean upon them for Life but have now all your Obediences accepted of God through Faith in the Light Life and Name of Christ in whom you now are the Righteousness of God for ever in giving up freely to be guided by his Spirit in Faithfulness to the end Oh you ever blessed and happy People Who doth witness fulfilled in you what is here written Lift up your Heads and rejoyce in the Lord and in the Almighty Power of his Humble Meek and Pure Spirit which makes Self of no Reputation but through your Obedience to Christ Jesus the true Light in whom you come to Witness the Lord to be One and his Name One and you that never had Power to believe in his Name until he gave you Power to believe you are One in the Lord for ever And here is the Joyful and Eternal Unity with the Father in the Son and one with another in the Love of Christ which bought us with his â—lood which the gates of Hell can never Prevail against And all you my Ancient Brethren and Sisters that have Obtained this Blessed Dominion and Everlasting Inheritance I Bless God for you whom I do believe will take care to answer the Desire of my Soul as before-written For the Comfort of the Young and Tender Babes for whose sake I had this Concern upon my Spirit to lay before them the true Passage into the Footsteps where the Tribulated Companions have Travelled that are Married to the Lord of Life and have upon them their Wedding-Garment that they may not come Short that are upon their Travel towards the same Inheritance in Christ the true Light as before exprest And I dearly beseech you whom God hath Sealed up with his holy Spirit to your full assurance of Gods Everlasting Love in Christ Jesus that you Watch over the tender and tribulated ones and in what possible can be done to strengthen their Faith that they may come into the heavenly Unity with the Father in the Son and sit down with all them that have been made Conformable to Christ in his Sufferings and Death that in the heavenly Resurrection blessed and everlasting Peace they may sing Hallelujah and high Praises to the Lord their God over all the wrath that 's in the Children of Men which will come to an end and vanish away like Smoke before you whom the Lord hath called in meekness and Patience to bear his Name in Righteousness in the Sweet Savory Spirit of Jesus Christ over all Blessed forever Amen In which the Lord keep you all with my Soul Faithful unto the end is the Breathings of the Spirit of your Brother and Companion in the Kingdom of Patience and Tribulation in the Lord Jesus Christ. And further I have this to communicate to my Friends and Brethren that what hath come to pass these late Years for want of Watchfulness to be Guided by the Spirit of the Lord Love hath been quenched in many that Offences have entred and Separation followed which hath deeply wounded my Spirit who hath endeavoured to the utmost of my Power in the Love of God to prevent such Proceedings and so have I done in many Years past in preventing Papers ready to be Printed from being Published that were of a tendency to quench the Love of one
towards another And when â—effery Bullocks Papeâ—s were published in Print which would appear to the Reader of a tendancy as to the breach of Unity which would cause the Enemies of God to Rejoyce it did so wound my Spirit that for many Week they that saw me did not expect that I would continue long in the Body But God in his Mercy restored Strength in his Appointed time And when I did hear that some in the West did intend to Publish in Print against some Friends I bore my Testimony against such proceedings and told one that did favour what was intended that I would have my Hand cut off before I would exercise it in such undertakings And desired him to speak to W. R. that he would not proceed in publishing any thing of that nature for if he did it would be a prejudice to Truth and would produce very sad Consequences that would follow and my Spirit would be deeply wounded as it is this day through these Proceedings that voluntarily through want of Love casts away the Judgment that is given to the People of the Saints of the most High God to keep all sweet and savoury amongst us into the Hands of the Enemies of God as an inlet for them to come unto the midst of us to sit as Judges and trample upon us So to Clear my Conscience of all False Reports cast upon me as that I have Encouraged what is brought forth as before written and to satisfie all Friends in God I have Laboured according to the Ability God hath given me to prevent the publishing all things of that Nature as afore-said and have Endeavoured with all concerned that I could meet with to have a care of watching for Evil lest they provoke one another to wrath and so quench the love But rather look at the good one in another and in the Love of God Minister to preserve them forth of any weakness they did see lay near to attend them that so the pure Holy Spirit of Life and Love that first gathered us into it self to be a People in God and in his blessed Authority to raign over what was and is contrary to his blessed Nature may again restore where it is wanting in the Universality of its blessed Power to make up the Breaches and to restore the Desolate ones in causing every one that Professeth the Blessed Truth of God to love their Neighbour as themselves and so to do unto all as they would have others to do unto them that so all concerned in the Exercise in the Measure of the Grace of God in Christ that seeks the peace of his People may stand as Saviours upon mount Sion to the Honour of the Name of the Lord our God and the Eternal comfort of all that love not their Lives unto Death to serve the Lord and his dear and chosen People in the Meek Patient and Peaceable Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ. In which the Lord keep you all with my Soul that in his pure and Peaceable Dominion we all Reign and throw down our Crowns before his Throne and all unanimously Sing all Glory Honour Praises Thanksgiving and Dominion be given to him who is found worthy to sit upon his Throne in all our Consciences Christ Jesus the true Light and hope of our Glory even so be it with all that Professeth his Blessed Truth Saith my Soul in the Name of the Lord. W. D. From Warwick the 8 th day of the 3 d Month 1682. MY Dear Faithful suffering Brethren and Sisters in Bristol Gloucester and elsewhere for the Word of God and Testimony of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Oh lift up your Heads you Blessed of the Lord whose dayes are prolonged to see this blessed day which was sounded in your Ears above twenty Years by past and have counted you worthy to receive this blessed Crown of his suffering Spirit for all you that freely resign to suffer for his Name in true sincerity shall reign forever with him in eternal glory therefore in the Name of the Lord I beseech you all convinced of Gods blessed Truth do not lend your Ear to any counsel in you or without you that would cause you to fly Sufferings and so deny the Suffering Jesus before Men for if you do you know it is written then he will deny you before his Heavenly Father c. But all you chosen Jewels that so loves the Lord that you dare but do as Godly Daniel did walk with your God as at other times with the hazard of both Estate Liberty and Life Oh Blessed blessed be the day that ever the Lord Crowned you with this blessed frame of Spirit in receiving Jesus to be your guide even so the Lord keep you and lead you to the living Fountains of living Water which in the Light is always opened in you give not way to your own thoughts but in the Light Judge them down as fast as they appear then will you be kept out of the streightness of your own Bowels in the Heavenly enlargedness in the Light Thought and Will of God whose thoughts are good and not evil to give you all an expected end in answering all the desires he hath raised up in you to do his will Therefore arise in the pure Peaceable Spirit of the Lord cast your care upon him he will arm you with Patience to endure the Tribulation which will cause the Beholders to admire as it is written in the Scriptures of Truth Behold the Patience and Faith of the Saints which will overcome all that withstand the rising of his Glory who is the God of our help over all blessed forever Where is the Rest of your tribulated Brother in the Kingdom of Patience in Christ Iesus W. D. Warwick the 17 th of the 5 th Month 1682. My Antient Friend Edward Nightingal WHom the Lord counted worthy to receive his Blessed Truth with many in that City and County when the Lord sent forth his Servants and called me to forsake Wife and Children and to give up my Life daily into his Will to endure Stripes and Bruises in many Tumults with the rest of my faithful Brethren who loved not our Lives to Death for your sakes to gather thee and all that received the Truth that you might enjoy the Presence of the Lord and amongst many others we counted thee worthy to receive his Servants that meet together in the heavenly Unity in the Truth for which both thou and I with many of the Servants of God was put into Prison as many of his Servants are this day c. And the blessed Presence of God kept and doth keep them that truly fear his Name in sweet Unity and Peace in himself and one with another to their everlasting Comfort and to the confounding the Enemies of God to behold their stedfast standing and entire union to bear their faithful Testimony in whatever they were or are called unto for the Truth of God which did not only confound Gods
according to the Truth of our God and for want of this carefulness in Parents the Spirit of the World is strengthened in their Children when it should be kept down by the heavenly Authority and Power that the Lord hath given to their Parents to rule over them and nâ—t to let them have their own wills satisfied in any thing which is contrary to the Truth of God and all in his Wisdom so walk with such Moderation in all things as well as clothed in modest Apparel laying by all Superfluity that your good Examples may raise up the witness of God in your Children and for want of this care in some Parents and being too indulgent and full of lenity to their Children they grow Rude Stubborn Self-willed and Disobedient to their Parents while they are under their tuishion to the wounding of the Hearts of their Parents who neglected their duty as to the Government of their Children in their tender Years Therefore I desire and beseech you in this weighty concern that you slight not the oppertunity God gives you to be in all things a good Example to all that live with you both Children and Servants that by your godly Conversation and heavenly Exhortations you raise up the Witness for God in your Children and Servants and in exercising the Power God hath given to you to cross and keep down the evil Nature while they live with you And when your Children grow up take them to Meetings and keep your Eyes over them that they behave themselves soberly according to your Exhortations then encourage them in wel-doing so will the Lord bless your sweet and heavenly Behaviour in your Families that Servants will bless God that ever it was their lots to come into your Families in that their Spirits were sweetly seasoned with the Truth by your heavenly Behaviour and Care over them c. and your Children will magnifie the Name of the Lord for your blessed Care and heavenly Instructions and godly Endeavours every way for their good in this World and their eternal happiness in the World to come which will Crown the hoary Heads of their Parents with Joy to see their blessed care and endeavours sanctified to their Children and to see their Off-spring to be made the Off-spring and Children of God blessed be his Name forever who heareth the Prayers of his People who is exercised daily in the heavenly inspiration of his holy Spirit to call upon his holy Name not only for Enemies but for a blessing upon their Families and for all that love the Truth of our God these are the Families that are a sweet savour to the Lord that he guards with the Angel of his presence and wiâ—l make them manifest and known to all People that they are his chosen Jewels whom he will preserve in the day when he will pour forth his Vengence upon the Heathen that know him not and upon all the Families that call not upon his Name And if any of these Children of these heavenly minded Parents when they are from under their tuishion for want of watchfulness grow into carelesness and turn their backs of the blessed Truth of God and trample all the care and good counsel of their Parents under their Feet to satisfie their own Wills in the Pride and Vanity of this evil World to the wounding of the Hearts of their careful and loving Parents they will be clear of their Blood when they shall reap the fruit of their doings except they Repent And all you young and tender People with others that come among Friends through the education of your careful Parents Masters or Mistrisses you have been under I have a concern upon my Spirit to write to you that you do not rest in an outward profession of the Truth by what you have received by Education but all watch to the heart searching Light of Christ in you which will let you see you must be Regenerated and Born again and so be made real and faithful Friends by the Heavenly inspiration of the powerful Spirit of God in you which if you be careful upon your watch you will see Judgment upon all in you that is not obedient to the Light of Christ in whose Light you will see more Light that will let you see your great necessity of the enjoyment of the Life which is hid with Christ in God which will cause you to pray without ceasing that the Lord would enable you to loath and abhor the Pride Pomp and Pleasure of this evil World and to give you assurance of Gods Love to your Souls and until you enjoy it in all places of your retirement you will pour forth your Supplications with Tears to the Lord as the blessed and heavenly Travellers and Companions did and doth who could not find the Kingdom of God in outward observations tho none more faithful in observing what is made known to them to be the Will of God but the Kingdom of God not consisting in outward observations you in the Light press forward according to your Spiritual Hunger and Thirst in true poverty of Spirit weeping and seeking the Lord your God asking the way to Sion with your Faces thitherward that you may enjoy his Salvation for Walls and Bulwarks Oh you blessed Children of the Lord lift up your Heads and stay your Minds upon the Lord patiently waiting upon him he will turn your Sorrows into everlasting rejoycing and seal you up with the holy Spirit of Promise and in the marriage union with himself and will give you assurance of your eternal Salvation then you will certainly know the Kingdom of God to be within you and the anointing to teach you which will enable you to delight in taking up the Cross daily in true obedience to the Light of Christ all the days you have a being amongst the Children of Men then will you in the Name of the Lord 〈◊〉 upon the Pride Pomp Pleasures and Vanity o◠〈◊〉 evil World to the great Comfort of your dear and careful Parents Masters and Mistrisses whose tuishion you were under in your minority and tender Years and to all that walk in the precious Truth of our God over all blessed foâ—ever Amen And all dear Friends and Brethren seeing the Lord who turneth the Hearts of Men as Rivers of Waters and in his loving kindness so ordereth those in Authority that the Prison Doors were opened once more in our day to injoy Peace and Quâ—etness according to his blessed will Praises be to his holy Name for evermore I have a concern upon my Spirit that all Friends and Brethren have their Hearts affected as mine is to live in the sence of the Mercies of the Lord and every one for the time to come endeavour to prevent the Enemy in what he hath been a doing of late Years to make disâ—union amongst Friends and Brethren by publick opposiâ—ion of some and others not patiently keeping in their places hath also separated the differnce being so publick
hath caused many a sorrowful Heart and given cause to the Enemies of God to rejoyce which hath been a greater Exercise and Trouble to me then all the sharp Persecutions and Imprisonments I have endured for the Word of God and Testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ c. Therefore in the Bowels of the Love of God I beseech and entreat you all who have been or is concerned in what is before written let the Love of God so abound that in it all labour for Peace and Unity in Christ the Prince of Peace who in love laid down his Life for us when we were Enemies and called many of his Children in our Age to give up their Lives in the heaâ— of the Day Weeks Months and 〈◊〉 to gather Enemies unto the knowledge of 〈…〉 with God therefore wait for the heavenly Wâ—sdâ—m to bear one with another that if any who are Conscientious to God and Blameless in their Conversations having a concern upon their Spirit to declare in publick Assemblys the Truth to edifie the People I beseech you in the love of God that not any through disaffection shew at least any publick opposition but rather speak to the Party in private if there be any occasion for him to be spoken to so will the Enemy be prevented of casting a stumbling block in the way of tender spirited People that comes in love to be Comforted in the Meeting and in so doing it will cause Love and Unity to abound amongst Friends that in the Love of God all may be restored that hath been scattered and brought again into Unity to meet all together in the Everlasting Truth to feel the Healer of Breaches to reign who is the restorer of the Desolate exalted in his Kingdom in all your Hearts to offeâ— up a Peace-offering in passing by all Offences that have caused Dis-union and to bind you all up in the Unity of the Spirit and Bond of Everlasting Peace to meet all together who profess Gods Blessed Truth to Praise his Holy Name all as one and one as all while we are here in these mortal Bodies and forever when time here shall be no more even so be it with you all saith my Soul in the Name of the Lord to whom is my Prayers that all may be accomplished as above written until it be so with you I shall remain your exercised Brother in the Kingdom of Patience and Tribulation of our Lord Jesus Christ. William Dewsbury My dear Friends through the sharp Persecutions that was passed through in the heat of the day and many long Imprisonments being nineteen Years a Prisoner in this Town of Warwick and four of them being kept close Prisoner it hath pleased God to suffer my Health to be Impaired that many times I am forc'd to rest two or three times in going to the Meeting in the Town not being of ability of Body to travel as in Years past I do in the Love of God visit you with this Epistle desiring it may be carefully read in the Fear of the Lord in the Assemblies of his People that Peace and Eternal Vnity may be amongst you in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Given forth in the movings of the Peaceable Spirit and Word of Reconciliation in the Lord Iesus Christ to whom is my Prayers that all Convinced may wait to be made of the number of the Slain of the Lord and conformable to Christ in his Death that they may witness his quickening Power to raise them up in the Resurrection of Life to enter into the Gates of Sion to dwell in the City of new Jerusalem where Peace is within her Gates and Quietness amongst all that have their Habitation therein having Salvâ—tion for Walls and Bulwarks and are the blessed of the Lord preserved by him to the Honour of his Name forever Amen W. D. Warwick the 4th of the 10th Month 1686. These following Epistles were found in Manuscript without Dates To all you proud Priests that dare to add your Wisdom to the Testimony of Jesus KNow this as from him that he is come to lay open your Deceits and the Conjuring deceiving Inventions of your own Brains which you sell for so much in the Year to maintain you in Pride and Lust for to eat of the Fat and be cloathed with the finest of the Wool and so deceive the simple and lead them on in Blindness and Darkness in making people believe the Inventions of their own Brains to be the Word of the most high God as in taking part of the Testimony of the word Jesus and add to it the Inventions of their own Wisdoms branching it into Doctrines Reasons Uses Helps and Motives according as their fancies guides them and then takes the pure Testimony of Jesus to prove the truth of this their Conjuring deceiving Inventions though the Scripture tells you that no Prophesie is of any private Interpretation for the Prophesie came not by the will of Man but holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and saith Iohn in the Revelations I saw in the right Hand of him that sat upon the Throne a Book written within and on the back side sealed with seven Seals And I saw a strong Angel Proclaiming with a loud voice Who is worthy to open the Book and loose the Seals thereof and no Man in Heaven or in Earth or under the Earth was able to open the Book or look thereon now when Iohn saw that the mystery of Salvation was hid from all Creatures he wept much because none was found worthy to open the Book neither to look thereon And one of the Elders said to Iohn weep not behold the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah of the Root of David hath prevailed to open the Book and loose the Seals thereof and hath revealed his mind to his Servants that obey his Counsel to him be all Glory and Honour and Power for evermore Oh cease thou vain Man from adding thy Wisdom in opening the Seals in telling poor ignorant people what means the Scriptures by thy studied Sermons and Expositions which is the Invention of thy own Brains and putting words into the Mouths of poor ignorant people to sing Praises to the most high God for there is none can sing but the ransomed of the Lord and they return to Sion with joy and singing and everlasting joy is upon their Heads And the Apostle saith If any be Afflicted let him Pray if any be merry let him sing Oh therefore come down you vain proud Men that call your Traditions the Worship of God and causes the people to err by your Lies and by your Lightness And I sent them not neither commanded them therefore they do not profit this People at all saith the Lord Hear what the Lord saith unto you I testifie to every Man that hears the words of the Prophesie of this Book if any Man add unto these things God shall add to him the Plagues that are written
own Devices to their everlasting shame and contempt to the Glory of his Name who alone is worthy God over all blessed forever W. D. This is the Word of the Lord to you DEar Friends Servants and Children of the most High God whom he hath called out of the World be faithful all of you in his Counsel to wait his Power to guide in all your thoughts words and works in his pure Fear in Obedience to his will. I you charge in the Presence of God be valiant for your Freedom in your dwelling in the Power of God he you to Arm against the firy darts of the Devil him to resist in his appearance in all his wiles who goes about like a roaring Lyon to devour you every way seeking to get into you your minds from the pure to draw into the visible things your affections there to captivate your wills to satisfie in created and perishing Objects or in the Knowledge of the Truth in the fleshly wisdom to feed with the Swine upon the Husk the Form and Image of what you have enjoyed or of what you see in the Sight and Vision and doth it not injoy in the Possession but speaks in the airy drunken Spirit words without knowledg with which you sit deckt a painted Beast above the Cross and thou whose condition this is art the foolish Virgin that appears in outward formality in the sight of Men with a Lamp like unto the wise Virgin but not dwelling in the pure Power of God wants the Oyl of Joy and Gladness in the Power of his Love which the wise Virgin hath in her Lamp that dwells in the pure Light and Power of God which keeps all the affections in order to the Spirit of Truth and bridles the Tongue not to utter words before the Lord but in true silence on him to wait till his Spirit move his mind to declare from his living Power what the Soul possesseth and enjoys in Christ the Husband of the wise Virgin who is the Bride the Lambs Wife I you all charge and command in the Presence of the living God who make mention of his Name examine your Hearts search them and try your ways with the Light that from Christ comes with it all read your conditions in the Book of Conscience there will you see how you stand in the Presence of God whether in the state of the foolish Virgin that in the airy Spirit feeds on words speaking in the Vision and Sight there boasting in pride of what thou possessest not and through the subtilty of the Devil is turned from the pure Power to fly the Cross so makes shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience or you be in the state of the wise Virgins that in this pure Light waits dwells in the Power which chastiseth that which would your Garments defile daily in the Cross and there your Souls are kept pure and chaste to follow the Lamb with boldness wheresoever he goes and enter with him into the rest prepared for the people of God where thou the foolish Virgin shall not come until thou from thy foolish wisdom return to the pure Light thy self with it to judge and in it wait for the Power of Christ the Fountain of Wisdom thee to guide in faithful Obedience to the Father of Light. All dear Children of the Lord be Valiant Bold and Faithful that in the pure Light Power and Life of God you may all stand in this day of tryal which the Lord will bring upon you all that make mention of his Name for power shall be given to the Beast his Horn to exalt even to the Host of Heaven for the cleansing of the Sanctuary that all painted Beasts that are Enemies to the Cross that hath defiled the Sanctuary of the Living God in coming before him amongst his Saints and Children they shall come trembling before the power of the Beast when he utters his voice all to command his Image to worship then shall all you Children of the most High God whom he hath called and chosen to be faithful to him in his eternal Power rejoyce who will you all keep in that day in rest and peace in the Ancient of days who shall sit to judge the Beast and the Whore their Kingdom to break down and destroy in his Eternal Judgment for evermore and will rule over them by the Arm of his Power and of his Dominion there shall be no end for to him alone it belongs forever Amen Meet often together in the Fear of the Lord his Power to manifest in you to his Praise who is worthy forever Amen I charge you and command you all in the Presence of God who make mention of his Name that you speak not at any time rashly in your wills one to another or to any without as to exhort them when you are guilty of the self-same thing in the exalted Spirit out of the Cross be silent thou Fool and first judge thy self with the Light and in the Power dwell to cast the moat out of thy own Eye and that thy own House be kept in order then wilt thou see clearly how to take the beam out of thy Brothers Eye and to exhort others how to walk in order to the Spirit of Truth and in the pure single Eye aâ—l you that Fear the Lord watch over one another in tender love bear one anothers Burdens exhort one another to the building up in the most holy faith God Almighty be with you â—all his faithful Servants and Children and in his eternal Power keep you in himself that in him you may grow up in his pure nature to bear his Name in righteousness that his Image be written in your Foreheads that all that see you may know you to be the righteous Seed the Lord hath blessed and his eternal pure Power preserve and keep you bind you up in the unity of the Spirit and bond of Peace where I am with you in the Eternal Unity in the unchangable Love and Life W. D. Dear Friends ANd Friends of God whose minds are truned to the Light with which Christ Jesus hath inlightned you in his Light all wait and with boldness in him in whom your life is hide look up to him in his Light believing in his Name which is his Power to guide you with boldness in every thought word and work in faithful Obedience to the Light that in it you may shine forth in the brightness of the glory of his Power to be manifest to the Consciences of the Sons and Daughters of men that you are the Children of the Day which are come out of the Night in the Light up to Christ to judge the World in his power guiding you in a pure Life and holy Conversation that men may see your good works and glorifie your heavenly Father who hath raised you up by the Arm of his mighty Power in his Light to be Lights to the Children of the World that sit in darkness to
hasten his peculiar People through the Tryals according to the determination of his own will for the Glory of his Name and the eternal Comfort of the righteous Seed which the Lord hath blessed that so he may establish Peace in the Earth and Purity and Holiness amongst the Children of Men which will be the end of all these Tribulations therefore wait in the Faith and Patience you chosen Vessels of the Lord anâ— be faithful in obedience as at other times with the Loyns of your minds girt up to the Lord in his unlimitted Power to rest and reign in a quiet still mind giving up both Goods and Life fâ—eely casting all your care upon the Lord who will answer the expectation of his People and work a mighty deliverance neither by Sword nor Spear but by his own out-stretched Arm in the day of his dreadful and terrible Vengeance which he is hastening upon the Earth that shall cause all Hearts to fail that know not God the Wicked shall confess to his righteous Judgments and the Righteous shall bow before him and the Heathen shall know he is our God and that we have not trusted in his Name in vain for he will judge righteously upon the Earth and give unto every Man according to the Deeds done in the Body then wo wo wo to the Proud and Wicked it shall go ill with them Ah but you dear Suffering Innocent People of the Lord lift up your hands and rejoyce for the Lord is dear over you as the apple of his Eye and great is the reward of the faithful 't is you shall reap the Fruit of your doings and shall rejoyce when the Wicked shall Roar and Howl in the sence of his fierce Wrath for he will get himself a glorious Name in consuming his Enemies with the breath of his Mouth and the brightness of his Coming even so hasten thy Work O Lord it s the breathing of my Soul with all thine that thy dear Children may be delivered from all their Oppressors that in thy Power and Life they all be kept by thee to the perfecting thy Glory forever where is the Rest of your dear Brother W. D. Dear Children of the living God LIft up your Heads in the Light of the Covenant of God and Reign in his Life and Power over all that would draw your minds from staidness in his fulness and give God a Sacrifice of Soul Body all he hath given you In the word of his patience to stand valiant when you are called of God let not Demas's nature be obeyed in any to forsake God and imbrace this present evil World. Dear Children as you have received Christ the Light Life and Power of the Father so let us walk in faithfulness to finish our Course to the Glory of our God who is now bringing to pass what he hath revealed to his Servants that we may shine in the Glory of the Word of Faith and Patience in Jesus Christ our Life in whom we do and shall enjoy all things needful in whatever is endured for his Name sake Oh be bold and valiant in Christ you in his Word and Life and Patience shall Reign forever to brâ—ng a Blessing upon all the Earth the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it through his Servant W. D. My dear beloved Brethren ANd blessed Companions in the Tribulations Kingdom and Patience in the Lord Jesus Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplyed in and amongst you to perfect you in the Dominion of the Almighty God to keep the Word of his Patience in faithfulness quietly to rest in that Will of God that the weighty Seed of God in you stand in pure liberty to keep you all in the Life and Power of Truth that every one of you may have the Seal of the Spirit of God in your own Hearts that you suffer for the Word of God and Testimony of Jesus Christ then whatever is done to you he takes it as done unto himself and will judge your Cause in Righteousness to the Confusion of the Faces of them that afflict you in this his day wherein he wilâ— bring forth his Praises over all the Earth to the astonishment of the Nations and People that know not God c. Oh my dear Friends the Lord recompence into your Bosoms an Hundred fold for your faithfuâ—ness to the Lord in which you have caused his Renown to sound over the Land to the comfort of the Hearts of the Upright you have largely consolated and made glad my Heart in these my Bonds and caused my Soul to rejoyce with high Praises unto my God in whom I behold the Travel of my Soul and am satisfied in my return to the Prison-House bearing the Sheaf with joy Stand faithful Witnesses for the Almighty God blessed forever even the Lord God of eternal Power keep you in the savory Life together in Love and Unity and Faithfulness unto the end and in all things your words to be few and in the fear of God So saith my Soul in the Name of the Lord Farewel Your dear Brother W. D. FRiend thou who wast in the Place of the Mayor in Terrington the Thirtieth day of the seventh Month with the others that say with thee they are in Commission to do Justice the day before mentioned you abused the Power committed to you and turned your Swords against the Innocent whom you wounded inasmuch as you could In the fear of God consider what you have done is this the Fruit of your Fasting and Humbling your selves as you say when you have done to Smite with the Fist of Wickedness and instead of entertaining Strangers you use them so Barbarously as was made manifest when I was with you this is not to Rule for God an account you must give to the Judge of Heaven and Earth Oh Men How will you stand in that day when it shall be said unto you I was Sick and in Prison and you Visited me not Hungry and you gave me no Meat Naked and you Clothed me not a Stranger and you took me not in The day is near to this account you will be called with the Lord of Life and Glory and though you say When did we see thee in Prison or a Stranger and took thee not in the answer to you as is Recorded in the Scripture of Truth Inasmuch as you did it not to the least of those that Believed in my Name you did it not to me saith Christ of whom the Scripture Testifies Oh Men while you have time prize it and sleight not the day of God's Mercy and come unto him and diligently encline your Ear to his Counsel the Light in your Consciences that lets you see the evil of your Hearts and your unjust proceedings against Innocent Men and wait in the Light that will shew you as is written that the Lord may give you Repentance unto Life that you perish not in the day of his fierce Wrath wherein he will recompence to every one according to
Testimony for him in the pure meek peaceable Spirit of our Lord Jesus with the hazard of the loss of all outward substance dear and tender Wife and Children and beloved Husband and tender Children to be rent from their dear beloved Parents and also with the hazard of your Liberty and Transportation out of your Native Country and not at all love your lives to death to seal your Testimony with your Blood in the Word of his Patience if the Lord require it at your Hands and when you have done the Will of God in what is before written your love is so large to the Lord Jesus that you abhor loath and detest and trample upon every appearance of the arrogant self-pridâ—ng and self-inriching boasting Spirit in what you have done or suffered for the Testimony of the Truth of our God and in true watchfulness and pure attendancy to the Light and Counsel of the Lord Jesus you are always kept in a true sensibility of your own nothingness cloathed with the Garment of everlasting humility where you sit at the feet of Jesus as Mary did chusing the good part that shall never be taken away casting your Garments of all self-righteousness upon the ground that Jesus may tread upon them and the cumbred disposition of Martha that would complain of the innocent Life or that would have any eye to self and rob him of his Glory and for this you Children of the most high is your daily waiting that the Lord Jesus may take you up into him and cause you to rejoyce and sing Hosanah to the highest and to bless him that comes in the Name of the Lord to cover you with his own righteousness and marry you to himself as his chosen and beloved Bride in his own faithfulness and give you perfect Victory in overcoming through the Blood of the Lamb and the word of your faithful Testimony in the pure meek holy healing Spirit of the Lord our righteousness in whom you shall be as Pillars in the Temple of our God and shall go no more forth but shall grow as Trees of Righteousness in the midd'st of the Street of the City of our God bringing forth acceptable Fruit to him in due season and your Leaves shall be for the healing of the Nations where-ever the Lord suffers you to be cast for the Testimony of his glorious Name yea the Prisoners of hope will be refreshed at the sound of your coming and the Mourners will rejoyce in your arising for the Tongue of the learned shall be given unto you all in your measure to speak a word in due season to every condition for you and all the Companions that can read and understand in the true experience your state as here written shall stand as Saviours upon Mount Sion which can never be removed because yoâ— have not any eye to self in what ever you do but it is your delight to be ordered by the holy Spirit of the Lord Jesus and in your resignation into his pure will you shall be translated more and more into the angelical glory and by your holy conversations words and works which hath the love of God stampt upon them you become Preachers of the mind of God to the Nations and as ministring Angels shall reap in his harvest to the gathering our Brethren from far and our Sisters from the ends of the Earth and all the Nations shall confess that you are the Children of the most high God the righteous Seed whom the Lord hath blessed and the Hearts of the People shall be changed in the day determined by the Power of the mighty God who turns the Hearts of men as a River of Water and the People of the Nations in the Earth shaâ—l more strive in their fervent desires for you suffering Innocent Lambs to live amongst them then they now strâ—ve and endeavour to send you away from them the Mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it through your Brother in the Lord Jesus whose life hath been of no esteem to serve you with my faithful Brethren who in true self-denial through the almighty Power of God indured the heat of the day that you might be gathered and established to indure the tryals which were of the Lord determined of which I was sent in years past to proclaim in your Ears and in the same word which speaketh thorow me to you of which neither jot nor tittle shall fall to the ground till all be fulfilled I declare to you this day Therefore dear and honourabâ—e Brethren and Sisters from the highest growth to the lowest stature in Jesus let not any consult with Flesh and Blood but all in the perfect Light and Life of Jesus lift up your Heads that your Souls may be inlivened with his quickening vertue in that eternal Hunger which nothing can satisfie but the Lord of Glory in this day of separation between the precious and the vile between the true birth and the false birth as it was in the days of old when they confessed unto him and followed him beyond the Seas but when the Lord said Except ye eat my Flesh and drink my Blood you have no Life in you All that were the false birth that stood as the high-way ground stony and thorny ground Hearers foolish Virgins that had no Oyle in their Lamps they said this is an hard saying and who can bear it and they went back and left the Lord of Life and followed no further Then the Lord said to the Children born of the true birth will you go away also They answered nay thou hast the words of eternal Life and whither shall we go Oh dear Child canst thou leave the Father that begot thee or canst thou â—eed of any thing but the bread he hath prepared for thee Though thou mayst be beset and compassed about as Bees with the Enemies of thy Souls peace that would hinder thee from walking with thy God yet can they keep thee from him nay assuredly thou hangest upon him as a Child upon a Father Though thou be as a little Babe thou abhors all things that would hinder thee from following the Lord Thou saist of thy riches of this World thou shalt be no snare to me and to the tender Wife weep not for me give me up for I must forsake thee when the Lord requires me neither regards the Crys and Tears of the mournful Children thou comfortest them in what thou mayst but thou freely leavest them for the Glory of thy God and thus is it with Wife concerning tender Husband and Children concerning their dear Parents in this day of rending one from another Assuredy I cannot but commiserate your condition and simpathize with you being sensible of the earnings of Bowels whilst I have been drinking this cup for many years And now Oh ye Babes born of the royal birth you are the chosen Jewels let no care be upon your Hearts for any thing in this World for you seeking Gods Kingdom and the