give you power over them you would take away all Laws that burthened the Consciences of his people and they should have free liberty to worship him in Spirit and in Truth according to his Law written in their own hearts and according to your desires the Lord appeared while you in his counsell stood and gave all into your power according to the desires of your own hearts and now is the time of your tryall wherein the Lord is trying you all this day whom he hath put power into your hands which if you now forget the Lord God who appeared to you when you were little in your own eyes in the day of your distress and deny to perform your Promises you made to the Lord when he delivered you out of the hands of those that sought your lives but contrary to all your Promises abuse your Power you are intrusted with to build up again what you seem'd to destroy which cost the price of so much blood in establishing Laws which are contrary to Scripture and the righteous Law of God in the Conscience and by them think to scatter the power of the holy people and to weary out the Saints of tlle most high God in turning Judgment backward and keeping Justice afar of that Truth falleth in the Streets and Equity cannot enter so he that departeth from Evil maketh himself a prey to your wills and the Lord God seeth it and is displeased with you that there is no Judgment for his People Therefore to you this is the Word of the Lord that abuse your power you are intrusted with in perverting judgment as before-written thus saith the Lord God The Pit you dig for my people ye shall fall into it your selves and my people I will deliver by the Arm of my mighty power and according to your deeds I will to you repay and recompence fury and vengeance to you my Adversaries and will you sweep away with the Beesom of my wrath except you repent and your blood shall be upon your own heads and you shall not escape but come to your End and none shall help you He that hath an Ear to hear let him hear And be fore-warned now in this day of your Visitation wherein the Lord hath to you sent you to forewarn of the evil that is a coming upon you that you may speedily to him return and lay your Crowns in the dust at the Feet of Jesus Sions King and in his Counsel stand which is the Light in the Conscience that in you witnesseth against every vain thought and wicked imaginations and in the Light wait his Power you to guide to perform your Promises and to take away all Laws contrary to Scripture and the righteous Law of God in the Conscience that the righteous Law of God may be your Guide which is the Guide of all the Children of God then will the Lord God of Heaven and Earth be with you and with the Arm of his mighty Power destroy all that Plot or rise up against you before whom he will make the unrighteous Powers of the Earth to shake if you abide faithful in his Counsel and will make you a terrour to the Evil-Doers and a praise to them that do well and will bring you into the eternal Peace and Rest he hath prepared for his People but if you reject his Counsel and cast his righteous Law behind your backs as you have done and follow the counsel of your own hearts all that have an Eye to see read and understand Prov. 29.1 He that hath been often reproved and hardeneth his Neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy And in that Day I shall be clear of your blood who in love to your Souls hath not hid the Counsel of God from you which he hath made known to me that you may be left without excuse in the day of the Lords Anger when he doth perform what he hath spoken Then shall I be remembred whom the World knoweth by Name William Deusbery and by some of you that profess to minister justice cast into Prison and there kept in the common Goal in Northampton for the Word of God and Testimony of Jesus Christ. From the Goal in Northampton the 25 th day of the 4 th Moneth 1655. O England England over all in thee I lament who Persecutes the Sons and Daughters of the most high God he hath to thee sent thee to forewarn of the evil day that is coming upon thee O That thou in this day of thy Visitation did know the things belonging to thy Peace which the living God tenders to thee in this day of his mercy wherein he waits on thee to be gracious unto thee and to make thee the glory of all the Nations of the World and in all thy Straits for thee appeared and in his mighty Power hath destroyed all that did secretly Plot and Rise up against thee to establish unrighteous Laws and them bind upon the Consciences of those that feared the Lord in thee and walked humbly before him according to the measure of Light received and now hath he appeared in the day of his mighty Power in thee O England to exalt the Kingdom of Christ in the Hearts of his Saints and hath sent them to Preach his everlasting Gospel in thee to turn the minds of the People from Darkness to Light which comes from Christ in it to wait for his Power to guide out of all Sin and Uncleaness into union and fellowship with the Father of Light which many of you People in England seemed to desire above all things and content to give up your lives to withstand them that did appear to bind any unrighteous Law upon you and by it to take advantage against you concerning the Law of God which you professed to love and to delight in your liberty in it more then in your nearest and dearest Relation or Life or any outward enjoyment and all you in that day who were faithful to the Lord according to the measure of Light manifest in you the Lord God did appear for you and in his mighty Power hath scattered those that stood up in enmity against you to bind Laws upon your Consciences which is contrary to Scripture and the righteous Law of God in the Heart and the Lord hath given you power over all those your Enemies and now have you free liberty which they cannot take from you to worship God in Spirit and in Truth according to the desires you seemed to manifest in the day you cryed to the Lord when you were in distress and now is the Lord come to visit you in his tender mercy and hath sent his Ministers to Preach his eternal Word freely without Money or Price in season and out of season to reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine which many of you People in England who promised the Lord to worship him in Spirit and Truth now his counsel reject and turns to the Teachers you have
Constable so called who said I should be there until the next day yet to do the people a pleasure he contrary to his word came in and took me forth and had me into the Streets where the people shouted with a loud voice as they had me to and fro from one House to another where they sold Ale till the people in one House let them in and there they set two men to watch over me until the next day which was the twenty eighth day of the Month before written on which day they had me before Thomas Dickeson who granted forth the Warrant for me to be brought before him and did me examine and it was manifest before him that what I was accused of in the Warrant and the day the Warrant mentioned my being in that place was false for I had not been in that place that day neither could they prove any such words spoken by me as I was accused of and when he had nothing against me in that Warrant then he did commit me to Prison by a Warrant that he said Judge Windham granted forth at the general Assize before written which Warrant I never saw A True Copy of the Mittimus as followeth To the Sheriffs of the said County of York and to the Keeper of the Goal of the Castle of York WHereas there was a Warrant directed for the Apprehending of William Deusbery of Stanly for the seducing the People of this Nation from Iudge Windham the last Assizes and he being brought before me and refuseth to find Surety to be of good Behaviour and to appear at the next Assize to be holden for the said County to answer the premises You are hereby required to receive into your custody the said William Deusbury and him safely to keep until he shall be delivered by due course of Law. Given under my Hand and Seal the 28th day of April 1654. Thomas Dickeson According to his command as aforesaid I was had to York Castle and there kept Prisoner until the general Assize which was holden about the 22d day of the 5th month called Iuly in the year above written and there Hugh Windham did sit Judge of Life and Death who at the Assizes before mentioned which was in the first Moneth called March gave order to apprehend me and according to his order it was done and he coming to judge the Cause between me and my Accusers it was pressed on him by some Friends of the Truth for the Truths sake that I might have the benefit as those had that were arraigned for Fellony and Murther to be brought before him and the people of the Country and there my Accusers to appear face to face to prove their Accusation that I mighr suffer according to Law if I had transgressed it otherwise that I might by it be cleered before the Country of the Lyes and Aspersions and false Accusations they had publickly charged me withal his promise was I should be brought before him and have a fair Tryal at Law as others Prisoners had but he was not faithful to do as he had said before him I was not brought at that time nor any Tryal had but at the end of the Assizes cleared me by Proclamation and sent me a Liberato as they call it to pass away Into Prison I was cast as formerly written the 28th day of the second Moneth called April and there was kept until the Twenty fourth day of the fifth Moneth called Iuly and then was turned forth as is formerly written without any Tryal or Law to me read why they had kept me in Prison that time So for the Truths sake to that of God in every ones Conscience I this day lay before He that hath an Eye to see let him see Which after the Lord by the Arm of his mighty Power had me set at liberty out of the hands of those unreasonable men I journyed as I was led by his Spirit to declare his Word in Cleveland and other parts in Yorkshire Nottinghamshire and so to Darby and as I was declaring the Word of the Lord to the Consciences of the Inhabitants of Darby there came two men and laid hold on me and had me before the men who were in Commission to have done justice who there did sit at the General Sessions holden at the Town about the twenty fourth day of the sixth Moneth called August 1654. When I before them was brought the first Question to me by them propounded was In whose presence â—oest thou now stand the answer to them was In the presence of the everlasting God the men called Justices replyed with these words Iaylor take him away put him in Prison for disturbing the Court which was done at their Command into Prison I was put and when the day was spent Thomas You ll called the Mayor of Darby sent for me and when I came before him he asked me What I came to do the answer to him I came to declare the Word of the Lord to the Consciences of the Inhabitants of Darby the Mayor replyed Wilt thou go out of the Town answer to him When the Lord orders me to go forth then I shall go till then I shall stay then Thomas You ll the Mayor commanded the man to put me into Prison again which was done the next day about the nineth hour came William Bould one of the Mayors Officers and said to me if thou wilt go forth of the Town and in it no more come I will open the Doors for thee to come forth the answer to him Out of the Town I shall not go until I am ordered of the Lord and if thou openest the Door forth of the Prison I shall not come till the man that said he had authority to put me in come by the same authority and take me out then away the man did go and afterwards did come and the man who is named Iohn Slalous who put me in Prison opened the Door and took me by the Arm and put me forth in much wrath and delivered me to the other man whose name is before written who said he had order to put me forth of the Town which he did and strictly charged me to depart out of their Coasts with many threatnings what should be done to me if in the Town again I returned but the words of vain man was not regarded into the Town I returned and there did stay till I was free in my Spirit to depart from thence Then I jourâ—â—yed to Leicester and was there the first day of the week which was the third day of the seventh Month called September And with me was many people to whom the word of the Lord was declared and after the Testimony of Jesus was finished to them I went into the high place of the Town which the people of the dark World calls their Church and after the man they call their Minister had done the Word of eternal life was declared to the Consciences of the people who
afterwards when he was met with the People at the Steeple-house I went into it for the Truth sake and after he had done I propounded the Question to him that he would prove there before the people what he had openly accused me of in saying that I said there was no Original Sin but he would not answer but in silence fled away and what I here declare that I did is not any breach of the Law of this Nation I. A. But in that you are found wandring in the Countrey you break the Law for there is an ancient old Law that if any did go from their dwellings to travel in the Countrey without a Certificate from some Justice they were to be taken as wandring Person W. D. If there be any such Law read it to us and if there be such a Law in thy Conscience thou knowst it is contrary to the Scriptures for the Apostles and Ministers of Christ went to and fro in the Countrey Preaching the Word of eternal Life and there were added to the Church daily such as should be saved and the number of the Saints and Brethren were daily encreased and the Law that is in force in this Nation doth allow all that professeth Faith in Jesus Christ to have free Liberty to walk in the Faith which is according to Scripture I. A. Thou hast an eloquent tongue and thou art proud of it W. D. Pride I deny but the Truth I witness which will judge Pride and torment all that live in it until it be destroyed The Judge would not speak any more words to him known by name William Deusbury who as they say was committed to Prison upon suspition of Blasphemy where he hath been kept above twenty nine weeks and hath appeared at the general Sessions and two general Assizes where not any Accuser hath appeared to his face neither was any Law ever read to him that he hath transgressed I. A. Said to Ioseph Storr is thy name Ioseph Storr I. S. Said yea I. A. What art thou here for I. S. I have been nine and twenty weeks in Prison amongst those Arraigned for Feâ—ony and Murther and know not for what cause I was Imprisoned and never any Accuser appeared to my face to prove me the Transgressor of any Law and I desire that my Accusers may appear to my face that I may have a Tryal according to Law for Judge Hailes promised at the last Assizes if I would appear at this Assizes my Accusers should appear to my face but a Tryal was denied and he not any further examined or suffered to speak I. A. Which is Williamson What have you against him Iohn Brown in Commission to do justice who did cast him into Prison whispered with the Judge and they said no more to him though he hath been kept twenty week in Prison and now hath appeared at two Assizes and none appeared to prove him the Transgressor of any Law. I. A. Said to Iohn Whitehead Is thy name Whitehead I. W. Yea I am so called and not any further was he examined though he demanded the liberty the Law of the Nation allowed that he might be heard speak and have a Tryal which was denied him though he hath been kept eighteen weeks in Prison and hath appeared at two general Sessions and not any Accuser did there appear to prove him the Transgressor of any Law. I. A. Common Fame is a good Accuser though not a good Tryer yet I am satisfied from what I have heard to continue you in Prison unless you will lay in Bond to be of good Behaviour and appear at the next Assizes for you are by common fame accused to be a dangerous People and Breakers of the publick Peace I. W. So the People of God by the common fame of the World was in all Ages every-where spoken against and accused to be Disturbers of their peace as Paul was accused to be a mover of Sedition through the whole World. I. A. Said to Marmaduke Storr Is your name Marmaduke Storr M. S. My name is so called Then the Judge turned to speak to Francis Ellington and seemed to be unwilling to hear Marmaduke Storr speak yet he said I desire to have my Tryal according to Law for I was taken in my Journey and imprisoned from the management of about seven score pounds in the year and have never yet forfeited my Liberty but appeared in serving the Common-wealth in its greatest straits for which they are indebted to me about two hundred pounds as my Commission Debenter and Claim upon Record will make appear His Cause was no further examined though he was committed in his Journey as a Vagabond when he came to relieve his Brother Ioseph's want who had been a eleven weeks in Prison and he was going into Staffordshire to renew the taking again of his Farm which was out within seven dayes and he hath been eighteen weeks in Prison and hath before appeared at two general Sessions where there was no Accusation read nor any appeared to prove him the breaker of any known Law neither by Word or Action I. A. Which is Ellington F. E. I am so called I. A. What are you here for F. E. I was in Bonds fifteen weeks for my appearance at the general Sessions and when I appeared there no Accuser appeared to my face nor no Evidence was read against me to prove me the Breaker of any Law and there I was committed by those called Justices to the Goal where I have been kept in the Dungeon these thirteen weeks amongst those arraigned for Felony and Murther and hath been taken from my outward Habitation which is at Wellingborrow within seven miles of this place and have been deprived of my outward Calling which I lived in and from my Wife and five small Children and â—o am deprived of the benefit of the Law of this Nation which no Felon or Murtherer that is here is deprived of for they have liberty to speak for themselves and to have a fair Tryal according to Law which is denied to us The Judge said to Robert Guy Clark of the Peace Where is your Evidence against these men Rob. Guy This Ellington is a receiver of these men and here is a Letter he writ to a Justice of Peace wherein he doth accuse the Justice of doing injustice in committing of Deusbery and Storr to Prison I. A. Why do you trouble us with that which there is no matter of Fact in I much wonder you should trouble a Judge of the Assizes with such small things and not end them in your own Sessions for we come hither to determine greater matters I. A. Mr Ellington I have a great love to you being a man that lives in this Countrey will you enter Bond for your good Behaviour to appear at next Assizes F. E. I am of no evil behaviour neither to this day hath any thing been proved against me concerning it and if it yet can be proved by any one man
here that I have been of evil behaviour or have broken any Law of this Nation I am here present to answer it and to give in Bonds for my liberty I. A. You have transgressed the Law in that you came to the Bar with your heads covered because it is a contempt to Authority F. E. There is no Law in this Nation requires any such thing as putting off the Hat if there be any I desire it may be read that so before the Country I may be convinced by the Law before Bonds be required I. A. I shall deal favourably with you for I shall take your own Bond to appear at the next Assizes F. E. First prove me a Transgressor of the Law for the righteous Law of God saith Where there is no Law there is no Transgression and there is no Law in England that requires the putting off the Hat therefore it is not a Transgression therefore I desire that I may have the benefit of an English man which is not denied to any Felon here amongst us for I have to this day stood alwayes faithful to the Common-wealth and have not forfeited my liberty but have hazarded my life and estate to procure Freedom which now I am deprived of I. A. If you will not put in Bond for your Behaviour which I think is very reasonable take him away F. E. For my behaviour if there be any here that can accuse me I would have you Country men to speak any of you if not let all the poor people in Wellingborrow and the Towns there-abouts and the poor in Nothamton which I have for these fifteen or sixteen years imployed in Carding Spinning Dying and Weaving of Wooll speak what my behaviour hath been towards them or others For I have until they cast me into Prison imployed more poor people in work about Wooll then any one man in this Countrey doth yet notwthstanding what I have done and do may not I have the benefit of the Law as all Malefactors here have I. A. Goaler Take him away Judge said to Thomas Cocket Is your name Cocket Thomas Cocket said yea And he spake to Iohn Mansell and Iohn Brown that committed him to Prison and sat on the Bench with the Judge What have you to accuse me of I am here ready to answer the Law but they would not answer him a word neither did they or any other openly accuse him of any thing and though he hath been kept in Prison fourteen weeks and hath appeared at two general Sessions and at these Assizes where not any Accuser appeared to his face or evidence read to prove him the transgressor of any Law the Judge would not examine his Case nor hear him speak but commanded the Goaler to take them all away two or three times and would not let them speak for themselves Yet Marmaduke Storr said to the people take notice all people how we are deprived of the priviledge and liberty that the Law of this Nation allows in that we may not be heard speak and have a legal Trial which is granted to Felons and Murtherers Then they were with-drawn and he who is called William Deusbury turned to the Court and spoke as followeth to the Judge With what measure thou meetest to us it will be measured to thee again and the Lord God of Heaven and Earth will judge between thee and us and will give unto thee and every one of you according to the works you have done and in that day you shall know whai is now declared is the Truth the Lord hath spoken it in whom we trust and he will us deliver Soon after the Court did rise and the Goaler took them away whose names are formerly written to Prison again where he saith they must be kept until the next Assizes if they will not enter Bond for their good behaviour and appearance at the next Assizes though not any evil behaviour hath been proved against any of them by the Law of this Nation neither when they were committed to Prison from the time when they have been brought forth at the general Sessions and Assizes as what hath been formerly written makes manifest and at the general Sessions holden the fourteenth day of the fourth Month Iohn Whitehead Marmaduke Storr and Thomas Cocket was by those that then sat in Commission to do Justice sentenced to be kept in the house of Correction and there to be wrought hard and not to have any meat brought to them which those called Justice at that time said was their due Punished according to Law as Vagabonds and notwithstanding fix weeks after they were thus sentenced which they said was their punishment prescribed by Law they brought them forth at the Assizes in order to a further Tryal and alledged nothing against them but they were again committed to Prison amongst the servants of the Lord whose names are before written which were brought before Judge Atkins who did not read any Law to them they had transgresed but in the open Court said that common fame did repute them to be dangerous persons and said that common fame was a good Accuser but not a good Trier yet all that he tried their Cause with was the common fame for not any legal Tryal they had least the enmity and injustice of those that committed them should have been brought to light and tho he made a Goal-delivery of all Murtherers and Felons that had transgressed the Law yet those he could not find had transgressed the Law by any thing that could be informed against them because they were evil spoken of tho not any evil proved against them but according to the common fame of the people Judge Atkins sentenced them to Prison again where they are to be as he saith until the next Assizes and their Friends and acquaintance are not suffered to see them or to speak with them so in this day the Scripture is fulfilled as it was in former times by those that judged the righteous Seed by the common fame of the people who cryed release unto us Barrabas and Crucifie Iesus and though Pilate could not read any Law that Iesus had transgressed and in his Conscience knew that he was a just man yet to do the people a pleasure he harkened to their common fame which was that he would deliver him up to be Crucified and Pilate contrary to the Light in his own Conscience delivered him up to them to be Crucified Luke 23.22 23 24 25. and now in this day is the same righteous Seed the Lord hath blessed Jesus the Son of the living God persecuted in his Saints whose bodies are cast into Prison by those that judge for man accâ—â—ding to the common fame of the people who ever persecuted Christ the Lord of life that saith in as much as you have done it to the least of these my Brethren you have done it unto me Mat. 25 40 The Discovery of the Persecution of Iohn Huchin and Michael Patteson JOhn Huchin
more that are the most grown in the Truth or you to whom the charge and care of the Flock is committed and you with the other that did speak to them in tender Bowels of love admonish them and with plainness of speech minister to the pure in the Consciences to raise up the Witness to judge and cut down the deceit that their Souls may be saved and their Nakedness covered but if they still walk in disorder when the Church is meet together reprove them openly and if they do not still reform but walk in their Filthiness when the Church is met together in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ charge them to depart from amongst you so cast them out and not have any union with them not so much as to Eat with them until they repent and turn to the Lord to walk in obedience to that which is pure if they do then receive them again but if they still walk in the Stubberness of their Wills and not bend to the pure in their Conscience keep them forth that not any filthy Person dwell in the House of God then will the blessing of the Lord God be with you And this is his Word to you to see that there be not any in outward Want in the Church and that all walk orderly in their Places and Callings and if any Root of bitterness spring up in any which causeth Strife in their minds one against another as soon as you know of it call such before you and examine the matter strictly and stand in the Wisdom and Power of God to guide you to judge the Cause and end it in Righteousness but if the Cause be hard for you to discern the measure you are grown to cannot discern betwixt the Parties I charge you and command you in the presence of the living God not to be hasty in the Cause come before you to order it in your doubtful and dark minds for what is not of Faith is of Sin but to send for some that is more grown in discerning to judge the Cause and end it in Righteousness then will Deceit be judged and Strife kept out and the Innocent set free to serve the Lord and your union will be in Christ Iesus where you will bring forth Fruit abiding in him and through his Blood you shall overcome the World in you and without and shall reign Kings upon the Earth In the Power of Christ you shall command the unclean Spirit in all his appearances within you and without and he shall submit to the Power of God in you dwelling in him who alone is Power and to whom all glory belongs for ever The eternal pure powerful and dreadful Spirit of the most high God rest upon you whom he hath chosen to watch over his Flock and his mighty Power open the pure eternal Eye in you to discern and separate between the Precious and Vile the Holy and the Unholy and furnish you with Courage and Boldness and pure Wisdom to rule in the Power of his Spirit to cut down all deceit and to wash the Disciples Feet in bowing to the pure in the least appearance and ministring to it to strengthen the desire raised up towards the Name of the Lord until Judgment be brought forth into Victory then will you have union together in that which is pure eternal begotten of God who reigns over all blessed for ever and Wisdom's justified of her Children W. D. Writ in the Year 1653. This is the Word of the Lord to thee Oliver Cromwell called Lord Protector THus saith the Lord God of Heaven and Earth to thee Oliver Cromwell Why dost thou slight my Counsel and harden thy Heart against it which I declare to thee by my Sons and Daughters and is witnessed in thy Conscience by my Word in thee which called on thee to trust no longer in the Arm of Flesh nor seek great things for thy self as those did I drove out before thee in my Wrath and destroyed in my Fury and the fearfulness of my Displeasure consumed them and hath given thee power into thy Hand who promised me in the day of thy Distress if I would deliver thee in that day and give the power over all that stood up against thee then wouldest thou take away all these Unrighteous Laws which is contrary to my Righteous Law in the Conscience which were made by those I drove out before thee that my Children should not be Persecuted any more by any outward Law but have free Liberty to declare my mind as I moved them by my Spirit and into thy power I have committed what thou requiredst of me that thou mightest perform thy promises to me and now I have tryed thee and in this day of thy Tryal thou hast proved unfaithful to me and to my People and no truth have I found in thee in this day as to perform thy promise to me but contrary to them all hast thou improved the power put into thy Hand to seek great things for thy self and hast set up thy self in the pride of thy Heart to rob me of my glory in taking upon thee to be Lord Protector of my People when contrary to thy fair words and promises thou by thy power Establishest those Laws by which my People always were and are Persecuted which Laws uphold this filthy and abominable thing in my sight the Heads thereof Judge for Rewards and the Priests Teach for Hire and thou with them leanest upon me and sayest Is not the Lord amongst us no Evil shall come upon us as the Wicked Generation did Mic. 3.11 And those Rebellious People I destroyed before thee who made those Laws thou hast Established contrary to all thy fair words and promises and to preserve thee in thy obstinate and wicked walking before me in setting thy self on high in seeking thy own glory thou trustest to the Arm of Flesh to protect thee in the ways thou livest in but since thou hast abused the power I put into thy Hand I have Corrected thee by the Arm of my Power to let thee see that all the Policy and Strength of men cannot deliver thee forth of my Hand and when thou wast nigh to Destruction I appeared as I had done in all the times of thy distress thy Lord Protector and in my tender Love to deliver thee by the Arm of my mighty Power when none could help thee that thou mightest fear me and lay thy Crown in the Dust before me and give glory to my Name in denying thy self and performing thy promise to me who am a dreadful God and will not be robbed of my glory but since I delivered thee still like proud Pharoah hardenest thy Heart against me and continuest in thy obstinacy in upholding these Unrighteous Laws thou promised me to take away but instead of performing thy promises in taking them away thou hast Established them by thy power by which my Children are Persecuted and the Hands of the Wicked are strengthen'd
against them and notwithstanding all thy Wickedness and Rebellious walking before me in love to thy Soul I have preserved thee to this day and still doth wait upon thee to be Gracious and Merciful to thee if thou wilt still return to my Counsel and diligently hearken to it the Light in thy Conscience which witnesseth against the pride of thy Heart and loftiness of thy Spirit and calls of thee to perform thy promises thou madest to me in the day of thy distress in speedily taking away the Unrighteous Laws by which my People are Persecuted that are guided by my Righteous Law in their Conscience that they be no more given up as Sheep to the Slaughter for declaring my Word and Mind to the People as they have been and are in this Nation but that they may have free Liberty and no more be Persecuted by any outward Law for declaring what I make known to them by my Spirit Which if thou dost return to me that I may guide thee by my Power as is declared then will I heal thy Backslidings and deliver thy Soul forth of the Pit of Corruption and bring it into my Banqueting-House where thou shalt drink of the Rivers of pleasure that is in my presence where thy Soul shall be for ever with my dear Children in the purchased Inheritance that shall never fade away and this shall be the Portion of thy Cup. I once more tender to thee if thou wilt speedily return while my Arm is stretched forth in this day of thy Visitation to imbrace thee and if thou wilt not hearken to my Counsel but like proud Pharaoh still hardens thy Heart against it and continue in thy Pride and Obstinacy as thou hast done know this my Spirit shall not always strive with thee but I will hasten the day of my Righteous Judgments upon thee and the Arm of Flesh which thou trusts and leanest upon to uphold thee and protect thee where thou art shall be to thee as the broken Reeds of Egypt that shall break to peices and Torment and Wound thee and I will get my glory upon thee in breaking thee down in my Wrath and fierce Displeasure and none shall deliver thee out of my Hand which will speedily perfect my Pleasure upon thee for the time is not long ere I accomplish what I have spoken except thou Repent and thou shalt know thy Destruction is of thy self and thy Blood shall be upon thy own Head and shall confess my Judgments to be true and righteous to all that hear of it that they may be warned by thee to fear and walk humbly before me in the day that I do this saith the Lord of Hosts The Word of the Lord I was commanded by him to writ to thee and after it was written was taken from me by one Thomas Pentlow called Justice of the Peace at the Town called Willby in Northampton-Shire yet notwithstanding in the love of God to thy Soul I am again ordered by him to make known his Counsel to thee that thou mightst not be Ignorant of his mind towards thee what he hath made known to me who am a lover of thy Soul and known to the World by name William Dewsbery Prisoner in Northampton Goal for the Word of God and Testimony of Jesus Christ. From the Common Goal in Northampton the first day of the Tenth Month 1654. The Mighty Day of the Lord is comming in which Christ knocks at the door of the Heart of Kindreds Tongues People and Nations who desire to know the only true God and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent to be the Light of the World and Salvation to the Ends of the Earth to all that obey him but a stumbling Stone and a Rock of offence to all that resist his Counsel whom he will take in their own Craft and overturn in their own Devices to the shame and confusion of their Faces but they that believe in him shall never be ashamed This was given forth in the common Goal in Northampton the 7th day of the 11th Month 1655. by William Dewsbery there Prisoner for the Word of God and Testimony of Iesus THe mighty day of the Lord is comming to you People whose natural Birth and Generation was in the Northern Islands whom the Lord of Heaven and Earth hath placed where he hath suffered you to be scattered into Barbadoes Virginia New-England and other Islands there away and Countries elsewhere and to every Kindred Tongue and People and Nations in whom there is desires raised to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent to be the Light of the World to guide the Feet of those that sate in Darkness into the Light and Way of Peace To you People the mighty Day of the Lord is coming and in his Power is appearing amongst you in raising desires in some of you towards his Name which desires cannot be satisfied with any outward Observations and Traditions of your Fathers but above them doth your minds rise in true Hunger and Thirst towards the living God for refreshment from his presence prize the Love of God to you in whom he hath raised desires towards him and look not forth at any that teaches to hearken to the Teachings of Men without who draw you to seek Christ and God without and to come to the knowledg of the Kingdom of God in outward Observations with which the knowledge of God comes not the Kingdom of God is within and as the Lightning is from the East to the West so is the coming of the Son of Man in his day whose appearance is within but you People in the day of Darkness and Ignorance that have been over the whole Earth have been deceived in looking forth at teachings of Men without and for the Kingdom of God to come in outward Observations that men have set up in their vain thoughts Wicked and carnal Imaginations of the Saints condition which is Recorded in the Scriptures of Truth but they not regarding the motion of the Spirit of God within which taught and guided the Saints they are Strangers to the Saints Life though they speak great swelling words of the knowledg of God and with them deceive the simple with the inticing words of Mans Wisdom and boasting in other Mens Lines made ready to their Hands but they themselves are 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 Persons 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 come to know God who hath drawn you to Worship an unknown God in the ignorance of your minds so have they destroyed your Souls and the Souls of many and you People perish for want of Knowledg Hosea 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 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
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
midst of them and went his way Luke 4.16 28 29 30. And Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ not of man neither by man but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the Dead Gal. 1.1 He was a chosen Vessel unto the Lord to bear his Name amongst the Gentiles and Kings and the Children of Israel Acts 9.15 It was his practice to go to and fro to preach the Word of eternal life to the people in their Synagogues and Markets as the Ministers of Christ do When Paul and Silas came to Thessalonica where was a Synagogue of the Iews Paul as his manner was went unto them and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures Acts 1â— 1 2. When Paul went unto Athens his Spirit stirred in him when he saw the whole Citty given to Idolatry therefore disputed he in the Synagogue with the Iews and with the devout persons and in the Markets daily with them that met with him Then certain of the Phylosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoicks encountred him and some said what will this Babler say other some he seemeth to be a setter forth of strange Gods because he Preached unto them Jesus and the Resurrection Acts 17.16 17 18. And all my Brethren this day with me that witnesseth Christ Jesus risen from the Dead and are sent to Preach Christ the Resurrection who hath enlightned every one that is come into the World that all may in his Light that from him comes that shews them Sin wait for his Power to cleanse them from Sin and raise them out of the fallen and dead estate by the power of his Resurrection to live in pure obedience to God. We are by those the World call their Ministers and Teachers withstood as Iannes and Iambres withstood Moses But the Lord is making them daily manifest that all shall see their folly and by them be no more deceived 2 Tim. 3.8 9. And as the Heathen Phylosophers before written encountred Paul so hath these men encountred with us as before written for witnessing Jesus the Resurrection and the true Light that enlightneth every one that comes into the World. And as Tertullus the Heathen Orator accused Paul before Felix Acts 24.1 5. We have found this man a pestilent fellow and mover of Sedition amongst all the Jews throughout the World and a Ring-leader of the Sect of the Nazarens The same spirit that was in the Heathen Orator Tertullus that lead him to accuse Paul before Felix did Edward Bowles whom the people of the World call Minister and Teaches in the high place in York manifest to be in him who never had spoken to me when he by that dark spirit was lead to give in an Information against me and at the time when it was expected I should have the priviledge of the Law that Thieves and Murtherers had by it to be Tryed and my Accusers to appear face to face the said Edward Bowles did not appear to prove against me what was written in the Information neither a perfect Coppy of it would he or they that had it in keeping give to me when it was demanded least their works of darkness should be brought to light but what was brought to light when it was demanded of Edward Bowles This is a perfect Coppy that he wrote with his own hand as followeth It is informed that one William Deusbery a Ring-leader of the Persons calleâ— Quakers goes up and down the Country of York and is now in the West-riding thereof dispersing Principles prejuditical to the truth of the Gospel and peace of the Common-Wealth It is therefore desired that seeing no man is allowed publickly to exercise his gifts to a particular Congregation unless he be first tryed and approved that the said William Deusbery may not be permitted to go up and down from place to place Teaching until he receive Approbation of some Persons who shall be thought fit to judg how agreeable his Principle are to Truâ—â— and Peace This is the substance of what I delivered into Mr Payler but the particular words I cannot exactly remember but I believe they do not any thing considerably vary from this Paper E. B. This man whom Edward Bowles calls Mr Payler was the Fore-man of the Grand-Jury to whom he delivered the Information against me that they might deliver it to Hugh Windham who sat Judge of Life and Death at the general Assizes holden at York about the time of the thirteenth and fourteenth dayes of the first Month called March 1653. Upon the sight of the Information given in against me the Judge granted a Warrant in the open Court to the men that was in Commission to do justice in Yorkshire to apprehend me Which after that time I being at a place called Tholthorp about ten Miles from York in the North-riding thereof and many of the Servants of the living God with me waiting on him his Power to manifest to his glory and while we were together there came one George Mann in great rage two several times with an Iron Fork to satisfie his blood-thirsty minde the Lord with his Power did him chain and prevented his bloody intents to satisfie his will on me he went to Thomas Dickeson who was at a place called Kirby-Hall in Yorkshire and he accused me as Thomas Dickeson said before him that I said I was Christ upon which accusation he granted forth a Warrant on the twenty sixth day of the second Month called April And on the twenty seventh day I being with the Children of the Lord at Crake Iohn Lockwood called high Constable apprehended me with the Warrant before mentioned and the day being far spent he said to the Friends with me if they would ingage for my appearance the next day he would shew me that favour that I should stay with them that night I replyed these words that not any man should ingage for me neither desire I favour at the hands of men if thou hast power over the body do with it what thou hast power Then Iohn Lockwood said the day is far spent I shall not go with thee to the Justice to night until to morrow stay at thy Friends House Reply if thou say I shall stay here if the Lord please I shall be ready to go with thee where he gives thee power to have me so he went away and said he would send for me the next day and in the night season many of the Lords Servants and Children was with me waiting on him who is worthy to be waited on for he is good to the Souls that wait on him and to the Souls that seek him when much of the night was spent the Inhabitants of Crake in great rage and fury came to the Doors and Windows of the House like the Inhabitants of wicked Sodom crying and rushing at the Doors and said they would have me forth to dispose of me according to their wills for I should not be there and Iohn Lockwood high
did hear with much attention until two men came to me and said they had order from Edmund Iohnson called Mayor to take me away and with violence drew me forth and had me before the said Edmund Iohnson who commanded his officers to put me in Prison before he did me examine which was done and the next day the man that put me in Prison brought me forth before the Mayor and William Billers another of the Rulers of the Town who did me examine and not finding any thing against me commanded Robert Brewin Keeper of the common Goal to put me out of the Town and strictly charged me to depart forth of their Coasts with many threatnings what they would do if I again into the Town did come but the threatnings of man was not regarded into the Town I did return in obedience to the command of the Lord to finish the Testimony of Jesus I was to witness to the Consciences of the Inhabitants of the Town of Leicester Then in obedience to the Spirit of Truth I journyed into Northamptonshire and in a Town called Wellingborrow and there aways many did receive the word of Life with much gladness of heart And at a time as I was going along the Street in that Town near the House of Thomas Andrews whom the people of the the World call their Teacher he to me did speak these words Give over deceiving the people least the Plagues of God fall upon thee the answer to him was if thou sayst I deceive the people make it appear wherein I deceive them he replyed thou tells them there is no original Sin I required of him didst thou hear me say so to that he made no answer then these words was to him declared thou must either prove what thou accusest me of or own thy condemnation upon thy false Accusation he fled away and did make no answer About the time which was near three weeks after I was ordered of the Lord to return again to Wellingborrow and hearing there was a Meeting in the Steeple-house where Thomas Andrews was who had me falsly accused as is formerly written for the Truths sake into the Steeple-house I did go and in silence did stand till the man called their Teacher had done then I declared the word of the Lord to the people who did hear peaceably and afterwards I spake in particular to Thomas Andrews to prove what he had â—alsly accused me of in saying I deceived the people and there make it manifest before the people or to own his condemnation upon his false accusation but to what was required no answer he did make but away fled Then Henry Smith who in that Town dwells out of the Steeple-house haled me into the yard where the Truth to the people was declared who did here stand peaceably to hear till William Baw called high Constable did take hold on me and had me away into the Market-place amongst the people and said he would bring evidence against me for Blasphemy so he had me as Prisoner to and fro in the Market-place with so doing he made disturbance among the people but when he could not prove what he had falsly accused me with he let me go who at that present time went from amongst the people to a Friends house and came no more forth amongst the people in the Market that day The next day being the twenty eighth of the tenth Moneth called December Richard Dennit being Constable of Wellingborow came to the Friends House where I was and took me forth by vertue of a Warrant that had no name but for one who is commonly called Quaker and had me with it before Thomas Pentlow called Justice at Wilby in Northamptonshire who did me examine but would not read me any Law I had transgressed but made a Mittimus and sent me to the common Goal in Northampton on the twenty nineth day of the tenth Moneth called December 1654. A Copy of the Mittimus I was denied by Iohn Snart Keeper of the Goal and also the men that were in Commission to do Justice when it was of them desired in open Court at the general Sessions holden at Northampton the tenth day of the eleventh Month by those whose names are Iohn Clark Iohn Parker called Sergeant at Law George Benson Iohn Mansil Iohn Brown who there did sit in Commission to have judged the Cause in righteousness between me and mine Accusers but when the Mittimus was read where the charge against me was written not any appeared to prove what the Blasphemy was for which they committed me to Prison in suspition of neither they to me read any Law that any thing charged against me had it transgrest but again to Prison did me commit to answer at the Assizes holden at Northampton the tenth and twelfth day of the first Month called March 1654. And three times I was there brought before Matthew Haile who did sit Judge of Life and Death to answer what might be objected against me and the last time I before him was brought Hugh Windham was with him who then was in Commission with him to have judged the Cause in righteousness between me and my Accusers and though not any Accuser appeared against me to prove me the transgressor of any Law neither would these that sat to judge my Cause any Law to me read that any evidence given in against me was the transgression of but they me committed to Prison where I had been amongst those arraigned for Fellony and Murther So under all these Lies and Aspertions false Accusations I suffer and instead of being cleared of them when I was brought before those that were in Commission to judge with righteous judgement more Accusations were laid upon me by them which was done by I. Parker at the general Sessions before written and Hugh Windham at the general Assizes before mentioned which both did accuse me in the open Court before the people that I was a Seducer and when I required them to make manifest wherein I did seduce any they would not answer to what then was required and a Coppy of the ground of the Evidence they pretend they have against me they denied to be given me in all places where they have proceeded against me as is formerly written least their works of darkness should come to light and their folly made manifest and Truth cleared of the Lies and false Accusations with which they blind the Eyes of many and cause them to stumble at the ways of Truth in speaking evil of the things they know not as is manifest in what is written So for the Truths sake I bear Testimony of and it to clear from all Lies and Aspersions cast upon it which hath caused the simple to stumble at the way of Truth and that they no longer be turned aside by the lying spirit who every way seeks to murther and destroy the Truth from the Earth in Persecuting the Bodies of the Saints and shutting them up in Prison under
laid up for me in the Lord Jesus and by the power of the Word of their Testimony there was a secret hope raised up in me to wait for his coming there I waited till the Administration of Iohn and I witness that of all that is born of a Woman there is none greater then Iohn for he is a burning and a shining Light who discovered more of the mystery of iniquity in me in his Administration and the sence of my condition was more manifest and the cry of my condemned Soul was great and could not be satisfied but breathed and thirsted after Christ to saye me freely through his Blood or I perished for ever and in this condemned estate I lay waiting for the coming of Christ Jesus who in the appointed time of the Father appeared to my Soul as the Lightnings from the East to the West and my dead Soul heard his voice and by his voice was made to live who created me to a lively hope and sealed me up in the everlasting Covenant of life with his Blood then I witnessed the wages of Sin and Death and the Gift of God eternal Life through Jesus Christ my Lord and I witnessed according to Testimony of Scripture Death raigns over all from Adam to Moses and Moses untill the Prophets and the Prophets untill Iohn and from this day the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force there is no rest to the Soul till Christ be manifest and this the Scripture witnesseth and I witness these Scriptures fulfilled in me in the year according to the accoâ—t 1645. The Witnesses that stood before the God of the Earth and had power to plague the Earth having finished their Testimony the Beast ascends out of the bottomless Pit and makes War against them and kills them and their dead Bodies lay in the Streets of the great City spiritual Sodom and Egypt where our Lord was Crucified and this Scripture was fulfilled in me in the year according to account 1648. Then Kindreds Tongues and the Nations of the Earthmade merry over the Witnesses and I see the abomination that maketh desolate which is spoken of by Daniel the Prophet standing in the holy place where it ought not and then was I led by the Spirit into the Wilderness and tempted of the Devil that the Scripture might be fulfiled Luke 4.1 In that day and hour of temptation which was in the time as the lines following giveth Testimony I witnessed these Scriptures fulfilled in me of Pauls condition wherein he complained as I then did who found a Law in my members Warring against the Law of my minde that when I would do good evil was present with me the sence of which caused me to cry Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this Death And as I was crying to the Lord to free me from the burthen I groaned under the Word of the Lord came unto me saying My Grace is sufficient for thee I will deliver thee and by the power of this Word I was armed with Patience to wait in his Counsel groaning under the body of Sin in the day and hour of temptation until it pleased the Lord to manifest his Power to free me which was in the year according to the account 1651. The Spirit of Life from God entred into the Witnesses and they stood upon their Feet then great fear fell upon all that saw them and the Temple of God was opened in Heaven and I saw in the Temple the Ark of his Testament and there were Lightnings Voyces Thunder Earthquakes and great Hail then mystery Babylon the great the Mother of Harlots and the Abomination of the Earth which made all Nations drunk with the Wine of the Wrath of her Fornication she was discovered in me and God remembred her when the mighty day of the Lords power was manifest upon her Jesus Christ was revealed from Heaven in flaming fire pouring vials of wrath upon her and rendring vengeance upon all in me that knew him not and disobeyed his Gospel and purged away the filthy nature that did me imbondage with the Spirit of judgement and with the Spirit of burning so through the righteous Law of life in Christ Jesus I was made free and am from the body of Sin and Death and through these great tribulations my Garments is washed and made white in the Blood of the Lamb who hath led me through the Gates of the City into the new Ierusalem where there is nothing enters that works abomination or makes a lie but what is written in the Lambs book of Life where my Soul now feeds upon the Tree of Life which I had so long hungred and thirsted after that stands in the Paradise of God where there is no more curse not night but the Lord God and the Lamb is my Light and Life for ever and ever I witness I am regenerated and born again of the immortal Seed and hath partaked on the first Resurrection on whom the second Death hath no power And this I declare to all the Inhabitants in England and all that dwell upon the Earth that God alone is the Teacher of his People and hath given to every one a measure of Grace which is the Light that comes from Christ that checks and reproves for Sin in the secrets of the Heart and Conscience and all that wait in that Light which comes from Christ which is the free Grace of God for the Power of Jesus Christ to destroy Sin and to guide them in obedience to the Light so shall they come to know the only true God and Father of Light in Christ Jesus who is the way to him And this I witness to all the Sons of men that the knowledge of eternal Life I came not to by the Letter of the Scripture nor hearing men speak of the Name of God I came to the true knowledge of the Scripture and the eternal rest they testifie it in Christ by the Inspiration of the Spirit of Jesus Christ the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah who alone is found worthy to open the Seals of the Book and I witness none else can for he alone opened the Seals of the Book in me and sealed it up to my Soul by the Testimony of his own Spirit according to his own promise I will bind up the Testimony and seal the Law amongst my Disciples and I will write my Law in their Hearts and put my Spirit in their inward parts and they shall not depart from me neither shall they need to teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother for all shall know me from the least of them to the greatest for I will be merciful to their Vnrighteousness and their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more and all my Childern shall be taught of me saith the
being moved of the Lord the twenty fourth day of the fourth Month being the first day of the week to go to the Steeple-house in Wellinborrow where the Priest Thomas Andrews and the people were meet together he there peaceably standing in silence the Priest commanded those he called Officers to take him forth of the Steeple-house which was done at his command before half of the Sermon as it s called was ended and by one Henry Henfnan called Church-warden was he had forth to an Alehouse and set watch over him until the Priest had done then the Constable sent to tell him that if he would not come at their Steeple-house in the afternoon that he should be set free he replyed that he should not make such a promise to them for he knew not what the Will of the Lord was to do with him but after a season they let him go And about nine days after Thomas Fox Constable came to his Masters shop where he was working and took him forth without shewing any Warrant or order for his so doing and carried him before Thomas Pentlow called Iustice and though not any evidence came against him that he speak one word in the Steeple-house or made any disturbance there yet the said Thomas Pentlow did send him to the common Goal in Northamton Michael Petteson living in the Town before written being moved of the Lord the first day of the week being the first day of the fifth Month to go into the Steeple house in Wellingborrow and there in silence stood peaceably until the Priest Tho. Andrews had done and people going away then he was moved of the â—ord to ask Thomas Andrews this question Friend canst thou witness this to be the Word of the Lord that thou hast spoken here before the people but the Priest instead of answering to the question he commanded the Officers to take him away and then Iohn Brown Constable took him forth and had him to an Alehouse and set watch over him and the next day the Constable abovesaid carried him with the other Friend before written before Thomas Pentlow aforesaid without shewing him any Warrant and when he was brought before him no Accuser appeared to prove that he had transgressed any Law neither did he read him any Law that he had transgressed but the Priest Thomas Andrews sitting by Thomas Pentlow did move that a Mittimus might be made to send him and the other Friend to the House of Correction for he said the Goal was not Punishment enough for them but Thomas Pentlow not answering him in that did make a Mittimus and sent them to the common Goal in Northampton where they are for a Testimony against the unreasonable proceedings of these unreasonable Men in patience waiting until the Lord deliver them by the Arm of his mighty Power This is said before that of God in all Consciences that all may judg what Spirit guides these Men that hath proceeded against those two before mentioned for while they lived in Pride Pleasure Scornfulness foolish jesting and mocking spending whole nights and days in running after Fidlers Dancing and spending their precious time in Wantonness and Vanity the one of them above Twenty two Years and the other above eighteen Years and all the time that they lived in Vanity they did go to the Steeple-house which the Priest calls a Church and he did own them as his hearers and did not speak to any to hinder them or to take them away but after the Lord in the riches of his love sent the Messengers of his Truth whom the World in scorn call Quakers whom they did hear the fourth day of the tenth Month 1654. that Word which they then heard delivered was to them Power and Life that did their Understandings enlighten and Consciences awaken wherein they did read in the Book of Conscience the evil of their doings until that time they see they had lived without the fear of God and the power of the Spirit which shewed them the evil of their Hearts constrained them to depart from it and to wait on the Power of the Lord to guide them in obedience to the measure of Light received and in obedience to the Light and Power of God they were moved to go into the Steeple-house as before written and though one of them spoke not one word and the other Propounded but one question to the Priest after he had done which is not the breach of any Law of this Nation yet notwithstanding they cast them into Prison as what is before written makes manifest He that hath an Eye to see let him see and an Ear to hear let him hear A Discovery of the Ground and Manner of the Persecution of Thomas Goodayre who is Imprisoned in Northampton by the Magistrates of that Town UPon the thirteenth day of the fifth Month in the Year 1655. he was moved of the Lord to come to Northampton to visit some of his Friends which were cast into Prison there by the Magistrates of that County and when he came there he went to the Prison door but could not be suffered to see his Friends for the Goaler had received order from those called Justices that none should come at them who are in scorn called Quakers which he went to visit and as he was going from thence along the Streets of that Town he met the Mayor and several others some of which are called Aldermen and he was moved to speak to them these words or to this effect Men see what is the fruits of the Ministry of this Nation and what it hath brought forth for Persecution and Wickedness abounds and he declared that those who say they are Christian Magistrates and do Persecute the Innocent are Heathens and know not God and he told them that they could not produce one Scripture to prove that ever any Christian Magistrate did Persecute any Man as those had done that cast his Friends in Prison then one of them called an Alderman stroke off his Hat in the Street and said he would learn him better manners then to stand and talk before the Mayor with his Hat on and some of them spoke to the Mayor to bind him to good Behaviour and the Mayor and the Aldermen consented together and required Sureties for his good Behaviour or else they said he should go to Prison but he told them that he was bound to good Behaviour by the righteous Law of God and he refusing to find Sureties they did immediately send him forth of the Streets to Prison without Mittimus or further Examination and did not make known to him any National Law that he had transgressed neither hath he to this day had any further Examination or Tryal but is content to rest in the Will of God in whom his confidence is who will deliver him out of the Hands of all wicked and unreasonable Men. TO all you Rulers and Judges of the Earth who combine together against the Lord and against his
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
Father draweth by the power of his unlimited Spirit and never any shall know the Father but he to whom the Son reveals him and he that thinks to attain the way to eternal Life by reading the Letter of the Scripture and regards not the Light that comes from Christ that witnesseth for God in the secret of the Heart and Conscience he deceives himself for the mystery of eternal Life is Sealed up in the sealed Book from all the Sons and Daughters of Men and none shall ever know it by the outward Testimony of Scripture but by the Inspiration of the Spiriâ— of Jesus Christ the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah who is found worthy to open the Seals of the Book And is the Way the Truth and the Life to all that in his Light wait his Power them to guide in faithful obedience to the righteous and perfect Law of God written in the Heart for the exercise of the Conscience which keeps them void of offence towards God and towards Men according to Testimony of Scripture Acts â—4 1â— 23.1 4. 〈…〉 Light of Conscieâ—â—â— which is 〈…〉 Fall be the remains 〈…〉 Beliques lesâ— of the first Adam in reference to the Covenant of works or whether her common to all from the Redemption of the second Adam as flowing from the Covenant of Grace or how else I desire you would clearly express your thoughts in this Ans. Man in the fallen estate hath not any Light as the remains of the first Adam in him to guide him to do any thing well-pleasing to God as he stand in the state of corrupt Nature for all his Righteousness is as â—ilthy Rags and as a menstruous Cloth the Light that convinceth Man and Woman of the evil of their Hearts and discovers the filthiness of all their own Righteousness is the Light that comes from Christ the true Light that lighteth every Man that comes into the World Iohn 1.9 And this Light is not common to Man by nature it is the great gift of God his Grace that hath appeared and teacheth all that are guided by it to deny all Ungodliness and worldly Lusts and to live Godlily and Soberly in this present evil World and all that walk contrary to the Light this is their Condemnation the Light Iohn 3.19 5. Qu. Whether the end of God in giving and continuing this â—ind of Light to all Men in the World was not to be 〈◊〉 and câ—rb to the exorbitant lusts of so corrupt 〈◊〉 as Man and so made subserviant to God in the Government of the World in order to the peace and continuance of the same and to leave all without excuse Or what beside this the end of God was that this kind of Light should be minded and improued according to the power of Man by what he is from Creation 〈…〉 or Redemption in order to eternal happiness and the 〈◊〉 this Light in all Men shall be the only condemnation of the World. Or whether this Light be the Gospel or Christ or his Spirit or whether it be a Light either equal with or inferiour to or of a different kind with the Scriptures Ans. The Light which comes from Christ is given of God to guide the Creature out of its own strength and power to Christ the mighty Power and Wisdom of God the Creature to guide with Moderation in the use of all Creatures and to order and govern the Creation to the Praise and Glory of God And this Light is of the pure Nature of God and leads to Christ the Everlasting Gospel And this is the condemnation of the World that hate the Light which comes from Christ because they believe not in him Iohn 1.8 6. Qu. Whether the Light of Conscience the Light of Scripture the Light of Providence the Light of Grace ought noâ— to be prest upon all to reform them and draw them up to a higher pitch of Christian Obedience according to the written Word of the Lord Ans. Thou by all who are in the Light is seen to be in thy Wisdom querying after many Lights but 〈◊〉 is formerly written in answer to thy 4th Question there is but one true Light Christ who lighteth every one that comes into the World and all his Ministers turns the Minds of People froâ— Darkness to Christ the true Light in it to waâ—t on him for his Power to destroy the Power of Satan and to lead in the strait narrow way of self-denyal and the daily Cross which is the way into the Kingdom of God who ever will be my Disciple saith Christ be must deny himself and take up his Cross daily and follow me Luke 19.23 7. Qu. Whether a Sinner condemned by the Law is made just before God unto Eternal Life by an inherent Power within or work of Sanctification or whether by the Satisfaction and Suffering of Christ in Mans nature and behalf rested on by Faith Ans. The Creature whose Conscience is awakened by the Light the Righteous Law of God in the Heart which shews it its sinful state and stands condemned before the Throne of God for disobeying the Light shall never be justified by any self-Righteousness for it is uncleanness in the Sight of God for justification is through Faith in the Lord Jesus but this Faith which layes hold on Christ for justification is not attained by any Power the Creature hath of its self neither can any know it who receive honor one of another Iohn 5.44 How can ye believe who receive honor one of another and seek not the Honor that comes from God only Faith is the Gift of God given to the Children of Light who wait in the Light on the Lord in the way of his Judgments Isa. 26.8 till judgment be brought forth into Victory that the Creature be brought into true Poverty of Spirit forever to perish without free Redemption in the Lord Jesus which the Father in his appointed time reveales the Son to the Soul that stands condemned befoâ—e him and by the Arm of his mighty Power creates it to a lively Hope and he that hath this Hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure so whom he justifieth he sanctifieth and he that saith he is justified and liveth in Sin deceiveth himself for Faith purifieth the Heart and purgeth the Conscience from dead Works to 〈…〉 witnessed in the 〈…〉 of Scripture Heb. 9.14 8. Qu. Whâ—ther the Person or Essence of Christâ— or his Spirit dwellâ— in any upon Earth or whether by his Gifts and Graces only or whether all those that have Christ in them must forsake all outward teaching of Men and 〈◊〉 the Scripture be but a dead Letter and of no use otherwise then Christ within doth witness unto them Answ. He that knows not Christ to be in him is a Reprobate for he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is 〈◊〉 of his and he that is guided by the Spirit of Christ needs not any teaching of Man for you shall not need to teach one
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
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
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
say Never was any like unto me neither any Sorrow like unto my Sorrow and in this Languishing Disparing Morning of thy Soul all things is made bitter to thee as the waters of Marah thus art thou driven from all comfort as a Child without a Father and a desolate Widow without a Husband and as a Stranger that no Eye pitieth in thy apprehension sometimes saying in thy Heart in the heat of the temptation and the Fire thou hast kindled Oh that I had been any Creature but what I am or if it were the will of the Lord that he would shorten my days that I might not be any longer on Harth to Sin against him for in thy own â—ence and feeling thou walking in the sparks thou hast kindled in carnal reasonings thou descerns not any thing but Wrath Horror Misery and Distress on every side and great languishings secretly crying out in thy Heart Oh that I were alone in the Wilderness or in any Cave or Den in the Earth that I might never see nor hear any of the Sons of Men any more but in the secret retiredness even Roare and Mourn out my days until I dye Oh thou Child of the morning of the pure eternal day of the God of Israel hearken no longer to the Enemy who saith there hath none traviled where thou art nor none drunk of the Cup that thou art drinking he is a Lyer who goes about to destroy thy pretious Soul In the Word of the Lord God I declare unto thee I drunk the same Cup with my faithful Friends who are born of the royal Seed every one in their measure have travelled in the same path and hath endured the same temptations and walked in the Light of the same sparks and layn down in Sorrow in the sence of the same misery as thou mourns under this day No longer lend an ear unto the Enemy and the thoughts of thy Heart arise arise in the Light of the Covenant and stay thy Heart and the Lord God he will throw down the Enemy of thy peace destroy the carnal reasonings of thy mind put out the Fire that thou haâ—t kindled and he will deliver thee forth of the horrible Pit and set thy Feet upon the Rock of Ages and thou shall tread down the Enemy of thy Soul in the sensible feeling of the Bowels of the love of the Father who will manifest himself to be a Father to the Fatherless in thee and a Husband to that mournful Widow and a comfort to that Immortal Babe that mourned in thee in the uprightness of thy Heart to do the will of the living God so in the Power of his might stay thy Heart and tread upon all Doubts Fears dispairing Thoughts Questionings Reasonings Musings Imaginations and Consultings arise over them all in the Light in Christ he will lead thee into the Banqueting-House of the pleasure of our God where thou shalt sit down with me and all the redeemed of my Father who are born of the immortal Seed and have passed through great Tribulations and have washed our Garments and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb therefore do we now stand before the Throne of God praising him Day and Night in his holy Temple and this shall be the Portion of thy Cup if thou diligently hearken to the Counsel of the Lord which calls thee to trust in him he will embrace thee in the Arm of his Love and thou shalt praise his Name forever God Almighty in his Light and Life raise up thy Soul and establish thy Heart in his Counsel stedfastly to wait his Power to lead thee in the Cross out of all unbelief and cause thee to lye down at rest in obedience to his will where thou shall drink the Cap of the Salvation of God forever Farewel W. D. From the Spirit of the Lord given forth in York Castle the 23 d of the 3 d Month 1661. Oh King hear the Word of the Lord God which came unto me about the sixth hour in the morning of the 20th day of the third Month 1661. Thus saith the Lord through his Servant OH fear and dread the Name of the eternal God who hath Created and Preserved thee by the Arm of his mighty Power and saved thee in the hollow of his Hand in the day of thy great Distress when he Corrected that Family and all the Nation that they might walk humbly before him and who did humble themselves before him his Presence did appear with them but when they departed from the lowliness of his Spirit and promised fair things and did not perform in the uprightness of their Hearts according to their words though they were never so Invincible for Strength and cloathed with Policy and Wisdom of this World the Lord hath and wâ—ll break them down by the Arm of his mighty Power and catcheth them in their own Craft and overthrows them in their own Devices and not any can deliver themselves out of his mighty Hand he breaks them as the Pot-sherds of the Earth and makes their Names rot and perish among Men and stink in the Nostrils of the upright in Heart thus he sets up to try Man if he will give him glory of his Works and when he kicks against him his Maker he breaks him down in his Wrath and overthrows him in his fierce Displeasure And this is the Work of the mighty God who hath preserved thee in safty whil'st Destruction and Calamity was on every side that now thou hast seen a Cloud of Witnesses before thine Eyes that in this day thou art set on the Throne wherein he is trying and proving of thee that thou mayst by what thou hast seen dread his Name and wait in his Counsel the Light of his Spirit which is his Law in thy Heart and Conscience that lets thee see thou art but Dust and if thou watch unto it and wait upon him in it thou wilt see the secret evil of thine Heart which if thou look up to him in the Light of his Spirit and in the uprightness of thine Heart judge the evil in thee with his Light and in it wait on him to be guided in the true lowliness and humility of his Spirit to seek alone his glory and nothing for thy self but wait upon him to be an Instrument in his Hand that he may govern and order thee in all his ways then will he enlighten thy understanding and seal unto thee his secret Counsel and give thee to see through all that profess his Name and know him not and what his true Worship is and he will let thee see what is Idolatry and what is the Worship which his presence shall accompany all that are found faithful therein and which he will defend with his Power against all opposers and none shall prosper that devise mischief against them that are faithful to him in this his Worship which is declared to thee to be pure obedience to his Spirit which cleanseth the Heart and
purifies the Conscience and this is his Worship he hath determined in his unchangeable and heavenly Decree to establish in the Earth and over all Nations it shall stand he will scatter all as Dust that seek to oppress his People and resist the rising of his glory and thou shalt certainly know the Mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it Which if thou turn thy mind within to his Counsel in thee and in dilligent watchfulness encline thine Ear to his pure Spirit that calls for Righteousness in thy Heart and Conscience and be obedient with boldness to walk in the strait way of the daily Cross and deny the evil that accompanies the day and answer his requirings what he makes known unto thee then will he guard thee with the Power of his heavenly and dreadful Presence and will make thee a terror to evil doers that a Lyar or an Unclean person shall not be found in thy House nor any worker of Iniquity shall be able to stand before thee he will Cloath thee with Wisdom and thou shalt be able to Judge all Causes that is brought before thee in Righteousness then wilt thou put away all Sports Playes Pastimes Drunkenness Uncleanness and whatever grieveth his Spirit forth of thy sight and cleanse the Land of it through thy faithful walking with God who hath made thee a Son of Affliction from thy Youth that thou mightst learn to fear his Name which if thou do he will make thee a Terror to all Nations round about that devise mischief against thee the Angels of his presence will pitch their Tents about thee thou standing in his Counsel and giving Liberty to his Sons and Daughters as he moves them by his Spirit to walk in his Service who is the mighty God that requireth this of thee that thou do not lay a Bond upon the Spirits of his People in matters of Worship as to force all to one Uniformity for thou hast seen before thine Eyes that the Kings and Princes of this Woâ—ld that have sought so to do have brought much innocent Blood upon them who have been seeking by their outward Power to establish Sion with Blood and Ierusalem with Iniquity thus hath his People been Slain from day to day in the Nations that have been building Babel in whom is found the Blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus and all that is Slain upon the Earth for whose sake he is now risen to plead the Cause of those that fear him and walk humbly before him And this he requireth of thee in all things to mind his Law in thy Heart to do unto others as thou wouldst be done unto if thou wast in their places and they in thine and let mercy be found in thy Hands to all people as thou hast found mercy at the Hands of the Lord yea to thy Enemies and in what thou mayst live in Peace with all Men and in all thy undertakings seek not thy self let the glory of God be the Object of thy mind and wait to feel his Hand leading thee in what thou doest which if thou stand in his Counsel to do as he requireth of thee to mind thy Place and to keep the people in Peace and punish Sin and Wickedness and give free Liberty for the Lord with his Spirit to Rule in the Consciences of his people as he orders them to meet in his fear and witness forth his mind where he leads them without restraint and no more be given like Lambs to the Slaughter and driven to Prison like Sheep to the Fold but to have free Liberty in their peaceable lives to serve him their God then will he raise his Name in thy Fathers House and make thee a nursing Father unto his People and thou shalt partake of the Blessings with them that fear him and all the World shall be amazed to hear of his dreadful appearance for his people that obey his Spirit in this Nation which shall convince both Iew and Gentile that the mighty God is risen to manifest his Power to them that fear him in this Nation and these Northren Countries and the day is very near wherein it shall be no more said the Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt but the Lord liveth that brought up and led the Seed of the House of Israel out of the North-Country Oh King let his goodness constrain thee and all in thy Family to humble your selves before him what could he have done for thee more then he hath done hath he not been thy relief in thy greatest straits now let his goodness ingage thee to answer what he requires of thee then will he make thee one of the number of his Elect and Chosen and thy days will be fulâ— of gladness and thy Soul shall live forever in the Kingdom of glory with all the redeemed who are led with his Spirit but if thou reject his counsel his law in thy Heart and not regard his Spirit in thy inward parts but hearken to the counsel of thy own Heart and the wit and pollicy of the spirit of this World and so set up thy self on high and rob God of his Glory and give up his people as they have been to be pulled out of their peaceable Meetings and haled to and fro as Sheep that are slaying all the day long in tumults distresses afflictions stonings stripes prisons and death and set up proud covetous Men that know not God to be Teachers in the Land which draw people into Idolatry worshipping they know not what so the Blind leading the Blind they both fall into great wickedness which grieveth the Spirit of God and the liberty which is given to Playes Sports and Pastimes which draw people into drunkenness uncleanness and great abomination and if they be not reformed by thee but suffered to go on as they have been this will be thy portion as he hath multiplied on thee his mercies to astonishment of the people and Nations round about so will he stretch out the Arm of his Power against thee and get himself the glory in his mighty Judgments which shall be revealed in the great and terrible day of his fierce wrath wherein he will cleanse the Land of all that rob him of his glory and reject his counsel the Light of his Spirit in their Consciences and thou shalt certainly know the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it through his Servant which in faithfulness to thy Soul oh King hath not hid the Counsel of God from thee but greatly desireth thy eternal welfare and in patience waits that Righteousness may be established in the Earth who is known by name William Deusbery Prisoner at the date hereof in the common Goal at York for the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ. But before this could be sent unto thee with a private and safe Hand I was set at Liberty with some other of my Brethren by thy late Proclamation which we own
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
whom they have power over not considering how you are driven out from the Presence of the Lord wherein you were placed in the beginning and some there are that feed upon the letter of the Scripture conprehending God and Christ in their Wisdom from what the Saints of the most high God had spoke forth from the Life they enjoyed in Christ Jesus which was in them the hope of their Glory and Man in his Serpentine Wisdom steals the Saints words into his understanding and never knows the Life and Power thereof in himself and so speaks a divination of his own Brain a Riddle to his own Heart and while he speaks to others himself is a Cast-way Every Man and Woman in particular deal justly with your Hearts and see where your Hearts are and what they delight in for in some of these created objects you delight in and feed upon if you cannot witness your change by the Eternal and Powerful Word of Truth for into the Earth you are driven from the Presence of God and these are the Fruits which spring forth of the Earth which is in your Hearts Self-love Pride Covetousness Anger Revenge Hastiness Frowardness Back-biting hard-Heartedness Cruelty and Oppression Lust and Uncleanness Drunkenness Impatiency and Unbelief and you are fenced out from coming to the Tree of Life with Cherubims and the flaming Sword which turns every way to keep the Tree of Life So every one see what you can witness of your return again unto God from whence you are separated by the Disobedience and evil of your Hearts and see what is the Ground of the hope of your callings and by what Power you are acted in your Obedience unto God whether by the Power of the first Adam or by the Power of the Second for if thou upon the Convincement of the evil of thy ways do not wait in the Light which is in thy Conscience that convinceth thee of the evil of thy doings for Power from the Lord to guide thee forth of the evil which the Light discovers which would guide thee into the Kingdom of God but thou runnest out into the Wisdom of the first Adam to seek the Kingdom of God in outward Forms and Observations according as thou comprehendest of the Saints practices and thou imitatest their practices in thy Wisdom and though thou walkst never so strictly in these outward Forms thou art alive in the first Adam sewing fig-leaves together to cover thy nakedness a piece of new cloth in an old Garment thou art putting new Wine into old Bottles and art building up a Tower to get up to God in thy heathenish and Babylonish Wisdom and confusion will come upon thee in the day when the Lord comes to look for Fruit thou wilt be found a fruitless Tree that cumbers the Ground Cain with his offering up Sacrifice unto God in thy first nature Esau seeking the Birth-right with Tears who shall never find it and all the Fruit that is raised in thee is from Hagar the Bond-woman and thou hast thy end for thy self in all that thou dost which is thy Hire which thou expectest in the end life for thy Labour and Obedience and thou regards not the Glory of the Lord and his Fear is not before thine Eyes therefore every Man and Woman deal justly with your own Hearts under what name or title soever thou be whether thou be a Teacher of others or a Professor of what thou comprehendest to be Truth from the Testimony the Saints gave forth from the Life and Power of Christ that was in them and thou expectest Life in thy outward Forms and Observations and mindest not to be guided by the Light which is of Christ in thy own Conscience which Light guided the Saints that gave forth the Scriptures and while thou disobeyest that Light profess what thou wilt thou art in the fall first Adam is yet alive in thee Cain is not yet banished nor Esau reprobated nor the Bond-woman and her Son cast out which are all figures and types of the first nature which is yet alive in thee and thy will is thy guide and thy Heart is in the Earth notwithstanding all thy profession and thou art a painted beast made drunk with the Wine of the wrath of the Whore which is thy Wisdom which comprehends that which thou never didst know manifest in it self and sits deckt as a well favoured Harlot above the Cross of Christ thou wilt be found a Thief and a Robber who comes not in by the Door Jesus Christ but climbs up some other way and thus far went the Scribes and Pharisees and the young Man who had kept the Commandments from his youth but when he should have sold all for Christ he went away sorrowful And thus far went Paul when he persecuted Jesus Christ according to the Law he walked blameless and all thy strict walking to get Life in Observations according to the Letter is striving again to get to the Tree of Life by thy own power who art fenced out with Cherubims and a flaming Sword which turns every way to keep the way of the Tree of Life And if thou never sawest thy self fenced out from the Presence of God notwithstanding all thy righteousness in observations thou art not come so near God as to see the flaming Sword which is placed to meet thee in every way thou turnest to get life in thy own power and to cut thee down and kill thee that Christ may be thy life thou art alive in the first Adam and art in the death for death reigns over all from Adam to Moses and Moses is until the Prophets and the Prophets till Iohn and Iohn until Christ and if thou canst not witness that thou art come to Moses profess what thou wilt thou hast not set thy Face towards God nor one step in the strait and narrow way to Eternal Life but art going the broad way to destruction whatever thou be whether a Teacher of others or a Professor of what thou comprehendest to be Truth from the Letter of the Scripture under what Form Name or Title soever thou be thou art a dead Man and a dead Woman and the wrath of God abides on thee though thou seest it not Rom. 7.9 There Paul witnesseth I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandment came sin revived and I dyed Friends every one in particular deal justly with your Hearts see what you can witness of your death with Christ by the powerful word of Truth which enlightens the Conscience and condemns sin in the flesh for every one would ascend with Christ to be partakers of the Life and Glory with him but he becomes a stumbling Stone to be Baptized with him into his sufferings and death and this thou must witness before ever thou come to sit with him in Heavenly Places for it is they and they alone that
according to the promise of the Lord This is the Covenant I will make with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah after those days saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People and they shall teach no more 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 I will be merciful unto their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more and in this City there is no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it which are borrowed Lights outward Dispensations and teachings of men for the Glory of the Lord God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof and the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the Light of it and the Kings of the Earth bring their Glory and honour unto it and there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie but they which are written in the Lambs Book of Life and the Gates of it shall not be shut at all by day for there shall be no night there for the Lord God giveth them Light and they shall reign for ever and ever Halelujah to the Highest To all revolted Souls who have departed from the Counsel of the Lord and are made drunk with the Wine of the wrath of the Fornication of the Whore bewitched with the Mother of Withcraft to return into Spiritual Sodom and Egypt where our Lord is Crucified WHoever thou art in whom the righteous Law of God Jesus Christ the Light in thee hath cryed through thy earthly Heart for righteousness and judgment and there thou didst stand arraigned before the Throne of the Lamb where the Book was opened in thee and written therein all the deeds thou hast done in the body and the sentance of wrath and judgement passed out of the Mouth of the Lamb on thee for every idle word and all that thou hast done and in this thy condemned Estate thou runnedst too and fro to hide thee from the wrath of the Lamb in reforming thy ways and strictly observing what thou wast convinced of to be the Will of God but what way soever thou turnedst in thy Obedience towards God to get Life thither the flaming Sword turned that proceeded out of the Mouth of the Lamb and cut thee down and cast thee into a Hell whoâ—e thou layest weeping and wailing under the wrath of God sealed down under his eternal judgment for evermore for any help or power thou hadst in thy selâ— until Jesus Christ manifested eternal Love and Mercy freely to thy poor lost condemned Soul and raised thee up to a lively hope and sealed thee up in the Covenant of Life with his own Blood Now after the witnesses hath sealed up their Testimony the Beast which is thy will that ascends out of the bottomless pit of thy deceived Heart which is deceitful and desperately wicked hath made War against the Witnesses and slain them and they lie dead in the spiritual City of Sodom and Egypt where our Lord is Crucified and thou art made Drunk with the Wine of the Wrath of the Fornication of the Whore and bewitched with her Witch-Crafts who now tells thee whom he loves he loves to the end and to the Pure all things are pure thou art no more under the Law but under Grace and all things are alike that when thou disobeyest the pure Law which once had power over thee and it witnesseth against thee secretly crying in thy Heart use thy liberty but nor as an occasion to the Flesh thou regardest not the Counsel of the Lord but hearkens to the Mother of Harlots in thee and causes thee to wrest the Scriptures to thine own Destruction and tells thee the Law hath no power over thee thou art under Grace it is but the Law in thy members that Wars against the Law in thy mind the acting of the humanity which acts in its place that the Grace of God may appear more gloriously God sees no Sin in thee for it is no more thou but Sin that dwells in thee and the former misery thou wast in under the Wrath of God for the disobeying of the righteous Law thou now treadest under thy Feet and lies slain in spiritual Sodom and Egypt in thy Heart yet not put in Grave but lies in thy sight and lets thee see the evil of thy doings and vexes and torments thy earthly and carnal Heart in the midd'st of all thy Joy but the Whore in thee tells thee that the former trouble thou wast in it was through ignorance of God but now thou art grown up to a higher stature in Christ to see nothing but love in whatsoever thou doest and now thou knowest nothing but to eat and to drink and be merry for the Children of the Bride Chamber cannot mourn while the Bridegroom is with theus time was thou didst mourn but it was when the Bridegroom was not with thee but now the Winter is past and Summer come and singing of Birds is heard in thy Land and now wash thy face and anoint thy Head with Oyle that thou appear no more before Men as thou didst when thou wast a Pharisee now to be a friend to Publicans and Sinners and become all to all that thou mayest win some and whatever thou dost it is God that acts thee for thou art not stronger then he to resist him and if he would have it other ways how couldst thou hinder it so it is as it must be and it cannot be otherwise thus the subtle Serpent winds into the mind of Man and causes him to wrest the Scriptures to his own destruction to draw back into perdition Wo wo unto thee thou back-slider in Heart who chargest God who is purity it self to be the Author of Sin and the actor of thee in all thy filthy and unrighteous walking and hast turned the Grace of God into Wantonness and takest liberty to Sin because Graâ—e abounds and makest the coming of Christ who came to fulfil the Law to destroy it through the evil of thy Heart that when the righteous Law cries in thee for purity and condemns thee for thy unrighteous walking then thou pretendst to fly to the free Grace in Christ to save thee from the power of the Law but thou shalt find the Law hath power over the fleshly Man as long as he lives and the fleshly Man that now guides thee is under the Law until it be destroyed through Faith in Christ Jesus For he came not to destroy the Law but to fufil it and the Saints witness it though thou wrest the words of Paul when he declared his condition before he came to