Performances without the Inward Leadings of the Spirit of the Lord and in this Antichristian-spirit by which they have been exercised in the aforesaid Idolatrous Abominations they have been Killing Destroying and Devouring one another about those things which are their own Inventions set up in their own Wills which they would have all to conform to and have long imposed it one upon another by Penal Laws and thereby have enforced many who fear'd Man more then God to conform contrary to what they were perswaded in their own Consciences to worship the Image set up by them yet a Remnant there was alwayes whom God preserved and rais'd up by his Power to stand faithful Witnesses against their Idolatrous Worships and Traditions whose Blood this Antichristian-spirit in the Beast and false Prophet that carries the Whore hath always drunk and many Faithful Martyrs of Jesus in times past have seal'd their Testimony against this false Church of Apostate Christians in which this Antichristian spirit rules even with their very Lives though they did not see nor understand the things that are now seen and understood by many yet blessed be the Lord they were by his Power and Spirit so furnished and sustained and so filled with Love to God and his Cause and with Zeal against the false Church and her Antichristian Impositions and Idolatries that they loved not their Lives unto death but laid down their Lives with Chearfulness as a Testimony against them and so through Faith have obtained a Good Report amongst us who are now following the Lamb in the same Foot-steps of the Flock And so my Beloved Friends Seeing that now in fulness of time God hath rais'd us up by his Power according to his Purpose and Determination and Fore-knowledge to be faithful Witnesses for his Name and Truth and to the Power of his Appearance in our Hearts and to bear Testimony against the aforesaid Superstitions and and Idolatrous Impositions which are practis'd at this day amongst them that know not the only true and living God nor Jesus Christ whom he hath sent a Light into the World I say my Friends These things are sufficient to engage our Hearts unto the Lord follow him unto the end through all Trials and Exercises of what nature or kind soever that for the future may come upon us for our Testimonies sake For my Friends We know right well that God hath not been wanting unto us in any Tryal or State whatsoever if we have not been wanting in or Obedience unto him but hath been alwayes present with us and hath oft caus'd his Love to abound unto us and in us being shed abroad in our hearts by his good Spirit so that for joy of Heart we could even sing Praises to the Name of the Lord in the midst of our Sufferings and Afflictions so that we have no Cause to be discourag'd at the Sufferings which attend us nor at the Threats and Frowns of Wicked Men who hate and persecute us without a just Cause but we have rather great Cause of encouragement to persevere and go on bearing forth our Testimony for the Lord through all Sufferings if it be Death it self knowing the Reward thereof to be so exceeding great and having this Confidence in our selves That none of these things shall be able to move us nor to seperate us from the Love of God which we have in Christ Jesus Nay but rather shall confirm us for as the Apostle said It is an evident Token to us of Salvation but to our Adversaries of Perdition and that of God And so my Beloved Friends You who are already Exil'd and sent into forreign Parts of the World for your Testimony 's sake I doubt not but you experimentally know in an especial manner the Largeness of the Extent of God's Love unto his People in a Suffering Condition you having been in measure exercis'd therein beyond many others though I doubt not but have the Testimony of God's Holy Spirit that many are as freely given up in the same Faith for the same Testimony to partake with you outwardly of the same Sufferings as they do inwardly sympathize with you therein if the Lord see it meet for the Honour of his Name so to suffer them to be exercised Yet nevertheless All who have been and are faithful to God in their Places have and do enjoy so much of the Peace and Presence of God as is fully satisfactory unto them so that in the Unity of the Spirit of Life which from God we have receiv'd and by which we are seperated from the World and its Wayes and Works of Darkness and by which we are rais'd up to be faithful and true Witnesses for God and against the Traditions of men by which they have made void God's Commandments I say in this Spirit we do sympathize and partake with you both in Suffering and in Rejoycing and have a real Sence upon our hearts and spirits of your Estate and we are not unmindful of you but do heartily pray That Grace Health Mercy and Peace together with all Spiritual Blessings in Christ our Lord may be continually multiplied and encreased amongst you that the Aboundings thereof you may know unto your great Consolation that so being thereby watered and refreshed you may grow in the Grace of God and in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus and may feel his Life to encrease in you and so to strengthen you that you thereby may be able to teach others also and to instruct them in the Way of Life and Salvation that so your Sufferings and Exilement may make for the Furtherance of the Gospel of God and for the spreading of his Blessed Glorious Truth through the Nations and for the gathering into it them who are yet afar off from God and Strangers unto him that so the Witness of God in all Consciences being answer'd by you both in Life Conversation and Doctrine you may be a good savour unto God both in them that believe and also in them that perish that the Justification of Life in the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ you may all feel and witness and that will be your alone Satisfaction in all Conditions and therein my Love doth dearly salute you all And in this my Dear Friends pray one for another and walk together in Love and be of one Mind and Practice in all things that appertain to the Worship of God and to your Testimony for Him and against the World and its Wayes and Worships and live in Peace one with another and build up one another in your most precious Faith and watch over one another in the Spirit of Love and Meekness and let there be no Straightness nor Strangeness one towards another but be Open-hearted and Tender one to another And if any thing appear amongst any of you which tends to the Hurt of any Particular or to the Truth in general in the Spirit of Meekness let it be spoken to them and in the same Spirit let
of darkness by which all who are guided by it comes to receive power over sin which made a separation between God and you And this is he which the Holy Prophets of God prophesied of in the dayes of old who is given a Light to lighten the Gentiles and for Salvation to the Ends of the Earth And whom Moses said the People should hear and said that he that would not hear this Prophet which the Lord should raise up to wit Christ Jesus the Light of the World Even he should be Cut off from amongst the People and therefore every one you being enlightened with a measure of the Light which comes from this Prophet Christ Jesus by whom the World was made and whom the people is to hearken to it is a thing of concerment to you all to wait to hear his voice who calls your minds out of the vanities of the World and the love thereof that you may hear live and no longer to spend your labour for that which doth not satisfie the soul But to hearken diligently to the Voice of God who is Light that you may come to eat of that which is good and let your Souls delight in fatness and so every out who prizeth the Everlasting Peace and welfare of your Souls beyond the pleasures and delights of the World Return unto him who calls in your minds out of the visible and perishing things of this World and the love thereof and wait to know the Sword of the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Prince of Peace to Cut down the Transgressor in every particular of you and to know the Righteous Law of God revealed in you to take hold on the unrighteous Nature which hath led you into Rebellion against God and against his pure witness in you which hath long called for purity and for a holy Life and a godly Conversation that so into purity and holiness you might all come without which none can see the Lord And so they who comes to the Light of Christ in them such comes to that which is pure and holy with which they may come to see God And Friends This is the Word of the Lord God to you all and his Everlasting Counsel to you all who have desires in Truth and Righteousness to walk in the way of Life that you hearken diligently to the Voice of God the Light in every one of your Consciences and to it be obedient at all times in whatsoever it makes manifest to be the mind and Will of God the Father that so his will may be done by you in Earth as it is in Heaven and that your sins and iniquities may be blotted out by him for his own Names sake Who is now arisen for his Glories sake which hath been long trampled upon and for his Seeds sake which hath long cry'd unto him from under the burden of oppression which hath ruled above the pure in every one of you And the Cries and Groanings of the Oppressed hath entered into the Ears of the Lord God of Rest and he is arisen and is zealous for his Glory And in the valley of Judgment will he plead with Egypts King and with all the Host of the Egyptians and by his out-stretched Arm will he bring deliverance unto his own Elect Seed and the Host of the Egyptians will he destroy in the Red-Sea of his Wrath and then shall the Seed rejoyce over its Oppressors And so Friends as you hearken to and obey the Voice of the Lord the Angel of his presence you will see leading you in the way in which he will have you to walk and beware of him and obey his voice for he will not at all pardon your transgressions any more Exod. 23.20 21. But will give a just reward to every one according to their deeds whether they be good or whether they be evil And so that you may come and receive the reward of Everlasting Life which is enjoyed in my Fathers Kingdom Every one be good and faithful Servants and improve your Talents which is committed to you that so when the Lord shall come you may be found doing his will and not your own So shall an enterance be Administred unto you into the Kingdom which is without end where you may feed on the Heavenly Manna and drink of the water of Life out of the Wells of Salvation even abundantly and be filled and your Souls satisfied therewith And so Friends and people arise and come out of Death you that have desires after the way of Life and Salvation Which is now Preached freely and be all obedient to the measure of the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation which hath appeared unto you and believe in the Light which you are enlightned withal for saith Christ I am the Light of the World he that believeth in me shall not abide in darkness but shall have the Light of Life and this is the sure word of Prophesie unto which you do well if you take heed as unto a light that shines in a dark place until the day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts which Star being followed will lead unto the knowledge of the Saviour as it did the wise men who found him lying in a manger for there was no room for him in the Inn because it was full of other guests him that reads let him understand and so when you have found him according to the Angels Inteligence though it be but in a low place in you yet wait to know him to grow in stature and you in him to increase in Wisdom and in Favour with God for truly People no Union nor Fellowship with God can be known by you until you come to be Obedient to the Son of God and to hear him in whom the Father is well pleased and in whom alone we are accepted of God and by whom we have free access to his Throne of Grace where he sits at the Right hand of the Majesty on High Judging and Condemning all who walk contrary to his Light and that disobey the Gospel which is now Preached and justifieth and giveth life unto all that obey and follow him and stand in his Counsel which is the desire of my Soul that you all may do who have desires in the least measure after this Life of Holiness And for your sakes have I written these Lines according as the Lord gave it me by his Spirit Who am a true lover of all your Souls and a Labourer and Traveller for the Seeds sake which is Scattered throughout the Earth That those who are wandering upon the Barron Mountains and in desolate places may be gathered into the Everlasting Rest and Fold of Jesus Christ with me to lie down in peace and safety where none can make us afraid Josiah Coale A SALUTATION TO THE Suffering-Seed OF GOD Wherein the Things are Declared and Signified before-hand that must shortly come to pass DEarly beloved Friends Brethern and Sisters Babes Lambs and Children who
it be receiv'd and that will keep down all that may arise to make any Dissention to cause any straitness or strangeness amongst you and so you will be kept in the unity of the Truth which will be a good savour amongst all people and in that the Lord will take Delight to dwell amongst you and to do you good and in that God Almighty be with you and bless you and water you with the Dew of Heaven and cause the Showers of his Love to descend upon you that you may be refreshed and kept alive in the Truth therein to live according to God in the Spirit and not according to men in the Flesh but in that by which you are judged according to men and by which you are crucified unto the World and therein your Joy Peace and Comfott will be Everlasting And so dear Friends Let nothing enter that would deprive you of your Peace and Comfort lest you lose the Reward of your Sufferings but keep in Lowliness and Watchfulness and in true Humility of mind and spirit for therein is Safety And it s the Humble that God teacheth and supporteth And without his assisting Spirit of Grace we can do nothing that will add to our Comfort or Consolation and therefore whatever our state be we have daily need of an Assistance from him and of the renewing of our strength by him by whom alone we are able to do all things and in him nothing is too hard for us for it s through him that we are more then Conquerors and by Faith in him we stand and that gives Victory over the World And in that my Dear Friends all live and walk and thereby you will have free access to God and will meet with us at the Throne of Grace and Ocean of Life and there the Minister of the Sanctuary is seen alwayes near at hand administring unto every one according to their necessity who will give Ability and Strength sufficient to endure all things and to answer his Requirings in all things and will also keep down and under all which would arise to exalt the mind above measure in the time of enjoyment of the Reward that is receiv'd through Sufferings and hereby you will be preserv'd out of all the Snares of the Enemy And in this my Love is dear to you all and to the whole Flock of God in all Parts of the World and to this Spirit of Grace I do commit you all and resign you up to be govern'd and protected thereby for by it I was at this time moved to write these Lines to you in which I doubt not but it will be received by all whose hearts are sincere towards God And in that God Almighty be with your spirits Amen London this 28th of the 11th Moneth 1665. I am your Dearly Loving Brother in the Patient Long-Suffering Spirit of the Lamb. Josiah Coale Let this be read amongst Friends who are Ezil'd or sentenced for Exilement when they are met together in the Fear of the Lord. An Epistle to FRIENDS In Holland MY Dearly Beloved Friends I ofttimes remember you make mention of you in my Prayers to the Lord since I outwardly saw your Faces and my Love in the Lord is unfeigned to you in which I have for your Good travel'd amongst you and in which at this time I dearly salute you as those whom God Almighty hath reached unto and visited that you might have Acquaintance with him and that you might be made Partakers of his Endless Love in his Son Christ Jesus and therewith might love one another as he hath loved you who hath forgiven you your Trespasses that you might take Example thereby to Forgive one another that so you may have the Mind of his Spirit of Love and be like him in this present evil World and that you might bear his Image amongst the Children of Men and stand as Witnesses for him and appear on his behalf in that Life through which you will answer the Witness of God in the Hearts of all People that so you bring Honour and Glory and Praise to the Name of the Lord who hath visited you To whom all Glory belongs forever Amen My Beloved Friends Prize the Mercies of the Lord with which he hath visited you and walk worthy of his Love which hath been additionally manifested through the many tender Visitations which he hath sent unto you by his Servants whom he hath moved from time to time to come amongst you with the Message of Life as Dispencers of his Word of Reconciliation for your Consolation and Comfort And every one in your own particulars feel the Measure of the Meek Spirit of the Lamb that your minds may be daily exercis'd thereby in the Cross to all that is contrary to the Nature thereof that so your Hearts and Souls may be season'd therewith and the contrary kept down and bow'd under it And as all are exercised with this Spirit of the Lamb you will more and more grow into its nature through the refreshing Vertue which therein and thereby you will daily receive and this is alone that which presents all a Good Savour unto God and in this you know we have labour'd among'st you and therein you will feel my Love and Life which is in that which is not of this World and therein the Fellowship of the Children of Light stands which is a Mystery to the World and in that Love Unity Peace Meekness and Gentleness will encrease amongst you which are excellent Vertues and amiable to behold and that which is Passionate or Hasty and Unsavoury shall not have a place amongst you but you will all be Examples of good one unto another And also Your Life and Holy Chaste Conversation will preach unto the World by which they that are without shall be convinc'd and made to confess That God is in you and in this you will be a Good Savour unto God and he will take Delight to manifest his Presence and Blessings amongst you and to multiply his Mercies unto you and will water you daily with the Dew of Heaven through which you will be kept in the Freshness of the Life of the Blessed Unchangeable Truth for the Lord waits to be Gratious unto all them that wait upon him for the Teachings of his Spirit of Grace and are taught thereby and such he enricheth with the Riches of his Grace through which they live unto him and in that all are a strength one unto another and a Refreshment and Comfort to each other And so my dear Friends In that God Almighty keep you and be with you and water you daily with the Dew of Heaven that you may grow thereby and dwell all in Watchfulness in the Light and keep in the weighty Truth the true Foundation that the Understandings of all may be kept clear and open that none may be beguil'd of their Peace nor Crown of Life And all watch over one another in Love and bear ye one anothers
Burdens and so fulfil the Law of God and in that you are a strength one to another and so in this feel the Salutation of my Love which is to you beyond declaring And to the Keeping and Protection of the Arm of the Lord I do commit you Amen So in the Peace and Life which hath no end I remain London the 2d Day of the 7th Moneth 1667. Your Faithful and True Brother Josiah Coale Let this be sent amongst the Friends in Holland To all People in JAMAICA Unto whom the MESSAGE OF Eternal Life is sent and amongst whom the Gospel is now preached FRIENDS Now the Everlasting Gospel of Peace and Glad-tidings is preached amongst you and the Word of Reconciliation reacheth forth towards you every one with Meekness receive it for it is able to save your Souls and to build you up and give you an Inheritance amongst the sanctified Ones For now is the Message of the Lord to be declar'd unto you and amongst you by True and Faithful Messengers whom he hath sent forth in his Name and endew'd with Power for that Service and hath made them willing for your sakes to give up their Lives that the Way of Life might be made known unto you and you might come to walk therein And their Message you are all to receive as you prize the Salvation of your Souls for they are Messengers of the New Covenant into which the Lord in this Day of his Glorious Appearance is gathering his People that they might be all taught of him and come to the Knowledge of him from the Least to the Greatest And Friends This Covenant of which I speak which they are Messengers of is Light and this Light lighteth every man that cometh into the World which if you give heed unto in your own Consciences you will find it reproving for the Deeds of Darkness and condemning sin in the Flesh and will lead all who are guided by it out of sin and will lead in the Way of Righteousness and in the Path of Peace and Way of True Holiness which is a Way that the World knows not who live in Iniquity Wherefore now all People The Day of your Visitation being upon you and the Lord striving with you by his Good Spirit in your Hearts and being also calling unto you by the Mouthes of his Messengers to Returns Now every one encline your Ears and hear what the Spirit saith in your inward Parts and prize the Day of the Visitation of the Lord's Love who after the long time that you have passed away in Rebellion and Disobedience against his Good Spirit should now be pleased to accept of you and to pass by your Transgressions past and the Sins of your Youth therefore I say Let the Rich Love of the Lord which is now manifested constrain you to Fear before him and to learn Obedience unto his Faithful Witness which he hath placed in your Hearts For Friends it concerns your Eternal Peace and now is the Day wherein you may come to the knowledge thereof before they be hid from your Eyes For truly Friends If you be not attentive unto that which will give unto you the knowledge of those things the time will come that they will be hid from your Eyes and then shall you cry out saying How have we hated Instruction and despised the Day of Healing And so Now the Day is wherein you may come to know and witness your Reconciliation made with the Lord by his Word of Power which is nigh you even in your Hearts and in your Mouthes which Word reconciles to God all who hear and obey it and it will also purge you from all Iniquity if you submit to the Working and Operation of it And this I testifie That no other Way can you come to know a being sanctified and reconcil'd to the Lord but by the Word of his Power and through your Obedience thereunto And this Testimony I send amongst you to the end that you might believe in the Light of the Son of God wherewith you are enlighttened And this Testimony will be further confirmed unto you by the Mouthes of these whom the Lord hath now sent amongst you and their Testimony is true of which I am a Witness for we have been all Baptized by one Spirit into one Body even the Glorious Body of him who is the Head And so we are all Eye-Witnesses of his Majesty and of his Glory and can give in our Testimony together That by the Mouthes of several Witnesses even so many as the Lord shall call the TRUTH may be confirmed to you that so you may no longer follow them who cry Lo here or Lo there For behold the Kingdom of Heaven is within you and comes not with Observations and all that enter into it must become as little Children for of such is the Kingdom of God which is now come with Power and is nigh unto you And Blessed and Happy are all they that come to know an Entrance administred into it for they are Heirs of that Inheritance which shall never fade away Written in Barbadoes this 18th of the 7th Moneth 1661. From one who is a Labourer in the Lords ' Vineyard called Josiah Coale An Epistle to FRIENDS IN New-England The First Epistle DEAR FRIENDS My Love which is sincere and fervent in the Lord's Truth which is as precious as ever in this Day of Tryal is freely and fervently extended to you For oft are you in my Remembrance in much tenderness and truly do I Respect you as such whom the Lord hath accounted worthy to bear his Name and which he hath made choice of to be a Peculiar People to himself and to be Witnesses for him in the mid'st of a Crooked and Perverse Generation And let your Holy Life and Chaste Conversation be such as may preach Righteousness unto all that if they speak Evil of you as of Evil-Doers you may have cause to Rejoyce having the Peace of God in your Hearts And Friends I am not unmindful of you neither are you forgotten by me For oft I am even amongst you in the Spirit of Love and Life in which my Desires and Prayers to God are and oft have been for you that you may grow and encrease and prosper and flourish in the precious living glorious Truth of God of which you are made Partakers and into which you are gather'd through the working of his Divine Power that so the Heavenly Image may be borne by you all that by your Good Example in Holiness and Righteousness many may be made to confess unto the Truth and be convinced of it and that to the Brightness of your rising in it many may be gather'd that so the Borders of the Sanctuary of the Most High may be enlarg'd unto the ends of the Earth For Friends You know full well that in the Power of God yea the Power of an Endless Life We whom the Lord sent unto you labour'd amongst you for the Exaltation
of his Kingdom and for the publishing and spreading of his Everlasting Truth and for the sake of this our Lives nor Liberties were not dear unto us wherefore be ye every one like-minded with us in the same thing And in your places where the Lord hath set you therein adorn the Truth so will you be a good savour unto God and he will take Pleasure and Delight in you and will do you good by multiplying his Mercies and Blessings in your Hearts and so you will witness a growth and encrease in the Encreases of God And so all Friends Wait upon the Lord in the Gift of his Spirit that you may feel him to administer unto you of his Heavenly Riches and Consolation that no one may have cause to complain of Poverty or Weariness but every one know him in you in whom the Fulness dwells that you may by him be upheld in all times of Tryal and be administred unto in all times of want that so you may be carried on with Chearfulness to run the Way of his Commandments And God Almighty keep you by his own Power that therein you may be firmly joyn'd and united together a Family of Love and a strong Body and a spiritual House fitly framed and compacted that there may be no Rent nor Division but that you may be one in him who is the Head and in this I can promise you the Blessings of God and that by his Spirit And so bear one with another in Love and let the Strong help the Weak and by so doing you will preserve Peace And the Blessing of the Lord be with you and rest upon you forever Amen London the 1st Moneth of the Year 1667. This is a Salutation of Pure Perfect and Never-dying Love from your Dear and Truely Loving Brother Josiah Coale An EPISTLE to FRIENDS IN New-England The Second Epistle DEAR and Everlastingly Beloved Friends Brethren and Sisters whom my Heavenly Father hath visited with the Day-spring from on High which he hath caused to dawn unto you and by his Out-stretched Arm of Power hath gather'd you out of the Egyptian Darkness into the marvellous Light of the Son of his Love that therein you may come to have an Inheritance amongst them that are sanctified and become Heirs of Eternal and Everlasting Salvation in and through Christ Jesus the First-born from the Dead who is now brought forth into the World and reveal'd in us whom all the Angels must worship I say my dear Friends Seeing the Lord hath thus visited you with his Love and thus reached unto you see that you walk worthy of his Love And every one in your holy Callings wherewith you are called of God therein abide with him and feel the Gift of his good Spirit of Grace which from him you have receiv'd at all times to exercise your minds that so out of all the Snares and Temptations of the Wicked One you may thereby be led kept and preserved that the Enemy may not prevail to hurt you or to deprive you of your precious Treasure or to make a Spoile of you or in the least to diminish that Precious Life which God hath raised and manifested in you and given you a feeling of But all and every one wait that you may grow therein and become daily more and more a good savour unto God that you may know him to take delight in you and to dwell amongst you and in the midst of you and to administer unto you according to your Necessities that there may be no want unto you in the Day of Tryal but that you may be throughly furnished unto every good Word and Work that in all Tryals and Temptations whatsoever that may come upon you you may feel your Strength Hope and Confidence to remain that so you may be supported and carried through with Chearfulness unto the End for its such only that shall be saved And above all things my Friends and Brethren have perfect Charity amongst your selves and let the Love of God dwell in your Hearts and rule there and in that watch over one another and in the Spirit of Love and Meekness exhort and beseech one another as the Lord moves and let no one go beyond the Word of the Lord nor yet without it for that will burden the Seed in others but watch in the Light for the Movings of the Life it self and as that is felt to stir or move in you or any of you wait to know the Mind and Intent of the Spirit 's Motion whether it be for your selves to treasure up or whether it be to give forth unto others and this Discerning and Understanding you will all come to know and receive as you wait in Stilness out of the Reasoning Part for if the Reasoning Part enter that will darken the Understanding and then you will not know what to chose and what to refuse nor what to do or what to leave undone Therefore dwell in the Simplicity and single Subjection unto God's Holy Spirit of Life the Meek Lamb's Spirit and there is the Gate of true Wisdom and the Door of Understanding and in that you will edifie one another in Love and the Bond of Peace will be known amongst you And for this End have we travell'd and labour'd amongst you whom the Lord sent forth in his own Name and Power for the turning of you from the darkness of Ignorance unto the Light and Knowledge of God's Everlasting Power and for the building of you up in your most pretious holy Faith that therein and thereby you might come to have victory over all that 's contrary And to this day I am oft travelling in Spirit amongst you and in my Prayers to God I daily make mention of you and my spirit breathes unto God and is pour'd forth unto him for your preservation growth and prosperity in the pretious living Truth and that you may be crown'd with Victory Life and Dominion over all which would hinder you from running this good Race that is set before you that so none amongst you who have tasted of the Love of God and have known the Way of Life may fall short of the Mark or of the Inheritance incorruptible which fades not away So the Lord God Almighty be with you and keep you and place his Fear in your Hearts yet more and more that you may no more depart from him or from the feeling of his Life and Presence but that you may always live in him who is God blessed forever and may be found of him in everlasting Peace Amen London 21 1st Moneth 1665. This from your dear Brother who truly loves you and the whole Flock of God in all Places JOSIAH COALE To the Flock of God Gather'd out of the World in the Province of MARYLAND The First EPISTLE MY Dearly Beloved Friends with whom and amongst whom I have travell'd in times past for the Redemption of the Suffering Seed which lay groaning in Bondage and was held in Captivity
worse Suffering upon them and more grievous to be borne then that which now is threatned Wherefore my Dear Friends Partakers of the Heavenly Calling in Christ Jesus Put on Valour and Boldness and Courage for the Cause of God which we are now engaged in and stand fast in that Liberty wherewith Christ our Lord hath made you free and be nothing terrified because of the Rage of the Enemies of God's Truth but whereunto you have already attain'd there abide and hold fast that which you have already receiv'd lest you lose your Crown and keep out of Consultings with flesh and Blood lest you be thereby entangled with the Yoke of Bondage for the Flesh is weak and not willing to bear Sufferings but the Spirit is willing and as it is enclin'd unto and obey'd and follow'd in its Motions and Leadings it makes willing to bear and endure all things and to suffer the loss of all things for the sake of the Lord Jesus rhetefore let none Esau like sell his Birthright for a Mess of Pottage but like Worm Jacob wrestle with the Lord in his own Strength that you may prevail as Princes and obtain the Inheritance incorruptible that never fadeth away which is the earnest Desire and Prayer of him who dearly loves and salutes the whole Flock of God in every Region and Quarter of the Earth London the 29th of the 6th Moneth of the Year 1667. Josiah Coale To the Elect of God Every where Called and Chosen in Christ Jesus before the World and before Transgression was in which the World lies The Salutation of Love Mercy and Peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ The Third general EPISTLE DEartly Beloved Friends Brethren and Sisters For as much as the Almighty Power and Arm of the Lord hath been stretched forth unto you in this Day of his Love by which you have been gather'd out of the dark Paths which the World walks in and have been cleansed from the Polutions and Defilements which many yet lie wallowing in and have been separated from the Abominations of the World by the Word of his Power which sanctifieth unto himself and hath administred unto you an Entrance into that Kingdom which is not of this World and which fades not away where you are made Partakers of the Durable Riches and Everlasting Treasure with which your Hearts have been filled from day to day and from time to time yea manifold hath his Benefits and Mercies and Goodness been unto you and often hath he caused your Cups to overflow so that you could say in your Hearts That you had received your souls Desire and were fully satisfied and your Souls did Bless Magnifie and Praise the Name of the Lord the God of your Salvation who hath done so great things for you even beyond declaring who brought deliverance unto you in the time of great Affliction and Distress when you were compassed about with many Sorrows and saw none to comfort you when you were even in the horrible Pit and saw your selves at a great Distance from your Maker by reason of Sin and Transgression and were in your own eyes even shut up in Darkness and in Obscurity then did the Distressed cry unto the Lord and he heard the Cries and Groanings thereof and was moved with Compassion towards his own Seed and he arose in his mighty Power and stretched forth his Glorious Arm and reached unto his own Elect and thereby brought Deliverance thereunto And so the Oppressed came to be set free and the Distressed to be set at liberty and this was the Day of Glad-tidings unto you and the acceptable Year of the Lord though a Day of Vengeance came upon the Wicked and Ungodly and upon that part which had led your minds astray and to transgress the pure Law and holy Commandment of the Lord And so my Dearly Beloved The Lord having done so great things for you in bringing you out of the Egyptian Darkness and out of the waste howling Wilderness and hath brought you into a Plentiful Land flow-in with Milk and Honey and with the good things thereof hath he satisfied you and aboundantly filled you time after time therefore now rememember and beware that you forget not the Lord nor his wonderous Works but dwell in his eternal Power by which he hath done these things for you and walk in all Humility before him answering the motion of his Pure Holy Spirit by which you are quicken'd unto Life that you may know it continually to remain in you that so by it you may be kept alive unto God And this Spirit may be your Leader and Instructor in all things so will you have the Testimony thereof in your own particulars to bear Witness for you that you are his Children For they only are the Sons of God that are led by his Spirit and they only have the Testimony of it witnessing for them that are faithful Followers thereof and such enjoy Peace and Consolation from the Lord which is more to be valu'd and esteem'd than all things visible for they are perishing and last but for a Moment but the Precious Truth of the Lord of which you are made Partakers that is Everlasting and liveth and abideth forever therefore let that be prized above all things else which in comparison thereof is but as Dross and Dung and so it was in your eye when full the Glory thereof appeared in you And you know full well what you have parted with to purchase the Possession of it Therefore let none sell his Birthright for a Mess of Pottage but let it be forever in your Eye esteem'd above all things under the Son And let not the Subtilty of the Enemy draw any ones Mind into the love of any perishing thing nor into the fear of the Threatnings of Man whose Breath is in his Nostrils but stand in the pure Fear and Dread of the living God and continually set him before your Eyes and beware of entring into Consultations with Flesh and Blood for thereby you may fall into the Snare of the Enemy and be overcome by his Wiles but give up simply and freely to whatsoever you are called to either to do or suffer for his Name 's sake and for his Truth 's sake in your several Places and Callings that so a Faithful Testimony for his Name may be given by every one who makes mention thereof and that professeth his Eternal Truth and of this be assured He will be your exceeding great Reward but if any draw back or hanker in their Minds and through letting in of Slavish Fears deny the Lord who hath purchas'd them unto himself by his own Blood by which he hath cleansed your Hearts that so you might become a fit Habitation for his own Spirit to dwell in I say If any through the fear of Man deny him in any thing that he calls unto then they lose their Reward and lose their Peace with God and the Pangs and Anguish of Heart
was puting himself upon nevertheless the King would not hearken unto Micaiah but commanded that he should be put in Prison and fed with the Bread of affliction and with the Water of affliction c. and hearkned unto the lying spirit that was in the mouthes of his many Prophets who prophesied smooth things unto him and by them this lying spirit prevailed and caused him to fall before the Host of the King of Assyria Well I say I could heartily wish that it may not be so with thy Rulers and Magistrates Oh Nation as it was with Ahab and that they have not so far provoked the Lord by Persecuting and sheding the Blood of the Innocent as to cause him to seal his Decree against them or any of them as he did against Ahab and I could wish that it might not prove so which I have cause to believe it will that he hath given permission to the lying spirit to go in the mouthes of thy Priests and Prophets to perswade thy Rulers to go on in this Antichristian Work of Persecuting the Innocent and harmless People of the Lord thereby to fill up the measure of their Fathers Iniquities that so he may be avenged on them But Oh that thy Rulers had hearkned unto the Counsel of those whom God sent unto them who came not for filthy Lucre nor with flattering Speeches but in the Name of the Lord declaring his Counsel in plainness and faithfulness for thy good but Alas instead of hearing their Counsel they have done unto them as Ahab did unto Micaiah even put them in Prison and fed them with the Bread and Water of affliction and thereby they have provoked the Lord of Hosts So that without all controversie as I said before if thy Rulers persist and go on following the Counsel of those false Prophets into whose mouthes the lying spirit is entred to perswade them that the way to remove or stop the present Visitation of Gods Judgments which is Revealed in the midst of thee is to be severe in Persecuting and Banishing his despised and harmless People out of thy Borders I say if their counsel be hearkned unto and obeyed therein that lying spirit will certainly thereby prevail and will cause them to fall and none shall help them and they shall be broken with a perpetual breath and none shall bind them up Wherefore hearken unto this ye Heads and Rulers of the Nation of England the Land of my Nativity be not Proud nor stout hearted against the Lord but fear and dread the Almighty God of Heaven and Earth for he hath certainly a Controversie with you and he will not at all regard the lofty looks nor your proud Carriage for he will be reverenced wherefore humble your selves in Dust and Ashes in his presence you who have not quite sinn'd out your Day and put on Sack-cloth before him if so be there may be hope lest he break you in pieces as a Potters Vessel of Clay and there be none to save you And thus Oh England I have briefly and faithfully declared unto thee thy state and condition according as God shewed it unto me and the cause of thy present Calamities and of the future Judgments that threatens themselves and also the way in which they may in a great measure be prevented and the hot displeasure and indignation of the Lord be appeased in which thy Rulers may likewise see the state and danger they are in But yet I know many will not hear nor regard at all untill their desolation come upon 〈◊〉 yet nevertheless I shall be clear in that I have discharged my Conscience unto them from time to time according as God required me 〈…〉 if they perish in their gain sayings and 〈◊〉 neckedness their blood will be upon themselves and upon them who caused them to err Postscript WHen the good will and loving kindness of God who wills not the death nor destruction of any hath been largely manifested unto a rebellious and stiff-necked Generation of people in striving with them by his good Spirit and when he hath oft reach'd unto them with the visitation of his Love and called unto them by the mouthes of his Servants Prophets and Messengers to repent and turn every one from his evil way that they might be healed and find mercy with the Lord and yet they will have no regard thereunto but refuse to be reformed and continue still in their rebellion against the Light of his good Spirit in their hearts and despise hate persecute and despitefully use the Servants and Messengers of God whom in tender mercy love and good will he sent unto them I say after the long suffering and loving kindness of God hath been so largely and on this wise manifested unto a rebellious and stiff-necked people who so evilly requite his love to them is it not then justice in the Lord to cease striving with them and to give them up to hardness of heart and to seal his Decree against them in his wisdom to find out a way that their eyes may be closed and their hearts hardned least they should see and understand and be converted and healed that so it may come upon them according to that Prophetical saying of Solomon viz. He that oft-times is reproved and stiffneth his neck shall suddenly be cut off and that without remedy Wherefore now consider Oh Nation of England is not this the very state of many of thy Inhabitants at this day hath not the love and good will of God been largely manifested to them in that he hath long strove with them by his good Spirit in their hearts and hath not his immortal Word of Life been plentifully declared amongst them even to the uttermost of thy borders every way hath it not been line upon line and precept upon precept unto them even by the mouthes of his faithful Servants and Prophets whose cry in thy Streets hath oft and long been Turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes why will die c And did they not declare that Gods dreadful Judgments were nigh to be revealed upon them that would not repent and turn from the Abominations against which they testified But alas few at all had regard thereunto but many lookt upon it as an idle Tale or as a whimsical Imagination and refused to hear and fear even as Jerusalem did in the day when Christ would have gathered her and therefore now in the Justice of God is his Decree gone forth and sealed against many of them as it was against Jerusalem and his righteous Judgments which was threatned and prophesied of by his Servants and Hand-maids is begun to be revealed amongst them and in the midst thereof he hath in his wisdom found out a way to blind their Eyes and to stop their Ears and to harden their Hearts least they should see and hear and understand and be converted and healed for as Job said He taketh away the perfect and the wicked and because it is so
are Witnesses of it and how in Love we laboured for the restoration of those who were beguiled through the craft of the Enemy and for the preservation of those who hitherto have escaped his Snare that is well known to many witnesses But if none were sensible of it the Lord he knows and is Witness that in sincerity of heart in the Name of the Lord towards God and his People we were exercised and in our Labour and Travel for them the Blessings of the Lord and his Peace and the comfort of his Spirit did possess and fill our hearts beyond the understanding of the World although many towards whom we were so in love exercised could not believe but some withstood our Testimony and kicked against it in their hearts and resisted the Counsel of God against themselves to the grief and sorrow of our hearts Therefore it pleased the Lord in Love Mercy and good Will to his Servant my dear Brother R. F. that his Travels Burdens and grievous Sufferings might be put to an end and that our testimony for the Lord might be sealed with the Life of his Servant against that Antichristian intruding Spirit of Opposition which laboured to intrude its self into the Church to sit as Ruler and Judge there I say for these causes and for none contrary hereunto it pleased God to visit my dear Brother R. F. and to take him out of the Body at which I perceive some who are ignorant of what the Lord intended thereby have rejoyced But let such know that they have made a wrong application of the dealing of the Lord therein by which they have hardned themselves instead of being humbled through that which was ordered of God for their humiliation and good and if possible that such may yet see and turn to the flock of the Companions of Christ And also that the flocks who are and have remained in the true Fold may be refreshed thereby I shall here insert the Last Testimony of the aforesaid R. F. which was given by him a very short space before his departure out of the Body in the presence of several good Friends at which time in the Name Strength and Power of God he was moved to sit up in his Bed and spake concerning the Love of God and concerning our Testimony against the aforesaid Antichristian intruding factious spirit with as much strength Power and freeness of spirit as at any time he had done in the time of his outward health Whose words were as followeth Friends God hath been mightily with me and hath stood by me at this time and his Power and presence hath accompanied me all along though some think that I am under a Cloud for something but God hath appeared for the owning of our Testimony and hath broken in upon me as a flood and I am filled with his Love more than I am able to express and God is really appeared for us If God himself had come down and spoken as a man he could not have spoke more clearer to us than he hath done by the many Testimonies from Heaven in his People concerning this thing Therefore I beseech you Friends here of this City of London whether I live or dye be you faithful to your Testimony which God hath committed to you and as it ariseth in your hearts be faithful to the Lord therein After which he was silent for a little season and then his Mouth was again opened in the Name and Power of the Lord even as before and he spake very preciously unto Friends concerning the things before mentioned testifying of the greatness of the Love and Power of God of which he was made partaker and which he then felt and of the preciousness of the Truth which he had with us born witness of and exhorted them to faithfulness and stedfastness therein and to singleness that nothing might be suffered to creep in of another nature to intermix therewith saying No Linsy-woolsy Garment must be worn c. with much more to that effect which cannot be remembred And having thus given his last Testimony as a Seal unto all the former Testimonies which he had given for the Lord and on his behalf in about two or three Hours time after being filled with the Peace and Love of God beyond declaring as himself signified he departed this Life even like a Lamb and Slept with his Fathers and Brethren and is entred into everlasting rest with the Lord. And this may serve also as a sufficient Testimony to stop the Mouths of all who vaunt themselves in his death as though he had been taken away in Judgment and Displeasure of the Lord because of his appearing on the behalf of God against that Antichristian spirit of opposition which contends against our Meetings and Preaching and the manner of our exercise in the Worship of God as Formal c. And let such know that if his being removed prove a Judgment unto any it will be to them who rejected the Mercies of God by him tendred to them and have thereby hardned themselves against the Lord and his Servants and have made a wrong application of the dealings of the Lord with his Servant even as those who know not the purpose of God therein and so have shewed themselves not to be the Friends of God as Abraham was from whom God did not hide the thing that he intended but let such yet repent if a place can be found for them And so let all my dear friends every where who believe in the Light of Jesus and who have tasted of the Love Goodness and Power of God dwell in the sence and feeling of his Love and Power and let nothing divert or turn aside the minds of any from persevering in that pure holy way of Life which they are called to walk in and in which the daily renewings of the peace and good will of God is witnessed neither let any be slack or remiss in performing that ancient godly Christian practice of Assembling your selves together in the Name and Fear of the Lord forasmuch as ye know the exceeding benefit and advantage that ye have received thereby because of the Lords Appearance amongst us who acording to his Promise hath not failed us unto this day but his Name and Power hath been great amongst us and still is opening the mysteries of his Kingdom and revealing of the vertue of his Life in our Hearts and Souls by his own Spirit to our great refreshment and comfort so that we have not at any time been sent empty away who have in sincerity thirsted after him and in faithfulness waited for his Appearance which is sufficient to encourage all to persevere in that godly practise of meeting together with all integrity without wavering And forasmuch as our assembling together at this day is the great thing that the Enemy of Truth strikes at in all his Instruments of all kinds in which he appears against us it behoves all to stand and be faithful
THE BOOKS And Divers EPISTLES Of the Faithful SERVANT of the LORD Josiah Coale Collected and Published as it was desired by him the Day of his departure out of this Life The Memorial of the Just is Blessed the Righteous shall be had in Everlasting Remembrance But the Name of the Wicked shall Rot. Printed in the Year 1671 Concerning our Dear Friend AND BROTHER In the Holy-Vnion of divine-Divine-Love JOSIAH COALE Thus it ariseth in my heart to write THE Holy wise Omnipotent God having by his Power appeared and manifested himself unto a Remnant of People in the North parts of England who were scattered up and down the Barren Mountains seeking rest but finding none the Lord in a wonderful manner did break in upon them and by his Power did rend the Vail of Darkness that was over them and did Purge and Purifie them and after he had thus fitted and prepared a People for his Praise his Power moved strongly in the Hearts of many and his Pure Love constrained them to leave dear and near Relations to declare unto others what the Lord had done for their Souls in the Year 1654. several of God's faithful Servants were moved of their Master and Lord to travel into the Southern Parts of England and some into the Western Parts The chief of which that were the first Proclaimers of this Heavenly Message in and about Bristol were these two true and faithful Servants of God John Audland and John Cam by whose powerful Ministry many were convinced and turned from Darkness to Light and from Satan's Power to God amongst whom was our dear Brother Josiah Coale The Powerful Word of Life declared and preached by God's Servant John Audland did pierce and break his Heart and took deep root in him and wrought effectually to his Salvation and Redemption He was for a Time under deep Judgement and walked mournfully many a day whereby he became a Wonder and a gazeing-Stock unto those that were his former Acquaintance and he amongst the rest of the Lord's People was Reproached and Mocked Reviled and Persecuted but God's Arm that was revealed and made bear was strong and wrought powerfully in him and rent the Vail of Darkness and pluckt up the Weeds and evil Plants which the Enemy had sown in his Heart and purified and purged his Vessel making it fit for the Lord's use So the Lord opened the Spring of Life and Fountain of Love in his Soul which gave him full satisfaction and caused his Cup to overflow and being thus Translated out of the Kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of the dear Son of God passing through the Ministration of Condemnation bearing daily the Cross of Christ he obtained Life and Salvation through the Grace of Christ that wrought in him and being made Partaker of the Divine Nature and the Love of God shed abroad in his Heart the nature of which makes the Heart tender by its Vertue and Power he was moved and constrained to leave his Fathers House and his near and dear Relations and Native Country and travelled by Sea through many Dangers and preached the Gospel in many of the Western Islands and in Maryland and Virginia from whence he passed through the Wilderness on foot many hundreds of Miles to New-England amongst those cruel and bloody Professors who drunk the Blood of four of the Lord's Servants only for their pure Testimony and Worship of God which Blood the Lord will require at their Hands he preached the Gospel freely going a warfare at his own charge and the Presence of the Lord did accompany him and by his powerful Ministry many were convinced and turned to the Lord After his long Travels in several Places and Islands beyond the Seas he came over into his own Native Country old England where he laboured much in the Work and Service of the Lord in several Countries and was dearly beloved and well accepted of by all that had a true savour of God After some time here in England spent chiefly in the Work of God he travelled again by Sea into the several Islands and Plantations to visit the tender Seed of God raised by his Power and to water the tender Plants which the Lord by his own Right Hand had planted and the good presence of God was with him and did support him in his Exercises and Tryals and brought him back safe into his own Country though his outward man was much spent and weakned by his sore Travels and Exercises as many of his dear Friends were sensible of and often told him of it but his Heart was bent to go on in the Work and Service of the Lord being willing to spend and be spent in so weighty and good a Work as the Lord had called him to it being his Meat and Drink to do the Will of his Father He suffered Imprisonment for the Testimony of Jesus which he held in several Places in England as in Launcston in Cornwel in Bristol in Kendal in West-moorland and several times in London in all which he was found faithful and did never yield to the fawning Flatteries of men but did wait in patience till the Lord did make way for his deliverance He was endued with a good Measure of the Heavenly Power and Wisdom of God which made him bold and valient for the Truth and often times full of Heavenly Majesty in his Declaration which did wound and pierce the Hearts of many and made them bow before the Lord and confess to the Truth which he preached Those that were intimately acquainted with him found him to be of a tender spirit and of a sweet loving disposition greatly delighting in the Union and Society of his Brethren having an honourable esteem of those that were in Christ before him Towards the latter end of the ninth Moneth 1668. he began to be ill in Body but being of a strong spirit he kept over it for some time till at last he was forced to keep his Chamber for some weeks in which time he was much refreshed with the Life and Power of God which did arise in him to the comfort and refreshment of those that did tend him in the midst of his bodily weakness and exercises he was raised again for a little time and walked abroad but soon after the cause of his distemper remaining he was brought down again and his strength passed away by degrees until a Period was put to his days he was full of love even to the last and his Heart was broken and melted before the Lord and many times broke forth and praised the Lord and declared much of the goodness of God unto him which did ever melt and tender the Hearts of those that heard him he passed away like a Lamb without the least Sigh or Groan even as One falling into a sweet Sleep and so is at rest with the Lord and the Lamb and all the holy Angels and Saints and shall rest in peace and joy forevermore and to convince the
Reader that these things testified of him are true as many living Witnesses can seal to the same look over his own Writings and read over his several Epistles written to the Churches at several times and upon several Occasions which are gathered together and presented to thy vew and if thou hast any true spiritual sence in thee thou wilt feel and discern that such sweet and pleasant Streams must needs flow from a sweet and good Fountain knowing that one Fountain doth not send forth sweet and bitter Water therefore the Streams being sweet the Fountain or Well from whence they spring is sweet also and he having drunk deep draughts of the Water that Christ gives it became in him a Well of Living Water springing up into Eternal Life according to the saying of Christ our Saviour Whosoever shall drink of the Water that I give it shall be in him a Well of Living Water springing up into Eternal Life And that this was true in him is attested unto by one who had large experience of his Integrity and Holy Zeal for God who has been often in travels with him and still is a Labourer in the Lord's Vine-yard desiring and praying to Almighty God that the scattered Sheep may be gathered into the Fold of the good Shepherd That so there may be one Sheep-Fold and one Shepherd A. P. A TESTIMONY Concerning Josiah Coale AS concerning our dear Friend and Brother Josiah Coale I having had a certain knowledge of him and his Life from that Conversation we had many times together in the Service of the Lord and living Society of the Holy Spirit I have this Testimony to give of him That he was a Man indued with an heavenly and effectual Gift and therein was enlarged and increas'd as a Reward upon him after his sore Travels and Labour in the Gospel beyond Seas and he had a real love and estimation of his Brethren in the Service and Work of the Lord and delighted in their Fellowship and Communion being often refresht thereby His faithfulness was manifested to God and to his People amongst whom he laboured he was freely given up to improve his Gift in the Heavenly Calling wherewith he was called to spend and to be spent for the Gospel's sake wherein he had his reward counting nothing too dear of Life Relation or Estate to resign up in and for that Service wherein he manifested both his Commission and Power to be of God and not of man for the gathering out of Darkness false Wayes and Worships emty Professions and vain Traditions of men into the Light and Living way of Truth that therein they might serve and worship God in Spirit which admits of no confidence in the Flesh nor products thereof He was a Man of a tender spirit having a reverent esteem of his faithful Brethren and elders in the Truth and he had a tender care to preserve Unity and Brotherly Love as also the sence he had of his reward made him chearful in his Service and fervent in spirit and zealous in his Testimonies against all false and deceitful spirits which slight and dis-esteem Truth and lead into Apostacy from the Unity and Fellowship of the Gospel whose wayes do not tend to Peace but Strife and Self-separation He fervently preached the Cross of Christ and prest the necessity of obedience through it and unto watchfulness in the fear of God He preached Faith in the Power of God and the Righteousness thereof not to stand in the wisdom of man nor in lifeless Professions or traditional Opinions nor yet to consist in self acting and voluntary humility but in Spirit and Life from which living Obedience and Righteousness naturally spring by which Testimony and Preaching he was instrumental to affect the Hearts of many with the excellency of the Truth as it is in Jesus and turn many thereunto even from Darkness unto Light and from Satan's Power to God that they might both receive Remission of sin and Possession of Life Eternal And as he had freely received of Christ so he freely gave and as he was freely given up to spend and to be spent for the Lord so he spared not of his outward Substance in his Service his care being such to cut off occasions from such as seek them and so to keep the Gospel without charge as that he many times would not use his power and freedom which Christ allowed his Ministers in that case as mentioned in Luke Chap. 10. Verse 7. but with the Apostle Paul debased himself that he might not prove chargable to the Churches and indeed he went much a warfare at his own charges giving freely up both his Liberty and Life for the promotion of the Gospel of Truth both in this and other Nations through many Hazards and difficulties particularly of late years in this City of London wherein the blessed effects of his Labours Travels and Sufferings are felt and known by many And as he lived in and by the Faith of God's Elect so with him to live was Christ and to dye a Gain who being outwardly spent for the Gospel sake was inwardly renewed by the Vertue of the same whereby having conquered Death and the Grave he chearfully embraced his Dissolution and changed for a full and perpetual Injoyment of that Joy and Reward of Life and Glory which he had long an Earnest and Evidence of in himself and in the fulness of which his Soul now rests and lives for evermore Yea his life is felt in the heavenly Society and though he being dead yet speaketh in him in whom he died who is his Resurrection and Life for evermore G. W. A Short TETIMONY OF The Life Death and Ministry of that Faithfull Servant of the LORD Josiah Coale THough I knew him not from the beginning yet I knew him in that which hath neither beginning of Dayes nor end of Life which is the Eternal Power of God that by which he was separated from the World and made an able powerful and faithful Minister of the everlasting Gospel of Christ Jesus our Lord and which in all Travels Trials and Sufferings that did attend him made him more then Conqueror to the glorifying of the Name of the Lord in the sight of his Enemies and to the replenishing of his Soul with Divine Consolations In the Eternal Light I knew him and had often and sweet Fellowship with him therein to my great refreshment even in the gloomy and dark day of my early and deep Exercises and though he was a man free in his disposition and ready to help all through the tenderness of his spirit yet was he indued with sound Judgment to the discerning of spirits and giving no liberty to the Flesh but was dreadful in his Testimony against the Life Glory and Customes of the World being redeemed therefrom and made a Witness through Judgment of that pure Spirit of Glory which was before the World began which vails and darkens the beauty of Flesh and gathers into
the Cause of God in the Prisons of London Hartford c. This is a Salutation of my Love and Life MY dearly beloved Friends who are oft brought into my Remembrance and presented before me by the Spirit of the Lord with whom my Life is and unto whom the Love of my soul doth even flow forth and extend it self in the Vertue of that Life which is Infinite and Eternal and in the Spirit of Supplication my soul is daily pour'd forth unto the Lord before the Throne of his Majesty on your behalfs Beseeching and Desiring That he will so furnish and arm you with the whole Armour of his own Righteousness that you may be entire wanting nothing and that you may be enabled to stand and hold out unto the End in this day of Battel and Tryal and that as Valiant Souldiers of the Lamb you may endure all Hardships as seeing him present in the midst of you who is Invisible in the Faith of the Answer whereof I dearly salute you all And dear Friends in this you may all be enboldned and in this Consideration your Heads may be lifted up above all Sufferings even in the midst of them that the Cause in which you are engag'd and for which you suffer is a Righteous Cause of which we have the Witness or Testimony in our own Consciences and a more certain Witness cannot be and this Witness doth testifie That our Cause is the Cause of God who hath call'd us out of Darkness into his marvelous Light and hath made choice of us to bear Testimony to and stand Witnesses for his Name and Truth in this Day of his Spiritual Appearance and Manifestation or Revelation of the Son of his Love whose quickening Spirit we have receiv'd by which we are seperated from the World and by which we have been and still are constrain'd to bear Testimony against all Oppression and Cruelty and against all the Unrighteousness of this sinful World for which Cause these Sufferings come upon us and attend us But blessed be the Lord who hath call'd us with so Honorable a Calling and accounted us worthy to suffer for so Honourable a Cause as Our Testimony for his Blessed Name and Truth the Reward thereof which is great will be certain unto all who are found Faithful unto the End Wherefore my dear Friends towards whom my Bowels of Love even earn and my Life and Soul reacheth as you may feel who are sensible of Life I say unto you all in the Name and Fear of the Lord Lift up your Heads over and above all Sufferings both present and to come I say in the Faith look over them all unto him who is invisible who will out-last them all who alone hath Immortallity and dwells in the Light whose Presence is certainly with you and amongst you and will be so continu'd as you walk and continue with him in his Everlasting Covenant of Light in which he dwells Wherefore let your Life Delight and Habitation be in him for my Friends you whose Hearts are upright unto God know right well that the Lord hath not been at any time wanting unto you in any Exercise of what nature or kind soever in time past the consideration of which is a sufficient Encouragement to every one to cast their Care upon him and to resign up themselves unto him who takes Care for them And if the Enemy be permitted so far to prevail as to execute his Decrees made against us yet in this may we be all satisfied that it shall certainly work for good unto us in the End and shall make for the furtherance of the Glorious Gospel of Peace and for the Exaltation of the Worthy Name of the Lord by which we are call'd wherefore in Contentedness with the Will of the Lord in all states let every one rest resign'd up unto him and in the Gift of his own Spirit wait upon him to receive daily Refreshment from his Presence that you may be Water'd Refreshed and Consolated from day to day that so you may grow in his Grace and be kept fresh and living in his precious Truth to shine forth in the beauty thereof And let it be your great Care above all things to keep in the Enjoyment and Feeling of the Peace and Love of God in your own Hearts and in that you will have Content in all Conditions and live in Love and in Peace one with another and have perfect Charity amongst your selves and whatsoever tends to the contrary let it be condemned by the Light in the rise of it And bear with and for one another and watch over one another in Love and therein exhort one another and build up one another in the most precious Faith which gives you Victory over the World and over all the Persecuting Powers of Darkness and be a Strength and a Refreshing and a Comfort one unto another in your Persecuted Suffering State and Condition And God Almighty keep you all and refresh your hearts daily with his Love and renew your strength with the vertue of his Life that none may be weary nor faint in your Minds but that all may endure with Patience and Valour and Boldness and Courage in the Lamb's Spirit unto the End that in the End you may be Crown'd with the Crown of Immortal Life and Glory which never fades away which is the Daily-Prayer of him who dearly and entirely loves you all who are of an Upright Heart by which Love I was constrain'd to salute you all at this time with these few Lines and so rest in it From my outward Beeing near Bristol this 20th of the 1st Moneth 1665. Your Dear and truly Loving Friend and Brother Josiah Coale A Salutation of Love From the Spirit of Life Unto all Friends of TRUTH Who are in Exilement or Sentenc'd to Exilement for the Exercise of their Pure Consciences in the Service and Worship of God MY beloved Friends Brethren and Sisters who are expos'd to Exilement from the Land of your Nativity for the sake of your Testimony to the blessed Truth of God and who have been and are content to suffer the loss of all that were dear unto you in this present World for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ and rather then to betray that blessed Testimony which God had committed unto you to bear for his Name and who have sufficiently manifested your fidelity unto the Lord and his blessed Truth even in the view of the whole World as a Witness against their False Antichristian and Idolatrous Worships which God by his Power will certainly throw down and bring to nought and who have bore Testimony in Faithfulness in and by your Submissiveness to an Exil'd Estate against that Antichristian spirit of Persecution which Raigns and Rules in the Hearts of all the Apostate False Christians whose Worship standeth in Subjection to the Precepts and Commandments of Men and in Bowing to Stocks and Stones and to the Works of Men's Hands and in other Outward
under the Chains of Death and Darkness in you and for the bringing forth of that Birth which is Heir of all things and must Rule all Nations with a Rod of Iron and unto whom we who have been Labourers amongst you have reached with the Word of Immortal Life and with the Power of the Almighty to the raising of Life and bringing Immortality to Light in you by which you were then quicken'd unto Life who were sometimes dead in Sin and Trespasses And you know right well that by this Word of God and Power of an Endless Life you were more and more enlighten'd as you came into Obedience thereunto and your Understandings were open'd by which you came to see how you had been in times past captivated with Sin and Iniquity and had been led away with the Error of the Wicked into Envy Strife and Maliciousness and indeed into every Evil Work and then true Judgment and Condemnation took hold on that part in you by which you had been led into those things and the Way of Truth Peace Love Sanctification and Salvation open'd unto you by the Light and Spirit of the Lord by which your Understandings were quickned And the Invisible Eye was open'd in you by which you came to see your Teacher and as you enclin'd your Ear unto this Teacher and walked in this Light of God's Salvation O then how was the Appearance of Evil eschewed by you And how contrary to your Desires it was to see or hear of Strife and Debate and Contention amongst Brethren And how Love Peace and Good-will did then abound one towards another and towards all men desiring that all might come to know and be made Partakers with you of the same plentious Redemption And how gloriously and plentifully the Lord did then appear amongst you And how freely he did then shed abroad his Love in your Hearts and issue forth of the Vertue of his Life unto you by which your Hearts were enlarged and your souls refreshed and comforted so that you did run well without Weariness or Fainting Who hath hindred you or any of you that you should not continue in this Race in which Peace Love and Good-will did abound one unto another And what is the cause of the Strife and Divisions and Contentions that of late hath been amongst you Hath not the Evil One stepped in and drawn you into Reasonings and Consultations about Differences which hath been occasion'd by Dissenting-spirits and thereby vail'd the Understandings of some of you and so brought Night upon them and in the Night season sown the seed of Sedition amongst them Well My Heart is griev'd within me for your sakes and I am oft-times afflicted in spirit because of these things which have happen'd amongst you for indeed some there be that have made the Hearts of others sad whom God never made sad because of their unsoundness and unstedfastness in the Truth which in much simplicity fear and reverence was made known unto you by us who labour'd amongst you in the Word and Doctrine And truly Friends I cannot but Lament the lost estate of some amongst you which I am fully sensible is great and sad Oh that ever it should be said of such a People for whom the Lord had done such great things and unto whom he had so plentifully manifested himself and appeared that they should not retain their first Love and Integrity and Fervency and Zeal to the Lord and one towards another It s indeed sad to consider For have not I seen the Lilly blossom amongst you and the Vine flourish and the tender Grapes appear yes verily And this I further testifie That while you kept your first Simplicity and your first Faith and Love you were Beautiful and Comely and Lovely in the Eyes of the Lord and he took great Delight in you and exercis'd Judgment Mercy and Loving-kindness amongst you in which many did greatly Rejoyce and your Faith was every where spoken of amongst the Churches of Christ and many did greatly Rejoyce because of you for you were Honourable and lovely in the Hearts of the People of God every where and you were even a Crown of Rejoycing unto us who had laboured amongst you and travell'd for your sakes But alas A contrary spirit hath since entred amongst some of you with which we have not Unity nor Fellowship the Report of which hath brought Sadness upon the Hearts of many But those who have given place to the Envious-One must bear their own Burden for their Judgment and Condemnation slumbreth not but will swiftly come upon them Wherefore my dear Ftiends all Be you retir'd in your minds unto the Light by which you were first convinced of the Truth and which gave you then to see the Error of your Wayes and which led you into Love Peace and Good-will one towards another and towards all men and to eschew the appearance of Evil And as you all in this Light come singly to wait upon the Lord in your first Love Simplicity and Integrity you will plainly and clearly see what it is that hath entred and how it entred that hath been the cause of all those Tumults and Contentions and Divisions which of late hath happen'd and been amongst you and as it s seen with the Light and discover'd thereby unto you or any of you let it by the Life be judged from amongst you and therein wait that you may be purged from all Filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit And be tenderly affectionated one towards another in the Truth not with a feigned Love or a feigned Affection for that God hates But let Love be without Dissimulation abhorring that which is Evil in all and cleaving to that which is Good And be Open-Hearted one towards another not Strange and Staightned and Simply and Honestly confess your Faults to each other and pray for one another and the Lord will have Mercy upon the Transgressors and will heal their Backslidings and blot out their Iniquities and will again love them freely and so you will re-gain the Favour Love and Good-will of God unto you and we shall again be comforted in you after these our Sorrows and Grief of Heart because of the Divisions and Spoilings that have been amongst you for our Joy is in your Prosperity and Well-being and our Rejoying is in your Comfort and Refreshment and Preservation and Safety Wherefore my Friends Keep your Eye alwayes upon that Mark which first you pressed after when you receiv'd the Truth and obey'd the Gospel and in that straight and narrow Way of Holiness which was then made known unto you every one still press towards this Mark and have perfect Charity amongst your selves as in the time of your first Simplicity And then you will feel the Lords wonted Goodness and Loving-kindness shed abroad in your Hearts and he will water you with the Dew of Heaven and will bless you with all Spiritual Blessings from above and he will then own you for his own
Lord and with the Eye of Faith look over all Tribulations unto him that is invisible who will out-last them all and will be with you in them and through them all and also when they shall be no more For certainly Friends God hath determin'd by and through these things to exalt his Kingdom and to get himself a Name in the Earth above every Name that every Knee may bow and every Tongue confess thereunto unto his Praise and Glory And he hath highly Honour'd us in that he hath been pleased to make choice of us and to accept of us to appear on his behalf and by Sufferings to contend for his Cause and to bear Testimony in the Life of his Spirit against all Idolatry and superstitious Inventions which have gotten up in the dark Night of Apostacy for he hath put the spiritual Weapon into our hands by the which the spiritual Wickednesses that are in High Places and the strong Holds of Iniquity must be beat down and in vain do the Inhabitants of the Earth Combine or take Counsel together to stop or limit this Work of God which he hath begun and is carrying on amongst us For he will certainly in the end be too hard for them and they must and shall assuredly fall before him as their Predecessors did in times past who oppos'd his Appearance in our Fore-fathers the Lord hath spoken it And no Weapons that 's form'd by them or that they shall Form shall ever prosper or prevail so as to accomplish their Decree for God hath said it Wherefore my Friends With one Heart with one Mind and with one Spirit serve ye the Lord in newness of Life and continue the Assembling of your selves together in his Fear to wait upon him even as if these did not at all attend you And none be Slack or Backward in your TESTIMONY herein for fear of Sufferings lest hereby you do not only purchase the Displeasure of the LORD against your selves but also weaken the hand of others and thereby obtain'd the greater Condemnation But remember what happen'd to the Fearful and Unbelieving Spies who weaken'd the Hands of Israel of old that they could not enter the promised Land for these things were written for our learning that we should not tempt God as they tempted him and were destroy'd of the Destroyer For certainly Friends this I have long seen and sometimes declared also that if any to whom the Visitation of God's Love hath reached and who are now call'd to bear Witness to the Name of the Lord by assembling themselves together to wait upon him and to worship him in Spirit and have been perswaded in their Consciences by the Light of his Son that it was their Duty so to do I say if such for fear of Suffering for their Testimony therein shall forsake the Assembling of themselves together as the manner of some hath been they will certainly bring upon themselves greater Sufferings even from the hands of men and more grievous to be borne then those which for the assembling of our selves together seem now to be threatned except they wholy conform to worship the Image that is made unto the Beast that had a Wound and doth live and if so then as I said before the Lord God will assuredly find such out which will be more heavy and grievous to bear then the rest And therefore let all be Unanimous in your Testimony for the Lord in this day of trying and proving and be a Strength and an Encouragement one unto another in that Gift of the Spirit of God which from him you have receiv'd and you will certainly find and feel the Lord present with you assisting and furnishing of you with all heavenly Vertues which are needful or necessary for you in your present and future Exercises and the Light of his Countenance you will know to shine in your Tabernacle and that is very precious and pleasant and comely to behold And indeed it s that alone which causeth us to walk chearfully through all Tryals and Exercises and we experimentally know that he hath not fail'd us hitherto but hath been alwayes present with us to deliver us out of many Distresses yea and assuredly will deliver us out of all in his own time which hasteneth when the measure of the Sufferings of our Lord and Master are fill'd up in us for we must be throughly try'd and prov'd by Sufferings and thereby be made manifest unto the Nations about us to be the peculiar People of God before the measure of our Sufferings be full And my Friends It is not the Purpose of God by these Storms and Tempests that beat upon the Building of God or by the Sufferings that attend us to suffer his Heritage or Building to be laid waste No but thereby to beat down all False Building and Out-side Possessions and to lay waste the Hills and Barren Mountains upon which the Whore sits and to make her desolate for they by clashing one against another shall be broken one by another or by biting and devouring one another will be destroyed one of another But you my Beloved who keep stedfast with the Lord through these things shall thereby be manifested in the view of all Nations to be the Building of God whose standing is upon the Rock of Ages the Mountain of his Holiness which all Storms nor the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against and thereby he will also exalt his own House where Israel 's Fold is above all the Hills and barren Mountains upon which we were sometime scatter'd and from which we are now gather'd by the Arm and Power of God that so thereunto the gathering of the Nations may be according to his Promise for was it not foreshewen by the Angel of the Lord unto his Servant John in times past That the Horns of the Beast that should make War with the Saints and whom the Saints should overcome should hate the Whore also and make her desolate My Friends Consider this and in Patience and Confidence that he is Faithful that hath promised let us all wait upon the Lord and be resign'd up to be dispos'd of according to the Counsel of his Will and let him work and carry on and prosper his own Work as he sees meet For it s he alone that worketh all our Works for us and in us and he knows what is best for us and of what we stand in need and no Good Thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly And we who are in the Faith know that all things shall work for our good who love him above all therefore let us give up our All unto him and cast our Care upon him who takes care for us whose Wayes are unsearchable and his Judgments past finding out And so my Beloved Friends Keep to and watch the weighty Foundation which stands sure through all Storms and Tempests and walk together in Love and therein serve one another and let none give place to that
spirit which would exercise Lordship over another for that is not the serving Spirit that is to be submitted unto which begetteth into Love Meekness and Gentleness but that spirit will rather beget a Root of Bitterness which may defile many and therefore not to be heeded But the Love being dwelt in which vaunteth not it self nor seeketh its own but anothers good that begets its own likeness and in this you will stir up and provoke one another to Love and to good and charitable Works and then by you the Gospel of God will be adorn'd and you will have his Blessing and Peace in your hearts which is of more Value and greater Price with the Upright in Heart then all the Pleasure of sin or Gain of Oppression And so by your Stedfastness Faithfulness Sincerity and Simplicity in the Truth you will even engage and provoke the Lord to appear on your behalfs and to plead your Cause with your Adversaries and to shorten the dayes of the Wicked for your sakes And so the Almighty God of Love and Peace be with you all and multiply the Riches of his Grace Mercy and Peace unto you all that the Poor in Spirit may be enriched the Weak and Feeble strengthen'd and the Sincere in Heart established and confirmed And unto him alone I do commit and commend you all by whose Power and Love unfeigned I was at this time constrain'd to send this Epistle unto you to stir you up to Faithfulness Diligence and Zeal towards God and for his Cause in which my love towards you and my care for you is manifested in which I also kindly salute you in the Bowels of Christ Jesus whose Life is my Life and whose Love hath filled my heart in which I take my Solace and Rest From the Common Goal in Kendal the place of my Confinement for the Testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God this 18th of the 7th Moneth 1665. Your Dear Brother in the Tribulation Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Josiah Coale An EPISTLE To Friends The First general EPISTLE DEar and Everlastingly beloved Friends Brethren and Sisters whom in God s Holy Covenant and Power of an Endless Life my soul dearly loveth and to whom I am firmly joyned and united with the Spirit of the Living God which he hath sent into our hearts and by which we have been separated from the Wayes and Worships and vain Tradition of the World amongst whom in times past we had our Conversation and walked according to the Lust of Ignorance as other Gentiles did But now being separated from these things by the Power of an Endless Life and being redeem'd therefrom by the precious Blood of the Lamb without Spot And being made choice of to be a peculiar People unto God to serve him in our Generation and to be a Praise unto him therefore now my beloved Friends have Valour and Boldness and Courage every one in your Hearts and have the Loins of your minds girt about with Truth that you may be armed to fight the Lord's Battels and be able to stand in the Evil Day when you shall be tryed And be you found watching every one in the Light and Gift of the Spirit of the Lord God so will not that Day come upon any of you at unawares but you will be found fitted and prepared to with-stand or resist the Evil One in all his Wiles and Appearances so that he shall not touch or harm your precious Life for the Lord Almighty in whom you have believed and in whom our Trust and Confidence is he will renew your Strength and will be a Buckler unto you in the Day of Battel and there will be no Faintness of Heart nor Fear in your Way but the Mighty POWER of God you will feel by which you will be able to tread upon the Necks of your Enemies both within and without and tread Satan under Foot And so my Friends These things in short were in my Heart to write unto you in the full enjoyment of that Love with which you know right well we have oft been refreshed together assuring you all that the same Blessed Presence and Power and Love of God in which I have been amongst you and by which I have been called from amongst you to bear Testimony to the Blessed Name of the Lord by which we are called even to the Nations afar off is still continued with me in which Love this is farther in my Heart to say unto you although you may very well know it already yet that none may grow forgetful that God hath many Wayes to try the Faith of his People both inwardly and outwardly and oft-times suffereth the Enemy to work and exercise his power for that End and the Enemy will work very subtilly if possible to deprive you of your Peace with God But my Friends You keeping in the Power of an Endless Life with which God hath certainly visited you thereby your Understandings will be kept clear and your Hearts open towards God and there all the Wiles and Subtilties of the Enemy will be seen and discovered and he defy'd and rejected and trampled upon in the Eternal Power of God And herein you will be Victorious and Conquerers over all Temptations and over all Assaults of the Wicked one And herein you will have free Access to God and Boldness towards God and you will all meet at the Throne of Grace in the Unity of the Faith in which you will have Acceptance with the Lord. And here will be no Rent nor Division nor Striving of Spirits Nay that must not enter which would have the preheminence over others for that will cause Divisions but that must live in all and over all which will be Servant to all and therein are the Blessings of the Lord enjoyed and his Peace witnessed and he will fill your Hearts with his Love and cause his Heritage to flourish and will make you as a watered Garden whose Springs do not fail And now my Friends Consider what the Lord hath done for you Hath he done so for any other People upon the Earth or did he more for his People in any Age or Generation since the beginning then he hath done for us Or Are any able to speak more of the Wonders of the Lord and of the Greatness of his Work and of the Strangeness of his Act at this Day then we are who are accounted by the Uncircumcised but as the Off-scouring of all things Nay verily And therefore may it be said That us hath he known above all the Families of the Earth And this my Friends may engage all and constrain all to walk worthy of this matchless Love that the same with which he hath reached unto you and visited you may be continued unto you and may abound in you all one towards another that you may all know you are the Children of your Father which is in Heaven and in this you will be as Lights unto the World and as a
will take hold on them and the Sorrows of Death shall compass them about even as before they were deliver'd from their former Troubles and so they will bring themselves under the heavy Yoak of Bondage again and the Countenance of the Lord will be hid from them and a Cloud of Darkness will come over them and Misery will be their Portion from the Lord God who is the Joy of the Righteous and the Rewarder of all who obey him and out of this Condition it will be hard to be removed and to be restor'd again into the Favour of the Lord. And so my dear Friends Prize your Peace with him above all things visible and so walk as that you may be preserved therein And wait upon him in the Gift which you have received from God and you will feel his Everlasting Blessings to flow in upon you and his Mercies and Loving-kindnesses will be renewed unto you Morning by Morning whereby you will be aboundantly refreshed and be kept living unto the Lord and a daily growth you will witness from Strength to Strength and from one Degree of Grace unto another until you appear before the Lord in Sion in compleat Beauty and perfect Holiness And so as you in Patience wait upon the Lord and walk before him in his Covenant of Grace and dwell in his Pure Holy Power and be subject thereunto in all its Leadings and Requirings then you will see the Lord pleading your Cause in the Hearts of your Enemies and working your enlargement and Liberty by his own secret Hand of Power by which he will turn back the powers of Darkness and remove the Seat of Violence and will exalt his own Kingdom and Righteousness in the Earth and Oppression shall be far away for this is his Decree and Determination and those that rise up against him in this day of his Appearance or oppose him in his Work such shall be scattered by the Breath of his Mouth even as Chaff is scattered before the Wind And then shall the Righteous rejoyce and be glad in the God of their Salvation And so you will see that all these Tryals and Sufferings which shall come upon any of you shall work for your everlasting Good and for the Glory of the Lord and shall make for the furtherance of the Glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Captain of our Salvation and was made perfect through Suffering and is now set upon his Throne at the Right-Hand of the Father to judge the World in Righteousness to whose Scepter and Dominion all Powers Thrones and Dominions must bow and bend and become subject for the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it And therefore let none faint in their minds because of the present Rage of the Adversary but look unto him who lifts up the Head above the Raging Waves of the Sea and you will see him to arise who will rebuke the Rage of the Devourer and will cause a great Calm And so my dearly beloved Friends Keep in the Covenant of Peace and Life and feel the pure Power of the Lord God Almighty to bound you and compass you about and feel your Unity and Fellowship in it with the Lord and one with another and watch over one another in Love and build up one another in your Most Holy Faith so will you have dominion over the World and come to know the Earth to be your Foot-stool and so in and through him who hath manifested his eternal Love in you you will be more than Conquerors even through his eternal Power who subdueth all thing unto himself that he may Raign over all whose right it is and unto whom the Kingdom doth belong and unto him be Glory and living Obedience for ever Amen And so the Lord God of Power and Love be amongst you all and fill you with his Love and Power that so you may be kept out of the Snares of the Evil One for that hath oft been the Breathing of my Soul for you in secret and that you may walk before him in the Purity of his holy Spirit and be kept unspotted from the World And so in the Bowels of our Lord Jesus Christ do I most dearly and tenderly salute you all who are of the Family of my Father and of the Houshold of Faith and the God of Love and Peace be with you all Barbadoes this third Mon. 1661. I am your Dear Brother in the Patient Long-Suffering Spirit of our Lord and Master and a Traveller for the Redemption of the Oppressed Seed Josiah Coale To the Called of God Every where who are Witnesses of the Eternal Excellency of the SON of RIGHTEOUSNESS Who is now appear'd in his Majesty and Glory in this Day of the FATHER'S LOVE to the Children of Men. The Fourth general EPISTLE MY Dear and Everlastingly well beloved Friends Brethren and Sisters with whom in the Covenant of Life and Kingdom of Peace Glory and Eternal Felicity my soul rests and is at Peace and perfect Freedom where the Glorious Presence of the God of Life who is Jacob's Shepherd is enjoyed and is known to be an open Fountain daily administring of his Heavenly Rich Vertue and Goodness to the consolating and refreshing of our Immortal Souls so that we have no need to complain of Poverty because he who is the Fountain of all Good is continually with us and never ceases to administer into his own according to their several Necessities as in his pure Fear and Power they wait upon him and walk before him And this I know many of you are not unsensible of for whom a Feast of Fat Things is prepared and a Table richly deckt is spread before you where every hungry one may feed and be refreshed and the Breast of Consolation is also known at which every Babe may suck and be satisfied and so all having access unto this you may here be delighted with the aboundance of the Treasure of my Father's Heavenly Kingdom the Windows whereof being now open'd a Blessing is poured forth without measure Oh! that all who profess the Name of the Lord were throughly sensible of this thing then would their souls with us delight in Fatness and their hearts would be enlarged thereby so that they would find Encouragement to run the Way of his Commandements even with Delight and nothing would be counted too dear to part withal for his sake who hath call'd us and is bringing many Sons and Daughters unto Glory and Vertue Wherefore my dearly beloved Friends be ye encouraged to walk on in the Way of the Lord though it be strait to the Earthly Man and be ye content to pass through Evil-Report and Good-Report and let him be your Example in all things who when he was reviled he reviled not again and when he suffered he threatned not but committed it to him who judgeth Righteously as a Lamb before the Shearer is Dumb so he open'd not his Mouth Therefore I say Friends Let none be
why then should not we all be content and willingly submit unto the hand of the Lord whose Fatherly care is over all his And truly Friends though we may say we have suffered long by the afflicting hand of our Enemies and their stroke hath fallen hard upon many of us and that great sufferings and afflictions seem still to attend us yet my Friends blessed be the Lord my heart is not at all troubled at these things neither do thoughts of fear enter because I see the end of the Lord in it And I know it is not contrary but according to the determination of the Almighty that these things are so Yet I dare not but acknowledge that they by whom these sufferings are inflicted upon us do go beyond their bounds and commission and that is the very thing with will break them when they have filled up their measure Wherefore my beloved Brethen be you all like-minded with me in this matter and settle it in your heart to bear all things with patience and contentedness that may yet come upon you for the farther tryal of your Faith and put on Valour and Courage and Boldness and be strong in the Lord in the Power of his Might and be nothing daunted before the face of your Enemies but let them see your courage in the Spirit of the Lamb and in the Wisdom of God For the Lord is assuredly with us and amongst us and will be an Enemy unto our Enemies And what is it makes a people more dreadful and terrible then to have the Presence of the Lord with them and truly Friends this I know from the Lord and this I have receive from God That he will yet make his people a terror to the Nations round about them and they shall come bowing and bending and shall desire to be at League and Covenant with all those who are and abide in Covenant with God because they shall know that God is with us Therefore all my Friends abide in that where you may have and enjoy the presence of the Lord and know it to continue always with you who will be your everlasting Comforter and your Stay and Strength in all states and conditions and you will not be left comfortless by him though you may be yet further tryed and sometimes it may be cast down yet you will not be forsaken that trust in him and repose confidence in him for he will be always with you and will give you of his Counsel and Wisdom by which you will be directed to walk in the path of peace and all occasions of stumbling will be removed out of the way and you will not at all think it strange that the Lord suffereth you so to be tryed for you will see the end and purpose of God therein and so in submission to his Heavenly Will in all things you will have satisfaction peace joy and content But if the reasoning part enter that will soon darken the understanding and vail the life and the Counsel of God will be obscure to thee thou wilt not see the end of the Lord in his thus exercising of thee and then sufferings will be grievous and hard to be born and the Murmurer will get up that will murmur against God and peace will flye from thee and the afflicting hand of God will be upon thee also because of thy unfaithfulness and such a state is worse then his that never knew the way of Truth Wherefore consult not with flesh and blood but in patience continue to the end in will-doing and none to be weary therein but be circumspect and diligent every one in your minds and spirits and watch unto prayer that you enter not into the temptation when it cometh for your Adversary the Devil goeth about like a roaring Lyon and waits to devour and lurks to destroy the precious life and will lose no opportunity that possibly he can get to make an enterance upon you to deprive you of your treasure Wherefore I say Resist him stedfast in the Faith and be you armed with the whole Armour of God that you may be able to withstand him in all his appearances for now he will best in him with all his force might and will make many great oppositions and assaults both within and without if by any means to beguile you as he did Eve in the beginning but as you dwell in him who is the quickning Spirit in him the Devil hath no part neither can he prevail there so in him your safety is from the devourer for he that is begotten of God into this quickning Spirit and therein abides he it is that keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth him not And so my dear Friends I am full of unfeigned love to you all and my heart is indeed greatly enlarged towards you with the goodness and Love of God which abounds in me and not in me only but in all the Flock of my Fathers Fold who are faithful and upright-hearted to him a table richly deckt he has spread before us in the midst of our Enemies and what could we more desire then the Lord hath done for us and promised to do He hath begotten us unto himself and nourished and brought us up unto this state in which we now stand and this he hath done by his own right hand of power and hath formed us for his praise to be a peculiar people unto himself And now this he requireth of every one That you walk worthy of his Love that it rise not in judgement against any one and that every one answer his requirings and the leadings and drawings of his Spirit so shall his Love continue with you for ever and you shall be as a watered Garden whose springs do not fail So to the Lord do I resign you up and commit you all to the word of his Grace who will preserve you and keep you thereby who trust in him and the almighty Arm of God be amongst you and prosper and perserve you unto his everlasting Kingdom Amen And this was I moved by the Spirit of the Lord to write unto you as a Salutation of my endeared Love unto you and that the things that must shortly come to pass might be signified unto you before-hand and that you may be refreshed thereby And so in the Faith thereof I rest and remain Written at Kingstone upon Thames the 22d of the 7th moneth 1663. and is to go amongst Friends to be read in their Assemblies in the Lord's fear Your Brother in the Patience and Tribulation of the Lamb Josiah Coale POSTSCRIPT ANd Friends not in any wise to forsake the assembling of your selves together in as much as you know the exceeding benefit you have received thereby and you know full well that it was the usual practice of the Servants of God by whom you were begotten into the Truth and instructed therein of whom some remain amongst you unto this day and some are fallen asleep I say
it was their usual manner to exhort you and to stir you up to that obedience of assembling your selves together And when did you meet together to wait upon God and your hearts kept stayed upon him but that you received your expected end Wherefore let the remembrance of these things encourage you to continue in this well-doing while you have a being and Liberty so to do And though there were such in ages past whose manner was to forsake the assembling of themselves together and some such there are at this day also Yet my Friends let not them be your example to walk by but every one to walk as you had and have them for examples amongst you who begat you into the Truth and by whom the Way of Life hath been made known unto you and be ye Followers of them even as they were and are of Christ For this my Friends I say unto you There are some sprung up amongst us who have in effect laboured to disswade Friends from their usual way and manner of meeting and assembling together with whose spirit and proceedings therein we have not unity but must in the Spirit of Christ Jesus the Lamb of God give testimony against them and forewarn you not to receive that spirit which goeth about to divert you from your usual way and manner of assembling together in which you have had the comfort of the presence of the Lord and received the Justification of Life and thereby your growth hath been much added unto So that certainly my Friends that Spirit which would turn you aside from this godly practise of assembliug together is a dangerous spirit and is not of God whatsoever it pretend or though it cover it self with never so fair expressions Wherefore my dear Friends have Salt within you to savour withal and keep your first Love and your first Faith through which you received life eternal and hold fast your first simplicity and your former integrity and gad not abroad to change your ways but meet together in the Name and Fear of the Lord as your wonted manner hath been so shall you find the presence of God with you in your Assemblies as in the days past and his wonted goodness and love you will feel which will warm your hearts and refresh your souls by which you will be kept living unto him and a good sauour and be to the praise of his Name who is God over all blessed for ever Josiah Coale To all the Babes in Christ AND CHILDREN of LIGHT Who are young in the Truth and but of late convinced of it A Tender Salutation and Exhortation MY beloved Friends Babes and Lambs of Christ with whom I have travelled for the bringing forth of the Birth which is immortal and which is the right Heir of the everlasting Kingdom of God and for the redemption and freedom of the Seed which is incorruptible from under the dark power where it hath been held and lain in bondage and in captivity that it might come forth into its freedom and Glorious Liberty to serve the Lord and to sacrifice in Righteousness unto him I say for the Redemption and Freedom thereof have we laboured and travelled together whom the Lord sent forth amongst you in his own Name and Power and Authority and therein and therewith have we reached unto you and the Spirit of Life from God through us hath breathed upon the Slain in you and entred into the Witness and raised the Dead incorruptible and now the Dead being raised in you and the Living True and Faithful Witness being felt by you wait every one that thereby you may come to be changed and wholly translated that you may become wholly a right Seed that as touching your former Conversation the old Man may be put off and you may be wholly made conformable unto the Death and Sufferings of Christ that so you may live with him and live to God through him and that you may be redeemed from the vain Conversation of the World and fashioned according to the working of his Power like unto the Son of God That as you have born the Image of the Earthly and been made conformable unto the Fashions and Customs of this present sinful World so henceforth you may bear the Image of the Heavenly and be made conformable or subject unto the working or operation of the Heavenly Divine Power of God with which he hath reached unto you and visited you that in all things our Lord Christ may be your example who made himself of no Reputation but humbled himself and became obedient unto Death even the Death of the Cross and is sate down at the Right-hand of the Majesty on High making intercession for them that come unto God by him and so is become the Authour of eternal Salvation unto all them that believe and obey him that he in all things may have the preheminence And so my dear Friends as I said unto you let him be your example to walk by of whose Spirit you have received a measure to be a Guide Rule and Counsellour unto you and none vary from the leadings thereof in any wise nor by any means for then you wander or go into darkness and so lose your way of peace and then trouble will come in upon you and desperation will be ready to get up in your minds or contrariwise a spirit of conceitedness will carry away the mind into a motion or profession of the Truth out of the Life of it and will lead thee to talk of former experiences when thou hast lost the thing by and through which thou gainest that experience which thou once hadst and which thou now talkst of and so thou wilt grow into a form and profession of Truth without the power and life of it and this is not a Sacrifice acceptable or agreeable unto the mind of God but contrariwise altogether disagreeable unto his mind and holy Spirit and his Soul hates it and hath no pleasure therein Wherefore my dear Friends dwell and watch in the Light of the Son of God unto which from the darkness you have been turned that therein every one may be kept in a true and clear sence and discerning of his own present state and standing and there the Power of God is felt which goes over that which would drive into unbelief or desperation in the time of trouble And this same Power or God will also keep down the aspiring mind that would be exalted above the Cross and would intrude into things which is not revealed of God and would be puft up therewith and glory therein all such glorying is vain And this is the Enemy that would not have Christ to reign over him neither will it be subject to the higher Power but will despise the Authority of God and speak evil of Dignities And this must be slain for this spirit hath not the mind of Christ neither would walk as Christ did nor have him for its example but would be
of reputation in the World and seeks the praise of men and the honour of men and not the honour that comes from God only and whatsoever pretence or shew of humility this spirit comes under yet it seeks it self and its own reputation and will admire mens persons for its advantage and will justifie the wicked for reward or for its advantage or to set up and exalt it self and will cry peace to the wicked and ungodly and preach judgement to the righteous And this is the temper of that unrighteous exalted self-seeking spirit where or in whomsoever it gets an entrance as hath been largely made manifest and as by woful experience we have seen Wherefore beware of that spirit and receive it not but deny it for it is not of God but shall fall and wither and come to nought the Lord hath spoken it Wherefore dwell every one in true subjection to the Cross and see that your joy and rejoycing be in that for therein alone is your safety and there you learn of Christ and have and feel the teachings of his good Spirit and this keeps in the true humility which goeth before the true honour and in this you are sensible of the prosperity or going on of the Work of God in you and here you will know a daily weakning of the strength and power of the wicked one whose work is to lead or drive out of the straight pure and holy way into which God hath brought you which leads unto life and so diverting you from this he then leads or drives into exaltation or desperation both which leads to the chambers of death But as you all wait in the true simplicity and in obedience to the Word of Gods Power in your own hearts you will be kept clear in your understandings for as said the Apostle He that heareth the Word of God and doth it not is like unto a man that beholds his natural face in a glass and straightway goeth his way and forgetteth what manner of man he was But be not you forgetful Hearers but Doers of the Word and let it dwell plentifully in you so will you be kept sensible of your state and condition but if you go from that then you lose your fence and underandsting that you had before of the manner of your state and then deadness will grow and carelesness and negligence and thou wilt become dry and barren and unfruitful and so my dear hearts having large experience and being largely sensible of the many wiles subtilties and craftinesses of the wicked one I cannot do less for the love sake which I bear in my heart towards you then to lay these things before you and to re-mind you of them although you have been told of them before yet as the Apostle said I think it meet yea and it is my duty so to do while I remain in this Tabernacle to re-mind you of these things and according to the working of the Power of God and Word of life to stirre you up to watchfulness diligence and obedience knowing that therein your preservation and safety consisteth So dwell and watch in the Light and in the sense and feeling of Gods eternal quickning Spirit of life and in simplicity and true subjection thereunto and there all the snares of the wicked one will be discovered to thee and a Way seen to escape them all so that none will fall therein but be kept by the Power of God in the even pure straight and holy way which is narrow and leads to life eternal and herein is no exaltation nor desperation nor deadness nor dulness of spirit but a diligent and patient witing upon the Lord to receive his Counsels and Instructions in all states straits and tryals whatsoever that may come upon thee for the tryal of thy Faith which is much more pretious then that of gold which perisheth And Friends be nothing terrified nor yet dismayed at the prosperity rage or fury of the wicked for they have their day and their consolation here and when that is over as David said they shall be cut off for their feet are set in slippery places and their Rock is not as our Rock they themselves may be Judges but wait you upon the Lord for the manifestation of his will and give up your selves to do or suffer whatsoever he calls you unto and be you resigned up to be wholly disposed of according to the ordering of his Hand of Love or Arm of Power manifested in his Covenant of Light and follow the Lord Christ your Captain whithersoever he leads you not loving your lives unto the death and as valiant Souldiers endure hardships and continue to the end looking over and beyond all difficulties that may appear in your way and keep your eye upon the mark that stands before and then you will feel forcible drawings in your hearts by the Spirit of the Lord to press on towards it and nothing will be accounted dear to part with for it nor any thing grievous to be born or suffered that in the end thou mayst purchase it but there will be courage and strength sufficient given thee of the Lord to bear all things and endure all things as thou resign'st up thy self unto him and thou wilt have peace with God in thine own heart and conscience in all tryals and in all tribulations and in the end thou wilt have the full desire of thy soul and satisfaction to it and so my love is dear to you all who are Babes in Christ and is largely extended to the whole flock of God in all Countreys Regions and Quarters of the Earth But for your sakes have I chiefly written this Epistle who are young in the Truth and have not so full acquaintance with the workings of Satan and so full a knowledge of the depths of the mystery of iniquity as others have who are of a more full age in the truth and receive this as a Salutation of my dear love to you and a manifestation of my tender care for you and the Lord God Almighty give you wisdom and understanding and discerning that you may chuse the good and refuse the evil and may follow after that above all things which makes for your everlasting peace and happiness Amen Kingston the 25th of the 1st Moneth 1664. I am your dear Brother in the Tribulation and Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ Josiah Coale To the KING AND Both Houses OF PARLIAMENT Who have made Laws and Decrees and caused them to be put in Execution to Restrain and Prohibit People from having the Liberty of their Consciences in the Exercise of the Worship of God This is sent as a Warning from the LORD FRIENDS WHat do you mean by these Practises Or what do you expect to bring to pass by these your Undertakings and Proceedings Do you think thereby to root out the Holy Seed and Royal Off-spring of God which he hath raised and brought forth in these North parts of the World
to rule and reign according to his promise made by the Mouths of his Prophets in Ages past to which Nations must bow and bend and become Subject I tell you plainly and truly that if this be your expectations which your proceedings gives me cause to believe it is you will certainly fail therein And God will assuredly frustrate these your expectations and by this very way and means that you take to suppress and root out the People of God from having a Beeing amongst you even thereby you will provoke the Lord to root out you if you persist therein Wherefore beware lest that which you think and expect to bring upon the People of God be by the hand of God brought upon your selves For be it known unto you the Lord God Almighty is with his People of a truth whom you have turned your Sword and Power against and what is done unto them he certainly taketh as done unto himself And in as much as you go about to suppress his people or to limit them in the exercise of their Consciences towards God you therein are found Fighters against God and thereby you go about to stop and hinder the Work of God which will be as hard for you to do as it was for Saul to Kick against the Pricks of the Witness of God in his own Conscience Wherefore consider these things and remember that many Warnings and tender Visitations of Love the Lord hath sent unto you in times past which you have little regarded hitherto but go on exercising Cruelty towards the people of God And now at this time also I am moved and it is upon my heart by the Spirit of the Lord to lay these things before you and to tell you in plainness what the Lord will do and bring to pass in despite of all that you can do who seek to oppose him For notwithstanding the many Laws and Decrees which you have made or shall make yet the Work of the Lord which he hath certainly begun that shall go on and increase and the Truth must flourish and prosper and spread forth it self and the Kingdoms of the World must become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ according to his Promise and they that will not bow unto his Thorne and Government who is KING of Kings whose right it is to rule in the Consciences of people and to bear the Government there and to exercise them in matters of worship towards God but will seek to stop to limit him in his Government there even such must and shall be broken by him and bruised under by his Eternal Power the Lord hath said and spoken it and it must come to pass Wherefore Friends be you once more warned That you meddle no more with the Consciences of people so as to go about to limit them in matters relating to the Service of God for it s not the place of a civil Magistrate to meddle or have to do with those things but leave them free in those things to do as they are perswaded in their own Consciences by the Light of the Spirit of the Lord for you cannot give an account unto God for them if they do amiss but they must all and so must you also give an account unto God every one for himself and this is just and equal that in things of this nature every one should be left to the exercise of the Spirit of the Lord in his own heart because that Spiritual Worship consisteth in obedience to the Spirit of God and you your selves would not be willing to be prohibited from or denyed of this liberty but I dare say you would look upon it to be a very great Oppression unto you to be restrained by any civil Power or Government from that which by the Spirit and Power of God you were perswaded in your Consciences you ought to do and you could not but judge that those who should go about to lay or impose such a restriction upon you did do unto you as they themselves would not be done by and so you might well conclude that it were unrighteousness in them so to do Wherefore if you seriously consider whether this unrighteousness and Oppression be not found in you I know you cannot but lay your hands upon your mouths and confess Guilty So let my Counsel be at this time received by you and take my Advice as from one that hath received the Counsel of the Lord and in Measure knows the Mind of the Lord by the revelation of his Spirit as touching this matter that is this Shake your selves out of these cruel practises of persecuting about Religion and Worship and lay aside these cruel Impositions which are and have been laid upon the People of God by reason whereof many who are dear unto the Lord have suffer'd very greatly some the loss of their Liberties and some the loss of their Lives occasion'd through being thrust together in noisom Holes and Prisons and others are obnoxious to exilement from their Wives and Children and from their Native Country and dearest Relations and no evil at all justly charged against any of these for which these cruel Sufferings are inflicted upon them 't is only for Worshipping God in Spirit that these Sufferings are sustain'd by them that is the greatest Charge that hath been by you at all prov'd against them And for these things sake the Lord's Controversie is certainly great with you and while you continue in these things through which you have provoked the Lord to Anger His Wrath will not be appeased towards you neither can your Government be establisht in Safety nor you cannot establish your selves in Safety and Security for Fear will surprize you while you go on in these Practises because of the Guilt that is upon your Consciences and although we cannot neither do we desire to make outward opposition against you by Plottings and Insurrections c. Out of which things God Almighty hath redeem'd us and hath brought us into his Covenant of Peace and unto his Mountain of Holiness where nothing hurts nor destroys Yet we know that the Lord is with us and is on our side and takes our part and will plead our Cause and Fight for us and He is stronger then you all and his Power is above yours and our Trust and Confidence is in him alone and not in the Arm of Flesh and it s in vain for you to strive against him or to oppose or resist him for he will in the end be too hard for you and will break you to pieces as a Potters Vessel of Clay except you Repent And now Friends there is but one only Way by which you may or can possibly escape and prevent the Dreadful Judgments of the Lord or by which his Anger may be appeas'd which is kindled against you and that is this To Humble your selves before the Lord and to Repent of the Evil of your Doings and to loose the Bands of Iniquity and
the Lord and their own engagements they have made them more stronge and thereby added afflictions unto the sufferings of Gods people and by these things is the Lord provoked for he hath seen it and it displeaseth him And therefore is his controversie great with thee Oh England and his hand is stretched out in Judgment against thee O Land of my Nativity because of which my heart is even afflicted within me for the sake of thy Inhabitants and I am even pressed in spirit to declare unto thee thy Abominations and wherein thy Sin lyeth that hath thus provoked the Lord that if happily those within thy Borders who have not quite sinned out their Day may hear and fear and repent and find Mercy at the Hand of the Lord that their tranquility may be lengthened for he is a God of tender compassion and wills not the death nor destruction of any and therefore hath his hand been long stretched forth in mercy and love unto thee and his spirit hath long strived with thee to have gathered thee and he sent his Prophets and Servants unto thee even riseing early and sending them before the day of his Judgments broke forth and they proclaimed in thy streets Gods mighty day at hand and forewarned thy Inhabitants both high and low great and small bond and free male and female Rulers and people of the dreadful Day of Gods Judgments which is now begun to be revealed but they hearkned not neither would they receive the councel of wisdom that cryed in thy streets but despised all her reproofs and although she hath continued sending her Prophets and wise men unto this day yet hitherto they have not hearkned nor regarded but have gone on in pride and presumption in persecution and cruelty and have nourished their hearts as in a day of slaughter and given up themselves to follow pleasures and have walked in the lusts and devices of their own hearts and as much as in them lies they have fulfilled the desires of their own minds and lived carelesly and wantonly upon the earth as though there was no God therefore is thy Judgments just from the Hand of the Lord and thy reward is the recompence of thy own doings for thy iniquities hath pulled his Judgments upon thee and thy sins have brought his Plagues and thou must confess that he is just in all his wayes and righteous in all his doings For consider Oh Nation and let me expostulate the matter with thee a little and then judge thy self what reward thou art worthy of What could the Lord have done for thee more then he hath done or hath he done so for another Nation as for thee he hath even filled thee with all manner of temporal blessings and benefits that the hearts of thy Inhabitants could desire Corn and Oyle and Wine in abundance have been brought into thee and all kind of Necessaries both for food and raiment hath he caused to abound in thee that thy Inhabitants might be fed and cloathed and that want might not be unto any within thy Borders and also that thou mightst therein be a blessing unto other Nations about thee but alas how hast thou abused his Mercies even in these Temporal things and converted them unto another use then that for which they were ordained and given unto thee How have many of thy Inhabitants spent much of their time to invent what to be cloathed with and after what manner to be arrayed in all kind of gorgeous Apparel when others with all their care and industry could scarce get Raiment to put on to cover their nakedness but have been even ready to starve for want And how have many been inventing what to eat and drink also making waste and havock of Gods good Creatures while many aged poor and feeble have been in want of bread to eat and in necessity of food convenient for the preservation of the natural health and in this their distressed state and condition they have not had compassion on them nor commiserated their state but even vaunted over them as though they had not been their fellow Creatures and as though God had not appointed them to pertake of the fruits of the Creation and in these things the Mercies of God have been abused and his Creatures have been converted to a wrong use and the Lords Love and Goodness therein hath been very evilly requited by Thee and will it not be very just if the Lord sends want and scarcity and famine instead of this great plenty amongst those who have thus evilly requited the Lord in abusing his Mercies Yes verily For consider Do not the sins of Sodom abound in thee by which God was provoked to consume it yea and greater sins then were charged upon Sodom which was Pride Fulness of Bread and Aboundance of Idleness But Oh Nation thou hast not been only found in these Sins and yet they have abounded in thee also as God's faithful Witness in the Hearts of thy Inhabitants will testifie but over and above all this many of thy Inhabitants even those who ought to be Examples of Chastity to others have given up themselves to Whoredoms and took delight therein as though it were a thing not forbidden but allow'd of God but unto many of them it is happen'd and doubtless it will unto more according unto that saying Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Well But this is not all that I have to charge this Nation guilty of for How do Oaths cause this Land to Mourn even near unto Desolation And how are the hearts of many of the Inhabitants thereof harden'd and even sear'd as with a Hot Iron so that without any sense of the Reproofs of God's Witness in them they blaspheme the pure and worthy Name of the Holy Lord God by Cursing Swearing Ranting and Sporting themselves in the day time in all kind of Pastimes as though they endeavoured with all their Force and Might to draw one another as much as in them lie out of the Fear of God And beside all this What Lying and Dissembling is there amongst thy Inhabitants notwithstanding all their profession of a Reformed Christian Religion yet what cousening cheating and defrauding one another is there within thy borders and so treacherous have thy Inhabitants bin one towards another and such rotten heartedness and double dealing have they sound one in another that few of them dare trust one another Again O how doth drunkenness also abound in thee oh England and how are many Houses filled even night and day with riotous persons spending and wasting the Creation upon their ungodly lusts and assembling themselves together even great multitudes to their invented Stage-Playes and all kind of Vanities and Abominations when the people of the Lord who fear his Name are not suffered to meet peaceably together to wait upon God and to worship him but they must be thrust into Prisons or beat and abused and knockt down and by these things hath the Lord been
therein that the Cause of God may not be betrayed by any through their declining from that godly Practice and duty that the Enemy may not be encouraged thereby to vaunt against the Remnant that are faithful to oppose them therein also but rather through your faithfulness and stability the enemy may be discouraged in his Enterprises and put to flight that you may be Conquerors over him and may tread Satan under foot and may reign with the Lamb for ever And my Friends consider the faithfulness of many of the Servants of the Lord who loved not their lives unto death who are gone before who preached and made known the Truth and way of Life to you how they laboured and traveled amongst you in the Name and Strength of the Lord to beget you unto God and to build you up in the most pretious Faith and how they exhorted you time after time to that godly practice of Assembling together and how they gave Example and President therein as well as Exhortation thereunto Nay have not divers of them laid down their Lives not counting them dear to them for that very Practice of Assembling together Yea certainly they have so some in Prisons and some otherwise Oh therefore my Friends this Duty of Assembling together ought not to be slighted nay hath not the present Liberty that we do enjoy in our meeting together cost the Lives of many was it not with the blood of many of them that bore the same Testimony which we bare that this present Liberty hath been purchased and ought not this Liberty then to be prized and made a right Use of I am jealous with a godly Jealousie that all who are concerned do not rightly weigh ponder and consider these things but I desire all to consider it and let not that Testimony fall by the negligence of any which hath been sealed with the Lives of so many of Gods Servants and Messengers whose Knowledge and Understanding in the Way and Mysteries of God was not inferiour unto any that are left behind and yet they chearfully offered up their All for that Testimonies sake Therefore my Friends be diligent and faithful to the Lord walking in his Covenant of Life which will be a true Guide unto you and an Instructor and will keep your Desires fresh towards the Lord and your Love one towards another so that you will be constrained to Come together and to wait together upon the Lord to receive refreshment from his presence which you will see and feel in the middest of you as your hearts are kept in his Fear and enter not into consultation with Flesh and Blood nor into reasonings which will say Thou needest not go to Meetings because thy Teacher is present in all places and so will draw thee into negligence of meeting with the Children of Light for if thou gave heed unto such reasonings thou wilt soon find thy Love will wax cold towards the People of God and thou wilt lose the sence of the Teachings of the Lord who is present in all places for although he be in all places present yet hath he ordained and appointed that his People should Assemble themselves together to wait upon him and to worship him and hath given the promise of his Presence unto such that do so But if any draw back from answering his requirings his Soul will have no pleasure in them and such will dye as to God and will become as dry and withered Branches and their Love will decay and wax cold and they will not have a sight nor a sense of the Omnipresence of the Lord nor of his Teachings though they may talk of it as multitudes do at this day who are altogether strangers thereunto further than by hear say And therefore once more I say unto you all Be faithful to the Lord in your several measures and stations where the Lord hath set you and be diligent in that godly Practice of Assembling your selves together in which a Testimony for the Lord is born which many have laid down their Lives for and let none make their blood of no effect by slighting Meetings the present Liberty for which hath been purchased through the shedding their blood but let all meet together and being met wait upon the Lord in faithfulness that you may feel the Springs and Fountain of Life opened amongst you and in the midst of you that you may be refreshed and strengthened and may grow and be enabled to encounter with your Souls Enemy in all his appearances and may put him to flight and may tread Satan under foot and reign as Kings on Earth and as Conquerors to the praise of his Name who hath called you that he may take delight to dwell amongst you and to do you good who over all is worthy God Blessed for evermore By a Companion of those who hold the Word of God and Testimony of Jesus Christ and suffer for the same Josiah Coale A SONG Of the Judgments Mercies OF THE LORD Wherein the things seen in Secret are declared Openly Being A Brief Demonstration of the Secret Work of the Almighty in me his Servant Given forth at the Movings of the Spirit of the Lord and is to go abroad throughout the World With a Hearty Salutation of Pure and Unfained Love flowing from the Innocent Life 〈◊〉 in a few words to all the Souldiers of the Lambs Army though out the Nations and also to the Suffering Seed every where With a few Words by way of Information unto such who may have desires in them to know the Way to the Kingdom of Peace and Righteousness which we 〈◊〉 and are Heirs of through Christ Jesus our Lord which to the◠〈◊〉 the Visitation of God I Will sing of the Judgments and Mercies of the Lord and declare his wondrous Works unto all people that the Inhabitants of the Earth may hear and fear and reverence the Lord who is holy When I walked in the way of the Wicked and knew not the Path of the Just when I lived in Transgression against God and knew not his holy Law to walk therein then oft-times did fear surprise me and terror seized upon my heart for I saw that the way in which I walked was the way that led to destruction then as I considered the way of the World I saw they were all gone astray and though they had a Profession of God yet acquaintance with him they had not neither was he to be found in their Assemblies Then my Soul languished after the Knowledge of him and after the Knowledge of the Way of Life yet still was I captivated with vanity and the deceitfulness of sin stole away my heart But the good Spirit of God still strived in me to come out of the wayes of the World whose Worships I had long seen to be but as the offering of Swines-blood and in my heart I could not joyn with them but had a testimony in me against their wayes and that which
all sufferings for these things last but for a moment and will pass away and be forgotten as they had not been and are not worthy to be compared to the glory that is to be revealed in them who abide faithful for their reward will be everlasting and will endure for ever wherefore above all have an eye unto the Lord and have respect unto the recompence of reward and this will carry you through with chearfulness so that nothing will be dear unto you for his sake who hath shed abroad his rich Love in your hearts and the aboundings thereof I question not but the upright in heart feel daily For the Lord is not slack towards any of his faithful ones but is free and large in his Love and rich in his Mercies and freely extends it even as a River into the hearts of his chosen wherefore be replenished therewith you suffering Plants for this I testifie unto you in the Name of the Lord that the vertue of the Life of Holiness I thus hold forth freely towards you so that none needs faint under the Oppressor but may receive renewedness of strengh to bear yet a season And behold he in whom you have believed will be avenged on your Adversaries and will smite your Enemies in the hinder parts and they shall fall and none shall help them neither shall they rise again If you walk humbly with the Lord and reverence him above all who is the God of Life then shall you have rest from all your Enemies and your Portion shall be the Lord and your Kingdom shall be that which is not of this World which is an everlasting Kingdom and shall never have end So the Lord God of my Life keep you all in Lowliness and Faithfulness and true Humility before him for he who is the Holy One of Israel dwells with such and unto them his goodness extends but especially to them of a clean heart Farewel Written at the movings of the Spirit of the Lord the Eighth day of the Third Moneth 1662 as I was travelling in the Wilderness as without on Long-Island in America and pondering in my heart the things of God and his dealings in times past and also present then the Spirit of the Lord and the Power of the Lord overshadowed me and his glory filled the Temple and be shewed me things not now lawful to be declared J. C. To all who desire to know the Way to the Kingdom of Peace and Righteousness this to you is the Visitation of God THat which was in the beginning before the World was and is now made manifest which we have seen and which we have tasted of and which our hands have handled of the Word of Life and that which is revealed to us in secret of the Spirit of the Lord that do we declare openly even that which we are eye Witnesses of For the Word hath took flesh and dwelt amongst us and we have beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth And this is he who is appeared in Spirit and made manifest for this end that the works of the Devil might be destroyed and that by and through him the God of the spirits of all flesh might be revealed for want of whose knowledge the people perish and many in divers parts of the World as I have observed are in great perplexity and some even at their wits end because of the distractions and many cries that are in the World some crying this is the way and other some that is the way and all of them from the Light of the Son of God in their own hearts and Consciences which leads in the way of Life and Peace all who are guided by it and out of all confusion and destruction about Religion and Church-Ordinance and worship and such things about which the World is in heaps and confusion and are prescribing wayes and worships in their own fallen wisdom and would compel all to conform thereunto and so 〈◊〉 bind the Conscience of people to their wills which ought to be left unto the Lord to be exercised by his Power in matters of Worship and Obedience towards him and his Prerogative is to Rule there So that people must either disobey God or the Laws of corrupt fallen Man and whether is better judge ye And this is sad to see and consider because there hath been for so many Years by past so much preaching and so much profession of Liberty of Conscience and the like and that by men of all Professions as they have come into Authority one after another and many and seeming fair Promises have been made by them all that free Liberty of Conscience in things relating to God should be granted and allowed to people of all sorts for the breach of which Engagements with many other divers have already been rooted out and overturned and yet thereby men have not taken warning though besides warnings have oft been given them in render love to perform their Promises and Engagements in these things and all other though much consisteth therein as to their Establishment and on the contrary to their Ruination Neither have they Learned to give the same Liberty to others in things relating to the Conscience as themselves would desire to have and this is not to do as they would be done unto And therein they are short of fulfilling the Royal Law of God Wherefore let all people who are making Laws to compel mens Conscience consider how they are degenerated from God and how darkness hath covered them and hardness of heart hath seized on them so that they cannot have regard unto tender Consciences but in the pride of their hearts would be Lords over the Consciences of others Surely they are not guided by the same Spirit that the Apostle was in the primitive times who said Let every man be fully preswaded in his own Conscience and this was true Liberty of Conscience And notwithstanding all the Profession that there hath been and yet are in the World and the Talk of God and Christ and Redemption and Salvation by him yet now when the Son of God is come is there faith to be found on Earth or are people Redeemed from the Earth or saved from the pollutions of the World I tell you nay for all who err from the Light of the Son of God in them they are in the Alination and Degeneration and are strangers unto God and his Covenant of Peace and Reprobate concerning that Faith which gives the Saints victory over the World and so are drove out into the Earth not redeemed from it but are Bond-slaves to corruption and live in the pollutions of the World And in this state the whole World lyeth notwithstanding all their Profession and talk of Religion which is amongst them and so their fruits plainly manifest it and thereby it is clearly seen that their Teachers were not sent of the Lord neither have they had his Word
of the Lord and your souls are not satisfied with all that ever you received from them And why then will you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which doth not satisfie your souls Oh hearken diligently unto the voice of God who is Light that you may eat of that which is good and your souls may be satisfied for why should your souls be in poverty and dry and barren now the Fountain of durable Riches is open but because you are alienated from the Lord and Strangers to his Covenant of Light Wherefore the Restoration all wait to know by him who brings back again that which hath been driven away that the return of your Captivity you may come to know and witness out of Babylon that great City whose desolation cometh suddenly and be ye separated from the abominations thereof touch not the unclean thing that you may be receiv'd of the Lord into my Fathers house where my dwelling is in which there is no want of any good thing for here is all plenty of Heavenly rich vertue and sweet Consolation wherefore I cannot but invite all who are hungry to come freely for the Fountain is open and whosoever thirsts may drink of the water of life freely But now my Friends this know that the Way that leads to this Ocean of Rest Kingdom of Grace and Fountain of Life is strait and norrow and none can walk therein but through Self-denial and taking up the daily Cross to the Carnal Mind which may seem hard to such as enter into Reasonings and Consultations with the wrong nature which would still live but that being deny'd the Light being joyn'd unto which manifests the Way the Cross being taken up and the Yoak submitted unto then the Power of the Lord you will feel which will subject the contrary nature and will make the Way easie and plain before you yea and delightful unto you though it be in the midst of the paths of Judgment for the Righteous will rejoyce therein And though many oppositions sometimes many difficulties you may find in the way yet keeping to the Light in singleness and feeling the Power of God and the secret working thereof it will keep the mind cool and exclude the Consulter And then the way thou wilt see open clear before thee through all difficulties and as thou waitest in the pure fear of the Lord keeping thy mind stayed upon him thou wilt feel his good hand of love reaching unto thee daily administring renewedness of strength unto thee whereby thou wilt be sufficiently encouraged to press on in the strait and narrow way and the way of his Commandments will be delightful unto thee and not grievous and he will replenish thy heart with his Grace and make thee know the aboundings of his love which wil exceedingly enlarge thy heart So let none stumble or start aside at the straitness of the Way but be willing to submit to the Cross that the Crown thou mayst come to receive which is Immortal and Eternal and then it will never repent thee whatsoever thou art made to deny For an Hundred-fold thy Reward will be in this life from the Hand of the Lord and Peace and Life everlasting thou wilt have the assurance of and it thou wilt possess and enjoy and this is of more value with the Upright in Heart then all the Love Glory or Friendship of the World for that lasts but for a little season and then passeth away but this Inheritance is Everlasting and never hath End Wherefore let not your Minds be captivated with any perishing thing whatsoever but in that which will redeem the mind out of all that is perishing in that dwell and you will know a daily dying unto sin and to all things of that nature which keep the soul in Death and thereby you will be quickened unto God and the Desires and secret Breathings which are in you after God will more and more encrease and be renew'd and Fervency of heart and Zeal for the Lord will encrease also And where these fervent Desires and Breathings are in any one nothing will satisfie but the Presence of the Lord And as this is dwelt with in sincerity and in singleness the Lord in his own time will manifest himself to thy everlasting Satisfaction Comfort Joy and Content Wherefore let not any thing be accounted dear for his sake For he that loveth Father or Mother Wife or Children or any thing more then me saith Christ is not worthy of me Wherefore I now publish the Decree of the Almighty unto all Nations That whosoever will not serve worship and obey the God of Heaven who is Light and searches the heart of man even he shall dye and Darkness shall be his Covering and gross Darkness his Pavilion and Death shall be his Life and the Terror thereof shall compass him about World without End JOSIAH COALE A VINDICATION Of the Light Within Against the Darkness Error and Blasphemy of JOHN NEWMAN in his Book Entitul'd The Light Within c. Concerning The Scriptures The Word of God The Only Rule The Light Within The True Saviour The Body of Jesus The Spirit 's Guidance THE main Controversie with John Newman being at this time Whether or no the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament so called be not properly and principally called the Word of God and that distinct from Christ whose Name is called the Word And whether the Scriptures be not a perfect Rule for all men to walk by and none other Who for the proving of the Affirmative hath instanced several places of Scripture My Work at this time will be to shew That those Scriptures produced by him do not any wise serve to prove his Affirmations but rather the contrary though he hath much wrong'd them by wresting of them as is usual with those who labour to pervert the Right Way of the Lord as John Newman hath endeavour'd to do which I doubt not but I shall sufficiently shew hereafter The first Scripture that he produceth as a Foundation from whence to argue the Scriptures to be the Word of God is Luke 11.28 where Christ said Yea rather Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it Now saith he in page three whether it be Jesus Christ which in Scripture is stil'd the Word of God a Name which is given unto him or whether the words which God hath spoken by his holy Prophets and Blessed Son and Apostles in the two Testaments of his Will c. be not the Word of God Answer Christ did not intend the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament at that time when he so spoke but he meant himself who was the Word that was with God in the beginning John 1.1 whom they were to hear and obey as the Father had given Commandment by the Mouthes of his Prophets and also by Immediate Voice from Heaven as by Moses who said A Prophet shall