actions glorious and overule that spirit of perversenesse and darknes mingling it self with their counsels but if they faile the Lord will doe the work let us build upon this as upon a rock it is fixed and immoveable Sir excuse me I have been too tedious impute it to the subject I write which affords matter for a volume I have this confidence in you that nothing will be unwelcome to you from a friend or a Christian or him who really is Your kinsman and servant in every relation H. B. Letter 11. An Answer of a Letter written by a friend June 8. Oh friend SOme two nights agoe I saw a Bible and found a desire to look into it but presently my spirit checked me saying within me What shouldest thou be peeping into that which thou canst not understand Stay till the light of the Lord shall lead thee and then go whither it shall lead thee till then every motion and desire cannot but be bitter and the more it is hearkened unto the more bitter Yet my spirit said again within me Why should I refuse this motion though griefe and bitternesse may attend it may it not be good to see how dark and ignorant I am become In the middest of such reasonings I opened the Book the first place I looked on was very strange to me thence I turned from place to place but thick darknes covered every place even those which formerly seemed very clear to me At last I lighted on a place which did somewhat affect me then I took up the Book into a Chamber thinking to suck a little sweetnes or at least to vent a little of that load which had lain exceeding heavy on me all the day so I read some six Chapters at least together though with much adoe they were the last Chapt. of Esay so soon as I had done I fell into a very grievous passion to behold into what a state I was cast for I understood not one tittle but confusion and darknes covered and hid every thing from me faine would I have fastened on somewhat to have supported my spirit to hope and wait for better dayes but it would not bee I could not conceive concerning whom those things were spoken or what that Zion is to whom they seem to be spoken Indeed I could not but weep outwardly and mourn inwardly to think on my present darknes which is so thick that on no manner of light comes in at any crevis The Book of the creatures the book of providence as I was wont to call it this book of the scriptures which was once unutterably sweet and bright and living they are all become now dead dark but yet powerfull and peircing tormentors In the middest of these workings of minde I fell I know not how to think of your letter and your desire to hear from me wondring at both both why you should write so to me and why you should desire to hear from me as if either I could apprehend what you wrote or tell how to speak or write any thing to you in this state of darknes and many particular passages of your letter came into my minde more increasing this my amazement The first clause of your letter did kindle in me a great desire to expostulate with you about it I must break off I can proceed no further now Letter 12. June 6. Oh friend I am heart-sick what shall I doe I am sick unto death and yet am miserable because I cannot dye I finde death as farre removed from me as life I thought I had been dead and buried long agoe and had nothing to do for the future but to wait for a resurrection from death and out of the grave but I feele my self much alive to torment and yet why may I not be dead for all that spirituall death and a spirituall grave may have a kind of life in them for ought I know I cannot go on with the relation about thy letter shall I try if I can open my breast and give the a little glance of the misery and oppression that it lyes burdened with I finde three tormentors within me and they are continually ravening upon me rending and tearing my head my heart my bowels The names that I best know them by are Love Griefe fury They commonly all rush forth upon me at once though some one of them still more predominantly then the rest feeding upon every object that is presented to me and heightning the disease and sicknesse of my spirit thereby Sometimes Love tyrannizes and makes me pant immeasurably after some glimpse of that my spirit is in love with but what it is or where it is I know not when I hear the birds or see any other creature in the heavens above or in the earth beneath Oh think I that I were behind thee that I might discern thy substance and see whether that be my love or no When I see their tendernes towards their young ones the employment they are busied with the delight they can suck in Oh where am I what am I how farr laid below the whole creation who finde no employment no delight none to look after me no bowels to answer the sounding of my bowels Some what I love but I know not what nor where to seek after nor what name to enquire for it by Shall I go to the woods among the wilde Hindes Alas they are as unable to heare as I am to speak shall I ask the common sort of men They poore creatures never think of any such thing Shall I ask Christians Ah! they as insensible of my condition as any of the rest and all the news I can heare of them is of melancholy and giving way to temptation and wish me to use the means which is as impossible to me as to finde out my love without them Oh miserie miserie to love one knows not what or where to have love kindled and the beloved quite lost to have love flaming and nothing for its flames to go forth upon but still to feed within upon the bosome wherein it breeds I finde this sometimes make these earthly bowwels so yearn as if they would immediately melt and drop out of the body wherein they are as yet contained When Love hath wearied it self then Grief though it was not absent before supplies its place in panting in sighing in mourning in complaining if it can Oh God! oh my God! oh living God! oh my beloved these expressions it uses for forms sake though it understands them not What are thou Where art thou Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self what no news of thec Why dost thou open my bowels when thou meanest to shut up thine own What is become of thee Hast not thou a discovering art as well as an hiding art When wilt thou open thy self I cannot finde thee out I cannot visit thee wilt thou never bestow a visit on me shall I never be remembred Shall I never know what God means
glory in that administration I grant it and that it yet is to some yea many and they doe well to waite for glory there where they finde it appearing to them I call off none frâ—m ordinances I judge not those that professe themselves called off I know not where abouts I am surenot in vision but sometimes I hope in dreames the old mans state and so under the spirit The last thing you mention is your seruples about Ordinances which are torâ— as an hedge of thornes set by the Lord in your way to turn you backe again from those things which we have more or lesse idollized and set up in his place I have performed your desire and you may looke upon me as Lazarus quickened but bound hand and foot with grave cloaths what life and liberty I have it must be to serve the Saints and therefore account me ever ready to serve you August 18. 1649. Letter 29. Dear and much esteemed MY Father hath unbosomed such a glory to me since I saw you last that I cannot but admire at it it was as I was walking alone the power of my Father was seen in an exceeding glory so that I could not tell how to contain it my veile was too narrow to receive it I have had many discoveries of glory since and have been in many fires and burnt very sweetly and consum'd very joyfull I desire to live as well in Hell as in Heaven and the greater Hell the greater Heaven I rejoyce exceedingly in the everlasting burnings one breath of my Father makes both Heaven and Hell but this is that my Father hath written in my heart that everlasting deliverance is at hand but first the Lord will cover the Earth with darknesse and with grosse darknesse the people and such black clouds of darknes will our Father cloath himself with that none but those that see with the eye of the Lord shall be able to see him in the thick darknes The smoak of the Beast ascends out of the bottomlesse pit and wrath from the Almighty is upon her and I cannot but rejoyce and sing Hallelujah Hallelujah all praise be given to him that sits on the thron for ever and when you see these things done then lift up your heads the day of your redemption is at hand I see them performed I see them finished and brought forth into power and I rejoyce in the work of the Lord. I see the restored estate of our bringing forth with mighty power that wee shall see all things good that the Saints shall know no evill for my part I know no evill I see all things good I know nothing but good in all the world the Lord doth all things well whether in Earth or in Heaven and that that hath swallowed us up we are now swallowing it up I am swallowing Death Hell and the Grave up that now I am able to play with Satan He is but a Reed in my hands I have been really cloathed upon and mortality swallowed up into life and when this glory comes forth it will judge the world and silence them our glory is their torment and our Heaven is their Hell Thus I have given you an account of the present discoveries of my Father and rest in your heart â— Clem. FINIS A New Song 1. I Am that I am All that you heare and see I was now is and so shall bee All to Eternitie 2. Good is the Word the Word is Good God and the Word are one The rule is true and even so All that you look upon 3. This Word is Good this Good is God This Good is all you see If otherwise I should it owne Where would the freedome be 4. Now herein is the freedome just Thus knowing light to see That all is Good this all is God This Good hath made us free 5. Then entertein this freedome just In pure love for to bee Which pure love is the perfect Good Vnto Eternitie
sojourners in but there was a long bondage in Aegypt to be undergone by their seed ere they came to it whereunto answers our long captivity under Antichrist but the time draws near wee shall shortly heare that voyce Arise shine for thy light is come the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee and this second appearance this day starre will make the stars of the night to disappeare or the glory of the first appearance to goe down which is all that I shall say now to the second part of your inquiry As this increases the other will decrease no other period of it doe I know for we are all brought forth first under the law and so come to know Christ after the flesh and reape the fruit and comfort of his first appearance ere we know him in us as salvation and glory but whether the Lord will alwayes observe this method I cannot say rather I think he will not for 't is said we shall not all dye but shall be changed wee shall not all passe under forms be trained up under the law but shall immediately be changed Christs appearance to us is the rule of all walking and conversation His appearance being known to us onely in the flesh as a Reconciler a Minister of circumcision is the reason of our walking in forms when hee appeares to us nakedly in spirit as being all to us and in us himselfe immediately and alone then he delivers us into a glorious liberty above all outward forms In that place in Peter that speakes of the fuflerings of Christ and that glory that should follow I may seeme strange to you to understand that following glory of the body as I doe but beare with me therein I doe so understand it of the glorious appearances of Christ in his in spirit nor can I give you my reasons for it now What you write of the difficulty of getting out of the flesh of Christ and the letter of Scripture I wonder not at seeing we never have gotten in without a divine power and life and therefore to get through unto the holiest without the same Almighty power is impossible It is no little advance after we are brought in to look out further and higher till which time the witnesses lie dead in us in the streets and then that voyce hath been heard Come up hither and we are ascending or ascended whilest we are making up in the Lord There is the Lord in us ascending who came down and none else can ascend but hee As for that I wrote concerning the appearance of Christ and his comming spoken off in Scripture that I know no other comming of Christ to judgement but his spirituall appearance or appearance in spirit for as for the flesh that hath done its work and therefore is he said to come in the glory of his Father and of his holy Angels also in flaming fire with his mighty Angels which is spirituall That his comming is nothing but his appearing and that all flesh is a vaile upon him from under which he is comming and casting it off making his arme bare That the bodyes of all raised shall be spirituall like unto his which is also held forth in that expression of the Apostle 2 Thessâ—â— The Spirit of his mouth and the brightnesse of his comming which amounts to a spirituall appearance and manifestation That this comming and judgement is graduall and hath beenon foot from the beginning of the world and still goes on and will be compleated in due time That the judgement Day which we expect is nothing else but the perfect and universall Declaration of his righteousnes his generall and full manifestation unto all by his rising up in all who is the head and root of all and making all spirituall for the Kingdom of God is within you there riseth up this judgement suddenly upon the world by which you might understand how I take that place in the Corinths Till he come namely in spirit when as said I know no other appearance of his to be but in spirit That hee is entred into spirit and therefore we cannot think he will be perfected in the flesh for his Kingdome commeth not by observation So I think and speak and write still Though I have known Christ after the flesh yet hence forth know I him no more God hath manifested his love and power in that man Christ and in that flesh which he took and shewed what he will doe in all the Elect by a spirit of power and love Redeem Save Kill Quicken Raise Glorifie and this spirit and power of God appearing in the Elect is the appearing of Jesus Christ in them both in his weaknes and in his power in his Cradle Crosse Grave and in heavenly places at the right hand of the Father in his full glory This is the Kingdom of God that comes not by observation This is Christ is us the hops of glory who shall come by degrees appear to be the glory He is our life hid and he is dead in us and we in him who shall appear and bring us forth with him in glory being our Head Root the quickning Spirit and which doth not deny a personall appearance of Jesus Christ the Son of man consisting of soule and body to and with the Saints when he is perfectly formed in them and what can this appearance be but spirituall in the glory of the Father and of the holy Angels according as the hodyes the vile bodies of all the Saints shall be in the resurrection where it riseth a spirituall body though sown a naturall body and then an end of flesh and blood and corruption so farre the Scripture leads us and wee must not be intruders into these things whilest God openeth not the doore unto us Wee are the Sonnes of God but it doth not yet appear what we shall be In that appearance shall be seen the sutablenesse of the Saints unto him Loe I and the children whom God hath given me and then shall be eternall union betwixt God and Christ and Christ and the Saints yet with distinction and subordination The head the body the root and the branches the husband and the wife Christ in God and the Saints in Christ and so in the Father one in another and perfect in one Thus I have given you the brief yet full coppy of what is written in mee so farre as I can read in way of answer to your queries and if you shall put me to read it over again and shew me any mistakes you shall doe mee no displeasure As God openeth himself in us so we discover these things and I shall be ready to discover what is discovered though I discover my mistakes with all for we are very unlearned in reading what the spirit hath written in us till it come in a large letter as it will doe that we may read it running This is all I have liberty to say at prefent Salute from me all our
men But I have here digressed I come againe therefore to tell you concerning this thing that when the great day of judgement was upon me this was one thing and a very great thing for which I was judged of by the Lord even that I had judged or past sentence upon this pretious soule before the time for the Lord of all men was at hand and I should have left all judgment unto him but I was base and unworthy and I judged those things which I knew not Blessed bee the Lord which hath not everlastingly cut me off for it but hath accepted a ransome in his beloved Jesus in Emanuel God with us that is in himselfe even in the bowels of his owne love manifested through flesh Now because it hath been as I have told you so heavy a thing upon me I could not but acquaint you as a forewarning least you also should come into the same condition of torment by the like occasion and also that I might take shame to my selfe for my basenesse and envy at Gods people Now that which I say is the same with what I have already said that this Saint with many others are risen and come into my soule accompanying my Saviour and therefore if you see her I should desire you to acquaint her with it and shew her this paper that shee may see how I have suffered for my persecuting of her but let her know that now I am one in the body with her though I confesse I have beene exceeding vile and base and when any have been speaking of move light or move spirituall injoyments then I had I would bid them be carefull and consider what they did and I would bring that mayd for an example to them that they might see whereto shee was come even said I to destroy all when indeed and in truth as farre as I can see now shee was come to the injoyment of all this was the persecuting spirit I was then of nay deare friend I have not wondered since at her expressions which I heard you say shee used that was why are you saith she come to persecute mee you know that wee both laughed at her and said was this the spirit that was upon her but since I have considered it and it was true enough for flesh must needs persecute the spirit and wee being flesh came indeed to persecure her therefore it was a true spirit of revelation that was upon her though she could not but beleeve our words when we professe to the contrary but I confesse I did not see you so apt to judge her as my selfe and therefore it is just that I should suffer in it and you bee forewarned from it for I did as much as in me lay strive to behead her and lay her dead in the affections of my freinds and all this was even for the testimony that shee bare of her Saviour and therefore I cannot thinke that the sword must depart from my house but that I must bee slaine in others affectiors even as others have beene slaine in mine I cannot passe by one thing considerable in it and that was this I doe well remember that even whilst I spake against her I was warned from within that I should take heed what I did and I could never speake of her but I should be smitten for it and yet I hearkened not but rushed into sinne as the Horse into the battell therefore I am willing now to take shame to my selfe and have thus largely written this to you that you might communicate it to whom you please for indeed the goodnesse of the Lord hath so overcome me and the glory of my God is so risen upon mee that I care not if all the world know my miscarriages I did not thinke to write so large to you but my God so fils me as I cannot tell how to leave if you understand not my language I pray let Mr. G. C. helpe you I question not but hee may give you a sight in it to whom present my deare respects also to all the rest of my dear friends tell them I am one in the spirit with them and that I would have them carefull of judging the good Lord reward you spirituall consolations for all your labour of love to me in 〈◊〉 I am your exceeding loving and as God shall make me your faithfull friend to serve you 3. Letter Christian friend OUr loving Father hath comforted me by your Letter I exceedingly rejoyce in your condition I see his very great power magnified in you to make you thus willing to be at his dispose It s no smal matter for a soule to deny it selfe We have been a long time talking of self-deniall because the letter of the Scriture hath sweetly spoken of it but truly we have not known what it is from the indwelling of truth in us I am sure thus much I finde that it must be the death of the whol first man that so the second man may be established in righteousnes and truly 't is the mighty power of God must passe upon us to raise us up to live thus in himself I could willingly open to you how I was brought in that measure that I am into this life It was by the sight or vision of God himself For as I was one day carried forth by him to speake some thing to another as he spake in me I had this wonderfull Vision that confounded me and threw me to the ground before it for it was no lesse then infinitenesse it self that beheld me and at last made mee to behold it but this sight of God did so astonish me it destroyed and wrought such an utter death to my selfe and to every thing below or besides him I mean things that appear to be that truly I may say I had no spirit of a man left in me but I sat before him as a meer passive appearance Then I felt the spirit of life from above enter into me again and carried me forth to act where when and how it pleased Now came I to be what he would have me and never before It was not long since that I should have been much troubled to be called hither and thither and to act the part of such or such a one No the reasonable man indeed was not dead yet in me but now the Lord so slew it that I cryed out Here am I Lord send me for I am no more my self now nor to act for my self but for the Lord And I wondred still why the flesh in the ordinary appearnce of it did remain I mean this outward form or vessel that held the treasure for indeed I thought when the Apostle spake of a change that it had been the changing of the outward forme but this day came upon me unawars However I doe not say the outward form shal not be changed let it be as it pleaseth him my glory lies within the Vaile I am not called so much to talk
that end withdrew to my Bed where I thought I might in my more singular addresses expend my desires upon my received glory I lay down in my Bed with unexpressible comfort being overcome with the beauty of holy delights I endeavoured to cover this fire with silence but it grew so hot within me that no longer I could retain it but was forced to declare to my Bed-fellow a friend of mine how it was with me I told him I was over-come with love I was so replenished with divine rest and consolation that I could not contain my self I began to sing and rejoyce being every minute apt to be carried out of my Bed to daunce and leap about the room but this noise soonvanished away by the power of that voice which commanded silence saying Rest and be still in thine own Love Hereat a deep silence possessed me yet not a jot of my glory diminished but onely brought under the power of a heavenly silence yea there was silence in heaven My friend lying by me was suddenly surprized with a miraculous power from above his body did shake and tremble in such a manner as I never saw who declared the comming of the day of God in a language divine and powerfull sometimes singing and rejoycing in so much that the people of the house being thereat awakened wondred what the matter should be All this while my lovely silence constrained me yet under unspeakable enjoyments my breath was by fits taken from me and the divine life did so overpower the naturall as that I expected a daily motion out of this form or body nay how willing was I to commit my body to the power of an eternall sleepe and to enter into that immensity which was able to comprehend me We spent almost the whole night under the power of these raptures while at last towards morning I felt a timely withdrawing of the rigour and vehemency of this power which I was made freely willing to part with at the Fathers pleasure for I have learned both how to want and how to abound Yet notwithstanding to this day there remaines a virulent and powerfull impression of the same upon my heart which I hope shall never be raced out I then saw and doe still behold a perfect reconciliation brought forth in me to all that heretofore I have beene at enmity with Hell Sinne Death Divell are all in a league with mee I have fellowship with God in all these I care not who knowes it Sinne hath lost its strength Hell its torment Death its victory the Divell his enmity we are all friends Hallelujah God omnipotent reignes in all these Good Lord What a poor low life is that which subsists onely in those things that bring forth our advantage I have now learned to live upon the highest disadvantages that may be I can fetch life out of death good out of evill yea enjoy light in darknesse peace in torment Heaven in Hell I know nothing can hurt nothing can destroy in this Mountain where I live Shall Sinne alas that 's to weake the Law which was its strength is departed it shall no more have dominion over me for I am not under the Law I can passe through all imaginable evill in the light of divine righteousnesse and receive not the least dammage Shall Hell O it s a lake of comfortable torment I live in it joyfully I love it dearly I know the breath of God as rivers of brimstone kindles hell in me it burnes it scorches and so let it till the will of God be fulfilled I can passe through these flames yea lye down amongst them and not one haire of my head shall perish by them I glorifie and rejoyce in the very fires I shall now desire you to acquaint my Freâ—nds with these dealings of God towards me if happily any thing may be given in upon their spirits about it All that I have at present is this I looke upon it as an evident signe of some dreadfull appearance of the Sonne of man for these two things were given in with much power upon my heart First That the God of peace shall tread Satan under feet shortly Secondly Lift up your head your redemption drawes nigh Read Vnderstand Rejoyce 24. Letter A Letter written by a young man about 19. yeares of age the Evening before he dyed being Saturday-night hee was well as was supposed about 11. of the clock and about 2. the next morning dyed and left a Letter of which this is a Coppy with this Superscription To his dear Sisters Mrs. Hester Langham Mrs. Sarah Brewer Mrs. Thomason Fison and others the Saints of God when deceased YEE Saints and Spouse of the King of loves the Lord Jesus the delight of delights himselfe the Lord Jesus from everlasting with the Sonnes of men Love our fountaine with those lovely streames of divine and supernaâ—urall glory who now dwels in us and we in him Our Saviour saith Yet a little and the world seeth me no more but ye see me pretious for a small season a little while hath this world seene mee but low they see me no more but ye shall see me for I am gone to our fathers house to lye in the everlasting armos of eternall love in the infinite embraces of eternall sweetnesse to bee there where yee shall bee all together with mee and all Saints to all eternity Rejoyce now together for me and if you love mee you will rejoyce because I goe to the Father for me indeed to live is Christ but to dye is gaine And sure I am that Saint Pauls desire for a long time by a flame of love hath beene kindled in my soule even to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all I now live yet not I but Christ lives in me Loe the the time comes when I dye yet not I but this old man which I carry about with me Oh pretious Saints How sweet how pleasant are the thoughts of death to mee Surely sorrow may be for a night but joy comes in the morning Love is that bond of union betweene mee and my beloved union is that perfection of love love throughly desirâ—s perfect communion What now hinders this but death surely this must needs be pleasing unto me being the meanes to so lovely an end I am here but as a wayfaring man which tarries but for a night and surely what are the pleasures of this night at the best They are but darknesse in themselves and in their greatest light but resemblances of another which is farre greater But behold the night is past the day appeares and I am gone to my beloved he that should come is come and hath not tarried and oh blessed yea thrice blessed is his comming to me where I can see him face to face whom my soule so much longed for The vaile is rent and I now no longer see him as in a glasse but in his owne native beauty and supernaturall glory Blessed
and that not onely repeating the letter but in truth that those things which I have received have not beene from man nor woman nor any other thing but by the meere revelation of Jesus Christ in mee God manifesting himselfe in my owne flesh and therefore they much wrong both her and me that affirme it but especially they wrong or speake a lye of that God that did it for me and because I heare it so reported amongst you I thought good to write one word to cleare it that so whether you will heare or whether you will forbeare the word of truth might judge you give not eare therefore to all you heare though from brethren least you be brought into a snare for since the defection of the Churches men yea good men have been such lovers of themselves and their own opinions that they will speake largely upon little ground to keepe up their owne glory God having not yet undone them for were they once undone men they would willingly be what God would have them however the world accounts of them There is another thing which came to my care that it should be given into the Counsell by your two witnesses that the said Mrs P. should say that you cast her out for difference in judgement and when Collonell Rich and Collonell Harison asked to whom shee spake it they said to some of Abington Now indeed my husband said to you that he thought such a thing but when hee came home and saw so little ground for his thoughts I thinke he had but little comfort in telling you so and then brethren if you upon such slender grounds should act in this strange manner against her affirming this thing so publikely I thinke you have cause to bee humbled for it and justly to repent of your evill I desire you to beare a little with mee for truly it appeares to mee rather to bee your rage of spirit then your true love either to her or truth for mee thinkes it would savour more of a true Christian spirit if you had first spoken with her and have seene what change the Lord hath wrought in her as knowing that Mary out of whom seuen Divels had beene formerly cast was made the first messenger of Christs Resurrection yea and she must bring it to the Apostles and not the Apostles to her You say in your letter that you left her to the judgement of the great day and I beseech you brethren doe you not againe take her into your owne daie for truly I beleeve that daie in a measure hath come upon her and the Lord himselfe is at worke with her therefore doe not feare but the worke will be well done onely we as well as shee must have patience in it and surely this is the confidence that I have concerning her that she hath seen evill in that estate she walked in with you and certainly God is good to her in this shewing her what an abominable spirit of wickednesse may bee hid under the greatest practises and professions of externals not that these are the cause of it no the gold and the silver is mine saith the Lord but wee bestowing it upon our lovers and making our selves great with his ornaments he is fain in love to us to take us from them or they from us and so finde out a more sprirituall administration to perfect us in Oh the infinite riches of our God! where doth his bounty â—nd sure his waies of love are unsearchable eâ—d his paths of mercy in which he followes anore fallen man and poor backsliding soules are past finding out how narrow are our capacities we judge as men We may think as some did of David that there is no help for such things in God but all things in truth will be found possible with him even where they are altogether past our thoughts and conceptions and become to us impossible I beseech you therefore be perswaded to bow down to him I know you are conscious that all judgement is not committed unto you and therefore it is possible you may not judge right in this thing for truly brethren we may conceive many things even by the letter it self yet not living in that spirit that writ the letter we may erre I pray do not mistake me as if I would any way speak slightly of the letter farther than it speaks of it self no I blesse the Father for it and by sweet experience can say that I was never so confirmed in it now the Lord hath drawn me to him out of it even in that spirit that wrote it I am for the conscionable use of it but I would not abuse it I am sure those men that would set it above the spirit can hardly free themselves from that thing I hope therefore you will not count it your excellency to walk in the letter but rather desire the Lord to perfect you in that spirit that writes the letter for then and never till then shall we be able to walk by it aright and speak of the letter truly I have not yet acquainted my husband with your letter I shall wait upon God what answer to receive from you for truly dear brethren upon serious deliberation I know not how to approve my self faithfull in the eyes of God to my brethren here if I should deliver it for God having put it into my hand I must also see clearnes from him before I part with it for though blessed be the father we have a sweet hopefull people amongst us that wait upon God and have fellowship one with another yet whether they may digest such things as you write of I really question therefore it would be unfaithfulnes in me if I apprehending an evill to them or any other should not as much as in me lies prevent it and this I shall doe by detaining the Letter till further manifestation from God what to do with it Doe not judge me in this thing I beseech you I have one Judge even the Lord and he that put it into my hand will aâ— length clear my integrity in it I have nothing to doe for my self in it the Lord knows only to find out if it may be how I may approve my self â—aithfull to men in the Lord and for the Lords â—ake Your desire I exceedingly like that we may be kept from errours and the Lord keep us all from errours but who must shew us what errour is but the God of truth himself we have lived in errour and have suckt them in from our cradles and yet who will speak so much against error as we stating our selves still in the truth My sweet friends the day of truth is but now dawning upon us and how is it opposed even by those that are children of truth in their measure yet wee have all looked for it and prayed together for it a long time but truly now we will not own our prayers but turn away our face from our Saviour because he comes