and all we have And the Fryar told us if we would come to their Masse-house and receive their holy Sacrament we should be the most eminent Catholicks in all Malta but we denied them in the Name of the Lord and all their dead foppery which they have invented Here we are kept under the Inquisition as they say till they have Orders from the Pope of Rome what they should do with us We beseech you all faithful Friends pray for us for great are our trials Did you but know the abominations that the Devil hath invented here you would think it were tryal enough But here we have cruel mockings and the same contradictions trials and temptations that ever the servants of the Lord had Christ himself It is the wonderful Power of God that we are preserved till this time for all the whole Island are Papists and given up to Idolatry We are despised of all people and abhorred of all Nations and because they cannot have any just thing against us they do invent lyes against us but the Lord is on our side for else the Enemy would soon destroy us for great is their rage and we have continual War with them night and day we feel behold their threatnings and cruelty is more than our tongues can express Great is the love of our God for he doth refresh us with the sweet drops of his mercy and doth water us every moment with the everlasting springs of his Love or else we had fainted long ago Oh! let all who know the Lord praile and glorifie his holy Name for ever and ever Amen Dear Friends Friends farewel in the Lord. From us who are in outward Bonds in the City of Malta for the Testimony of Jesus glory be to his Name for ever who hath counted us worthy We are in health at present blessed be God Katharine Evan. Sarah Chevers Several other Writings to D. B. whilest he was in MALTA OH thou tender-hearted one whom our God and our Eternal Father hath sent to relieve us his poor innocent Lambs in hard bondage and deep captivity which thou art an eye-witness of none can receive or discern it but those that do see it But our Heavenly Father who hath respect to the rest of them that believe in his Name hath sent thee to be an eye-witness in some measure of what we have undergone Oh my dear precious and endeared one thou meek Lamb thou innocent Dove who dost bear the likeness beauty and brightness of that unspotted one that is come in the Volume of the Book to do the Will of God We can give in our Testimony for thee that thou camest here in the Power and Authority of the Most High to which the tall Cedars were made to bow and the strong Oaks to bend praises praises be given to our everlasting God for evermore Oh my dearly beloved Brother thy beauty shineth indeed thou art all glorious within and without thy Garments are perfumed with all delightsome scents We smell the sweet odours thereof and do feel the fulness of Love and Life which runs from thy tender heart day and night to us and in the same unity of Love do our hearts stream forth to thee and thou knowest full well Oh how have our hearts and bowels been melted for thee our heads and eyes have run with tears and our souls have been poured forth to our Heavenly Father for thy preservation and we do truly labor to see thy face before thou comest Glory and praises be given to our Eternal Lord God Amen saith our spirits that he doth vouchsafe us so great a mercy as to behold the face of so precious a Friend We do beseech God to moderate us with his Eternal Spirit that we may always be mindful of his mercies and never to let his benefits slip out of our minds We have been near death many times when we had none to come near us but those that preacht death and destruction to us I have lain twelve dayes or more in a fast in strong travel night and day that my dearly beloved Yoke-Mate would have been glad if the Lord would have taken me out of the body because of my weak affliction Then the English Fryar which was here came up and down to us and down to us and would say to my Friend She is ready to depart send for me and take notice what torment she will be in a thousand Devils will be about her to fetch her soul to Hell because she will not be a Catholick And after we vvere parted vve vvere called to fast so that my Friend vvas so vveak that she put on such linnen upon her head as she thought to lie in her Grave We did eat but little in a Month together vvhen our money vvas almost done till vve did knovv the mind of the Lord vvhat to do Then they did run to and fro like mad men and the Fryars did come and say The Inquisitor sent them to tell us vve might have any thing vve vvould eat and they did say it vvas not possible that ever creatures could live vvith so little meat for so long a time together They bring us meat and say the English Consul did send it It vvas a glorious Fast indeed the Lord did appear vvonderfully in it praises be given to him for ever Amen We vvere very vveak because the povver did vvork so strongly I had no manner of food in my body five or six days together We did lie in clothes because vve had no strength to put them off nor one to make our bed Then vve did speak to the Fryar that vve might come together but he said they had no such order if vve vvould have a Physician vve might And there vve lay none knovving from morning to morning vvhether vve vvere deador alive We vvere kept quiet and still till the Lord's time was come they brought many things for us to eat Then the Lord said Thou mayest take as freely as if thou hadst laboured for it with thy hands I will sanctifie it to thee through the â—ross And he said unto Sarah she should eat of the fruit of her hands and be blessed And we did eat and were refreshed and glorified the Lord We did cry mightily unto the Lord night and day that we might not eat nor drink to offend him vve vvould rather dye The Lord vvas vvell pleased vvith our Sacrifice and did encrease our strength and administred comfort to us honor and glory be to his blessed Name for ever In the lowest of all our conditions we were kept a top of all the Mountains so that they could not make â—â—hrink or bow one â—or or tittle to any of their Precepts or Commands Yet the Fryars have commanded us in the Name of their God to kneel vvith them in prayer The time is too little for me to disclose the twentieth part of the terrible trials but whensoever we were brought upon any tryal the Lord did take away all
faithful Husband Friend and Brother begotten of my Eternal Father of the immortal Seed of the Covenant of Light Life and Blessednesse I have unity and fellowship with thee day and night to my great refreshment and continual comfort praises praises be given to our God for evermore who hath joined us together in that which neither Sea nor Land can separate or divide My dear heart my soul doth dearly salute thee with my dear and precious Children which are dear and precious in the Light of the Lord to thy endless joy and my everlasting comfort glory be to our Lord God eternally who hath called you with a holy Calling and hath caused his Beauty to shine upon you in this the day of his Power wherein he is making up of his Jewels and binding up of his faithful ones in the Bond of everlasting Love and Salvation among whom he hath numbred you of his own free Grace in which I beseech you dear hearts in the fear of the Lord to abide in your measures according to the manifestation of the Revelation of the Son of God in you keep a diligent watch over every thought word and action and let your minds be staid continually in the Light where you will find out the snares and baits of Satan and be preserved out of his Traps Nets and Pits that you may not be captivated by him at his will Oh my dear Husband and Children how often have I poured out my soul to our everlasting Father for you with Rivers of tears night and day that you might be kept pure and single in the sight of our God improving your Talents as wise Virgins having Oyl in your Vessels and your Lamps burning and cloathed with the long white Robes of Righteousness ready to enter the Bed-Chamber and to sup with the Lamb and to feed at the Feast of fat things where your souls may be nourished refreshed comforted and satisfied never to hunger again My dear hearts you do not want teaching you are in a Land of Blessedness which floweth with Milk and Honey among the faithful Stewards whose mouths are opened wide in righteousness to declare the Eternal Mysteries of the everlasting Kingdom of the endless joys and eternal glory whereinto all the willing and obedient shall enter and be blessed for ever My dear hearts the promises of the Lord are large and are all Yea and Amen to those that fear his Name he will comfort the Mourners in Sion and will cause the heavy-hearted in Jerusalem to rejoice because of the glad tydings they that do bear the Cross with patience shall wear the Crown with joy for it is through the long suffering and patient waitings the Crown of Life and Immortality comes to be obtained the Lord hath exercised my patience and tryed me to the uttermost to his praise and my eternal comfort who hath not been wanting to us in any thing in his own due time We are Witnesses he can provide a Table in the Wilderness both spiritual and temporal Oh the endless love of our God who is an everlasting Fountain of all living refreshment whose Chrystal streams never cease running to every thirsty soul that breatheth after the springs of Life and Salvation In our deepest affliction when I looked for every breath to be the last I could not wish I had not come over Seas because I knew it was my Eternal Father's Will to prove me with my dear and faithful Friend in all afflictions and miseries the Lord remembred mercy and did not leave nor forsake us nor suffer his faithfulness to fail us but caused the sweet drops of his mercy to distil upon us and the brightness of his glorious countenance to shine into our hearts and was never wanting to us in Revelations nor Visions Oh how may I do to set forth the fulness of God's Love to our souls No tongue can express it no heart can conceive it nor mind can comprehend it Oh the ravishments the raptures the glorious bright-shining countenance of our Lord God who is our fulness in emptiness ourstâ—ength in weakness our health in sickness our life in death our joy in sorrow our peace in disquietness our praise in heaviness our power in all needs or necessities He alone is a full God unto us and to all that can trust him he hath emptied us of our selves and hath unbottomed us of our selves and hath wholly built us upon the sure Foundation the Rock of Ages Christ Jesus the Light of the world where the swelling Seas nor raging foaming Waves nor stormy winds though they beat vehemently cannot be able to remove us Glory honor and praises is to our God for ever who out of his everlasting Treasures doth fill us with his Eternal Riches day by day he did nourish our souls with the choicest of his mercies and doth feed our bodies with his good Creatures and relieve all our necessities in a full measure praises praises be to him alone who is our everlasting portion our confidence and our rejoicing whom we serve acceptably with reverence and God-like fear for our God is a consuming fire Oh my dear Husband and precious Children you may feel the issues of Love and Life which stream forth as a River to every soul of you from a heart that is wholly joined to the Fountain my prayers are for you day and night without ceasing beseeching the Lord God of Power to pour down his tender mercies upon you and to keep you in his pure fear and to encrease your faith to confirm you in all righteousness and strengthen you in believing in the Name of the Lord God Almighty that you may be established as Mount Sion that can never be moved Keep your souls unspotted of the world and love one another with a pure heart fervently serve one another in love build up one another in the Eternal and bear one anothers burdens for the Seeds sake and so fulfil the Law of God This is the Word of the Lord unto you my dearly beloved Dear hearts I do commit you into the hands of the Almighty who dwelleth on high and to the Word of his Grace in you who is able to build you up to everlasting life and eternal salvation By me who am thy dear and precious Wife and Spouse in the Marriage of the Lamb in the bed unndefiled K. E. My dearly beloved Yoak-mate in the Work of our God doth dearly salute you Salute us dearly to our precious Friends in all places I do believe we shall see your faces again with joy Dearly salute us to T.H. R.S. and his sister S.B. and his daughter N.M. and his dear Wife with all the rest of our dear Friends in Bristol T.C. and his deart Wife and Daughter and all Friends in Bristol or else-where J.G. and his precious Wife Children and Servants with all Friends Our dear love to E.H. with her Husband and Children at Alderberry The original of this was written in the Inquisition in Malta in
the 11th Month of the year 1661. Sarah Chevers to her Husband and Children MY Dear Husband my love my life is given up to serve the living God and to obey his pure Call in the measure of the manifestation of his Love Light Life and Spirit of Christ Jesus his onely begotten Son whom he hath manifested in me and thousands by the brightness of his appearing to put an end to sin and Satan and bring to light Immortality through the preaching of the everlasting Gospel by the Spirit of Prophesie which is poured out upon the sons and daughters of the living God according to his purpose whereof he hath chosen me who am the least of all but God who is rich in mercy for his own Name sake hath passed by mine offences and hath counted me worthy to bear testimony to his holy Name before the mighty men of the Earth Oh the love of the Lord to my soul my tongue cannot express neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive of the things that God hath laid up for them that fear him Therefore doth my soul breath to my God for thee and my Children night and day that your minds may be joined to the Light of the Lord Jesus to lead you out of Satans Kingdom into the Kingdom of God where we may enjoy one another in the Life Eternal where neither Sea nor Land can separate in which Light and Life do I salute thee my dear Husband with my Children wishing you to embrace Gods love in making his Truth so clearly manifest amongst you whereof I am a Witness even of the everlasting Fountain that hath been opened by the Messengers of Christ who preach to you the Word of God in season and out of season directing you where you may find your Saviour to purge and cleanse you from your sins and to reconcile you to his Father and to have unity with him and all the Saints in the Light that ye may be fellow-Citizens in the Kingdom of Glory Rest and Peace which Christ hath purchased for them that love him and obey him What profit is there for to gain the whole world and lose your own souls Seek first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and all other things shall be added to you Godliness is great gain having the promise of this life that now is and that which is to come which is fulfilled to me who have tasted of the Lords endlesse love and mercies to my soul from a moving of the same love and life do I breath to thee my dear Husband with my Children my dear love salutes you all my Prayers to my God are for you all that your minds may be joined to the Light wherewith you are lightened that I may enjoy you in that which is Eternal and have community with you in the Spirit He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit one heart one mind one soul to serve the Lord with one consent I cannot by Pen or Paper set forth the large love of God in fulfilling his gracious promises to me in the Wilderness being put into prison for God's Truth there to remain all days of my life being searched tryed examined upon pain of death among the Enemies of God and his Truth standing in jeopardy for my life until the Lord had subdued and brought them under by his mighty Power and made them to feed us and would have given us money or clothes but the Lord did deck our Table richly in the Wilderness the day of the Lord is appearing wherein he will discover every deed of darkness let it be done never so secret the light of Christ Jesus will make it manifest in every Conscience the Lord will rip up all coverings that is not of his own Spirit The God of Peace be with you all Amen Written in the Inquisition-Prison by the hand of Sarah Chevers for the hand of Henry Chevers my dear Husband give this fail not I do not well remember that this was one of the surprized Letters A Letter to a Kinswoman of S. C. S. P. MY dear Kinswoman I dearly salute thee with thy Husband and thy tender Babes I am not unmindful of thee nor of thy love that thou shewedst to me I know thou shalt not lose thy reward thou hast found refreshment in it for it was of the Lord My Burthen was weighty for the Lord I would have fled the Cross but praises be to the Lord that kept me to it that I might not lose the Crown I was straitned in it till I gave up to it praised be the Name of our God for ever Amen Stand fast in the Lord let none take thy Crown The God of Power preserve and keep thee low and single in his fear pressing forward to the prize of an incorruptible Crown of Glory Peace and Rest out of all strife Keep to the pure life watch the Enemy keep thy mind staid in the measure of God's Grace that is able to make thee wise unto salvation and to give thee an inheritance with the rest of the Children of Light My tender lamb fear and dread the living God keep in his presence go not out to let in the Enemy to break thy peace and to darken thy understanding and to vail over the pure from beholding thy Saviour Incline thine ear to him give up to a daily Cross to thy own will Stand single empty wait upon the Lord to be fill'd with his fulness let him be all thy treasure ask of him he giveth liberally Believe and thou shalt receive his promise is large I have found it so Having nothing yet enjoying all things I have tasted handled and felt of his everlasting love and indurable Riches my life is wrapt up in it I have found him whom my soul loveth Oh what might I do to set him forth He is the choicest of ten thousands therefore doth my soul love him My life is given up for him his truth for to declare Lord guide me in thy path and keep me in thy fear Amen Thy dear Aunt My dear love and life is with thee and I do embrase thee in the Arms and Bosom of my Eternal Father's love with thy dear Husband and little ones Another in the same Paper to Friends MY dearly beloved Sisters and Friends of Truth I dearly salute you in the Light Life and Love of our God which is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost wherein I do rejoice and have union with you My Life is given up to serve the Lord. O how my soul travels for the Seed of God's Kingdom to be sown throughout all Nations for the gathering in of Christ's scattered Flock and for the destruction of sin and Satan For our God is weighing the Mountains in Skales and the Dust in equal 〈◊〉 Ballance He is a pulling down the mighty and raising the meek humble lowly he is a feeding the poor and hungry with good things but the rich he sends
gnash with heir teeth when vve were at prayer there was a Fryer and other great men the Fryer would run as if he had been at his Wits end and call to the Keeper and he vvould run for the English Fryer and he would go the Jnquisitor for counsel and sometime they would send them word they should have a remedy J should be sent to Rome and sometimes the Fryers would come but had not power to say any thing to me of it The Lord did say to us Cut up your Uoice like the noise of a Trumpet and sound forth my Truth like the shout of a King There was one that life waâ— arisen in him but they were upon him as Eagles til they had destroy'd him he did undergo terrible Judgements all the time he was in the Inquisition Our money served us a year and seven Weeks and when it was almost gone the Fryars brought the Inquisitor's Chamberlain to buy our Hats We said we came not there to sel our clothes nor any thing we had Then the Fryar did commend us for that and told us we might have kept our money to servâ— us otherwise We said No we could not keep any money and be chargeable to any We could trust God He said He did see we could but they should have maintâ—ined us while they kept us Prisoners And then the Lord dâ—d take away our stomacks we did eat but little for three or four Weeks and then the Lord called us to fasting for eleven dayes together but it was so little that the Fryars came and said that it was impossible that Creatures could live with so little meat as they did see we did for so long time together and asked what we would do Aâ—d said their Lord Inquisitor said We might have any thing we would We said We must wait to know the mind of God what he would have uâ— to do We did not fast in our own Wills but in obedience to the Lord. They were much troubled and sent us meat and â—aid â—he English Consul sent it We could not take any thing till the Lord's time was come We were weak so that Sarah did dâ—ess her head aâ— she would lye in her Grave poor Lamb J â—ay looking for the Lord to put an end to the sad trial which way to seemed 〈◊〉 in his â—ight Then J heaâ—d a voice saying Ye shall not dye J beâ—iâ—ved the Lord and his glory did appear much in ourâ—ast he was very gracious to us and did refresh us with his living presence continually and we did behold his beauty to our great â—oy and câ—mfort and he was large to us in his promâ—ses so that we were kept quiet and still the sting of Death be in taken away our souls hearts and minds were at pâ—ace with the Lord so that they could not tell whether we were dead or alive but as they dâ—d all to us once a day till the time the Lord had appointed we should eat and they were made to bring many good things and said them down by us so that Scripture we witnessed fulfilled Our Enemies treated us kindly in a strange Land said I. But we were afraid to eat and cryed to the Lord and said We had rather dye than eat any thing that is polluted and unclean The Lord said unto me Thou mayest as freely eat as if thou hadst wrought for it with thy hands I will sanctifie it to thee through the Cross. And he said to Sarah Thou shalt eat the fruit of thy hands and be blessed We did eat and were refreshed to the praise and glory of our God for ever We did eat but little in two Months and they did bring us what ever we did speak for for 8. or 10. dayes and afterward we were so straitned for want of food it did us more hurt than our Fast. Yet the Lord did work as great a Miracle by our preservation as he did by raising Lazarus out of the Grave The Fryars did say the Lord did keep us alive by his mighty power because we should be Catholicks We said the Lord would make it manifest to us then they should know the Lord had another end in it one day But still they said There was no Redemption for us We said with the Lord there was mercy and plenteous Redemption VVe bid them take heed ye be not found fighters against God They said We were foolish women We said we were the Lord's fools and the Lord's Fools were right dear and precious in his sight and wo to them that do offend them He said they were the Lord's fools and shewed us their deceitful Gowns and their shaven Crowns and said they did wear it for God's sake to be laught at of the world We said they did not wear it for God's sake unless they were moved of the holy Spirit of God to wear it He said it was no matter they did wear it because of their Superiors mark and before it was for God's sake as he said He thought to bring us under him for our food and did make us suffer a while though the Inquisitor and the Magistrates had taken a course we should want for nothing But the Lord did torment him and all the rest till they did bring us such things as were fitting Then he did work all that he could to send me to Rome and was coming two or three times for what I know to fetch me forth but the Lord vvould not suffer them and vvhen they savv they could not prevaile that vvay they said vve should go both but the Fryar should go first because he vvas not vvell he got leave to go he vvas so vveary of coming to us that he did beseech the Lord Inquisitor he might come no more to us He told Sarah I was a Witch and that I knew what was done at London and he vvould come to me no more he said Because vvhen he did tell me a company of lyes I said I had a witness for God in me which was faithful and true and I did believe Godâ—s witness The Diviners did vvax mad and did run as at their vvits end from Mountain to Hill and from Hill to Mountain to cover them They ran to the Inquisitor and vvrit to the Pope and vvent to him their King did not hide them at all some of them did gnash vvith their teeth and even gnavv their tongues for pain Yet the rest vvould not repent of their blasphemy sorcery nor inchantments but do post on to fill up their measures Oh! the Lord revvard them according to their vvorks A little before the Fryar vvent to Rome he came to the Inquisition Chamber vvith a Scribe to vvrite concerning us to carry it vvith him I savv him as God vvould have it the Lord said There is thy deadly foe They vvere vvriting part of three dayes and vvhen they had ended it the Lord would not let me eat till the Scribe did come where I was that I might pronounce vvo against
mockings scoffings scornings reproaches stripes contradictions perils at Land and perils at Sea fiery tryals cruel threatnings grief of heart sorrow of soul heats and colds fastings and watchings fears within and frightings without terrible temptations and persecutions and dreadful imprisonments and buffetings of Satan yet in all these our tryals the Lord was very gracious unto us and not absent himself from us neither suffered his faithfulness to fail us but did bear us up and keep us from fainting in the midst of our extremity we had not another to make our moan to but the Lord alone neither could we expect a drop of mercy favour or refreshment but what he did distil from his living Presence and work by his own strength for we saâ—e one in one room and the other in another near a year as Owls in Deserts and as people forsaken in solitary places then did we enjoy the presence of the Lord and did behold the brightness of his Glory and we did see you our dear Friends in the Light of Jesus and did behold your order and stedfastness of your Faith and Love to all Saints and were refreshed in all the faithful hearted and felt the issues of Love and Life which did stream from the hearts of those that were wholly joined to the Fountain and were made sensible of the benefit of your praâ—ers O the sorrows the mournings the tears but those that sow in tears shall reap in joy A true sorrow â—egets a true ioy and a true Crosse a true Crown For when our sorrows did abound the Love of God did abound much more the deeper the sorrows the greater the joys the greater the Cross the weightier the Crown Dear Friends and Brethren marvel not that Israel is not gathered our Judgement remains with the Lord and so do our Labours for it was not for want of travel nor pain nor love to their souls for we could have been contented to have fed upon the Grass on the ground so we might have had ouâ— freedom amongst them For had it not been for the great opposition they would have followed after us as Chickens after a Hen both great and small But oh the swelling seas the raging and foaming Waves Stormy Winds and Floods and deep Waters and high Mountains and Hills hard Rocks rough wayes and crookedâ— paths tall Cedars strong Oaks fruitless Trees and corrupted ones that cumber the ground and hinder the righteous Seed to be sown and the noble Plants from being planted Oh! they shut up the Kingdom against the simple-hearted and hide the key of knowledge from the innocent ones and will not enter into the Kingdom themselves nor suffer them that would enter but stir up the Magistrates to form carnal Weapons thinking to prevent the Lord of taking to him his Inheritance and to dispossess his Son who is heir of all that he might not have a dwelling-place amongst them nor a habitation nigh them because that his Light will discover their darkness and his brightness will burn up all their abominations and marr their beauty and stain their glory their pomp and their pride that it may perish as the untimely Figs and fall as the Flower of the Field and wither as the Grasse upon the house-top Oh the Belly of Hell the Jaws of Satan the whole Mysterie of iniquity is at the height and all manner of abominations that make desolate stands where it ought not and is upholden by a Law That upon pain of death none must speak against it nor walk contrary to it But praises to our God he carryed us forth to declare against it daily Oh the blind Câ—ides the seducing spirits that do cause the people to err and compel them to worship the Beast and his Image and to have his mark in their fore-heads and in their hands and to bow to Pictures and painted Walls and to worship the things of their own hands and to fall down to that which their own fingers have fashioned and will not suffer them to look towards Sion upon pain of death nor to walk towards Jerusalem upon pain of Faggot and Fire but must abide in Babel and believe whatsoever they speak or do to be truth But oh the wayes the worships the â—ashions forms customs traditions observations and imaginations which they have drawn in by their dark Divinations to keep the poor people in blindness and ignorance so that they perish for want of knowledge and are corrupted because the way of truth is not made known among them they are all in the many wayes out of the one true and living way and their ways be so many and so monstrous that they are unrehearsible but the Lord our God hath kindled a fire in the midst of them that will consume all forms fashions customs and traditions of men and will burn up the bryars thorns and tares stubble and fruitless Trees and corrupted ones and will blast all the fruits works and labours of wicked and ungodly men with the Mill dews of his wrathful indignation and will scatter all his Enemies with the Whirl-winds of his displeasure They do not know the Scriptures Their Bibles would grieve any honest heart to behold them because of the corruption They said Our Bibles were false I asked wherein The Fryar said Maccabees was not in them I said if any were taken from them yet the rest might be pure but if any were added to them then they were corrupted He askt me Whether I did not think it meet for every one to bow at the Name of Jesus I said Yea. He said Jesus and bid me fall down or bow my body I told him My heart and whole body was bowed under the Name of Jesus but â— should not stoop to his will nor any man 's else He that departeth from iniquity boweth to the Name of Jesus but those that live in sin and wickedness do not stoop to the Son of God And he told me they stood in the same Power the Apostles did and were guided by the same Spirit as they were I asked why they did abuse their Power then and make use of Carnal Weapons He said they did not they were all spiritual their Inquisition their Chains and Irons and all is spiritual And he asked Whether we judged them all damn'd that were not of our Judgement I said Nay we had otherwise learned Christ those that were in a Reprobate condition to day the Lord may call them out of it to morrow for what I know He said They did judge us damn'd and all that were not of their Faith I told him Man's Judgement we did not matter A VISION IN a Vision of the night I saw in the Firmament six Suns one at a distance from the rest that did appear to be but half an hour high the other five stood four-square one in the middle and they did cross over each other the highest did not seem to be above an hour high And when I did awake I was
is the World's condemnation that do not believe in it Then he said He would lay me in Chains where I should neither see Sun nor Moon They say The Father hath almost killed you said he but I will kill you quite before I have done He had a Book in his hand and he did study in it I told him he did comprehend the Words in his carnal mind and he vvas vvrath and said he would give me to the Devils to be tormented I said I deny the Devil and all his Works and Workers Some would come unto the Prison upon their Saints days and ask us what day it was We did answer We did not know neither did we observe dayes nor times months nor years Then answer would be made It was St. Joseph ' s day or some other Saint and St Joseph should punish us that night because we did not observe his day We answered We did know the Saints to be at peace with us and we did not fear them We further said St. Paul did call it beggarly Elements and Rudiments of the World to observe days times months and years and their mouths vvould be stopt for a time Then came the Fryar another time and told me it was seventeen dayes to their Christmas and said the Virgin Mary conceived with child that day being the same day he spake to me on as if she did go with Child but seventeen dayes And he said the next day was Lady Ann's day the Virgin Mary ' s Mother a Saint Then as I was crying to the Lord in Prayer because of oâ—r long-suffering our strong travel labour no fruit as did appear the Lord said unto me Be not grieved though Israel be not gathered the seed of Malta shall be as the stars of the skie for multitude That which ye have sown shall not dye but live Glory be to the Name of the Lord for ever A Copy of a Writing from their hands sent in pursuit after the Fryar MALACHY THou saidst thou wouldst try whether we had the true Spirit yea or nay and thou hast tryed day and night but thou never triedst the right way the Seed of God is not tryed with deceit lying hypocrisie nor cruelty But if thou hadst turned in with thy mind to the Light of God in thy Conscience thou wouldst soon have known us or had the love of Christ been shed abroad in thy heart thou might'st have comprehended us or hadst thou found the Ballance of the Sanctuary of the true Tabernacle which God hath pitched and not man thou mightst have weighed us or hadst thou laid Judgement to the Line and Righteousness to the Plummet thou might'st have fathomed us or could'st thou have opened the Book of Life thou might'st have read us or hadst thou went into the House of Israel thou might's have had fellowship with us c. Contrary to our wills were we cast in amongst you and have given our testimony for the Lord and called you all to repentance and have forewarned you of the evil the Lord is bringing upon you but you have slighted the day of your visitation aud have done despite to the Spirit of Grace and have cast many hard speeches and false aspersions upon the Truth and the Messengers thereof and the Lord will visit for these things and you have blinded your eyes that you will not see and stopped your ears that you might not hear and hardened your hearts that you might not understand least you should see with your eyes and hear with your ears and understand with your hearts and turn to the Lord and be converted and he should heal you Oh that you had known in this your day what had belonged to your peace but now it is hid from your eyes The desire of our souls is That every one may repent that can find a place and whatever you have done to us we desire it may not be laid to your charge for we count our selves happy that we were found worthy to suffer for the Name of the Lord. Written in the Inquisition-Prison in the Isle of Malta Katharine Evans Sarah Chevers Behold victorions Hymns Songs Praises all in Verse the same sprung from the Seed of Life its perfect Righteousness OH Lord my life is given up thy truth for to declare Lord keep me in thy Arms and guide me in thy fear Thy Bow is bent thy Sword is drawn thy enemies to deface Thy fire 's kindl'd 'gainst all those that Truth wil not embrace Thine Arrows sharp and keen upon their heads shall fall Thy double-edged Sword also to cut them down withall So plague the Heathen correct Name the people in thy wrath That they may fear dread thy and come to know thy truth Throughout the World so wide thy truth thou dost declare Thy saving health for to enjoy by thy Light doth appear Thou dost send forth thy Messengers glad tydings to proclaim To call the hungry forth to feed on thy Lamb being slain Feasts of fat things thou dost prepare the hungry for to feed And cloath the nak'd with Garments fair that want and stand in need Heaven's glory is appearing its brightness shineth forth Over all Nations it is clearing the Lords Eternal Truth Every one that 's in darkness and under its shadow lye May come forth into the brightness out of obscurity Oh Lord teach me thy wayes that I may walk therein And lead me in thy Path of life and cleanse me from all sin How gracious is our God and kind to Israel With us he doth make his Abode his presence doth us fill So that we are not desolate nor yet distrest with woes Because the Lord doth take our part and doth confound our foes Every one that is opprest and cast in danger deep If that in God they put their trust he will them safely keep Right dear and precious to the Lord are all his little ones That suffer for his holy Name he will avenge their wrongs And in his wrath he will destroy his enemies so stout And suddenly will make a way and lead his servants out And he himself will them restore to joy and comfort both And will preserve them evermore because they do him love But as for men of corrupt minds whose wayes defiled are The Lord will visit with all kinds of judgments and not spare He will pursue them with his Sword and cut them to the ground That do reject his holy Word his Plagues shall them confound Because that they do not obey his Mercies and his Grace Which he so free to them doth give if they would them embrace But as their Fathers did so they requite the Lord with wrong And persecute thy Messengers and make them suffer long Because that they the Truth declare as Scripture telleth plain That Christ himself the Lord 's own Heir is come and he will reign Both Lord and Prince and King also throughout the World that 's wide And Antichrist will overthrow and Babel in
empty away My dear Babes and Lambs seed of the sincere Milk of the Word of Life that you may grow up in it and wax strong in spirit to praise the Lord and to glorifie him who is worthy Be strong in the Lord and in the Power of his Might seek him earnestly call upon him continually let your whole Meditations be staid in him alway Seek him earnestly deny your own thoughts and words give heed to the Light bring all your deeds to it give up all that is contrary to be slain stand single empty naked before the Lord that you may be fill'd with the streams of his everlasting Love Oh my dear hearts our God is full of love stand not back press forward let nothing hinder you the Lord calls for you My Son give me thy heart The promise of our God is as large to you as to any if you can believe your straitness is in your selves For God is a full Fountain abundance of love runs forth to them that can trust him I can witness it in the barren Wilderness he caused streams of living water to break forth I cannot express it is so large therefore doth my soul thirst after you my dear ones the love of God is to you My dear Sisters I have you in my remembrance and do pray to my God and your God 〈◊〉 that you may be enlarged in your measures to praise the Lord and to be kept in a sensible feeling of his power daily and that you may encrease in Wisdom Strength and Power over Gods Enemies The Blessing of the Lord God Almighty be with you and preserve you by his Mighty Power unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen Salute me to my Sister S. R. there is a tender Plant in her I do feel it to my comfort praises be to the Lord. I am in health I praise the Lord and do want nothing the Lord is my portion I cannot want he hath deck't my Table richly he hath annointed my head with Balm it runneth down the skirts of my cloathing Written in the Inquisition-Prison at the Isle of Malta a sufferer for the Seeds sake Farewel at this time Amen Your dear Sister in the Lord SARAH CHEVERS Another from K. E. to her Husband and Children with somewhat from both the Lords Prisoners to Friends the which was taken with the rest of the Letters in the Inquisition and copied out for their Lord Inquisitor DEar Husband with my dear Children I beseech you together to wait in the patience having your minds alwayes staid upon the Lord Keep out of incumbrances for that is the Enemies opportunity to step in when the mind is gone forth and to vail the pure and darken the understanding and so hinder you of the pure enâ—oyment of the beholding the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Take no more upon you then you are able to perform in the Spirit of moderation and meekness for that is in the sight of God of of great prâ—ze See the Lord going before you in all your occasions that you may be prosperous in all youâ— undertakings wait diligently upon the Lord to be seasoned with his Grace that you may come to a pure understanding of the motions of his Eternal Spirit and to a true knowledge of the operation of his hands So you will be able with all Saints to comprehend what is the heigth and the depth and the length and the breadeth of the riches of his Grace and Love towards mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord Amen saith my spirit This is the counsel of the Lord unto you I do often remember M. H. I do desire she may be brought up in the fear of God and want for nothing that is convenient for her salute me to her dearly I have been very sensible dear Husband of thine and our Children and many dear friends more of your sorrowful souls mourning hearts grieved spirits troubled minds for us as being Members of one body Christ Jesus bâ—ing our Hâ—â—d we must needs suffer together that we may 〈◊〉 together a true sorrow begets a true â—oy a true Cross a true Crown We do believe it is our heavenly Fathers will and purpose to bring us back as safe to England as ever he brought us thence for his own glory though we are some of the least of Christ's Flock yet we do belong to the true Fold and our Shepherd hath had as great a care of us as he could have for any of his Lambs and hath brought us through great affliction praises be given to his glorious Nâ—mâ— of us and you and all that know him for ever Though we are absent in body in the Will of God from you yet we are present â—n spirit in the Will of God with you and do receive the benefit of all your prayers daily and do feel the Springs of Liâ—e that do stream from all the faithful hearted to our great refreshment and strengthening After our money was gone the Lord Inquisitor with the rest in Authority put a great allowance in one of their servants hands for our maintenance bâ—cause we could take no money our selves the Lord of Heaven did forbid us to meddle with any and he did send to know whether we did want any clothes he would send it to the Prison to us This was the large love of our God to us and we were made contented with that we had till the Lord God who is rich in mercy and full of all Grace and is never unmindful of any which trust in his Name of his everlasting love did send his faithful Messenger whose feet are beautiful and â—ace is comely cloathed with a bright shining Garment from the Crown of the head to the sole or the foot and came in great power and strength indeed armed with the whole Armour of Light and drest in the Majesty of the Mostâ—High and being commissioned of the Higher Power went to the Lord Inquisitor to demand our lawful liberty which would not be granted except we could get some English Merchants of Legorn or Messaena to engage four thousands Dollers that we should never come into those parts again the Lord who alone is our Life and Redeemer moved our dear Brother to offer his own body to redeem ours but it would not be received then he offered to lay down his own dear and precious life for our liberty Greater love can no man have than to lay down his life for his Friend the Lord will restore it into his bosom double his service can never be blotted out his Name is called Daniel Baker his outward being is near London a right dear and precious heart he is The blessing strength and power of the Almighty be upon him and his and overshadow them for ever Amen Greater comfort could never be administred to us in our conditions Glory honor and praise to our God for evermore Amen This is a dear and sweet Salutation in that which never changeth fadeth
the Lord of Life to them after I had offered up my body and to lay down my life for these poor innocents my dear friends and so with my voice I saluted them in the Lord's Truth as they stood at the prison-Grates with these words in the behalf of the general Assembly of the Saints in light to wit The whole Body of God's Elect right dearly owneth your Testimony and you are a sweet savour unto the Lord and his people And forasmuch as one of these poor afflicted Lambs replied and said on this wise as if it was a trouble to them that they could not be more serviceable Then my heart being melted and my bowels of pity mercy and compassion being moved I said That it was a wonderful mercy of the Lord in as much as they were preserved in their own measure of Truth and pure innocency for which my heart praised the Lord for what mine eye saw which right dearly affected my heart and we were well refreshed at that season in the sweet presence of our living God albeit our bodies were at a distance but so as we could behold each others face through the Prison bars of Iron in the Inquisition Now for so much as in the Wisdom of God it is seen meet that the fore-mentioned and following Writings which came from their hands might appear to publike view that thereby every Member of the one Body may have a right understanding and not onely so but also a sensible feeling not onely of the trials and sufferings in part of these innocent Lambs but also of the consolations of each other as fellow-Members of the infinite Body of which Christ Jesus the Lord is both King and Head in whom be endless dominion and pure glory and eternal salvation Amen And so I being as it were constrained to publish the acceptable Words that sound and savor of pure innocency and clear truth for the Elect's sake in the same Love and Life I am the more free hereunto even as a Child that differs but little from a servant as I am in the Father's Love Power and Grace of Life fitted to serve the undefiled Life of the least in the Kingdom of Blessedness and to administer comfort or what else I have received from the Eternal Fountain or Fulness for the use or service of either Body Mind Soul or Spirit of my own Flesh or Family seeing no man ever hated his own Flesh and he is worse than an Infidel that provideth not for his own Family especially them of his own House This is a sweet Salutation to God's Elect Church in England and Ireland RIght dear precious and Heavenly ones whose Beauty shineth bright and at whose Name the hearts of the Heathen do tremble We who through the everlasting Mercies of our God are Members of the same Body and are held in strait Captivity and hard Bondage for witnessing forth the same Testimony and Covenant of pure Light Life and Truth of our God with you dear and faithful ones indeed We here in the same Covenant of pure Love and Bowels of tenderness do dearly salute and embrace you all glorifying and praising our Eternal Father for you all who hath counted us worthy to partake of the fellowship and sufferings for the Bodies sake with you in tribulations fiery trials manifold temptations fastings watchings heats and colds and cruel threatning and persecutions perils by Sea and perils by Land standing in jeopardy of our lives year after year and looking every hour day and night for many Weeks together when we should be brought out to Execution but though Proclamation was made and they came up to the very Caâ—e with a Drum and Musquets to fetch us out to destroy us yet the Lord God of everlasting strength who in the deepest of all dangers and greatest extremity when all hopes were past did but blow upon them with the breath of his nostrils and they did flye as dust before the Wind for which we do entreat all Friends to glorifie our God on our behalf for never did the Lord our God work greater deliverance for any than he hath done for us from time to time who are the least and weakest for what we know that ever the Lord our God sent forth in so great weighty a Work but all things are possible with him who made and created all things it is he alone which carrieth on his own work by his own mighty Power and the glory shal be his own for evermore Amen Oh our dearly beloved Friends did you know but the third part of the afflictions the Lord our God hath carried us through you would say The Lord hath wrought as great a Miracle in our preservation as ever he did in raising Lazarus out of the Grave And in the greatest of our afflictions we could not say in our hearts Father would thou hadst not brought us here but cryed mightily to our God for power to carry us through whatsoever should be inflicted upon us that the Truth of our God might not suffer through our weakness And the Lord did hear us and answered us in righteousness and carried uâ— on with all boldness and made our fore-heads as Flint and our Brows as Brass in the faces of our Enemies that whensoever we were brought forth upon trial all fear was taken away that we stood as Iron-Gates and Castle-Walls in the faces of our Enemies so that they said we would fain be burned but we answered No we would not willingly be burned but if our Heavenly Father doth call us to suffer in that kind for his Name sake he will give us power to go through it and we have great cause to believe it for our Lord God never called us to do any service for him but he gave us power and made way for his own Work glory and praise be to his holy Name for ever Dearly beloved friends marvel not why Israel is not gathered in all this time it is not for want of labour nor travel nor grief nor pain fasting nor mourning nor weeping nor love to their souls but it is because of the great oppression For here are a willing people but they dare not until the Lord make way for them Truly Friends we have not been idle since we saw your faces nor have we had much ease to the flesh but do travel night and day for Sion's prosperity and perfect joy and for the reparation of Jerusalem and her pure praise though our sorrows are deep and our afflictions grievous yet we do wait with patience to reap the peaceable fruits of righteousness and enjoy the benefit of our uprightness Praises be to our God for ever he hath kept us by his power and holiness that our Enemies have not one jot or tittle against us but for the Truth of our God and that we could not join with them so they would not suffer us to have one line of refreshment but stript us out of all so that we could not
in remembrance of him for ever here he came up and down to administer to us with his Life in his hand time after time So the Lord God of Power reward him double into his bosome for ever Oh how did he refresh our souls spirits minds and bodies through great tryals which is never to be forgotten Written in the Inquisition at Malta in the 11th Month of the year 1661. By us Katharine Evans Sarah Chevers Who have suffered for the living testimony of Jesus and his pure Innocency in Bonds tryals and tribulations more than three years to this day A short Relation of some more of their exceeding great Tryals and Temptations NOw in short time after we were taken Prisoners we were stung with Flyes called Muskatoes in our faces and our heads as we lay in our Beds that were swollen as if we had the small-Pox so that all people were afraid of us save the English Consul they thought we had been unclean persons so that a Fryar told Sarah he saw an evil spirit in her face which was a great trial they could not sleep in their beds in the house they were so tormented we were told that they had seen them that did pray and preach every day were burnt for Witches in a short time and they would keep us to see our lives and conversations and so they have And glory beto our God they cannot lay guilt to our charge but are made to confess the truth In a few days after we were there in a Vision in the night the Lord appeared unto me and shewed me that round about us and above and beneath us there were many Magicians of Aegypt and the Lord smote me and said unto me The Devil hath desired to winnow you as Wheat but pray that your faith faâ— not And the sight was very dreadful and terrible and the voice of the Lord did awaked me with much trembling and amazement and a great War for the space of twelve hours before I could get the victory and we did witness but little ease to the flesh night nor day We went in obedience to the Lord to one of their Tower-Houses in time of their Worship and stood trembling in the midst of them and I was made to turn my back to the high Altar and kneel down and lift up my voice in prayer unto the Lord and he that was saying Service drew off his Surplice and kneeled a little beside us till I had done and he reacht forth his hand to us to come to him and offered me a token and the Lord shewed me it was the Mark of the Beast And I refused it and he put it into Sarah's hand and she gave it him again and shewed him her Purse that she had to give if any had need And he asked if we were Calvinists or Lutherans And we said Nay And he asked if we would go to Rome to the Pope But we denied And he asked if we were Catholicks And we told him We were true Christians the servants of the living God And many of them were amazed and came round about us We having but little of their Tongue gave our Testimony for the Lord in words and signs as well as we could and they were made subject to the Power at that present praises be given to our God and we departed in peace And since that the Lord laid such a heavy burthen upon us that we did question what he would do with us before we knew the mind of God in it And upon a set-day they had a great Meeting to take their holy Sacrament as they call it in a high place but we knew nothing of it nor where it was but what the Lord revealed to us And we were made to go in and stand in the midst and there were many lights in divers places and many Christs as they call them and much costliness and abominations of the Earth they had so many sorts of holy Garments as they call them of so many colours that it would make one wonder how the Devil did invent it And there we were made to stand in the midst for the space of three parts of an hour as near as I can judge in great power trembling and quaking and bitter mourning so that they were all amazed and some removed further for fear but knew not what to do for I never did witnesse such an Earthquake In the end one came soberly and spake to us to go â—orth and we went in the Lord's time and sate at the door trembling and mourning to the astonishment of them and being so overcome with their abominations we went along the street reeling to and fro and staggering like drunken men so that we were a wound to all that saw us It was the wonderful Power of God that made way for us to go forth to them and kept us They have used all the Craft they have day and night to Inchant us as the Lord hath made it known unto us Glory and prayses bee to his everlasting Name for ever more We know that there is no Inchantment against Jacob nor divination against Israel Dearly beloved friends Wee dearly salute you all in the inuisable life of ouâ— God who is our life our peace our stay and strength under whose shaddow wee are Refreshed praises glory and honour be given unto his powerful name of all his for ever Truly friends we are not able to declare the large mercies of our God vouchsafed unto us from time to time his born is our strength and his Name our strong Tower in all our troubles temptations trials and sufferings he is a God at hand and not afar off and doth make us sensible before-hand by Visions and Revelations what is coming upon us and doth arm us with his own Armouâ—â— and makes us as bold as Lyons for we fear not the face of man because we know we shall not suffer any thing but what shall make for the glory of our God but truly we had fainted long ago had not the Lord upheld us by his free Spirit but we know the Lord taketh care of the least of them that trust him Praises be unto him for ever Dear Friends though we be abâ—ent in body yet we are present in spirit and do feel you in that which cannot be separated as we abide faithful and are much refreshed in you and the remembrance of you is precious unto us Oh! that all our Friends could prise the company and the sight of each others faces We do not want the company of Fryars Jesuits and Magistrates nor great women Here are some that have breathing after life but they dare not shew it for the same thing that was is they will not enter in themselves nor suffer them that would The Lord Inquisitor sent to us that if we would being we are good Women we should go into the Nunnery among the holy Women and be maintained as long as we live in regard we have denied the World
fear from us and multiplied our strength and gave us power and boldness to plead for the truth of the Lord Jesus and Wisdom of Words to stop the mouths of the gain-sayers that they vvould be made to say we spake truth they could never say otherwise But they vvould say We had not the true faith but we had all virtues Oh dear heart if it be our Eternal Father's good pleasure to carry thee away vvithout us vve do beseeh our Heavenly Father to bless and to give thee a prosperous return and to seed thee with the fulness of the blessing of the povverful Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ Amen And vve do believe vve shall not vvant thy prayers nor the prayers of all the faithful that we may keep faithful to the end so that our God may be glorified his Church and People may be refreshed and rejoiced and we may receive our Reward with the rest of the Lord's Lambs Our Life is with thee for oh thou art full of Love thou tender-hearted one vvho hath offered up thy sanctified body and purified life in obedience to the Lord for us poor afflâ—cted lambs vvith thee and companions in tribulations trials and persecutions and in perils at Sea and perils by Land Oh thou precious Lamb of God great is thy Reward in Heaven great will be the Well-spring of joy that vvill arise in thee in thy Journey Oh thou happy one indeed vvhom the Lord our God hath made choice of amongst his faithful Flock and endued with so much povver to come into such a place as this not the like in all Europe by their own report and all others and to stop the mouths of Lyons and to trample upon the heads of Serpents Scorpions and Vipers of the Earth and they could not hurt thee their stings are taken out of their heads and out of their tails glory honor and everlasting praises be given to our God for evermore of all that know him for he is worthy And the Lord bless thee and thine for ever Amen and encrease thy strength and multiply thee abundantly in every good gift and Grace and prosper all thy undertakings that thou mayest be approved for ever before the King of Saints in the General Assembly of the Most High and stand before the Throne of his Majesty vvith joy unspeakable and full of glory Amen Amen saith our spirits Dearly beloved pray for us that we fall not nor fail whereby our Enemies may have any advantage to rejoice and say We served a God that could not serve us and called upon a God that could not deliver us as if we were like them to call upon stocks stones pictures and painted Walls and dead thing that cannot see hear nor speak through their throats We do beseech thee to tel all our dear Friends Fathers and Elders the Pillars of the spiritual Building with all the rest of our Christian Brethren that we do desire their Prayers for we have need of them OH How strong and powerful's our KING To all that do believe in him He doth preserve them from the Snare And seeth of those that would them tear We that are sufferers for the Seed Our Hearts are wounded and do bleed To see th' Oppression and Cruâ—lty Of men that do thy Truth deny In Dungeons strong and Dungeons deep To God alone we cry and weep Our sorrows none can read nor learn But those that have past through the same But he whose Beauty shineth bright Turneth darknesse into Light Maketh Câ—dars to bow and Oaks to bend To him that 's sent to the same end He is a Fountain pure and clear His Chrystal Streams runs far and near To cleanse all those which come to him For to be healed of their sin All them that do patiently abide And never swerve nor go aside The Lord will them deliver out of all Captivity Bondage and Thrall LEt E. C. know That his Exhortations I do dearly embrace and do witness it to be an Eternal Truth I have had large experience of it the Lord hath carried me on in much difficult Service so that many times the vvay hath been stopt up that to the eye of Reason I could not have a way made both by Sea and Land Oh if thou didst but know what experience I had of the mighty hand of the Lord in making a way thou wouldst wonder Once my vvay was stopt and my persecution vvas so hot that I sate in a Field all night to wait upon the Lord to make way for me to do the Work he laâ—d upon me I could not get lodging for money in Town nor City it was at Salisbury where I was whipt in the Market And the next morning I went through the City by the Watchmen and they took no notice of me Wheresoever the Lord did send me into what Land or City or place soever if they did put me out never so oft he would make me go till I got victory save in the Isle of Man there was a Souldier came to my bed side with a naked Sword and took me by the Arm and haâ—â—d me out of the Bed at the tenth hour of the night and carried me on Ship board When I put on my clothes I did not dare to rise That place lies upon me yet and I have motions to Edenburgh in Scotland I was never there the Lord did make me to do him servâ—ce to almost all the mighty men in England and Ireland insomuch that I cryed oft to my God saying Lord What will thou do with me that am so foolish to go to such wise men If I were wise I did not care if thou didst carry me to the end of the Earth The Lord said the foolish things must confound the wise and he would carry me before the mightiest men in all the Earth to bear his Name before them and I should have victory wheresoever I went And I do believe the Lord and we both are made willing to wait the Lord's time which is a time of peace and joy safety and happiness And we do bless land praise and magnifie his holy Name that he sent so heavenly a Messenger to relieve strengthen comfort and refresh us in our great necessity which is a mercy beyond expression all Friends that do understand it will say so Glory and everlasting praises honor power and dominion be given to our Eternal Lord God for evermore of us and all that know him Amen Amen saith our spirit Oh true and faithful Brother into the Arms of everlasting power and holiness strength and mightiness purity and righteousness do we commit thee to be kept and preserved and prosperously carried on in thy Journey â—he powerful blessing peace joy and happiness of the Majesty of the Most High God go along with thee to preserve and protect thee for ever Amen Amen Pray for us dear heart that we may receive strength to overcome that we may sing the song of Moses and the Lamb and the
have most assuredly believed unto salvation And verily the Power and pure Presence of his Eternal Strength was with me through many hardships trials and tribulations the right hand of the hiding of his Power did sweetly guide strengthen support me even as it did and doth his Lambs whom he so send forth as among Wolves in his Dovelike innocency harmlesness wisdom which is as wise or rather wiser than the Serpents And this Scripture have I well witnessed fulfilled whilst travelling from one Nation to another people as my Father did in the ancient days And on this wise with three more Brethren so freely given up with one consent in the behalf of the Gospel everlasting that is now preaching again to the Nations Tongues and Kindreds We set forward the 16th of the third Month and we sweetly parted with our right dearly beloved Friends Brethren Fathers and near Relations that were flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone and from all our outward acquaintance and Native Countrey in the Will Love and Spirit of our God in the same day from Graveseâ—d we set forth and at the end of 44. days we arrived at Legorn in Italy where we gave a certain sound of our innocent service and Message of Salvation and of-its life and blessedness coming upon the Nations as a weight either to condemnation or justification as the same is received or rejected among them And thus as we had opportunity among the men of our own Nation the Jews and others we gave a sound and the blessing of the God of Heaven and his Presence was with us whether the Nations of men did hear or forbear but the Witness of God in sundry was reached and the same answered in us And herein we are so far well satisfied whilst others were hardened who defied us and our Testimony as their uncircumcised Fathers always did resist and gain say the truth that saves from sin and so finally from its condemnation And it came to pass after that we had waited upon the Lord to understand his good will and pleasure he answered us in the joy of our hearts and we received his counsel and communicated of the same to each other's satisfaction in the love of God in which we were wel confirmed to obey the same until the death as the Lord our God might have permitted for his Name 's sake who then further ordained us to be separated viz John Stubs and Henry Fell to pass on towards Alexandria and my dear brother and companion Richard Scostrop with me to pass Eastward to Smyrna and Constantinople in Asia and after a little season we parted in the goodness of God And when 24. dayes were finished having in the mean time touched a little season at the Island Zant we arrived at Smyrna But behold it came to pass immediately at out coming there was not a little stir together with the evil surmizings and what else arising up as a flood with threatnings breathed forth from the Apostate Christians especially men of no small degree of our own Nation against us when Turks Jew Greeks Heathens and others were not altogether so evil affected as to let us from the exercise of our Conscience void of offence towards God and man and so to hold forth the example of the harmless Life and unblameable Conversation in all equitableness in Doctrine Life and Practice of what we professed in the midst of them But oh how the Christians by Name in Asia who should first have received the Word of saving-health how did they defie and reproach not onely us but our living Testimony and Message of Blessedness which day by day was sounded in their ears notwithstanding the Lord God lay not what they did against us to their charge when they have most need of Mercy and Peace with God if happily repentance unto life be witnessed by them who know not what they did yea and my spirit is ready to say Amen for their sakes that hated us without a cause as the same unbelieving nature did our Lord and Maâ—â—er whom we love serve and honor in the same and therefore keep his sayings which are not grievous to us in that one and the self-same Spirit which reproves the World for sin in which we worship him as the Father the which guideth into all truth from all evil concerning which we wel admonished their minds to subject to the one and to avoid and turn from the other each having their proper effects attending them as anguish woes judgements and disquietments upon the soul and conscience that doth evil and contrariwise blessings peace glory honor and the goodness of God attending the soul of man which worketh good in the Light of the same excellent Spirit of God which exerciseth the Conscience in temperance and sobriety meekness and gentleness of Christ. And on this wise we besought the men of our own Nation together with many more in them parts that they may become a sweet savour of the pure life of Christ and Christianity indeed and in truth which tends to answer the Witness of the Eternal God manifest in Turks Greeks Jews Heathens and Apostate Christians among the dark Nations where they have their conversation Yet I am constrained to express somewhat of their manner of dealing with us to our good Wherefore men of reasonable and honorable understanding may bear with me to the end that the honest-hearted may be informed to beware of a persecuting Spirit which is not of God neither ever was it born of him Their threatnings encreased daily and they burthened themselves exceedingly with us whose deportment and behaviour they were made to confess to as did the Consul and divers others which in truth they could not say otherwise but that it was temperate innocent harmless and unblameable in our conversation Magnified be the Lord and blessed be his Grace of Life by which we in submission to the same were guided herein But because our Testimony was not for but against whatsoever might be said in truth to be evil unjust or unequitable which is dishonorable therefore were we hated of the high and lofty to the disquieting of their own rest day and night because they burthened themselves so with the truth and innocency of the Lord's Testimony which our Life held forth among them who received not the same in his love that they migâ—t be saved not onely from sin but also from the wrath to come So they forthwith sent a Message from Smyrna to the great City Constantinople to the King's Embassador of England and besought him to expel us out from among them of Asia that we might not have a being in the extent of their Authority in visiting them on this wise as by the annexed Warrant thou that reads the same may understand A Copy of the Warrant which they produc't and prosecuted WHereas we are informed that there is lately arrived with the Zant Frigot one Daniel Baker with his Companion commonly called Quakers