called us and not protected us hath he given Power to conceive and not to bring forth hath he not sheltered us in many a Storm did he ever leave us under the Reproaches and Contradictions of Men nay hath he not spoken Peace to us were we ever cast out by Men and he forsook us No the Lord hath taken us up Were we ever in Prison and he visited us not hungry and he fed us not naked and he clothed us not or have we been sick and he came not to see us When were the Jails so close that he could not come in and the Dungeons so dark that he caused not his Light to shine upon us O nay he hath never left us nor forsaken us yea he hath provided richly for us he hath brought us into the Wilderness not to starve us but to try us yet not above our measure For he fed us with Manna from on high with pure Honey and Water out of the Rock and gave his good Spirit to sustain us By Night he was a Pillar of Fire to us to comfort us and by Day a Pillar of Cloud to hide and shelter us He was a Shadow of a mighty Rock that followed us and we never wanted a Brook by the way to refresh us Was God good to Israel outward Much more hath he abounded to his spiritual Israel the proper Seed and Off-spring of himself O the noble Deeds and valiant Acts that he hath wrought in our Day for our Deliverance He hath caused One to chase Ten and Ten an Hundred and an Hundred a Thousand many a Time None hath been able to snatch us out of his Hands who abode in his Truth For though the Winds have blown and the Sea hath raged yet hath he rebuked the Winds and the Sea for his Seed's sake He hath said to the Winds Be still and to the Sea Thus far shalt thou come and no further He hath cast up a high Way for his Ransomed to walk in so plain that though a Fool he shall not err therein This is the Light in which all Nations of them that are saved must walk for ever And therefore Friends let us stay our Minds in the Light of the Lord for ever and let the Awe Fear and Dread of the Almighty dwell in us and let his Holy Spirit be known to be a Covering to us that from the Spirit of this World we may be chastly kept and preserved unto God in the holy Light and Self-denying Life of Jesus who hath offered up himself once for all leaving us an Example that we should also follow his Steps that as he our dear Lord and Master so we his Servants and Friends and Children might by the eternal Spirit offer up our selves to God in Body in Soul and in Spirit which are his that we may be his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works to the Praise of him that hath called us which Calling is an high and an holy Calling by the eternal Light and Spirit in our Consciences O that it might for ever remain in high Estimation with us and that it may be the daily Watch and Travel of us all in the Presence of the Holy and Living God that hath called us to make our great Call and Election sure which many have neglected to do who have been convinced by the blessed Light and Truth of Christ Jesus revealed in their Hearts and who for a time have walked among us have been overcome by the Spirit of this World and turned their Hands from the Plough and deserted the Camp of the Lord and gone back into Egypt again whereby the Heathens have blasphemed and the Way and People of the Lord greatly have suffered Therefore O my dear Friends and Brethren in the Sense of that Life and Power that God from Heaven so gloriously hath dispensed among us and by which he hath given us multiplied Assurances of his Loving-kindness unto us and crowned us together with heavenly Dominion and in which my Spirit is at this time broken before the Lord do I most earnestly entreat you to watch continually lest any of you that have tasted of the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come fall by Temptation and by Carelesness and Neglect tempt the living God to withdraw his fatherly Visitation from any of you and finally to desert such for the Lord our God is a jealous God and he will not give his Glory unto another He hath given to Man all but Man himself and him he hath reserved for his own peculiar Service to build him up a glorious Temple to himself so that we are bought with a Price and we are not our own Therefore let us continually watch and stand in awe that we grieve not his Holy Spirit nor turn his Grace into Wantonness But all of us let us wait and that in a holy travail of Spirit to know our selves sealed by the Spirit of Adoption unto the Day of our compleat Redemption when not only all our Sins but all Sorrows Sighings and Tears shall be wiped away from our Eyes and everlasting Songs of Joy and Thanksgivings shall melodiously fill our Hearts to God that sits upon the Throne and to his blessed immaculate Lamb who by his most precious Blood shall have compleatly redeemed us from the Earth and written our Names in the Book of Life Friends The Spirit of the Lord hath often brought you into my Remembrance since I have been in this desolate Land and with Joy unutterable have I had sweet and precious Fellowship with you in the Faith of Jesus that overcometh the World For though absent in Body yet present in him that is Omnipresent And I can truly say you are very near and very dear unto me and the Love that God hath raised in my Heart unto you surpasses the Love of Women And our Testimony I am well satisfied is sealed up together And I am well assured that all that love the Light shall endure to the End throughout all Tribulations and in the End obtain Eternal Salvation And now Friends as I have been travelling in this dark and solitary Land the great Work of the Lord in the Earth has been often presented unto my view and the Day of the Lord hath been deeply upon me and my Soul and Spirit hath frequently been possessed with an holy and weighty Concern for the Glory of the Name of the Lord and the spreading of his everlasting Truth and the Prosperity of it through all Nations that the very Ends of the Earth may look to him and may know Christ the Light to be given to them for their Salvation And when the Sense of these things hath been deeply upon me an holy and strong Cry God hath raised in my Soul to him That we who have known this fatherly Visitation from on High and who have beheld the Day of the Lord the Rising of the Sun of Righteousness who is full of Grace and full of Truth
AN ACCOUNT OF W. Penn ' s TRAVAILS IN HOLLAND and GERMANY Anno MDCLXXVII For the Service of the Gospel of Christ by way of Journal Containing also Divers Letters and Epistles writ to several Great and Eminent Persons whilst there London Printed and Sold by T. Sowle near the Meeting-House in White-Hart-Court in Grace-Church-Street and at the Croked-Billet in Holy-well-lane near Shoreditch 1694. THE Preface to the Reader THis Ensuing Journal of my Travils in Holland and Germany in the Service of the Gospel of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was written for my own and some Relations and perticular Friends Satisfaction as the long time it hath lain silent doth show But a Copy that was found amongst the late Countess of Connaway's Papers falling into the Hands of a Person that much frequented that Family he was earnest with me both by himself and others to have leave to Publish it for a Common Good Which upon perusal I have found a willingness to comply with hoping that the Lord will make the Reading of it Effectual to some into whose Hands it may Fall as well those who have received a Dispensation of the same Ministry for Their Encouragement in their Publick Service for God as those who are under the same Ministry unto Zeal and Faithfulness For it is the Glorious Gospel-Day in which God is Exalting his Dear Son as Prophet Priest and King in the Hearts of his People Oh that the Nations would hear him their only Saving Health and Israels great Shepherd who takes care of his Sheep that hear his Voice and gives unto them that follow him in the daily Cross unto Regeneration Eternal Life And who hath sent and is sending forth his Servants to gather home the Sheep that are gone astray in all Nations that so there may be but One Shepherd and One Sheepfold according to the Glorious Promise made to these latter Times In which he would be the Teacher of his People himself For he is Teaching thousands by the Light Spirit and Grace of his Son Christ in whom he is well pleased To this God hath sent forth his Servants in this Day to turn all People as God's Call and Visitation to the Nations And blessed are all those that Hearken to this Testimony both Mediately and Immediately For God is awakening Men to the Knowledge of his Glory in the Face or Appearance of Christ by his Spirit in their Hearts and Consciences which reveal to Men the Father yea the deep things of God Oh that they would Hear and Fear and Learn the things that make for their Eternal Peace For if the Righteous scarcely are saved where O where shall they appear that neglect so great Salvation A Salvation that comes so neer them as to knock at the door of their Hearts that teaches them and trys their Reins and tells unto them their most inward Thoughts and brings a Time of Judgment over all their Words and Works This is Christ Jesus the Light of the World that was given of God for Salvation to the ends of the Earth He has Enlightned all and Shines to all and Calls all that they should see their Sins and be sorry for them and forsake them and take up his dayly Cross and follow him whom God hath given for an Example as well as a Propitiation for our Sins And none can know him to be their Propitiation that rejest him as their Example and Leader in their Lives and Conversations Wherefore Reader be Serious Inward and Inquisitive for thy Souls Sake What Faith hast thou One that over-comes the World or one that the Spirit of the World over-comes which is not the Faith of God's Elect without which we cannot please God For that Faith works by love Such a love to God as will not affend him but seeks his Glory through a most willing Obedience to his Holy Will Blessed are the Souls in which this love dwells For such have none in Heaven but God nor in the Earth in comparison of him As they receive all good from him so they resign all up to him and tho' it be through many Tribulations that they must attain the rest of God yet as nothing can seperate them from his love so neither can anything deprive them of their Reward in the End Wherefore Reader be thou perswaded to take thy Lot among that blessed Number if thou art not yet one of them Thou seest the way to that Divine Priviledge walk in it for the End Crowns all If one of that number that have chosen God for their Portion be Diligent Zealous and fervent in the Work and Service of God Redeem thy Time and Run thy Race with care and constancy looking to Jesus the Author that he may be the Finisher of thy Faith Remember who said there are many Mansions prepared for the Faithful Do we beleive and look for another World Let us not then live in this as if there were no other Let our Eyes be upon our better World and live here as Strangers that are but on our way to our Eternal Home that so we may Answer the End of God's Love by working out the Salvation of our own Souls by his Power with fear and Trembling knowing God will Judge all by Christ Jesus according to the Deeds done in the Body Reader this Journal is of a Religious Voyage and has some passages in it that may Engage thy Soul to Seriousness and let the see how Good God is to those that go of his Holy Errands May'st thou be heartily affected with this Testimony of his Love and Presence with his People and feel good desires raised in thee to serve the Lord also according to his blessed will in thy day that Peace thou may'st know to thy Soul when time here shall be no more I am Thy assured Friend in the best Things W. Penn. AN ACCOUNT OF MY JOURNEY INTO Holland and Germany BEING the First Day of the Week I left my Dear Wife and Family at Worminghurst in Sussex in the Fear and Love of God and came well to London that Night The next day I Emploied my self on Friends behalf that were in Sufferings till the Evening and then went to my own Mothers in Essex The next Morning I took my Journey to Colchester and met George Wats of London upon the Way who returned with me and came well to that Town that Evening We lodged at John Furly's the Elder but had a Blessed Meeting at Jonathan Furly's House that Night The next Morning early I left Colchester and came to Harwich about Nine accompanied with George Wats and John Furly the Elder William Tallcoat and J. Whiterly of Colchester where we found dear G. F. at J. Vanderwall's House with many more Friends After Dinner we went all to the Meeting where the Lord gave us a Blessed Earnest of his Love ' and Presence that should be with us in this Voyage for his overcoming refreshing Power did open all
manner of the Ancient Christians that were the true Followers of Jesus and with Godly fear and a retired Mind to wait upon God and Meditate in his Holy Law of Life that he hath writ in our Hearts according to his New Covenant-Promise that he may Feed us Teach us Strengthen us and Comfort us in our inward Man and as by this Holy Spirit according to the Practice of the Churches of Old any are inclined or moved to Reprove Exhort Admonish Praise or Pray we are found exercised in these Holy Practices Now O Prince give us poor Christians leave to Expostulate with Thee Did Christ Jesus or his Holy Followers endeavour by Precept or Example to set up their Religion with a Carnal Sword Called he any Troops of Men or Angels to defend him Did he encourage Peter to dispute his escape with the Sword But did he not say put it up Or did he countenance his over zealous Disciples when they would have had Fire from Heaven to destroy those that were not of their Mind No but did not Christ rebuke them saying ye know not what Spirit ye are of And if it was neither Christ's Spirit nor their own Spirit that would have Fire from Heaven Oh! what is that Spirit that would kindlâ—â—ire on Earth to destroy such as peaceably dissent upon the account of Conscience if we may not wish that God would smite Men of other judgments because they differ from us in which there is no use of Carnal Weapons can we so far deceive our selves as to esteem our selves Christians and Followers of Christ whilst we incourage Men with Worldly Weapons to persecute such as dissent from us O King When did the true Religion Persecute When did the true Church offer Violence for Religion Were not her Weapons Prayers Tears and Patience Did not Jesus conquer by those Weapons and vanquish Cruelty by Suffering Can Clubs and Staves and Swords and Prisons and Banishments reach the Soul convert the Heart or convince the understanding of Man When did violence ever make a true Convert Or bodily punishments a sincere Christian This maketh void the end of Christ's coming which is to save Men's lives and not to â—estroy them to perswade them and noâ—â—o force them yea it robbeth God's Spiâ—it of its Office which is to convince the World that is the Sword by which the Ancient Christians overcame It was the Apostle's Testimony that their Weapons were not Carnal but Spiritual but the Practice of their pretended Successors proveth that there Weapons are not Spiritual but Carnal Suppose we are Tares as the true Wheat hath alwaies been called yet pluck us not up for Christ's Sake who saith Let the Tares and the Wheat grow together until the Harvest that is till the End of the World let God have his due as well as Caesar the judgment of Conscience belongeth to him and mistakes about Religion are best known to him And here give us leave to mind thee of a noble Saying of one of thy Ancestors Stephen King of Poland I am King of Men not of Consciences King of Bodies not of Souls and there have been found and still are among the Emperors Kings Princes and States of the World some that have had that noble Spirit of indulging their Conscientious dissenting Subjects and not only with Gamaliel and Gallio not to persecute but also eminently to protect and defend them from the Hatred and Violence of their Enemies Be not then less Noble than they consider how Quietly and Comfortably our Friends live under other Governments And indeed we conceive it to be the Prudence of the Kings and States of the World for if the wise Man say true The Glory of a Prince is in the Multitude of his People but this Practice saith No the Glory of a Prince is in the Conformity of the People to the Canons of the Clergy which seemeth to strike at all Civil Society which consisteth in Men of Virtue Parts Arts and Industry But let Men have never such excellent Abilities be never so Honest Peaceable and Industrious all which render them good and profitable Subjects to the Prince yet they must not live within their Native Country unless they will sacrifice the Peace of their Consciences by an Hypocritical Submission to the Canons and Fashions of the Church Is not this O Prince to set the Church above the State The Bishop above the King to waste and give away the Strength and Glory of a Kingdom O that thou mayest be wise even in thy Generation and use the Power that God hath given thee for God and Truth and Righteousness that therein thou mayest be like unto God who Peter telleth us Accepteth of all that fear him and work Righteousness throughout the World whose Sun shineth upon all whose Rain cometh upon all And least any should be so injurious to us as to render us Enemies to Civil Government Be it known unto thee O King that we Honour all Men in the Lord not with the vain invented Honours of this World but with the true and solid Honour that cometh from above but much more Kings and those whom God hath â—laced in Authority over us for we beâ—ieve Magistracy to be both Lawfull and â—sefull for the Terrifying of all Evil Doâ—rs and the Praise and Encouragement â—f those that do well The Premises duely Considered we â—ntreat thee O Prince to take our suffering Case into thy serious Regard and bâ— that Power and Influence thou hadst with the Magistrates of this City to recommend our suffering Condition to their serious Consideration that we may no longer lie under these not only Vnchristian but Vnnatural Severities but receive that speedy and effectual Relief which becometh Christian Magistrates to give to their own sober and Christian People The first day of the Week being come the Meeting began about the Eleventh Hour and held till about the Fourth Hour in the Afternoon There was a mighty Concourse of People from several places of this Country and that of several Perswasions Baptists Presbyterians Socinians Seekers c. and God was with his People and his Word of Life and Power of Wisdom and Strength covered them yea the hidden things both of Esau and Jacob the mystery both of Iniquity and Godliness were opened and declared in the Demonstration of the Eternal Spirit that day and O Blessed and Magnified be the Name of the Lord that hath not only not left himself but also his Servants not without a Witness Oh he is worthy to be Lov'd and Fear'd and Obey'd and Reverenced for ever The next day G.K. R.B. B.F. and my self having taken our leave of dear G.F. and Friends took Boat for Naerden where we Arrived about the Second Hour in the Afternoon and after having Eaten we took our leave of those Friends that had Accompanied us hither and begun our Journey in the common Post-waggon to Osnaburg where we came the Fourth day following in the Evening We past
with the Joy of his Salvation giving us to remember and to speak one unto another of his blessed Witnesses in the Days past who wandred up and down like poor Pilgrims and Strangers on the Earth their Eye being to a City in the Heavens whose Builder and Maker is God Betwixt nine and ten we reached the Walls of Duysburgh but the Gates were shut and there being no Houses without the Walls we laid us down together in a Field receiving both natural and spiritual Refreshment blessed be the Lord. About three in the Morning we rose sanctifying God in our hearts that had kept us that Night and walked till five often speaking one to another of the great and notable Day of the Lord dawning upon Germany and of several Places of that Land that were almost ripe unto Harvest Soon after the Clock had struck five they opened the Gates of the City and we had not long got to our Inn but it came upon me with a sweet yet fervent Power to visit this prosecuted Countess with a Salutation from the Love and Life of Jesus and to open unto her more plainly the Way of the Lord which I did in this following Epistle And then followeth a Letter to her Father the Graef of Bruch and Falckensteyn To the Countess of Falckensteyn and Bruch at Mulheim My dear Friend JESUS the Immaculate Lamb of God grieved and crucified by all the Workers of Iniquity illuminate thy Understanding bless and be with thy Spirit for ever Tho unknown yet art thou much beloved for the sake of thy Desires and Breathings of Soul after the living God The Report whereof from some in the same State hath made deep impressions of true Kindness upon my Spirit and raised in me a very singular and fervent inclination to visit thee and the rather because of that Suffering and Tribulation thou hast begun to endure for the sake of thy Zeal towards God my self having from my Childhood been both a Seeker after the Lord and a great Sufferer for that Cause from Parents Relations Companions and the Magistrates of this World the remembrance whereof hath so much the more endeared thy Condition unto me and my Soul hath often in the sweet Sense and Feeling of the holy Presence of God and the precious Life of his dear Son in my Heart with great tenderness implored his Divine Assistance unto thee that thou mayst both be illuminated to do and made willing to suffer for his Name 's sake that the Spirit of God and of Glory may rest upon thy Soul And truly I can say I felt the good Will of God his holy Care and heavenly Visitations of Love to extend unto thee But one thing more especially lay upon my Spirit to have communicated unto thee which made me the more pressing for an Opportunity to speak with thee and that was this That thou shouldest have a true right and distinct Knowledg of thy own State and what that is which hath visited thee and in what thy Faith Patience Hope and Salvation stand where to wait and how to find the Lord and distinguish between that which is born of God and that which is not both with respect to thy self in all the Motions and Conceptions of thy Heart and with respect to others in their Religious Worships and Performances to the end that thou mayest not be deceived about the things relating to God's Kingdom and thy Eternal Peace this is of greatest weight Now know certainly that which hath discovered unto thee the Vanities of this World the Emptiness and the Fading of all earthly Glory the Blessedness of the Righteous and the Joy of the World that is to come is the Light of Christ Jesus wherewith he hath enlightned thy Soul for in him was Life and that Life is the Light of Mankind John 1.4 9. Thus God promiseth by the Prophet Isaiah to give him viz. for a Light to lighten the Gentiles and for his Salvation to the ends of the Earth So that Christ the Light is God's Gift and eternal Life is hid in him yea all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg who is the Light of the Gospel-Temple true Believers Rev. 21. And all that receive this Light into their Hearts and bring their Deed to it to see in what ground they are wrought whether in God or in the evil One and make this Blessed Light the Guide of their Life fearing with a holy Fear to do any thing that this Light manifests to be evil waiting and watching with a godly Care to be preserved blameless before the Lord I say all such become Children of Light and Witnesses of the Life of Jesus O blessed wilt thou be for ever if in the way of this Holy Light thy Mind walks to the end Let this that hath visited thee lead thee this Seed of Light and Life which is the Seed of the Kingdom yea 't is Christ the true and only Seed of God that visited my Soul even in my young Years that spread my Sins in order before me reproved me and brought godly Sorrow upon me making me often to weep in solitary Places saying within my Soul O that I knew the Lord as I ought to know him O that I served him as I ought to serve him yea often was there a great Concern upon my Spirit about my eternal State mournfully desiring that the Lord would give my Soul rest in the great Day of Trouble Now was all the Glory of the World as a Bubble yea nothing was dear to me that I might win Christ for the Love Friendship and Pleasure of this World was a Burden unto my Soul And in this seeking-state I was directed to the Testimony of Jesus in my own Conscience as the true shining Light giving me to discern the Thoughts and Intents of my own Heart and no fooner was I turned unto it but I found it to be that which from my Childhood had visited me though I distinctly knew it not and when I received it in the Love of it it shewed me all that ever I did and reproved all the unfruitful Works of Darkness judging me as a Man in the Flesh and laying Judgment to the Line and Righteousness to the Plummet in me And as by the brightness of his coming into my Soul he discovered the Man of Sin there upon his Throne so by the Breath of his Mouth which is the two-edged Sword of his Spirit he destroyeth his Power and Kingdom and having made me a Witness of that Death of the Cross he hath also made me Witness of his Resurrection So that in good measure my Soul can now say I am justified in the Spirit and though the State of Condemnation unto Death was glorious yet Justification unto Life was and is more glorious In this state of the new Man all is new behold new Heavens and a new Earth old things come to be done away the old Man with his Deeds put off Now new Thoughts new
through a very dark Country to that place yet I felt not so great a weight and suffering in my Spirit as six Years ago when I went through the same places At Osnabrug we had a little time with the Man of the Inn where we lay and left him several good Books of Friends in the Low and High Dutch Tongues to Read and to dispose of The next morning being the fifth day of the Week we set forward to Herwerden and came thither at Night This is the City where the Princess Elizabeth Palatine hath her Court whom and the Countess in Company with her it was especially upon us to Visit and that upon several Accompts 1. In that they are Persons seeking after the best things 2. That they are actually Lovers and Favourers of those that separate themselves from the World for the sake of Righteousness For the Princess is not only a private supporter of such but gave protection to De Labadie himself and his Company yea when they went under the reproachfull Name of Quakers about seven Years since This Man was a Frenchman that dissatisfied with the loosness and deadness of the French Protestants even at Geneva it self left them and came for Holland and so vehemently declaimed against the Apostacy of the Priests and People there that the Clergy were inraged and stir'd up the Magistrates against him and the rather because many followed him and several Women of great Quality Upon this the Princess giveth them an invitation and they came and were protected by her but since some miscarriages falling out in that place she thereupon in good measure withdrew her Favour from them and they removed into another place I was moved to Visit this Man and his Company six years ago and did see him and his two great Disciples but they would not suffer me to see the People which I laboured for I in that day saw the airiness and unstableness of the Man's Spirit and that a Sect-master was his Name and it was upon me both by Word of Mouth and Writing to let them know that the Enemy would prevail against them to draw them into inconvenient things if they came not to be stay'd in the Light of Jesus Christ and to know the Holy Silence and that at last they would come to fall out one with another and moulder away which is in some measure come to pass as I fear'd for I clearly perceived that though they had received some Divine Touches a danger there was they would run out with them and spend them like Prodigals not knowing then where to stay their Minds for daily Bread yea though they were something Angelical and like to the Celestial Bodies yet if they kept not their Station they would prove fallen Stars they moved not in the motion of him that had visited them but were fill'd with gross Mixtures and thereby brought forth mixt Births That is to say things not Natural but Monstrous In fine they were Shy of us they knew us not yet I believed well of some of the People for a good thing was stirring in them and in this Case was the Countess commendable in that she left all to have joined with a People that had a pretence at least to more Spirituality and Self-denial than was found in the National Religion she was bred up in for God had reacht her as she told me about Nine Years ago and that by an extraordinary way Now it seemed great pity to us that Persons of their Quality in the World should so willingly expose themselves for the false Quaker the reprobate Silver the Mixtures and that they should not be acquainted with the Life and Testimony of the true Quakers Now about a Year since R.B. and B.F. took that City in the way from Frederickstadt to Amsterdam and gave them a Visit in which they informed them somewhat of Friends Principles and recommended the Testimony of Truth to them as both a nearer and more certain thing than the utmost of De Labadie's Doctrine They left tender and loving Soon after this Getrueydt Dircks and Elizabeth Hendricks from Amsterdam visited them and obtained a Meeting with them improving that little way God by his Providence had made more closely to press the Testimony and though they especially the Countess made some Objections in relation to the Ordinances and certain Practices of Friends yet she seemed to receive at that time satisfaction from them These Visits have occasioned a Correspondence by way of Letter betwixt them and several of us wherein the Mistery of Truth hath been more clearly opened to their Understandings and they have been brought nearer into a waiting Frame by those Heavenly Directions they have frequently receiv'd by way of Epistles from several of us This Digression from the present History I thought not altogether unnessary or unpleasing But to Return being arrived at that City part of which is under her Government we gave her to understand it desiring to know what time next day would be most proper for us to Visit her She sent us word she was glad that we were come and should be ready to receive us the next Morning about the Seventh Hour The next morning being come which was the sixth day of the week we went about the time she had appointed us and found both her and the Countess ready to receive us which they did with a more than ordinary Expression of Kindness I can truly say it and that in God's fear I was very deeply and reverently affected with the Sense that was upon my Spirit of the great and notable day of the Lord and the breakings in of his Eternal Power upon all Nations and of the raising of the slain Witness to judge the World who is the Treasure of Life and Peace of Wisdom and Glory to all that receive him in the Hour of his Judgments and abide with him The Sense of this deep and sure Foundation which God is laying as the Hope of Eternal Life and Glory for all to Build upon fill'd my Soul with an Holy Testimony to them which in a living Sense was followed by my Brethren and so the Meeting ended about the Eleventh Hour The Princess intreated us to stay and Dine with her but with due regard both to our Testimony and to her at that time we refused it desiring if she pleased another opportunity that day which she with all chearfulness yielded to She her self appointing the Second Hour So we went to our Quarters and some time after we had Dined we returned The Meeting soon began there were several present besides the Princess and Countess it was at this Meeting that the Lord in a more eminent manner began to appear the Eternal Word shewed it self a Hammer at this day yea sharper than a two edged Sword dividing asunder between the Soul and the Spirit the Joints and the Marrow yea this day was all Flesh Humbled before the Lord it amazed one struck another broke another
Jesus said Fear not for it is my Father's good pleasure to give you a Kingdom And to be of this Flock you must become as Sheep and to be as Sheep you must become harmless and to become harmless you must hear and follow the Lamb of God as he is that blessed Light which discovereth and condemneth all the unfruitful Works of Darkness and maketh harmless as a Dove which word All leaveth not one Piccadillo or Circumstance undiscovered or unjudged and the word Darkness taketh in the whole Night of Apostacy and the word Vnfruitful is a plain Judgment against all those dark Works Wherefore out of them all come and be you separated and God will give you a Crown of Life which shall never fade away O! the lowness and meanness of those Spirits that despise or neglect the Joys and Glories of Immortality for the sake of the things which are â—een that are but Temporal debasing â—he Nobility of their Souls abandoning the Government of the Divine Spirit and embracing with all ardency of Affection the sensual Pleasures of this Life but such as persevere therein shall not enter into God's Rest for ever But this is not all that hindereth and obstructeth in the holy Way of Blessedness for there is the World's Fear as well as the World's Joy that obstructeth many or else Christ had not said Fear not to his little Flock The Shame of the Cross is a Yoke too uneasy and a Burden too heavy for Flesh and Blood to bear 't is true but therefore shall Flesh and Blood never enter into the Kingdom of God And not to them that are born of the Flesh but to those that are born of the Spirit through the Word of Regeneration is appointed the Kingdom and that Throne which shall judg the twelve Tribes of Israel and all the World The Lord perfect what he hath begun in you and give you Dominion over the Love and Fear of this World And my Friends if you would profit in the Way of God despise noâ— the Day of small things in youâ— selves Know this that to desire anâ— sincerely to breathe after the Lord iâ— a blessed State you must seek beforâ— you find Do you believe make noâ— haste extinguish not those small Beginnings by an over-earnest or impatient desire of Victory God's time is the best time be you faithful and your Conflict shall end with Glory to God and the Reward of Peace to your own Souls Therefore love the Judgment and love the Fire start not aside neither flinch from the scorchings of it for it will purify and refine you as Gold seven times tried then cometh the Stamp and Seal of the Lord upon his own Vessel Holiness to him for ever which he never gave nor will give to reprobate Silver the state of the Religious Worshippers of the World And herein be comforted that Sion shall be redeemed through Judgment and her Converts through Righteousness and after the appointed time of Mourning is over the Lord will give Beauty for Ashes the Oil of Joy for Mourning and the Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heaviness then shall you be able to say Who is he that condemneth us God hath justified us there is no Condemnation to us that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Wherefore my dear Friends walk not only not after the fleshly Lusts but also not after the fleshly Religions and Worships of the World for that that is not born of the Spirit is Flesh and all Flesh shall wither as the Grass and the Beauty of it shall fade away as the Flower of the Field before God's Sun that is risen and rising but the Word of the Lord in which is Life and that Life the Light of Men shall endure for ever and give Life Eternal to them that love and walk in the Light And I entreat you by the Love you have for Jesus have a care how you touch with fleshly Births or say Amen by Word or Practice to that which is not born of the Spirit for God is not to be found of that in your selves or others that calleth him Father and he hath never begotten it in them that Latitude and Conformity is not of God but secretly grieveth his Spirit and obstructeth the growth of the Soul in its Acquaintance and intimate Communion with the Lord. Without me saith Jesus you can do nothing and all that came before me are Thieves and Robbers If so O what are they that Pray Preach and Sing without Jesus and follow not him in those Duties but even in them crucify him O that I may find in you an Ear to hear and an Heart to perceive and embrace these Truths of Jesus And I can say I have great cause to hope and patiently to wait till the Salvation of God be further revealed to you and the whole Family with whom I must acknowledg I was abundantly refreshed and comforted in that God in measure made known the Riches of his Grace and Operation of his Celestial Power to you and his Witness shall dwell with you if we never see you more that God magnified his own Strength in our Weakness With him we leave our Travels affectionately recommending you to his holy Spirit of Grace that you may be conformed to the Image of his own dear Son who is able and ready to preserve you O stay your Minds upon him and he will keep you in perfect Peace and abide with you for ever The Almighty take you into his holy Protection now and for ever I am Your true Friend ready to serve you with fervent Love in the Will of God William Penn. My dear Companions G. K. and B.F. do with me give you the dear Salutation of unfeigned Love and those in the Family that love and desire to follow the Lord Jesus in Sincerity and Truth without wavering P. S. We are this Evening bound towards Manheim the Court of the Prince Palatine and travell'd about twelve English Miles on foot That Night we lodged at Franckenthall and goâ— the next Morning being the seventh Day of the Week to Manheim but were disappointed of our Design which was to speak with the Prince for he was gone the Day before to Heydelbâ—rgh his chief City about fifteen English Miles from that Place and considering that by reason of the Meeting next Day with Friends at Crisheim already appointed we could neither go forward nor stay till he returned and yet being not clear to come away as if we had never endeavoured to visit him it was upon me to write him this following Letter to let him know we had been there and briefly our End in coming To the Prince Elector Palatine of Heydelbergh Great Prince IT would seem strange that I both a Stranger and a Subject should use this freedom of Address to a Prince were he not one whose Actions shew him to be of a free Disposition and easy Access to all
would to God all Princes were of that mind But I have not chosen this way of Application I am driven to it by the disappointment thy absence from this Court gave me and the necessity I am under to expedite my Return And though I cannot so fully and consequently not so clearly express by Letter the Grounds inducing me to attempt this Visit yet this being all the way that is left me I shall declare them as well as I can In the first place I do with all sincere and Christian respect acknowledg and commend that Indulgence thou givest to all People professing Religion dissenting from the National Communion for it is in it self a most Natural Prudent and Christian thing Natural because it preserves Nature from being made a Sacrifice to the savage Fury of fallible yet proud Opinions out lawing Men of Parts Arts Industry and Honesty the grand Requisites of Humane Society and exposing them and their Families to utter Ruine for meer Nonconformity not to Religion but to Modes and Fashions in Religions Christian since the contrary expresly contradicteth both the Precept and Example of Christ who taught us to love Enemies not to abuse our Friends and triumph in the destruction of our harmless Neighbours He rebuked his Disciples when they called for Fire from Heaven upon Dissenters it may be Opposers Certainly then he never intended that they should kindle Fire on Earth to devour Men for Conscience And if Christ to whom all Power was given and his Apostles refused to employ Humane Force and Artifice so much as to conserve themselves 't is an Arrogancy every way indefensible in those that pretend to be their Followers that they assume an Authority to supercede controul and contradict the Precepts and Examples of Christ and his Apostles whose Kingdom not being of the nature of this ambitious violent World was not erected or maintained by those Weapons that are Carnal but Spiritual and Intellectual adequate to the Nature of the Soul and mighty through God to cast down the Strong-holds of Sin and every vain Imagination exalted in Man above the lowly meek Fear of God that ought to have the preeminence in the Hearts of the Sons of Men. Indulgence is Prudent in that it preserveth Concord No Kingdom divided against it self can stand It encourageth Arts Parts Industry to show and improve themselves which indeed are the Ornaments Strength and Wealth of a Countrey It encourageth People to transplant into this Land of Liberty where the Sweat of the Brow is not made the Forfeit of the Conscience And lastly it rendereth the Prince peculiarly Safe and Great Safe because all Interests for Interest-sake are bound to love and court him Great in that he is not govern'd or clogg'd with the Power of his Clergy which in most Countries is not only a Coordinate Power a kind of Duumvirateship in Government Imperium in Imperio at least an Eclipse to Monarchy but a Superior Power and rideth the Prince to their Designs holding the Helm of the Government and steering not by the Laws of Civil Freedom but certain Ecclesiastick Maxims of their own to the Maintenance and Enlargement of their Worldly Empire in their Church And all the Villany acted under the sacred peaceable and alluring Name of Christ his Ministry and Church though as remote from their Nature as the Wolf from the Sheep and the Pope from Peter The next thing I should have taken the liberty to have discours'd would have been this What Encouragement a Colony of vertuous and industrious Families might hope to receive from Thee in case they should transplant themselves into this Country which certainly in it self is very excellent respecting Taxes Oaths Arms c. Further to have represented the condition of some of our Friends and thy own Subjects who though they are liable to the same Tax as Mennists c. not by part the Case of other Dissenters yet the Vaught of the Town where they live came yesterday to forbid all preaching amongst them which implies a sort of Contradiction to the Indulgence given And in the last place for as much as all Men owe their Being to something greater than themselves to which 't is reasonable to believe they are accomptable from whence follow Rewards or Punishments I had an earnest desire to have spoken of the Nature of Truth Use Benefit and Reward of Religion and therein as to have discours'd what is Christian Religion in it self freed from those unreasonable Garbs some Men make it to wear so justly offensive to wise and thinking Men so to have proved the Principle and Life of the People in scorn called Quakers to have been sutable to the true Followers of Holy Jesus But as the Particulars would swell a Letter to a Book I shall take the Freedom to present thee upon my Return with some Tracts treating upon all these Subjects Prince my Soul is filled with Love and Respect to thee and thy Family I wish you all true and lasting Felicity and earnestly desire that you may never forget your Afflictions and in the remembrance of them be dehorted from those Lusts and Impieties which draw the Vengeance of Heaven upon the greatest Families on Earth that God may look upon you with the favourable Eye of his Providence And blessed is that Man whose God by profession is the Lord in reality viz. that is ruled and governed by the Lord and that lives in subjection to his Grace that having a Divine Sense of God in his Heart delights to retain that Sense and Knowledg of him and be meditating in his Noble Royal Law that converts the Soul to God and redeems Man from the sensual Pleasures of this World to the true Satisfaction of the Intellectual and Divine Life O the meanness and lowness of their Spirits that abandon themselves to the Government of Sense the animal Life thereby debasing their Natures rejecting the Divine Light that shineth in their Hearts saying Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die forgetting whence they are descended and not considering the Peace and Joy of the Vertuous I desire that the Lord would put it into thy Heart to think of thy latter End and with the Light of Christ in thy Conscience examine how it stands with thy Soul that thou mayest know and diligently watch to do those things that belong to thy eternal Peace One thing more give me leave to recommend to thee and that is to be very careful of inculcating generous free and righteous Principles into thy Son who is like to succeed thee that when thou art gone the Reputation of the Country may not sink by contrary Practices nor the People of divers Judgments now thy Subjects be disappointed distressed or ruined Which with sincere desires for thy temporal and eternal Good conclude this Thy unknown but sincere Friend William Penn. From Manheim 25th of 6th Mo. 1677. Which being done and having refreshed our selves we returned that night by the Rhine
places you may dwell and witness with the Saints of old this heavenly Treasure in earthen vessels O stay your minds upon the appearance of Jesus in you in whose light you shall see light it will make you of a weighty considering spirit more and more that you may see how the mystery of iniquity hath wrought and how mankind is corrupted in all things and what part you yet have that belongeth not to the paradise of God that you may lay it all down at the feet of Jesus and follow him who is going up and down doing good to all that believe in his Name So possess your Souls in the sensible feeling of his daily divine visits shinings and breathings upon your spirits and wait diligently and watch circumspectly lest the enemy surprize you or your Lord come at unawares upon you and you be unprepared to receive his sweet and precious visitations that so those holy beginnings which thou art a witness of with thy companions may not be lost or as if they had never been but that you may from day to day feel the growth of his light life power and kingdom in your souls that you may be able to say the kingdom of God is come yea it is given to the Saints And what I say unto one I say unto all that received our Testimony in that City to whom thou mayest give if thou pleasest the remembrance of my dear Love who travel in the Spirit for their redemption that they may be brought into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God particularly salute me the young Woman that met with us at thy Lodging The Lord Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace dwell amongst you keep your hearts steadfast in his holy Light without wavering all the days of your appointed time until your great and last change shall come when he will receive his own Sheep into his own everlasting Kingdom from the power of the Foxes aiâ—d Wolves and all the devouring Beasts and Birds of prey when he will wipe away all tears from their eyes and sighing and sorrowing shall be no more and when it shall be said There is no more death no more night no more time So dear I. E. M. know that the Lord hath brought us well to Amsterdam not without good service by the way for at Cullen we had a pretious Meeting and were received with much gladness of heart We also went to Duysburg and from thence towards Mullheim being the first day of the week hoping to get an opportunity with the Countess of Bruch and to deliver thy Letter but her Father who is a cruel and severe Man meeting us near his Castle stopt us and after some little time finding what we were said There wanted no Quakers there and sent us with some of his Souldiers out of his Territory it was about Sun-set so that we were forced to return towards Duysburg but the Gates of the City being shut and there being no Houses without it we were forced to lye in the Fields all night where the Lord made us a good and comfortable Bed we told the Graef at parting we were Men that feared the Almighty God we desired the good of all Men and we came not thither for any evil design but he would not hear the Lord if he pleaseth forgive him Nevertheless we had a good Meeting at Duysburg where we had our heart's desire the blessed power and life of God making its own way in the hearts of those that heard our Testimony I also writ a large and tender Letter to the Countess and received a sweet and loving Message from her and I have great hopes that all things will work for the best From Duysburg we went to Wesel where we inquired out who was worthy where we found four or five separated from all Congregations waiting for the Consolation of Israel with whom we had two precious Meetings and leaving the peace of Jesus with them went to Emrick where we visited the chief Baptist-teacher who confessed to our Testimony and received us lovingly We directed him to that gift of God in himself that pure and eternal Word in the heart that he might know the pure Ministry of that from the Ministry of Man's Spirit which cannot profit or give life to the Soul From thence we went to Cleve where at a Lady's House belonging to the Court we had a precious Meeting and we found some that had deserted the publick Ministry as not being anointed of God to preach neither knowing by a true experience the way and travel of the new birth but are made and maintained by Men we sounded the joyfull Gospel amongst them And from thence by the way of Nimmegen and Utrecht we came the last sixt day to Amsterdam which was the 7 th of the 7 th Month. This last first day I had a great and blessed Meeting at Amsterdam almost of every Quality and Religion the Lord 's heavenly Power that is quickning People into a living sense of him that they may say the Lord liveth and he liveth in me reigned that day over all In the Evening I took Boat for Horn and from thence came last night being the second day of the Week to this City of Harlingen where we met with some of our Brethren that had been up at Hamburgh and Frederickstadt and this day we are to have two Meetings in this City the one among our Friends the other publick for the Town It is upon me to visit de Labadie 's People that they might know him in themselves in whom their Salvation standeth for these simple people are to be pittied From thence I think to visit Leeuwaerden Groningen Embden Bremen Herwerden Wesel Emrick Cleve Utrecht and so to return to Amsterdam the Lord enabling me by his Power This ariseth in my Heart to thee give not thy Bread to Dogs spend not thy Portion feed not the Serpent neither hearken to him abide with Jesus and he will abide with thee that thou mayest grow in Wisdom and in Righteousness through the Cross that crucifieth thee to the World and the World to thee So in the Love which over-cometh the World that is divine and from above and leadeth all thither that receive it into their hearts I take my leave of thee with thy Companions and all the rest of that City known to us remaining Thy faithful Friend and the Lord's Day-labourer W.P. Harlingen 11. 7th Month 1677. Next Morning about the 4th hour I took Boat for Leeuwaerden J. Claus who had been at Frederickstadt with G.F. went with me G.F. J.Y. and T.R. with P. Hendricks returned that day towards Amsterdam At Leeuwaerden we came about 9 and began the Meeting about 10 which we enjoyed with peace and refreshment several being there as in other places that were never at a Meeting before The Meeting being done and having refresht our selves with food we took Waggon for Wiewart the Mansion-house of the Family of the Somerdykes
where De Labadie's Company resideth it being strong upon my Spirit to give them a Visit We got thither about 5 and as we were walking over a Field to the House we met a young Man of that Company who conducted us in I askt for Ivon the Pastor and Anna Maria Schurmans Ivon presently came with his Co-pastor who received us very civilly however they seemed shy of letting me speak with A. M. S. objecting her Weakness Age taking Physick c. but putting them in mind how unhandsomely I was used at Herwerden six Years a-go by de Labadie their Father who though I came a great Journy to visit him and his People suffered me not to speak with them they presently complied and went in to let her know that such a Person desired to speak with her and quickly returned desiring me to come in But fore-seeing my time would be too short for my Message the Sun being near setting and having 2 English Miles of unknown way to our Lodging on foot desired them that they would give an Opportunity the next Morning which they readily complied with So I took my leave of them who in a Friendly manner brought us a little on our way That night a great weight was upon my Spirit and especially the next Morning yet my Faith was in the power of God and I had a plain sight that I should have a good service among them however I should clear my Conscience and my Peace should rest with me The next Morning I returned to them and John Claus along with me so soon as we came we were brought into A.M. Shurman's Chamber where also was with her one of the three Somerdikes This A. M. S. aforesaid is an ancient Maid above 60 Years of Age of great Note and Fame for Learning in Languages and Philosophy and hath obtained a considerable place among the most learned Men of this Age. The Somerdikes are Daughters to a Noble-man of the Hague people of great Breeding and Inheâ—â—â—ances These with several other Persons being affected with the zealous Declamation of de Labadie against the dead and formal Churches of the World and awakened to seek after a more spiritual Fellowship and Society separated themselves from the common Calvinist Churches and followed him in the way of a refined Independency They are a serious plain People and are come nearer to Friends as in Silence in Meetings Women-speaking Preaching by the Spirit Plainness in Garb and Furniture in their Houses than formerly and more than any other People I know With these two we had the Company of the two Pastors and a Doctor of Physick After some silence I proposed this Question to them What was it that induced them to separate from the common Way they formerly lived in I desired them that they would be pleased to be plain and open with me as to the ground of their separation for I came not to cavil but in the Christian Spirit to be informed Upon this Ivon the chief Pastoâ— gave us the History of de Labadie'â— Education how he was bred among the Jesuites and Deserted them and embraced the Protestant Religion and finally of his great Satisfaction with the Protestant Churches of France and that if God would not give them a purer Church they three would set down by themselves resolving never more to mix themselves among the Babylonish Assemblies of the World adding several solemn Appeals concerning the Simplicity and Integrity of their Hearts in these things Ivon having done A. M. Shurmans began in this manner I find my self constrained to add a short Testimony She told us of her former life of her pleasure in Learning and her love to the Religion she was brought up in but she confessed she knew not God or Christ all that while and though from a Child God had visited her at times yet she never felt such a powâ—rful Stroke as by the Ministry of de Labadie She saw her learning to be vanity and her Religion like a Body of Death she resolved to despise the Shame desert her former way of Living and Acquaintance and to join her self with this little Family that was retired out of the World among whom she desired to be found a living Sacrifice offer'd up entirely to the Lord. She spoke in a very serious and broken Sense not without some trembling These are but short hints of what she said After she had done One of the Somerdikes began in a very reverent and weighty frame of Mind and in a Sense that very well suited her Contempt of the World She told us how often she had mourned from her young Years because she did not know the Lord as she desired often saying within her self If God would make known to me his Way I would trample upon all the Pride and Glory of the World She earnestly exprest the frequent Anguish of Spirit she had because of the Deadness and Formality of the Christians she was bred among saying to her self O the Pride O the Lusts O the vain pleasures in which Christians live Can thiâ— be the way to Heaven Is this the way to Glory Are these followers of Christ O no! O God Where is thy little Flock Where is thy little Family that will live intirely to thee that will follow thee Make me one of that number and when the Servant of the Lord de Labadie came into Holland I among others had a curiosity to hear him and among several others was deeply affected by him He spoke the very Thoughts of my heart me-thought my heart was pricked when I heard him and I resolved by the grace of God to abandon all the Glory and Pride of this World to be one of those that should set down with him in a separation from the vain and dead Worships of this World I count my self happy that I ever met with him and these Pastors who seek not themselves but the Lord and we are a Family that live together in love of one Soul and one Spirit intirely given up to serve the Lord and this is the greatest Joy in the World After her du Lignon the other Pastor gave us also an account of his Inducement to embrace J. de Labadie but not so lively After him the Doctor of Physick that had been bred for a Priest but voluntarily refused that Calling exprest himself after this manner I can also bear my Testimony in the presence of God that tho I lived in as much Reputation at the University as any of my Collegues or Companions and was well reputed for Sobriety and Honesty yet I never felt such a living sense of God as when I heard the Servant of the Lord de Labadie adding The first Day I heard him I was so struck and affected that I can truly say through the good Grace of God and the Conduct of the Holy Spirit it was to me as the Day of my Salvation he did so lovingly touch my heart with the sense of the true
Man greatly prevalent with too many serious people in that Land cannot abide starteth at and runneth away from him howbeit the Lord enabled me to open the thing to him as that it was no plant of God's planting but a weed of Degeneracy and Apostacy a carnal and earthly Honour the effect feeder and pleaser of pride and of a vain mind that no advantage redounded to mankind by it and how could they that ought to do all to the glory of God use that vain and unprofitable custom which cannot be done to the glory of God I intreated him seriously to consider with himself the rise and end of it whence it came whom it pleased and what that was that was angry that it had it not I also told him of the sincere and serviceable respect which Truth substituteth in place thereof and exhorted him to Simplicity and Poverty of Spirit to believe that Jesus he professed to be his Saviour whose outside as well as Doctrine pleased not the Jews and so we parted he took his leave of the Princess and then of us with great Civility After he was gone the Princess desired us to withdraw to her Chamber and there we began our farewell Meeting the thing lay weighty upon me and that in the deep dread of the Lord and eternally magnified be the Name of the Lord that overshaddowed us with his Glory his heavenly breaking dissolving Power richly flowed amongst us and his ministring Angel of Life was in the midst of us Let my Soul never forget the Divine Sense that overwhelmed all at that blessed farewell I took of them much opened in me of the Hour of Christ's Temptation his Watchfulness Perseverance and Victory about the ten Virgins what the true Virgin was the true Oyl and Lamp what the Bride-groom his Door Chamber and Supper and in conclusion that torrent of heavenly melting Love that we were all deeply affected I fell on my Knees recommending them unto the Lord crying with strong Cries for their Preservation and beseeched the Lord's Presence with us and so ended After some pause I went to the Princess and took her by the hand which she received and embraced with great signs of a weighty kindness being much broken I spoke a few words apart to her and left the Blessing and Peace of Jesus with and upon her Then I went to the Countess and left a particular Exhortation with her who fervently beseeched me to remember and implore the Lord on her behalf From her I went to the French-woman and bid her be faithful and constant to that which she knew she was exceedingly broken and took an affectionate and reverent Leave of us Then I spoke to the rest and took leave severally of them my Companions did all the like They followed us to the outward Room and there it was upon me to step to the Countess and once more to speak to her and take my leave of her which she received and returned with great Sense Humility and Love So turning to them all my Heart and Eye to the Lord I prayed that the Fear Presence Love and Life of God with all heavenly Blessings might descend and rest with and upon them then and for ever Home we went for our Lodging clear'd the House exhorted the Family left Books and then took Waggon for Wesel about 200 English Miles from Herwerden we rid three Nights and Days without lying down on a Bed or sleeping otherwise than in the Waggon which was only covered with an old ragged Sheet the Company we had with us made Twelve in number which much streightned us they were often if not always Vain yea in their religious Songs which is the fashion of that Country especially by Night they call them Luther's Songs and sometimes Psalms We were forced often to reprove and testify against their Hypocrisy to be full of all vain and often prophane Talk one hour and sing Psalms to God the next we shewed them the Deceit and Abomination of it We passed through several great Towns by the way as Lipstad Ham c. many Discourses we had of Truth and the Religion and Worship that was truly Christian and all was very well they bore what we said But one thing was remarkable that may not be omitted I had not been six hours in the Waggon before an heavy weight and unusual oppression fell upon me yea it weighed me almost to the Grave that I could almost say My Soul was sad even unto Death I knew not at present the Ground of this Exercise it remained about 24 hours upon me then it opened in me that it was a travel for the Seed that it might arise over all in them I had left behind and that nothing might be lost but the Son of Perdition O the strong Cries and deep Agonies many Tears and sincere bowings and humblings of Soul before the Lord that this holy sense which was raised in them might be preserved alive in them and they for ever in it that they might grow and spread as heavenly Plants of Righteousness to the glory of the Name of the Lord. The Narrative from the 27th of the 7th Month inclusive to the 10th of the 8th Month exclusive is inserted in the following Letter to the Countess of Hornes beginning in P. 220. and ending with P. 244. For Anna Maria de Hornes stiled Countess of Hornes at Herwerden in Germany My dear Friend O That thou mayest for ever dwell in the sweet and tender Sense of that divine Love and Life which hath visited thy Soul affected and overcome thy heart O tell me hath it not sometimes raised thy Spirit above the World and fill'd thee with fervent and passionate desires yea holy resolution to follow Jesus thy blessed Saviour who hath given his most precious Blood for Thee that thou shouldest not live to thy self but to him that hath so dearly purchased thee O the Retired Humble Reverent Frame that I have beheld thee in when this blessed life hath drawn thee into it self and adorned and seasoned thee with its own heavenly Vertue beautifying thy very Countenance beyond all the vain and foolish Ornaments of the wanton Daughters of Sodom and Egypt for therein are Charms not known to the Children of this World O that this holy and chast Life may be always pretious with thee and that thou mayest be for ever chastly kept in the Love and Fellowship of it That out of this World's nature spirit and practice thou mayest be redeemed by him who is the Way the Truth and the Life who as thou watchest with thy holy vigilance will not only daily manifest the Devices of the Enemy to thee but save thee from him For Christ's work in thee is thy sanctification as it is in him his Father's Will as he said of old to his Disciples This is the Will of God even your Sanctification O my dearly beloved Friend â—e stedfast immoveable without wavering and work out thy great Salvation with fear
and trembling and lose not that sweet and precious Sense that the Lord hath begotten in thee it is soon lost at least weakened but hard to recover wherefore let not the Spirit of the World in any of its appearances vain Company unnecessary Discourse or Words or worldly Affairs prevail upon the civility of thy Nature for they will oppress the innocent Life and bring grievous weights and burdens upon thy Soul and prolong the coming of the Lord whom thou lookest for and put the Day of thy Redemption a far off O beware of this compliance Let me put thee in mind of that sensible resolution so frequently and so passionately repeated Il faut que je rompe Il faut que je rompe Ah this speaketh a weight this weight a sense and this sense a strong Conviction Now be assured that till Obedience be yielded to that present manifestation and conviction the good things desired and thirsted after can never be Enjoyed Wherefore my dear Friend be faithful and watch against the Workings oâ— the Spirit of this World in thy self that the Nature and Image of it in all things may be crucified that thou mayst know an entire Translation with holy Enoch and walk with God Jesus the holy Light is this Cross and Power of God that killeth and maketh alive and 〈◊〉 is the heavenly Vine too if thou abideâ—â— in him thou wilt bring forth fruit bâ—â— if thou abidest not in him thou wilt noâ— bring forth that fruit in which his heavenly Father only can be glorified O see what the mind dayly abideth in O my Soul is even ravisht with the sence of that holy and quiet habitation In me saith he you shall have peace but in the World trouble however be of good cheer I have overcome the world I am not of the World as if he had said I am not of the Worlds ways Worships Customs nor Fashions for what ever is of the nature and spirit of this World hath no part in me and as I am not of this World neither are you of this world for I have chosen you out of the world out of the invention out of the worships and fashions â—f the world you are to leave them all to come out of them all and live and walk as Pilgrims in the world that is strangers To what To the life and practice of the World not using but renouncing the vain Customs and Ceremonies yea the whole Conversation of the World remembring that the friendship of this World is Enmity with God and what if the World hate you it hated me first and the Disciple is not greater than his Master nor the Servant than his Lord if you were of the World the World would love you and not reproach and persecute you for the World loveth its own O my dear Friend mayst thou be perfectly sensible what it is not to be of this World But there is yet a farther mystery in these Words not discerned even of many in whom some tenderness and inquiry is begotten much less of the worldly Christians This World hath a false Earth and a false Heaven a false Foundation and a false Ioy not only gross Wickedness but Iniquity in a Mystery inwardly and outwardly The Whore false Prophet and Dragon and all their Off-spring are here concerned This is their World that must be burnt with fire that Christ is not of nor his true Disciples O the Light of Jesus discovereth it And he is that spiritual Solomon that giveth true judgment and that saveth the living Child the true Birth giving it to the right Mother and not to the false pretender And all that hear his voice and follow him shall receive true Light discerning and Judgment to whom all Judgment is given They shall know his Voice from Man's There are two Trees of differing Natures have contrary Fruits and Leaves the one is the Tree of Life that is Christ the other the Tree of Death and that is Satan the fruit of the one giveth life the fruit of the other bringeth Death the leaves of the first Heal the leaves of the last Poison many that discern the Tree cannot clearly distinguish the Branches And those that see many Arms and Branches cannot distinctly behold the fruit much less the leaves this cometh by the gradual Discoveries and Revelations of the Light of Jesus the Word of God as it is daily received and daily obeyed yea and that Word is the Ax and Sword of the Almighty to cut it down daily feel the strokes of this eternal searching Light and Word at the very root of this corrupt Tree this evil one and his corrupt Nature Works and Effects for which end Jesus Christ is come and therefore is called a Saviour which is little known in truth to the Christians of this World Ah my dear Friend thou knowest this Word yea thou hast felâ— it O hide it in thy heart Treasure it up it up in thy Soul and love it and abide with it for ever Alas Whether shouldst thou go This hath and is the the Word of Eternal Life daily therefore watch and wait that thou mayest be grafted more and more into it that thou mayest live and grow by the virtue and life of it and that it may grow in thy heart as it grew among the first Christians the holy followers of the persecuted Jesus and when it searcheth thy Wound and cutteth away thy dead flesh yea when it separateth between the Soul and the Spirit of this World and divideth between Joints and Marrow when it cutteth off the right hand and plucketh out the right eye O watch unto Prayer and pray that thou mayest endure O keep the holy patience of this pure and living Word and this very Word will keep thee in the hour of thy sharpest Trials and sorest Tribulations O all virtue is in it O 't is a tried Word a sure refuge the staff and strength of the Righteous in all Ages 'T was David's Teacher and Buckler a Light to his feet and a Lamhorn to his Paths Walk thou in the Light thereof and thou shalt not stumble in this word is life as in the root and this life is the Light of Men They that receive and love the Light of it will therein receive divine Life from it to live to God this is the bread of God that cometh from God and seedeth and leadeth up to God by this only that which is born of God liveth and is nourished this is that Carcass to which the wise Eagles gather see thou gatherest to no other nor feâ—dest on no other This is that hidden Manna that cometh from heaven that feedeth God's Israel the World hath a Manna but it perisheth but this endureth for ever for 't is not of Man nor from Man but immortal and from God hid from the knowledge of all the vain Christians in the World So that the Israel of God can say to the Children of this World and that in Truth and
in which is Life his Candle hath hitherto rested on our Tabernacle and he hath made us glad in his own Salvation Eternal Glory to his excellent Name We immediately took a Post-Carr and came next day about two in the Afternoon to Cleve where we had a very pretious Meeting at an honest Procurator's House who received us with much love four or five more were present all Grave and Tender our Hearts were greatly affected with their love and simplicity We also visited the Lady Hubner who was kind to us Next Morning we set out for Nimeguen and thence immediately to Utrecht where we arrived that Night and took the Night-boat for Amsterdam because of a pressure upon my Spirit to be next day at the Meeting and the rather having intimated as much from Ceulen We arrived in the Morning at Amsterdam where we found our dear Friends generally well the City much Alarm'd and great Curiosity in some and Desires in others to come to the Meeting we had a very great Meeting and many People of note resorted God's Gospel Bell was rung the great Day of the great God sounded and the Dead was raised and much tenderness appeared in several O blessed be the Name of the Lord whose Work and Testimony prospereth The next day was spent in divers Affairs relating to the Truth The day following we had a Meeting with Galenus Abrahams the great Father of the Socinian Mennists in these Parts accompanied with several Preachers and others of his Congregation divers of our Friends were also present It continued about five Hours he affirmed in opposition to us That there was no Christian Church Ministry or Commission Apostolical now in the World but the Lord assisted us with his Wisdom and Strength to confound his Attempts Here endeth the Narrative I intend a Visit to the Hague to the Lady Overkirks Sister of the Somerdikes and some others that have sober Characters of Truth and Friends and thence to Rotterdam where I have much to do both with respect to Meetings and the Press G K. and B F. go with me Thus my Dear Friend have I given thee a tedious Narrative yet I hope not altogether unpleasant perhaps the brevity of my Letters hereafter may best Apologize for the length of this However I consider two things one is That thou hast time enough one time or other to look over it And next That I have plentifully as were thy requests demonstrated I have not forgotten thee O Dear Friend let us live and remember one another now absent in that Divine Sense in which the Lord God dissolv'd our Spirits when together O the Unity of this Faith the Purity of this Love and the Bond of this Peace The Lord Jesus be with thy Spirit and keep thee in this the Hour of thy Temptation that thou mayest come forth as Gold seven times tryed so shall thy Testimony shine for the God that hath called thee and he will reward thee with Honour Glory and Eternal Life Amen Thus saith the Lord I remember thee the kindness of thy Youth the love of thine Espousals when thou wentest after me in the Wilderness in a Land that was not sown Jerem. 2.2 Dear Friend consider this yet again The way of the just is Uprightness thou most upright do'st weigh the Paths of the Just yea in the Way of thy Judgment O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our Soul is to thy Name and to the Remembrance of thee With my Soul have I desired thee in the Night yea with my Spirit within me will I seek thee early for when thy Judgments are in the Earth the Inhabitants of the World will learn Righteousness Lord thou wilt ordain Peace for us for thou hast wrought all our Works in us O Lord our God other Lords besides thee have had Dominion over us but by thee only we make mention of thy Name Lord in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a Prayer when thy chastning was upon them Like as a Woman with Child that draweth near the time of her Delivery is in Pain and cryeth out in her Pangs so have we been in thy Sight O Lord. We have been with Child we have been in Pain we have as it were brought forth Wind we have not wrought any Deliverance in the Earth neither have the Inhabitants of the World fallen Thy dead Men shall live together with my dead Body shall they arise awake and Sing ye that dwell in the Dust for thy Dew is as the Dew of Herbs and the Earth shall cast out the dead Come my People enter thou into thy Chamber and shut thy door about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the Indignation be overpast For behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the Inhabitants of the Earth for their Iniquities the Earth also shall disclose her Blood and shall no more cover her Slain Isa 26.7 8. to 21. So come Dear Lord Jesus that was dead but is alive and liveth for ever Amen Very dearly Farewell Thy Friend that faithfully Travelleth for thy Redemption W.P. Amsterdam 10th of the 8th Month 1677. The same day we had a blessed Publick Meeting never to be forgotten O the Majesty Glory and Life that the Lord attended us with our Hearts were deeply affected with his Presence great Reverence and Brokenness was over the Meeting more than I had seen The Meeting done we were opposed by a Preacher who was closely encountred and pursued by several Merchants c. not of us that cryed he was Rude and Ignorant and that they had a Testimony for us who offered to Dispute in our Defence but the Priest run away they followed him till they housed him c. It was upon me this day to engage Galenus Abrahams to a second Conference that we might more fully debate and confute his grand Objections against the present Dispensation of Truth and the heavenly Ministry witnessed among Friends he refused not my offer of a second Meeting but sent me word his Business would not give him leave to let it be any time this day upon which the next was â—ixt for the Conference to begin at Eight which accordingly it did and held till One. The most impartial account of both these Conferences that I am briefly able to give followeth The Meeting ended and having refresht our selves after a solemn leave taken of our dear Friends at Amsterdam G. F. and I went that Night to Leyden accompanied by B. Furly coming there late at Night we forbore to inquire after any worthy in that place But the next Morning we found out two one a German of or near Darmstad who not only express'd much love to the Principle of Truth and unto us the Friends thereof but also informed us of a retired Person of great Quality that liveth about two hours back again towards Amsterdam at a Village called Nortwyck Our Resolutions of being
Sanctuary for ever Farewell Farewell Thy Friend and the Lord's Servant W.P. Briel 30. 8th Month S.N. 1677. Next morning the Pacquet-boat arrived and about Ten we went on board having first taken our solemn leave of our Friends that accompanied us thither We immediately set sail with a great number of Passengers but by reason of contrary and tempestuous Weather we arrived not at Harwich till the third day about the 6th hour Whence next Morning I writ this following salutation and Account to the Friends of Holland and Germany A Letter from Harwich to Friends in Holland and Germany containing the Passages from Holland to England Let this be sent to Friends in High and Low-Dutch-Land O My Soul magnifieth the Lord and my Spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour who hath rebuked the Winds and the Seas and made us to drink of his Salvation upon the great Deeps Yea we could not but praise him in the Tempest for all things are full of his Majesty Blessed is the eye that seeth and the heart that dependeth upon him at all times there is not another God he is the Lord alone that the holy Ancients trusted in and were not confounded what shall my Soul render unto the Lord. We are full of his Mercy he hath made us Witnesses of his care We can say in righteousness they are blessed whose God is the Lord and that serve all the day long no other Master than our God Friends this is an endeared Salutation to you all in High and Low Dutch-land in the deep and fresh sense of the Lord 's preserving Power O that you may abide in that sense of him which he hath begotten in you and in the reverent knowledge of him according to the manifestation which you have received of him in the light of his dear Son O that you may be faithful and fervent for the Lord that his glorious life and power may break thro' you And these Lands long dry and barren as the Wilderness may spring and blossom as the Rose For what have we to do here but to exalâ— him that hath visited and loved us yea saved us in great measure Aâ— he is worthy my Spirit reverenceth him my Heart and Soul do bow before him eternal Blessings dwell for ever with him Dear Friends my love followeth to you as a fountain God even my God and your God hath made you dear to me yea dearer than all natural Kindred You are Flesh of Flesh indeed Sea nor Land Time nor Place can never separate our Joy divide our Communion or wipe out the remembrance that I have of you yea the living Remembrance that my God often giveth me of you in the life of his Son abideth which breaketh my heart to pieces and I can say I have left most of my heart behind me and the Lord only could have outwardly separated me so soon from you O this Love that is stronger than Death more excellent than the love of Women that endureth for ever this Privilege have all the Saints Jesus the light of the World that saveth from the World be with you Amen We got well last night about Seven to Harwich being three days and two Nights at Sea Most part of the time was a great storm of Wind and Rain and Hail the Weâ—ther was against us and the Vessel so leaky that two Pumps went night and day or we haâ— perisht 't is believed that they pumpt twice more water out than the Vessel could contain but our peace was as a River and our joy full The Seas had like to have washt some of the Seamen over-board but the great God preserved all well Frights were among the People and Despondencies in some but the Lord wrought deliverance for all we were mightily throng'd which made it the more troublesome But it is observable that though the Lord so wonderfully delivered us yet some vain People soon forgot it and returned quickly to their wanton Talk and Conversation not abiding in the sense of that hand which had delivered them nor can any do it as they should but those that are turned to his appearance in their hearts who know him to be a God nigh at hand which may it be your Experience and Portion for ever And the Lord be with you and refresh and sustain you and in all your Temptations never lâ—ave you nor forsake you that Conquerors you may be and in the end of Days and Time stand in your Lot among the Spirits of the Just made perfect Amen Amen Yours in that which is Eternal W.P. Harwich 24. of the 8th Month 1677. Here I left dear G F. G Diricks and her Children that came over with us to follow me in Coach who having a desire to be that day at Colchester Meeting went early away on horse-back G K. accompanying me we got the Meeting and were well refresht in Friends That Evening we had a mighty Meeting at J. Furly's house where we lay many being there of the Town that would not come to a publick Meeting and indeed the Lord 's divine Power and Presence was in the Assembly Next day we had a great Meeting at a Marriage where we had good service for the Lord. Afternoon about four we took horse for London G. F. c. through miscarriage of a Letter about the Coach not being come to Colchester That night we lay at I. Ravens eight miles on our Way there we met Giles Barnadiston and Willam Bennet with whom and some other Friends thereabout we were comforted in the Life and Power of the Lord. The day following we took our journey for London came there in good time that Evening where I found all things relating to Friends in a good condition blessed be the Name of the Lord. I stayed about a week in Town both to visit Friends at Meetings and to be serviceable to the more general Affairs of Truth The first day of the next week I went to Worminghurst my house in Sussex where I found my dear Wife Child and Family all well blessed be the name of the Lord God of all the families of the Earth I had that Evening a sweet meeting amongst them in which God's blessed Power made us truly glad together and I can say truly blessed are they who can chearfully give up to serve the Lord Great shall be the encrease and growth of their Treasure which shall never end To Him that was and is and is to come the eternal blessed righteous powerful and faithful One be glory honour and praises Dominion and a Kingdom for ever and ever Amen William Penn. TO THE Children of Light IN THIS GENERATION Called of God to be Partakers of Eternal Life in JESUS CHRIST the Lamb of God and Light of the World My Endeared Friends and Brethren MAny Days and Weeks yea some Months hath my Heart been Heavy and my Soul unusually Sad for the sake of this Nation the Land of our Nativity For I have