said Do you beâ—ieve in the Saints and pray to them We said We did believe the Communion of Saints but we did not pray to them but to God onely in the Name of Jesus Christ. He asked Whether we did believe in the Catholick Church We said We did believe the true Church of Christ but the Word Catholick we have not read in Scripture He asked if we believed a Purgatory We said No but a Heaven and a Hell The Fryar said We were commanded to pray for the dead for those that were in Heaven had no need and they that were in Hell there is no redemption therefore there must be a Purgatory He asked if we believed their holy Sacrament We said We never read the Word Sacrament in Scripture The Fryar replied Where we did read in our Bibles Sanctification it was Sacrament in theirs He said Their holy Sacrament was Bread and Wine which they converted into the Flesh and Blood of Christ by the virtue of Christ. We said they did work Miracles then for Christ's virtue is the same as it was when he turned Water into Wine at the Marriage in Canaan He said If we did not eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God we had no life in us We said the Flesh and Blood of Christ is spiritual and we do feed upon it daily for that which is begotten of God in us can no more live without spiritual food than our temporal bodies can without temporal food He said that we did never hear Masse We said We did hear the voice of Christ he onely had the words of eternal life and that was sufficient for us He said We were Hereticks and Heathens We said they were Hereticks that lived in sin and wickedness and such were Heathens that knew not God He asked about our Meetings in England And we told them the truth to their amazement And they asked Who was the Head of our Church We said Christ. And they asked What George Fox is And we said He is a Minister of Christ. They asked Whether he sont us We said No the Lord did move us to come The Fryar said We were deceived and had not the faith but we had all virtues We said that saith was the ground from whence virtues do proceed They said If we would take their holy Sacrament we might have our liberty or else the Pope would not leave us for millions of Gold but we should lose our souls and our bodies too We said the Lord had provided for our souls and our bodies were freely given up to serve the Lord. They askt us if we did not believe Marriage was a Sacrament We said it was an Ordinance of God They ask't us if we did believe men could forgive sins We said None could forgive sins but God onely They brought us that Scripture Whose sins ye remit-in earth shall be remitted in heaven We said All Power was God's and he could givâ— it to whom he would that were born of the Eternal Spirit and guided by the same such have power to do the Fathers Will as I answered a Fryar also in the City of Naples and they were silent the Power greatly working We asked them wherein we had wronged them that we should be kept Prisoners all dayes of our lives and said Our innocent blood would be required at their hands The Fryar said He would take our blood upon him and our Journey into Turky too We told him the time would come he would find he had enough upon him without it They said The Popes was Christ's Vicar and we were of his Church and what he did was for the good of our souls We answered The Lord had not committed the charge of our souls to the Pope nor to them for he had taken them into his own possession glory was to his Name for ever They said We must be obedient We said We were obedient to the Government of Christ's Spirit The Fryar said None had the true Light but the Catholicks the Light that we had was the Spirit of the Devil We said Wo to him that calleth Jesus accursed Can the Devil give power over sin and iniquity then he would destroy his own Kingdom He said We were laught at and mockt at of every one We said What did become of the mockers It was no matter He said We did run about to preach and had not the true Faith We said the true Faith is held in a pure Conscience void of offence towards God and man and we had the true Faith And he said There was but one Faith either theirs or ours and askt us which it was We said Every one had the true Faith that did believe in God and in Jesus whom he had sent but they that say they do believe and do not keep his commandments are lyars and the truth is not in them He said it was true but he did thirst daily for our blood because we would not turn and urged us much about our Faith and Sacrament to bring us under their Law but the Lord preserved us They said It was impossible we could live long in that hot room So the next Week-day they sate in Council but oh how the swelling Sea did rage and the proud waves did foam even unto the clouds of Heaven and Proclamation was made at the Prison-Gate we did not know the words but the fire of the Lord flamed against it K. my life was smitten and I was in a very great agony so sweat was as drops of blood and the righteous one was laid into a Sepulcher and a great stone was roll'd to the door but the Prophesie was that he should arise again the third day which was fulfilled But the next day they came to sit upon Judgement again but I say in the true Judgement they sate not but upon it they got up unjustly above the righteous and upon the same they sate a child of Wisdom may understand and they brought many Propositions written in a paper but the Fryar would suffer the Magistrate to propound but few to us for fear the Light would break forth but they askt how many friends of ours were gone forth in the Ministry and into what parts We told them what we did know They said all that came where the Pope had any thing to do should never go back again We said the Lord was as sufficient for us as he was for the children in the fiery Furnace and our trust was in God They said we were but few and had been but a little while and they were many Countreys and had stood many hundred years and wrought many Miracles and we had none We said we had thousands at our Meetings but none of us dare speak a word but as they are eternally moved of the Lord and we had Miracles the Blind receive their sight the Deaf do hear and the Dumb do speak the Poor do receive the Gospel the Lame do walk and the Dead are raised He
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
or what was my Father's House or what is the Land of my Nativity that I a poor â—â—flicted 〈…〉 should be raised up to see and perceive what mine eye 〈◊〉 eve in thy Eternal Power and puâ—e Life beholdâ— Oh my God! thou hast known the innocent travel of my soul â—hich 〈…〉 know the same is not hid from thee even from the day of my birth unto this moment through no small trials and tribulations and through the exercise of manifold temptations yet behold my Life is preserved a at this time And oh my heart my mind my soul my spirit in thy pure undefiled Life and Virtue blesseth thy Name thy pure Name which thy Virgins love and live in and in the same they glorifie thy beloved and the Wings of thy Majesty overshadoweth them and their delight is under the secret shadow of thy Almightiness blessed be thy Glory blessed be thy undefiled Power blessed and magnified be thy pure Wisdom and let the same be so even in the Tabernacles of the just for ever Thou Lamb of Immortality the Thrones the Kingdoms and Eternal Dominions are thine and over all thy Throne is and shall be exalted and thy Lambs behold thy glory and thy Majesty in this the day of thy terrible and glorious appearance Wisdom Riches Glory Power Might and Dominion everlasting with Eternal Salvation over all to thy Name Amen saith my Spirit in the Life which is was and for ever shall be the same which liveth and abideth for ever and fâ—deth not away In the same I commend thy dear tender Lambs to be preserved according to thy unsearchable Wisdom and counsel of thine own heart to thy everlasting Renown and Glory and their Eternal comfort and joy and felicity with thy Saints and Angels in the Light of thy countenance and in everlasting remembrance in the powerful and Eternal Kingdom of Immortality if I be no more in this World when this body is gone to its place according to thy Eternal Purpose and Decree in thy Eternal Counsel so be it saith my spirit yea and Amen saith my soul which blesseth and magnifieth thy Eternal Name in asmuch as thou hast so far fulfilled thy living Word of Prophesie and not onely so but much more also in the desire of my heart in the behalf of thy dear tender suffering and long-suffering Seed of thine own bowels for which be innumerable Praises Wisdom Salvation Glory and Dominion to thy holy Name Amen Amen MY right dearly and well-beloved Friends of Eternal Life of the Church of the first-born of the living God which is the Pillar and ground of Truth of which Christ Jesus our Lord is the alone and onely Head Peace be unto you in him who is arisen in his pure immortal life and hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Word of his Power and his Eternal Gospel of Peace which is not hid from us but it 's clearly manifest in us by his coming who ariseth with healing in his wings Glory Dominion living endless praises Immortal to his Name now and for evermore and let all the upright in heart with my precious life say Even so Amen Dear suffering and long-suffering Lambs ye know that as I came in the Eternal Love and Peace of Immanuel God's Lamb to visit and serve you and minister to your necessities the which in the same Life and Peace and in the integrity and uprightness of heart and in its pure innocency my God knoweth and behold I call your Life that 's manifest in you in which is our perfect unity as Members of one Body to bear me record That I have endeavoured in the good will of my God to perform the same and verily the hand and blessing of Almighty God is with me and hath blessed me and so my reward is with me and my work hath been manifest before me even in the Light of his Countenance that liveth for ever and this Scripture is fulfilled in me also The Father worketh hitherto and I work So my dear Friends I have honestly and nakedly before the Lord cleared my Conscience so far concerning you and on your behalf which is my reasonable service and so I leave the same to the living Testimony of the Lord Jesus which you hold and for which I am satisfied and in the behalf of the whole body of God's Elect you have so long suffered So the Eternal God of Power Dominion and Glory of Heaven and Earth consolate support and strengthen you to the end that your Testimony may be finished with joy to his ever â—asting praise to whom onely it belongs and so my Spirit in the Light and Life Immortal saith Even so Amen Farewel dear Lambs I am your true Brother D. B. Joseph was not made known to his Brethren the first time though his Bowels earned towards and over them till at last he could no longer forbear crying out with tears saying I am Joseph your Brother and little Benjamin the youngest he dearly loved you know This 5th day of the Week and the 30th of the 11th Mo. 1661. When my face you do not see Wait in the Eternal Life and then remember me So farewell and feel the Well-spring of Life This and many other Papers was communicated to each others hands which are seen meet not to be added hereunto with the jeopardy of my life and what else did attend us but magnified and for ever blessed be the living Lord and his Goodness Wisdom and Salvation who prospered his Work and Workers in his own Life of lasting Righteousness through and over self over all that which must dye and go to its place Amen DANIEL Here followeth somewhat relating to the Travel and Service of D. B. which he hath freedom to giveforth for the Truth 's sake and Friends satisfaction THe intent of the Spirit of the Lord within my heart and mind stirring me up to write somewhat concerning my travel from my Native Countrey Kindred and Father's House being freely given up to serve the Lord his Truth and People in the Power and Gospel of God I having no imposition or necessity at all laid upon my Conscience as from any mortal man but certainly it was a pure necessity from the living God of Heaven Earth many of his faithful servants Messengers sons daughters that were are as dear precious to me as my own life may beat me record on the Lords behalf unto the truth of what I write on this wise surely in the counsel everlasting the thing was hid from me then whether ever I should return to my Native Countrey or not However in the love and favour of God and in his fear set up within my heart was I given up with my body also offered as a living Sacrifice which was but my reasonable sacrifice to give a sound to the Nations afar off of the mighty day of our God and his blessed Truth the Light of Jesu-manifest in every Conscience in which Light we
it and defie it which I did do in the Name of the Lord and it did wither vvith all the rest After it vvas gone the English Consul came to us with a Scribe and he brought us a doller from a Master of a Ship that came from Plymouth I told him I did receive my Countrey man's Love but could not receive his Money He askt me What I wouâ—d do if I would take no money I said the Lord was my portion and I could not lack any good thing I said to him We were in thy House near 15. Weeks didst thou see any cause of Death or Bonds in us He said No. I askt him how he would dispence with his Conscience for telling us He would have us before the Inquisitor and thou didst know that Room vvas provided for us and had not we been kept alive by the mighty Power of God we might have been dead long since He said How could I help it I said We are the Servants of the living God and were brought here by permission and in the Spirit of Meekness gave in our Testimony for the Lord in faithfulness and told you the truth as it is in Jesus and called you all to repentance and fore-warned you in love to your souls of the evil the Lord is bringing upon you if you do not repent He said However it be it will go well with you Mark that I told him he required a sign of me when vve vvere at his house if we were the servants of the Lord God I gave him a sign from the living God and my friend gave him another from the Lord to his shame and destruction for ever I askt him Whether it were not true we spake to him he said it was but how should he help it I said Thou art a condemned person and stands guilty before God yet nevertheless repent if thou canst find a place He smil'd upon the Scribe in deceit but his lips did quiver and his belly trembled and he could scarce stand upon his legs He was as proper a man as most was in the City and full and in his prime age O! he was consumed as a Snail in a shell which was a sufficient sign for the whole City if their hearts were not harder than Adamants He said How should he help it He might have helpt it but he was as willing to prove us as any of them all He was sworn upon his Oath to protect the English and their Ruler bid him let us go about our business and said He were honest women and then he might have let us go before we were under the black Rod. Then he went to Sarah with the Doller she told him she could not take the Money but if he had a Letter for us she should be free to receive that He said he had not any He askt her what she did want She said the Lord was her Shepherd she could not want any good thing but she did long for her Freedom He said That you may have in time He told us we should have ink and paper to write But when he was gone they vvould not let us The next time we heard of him he was dead We could have rejoiced if he had dyed for righteousness sake for the Lord delighteth not in the death of a sinner The Fryar was gone to Rome and they said he must stay there till we came There was great working to send us there but the Lord did prevent them that they could not send us there Then the Lord did work to bring us together again after so long time we had been parted There vvere five doors between us with Locks and Bolts but the Keeper had not power to make them fast but as Sarah could undo them to come where I could see her but could not speak to her for there were them that did watch us night and day yet she being moved of the Lord did come to my door by night she must come by the Fryars door he and the Doctor of Law were together and they did set a trap to take her in and many did watch about the Prison and would complain Then she was lockt up again but they had no peace in that till the doors were open again then we did sit in the sight of each other to wait upon the Lord so that our voices were heard far the Magistrates vvould hear and bow to it sometime then the complainers were weary and did work to have us brought together and we did wait and pray and the Magistrates would come in and look upon us many times but would say nothing to us There were of divers Nations brought into the Inquisition Prisoners and the Fryars and the rest that were great would go in their way to make Christians of them and we were made to stand up against them and their vvays and deny them in the Name of the Lord and declare the truth to the simple-hearted continually if vve did suffer death for it We could not endure to hear the Name of the Lord blasphemed nor his pure Way of Truth perverted nor the ignorant deceived They did vvrite all they understood of vvhat vve spake and sent it to the Court-Chamber before the Inquisitor and Magistrates but the Lord did blast it vvith the Mildevvs of his vvrathful indignation and burnt it up vvith the brightness of his Son and vve rejoiced in our God but still our burdens continued very heavy and our righteous souls vvere vexed vvith the filthy Conversation of the Wicked and the pure Seed of God vvas prest from day to day that our spirits did mourn and our hearts vvere grieved because of the hardness of their hearts and their Rebellion against their Maker vvho vvas so gracious to them to suffer them so long in all their abominations and vvaited to be gracious to them and knock at the Door of their hearts calling for Justice Mercy and Humility but behold Oppression Cruelty and Self-Exaltation notvvithstanding the Lord did strive so much vvith them and sent so many undeniable truths and inâ—allible testimonies of the coming of his Son to Judgement and so clear a manifestation of the vvay to eternal Salvation given forth of his ovvn mouth by his eternal Spirit and having us for an example vvho vvere kept by his Povver and Holiness they had not a jot nor tittle against us but for righteousness sake though they had vvinnovved and fanned us so long Glory honor and praises be given to our God for ever O they would not let us know of any English Ship that came into the Harbour as near as they could but the Lord would make it manifest to us We had a great working and striving in our bodies but we knew not what it meant the arrows of the Wicked did flye so that my soul was plunged and overwhelmed from head to feet and the terrors of the unrighteous had taken hold of us and the flames of Hell compassed us about then the Lord appeared
we spake one and the same thing being guided by one Spirit They would go from me to Catharine they would bid her speak as Sarah did and so she did to their condemnation Praises to the Lord Amen A Paper sent from them to the Pope's Lord Inquisitor in MALTA For the Lord Inquisitor and his Council c. MEns persons I cannot admire they that do admire and respect any man's person do it because of advantage and such are transgressors the Apostles St. James and Jude say In obedience to the Lord in love to your souls from the Fountain of Love and Springs of Life that stream forth to the refreshment of the whole City of God am I constrained to visit you with these few Lines and I beseech you to read it with the Spirit of Moderation and Meekness and see that nothing in you arise up against it for it is God's Truth Christ Jesus who is the Light of the world which hath enlightned every one that cometh into the world saith This is Life eternal To know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent New the knowledge of God is Life Eternal and there is no other way to come to this knowledge but to have the mind turned from darkness to the Light out of the visible to that which is invisible viz. the Light in the Conscience which conviâ—ceth of sin and iniquity when no mortal eye can see you and as you come to love it and to have your minds staid upon it you will feel the incomes of God's Power to administer condemnation upon the transgressor that keeps the pure Seed â—n bondage in you For Sion is redeemed through Judgement and her Converts with Righteousness Saint Paul saith If thou believest in thy heart the Lord Jesus and confessest with thy mouth that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved for with the heart man believeth unto salvation and we do believe and see and tâ—ste and handle of the good Word of Life and have received the Spirit of Truth to lead us into all truth and doth bring all things to our remembrance without any visible thing And Saint Paul wrote to the Galatians saying My little Children of whom I travel in birth till Christ be formed in you Where Christ is formed within there needs no form without the outward form is called an Earthen Vessel or an Earthen Tabernacle or an Earthen House but Christ Jesus is the express Image of his Father's Glory or Substance which is Light and Life Now the Image of Christ is a pure and a holy Image a meek and a Dove like Image an innocent and a Lamb-like Image a righteous and a glorious Image Christ in you the hope of glory saith the Apostle to the Saints The Lord our God hath given to every man a measure of the manifestation of his own Spirit to profit withall which is the Light in the Conscience the true Teacher of his People it is the Grace of God that bringeth salvation that appeareth to all men and it teacheth all that come to believe in it and to love and to be guided by it to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to walk soberly righteously holy and godly in this pâ—esent world and it will deal plainly with every one none need to fear being deceived by that in them which doth condemn them for sin and evil But they that live in pride are deceived already they that live in covetousness are deceived already and they that live in Lusts or Drunkenness are deceived already or in Lying Swearing Adultery or Idolatry are deceived or in Hypocrisie and Deceit hard heartedness or Cruelty they are deceived already for those you know are fruits which do proceed from a deceived heart being corrupted for want of knowledge My people perish for want of knowledge saith God He that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his and he that hath the Spirit of Christ ought himself to walk as Christ walked Now Christ was no persecutor he never imprisoned any nor ever put any to suffer but he and the holy Prophets and Apostles were made to suffer as evil-doâ—rs this we know The Day of the Lord is hot and terrible against all sin and iniquity and that nature from whence it doth proceed and we are a WO for all them that are laying up of a Fuel for it This is God's Truth whether you can receive it yea or nay I am ready to seal it with my blood if the Lord shall call me to it Whosoever shall interpret this Paper before the Lord Inquisitor so called I charge thee in the Name of the living God as thou wilt answer before his dreadful presence to interpret it word by word as it is written without adding or diminishing Katharine Evans THe Fryar then came to me and askt me why I did not work I said unto him What Work dost thou do He said he did write I told him I would write too if he would bring me a Pen Ink and Paper and I would write truth He said He would not that we should write for St. Paul did work at Rome and we might get nine or ten grains a day if we would knit that is three half pence I told him if we could have that priviledge amongst them that St. Paul had at Rome under Caesar which was a Heathenish King we would have wrought and not have been chargeable to any St. Paul lived in his own hired House two years with a Souldier to look to him and had friends of the same Occupation to work with him and could send where he would and whosoever would come to him might and he taught them in the Name of the Lord Jesus and no man for bad him So I askt him Whether he knew the holy War of God yea or nay if he did I told him he then did know we could not be without exercise day nor night Then his mouth was stopped and he spake no more to me of work But though our affliction of body was very great and our travel of soul was greater yet we did knit Stockins and give to them that were made serviceable to uâ— and did make Garments for the poor prisoners and mended their Clothes which had need and were made helpful to them all to their condemnation that did persecute us But we could not vvork at the Fryar's Will nor any man 's else but as we had freedom in the Lord. As I vvas vveak in my bed the Fryar came to me and said We did deny the Scriptures I told him they did deny them we did own them and hold them forth thou dost know it He was in a rage because I said they denyed the Scriptures bid me eat my words again and threatned death upon me I said Christ Jesus was the Light of the World and had lighted every one that cometh into the World which Light is our salvation that do receive it and the same Light
expect one drop of mercy favour nor affection but what our Heavenly Father did distil upon us from his living presence and work for us by the operation of his own Arm of strength and power But dear Friends though a long Winter and many sharp and terrible storms have past over our heads so that we cannot express our sorrows so likewise we cannot declare our joys Oh! in the midst of all our afflâ—ctions our God did draw nigh unto us an did speak comfortably unto us with many sweet and precious promises and did never suffer his faithfulness to fail us nor was he wanting unto us in Visions and Revelations Oh how doth he appear in his glory beauty and brightness so that our souls are ravished and wrapped up with his living presence and glory many times so that we do not dare to look out at our long sufferings nor trials but do press forwards towards the fulness of joy and blessedness which our Eternal Father hath prepared for all them that love him and walk in obedience to him and we know the deeper our sorrow is the greater our joy shall be and the heavier our Cross the weightier our Crown as we abide faithful And we do believe that neither Principalities nor Powers nor sufferings nor imprisonment nor pesecution nor life nor death shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour Amen Dearly beloved Friends though our bodies are bolted up in the Rocks and Caves of the Earth yet our spirits you know nonâ— can limit nor confine to any place And we do behold your order and steadfastness of your faith and labour of love and are daily refreshed in all the faithful-hearted Oh dear hearts the remembrance of the least of you is precious Oh! the Rivers of tears that have distilled from our eyes whilst we do think upon you for joy because of your growth and flourishing in the Truth Oh! you are Virgins indeed who have Oyl in your Vessels and your Lamps burning and are cloathed with the long white Robes of Righteousness and are adorned with the Ornaments of pure Beauty and glorious brightness abundance of you to our joy and comfort and we do pray night and day That every Babe of our Heavenly Father's begetting may prosper even as we desire our own souls should prosper and that every one may be kept out of incumbrances and use the World as if they used it not but every one's mind spirit heart and soul may be exercised in the Eternal by the Power of God out of the earthly out of the visible out of the carnal and perishing things of this life so as to trust in it into the heavenly into the spiritual into the invisible into that which never changeth sadeth nor waxeth old where every one may dwell in the enjoyment of the presence of the Lord for in the presence of the Lord is fulness of joy and at his right hand is pleasure for evermore Oh! that every one may be emptied of your selves and unbottomed of your selves that you may build wholly upon the sure foundation and anchored so fast upon the Rock of Ages that neither the swelling Seas nor the foaming Waves nor stormy Winds though they beat vehemently may ever be able to remove you Oh dear Brethren in the life and power you may feel the issues of Love and Life which stream as a River to every soul of you from the hearts of us that are wholly joined to the Fountain Glory and everlasting praises be given to his holy Name Our whole souls spirits hearts and minds are given up to serve the Lord in whatsoever he requireth of us as he shall make it manifest unto us And we do blesse his Name for ever that he hath found us worthy of so high a calling as to bind Kings in chains and Nobles in fetters of Iron Our prayers are continually for the advancement of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus throughout the whole Earth for the gathering of the Seed of the Elect of God and for the raising of it up over the Seed of the Serpent in power and great glory to bear rule and to have dominion over the whole World that the Kingdoms of this World may become the Kingdoms of our Lord Jesus that he may rule in his Princely Power and reign in his Kingly Majesty whose Right it is that the knowledge of the Lord may cover the Earth as the Water covereth the Sea that all the Children of the Lord may be taught of the Lord and be established in Righteousness that so the Mourners in Sion may rejoice and the heâ—â—y hearted in Jerusalem may be right glad The Lord God of Power hasten it for his own Name 's sake and for his Elect's sake that lye in captivity under the hands of the dark Powers of the Earth either spiritual or temporal Amen Amen saith our spirits Dear and precious Friends and Brethren pray for us that we may finish our Testimony to the glory of God and to the praise of his holy Name and to the comfort of all that love his appearing and to our own eternal salvation and to the shame and confusion of all that hate the Lord Jesus and persecute his Truth So in the pure Vnity of the Covenant of Light Life Peace Love and everlasting Righteousness do we take our leaves of you all at this time hoping and believing we shall see your faces once again before we go hence and be no more seen Dear Friends pray for us Though we were in many streights and hardships by reason of the oppression yet whilst our minds were staid upon the Fountain we saw no want but our tender Father whose heavenly eye was ever over us saw our necessities sent his right dear and precious Servant and 〈◊〉 and faithful Steward Daniel Baker to administer to our necessities both spiritual and temporal he came not in his own time will nor strength but in the Will and time Strength and Power of the Almighty God at whose presence the Mountains were removed the tall Cedars were made to bow the strong Oaks to stoop Oh wonderful He went to the Lord Inquisitor the Popes Deputy to demand our lawful Liberty which would not be granted unless he and we would write to Messaena or Legorn to some English Merchant to be engaged for four thousand Dollers Which Proposition being out of the Covenant of Light we durst not stoop to it but our dear Brother in Christ Jesus offered his body for our liberty but it would not be granted nothing would serve but one to engage for four thousand Dollers to be paid if ever we come into these parts again Then in obedience to the Lord he offered up his Life for our Freedom but all would not serve the Will of our God be done Oh dear Friends greater Love was never heard of than for a man to lay down his Life for his Friend Oh! it is worthy to be recorded
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
over the members of the body but that which created the body and every Member which is to have the supream authority and preheminence as well in the female as in the male and so he the Spirit of Truth that 's to guide into all truth he the man is not he to speak viz. Christ in the male the same in the female where he is risen and manifest as King Priest and Prophet a Guide Leader and Commander in all equitable and just things which are truly honorable But the woman was in the transgression against the Spirit Flesh lusteth against the Spirit saith the Apostle and the Woman that 's in the transgression is to be under obedience and to be in silence to learn in silence and to ask her Husband at home but what if she have a disorderly drunken Husband and not Christ the man the true Husband the true Lord how can he teach her seeing the woman is to learn of her Husband in silence and to be under obedience and not to usurp Authority over the man as also saith the Law which hath dominion over all that are under it in the transgression but the Spirit of Grace and Truth that 's poured upon sons and daughters teacheth us to deny the sin and guideth from the same and so maketh free from its condemnation and from under the Law to be under the Grace and Truth that is in the one Seed Christ in the Male Christ in the Female the quickning spirit the Lord from Heaven and so who are lead and guided by this are not under the Law which saith the woman is not to usurp Authority over the man as also saith the able Minister of the Mysterie of the glory and riches of Eternity which is Christ the fulness in his Saints their hope of life and glory but the woman is to be under obedience as also saith the Law yea but they that are led by the Spirit are not under the Law so are the sons of God manifest yet under the Grace covered the same Grace with which the Man-Child the holy Child Jesus was covered and filled with the same and no other but that which did and doth save the Saints from sin and so from under the Law and its condemnation and not onely so but also the same Grace which bringeth salvation and appeareth to all men it teacheth them not onely to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts but also to live soberly and righteously in this present world and verily this Grace is in them which saves and justifieth them and it 's not of themselves it is the gift of God And such are the servants of the living and true God that have their fruits and possess the same unto holiness and not onely so but the end of the same which is the pure manifestation of the Eternal substance to wit everlasting life pure clean power which is the excellent Treasure in the Earthen Vessels as saith the holy Scripture 2 Cor. 4. But Oh ye Congregations of the dead ye gathered Churches of so many Names and Heads to you sounds my voice saying What have ye done Oh! how guilty do ye appear before mine eye that 's single in the Lord's Light of despising prohesying and quenching the tender Spirit of glory which resteth at this day in and upon many sons and daughters and behold if ye can see how they do and have prophesied in the Name of the Lord and have fore-warned you of that which is justly come to pass upon you while many of you despised and wondered in the days of haughtiness and its prosperity among you But oh my soul how hast thou been wounded in me whilst I have travelled and mourned over you And so you have been found despising that and quenching that Spirit of Grace which teacheth the Saints in Light and reproves for sin and testifieth against the World and its deeds because they are evil And this same Spirit strived long with you and in you and would have arisen up in its Authority Power and great glory from on high had ye not preferred and exalted the Spirit of this World in it's proper place in you above the just and long-suffering which is but one and the same in male and in female Oh! what have you done Can any of you yet smite upon your thigh and say so yet if ye can enquire enquire ye the Watchman's voice is the same it was and not otherwise viz. Return come yea return and come to the tender Spirit of holiness and of the gentleness of Christ and his yoke of self-denial and the daily Cross they are the two great Ordinances which ye have left behind and so the vail and the Darkness has covered you but the true Israelites have Light in their dwellings and their habitations is in the best of the Land of the living Wherefore my spirit saith Return come and hearken to the Lamb's voice and now see whether ye can follow him or a stranger wheresoever he goeth that 's the true Prophet raised up like unto Moses and obey his voice which savoureth not of this world for so his Kingdom and servants are not Therefore beware lest your souls be cut off from the Land of the living and ye perish in the outward observations by which the Kingdom cometh not among the Congregations of the dead where ye are yet seeking the living but I as a Brother even Joseph tell you yet again He is not there but is arisen from the dead from death to life who is the quickening Spirit the Lord from Heaven over the Earth over all the Land of Aegypt over the Land of darkness the same Lord the same Spirit which hath done excellent things is exalted in the new Heaven and in the new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness and let the Virgin-Daughter of Sion publish the same even from henceforth to all generations yea and my spirit it 's ready to say Amen There was one that saw a little Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands and he well retained his sight so long until in the Light of the living he saw the same which was so little wax so great that it became an exceeding great Mountain Verily the beloved City is manifest set upon a holy Hill it cannot be hid from them that see the glory of God doth enlighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof and his Light is like unto a stone most precious clear as Chrystal The Fountain is opened free come down from on high and thou shalt see if thou dost thirst for springs of Life To the Light submit thy mind and cease from strife in the same to behold the Bride the Lamb's Wife from the false Church Dan. Baker A Salutation to the whole Body of the Elect of God whether gathered or scattered abroad upon the face of the Earth And tender Greeting with Information from the same suffering and long suffering Seed whose Earthen Vessels are held in the Bonds of strait Captivity
asked Why I lookt so whether my Spirit was weak I said Nay my body was weak because I eat no meat it was in their Lent He offered me a License to eat flesh I said I could not eat any thing at all The terrors of death were strongly upon me but three nights after the Lord said unto me about the 11th hour Arise and put on your Clothes I said When vilt thou come Lord He said Whether at midnight or at Cock-crow do thou watch My Friend and I arose and the Lord said Do stand at the Door And we stood at the door in the power of the Lord I did scarce know whether I was in the body or out of the body and about the 12th hour there came many to the Prison-Gate We heard the Keys and looked when they would come in They ran to and fro till the 4th hour the Lord said he had smote them with blindness they could not find the way And we went to bed there I lay night and day for 12. days together fasting and sweating that my bed was wet and great was our affliction The tenth day of my fast there came two Fryars the Chancellor the man with the black Rod and a Physician and the Keeper and the Fryar commanded my dear Friend to go out of the room and he came and pull'd my hand out of the bed and said Is the Devil so great in you that you cannot speak I said Depart from me thou worker of iniquity I know thee not the Power of the Lord is upon me and thou call'st him Devil He took his Crucisix to strike me in the mouth and I said Look here and I asked him Whether it were that Cross which crucified Paul to the World and the World unto him And he said it was I denied him and said the Lord had made me a Witness for himself against all workers of iniquity He bid me be obedient and went to strike me I said Wilt thou strike me He said he would I said Thou art out of the Apostles Doctrine they were no strikers I deny thee to be any of them who went in the Name of the Lord. He said he had brought me a Physician in charity I said the Lord was my Physician and my saving-health He said I should be whipt and quartered and burnt that night in Malta and my Mate too wherefore did we come to teach them I told him I did not fear the Lord was on our side and he had no power but what he had received and if he did not use it to the same end the Lord gave it him the Lord would judge him And they were all smitten as dead men and went away And as soon as they were gone the Lord said unto me The last Enemy that shall be destroyed is Death and the Life arole over Death and glorified God The Fryar went to my friend and told her I called him worker of iniquity Did she said Sarah Art thou without sin He said he was Then she hath wronged thee But I say the wise Reader may judge For between the eighth and ninth hour in the evening he sent a Drum to proclaim at the Prison Gate We know not what it was but the fire of the Lord consumed it And about the fourth hour in the morning they were coming with a Drum and Guns and the Lord said unto me 〈◊〉 out of thy Grave-Clothes And we arose and they came up to the Gate to devour us in a moment But the Lord lifted up his Standard with his own Spirit of Might and made them to retreat and they fle◠as dust before the Wind praises and honour be given to our God for ever I went to bed again and the Lord said unto me Herod will seek the yong childes life to destroy it yet again and great was my affliction so that my dear fellow and labourer in the Work of God did look every hour when I should depart the body for many days together and we did look every hour when we should be brought to the stake day and night for several weeks and Isaac was freely offered up But the Lord said he had provided a Ram in the Bush. Afterwards the Fryer came again with his Physician I told him that I could not take any thing unless I was moved of the Lord. He said we must never come forth of that Room while we lived and we might thank God and him it was no worse for it was like to be worse We said if we had died we had died as innocent as ever did servants of the Lord. He said it was well we were innocent They did also look still when I would dye The Fryer bid my friend take notice what torment I would be in at the houre of Death thousands of Devils he said would fetch my soule to Hell She said she did not fear any such thing And he asked if I did not think it expedient for the Elders of the Church to pray over the sick I said yea such as were eternally moved of the Spirit of the Lord. He fell down of his knees and did howle and wish bitter wishes upon himself if he had not the true faith but we denied him The Physitian was in a great rage at Sarah because she could not bow to him but to God onely The last day of my fast I began to be a hungry but was afraid to eat the enemy was so strong but the Lord said unto me If thine enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink in so doing thou shalt heap coales of fire upon his head be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good I did eat and was refreshed and glorified God and in the midst of our extremity the Lord sent his holy Angels to comfort us so that we rejoiced and magnified God and in the time of our great trial the Sun and Earth did mourn visibly three dayes and the horror of death and pains of Hell was upon me the Sun was darkned the Moon was turned into Blood and the Stars did fall from heaven and there was great tribulation ten dayes such as never was from the beginning of the world and then did I see the Son of man coming in the Clouds with power and great glory triumphing over his enemies the Heavens were on fire and the Elements did melt with fervent heat and the Trumpet sounded out of Sion and an Allarum was struck up in Jerusalem and all the Enemies of God were called to the great day of Battle of the Lord And I saw a great wonder in Heaven the Woman cloathed with the Sun and had the Moon under her feet and a Crown of 12. Stars upon her head and she travelled in pain ready to be delivered of a Man-child and there was a great Dragon stood ready to devour the Man-child as soon as it was born and there was given to the Woman two Wings of a great Eagle to carry her into the desert where she
troubled in my spirit to know the Vision and I waited upon the Lord and he signified to me in the Light The six Suns were six Nations whose Lights were near out and the five which crossed each other signified to me some rising amongst them And the Fryar came to me and said It was God's will we should be kepâ— there or else they could not keep us I told him the Lord did suffer wicked men to do wickedly but did not will them to do it He did suffer Herod to take off John Baptist's head but he did not will him to do it and did suffer Stephen to be stoned and Judas to betray Christ but he did not will them to do it for if he had he would not have condemned them for it He said Then we are wicked men I said They are wicked men that work wickedness The Fryar would say still We had not the true Faith We said By Faith we stand and by the Power of God we are upholden dost thou think it is by our own power and holiness we are kept from a vain conversation from sin and wickedness He said That was our pride We said No We could glory in the Lord we were children of wrath once as well as others But the Lord hath quickned us that were dead by the living Word of his Grace and hath washed cleansed and sanctified us through soul and spirit in part according to our measures and we do press forward towards that which is perfect He then did say We were good Women but yet there was no redemption for us except we would be Catholicks Now the Lord said Fear not Daughters of Sion I will carry you forth as Gold tryed out of the fire And many precious promises did the Lord refresh us with in our greatest extremity and would appear in his glory that our souls would be ravished in his presence I had the Spirit of Prayer upon me and I was afraid to speak to the Lord for fear I should speak one word that would not please him And the Lord said Fear not Daughter of Sion ask what thou wilt and I will grant it thee whatsoever thy heart can wish I desired nothing of the Lord but what would make for his glory whether it were my liberty or bondage life or death wherein I was highly accepted of the Lord. The Room wherein I was separated was near the Chancery where all the Bishops Courtiers did resort and would come into the Inquisition Courts and I had Work amongst them daily they would come on purpose to their condemnation some would be smitten and run as if they hunted and some would be set on fire and cry Caldere caldere and fuoco fuoco and many would pitty us because we were not Catholicks the Fryars would say We might be Catholicks and keep our own Religion too and we should not be known we were Catholicks except we were brought before a Justice of Peace We askt if we should profess a Christ we should be asham'd of But as for the poor Workmen they were willing to do any thing for us and were diligent to hear us the Witness of God in them did answer to the truth there were many eyes over them had it not been for the great opposition there were hundreds would have flown to the truth And because I said I did talk with G. F. he the Fryar asked Whether G. F. did bring me money to maintain me in prison I said no but though I was absent in body yet I was present in spirit and was refreshed in him and in hundreds more besides They said I had seen Revelations and had talkt with G. F. and he was God's Revelation Sarah said Christ was God's Revelation he said she came under the Halter for saying Christ was God's Revelation She answered St. Paul said As soon as it pleased God to reveal his Son in me I did not consult with flesh and blood but immediately I went and preacht him and is not Christ God's Revelation then He said Who denied that What they would have done to Sarah if they had taken her forth we know not but the Lord did work so wonderfully that night for the preservation of her poor soul out of their net that he is worthy to be glorified for ever The next time he came to me he came in sheeps clothing but he had a Woolf under his Gown he gave me words as soft as Butter and as smooth as Oyl when he had a Sword in his heart and a Spear in his hand when they speak most fairest then beware of them He desired us we would not think so hardly of him as if he were the Author of all our wrongs and troubles he was not he said but would do any good he could for us were it with his blood But we thought he had been the chiefest that cast the poor man in prison but he was the man that hope him out without any punishment at all though the Inquisitor did say he should be severely punished I told him he did well he would have peace in it and would never have cause to repent it He did entreat us he might not bear all the burthen We told him of many wicked things he did act against us and of his lying and cruel words He bid us take no notice what he did speak But we did feel his spirit that what he spake he would do if he had not been chained I did use to tell him My Conscience was not feared with a hot iron J was not past feeling At last he was so weary of coming to us he did entreat the Jnquisitor he might not come to us any more the Judgements of the Lord did follow him so it was like to kill him When we were parted the Lord did vvork mightily for us and we vvere kept by the Power of the Lord over our Enemies and vvere bold for God's Truth and did make war vvith them in righteousness so that they could not gain-say us in the truth So that Scripture was fulfilled The wicked mouths must be stopped and they vvere put to silence praises be to our God and were made to confess or say Of a truth God was in us our God was a consuming fire to them they were not able to stand in his presence but they vvould howl and make a noise like Dogs and cry Jesu Maria and flye as people driven by a mighty rushing Wind the Power of the Lord did pursue after them like a Sword that Scripture was fulfilled which saith Christ came not to send peace on earth but a sword to cut down his Enemies the Lord was on our side and did take our part and did fight for us and did tread down our Enemies under our feet that they could not hurt us Mighty vvas the Work of God daily our tongues cannot express it they did vvork day and night vvith their Incâ—antments and Divinations Sorceries unclean Spirits crying and foaming insomuch we could take
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
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
redeemed of the Lord Amen Dear heart it is hard for us to part with thee thou wilt feel it The Will of our Eternal Father be done in the pure unity of the blessed Spirit of Light Life Joy Peace and everlasting Glory do we here take our leave of thee at this time hoping to see thy face again with joy in our Lord's time O dear heart our hearts souls spirits and our whole lives goeth along with thee The pure peace of our God rest upon thee Amen Dearly salute us to all Friends for they are dear and precious to us indeed Farewell farewell dear heart farewell Dear heart THou hast cleared thy Conscience towards us in the sight of God and man if here had been many friends what could have been done more concerning us than thou hast done Thou hast stood in great jeopardy ever since and thy life hath been sought for much We have felt it and cryed night and day to our Heavenly Father to preserve thee and safely deliver thee Whatsoever we do suffer we desire the Will of our Heavenly Father to be done in all things if the Lord doth stir up the Earth to help the Woman it is his own free love and upon that account we shall receive it and not upon any other This they spake concerning the money I lâ—â—t with them and for their necessities And the Lord did appear unto me in a Vision of the Night and smote me on the Arm and said Look there is the Pope he will not hurt thee Where he stood in the Room as one forsaken of God and man this was at the English Consuls when there was some fear upon me concerning him Now here is a Roman in the Prison which came hither upon some account he is a a Doctor of Law and differs from them in many things but they are all of one spirit He doth constantly affirm that the Pope hath sent an Order to set us free and he saith they are lyars and false blasphemers if they do say the Pope sent any such Order as they speak of They do meet every day concerning us we do feel them some would have it one way and some another and so they cannot agree because they do act contrary to the Will of God the Lord sets it all on fire and hath burned all they have done these three years concerning us Now where they will look a Reward of their charges we do not know the wise are taken in their own craftiness and the subtile in their own snare There have twelve of them sate in Judgement upon us three years and some have struck hard at our lives so that we have been even at death's door I have lain very weak three Weeks at a time There are many for us as far as they do dare The Lord says there were two with the Inquisitor for us and did plead much with him I did see it in a Night-Vision The English Consul which is dead was with us two several times after we were in the Inquisition he said he would lend us five pounds when we did want but when our money was near done we were made to rejoice greatly and could not take any of any one We did not know the mind of the Lord in it but had we had money we had not known the mighty Power of God Now we are able to trust the Lord where-ever he shall carry us without money We do question the money in the Consul's hand It will be hard for him to part with it Our Life is with thee A few Lines to D. B. OH our dear and faithful Friend and Brother begotten of our heavenly Father right dear and precious in his sight and beautiful before his presence Dear heart we do glorifie our God in our hearts souls and spirits who hath called chosen and elected thee to come up to the help of him against the Mighty and hath carryed thee along in so weighty a work and hath prospered thee therein praises be given to his blessed Name for ever who hath enclosed thee in his Bosom and Chamber of his everlasting Love and hath hid thee in his private Pavillion where them that would hurt thee cannot find thee because of the shadowing of his Almighâ—â—ness under whose defence thou art kept safe and he doth carry thee upon the Wings of his Power so that the Mountains do become plain before thee which we do see clearly in the Light Eternal honor and glory be to his Name for ever who is called Wonderful Counsellor the Mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace in whom we have fellowship and unity one with another and none can hinder Dear heart we do dearly embrace thy sweet Exhortations thou being sensible of the instigations of Sâ—â—an â—ho hath winâ—owed us with every bait winding and twining slights 〈◊〉 he hath Praises be to our God for ever who hath preserved us and prevented him The Enemies being busie with their Temptations to have us enter into their Covenant thereupon I was moved to write these following words which I communicated to their hands with the former Paper Viz. BEhold the Word of Life arose in me saying this morning Keep to Yea and Nay and I will confirm my Covenant unto thee These Words were spoken to the true Seed that shall inherit the Kingdom the same you know is but one in Male and Female And so the blessing of my Life rest upon you and be with you in the same even in that which hath no end neither fadeth away yea and my Spirit saith Amen Dear Lambs read within and be refreshed and the God of Life and Peace encrease the same and multiply your strength abundantly Amen Malta the 10â—h day of the 11th Month 1661. D. B. Another Paper from them to my hand DEar and precious heart in the Eternal Covenant of Light and Life of our God do we salute thee and dearly embrace thee Oh! what hath the Lord made thee unto us far more precious than we are able to express and great will be thy reward for thy faithfulness to the Lord and thy dear and tender love to us and thy diligent care of us Oh! thou art the Messenger we have cried long for to our Heavenly Father saying How long Oh Lord How long will it be before thou wilt send thy Messenger whose feet are beautiful coming upon the Mountains bringing glad tyding of great joy to us thy poor Captives Now hath the Lord our God answered us at large Praises praises be to his Name for evermore Oh! how are our souls refreshed and our spirits supported and our hearts comforted our minds rejoiced and our bodâ—es strengthened Thou canst never do greater service to the Lord our God than to come into such a place as this is to offer up thy dear life in ransoming us Great was the Power that brought thee and great is the Power that doth uphold thee and Mighty is the Strength which doth preserve thee and great
will be thy Reward Thy labour of Love we do bear Testimony cannot be forgotten nor thy faith unfeigned put out of remembrance it is written in the Book of Life for ever and it will be registred and read in the House of Israel Eternally The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it and he will perform it Farewell in the Lord. By us Katharine Evans Sarah Chevers OH our dearly beloved and precious Friend and Brother right honorable indeed for ever We dare not look out at thy departure because we stand in the will of our Maker The blessing of the Almighty be upon thee for ever and make thee flourish in all thy endeavours Thou art called by the Name of Daniel Baker in the midst of thine Enemies thou art in the hand of thy Maker And this the Lord hath spoken Where-ever thou dost come thy Glass shall not be broken until thy Sand be run Oh! this day is this Prophesie fulfilled in our sight When they have done dealing treacherously they shall be dealt treacherously withall the Lord doth steal in upon them Praises be to his Name Dear heart salute us dearly to thy dear and precious Wife with all dear Friends in the Covenant of Grace and Peace Dear heart farewell farewell K. E. S. C. Another Letter from Sarah Chevers to friends in Ireland to be read among the assemblies of Saints in Light OH all ye righteous ones whose dwellings are on high in the fulness of beauty holiness and glory whose Name and Fame reacheth to the ends of the Earth to the astonishment of the Heathen and the amazement of the ungodly to the preparation of all Nations to appear before the dreadful presence of our Lord God Almighty to be stript of all false coverings and to be left without excuse Glory and praises be to our God for ever Amen word hath made us eye witnesses of his mighty Work and 〈…〉 with you according to our measures â—o the 〈◊〉 down of the Powers of darkness and to the defacing of that paâ—â—ted Hâ—â— lot Mysterie Babylon with all her Loverâ— to the utter overthrow of Anâ—iâ—hrist with all his wicked Kingdom Amen The day is dawning the Sun of Righteousness is arising over all Nations for to make a clear separation to gather in his own Flock and to scatter the proud in the imaginations of their own hearts to feed the hungry to heal the sick and to bind up the broken hearted to cloath the naked to visit the spirits in prison and comfort the Mourners in Sion to cause the heavy-hearted in Jerusalem to rejoice Oh my dear Friends who are precious in the sight of our Heavenly Father partakers of his Divine Nature living Stones and holy Assemblies wherein dwelleth the fulness of God Almighty's Power and Strength Riches Glory Wisdom Counsel Knowledge and Understanding he is the Rock of Ages the sure Foundation the Ark of the Covenant of the Promise of everlasting blessedness Amen My dear and precious ones whom my soul loveth my heart delighteth in you and my spirit rejoiceth greatly because of the excellency of God's Almightiness amongst you so that you are a dread to the Nations Kings Princes and mighty men of the Earth shall bow before the Power of Almighty God by whom we stand and all shall be brought under the Foot-stool of Christ and his Government and he alone shall reign in righteousness and rule the Nations in Judgement then shall the cry of the poor be heard and the sighing of the needy be eased and the yoke of Wickedness be broken and the oppressed shall be set free the Image of Christ restored and the Image of that subtile Serpent defaced destroyed and utterly cast down for ever Amen so saith my spirit Glory honor laud and praise be given to our Lord God Almighty for ever Amen A sweet Salutation is this from the breathing forth of my pure Life to the same Life in my Spirit joining in my measure a sufferer for the Seeds sake glory to the Lord who hath counted me worthy Farewel farewel my dear hearts My dear Yoke-mate K. E. dearly salutes all Friends O ye holy Assemblies whose hearts are wholly joined to the Lord. I with you in the Life Power of the Almighty God do travel for the raising of the Seed the gathering in of the lost sheep of the House of Israel Oh! blessed be the day wherein the Lord called me and counted me worthy to suffer for the Seed's sake Praise praise the Lord for me ye blessed of the Lord in whom the living praises are sound in the living Fountain of God Almighty the fulness that filleth every empty soul in the Streams of Love Life Light Strength Riches Immortality and Eternal Glory So Truth Joy Peace and everlasting Blessedness remain with you all for ever Amen My Life is given up for the service of the Lord Bonds Chaine Bolts Irons double doors Death it self is too little for the Testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God so the Seed be gathered it is but a reasonable Sacrifice Bonds and Afflictions betide the Gospel of Christ He that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution it is an evident token My dear Friends my Light my Life my Love hath perfect Union in the Eternal Spirit of the living God and remains with you all for ever Fathers Elders Pillars Nursing-Mothers in Israel true Israelites indeed in whom is no guile My dear Salutation and breathing forth of my Eternal Father's Love is to all the breathing Seed begotten of the Heavenly Father Peace Mercy and Truth be multiplied among you all for ever Amen Pray for us that we may have boldness over our Enemies to fuâ—fil the righteous Will of our Heavenly Father and be kept faithful in his Will for ever Amen Streams of Love and Life floweth from a living Fountain to you all my dear Friends Our love remaineth ever with you all Amen Present this to the hand of L. C. L C. Thou Nursing-Mother in Israel peace be to thee for ever Amen Thy dear Brother Daniel Baker in the Covenant of Life in obedience to the Lord hath visited us to the amazement of our Enemies Glory be to the Lord for ever Amen He hath been a faithful Steward indeed worthy to be had in remembrance in the Book of Israel for ever Amen Whatsoever for the Truth we suffer our reward is with us and our innocent life will clear us Amen Written by me Sarah 〈…〉 Prisoner in the Inquisition for the clear Testimony of the Lord Jesus This 11th Month of the year 1661. NOw after I had received these Papers though not through a little streights and difficulty with jeopardy of my precious Life which my God 〈◊〉 through all preserved Glory to his Name my 〈…〉 overcome with the loving-kindness and salvation of the living Lord and in his savory Life my mouth 〈…〉 giving and praises to my God and I said in my heart on this wise Who am I oh Lord
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
spiritual and so the Lord hath made me as a burthensome stone among them My heart blesseth his Name that wonderfully preserved me Yet some of them came to see somewhat of my innocency About 24. dayes I abode upon the said Island they daily continuing their threatnings against me as aforesaid and many times attempted me to take my passage to Cicillia or to some parts of Italy to produce the unreasonable and unchristian-like Obligation demanded by them but in the fear of God I with my dear friends withstood them and they were freely given up rather to suffer then to hurt God's truth and people thus to gratifie them who as it doth appear the Spirit of the Lord God of truth rules neither in Pope nor in any of his Lords Priest or Jesuits that exerciseth such Lordship over the innocent long-suffering Heritage of the everlasting God The time hasteneth and behold it cometh to pass that the weight of eternal Vengeance is coming over them which the man of 〈◊〉 and his sons of perdition will not be able to bear For the doleful cry of the Innocent it sighs and groans with tears hath long uttered its voice which hath ascended into the ears of the most high who is higher hen the highest yet hath he respect unto the needy to uphold them yea and to such as are of an upright contrite lowly and trembling heart What if I should say the God of love and long-suffeering dwels in such and verily their sacrifice is acceprable in his bosome that liveth for ever and I am a living witness that the sweet testimony and innocent sufferings of these his long-suffering Lambs is right dear and precious in his eye which is the light of his countenance and so is is not otherwise but the same in oneness with his people concerning them And so in the endless Mercy Blessing and Peace of our God we parted and I came away with the love and peace of my God within my heart having the answer and living testimony of a good Conscience and in the wisdom of God brought away these their words and writings which testifieth somewhat of their sufferings and faithfulness unto the Lord his truth and people which I right well know cannot be shut out of the Record of life Eternal unto which I bear record again that they have been and are a sweet savour unto the Lord God of faithfulness and so their reward which attends the same in not onely with them but with all the sons and daughters of truth and innocency that are so travelling in their long-sufferings which are but light and momentary in competition to the Eternal weight of glory which afterwards is to be revealed in the same that suffered in all generâ—tions even from righteous Abel unto this day of our God to whom be wisdom glory salvation and everlasting thanksgivings and dominion for ever Amen saith my soul and spirit even so Amen And it came to pass in the third month of the year 1662. also after my God had well preserved me in my passage and in his work and service from Malâ—â— to diverse places in Italy till I came to the Straights Mouth of the Mediterranean Sea at the place called Gibralter it was the pleasure of the Lord God to suffer the wind and weather to continue contrary well nigh about 30 daies in which season I suffered many trials and tribulations in spirit having little or no rest in the same because of the Vision and words of the Everlasting which sounded often up to my understanding even as the roaring of a Lyon which mine eye saw and mine ear heard also in the year 61. when I was a Prisoner for the pure Word and testimony of God and his Truth in Worcester City Jayl before I departed England and the place was the high Mountain of Gibralter that stands within the King of Spains Dominion which was the subject of the Vision and ofen as I cast mine eye upon the scituation of the place the pure life and power of God's Eternal presence did arise up in me in the Word of Life so that I saw clearly that some great exceeding weighty service for his Name and eternal Truths sake was to be done by me which was so terrible and dreadful to me when as I entred into reasoning so that I was brought down even to the jaws of death in dust and ashes and as Jonah turned his back upon Niniveh the same temptation attended me also to my wounding before I could give up for I fled often from the place to escape with my life from among such an unreasonable and bloody generation and the Lord would not be intreated to let such a bitter Cup pass unfulfilled but behold with the sound and stroak of his eternal Word his Spirit of Life became awakened quickned and mightily revived in me in his Wisdom over all fear of the Nations of men and the same brake through the snares and bonds of death and over destruction and the true seed that mourned cried Not my will but thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven and so it was a hard thing to part with little Isaac which is received again in the Covenant of promise of Life and that was offered up which fled so often but at last was caught in a thicket When the ships of diverse Nations attempted to pass through but the God of heaven whom the wind and sea obeieth suffered them not but they knew not what the matter was which was revealed within my heart as the displeasure of God was against them to humble them also as I told them often by words and writings to clear my conscience albeit they strove being perplexed in their minds and attempted often to wit 7 or 8 times in about 21 daies and could not pass but about 2 or 3 leagues and on this wise it happened it would â—ther prove calm and then the currant would drive them back into the Streights again sometimes and otherwhile storms and tempests would scatter them as a figure of Pharaoh and his Hoste of Egyptian darkness so that the Charet-wheels mine eye saw struck off so that they drove but heavily within and without and at last I gave out among them that God had service for me to do at that place and my life was given up to do his will if I never saw my Native Country Kindred or Fathers house at all any more and therefore the pleasure of the Lord in his mighty power had made me wiâ—ling and also gave me dominion through and over the bonds and snares of death and destruction as it were to lay down my precious life that I may take it again together with the body which through his righteous judgments he had prepared to perform the good pleasure of his Almightiness for his Truth and Names sake Now the heavenly voice was often founded within my heart on this wise saying O Jerusalem cut off thine hair and further more to gird