such Honour have the Earthen Vessels of a Remnant and the Excellency of the Power is his and the Glory of all for he is worthy of it for he is no hard Master but a sure Rewarder of his faithful Servants and he endues them with Power that delights in his Law and inclines to keep his Commands and unto such they are not grievous but joyous but looking out hinders and therefore let none look at their own Weakness let my Harms make others beware and let 's be depending on our good Physician for he hath the Balm of Gilead that cures both Soul and Body which makes the weak strong with the sweet Cordials of his Life that relieves the faint hearted and feeble minded and through tender Mercy I have found it very needful and very useful at all times in all Conditions else what could I have done when in such a weak Condition so many Thousands of Miles from my Habitation but blessed be the Lord and magnified be his preserving Power as Tryals did abound Patience did superabound and that brought me to a good Experience of that which sweetned my bitter Cups and that caused the living Hope to spring that anchors in stormy times and then did the Light of my Soul 's Beloved shine upon me and he shewed me what great deliverances he had wrought for me and what great cause I had to trust in his Name that had been a comfortable Refuge unto me at home and abroad and also shewed me that his Rod and Staff had comforted me and he was always with me and in the Enjoyment of his Presence did my Soul rejoice in the midst of great Tryals and then was my cry Lord give me and mine the comfortable enjoyment of thy presence for ever and then try us as thou pleasest Thy preserving Power is all that I desire of thee and unto it I commit all and with thee I leave all for thou art worthy to dispose of all and then would Life flow in as a River to the comforting and strengthening of Soul and Body Everlâ—sting Praises and holy Thanksgivings be returned â—o Christ Jesus for he is worthy my Soul can truly say for I have experienced his dealings and seen his mighty works that he hath done even marvellously for his tender Seed with which my Soul hath travelled and is often concerned for they have much to bear wherever I have been The Lord my God relieve them more and more and work their deliverance for thy own Glory and the comfort of thy true travelling ones for evermore Written aboard the Ship in ths 3 d Month Anno 1681. A further Testimony for the magnifying of that Power that supported my weak Body and comforted my poor Soul in my Travels in America I feel my self concerned to give a Relation of some particular Places and Service FIrst I came to New York and there had been hurt done by some that Friends had lost their 5th Day Meeting and I laboured to settle it again and God's Eternal Power wrought wonderfully in me in several Meetings with his people and we were well refreshed And when the Meeting aforesaid was setled again it was with me to go to Long Island and there the Ranters oppressed Friends but the Lord had a tender People there and his Power was amongst them and we were sweetly refreshed together for God's Almighty Power was over all in all our Meetings wherever I came to the subduing of the dark Power that raged in the Ranters and the relieving of the tender hearted Honour and Praises be ascribed unto it for ever for it made me sensible of the oppression of the tender Seed and for its sake my Soul was in a deep travel and the Night before the general Meeting I was near unto death and many Friends were with me who did not expect my Life and I was so weak when I came there that two Women-Friends led me into the Meeting and there was a great Meeting of several sorts of people and in a little time the God of Wisdom Life and Power filled me with the Word of his Power and I stood up in the strength thereof and it was so prevailing over the Meeting that Friends were very much comforted and refreshed and the Power of Darkness so chained that the opposing Ranters and Apostates could not shew their antick tricks nor oppress Friends as they did use to do for they were very abusive in those remote Islands and commonly did much Mischief in Friends Meetings And they that had been convinced and were turned again with the Dog to his Vomit as saith the Scripture and with the Sow that was washed to wallow again in the mire and had made Shipwreck of Faith and a good Conscience they were most wicked and preached Scripture and had Truth 's Words and grieved Truth 's Spirit and burdened Friends exceedingly and honest Friends could hardly be clear that had a Testimony except they spake while they were speaking But when God's Power did arise over them it many times put them to silence even to admiration and altho Friends Exercise was great especially them that declared yet the blessed Effect of the Almighty Power was and is a precious Recompence and a good Reward And when my Service was over in Long Island it was in my Heart to go to Road Island to the General Meeting that approached soon after I arrived there yet we had a quick passage through Providence and when I came to the General Meeting of Friends there was that abominable Crew and Tho. Case the grand Ranter was bawling very loud and I had been there but a very little time but God's living Power did arise most wonderfully and I declared in the demonstration thereof and soon put him to silence and he went forth and the powerful Presence of the Lord was amongst his People and this General Meeting in Road Island lasted Four Days together and I had good Service there and God's Eternal Heart-tendering Power was over all Glory and Living Praises be unto it for evermore And still it was upon me to go to Boston for that was with me before I came from home and I hastened to take a passage in a Sloop and went with some Friends and one was a Maiden Friend that had a few Words sometimes in Meetings who had been there once before and she and another Friend suffered much there both Imprisonment and other Cruelty for Conscience-sake But blessed be the God of all our Mercies we had peaceable Meetings there and his excellent Power was so that it tendered the people and there was hardly any that I saw but shed tears there was a Lawyer that had a hand in the suffering of our Friends that were put to Death and he was very solid all the while And after this I travelled by Sea and Land in the strength of the supporting Power to many places whithersoever the Lord ordered me and as I followed the Line of his Divine Light he failed
enduring hardships to travel on and follow our Captain fully for his Reward is sure though it is through many Tryals obtained yet when this momentary Pilgrimage is passed through the greater weight of Glory will out-ballance all and in the sense of it let our Hearts rejoyce and our Souls magnifie that Power that has preserved and is able to preserve unto the end and that in and through it we may be strong in the Lord Jesus and fitly furnished to every good Work that we may never be weary of well doing nor faint in our minds though in this World we meet with many Troubles yet we know him that is able to deliver out of them all and if he feed with the Bread of Affliction and the Water of Adversity yet blessed be his living Name he teacheth our Souls to profit thereby and we have cause to say in this Trying Day as the three Children did in Ages past We know that our God is able to deliver us if he please but if he will not we will still trust in him for he has been with us in Six Troubles and we have good cause to depend upon him and to have confidence in him in the Seventh for it is but a little while and Persecution and Affliction shall come to an end but the Word of Patience that preserves in times of great temptation abides for ever and shall never have an end Glory and Honour and Living Praises be returned and ascribed unto the God of all our Mercies and Blessings both Spiritual and Temporal which we daily partake of from his fatherly hand for he is an never-failing God and of his loving-kindness there is no end And unto the Protection of his Almighty Power which reaches over Sea and Land do I commit you with my own Soul henceforth and for evermore Your Sister in the unchangeable precious Truth JOAN VOKINS From London the 3 d of the 1st Month 1682. To Friends of Crambrook in Kent Dear Friends MY Love salutes you and the rest of the Faithful in Christ Jesus who holds fast their Integrity and retains their first Love for such are near and dear unto me and often in my remembrance whatever Exercises they undergo and my Soul do often breath unto the God of my life that we may be kept in a waâ—â—ing frame that if Tryals and Afflictions do abound that his sanctifying Power may superabound that as faithful Soldiers we may endure hardships to the end that in the end we may receive the greater weight of Glory that may out ballance all the momentary Afflictions that we meet with in this short Pilgrimage O Glory to his Name who is the Physician of Value that can cure both Body and Soul he is worthy to be trusted in who never fails them whose confidence is in him and all things are possible for his Power to do therefore let our dependance be on it for ever that we may feel it in all our undertakings that we may have the benefit of it in the use of the Creatures that his Blessing may be upon them then it will go well with us whatever may come Thus the Lord Jesus brings to pass for the honour of his own worthy Name and the comfort of our weak Bodies and everlasting benefit of our immortal Souls is the desire of Your true Friend in the unchangeable Truth J. V. 4th of the 9 Month 1682. For the Friends of Abingdon Meeting in Berkshire My dear and well beloved Friends IF you will be delivered then keep to Truth and that will set you free from Sin and from Iniquity and if you would wear the Everlasting Crown think not for to sit down at ease but follow the Lamb through the many Tribulations that you may partake of his sweet Consolations For the more Tryals and sore Exercises do abound the more the Love and Life of Jesus will super-abound unto all them that do believe in him and suffer with him they shall assuredly reign with him and be crowned with life that are faithful unto death and what is left upon Record we see fulfilling that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer and the worst Enemies are them of their own house let them read that have experience for they may understand me and such I truly simpathize with in the patience and suffering of the Lamb knowing that he and his Followers are deeply engaged in the spiritual warfare and truly it is a precious and a blessed cause to be concerned in and them that love any thing more than him are not worthy to be concerned in his War neither can such partake of his Government and Peace which shall never have end Therefore them that go this spiritual warfare must not be entangled but must follow their Captain through the many tribulations bearing their faithful Testimonies that their Garments may be made white being washed in the Blood of the Lamb that the precious adorning of his meek and quiet spirit we may be covered with that we may feel Justification by him in our own hearts then we need not fear what Man can do unto us though all Men should rise up against us yet if our God be for us he can take our part and plead our cause and soon subdue our Enemies if he pleases but if he will not so do yet we have cause to do as the Three Children did to trust in him however for he knows what is most convenient for us and he will cause all things to work together for our good and if he gives the Bread of Adversity and the Water of Affliction yet glory be to his worthy Name he teaches us to profit thereby and what he orders for us is still for the best and let us wait to feel his sanctifying power to strengthen us to follow him which way soever he leads that we may love him above all perishing things and manifest our Love by keeping his Commands and one of his Commands which he gave unto all his is to watch to be aware of their Souls Enemy and to enjoy the sweet benefit of their Souls Friend which far exceeds the Friendship of all the World and for the same we can turn our backs on the glory of the World and do chuse rather to suffer with the Lamb and his Followers then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season for that would captivate our Souls though we might have more favour from the wicked and more ease to our bodies but if hardship be our portion and that we must have a sufficient share therein yet our reward is sure if we endure to the end Glory and honour and praises unto the God of all our Mercies and that for evermore his blessed everlasting reward will out-ballance all therefore great encouragement have we to wait upon the Lord Jesus for the renewing of our inward Man that we may continue in well-doing those few days we have to come in this momentary Pilgrimage that in
Friends at and nigh Colebrook and Longford Meeting and thereaway Dear Frinds I Having you often in mind thought it long before I could send a few Lines having kept my Bed this three Months or more and have not been able to write and I am very weak still I could not go from my Bed But hearing of an opportunity have in much weakness written that which lay most upon my Mind which is for the building of you up in the most Holy Faith and encouraging of you in Well-doing Oh my dear and tender Friends feel the tender Love of the God of Love that we may magnifie his Name together though at a distance in Person O the unutterable Loving-Kindness of our God what Tongue can declare it how hath he preserv'd us provided for us hitherto beyond what our hearts could desire Hath he not done that for us which none other could do Hath he not delivered out of Dangers deep and Difficulties many Or hath he been ever wanting to us in doing us good Oh surely no but he hath multiplied his Mercies and encreased Blessings frequently and freely as he in his Wisdom sees what is most convenient for us and if he please to feed us with the Bread of Affliction and the Water of Adversity yet let us to his Teachings keep that we may learn to profit thereby Have not the trials and exercises of our Faith and Patience brought us to a good Experience of the Love of our God O let us keep a narrow watch over our Hearts that the Enemy may not subtilly creep in under any pretence for if he be harkened to he will weaken the Faith and Unbelief will enter and then the murmuring Spirit will be ready to charge the Lord foolishly Oh dear Hearts our tender Father is not wanting but is a present help in all our needs therefore let it be the whole and sole bent of our minds to perform our Duties unto him Oh up and be doing for the time is come that none must be idle but all that would have the wages of well-doing must be faithful every one in his place and none to make excuses for Châ—â—st our Head is full of Virtue and Strength and Might and ready to communicate to all his Members a suitable and seasonable supply at all times and if we as diligent Servants wait on him our tender Master he will discover our particular Duties and shew us what is required of us Oh let us go on with Courage unanimously that we may be helpful one unto another and so bring honour to our Head that we may feel his Power supporting of us upon all occasions that we may not doubt nor faint in our Minds by reason of the buffettings of the power of Darkness but through the Faith in Christ Jesus we may obtain Victory over all that would hinder the prosperity of Truth and keep it under for Truth must reign and the Lord will be honoured in the dominion thereof And he will sweep the Nation with the Beesom of his Wrath and the Hypocrites shall be tried and fear shall surprize them and woe will be to them that are at ease in Sion but well will it be with them who think nothing too dear to part with for the Truth sake whose Hearts are singly resigned to serve the Lord with all that he hath given them which is no more but our reasonable Duties which we have good cause diligently to perform unto the end that we may daily feel the vertue of Life continued and renewed to us unto the end and in the end a double reward which our God hath prepared for all that hold out and endure thereunto Blessed be his Holy Name for ever and for evermore Dear Friends feel me in that which thinks no evil and in it receive my Salutation that it may reach unto the same in you that we may breath one for another and be refreshed as Members of one Body We cannot say one unto another I have no need of thee for there is work for us all in the Vineyard Oh let us be diligent while we have time that we may receive our Peny of Life to the comforting of our Souls every day for we do not serve a hard Master So in that which engages to his service do I bid you farewell The 1st of the 6th Month 1678. Your Friend in that which engages our Hearts to serve our God faithfully without any reserve J. V. Some account given forth by Joan Vokins of the great Goodness and Mercy of the Lord towards her and of the wonderful Works that he hath done for her conducing to his Glory and her great Joy and Comfort Written with her own Hand a few Months before her decease as followeth SOmthing of the tender dealing of the Lord with me ever since my Childhood for blessed be his Name he preserved me from many Evils that Youth is often ensnared with and by his Light that I then had no acquaintance with shewed me the vanity and vain Customs of the World when I was very young and all along my youth his Good Spirit did still strive with me to preserve me from Sin and Evil And if I had at any time through persuasion of others gone to that they called Recreation I should be so condemned for passing away my precious time that I could have no peace so that I could take no delight in their Pastime but was still condemned And many times I cried to the Righteous God to reveal his way unto me and I promised to walk therein whatever I endured For the snares of the World the Lord was pleased to discover and in some measure to make known the Cross of Jesus that Crucifies unto the World and as I enclined to take it up and follow Jesus through the many Tribulations he endowed me with his Almighty Power wherein hath been my help blessed be his Worthy Name for ever for his Loving-Kindness never fails but his Mercies endure for ever and his great Compassion and tender Dealing towards my Soul when in Darkness and under the Region of the Shadow of Death is never to be forgotten for it hath been largely extended unto me when in deep distress When my cry was often Lord reveal thy Way unto me that I may walk therein whatever I undergo But when I found the way so strait and narrow I could very willingly have turned aside for ease for Flesh and Blood could not bear that which I had then to undergo but blessed and renowned be the Spirit of Truth my Comforter which leads into all Truth for when I was in a dejected condition about Reprobation and Election neither Priest nor Professor could open the Mystery of Election and Reprobation but the Spirit of Light and Life which is the Spirit of Jesus opened my Understanding and revealed the Mystery of the two Seeds how that the one is for ever blessed and the other cursed And also what Happiness might be received by taking
and a cunning Hunter seeking for the precious Life and chased my poor Soul as a Partridge on the Mountains but my God had shewed me that the way to Rest was through many Troubles and that he would be at hand to Deliver out of them all by his Almighty Power but I could hardly trust it then but yet turning to it I found Preservation by it when the backsliding of some had like to have caused me to stumble but the unerring Spirit of Jesus shewed me that if thousands fall on the one hand and tens of thousands on the other that should not defile me and if all the rest were Righteous that should not justifie me if I did not obey the Truth now he had made known his Covenant of Life which I so deeply engaged to be faithful unto and then I turned my back on the World and all the friendship and glory of it that I might obtain the favour of Jesus who condemned me for my Self-righteousness as for my known Sins for I was cautious of Sinning against the Lord ever since my Youth and desired after the best Religion and Company and when I was very young in years I greatly delighted to go to Professors Meetings and could bring home the Text and repeat much of their Sermons but yet that brought no benefit to my poor hungry Soul And when I was in secret before the all-seeing Eye of the Lord he administred Condemnation upon it all and I had no Peace inwardly although none could condemn me for any misdemeanor as outwardly but when my own Righteousness became loathsome to me then was I made willing to part with all that had been near and dear unto me that I might feel and witness the Robe of Christ's Righteousness revealed and be cloathed therewith And as for my Husband and Children my true and tender Love was so great that I could have done or suffered much for them But if I had disobeyed the Lord to please them I might have provoked him to have withholden his Mercies from us all and to bring his Judgments upon us And then who shall excuse in the Day of Accompt Then if a Man as the Scripture says should give the Fruit of his Body for the Sin of his Soul it will not be accepted Then Husbands and Wives and Parents and Children and Servants shall all receive according to their doings and none that disobeys the Lord can be excused no more than Adam was when he said That the Woman gave him the forbidden Fruit and he did eat and so provoked the Lord that the Curse came upon himself and could not be excused And although Man and Wife should be helpful one to another in Righteousness yet too many there are since the fall that hinder and hurt each other for which an account must be given anavoidably And this did I consider many a time and earnestly endeavour to avoid notwithstanding the false Aspersions that might arise yet I still endeavoured to keep my Conscience clear in the sight of my tender God and none can lay any thing to my Charge except it be for serving the Living and True God though in that way that many may call Heresie yet I do worship him in Spirit and in Truth For as Christ Jesus hath said it is come to pass that our Heavenly Father seeketh such and always sought such to worship him in his own Spiritual way of Worship which shall stand when all Idolatry and invented Worships shall fall Written aboard the first Ship The 1st month 1680. as I went to New-England when none that saw me expected my life but the Lord was with me and relieved me and his blessed Power raised me as at many other times And I arrived at New York the 4th Day of the 3d Month 80 and a Maiden Friend whose Name was Sarah Yoklet went with me from England and travelled with me until I came to Oyster-Bay in Long-Island and the Lord so ordered it that when she left me another Woman-Friend that had a Testimony was my Companion several Months whose name was Lydia Wright Oh matchless Mercies of the Lord who can rightly consider them as they have been manifested and not be tendered as I am Oh how long did his tender Spirit strive with me before I gave up to go to Sea How did his long Patience wait and suffer Surely it 's worthy to be remembred for he might have cut me off in a disobedient Condition But blessed and magnified be his Heart-tendering Power it bowed me from Year to Year and brought me into Subjection when in a low Condition I could not help my self nor had no other to help me Oh then did it support me in Exercises sore both in Body and Spirit when my Mind hath been so dejected that my Faith almost failed then did my tender Father through the Son of his Love Christ Jesus yeild me sweet relief though in a weary Land and sweetly encouraged me to travel on and many sweet Promises which before he gave me as I stood singly resigned to obey his Commands and be at his dispose he was never wanting to fulfil but by Sea and Land hath multiplied his Mercies and renewed a right Spirit in me to the resolving of Doubts and casting out of false Fears everlasting Praises to his most holy Name for often did that cause Torment when the dark Reasoner was very busie Then did I cry unto the Lord and say Surely thou knowest all and I have none but thee to help and many Eyes are over me and great Difficulties surround me on every hand and I am the poorest and weakest that I do know and if I should fail by the way how would the Enemy rejoice and the Truth be reproached And much buffeting did I undergo in my long and sore Exercises but as I cast my Care upon him he hath cared for me and blessed be his Name he hath helped in my greatest straits and hath made hard things easie and what he shewed me by his pure Spirit of Light for my encouragement before I came forth he hath brought to pass Glory to his Name for ever may all those say with my Soul that love the Leadings of the Light of Jesus for though it leads through Tribulation yet it brings the Soul sweet Consolation and therefore worthy to be followed through the Self-denial for it 's through the daily Cross to obtain the Reward of the Crown and precious is the feeling of the Life of Jesus to the awakened and illuminated Soul and that made the roaring Sea and dry Land and lonesome Wilderness all one to me by Night and by Day and great was my encouragement to commit all that my Heavenly Father had given me to his keeping and to follow him and in taking up the daily Cross I found Power to preserve me from looking out at my affliction of Body when sorely exercised in Mind ready to sink under the oppression of it had not the Spirit of
thereof with kind acceptance and this is to certifie you that after I left old England I had no cause of doubt or fear but the roaring Sea is to me as the dry Land because of my heavenly Father's presence and power which do make hard things easie and bitter things sweet in whose Arms we are preserved hitherto and we have great cause to hope we shall unto the end for he is with us and have done for me already more then I did expect from his tender hand I have not had one fit since I came aboard but Sarah and I are both Sea-sick but we have good encouragement in our Voyage and here is some Friends and some other sober People and I have good Service amongst them and the Peace of my God flows in as a River and his Love and Life as a mighty Stream which I would not be separated from for all that is in Old England and let all Friends know that ask concerning me that its very well with my Soul Glory everlasting be unto my tender God for ever Though my Body is weak yet he that made it is worthy to have the disposing of it and unto him it is resigned for he hath often brought it down and rais'd it up and can do with it as he pleases And let my dear Husband and Friends thereaway know that I am at home with my God though absent from my outward and he that cloaths the Lillies and feeds the Ravens takes care of me as well here as at home and as to my bodily weakness I am not worse than I was at home but much easier in my Mind Blessed and magnified be the Name of the Lord for ever It is troublesome for me to write the Vessel doth so wave I desire that Susan Dew and Mary Elson may see this or have a Copy of it and also my dear Husband and Children to whom my indeared Love is recommended and to all our Friends there-away that loves the Truth and walks in it for they can sympathize with me and are partakers of the reward of life with me in our own Bosoms which is and hath been more to me since I have been aboard the Vessel than my natural Life and it 's the best Cordial that I can ever have for healing vertue is in it by which my Soul and weak Body is strengthened and comforted in times of great weakness fore tryals and exercises in the sense of which my Soul is tendered before the God of my life not questioning but that we may see one anothers faces again with joy and not with sorrow and yet if we do not see face to face yet if we abide together in Spirit in the work and service of our God then shall he be honoured and our Souls comforted and so shall I have the desire of my Soul answered who am a Traveller for the tender Seed sake in the service of Truth wherein I greet you all in the salutation of my dear love and therein do take my leave and bid you farewel in the Lord JESUS remaining Your true and unfeigned Friend and Sister in the precious Truth J. V. From on Ship-board in the Downs 27th of the 12th Month 1679. An Epistle to Friends in Rhode-Island and there-away Dear Friends MY Love and Life salutes you all that loves the precious Truth and lives in it for they are very dear and near one unto another even as Epistles written in one anothers Hearts that cannot be forgotten not written with Ink or Pen but with the uniting and healing Spirit that unites us unto our God and endears us one unto another in which I am one with you in Tryals and Exercises and the breathing of my Soul is unto the God of our lives that all may be cut off that troubles you and that Love and Life and all other Spiritual Graces and Gifts may be multiplied and increased in and amongst you that you may persevere as the Worthies of the Lord that through renewings of the right Spirit you may be more and more Conquerours over all that is wrong for our God is on his way Glory to his Name for ever and he hath regard to the very hindermost of the Flock therefore let all put on Valour and Courage to follow the Lamb for he is on his way Triumphantly and he and his faithful Followers shall have the Victory though we may meet with much by the way yet we have great encouragement still to look to him who have hitherto preserved in dangers deep and difficult and though in this World we meet with many Troubles yet our Helper is nigh yea a God at hand to deliver out of them all Surely his love is sufficient to engage our Hearts to his Service for we have every one a Service for our tender God in our places and purity of Life and Conversation is that which will answer to the establishing and confirming of all that keeps thereunto though the outward appearance of things may make some weak ones to reason and question and be ready to stumble yet the Gospel-light and life and the good order thereof is very comfortable and as it is kept unto will resolve all doubts and stop the dark reasoner and put a period to all unprofitable Controversies which things the Lord grant may be brought to pass amongst you and in all the Churches to the Honour and Exaltation of his Holy Name and Precious Truth and the comforting and building up and establishing of every breathing tender Babe that he over all may have the praise and our Souls the comfort for evermore Amen Saith your Friend in the unchangeable Truth J. V. From Barbadoes 6th of the first Month 1681. Let this be read among Friends in Rhode-Island as the Wisdom of God shall direct Here are at the West-India Islands a very good President concerning Children and I could wish that it were so among the Lord's People every where Friends Children meet together once a week and sit together with their Parents and wait upon the Lord and are Instructed and they learn dear G. F's Catechism at home and then they say it at the Meeting once a week and I do believe that it do produce a good Effect and I can truly say that the Power of the Almighty is amongst them for many of them was tendered and let Tears when I was at their Meeting and Friends were refreshed Here in Barbadoes are Family Meetings very frequently and comfortable An Epistle to Friends in East-Jersey Dear Friends BE of believing Hearts and keep to the measure of Light already received that none may be vailed in their Understandings and so come to loss but that all may have the benefit of their own measures that we may Magnifie our God together for in the feeling of that Spirit that helpeth our Infirmities and teaches us we are greatly encouraged to travel on though there is much to be met with by the way Oh therefore let none be weary in well-doing
good and gracious unto all those that confess and forsake their evil thoughts words and works and they shall surely find Mercy with him and be acquainted with him and feel acceptance with him and know the work of his sanctifying power to sanctifie throughout in Body Soul and Spirit that the works of sanctification may not be to do when the Messenger of Death will not be denied for then it will be too late to work out our salvation with fear and trembling and therefore it would be good for all to consider how good the Lord is in that he hath considered the frailty of all flesh and hath given unto every one a measure of his good Spirit to help our Infirmities and to teach us But if we neglect this Gift of God we shall be unexcusable in the Day of Account and he will be clear of us all and therefore let all be diligent to hear the Word of Reconciliation that the work thereof may be experienced for it begets again unto God those that were afar off and when the work of Regeneration is witnessed and the Birth of the Water of Life and Spirit of Jesus then the new Creature that avails with God comes to be in unity and peace with him and then the Spirit of Jesus bears witness to the Spirits of such that they are the Children of the Lord but except a being born again there can be no entring into the Kingdom for the first Birth cannot enter into the first Adam's Nature all are dead but they that are begotten again by the Word of God's power as the Scripture testifies they come to be changed into the Nature of the second Adam the Lord from Heaven the quickning Spirit in him all such are made alive and as they live in his fear and do not grieve his Spirit their sufficiency is in the engrafted Word of his Grace that is able to save and in the same do witness preservation as in the days of old it is the same that David hid in his heart that he might not sin against the Lord and it was as a Lanthorn unto his feet and a light unto his paths And so it is now blessed be the Name of the Lord unto them that are truly watchful in it but those that are obeying the power of darkness breaks the Command of Christ Jesus and it 's left upon Scripture-Record that he did not say only unto one but unto all watch and surely it is as needful as ever for us to keep a narrow watch and that in the Light for our Souls Enemy works always in the dark and except we keep a continual watch over our hearts in that which doth discover his Snares we cannot escape and so let all that have any sense that it is their Duty to wait upon the Lord be careful to keep the Command of watchfulness that the Enemy nor any of his Instruments do not prevent from waiting in stilness upon the Lord for he doth renew the strength of them that do truly wait upon him and the Lord by his Servant hath said That they shall run and not be weary and walk and not faint and now he is fulfilling the Scripture wherein it is said The children of the Lord shall be taught of the Lord and they shall be established in righteousness and great shall be their peace Oh let all that want it hearken unto the true Shepherd of the little Flock for whom the Kingdom is prepared who encourages them and bids them fear not tho' the Wolfish destroyer is nigh unto them yet he is the Overseer and in all Tryals and Exercises he is their preservation and them that have been exercised deeply and tryed throughly they can tell of his wonderful works and have cause to speak well of his most worthy Name and to invite others to come and taste and see for themselves how good the Lord is in that he gives all a time of tender Visitation Oh! that all People would but consider it before it be too late that while the good Spirit of Light is striving their hearts may be affected with it and joyned to it for it will not always strive and therefore let such as could not come into Obedience because of Sufferings now consider how good the Lord is in that he hath calmed the storms of Persecution and opened a door for such as are convinced to come into Obedience let them now perform what they promised to the Lord when they were looking to see what the Lord would do with his poor despised People called Quakers for said they it is the Truth that they suffer for but we cannot suffer for it the Sufferings is too hard for us to bear else we should own it Oh! let all such truly consider the wonderful love of God his tender mercy may not be disregarded nor his great love undervalued but let every such a one double their diligence and make no delays for delays in this weighty concern are very dangerous for who knows how little time they have to come or what it may bring forth therefore that the present time be not ill spent but while it is to day if any will hear his voice let them not harden their hearts as it was in the day of provocation For many are the invitations of the great love of God and if it be slighted he will certainly with-hold his Mercies and therefore we have great need to embrace his love that we may not provoke him to wrath for he is just and will render unto all people according to their doings Joan Vokins West-Chawlow 14 of 〈◊〉 third Month 168◠A Testimon◠〈…〉 work of God's Power Because of the marvellous love of God in Christ Jesus I cannot conceal my Testimony for the wonderful work of his Eternal Power that hath been admirably manifested in my poor Soul and weak frail Body and if I should not leave a short Testimony of it to Posterity I should be very ungrateful and I pray God that the sin of Ingratitude may not be laid heavy on any of us professing Truth when the Messenger of Death calls but that while we live we may live in subjection to his Almighty Power that when we die we may seal our Testimonies thereunto in true submission and receive the blessed reward of the faithful OH what tongue can declare the wonderful loving kindness of the Lord as is experienced by those that obey his Commands Surely that is the way to abide in his love and his great love has been so largely manifested to me that it has ingaged me so to love him again as to forsake the Worlds Glory Customs and Fashions Vanities Elements Traditions and Superstitions and to take up my Daily-Cross and follow Jesus through the many Tribulations But blessed be his worthy Name he hath filled my cup with his sweet consolations and caused me to say that one day in his Courts is better then a thousand elsewhere and I had rather be a
worthy Name and magnifie his preserving and delivering Power for it hath been largely manifested may a little remnant truly say that has known the wonderful works of our God to admiration Oh we have great cause to speak well of his Name and to remember his mercies of old and to hold the continuation of his favours in great esteem and blessed be the Lord Jesus he hath not been wanting to us but his renewed Mercies daily are sufficient to deeply ingage us to renew our faithfulness and obedience that our heavenly Father may be pleased to continue and multiply his tender dealings towards us that whatever is yet to come may never be able to separate us from the sense of his love or from the seasonedness of his holy fear or from that cementing life that joyns us as Members unto Christ our Head that if Tryals should abound we may all feel the Love and Life of Jesus to super-abound that every bitter Cup that is yet to come may be sweetened and all hard things made easie and we encouraged to travel on in our heavenly progress keeping a narrow watch in the precious Light and diligently waiting in the same that we may be filled with heavenly Treasure for all other is very uncertain And we here do meet with a sufficient share of many and variable Exercises neither do I expect that you there do go free but this is that I do desire above all things even your living growth in the precious Truth and that you may indure to the end for they are assuredly happy and a blessed Reward is prepared for them And in a living sense of the same the Lord God of our Lives keep us here and you there that our Breathings may be continued one for another that we may be refreshed one in another and praise the God of Heaven and Earth together in his one Eternal Spirit as with one Heart and Soul for he is worthy to be had in living remembrance and his pure power to be magnified and renowned over all and unto it I commit us all for it is over all and worthy to have the disposing of us all and with it I leave all for there is nothing too hard for it to do and it 's worthy to be exalted over all Heaven and Earth and that for evermore saith the Soul of your loving Sister in the unchangeable Truth Joan Vokins London 28. 4 Mo. 90. POSTSCRIPT HEre have been a very precious time of heavenly Bedewings at our General Meeting at this Season as at many other times blessed be the God of Heaven and Earth his Power has filled the Assemblies of his People and the remembrance of you and other remote Islands is signified by Epistles that were Signed at our Womens Meetings and ordered to be sent to you when opportunity presents that you may rejoyce with us and joy in the God of your and our Salvation in and through Christ Jesus who lives and abides to make intercession for us his poor helpless ones who have had no helper but him Oh glory to his Name for ever he has been with us in many Troubles and gives us cause to believe he will be with us for ever And unto his tender care do I commit all our States and Conditions for fresh and sutable Supplies comes from him the Fountain of all our Mercies to whom be returned the Honour and the Glory over all for he is worthy for evermore The Lord my God in his great goodness to me after a long time of weakness has enabled me by his Power to come once more to this Yearly Meeting to be refreshed among his worthy ones and could do no less then cast my Mite into the Treasury And when the Epistle comes as is directed to West and East-Jersey and Philadelphia I intreat thee and thy Wife to let Copies be sent to York and Long Island J. V. To Antegua and Nevice c. G. W. DEar Friend after the Salutation of my Dear Love which truly reaches to thee thy Wife and Friends This is to let you know That I cannot forget you in those remote Islands but have been often concerned for you in a Travel of Soul before the Lord and now having this opportunity after a long time of bodily Weakness to visit Friends at London I can do no less than let you know that through tender Mercy I am yet alive to tell of the Goodness of the Lord and to admire the Works of his Almighty Power and to speak well of his worthy Name for Glory and Honour and Praises thereunto he is the same as ever and his Mercies and the continuation of his Favours are never to be forgotten and his renewed Goodness and Mercies both Spiritual and Temporal are daily sufficient to engage us to renew our faithfulness and obedience unto our tender God Oh that thus it may be with all that he has been so good unto as to bring near unto himself and one unto another who were once afar off from the Fellowship of the Saints in Light but blessed be the Lord who hath caused his Light to shine in our Tabernacles and shewed us the way that we should walk in and now Christ Jesus is our Life and Salvation and he fills our Cups with sweet Consolation and as many as do walk in the Light have fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin and purifies and fits the Earthen Vessel for the Heavenly Treasure and the excellency of the power is of the Lord and the Glory over all is his and he is near unto them that seeks his Glory more than their outward Interest and he will fill their Treasuries with this heavenly Treasure and so as we follow him we inherit substance and have no more need to wander as in the days past after Husks and Shadows but to keep to the Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls for blessed be his Name he feeds us in the green Pastures of Life and causes us to lye down by the still Waters when the raging Sea foams out Mire and Dirt Oh this is he that led Israel in the days of old and never said to the Seed of Jacob Seek ye my Face in vain And therefore dear Friends we have cause to say to the praise of his holy Name That goodly are the Tents of Jacob and blessed is his dwelling place for it s within the munition of Rocks where our Bread is ever sure and the Water of Life never fails where the weary finds sweet repose and the thirsty are refreshed and where our Souls feed together when our Bodies are far asunder So therein the Lord preserve us and you unto the end that he may have the Honour and our Souls the Benefit for evermore And by this thou may'st know that we have had a precious time here at London at our Yearly Meeting and many precious Testimonies have been born by Sons and Daughters to the Almighty Power of God that have filled the Assemblies of his People Oh how have the Heavenly Dew distilled upon our Branches and brought forth Fruit that reaches unto you in these Islands and I dearly desire it may be pleasant to your taste that we may be refreshed one in another and be one anothers joy and rejoycing in the Lord Jesus and that the Epistles of Love that were Signed here at our Yearly and Quarterly Meetings may induce you to Write again that you there may have a correspondency with Friends here in the Work and Service that our God hath called us unto that Spiritual Fruits may be brought forth and abound in all the Churches for our heavenly Father who delights in those that brings forth the Fruits of his Spirit and every Member that bringeth forth Fruit to his praise he purges and waters with the Seasons of his early and latter Rain and causes them to bring forth Fruit more and more And so the Dew of the Everlasting Hills rest upon you and us and upon all the Heritage of God every where for evermore Amen saith the Soul of thy true Friend and Sister in that which reaches over Sea and Land as length of time cannot wear out JOAN VOKINS At London I hope to hear from Nevice as opportunity to present my Dear Love is to W. Fifill's Widow if yet alive and to all the rest of those that are alive that loves the Truth and lives in it for they are very precious to me J. V. This was written soon after the Yearly Meeting 1690. about the end of the 4th or the beginning of the 5th Month 1690. THE END A Catalogue of Books Printed for and Sold by Thomas Northcott JOhn Burnyeat's Works Price 2 s. 6 d. G. Keith's Presbyterian and Independant Visible Churches in New-England and elsewhere brought to the Test and examined according to the Holy Scripture Price 1 s. 6 d. His Way to the City of God 1 s. His Fundamental Truths of Christianity Price 8 d. Stephen Crisps Alarum sounded in the Borders of Spiritual Egypt which shall be heard in Babylon Prince 3 d. His Epistle concerning the Present and Succeeding Times Price 2 d. G. Fox the Younger's Works Price 1 s. 8 d. Elizabeth Bathursts Truths Vindication Price 8 d. Sam. Fisher's Works Price 12 s. William Tomlinson's Innovations of Popery Price 6 d. Buds and Blossoms of Piety Price 1 s. G. F's several Treatises worthy of every true Christian's serious Consideration Price 6 d. R. Barclay's Apology for the True Christian Divinity Price 4 s. There is now in the Press Robert Barclay's Works which will be a Book of 12 s.
to the weak to help them on in the way of Peace and to watch over them for good and encourage them in well-doing and much delighted to see those that knew the Truth grow up into the Life and Nature of it to persevere in it in faithfulness but much lamenting the state of the unfaithful She had a godly care upon her for the Church of Christ in general but especially where she had laboured and been conversant Her tender Care was great She was a Nursing Mother over the Young convinced and in her own Family great was her Care and Endeavours for her Husband and Children that they might partake with her of the Everlasting Comfort and Celestial Consolation that is the Portion of the Righteous The Lord was very good unto her and blessed her with a Dispensation of the Gospel and gave her a Word in season to speak to their several states and conditions and the Lord blessed her Endeavours and made it effectual for their Benefit and her great Comfort and Satisfaction For she was a great Sufferer in the time of her first Convincement among her near Relations And she was a good Example among them that by her good Conversation by the blessing of God and assistance of his Grace they were won to the Truth her care was great for her Children that they might come to a sense of Truth that she said when she saw them cumbered and their Minds hurried with their worldly Business that she would call them together to sit down and wait upon the Lord and sit with them that he might compose their Minds into an inward Retiredness and said the Lord was with her in it and often refreshed her Spirit among them And the Lord let her live to see the Fruits of her labour and the desire of her Soul concerning them and the good effect that her Christian Motherly care had brought forth through the blessing of Almighty God among them to him be the Glory for he is worthy for ever Her Father and Husband and Children all came to receive the Truth and her Husband is now a Sufferer for Truth under that cruel Oppression of Tythes a Prisoner at Reading-Goal with her eldest Son for the same And when they were called to suffer she signified to me in a Letter that it rejoyced her Heart to see them willing to suffer in so good a Cause And her zeal and fervency for the holy Truth was such that she rejoyced to see her near and dear Relations suffer for it not that she was glad because they were Sufferers but because they were faithful to the Lord and did chuse rather to suffer than deny their Testimony against Tythes that Antichristian Yoke which the Nation groans under the weight of which the Lord will overturn in his own season and ease his own Heritage of that heavy Burden for he is a never-failing God to his faithful People These things are not written only for her sake that is taken from us but also for the sakes of them that remain in the Body that they may be like-minded with her and be found in the same Practice watching against evil in their Children and Families and encouraging them in a holy Life and judge down Pride and Vanity and all Superfluity and every hurtful thing that they may receive the same Blessing and sweet Satisfaction from the Lord as this our dear Deceased Friend and Sister did to the comfort of her Soul and renewing of her Zeal and Courage in the Work and Service of the Lord who in the Power of God went on to serve the Lord with all her Might offering up all that was near and dear unto her not sparing her weak Body which in appearance was fitter to keep her Chamber than travel as she did who left Husband and Children and all outward Enjoyments for the Truth sake and went over-Sea to answer the Lord and clear herself of the Service he had called her unto and he was with her and did support and uphold her by his mighty Power and made way for her to travel through several Islands and Provinces as may be seen more at large in the following account She came to visit me not long before she went last up to London and told me she had some Papers she desired might be made publick after her Decease expecting her time was not long to remain in the Body being well satisfied that she should lay down her Head in Peace with God let Death come when it would Her Trials and Exercises were many but that which was her greatest Grief and heaviest Burden and most grievous to be born was her suffering by false Brethren and Apostates who under the form and profession of Truth did make War and kick against the Life and Power of it but her Zeal for God was against that Libertine back-sliding Spirit And the Lord bore up her Head and supported her at all times and brought her through it all and now hath taken her to himself out of all their reach where She rests from her Labours and her works do follow her And in her last Letter dated London in the 4th Month 1690. she signified now her Service was finished and said I could gladly have laid down my Body here among the Lord's Worthies yet seeing it is otherwise ordered I submit to the Will of my God and do think to go Homeward in a little time or to this purpose as if she had known her time to be near at Hand and it was very near indeed for she did not reach Home but dyed at Reading in Peace with the Lord and in Unity with all his faithful People And blessed be the worthy Name of the Lord she is now set free from all Sorrow Pain and Weakness of Body she was attended with And now the Lord hath taken her to her Everlasting Rest out of all Trials and her Peace is sure and her Rest Glorious Holy high Praises to the God of all our Mercies and Blessings who knows best what to do with us and in what season to take us out of the World and when it will be most for his Glory and our Good Although we feel the want of her and bewail our loss yet our loss is her great Gain She was very serviceable in the Country where she lived and elsewher they miss her and we all that were acquainted with her know the want of her yet can say in submission to the Will of God Thy Will be done O Lord. This is what was with me in a Testimony for my dear Deceased Friend and Sister in the Truth J. V. with whom my Spirit had true Unity And though her Body is removed yet her Life is with us Cirencester the 10th day of the 2d Month 1691. Theophila Townsend Mary Drewet's Testimony Concerning Joan Vokins COncerning our dear and well-beloved Friend and Sister Joan Vokins who was somtimes Conversant with us and when it pleased the Lord to order her way to Visit
or no ye be faithful to what is manifest therein for I write unto you as unto them that know the Truth to stir you up to Faithfulness therein that the Father's drawings ye may more and more feel and through it come to Living Obedience while the Bowels of tender Mercies are open for if you slight his Loving-Kindness unto you is it not just with him to shut up his Bowels of Compassion Oh how largely hath the pure God of Heaven and Earth manifested his Loving-Kindness unto you through his Judgments and Mercies and through the Reproofs of his Instructions hath the way of Life been manifested largely unto you Therefore dear Friends be not forgetful of his large Love Oh let it never slip out of your remembrance for you can never prize it to the worth of it Therefore it concerns you all to be truly watchful the remainder of your Days that so you may see the appearances of his Love and with your whole Hearts joyn thereunto that no Reserve may be left therein to stop the Current of the pure Life from flowing into your Souls And dear Hearts it 's in my Heart to stir you up to feel after the pure Life if haply you may find it Whilst the Fountain is open be ye not negligent nor unfaithful but be faithful and obedient that so through the Faith that purifies the Heart you may draw Water at the Fountain of Life and feel its recourse into your Souls the Vertue whereof makes the Souls of the obedient fruitful and encreasing in God's Love and in their Unity with each other But where the Current is stopped and the Life hath not its free course there Death is over the Soul profess what they will yea though they may live in the very Form of Truth Therefore dear Friends I in God's Fear and in the Bowels of tender Love to your Immortal Souls do exhort you all to be diligent to keep your Meetings and assemble your selves often together let not the gain of the perishing things hinder you of the gain of that which will never perish For verily there 's none can witness a free recourse unto the Fountain of Life but those whose Hearts are gathered out of the perishing things and such do partake of the living Springs which do greatly refresh their immortal Souls and it 's more to me than I can express Therefore dear Hearts think not your time long neither let the World hinder but keep your Meetings frequently there to wait with sincere Hearts for those that so wait never lose their Reward therefore be ye encouraged to wait upon the Lord that in the pure refreshing Life your Souls may come to have an Habitation the which to know a dwelling and abiding in is more precious than words can demonstrate And let Patience have its perfect Work in your Hearts that all Prejudice may be kept out for where Envy and Strife is there is Confusion Therefore dear Friends it concerns you all to dwell in the Patience and in the Wisdom that comes from above which is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of Mercy and good Fruits without Partiality and without Hypocrisie And so the God of Peace establish your Hearts in his everlasting Truth and Righteousness for ever Amen I am Your Vnfeigned Friend J. V. The 3 d of the 11th Month 1669. This to be read amongst Friends A Loving Advertisement unto all those who joyn together to Persecute the Innocent PIlate and Herod consulted together in this abominable Work and were made Friends although before they were at enmity as you may see in Luke 23. And in the same Chapter you may read how Pilate called together the High Priests the Rulers and the People who had joyned together and falsly and vehemently accused the Innocent and when those Persecutors were come mark how Pilate's Words run Ye have brought this man unto me as one that perverteth the people Behold saith he I have examined him before you and I find no fault in him Notwithstanding their many Accusations as you may read of in that Chapter no nor yet Herod neither for Pilate sent him to Herod to be examined and they found no cause for what they did as Pilate himself confesseth no less than three times before them all as you may see in ver 22. and yet for all this those wicked Persecutors Enmity was so great against the Truth and their Love to Christ Jesus so small that they joyned together with Judas their Informer and crucified the Holy One Oh consider this you wicked Persecutors who have set your Hands to the Devil's Work did he not enter into Judas before he informed against Christ O consider whose Work you are a doing and see whether the Scriptures do not testifie against the same ever since Cain and Abel Oh be advised and do not slay God's Witness in your Hearts as Pilate and Herod and the rest of that wicked Crew did for you may see there was something in Pilate and Herod which let them see there was no fault in Jesus they had a Witness for him in their Hearts which if they had loved and obeyed they would not have slain the Lord of Life But they did then as you do now rebelled against it and counted it of no value and chose rather to please wicked Men who did then as you are now doing they brought their Law to cover their Wickedness and said By their Law he ought to die and so they violated the righteous Law of God which is Light which manifested in their Hearts there was no fault in him Oh! consider this you envious Persecutors and turn to the Light of Christ Jesus which shineth in your dark Hearts and read your States there and cease your evil doing before it be too late lest the God of this World blind your Eyes and harden your Hearts and bring you to destruction as he did Judas who was a Resister of the Light I shall appeal to the Witness for God in your Hearts and come let us be tryed by it Have you not done as bad as those before mentioned yea rather worse for you have reproachfully slandered and falsly accused us behind our back and caused many of us to suffer the loss of our Goods without Examination or Accusation to our Faces in this you out-stript the Cruelty of those before-named and the Heathen also for they permitted Paul to be examined and also to speak for himself as you may see in the Scripture which you call your Rule and yet do err not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God for if you did you would not wrong and persecute your innocent Neighbours who do you no harm but desire the everlasting Good of all even of our greatest Enemies Oh do you do by us as you would have us do by you Would you have us persecute and tear away your Goods because you go to your Worship or because you will not come to ours or
would you not think it very hard to be so dealt by Oh come and be tryed by your own Rule and read from the beginning to the end and see whether the Persecutors were not the false Worshippers in all Generations and the true Ones the Sufferers and were not they as high in their Wisdom and Learning as you are who crucified Christ and set your Original over his Head of Greek Hebrew and Latine and they counted him of too low a Degree for them to receive and they mocked and scoffed and derided him and thereby manifested their Enmity against him and his Followers then as you do yours now against us Come down you High-minded Persecutors and bow before the Lord and turn to his Witness in your Hearts which reprove you in secret and testifie for us and it hath made many of you to confess to our innocency and harmlesness notwithstanding the many false Aspersions that the Wicked have cast upon us and although we have a Witness in your Hearts for us yet your Mercies are still Cruelties towards us Oh do not think to hide your selves from the All-seeing Eye of the Lord for assuredly his righteous Judgments will find you out and then all false Coverings will be too narrow Do you think your Law will plead for you then or them who set it forth excuse you Oh no! then the righteous Law of God which you have violated and broken and disobeyed now will then rise up in Judgment and bear Witness against you therefore leave off all your false Coverings for your Persecution for they are but deceit and will deceive you and stand you in no stead when you come to account for your deeds done in the body And now you of my Neighbours and Country who resist the Spirit of the Lord and follow the Imaginations of your own dark Hearts and boast your selves in Wickedness As your Fore-fathers did so do you they boasted and said They had the Law and the Prophets and were Abraham 's Seed and had one Father even God and yet Christ told them plainly They were of their Father the Devil and his works they were doing and so are you now who are a striving against those who worship in the Spirit and in the Truth Oh do not strive to limit the Holy Spirit of the Lord which is but one in the Male and in the Female Were not the Scripture's Testimonies to be fulfill'd Oh! when will you witness that Saying fulfill'd which saith on this wise I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all Flesh and my Sons and my Daughters shall prophesie Mark It 's the Sons and Daughters of the Lord that are led by his Spirit and not the Persecutors Whilst I walk'd with you in the broad way which leadeth to Destruction you did not persecute me but when it pleas'd the Lord to turn me from Darkness unto Light and from Satan's power unto his own then your Enmity began But when I went along with you to your Worship I had what this World could afford of the Fatness and Fulness thereof but I must needs tell you I had Leanness in my Soul Oh search and try whether it be not so with you who have gone this many years For I went with as much Zeal as any of you therefore let not your blind Zeal deceive you I turn'd not from you through Enmity against you but because that dead Worship deceiv'd my Soul for when Christ Jesus through his Love unto my Soul did make known his Light in my Heart which shew'd me the narrow Way which leadeth unto Life then I chose rather to suffer with the People of God than to enjoy your Favour or all the Pleasures or Profits or Honour this World can afford And all you that think ye are a doing as you should do turn unto the Light that you may see what you are a doing and may become from Persecutors to be Sufferers even as Paul was through his obedience unto the Light and he thought when he was in Darkness and blind Zeal that he did as he should do Oh! therefore take you heed and be no longer deceiv'd but turn unto the Light before it be too late for the Time hasteneth and passeth away and there is nothing else that will stand you in stead when Time shall be no more O therefore be awakened and arise from the Dead that Christ Jesus may be your Light and your Leader as he was David's For what doth it profit you to read the Scriptures or to hear of the Promises or Mercies of the Lord unto the Children of Light This will stand you in no stead whilst you your selves are in Darkness and under the shadow of Death Oh do not heap up that unto your selves which you have no right unto for you are in the Darkness in the Persecuting state which was and is always blind And how dare you in such a state to appear before the Lord Do you think his all-seeing Eye doth not behold your Doings Yes verily and his Righteous Judgments assuredly will find you out and then all your talking of that you live not in will do you no good How often have you and your Teachers been reading and talking of loving Enemies and of walking in the Light as Christ is in the Light and many such like things and yet are found hating of your Souls Friends who are telling you the Truth and reproving you for Evil and you are so far from walking in the Light that you remain in your Sins and plead for so doing until the last Do you think that the Lord will be limited by you until the last Hour Oh turn to the Reproofs of his Light in your hearts which maketh manifest the evil of your ways whil'st the Day of God's Love lasteth unto you that through his precious Judgments your Souls may come to be redeemed for it 's through Judgment that Sion witnesseth Redemption and the honest heart loveth Judgment and if you will obey the Light it will lead you into Judgment and when you come to witness your Souls redeem'd thereby then you will witness David's state who said O Lord how I love thy judgments and he desir'd the Lord to send forth his Truth and his Light to lead him and it was his Law and he walk'd in it And if you would do so you would have the Royal Law of Love in your hearts and then you would have Fellowship with Jesus and feel the Effects of his Blood to cleanse you from all sin on this the Grave and then you will plead no longer to strengthen the Devil's Kingdom for if you die in your sins you will add greatly to his Kingdom for those that live and die in their sins do never inherit the Kingdom of Heaven for no unclean thing can come there but they are for the Lake that burneth for ever Written the 9 th Day of the 11 th Month 1670. By one that wishes well to all Souls Joan Vokins To
heed to the Light that shined in my Heart which makes manifest that the way to the Crown of Glory is through the daily cross to my own Will and to take Christ's Yoke upon that Nature that would not be subject Oh how precious is the Counsel of him who said Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for my yoke is easie and my burden is light and ye shall find rest for your souls And that Rest I sorely wanted until I learned of Jesus to be meek and low in Heart and to suffer for well-doing and then glory unto his Holy Name for ever his blessed Reward my Soul was daily made a partaker of though hated by evil doers yet loved by the Lord and that engaged me to give up to his dispose and to answer his requirings not accounting my self nor any thing he hath give me too much to part with that the Truth may be propagated and my tender God honored For blessed be his Worthy Name he hath filled my Cup with the sweet Salvation of his Son Christ Jesus the Light and Saviour of his poor and helpless Ones who have no other to depend upon for Help at all times but wait daily to be furnished upon every occasion to serve him in all Faithfulness for he is Worthy my Soul can truly say for he gave me of his good Spirit and it was with me yet unknown when I rebelled against it and was not willing to be subject to its Leadings nor observing of its Dictates as I ought to have been Oh then did I want power as many do now not knowing the sufficiency of the engrafted Word of God's Grace that is able to save But when I followed its counsel I found it sufficient to bring good to me out of great afflictions beyond my expectation and then could I plead no excuse knowing that unto the Lord Jesus who had brought great things to pass I must give my account for he hath manifested his Power and I have cause to believe it will never fail towards his People if we fail not to obey the manifestation of it but Faithfulness is required to the Talent received for which we must give an account and then what can stand us in stead if we have not an increase This was my concern for many Years and I could not take comfort in Husband or Children House or Land or any visibles for want of the Marriage Union with the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the Souls of those that cannot be satisfied in them but are weary of the burden of them as I was and God by his Spirit shewed me he abhorred my self-righteousness and let me see that in him was Righteousness Life and Power and then I was sensible that he is the the Light of the World that enlightens every one that comes into the World and that it was striving with me from my Youth which was before ever I heard the name Quaker and then I did believe that there was a People or Church over whom Christ Jesus was Head though I could yet not find them nor be a Member of them yet long sought after it sorrowfully with many strong and fervent cries and desires But the Lord in his own due time answered my weary Soul and made known more and more of the way of his Truth and People and at length sent some of his Messengers as Instruments in his Hand for my Encouragement and Confirmation Then was I and many desolate Ones right glad whose Souls had long languished for the glad Tidings that they brought with them how that we might inherit Substance which we had long sought and been searching for both in the Scriptures and amongst Professors of many sorts of Profession for we would fain have filled our Souls with the Husks but that could not satisfie we knew not the saving Health of him who said I wisdom lead in the midst of the Paths of Judgment to teach them that love and follow me to inherit Substance Oh this is that which did at first convince us and tendered our Hearts in the beginning Then what was too near or dear for us to part with in the Day of our deep Distress when none could cure our wounded Souls Oh how precious was the Heart-searching Light when we first knew it to shine upon our Tabernacles to guide us in the narrow Way wherein is Life and perfect Peace for those whose Minds are staied on the Lord And when I have read that he would keep them in perfect Peace whose Minds are staied on him what would not I have done that it might have been my condition But then I could not watch nor wait but was as a Ship without an Anchor among the merciless Waves but Praises unto the Lord for ever he caused the Living Hope to spring that anchored in trying Times And I was even as Israel at the red Sea compassed all round on every Hand great was the strait that I was then in much hardship the Sea before and the Enemy presenting so much impossibility that his proud Waves of Temptations Buffettings and false Accusations had almost sunk me under Oh then did I cry unto the God of Mercy and tender Compassion that I might but stand still and behold his Salvation and he did arise and rebuke the Enemy and made way for me to travel on in my Heavenly Progress and overturned the Mountains that were on each hand and dismaied Pharaoh and his Host which I may compare my Relations and the Professors unto for they pursued me and made my Suffering great till they had wearied themselves and their Oppression was so sore that I somtimes was ready to faint and even to say Surely I shall one Day fall but Living Praises unto the Almighty he hath made me a partaker of the sure Mercies of David and hath subdued Truth 's Enemies before him and kept and preserved me faithful till several of my Relations were convinced that God's Power was with me and now when my Husband and Chhildren and Relations are with me in a good Meeting and the Powerful Presence of the Lord is amongst us it is a blessed Reward for all for one Soul is more worth than all the World as saith the Scripture Therefore Faithfulness is very needful for it doth produce a good effect whatever we may endure for the momentary Affliction that we meet with here doth produce a further weight of Glory hereafter and in the sense of the same my Head was born up to endure hardships when I could willingly have hid or gotten ease but I considered that I could not hide from the Lord who brought to my remembrance my Promise that I made before his Way was revealed to me and if I broke Covenant with the Lord I should never enter into his Rest Oh then a suffering in the Flesh and a ceasing from Sin was the delight of my Soul although the Enemy ceased not but Night and Day as a roaring Lyon
Truth the Comforter helped my Infirmities and taught me I had never known how to pray as I ought but I often read That the Prayers of the Lord's Children avail much with him and in these latter Days according to his Promise his are taught by him and in Righteousness they shall be established and great shall be their Peace and this is the Effect of our Heavenly Father's great unspeakable Love to those that watch unto Prayer and continue in the same for I know not how any can expect a Child's Portion that breaks his Father's Commands and does not repent and who is it but knows that watching and waiting is generally commanded Surely it is a Duty that ought to be performed by every one that is come to an Understanding and by believing in Jesus the Light and Power of God all may receive strength to perform it and for want of Understanding how nigh he was to me in Years that are past I was long in a desolate Condition and could not be satisfied without acquaintance with the Teachings of his Spirit which is light But I was then in darkness and under the shadow of Death longing after the countenance of the Lord to shine upon my Tabernacle for if it should be dissolved I was not sensible of a better Building eternal in the Heavens though I read of them that had yet I knew not their Foundation and whatsoever I builded it came to loss till I knew Christ Jesus the Rock and sure Foundation of the Heavenly Building And blessed be his Name the Inspiration of his Spirit is very precious without which none can have a right Understanding and I could not find peace with God while I did err for want of this good Understanding And my Cry was often to the Lord to give me an understanding Heart that I might discern between things that differ for the crooked Serpent who is very subtle in his Workings endeavours by Flattery and Threatnings Temptations Buffetings and false Accusations to darken the Heart and enfeeble the Mind and if he cannot prevail so he can transform himself into the likeness of an Angel of Light to hinder the travelling ones whose Understandings begin to be opened yet watching in the Light they come to see his Snares then he bestirs him as a strong Man armed indeed as by Experience much might be spoken since I was first exercised about going this Voyage but I shall omit as much as I can having nothing in my View but Truth 's Prosperity and preferring it above all because it 's better to me than all I can do no less than bare my Testimony unto all People That it's Excellency far exceeds the choicest Gold and the precious Pearls and the Spirit of Truth comforts the comfortless and strengthens the weak and relieves the needy Oh what can be compared to its Power for it works a change of the Heart and preserves from sinning against the Lord all those that follow the Leadings of the Light thereof unto amendment of Life and honours the Lord by ordering their Conversation aright according to the Dictates of his Spirit Oh I had rather mourn away all my Days than grieve it or walk contrary to it whatever Reproach I suffer for I have had a blessed Reward when I have observed it and obeyed it and I hope I shall never forget how the Power of it brought me into Subjection and made me willing to be disposed of by it and when it had wrought me into a single Resignment then was my weighty Concern touching my Journey to New England taken off and a Service laid upon me to go back and labour for the Settlement of our Womens Meetings in our County of Berks which was no small Cross to take up But as I daily followed Jesus honoured be his worthy Name he endowed me with his eternal encouraging Power and also strengthned the weak and hindermost of the Flock though Amalek lay in wait by the way and the opposite Spirit did strongly strive yet our good Shepherd did visit his Handmaids and blessed be his Name filled us with his overcoming Power when the Mothers in Israel were so dismayed as we were likely to have lost our Womens Meeting but Praises Honour and Renown be ascribed unto that Almighty Power that hath set up and setled this Womens Meeting saith my Soul for it hath been a good Reward to me and fitly furnished me for the Service that was required and wonderfully upheld me therein unto admiration and I can truly say my Reward is sufficient and can give in a true Testimony that the Lord owns our Womens Meetings and hath manifested and magnified his excellent Power therein to the gladding of our Hearts and the refreshing of our Souls wherever I came Glory to his Name and magnified be his preserving Power for ever He is a God of Wisdom unto the Foolish and Strength unto the Weak and honours his Power in contemptible Vessels that it may have its due for all Honour belongs thereunto But those that are in the Wisdom of the World which comes from beneath and have many Arts and Parts and mind not the Wisdom that comes from above they take that to themselves which belongs to God and that provokes him to Wrath and he is angry with such as seek Honour one of another and do not seek his Honour more than their own Interest and Honour to Man for that hath been the overthrow of many for God is jealous of his Glory he will not give it to another nor his praise to graven Images but the secret Arm of his Power is stretched out to overturn them and he is on his way and it 's in vain for Flesh to strive against him before whom all Nations are but as the drop of a Bucket for out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings he will perfect his praise both in Males and Females that give up to serve him and he brings great things to pass contrary to Man's Wisdom or Expectation that no Flesh might glory in his Presence For when I was exercised about setling the Womens Meeting I little thought to be concerned again with going for New England but after a short time it was more weighty than ever and my Exercises more than before and this I do write that no one should murmur and say No Exercise is like mine and this followed me until the Hand of the All-wise God was so heavy upon me that I could no longer stay at home although both sick and lame and much to undergo both inwardly and outwardly yet did not dare to plead with the Lord any longer or to make any Excuse but truly gave up all both Life and all that he had given me when he required it and he brought me to be as Clay in the hand of the Potter He filled my Vessel with his Heavenly Treasure and fulfilled that Scripture that testifies that he hath said I honour them that honour me and blessed be the Lord
not to endow me with the renewing of his precious Power and my Soul hath cause to magnisie it because it enabled me to answer what the Lord required of me and fitted me who was the most unfit and the poorest and most helpless that ever I did see concerned in such a Service But it was the more to the Honour of the Power of my God that so wonderfully wrought in my poor weak and helpless Vessel and many Friends were tendered thereby in many places in the sense of my Weakness Honoured and Renowned be it for ever saith my Soul for its Manifestation made the Hearts of his People glad and we were well refreshed together in all the Meetings that I was at in New England And from thence I returned back to Road Island and Long Island and when I was clear thereabout I took Shipping for East Jersey and the Power of God was greatly manifested and through his special Providence we were preserved being in great peril and danger of being cast away when we were in sight of Land for the Winds being boisterous and the foaming Sea in so great a Rage that we could not cast Anchor to stay the Vessel being near the Shoals but the Lord who hath all Power in his hands delivered us Praises to his holy Name and we safely landed at Shrewsbury and Elizabeth Dean that then travelled with me was very sick and we had very good Meetings in East Jersey where I met with the Lord among his people as at other times blessed be his Name and after some time spent amongst them and that we had been well refreshed with God's holy precious living Power it carried me from thence to West Jersey and into some part of Pensilvania but it had not that Name then and in the sense of God's great Love to his tender Seed I encouraged his Children to suffer and to be careful that they did not cause Truth to suffer for if they tendered it in their own Bosoms and travell'd with it the Lord would bring it over all its Enemies and it shall reign over all in his due time and blessed be his most worthy Name he soon after brought it to pass by his delivering Power and when I had laboured that the Gospel-Life might be lived in and the Gospel-Order established amongst them there remained the heavenly power among the tender ones And the Lord heard the cry of the poor and granted the desire of the needy and visited them with the Gospel-Power for a little time after I came home I had an account that they had Mens Meetings and Womens Meetings in the Gospel-Light Life and Power and were establishing in the Blessed Order that was testified of when I was there with them And when I was clear of West Jersey and those parts I returned to New York in order to take my passage for England but before I came there the Living God whom I served with all my Heart further tryed me and laid it weightily upon me to go to Barbadoes which was no little cross to my Mind but the overcoming Power of the true and living God wrought so strongly with me that I was made willing to take up the Cross and follow Jesus through many Tribulations and he magnified be his Power most wonderfully supported and conducted me all along For I took Shipping at New York and as the Lord put it into my Heart to visit Friends in the Leeward Islands so he carried the Vessel let them that sail'd do what they could and they could not steer their Course Barbadoes-Road altho they endeavoured it with all their might and I had good Service amongst them in the Vessel and they were made to confess to the Almighty Power that I testified of and we laid by Antego a Week before the Owner would let me go a-shore But the All-wise God ordered it so that the Vessel could not go away till I had been there and performed what Service he had appointed for me and blessed be his Name his Reward was precious for we came a-shore on a First Day and I hastened to a Friends Meeting and when I came in I found the Lord's Power was amongst his People and I had a precious time with them There was a little handful of plain hearted Friends and our Hearts were tendered and our Souls comforted and we rejoiced that the Lord Jesus had visited us and caused us in his Love to visit each other So when I returned to the Sea again it came into my Heart to visit Friends at Nevice and when I had taken leave of Friends of Antego that came aboard with me and God's Heavenly Power was with us and sweetly refreshed our Souls as we were aboard the Vessel and remained with us and we were concerned one for another not knowing that we should ever see each others Faces more But see how the Lord ordered it as we were sailing on the Sea it opened in my Heart to visit Friends at Nevice but the Owner of the Vessel being a hypocritical Professer caused my Exercise to be the more but the Power of the Lord was manifest and the Winds and Sea obeyed that we were carried to Nevice against his will but he would not let me go a-shore for he had heard That those should pay a great Fine that carried any Friend thither and hoysted Sail again for Barbadoes and said he would weather the Point of Cordilopa and he laboured Three Weeks but could not do it for the Hand of the Lord was against him else he might have done it in a few Days but he provoked the Lord and trusted in his Vessel and in his own Skill and he locked up the Bread and dealt hardly with his Passengers when he saw he should be longer at Sea than at first he did expect and he knew that for Three Weeks there was stinking Water and we were close by a French Island and they said the French would not let us hâ—ve any if we starved They were Papists and said If we came for water they would take our Ship for a Prey and us for Captives And yet this Owner of the Vessel would not go to any other Island until the Merchants that were aboard threatned him very sorely and then he put in at a mountainous place called Mount serat and they went all away from me as soon as they were landed for I was very weakly being aboard the Vessel so long with such bad Accommodation I went aboard with my Clothes so wet that I could wring Water out of them and so dried them upon my weakly Body which cast me into such a Feverish condition that I was very dry and I sate down on the Shoar and a Girl came to fetch fresh Water near where I sate and I drank till I sweat and then I swooned and lay some time but the arising of the Life of Jesus set me on my Feet again and in the strength and relief thereof I went to enquire for a passage for
what Church that was for I had spoken in the true Church many times amongst God's People and they did not hinder me and he said Paul spoke against a Womans speaking in the Church I asked him what Woman that was and what Church that was that she should not speak in and he did not answer me but went away and a Woman Friend that was with me took hold of him and said My Friend answer the Womans question and the Dutch People were coming from their worship the while but the Priest put off his Hat to us and busled away and afterwards endeavoured to send me to Prison but the God of Power who preserved me when much Evil hath been intended prevented him that he could not prevail with the Mayor but he endeavoured to harm the Friends of that place after that I was gone And after the first Day Meeting was over I went the beginning of the Week to some other Meetings and came again a fourth Day and God's Power was over all and Friends had no harm and we had another Heavenly Meeting and so I came away and left Friends peaceable and all was well blessed be the Lord and magnified be his preserving Power over all for evermore Amen saith my Soul J. V. I was informed that the Priest above specified did do his endeavour to stir up Persecution against Friends and put the Mayor to some trouble for not punishing me but therein he did nor could do no more than manifest his own Malice and what Birth he was of The Lord had set his Bounds J. V. IN all this long Journey this I can say to the Honour and Glory of my tender God and to the Praise of his Providential Power and be it known to all That altho' I had none to accompany me of my own or Friends providing yet the Lord so ordered it that I had still some honest Woman or Maiden Friend both by Sea Land In the first Vessel that ever I was in I had an honest ancient maiden Friend namely Sarah Yoaklet who was my Companion from London until I came to Long-Island And then in New-England one Lydia Wright another faithful Friend was willing to travel with me and did accompany me a considerable time and still the Lord so ordered it that when ever one left me that another was ready to take her place to be my Companion And when I returned home there came with me an ancient Maiden Friend who had been out in those Countries in the service of Truth six Years whose name was Margaret Kerby and on the 3d of the 4th Month 1681 I arrived safely at Dover in the County of Kent where I was three Weeks in the service of Truth And after that blessed and renowned be the Holy Name of Jesus I came to London and after a little time spent in visiting Friends at London I came safe home And as I pondered weightily and beheld the Preservation of me and mine and the manifold Mercies that we received when so far remote one from another my Heart was truly tendered in the sense of my Heavenly Father's Love and my Soul magnified the Preserving and Delivering Power and the cry run through me Lord God of my Life let me and mine never forget thy Goodness for it is wonderfully to be admired and thy unexpressible Love to be considered by all those unto whom it hath been so largely extended And as I consider our nothingness and thy tenderness towards us I cannot but abhor self and breath unto thee that I and mine may for ever hold self in no reputation and follow Jesus through the daily cross wherein I through tender Mercy have found power when of my self I could do nothing whereby to fulfil what was required of me but self was very ready to hinder me as the self-seeking Spirit is always those that are not aware of it And therefore I desire above all things that I and mine whom the Lord hath been so good unto may be watchful and in order thereunto I commit all unto that God of Power that hath preserved hitherto and is able to keep and preserve unto the end To whom be all Glory and Praise for evermore Amen J. V. A Letter writen at Gravesend to Friends of the Womens Meeting by J. V. when she was going to Sea for her long Journy The 24th of the 12th Month 1679. DEar and well-beloved Sisters my Love and Life Salutes you even in a sense of the tender Love of my Heavenly Father do I embrace you and greatly encourage you to keep your Womens Meetings and keep up your Testimonies every one in your places for every one hath a Testimony for the Pure God tho' not in Words yet in the Word of Life which hath quickened our Souls and powerfully operated thereon even in our Womens Meeting Hath not the sense of it been sufficient to engage our Hearts to serve him and to bare our faithful Testimony for him in Purity of Life and Conversation that his Name may be honoured and the precious Truth propagated For this you know how long hath been the travail of my Soul amongst you and I hope it will be the travail of yours in my absence that if ever we see one anothers Faces again it may be with Joy and not with Sorrow So let your Breathings be for my Welfare in the Lord Jesus as mine are for you for had it not been to keep Covenant with my God I could not have given up my weak Body to the Sea but in my long and sore Exercises I often promised the Pure God that I would give up my Life as a Sacrifice if he would accept of it and now he hath tried me and if he please to take it it is but my reasonable service to offer it up to him but I did intend you should have had more timely knowledge of it but that I could not tell whether it might have been taken of me therefore I forbore speaking of it publickly till at length I could not come back but now in the universal Love of God do I take my leave of you all not knowing whether I may see you again or not Remember my dear Love to the Brethren whose Labour of Love and Work of Faith is for the Propagating of the precious Truth And the Lord God Eternal keep us all close unto himself in that which neither Sea nor Land can separate for in it my Love doth truly reach unto you all being clear in the sight of my God of all service save only this which my Life lies engaged for Here I stand resigned to live or die in the Will of my God and so I desire him to keep me to the end And dear Friends be Valiant for the Truth that it may not be undervalued through a cowardly creeping Libertine Spirit for that hath done too much hurt already stand over it I beseech you all and quit your selves like faithful Soldiers fighting under the Banner of Love
which our tender God hath spread over us that we may not be asham'd to bear the Cross and take heed lest any cause the Offence of the Cross to cease for such are Enemies to Christ Jesus let them profess what they will for there is no way to the Crown but by and through the Cross So in that which brings us into subjection do I remain present with you in Spirit though absent in Body your tender Sister in the precious Truth J. V. From Gravesend the 24th of the 12th Month 1679. Let this be read in your Womens Meeting or any where as a service is seen A Letter to her Husband Richard Vokins sent from Road Island Dear Husband MY Love and Life salutes thee with my dear Children and my Father and my brother O. S. and his Wife and my Brother D and his Wife and all the rest of my dear Friends and Heavenly Relations dearly desiring your Preservation and Prosperity in the ever blessed Truth and then I doubt not but our God will increase us in our outward store And dear Heart thou art often in my mind and the breathing of my Life is for thee as for my own Soul and I do believe that all our Trials will work for good if we love the Lord Jesus as we ought to do Those Trials that we have had and do now meet with I hope will fit us for greater and I do not know but I may come home again to suffer with you by the strength of the same Power that hath preserved us hitherto Oh magnified be it for ever saith my Soul for it hath done for me great things And dear Heart my service is greater here than it was there and I have pretty well clear'd my self in Long Island but at New-York I am not quite clear but I hope I shall ere long I am now at Road-Island going on to clear my self as fast as I may as the Lord makes way for me I intend to take the Meetings between this and Boston and when I am clear there I hope you may hear further from me or see me in some reasonable time as our tender God shall be pleased to order And by this you may all know that my tender God is with me and carries me through many sore Exercises and his mighty Power enables me to do his Service and his Reward is not wanting blessed be his Name for all his tender Mercies Friends are tender to me and I am better in Health at present than I have been but I have many Ailments attending my weak Body still So dear Heart let us breathe to our God together though outwardly far asunder yet if it stands with the Will of our Heavenly Father we may see one another again to his Honour and our Comfort and let us pray unto him Day and Night that we may be content to be at his dispose in Life or Death together or asunder that he may be honoured and our Souls comforted And dear Heart remember to have an Eye over our dear Children that they lose not the sense of Truth which my Soul hath so deeply travailled for when I was with them for it is my fear now I am from them that if thou do not supply my place in my absence that the Spirit of this World will prevail and hinder the Work of the Lord in their Hearts and in thine too and that will be to all our Sorrow The Lord God Eternal keep us faithful to him unto the end that we bare our Testimonies for his Truth with boldness at all times and in all places that we may not be asham'd to confess him before Men if we should come to be tried for our Lives for it 's a precious advancement to be a worthy Sufferer and if the Mighty God do bring me home again to partake of Suffering in my Native Land I hope those Exercises that I now go through will still sit me for greater and I hope this is the end for which thee and I am tried And so in the Love of that which is able to preserve us do I once more salute thee and remain Thy true and tender Wife J. V. From Road-Island the 14th of the 4th Month 1680. REmember my dear Love to my Children and bid them mind the Lord and to all Friends of our Meeting and let my Son R. tell them that I greatly desire their Faithfulness and I hope he will have an honest Testimony for God and I would have Mary see this Letter that she may be of a believing Heart that if the Lord should bring us together again it may be to his Honour and our great Comfort the Lord is as well able to preserve me home as he was hither and I hope he will in his time I must leave that to him and so I hope will you for if we be not contented with his Will it will not be well with us And therefore let 's learn Paul's Lesson for we have great need in every state to be content No more but dear Love being in haste J. V. To Oliver Sansom and his Wife Dear Brother and Sister WHom I dearly love in the Lord Jesus our Life who makes hard things easie bitter things sweet and bares up in the greatest Trials do I salute you with my Mary my Sister Margery and the rest of them earnestly desiring your Prosperity every way as for my own Soul And by this you may know that tho' fore Exercises and Travels attend on every hand yet I am alive to magnifie that Power that hath preserved in Dangers great and Difficulties many and is able to Preserve unto the end and therefore I desire that we may trust in it and obey it to the honour of it for it hath been manifest in my weak Body to the admiration of many of the upright in Heart and they are very Loving to me where ever I come And my tender Father hath strengthened me to do his Service in Long-Island and New-York and in Road-Island and Boston and New-Jersey and those parts of America and I was in hope to have come home when I was clear of New England but the Lord hath laid it upon me to go to Barbadoes and in his Strength I am going on in a Vessel that one George Fletcher is Owner and Master of who professes Truth Do you not think that a Line from you would be very precious to me I neither heard from nor saw one of my Native Land since I left it but I cannot blame you not knowing whither to direct it Remember my dear Love to all dear Friends of our Mens and Womens Meetings earnestly desiring their Faithfulness therein and in all things else that pertains to the life of Truth that we may bear our Testimonies in Uprightness unto the end that in the end God may be glorified and our Souls comforted for ever and evermore Dear Anne Lawrence's Children be in my Mind as well as my own I hope you will look
Hearts let us be singly resigned unto our God for I can truly say his Love is most deeply of an engaging Nature for by it I have been preserved from great Dangers Perils by Sea and Perils by Land and Perils amongst false Brethren but out of them all his mighty Power delivered me and I am yet alive to magnifie it Glory and Honour and Everlasting Praises be unto his Name for evermore saith my Soul for he daily filleth my Heart therewith and makes me able to do his Service beyond Expectation and he is not wanting to communicate to my Soul Glory to his worthy Name but his Reward is in my Bosom which glads my Heart and refreshes my Soul and upholds my weak Body that I am not without hopes of seeing you again for I have cause to say There is nothing impossible unto my God I have been most of this Winter upon the roaring Seas Two Months at a time and saw no Land and my Clothes were not off Two Nights all that time so far as I can remember and there was no conveniency for my weak Body There were French and Dutch and Irish and Barbarians and English and I had fore Exercises amongst them both inwardly and outwardly but yet I had good Service also amongst them and they did confess to the Power of my God And altho they were most of them very wicked yet they were chained by it and the Passengers were kind to me for the Truth 's sake and when it pleased the Lord to bring us to Land we arrived at the Island of Antego in the West Indies and there I found a precious People and had Two Meetings a Day for a Week with White People and Blacks and on the 7th Day is their Childrens Meetings and they have also Mens and Womens Meetings and the Gospel-Order is established and establishing in those remote Islands Glory to God for ever And they teach their Children G. F's Catechism And we went aboard the Ship again designing for Barbadoes but that small Vessel was so heavy laden that we could not get from the West Indies but kept up and down another Month that the Passengers were all weary for Water grew scarce and stinking and I was very weak And when we came to another Island we that were Passengers were willing to go a-shoar but the Vessel did not enter there and then my Exercise was very great for I had great drawings to go there and then the Weight of my Service there remained with me And a few Days after we bore up and went to another Island where there was no Friends and there I went a-shore and some of the other Passengers and I knew no person there the Inhabitants were most part Irish and I was almost spent when I came there but the Lord was exceeding good and comforted me every way and I got a passage back again to Antego and it remained with me to go to the Island of Nevice and I could not be clear of the Weight of it and when I had been sweetly refreshed through the Love of my God amongst them again at Antego way was made for me to go from thence to Nevice and an honest Widow went along with me who was very helpful to me and we had good Service amongst the Blacks and Whites and she remembers her Love to you all and her Prayers are with mine unto the Lord for you And now we are clear of Nevice and going again to Antego and do hope the Lord will make way for me to be at Barbadoes ere long for I do understand it is but a Weeks Sail or Two at most if the Wind sit fair When we came from New York they spoke of but Three or Four Weeks Voyage to Barbadoes and we came out thence about the time called Michaelmas and I have not seen it yet I sent you many Letters from thence when I came away by which you may know my Service in New England and the time when I came away from thence I do not know whether you received any of my Letters but I have taken all opportunities I could both by Sea and Land to send I met with a Vessel upon the Sea the last Letter that I sent and she was bound for London I do long to hear of your Welfare but I do not blame you that I receive no Lines except you could tell whither to direct them I have not seen one of my Native Land that I knew since I came forth But the Lord is with me and unto his preserving Power I commit you with my self and all the tender ones that Amalek's Spirit may not hurt the hinder part of the Flock nor turn the weak out of the way Dear Hearts let 's be single unto God that our Understandings may be opened and kept open that no subtle Spirit may betray our Innocency And let us never forget the Watch and if we fulfil that Command God will be honoured and our Souls comforted for ever and for ever and for evermore Forget not your Family-Meeting on First Days at Evening let not any thing hinder Written in the Island of Nevice the 11th of the 11th Month 1680. J. V. And in the same Letter there were a few Lines added to her Son Thomas Vokins being then an Apprentice with William Gibson in London Dear Son T. V. MY Love salutes thee and thy dear Master and Mistriss and all the faithful in Christ Jesus earnestly desiring your Welfare as my own And dear Heart let thy honest Endeavours answer the Desires of my Heart for my Soul 's breathing is that thou maist be kept low and chaste that thou maist fear at all times that thou maist do as Joseph did that could not sin against his God Oh dear Son it is a precious thing to feel the Awe of the Lord upon thy Heart Oh that this may be thy State that thou maist be found watching unto Prayer and continue in the same that thou maist witness Preservation from all the Enemies Snares and that thy Mind may be stayed in the Light to wait for the Incomes of Life that thou maist live to God and seek his Kingdom and the righteousness thereof and then thou need'st not fear but all things else will be added And I hope thy Diligence and Faithfulness to God and unto thy Master and Mistriss will increase their Love to thee So hoping thou wilt take good Counsel and bring forth the Fruit thereof to the Honour of our precious God and to all our Comforts This is from thy tender Mother J. V. An Epistle to Friends of New York and there-away Dear and well-beloved Friends THese Lines are left to your weighty Consideration in this Season whilst opportunity doth present for Times and Seasons are in our Father's Hand and we know not how soon he may put a period to our days and therefore we are all concerned to seek the propagation of the precious Truth whose Excellency far exceeds the purest Gold and the
to them all as if I nam'd them and their Wives one by one And my servent desire is that the precious Truth may prosper amongst you and that faith and patience and love and life and all other spiritual graces and gifts may abound amongst you and that all that is wrong may be purged out Oh that all of you would wait to feel the renewings of the right Spirit that there might be no room in the heart to entertain the wrong Spirit to hinder or hurt innocency And the Lord God of my Life discover its subtilty and keep us all upon our watch that none of us may be taken in his snares for they are many and dangerous and therefore I commit you with my self and all that loves the Truth and lives in it to the never-failing God who is worthy to be feared and obeyed trusted in and depended upon by us and all that love him for ever and for evermore You would say that I have great cause so to declare if you did but know what he has brought me through since I left you but blessed be his Name he enabled me to do his Service every-where and Friends are kind and loving to me here at Barbadoes and so they were at the Leeward Islands No more but unfeigned Love and rest Your Friend and Sister in the precious Truth Joan Vokins From Barbadoes 14th of the 1st Month 1681. To Friends in West Jersey Dear Friend WIlliam Peachee after the Salutation of my Love to Thee and thy Wife and Friends This is to let thee and Friends there know that I cannot forget you but the Travel of my Soul is for you and the tender God of my Life has heard the Cry of his oppressed Seed and arrisen and will appear more and more for its deliverance although the Philistine Spirit do strongly strive and Amaleck lay by the way yet Israel is greatly encouraged and have great cause to travel on for the Captain of our Salvation is going on before us conquering and to conquer and he will gather his Sons from far and his Daughthers from the ends of the Earth and for this end he visits the Dark Corners and for his Seed sake he has appeared on your behalf and if you mind the Gospel-light and live the Gospel-life and keep the Gospel-order then will God's Plantation grow and bring forth Fruit to his praise and then you may expect his Blessings and Prosperity upon you and yours but if you slight the great Love of God and let in the Spirit of this World and get you other Lovers that will greatly provoke the Lord and cause him to withhold his Mercies from you and cause you to fail of your expectations This loving Caution sprung in my Heart unto you and in that which thinks no evil I leave it with you hoping that in the same you will receive it that in the reading our Lives may be refreshed together though in Person far asunder for it is exceeding precious to me and my life rejoyces at the feeling of a living Brother or Sisters growth in the truth and it 's that my Soul travels for who am a friend to it and as I feed with you in the Land of the Living we can sing together as the ransomed of the Lord and the breathing of my Soul is that all that are there may be preserved and that many thousands more may be gathered to the Honour of his great and worthy Name and our mutual Comfort for ever and for evermore Amen J. V. From Barbadoes 1st Month 1681. A short Testimony against that Spirit of Division that gave forth W. R 's Book stiled The Christian Quaker distinguished WHereas there is a Libertine Spirit at work very busie to darken the Hearts of them that touch with it I feel a necessity upon me and that from the Lord to bear my Testimony against it and to caution all the tender ones not to meddle with it lest they be tinctured and hurt by it for it is a subtil Spirit and seeks under fair pretences to betray Innocency and some there are that are come to a loss thereby as woful Experience do daily shew and therefore let it be considered how it is with those that are alive to God and how it is with those that are within the bounds of that Spirit which gave forth W. R's wicked Book and those that owns it are they not in a dying condition as to the pure Life of Jesus and let them whose understandings are not clear take heed how they read in it lest they bring a Vail over them again they know not how I may say from a certain sense that it is a dark Spirit and too many are groping therein and that is the cause they do not see wherein the difference lyes Oh that every such a one would keep to that which did at first convince them that they might have their understandings opened and kept open that they might see how far they are on their Spiritual Journey that this self-seeking Spirit might not betray in the Wilderness for there are howling Deserts and dangerous Places where this Spirit have lurking corners and creeps in at every turn if the watch be not duly kept And therefore let all take heed and beware of this destroying Spirit whatever it does pretend it 's no better than the inwardly ravening Woolf though cloathed outwardly like a Sheep and therefore deceives the more but the Lord will lay it open more and more for his own Seed sake that has long suffered and the upright hearted who are true to God shall have great encouragement to travel on but those that are looking out are in great danger of being ensnared by this Spirit which may make their Journey long and tedious by muddlement of mind and sometimes go backwards yet their way may be so hedged up that they cannot get quite back to Egypt again but may die in the Wilderness if they take not heed Oh that all while they have time may come into obedience to the Truth and feed together in the Land of the Living that in the feeling of Life we may sing together as the Ransomed of the Lord dwelling with him out of all strife in purity of Life cemented together in the bounds of his Love with our Affections fixed on things above J V. To Friends in New England and thereaway Dear Friend SAmuel Spicer my Love salutes thee and thy dear Wife and Father and Mother Tilton if yet alive and the rest of Friends of your Meeting and Friends at New York earnestly desiring your welfare in the Lord Jesus and breathing to the God of my Life that above all things Truth may prosper amongst you and that Faith and Love and Peace and Life may be multiplied amongst you that the Work of the Day may go on whatever you meet with to hinder though the Philistine Spirit do strive and Amaleck lye by the way yet good Encouragement have we as faithful Soldiers
the end God may be glorified and our Souls after all Trials and sore Exercises are ended may be everlastingly comforted Dear Friends By this you may see that I do not forget you though so weakly in body that I cannot visit you yet am with you in spirit and as long as we abide in the precious Truth the Spirit of Truth writes us as Epistles in one another's hearts that cannot be forgotten and in the same I dearly salute you and bid you farewel in the Lord Jesus though in this World ye have many besetments yet unto his tender compassionate care I commit our Cause and unto the Protection of his Almighty Power do I commend you with my own Soul henceforth and for evermore Your Sister in the heavenly Relation J. V. Chawlow 1st of the 6th Month. 1683. Concerning her Journey into Ireland Dear Friends BY this the blessed Truth and them that love it may be cleared that have unity with me in my Service for I have a witness in every heart that I may appeal unto but them that take no heed to the Spirit of God the true witness in their own hearts can have no experience of the work of it in others and therefore no marvel if they wonder and perish as said the Apostle though they say daily and weekly and year after year it is their duty to love and fear and obey God with all their hearts with all their souls and with all their strength yet so far are they from doing of it that they are ready to cast Aspersions on those that do and though it 's written in the Liturgy of the Church of England that it is their Duties yet they will not wait upon Jesus to receive power to perform their Duties and therefore they abide in unbelief and disobedience not considering their time is short and the work of Sanctification is great Oh how dangerous a thing will it be to have such a weighty work to do when there is no time to do it Well said the Apostle Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling was that the way then and is it become ridiculous now that so many are so much averse to it Oh where are the Mockers and Scoffers and Persecutors of our Age Who are hearing and reading the Scriptures without Understanding Oh that they would take heed to that which reproves for evil that their Understandings might be opened by it for that is the Spirit that the holy Men were inspired with that gave forth the Scriptures and until the hearts of People be turned to it their understandings are so darkened that they cannot see the state of their own Souls much less understand the holy Scripture and therefore we need not care what such can say or do against us who truly fear the Lord for our reward is from him and we have good cause to serve him and seek to exalt his blessed Truth by preferring it above all things though Relations may be near and dear yet to part with them and natural Life and all is but my reasonable Service if my God require it for I have found him a bountiful Master and no respecter of Persons but them that truly fear him and work righteousness do find acceptance with him and that is more to a Remnant then to find acceptance with all the Potentates of the World for their favour will not procure peace with God neither can those live in God's holy heart-cleansing fear that offends him to please Man and in vain will it be for any to hope to die in favour with God and not live so in his fear as not to offend him and notwithstanding all the talk of loving the Lord Jesus and fearing him yet there 's none doth it but them that leave off doing evil and learn to do well and such keeps his holy Commands which are not grievous but joyous to them when the Lord doth enlarge their hearts then can they run the way of his Commands with great delight but while Man or Woman standeth at a distance from that good Spirit that God hath in his tender love given them to profit withal they cannot be sensible of the Lord's enlarging their hearts nor of his working in them both to will and to do of his own good pleasure therefore let all have regard to the work of God's Holy Spirit in their own hearts that they may come to be sensible of the goodness of the Lord and the mighty works that he does for their Souls and from a living experience invite others to come and tast and see for themselves how good our God is for of a truth he is good unto his Israel that are of an upright heart in his sight and they can say of a truth That one day in his Courts is better than a thousand years in the Kings Palaces and in the presence of the Lord is the fulness of our Soul's joy and at his right hand is durable riches and pleasures for evermore and indeed it is weighty to consider how many are preferring the honour of Man before the honour of God and earthly riches before the heavenly treasure And how eagerly do Mankind press after outward gain and slightly esteems the gain of godliness though with content it is the greatest gain of all But my dear Friends you that can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth I leave these lines with you that the weak may not be turned out of the way nor the feeble caused to stumble by any false Asperson that the Devil through his Instruments may be permitted to cast upon me for the Truths sake For I have given no just cause to any to speak evil of me but if any should take occasion to speak evil of the Precious Truth because of my serving it let them know that for this cause it was made known unto me that I might truly serve it and not my self and if they that are Carnally minded would do so they would then indeed know that to be Carnally minded is Death but to be Spiritual minded is Life and Peace and true Contentment And this I write as one that has had a woful experience of the enmity that lodges in the carnal mind and a good experience and priviledge that redownds to the Souls of the Spiritual Minded and do earnestly desire that those that are carnal and sold under Sin as the Apostle said may turn unto that which is to say the enmity for it is night unto every one it s the Word of the Lord which is the Sword of his Spirit and as a Hammer to break down the partition-wall of Sin which separates the Soul from the presence of the Lord and it must be known so to be before Men can be fit to receive the things of God and thus may People come to see between things that differ and not call good evil and evil good and put darkness for light and light for darkness as too many do by which
me if my Children should be some of them And therefore look to it I charge you in God's holy fear that you may be warned and escape the dangers that do attend Youth and be preserved out of all the Snares of the Evil One for they are many And by this you may see that I do remember you and the breathing of my Soul is daily for you and for all my Relations and to them at Farringdon and Charney and Goosey and all the rest of Friends there-abouts mind my Love to them all as opportunity is and let them know that the Lord God of my Life and the length of my Days is still exceeding good unto me and enables me by his Power to do his Service and blessed be his holy Name his precious Reward is with me and that causes my Soul to rejoyce and makes my Heart more glad than the greatest increase of all outward things Oh that it may be so with you that your delight may be to serve him according to your measures that you may clearly see by the bright shining of the Light the vanity and folly of needless things in Apparel and to lean after the World 's vain unsetled Fashions is so far from being comely or an Ornament to any professing Truth that it is great cause of shame for any such to wear it and I am certain that if you keep to the Gift of Christ's Spirit that is given you to teach you to profit and to lead you into all truth and plainness I say that I am sure that if you hearken to the Spirit of Christ in your own Hearts that then these needless things aforenamed and foolish Fashions of the World will become a burden to you as they are to me and then you would be soon weary of them and of all that is needless round Attire upon the Head set up aloft nor long Ears to Linnen Dressings I desire that the Lord may lay it home to your consideration And you may also hereby know that I have had not one well Day nor Night since I came here but I am not worse than I was at home I have travelled Three hundred Miles and upwards in this Nation of Ireland and am now going for the North I have been often very like for death but have not lain by it yet blessed be the Lord. I am uncertain when I shall be clear to re-return but I intend to go no further than I have a necessity because of the weakness of my Body and the Winter drawing on it 's hard for me to travel but the Lord is exceeding good unto me beyond what I am able to express My dear love to all Relations and Friends I rest Your dear Mother J. V. From Dublin 18. 9 Mo. 86. An Epistle to Friends Dear Friends IN the Covenant of Life unto whom the Lord in his unspeakable love hath done so bountifully by as to reveal his Son in us visiting our Souls when in a lost condition and could find no comfort Oh let his Mercies never be forgotten and the consideration of his tender dealing abide with us and let the renewings of his tender Mercies both Spiritual and Temporal give us fresh occasions to renew our obedience for if we abide in the consideration of his love we cannot but be tendered in the sense of the same and brought thereby into true subjection to the sanctifying Power by which we have been and are preserved notwithstanding all the dangers that hath or do attend Oh the Excellency of the Power it is so precious unto a Remnant that we have continual cause to glorifie our heavenly Father with all and over all for he is worthy and if it be with Life and all it 's but our reasonable service and those that will save that alive that is to die do thereby deprive â—â—emselves of Life eternal and therefore we have all need to dwell low in the self-denying Spirit and the daily Cross that weÌ„ may still enjoy the convincing Power that we may travel on in our heavenly Progress with Valour and Courage those few days that are to come in which we may expect many Troubles But living Praises to the God of our Lives and Length of our Days in him we find that Peace that Man cannot give nor take from us and in Christ Jesus our Life is hid from all that are in darkness and under the shadow of death and because the Son of God lives our Souls lives to praise his worthy renowned Name his Eternal Power that has been manifested to tender our Hearts and to bring us into subjection to so good a Master daily nourishes and enriches our Souls with the reward of Life in our Bosoms which causes us to say with the Prophet One day in his Courts is better than a thousand elsewhere And surely it is better to be a Door-keeper in the House of God than to dwell in the chiefest Palaces of the wicked Oh how goodly are the Tents of Jacob where we find safety in times of need as we abide in Covenant with Jacob's God we have cause to rejoyce as Israel did when the Rock that followed them was Christ Jesus the Rock of Ages the sure Foundation of the Faithful the Hiding-place as the shadow of a mighty Rock in a weary Land to shelter the weary Travellers by the way the streams of Shilo that runs so sweetly to comfort the comfortless and to strengthen the weak and relieve the thirsty Souls Oh how sweet are Shilo's Brooks where no Gally with Oars can pass where the Water of Life flows softly but sweetly without any thing that flesh and blood can do for that avails nothing in our heavenly Journey and therefore to be had in no reputation but to be daily denied and the Cross taken up and following of Jesus faithfully and fully towards the Crown which is the blessed Recompence for us to look unto that we may run the Race that is set before us in patience that in the end we may obtain the Mark of the Prize of the High-Calling that is in Christ Jesus which is a Mystery to those that do not obey him but a sweet benefit to them that do obey his Call for they are chosen ones a peculiar People zealous of good Works glorifying our heavenly Father And here we come to know that Scripture fulfilled where it is said You shall call upon me in times of trouble and I will deliver and you shall glorifie me Oh that all the convinced ones for whom I am so often concerned would but consider that all that are amongst us might be of us in glorifying God by answering the Divine Requirings of his Love for we all know sufficient but all do not obey but yet the unfaithfulness of some do not make void the Reward of the Faithful God forbid but the Reward encourages them to invite all to taste and see for themselves how good the Lord is for he is communicating of fresh supplies of his
tender Love and Soul-refreshing Life undeclarably unto them that fear him and dare not offend him and so loves him as to keep his Commands them he will make partakers of his precious Promises for he promised never to leave nor forsake his and to be with them at their down-lying and up-rising and at all times both day and night and as we keep covenant with him he will be with us and we shall be with him that lives for ever to give Life to us who waits upon him and that we may have it more abundantly that we may live to his praise though amongst a crooked Generation who do daily provoke the righteous God surely the crying sins of the ungodly have long cryed for vengeance in the ears of the mighty God of Heaven and Earth and his just Judgments will suddenly find them out and then if Daniel Noah and Lot were there they shall deliver none but their own Souls And therefore we have cause to be concerned as Lot was in Sodom that we may be Preachers of Righteousness in our Lives and Conversations that as the wicked do dishonour and grieve the Lord we may be the more careful to honour and glorifie him by bringing forth much Fruit for his delight is in such and if we abide in Christ Jesus the true Vine then shall we be fruitful in every good Work for he is the Root from whence we receive Vertue else we should wither and soon decay but blessed be the Root from whence we receive Sap and Daily Relief Oh that it may lye always upon our Branches that we may bring forth Fruit in due season and blossom as the Rose of Sharon and grow as the Lilly of the Vally yielding a good savour in our words and actions that whether together or asunder we may be one anothers joy and crown of rejoycing in the Lord Jesus in whom our fresh Springs are who is the Fountain of all our Mercies whose Streams makes glad his whole City who relieves and replenishes our Souls and gives us many fruitful Seasons and makes our Souls partakers of the early and latter Rain and of his eternal Spirit wherein is the Bond of Peace in which the Lord God of all our Mercies keep us all neer unto himself and one unto another that through the enjoyment of the same we may magnifie his eternal Power and Praise his most holy Name for it is worthy to be honoured and renowned over all and that for ever more Amen saith the Soul of your dear Sister in that which reaches over Sea and Land Joan Vokins Written at Droghedah in Ireland the 27. 9 Mo 86. Friends here are well and in the enjoyment of Peace and Plenty blessed be the Lord and Meetings large for the most part and Friends unanimously concerned in the Service of Truth as in the beginning and keep their Zeal for Truth and delights to live in it Here follows a Paper that was printed in 1687 Entituled A Tender Invitation unto all those that want Peace with God by reason of the burden of Sin that keeps them from acceptance with the Lord Jesus and from an assurance of Salvation though it be very desirable to them OH it 's the weary and heavy laden that he tenders rest unto and they that take heed to his good Spirit which is light and leaves off that which it condemns and follows its Instructions they obtain the way of Life and he becomes their Shepherd and they hear his Voice and a Stranger they will not hear but they follow him and he feeds them with that which the Strangers to his Voice and hireling Shepherds cannot attain unto by all their arts or parts external but it comes to be enjoyed by Faith in Christ Jesus that gives Victory over Sin and therefore it 's time for all People to consider and as the Apostle said To try and examine themselves whether they be in the true Faith or no for there is no true Faith but that which stands in the Almighty Power and that gives Victory over the Powers of Darkness and without this Faith it is impossible to please God as it is left upon Record in the Scriptures of Truth So all is to believe in the Son of God who is the light of the World and hath enlightned every one that comes into the World as saith the Scripture and in the universal love of God he gave his Son for a Light to enlighten the Gentiles and to be Salvation unto the ends of the earth and he died for all and his Love so far extended unto all both Male and Female that he would have none to perish but that all by turning to his good Spirit may be saved from all that the evil Spirit leads into for whosoever follows the leadings of the Spirit of Jesus who is given for a Leader of his People he leads them in the Path of Righteousness and as they come to be Servants of Righteousness they come to be free from Sin but it s written in the Scriptures of Truth that the Servants of Sin are free from Righteousness and they that commit Sin are of the Devil for he is the Original of Sin but Jesus Christ is the Original of the pure and holy undefiled Religion that keeps from the Evil of the World which is Pride Adultery Lying Cheating and Idolatry and Superstition and other Spots that those are stained with who are not acquainted with him that said I Wisdom leads in the midst of the Paths of Judgment to cause them that love me to inherit Substance there is much talking of loving him but few inclined to keep his Commands and much talking of his fear but little standing in awe so as not to offend him but so far are many from taking heed unto the measure of his Spirit of Light as he hath placed in their Hearts that they do not know it leading them to the heart-cleansing fear For if they did how could they plead for Sin so long as they remain in these Bodies whereas it hath been said by the Spirit of the Lord and left upon Scripture Record that the fear of the Lord is as a Fountain of Life to depart from the Snares of Death and the beginning of the true Wisdom and a good Understanding have all they that follow after it for they depart from iniquity and it cleanses the heart and keeps it clean according to the Testimonies the Scriptures bears Record of and therefore unto it I recommend all People that all may have the priviledge of it that their Hearts may be cleansed for it is well known there is no Repentance in the Grave but as Death leaves righteous Judgment will find and therefore let the long suffering and patience of the Lord lead to Repentance such a Repentance that needs no repenting of a changing of the heart abstaining and retraining from every appearance of evil this is that which the Lord hath long waited for and doth yet wait to be
door keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the pleasantest palace of the Wicked For until I through tender mercy had unity with Jesus in his divine Spirit of Light my Soul could have no true satisfaction though never so self-righteous but when the heart-searching Light made manifest my condition my heart was so affected with it that I still desired the operation of the power of it and as I came to watch in the measure of it I became aware of the enemy and through Faith in Christ Jesus obtained a waiting state which could not be obtained by me but as I felt the Almighty Power to rebuke the subtil enemy that lies so nigh but as we are commanded to watch we find great benefit by keeping that command And magnified be that wonderful power that has preserved in dangers deep and difficulties many there is nothing too hard for it to do it has often rebuked the destroyer and helped the helpless and strengthen the weak and supported the needy and as we have waited for it we have been partakers of the arising of it to our comfort when our Souls have been in a desolate condition when we cold not help our selves nor had none to help us Oh! how hath it wrought by Sea and Land among false Brethren it hath so signally preserved and wrought deliverances many somtimes by ways unexpected surely its worthy to be trusted in and depended upon and magnified as it hath been manifested my Soul hath cause to say to the Honour and Renown of it for its perfect strength hath been my support in every great weakness and in its strength I have travelled many thousands of Miles by Land and many thousand Leagues by Sea through many and sore exercises both inwardly and outwardly and it hath raised my Soul from Death and my Body many times from the brink of the Grave oh let it have the honour of its own Works saith my Soul for it is worthy for it will make the strong to bow and the weak to be as David and it is worthy to be extolled in a wonderful manner for no heart can be too much affected with it there is al-sufficiency in it to relieve the poor and to incourage the feble though there be much to be met with in our Heavenly prayers yet here is a sure defence in stormy times wherein glory unto it I have found shelter when many times in a weary condition by reason of exercise of Soul and Spirit and weakness and pain of Body Oh! how many hundred Miles have I travelled in this the Land of my Nativity and thousands elsewhere in such a condition not having many well Days in many Years together but yet have good cause to say to the honour and renown of the sanctifying power of the God of my life blessed be the Lord Jesus his Rod and Staff has comforted me and he is always with me and I have cause to admire the tender dealing of my Heavenly Father for he hath exercised me in the deep and made his wonders known And I have cause to speak well of his worthy Name for it hath been as oyntment powred into my poor wounded Soul and it was also so much comfort and strength to my weak body that I can tenderly invite others to come and tast and see how good that name is that brings salvation that those that desire for it may obtain it for as the heart comes to be bowed unto the powerful Name of Jesus and the Soul and Spirit comes to be gathered into a sense of the great love of God there will then be felt a necessity to serve and obey the God of all our Mercies And this was with me when in great weakness when temptations came in as a flood and the buffetings of the enemy was ready to overcome Oh Blessed and Magnified and Renowned over all be that Everlasting Power that wrought a resignment so effectually and caused me to cast my care upon him that always careth for his children who is the holy one and dwelleth in the highest Heavens and takes regard to them of low degree for he has been more to me then all that this World can produce and hath fulfilled many precious Scriptures and hath not been wanting as a tender Father but his mercies of old and the continuation of his favours and the renewing of his tender dealing have deeply obliged me to glorifie him unto the end and in the end for evermore for he is worthy for he hath redeemed my Soul from out of the grave of Sin and Death and now may I say to the praise and honour and renown of his powerful Name that to live is Christ and to die is so much gain that my soul is deeply affected in a true Consideration of the same oh that my posterity and friends for whom my soul hath so long breathed and travelled may be so concerned that every one may be made partakers of the like precious faith with me while on the stage of this World that we may leave a faithful Testimony behind that the generations to come may be induced thereby to fear and serve the Lord for he is a sure rewarder of all them that are diligent in so doing not only in this Worâ—â— but in that which is to come with Life â—â—â—â—â—â—sting World wtthout end Amen Joan Vokins This was written a few Months before her decease about the 1st Month 1690. To William Cooper and his Wife dwelling in West-Jersey near Delaware-River not far from Burlington These are DEar and tender friends William Cooper and M. my love in the unchangable Truth salutes you and in the same I still desire your welfare as my own with all that holds fast their integrity and retains their first love they are as near and dear unto me as ever and my entire love truly reaches to them all and so I desire thou mayest let them know if they have received my Letters and Epistles for I have sent several but my kindsman dying by the way makes me question whether what I sent did ever come to any of your hands for I sent to you and to S. Spicer and to Lidia Wright as was and to her Husband and to her Sister Mary Andrews and to several others in Pensilvania side as well as on that side and I should be very glad to hear of your welfare in the Lord Jesus for that my soul still travels as truly as when I was amongst you Oh that your faithfulness and living obedience may ingage our Heavenly Father to answer the breathing desires of my Soul for you in those remote places for I cannot forget you but the cry often runs through me for your preservation and prosperity every way and that the honour of Truth and the good one of another may be preferred far more then all other things that our nearness and dearness unto our tender God and one unto another may be felt and witnessed that we may praise his