A collection of certain espistles & testimonies of divine consolation, experience and doctrine written by that faithful, patient and long-suffering servant of Christ, William Bennit.

A COLLECTION OF Certain Epistles OF Divine Consolation, &c.

Dear Father and Mother,

MY Indeared Love abounds towards you, and in that which hath brought me into true obedience to God and Man, do I sa∣lute you, and am present with you, as you come to be gathered thereunto; even into the spirit of holiness, in which is the unity of the Faithful, into which Spirit wait to feel your growth, and your obedience therein more and more, which growth standeth not in Words, but in Life and in Power; and wait to feel your increase therein, and decrease in Words which are out of the Power of God; many have grown rich

in Words, and accounted that their growth without the Life, and have feed upon the Knowledge more then upon Life, and unto such the Famine is to come; therefore dear Hearts, yea exceeding dear to me, oh keep to the measure of God in your own Particulars, and be obedient to its operation, that you may come to witness your translation into the ••••rth Im••ortal▪ which trans••ation standeth not in Words, but in Life and Power; therefore feel the operation of the Power of God •••• work out and mortifie that which is reproveable by it; oh, obedience to the operation thereof is required by it of the Creature; for as it is to work upon the Soul, so it worketh not without the Soul's yeil••ing obedience thereunto, so far as to work its translation, yet not the Soul's work, but the work of God in and upon the Soul; for though Christ is come a Light into the World, and is the Salvation of God, yet they that believe, not in him he is their Condemnation, and yet sufficient Salvation to them who believe in him, and obey him; for as the Light manifesteth Evil, yet if the Creature yeild not obedience thereunto, he cannot have ••ower over the Evil; but if he yeild obedience to the Light, it gives him power over Evil, yet not the Creatures Power, but the Power of God, which begetteth th•• Will and ••h•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 also; there∣fore perfect obedience to the Light the Lord requireth of every one, and daily to Watch and Wrestle ••gainst that which is condemnable by the Light; for so long as the Creature knowingly lives in that (whether in Words •••• Deed•• that it seeth to be reprovable by the Light, it cannot injoy perfect peace with God; for the peace of God is enjoyed i•• the Light; and truely if that Condemn, surely the Lord doth not Justifie, though many believe they are Justified in the sight of God, through Christ, although the Witness of God le••s them see that they are yet in their Sins, and condemns them for Sin, and

this Faith (or rather Unbelief) which leads them to believe that they, nor none else can be made free from all Sin on this side the Grave, and yet they imagin that they are free from it in the sight of God; but beware of that Faith, for it is accur∣sed, and is not the true Faith which is the gift of God, which through Christ saveth from all Sin; for that Faith admits of Sin, but the Faith of Gods Elect sets free from all Sin; for where the Wicked one hath seated this Faith or Perswasion in the Heart, it is hard indeed for such a one to come to Live in the Life of Truth, which is holy; for as the Light doth let the Soul see it is in its Sins, and brings Trouble and Con∣demnation upon the Mind for Sin, and begets a desire also in the Heart to be freed from Sin, for it feels it lie as a weighty load upon its Conscience; behold even then the Wicked one, who hath begot this perswasion in the Creature that it cannot be freed from all Sin here, though freed from Sin in the sight of God; and this perswasion causes the Creature to do dispite to the Spirit of Grace, and strive to quench its Reproofs, and so get at ease in that cursed Faith, and in that wrong Believe, and sit down short of the Peace of God; so that which begot desires in the Creature to be freed from Sin, comes to be vailed and slain, and many Thousands are in this State, who are large Boasters, who are boasting that they are Justified by Christ, and that Christ hath done all for them, and if they can believe it, that is sufficient, and yet still in their Sins.

Now the Apostle Paul saith, If while we seek to be Justi••••ed by Christ, we our selves be found Sinners; Is Christ therefore the Minister of Sin? God forbid; and he saith, Shall we continue in Sin that Grace may abound? God forbid; for how can we who are Dead to Sin Live any longer therein? and he said, They who are Justified by Faith, through the Redemption that is in

Christ Jesus, which Redemption is a redeeming out of Sin, and their Faith gave them power over the World, and did not admit of Sin, as the Professors Faith doth, who believe they can never be free from all Sin in this Life.

Oh, in tender Love I beseech you to beware of that Delu∣tion and Perswasion of the Wicked one, for it is very dange∣rous, and a broad way which the Creature is prone to run into; now there is a great difference betwixt such who with the Light seeth much Sin (which they are addicted unto) yet to be subdued, and it is their sore Burden, and they in the strength of the Light wrestle against it, and so feel it daily decrease; and that Faith bego••, by which they see and believe that they shall be made Conquerors over all, as they abide faithful to the Light, which lets them see Sin: I say there is a great difference betwixt such as are there in that State (tra∣velling out of Sin, out of Egypt, where the Bondage is, to∣wards Sion, where the Freedom is) and such as are sate down satisfied, in a false Confidence, and in a wrong Belief, con∣tinuing in their Sins, and believe they shall not be free from it here, but you know otherwise; therefore in the Life of what you know abide, for truly it is the Life that must make alive, and keep alive to God, which Life is the Light of men, the true Light which lighteth every one tha•• cometh into the World, and is the Salvation of God; and therein wait and feel your Minds exercised in its operation for this changeth the Mind, the Thoughts, the Affections and De∣sires; for as they have been Earthly, so they become Heavenly, and it becomes the Souls delight to answer the end of the Lord, and to endeavour to walk worthy of his Love, and it becomes its Life to do the Will of God, and to follow the Leadings of his Spirit, which leadeth out of Evil; but be∣fore this be witnessed the strait and narrow Way must be

known, felt and lived in, and there must be a passing through the Fire, through the Water, through the one Baptizing, which baptiseth into Death, and so translateth into Life, in which Life it will become your Life to do the Will of God.

Oh, dear Father and Mother, keep, I beseech you, to the Gift of God in your own particulars, and be obedient to its Leadings, and therein watch diligently, continually, and with it try your Thoughts, and Words, and Intents, before you bring them forth, and if they be reprovable give the•• up to the Light, the Fire, to be consumed; dear Hearts, it is in unexpressible Love that I write thus unto you; and be very wary of spaking things by contraries, which you are addicted to, for there is no Lye of the Truth, and he that abideth in the Truth is preserved out of the Lye, he that loveth the Light bringeth his Deeds to the Light to try them, whether they be wrought in God; so be not forward to utter Words, but feel the Light of Christ to guide and lead you, and bring your Thoughts and Words to it, to try them, whe∣ther you may speak them yea or nay; now if they be repro∣vable by the Light, then they are to dye, and not be brought forth, for if they be, this grieveth the Righteous Spirit of God, and breaks your Peace with the Lord, for if his Wit∣ness Condemn, he doth not Justifie; so the Creature keeping low in the pure Fear and Dread of the Lord, it dare not do that, whether in Thought, Word or Deed, which it seeth to be Vain and Evil, if it could gain the whole World by it; but truly the Professors are out of this Condition, though they can talk of the Fear of the Lord, and scarce one of a 〈…〉〈…〉 is come ••here, into that state, but this is a hard 〈…〉〈…〉 is able to bear it? yet it is a true saying, though 〈…〉〈…〉 believe it; oh, the largest Talkers, and De∣clarers,

and Knowers, even of the highest sort, are farthest from the Life of Truth, which is holy; for truly such are settled on their Lees, and have been building long, and very high, and have gathered much Riches, and it is hard for these to loose all, and their Building to fall, and not one Stone to be left upon another, but all to be thrown down; oh, the Lord God of Compassion is a gathering many tender Hearts from amongst them, who hunger and breath after him, and is not satisfied with the Husks, the Shadows and Dead Forms, in which they dwell, and poor Hearts, they have been long running from Mountain to Hill, and have sought after the Lord, even fervently, Day after Day, Year after Year, and could not find him whom their Souls longed for; but now such is the Lord a gathering into his Fold where they shall enjoy their Shepherd, and their Souls shall not want.

So once more do I in tender Love direct you to the Gift of God in your own particulars, and therein wait upon the Lord for Power, from the Lord, over that which is contrary to the Lord, and condemnable by his Light in your own Hearts; and keep in the fewness of Words, for too many Words becometh not those who professeth Godliness; but let your Words be few, and let them savour of the Grace of God, which leadeth into a Meek, Sober, Modest, Chast Lif••, that so your upright sober Conversation may preach Righteousness, even to the convincing of them who have been as Teachers over you, whom ye will come to see, as you keep to the measure of God, and know them to be a People whose Minds are at Liberty, and are at case in the Flesh, and know not a Stay to their Minds, a Stop to their Thoughts, a Bridle to their Tongues, which if they be not come to know, feel and abide therein, let their

Knowledge never so large, their Declarations never so high, their Words never so deep, yea and true also; yet I say, and my saying is true, though hard to many to bear (that if such come not, and keep not to that which is to be a Stay to the Mind, a Stop to their Thoughts, a Brible to their Tongues, a Lanthorn to their F••••••, a Light ••o their Steps) their Knowledge, their Declara∣tions, their Works and their Suffering, it is all in vain; and a Babe of the Heavenly Birth sees and comprehends them, and their large Coverings are to narrow to hide them from their Eye: Well, into the hand of the Lord do I commit you, for to come to be gathered into, and preserved in the pure Fear of God, Watchful and Dili∣gent in the Light, and to War and Wrestle in the strength of it, against that which you see is to be Mor∣tified; so be willing to pass through the strait Gate, in∣to the narrow Way to walk, which few findeth, and are made willing to walk therein; But the First shall be Last, and the Last First, for many are Called, and but few Chosen.

And dear Ones, one thing more I have to say unto you, beware and take heed of Condemning one another for doing that Evil which you see your selves are addicted unto, but first see it Subdued and Mortified in your selves, whether it be in Word or Action, before you Con∣demn others for it, though they be Prophane People; and when you spake a Word of Reproof to any, be∣ware of doing it in a light Frothy way, as many do, even in the light Airy Spirit, which bringeth forth the same things in themselves; but let it be done in the Sober, Solled, Seasoned, Savoury, Holy Spirit of the Lord God, that it may reach to the VVitness of God in

them unto whom you speak, and then is it profitable; so the Lord God Almighty, Infinite and VVise, preserve me, and you, and all his little Ones, in his holy Awe and Dread, and therein to pass the time of our Pilgrimag•• here in Fear and Trembling, Farwell.

From your Son, who is come into the Heirship of Eternity, William Bennit.

Bliborough Goal the 5th Month 1661.

A tender and unfained Salutation of Love and Good∣will to Professors, &c.

THe Lord God Almighty, hath, and is a looking down upon the Sons and Daughters of Men; and hath, and doth behold many of them, even as poor scattered Sheep without a Shepherd, wandering as in the Desarts and waste howling Wilderness, wandering as upon the barren Moun∣tains, and dry Heaths; hungry and thirsty, their souls unsa∣tisfied, seeking diligently for food upon the barren Moun∣tains; running from Mountain to Mountain, and from Hill to Hill, and cannot find that Food that will truly satisfy their hungry Souls; and running from one broken Cistern to ano∣ther, and cannot find one drop of water that will truly refresh their thirsty Souls; who are seeking the living God amongst the dead Forms, and seeking Meat among the Shells, and the Substance among the Shadows, and cannot find that which they seek after, nor enjoy him whom their Souls long∣eth for; seeking rest and can find no true Rest; desiring to know where the Lord God (the good Shepherd of Israel) feeds his Sheep and Lambs, and where they lie down in qui∣etness and rest, free from the fear of Evil.

And this the Lord God of pity hath seen, and in his Infi∣nite tender bowels, hath been (and now is) moved with yearnings of pity and compassion towards them, and for his own Seeds sake he hath, and is (in Mercy to them) stretching forth the Hand of his loving kindness unto them; to gather (in one) the scattered, to gather together (in one) the dispersed, to bring home the wanderer, and the prodigal (that hath long fed upon the

husks among the Swine) to the Fathers house of plenty, where there is bread enough, and water faileth not.

Yea, the Lord God Almighty, of Heaven and Earth, hath, and is lifting up an Ensign for the Nations, and hath, and will assemble the out-casts of Jacob, and the dispersed Judah, from the four corners of the Earth, and hath, and will return the Captivity of his People; and then Jacob shall be glad, and Israel shall rejoyce in him (the steam of Jesse) which doth and shall stand for an Ensign for the people and unto him doth, and shall the Gentiles seek, and his rest is, and shall be sweet and glorious to the poor, for whom he will Judge in Righteousness; and Reprove with Equity, for the meek of the Earth; who will smite the Earth with the Rod of his Mouth, and with the breath of his Lips will he slay the Wicked, and Rule the Nations with his Iron Rod, and break the Heathen to pieces like a Pot∣ters Vessel; who hath Righteousness for the girdle of his Loins, and Faithfulness the girdle of his Reins; who hath on the Brestplate of Righteousness, and a Helmet of Salvation on his Head; who hath put on the Garment of Vengeance for cloathing, and is clad with Zeal as with a Cloak; who with the two-edged sword that proceeds out of his mouth, makes War in Righteousness; who hath on a Vesture dipt in blood, and his Name is called the Word of God. This is he whom the Lord giveth for a Covenant of the people, and for a light of the Gentiles, to be his Salvation to the ends of the Earth, to open the Blind eyes, to unstop the Deaf ears, to cause the tongue of the Dumb to sing, and the Lame to leap as an Heart; to cause water to come forth of the Desert, and streams in the Wilderness; the parched ground to become a pool, and dry heaths springs of water; to make the Wilderness and the solitary place glad, and the Desert to rejoyce, and blossom as a

Rose; who is anointed of God to Preach glad Tidings to the poor, to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim Liberty to the poor Captive, and to comfort the the Mourners in Sion; to give beauty for ashes, the oyl of Joy for Mourning, the garment of Praise for the Spirit of heavi∣ness; that they may flourish as Trees of Righteousness of the Lords own planting, bringing forth fruit unto him that he (in and through them) may be glorified. He brake th•• bowes of the Mighty, and that which is weak and feeble, he girds with Strength and Courage; the Full and Rich, he causes to hire out for bread, and causeth the hunger of the hungry to cease; who causeth the barren to bear seven, and she that hath had many children, to wax barren and feeble; he woundeth and healeth, he killeth and causeth to live; he bringeth down, and raiseth up, even the poor he raiseth out of the dust, and the beggar from the dunghil, to set them among the Princes, and to inherit a Crown of Glory.

This is he, who maketh all things a New, and causeth all old things to pass away, who causeth the old Heavens, and the old Earth to pass away, and dry∣eth up the Sea; and creates a new Heaven, and a new Earth, wherein dwelleth Righteousness; this is he which worketh the strange work, the marvelous work, which causeth the ears of those that hear thereof to tingle: This is he who is the strong Arm of Gods Mighty Power, which is stretched forth towards the helpless, to deliver the poor and needy out of the hand of him who is too strong for them; The Arm of Gods Salvation, which he is making bare before the eyes of the Captives, that they may see him, and come unto him who is Mighty, upon whom help is laid to deliver them, and to save to the utmost them that come unto him; this (as I said) is the hand of Gods loving kind∣ness,

which in mercy is stretched forth towards you, who can∣not be satisfied with the husks, shells, and shadows, but thirst and desire after him the Substance, the living Bread which the living Soul feeds upon and lives, and grows up thereby into Eternal life.

Ah dear People! this is the Salvation of God whom I de∣clare of, and Salvation is not to be had in an∣other besides him, who is the Immortal word of Eternal life which abides for ever; which was in the be∣ginning before the visibles were, by whom all things were made, whether visible or invisible, and with∣out him was nothing made that was made; and in him (the Word) was life, and this life is the light of men, and he is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world; and was in the world, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not, but unto them that received him, he gave power to become the Sons of God. Who had a body prepared him, in which he suffered the Will of him that sent him; who was born of the Virgin Mary, whom King Herod sought to destroy, who was circumcised the eighth day, and likewise baptised by John the Baptist, who likewise eat the Passeover with his Disciples, (for he came to fulfil all Righteousness) who was betrayed by Judas, who was judged to die by Ponrius Pilate, who was Crucified without the Gates of Jerusalem, who was laid in a Sepulcher, who rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, who ascended up into Heaven, and sitteth at the Right hand of God who is glorified with the same Glory that he had with the Father before the world began; who came again unto his Disciples according to his promise; who said unto them, I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you: I will send you a Comforter that shall abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of Truth. I am

the Truth (saith Christ) whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but you know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be (Mark) in you; yet a little while and the world sees me no more: (Mark this) you who are so much gazing and looking for his coming without, (but still fail of your expectation) that you know not his coming with∣in you to be a Comforter. But you see me, and because I live you shall live also, (saith Christ to his Disciples) and in that day you shall know that I am in the Father, and you in me, and I (Mark) in ••ou; and he the Spirit of Truth, shall lead you into all Truth, and shall teach you all things, and shall shew you all things to come, and bring all things to your remembrance that I have said unto you, and shall reprove the world of Sin, of Righteousness, and of Judgement: And his Disciples according to his command, waited at Jerusalem until they were indued with power from on high, and had received the pro∣mise of the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth, which caused them to speak the wonderful things of God, as the Eternal Spirit of Truth gave them utterance; and then they were come to witness his Word fulfilled, when he said, He dewlleth with you, and shall be in ••ou; and this is the immortal Word which was in the beginning which Paul (who witnessed Christ the Son of God revealed in him, and was by him the eternal Spirit, made an able Minister of him) Preached to wit) Christ within, who said, None should need to ascend, that is, to bring Christ down from above, or to descend, that is, to bring Christ from beneath, &c. but the word (to wit Christ is nigh thee in the heart, and in the mouth, to be obeyed and done: and this is the Word of Faith that Paul preached nigh in the heart, Even Christ in them ••he living hope, that was as an Anchor to their Souls, sure and stedfast) the hope of Glory.

And Paul exhorted the Corinthians to examine themselves,

and to prove themselves whether they were in the Faith; whether they knew not Christ to be in them, except they were Reprobates. And John in his writ∣ing to the Saints, reminds them of that within, which they had heard from the beginning; and says to them, Let that re∣main in you, (to wit, The word which was in the beginning) which you have heard from the beginning, and if it shall remain in you, ye shall continue in the Son and in the Father: and tells them, That they should not need that any man should teach them, but as the anoynting which they had received of God abiding in them, should teach them, which was the Truth, (to wit) Christ the Truth in them, the anoynted, the ano••nting: And as he had, and did teach them, so they were to abide in him; so they knew Christ in them, & witnessed the Power of God within, the Truth wit••i••, the Word nigh in their hearts, the Spirit of God in their inward parts, by which they were led, guided, taught an•• instruct∣ed: For so many as are the Sons of God, (saith Paul) are led by the Spirit of God; and he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his: and this gave them an understanding in the things of God, even the Spirit of God; For no man knows the things of God, [saith Paul] but by the Spirit ••f God, through which he was made anable Minister of the New Testament, not of the Letter, but of the Spirit which giveth life. And he Preached the everlasting Gospel, Christ the Power of God, the Word nigh in the heart, and said, If our Gospel be hid, it is hid from them that are lost, in whom, [Mark] in whom the God of the world [the Prince of the power of the Air, that wicked spirit, that worketh in the hearts of the children of disobedience] hath blinded their minds, lest the light of the glorious Gospel [Christ Jesus] should shine in, and unto them: But God, who commandeth light to shine out of darkness, hath shined [Mark] in our hearts, to give us the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus; and we

have this treasure in the Earthen vessel, that the glory may be of God, and not of us: so the Saints Preached up Christ [the Word of Life, the Light, the Truth] within, and said, That which is is to be known of God, is manifest in them: and Paul says, That the manifestation of the Spirit, is given to every man to profit withall; and the free Grace of God, saith he [Mark] that bringeth Salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that we denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

And the Saints, they witnessed their reconciliation, and were born again; they felt and knew that in them∣selves, of which they were born again even Christ in them, the Seed incorruptible the Word of God, which lives and abides for ever, by which they were begot∣ten again unto God, and quickened by the Word of life, even they who were once as dead stones, were raised up as living Children unto Abraham; and so they came to taste that the Lord was good and gracious; to taste and handle of the Word of Life, and to seed upon the Bread of Life, and to drink of the Cup of Blessing, and so by one Spirit were baptised into one body, and were made to drink into one Spirit, wherein they worshipped and served the Lord God, and had Unity with the Lord, in and through the Eter∣nal Spirit, and Unity one with another, which united their Souls unto each other, and unto the Lord God over all, blessed for ever.

Ah, dear people! you in whose hearts there is true desires, and secret thirstings after the living God, where-ever ye are scattered among the many Sects and people, towards you doth my soul, yea my tender soul yearn and stream with love and good-will; and for your sakes dear people, doth my Soul travel in the womb of Supplication, that you might

come to enjoy that which you are seeking after, and come to possess that you are thristing for, and for your sakes mostly is this written, in tender bowels of unfeigned love and pity to your souls.

And dear people, you that have true desires in you after the Lord, and hath been seeking of him, where you cannot find him; and hath been running from Mountain to Hill and from Hill to Mountain; from one broken Cistern to another, from one dead Form to another, but still are unsatisfied, and are sensible, that you still [notwithstanding your long profe∣ssion and confession of God and Christ in words, and notwith∣standing your practicing some things that you read of, which the Saints once performed in obedience of the Spirit of Truth which led them thereunto] want the feeling enjoyment of the Love and sweet Peace of God, and go groaning daily under the burden of the bondage of sin and corruption, and desires to be set free therefrom. Oh, dear people! retire, re∣tire with your minds inward, you who have been seeking a God a far off, and hunting after the Lord without, retire to within, and wait to know the Lord God near you, to know his pure Truth in your inward parts, his pure Spirit in you, to lead and guide you, to teach and instruct you; for God is a Spirit, and his teachings are spiritual; he must be known in Spirit, worshipped in Spirit and in Truth, not at the Mountain, neither at Jerusalem, not in this set Form, nor in the other Form, As lo here, and lo there, but in the Spirit is the Lord God known and worship∣ped aright, by them who are born of the Spirit: And so the spiritualized people, who are born o•• the Spirit, and lives in the Spirit, and are taught and led by the Spirit of Truth, these are the peculiar people who Worship the God of Truth [who is a Spirit] in the Spirit and in the Truth; and these are acceptable Worshippers with the Lord, who own no

Worship but his own which he teacheth his people by his Spirit; and they that is ignorant of the Spirit of God, they are ignorant of the true Worship of God which is in the Spi∣rit; and although such may seem to Worship God, yet their Worship is not of God, nor accepted with God. It is the purified Sons of Levy [who have passed through the fire, that are purged even as gold is purged and tryed, and as silver is tryed by him [the Light of Israel] who is as a Refiners Fire, and like Fullers Sope] that can offer unto God an Offering in Righteousness, and their offer∣ings is pleasant unto the Lord; but the polluted Sacrifices, the halt, the blind, and the lame, is abomination unto the pure God of purity, who is Blessed, Blessed for evermore.

And dear People, who have desires in you after the Lord, towards you doth my bowels yearn, where ever you are scat∣tered among the many ••ects and heaps, this is a tender invi∣tation unto you that have been spending your mony for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which hath not yet satisfied your Souls, but still you are a thirsty for want of drink, and an hungry for want of food. Oh, dear people! retire inward, retire inward, hunt no longer abroad, run no longer from one broken Cistern to another; wait no longer at the Wells that men have digged, draw no longer at them, for still you thirst again. But oh! retire to within, tur•• your minds inward, and wait to find and feel that in you, which you so carefully (with sorrow) hath been seeking without you; even to know Jacob's Well in you, which hath been dammed up with Earth by the uncircumcised, whilest you have been hunting abroad; therefore turn your minds inward to feel the gift that Christ gives; the Water that he gives, saith Christ to the Woman of Samaria, The water which I will give thee, shall [Mark] be in thee

a Well of water springing up unto Eternal life. So the Water that Christ gives, it's within; therefore turn inward to his pure gift in your own Hearts, to his pure Light in your own Consciences, for that comes from him, and leads unto him (them that do it love, follow, and obey) the Fountain of living Water, who satisfieth the thirst of the thirsty, and feed∣eth the hungry with good things.

Therefore retire inward in your minds, and come unto him, and learn of him who is meek and low in the heart, to wit, Christ in you, except ye be Repro∣bates: hearken diligently unto him, and eat ye that which is good, (no longer feed upon the husks) and let your souls delight themselves in fatness: come unto him, encline your ear, hear and your Soul shall live, and en∣ter into Covenant with him who will be your God, and you shall be his people.

And so, dear people, it is not enough for any to have a profession, and a talk of God and Christ in words, without the enjoyment and possession of him: It is not enough to confess and believe that Christ died at Jerusalem for sinners, and he hath done all for you, &c. for the drunkard and the swearer will say as much as this, and make a confession of Christ in words as many professors do, who say, They are justified by Christ, and he hath done all for them; and yet they are still in their sins, in the pride, covetousness, vanity, pomp, and vain glory of the world, in it's vain customs, inventions, and traditions, seeking and loving it's honour and respect, seeking and loving the praise of men more then the praise of God. But, dear people, it is not enough to confess Christ without, and say you believe in him, &c. except you come to know him made manifest in you to destroy the works of the Devil; for your professing and confessing of Christ dying at Jerusalem, &c. doth not cleanse your Hearts, nor sanctifie

your Souls, nor purge your Consciences from dead works, to serve the living God in newness of life; but still you see you are Bond-slaves unto sin and corruption, and led captive with the lusts and desires of your own hearts; and it will be so dear people, until you turn your minds inward, to the pur•• light of Christ in you, that doth discover the sin and corrup∣tion of your own hearts; and as you come to believe in that, to love and follow that, you will come to feel and find the working our of the old leaven of sin, iniquity and corrup∣tion, and working you into its nature, and so come to see, and feel, and witness, not only atalk of it, but your Regenera∣tion wrought by Christ in you, the Immortal Word, to be bor•• again of it, the Seed incorruptible, which must be known within, to bruise the Serpents head, the god of the world, the wicked spirit that leads man into sin, which hath been ex∣alted in the heart of man, and hath been Lord, Head, and King there; and the holy Seed, the pure life, that hath suf∣fered, that hath been oppressed, even as a Cart is oppressed with sheaves, that hath been pierced, wounded and cruci∣fied, the Just hath suffered for the Unjust; he hath long been a man of sorrows, and largely acquainted with grief; he hath been smitten, and thou hast esteemed him not; but oh! he hath been wounded for, and by thy transgressions; and bruis∣ed by, and for thy iniquities; he hath born thy iniquity, whilst thou like a sheep hast gone astray, and followed thy own way.

But oh! now return unto the good Shepherd, who lays down his life for his Sheep, and gathereth the scattered into the fold of Rest, where he feeds them, and causeth them to lie down in the fresh Pastures of life, where none can make them afraid; and feed, and sup with him, who is their daily Bread, their Life, their Rest, their Joy and Delight.

So dear poople, whose desires are after the Lord, but are

she King for Salvation, and after a God afar off, I beseech you to return inward (because I fervently desire that your Souls might come to taste of the love and sweet peace of my God, which is that which would satisfie your Souls) and to take heed to that in your hearts, which as light shineth in a dark place, discovering unto you the deeds of darkness, and the works of the night to be evil; and fear not that It will deceive ye, for it is the sure word of Pro∣phecy, unto which you do well to take heed, until the day dawn in your hearts, and light shine out of darkness, and wholly extinguish the night; and give no heed to them who speak evil of the way of the Lord, and count Truth to be error, and Light darkness; even as the professing Jews, they boasted of Moses, and of the Law, and of the Prophets, but when he whom Moses and the Prophets prophesied of, whom the Law did figure out, who fulfills the Law, who was the life of Moses and the Prophets, he came unto them, but they hated him, and said We Know that God spake by Mo∣ses, but as for this fellow. we know not whence he is; he is a Gluttoner, a Wine-bibber, a friend to Publicans and Sinners; he through Beelzebub the Prince of De∣vils doth cast out Devils, &c, And truly I may say, (not out of a prejudiced mind of Enmity towards any, for my Soul bears love and good-will towards all men) that it is (as it were) the same now with many of the Professors in this age, who (as the Jews made a large boast and profession of Moses, the Law, and the Prophets, and hated him the life of them) doth make a large boast of Christ in words, and of his dying at Jerusalem, (which I believe he did, according as the Scrip∣ture testifie) and that he hath done all for them, and if they can but believe it, that is enough, &c. And yet whilest they are thus professing him in words, behold many of them are enemies to his Life, and so enemies to him whom they boast

of, who is the Word that was in the beginning, in whom was life, and his life is the light of men: The true light, saith John, that lighteth every man that cometh into the world; vvhich the Professors say is a natural light; that vvhich convinceth vvicked men of sin in their ovvn hearts, and judgeth them for evil doing; it is a natural light say the Professors, and so call the life of the Word, vvhich is the light of men natural; it's a natural conscience say some, it's an insufficient light, it's a common grace, &c. so common it is indeed, that (as Paul says) it hath appeared unto all men, even that grace that brings Salvation: nay, some blasphemously vvill presume to say, it's a spirit of delu∣sion, a spirit of errour; and these are under the vvo, vvho call the Truth errour, and the Light darkness, and the Good evil; and these one day shall knovv their blasphemy, and their vvords shall become their burden; and these are in great darkness and ignorance indeed, thick darkness fills their habitation, even the dark∣ness of Egypt, that may be felt; and it is hard indeed for such to be brought into the pure light and unchangable Truth of God; although vvith the Lord God Almighty nothing is impossible; and these like the Scribes and Pharisees, vvho, although they professed God in vvords, and said they had one Father even God, sought to shut up the Kingdom of Heaven from men, and vvould neither enter in themselves, nor suffer them that vvould: and so these, vvhile they profess Christ in vvords, they speak evil of his Light and Truth, and vvill neither ovvn it themselves, nor suffer (as much as in them lie) them that vvould; but cryes out, take heed, bevvare of the light the Quakers prate of, it is darkness, say they, it vvill deceive you, and delude you, and lead you into Errour, &c. But let all people knovv, the light (vvhich the people of God, called Quakers, speak of, and in

bovvels of love direct peoples minds unto) is the life of the Word, vvhich is Immortal, Eternal, Permanent, Divine, and Immutable, and not Natural.

Thou, vvhoever thou art, and vvhatever by men thou art accounted of, that doth make a large profession of God, Christ, and the Scriptures of Truth in vvords, and doth hate, and speak evil of the Light, the true Light, that lighteth every man that cometh into the world, thou art a hater of God and of Christ, and art of Antichrist, against Christ; al∣though thou professest him in words, and sayst thou art saved by him, and justified by him, &c. yet if thou hatest his light in thy own Conscience, which doth check thee for evil doing, and prick thee for thy sins in secret, thou art in enmity to him, and condemned by the Light, and not justified; and thy confession of Christ in words will not save thee from his Righteous Condemnation, vvhilst thou hatest his pure light in thy Conscience, and thy profession is for the fire, and un∣to the Light thou must come before thou canst find true peace with the Lord God. Yea, whatever thou art, who art climed, and a climing up in thy Imaginations, and a soar∣ing up aloft with the god of the world, (the Prince of the power of the Air) above the Light (the Door into the fold) striving to enter into the fold, and not by the Door, to wit) the Light, thou art the Thief and Robber, who runs before Christ, the Light, the Door in∣to the Fold, and thou must come down; come down, to that which appears a small thing in thy eye, (who art swell'd big in thy fleshly wisdom, from which the things of Gods Kingdom is hid) even to that which thou counts a foolish thing, a weak, a poor thing, not worth the minding or heeding; but this is it (the foolish thing in thy eye that is to con∣found thy wisdom, and turn it into foolishness, that so thou

beecoming a fool, may be made wise in it: This is the weak thing, in thy eye, which is to confound thy strength, and make thee weak, that thou mayst be strong in it, and the poor thing in thy eye, which is to rob thee of all thy Riches, that thou becoming poor, in it may be made Rich; so where is the Wise, the Rabbi, the Scribe, the Disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the Wisdom of this world? for the world by wisdom knows not God; and so the boaster is excluded, that God may have the Glory, and all flesh abased, and silent before him, who of God is made unto his Saints, that love his Light, and are led by his Spirit, Wisdom, Strength, Power, Righteousness, Justification and Redemp∣tion, who have the heavenly Treasure in the Earthen vessel, that the glory may be of God, who is worthy of all Glory and Praise for ever.

So heed not (dear people, you who have any desire in you after the Lord) what this man, or the other, saith of the Light; but love the Light, and take heed unto it, for that which judges and condems sin in you, which is that which seperates you from the Lord, and hinders your peace with the Lord, and is the cause of your burden and sor∣row; this you shall not need to fear will delude you; That is a spirit of delusion, that leads into sin and evil, beware of that; but that which reproves you for evil in your own hearts, and manifests the deeds of darkness, take heed unto it, for that is the Light that doth make manifest. darkness; that which is reprovable is made manifest by the Light; for whatever makes manifest, is Light, and that will not onely make manifest the sin and evil, but as you come to turn your minds in, unto it, and love, and follow it, it will save you from your sins, and redeem your minds and souls unto God; for who receive his Light, his pure Grace in them, they receive power through it to become the Sons of God;

for through his Grace doth he manifest his power in them that believe in the Light, to the drawing of their hearts and minds out of the ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to the teaching of them to live soberly, and righteously, and godly in this present world; and thus the free Grace of God bring∣eth Salvation to their Souls. And so dear people, thus you, who come to believe in the Light, to love and obey the Light in your own Consciences, will come to feel and witness the work of the Lord God in your hearts, the working and oppe∣ration of the Word of Life, to the casting out of the Bond∣woman and her Son, which is not to inherit; to the binding of the strong man, and casting of him out; yea, the Old man with his deeds is to be put off, and you renewed in the spirit of your minds, and the new Man is to be put on, who after God, is created in Righteous∣ness and true Holiness, to put him on, and to bring him forth before all men, the only begotten Son of God, who is full of Grace and Truth, Mercy and Love, Pity and Compassion, Purity and Holiness, and Good-will towards all, who loveth Enemies and doth good to them that hate him, &c.

So coming to the Light, Christ Jesus, you come to the Sub∣stance, to him, in whom the Figures, Types, and Shad∣dows end in, and so come to witness him in you, who fulfils all Righteousness; he who is the end of the Law for ••ighteous∣ness sake, unto them that believe in him; and to be Circumcised in him, with the Circumcision made without hands▪ by the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the Circumcision of Christ, which the outward Circumcision was a figure of; and to witness the Baptism of Christ, which is with the Holy Ghost and fire, which John's Baptism with water outward, was a true figure of; and he bore Testimony unto Christ, the Light of the world, who said, I must decrease, but he must increase. I indeed baptise you with water,

but he (Christ Jesus, who was before me) shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire; whose fan is in his hand, and he shall throughly purge his floor; the Wheat he shall gather into his Garner, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire. So the outward water was but a type, the outward washing a type of the in∣ward washing, and inward cleansing, and inward purging, and purifying by the Water of Life, or the Blood of Jesus, that cleanseth from all sin, which is felt thus to work in them who believe in the Light, and walk in the Light; and they come to know that begotten in them, that feeds upon the flesh of Christ, which is the living Bread, upon which the living Soul seeds, and is the Substance which the Bread and Wine out∣ward did figure out; which the Manna (that God gave the Israel of old in the Wilderness) was a pure type of the heaven∣ly Manna, the living Bread, vvhich the birth that is born of God feeds upon, and lives thereby, and grows up into Eter∣nal life.

The day of gathering is come, wherein the Lord God of everlasting bowels of Compassion is a gathering the despersed, and seeking that which was lost, and bringing back that which was driven away, and healing that which was sick, and binding up that which was broken; but the strong and the fat he is feeding with Judg∣ment. The Lord is a gathering people out of the Forms, Shels, and Shadows, wherein many have long stuck, and is bringing of them to the Substance and life it self, out of the many Sects, and heaps, and divers ways, into the one pure path, into the one way of Life, Light, Peace, Truth, and Righteousness, who by the one Spirit, hath, and is baptising them who believe in the Light) into the one body, wherein the unity, the oneness, and the fellowship is witnessed; blessed be his Name.

The way of the Lord is pure and Righteous, and unchang∣able;

I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, saith Christ, the immortal Word, which (saith Paul) is nigh in the heart, to be obeyed and done: This is he, the Light, the Salvation of God, the true Light, that lighteth every man that commeth into the world; who saith, None can come unto the Father, but by me: I am come a Light into the world, (saith Christ) that whosoever believe in me shall not abide in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Therefore, dear peo∣ple love the Light, and believe in the Light, while ye have the Light, that so you may become children of the Light, and become heirs of an Inheritance incorruptible, that will never fade away: There is no obtaining the Crown but through the Cross, and this you will come to know, who come to love the Light, and to be taught of him, and to learn of him who is meek and low in heart, and to follow him in the strait and narrow way that leads to life, which few there be that find it, and walk therein: He that will be my Disciple, saith Christ, must deny himself, and take up his dayly Cross and follow me. This you will come to feel and witness, if you be followers of the Light, a dayly denying of self you will know, a denying of your own wills, your own desires, your own thoughts, your own affections, your own words and works, your own wisdom and righteousness, and a daily taking up the Cross, an hour∣ly living in the Cross; through which you must come to be crucified to the World, its Vanity, its Pomp, Pas∣time and Pleasures, Sins and Iniquities, vain Words, Works, Fashions Customs, Inventions and Traditions; so coming to be crucified with Christ unto the world, and to be Baptised into death with him unto sin, you will come to live with him unto God in the life of Righteousness; in whom (then) you will find that Rest, Satisfaction, Joy, Comfort and Peace which no man can give unto you.

So, dear people, who are seeking, and desiring after the Lord God, to find peace and comfort to your souls, this I leave with you; flee not from that which doth judg you in your own hearts for sin and evil, and bring trouble upon you, and sorrow upon you, and woundeth and pierceth you in secret, because of Transgression: I say, love that flee not from it; for oh dear people! how many is there, that when they have been judged by Gods pure light in their hearts for their sins, when trouble, and sorrovv, and distress, hath seized on them, because of their sins, vvhich Gods Witness hath set in order before their eyes; then have they run unto vain helps, and run unto man for help, even to those that could not speak a vvord in season to them, but have daubed them up vvith untempered Morter, and have endeavored to heal their vvound deceitfully, and have preached Peace to that vvhich is for judgment, and so thereby they have gotten some kind of satisfaction for a time, until the Lord vvound∣ed them again with the Sword of his Righteous Judgments, & then their seeming rest fled away as smack before the wind, and sorrow & trouble took hold on them again, as pain on a Woman in travel; and then they have run again unto that which could not remove the very cause of their trouble and sorrow; they have run to the Scriptures of Truth, and therein have found a promise, and this they have applied to themselves, for to get peace and rest thereby; when, alas poor hearts, they have not been in that state and condition which that promise (which they applied to themselves) was unto, and so not for them; and then they have read what the Saints once did and performed, and they set themselves to do the like, and to imitate them; and so hereby for a time they have gotten some satisfaction, some kind of rest and peace, until the Lord God did thunder again with Dread, and uttered his Voice with Terror, which caused the Earth

to tremble, and their habitation to fall, and then dissolation came upon them again, and their Fig-leave garment came to be rent, and their wound greater then ever it was before; and thus they have run from Mountain to Hill, from one Physitian to another for healing, but they were unto them as Physitians of no value; for none of them could rightly heal their wounds, until at last, they said in their hearts, We will seek no more unto man, for vain is the help of man: But we will return unto the Lord God who hath wounded us, and he will heal us; who hath broken us in peices, and he will bind us up; and so returning to the light of Christ Jesus in their own hearts, (with which the Lord hath wounded them for their sins, and brought trouble and sorrow upon them for their iniquities, waiting therein in patience upon the Lord God, in the way of his Righteous Judgments, which was set up in their hearts) they came to feel, through their belie∣ving in the Light, and loving the Light by which they were wounded for sin, the cause of their sorrow, and trouble and wounds, taken away by the Blood of Jesus, which is his life, which they came to feel i•• them, cleansing of them from their sins, and washing of them away; and so the very cause of their wound being taken away, and the corruption purg∣ed out; then he, the tender, pitiful compassionate God of Mercy, that in mercy towards them had wounded them, healed them with the sweet Oyl of joy, peace, and gladness; and now these that vvere mourners do rejoyce; and they that vvere heavy hearted are made glad; and beauty is gi∣ven them for ashes, and the oyl of joy for mourning; the garment of praise, for the spirit of heaviness; and are become Trees of Righteousness, the Lords own planting, bringing forth fruit to his glory and praise, vvho hath thus set them free from their sorrovv and trouble. These can say, Good it is to wait upon the Lord God in the

way of his Judgments. Lo, this is the Lord whom we have waited for, this is our God, we have waited for him; come let us rejoyce in his Salvation wherewith he hath saved us; he hath redeemed us out of the horrible Pit, out of the miry clay hath he brought us, and set our feet upon a Rock, and doth establish our goings; who filleth our Souls with the fatness of his house, and causeth us to drink of the River of his Pleasure, and to suck and be satisfied with the Consolation of the Brest, and to milk out, and be delighted in the abnundance of the sweetness of its vertue. Oh what! what shall we render unto the Lord, unto the Lord our God for his benefits? oh! what shall we render unto him for his Mer∣cies? what shall we render unto him for his loving kindness? Oh! let us take the Cup of his Salvation, and drink thereof abundantly; and in the strength of the vigour of its vertue, let us, in the meekness of our hearts, and in the lowli∣ness and contriteness of our Souls, praise, praise, the Name of the Lord our God, who is worthy of all Glory and Praise, for ever, and for evermore.

A few words more unto you, dear people, who desire more after the love and peace of God, then the glory and pleasures of the world. Dear people, take heed unto that which dis∣covers unto you what are your thoughts, whether they be good or evil; for that is it which must redeem your minds unto God; and wait to come to know it to be a stay to your minds, and a stop to your thoughts, and a bridle to your tongues, and to cause a watch before your mouth, and to raise a holy fear in your hearts of offending the Righteous God of Righteousness, in thought, in word, in deed.

And dear people, who have so much depended and relied upon man for teaching, retire you with your minds inward, to the manifestation of the Spirit of God in your own hearts, and wait in it to come to know the Lord God to be your Teacher; ••hat if you should be separated from those that have been

your Teachers, and put into a Hole, a Dungeon, or Cave of the Earth for your Consciences towards God, and so be sepa∣rated from all your teaching outward, you may then feel, find and witness the Lord to teach you, to instruct you, coun∣sel and direct you, comfort and refresh you, even by his pure Eternal Spirit in you; for all the children of the Lord, shall be taught of the Lord, and established in Righteousness, and great shall be their peace in the God of their Salvation, unto whom, unto whom be glory, glory, honour and praise for ever, and evermore; for he is vvorthy, he is vvorthy, vvorthy saith my soul, unto whom be glory in the highest. Amen.

So, dear people, for your sakes mostly was these foregoing lines written, in obedience to the tender spirit of love in my heart, vvhich drew me thereunto; and in tender unfeigned love, and pure good-will to your souls, vvho have had, and still have true desires in your hearts after the Lord, and have been, and still are thirsting and hungering after the vvay of Truth and Righteousness, and have been, and still are seek∣ing and hunting among the husks, shells, and shadows, for to find the substance, but still fail of your expectation, and can∣not find true and perfect satisfaction, but secretly in your hearts are panting and thirsting after the living vvater, and are vveary of feeding upon the husks, and begin to say (with∣in your selves) to each other, Come, vve have been long vvandering abroad, hunting after the Lord afar off, seeking of him in this Form, and in the other Form, running from Mountain to Hill, from one Man to another, to enquire for him vvhom our Souls long for; but vve still vvant the true enjoyment of him: And although man hath told us vve should find him there in this Way, and in the other Way; in this Form, and in the other Form; in this Ordinance, and the other Ordinance; wherein we have been tossed about, and

turned from one broken Cistern to another, but still w•• want true satisfaction for our souls, for we want the true enjoy∣ment of the assurance of the Love and Peace of God: wherefore, come let us no longer hunt abroad, nor run any longer from one man to another. But oh! come let us retire our minds inward, and in stillness and quietness, in sollid∣ness and seriousness let us wait upon the Lord, and he him∣self will teach us of his wayes, and lead us into the path of Righteousness, where we shall meet him whom our souls hath long panted after, even as the Hart panteth after the wa∣ter Brooks; wherefore let us wait upon the Lord, for the Lord is good to the man that waiteth for him, to the Soul that seeketh him. Therefore, come let us both hope, and quietly (without hunting any more abroad) wait to find and feel in our selves the salvation of the Lord, that so we may in truth come to find, and to say, He is come, he is come, and made manifest in us, whom our souls longed after; and behold his reward is with him, even joy, comfort, peace, rest, and satisfaction to our souls. Lo, this is the Lord, we have waited for him: Lo, this is our God whom vve have vvaited for; novv let us rejoyce, and be glad in his salvation, and praise his Eternal Name. I say, dear people, tovvards you is the opening and yearning of my bovvels, in the casting of this my Mite amongst you, in the meekness and humility of my soul, and the God of Heaven (for his ovvn Seed sake) make it a service of good to you.

And then vvill the onely end of my soul herein be ansvver¦ed thereby▪ vvho am your friend, and one vvho desires that you off the barren mountains may be gathered, and brought dovvn into the lovv valley, into the fresh pastures of life, vvhere you may feed vvith Gods Babes and Lambs, and lie dovvn in the sold of rest and peace, that you might find bread in your own houses, and vvater in your cisterns, the oyl in

the Cruse that vvill not fail, but vvill satisfie your souls in drought, and make fat your bones, that you might become like a vvatered garden, and like a spring of vvater, whose vvaters fail not.

Take this as a Salutation of the love and good-vvill of my soul to you, vvho am a friend to all people; one that ovvns and desires to tender, nourish & strengthen the least appear∣ance of God in any; A lover of honesty and upright∣ness in vvhomsoever I find it; but a hater of hypocrisie and deceit: A Traveller in the vvomb of supplication for the restoring and gathering in of the scattered sheep, and bring∣ing home the dispierced of the Fold, that all may knovv one sheep-fold, and one shepherd.

From one of the least amongst many of the chosen Gene∣ration and peculiar people of God, (called Quakers) vvhose earthen vessel is knovv by this Name,

WILLIAM BENNIT.

Postscript.

DEar People, you in whose hearts there is some tenderness and conscienciousness towards the Lord God, if you, because of by-ends, and self-interests, and through letting in (by your reasoning and consulting with flesh and blood) the slavish fear of man (whose breath is in his Nostrils, and can but (if by God per∣mitted) kill the body) doth consent, and condescend thereby (for to save your selves from, or out of sufferings, either by body or estate) to do and joyn with that which you are really perswaded in your hearts is quite contrary to the mind and will of God, and so knows it to be evil, and also contrary to your own Consciences; here∣by, in so doing, you may engage the Lord God against you, (in your fearing man more then God▪ and come to loose your tenderness and conscienciousness to God-ward, and so hardness of heart may come upon you, and so you wholly die and wither away (as to all ten∣derness and conscienciousness towards God) even as grass upon the house top. But you dear people, in whom there is tenderness and conscienciousness towards the Lord God, if you be faithful to the Lord in your not joyning with, nor consenting to do the thing (for any by-ends, or private interests whatsoever, although it be set up and tollerated, and compelled to be done by a Law from man) which you are in your hearts truly and really perswaded is evil, and contrary to the mind and will of God, and also contrary to your own Consciences; but rather are willing to expose your selves to suffer whatever the Lord God of Almighty power, and everlasting strength, (before whose Etern••l Almightiness, and Everlasting Powerfulness, all the strength, and power of the Arm of flesh, is even like a puff of smoak before a mighty wind) shall suffer man, who to day is, and to morrow is not) to inflict upon you; you hereby will

even engage the Lord God of everlasting bowels, of infinite com∣passion, (who is and will be a strength to the poor, feeble, weak and need••, a shadow unto them from the heat, a refuge unto them from the storm, when the blast of the terrible One come upon them like an overflowing flood) to stand for you, and to help you in your need, and in your greatest straights; when you (as Peter) are ready to cry, Help, Lord, I sink; to appear to and for you in the greatest mea∣sure of his love, who right well knows what you have need of, to mi∣nister strength unto you proportionable to your tryals: And hereby dear people ••our tenderness and conscientiousness may dayly increase, and you come to make conscience of that which you have not made conscience of, and then you may come to find and witness that this day of tryals, sufferings and tribulations is a blessed day to you, and turneth ▪through the mercy and loving kindness of the Lord towards you) for your good, so that you may come to bless and praise his name for it, unto whom be praise and glory for evermore; But a woful day to Hypocrites, who hath gotten on a garment of profession of God and Christ, &c▪ for a cloak to cover their unrighteousness and deceit; an unwelcome day to them, a terrible day to them, for it will stain their crowns, and mar their beauty, and subdue their strength, and slay their power, and pull down their strong holds, rip off their sheeps cloathing, pull down their gay Tombs and painted Se∣pulchres, and their rottenness stink, and nakedness will appear. So be it, so be it, Amen saith my soul.

For Friends of Truth in the Town of Yar••outh.

DEar Friends, whom the Lord God Almighty hath visi∣ted in his endless unchangeable Love; even in his making known, and manifesting in and unto your souls his pure pretious Truth, whereof he hath in measure made you pertakers, with his dear Children and Witnesses of, in your measures, blessed be his Name, who hath raised you up to bear a Testimony for him and his Truth which you profess; who also hath inabled you through the power of his Love thereunto, in this the day of your tryal in that great Town. And my dear Friends, my soul earnestly desires that you all may dwell and abide, in the remembrance and living sence of the loving-kindness of the Lord towards you, in his freely making known his Truth unto you, that indeed the sence of his Love, may bind your hearts and souls to be faith∣full unto the Lord, and his truth which you profess, in still bearing your Testimony for the same, in this the day of tryal, standing as noble faithfull witnesses for the Truth, every one of you in your measures, amongst that hard hearted and crooked Generation, in the midst of whom my dear friends, you in the Light may shine as Lights, in the blamless Life, and unreproveable Conversation, even to the praise of the Lord God, and to the honour of his truth which you pro∣fess.

Now, dear friends, the Lord hath caused you hitherto, to bear a testimony for him, and against that wicked spirit of Persecution, which would limit the Lord in his people; in this particuler fix in your meeting and assembling your selves together in his fear, to wait upon him, and to worship him

in spirit and in truth, though it hath been though Sufferings. And dear friends, in the meekness of love unfeigned; I Cry unto you, saying, oh, do not grow faint, nor weary of bearing your testimony still for the truth and worship of God, in your meeting together in his name; for dear Friends, wherein can we (in one particular exercise of the spirit of truth) bear a larger testimony for the truth, then in our meeting and assembling our selves together in the truth, to worship the God of truth, in the spirit of truth, seeing that this is the thing (above many) which the wicked spirit of persecution, doth so eagerly, and so highly oppose, and so eanestly seek, and so greatly indeavour, to deprive us of, and confine us from; wherefore dear Friends, I cannot but in the Love and Zeal of the truth, exhort you all, not to neglect meeting toge∣ther in the fear of God, so long as the Lord permit you Li∣berty so to do.

And oh, let not the smalness of your number (you little Flock, who are hated and rejected by the world) be any dis∣couragement to you in this matter; but oh, rather be you incouraged thereby, in the strength of the Lord, in love to his truth, to bear up your testimony, (in that great Town, in the midst of so many Persecutors) faithfully in your measures, even to the honour of the Lord & his truth. My dear friends, let me say again, neglect not meeting together, through gi∣ving way to the sloth••ul careless spirit, or through letting in the fear of man into your hearts, for indeed, my dear friends, although you be a poor small Remnant, for whom my soul travelleth with the Lord for your preservation, yet behold, as you keep your meetings in the fear and name of the Lord, you will feel and injoy his living presence in and amongst you, which will make your meetings profitable unto you.

And dear Babes, in stillness, quietness, in peace, pati••nce, and contentedness possess your souls, in the dominion of

truth to reign over all those thoughts, reasonings and con∣sultings, which the Enemy of your souls would infuse into your minds, whereby he would raise trouble and tumult in your hearts, and bring faintness and weakness upon you. And dear Friends, lend not an ear to listen after the rumours and reports of the world, nor heed not the boasting of the wicked, neither regard the threatning of truths Enemies; but dear Babes, continually lend an ear unto the Lord, and hear∣ken you unto his Counsel, and have continual regard unto him in your hearts, and wait to feel his presence with you continually, and know your unity with him; and every per∣ticular one feel and find in your selves, that the Lord God al∣mighty is on your sides; and then, my dear Friends, you need not matter who are against you, if the Lord be for you; so dear Lambs, be faithful to the Lord, and to his truth in your measures; and be not D••scouraged nor Danted, (through the sence of the rage, wroth and bitterness of your Enemies, and through the feeling of your own weakness and feebleness) but trust ye in the Lord, and hope ye in his tender bowels, which are opened with groanings of compassion towards his poor afflicted suffering people, who is, and yet will be, a strength to the poor and needy, a refuge unto them from the storm, and a shadow unto them from the heat, a helper in the time of need, a Deliverer out of trouble in the greatest straits; who will appear to help his helpless ones, wh•• have no other helper but the Lord.

So, the Lord God almighty be with you, and gird up your loins with Courage, Boldness, Strength and Valour, and spread upon you the mantle of faithfulness, and cause you to persevere on in the perpetual patience, and to abide in the continual content, therein to run the race that is set before you, which you have begun: And the Lord almighty of hea∣ven and of earth, for his own seeds sake, keep you from faint∣ing

by the way, and carry you through all whatever either outwardly or inwardly you do, or may meet withal, and keep you, and preserve you unto the end, that in the end, dear Lambs, we may lay down our heads together, in the sweet bosom of the Lord God of everlasting rest, peace and quiet∣ness, in whose sweet, meek, heavenly, humbling, melting love, my soul dearly salutes you all, and commits you all unto the Lord God almighty. Farewell, dear Friends, Dwell toge∣ther in that love which thinks no evil, therein forgiving and forbearing one another, even as the tender God of bowels hath forgiven you, and born with you day after day, and time after time; and dwell all in the meek spirit of self-denial, keeping the unity in the spirit, in the bond of peace.

Norwich-Castle the 3d Moneth, 1664.

Your tender Friend and Brother, WILLIAM BENNIT.

God only Exalted in his own Work; OR, THE Works of God Praiseth him in Sion. OR, A Song of Deliverance from a great and sore Captivity, Thraldom and Bondage, under the King of Egyptian Darkness, the God of the World, where the Soul was fast bound, as with strong Chains and Fetters; but now Ransomed (by the out-stretched Arm of Gods Almighty Power) and art come to Sion with Songs of everlasting Joy upon thy head, and hast obtain'd joy and glad∣ness, and thy sighing and mourning is fled away: witnessed unto, and experienced in that Vessel, whose earthly Tabernacle bears the name of William Bennit.

Published in singleness and uprightness of heart (from a constraint of Gods Love) to all those who are yet groaning and panting after the Lord in truth and sincerity, that they may meet with some re∣freshment and encouragement in their Journey and Travels towards the Land of Rest and Peace.

OH! oh my soul, my soul, what hath the Lord, even the Lord thy God done for thee? oh! what hath he done for thee, oh my soul! oh my soul, a little while sit down in thy secret Chamber of rest and quietness, and there oh my soul! a little meditate of the most excellent loving-kindness of the Lord, thy tender compassionate God of infi∣nite bowels, which he hath manifested to thee, oh my soul! of things past, present, and to come; that so the perfect sence

of the love, mercy, pity, kindness, tenderness, and compassi∣on of the Lord, thy tender God, may alwayes rest in and upon thee, oh my soul! That oh my soul! through the sence, feeling, and true remembrance thereof, thou mayst be, O bles∣sed God, praised, glorified, and magnified, reverenced, and ho∣noured, even the holy, powerful, eternal, wonderful, everlast∣ing Name of the Lord God Almighty, who inhabiteth E∣ternity, who lives for ever and for evermore; and bound thereby to a bountiful, kind, loving, tender, pitiful, merciful, compassionate God towards all souls; in the measure of God, thy God, who hath abounded in loving kindness towards thee, oh my soul!

Oh! oh my soul, my soul, remember thou wert once a prisoner in the prison house of darkness, strongly bound in chains and fetters, a slave and a captive in the Land of Egypt, under the servitude and slavery of the Prince and power of darkness, the god of the world, the king of Egypt: and un∣der thy hard bondage, and deplorable thraldom and misera∣ble captivity, oh my soul! thou wert made in secret to cry and groan, under thy burdens unto the Lord thy tender God, whose bowels, whose tender bowels of infinite pity and unsa∣thomable compassion did (in mercy to thee) hover over thee, even in that thy sad miserable deplorable state; first made thee sensible of thy sad captivity, and so in the sence thereof, and in the sence of thy own helplessness, how dids•• thou cry, cry unto the Lord God of pity for help, and groan unto him for deliverance, oh my soul! and the Lord who opened thine eye, and gave thee a glimpse of thy sad estate, did hear thy groanings, and thy cries, and (for his own Seeds sake) set himself, by the out-stretched Arm of his power, to deliver thee out of thy sad captivity, in which thou were, without help of thy own, and there must abode, had not the Lord God of everlasting unfathomable bowels of pity had mercy upon thee, oh my soul!

Oh, oh! oh my soul, my soul, the remembrance of the ten∣der love, the tender pity, the tender mercy, of thy tender piti∣ful God: how can it but even rend thy bowels even from top to bottom, oh my soul; and remember, oh my soul! how the Lord God Almighty, through his sore plagues and righ∣teous judgments executed upon Pharaoh the King of Egypt, under whom thou wert a slave, by an out-stretched and a mighty power, by the slaying with the sword of his ven∣geance the first-born of Egypt, brought thee out of the prison∣house, who broke thy chains in pieces, and snapt thy bonds asunder, and brought thee out of Egypt, and set thy face to∣ward Canaan, the good Land that floweth with milk and ho∣ney. And remember, oh my soul! how wonderfully the Lord God, who by his mighty power and out-stretched arm brought thee out of Egypt, preserved thee and upheld thee in thy long journey unto Canaan, thy tedious way and passage through the sea and wilde••ness, how gently did he lead thee, as a tender nursing Father, and carried thee as in his arms, and bore with thee in his mercy towards thee, when thou sometimes murmured against him, because of the length and straightness of the way that he led thee in, and because of the enemies thou hadst to encounter with by the way, insomuch that thou sometimes backslided in thy heart towards Egypt, and lusted after the flesh-pots thereof, and murmured against the Lord, who so led thee about in such a cross knotty way, to that part, in the which through the cross, straightness and length of the way, was to die, pine, and wither, and be worn away, and fall in the wilderness, and not enter into the holy Land, and yet the Lord thy tende•• God, who did corre•••• thee through his righteous 〈◊〉〈◊〉; and as a tender, hea••••∣ed Father did chas••ise thee fo•• 〈…〉〈…〉, complain••ngs, a•••• murmu••ings against him, and 〈…〉〈…〉 ba••••s••iding towar•••• Egypt, did not destroy thee, but bear with thy weaknes••••••

and infirmities, and nourished thee and cherished thee day by day, and as a tender hearted Mother nurseth the only tender babe of her womb; who led thee by a pillar of a cloud by day, which was a shadow unto thee from the heat, and a pillar of fire by night, which gave thee light by night, when the Sun was under the earth: who when thou wert an hungry, he gave thee bread from heaven day by day, fresh Manna morn∣ing by morning compassed about thy tent, and gave thee wa∣ter out of the rock to satisfie thy thirst; yea, oh my soul great, greatly hath the mercy, love, pity and compassion of the Lord thy tender God been manifested towards thee: how did he fight for thee, and subdue thy enemies before thee, and made way for thy passage! yea, remember, remember oh my soul! oh my soul! how that after he had brought thee out of Egypt by his out-strctched arm, and mighty wonderful power, how mightily and wonderfully did he appear for thee, to help thee in thy time of great need, and extream distress, and great trouble, even when Pharaoh and his great host followed hard after thee, and pursued strongly to overtake thee, and bring thee back again into Egypt under his slavery and servitude And when Pharaoh and his host followed so close after thee and the Sea, the great Sea, was before thee, and mountains on each side of thee, how great was the straight thou wert in, and the trouble and sorrow that compassed thee about, oh my soul! that thou wert even at thy wits end.

And oh! oh my soul, my soul, in this time of thy greatest straight and trouble (••ven when thou wert without help of thy own) thou criest unto the Lord thy God, who gave thee some glimpse of comfort, saying, he would fight for thee, and thou shouldst be still, and hold thy peace; and so he by his mighty power made hard things to become easie unto thee, and that which appeared as a thing unpossible unto thee, he (by his power) made it become possible unto thee. Remem∣ber,

oh my soul, how he made a way for thee to pass through the Sea, and divided the waters thereof hither and thither, and by his mighty power carried thee through the Sea, and Pharoah and his host he utterly destroyed in his wrath, and delivered thee, oh my soul, out of his hand, and destroyed them who would have destroyed thee, and gave thee domi∣nion over them that had dominion over thee, and thou sawest them lie dead as by the Sea shore; glory, glory, glory, ah! glory, glory, and pure praises, praises to God, to the Lord God, even thy God, oh my soul! and now, oh my soul, thou canst sing a song of deliverance, a song of victory and triumph, and go into the Sanctuary of God, to the Altar of God, thy God, even God, thy exceeding joy; ah! and upon the Harp thou canst praise God, the Lord thy God, thy delight and joy.

Oh! oh my soul, my soul, thou in the lowly fear and holy dread of the Lord thy tender God, and in truth and righte∣ousness livingly and experimentally canst say, the Lord my God is my strength and my song, he also is become my salva∣tion, he is my Rock and strong Tower, his work is perfect, a God, the God of truth and righteousness, just and right he is, the holy one whose dwelling is on high, in the holy place, and with him also who is of a poor, and a meek, and a con∣trite spirit, and that trembleth before his Holiness, and fears and dreads before his dreadful Name: ah! ah thy right hand O Lord, thy right hand, O Lord God of power, is become glorious in power, is become mighty in power, thy right hand O Lord God Almighty, hath dashed in pieces mine enemies by the greatness, O Lord my God, by the greatness of thy; wonderful excellency, thou hast O Lord confounded them that rose up against me; thou lettest forth thy wrath and consum∣ed them as stubble before a mighty fire, thou lettest forth the breath of thy fury, and blew upon them, and scattered them

as chaff before a mighty wind: Oh! oh who can stand before thy indignation, thy dreadful indignation? who can abide the extream fierceness of thy anger? thy fury is poured forth like fire, thou breakest the r••cks in pieces, the mountains tremble before thee the mighty God; thou utterest thy voice, and the Heathen tremble, thou roarest, and the Kingdoms are moved, and the earth melteth at the appearance of thy pre∣sence, who cometh with fire, and thy Chariots like a whirle-wind; thou renderest thy anger with fury, and thy rebukes with flames of fire: thou hast thy way in the whirle-winds, and the Clouds are as the dust of thy feet. Thou art the migh∣ty God, who can but fear before thee, and tremble at thy eter∣nal presence? thou roarest out of thy Sion, and utterest thy voice from thy Jerusalem, and the Inhabitants of the earth tremble thereat; but still thou art the hope of thy People, and the strength of thy ransomed ones, their strong Tower, their present Helper in the time of trouble.

Wherefore, I'll not fear though the Earth be removed and carried into the midst of the Sea, and though the Sea roar and be terrible, and the Mountains shake with the swellings there∣of, and the Hills fly before it; though the tall Cedars of Le∣banon fall, and the strong Oaks of Bashan bend before it, yet I will not fear, the Lord is with me, and he will not forsake me, but he will help me, and that right early. Wherefore I will only fear before the Lord, before the Lord my God, the mighty eternal God of mighty eternal Power, who measureth out the Heavens as with a span, and measureth the waters of the Seas in the hollow of his hand; who comprehendeth the dust of the Earth in a measure, & weigheth the Mountains as in scales, and the Hills as in a ballance; who taketh up the Islands as a very little thing; before whose face the Heavens and the Earth flee away, and behold there appeareth no more Sea.

Oh! who can but fear before thee, O Lord my God? the enemy said, I'll pursue, I'll overtake, I'll not spare, my lusts shall be satisfied on him. But O Lord, O Lord God, my God, thou wert my God, near to help in the time of need, and in the time of greatest need appeared, appeared in the greatest power of love. O Lord, thou blew upon them, and the Sea covered them, and they sunk as Lead in the bottom of the mighty Waters. O Lord, O Lord God, who is like unto thee? who amongst the gods is like unto thee the only God, who art dreadful in holiness, fearful in praises, doing won∣ders? Oh! let the people hear and be afraid, and the Dukes of Edom be amazed, and let trembling take hold of the migh∣ty men of Moab; oh! who can but fear before thee, O Lord my God. Thou hast redeemed me, and led me forth in thy power, and guided me in thy strength, unto thy holy habita∣tion; thou wilt bring me in, and plant me in the mountain of thy Inheritance, in thy Sanctuary O Lord, which thy hands have established, wherein I shall live with thee, O Lord my God for ever: Ah, glory, glory, glory unto thee O Lord God my God. The Lord is a man of war, the Lord of Host is his name; Pharaoh and his mighty men hath he drowned in the Sea, but he hath saved thee, oh my soul! So Lord let thine enemies perish, but let them that hope in thy mercy live for ever, to declare thy wonders, and magnifie thy name in the land of the living. Ah! glory, glory, ah glory, glory to God, the mighty God; ah! praises, praises, honour and thanksgiving unto thee, O Lord my God, who lives for ever and for evermore. Amen.

Oh! oh what is this what is this that the Lord thy tender God of infinite bowels of pity hath done for thee, oh my soul? thou wert a slave in the Land of Egypt, and the Lord hath redeemed thee, oh my soul! thou wert in darkness, and the Lord hath given thee light; and thou wert under the region

and shadow of death, and he hath brought thee forth in the to Land of life. Thou wert in the prison, shut up in the prison-house, bound up with chains and fetters, in the low dungeon of darkness, and he hath broken thy chains, and snapt thy fetters asunder, and loosed thy bonds, and broke up the pri∣son door, and pulled down the prison house, and set thee free oh my soul!

Oh my soul, my soul! thou wert a captive in the Land of Babylon, estranged from the Common-wealth of Israel, and an Alien from Sion, sitting sorrowful and solitary by the Ri∣ver of Babylon in the Land of Captivity, mourning when thou thoughst upon Sion, for thou wert a Captive in a strange Land, and sorrow (through the sence of thy woful Captivity and Alienation from thy native Land) compassed thee about, and trouble on every hand; tears was thy drink, daily sorrow thy meat, and groans and sighs thy greatest joy; thou wentest bowed down all the day long with an heart aking, and thine eyes dropping with tears, because of the oppressions of thine enemies, and burdens of thine oppressours; and at the re∣membrance of Sion (and in the sence of thy separation from her) thou didst pant, oh my soul! thou didst pant after Sion, the Land of thy nativity; Oh! as the Hart pan••eth after the water brooks, crying in the anguish of thy sorrow; how long Lord, how long shall I be a captive in a strange Land? with longing d••sires in thy heart after Sion: thinking in thy heart, oh! when shall I walk with the ransomed of the Lord upon the Mountain of Sion, and travel with the Lords re∣deemed in the streets of Jerusalem; and in that day, oh my soul! the Lord for his own Seeds sake had regard unto thy cries, and thy tears and sorrows was not hid from the view of his tender pitiful eye, and in tender mercy and bowels of compassion towards thee: he, through his free love unto thee, brought thee forth out of Babilon, the Land of thy captivity,

and set thy face towards Sion thy desired rest, oh, my soul.

But oh! oh my soul, how oft wert thou bewildered in thy going, even after thy face was turned towards Sion travelling thitherward; saying in thy heart, oh! I will go joyn my self unto Sion in a perpetual Covenant which shall never be bro∣ken, losing thy way, some times wandering as it were in the wilderness, in the deserts and solitary places, hungry and thir∣sty, my soul even fainting with weakness, and then didst thou cry unto the Lord in thy distress, and he helpt thee out of all thy troubles, he took thee by the right hand, and brought thee into the right way in which thou mightest come to thy desired rest, oh my soul! And now, oh my soul, thou art come to Sion with songs and everlasting joy upon thy head, and thou hast obtained joy and gladness, and thy sighing and mourning is fled away.

And now, oh my soul! thou that wert in a desert doth rejoyce, and as a wilderness are made glad, and as a solitary Place doth blosom as a Rose, as a dry heath, now as a fruitful valley, as the parched ground, now as the moist mould that drinketh in the rain that comes upon it. Now, oh my soul! thou in truth canst say the wilderness doth rejoyce; and the desert and solitary place is made glad, and blossom as a Rose; water comes forth out of the wilderness, and streams in the desert, the parched ground is become a pool, and the dry heath springs of water; now the mourner rejoyces, and the heavy hearted is made glad, and beauty is giving in stead of ashes, the oyl of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; now, oh my soul! is thy horn ex∣alted in the Lord in whom thy mouth is enlarged over thy enemies: ah! the Lord maketh rich, and he maketh poor; he woundeth, and he maketh whole; he killeth, and he maketh alive; he bringeth down, and he raiseth up; he rais∣eth up the poor out of the dust, and the beggar from off the

dunghil, and setteth them among Princes, and causeth them to inherit the seat of Glory. Yea, the full he emptieth, that they hire themselves out for bread, and they that were hun∣gry and empty he filleth with good things: yea, the barren he causeth to bear seven, and she that hath had many chil∣dren is waxed feeble: this is the Lords doing, and it is mor∣vellous in thy eyes, oh my soul!

Oh! my soul, my soul, thou canst in truth say, thy win∣ter is (in measure) over and gone, and the stormy wind is fled away, and the cold parching frosts are dissolved, and the spring and summer is come, and the Sun with its warm beams breaks forth, and the gentle showers descends, and the time of the singing of birds is come, and the turtle is heard in thy land, oh my soul▪ and the vine putteth forth her tender grapes, and the fig-tree with her pleasant figs give a goodly smell. And now oh! my soul, thou canst set under thy vine, and under thy fig-tree with thy beloved: and who shall make thee afraid, with whom thou canst walk into his pleasant garden of delights, among t•••• beds of spices, and feed among the lillies, and there solace thy self in the bosome of his love.

For, oh my soul, oh my soul! there was a time when thou oh my soul! hadst lost thy beloved, and thou soughtst him by night upon thy bed, and in the broad ways, but thou foundst him not; and therefore sorrow compassed thee as a wall about, and mourning covered thee as a garment, and thou couldst have no rest, until thou hadst found thy beloved, crying fiercely in thy heart, saying in thy ardent desires after him, oh▪ oh thou art hid from me as in the clifts of the rocks, and as in the secret places of the stairs: let me see thy coun∣tenance, and let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely; and when he did some••imes shew himself unto thee behind the wall, or as through a

lattice, and put his fingers in by the hole of the door, thy bowels were moved for him. But now, oh my soul! thou dost enjoy his presence, which is sweet and pleasant to thee, he is as a bundle of myrrhe, he is thy joy, thou sits under his shadow with great delight; for he is a bower of spices unto thee, and his fruit is sweet to thy taste, he hath brought thee into his banketting house, where his banner over thee is love, where he comforteth thee with the flaggons of his love, he causeth thee to drink of his spiced wine, which is as the liquor of life, and the juyce of his pomegranates, which is as honey to thy taste.

Oh my soul! he filleth thee with good things, that so thou mightest become as a watered garden, and as a spring of water, whose water fails not; that thy bones might flourish as an herb, and thy kidneys be covered with fatness and thy belly become as an oily Brook: thus hath the Lord thy tender God, thy merciful God, oh my soul! set thee free from the yoak of bondage. And now, oh my soul! rejoyce in fear and trembling, and dread and fear continually in the holy presence of the Lord thy God, and watch, watch, watch, oh my soul! diligently watch in the lowly fear and godly jealousie over thy own heart, trembling in thy bowels, lest thou, oh my soul! in the joy (the great joy) in the sence of what the Lord hath done for thee (and in a sight of thy good state thou art advanced to) should be lifted up above what is meet, and thereby come to lo••s and a fall; wherefore, oh my soul, to prevent such mishaps coming unto thee unawares, keep thee watchful and low in fear, and humble and contrite in heart, and meek and chaste in mind, tender and broken in bowels, poor and needy in spirit, waiting and depending upon the meer preserving grace of the merciful hand of thy merciful, piti••ul compa••••••onate God of infinite loving kind∣ness; that whatever thou dost or suffers (through his strength)

for him, thou mayst not be (in the lest degree) exalted above him, but still keeping low in him, dwelling beneath him, at his footstool: and whatever thou receivest from him, when he calls for it, return it back to him; and be nothing without him but what thou art in him alone, knowing that what thou art it is by him, and what thou hast it cometh from him.

Therefore be nothing without him, and return his own to him, for he is worthy that his own should praise him. And in the belly of a humble, lowly, broken, contrite spirit dwell, oh my soul! where thou mayst serve God with thy tears, dwelling in the sence of the freeness of his love and mercy in what he hath done for thee, that the remembrance thereof may rend thy bowels before him, passing thy pilg••image here in fear and trembling before the Lord thy God, unto whom, unto whom, unto whom be glory, glory, glory, praises, praises, praises, thanksgiving, honour, and eternal renown, be ren∣dered unto his eternal name, who is blessed, blessed, blessed for ever and ever. Amen, Amen. Halelujah in the highest, Amen. glory, glory, ah glory; Halelujah in the highest, Amen, Amen, saith my soul.

Oh my soul! where didst thou begin, but in the sence of Gods dear, tender, precious, most excellent love: stirring in thy heart, and there must thou end, and rest satisfied, and lay thee down quiet in peace with Gods most dear Babes, and tender in∣nocent Lambs, unto whom thou cleavest as flesh to their bones, towards whom thy bowels, thy bowels, thy tender bowels do unspeakably yearn, with secret pantings in thy inward parts, through the weight of love that abides in and upon thee, oh my soul, my soul, my soul.

William Bennit.

To Gods Lambs in Prison Greeting.

DEar Friends and suffering Lambs, shut up together in nasty holes; oh you dear Suffering, Tribulated, Con∣scientious ones of the tender God of love, life and power; I whom am your dear and tender Friend and Companion, in th•• pure patience and long suffering of the Seed incorruptible, do most dearly greet you, and intirely salute you, and sweetly imbrace you, in the love of the Lord your God, who hath not only counted you worthy to believe in him the mighty God; but dear ones, he hath also counted you worthy to suffer for his holy name sake, because of your Faithfulness, and for your Obedience unto his most sweet excellent everlasting Truth; ah, dear Lambs, the witness hereof feel in your selves, yea, I believe my dear Friends that you know, and feel the holy witness of the holy God of holiness in your own hearts, bear∣ing a true testimony to your own souls; that your such confin∣ment and sufferings is because of your obedience to the Lord your compassionate God of infinite bowels; wherefore ye Lambs, ye dear Lambs of the Lord God of power, in him be ye comforted in the middest of your sufferings for him, and be refreshed in the middest of your afflictions, and consolated in the middest of your tribulations, and be you made glad, and rejoyce in the middest of your tryals; even in the middest of all glorifying, praising and honouring your tender God, for his rich mercy towards you, to be partakers of the sufferings of his seed: oh, my dear Friends, my tender bowels, is at this time opened unto you, and my soul streams with streams of love, of dear intire love towards you, which f••oweth forth in the true sence and feeling, and simplicity that my soul hath of your sufferings: of which I partake in spirit, and in the sence of

your Faithfulness, my soul is refreshed, and bound thereby to praise your God, and my God on your behalf.

Dear Lambs, I believe that the sweet comfortable presence of the Lord God Almighty is with you, and doth so accom∣pany you, as that your cup of sufferings is made sweet unto you, so as that you can drink it off with gladness; knowing and seeing; that it is the will of the Lord to permit it to be given unto you, whole will, and not your own, your innocent souls desire to do.

Ah, dearly beloved Friends; what shall I say unto you, that ye might thereby be comforted, that my soul in the sence there of might be made glad; well dear Babes; the fountain and ful∣ness of everlasting joy and gladness, is the bosom wherein you are to be wraped up, and to repose together for evermore, if you keep the faith to the end. The streams whereof I know do often refresh your souls, which overcomes you with its sweetness, and lifts you up above all your sufferings, and even make hard things become easie unto you. ••lory, glory, and pure praises (in spirit) be shouted out unto the mighty God of worm Jacob, the everlasting Jehovah of Israel; unto whom dearly and beloved Friends, I commit you all; most intirely and fervently desiring that he the only Lord, who is your tender God, may for his own seeds sake minister to all your necessities, and supply all your wants, and cause your strength, power, wisdom and love, with pure patience, content and long suffering; in him to abound daily more and more, Amen saith my tender soul. So, dear ones, read and savour my love in the Word, which is more pretious then all words whatso∣ever; wherein dear Lambs, repose together, and the milk thereof, dear Babes suck and be refreshed thereby.

Farewell dear Lambs,

I am your dear Friend and Brother in the Lord. WILLIAM BENIT.

To Friends in the Love of Truth Greeting.

MY dear and tender beloved Friends, in the love of God, and in his pure pretious everlasting Truth, whereof he hath (in the freeness of his pure grace and endless love) made us pertakers with the rest of his dear Babes and Chil∣dren; and whereof he hath made us witnesses in our mea∣sures, in this his blessed day spring from on high; which is come and coming, which is brook and breaking forth in great glory: so that its brightness shall reach unto the utmost dark corners of the Earth, even to the exstinguishing of the Night, and to the expelling the darkness which hath covered the Earth, and the gross darkness which covered the People. Ah, dear hearts, the blessed beams of the brightness of this blessed day spring from on high, hath reached unto our souls, which were once sealed up in the Darkness, under the shadow of the Night; and hath and doth shine in our hearts, giving of us the true knowledg of the true and living God, and there∣by hath guided our feet (out of the crooked slippery paths of darkness wherein we once walked stumbling as the blind) into the paths of peace, even into the path of the just, which as a shining light shineth more and more until the perfect day, for which the Lord, our dear and tender God is worthy, worthy to receive pure living praises from the breath of his own life in our souls; who is worthy that his own should praise him, for its sacrifice is acceptable and pleasant unto him, who is God over all blessed for evermore.

Dear hearts, in the true indearedness of the indeared love of the pure seed of life eternal, doth my soul dearly salute you, and imbrace you in the bosom of innocency; in the which ••he Lord (in measure hath wrapped up my soul with ••our

souls, dear Lambs, and with the rest of his faithful Babes) as in a mantle; wherein we are together, although absent from each other, and herein I rest and repose with you, who am your reall Friend and tender Brother, in the heavenly relation which abides for ever.

William Bennit.

Dear Babes, dwell together in love, even in the pure innocent love of God which thinketh no evil, and therein bear with, and forbear, and forgive one another; even in that which keeps in the lowly fear, and preserves in the true humility, wherein none shall strive, except to be the most humblest and meekest in mind, and herein is the unity of the faith, and the bond of peace known and kept, which is exceeding comly amongst Brethren.

The 3d moneth 1664.

To Friends of Truth.

MY dear Friends, in the pure tender bowels of the end∣less ••ternal fountain of love, doth my soul, dear Lambs, dearly and tendorly salute you all; most indearedly and ferv••ntly desiring, that you may stand fast in the pure, precious, everlasting truth of the Lord God; in it so to live, walk and abide, as that you all keep your Garments clean and unspoted of the world, as pure wise Virgins indeed, who follow the Lamb whither-soever he goes. Dear Babes, hold fast your confidence in God, and let yout hope in him be stedfast and constant, and in that Faith stedfastly abide; which hath been, and is, and will yet be your victory for ever, and crown of tryumph eternally, if in it you abide to the end.

Well, dear Lambs, I commend you unto the Lord God of

everlasting strength and power, by him to be upheld and sup∣ported and carried through whatsoever tryals and sufferings you do or may meet withall, either outwardly or inwardly; and by his power to be preserved sincere, upright and faithful to him in your measures, unto the end of your pilgrimage here; that so a noble, faithful, clear Testimony, you may bear for the Lord in this his day, to the praise of his glorious name, which is blessed for evermore. So the sweet, precious, refreshing, consolating, inlivening, strengthning, quickning, pure presence of the Lord God of Light, of Life, Love and Wisdom, be with you, in you, and among you all; even to the daily glading of your hearts, and refreshing of your souls, and to the girding up of your loines with courage, patience, strength and boldness; in the God of your hope, to stand un∣to the end, Amen saith my soul. So dear Babes feel my love, in the innocent life of God; and therein dwell together, and I am with you; and therein I rest and remain, your dear Friend and tender Brother.

The 6th month 1664.

William Bennit.

To Friends of Truth in Prison.

Dear Friends.

AH ye dear suffering Lambs, who are in outward bonds for the Lord, his Truth and Name-sake, shut up and separated from your dear Friends and neerest Relations, be∣cause of your keeping your Consciences, void of offence to∣wards the Lord God: dear Hearts, your cause is good for which you suffer, and the Lord God who is ingaged for you, whom you love, and do manifest it unto the world, through your willingness to suffer for him (rather then to do that which you know is contrary unto his will; or forbear doing of that which he willeth you to do) well he will stand by

you, and will not leave you in the time of your need; of his helping upholding power, as you abide Faithful unto him, in whose just cause you are ingaged, and he will fully plead it, with his and your Adversaries, in his own time, to your joy and their torment, except they repent. Dear Lambs, my heart is even made glad, and my soul it doth rejoyce, because of your Faithfulness to the Lord, in bearing your Testimony for his Name: Ah, the Lord God Almighty keep you faithful unto the end, that so you may not faint, nor grow weary, before your Testimony for the Lord be finished; that so you may not fall short of the Crown, which is laid up for you if ye abide to the end, even a full recompence of reward for all your sufferings and afflictions, you do or may meet with for your faithfulness unto him the living God; in whose pure bowels, of most indeared, intire, unfained love, doth my soul very dearly salute you, dear hearts; unto whom I commend you, whose pure, quickning, holy, heavenly presence, I desire may be abundantly with you daily, for the keeping of you all in pure patience and contentedness, and in a true submission to his heavenly will, that his joy, comfort and consolation, and sweet peace may abound in and unto your souls; to the bear∣ing of you up above all tryals that you do meet withall, that you may not sink under them, and that over the temptations of your Adversaries within and without, you may Reign and be made more then Conquerers, through the Lord who hath loved you, and counted you worthy to believe in his Name and Truth, and to suffer for the same. Oh, the Lord my God, even your dear and tender God, keep you low in his holy fear, and very watchful and diligent in his pure Light, having your minds exercised therein, and girded thereby unto the Lord; that so indeed, dear Hearts, you may learn much by these your tryals and sufferings, even to your comfort and joy in God, feeling indeed that the Lord doth cause these your suffer∣ings

to work together for your good, that so you indeed, dear Lambs, may find cause thereby, the more to praise and glorifie the name of the Lord, and to make mention of his goodness and mercies, and to magnifie his name in the land of the living; unto whom be glory and praise for ever and evermore.

Dear Lambs, receive these few lines, as a token of the true love of my soul to you in the Lord; in whom my love is right dear unto all his faithful ones.

Farewell, dear Friends, in the Lord, in whose innocent life, I am your Friend and Companion, in the patience and long suffering of the Lamb.

Norwich Castle the 7th month 1664.

William Bennit.

To the s••ffering Lambs, of the Lords Flock in Prison Greeting.

DEar suffering tribulated Lambs of my Maker; ah dear∣ly beloved Friends, the tender unfeigned salutation of my soul reacheth unto you, in the unchangable Love, of the unchangable Truth, of the living unchangable God; whereof he hath made us pertakers, and of which he hath made us witnesses, and for which he hath (through his love his constraining, overcoming, powerful Love) made us willing to suffer, and to part with, and be separated from our dea••••st F••••ends and near••st Relations; and to be willing to in∣dure, and ••o pass through what ever sufferings the Lord our God shall permit to be infflicted upon us, rather then (for any by ••••ds and self-in••••••••st) to condecend to do that thing willingly, which we know ••ould cause Gods Truth to suffer,

his holy Name to be dishonoured, his holy Spirit to be grieved, and our Consciences to be defiled thereby; ah in this frame of spirit & free given up state, the Lord God of power keep us by his power (with the rest of his dear innocent suffering Lambs elsewhere) for his own name-sake, even unto the end, until our Testimony for the Lord, which he in his beloved Son hath counted us worthy to bear, in this his day, be finished to the praise glory and renown of his holy powerful name, and to the everlasting Joy, and eternal Peace of our immortal souls, Amen, saith my soul, which doth fervently desire, dear suffer∣ing Lambs, that the holy living presence of my God, may be in, with, and amongst you all, to your Joy and Comfort, and that his power may uphold you, and that his strength may support you, and keep up your heads above all your sufferings and tryals; that so none may grow weary nor faint in your minds, but you may be made strong in the Lord, and be able in the power of his might, to resist, thresh, hammer and beat down every thought, and all carnal reasonings and fleshly consultings, that your Enemy and Adversary in your own hearts would infuse into your minds; which indeed if enter∣tained, how soon may they who are strong thereby become weake, and they who witness freedom be brought again in∣to bondage, and be again caught in the Serpents snares, ho is exceeding busie within, as well as without seeking daily whom he may devour and betray of the simplicity of truth, and draw back again unto himself? Dear Lambs, you are in measure acquainted with his subtilty, yea, blessed be the Lord who hath open'd your eyes, and you see him and his temptati∣ons, and crafty allurements; and not only so, but you know how to escape them, so as not to be overcome by t••em, but resist them, & overcome him and his temptations, th••ough the strength of the Lord, who hath called and redeemed you from under his power; yet not withstanding, my dear Friends, let

me say unto you, in the brotherly love, and tenderness of my soul, watch and keep close unto the Lord in your own hearts, that unto him you may be kept faithful unto the very end; who will make way for your deliverance, in his own time and season, and he will plead your righteous cause with his and your Adversaries, in his season, to your Joy, and their Sorrow.

Wh••••efore wholely commit your cause unto the Lord your God, who watcheth over you, and careth for you, and will never leave you, but will stand by you, and help you in the needful time; even all you whose trust and hope is in him alone, and can use no other weapon to plead your cause with but the ••••rd of his mouth.

So dear Lambs, in the pure patience and long suffering of the Lamb (our Captain and Leader, and Example, that meek one, who saith, love Enemies) possess your souls, and rest in stilness and peace, and quietness and contentedness in the Ark of safety, wh••ch the Lord hath prepared for his Family, to bear them up above the floods, until the waters abate, and dry land appear.

So the Lord be with you all▪ and bundle you up together in his innocent love which thinketh no evil; therein to serve him with your whole hearts, and one an other with all self∣denial; none to strive except to be most me••k••st and low••st in mind, so that you all way be tender affectionated one towards another, forgiving and f••rbearing one another in love; the st••o••g bear••ng with the infirmities of the weak, that even as dear Children of one Father, you may dwell together in peace, and in pure unity in the spirit of holiness, that a Joy and a Comfort you may ••e to each other in the Lord, upon whom, dear Lambs, wait ••ogether very diligently, that of his fulness, you may all receive, who is ready bountifully to mini∣ster, that of himself unto all his tender Lambs and breathing

Babes, who wait upon him, which he seeth is meet for them even to their daily nourishment joy comfort and re••reshment.

So in the pure bowels, and tender everlasting love of the tender God of compassion; doth my soul dearly salute you all, who loveth the Lord uprightly, and who make mention of his name in sincerity and truth, and are willing to suffer for the same, whether you be in bonds or out of bonds, my love reacheth unto all the upright in heart; Farewel dear Lambs.

From your Friend and Companion in the patience and long suffering of the Lamb, who hath, must and shall have the victory over all his Enemies, to Triumph and Reign in Dominion Eternally.

Norwich Castle 29th of the 7th Month 1664.

William Bennit.

This to go among Friends of Truth, to be read am••ng ••h••m when assembled together in the pure fear and dread of th•• most H••gh God.

DEarly and tenderly beloved Friends, the dear & tender unfeigned salutation of my tender soul, re••ch••••h un∣to you all, who loveth the Lord and his T••u••h with your whole hearts; and who make mention of his holy name in sincerity and truth; even in the meek, render, lowly, holy seed of eternal life, made manifest, quickned, and in measure raised up in my soul, even in this inn••cen•• seed of immortallity doth the love of ••y soul extend towards you all; and I very dearly desire your prosperity and ••ranquility therein, even as I do ••esire for my own soul, and tha•• this lowly holy seed, and meek innocent life o•• Jesus may daily spring grow up and flourish in every particular soul of you all; that so, though

it was once the lest of all Seeds in you (even as a little grain of Musterd-Seed hid in the Earth) it may become the greatest the highest and strongest of all things in you; over-povver∣ing you and over-shadowing you, that so unto you it may become a pleasant Bower of spices, and as a sweet smelling savour, that you may even joy to sit under its shadow, even with great delight, & its fruit be exceeding sweet to your taste.

Ah Babes, therein is Peace to be injoyed, which is Eternal, which passeth all Understanding; therein is Joy unspeakable and full of glory to be injoyned; therein is Blessedness, which is everlasting; Happiness, which is endless, to be injoyed, out of it there is none; Ah Lambs, therein is Power to be recei∣ved, whereby to overcome him who hath the power of Death (to wit the Devil) and to break his Head, and withstand all his Temptations, and strong Assaults, and various Alurements, and many Inticements; and power therein to withstand, thresh, hammer and beat down all those Thoughts, Reasonings and Carnal Fleshly Consultations, which he (your greatest Enemy) would infuse into your Minds, and raise up in your Hearts, whereby to disturb and break your Peace, and raise Trouble, and Tumults, and Insurections in your Minds; that so Faintness and Weariness might come upon you, and he (your subtile Enemy) might thereby gain upon you, and get advantage of you, and obtain his purpose and desire, who indeed (as a roaring, raging devouring Lyon) very eagerly seeks (in this day of great tryal) whom he may Devour, and draw back again under his yoke of Bondage, Thraldom, and Slavery.

Wherefore, dear tender Lambs, in the Seed, the Fold, out of which he is shut forever, in which he hath no part, daily dwell, and continually abide; then out of the paw of th•• Devourer you shall be kept, by him that good Shepherd, who layeth down his Life for his Sheep, and leaveth them not

when the Woolf cometh to destroy them; but he preserveth his Sheep and his Lambs, and hideth them as in the hollow of his hand.

Ah how Tender, how Careful, how Pitiful, how Merciful, how Kind, how Loving, how Forbearing, how Forgiving, how Long-Suffering, how Patient, how Meek, how Humble and Compassionate, is the Nature of the tender God of infi∣••ite bowels.

Ah dear Babes, let me say unto all, wait to feel and witness the nature of Emanuel, even the meek Life of Jesus to rule and dwell in you daily, and you to dwell and live daily in it.

Ah his pure leaven of Life Eternal, oh how doth it work out the leaven of Death and Darkness, Malice and Enmity, and purgeth out every hard thought, and all evil surmisings, evil back-bitings and whisperings (which doth proceed from the old leaven, and are the fruits of that corrupt tree which is a••cursed by the Lord, and is to be hewen down, and with all its fruits cast into the fire forever to be consumed) and pu••te•••• out the Eye which would be watching for Evil, and for the halting of others, and to spie out their weakness, and to tel•• it abroad to their shame; oh how doth it oppose and ham∣mer down that mind that would be great, and esteemed of by men, and would exercise Lordship over others.

Oh how doth it baptize self into the Death, and b••ing down the Haughty to the Dust, and boweth down the Lofty, and ra••s∣eth up and bringeth forth a Birth, which striveth not fo•• ma∣stery, except to be most meekest and lowest in Heart and Mind; and to abound in Pity, in Love, in Tenderness, in ••owels of Compassion, in Patience, in Gentleness, in long-Suffering, in ••orbearing, and in Brotherly Kindness, yea in all the vertuous Fruits of the nature of him who is meek and low in Heart, who said, love Enemies; this Birth hath a hand ready to stretch forth unto the backward, to draw them for∣wards;

it hath an arm ready to help to hold up the halting, and bosom open to carry the weak and faint ones in; oh it would, I know, be a help to all who stand in need of help, it would not that any should be left behind the Camp, who are willing to press forwards, although they may linger behind, by reason of their Halting and Lameness; oh how hath it a garment ready to cover an others weakness, it never overcharg∣eth any, it judgeth not any thing before the time appointed, it is not Hasty nor Rash, but Patient and Gentle, and it hath a convincing restoring vertu•• with it in all it doth, so that it both Wounds and Heals, Kill and maks a Live, brings down and raiseth up, lay desolate, build and restore, it is tender and gentle, it breaks not the bruised Reed, neither doth it quench the smoaking Flax, it never renders Evil for Evil, but over∣comes the Evil with Good; its Patience overcomes Fury, its Love quencheth Enmity, its Gentleness overcomes Rashness, and its Meekness overcomes Haughtiness; and in all it Suffers it seeketh no Revenge, but beareth all things Patiently; com∣mitting its Cause unto him who judgeth Rightly; it loveth Enemies, it beareth love & good-will unto all men, yet it hath no uni••y with any Uncleanness, nor fellowship with the un∣fruitful works of Darkness in any, but rather reproves them.

This is not the Birth born of Flesh, nor of Blood, nor of the will of man, but the Birth born of God, and this Birth shall out-live all false Births and likenesses, and unto it must all bow an•• become subject, this Birth God will crown with Honour and Renown, and beautifie with Glory and Praise; and although it hath been troden under foot and despised by other false Births, yet unto it they must all bow, and throw down their Crowns at thy feet, oh Zion.

Ah the Lord, thy Husband, thy Maker, the God of Host is his Name, hath determined that the days of thy Mourning shall pass away, and the night of thy Sorrow shall for ever

vanish, and thou shalt no more be termed Desolate, and For∣saken; oh thy Winter shall be over and gone, and thy Sum∣mer shall come, and thy Fruitfulness shall appear; Oh Zion, thou shalt appear as a Royal Diadim in the hand of the Lord, and as a Crown of Glory in the hand of thy God; who will make thee the Beauty of Nations, the Joy of Kingdoms, yea the Glory of the whole Earth, and a Praise therein forever, a∣men saith my soul. Oh hasten it, hasten it, Lord God Almighty, that so the Mourners in thy Zion may be Comforted, and the Hated be made right glad; that so even her waste places may Rejoyce, and her Desarts blosom as a Rose; that her Wil∣derness may become as the Garden of Eden, and her Desarts as the Garden of the Lord; that so Joy and Gladness may a∣lone be found in her, Thanksgiving and the voice of Melody; that so even Water may come forth of the Wilderness, and spring in the Desart; that the parched Ground may even be∣come a Pool, and dry Heaths streams of Water.

Ah, when the Lord hath wholly gathered together in one the disperced of Judah, and hath brought into one, the scat∣tered of Israel, and hath throughly returned the Captivity of his People; oh then surely Jacob shall rejoyce, and Israel be right glad, and glory in his God, who is blessed forever and evermore.

And so, dearly beloved Friends, my soul hath daily a remem∣brance of you in and unto the Lord, unto whom I leave you, dear Lambs, very dearly desiring that unto him you all (who hath in measure tasted of his Love, and of his pure pretious Truth are made partakers, and thereunto have born witness, in doing and suffering for the same) may by him be kept faithful unto him, even unto the very end; that so the Testi∣mony which he hath given you to bear for his Name & Truth (in this his day of sifting, winowing, purging, purifying, and of separating the Chaff from the Wheat, and of making up

his pretious Jewels, and of manifesting the approved in his sight) you may through the strength and mighty power of him the mighty God (who hath c••lled you and raised you up to war against Babylon, and no more to touch, but to bear witness against the unclean thing) be inabled to finish your Testimony for him (although it be with your Blood) even to the Praise, Glory and Renown of his eternal powerful Name, and to your endless Joy, and everlasting Peace in him, your tender God, in whose pure, tender & unseigned Love doth my soul kiss you, imbrace you, clasp you about, saying in spirit, Oh the Lord, the mighty God, gird up your Loins with Courage, Strength and Valour daily, and spead over you all the mantle of Faithfulness, & keep you all in the pure patience, and sweet contentedness, and in true submission to his holy heavenly will, which is your Sanctification, whose will may be done in you all; that indeed the Power, the Glory, the Kingdom, and Dominion may be his, and he alone may Reign in you, whose right of due it is, who was Dead, and is a Live, and lives forever and evermore, unto whom be glory in the highest for evermore, Amen

Oh, the holy living presence of the Living God of Holiness, be in, with and among you all; in whose Love, Life and Truth, in my measure, my soul is united, and closely cleaveth to all the Children of the most high God, and they are very dear unto the soul of him, who is your Friend, Brother and Companion, in the innocent Love and Life of God, over all blessed for evermore; farewel dear Lambs.

Tis 1665.

William Bennit

Dear Friend,

IN that which is Eternal and unchangable, doth the unfeign∣ed Salutation and tender Love of my Soul extend towards thee, who art oft in the remembrance of my Soul, which is in some measure sensible of the many Troubles, Crosses and Tryals, which thou hast been in, and now art exercised with; and truly, dear Heart, my soul desireth that th•• Lord may in∣able thee to wade through them all, in the pure Patience and true Contentedness, and that thou mayst find the strong arm of Gods mighty power in the beating down, & keeping ••nder that part, which would complain and murmur against the Lord, and count him a hard Master, and freet its self because the Wicked Flourish, and the Ungodly spread themselves like a green ••ay-Tree, and the workers of Iniquity are set up, ••n•• ••••e P••oud Lord it over the Meek of the Earth, and ••••ea•• upon the Righteous as Di••t in the Streets, & Killed all the day 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a••d Oppressed like a Cart with Sheaves; I say needful it is to feel that part (which would freet it self because of th••se things) chained down by the Meek, Lowly, Lamb like, Patient, Peaceable Spirit of the patient, pitiful, long-suffe••ing God of Forbearance and Mercy; and to feel it curting and beating all Prejudice and Enmity, that would be springing up from the murmuring fretting part, against those who are ••••stru∣ments of Iniquity, and Servants to that Spirit, that Persecutes and Oppress the Innocent, and behold this Spirit of meekness keeps in coolness, gentleness and patience, and gi••••••h domi∣nion over that Spirit which in haste (yet as it th••n••s in a Zeal for God) crys for Fire to come down from Heav••n to devour those who are Instruments of Cruelty, Iniquity, and Oppressi∣on; and indeed this Spirit of Love inableth to love Enemies, to Bless and Curse not, and seeks no Revenge, but makes

willing to leave all to the Lord, unto whom, dear Heart, let us commit our Cause, and sure I am, he will plead it with his and our Enemies, in his own time even to their Destruction and Calamity, and to our Joy and Comfort in the end; in the mean while, the Lord keep us in contentedness, and in domini∣on over that Spirit that would limit God to mans time, and counteth that God is slack concerning his Promise, who indeed is not slack, as that Siprit counts slackness, but is a God long suffering, desiring not the Death nor Destruction of a Sinner, but that rather he may repent and Live Oh that all those that profess his Name may be like-minded with him, accord∣ing to our measures, and growth in him the Living God, who is blessed forevermore.

My dear tender hearted Friend, my Soul doth likewise de∣sire fervently that thee and I, and all the rest of our heavenly Fathers Family, may be kept close unto the measure of the free grace and love of the Lord God in our own hearts, that by it we may continually be kep•• in the lowly fear, and pure aw of him, who hath called us out of Darkness into his mar∣velous Light, wherein let us watch carefully over our Thoughts, Words and Works, lest in haste, through carelesness, for want of watchfulness, we should speak or do any thing that may grieve the holy Seed, and wound the Just one in our selves, and bring a burden and load upon our own Souls; wherefore dear Heart, I cannot but desire, that I with thee, and all who love Righteousness, may be kept watchful in the ••••wly Fear, close unto the grace that keeps humble, out of the many words, in the fewness of words, that so in sweet stil∣ness, peace and quietness we may possess our sou••••, and injoy the sweet incomes of the sweet Love, and sweet pure refresh∣ing streams of the Fountain of Life according to our measures; that so even in the midst of our Tryals and Sufferings, our he••rts may be made glad in the Lord, and our souls may

rejoyce in him over all the Rage and Cruelty of the Wicked; that we may keep our standing on the Rock, against which Gog and Magog, and the whole Host of the powers of Dark∣ness is not able to prevail; and herein the Lord keep us, saith my soul, for evermore.

So dear Heart, I leave thee unto the Lord, in whom my Love is dear unto thee, and my Soul simpathize with thee in thy Tryals and Sufferings, and desire the Lord may bear thee up above them all, in the bosom of his Love and Patience, and minister daily unto thee what he knoweth is meet for thee, and keep thee in a contentedness with his heavenly will, that so thou mayst say with thy whole heart, Lord, not my will, but thy will be done, and submitted unto in all things, whose will is our Sanctification.

So, dear tender Heart, in the innocent Love which drew me forth to write these lines unto thee, I rest and remain

thy dear Friend in the Truth. William Bennit.

1665.

To the Magistrates of Edmonds-Bury. Friends, I hope your Nobillity and Moderation will be so far made manifest, as to read over these following Lines with Patience; and I desire you may Seriously consider of them, and Sollidly to weigh them in that equall Ballance, the Light of Christ in your Consciences, before you Judge of them.

VVE whom the World in scorn call Quakers, are a People that liveth in the pure fear of the Lord God, and without boasting we can tru∣ly say, we are a People who are led and guided by a peaceable Principle of Love, which we have received of God, who is the Fountain of Love, by which Principle of Love we are made to live peaceable with all men, as much as in us lies, and fer∣venly

to desire and seek the good and welfare of all People, even from him who sits upon the earthly Throne, unto the most Inferior in the Kingdom, and by this Principle of Love in our own hearts, which is of God, we are made to bear Love and Good will towards all people, and by it we are taught to loy Enemies, to Bless and Curse not, to Pray for them who De spitefully useth us, and to do Good to them that Beateth us▪ and not in the least to render Evil for Evil, but endeavour to, overcome (in our selves and others) Evil with Good, and by it we are preserved from joyning with the spirit of Envy, and from being led by the spirit of Revenge, which ruleth in many, and leadeth into secret Plottings, and evil Contrivances, by way of Conspiring to raise Tumult and Insurrection, which spirit (with all its fruits) we deny and judge, and all those who are led by it to Contrive and Plot against any, or to seek the Destruction of any people, though our Enemies; such we disown, and their actions we defie, the Lord is our witness.

And by the Principle of Love in our hearts, are our Con∣sciences made very tender to God-ward, insomuch as that we would not willingly and knowingly sin against him, and are willing rather to suffer the loss of all External things, yea even Life and all, then to break our peace with God, which we value more then ten thousand Worlds; and because we endeavour (in the strength and power of the principle of love in our hearts) to keep our Consciences void of offence to∣wards God; and because we dare not do those things (though they be set up by men, and tollerated and compelled to be done by a Law) which we are perswaded by the unerring spirit of Truth we ought not to do, neither joyn with any therein; and because we dare not forbear doing those things (though prohibited by the Laws of men there from) which we are perswaded by the spirit of Truth is our duty (towards God) to do and perform; therefore are we a suffering People

this day, and for no other Cause, the Lord is our witness to the truth hereof.

And ever since the Lord our dear and tender God (who a∣lone hath been, and now is our Helper, Strength and Refuge, and hath stood by us, and supported, and preserved us, or else we had not been a People at this day) did raise us up to be a People, for to bear witness to his Way and Truth (and against the false Ways, evil Works, false Worships, Idolatry, Sin and Wickedness of the World) we have been a suffering People, and all along we have suffered by every Power that hath come up to Rule, and all along we have suffered for only our Consci∣ences towards God; & if our Enemies have had no Law in force against us, neither could find any thing on our parts, whereby they might take a just occasion against us; then have they (as Daniel's Persecutors did against him, who sought his De∣struction without a Cause given them by him) even made Laws on purpose to Insnare us, and Trappan us concerning our Conscience towards God, for which we did suffer by the other Rulers, even many ways, viz. by Stocking, Stoning, cruel Whipping, Rayling, Reviling and cruel Abuses; even Imprisonment until Death, and spoyling of Goods in a more abundant manner then I can relate; and all hath been for our Consciences to God, all which we have born, and waded through in Patience, through the strength of the upholding merciful Arm of our God, and by him have been kept from seeking Revenge upon our Enemies, but have committed our Cause to God, who Judgeth Righteously, and Justifieth those whom men Condemn, unto whom alone Vengence belongs, and he will repay it, who will render unto man according to his Works.

And even at this day, our Sufferings are greater then before, and now are we even as Sheep appointed for the Slaughter▪ and all is because we endeavour to keep our Consciences void of

offence towards God; and because we dare not joyn with that Idolatrous Worship which God abhors, but must, as moved of the Lord, rather bear Testimony against Idolatrous Worships and Worshippers, vvhatever vve suffer.

And because vve dare not Svvare at all, knovving if vve should Svvear at all, we should then transgress the Commands of Christ, Matthew Chaper 5. Verse 34, &c. James Chapter 5. Verse 5, &c.

And because vve follovv the practices of the Primitive Christians, and dear not forsake the Assembling of our selves together, but must as vve are taught of the Lord meet toge∣ther, in the pure fear and dread of the Name of the Almighty God, even for no other end (the Lord vvho knovveth the secrets of all hearts is our vvitness) but to Wait upon the Lord, and to Pray to the Lord, and to Build up, Strengthen and Edifie one another in the Lord, and to Serve and Worship God in Spirit and in Truth, vvherein God, vvho is a Spirit, is only Worshipped aright, by his Spirituallized people, vvho are born of the Spirit, and guided and led by the Spirit of Truth into all Truth.

And it is not in Rebellion and Contempt to King Charles and his Lavvs, that vve meet together to vvorship God, neither do vve do it in a Cross, Stubborn, Self-vvill, as by some vve are charged, the Lord is our vvitness, but even in a Cross to our ovvn vvills, and in Obedience to the vvill of God; vvhere fore vve have peace in the Lord, for vvhose sake vve suffer and stand justified in the sight of God, though by Men and their Lavvs counted Transgressors.

Novv Friends, as your Moderation in measure hath appear∣ed (in this day of hot Persecution and hath been manifested heretofore, tovvards the Lords tender Conscientious people in this Tovvn, vvhich I believe the Lord hath taken notice of, who hath regard unto those vvho have respect to his people; and

truly it is my Souls desire, even for your ovvn good, that your Moderation tovvards the people of God called Quakers, or any other people vvhose Consciences are tender to God-vvard, may continue still and increase more and more, so as that ye might not in the lest degree have a hand any more in the Suf∣ferings of the Innocent, but might rather chuse, as meek Moses did, to suffer Affliction vvith the Suffering, Abused, Tribulated, Afflicted People of God, then to be found Prose∣cutors of any unjust Lavv against them; for indeed, happy (in that particular) is the man that hath no hand in the suffer∣ings of the Lords people, for sure I am the Lord God hath regard unto his people, though disregarded by such as know not God nor his People; and though Hated and Persecuted by the World, yet Loved of the Lord, and very dear unto him; and though Contemptible, Ridiculous and Absurd in the eyes of the wisemen of this World, yet Beautiful, Comely, Delecta∣ble and Precious in the eyes of the Lord; and what evil any do to them because of their Consciences towards God, the Lord takes it as done unto himself; and if one day it shall be said to those who did not Feed, Cloth and Visit the Lords ten∣der ones in Prison, Go ye Cursed into Hell Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels; then surely sad will be the Sentence of those who (through their Cruelty) go about to deprive them of Food and Raiment, and instead of visiting them in Prison, doth unjustly cast them into Prison, and hinder them that would visit them.

Oh surely, the Lord God of Pity, of Mercy, of Compassi∣on, and endless Love, hath seen the sufferings of his People in this Nation; and hath taken Cognizance of their sore Afflicti∣ons, and Tribulations, Burdens, and grievous Oppressions, under which they have long Groaned, whose Groans are come up before the Throne of the most high, and is entred into the Ears of their Compassionate God, and he is moved with in∣finite

bowels of Love towards his suffering Seed, and he will plead the Cause of his own Elect which have long Cried unto him; whose Cries he the Living God hath heard, whose Cries he the Almighty God will answer, and will revenge their Cause upon the head of their Persecutors, and will Oppress the Op∣pressors, and Devour the Devourers of his People, even as Stub∣ble before the Fire fully dry; and they shall not be able to escape the stroke of his Righteous Judgement, which he hath now begun to make manifest in the Earth, that the Inhabi∣tants thereof might learn Righteousness; and the Beesom of his Wrath is cleansing the Land of Evil Doers; and many of those who desired, and indeavoured, to have Banished the peo∣of the Lord from their native Country and lawful Habitations; such the Lord hath ••anished from their Houses, and they have fled from their Habitations, and run from his Righteous Judgements, but whether can man fly to hide himself from the Lord; and so that measure they meted out to others, is moted to them again, and this is just with the Lord, who is equal in all his Doings, and just in all his Ways, and he will not be mocked by any; but such as People Sow, such must they Reap; and according to their Deeds, they must receive a reward.

Wherefore Friends, so far as ye have a hand in the Suffer∣ings of the Innocent, you have cause to Repent thereof, and to ease the Burdened, and to set the Imprisoned and the Op∣pressed Free; and as you tender and respect the good of your Souls, and desire to be tendered and respected by the Lord, so tender the Lords tender people, and do not in any wise usurp authority over their Consciences, for that is Christs seat, and the Magistrates Sword is not to rule there, but only Christ the power of God, who maketh the Conscience, he a∣lone is to rule in and over the Conscience; and Friends to the Light in your own Consciences, come and be obedient there∣unto,

and it will cause you to do unto all men as you would be done unto, and in the Light you must come to believe, hearked to it, follow and obey it, before your Souls can injoy true peace with the Lord; and by it be inabled to deny all Ungodliness and Worldly Lust; and by it to be taught to Live Soberly, Righteously and Godly in this present World; and to lay your Sword upon evil doers, and to be a praise to them that do well; and rather to tolerate, such and to defend them in the exercise of their Consciences towards God, in meeting together in his pure fear, to Serve and Worship him, then to suppress them: And to exercise your power in break∣ing up their meetings, who meet to Drink, Swear, Rant, Tear and Devour the good Creatures of God upon their filthy un∣godly Lust, even to the great dishonour of the Lord, and to the grieving of his holy righteous Spirit; suppress such, for that is the Magistrates work; but as for those who feareth the Lord, and liveth Peaceably and Honestly with all men, let such have free liberty to serve the Lord in his own Way, and worship him in his own Spirit, and not to be compelled to a Dead, Dark, Invented, Superstitious Worship which is not of God; and then will the blessings of the Lord my God, be powered down upon you, and a good savour ye will be unto those that fear the Lord, from whom ye will be worthy of double Honour.

And Friends, I understand that it is the desire, if not the intent of some of ye Rulers in this Town, to proceed against me unto Banishment, who am an innocent man and have done you no wrong, neither have I committed any thing against you, or any just Law worthy of Bounds, much less of B••∣nishment; neither have I, in this County, been thrice Con∣victed by your Law, as an offender; and I would know whe∣ther those Records made by Justices, who are only Commissi∣onated, for Norfolk, be good evidence in Suffolk, where

those Justices themselves have no power, seeing the Law saith, that all offences (other then Treason) shall be Inquired, Heard and Determined in the Shire, Division, Limit and Liberty where such offences happen, as was Inacted in the third year of King James, see Chapter the fourth. Well I am not careful in this matter, touching my own particular, only I would not have you hasty in what you intend towards me, but seriously to weigh the matter, in that equal balance, the Word of God; and take heed what you do, and hurt not your own Souls, and sin not against the Lord, & then sure I am you cannot hurt me; Wherefore be wise, oh ye Rulers, and be instructed ye Judges of the People; touch not the Lords Anointed, neither do his Prophets any harm; and let not Envy and Prejudice blind your Minds, nor cloud the nobility of your Understandings, and take heed of ingaging the Lord more and more against you and your Town; consider the Lord hath hitherto spared you and your Town, from the Wo, Sorrow, Misery, Distress, and Calamity which is come upon many other places; and if you desire the Lord should still spare you and your Town, then do you spare those who fear the Lord in your Town, and free them from their causeless Imprisonments, and do not Afflict them, lest thereby you hasten the just Judgements of the Lord God upon you and your Town, which is even at hand. Well, my soul in the Lord is at rest and in quietness, free from fearing the threatnings of men, who are not able to Banish me from the presence of my God, who is with me, and with all who feareth his Name, who will work the deliverance of his people from their Sufferings, Burdens and grievous Oppressi∣ons in his own time and season, and will so far preserve them as that they shall be a People when the Egyptians shall he dead upon the Sea-shore of his Righteous Judgments; the Lord hath spoken it, in whom is my Joy and Peace, Refreshment and Comfort in the midst of my Sufferings, who will never

leave me, if I leave not him, for whose Cause (for which I now suffer by you) I count not my Life too dear to part with, for the Testimony of my God, in whom is my Confidence, Trust and Hope, who hath formed me for his praise, whose I am, & unto you my Conscience I have cleared, and whether ye will hear or forbear I am clear of your Blood, who am a Friend to your Souls and Bodies, and desire the welfare of both, and am one who loveth righteous Government and Go∣vernours, who are for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well; and such Rulers I truly ho∣nour in my heart, though not with the vain custom of the Hat, neither with the deceitful flattering titles of this World.

This is from a true lover of your Souls, who des••reth your everlasting welfare and tranquility in the Lord, who is a Sufferer by you, but not for evil doing, but for doing well; the Lord is his witness that this is true, whose Servant he is, what∣ever he be (by you or any) accounted of.

Edmonds-Bury common Goal this 8th. Month 1665.

William Bennit.

To Friends of Truth in the Town of Colehester Greeting.

DEarly beloved Friends and Brethren, who have tasted of the love and goodness ••f the Lord, and of the sweetness and pretiousness of his unchangable Truth, the virtuous workings and powerful opperations whereof you have felt in your hearts, whereby you witness and experience in measure your Souls set at liberty from the bondage of Sin and Corruption, to serve the living God in holiness of Life, to the praise of your God, who hath raised you out of the dust by his Power, and quickned you by his Life, and formed you by his own Wisdom, and given you his good Spirit to guide

and lead you, teach and counsel you, comfort and refresh you, oh, he hath given you a taste of the Word of Life, and power of the World to come; oh, he hath living Witnesses of his Name and Truth whereof you are made partakers, and that which you have seen and known, felt and tasted of, the same you have through the strength of the Lord born Testimony unto, even by Word, by Deed, by Life and Conversation, and through great Sufferings, manifold Tribulations and Afflictions, all which the Lord your tender God hath inabled you to wade through, and hath kept you from fainting unto this day; who hath been with you in six Troubles, and in the seventh, dear Babes, he hath not left you, but in all your Afflictions for his Name-sake he hath been afflicted with you, and the Angel of his presence hath been your defence on the right hand and on the left; oh, how hath he carried you in his tender Bosome, and born you up in his Arms, and lead you gently when you were Weak, Young and Tender, and made the Crooked strait, and the Rough smooth before you, and thrown down many a high Mountain before you, and re∣moved many a lofty Hill out of your way; who hath made a way for you in the Wilderness, and a path through many a Thickit, and hath made the hard things easie; he hath been a Shelter to you from the Heat, and a Refuge to you from the Storm, and many a time hath been unto your Souls as the shadow of a Rook in a weary Land; who hath given you Bread when you were Hungry, and Water to satisfie your Thirst; who Strengthned you when you were Weak, and Inriched you when you were Poor; who Healed you when you were Wounded, and Bound you up when you were broken to Pieces; who Comforted you in the midst of Sorrow, and hath Refreshed you when you have been heavy hearted, and lifted up your heads when they were bowed down because of the Oppression of your Enemies: Oh, how ex∣ceeding

large is the love of the Lord your tender compassi∣onate God of endless bowels of tenderness; oh, your own ex∣perience of his Love, his Mercy, his Pity, his Compassion, his Goodness, his Kindness and his Tender Fatherly Care and Dealings towards you is much larger then what I can demon∣strate with words; oh, how can you then but still trust in his Name, rely upon his Arm, and depend upon his saving Health, and hope in his tender Bowels, who is the same yesterday to day and for evermore; who hath been with you when Trouble hath compassed you round, to keep you from Dispair; and with you in the midst of Perplexity, to keep you from being Distressed; and with you in the midst of Persecu∣tion, to Sucker and Cherish you, and refresh your hearts as with New Wine; and oh surely, dear Babes, he is with you still, to Comfort you still, to Refresh you still, to Feed and Nourish you still, to Strengthen you still, to Uphold and Sup∣port you still, to Keep and Defend you; and surely he will never leave you nor forsake you, if you forsake him not, but will cleave unto you, as you cleave unto him, and will still be your God, and you shall be his People still, and rest in him for ever when in this World you shall be no more.

Oh, dear Friends, my soul loveth you, wherefore I cannot forget you, but often remember you, especially since the Lord hath been pleased to visit that place with such fore Affli∣ction, and to give it to drink so deeply of the Cup of his Righ∣teous Judgments, and oh my soul desires that the Lord may keep and hide your Souls in the hollow of his hand, whatever Affliction he suffers to come upon your Bodies; and oh that he may inable you to wade through all, and to bear all with Patience and Contentedness, and think not any of you the Lord cares not for you, or that he dis-regards you, ••ecau••e he doth or may permit the Beesom of his Righteous Ju••gements, (which he hath sent forth to sweep away the W••cked) to

sweep away many of your Bodies from off the Earth, neither murmur against the Lord, who may do what pleaseth him, and yet all his doings are Equal and Righteous altogether; and how strange soever his doings appear to the carnal reason∣ing fleshly part, yet assuredly he intends good in all his deal∣lings towards all the honest, simple, innocent upright hearted ones; and it is inwardly well with such whatsoever outward∣ly the Lord suffereth to befall them, and it shall be well with their Souls eternally, whatever the Lord permits to come up∣on their Bodies; and truly the sence of these things I know doth cause Joy to spring inwardly in the midst of outward Sorrows, and Comfort in the midst of Heaviness, Rest in the time of Trouble, and Content and Satisfaction in the midst of Affliction, and maketh that soul to bear all with patience, without murmuring against the Lord; and makes such to say, The will of God be done; well it is the Lord that suffereth it thus to be, and why should I murmur against him, seeing he knoweth what is best for me, and will not suffer any thing to besal me, but what through his Love and Mercy shall work for my good, as I cleave to him, and am faithful unto him; though my Earthen Vessel may be broken to peices, and be turned to the dust, and be taken away, as the Wicked are, who know not God; yet nevertheless I know it shall not be with my soul as it shall be with the Wicked, for it shall go ill with them that Die and be cut-off in their Sins, but through the love of the Lord it is, and shall be well with my soul, for that shall Live and never Die, whatever comes upon my Earthen Vessel; wherefore I will not say in a murmuring way, Lord why is it thus, that as to outward appearance thou takest away the Righteous with the Wicked, and cu••est off them that fear thy Name vvith them that fear thee not, as if thou hadst no re∣gard to thy people, nor respect to them that call upon thy Name, nor care over those vvho serve thee vvith an upright Heart;

but I vvill be still, and knovv that the Lord he is God, and may do as seemerh good in his Eye, vvhose vvorkings are Mysterious, and his doings very Strange, and his actings ve∣ry Marvellous in the eyes of many; vvho is even to vvonder∣ful for his people, unto vvhom he intends good altogether, for oh he loveth them, and they are dear unto him as the Apple of his Eye, they are his Portion vvhich he hath chosen, and his Inheritance for ever, vvhich he hath purchased for himself; vvho is God over all blessed for evermore.

Oh, dear Friends Brethren and Sisters, my dear unfeigned Love extends to you all in the Truth of our God, vvherein my soul salutes you vvho Love and Serve the Lord vvith a sin∣cere and upright Heart; and in Spirit I am vvith you, though outvvardly separated from you for the Seeds sake; and truly my soul simpathiseth vvith you in your Tryals & Afflictions, both invvardly and outvvardly; and oh that I could help you, saith my soul; but vvell, I can cry unto him vvho is able to help you, unto vvhom, dear Babes, I must leave you, who knoweth how it is with ever one of you all, and is not want∣ing in his Love, Mercy, Pity, Tenderness, Compassion and Care towards you who loveth him, and watcheth in his holy fear; whose tender bowels is more largely open towards his tender innocent hearted ones, then their weakness is able to comprehend. Oh the Lord Almighty be with you, and the Arm of his Power incompass you about, and bear you up, and keep you from Fainting and Falling as some have done (to the dishonour of the Lord, and grief of your Souls) and preserve you unto the end of your Daies, that you may finish your Course with Joy, and lay down your Heads in Peace, and rest from all your Troubles, Sorrows, Tryals, Sufferings and Afflictions, and receive the reward laid up for the Faith∣ful who abide to the end; this is the desire and breathing o•• my soul to the Lord for you, who is your Friend and Com∣panion

in the Faith, Patience and long Suffering of Jesus; and one that wisheth that Grace, Mercy and Peace, Joy, Comfort and everlasting Refreshment, with Strentgh, Wisdom and Might, may be augmented unto you all; and that the love of God may abound and super-abound in all your Souls, and surpass all your Sufferings, that thereby your hearts may be kept open towards God, and one to another, in a large manner, and that you continue tender affectionated one to another in the Truth, and be as meet-helps one to another, both out∣wardly and inwardly, to your Comfort, and to the Praise of the Lord God Almighty; into whose hands I commit you, dear Babes, and the Lord be with you, and Comfort the Mourners amongst you, and Refresh the heavy hearted ones, and lift up the bowed down, and heal the Wounded, and comfort the Languishing with love, and lift up the weak Hands, and confirm the feeble Knees, and not suffer that which is Lame to be turned out of the way, but rather heal it, that the Halting may go upright, and the Lame may leap as an Hart, and the Tongue of the Dumb may sing of the good∣ness and loving kindness of the Lord, and make mention of his Mercy, and declare of his Doings, and magnifie his Name in the the Land of the Living, Amen Halelujah.

From your Friend and Brother in the Truth, who hath often had you in remembrance, and also longed to visit you with a few Lines, but desirous to wait the Lords time; read and feel my love in that which is more precious and excellent then all Words whatsoever, wherein we are hid together; Farewel dear Lambs. William Bennit

Edmonds-Bury Goal the 3th Month, 1666.

THE original of the foregoing Lines was chiefly write to Friends in the Town of Colchester, but having free∣dom in the Lord, and even pressed thereunto by his Love; I thought meet to send Copies thereof to go among Friends in Suffolk, Norfolk, or elsewhere, as Friends have freedom to Communicate them one to another.

And dear Friends, let this signifie unto you that my soul loveth you, and have a remembrance of you, and a Brotherly care and affection towards you in the Truth, wherein I desire your Prosperity, Tranquility and Preservation, in this day of Tryal, in this hour and power of Darkness; even as I desire for my own Soul, the Lord my God even your God is my Witness; desiring that I and you (with all who love the Lord in Sincerity, and that make meation of his Name in Truth and Righteousness) may all be kept close in Heart and Mind unto the Lord, standing upon our watch in the Light, with the loines of our minds girded up unto God, having on the Brest-plate of Righteousness, and the Helmet of Salvation to guide, stear and order us aright, that we may not be Bewil∣dred in this day of Storms and Tempests, and especially to have and hold fast the Shield of Faith, by which we may be able to quench and send off all the Fiery Darts of the Wicked, within and without; yea to have on the whole Armour of Light, being fitted for the Fiery Tryals and Tribulat ons, that so nothing may come upon us unawares, before we be fitted for it; oh that it might not be with any of those who profess Righteousness, as i•• was with the People in the daies of Noah, who were Eating and Drinking, and Sporting themselves, Marrying and giving in Marriage, and knew not till the Flood came and swept them away; but oh that we may all stand upon our Watch-Tower, and all hold fast our Integrity in

the Lord, and keep close to our first Love, and none to deale unkindly towards the Wife of his youth, by casting her off, and going after other Lovers, but all be tender over her, and still love her with your whole Hearts, and cleave unto her, for she is a Spotless Virgin, and never was Defiled with the al∣luring man of Pleasure, she is very Beautiful, Amiable and Comely in the Eyes of the pure in heart, and the Glory of the Lord God is her Dowry, and blessed for evermore is the soul that is joyned with her in a perpetual Covenant, never to be broken.

We all in this Prison, who suffereth upon Truth account are in a measure of Health at present, through the Love and Goodness of our God, blessed and praised be his Name for evermore; whose tender Compassion faileth not towards them who love him, therefore are his people not Consumed, but preserved as Lambs in the midst of devouring Wolves, by him the good Shepherd of Israel; who stopeth the Mouths of Lyons, and chaineth up the Beast of Prey for his little Flocks sake, whom he so dearly loveth, that they may behold his Po∣wer, and admire his Love, and trust in his Name, and return the Praise unto him whose Mercies are over all his Works, glory to God in the highest; my Love salutes you, all fare∣well dear Friends.

W. E.

Notes

• Ezek. 34. 11, &c
• Psal. 14. 7.
• Psal. 2. 8. 9.
• Rev. 19. 13 Isa. 42. 6, 7. & 4••. ••. Luk. 2. 30, 31 32 Isa. 35. 5, 6, 7.
• Isa. 61. 1, 2, 3.
• 1 Sam. 2. 4, 5 6, 7.
• Rev. 21. 1. 5 Isa. 65. 17.
• Isa. 52 1••
• Luk 2. 29, 30.
• Joh. 1. 1 &c.
• Joh. 14 16, 18, 26.
• Luk. 24. 29. Acts, 2. 4.
• Gal. 1 15, 16.
• Rom. 19. 6, 7. 8.
• 2 ••or 13. 5.
• 1 Cor. 2. 10, 11, 12
• Rom 1. 19. 1 Cor. 12. 7. Tit. 2. 11.
• 1 Pet. 23 24, 25.
• 1 Cor. 12. 13.
• Joh 4. 21, 22, 23, 24.
• Mal. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4.
• Isa. 10 17.
• John 4. 14.
• Mae 11. 28, 29, 30. Isa. 55. 2, 3.
• 2 Pet. 1. 19.
• Mat. 9 29. the 8. 4, 8. the 12. 24 11 ch. 18, 16.
• John 1 9.
• Titus 2 11.
• Isa. 5. 20 & 23: 36.
• Mat. 23. 13.
• Joh. 1, & 2 3, 9.
• John 10. 1, 8, 9.
• 1 Cor. 1. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. and 19. 20, 21.
• John 3. 20
• Eph. 5. 13, 14.
• Eph. 4. 20, 21, 22, 23.
• Col. 2. 11, 12.
• Ezek. 34. 12 13, 14, 9, 16.
• 1 Cor. 12. 13
• John 14. 6. Rom. 10. 8 John 12. 46. & 8. 12.
• Mat 11. 29 and 6. 13. & and 10. 38.
• Psal. 6. 14
• Isa. 26. 8. & 2••. 9.
• ••am 3 25 26.