The Christian experiences, gospel labours and writings

UNIVERSITY

OF PITTSBURGH

LIBRARIES

■ 50 1 DAR.RM.
\y/ BX7795
^^ C8A28
1822

THIS BOOK PRESENTED BY

Friends'
Historical Society of
Swarthmore College

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THE

CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCES,

V

<£o01Je][ HafcourjS anii DMtngjg,

OF

THAT ANCIENT SERVANT OF CHRIST

STEPHEN CRISP.

God giveth to man that is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge,
and joy. — Eccl. ii. 26.

PHILADELPHIA:
BENJAMIN & THOMAS KITE,

NO. 20, NORTH THIRD STREET.

1822.

J. It. A. SKEIIHKTT, PHTWTER.

PREFACE

BY -WAT OF

TESTIMONY CONCERNING STEPHEN CRISP,

AND HIS FOLLOWING WORKS.

ALTHOUGH my intimacy with our deceased friend
was but of later years, yet I find something in my mind
to write concerning him, and in commemoration of God's
blessed power, and word of life that reached him, and
made him through faith and obedience unto the Lord
Jesus Christ, what he was ; for that is it which is most
worthy of praise, and without it we are nothing, nor able
to do any thing that tends to our own peace, or the bene-
fit of others.

And it was by this, the Lord in the morning of this
blessed day, that he hath caused to spring from on high,
visited his soul in this latter age of the world ; wherein,
after a night of darkness, and time of apostacy, he was
graciously pleased, (by that divine and heavenly light,
which he, in the beginning caused to shine out of dark-
ness, to shine into the hearts of many, and gave unto
them the light of the knowledge of his glory, in the face
of Christ Jesus, and made them possessors of this trea-
sure in their earthen vessels, that were poor and despi-
cable instruments in the eyes of the worldly wise and
their own, yet fitted and raised up by the power of him
that raised up our Lord Jesus from the dead, coramis-
sionated and sent forth by the Lord, in the evidence and
demonstration of his eternal Spirit,) to publish the glad
tidings of peace, to preach the gospel of life and salva-
tion, and to turn people from darkness to light, from the
power of Satan to God ; that they might know remission
of sin, and an inheritance among tbem that are sanctified
through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the true Light
that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

j

IV PREFACE.

And this ministry as it was of God, and these instru-
ments being raised, and sent by him, he blessed their
labours, and made them successful for the good of many.
And by the ministry of one of these, though but a strip-
ling, and young in years, viz. that servant of God, James
Parnell, who finished his testimony with his blood, and
left many seals of his ministry in and about that very
town of Colchester, where our dear deceased Friend,
Stephen Crisp was born, lived, was reached, and con-
vinced of the blessed Truth ; (and by the same word that
he preached, and was an able minister of,) was our
worthy Friend quickened, and made a serviceable minis-
ter of the gospel of Christ, and freely preached the same
about thirty-five years ; and travelled for that end, in
many parts of England, Scotland, Holland, Germany,
and the Low Countries, endured many hardships, was
in several perils, and suffered imprisonment for his faith-
ful testimony, for the precious Truth, (as by his own jour-
nal of his life may more largely appear,) and through
his exercise in the same, became capable to counsel and
advise those that were under sufferings, and was ready
to help them therein ; and exhorted to, and practised
charity, and was mindful to do good and communicate,
a sacrifice well pleasing unto God ; and also to assist
many in their temporal affairs and settlement thereof;
often pressing Friends thereto, and to do it timely, that
no differences, discontents, or trouble might arise after
their decease. And was very serviceable in his advice
to many widows, and helpful to fatherless children in
divers respects ; being endued with a good understanding,
both as a man and a Christian.

And he that endued him therewith, and gave him wis-
dom, preserved him in it, and blessed his labours in the
gospel, and made his testimony serviceable to many, it
being delivered in soundness of speech, with good de-
monstration, and accompanied with life and power ; and
the consciences of many were so far reached, that they
have been made to confess to the soundness thereof, and
to the power and truth it came from ; and have been
"brought to be made witnesses, and partakers thereof, and

PREFACE. V

the life and virtue therein, through faith and obedience
to the same.

He was also a man that was zealous for Truth, and the
several testimonies it led us unto, against the corrupt
world, their ways, worship, vain fashions, and evil cus-
toms, and often exhorted Friends to mind the Lord's Spi-
rit, and therein to do his business, and not in their own ;
nor to boggle or decline their testimony for Truth, in any
respect, either against the men made ministers, forced
maintenance, or their joining people together in marriage
for filthy lucre's sake ; or contributing to the repair of
their worship houses ; or against wars and fighting; and
greatly disliked that any indirect way should be com-
plied with by any, to shift or evade their testimony for
the Truth, in any respect.

Aud although, in the latter part of his time, he was*
through infirmity of body, unable to travel much, yet was he
very diligent in frequenting meetings, and preaching the
gospel therein, and to exhort Friends to brotherly love,
provoking them to good works, and pressing them to di-
ligence, and an exemplary conversation, and to train up
their youth and children in that way, plainness and sim-
plicity that became the Truth, and the humble disciples
of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord incline the hearts
of all that have them, so to do, that none may contribute
of that substance God hath blessed them with, and made
them stewards of, to gratify any thing in their children,
which may be to their hurt, or tend to impede them from
succeeding their honest and tender parents, in that pre-
cious Truth, the plainness, humility, self-denial, love and
tenderness it hath led them into, that the blessing of God
may be continued on our offspring, and from age to age,
and one generation unto another, the Lord's worthy name
may be praised, his truth exalted, and he renowned, who
is worthy for ever. Amen.

And in this holy Truth, to our comfort, and his great
joy, am I well satisfied, did this faithful servant of God
finish his testimony and course in this world. And on
the twenty-fourth of the sixth month, 1092, being under
much bodily weakness and pain, he was visited by his

VI PREFACE.

ancient friend and brother G. W. who gave this account
of the same, as the substance of some words spoken by
S. C. the twenty-fourth of the sixth month, 1692, viz.
" I see an end of mortality, yet cannot come at it; I desire
the Lord to deliver me out of this troublesome or painful
body : if he will but say the word, it is done ; yet there
is no cloud in my way ; I have a full assurance of my
peace with God in Christ Jesus; my integrity and upright-
ness of heart is known to the Lord, and I have peace
and justification in Jesus Christ, who made me so, (that
is, upright to God.) Dear George, I can live and die
Avith thee ; and my dear love is with thee, and to all the
faithful in the church of God."

On the twenty-seventh, being the day before his de-
parture, S. C. said, il I hope I am gathering, as his ex-
pression was understood,) I hope, I hope ;" being then
scarce able to speak out his words. G. W. near parting
from him, asked him, viz. "Dear Stephen, wouldst thou
any thing to Friends ?" After some pause, S. C. gave his
answer, viz. " Remember my dear love in Jesus Christ to
all Friends."

And on the twenty-eighth of the said month, he de-
parted this life, and died in the Lord at Wansworth in
Surrey, about four miles from London, to which place
he was carried for the sake of the air, from the house of
William Crouch in London, in a litter, to W. C.'s house
there : and being very weak, was accompanied by seve-
ral Friends on foot with the litter, lest there should be
any want of assistance.

And after his decease, his body was brought to Grace-
Church-street meeting house in London, where on the
one-and-thirtieth, a great number of Friends and others
met to accompany his corpse to the ground, and many
living testimonies were borne there, by faithful brethren
unto the Truth. And then his body was borne on the
shoulders of his friends and brethren that loved him for
Truth's sake, unto the burying ground atBunhill Fields,
and there interred. And several testimonies were also
borne there at the grave, to the Truth, for the sake of those
that yet remain : and that all might love and live in that

PREFACE. Vll

which makes lovely and living unto God and in his sight ;
and persevere in diligence and faithfulness in the Lord's
work and service, and keep to that Power, and under
the government of that Spirit which only is sufficient to
enable us to follow the steps of them that followed Christ,
and that we might run our race with cheerfulness, finish
our course with joy, lay down our heads in peace, rest
with the Lord for ever, and have a place in that king-
dom that will never fade away. And that it may be so
with all us that yet remain, is my sincere desire, and
earnest supplication unto the Lord ; and that we may
always abide in that love, which is the badge or mark of
our discipleship, in that Spirit which is the bond of our
peace, in that Life by which we have been redeemed, in
that grace and faith by which we are saved, and be aimed
with the whole armour of light, and walk thereiu ; that
fellowship with God and one another we may know, and
the cleansing virtue of his blood that died for us we may
experience, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And
being so cleansed, may possess our vessels in sanctifica-
tion, and continue in the life of righteousness, and in
holy fear wait upon the Lord, to be filled with that wis-
dom that is from above, and clothed with the righteous-
ness of Christ, and covered with zeal as with a cloak,
and endued with a good understanding, and guided by
his counsel, and be received into glory, and have the
end of our faith, the salvation of our souls ; is the sin-
cere breathing, and tender supplication of him who
wisheth the good of all men, and prayeth for Sion's
prosperity, and the peace of Jerusalem, that God would
make her an eternal excellency, and the praise of the
whole earth.

And now, having hinted at the author, commemorated
the Lord's power, and commended his Spirit, Grace and
Truth, by whom grace and truth came, I shall, courteous
reader, recommend thee thereto, and earnestly beseech
thee to apply thy heart to it ; and let thy mind in the
perusal of the following writings, be uprightly exercised
therein towards the Lord, that thou mayest truly savour
from what spirit they came, for what end they were writ-

V11I PREFACE.

ten ; and so come to make a right use of them ; and by thy
daily exercise and waiting upon the Lord therein, and
living obedience thereunto, mayest be fitted and enabled
to succeed in that life, spirit, and wisdom, which he was
endued with. And, dear Friends, it is our great encou-
ragement that yet remain, to be faithful to the Lord, di-
ligent in his work and service, zealous for his name, and
our respective testimonies for the sake thereof, because
that blessed Power, Spirit, Life, and Wisdom, that raised
up, fitted, furnished and endued this, and many more of
our ancient, worthy, and honourable brethren, and made
them so, blessed be his holy name, is still with us, and
as sufficient as ever ; and the Lord as willing to fill up
the places of them he hath taken to himself, into the
mansions of eternal glory, as he was in tender mercy
favourably pleased to furnish them, for his work and
service, that it may be carried on to his praise, and the
honour of his worthy name, from age to age, and from
one generation to another.

And therefore let us who yet remain, be faithful unto «
the Lord, and freely given up to follow him, and to
manifest our love and respect unto our deceased Friend
and his Works, by following that wholesome counsel,
and Christian advice he hath by word and writing, freely
and frequently given us ; that so we may by the same
spirit and power, be enabled to follow and succeed him
in his work and service, for the precious Truth.

So with the words of our Lord Jesus, the Way and
Truth, I may conclude, viz. If a man love me he will
keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we
will come unto him, and make our abode with him. And
in that love I desire always to remain,

Courteous Reader,

Thy sincere friend and well-wisher,

JOHN FIELD.

George-Yard, London, the 14th of the 3d month, 1694.

THE

TESTIMONY

OF THE

MEN'S MEETING AT COLCHESTER,

CONCERNING

STEPHEN CRISP.

IT is sufficient for the righteous, that they know the
Lord, and are known of him, and that their life is hid
with Grod in Christ ; such care not for popularity. Yet
forasmuch as the noble acts of the righteous, by which
they obtain a good report, are such as have been pleasing
to God, and the names of such shall be had in remem-
brance. And, therefore, we find a constraint upon our
spirits, to give this short testimony of the faithfulness
of our ancient friend and brother, Stephen Crisp, late of
Colchester, and unto that blessed gift which the Lord
endued him with, beyond many in our day ; and of his
sincere labours and travels, who lived with us for many
years, who was a man zealous for the Lord, his name,
and Truth, faithful and diligent in his work, and able to
give counsel and advice to many states and conditions,
and which he often did with a free and ready mind.

Some of us that have known him from the beginning,
can remember how the Lord was pleased to visit him in
the days of his youth, and begat desires in him after
himself, and after the knowledge of the way of life ;
which did work upon him, so as to put him upon
seeking and getting acquaintance with the best and
most upright-hearted of those days, and was for a time
a teacher among a separate people. In which way
and state he coutinued, until it pleased the Lord, (for a
distressed seed's sake,) to send his servant James Parnell,
unto this town, in the year 1655, who by the word of

3

10 The Testimony of the Men's Meeting

the Lord committed to him, (which clave rocks asunder,)
among divers others, reached unto this our friend ; (he,
with many more in these parts, being ready to cry out,
What shall we do to be saved ?) and by whose ministry
under God, he was convinced of the everlasting Truth,
and forthwith made profession of it ; and a great change
was soon wrought in him, his understanding opened,
and heart wounded before the Lord, in the feeling of
that lively word in his soul, which is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart ; and then his former
building came to be laid low, and he saw himself to have
but a talk and notion of heavenly things ; and that though
he had thought himself rich, he was but poor and
naked, and that to a day of stripping he must come, and
to deny himself ; and so he did, and sat down in silence
under the cross to his own will, and waited for counsel
and instruction to be ministered to him by the Lord : who
after some time had such openness in his mind, as to im-
part now and then a word of exhortation to them that
needed it, and visiting some neighbouring meetings, was
enlarged to speak a few words among them, and then
returned home to his family, and outward calling. Thus
continuing until the Lord further enlarged his gift, and
that he came to know a further growth and increase in
the Truth, and in his testimony for it ; and then found
drawings in his spirit into the north of England, and
afterward into many other parts of it ; and into Scot-
land and Holland, and some parts of Germany, where
he travelled, and was serviceable among them, the more,
in that he had obtained an understanding in the Dutch
language, in a very short time, of whose service there,
in the divers visits that he gave them, we leave to our
dear friends in those parts, to give account.

He had a large understanding given him, not only in
spiritual, but also in temporal things, by which he was
very serviceable to many widows and fatherless, and
others, (as divers can testify,) being very ready and free
to assist them; and as he had freely received, did freely
give; and was therein not only serviceable to Friends,
but also to others of his neighbours.

at Colchester, concerning Stephen Crisp. 11

He was zealously and concientiously affected for the
peace and prosperity of Friends in every place ; and for
that cause diligently laboured amongst them ; and when
he was not able to ride or travel much by reason of his
distempers, as in former days, he continued chiefly in
this town of Colchester, and in the city of London, in
the Lord's work and service, as long as strength and
ability of body lasted.

He was of a constant, firm, bold mind and spirit,
against all those that secretly or openly sought occa-
sion to make rents and divisions among us in the churches
of Christ, and laboured diligently to preserve the simple-
hearted from being betrayed by their snares and cunning
insinuations, exhorting them, (as did the apostle,) to
mark those that cause divisions, and to avoid them, and
to keep in the unity of the spirit, and in the sense of the
grace received, that all might grow up in it, into a fur-
ther discerning of the mysterious workings of the enemy
that goes round about, and tries every way, to see whom
he might devour.

He had a gift of utterance beyond many, sound in
judgment and doctrine, and very convincing to the un-
derstandings of many that heard him ; for which cause,
his testimony was affecting to many that were not of us,
who would come to hear him when he was with us : and
lie would often call to people to come and try the suffi-
ciency of the grace of God, that a measure of it was
committed to them, and whether it was not able to save
from sin, yea, to the utmost, all such as received and
obeyed it. He divided the word aright, and turned many
from darkness to light ; many mourners have been com-
forted by him, and many tender-hearted helped, through
their inward exercises and conflicts' of spirit, and hath
been a strength to them in their spiritual warfare : but
his testimony was as a sharp two-edged sword, to the re-
bellious, obdurate, and hard-hearted, to the piercing
through them many a time: and his very outward coun-
tenance hath sometimes struck to the hearts of some,
as some have since confessed : and some that have gotten
into a spirit of enmity, have been made through the

12 The Testimony of the Men's Meeting

power that did accompany him, to come and acknowledge
the hurt which that spirit had done them ; and that the
Lord was with him.

And at taking his last farewell, when he was about to
leave us, he was for several meetings before his depar-
ture, mightily opened in his spirit, in our public meetings
desiring to be clear of the blood of all, (as he several
times of late said he was,) labouring to speak to the
states of all, and also to Friends' services to which they
were called in their day, to keep Truth's testimony clear
from all unrighteous actions that might be committed by
those that lived not in that they made profession of, and
to set judgment a-top of them, saying, if we ceased to
separate between the precious and the vile, the vile would
overrun us, and we should become like other people;
also he took notice of, and rejoiced in the love and unity ,
that had been, and was among us, exhorting and coun-
selling of us to be, and continue in the same mind, keep-
ing the unity of the spirit, in the bond of peace.

He was beloved of his friends, his townsmen and
neighbours, and left or had not many enemies, at least
more than apostates and false professors of the Truth,
who forsaking and turning their backs on God, no won-
der such are envious, and opposers of his servants.

He was very tender and helpful to divers, who have
been of late called forth into a public testimony, and
into the same work wherein he was himself employed
by his great Lord and Master Christ Jesus, being very
tender and ready to help forward that which he found
to come from the motion of the seed of life in any, and
would speak a word in season to such. And his last
testimony in our yearly meeting on that account, is worthy
of remembrance.

And in his last being among us, he was very
weighty in his visits in our private families, and much
and often dropping some weighty discourse among us for
our edification, furtherance, and growth in the Truth.

For all which works sake, he was much esteemed,
and was worthy of double honour ; and we doubt not
but is clothed with a large share of that honour, glory

.

at Colchester, concerning Stephen Crisp. 13

and immortality with our God, which is the portion of
all those that faithfully serve, and honour the Lord in
their day, as he did.

Signed in behalf of our Men's Meeting at Colchester,
the seventeenth of the Eighth month, 1692.

Arthur Cotten, Thomas Wear,

Thomas Bales, Daniel Vande Wall,

Solomon Formantell, Anthony Whaypool,
John Furly, Henry Pumfret,

Samuel Cooper, John Perry.

Michard Waller,

FROM
THE SECOND DAY MORNING MEETING,

The fourth of the Fourth month, 1694.

BEING not willing to multiply many particular testi-
monies concerning our dear deceased Friend and brother
Stephen Crisp, and having unity with the foregoing ac-
counts, in a living remembrance of that love, life an<l
power that he was endued with, and of his labours and
services in the gospel of peace, in the church of Christ,
and of his travails and sufferings for propagation and
preaching the same, we hereunto subscribe our names,
and tenderly desire that all may love, live, and have
their minds sincerely exercised towards the Lord, in that
which teacheth how to rightly prize, esteem and make
use of the Lord's mercies, and the labours, services and
writings of the ministers and servants of Christ, in whose
love we remain

Servants of Christ, and well-wishers to all men,

George Whitehead, John Whitehead,

Francis Camjteld, William Bingley,

John Vaughton, Samuel Waldenjield.

John Edridgej Fran. Stamper.
Ambrose Migge,

THE

TESTIMONY

OF THE

YEARLY MEETING OF FRIENDS,

Held at Amsterdam, the Fifth Month, Anno 1693, concerning
our dear friend, and Servant of Christ Jesus,

STEPHEN CRISP.

BEING acquainted with the intentions of our dear
friends and brethren in England, to commit to posterity,
in a collection, the writings of that eminent servant of
God, and faithful minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ,
Stephen Crisp, whose ministry in and through the power
of God, was effectual unto many; and amongst the rest,
to us also in these eastern countries, viz. Holland, Fries-
land, Embden, Hamburgh, Frederickstadt, Dantzick,
Palatinate, and Crevelt : and we having been no small
sharers with our friends in England, &c. in the blessed
benefit of his acceptable service, do give also our testi-
mony, (in this collection concerning him,) in a true and
faithful account of his services, labours and travels in
these parts, and to bless the Lord for his continued care
over his church and people here, who sent him first
amongst us, about the time that it pleased God to take
from us our dear and well-beloved friends, and his faith-
ful servants, and ministers of the gospel, William Ames,
William Caton, and John Higgins, who had it chiefly
upon them to preach the Truth, and watch over the little
flock of Christ in these countries,^ and to minister unto
the believers thereof in these parts, according to the hea-
venly gift committed to them. We say, we have cause to
bless the Lord, and esteem his Divine hand of provi-
dence, that about that juncture of time, the Lord should
move upon the spirit of this our dear friend S. C. in the
powerful drawings of his love, to turn his face towards
us. And in the movings of that love and life in which
he then began to recommend himself to us, (and in which
he still lives among us.) he was made willing to put his

*~'

The Testimony of the Yearly Meeting, §*c. 15

shoulders under the burdens that he was to bear in these
parts, on the Truth's account ; and that in such a degree,
that he made it not only his work to come and visit us
sometimes, and thereby give us opportunities to be refresh-
ed and comforted in his company, in our meetings and
private discourses, (as we have also beeu with many others
of our dear and beloved friends from England, from time
to time,) but also he very diligently took notice of all
the occurrences in which Truth was concerned, and was
not weary of labouring in the spirit of wisdom and un-
derstanding, (which God was pleased to endue him with
in a large measure,) both in words and writings, in the
spreading of the Truth, in doctrine, and stopping the
mouths of gainsayers, and turning back the calumnies
and falsehoods which were often cast upon the Truth,
and return it upon the heads of its enemies and opposers ;
and also in counsel, information, admonition, exhortation
and advice, both in public and private preaching the Truth,
very acceptably in the Low Dutch language, and assisting
divers ways many that wanted it, in the ordering of their
concerns belonging to this world, for which also the Lord
had greatly furnished him with a capacity beyond many
others : and when from time to time, his service for God's
truth called him from hence, he left us always that comfort,
that he did not draw his heart from us, (which was very-
fatherly towards us,) but held a constant eye upon us, and
Truth's and our concern here, and was always ready, as
much as that outward distance, and his service in England
would permit him, to assist us, as when he was present
among us. And when he came to Holland, he also ge-
nerally went to Friesland, where he visited some there
that were in a measure convinced ; and others that were
willing to hear his testimony for the truth, even before
there was a meeting settled in that province, with dear
Josiah Coale, in the year I667. Afterward also he went
to Groningen, Embden, Hamburgh, and Frederickstadt;
at Leuwarden he visited some Friends that were but a
little before imprisoned there for coming into Friesland,
contrary to the edict there published, forbidding any
Quakers coming thither. Against which persecution he

16 The Testimony of the Yearly Meeting, §'c.

wrote his two books, the First and Second Part of the
Outcry against the Persecution in Friesland.

In other places thereabouts, he preached the gospel,
to the strengthening and comforting God's heritage in
those parts, being in the year 1670. In the year 1667?
he visited the small company of Friends, then living at
a place called Creysheim, in the Palatinate : also he
went to Heydelberg, the residence of the prince elector
Charles Louis, to acquaint him with the unrighteous
dealings of the magistrates of Creysheim, in taking from
Friends, three or four times the value of goods for an
imposition, which Friends for conscience sake could not
pay ; and was friendly received, and discoursed by the
prince ; whereby Friends were somewhat eased in their
sufferings. Another time he made a journey into the
county of Meurs, to the town of Crevel, where a meet-
ing was set up. Also he visited some well-affected peo-
ple at Weesel and Cleef ; and Anno 1685, he gave us his
last visit here in Holland. And though his heart was
with us to the end of his days, yet his bodily weakness
and infirmities growing upon, and disabling him from
performing such travels, prevented him from manifesting
such endeared love to us in such manner as he used to
do before. Aud so at last, he having finished his ser-
vice, and done his work, (for which the Lord had raised
him up, and assisted him with his power, presence and
wisdom to perform,) he is entered into the rest of the
righteous and faithful followers of the Lamb, having
passed through many exercises both inward and outward,
which to mention, we shall leave to others, who were
more fully acquainted with them. And we dare not repine
for the loss of his outward company, but rest satisfied in
the will of God, giving thanks to him, who hath blessed
us in the enjoyment of his service of love, being still
partakers of the blessed effects thereof; and hope the
Lord of heaven and earth, will be pleased to raise up
many others, to stand up in the places of such faithful
labourers in the vineyard.

Signed in behalf of, and by order of the Yearly Meet-
ing abovesaid, by

JOHN CLAUS.

A

JOURNAL

OF THE

LIFE OF STEPHEN CRISP,

GIVING

AN ACCOUNT OF HIS CONVINCEMENT, TRAVELS, LABOURS, AND
SUFFERINGS, IN AND FOR THE TRUTH.

OH ! all ye saints, and all ye inhabitants of the earth,
let the name of Jehovah be famous among you, for there
is do God like unto him; and let his mercies and judg-
ments be remembered and recorded from generation to
generation ; for infinite is his goodness, and his loving
kindness unspeakable. And although no man can fully
recount his loving kindness to him reached out, yet let
all men testify of his goodness, and declare of his mercies
by which he is engaging the sons of men to himself and
winning and gathering again the scattered to the true rest.
And therefore, well said David, " I will remember the
years of the right hand of the Most High ; I will remem-
ber the works of the Lord : surely I will remember his
wonders of old. I will meditate of all thy works, I will
talk of thy doings." Psal. lxxvii. ver. 10, 11, 12. And
who can feel his goodness, and partake of his love, but it
will constrain a testimony to him ? And in the sweet re-
membrance of his manifold innumerable mercies, I am
even overcome. For my whole life hath been as a con-
tinued series of mercy and goodness, and all my days
hath he been my upholder ; when I knew him not he was
nigh unto me ; yea, when I rebelled against him, he ceas-
ed not to be gracious ; his covenant stood with his seed
Christ : and for his sake he spared me. His long-suffer-
ing and patience was extended towards me, else I had
been cut off in the days of my gainsaying. But oh ! well

3

18 *3 Journal of the Life of Stejriien Crisp.

may I say he is a God gracious and merciful, long-suf-
fering and patient, full of compassion. Oh ! let this his
name he proclaimed to the ends of the earth, and let the
ears of the heathen be opened, to hear the sound of his
praise.

And surely the Lord hath had an eye of tender com-
passion upon me, from the day that he formed me, and
hath appointed me to his praise, and to witness forth his
goodness, for so soon as I can remember, and so soon as
I was capable of understanding, he made me to under-
stand that which consented not to any evil, but stood in
my soul as a witness against all evil; and manifested that
I should not lie, nor steal, nor be stubborn, nor be dis-
obedient, but should behave myself in meekness and
quietness, and set truth before me, as that which was bet-
ter than falsehood ; and this same witness even in the
days of my childhood ministered peace and boldness
unto me, when I hearkened to the counsel of it ; but there
was a contrary nature and seed in me that was of this
world, and not of God ; which inclined unto evil, and
unto the way and manner of this evil world, as most of
all suiting the carnal mind ; and an eye begau to open in
me that saw what was acceptable with man, rather than
what was well-pleasing to God.

And that eye being daily ministered unto by the va-
rious objects, and examples of vanity, a delight sprung
up in that which was evil, and my senses became exer-
cised with vanity, by which the pure seed became op-
pressed and grieved from day to day, and began to cry
out against me ; and condemnation began to be stirred up
in me, and fear entered, where before, no fear was, and
the pure innocency was lost ; and then having at any
time done or spoken any evil, then the light, (or pure
principle,) in me would manifest it to me, and show me
that I ought not so to have done : and I felt condemna-
tion, which how to escape I knew not; but then the evil
spirit that led to transgress, would always stand ready
to help in this need ; and sometimes stirred up the subtlety
in me, to plead a reason for what I had done, or a pro-
vocation, or a good intent, or else to deny, or at least to

A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp. 19

mitigate the evil of my deed, and so to stop the mouth of
the witness of God, and to see if I could escape the con-
demnation of the witness of God and procure my own
peace. But alas ! this was a miserable help, for the light
would often shine through all this, and quell my reason-
ings ; and showed me, when I was but a child, that in the
pure reason that is from God, there is no reason for any
evil, let provocations, temptations, or examples be what
they can, or will ; and so was I often stripped naked
from all my reasoning and coverings ; and then 1 learned
another way to get ease from the judgment, and that when
I was very young, about seven or eight years old, I would
use when judgment overtook me for evil, to yield that it
was so ; and therefore thought I must do something to
please God again, and so hereupon I learned to pray,
and to weep in secret, and to covenant with God for more
watchfulness, and so then I thought for a season I was
as one uuburdened from my weight; yet this best state
was accompanied with many doubtings and questionings,
whether my evils were blotted out, or no : especially
when I saw that I was again overtaken by the evil spi-
rit, and led into evil thoughts, words, or actions, for the
witness cried even then to have my whole mind given up
to the Lord, and that in thought, word, and deed, I
should serve him, but I knew not that it was from God;
but this I knew, that I wanted power to answer the re-
quirings of that iu me, which witnesseth against evil in
me, and this I lamented day and night : and when I was
about nine or ten years old, I sought the power of God
with great tliligence and earnestness, with strong cries
and tears ; and if I had had the whole world I would
have given it, to have known how to obtain power over
my corruptions. And when I saw the carelessness of
other children, and their profaueness, and that they did
not, (that I could discern,) think of God, or were not
in trouble, though they were far more wicked than I, in
their speech and actions ; ah Lord ! thought I, what will
become of these ? Seeing so heavy a hand is upon me, I
can find neither peace, nor assurance of thy love.

Then the enemy would tempt me to rest, and be quiet^

20 A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp.

in that it was better with me than with others, and my
reason wrought strongly to make up a peace to myself
herein, but the pure witness followed me, and left me
not, but pursued me night and day, and broke my peace
fasten than I could make it up, for my mind was in my
own works. And I could see no further, I heard talk of
a Christ and Saviour, but oh ! thought I, that I knew
him.

My ear was lent to the discourses and disputations of
the times, which were very many ; and one while I let
in one thing, and another while another. Sometimes I
heard men dispute that God sees no sin in his people ;
then T said, surely I am none* of them ; for he marketh
all my transgressions. Otherwhile, men talked of an elec-
tion, and a reprobation of persons before time ; and that
I considered diligently, and thought, if that were so, and
I could but get so many signs and marks of an elect soul,
as might bring me to quiet, then I would keep it ; and
not be so tossed as I had been. Then I grew a very di-
ligent hearer, and regarder of the best ministers, as they
were reputed ; and went with as much diligence and
cheerfulness to reading, and to hearing sermons, as other
children went to their play and sportings. And when I
heard any one treat upon that point of election ; and how
men might know if they were elect, and would in their
dark wisdom lay down signs of a true believer, and signs
of an elect soul, then would I try myself in their measure,
and weigh myself in their balance, and so gather up a
little peace to myself, finding such things in me as they
spoke of for signs ; as, a desire against sin, a loathing
myself for sin, a love to them that were counted the best
people, a longing to be rid of sin, &c. But alas ! here was
yet but the blind leading my poor blind soul. This was
not the balance of the sanctuary ; and when I had gotten
a little peace and quietness, and thought to hold it, alas,
it would soon be shattered and broken, and when God's
pure witness -arose in me, that I must be weighed in the
true balance, oh then I found I was much too light ; then
anguish would again kindle in me, and a cry was in me ;
Oh whither shall I go? and what shall I do? that I

A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp. 21

may come to a settled state, before I go hence and be
seen no more. And in this woful condition, the thoughts
of death would bring a dread over soul and body ; and
trembling and horror was often upon me, fearing that I
was set apart for a vessel of wrath for ever, and must
bear the fiery indignation of God for ever. And oh, that
word for ever, would often be terrible to me, but how to
prevent it I knew not ; for now I began to perceive my
own insufficiency, and my want of God's power, and that
it was not in my own power to keep myself out of sin,
and the wages of it was death, so that I was in a great
strait, sometimes thinking I had better give over seek-
ing, and sometimes thinking, if I perish I had better
perish seeking, and here the good got the upper hand for
a season, and I became a diligent seeker, and prayer,
and mourner, and would often find out the most secret
fields and unusual places, there to pour out my complaints
to the Lord.

When I was but about twelve years old, my general
and constant cry was after the power by which I might
overcome corruptions, and although I heard the teachers
of those times, daily saying, none could live without sin,
aud the doctrine of perfection holden as a dangerous
error, yet that did not abate my cry ; though indeed it did
often weaken my belief of obtaining ; and so made my
prayer almost faithless, and so without success. But I
knew that without the power of God I must perish, let
them say what they could, and I could not reckon my-
self saved while I was captivated with a corrupt and re-
bellious nature, let them all say what they could : for I
remembered the words of Christ, He that eommitteth sin
is the servant of sin, and that I knew was I. And in this
iron furnace I toiled and laboured, and none knew my
sorrows and griefs, which at times were almost intolerable,
so that I wished I had never been born, or that my end v
might belike the beasts of the field, forlcouuted them hap-
py, for they had no such bitter combat here as I had, nor
should endure that hereafter, that I feared I must en-
dure after all, for I did see my misery, but I saw no way
to escape. Then I thought I had best not keep my mi-

2Z •£ Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp.

sery so close, but disclose it to some that may be might
help me ; but well might I say miserable comforters I
found them all to be ; for then they would bid me apply
the promises by faith, and suck comfort out of the scrip-
tures ; and tell me of the apostle's state, mentioned in the
7th of the Romans, and tell me it was so with him, and
yet he was a servant of Jesus Christ, and such like de-
ceitful daubings as they had daubed themselves with, in
like manner dealt they with me : not considering how the
apostle called that a wretched and an undelivered state,
as I might well do mine. But all these things took but
little place in me, my wound remained unhealed, and he
that wounded me and was able to have healed me, was
nigh me, and I knew him not; but I went groping in that
dark and dismal night of darkness, seeking the living
among the dead, as many more did, but it was so dark
that we that did so could not see one another. And as
for the priests and professors of those times, the most of
them would boast of experiences, and of zeal, and of
assurances of the love of God, and what comfort they en-
joyed by thinking or meditating on the suffering of Christ
for their sins, &c. Alas ! thought I, I could think of these
things as well as you, but my wound still remains fresh,
and I see that 1 am as one of the crucifiers, while I live
in sin, for which he died, and my soul louged after some
other kind of knowledge of him, than that which was to
be attained by reading, for I see that the worst, as well
as the best could attain to that. But I durst not lean upon
them so much as I had done, for then I began to be some-
what more loosened in my mind from the priests, (though
I left them not wholly,) but now began to find out the
meetings of those then called Separatists, and to hear
their gifted men so called, whose doctrine I took notice,
savoured more of zeal and fervency, than most of the
priests did, neither did I see them so covetous to make a
gain of preaching, not yet being come to see how they
coveted greatness and applause of men, but I was often
affected with their preachings, but still the former bond
was upon me, and they yet strengthened it : to wit, that
if I were not elected, I could not be saved, and how I

Jl Journal of the Life of StejjJien Crisp. S3

might know, no man could tell me to my satisfaction ; so
the fear of this would often dash my comfort, and then I
began to take notice of the loose walking of .such Sepa-
ratists, yea, even of the teachers among them, how that
they were not yet redeemed from foolish jesting, from idle
words, from anger and passion, and sometimes it broke
out brother against brother, and so ran out to parties, and
to breaches and schisms, and rending their churches,
Which they often both built and pulled down with their
own hands; I also saw how unconstant they were, some-
times letting in one doctrine, sometimes another, tossed
with winds : but not a word could I hear how I might ob-
tain power over sin. Over some sins and some lusts I had,
but over all I had not; and nothing else would satisfy me.
Then I began when I was about seventeen or eighteen
years of age, to seek yet further, and hearing of a people
that held forth, the death of Christ for all men, I went to
hear them, and after some time Icame to see that there was
more light, and a clearer understanding of the scriptures
among them, than among the former ; so I began to be
conversant with them, andfrequentin their meetings, and
came to be established in that belief, that there was a
dear Son of hope, and way or means of salvation prepar-
ed for all people, and none positively by any eternal de-
cree excluded, as by name or person, but as unbelievers
and disobedient. So this ministered comfort a while, and
I set myself to believe, and to get faith in Christ, and to
reckon myself a believer, and found it a hard work, even
too hard for me, though I cried aloud many times to have
my unbelief helped : yet when 1 saw sin prevail over me,
alas ! said I, where is that faith that purifies the heart,
and giveth victory ; mine is not such. Then would the
pure witness of God arise and testify against me for my
sin, and the more my understanding was enlarged, the
sharper was my judgment; and now it grew so sharp,
that I knew not how to endure it so well as I had done
in my childhood ; but the rough and rebellious nature be-
ing now grown strong, and I in the prime and strength
of my youth, and seeing how others spent their time in
pleasure and vanity, a secret lust and desire kindled in

24 A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp.

me to partake of their cup ; yet for a time I was kept in,
as with a bit ; and rather took delight to take notice of
the varieties of wits, and inventions, that had been in fore-
time, which I found by books, being much given to read-
ing, and so gathered many sayings and sentences of wise
philosophers and sages, and in part obtained the know-
ledge of many ages gone before me ; and these things I
thought were as an ornament fitting me for discourse, and
for the company of wise men. And alas ! all this while
self stood uncrucified, and all that was gotten was but
sacrificed and offered up for the obtaining a reputation to
self, which should have been kept in the cross, yet this
served me a while to feed that unwearied searching,
seeking soul of mine withal ; and many things I met with
became as a life unto it for a season, and I began to bless
myself, that my time was no worse spent. And in this
time I found two drawings ; one strong drawing and en-
ticement was into the world, wholly to give myself up to
the pleasures, delights, and vanities of it : and another
drawing was unto godliness, watchfulness, seriousness,
&c. And I, poor man, knew not what to do, as to reli-
gion ; I saw divers, and felt a religious inclination in me,
as I had done from a child, and could have been well
content to have taken up some form of religion, but was
sore discouraged, because I could see none of them hold
forth that which I wanted, either in their life or doctrine,
to wit, power over corruptions, without which I knew
religion would be in vain, and not answer the end for
which I should take it up ; so I desisted taking up any
form, and kept in the wild field of this world, and wan-
dered up and down, sometimes to one sort of people,
sometimes to another ; taking a sharp inspection into
their lives and doctrines, though I confess, I left my own
garden undressed, until many noisome weeds overgrew.
And so that I began to loose my tenderness of conscience,
which 1 had had, and began to take pleasure in the com-
pany of the wicked, and in many things to become like
them, and came to be captivated more than ever, with
mirth and jollity, and oft would sing when I had cause-
to howl and mourn, and fell to gaming and pastime, and

JL Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp. %5

presumed upon the mercy of God, and had a secret belief,
that God would one day manifest his power, and bring
me out of this state ; and therefore had often a dread upon
me, of running so far into wickedness, as some others
did, and was kept from many gross evils that my compa-
nions ran into ; and herein was the infinite goodness of
the Lord manifest, which when I came to see with a true
eye, it broke my heart ; yea, my heart and soul praiseth
the Lord for his mercy, who kept me when I knew him
not. And though provocations and temptations were
many, that did attend me, yet out of divers abominations
was I preserved, and I must say and acknowledge, as
the Lord said to Abimelech, it was the Lord that pre-
served or kept me. So this kind of course of life went on
for a season, about two or three years, until a weariness
came upon me thereby ; for many times in the very midst
of all my mirth, the hand of the Lord would be heavy
upon me, and his righteous judgment would kindle in
me, and put a stop to my course, and then would I la-
ment me in secret, and sometimes complain to others of
my sore captivity and slavery to sin, and often would I
be arguing, and conferring with them that were counted
experienced Christians, how peace and assurance might
be attained ; some would say by reading and applying
promises, but that way I had tried so often and so long,
that it took now but little with me, for I saw I was in
another state than that unto which the promises were
made. Others said the only way was to be obedient to
the commands and ordinances of Jesus Christ, and to be
conformable to the primitive saints, in walking in church-
order and communion, where every one had the strength
of many, and all the church bound to watch over every
member. To these counsellors I hearkened, and was
willing to do any thing, to find the power; and reproach
should not keep me back : so I took up that ordinance,
as they called it, of water baptism, expecting then to
have found power more than before. And my will
wrought strongly to bridle and keep down that airy
part and sinful nature, and for a season strove to uphold
and maintain mvself to be in a better state than before,

4

26 JL Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp,

though the virtue that should sanctify and wash me I did
not feel, my mind being abroad, and the reasons that
kept me were not the operation of the pure love of God
in my heart, and his grace prevailing in me, to teach me,
but rather an^eye to the reputation of my religion, and
that I might not seem to have run and acted all in vain.
But these reasons held for a season, before the temp-
tation grew too strong for my will, and the devil entered
liis own ground, and prevailed upon me, and led me
captive into sin and evil, and drew me into vain company
and vain sports, and delights, and pastimes agaiu as be-
fore ; so that I sufficiently saw I wauted what I wanted
before, and had grasped but at a shadow, and catched
nothing but wind, and that my baptism was short of
John's, who did indeed baptize with a baptism of repent-
ance, and prepared the way of the Lord, and made his
path straight ; but mine did not so much, and therefore
was much more short of the baptism of Christ, in which
the fire was to be found, that should burn up what was
offensive to God, and grieved his holy Spirit, and then
fill me with his spirit, which takes delight in nothing
that is corrupt. This baptism I saw was wanting, and
therefore a dissatisfaction began to grow up in me, both
of myself, and of my- way ; and I testified unto the el-
ders, so called of the church, that God would shortly
overturn all our worships and religions, which stood in
outward and carnal things, and would make known some
way a-top of them all, that should stand forever. When
they inquired what that way should be, I confessed I
knew not, but waited to see what it might be. Aud about
those days many exercised themselves in talking aud
discoursing of a people called Quakers, after whom
I listened, but though I hearkened with great diligence,
I could hear no good report of them but much harm, and
many false and wicked lies were cast upon them ; only
this I took notice of, that they suffered cruel mockiags,
and grievous sufferings patiently ; now I did expect, that
when the way of God was made manifest, it would be
hated and persecuted ; yet I thought that should not at
all deter or affright me from owning of it, and walking

A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp. 27

in it, if once 1 knew it. But forasmuch as I heard they
held perfection in this life, that was a thing the old wis-
dom of the serpent could not reach nor join with, but I
reasoned against it strongly, in that dark fallen wisdom
in. which many are still fighting for sin, which is the
devil's host, whom I now see to be no better than the
host of Magog, fighting against the Lamb, and his inno-
cent life, saying in their hearts, Rule thou in heaven if
thou wilt, for on earth thou shalt have no place ; no, not
one soul to bear rule and sovereignty over. And I can but
pity thousands who are fighting the devil's quarrels in this
matter, but having faithfully laboured with them in my
generation, I leave them that are wilful and stubborn op-
posers, who will in nowise receive that which is perfect
in this life, to receive the wages of imperfection in the
life to come. But I say, in this same fallen wisdom did
I reason divers ways, too many now to name, against
the truth, the fame whereof I had heard as the Scripture
speaks, while I was in death and in the way of destruc-
tion. But a messenger of this truth I had not seen, but
longed much to see one, wishing night and day, that our
parts might be visited by them, as I had heard others
were : and at last the Lord sent his faithful servant and
messenger of his everlasting gospel, James Parnell, to
our town of C Ichester, about the Fourth month, 1655,
and in the &7th year of my age, who came in the name
and power of the Most High God, in which he turned
many to righteousness, both there and in other countries
before, of whom some remain, and many are fallen asleep.
When I saw this man, being but a youth, and knew not
the power nor spirit that was in him, I thought to with-
stand him, and began to query and seek discourse with
him; but I quickly came to feel the spirit of sound judg-
ment was in him, and the witness of God arose in me,
and testified to his judgment, and signified I must own
it; it being just and true, and I the same day and hour
testified, that all our rods of profession would be lost or
devoured by his rod, alluding to that of Moses, and the
magicians of Egypt, which is and shall certainly come to
pass : so that day I went to a meeting, and heard him

88 A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisj).

declare the everlasting gospel, in the name and authority
of the Lord, which 1 could not with all ray wisdom and
knowledge withstand, but was constrained to own and
confess unto the truth. And here at the very first of my
convincement did the enemy of my soul make trial to
slay me, and that after this manner, that seeing my wis-
dom and reason was overcome by the truth, I could not
therewith withstand it, therefore I received the truth,
and held it in the same part with which I withstood it,
and defended it with the same wisdom by which I re-
sisted it, and so was yet a stranger to the cross that was
to crucify me ; and was at liberty in the discoursative
spirit, to lay out my wits and parts for the truth. But I
soon felt my sacrifice, though I offered the best my earth
would afford, was not accepted, but something else was
still called for; and a cry was in me which called to
judgment, and the earth that had long covered her slain,
began to be moved, but not yet removed out of its place,
and great were the stragglings of my thoughts, and a
great desire kindled in me how I might comprehend the
truth in my understanding, as I had done the doctrines
and principles of other religions; but all my labour
therein was to no purpose, for a death was determined
upon that wisdom from the Lord ; so I saw my labour in
vain, my fishing could catch nothing, all that night
while I wrought in the dark, and had not the guidance
of the Light.

So in this state I continued a month or two, but then a
swift sword was drawn against that wisdom and com-
prehending mind, and a strong hand gave the stroke, and
I was hewn down like a tall cedar, that at once comes
down to the ground.

But then, oh the wo, misery and calamity that opened
upon me ! Yea, even the gates of hell and destruction
stood open, and I saw myself nigh falling thereinto, my
hope and faith, and all fled from me, I had no prop left
me to rest upon. The tongue that was as a river, was
now like a dry desert ; the eye that would, or at least
desired to see every thing, was now so blind, that I
could see nothing certainly, but my present uudone and

Ji Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp. 29

miserable state. Oh ! then I cried out in the bitterness of
my soul, what hath all ray profession profited me? I am
poor and blind, and naked, who thought I had been rich
and well adorned. Then saw I the well-favoured harlot
stript, and the great whore was brought into remembrance
before God; and her judgment was come, and how to
es6ape the fire of the vengeance which broke forth, I knew
not. Oh, how doleful was my nights, and sorrowful was
my days ! my delights withered even in wife and children,
and in all things, and the glory of the whole world pass-
ed away like a scroll that is burnt with fire, and I saw
nothing left in the whole world to give me any comfort;
my sun lost her light, and my moon was darkened, and
the stars of my course were fallen, that I knew no more
how to direct my way, but was as one forsaken in a
howling desert in the darkest uight; and when I saw
what God had done, for I believed it was his doing, I
was ready to cry, 1 am forsaken for ever, and never was
sorrow like mine, my wound is incurable, and my sick-
ness none can heal. Alas ! my tongue nor pen cannot ex-
press the sorrows of those days in which I sat me down
in silence, fear and astonishment, and was encompassed
with sorrow and darkness ; and I knew none to make my
moan unto : I heard of joy and salvation, but could scarce
think that ever I should be a partaker of it, I still want-
ing that living faith, which the apostle said, was of the
operation of God, who raised up Jesus, the true seed,
which seed I still felt groaning in me to be delivered
from the burden of sin, and from the oppression of the
carnal mind. So after long travail, strong cries, and many
bitter tears and groans, I found a little hope springing in
me, that the Lord in his own time would bring forth his
seed, even his elect seed, the seed of his covenant, to rule
in me; and this was given me at a time when a sense of
my own unworthiness had so overwhelmed me in sorrow
and anguish, that I thought myself unworthy of any of
the creatures ; forasmuch as I was out of the covenant of
God, and hereupon was tempted to deny myself of them :
then did the hope of the resurrection of the just spring in
me; and I was taught to wait on God, and to eat and

30 A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp.

drink in fear and watchfulness, showing forth the Lord's
death till he should come to be raised to live and reign
in me, so then I waited as one that had hope that God
would be gracious to me, yet something in me would fain
have known the time how long it should be, but a faith-
ful cry was in me which called that to death. And upon
a time being weary of my own thoughts in the meeting of
God's people, I thought none was like me, and it was
but in vain to sit there with such a wandering mind as
mine was, while though I laboured to stay it, yet could
not as I would ; at length, I thought to go forth, and as
I was going, the Lord thundered through me, saying,
that which is weary must die ; so I turned to my seat and
waited in the belief of God, for the death of that part
which was weary of the work of God, and grew more
diligent in seeking death, that I might be baptized for the
dead; and that I might know how to put off the old man
with his deeds and words, and imaginations, his fashions
and customs, his friendship and wisdom, and all that ap-
pertained to him, and the cross of Christ was laid upon
me, and I bore it. And as I came willingly to take it up,
I found it to be to me, that thing which I had sought from
my childhood, even the power of God: for by it, I was
crucified to the world, and it to me, which nothing else
could ever do : but oh, how glad was my soul when I
had found the way to slay my souFs enemies; oh, the
secret joy that was in me in the midst of all my conflicts
and combats, I had this confidence, if I take but up the
cross, I shall obtain victory, for that is the power of God
through faith to salvation, and as I have found it so in
some tilings, so I shall do in all in due time; then the re-
proach of the gospel became joyous to me ; though in
those days it was very cruel and grievous to flesh and
blood, yet I despised it, and that for the joy that was
now set before me, of which I had some hope I should
in time be made a partaker, if T abode faithful ; and that
was my great care night and day, to keep so low and out
of the workings of my own will, that I might discern the
mind of God, and do it, though in never so great across
to my own. Yet the enemy of my soul followed me

J3. Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp. 31

close and very secretly, and taking notice how willing I
was to obey the Lord, he strove to get up into the seat of
God, and to move as an angel of light, to betray me, and
to lead me into something that was like the service of
God, and many sore conflicts did I meet withal before I
was able iu all things to distinguish between the work-
ings of the true spirit and power, from that which was
but transformed ; but forasmuch as I had now surely
tasted of the love and goodness of God, I trusted in him,
and committed the keeping of my soul unto him in sin-
gleness of heart ; and manifold and daily were his deli-
verances made known to me, beyond all recount or re-
membrance of man, for which, oh my soul, praise thou
the Lord for ever, who cared for thee in thy infancy, and
kept thee in the days of thy distress.

So the more I came to feel and perceive the lcve of
God, and his goodness to flow forth upon me, the more
was I humbled and bowed in my mind to serve him, and
to serve the least of his people among whom I walked ;
and as the word of wisdom began to spring in me, and
the knowledge of God grew, so I became as a counsellor
of them that were tempted in like manner as I had been,
yet being kept so low that I waited to receive counsel
daily from God, and from those that were over me in the
Lord, and in Christ were before me, against whom I never
rebelled, nor was'stubborn ; but the more I was kept in
subjection myself, the more subject were evil spirits made
to me, and the more I was enabled to help the weak and
feeble ones, so the eyes of many came to be upon me, as
one with whom counsel and understanding, in some mea-
sure were : and the church of God in those days increased,
and my care daily increased, and the weight of things re-
lating both to the outward and inward condition of poor
friends came upon me, and being called of God and his
people to take the care of the poor, and to relieve their
necessities as I did see occasion, I did it faithfully for di-
vers years, with diligence and much tenderness, exhorting
aud reproving any that were slothful, and encouraging
them that were diligent, putting a difference according to
the wisdom given me of God, and still minding my own

32 A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp.

state and condition, and seeking the honour that comes
from God only: and a cry was in me to keep on my spi-
ritual armour, for all enemies were not yet put under my
feet, so I kept my watch, not knowing well where the
enemy might appear, but after a while I found his ap-
pearance once more to be very sharp, and that upon this
occasion. g

About the year 1659, I often felt the aboundings of
the love of God in my heart, and a cry to stand given up
to his will, which I thought I was, not knowing or for-
seeing what the Lord was intending to do with me, but
his eyes saw further than mine; this love and tenderness,
and bowels of compassion wrought so in me, that it ex-
tended even to all men on the whole face of the earth, so
that I cried in spirit, oh that all men knew thee and thy
goodness! And upon a time, as I was waiting upon the
Lord, his word arose in me, and commanded me to for-
sake and part with my dear wife and children, father and
mother, and to go and bear witness to his name in Scot-
land, to that high professing nation : but when that came
to pass I found all enemies were not slain indeed ; for
the strivings, smugglings, reasonings and disputings
against the command of God, that I then met with, can-
not be told or numbered. Oh! howl would have plead-
ed my own inability, the care of my family, my service
in that particular meeting, and many more things, and
all that I might have been excused from this one thing
which was come upon me, that I thought not of, or looked
not for. But after many reasonings, days and weeks by
myself, I thought it best to speak of it to some of the
faithful elders and ministers of this everlasting gospel ;
not knowing but they might discourage me, and some-
thing there was that hoped it, but contrarily they encou-
raged me, and laid it upon me to be faithful; so then I
gave up, and acquainted my dear wife therewith, which
began me a new exercise, the enemy working in her
strongly to stop me. But in much patience was I kept,
and in quietness, and went and visited Friends' meetings
about Essex, and part of Suffolk, chiefly to see them, and
to take my leave of them, and in some meetings the Lord

A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp, 33

would open my mouth in a few words to the refreshing
of Friends, but I rather chose silence, when I might so,
the winter drew nigh, and something would have defer-
red it till next summer. But the Lord showed me it must
not be my time, but his time 5 then I would have gone
by sea, but the Lord withstood me, and showed me, it
must not be my way, but his way ; and if I would be obe-
dient he would be with me, and prosper my journey, other-
wise his hand would strike me ; so I gave up all, and
with pretty much cheerfulness, at last I obeyed, and about
the end of the Seventh month I went forth, and visited the
churches of Christ.

As I went along in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, I
quickly perceived the Lord was with me more than at
other times, and my journey became joyful, and the more,
in that though I were but weak, poor and low, yet God
gave me acceptance among the elders of his people, and
in every place my testimony was owned, and divers were
convinced of the everlasting truth ; then I marvelled, and
said, Lord, the glory alone belongs to thee, for thou hast
wrought wonders for thy name's sake, and for thy holy
seed's sake. So I got into Scotland in the Ninth month,
that year, and travelled to and fro that winter on foot
with cheerfulness : mauy straits and difficulties attend-
ed me, which I forbear to mention, it being the time of
the motion of the English and Scottish armies, upon
which came the revolution of government, and the bring*
ing back king Charles the Second into England. Well,
about the Eleventh or Twelfth month I returned and tra-
velled into the west to Westmoreland, part of Lanca-
shire, and so to the southward, and in about five or six
months time, was by the good hand of God brought home
to my wife and children, and relations ; in all my journey
being sweetly accompanied with the presence of the Lord,
and his power often filled my earthen vessel and made
my cup to overflow : praises for ever be to his name, saith
my soul.

And in all my journey I lacked not any thing that was
good for me, but as it was my care in singleness to serve
the Lord, so was the tender care of the Lord over me,

5

34f A. Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp.

and he supplied me with whatever was needful in my
journey, yet all along a secret hope did live in me, that
when the present journey should he accomplished, I
should be freed from this service, and have liberty to
return to my calling and family, but contrarily it proved ;
for when I had been at home a few days, it lay upon me
to go up to London, to visit the brethren and church of
God there, so I weitf in great fear and dread of God into
that city; and having continued there a few days, depart-
ed northward again at the commandment of the Lord,
and found my ways prosperous wherever I went, and
great encouragement did I daily receive from the Lord,
who blessed my labour of love, that besides the peace
and joy I felt in myself, I saw the effect of my labour
and travail of my soul in divers places made manifest by
divers being turned from darkness to light, and from
serving the devil's power unto the power of God : but
still trials attended me and a prison became my portion,
nigh two hundred miles from home, and great and griev-
ous threatenings were breathed out against me, and the
same spirit which wrought in the persecutors, both in
their cruelty and subtlety, strove to work in me also.

But 1 cried to the Lord, and he helped me, and my
faith failed me not, but I fulfilled my service and testi-
mony; and at length was delivered, and several thousands
more, by a public proclamation from the king, and then
returned to my own house, after about eight months ab-
sence, and my heart was set to serve the Lord, who had
been good unto me ; yet this hope of being freed from
this kind of service, lived long in me, for I found the
work every day more weighty than other, many false
spirits rising up and transforming themselves into the
likeness of truth, yet were enemies to the life of truth,
which were the worst enemies of all ; and I saw that
Zion's enemy that could no other way prevail, was now
trying if by a false pretence of holiness and obedience,
he could deceive and beguile the simple ; but I cried to
God to give me a discerning heart, and an understanding
to comprehend the snare of the enemy, and that I might
be a help to the weak, and he did so ; and I saw the

A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp. 35

foundation struck at by the enemy, and I grew zealous
for the Lord and his house, and testified freely against
the secret deceits of the enemy ; but, this occasioned me
yet more exercise and sorrow too ; divers who saw not
the depths of the workings of satan, judging my zeal
and fervency against that contradictious spirit to be need-
less. But in meekness and patience, the Lord kept me
out of the warring and striving mind, for I dare not strike
them whom I knew to be my fellow servants, but them
that pretended to be so, and yet served and promoted ano-
ther interest ; them I often wounded with the weapon
God had given, and they that came to love the judg-
ment, were sealed, but many perished in their rebellion
and stubbornness ; and the Lord arose and blasted the
work of the enemy, and opened the eyes of many that
were darkened, and they came to see the end of that
which had been the troubler of Israel, and peace, unity
and true love was restored in all our borders ; then was
my joy full, and my cup did overflow with praises and
thankfulness to God, who had had regard for his heritage
and people, and had delivered them from the devices of
the wicked one. For my soul grew daily in love with
Zion, and there was nothing in all the world so desir-
able to me, as the prosperity of the gospel, and the
spreading and publishing his name and truth through
the earth ; and so this love constrained me to travel with
great diligence from country to country, to make known
what God had done for my soul, and to publish the day
of the Lord ; yea, the day of redemption in which the
captivity of the spiritual Israel should be brought back,
which did prove glad tidings unto many, who received
the report and believed it ; they came to behold the reve-
lation of the holy powerful arm of God to their souls' sa-
tisfaction. And in most parts of England where I travel-
led, I found a daily adding to the church, such as were
like to be saved; and hereupon my joy increased, and I
began to be more freely given up to the work and service
of God, and to the ministry of the gospel.

And about the year sixty-three, I was moved to cross
the seas, and to visit the seed of God in the Low Coua-

36 A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp.

tries, which I did with cheerfulness ; and though in an
unknown land, and with an unknown speech, yet by an
interpreter sometimes, and sometimes in my own tongue,
I declared the truth to the refreshing of many, and to
the bringing back some from error ; and having accom-
plished that visit, I returned in peace to England. And
after a while, being required of God, I again went down
into the north country, and labouring in the word and
doctrine with great diligence and fervency, along, or
near unto the sea-coast, and so down to Newcastle, and
something beyond ; and being led by the Spirit, I came
back again another way more eastward through the land,
and found all the way the plant of God's renown flourish-
ing and growing, meetings enlarged, and the hearts of
Friends enlarged in love to me and mine to them ; then
being returned, a great weight came upon me concerning
the great city of London, greater than ever before ; and I
went up full of might and power, and did daily, as the
Lord opened my mouth, and ordered me, warn them of
the abominations and wickedness that ran down among
them like a stream, and declared the judgments of God
at hand upon them, for their great wickedness, which
followed speedily both by war and fire, and many more
calamities. And after this, about sixty-seven, was it re-
quired of me again to go into Holland, and my dear com-
panion Josiah Coale went with me ; and we travelled to
and fro, and visited the churches about three months
and returned. Then went I again into the north of
England, my heart being abundantly drawn out towards
the noble seed of God in those parts, and my love and
tenderness of heart towards them, made all travel and
labour, and perils easy ; because I still saw the tender
•plants of my heavenly Father in a thriving and growing
way or condition, and I felt the virtue of life daily
spriuging in me, which was given me to water the heri-
tage and garden of God with ; and so soon as I was
clear, I returned, having more and more still the care of
the church of God coming upon me, which constrained
me to diligence, and to be as swift as I might be, that so -
I might be as serviceable as possible in my generation,

A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp, 37

and might keep myself clear of the blood of all men,
which I found to be no easy or slight work.

But I being safe returned, and finding the presence
and power of the Lord, yet leading me to and fro from
country to country, unto which I was obedient, not of
constraint now, but of a willing mind ; counting his ser-
vice a freedom, feeling myself freed from the cares of
this life, having now learned to cast all my care upon
him ; and after a year or two years travel thus in Eng-
land, the Lord laid yet more of the weight and care of
the affairs of his people in the Low Countries upon me,
and I found drawings towards them ; and in the year
sixty-nine, I went over and visited the meetings, obtain-
ed divers new meetings, and they set up a Men's Meet-
ing among them, to see to the good ordering and govern-
ing of the affairs relating to Truth, and Friends. And
this time did it please the Lord to open my understand-
ing abundantly, that I began to declare in their own
tongue the things that God had committed unto me to
minister; and several received the everlasting gospel, and
were brought to feel the power of God, by which they
are saved from the world, and the polluted ways therein.
Then being travelling in those provinces of Holland,
Friesland, and Groningen, &c. I was moved to pass into
Germany, to which I gave up in the Fourth month that
same year; and by the way met with many perils and
dangers, by reason of the horrible darkness, popery,
cruelty and superstitions of those lands and dominions
through which I travelled, so that sometimes it was as if
my life were in my hands, to offer up for my testimony ;
but the Lord preserved me, and brought me upon the
fourteenth day of that month to Criesheim near Worms,
where I found divers who had received the everlasting
Truth, and had stood in a testimony for God about ten
years, in great sufferings and tribulations, who received
me as a servant of God ; and my testimony was as a dew
upon the tender grass unto them. I had five good meet-
ings among them, and divers heard the Truth, and seve-
ral were reached and convinced, and Friends established
in the faith. It was also just in an hour of temptation and

38 A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp.

time of trial among them, that the Lord had cast me
there ; for the prince of that land, called the palsgrave, had
imposed a fine upon them for their meetings, to wit, four
rix dollars the year for each family, which they, for
conscience sake, not paying, he sent an order to take
the value in goods; whereupon his unreasonable execu-
tioners came and took away the treble value, but they
suffered the spoiling of their goods with great joy and
gladness, and counted it a happiness that they were
counted worthy to suffer for his name's sake, who had
called them to the knowledge of his blessed Truth, and to
bear a testimony in that dark desert, to the light of the
Lord Jesus.

So I went to Heydelburg to the prince of that land,
and had a good opportunity with him, and laid before
him the danger of his proceeding on in persecution ; he
heard me with a great deal of friendliness, and discours-
ed things at large with me, and in several things promis-
ed it should be better, as it did also after come to pass.
So having finished that service in Germany, 1 returned,
and being come iuto the Low Country again, I went to
Groningen, where divers had believed in the name of
Jesus, the light of the world, whom when I had visited in
the power of God, and strengthened in the faith, I left,
and returned through Friesland to Amsterdam, where
by reason of my now speaking in their own language,
meetings grew exceeding great, and many strangers
came Hocking in, and a great openness I found in the
country; but being necessitated of the Lord to come for
England, I left them to the word of the grace which
they had received of God, which was able to keep them :
and came over into England in the latter end of the year,
and went towards London, in order to visit the churches
in the western parts of England, whose faces in the out-
ward I had never seen, though long desired it. So pas-
sing from London, I went through Berkshire and Wilt-
shire, having had many precious meetings with the
Lord's people, I came to Bristol, where I found a peo-
ple, among whom my soul was greatly refreshed ; and I
stayed with them about a week or nine days, and in a

A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp* 39

true sense of the Eternal Power, in which the true fellow-
ship always stood, we took leave one of another, and I
departed, and travelled that winter with my companion
in the gospel, Samuel Cater, through Somersetshire, De-
vonshire and Cornwall, to the Lands-end of England,
visiting the churches in those parts to our mutual com-
fort; and I returned by Plymouth, visiting the south sea-
coast even unto Portsmouth, then coming through Hamp-
shire and Surrey, came to London, and so to Colchester
again, to the gladdening the hearts of God's heritage in
that place, many of whom have with me many a time re-
joiced and given thanks to him that liveth and rcigneth
for ever, for my preservation through all perils and dan-
gers, and the multitudes of deliverances of which I was
daily made partaker. So being moved of the Lord, I
appointed a meeting at a place called Chelmandiston,
where divers had received the truth and testimony of
God through me his servant ; and there was a priest who
two years before, betrayed me to the ruler, and got me into
prison ; now the same procured a warrant to have me
cast into prison, and I was so in the First month, 1(570,
in Ipswich jail; and being committed to the said jail for
being at a conventicle, (so called,) upon the statute of the
14th of King Charles, which saith, " If a person convict
of a conventicle, shall pay some sum of money not exceed-
ing five pounds, or lie in prison some time, not exceeding
three mouths;" and the judge of assizes, It. Iiainsford,
in his haste and passion, not regarding the law, but his
own will, committed me to lie in jail until I would pay
five pounds; and afterward being convinced of his error,
he wrote an order for my release at three months end. And
I being released, was drawn forth in the love of God,
again to cross the seas about the Fifth month, 1670, and
went to Holland to visit the remnant there that had be-
lieved, and to strengthen their faith, and for some weeks
preached the gospel in divers cities unto the inhabitants
and strangers, who came in great numbers ofttimes to
meetings, hearing there was one that spake in their own
language:; and many were reached, and some overcome by
the power of Truth; and the hand of the Lord was with

40 A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp.

me in a blessed manner, to the refreshing my soul and
filling my vessel, and the overflowings of my cup made
many glad.

Then about the Seventh month, it arose in me to go
to travel eastward, and to visit those dismal dark coun-
tries in the lower parts of Germany, and the borders of
Denmark and Sweden, where the Lutheran religion
bears sway, and darkness, and wickedness in the
strength of it therewith. Oh ! the weight and burden I
felt many times, as I travelled through their towns and
cities, where it might well be said, none did good,
none considered their ways, and none thought upon the
name of the Lord as they ought to do; but all manner of
wickedness abounded, among whom I and my companion
Peter Hendricks, were as signs and wonders, because
our manner and conversation, our words and discourses
carried nothing but judgment to them, and sometimes we
gave them books and papers of Friends, and left with
them. And though the rage of many kindled against us,
yet the Lord made way for us, and we had a safe aud
prosperous voyage, and came to Hamburg, and had a
meeting upon a First clay with those there that were con-
vinced, and then went down into the dukedom of Hol-
stein or HoUatia, belonging to the kingdom of Denmark;
and having travelled two days journey, about seventy
English miles from Hamburg, we came to Frederick-
stadt, where we found the brethren met together to wait
upon the Lord, upon the fourth day of the week, who
received us joyfully, with whom we sat down and were
refreshed in the fellowship of that blessed gospel which
is ordained for a blessing to all nations, tongues, and
kindreds, who believe and obey it. So after that we gave
forth a meeting publicly in the city, to be on the Sixth
day, unto which many of the city came, and particular-
ly, the skout or chief magistrate, and the messenger or
sergeant of the city, and the power of God was much
manifest among us, and much brokenness there was
among the people, and they received the doctrine of
Truth with much love and tenderness.

On the first day of the week, in the morning, we had a

A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp. 41

meeting again with the brethren, and such as were con-
vinced, and a great openness was among us from the
Lord ; and in the afternoon we had another public meet-
ing, at which were about an hundred people, and every
one's mouth stopped, and though liberty was given for
objection, yet none was made.

These things troubled the minds of some professors
and teachers, who had enmity in their hearts against the
Truth, insomuch that two of them came towards evening
and desired a dispute with me, which being granted,
about forty or fifty persons came in to hear, and for an
hour or two, we spake together, and the power of God
was over them, and they were divided between them-
selves, which when the most moderate saw, he went
away, and the other, to wit, one Eppinghooft, stayed till
lie made his folly manifest, to the most that were in the
room, in particulars too large here to relate. So Truth
stood over them, and the city was in a tender, cool and
loving frame, and divers were added to the church, and
to the faith which saveth ; and the city hath remained in
such a frame ever since, and hath been visited by divers
brethren, as Thomas Green and William Penn, who
have had good meetings amongst them to their mutual
refreshment.

So on the second day of the week, we met together
early in the morning, and committed each other to God,
with prayer and supplication ; and they accompanied us
to the Jider, which runneth by the city, and there we
parted in that love which never changeth, and set our
faces again towards Hamburg, whither we came safely
the next day ; and after we had visited Friends there,
we took boat and came over the Elbe, and by waggon
came to Bremen, where we left several books, and we
passed back to Oldenburgh, and so to Embden, where
beiug upon a first day of the week, it lay upon me to
go to an assembly of the ministers, (a kind of baptists,)
where after one Hert Jansen had preached, and the
prayer time was over, (for they speak no words in prayer,
but all kneel down and are silent, every one praying in
his own mind as seemeth good to him,) I teay, after that,

6

4S A Journal of the Life of Stephen CrisjJ.

I stood forth and spake in the Dutch tongue about half
an hour, exhorting them to come to God's witness, that
they might feel judgment set up in them, to cleanse
them, and to prepare them for the Lord, &c.

After this, the preacher stood up again and vindicated
and maintained by scripture what I had said, exhorting
them to receive my exhortation. The same evening divers
people came together at the house of one Remelkie, a
poor maid, who had neither hands nor feet, a devout wo-
man who sought after the way of God, and received us
gladly to her house, where I was moved to declare the
truth of God among them; and after that we had some
wrords by way of dispute and parted lovingly. The next
day divers of them came again to us and kept us com-
pany ; and about mid- day we parted very friendly, and
I with my companion took shipping for Delfe-Siele, and
so came to Groningen, and had a meeting with Friends
to our mutual refreshment, and thence came to Lea War-
den, where the Friesland lords had a law to put qua-
kers in the bridewell for five years, that should dare to
come into their province of Friesland, by which law they
had taken three Friends of Amsterdam and put them in
prison, and made an order that no quakers should go in to
visit them ; which when I understood, the zeal and love
of God sprung in my heart, and set me over them and
their wicked law, and I took a pen and wrote to their
lord president, and told them they had done worse than
heathens ; and seeing they had made a law to imprison
all quakers, there was I and two more with me, who
were come to visit the prisoners, and desired liberty so
to do ; for we feared God more than them and their law,
and were come to fulfil our Christian duty to our brethren,
whom they had so unjustly cast in prison. The presi-
dent carried the letter to the council, but the Lord limit-
ed them, and they let it pass by and did not lay hands
on us ; so we appointed a meeting in the city, and hav-
ing tarried there several days, we came to Workum, and
took shipping for Amsterdam, and came there on the
First day morning, about the beginning of the Ninth
month.

A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp. 43

And being come again to Friends in Holland, we had
many precious meetings together in divers cities, as Alk-
maer, Haerlem, Rotterdam, &c. and a young man hav-
ing heard in Switzerland where he lived, that he had a
brother in Holland turned quaker; in his zeal came
down thinking to turn him, but the Truth prevailed upon
liim, the first and second days he heard it declared, so
that he owned it, and became obedient to the cross, the
first week he was there, to the great comfort of Friends,
and most of all of his brother ; so I having travelled
through the meetings and visited Friends ; in the Tenth
month I committed them to the Lord, and to the word of
his grace, and returned again to England, and went to
and fro visiting the churches in London, and in divers
parts of the nation for three or four months. At which
time, I understood that divers exalted spirits were got-
ten up among them that had believed in Friesland, who
began to set forth strange doctrine among Friends, and
sought to unsettle the minds of them that had newly re-
ceived the faith among them, and had begun to seduce
them from their meetings, and to wait upon, and to mind
strange motions and imaginations which hath been the
ruin of many in former ages, who were not grown to a
discerning. So the zeal of God moved in me against that
spirit, and the love to the tender seed drew me again
over the seas, which was of great service to Friends and.
the Truth ; so I laboured greatly to inform the minds of
Friends, of the depths of that ranting spirit, and whither
it would lead and where it would centre. I having had
long experience of it here in England ; so the power
arose among Friends, and they began to note such as were
disorderly and unruly, and to call them to an account,
and took great labour and pains with them, to regain and
recover them out of the snare of the devil, making many
journeys and visits to them, which proved not ineffectual,
divers being helped and brought back ; howbeit, some
were hardened and waxed worse and worse, and turned
against the power of God into enmity and opposition
against Friends ; so that a necessity was upon Friends to
clear themselves and the Truth, of them and their evil

44 e# Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp.

works ; and the more, because we saw that the mind in
which they were so vainly puffed up, was fleshly, as
afterward appeared. So Friends called them to their
general Men's Meeting, but they refused to come ; then
Friends journied to them time after time, to warn them,
and to exhort them to turn again to the Truth which
they were fallen from ; but when no counsel would take
place with several of them, Friends put out a paper
against them for the clearing the Truth.

And after these things I came to England again in
the Fourth month, 1671? and travelled through several
counties, being much rejoiced to see the peace, unity and
courage that was among the people of God after the sore
persecution that had been among them ; and passing up
to London, and so back again to Colchester, where hav-
ing a sore sickness nigh unto death in appearance, it
came upon me to go into the north country to visit the
churches in Yorkshire and Bishopric, &c. where I had
not been for three or four years, by reason of my much
being beyond the seas, but the love of the Lord abound-
ed in my heart unto those dear Friends northward ;
and I was pressed in spirit till I had cleared myself
' of all things that lay upon me in my own country. And
upon the 31st of the Eighth month took my journey for-
ward, and going through the Isle of Ely, found dear Sa-
muel Cater who was pressed in spirit to visit Friends in
Scotland, and so became my companion as far as New-
castle.

Through several places we travelled, to the refresh-
ment of ourselves, and many more ; and the Lord deli-
vered us out of the hands of the ungodly informers, who
were then very brief throughout the nation, upon the ac-
count of the new act which was made to fine us, for
speaking in meetings, twenty pounds the first time, and
forty pounds a time after; which lawr made them greedy
in all parts, but in all places they were, through the wis-
dom and power of God frustrated, and though the winter
was very sharp, and my body now through much afflic-
tion very weak, yet was I marvellously supported through
that journey; and having parted with my honest compa

Ji Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp. 45

nion at Newcastle, I turned westward and came south-
ward another way than I went; and so to London again,
where having visited Friends, I returned to my outward
habitation again at Colchester, to the joy of my poor wife
and Friends, who had longings for my return as I had
again to see their faces, which desires, the Lord to our
comfort answered, about the Twelfth month, 1671.

And having continued visiting Friends to and fro, the
fore part of the year; about midsummer I took shipping
for the Low Countries again, to visit the flock of God,
where t laboured and travelled about three months in
Holland and Fries land, in the time of that great conster-
nation and confusion that was upon them, by reason of
the great and sudden progress the king of France did
make upon the United Provinces ; and, howbeit, th§
foundations of their pomp, power and glory were then
shaken and ready to be overturned; yet I saw the foun-
dation of satan's kingdom stand very fast among them,
and the people instead of turning to the Lord by unfeign-
ed repentance, grew worse and worse, and debauched
themselves more than ordinary by drinking, gaming and
sporting, and the burden thereof came upon me, and I
was made to cry out against them in the power of the
Most High, and warn them to repent, and put away
every man the evil of his doings. And I wrote down the
counsel of the Lord as it was manifest in me, showing
them the cause of their misery, and where the remedy
must be: and I caused it to be printed and made public
to those countries, and many copies were given to the
chief rulers and commanders; so I cleared my conscience
in the sight of God concerning those nations for that time,
and left them, returning for England about the Eighth
month, 1672.

And having been some time at my own home, and vi-
sited Friends in divers countries, went to London, and
parts adjacent, preaching the everlasting gospel, and
witnessing the grace of Grod, in Jesus Christ, which
shined forth to gather the elect seed out of the house of
bondage and darkuess. And the Lord was with me daily
to the rejoicing of thousands, and to my daily encourage-

48 A Journal of the Life of Stejihen Crisp.

ment ; for by his mighty power were many strong oaks
bowed, and many subtle foxes prevented of their prey,
and many wandering sheep brought home who had long
longed to find the fold of rest, whose souls will ever live
with my soul in his covenant to praise him world without
end.

And having spent about six months in this manner, I
found it upon me from the Lord again, to pass over the
sea, and to visit divers places where Truth had been little
or not at all sounded; and in particular, that hard-heart-
ed city of Embden in East Friesland, where one John
William Hasbert, a doctor of physic, received me with
great cheerfulness; and I had a meeting in his house
upon the First day of the week, about the latter end of
the First month, 1673, where many people of divers per-
suasions did hear the Truth declared in great plainness
and simplicity; and after some time those that were con-
vinced, were drawn in love to God to assemble together,
to worship God in spirit and in truth, and in the silence
of that fleshly wisdom that can speak when it listeth,
and say what it listeth ; and at the first, there sat down
about ten persons in Hasbert's house to wait upon the
Lord, and when this was noised about the city, the wick-
ed one stirred up the priests and rulers against them,
and they stirred up the rude and ignorant people to assault
them, mock, reproach and revile them, and the rulers fell
quickly to fining, imprisoning, threatening and banish-
ing those weak and tender plants in almost an unheard
of manner. Banishing some, sixteen or twenty times,
spoiling all they had, save their clothes, at last fell upon
them also; taking away their coats, hats, breeches, gloves,
aprons, &c. and driving them through the streets almost
naked aboard the ships that were to carry them away ;
all which and much more by the mighty power of the
Lord, did these innocent, harmless lambs bear with great
patience and quietness, and were not dismayed at all at
these cruelties ; for the Lord had regard to his name and
to their innocent cry, and supported them, and doth sup-
port them, and they have found it true that they that wait
upon the Lord have renewed their strength : blessed be
the Lord for ever.

A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp, <VJ

So returning thence from Holland into Friesland, I
continued about three or four months, and published the
glad tidings of salvation in their own tongue to all that
had an ear to hear ; and about the same time were divers
great pillars, both as to state and religion shaken, and
divers of those who had been in great places in govern-
ment were convinced, and their understandings were
opened concerning the way of Truth, and began to
struggle and contend for it in that wisdom that was from
beneath; whom I faithfully warned and counselled in
the love of God, not to seek to comprehend the Truth,
but to wait in lowliness to be comprehended by it, and
gathered into the precious life thereof. But oh ! the
cross, the offence of the cross, they could not bear with,
but sought divers ways to satisfy themselves with the
owning the doctrine and words of Truth, and loving
Friends who walked therein ; but came not down to the
simplicity of the gospel, (excepting one of them,) nor to
be separated from the world, nor from those things
in which the world's fellowship stands, though they
were brought to confess the way of Truth, and to cry
out of the load that lay upon the soul. Howbeit the sound
of their convincement did tend to the advantage of the
gospel, and many came to meetings, and that of the most
honourable ; and some were convinced of divers ranks,
qualities and persuasions, especially in Rotterdam,
where meetings then grew very large, and Truth came
to have a good esteem in the hearts of many who had
hated it and us without a cause. So after I had spent
three or four months in those parts, and found myself
clear, I returned for England against the general meet-
ing in the Fourth month, and travelled with great dili-
gence through divers countries, and went again to Bris-
tol and visited the churches in many parts of Eugland
to my and their great refreshment ; and the Lord was
with me, and gave me utterance and wisdom as I stood
in need, for he kept me poor in spirit and low in mind,
and I knew that ray dependance was upon him alone,
who knew well how to order both me and my service ;
and he gave me judgment to rebuke gainsayers, and to

43 JL Journal of the Life of Stejjhen Crisp.

stop the mouths of them that opposed themselves : so
continued till about the Fourth month, 1675, at which
time I understood the former openness did continue in
the Low Countries ; and I was drawn in the love of God
again to go over thither to visit them, and to behold their
order, which I did to my great comfort, and found the
noble plant flourishing, and a living testimony opened
and raised up in divers of them that had believed; and
they spake of the goodness of God in their congregations,
warning all men that they might turn to the Lord by un-
feigned repentance, and wait to see his salvation.

And hearing of the great sufferings of Friends at Einb-
den, I went thither to visit them, and hearing of a law
they had published, of twenty-five pounds fine for every
one that should harbour a Friend in his or their house ;
I desired to see it, and took it and wrote a book to the
hard-hearted rulers and priests, and answered their
wicked mandate with sharp and sound judgment, and
caused it to be delivered among them ; and the power
came over them, and they laid not hands on me, nor did
me any harm, though I was public in their city two days,
and known by mauy of them; after which their fury
abated, and Friends began to have some more freedom
than formerly.

And about the Eighth month, I676, having travelled
through the provinces, and visited many places and
cities, I returned in the will of God to my own home ;
finding my body much decayed and disabled from travel
and labour more than formerly : yet satisfied in the will
of God who laid no more upon me, than he gave me
ability to perform ; and as he hath always been abun-
dant in goodness to me, so he is to this day, blessed be
his name forever. And this I can say, my delight is to
do his will, and my joy is that he hath counted me wor-
thy to bear his holy name and testimony among the sons
and daughters of men. And oh ! that all men would fear
the Lord, and walk in the way of his righteousness, that
they might come to have the evidence and testimony of
his goodness in themselves ! So I passed that winter in
visiting the churches in Essex and Suffolk, and some-

•4 Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp, 49

times at London, where it pleased the Lord to appear
with me for his name and tender seed's sake, to the con-
vincement of several, and strengthening of many, glory
be to him alone for ever. And the winter being over, I
felt drawings to pass again over sea, finding a particular
care and charge laid upon me concerning those parts, in
which the Lord had given me great encouragement, and
I saw I had not laboured in vain, praises be to his name.

And about the First month, 1677, I took shipping for
Holland, where I found Friends very well, and in good
order; and their men and women's meetings were be-
come a delight to them, as having not only enjoyed the
Lord's presence in them, but had also seen the great
benefit that had come thereby, and the ease they had of
the weights that had formerly lain upon them; and hav-
ing several times visited their meetings in Holland, I
went over into Friesland, to Harlingen, where many
Friends of that county met me upon a First day; and
we had two precious and large meetings, and many pro-
fessors came to hear, who had nothing to say against the
testimony of Truth. So having seen Friends there, and
finding myself unable for long journies, I returned for
Holland, and having stayed there with great joy and com-
fort in seeing Truth's prosperity, I, about the latter end
of the Third month came back for England, and passed
for London, where I was most of that summer and in the
parts adjacent. And then the Lord put it into my heart
again to visit the meetings round about Colchester,
where I lived, which with much pain and trouble of
body, though with much joy in spirit, I accomplished,
and found Friends in most places well, and where I found
the subtle, crafty serpent seeking to scatter and to divide
God's heritage, I reproved it with great plainness and
confidence in the Lord, who had showed me the mystery
of that iniquity; and how that the enemy of Truth
sought to cover himself with Truth's words, and under
pretence of leaving all to the power, would usher in
a spirit of liberty to lay waste the blessed testimony of
God, and scatter his people out of the good order into
which the gospel, the power of God. hail brought them.

7

50 A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp.

And in the service of my God, after this manner, I con-
tinued at and about home most of that winter, waiting
upon the Lord to be led and guided in my service and
testimony according to his will; for I found that though
through long experience, my senses were exercised in
the service of God and the churches ; yet I had nothing
to trust to, as a guide or leader, how and after what man-
ner to minister in the church of Christ, but the same that
led me in the beginning, even the immediate operation
of the power that brings forth in the will of God all things
suitable to their season, that the glory might be to the
power, and the praises to him that gives it, for ever and
for evermore.

And after the winter being over, the Lord renewed my
strength, and having further service for me to do, gave
me ability.

And about the First month, I678, I found some power-
ful drawings in the love of God to go down once more
into Yorkshire, where I had had much service for the
Lord, but had not been there for about six or seven years.
So I went down to Hull, and visited the churches about
Holderness and Hull, and Beverly, Malton, and York ;
in all which places 1 saw the glory of the temple of my
God shine forth in great splendour, notwithstanding all
the rage of the adversary ; and I had a precious service
in every place, and the hearts of many were opened, and
the souls of many dear Friends were truly refreshed, and
the bread of life was plentiful among us to our mutual
joy and rejoicing in this journey. My soul was greatly
comforted to see so many of the ancients, and honourable
men aud women abiding in their places, and growing up
in the house of God as fellow-helpers in the gospel with,
us: so after about seven weeks tarrying in those parts, I
committed them to the grace of God, and returned for
London to the Yearly Meeting, where having tarried a
week or two, I returned and set things in order in my
own house.

After which I again crossed the seas, and went to
labour in his little vineyard there to my great refresh-
ment; and going over about the Fourth month, I678,

A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp. 51

continued there till about September the same year, in
which time the Lord laid it upon me to go up southward
to divers cities upon the Rhine, where several had re-
ceived a notion of the Truth in a talkative mind, but were
not come to a sense of the cross and dying of Christ Jesus,
nor to a separation from the foolish and vain customs and
salutations that are in the world. J spake with several
of this sort of people at Cleeves and Wesell ; at the latter
place I had a meeting upon a First day about the harvest
time there, where several heard Truth declared in the
plainness and simplicity of the gospel, and a love was
begotten in them. But oh ! the cross, the cross, that was
and is very hard to that mind that would fain inherit both
kingdoms ! Great struggling there was by divers of them
to argue themselves into a liberty, to abide in the customs
of the world, and to walk in and obey the light of the
Lord Jesus also. But in vain was all that labour, and
ever will be, for the disciple must be as his master ; and
he sought not nor received honour of men ; and I having
answered the witness of God in them, was not studious
how to feed their curious inquiring minds concerning
things beyond their states and conditions, but parted with
them in the love of God and true breathings to the Lord,
for the bringing forth in the Lord's due time what he had
begotten ; and so committed them to the grace of God,
and returned into Holland, where it pleased the Lord to
visit me with sickness for several weeks. And I finding
myself clear of all those parts for the present, I caused a
boat to be prepared and brought to the door of my lodg-
iug, and I lay down in it, being very weak, and so was
conveyed to Rotterdam, where my strength was so much
renewed, that I went into their meeting on the First day,
and for about half an hour declared the Truth of the gos-
pel among them, exhorting to a steadfast abiding therein
unto the end, and shortly after got into the packet boat
for England, and so to my own house, still remaining
very weak, and freely given up in the will of God, that
if my service were ended, I might lay down my head in
the will of God in ray own habitation after all my trials
and travels. But the Lord was pleased to restore me; so

52 A. Journal of the Life of Stejtheii Crisp.

that I was able to go and ride about and visit the meetings
about home, and also got twice to London in that winter;
where my joy was to behold the brethren that live in the
unity of that power that shall bruise satan and his work
under foot, and lay waste his kingdom. So having visit-
ed some of the assemblies of the Lord's people in Hert-
fordshire aud other places, and cleared myself of what
lay upon me in the city ; I returned to my place in the
will of God, remaining as a servant waiting to be order-
ed, and as a child waiting to be fed of him who is the
father and fountain of all my mercies, blessings and deli-
verances, to whom be the glory for evermore.

And the next summer finding no necessity lying upon
me as formerly, I went not over sea, but after the general
meeting was over, it lay upon me to visit Friends again
at Bristol and thereabouts, being at that time under a
deep sense of some great exercise that the church of God
was in, by reason of some who under a pretence of ex-
alting the power, sought to make void the wholesome
order and government which the pure power had led us
into, crying down formality and men's orders, &c. Aud
when I came there, I found that this licentious spirit had
hurt many, and grieved many more ; and a weight came
upon me, and I laboured in the power of the gift that the
Father had bestowed upon me, in meekness aud patience,
dealing with every one in sincerity, labouring to show
them that were concerned, whither the tendency of that
work would reach, even to the throwing down of that
hedge that God had built about his heritage, and laying
waste the work of the power under pretence of crying
up the power itself; and by crying down men's orders,
would draw from the gospel order, and from the blessed
fellowship that was in it. And it pleased the Lord to
give me an open door among them, and many were ten-
der, and became more watchful; though others in the
meanwhile, made but an ill use of all the tender deal-
ings in the love of God, and sought thereby to strengthen
themselves. And after about twenty days I returned,
and came to London; and towards winter, I returned
homeward, where I continued in the peace of God, hav-

•4 Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp. 53

ing my blessed reward with me, which no reflections of
the adversary could take from me, and was exercised
according to my ability, in visiting the assemblies of the
Lord's people in Essex and Suffolk, where it lay upon
me ; and in helping and assisting the Lord's people ac-
cording to my ability, botli in their spiritual and temporal
concerns, as the Lord God of my life gave me an under-
standing ; for I gave up the ordering of my spirit unto
him, and he opened me in many things relating to the
affairs of this world, that I might be as a staff to the
weak iu those things, and might stand by the widow and
fatherless, and plead the right of the poor. In all which,
I sought neither honour nor profit, but did all things
freely, as I received of God, and he whom I served,
was my reward, so that I lacked nothing. Therefore
who would not praise the Lord, and who would not
trust in his name?

And when the winter was over, I went again to Lon-
don, and into Hertfordshire, and places that way, visit-
ing the flock of God, and stayed till our general meeting
was over, and then found drawings to visit the little rem-
nant beyond the seas, in Holland and Friesland, and
coutinued among them, and in those parts, about three
months. In which time it came upon me in the great love
of God, to visit a little innocent remnant that had be-
lieved in the Lord Jesus Christ, and professed his name
in Crevelt, in the land of Meurs, who for their testimony
had suffered many things and grievous, and been several
times banished from house and home, and made to wan-
der with wife and children to seek harbour or shelter in
strange cities and places. These I found now returned
to their dwellings, and was joyfully received by them,
and much refreshed in them, beholding their faith and
courage, and their steadfastuess in the testimony they had
to bear for the Lord. I tarried with them about three
days, and had several precious public meetings in the
city, and sounded the day of the Lord's tender visitation
iu the ears of many of the inhabitants, who generally be-,
haved themselves with great sobriety and moderation,
neither mocking nor scoffing, nor evilly intreating us;
which is rare to And a people so moderate in those parts,

51 A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp,

which is in the borders of the dark Romish religion, and
as it were intermixed with it : but I speak it to their
praise, no man evilly intreated me, and the Lord's power
was over all, for which we blessed and praised his name.
And having comforted and strengthened them that had
believed, did commit them to the grace of God, and left
them, and returned again to Holland another way,
through the Spanish Netherlands ; where I saw great
abominations and idolatry, and worshipping and praying
to images, &c. which grieved my soul ; and I could not
but declare against it in several places, as the Lord made
way. And being come back to Holland, I soon made way
for my return home, and cleared myself of the meetings
in Holland, and took shipping for England, and got home
on the 11th of September, 1680.

And soon after it pleased God to visit me with a sharp
fever, which brought me in appearance nigh to the grave;
in which his presence was with me, and supported me,
and refreshed my soul mauy a time, so that death was
not terrible to me ; but I found myself quietly given up
in the will of God, whether to live or die 1 was content-
ed. But after about ten days the fever was abated, aud
I perceived that my days would be yet added unto ; in
which I was well satisfied, having a constant resolution,
fixed in my soul, that whether my days be few or many,
to spend them in the service of God and his dear people,
who are to me, as my mother, my brother, and my
sister, yea, as my own children, finding a natural love in
my heart to all my father's children, and a true love to
the brotherhood. And my God hath put it far from me
to despise the cause of the poor, or to respect the rich in
judgment, but according to the gift and understanding
given me, I have walked with a straight foot in the gos-
pel ; the honour of all, with the praise of all which, be-
longs alone to him that hath wrought it, yea, his own
work praiseth him, and shall praise him who is worthy,
both now and for evermore.

And after it pleased God to restore me to a measure of
health and ability, I spent the following winter in visit-
ing the meetings about Essex, and went to Yarmouth and
Norwich, where I had not been for many years ; and be-

A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp, 5g

held the work of the Lord arising again in that great city,
and many were made tender by the powerful impression
of the word of God. And having stayed thereabouts in
Norfolk about a month, I returned again in peace, re-
joicing in the prosperity of the Lord's work, and came
by Ipswich, and so home. And shortly after it came in
my heart, in the workings of the love of God towards his
people, to take a journey once more into Yorkshire,
which proved to the mutual refreshment of me and many
more. For coming to York a few days before their Yearly
Meeting, I went to Scarborough, whereby many Friends
both of Whitby and Burlington, and the country around
about, had opportunity of coming to me, when I, through
bodily weakness, could not go to them, as I had formerly
done : and much service I had for the Lord and his people
there, both in some particular cases, as also in the gene-
ral and public testimony of the gospel. And then return-
ing to York, and staying there a few days with them at
their general Yearly Meeting, I went then to Hull, and
into Holderness, and tarried thereabouts till about har-
vest time ; and then finding myself clear of those parts,
I returned to York, and thence to London. And after
some days and weeks stay there, returned home. And
by this time, was again overtaken with great pains of the
stone and other distempers, which brought my body very
low, and little was expected by any, but my departure.
And I found myself given up to the will of God, which
I knew was best of all; and if my service in this world
was at an end, I was content to leave it ; and if the Lord
of the great household had more work for me, I knew he
could and would raise me up, and so he did in his own
time; and I grew again able to go abroad, and got to our
Quarterly Meeting in December, and then after to visit
Friends in Harwich and Ipswich, and some other places,
but was for the most part of this winter, 1681, about my
own dwelling at Colchester, where I saw my desire in
part answered, concerning several who were brought to
the acknowledgment and profession of the Truth, whom
I hope the Lord will build up by his power, and by the
operations of his Spirit ; for he alone can give the in-
crease to whom the glory and praise alone doth belong.

56 A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp.

The next year, 1682, having spent the summer mostly
about home and at London, about harvest it came into
my heart, in the dear love of God, to go visit his church
and people again, at and about the city of Norwich, that
I might be a means of strength aud refreshment to them,
in the sharp trials and sufferings that I was sensible was
then coming upon them to try their faith and patience.
And the same day I came into the city, I went to their
meeting; aud there came one called a justice, with con-
stables and the informers, and a great rabble of wild and
ungodly men, who seemed as if they would devour us,
and hauled me, with about a dozen Friends, to their judg-
ment-hall, where the mayor and aldermen met: and
divers practices were used to ensnare me, and bring me
into bonds ; but the Lord God of my life was with me,
as in former days, and gave me courage and wisdom, by
which all their snares were broken. But not having had
opportunity to clear myself yet in public, I went the First
clay was a week following, after I had visited some
country meetings, to their meetings in the city, where
the Lord appeared wonderfully to bind and limit the ad-
versary; so that the meetings were very large that day,
both before noon and afternoon, by reason of country
Friends coming thither, and abundance that were not
Friends : and all was quiet and peaceable, for which we
gave thanks to God, who we knew was the author of it,
and had set his divine power as a hedge about us for his
name's sake. And I saw in the light of the Lord, that
the Friends there, were as soldiers, with their armour on,
well prepared for the approaching conflict, which came
forthwith sharp upon them, after I was come from them,
which they have borne and suffered with great faith and
courage, to the glory of the Lord, and the confounding
of their adversaries : and the Lord hath appeared with
them and for them, both supporting them in their sharp
sufferings, and sometimes giving them some intermissions
thereof; so that they are kept alive to his praise, that
hath quickened and preserved them. And having finish-
ed what was upon me there, I returned home, and con-
tinued at and about home that winter, and was visited
with some weakness of body; and in the spring, found

A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp. 57

drawings upon me once more to visit the flock of God in
the Low Countries. So went first to London to the
Yearly Meeting ; where though the enemy had opened
his mouth wide to devour us, and much persecution was
raised against our peaceable assemblies, and we were
often deprived of the benefit of our meeting places, yet
none could deprive us of the Lord's power and presence,
which was evidently manifest amongst us ; and the bless-
ed fellowship of life was felt and witnessed to our great
joy and consolation ; for which high praises were offered
up to God, through Jesus Christ, in the humility of our
souls. And the Yearly Meeting of London being over,
I went with divers brethren of Dantzic, Amsterdam and
Friesland, towards Holland, to be at the Yearly Meeting
there at Amsterdam, which is three weeks after ours at
London. And taking shipping at Harwich, we arrived
safely at Rotterdam, where having visited Friends, we
past together to Amsterdam ; where a pretty many
Friends from divers parts were come together, and we
had a precious and comfortable meeting, in the unity of
the Spirit, and in the bond of peace ; which made our
hearts glad, and tended to confirm the weak and feeble
ones, and to the establishing the testimony of Truth in
the hearts of them that had believed in Christ Jesus.
And my God gave me understanding to open the myste-
ries of his kingdom, according to their capacities, to our
mutual joy and refreshment. So our dear Friends,
brethren and sisters, departed to their several habita-
tions and testimonies, to Dantzic, Holstein, Hamburg,
and Friesland, &c. encouraged in the work of the Lord,
and strengthened in the inward man.

And soon after Friends were departed, it pleased God
to visit me again with a very sore fit of the stone-cholic,
which brought me very low in the outward man; and it
continued so with me several weeks, with some small in-
termissions; so that I was wholly disabled from visiting
the meetings at Haerlem, Alkmaer, and in Friesland, &c.
But continuing so weak, and finding myself clear, in the
Sixth month, 1683,1 set my face again homeward, and the
Lord made my way prosperous ; and while I was upon the

8

58 *1 Journal of the Life of Stephen Cinsp.

seas, I voided the stone that had so long been an exercise
to me, and by the good hand of God I was brought home;
where in a short time I had a greater exercise to be tried
withal; for it pleased the Lord to call away from me my
dear wife, who had been indeed a meet help, and a faith-
ful and loving wife to me, about five and thirty-years ;
and had with a firm faith trusted in God, and had her eye
to him in all our sufferings, trials, and tribulations, and
had seen before her departure how all had wrought for
good unto us, and was satisfied in his will. And in this
exercise I found the good hand of God bowing my spirit
to his will ; and I murmured not, but praised his holy
name that had let her continue so long with me, and
had made her so great a comfort to me in all my afflictions.
And hereby doth the Lord work, to the fitting and pre-
paring of my spirit, to give up all things visible and
mortal, that at last mortality may be swallowed up of
life ; and that I, and all his dear people may see this
work perfected, is my earnest travail and labour.

And after my dear wife's departure, I found the Lord
still with me,' supporting me in his blessed work he had
called me unto, and my eye was unto him to guide my
way. And in the latter end of the year, 1684, 1 received
an opening in the Truth, that the Lord would give me
another wife, to be both a comfort and a careful nurse to
me ; but about the same time, I saw that the Lord had a
service for me beyond the seas in the summer coming.
So I went first to London, and having stayed there the
Yearly Meeting, and been consolated and refreshed by
beholding the glory of God that from day to day appear-
ed, and in beholding the love and unity that increased
among the brethren. I then went over to Holland, ac-
companied with my dear friend, whom I had seen would
be given me to wife, and divers other Friends both of
Holland and England ; and the Lord prospered our way,
and we came there to their Yearly Meeting, where we
found the old enemy had been trying his old stratagems,
to lay stumbling blocks in the way of the weak, and had
caused some to stumble and fall ; and a spirit of enmity
was gotten up very high, and pretended their matter
should be heard at the Yearly Meeting : and so it was,

Jt Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp. 59

and the love of God wrought wonderfully for their res-
toration, which after several days labour, was so far ef-
fected, that they with joy and thanksgiving came back,
and laid by all their weapons of war and contention, and
were again brought to a tenderness towards God and his
people to our mutual joy and rejoicing. And while I was
in Holland, visiting the meetings there, I heard there
was a door opened for the Truth, in a little city in Fries-
land, called Mackum, which I had long desired : sol went
thither and preached the everlasting gospel among them;
where I was received with great kindness, and the witness
of God was reached in several, and a love raised to the
Truth, which in the Lord's time will bring forth good fruit.
Then returning into Holland, and having cleared our-
selves of what lay upon us there, we did in the Sixth
month, 1685, return for England ; and in some time after
we signified to our Friends and brethren what was in
our hearts, in relation to marriage, which was approved
unanimously among them ; and in the Lord's due time,
which was upon the first of October, 1685, we took each
other in marriage, and found the Lord with us in it, bles-
sing his own work, and hath indeed manifested it, that
we are of God's joining; and he hath made us a blessing
in his hand one to another, and true yoke-fellows, both
in respect of our own affairs, and in the affairs of his
church and people: for all which I find my soul engaged
to speak good of his name, to bless him, and praise him,
and to say with his servants of old, his mercies endure for
ever; for indeed she was a woman beyond many, excel-
ling in the virtues of the Holy Spirit with which she was
baptized, as she showed forth, both in life and doctrine,
which made her to be a sweet savour throughout the
churches of Christ, and was a pattern of patience and
holiness, discharging her place as a tender and watchful
mother to her children, and as a careful and loving wife
to me. But alas, as the greatest enjoyments of temporal
blessings have their end, so it happened unto me, for it
proved the pleasure of the Lord to try me whether I
could part with, as well as receive this great mercy ; for
in the beginning of the year, 1687, she fell into bodily
weakness, and continued so two or three raonths; and

A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp.

upon the ninth of the Third month, she slept with the
faithful in the Lord, in a perfect resignation to his will,
making a blessed end, to my great joy and consolation :
for although it was hard to flesh and blood to part with
so precious a companion, and to be left alone in my old
age, accompanied with many infirmities of body, yet feel-
ing fellowship with her in the joy into which she is en-
tered, gives me great satisfaction; knowing right well
her portion is with the righteous, and her eternal inheri-
tance is amongst the just, where sorrow, snares and
temptations cannot come.

And after she was buried, I went up to London, and
conversed among the brethren three months, where the
Lord was pleased to bless my service unto many, and
then returned to Colchester, where I continued great
part of the winter following. And in the year 1688,1
went up again to London, and visited meetings there-
abouts, as I found it upon me, and also some meetings at
my return in Essex and Suffolk. And then about the
Eighth month, I went again to London, and was there
in the great revolution of government ; and sometimes as
I was able of body, laboured with other Friends, with
the parliament that then sat in the year 1689, to get those
penal laws by which Friends and others had suffered,
to be suspended ; and by the good hand of God, an act
was passed to that purpose, which hath proved greatly
to the ease of tender consciences. And after the Yearly
Meeting of Friends in 1689 was over, I returned again
to my habitation, and continued there the whole winter,
not being able of body to travel by coach as I had done,
many infirmities growing upon me, yet found daily re-
newing of strength in the inward man, and the word of
the Lord lived in my heart, to the refreshing my soul,
and the souls of many tender babes that lived and grew
by the milk of it : and in this is my fellowship with the liv-
ing, and my labour, travail and prayer, that all may be kept
in the feeling of it, for this living word abideth for ever.

After which, he spent his time mostly in Colchester and
London in the service of Truth, and finished this life th&
28th day of the Sixth month, 1692.,

WORD OF REPROOF

TO THE

if

TEACHERS OF THE T|ORLD,

Which may be of use for the trial of their ways, and standing, that
all who are willing to be undeceived, may come to an understand-
ing to know what sort of men in this nation they are, who serve
not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies, who in words pro-
fess God and the scriptures, but in life deny both.

WITH

AN INVITATION AND WARNING

To them and all people, to turn from iniquity, and serve the living
God, whose service is not known, but in the light; neither is any
service or worship accepted by him, but as it is acted in obedience
to his measure which is Light, and hath lighted every one that
cometh into the world.

Howl ye Shepherds, and cry, and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of tfie
Flock; for the days of your slaughter, and of your dispersion, are accomplished,
and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel. Jer. 25. 34.

Written by a friend to all people, and a lover of the Light, and the

ways thereof, whose outward name is

STEPHEN CRISP.

[IS is written to go abroad amongst the parish
teachers and their flocks, and is serviceable for them to
consider of; for the Lord Grod of heaven and earth is
arising in his mighty power to plead the cause of the
poor and needy, and to deliver the lambs from the teeth
of the wolves and the lions, who catch for the prey; and
to make a separation in the flocks of the idol shepherds;
and behold his voice is uttered from Zion, and his word
goeth forth from his holy habitation, who dwells in the
light, and in it is his voice heard, which shakes the earth,
and makes its inhabitants to tremble.

Therefore all people fear the Lord, and mind that of
him which reproves sin and evil in the secret of your
hearts, which is the grace which hath appeared unto all
of you; but hath not yet taught all of you to deny un-
godliness and worldly lusts, but in the lusts of ignorance
do remain, looking at a man without you to be your
teacher, and so know not the Lord to be your teacher :
and for your sakes who are simple, in whom there are any
desires, is this given forth, that you may see your teachers
tried by their own rule, and found too light and too nar-
row : therefore all be warned for time to come, and in the
fear of the Lord will you come to know the beginning
of that wisdom which comprehends all those heaps of

teachers which feed the itching ears.

S. C.

WORD OF REPROOF, &c.

THIS word is unto you, oh ye priests ! in vain are all
your coverings ; for the light of our God is risen, and
hath discovered you, and his power hath rent, and is
rending your coverings, and his controversy is proclaim-
ed against you ; and he hath brought forth his little army,
which is little in your eyes, but is a mighty host in the
power of his spirit, upon whom he is fulfilling his pro-
mise, that one shall chase an hundred, and ten shall put
a thousand to flight. And as our forefathers did, so do
we, in this day of our God, in a spiritual sense, by faith
turn to flight the armies of the aliens, and stop the mouths
of lions, and obtain promises, &c. And you yourselves
are witnesses in your practices, who are not able to stand,
but often flee, when the life of God ariseth in any to speak
to you, though in contemptible instruments in your eyes,
and so have many hundreds of you been put to flight
without sword and spear: and then you run from your
worship, to the house of your armoury, where you are
fitted with the weapons of the beast's warfare, as whips,
stocks, prisons, and such like, in whose army you are
found fighting against the Lamb and his army; by whom
you shall be overcome, and your carcases cast into the
open field. And now are your works of darkness, and
great swelling words of vanity, brought to the light, and
there tried and judged, which is our rule to try and judge
withal. And seeing you say the scriptures are your rule,
whereby things ought to be tried and judged; you and
your works shall be tried by the scriptures also, that so
you may be condemned by both.

First, Ye say ye are ministers of Christ: nay, but ye
are his ministers whom ye serve and obey, and whose
work ye do. Now sin is the work of the" devil, and to
destroy it in the flesh, was Christ made manifest in flesh :
and you that deny the destruction of sin in this life, you

64 «# Word of Reproof

deny it in the flesh; for he that departeth this life, goeth out
of the flesh, and leaveth it, and so you deny the work of
Christ, whose ministers you say you are; and he is no
servant nor minister of Christ, who denies his work.
Now read and consider, sin, and the man of it, are against
Christ; and the ministers of him who is against Christ
always strive to keep up, and to uphold that which
Christ and his ministers strive to destroy and throw down,
which is sin in the flesh : and so here it is plain, that you-
who strive to uphold sin, uphold Antichrist, whose mi-
nisters ye are.

Again, Christ said to his ministers, Go ye forth, &c.
But where is your going forth? when some of you have
purchased to yourselves places, and some have gained
by flattery, and some do hold by force and tyranny a cer-
tain place, circuit or quarter from whence ye seek your
gain, and there, are not ashamed to sue by title, as rector,
incumbent, or lecturer of such a place. Oh horrible I
that ever such should say they were ministers of Christ !
Yea, and some of you can boast and glory in your shame,
saying in your declarations, you have been there in such
a place some twenty, some thirty, some forty years. Was
ever such a thing heard of concerning any of the minis-
ters of Christ? Were not they approved in their minis-
try, by trials, by travellings, by hardships and dangers,
both by sea and land, in want, in heaviness, &c. But
you have chosen the pleasures of sin, and to live at ease
in the flesh; but destruction and misery shall overtake
you in a day when you are not aware, who will not be
warned.

Again, Christ said to his ministers, All power is given
unto me, and I am with you : He did not say, all power
is given unto me, and I will give it to the magistrates ;
and if any come to oppose you or your doctrine, go to
him, he shall defend you; but they had the witness in
themselves, and the power was with them, and is with
them to the end of the world, which stops the mouths of
gaiusayers ; which power is the power of Christ, which
the ministers of Christ have according to promise; and
the power of Autichrist, the ministers of Antichrist have,

to the Teachers of the World. 65

which is manifest in persecuting, in violence, in tumults,
and such like ; which power is your defence, who say,
ye are ministers of Christ, and are not; but are ministers
of Antichrist, and so proved liars and condemned, and
witnessed against, both in the light and by the scriptures.

Secondly, You say you preach the gospel.

Nay, that is not the gospel of Christ you preach, but
another, which he that bringeth is accursed : for the gos-
pel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to them
that believe. But what you preach is not so ; no, not to
them that believe it, who preach that they cannot be
saved. So if they believe what you declare, they must
believe they cannot be saved while in this life ; and so it
is not the power nor gospel of Christ which you preach,
but the power of darkness to keep all in death out of the
faith, which gives victory, and through which the creature
comes to know the gospel, and the power which saves
and redeems up to God.

Again, The gospel is everlasting, and none can preach
it, but they who have received it; but you whose know-
ledge stands in carnal arts and sciences, and inventions,
which came in time, and must perish in time, your know-
ledge cannot receive the everlasting gospel, when it is
preached unto you, much less preach it unto others ; and
in that knowledge do you corrupt yourselves and others,
and are like to perish in your corruption together, ex-
cept you turn to the light which was before corruption,
that it may show you corruption, and lead you out of cor-
ruption, that ye perish not ; for to such as are in the perish-
ing way which is corrupt, the everlasting gospel is hid.

Again, That which you preach, is not free nor with-
out charge; but the gospel was so, and is so; and as
long as the force and violence, and pride and covetous-
ness are found amongst you, which make that which you
preach burdensome and chargeable to the people, cease
calling it the gospel of Christ ; for if you do call it so,
the light in all consciences condemns you, and the prac-
tice of Christ's apostles condemns you, and the scriptures
declare against you, and your condemnation is just, and
shall abide for ever.

9

456 A Word of Reproof

Thirdly, You say you preach the Truth.

Nay, that is not the Truth you preach, for it sets none
free ; for many have ahode in your doctrine and worship
a long time, some twenty, some forty, and some sixty
years, and yet are not set free ; but you have brought
them to believe, that they cannot be freed, and so have
caused them to err from the right path, and such may
die in their iniquities ; but their blood will be required
at your hands, who have beguiled and deceived them.

But Christ Jesus, the Light of the World, who light-
eth every man that coraeth into the world, that all men
through him might believe, he said, If ye abide in the
Truth, the Truth shall set you free. He is the Light,
the true Light, and the Truth that sets free ; and you
who deny the light that lighteth every man that cometh
into the world, and yet say you preach the Truth, you are
liars, and the lake is your portion except you repent.

Again, What you preach you sell, and so are declared
against expressly in scripture, seeing you say you preach
the Truth; for what saith it? Buy the Truth, and sell
it not. Read your condemnation all you who make bar-
gains for that which you call Truth ; and let the light in
your own consciences judge, whether you do not deny
scripture, yea or nay.

Fourthly, You say, he that preacheth the gospel, ought
to live of the gospel.

I answer, he unto whom the gospel of Christ is com-
mitted to preach, none can hinder him of living of it ; for
it is his life, and he needeth not an outward law to hold
up his livelihood. Neither did any that ever preached
the gospel, make use of any such power ; but their power
they had, and they have alone from Christ Jesus, both
for the inward and outward support. Have we not power
to eat? have we not power to drink, saith the apostle,
who was a minister of Christ? But he had not power to
make bargains with any people for a certain establish-
ment of a sum of money, and then to seek for an aug-
mentation besides, as some of you do, and then to sue at
law for default of payment : and if it were paid, then to
spend it in voluptuousness upon his lust as you do ; some
in the lust of drunkenness and gluttony, and some in

to the Teachers of the World. 67

pride, in satisfying your lusts in clothes and in building,
and some in covetousness, making a god of money : so
you have chosen to yourselves gods which shall peris li
with you, and they shall not save you ; but your naked-
ness and your shame the light hath discovered, who have
refused to be covered by it; and while ye live in pride
and gluttony, in envy and covetousness, in strife and con-
tention, this is not to live of the gospel, but this is tha
fruit of the corrupt tree which is for the fire.

Fifthly, You say, the labourer is worthy of his hire.

Yea, but he must have it of him that sets him to work,
and hath profit by his work. Now he that worketli for
one man, and would have hire of another, who set him
not on work, this is unreasonable ; and so is it for a man
to exact wages for his work, when none hath profit by
his work, as is seen at this day among you priests, who
are out of the reasonableness and good order, which most
men besides yourselves are in, in this respect.

Therefore be ashamed and amend your ways, and la-
bour with your hands the thing that is good, that you may
come to eat of the fruit of your labour, and be satisfied ;
and be not always like the greedy dumb dogs that can
never have enough : for now is the day come which hath
declared your work, and you are comprehended and
fathomed, and measured with an equal line, and your
coverings are too narrow, and the feet of your image is
smitten, and the stone is increasing to fill the whole
earth ; and then shall not your place be found, and the
recompence of your labour will be destruction, wo and
misery, which ye shall receive of the hands of the
righteous God, the judge of heaven and earth, who will
judge every one of you according to your doing ; and
then shall all your hard speeches which ye have uttered
against the innocent, be returned into your own bosoms,
and ye shall know that ye were warned, and the light
in your consciences shall in that day testify unto God's
righteousness in your destruction.

This is given forth from the spirit of Truth, for the
manifesting and rebuking of the spirit of error, and writ-
ten in obedience to the commandment of the Lord in the
year accounted, 1657. >S. C.

A

DESCRIPTION

OF THE

CHURCH OF SCOTLAND :

A Word of Reproof to the Priests and Teachers and Officers therein,
for their many corrupt doctrines and practices; also a warning, and
general Invitation to all people, that live under their tyrannical
Government, to come to the Truth, which will free them from the
bondage they have long lain under; and to the Light which will
show them the way to escape being longer partakers of their sins ;
and so they shall escape being partakers of the plagues which shall
shortly be poured forth without mixture upon them, which continue
in their ungodly deeds and works of darkness, in Rebellion against
the Light that makes them manifest.

Herein is their Church made manifest : 1. In its Foundation. 2. Its
members wherewith it is bnilded. 3. In its officers. 4. In its Doc-
trines, of God, of God's Word, of Faith, and of Election. 5. In
its Ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, (as they call
them.) 6. In its Discipline.

With an exhortation to all people to come out from amongst them, to
that which makes them manifest, which is the true Light that light*
eth every Man that cometh into the world.

Written in love to the simple-hearted in that nation, and in witness of the
Truth, and in Testimony against the False Teachers, and their false Doc-
trines, Ways, and Worships ; by one who desires that People might be
brought to the Truth in their inward parts, to worship God in that, by the
leading of his own Spirit, that so they might be accepted; who am known
among men by the name of Stephen Chisp.

TO the several presbyters in Scotland and to every
member of them, and to the Scottish church in general
is this directed, and sent as a word of reproof and warn-
ing from him who is the head of the true church, which
is pure and undefined, and sent by, and given through
his servant, who being a member of that church, and

Jl Description of the Church of Scotland, 69

participating of the power and wisdom of the head, ac-
cording to the proportion of a member, do thereby com-
prehend your church, of which I am not a member ; and
in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ, the true head, do
hereby reprove you of your adultery and hypocrisy, and
several other spots and wrinkles that are in and upon
your church, which now with the light are made mani-
fest. And in the fear and name of the Lord, do warn yon
to return, and come to that which maketh manifest and
maketh clean, before ye be cast upon the bed of misery
and perpetual sorrow with Babylon your mother, and Je-
zebel your prophetess, by the power of whose sorceries
and enchantments, in and among her merchants and dis-
ciples, many poor people in this nation are seduced and
deceived, and kept from the anointing, which teacheth
freely the Truth, which no lie is of, nor springs from.
And they whom you keep from this which teacheth freely
that so they might buy or hire teaching of you, among
whom they are ever learning, and never learned, nor
brought to know the Truth which makes them free that
abide in it, these I say, can never know the true church
which is the ground of Truth, in which none can be pil-
lars, but such as overcome sin, and transgression and
death which entered thereby, and came over all men ; in
which state God's church is not. And there are but two
states, namely, the state of sin and transgression, the
wages whereof is death ; and the state of redemption from
sin, which is through the power of the resurrection from
the dead, which is the state of the church ; between which
two states is an absolute antipathy ; for they that are in
the transgression, are not in the church, for then it would
be spotted ; and they that are in the church, are not in
the transgression, because the church is in God where
transgression cannot be; and they that are holden in sin
and death, are not risen from the dead, and they who
are made partakers of the resurrection and life, which is
Christ, they are not holden in sin, but the same power
that raised up Jesus from the dead, raised them from the
power of sin and death, and being thus raised, makes
them members of the church, which is pure and undefined,

70 A Description of the Church of Scotland.

which is separated from sinners and from sin, by the
mighty operation of the cross, which is the power of
(rod, by which we are translated from death to life, from
sin to righteousness, from being members of the harlot
and her church, to be members of Christ and his church;
and this is the church which we own and witness.

Now as concerning your church, I have not a few things
against it, but even many, wherein you are to be reprov-
ed, and must be amended or rather changed, before you
can justly be called and accounted the church of Christ,
or any part thereof. Therefore listen a while and give
attention, ye priests and presbyters of Scotland, who
have a long time been talking of reforming, and amend-
ing, and purging, and making clean your church ; and I
will declare unto you your way which ye ought to take,
to accomplish that which you so much pretend for, and
cannot yet accomplish, nor indeed ever can, till that be
removed, which hath and doth hinder a right and tho-
rough reformation.

Now the first thing in your church, that is presented
to my understanding, to be reproved, is the foundation
thereof upon which it is builded, it not being the same,
which the church of Christ was, and is builded upon, as
will thus appear.

The foundation of your church, is that which stands
in the fleshly part of man ; namely, forms and names of
the things the saints wrote of, without the power, which
are attainable by the fleshly wisdom of this world, by
which God is not known, nor the body which is the church
discerned ; but he that can get the saints words to speak,
although he be out of their life, yet such are accounted fit
members of your church ; and of such members, and up-
on this foundation is your church builded, the saints
words being the chief corner-stone thereof. But Christ
said, he would build his church upon that which the
knowledge of, came not by flesh nor blood, but by reve-
lation from God his Father which is in heaven ; as you
may read in the 16th of Matth. 17? 18. And this is the
rock which is now made manifest by revelation, through
the Spirit, which thing you deny to be in these days ;

«5 Description of the Church of Scotland. 71

and so are not builded upon what comes to be known so,
but upon that which the knowledge of conies by flesh
and blood ; and you that have laid another foundation
for your church, than what is by revelation, your foun-
dation must be razed, aud your church must fall, the
pillars whereof are already shaken, and shall shortly be
removed.

Therefore come all to the true foundation, which was
and is the foundation of the true church, which is Christ,
the Son of the living God, who is the light of the world,
and lighteth every man that cometh into the world with
the true light; and let that be the beginning and founda-
tion of your building, and that which will stand for ever.
This was before transgression was, and before will- wor-
ship was, against this the gates of hell cannot prevail.

This is the corner-stone which ye builders have re-
jected, and do still reject, [the Light,] and so rejecting
it, are building Babylon, as it were, which is now con-
founding ; and ye are put to a stop, and can proceed no
further ; for the people see your confusion in many parts
of the nation, and begin to love and embrace them whom
you have cast out of your church, who have the Light
for their foundation, which answereth the witness of God
in all; and whosoever builds, and not on this, their
building shall come to naught, and the builders shall be
ashamed, for that which should uphold them, will come
a-top of them, and break them to pieces.

The next thing reprovable in your Scottish church, is
the matter whereof it is composed. And in this also are
you contrary to the true church, the spouse of Christ;
for your church is composed of evil and ungodly men and
women, whose hearts are delighting in ungodly practices,
as swearing, and lying, and cozening, and dissembling,
and scoffing, and scorning, yea, in striking and beating
the innocent, such is your church made up of; dead stones,
whose hearts are as an adamant, their mouths filled with
cursing, aud their tongues filled with venom, and their
hands filled with violence. These are your materials
with which ye have builded, but the Lord God of light
and power, is making you bare and manifest, and by his

73 «# Description of the Church of Scotland.

power is throwing you down, where shame shall cover
your church, where the scorners shall be scorned in the
day of their calamity, and the strikers shall be stricken
with a rod that will break them to pieces. The sword
of the Almighty is drawn, and shall wound them in their
inward parts, that have wounded his children in their
outward bodies, and grieved his Holy Spirit ; and then
shall howling and lamentation come upon your church,
but there shall be none to pity ; for the double reward of
your doings to (rod's children, shall shortly come upon
you, and that is the word of the Lord to you.

But if you demand, how is all this proved that your
church is composed and made up of such persons as
these? I answer, I prove it thus, not only by the hearing
©f the ear, nor by what I have seen of you, in the eternal
light of the Son of God before my coming among you ;
but also being an eye witness of your behaviour towards
me, who, when I have in obedience to God, and love to
your souls, but proclaimed the fear of God amongst you,
in one of your mass-houses or markets ; w hat an offence
hath it been counted by you, who are of the Scottish
presbyterian church, some crying kick him, kick him,
knock him down ; and such like language and usage
have I and many of my brethren and sisters found
amongst you : as in particular the behaviour of the peo-
ple of Dalkieth, on the 13th of the Ninth month, 1659,
may witness ; where, had not the soldiers appeared as a
stop to your murderous purposes against me, your works
of mischief had more appeared ; but your spirit is seen
and known to be of one nature with the scarlet-coloured
whore, who thirsteth after, and is drunk with the blood
of the saints. Besides, there needs no greater proof of
this charge against your church, than what hath and doth
proceed out of your own mouths, who are daily confess-
ing yourselves to be such kind of people, and so are
judged out of your own mouths, as all such slothful ser-
vants ever were. Doth not your priest say that ye are all
going astray, every one after the lusts of his own heart,
and have forsaken God the fountain of living waters, and
tligged to yourselves cisterns that can hold no water, and

Jl Description of the Church of Scotland. 73

that your hearts are estranged from God, regarding lying
vanities ? And many such like things might be mention-
ed from your own mouths, the breath whereof as fire
shall devour you. Now if it be not so, why do you say
so, lying against your own souls ? And if it be so, how
can your church be the church of God, pure and undefiled,
unspotted, and without wrinkle, or any such thing? An-
swer for yourselves, or cease from deceiving yourselves
and others with the name, church of God, for with him
dwelleth no iniquity.

Now if the Light were the foundation, then would none
be counted fit members of your church but such as walk-
ed in U; and so your fellowship would stand in the Light
as the true church-fellowship did and doth : but evil
doers, as scoffers, liars, proud, covetous persons, strikers,
fierce despisers, railers and persecutors, such hate the
Light, and deny and reject it, and so may be continued
in your church-fellowship, which is in sin for term of
your lives, and shall be continued in the inheritance of
utter darkness in the end, where shall be weeping and
Wailing, and gnashing of teeth for ever.

Another thiug reprovable in your church, is the offi-
cers thereof, they being in all things contrary to the qua-
lifications signified by the scriptures of truth ; as ye might
well see, if the God of this world, the prince of darkness,
had not blinded your eyes, a little of the disproportion
between them, and the officers spoken of in the scrip-
tures. For sake of the simple, who desire to be inform-
ed, I shall instance; and first of all concerning your
presbyters. For the presbytery which the scriptures
speak of, who laid their hands on Timothy, 1 Tim. iv.
14, were such with whom was the power of God, as was
manifest by Timothy's receiving a gift by the laying on
of their hands, who had received the gift of God them-
selves, and had also received power to communicate the
same ; but you who are proud men, and covetous men,
who usurp authority, and presume to be called by the
name, and deny that power to be extant with you, or any
else, or that any can be immediately called or gifted for
the ministry, you are of that sort mentioned in Titus, i.

10

7-4 A Description of the Church of Scotland,

16, who profess ye know God, but in works deny him,
being abominable and disobedient, and to every good
work reprobate; for these qualifications do belong to
such men as ye profess yourselves to be, which I shall
set down, and then let all sober people judge, whether
ye be reprobate unto them, yea or nay.

1. They ought to be blameless, and whether ye be so
or uot, be your own judges, who say, none can live with-
out sin, and so consequently not without blame, for all
sin is blameable ; so in this particular you have excluded
yourselves. Then watchful; but what do you watch
for? except it be opportunity to promote your corrupt
honour, or to augment and exact your ungodly gain.
Then of good behaviour, that is not to rail, and to curse,
and to stir up people to tumults, and to stoning those who
are not of your judgment; this is evil behaviour. Then
given to hospitality ; as to this, let the poor people who
in your parishes go in cold and hunger, while you live
in fulness and idleness, bear witness against you. Then
apt to teach. In this also are ye far short, who must take
a week's time to study, to teach the people two or three
hours, and yet cannot get your devised studied stuff to
hold together, but one while is confirmed that, which it
may be the same day, or shortly after, you will deny
again. Then not given to wine, no strikers. How many
of you have been guilty herein, in drunkenness, and
striking, and setting others on to strike, would be too
tedious to mention here ; but who desires to be informed
of them and their manners, let them in sincerity take
notice of them, and they shall come to understand their
spirit ; also some of their works of this nature, are already
printed and presented to public view. Then not greedy
of filthy lucre. And in this particular, how far your
greediness hath appeared beyond all that have gone be-
fore you, let the sufferings of them, who for conscience
sake, could not put into your mouths, bear witness against
you. Again saith the apostle in the 7th verse of that 3d
chapter of the 1st of Timothy, he must have a good report
of them that are without; but how far are ye short of this,
who cannot keep up a good name amongst them of your

•4 Description of the Church of Scotland. 75

own church, but your covetousness and deceit are manifest
among them ; notwithstanding your tyranny doth much
stop their mouths, and blind their eyes, that they yet see
not so much of your deceit, as shortly they will come to
see.

But in brief, the description of the church officers in
the whole scriptures of the apostles, is that they be
blameless ; which ye say none now can be : and that
they be filled with the Holy Ghost, and with faith;
which ye say they cannot be ; for sin must have a room
in them, then they cannot be filled with the other. And
that they hold the mystery of faith in a pure conscience,
which ye say they cannot do, for some sin must remain,
and that defiles the conscience. That they should be gen-
tle towards all men, in meekness, instructing them that
oppose themselves : but out of this and all these qualifi-
cations ye being found, your officiating must be like your
officers, and your officers are like the members, a body
fit for destruction together, which the Lord is appearing
against in his mighty power, to cut off head and tail,
root and branch together.

2. The doctrines of your church also are reprovable
and corrupt in many things, contrary to the scriptures.
And first in your doctrines of Grod, whom you say is to
be known and believed on, as in the distiuguishment of
three persons ; and herein ye teach contrary to the scrip-
tures of Truth, which ye say is your rule, and by it are
all such dreamers and deceivers judged, and by the spi-
rit which gave them forth, which speaks no where of
three persons, as ye imagine and teach, but declares of
the only wise Grod, who is one in his being and substance
individual, infinite, who divideth all things, and to every
sort their portion, who limiteth all things, and is not
limited; whose power and spirit is inseparable from him,
who is the Father of the spirits of all flesh, who by his
power createth, and by his spirit quickeneth, all living
creatures, whose power is the Christ, and whose spirit is
the holy and eternal life which they partake of, who wait
for his appearance in his power ; and these do not the
scriptures call three persons, but the one witness in the

76 A Description of the Church of Scotland.

heaven which you are all iguorant of, who dream and di-
vine to the people, of a distinguishment of persons in the
Godhead ; therefore cease your deceit ye deceivers and
soothsayers of Egypt, and come to the light that shines
in the heart, that by it you may come to the true know-
ledge of God your Creator, and of his power by which
ye were created, and of his spirit by which he quickens
into newness of life, all those who fear him, and wait
for his salvation, which now by the light is making ma-
nifest.

3. Your doctrine concerning the word of God, is alto-
gether improvable, who teach people to believe, that that
is the word of God that can be bought and sold for mo-
ney, and the knowledge thereof attained by human learn-
ing, namely, the scriptures, or outward writings of the
prophets and apostles; that you say is the word of God,
and they that say otherwise you say must be cursed.
But will not this return upon your own heads, who preach
contrary to the scriptures, which saith Christ is the word
of God ? Now if he be the word of God, then the scrip-
tures are not, except they be Christ, which if you think
they be, declare your meaning plainly ; and if you know
any other Christ than the scriptures, then call ye him
the word of God, and call the scriptures a declaration,
according as they are called by them that wrote them,
who knew the word of God itself, which ye being igno-
rant of, have as it were changed the glory of the incor-
ruptible and immortal word of G od which abides for ever,
into the similitude of writings, which had a beginning in
time, and must come to an end ; and in the end shall you
know the word of God to be that which searches your
hearts, and judges your ungodly thoughts and purposes;
this shall abide with you in the end, for this was in the
beginning, which the scriptures were not, and this is it
by which the scriptures and all other things came to have
a being ; so that if the scriptures must be called the word
of God, because the word came to the saints and bid them
write them, or make books thereof; then, may not Noah's
ark, or Solomon's temple, or the priests garments, or any
other thing of the like nature, be called the word of God,

A Description of the Church of Scotland. 77

because by it they were commanded to make them? And
furthermore, that which is the word of God, is that which
was made flesh ; and if you can tell how or when the
scriptures were made flesh, then declare it, or else let
that be called the word of God henceforth, that did be-
come flesh. Again, without the word was nothing made
that was made; and if the scriptures be this word, then
declare to us how you know that they were before the
creation; for that which maketh, must needs be before
the things that by it are made. Further the word of God,
saith the apostle is quick and powerful, and sharper than
a two-edged sword, dividing between tlie soul and the
spirit : but if this be the scriptures, then tell us what is
the reason that your souls are not thereby divided from
the spirit of iniquity and deceit that rules over them?
But ye imagine that death only can make that division,
as if death were more powerful than the word of God.
Oh ye blind and ignorant priests and people ! how long
will ye regard lying vanities, expecting 'life where it is
not to be had, and like the pharisees of old, think to have
eternal life in the scriptures, but will not come to Christ
whose life is your light? Turn your minds into your
own hearts, and feel if God's word, which is as a ham-
mer, be not striking at some or other of your sins and
corruptions, and wait then to feel the sharpness of it, to
cut and divide you from your sins, that so you may wit-
ness the word in your flesh, and not in a book, to destroy
the works of the devil, that the word in the heart ye muy
know, which liveth and abidcth for ever, when that by it
is destroyed, which cannot abide for ever, which is your
sin, which hitherto hath separated you from the know-
ledge of God and of his powerful word.

4\ Your doctrine of faith is reprovable, and you in it
found contrary to the true ministers of Christ; for you
preach that faith cannot be without sin; and you say it
is heresy aud error in any to say that it can ; now this I
sav> ^ ye knew the true faith which is saving, ye would
see that it is contrary in all things to sin, and would
know, that instead of an impossibility to separate them,
it would be impossible to unite them ; for faith saith the

78 A Description of the Church of Scotland.

scriptures is the gift of God, and the gift of God is per-
fect, and God and his gift hath no concord with sin, but
giveth the true believer victory over it.

But as for your faith which ye say cannot be without
sin, it is therewith corrupted, and is not the like precious
faith which the saints obtained, by which they wrought
righteousness, and were accepted with the Lord, without
which it is impossible for you to please him, though ye
perform never so many performances ; for this faith which
is mixed with sin, which is the faith of the church of
Scotland, is not that by which the just live, but among
you who profess this faith, is the just slaiu in your own
particulars, by the sin which ye continue in, and say ye
must continue in as long as ye live : so ye are far short
of the saints hope, which brought them to purify them-
selves as God is pure, and your faith, and hope, and
confidence, which are thus mixed with sin and unrighteous-
ness, are excluded from leading any of you into the inhe-
ritance of the promise, which is eternal life ; for it is the
feigned or made faith, which hardens the heart, and
continues you in the transgression, and begets in you a
bold confidence in your dark imaginations, which shortly
shall fail you, and ye shall be stript of your faith and
hope, and be left naked, to your perpetual shame and
confusion. And therefore all that desire to come to the
true faith which gives victory over the world, and that
which is in the world, they must first come to that which
true faith is placed in, which is the light wherewith
Christ Jesus hath enlightened every one that cometh into
the world; and that all men through him might believe:
and Christ himself said that thev should believe in the
light; and this is it which doth secretly make manifest
and reprove the works of darkness, which are done out
of the faith, and are displeasing to God; and who believe
in this light, they must believe against sin and the power
of it, and so as they abide steadfast in the faith, watch-
ful to that in which they have believed, then the power
of this faith comes to be felt in the creature, that as they
have believed against sin, so they come to receive power
against sin ; for according unto their faith, so happeneth

A Description of the Church of Scotland. . 79

it unto them, and according unto your faith who believe
you can never be made free from your sins, so also will
it happen unto yon ; so loug as ye abide in that belief, ye
shall abide servants of sin, and so free from righteous-
ness.

5. Concerning election ; and herein have ye erred ex-
ceedingly from the Truth, and with the Truth ought ye
to be reproved and judged, who hold forth in your church
that God hath respected a certain number of persons to
himself, without cause or quality in them seen or consi-
dered, and that these he hath elected unto salvation, by
an unalterable decree, that they shall be saved from the
wrath of God, and that all the rest are under an irrevoca-
ble decree of damnation; for when no way of salvation
is left, nor any effectual means found for the salvation of
them; that doctrine is not of God, but of your father the
devil, who was a liar from the beginning; if he telleth a
lie, it is of himself, but if ye tell a lie it is of him : and
from him has this doctrine sprung, who rules in the king-
dom of darkness, and desires that none might come to
the knowledge of the Truth, nor be saved : and so hath
set you to preach this doctrine outwardly unto ignorant
people, who generally have believed it, while he in the
mean time is secretly suggesting in some of them, that
they are elected, and so what sin soever they live in,
cannot mar their election, seeing it is without condition
or qualification, and man's works cannot alter nor change
God's decrees. And many such like reasonings as this
learn they from the deceiver within, and from the de-
ceivers without, and he also is persuading others that they
are not elected, but are of the greater number, which the
priests say, no salvation nor redemption is for ; and so
they may take their course, and spend their time in plea-
sure, for they can but go to hell in the end ; and all their
godliness and soberness, and strictness, and abstinence
from pleasure, and whatever they can do, cannot change
the purpose of God concerning their damnation. And so
by these and such like means and instruments doth the
devil uphold his kingdom, and keep you from preaching
Him, or believing on Him,, who is the way tc the Father,

80 A Description of the Church of Scotland.

Christ Jesus, the Light of the World, who lighteth every
man with the true light, with which he may see that
which was wrought in darkness, which is the reprobate
state, and be led out of it according to Christ's words,
wiio said, I am the light of the world, he that believeth
on me, shall not abide in darkness, but shall have the
light of life : he said not if the elect believe on me, but
[he that] a general term to every one that cometh into
the world, and is enlightened with this true light ; and
this is the love of God to the sons and daughters of men,
who wills not the death of them that do die, [mark]
they are reprobated that do die; but God wills it not, but
rather that they should turn and live. But ye that preach
this doctrine, ye would live without turning, but the
sword of the Lord is drawn against your life, and shall
cut it off, for it stands but by an imagination of such a
decree, as by which sinners might be saved in their sins :
and then you shall know, that the way of salvation was
set open to you, in that the light shined in your hearts ;
but ye rejecting that way, and seeking to establish a way
of your own ; so ye became excluded, and shut out of the
kingdom after long talking of it.

And therefore all ye people of Scotland, and to whom-
soever this shall come, of what people or country soever
ye be, consider in the fear of God, whether ye be lighted
with a light that doth make manifest your evil deeds,
and words, aud purposes in the secret of your hearts,
yea or nay ; and if ye find such a thing, then mind dili-
gently its working in you, for in it are the reproofs of in-
struction, which the scriptures say is the way of life ;
and the way of life is but one, and having found it, every
one in your own particulars, then no longer follow nor
hearken to the deceivers, who for a long time have be-
guiled you, leading you from the Light, the Way, the
Truth, and the life of men, and so kept you in death and
darkness, where salvation is not to be found. And these
have told you, that they have preached the gospel to you
for the salvation of your souls, and yet tell you also, that
as many of you as ever shall be saved, were saved before
you were born. Then to what purpose is all their preach-

A Description of the Church of Scotland. 81

ing to you, if they cannot convert a reprobate, and an
elect person cannot siu unto condemnation ; where then
is the use of their ministry, which they have so many
thousands of marks, and hundreds of pounds a year for?
If they answer and say, this is the means to gather in
them that are elected, I answer, God will not lose any for
want of means, and therefore he hath afforded the means
freely, without money or price, to all the sons of men:
who hath so loved the world, that he hath given his only
begotten Son, a means and a way of salvation, for as
many as believe on him ; and he is the grace by which
the saints were and are saved, which appeareth to all
men, and bringeth salvation near unto all, without respect
of persons, who are taught by him to deny ungodliness
and worldly lusts, and to live soberly and righteously in
this present world: but if ye still continue to be taught
by them that turn the grace of God into wantonness, and
despise that which shines in the heart, to lead out of sin,
which it makes manifest, then shall you perish in your
gainsaying; and in the day of your calamity and misery,
ye shall know and confess to your unspeakable sorrow
and torment, that a prize was put into your hands, and a
way of life was declared and made manifest; but ye
loving your sins and iniquities, your delights and plea-
sures, which the light and way of life appeared against,
were unworthy of this free salvation ; and so your con-
demnation ye shall confess to be of yourselves in that
day, when God the righteous judge will be clear of all
your blood ; and then saying God is partly to blame, and
man is partly to blame, that men go to hell, will not serve
turn, which one of the chief priests of your Scottish
church affirmed, (Henry Foreside, priest of Lingich,) but
his folly and many such blind guides are now made mani-
fest with the light, which they have risen up against ; but
they shall not proceed much further, for their skirts are
discovered to their shame.

Many more of the doctrines of your church are re-
provable, and for condemnation with the light; which
light, as the diligent reader comes to mind in its working
and breaking forth, he shall see and be able to measure

11

82 A Description of the Church of Scotland.

and try your doctrines with, and will be able to compre-
hend your deceit in many other of your doctrines, which
now I am not free to insist upon. As of sauctification, in
which ye allow an unsanctified part to remain, and so
never bring people to know nor to hope for the thorough
cleansing, which the saints witnessed, except it be after
death, when no such work can be wrought. And also
your doctrine of justification in sin will be seen, and
God's righteousness will be cleared against your lying
and deceit : and so of adoption, and resurrection, and
glorification, and what else is preached amongst you, will
be seen with the light, by them that love it, to which I
commend them, in whom is sincerity of heart, and shall
proceed a little further to your ordinances.

1. Aud first concerning that rotten tradition which you
call an ordinance or baptism, namely, your casting a few
drops of water upon the face of an infant of about eight
days old ; this you call an ordinance, but could never yet
find out the institution thereof by Christ nor his disciples,
for any sign or signification whatsoever; much less can'
you prove it to be the one baptism, neither can you prove
that ever any such thing was done by any of them : so
ye have neither precedent nor precept from the holy mei
of (rod ; and therefore well may I call it a rotten tradi-
tion, that hath not so much as a precedent to support it,
except it be a popish oue, from whence it was derived,
from the whorish church of Rome, your mother, whoi
you rail against in words, and obey in her unwarrantable
practices, and with her shall you have your portion.
Now this conceited charm or trick, of casting a few drops
of water upon children's faces, you call baptism, whereii
you have proclaimed to all understanding people, that
from the greatest of you to the least, you are all ignorant
of the baptism the scriptures speak of, which had a time
and service, and ended in that which abides for ever ;
and so being ignorant of them, have in their room set up
a conceit and tradition, which hath not so much as the
least ground in the scriptures of Truth, neither is men-
tioned therein ; nor was it invented till many years after ;
and then it was instituted by the pope, obeyed by the

A Description of the Church of Scotland, 83

papists, and since continued and observed in your Scot-
tish church, which from thence is sprung : but the true bap-
tism is that which was instituted by Christ, and is owned
and witnessed by the saints, and denied by the Romish
and Scottish churches, which baptism is into the name of
the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, which name is a strong
tower, and all that are baptized into it, find strength in
it, and help against temptations ; and in the time of trou-
ble, find deliverance by it; and this the saints witnessed,
who witnessed the one baptism, by one spirit into one
body; for saith the apostle in Rom. vi. 3, 4. " For so many
of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized
iuto his death, that like as Christ was raised up from the
dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should
walk in newness of life ; now in that he died, he died
unto sin ;" and they that are baptized with the one bap-
tism, they are planted together with Christ in the likeness
of his death which is unto sin, ver. 10th. and such also
come to partake of the resurrection and life which is in
Christ Jesus ; and in that they live, they live unto God
and not unto themselves, having crucified the old man
with his deeds, and have the body of sin destroyed ; and
henceforth being dead unto sin, they serve it not, but
witness the baptism which now saveth, making clean the
conscience in the sight of God, by the washing of re-
generation.

Now ail people that desire further to know of this one
baptism, which is a dying unto sin, and a cleansing or
washing from the filthiness both of flesh and spirit, you
must turn your minds to the manifestation of God's spirit
within, which is given freely of God for you to profit
withal ; and with it will you see the spots that remain
upon you, notwithstanding your outward traditional bap-
tism, of what sort or manner soever it be ; and also it
will give you to understand, that the baptism which is
the answer of a good conscience, and which is the simi-
litude of Christ's death, which is unto sin, is yet wanting;
and so by waiting in that which maketh manifest those
things which ye should die unto, then will ye feel the
name of God revealed iu you, which is the strength and

84» •# Description of the Church of Scotland.

power which only is able to kill sin ; and trusting and
believing in this, the true faith comes first to be witness-
ed, and then the one baptism which cleanseth and puri-
iieth, will be witnessed, which briugeth into the ever-
lasting covenant which (rod is making with his holy seed,
which he is now gathering from under all the shadows,
and also from among all the inventions of men, to serve
him in meekness and fear in that worship which is inward
in the spirit and in the truth.

2. The next thing is your imitable custom of eating
and drinking bread and wine, which you call a Sacra-
ment of the Lord's Supper ; and in this imitation stands
much of your dark fellowship and communion; but no
warrant from scripture have you for any such practice ;
for Christ and his apostles never commanded swearers
and liars, and covetous persons, and fighters, and perse-
cutors, that they should observe any such thing at any
time, such as ye are ; for whenever ye eat or drink, it is
unworthily, as ye yourselves sometimes confess, and so
your damnation must needs be the greater.

Notwithstanding, Christ the same night he was betray-
ed, gave his disciples his flesh to eat, and his blood to
drink, (figuratively,) who afterwards were to partake and
enjoy him, in that which was signified by the bread and
the cup, when he took bread and blessed it, and said,
take eat, this is my body, which they took and eat, and
discerned his body, of which they were members ; and as
oft as they did this, they remembered him, who said, I
go away, but I come again ; and so also the cup, he said
was the new testament in his blood which they then par-
ticipating of, and keeping in remembrance him who died,
who was to be raised up from the dead through faith and
patience, they come to have the new covenant in their
hearts, which was the substance of the figure in the blood,
they being first therewith sprinkled from an evil con-
science, and washed in their bodies with pure water,
which is one with the blood : but how far ye are from
this state, let (rod witness in your consciences, and your
own mouths bear witness. Now notwithstanding Christ
did institute such a thing as this among his disciples,

A Description of the Church of Scotland. 85

who had followed him in the regeneration, and had con-
tinued with him in his temptations, this was nothing to
them who believed not on him, neither is it any thing to
you who are cursing them that bear witness to him, that
he is come a light into the world, and hath lighted every
man that cometh into the world, and that witness he is
come again the second time without sin unto salvation,
according to his promise; these you curse and persecute.
So your cup is not the cup of blessing which the apostle
speaks of, I Cor. x. 16, which is the communion of the
blood of Christ, which cleanseth from all sin ; neither
is that bread which they break, the communion of the
body of Christ; for Paul saith, they themselves were
the bread and the body, which is but one ; but this he
said he spoke to wise men, and if any have an ear, let
them hear; but as for your part, ye are so foolish and
unwise, that the bread ye break, is material bread, which
feeds nothing but the carnal body, which is no part of
Christ's body, that is hid from your carnal eyes, and
sealed from your carnal imaginations ; and if his second
coming, which is without sin ye cannot truly believe, his
first coming only will not save you, and your bread and
wine will never bring any of you truly to know nor re-
member his death, nor to sIioav it forth; for in that he
died, he died unto sin : neither will his coming be unto
salvation, when he appears again unto you, but unto
damnation, who discern not his body, but curse and per-
secute his members. But all that desire to know the
supper of the Lord in sincerity, they must come to the
Light in the heart, which cometh from Christ, and that
will show them that which hath crucified Christ, and
slain the Lamb, and oppressed the just in their own par-
ticulars; and then the fear of God being placed in the
heart, and the want of Christ being felt, who by sin and
through transgression is crucified afresh, then shall you
secretly come to feel a hope of his resurrection ; and so
then as oft as ye eat and drink, it will be in the fear of
God, and in remembrance of your own unworthiness ;
and also in remembrance of him who is come to sanctify
the creatures ; which as he comes to be raised to life,

86 A Description of the Church of Scotland.

which hath been slain in you, this appearance is the se-
cond appearance which is without sin unto salvation :
and till ye witness this, as oft as ye eat and drink, do it
in the fear of God, and in remembrance of Christ, so
showing forth his death till he comes, who when he comes,
will show forth his own life, who is God over all, bless-
ed for ever, amen.

And these two you call sacraments, which term you
have as little ground for out of the scriptures, as you have
to practise them ; but are delighting yourselves in the
works of your own hands, and giving names to what you
idolize, like the heathens aud idolaters before you. But
if you say they are obliging mysteries : I answer, how
comes it to pass, that you who have been so long exer-
cised therein, are no nearer obliged to God, but remain
in the alienation of your minds, such strangers to him,
that one of your own priests said to a company of you
in my hearing, that the lowing of oxen, and the bleating
of sheep, would give as good an account of what God
and Christ was, as your answers would do, if ye were
asked. But your idols shall be broken, and their names
shall you be ashamed of, as they were ashamed of the
groves and the green trees, under which they had wor-
shipped their idols, whom God confounded before you.
And then your water and wine, and cakes, and such like
things which you call sacraments, and your mass-houses,
which you call churches, signed with the pope's cross,
your predecessors, these things will but all add to your
shame and sorrow. Therefore whilst you have time, lay
aside these carnal and foolish traditions, and come to the
Light which lets people see over them all, to the one
baptism itself, and to the supper, and table of the Lord,
itself, and to the church itself, which is in God the Fa-
ther of our Lord Jesus Christ, as you may read, 1 Thes.
i.2.

And lastly, the discipline of your church, doth appear
contrary to the discipline of the true church ; and in this
particular ye have so far proceeded already, within these
few years, that ye have thereby much manifested your-
selves even to many, who did not before see you; for this

A Description of the Church of Scotland. 87

many have looked upon, as a tail of a scorpion with which
you have sought to vent that sting and venom which
lodged in your hearts, against the true church, which ye
could not vent with your tongue nor hands ; but this also
will the Lord cut off, that the scorpions shall hurt no
more. Your sting begins to decay, and your force to
fail you, and people begin to walk safely in the path of
peace, and iu the way of righteousness, notwithstanding
your tail or your tongue, to the grief of your hearts, which
is tilled with mischief against the righteous in the land :
but the Lord is their deliverer, and according to the evil
of your desires against the innocent, even so shall your
reward be.

Now the true church, they did observe, that if any that
was called a brother,, should be a fornicator, a railer, an
extortioner, a covetous person, an idolater, or a drunkard,
with such a one not to eat. Now if you would observe
this in your brotherhood, ye would quickly be scattered
one from another; your priests suspended for their covet-
ousness, and drunkenness, and railing; the people sus-
pended for their fornication, and idolatry, and extortion,
and railing, and fighting, and many other misdemeanors,
your communion would soon fall : but you who are a
body or church so called, made up of such as these, ye
take another course to uphold your fellowship ; for if any
who have been one with you in these things before men-
tioned, doth come to see with the light wherewith Christ
hath lighted them, that these things are displeasing to
God, and so dares not go on with you any longer in
them, but declares against your idolatry, your covetous-
ness, your railing, it is with such a one that you will
not eat nor drink, nor buy nor sell. Oh ! abominable
depth of satan! this is the way you have found out to
keep people from believing in the Truth, and from de-
parting from your corrupt and cursed practices. In short,
this is as your fathers the Jews did, who were the cruci-
fiers of the Lord of Life; if any then did confess him
to be the Christ, that said, I am the light of the world,
who lighteth every man that cometh into the world, they
must be cast out of their synagogue ; [mark] out of the

88 A Description of the Church of Scotland.

synagogues of the unbelievers and crucifiers. Such as
ye, who cannot, and will not have any fellowship with
them that believe in the light, that they may be made
children of light, your latter end shall not be like unto
theirs, except ye repent.

Furthermore, the apostle exhorteth the Corinthians,
to deliver the incestuous person to satan, for the de-
struction of the flesh, that his soul might be saved in the
day of the Lord; but he did not intend the destruction of
his body, as ye wickedly do, who thirst after blood, to
assuage the flame of your envy : but the Lord will quench
that flame, and ye that desire blood, shall have blood to
drink : but the apostle fought not with flesh and blood,
but against spiritual wickedness, and against incest, and
fornication, and idolatry; but ye make war against the
flesh and blood, and seek the destruction of the outward
bodies as much as in you lies ; but those who believe in
the Light, and trust in the Lord, the God of our salva-
tion, the power that saveth out of sin and unrighteous-
ness, them will he deliver out of your bloody hands, and
from your cruel teeth, and from the reach and venom of
your hurtful tail. But it may be you will say, although
we have no criminal fact to lay to their charge, whom
we have cast out of our church, of whom you speak, yet
they are heretics, and it was Paul's counsel, that one that
is an heretic after the first and second admonition, reject.
I answer, if this were observed among you, there would
be none found to reject; for all would be found to be re-
jected: and this is the reason, that whosoever comes to
be members of the true church, doth reject you, because
of your heresy in doctrine, and corruption in conversation.
But after that way which you call heresy, worship we
the God of our fathers, who wrote the holy scriptures by
inspiration of the Holy Spirit; and according thereunto,
we believe in the true light that lighteth every man that
cometh into the world; which, our belief, you call heresy;
and we believe that this light wherewith every man is
enlightened, is a sufficient light to lead all that follow and
obey it, to eternal life, and this you call heresy. And that
this light is the perfect and heavenly gift of God, and

A Description of the Church of Scotland. 89

whosoever yields himself into the obedience of it, shall
thereby be translated from darkness and the works there-
of which is sin, and be brought to live righteously and
holily in this life ; and this also you call heresy. And
many more things, which in the scriptures are declared,
and by us believed and witnessed, do you call heresy ;
as may appear in a book lately published by the presby-
tery at Edinburg, to their shame, called a Testimony
against the Petition for Toleration; wherein your envious
and bloody spirit is sufficiently set forth to every judi-
cious reader, against the life of the scriptures, and to
whomsoever is come into it ; but your Cainish spirit is
seen, and your end is at hand, and your reward shall be
according to your works.

And now all ye people of Scotland, in whom is sin-
cerity and simplicity, unto whom this shall come, consi-
der in the fear of the Lord, where you are, and whom you
are joined with, and against whom ye take part, while
ye abide in this church ; and search the scriptures your-
selves, and see whether these things be so or not, and
come out from amongst them, and partake no longer of
their sins, lest you partake also of their plagues, which
are near coming upon them ; and praise the Lord who hath
spared you until now, and caused his light to break forth
to discover their ways and works of darkness, before ye
are overwhelmed by his judgments. And as in sincerity
ye come to try these things with the light, in it ye will
see more light, and by it an understanding will be open-
ed in you, to see into their abominations and deceits, be-
yond what is here declared. But if ye reject this the day of
your visitation, then shall ye be shut up in darkness, and
your ignorance shall increase ; and your hearts shall be
hardened, and ye made fit for the indignation and wrath
of God, to be poured forth upon you, when the measure
of your iniquities shall be filled up.

While you have time, prize it, and while you have light,
love it, and believe in it, that you may be made children
of it. S. C.

12

( 90 )

A

LETTER FROM STEPHEN CRISP,

TO THE

MAYOR OF COLCHESTER.

Friend,

IT is in my heart in love, to lay these few things be-
fore thee ; and it is not my purpose to aggravate thy mind
against any by hard speeches, nor to crave or procure
any thing out what is as just for thee to grant, as it is for
us to have : but in consideration of the weighty charge
committed to thee, and the many difficulties that thy
charge is accompanied with, and the little experienc
that thou or any man can have, in wading through such
difficulties, they being occasioned by things newly hap-
pened, even but now, in the latter part of our age. Aud
so, if thou shouldest hastily and unadvisedly act, there
might be enough cause, and too little time for repentance.
I say, considering these and some other things, I could
not well omit spreading these few lines before thee,
which if they be received in love, as they are written, I
have my end and my desire concerning this matter : but
however, my reward is with the Lord, who knows the
simplicity of my heart, which I also desire to manifest to
all men.

Therefore, seeing the Lord God of heaven and earth is
the Supreme Counsellor, both of kings and potentates,
and of them that are under them, and that none that de-
part from his pure counsel, know how to rule or be ruled,
which I think none will deny, and that God hath sent
his Son Jesus Christ into the world, to declare his will
and counsel unto the sons of men ; and that his counsel,
yea, his command is to men, that as they would men
should do unto them, so they should do unto others.

Ji Letter from Stephen Crisp, &[c. 91

First, then, whether thou would willingly, if not a ma-
gistrate, but of a different persuasion from the magis-
trate, that that magistrate should violently persecute thee
for that thy persuasion. And secondly, if thou be of a per-
suasion concerning the worship of God, and believest
that he requires such things at thy hand ; then if men
should require the contrary of thee, whether it would be
safe for thee to forsake and relinquish such thy persua-
sion, and desist such thy practice only for that reason,
because thou art required thereto by men greater on
earth than thyself? And thirdly, whether the witness of
God in thy conscience, be not more answering to our
lives and conversations though we do not conform, than
it is to the conversation of them that live in profaneness
and wickedness, and yet do conform ? And, if so, then if
thou shouldest turn thy sword upon us, and let the wick-
ed walk on every side unpunished, as they have done,
whether thou actest not contrary to the witness and tes-
timony in thy own conscience, and so art found kicking
against the prick, which will prove a hard work in the
end.

Again, the apostle Paul saith, Rom. xiii. 3, Rulers are
a terror to evil doers, and a praise to them that do well :
therefore if the sword comes upon us justly, we must
have done some evil ; but our not being actually subject
to a command of man, which was never commanded for
the Lord's sake, is not an evil in itself, and that which
is not evil in itself, no man nor men can make evil by
forbidding it. It was as lawful for Daniel to pray to God
after the decree was sealed, that none should pray to God
or man, save to the king, for thirty days, as it was before ;
and he practised that which was lawful in itself, notwith-
standing the decree which called it unlawful. And it was
as lawful for Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego to keep
from worshipping an image, and bowing to an idol after
the proclamation and the great noise of music, as it was
before, and they did so, notwithstanding that which call-
ed it unlawful. And it was as lawful for the apostles
to preach in the name of Jesus, after their being forbid-

92 A Letter from Stephen Crisjp,

den by the rulers, as before ; for that which is good and
lawful in the sight of God, can never be made evil or
unlawful by any man or men whatsoever : and such who
are exercised in that which is good in itself, need not
fear the magistrate nor his sword, for such shall never
suffer by it, till the sword and judgment be turned back-
ward. And if so, let such go on, patiently continuing in
well-doing, committing their cause to God, who will
plead it in his own time.

Much I have to say of this nature, but I shall endea-
vour brevity, and not too much spend thy patience ; con-
sider also how little profitable violence and cruelty can
be in any way to thee, or hath been to them that have
gone before thee ; and on the other hand, how little de-
triment, moderation hath been to any that have been exer-
cised therein ; and let the fear and the dread of the God
of heaven rest upon thee as it ought to do ; else thy go-
vernment will not shine nor be honourable, but be extinct
in reproach and obscurity, in the eyes of sober people,
as well as others ; who for want of having regard to the
Lord and the afflictions of his people, and for want of
pleading the cause of the oppressed, hath become a praise
to evil doers, and a terror to them that did well, so much as
carnal weapons and violence, and wrath of man could
terrify them ; and hath ministered cause of rejoicing to
none but the rude and ungodly, who though they be now
formal with you, would as soon and readily be forcible
against you, if they did see it stood with their lust and
ungodly liberty : for being of no good principle in them-
selves, they are like the waves of the sea, and now the
wind is with you they roll before you, but if the wind
were against you, they would roll upon you as fast,
though it were to your utter ruin and contempt. And re-
member the times and seasons are in the iiand of the
Lord ; he commandeth the winds and they blow, he ga-
thereth them again, and they are still; he causeth the
thunder to utter forth his voice, and the lightning to con-
sume as he listeth ; that the sons of men might fear, and
not count themselves established but by him. And as

to the Mayor of Colchester. 93

concerning ns his poor and suffering servants, who are
bowed to the burden of his cross, and dare not but fol-
low him, though in a cross to our own wills and the wills
of others, and had rather incur the wrath of man by obey-
ing him, than God's wrath by obeying man ; we have
committed the innocency of our cause to the Lord, and
this we can and do witness for the Lord, that he
hath supported us, so that we have not fainted, neither
are we weary, neither shall we while we continue doing
his will, for his peace and presence is with us, and that is
our reward, and the renewing of our strength and con-
fidence. And though grievous have been our sufferings,
as thou knowest, and 1 believe more than thy heart hath
assented to oftentimes, yet do we not murmur nor repine
at the good hand of our God, who hath suffered you to
try us hitherto. But, whereas it is now come to thy lot, to
bear the burden of government of this numerous people,
I cannot but exhort thee to wait on God for wisdom
how to go in and out before them, and to put on bowels
of mercy and compassion, and let not the weapons of
cruelty be found in thy habitation, nor the devisings of
mischief, against the innocent, be found in thy heart;
for if there be this, I tell thee in the name of the Lord,
that all those devices shall fail, and not bring to pass the
effect intended by them, and shall in the end leave a
curse and withering upon thy name, and a blasting upon
thy blessings. Thou art now the third mayor in this
town since some of us were committed to prison for no
other cause than being at a peaceable meeting of the
people of God : and one leaves them bound, and ano-
ther leaves them bound, and now it is the work that
lies before thee to unloose the unjust bonds of the inno-
cent, and to ease and not aggravate the afflictions of the
afflicted, which will be a work acceptable with the Lord.
And in so doing thou wilt, as thou oughtest to do, weaken
the hands of the ungodly, be a refreshing to the sober
sort of people, who are weary of beholding such grievous
persecution, even such as suffer little of it : and this is the
way wherein thou and thy house may be blessed. So I

94? JL Letter from Stephen Crisp, §c.

have cleared my conscience to thee in true love, and my
reward is with the Lord; and if my advice finds accep-
tance with thee, I have, as I said, my end. But how-
ever I am content in my portion, which is my inheritance
in life and immortality, with them that are sanctified
through faith in Christ; on the trial of which faith, I
suffer bonds, and have done these forty-eight weeks, in
the moat- hall in Colchester, where I remain a lover of
thy soul, a friend to just power, and obedient to all good
and wholesome laws, but a witness against unrighteous-
ness. S. C.

The ist of the 8th month, 1664.

( 95 )

i

ANOTHER

LETTER FROM STEPHEN CRISP,

TO THE

MAYOR OF COLCHESTER.

Friend,

THOU art now become the ruler of a great and numer-
ous people, among whom the light of knowledge and un-
derstanding hath plenteously shined ; and many amongst
them have exercised themselves more in matters of reli-
gion, than ever thou hast done, and are come to be fixed
and settled upon something as a principle, in which they
make conscience of their worship towards God : and
their testimony of this principle, and their profession
which hereupon they do profess, is dearer to them than
all that they have in this world : and these are not like
unto those teachers and people, who being joined to no
principle nor religion in themselves, do stand ready to
take up a religion from any body that becomes greatest.
And so, whatever carnal profession is but backed or pro-
moted with the carnal sword, these carnal professors are
ready for it; and so the former grows old, and is not
esteemed worth the owning ; and so will this be, as soon
as the carnal or temporal sword is withdrawn from it,
as it was before. But these men-pleasers and time-servers,
are an abomination to the Lord, who changeth not, nei-
ther doth his worship change.

And friend, such who are come to be fixed as afore-
said, upon a principle of religion, which is certain aud
immutable, unto which the scriptures of Truth, and the
testimony of their own conscience bear them witness,
thou must not think that they can be so easily turned
aside from that unto which they were so hardly, and
with so much inward travail and labour brought; for

96 Another Letter from Ste2Jhen Crisp, §'c.

many of us have known a going through a vale of sorrow
and tears, before we were thus established ; and the tes-
timony of our religion is not a light thing, that we took
up at the pleasure of man, and can lay down at the will
and pleasure of man. Nay, it is not thy frowns nor threats,
thy imprisoning nor amercements than can deter us, nor
weigh down the weight of that which is so weighty, that
we can depend the safety of our immortal souls upon it,
which is the weightiest matter of all.

And therefore friend, consider in coolness, what a
work thou hast lift up thy hand to do, and in what power
thou doest it; and whether it be able to hold to the com-,
pleting thy purpose, or nay. Did ever any fight against
God and prosper? And did not the work of all persecu-
tors prove fruitless, to the shame of them that have been
exercised therein ? Therefore, cease thy works, and be
still a little, and see if thou canst find out any matter
against us, except in the matter of our God. And if that
be the matter, I tell thee thou hast a people to deal with
in this town, whose God and worship is dearer to them
than their natural lives: and if thou shouldst so shut
them up, and deprive them of that comfort to their out-
ward man, which God allows, and nature requires as to
bring any to the laying down their lives for their testi-
mony ; yet the thing thou strikest at, would still flourish
more and more, and the assemblies of them that fear the
Lord, will yet daily increase ; and so thy purpose, and
theirs that so much prompt thee on to this work, will
be frustrated ; and then anguish and vexation will begin
to take hold on thee, and he that is thy greatest backer
in this work, must stand by himself, and thou by thyself,
and shall not be able to help one another, and botli he
and thou will have a reckoning to make, that will be too
heavy for you. Friend, this in true love to thy soul, was
upon me from the Lord, to write to thee, and do heartily
desire it may be as tenderly received as it is written ;
then will the effect be good to thee, which is the desire
of me who am thy friend, though thy prisoner.

S. 0.

( 97 )

AN

EPISTLE TO FRIENDS,

CONCERNING

THE PRESENT AND SUCCEEDING TIMES;

$eing a Faithful Exhortation and Warning to all Friends who profess
the Truth, to beware of the manifold wiles of the enemy, and to
stand armed in die Light of the Lord God of Heaven and Earth,
against his assaults, that so they may be ready to answer the call
and requirings of the Lord.

Also something signified of the Misery of the succeeding Times, that
all may be prepared, and that the evil day may not overtake any
unawares, but such as turn away their ear from counsel.

By one who is a Traveller in the way of Peace, and hath good will

towards all men, and more especially to the Household ofFaith,

STEPHEN CRISP.

Let him that hath an ear, hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches.

Bear Friends,
YOU whom the Lord hath reached unto in this the
day of his love, and hath made known the way of Truth
and righteousness to you, through the raising up of that
holy living witness of himself, that long lay hid and bu-
ried in you, and hath brought you to a secret feeling of
something in you, that is worth the minding and regard-
ing; and the Lord causing this to appear in the day of
your seeking, as a light discovering darkness, and its
power, by which ye were formerly holden, and given
you by his spirit a sense and secret hope, that in this
light, the way of deliverance was to be attained unto ;
this hope made you not ashamed of the light which be-

13

98 An Epistle to Friends concerning

fore you hated, but you came to know and embrace itT
even while others still hated it, and you for its sake : yet
your hearts being affected with the hope that did appear
therein, could not but so far join unto it, as to make pub-
lic profession of it for its own sake ; and for no other end
or design, or interest at all, but with resolution in that
light, to wait for the salvation of God. Dear Friends, it
is you aforementioned, that both now, and for some days
and weeks, my heart hath been deeply exercised concern-
ing, even night and day; and the aboundings of the
Father's love, doth often overcome me, and draw me
forth now to say and write these things unto you for your
admonition and establishment. And indeed it is you who
did thus rightly own the way of Truth, and knew your
believing to be the gift and mercy of God to your souls,
that I do aim at ; for those that have taken up the pro-
fession of the precious Truth upon by-respects and sinis-
ter ends, and but for reasons propounded in their carnal
minds, though I do pity them, yet I have not much at
this time to say to them but this ; The day shall declare
them, and their garments shall not hide them.

But you, oh, my Friends ! who had fellowship with
us in the deep travails of our beginnings, and did come
to Truth the same way, and have known the power and
virtue of it, many times overcoming you in your inward
man, which hath made you cry out, Lord, evermore give
us of this bread! and hath made you as a watered garden.
Oh, Friends ! how shall I express or signify unto you
those longings, those ardent desires, and earnest breath-
ings of my soul, that you, even you, might abide to the
end of all trials, tribulations, and adversities, and might
inherit that crown of immortality that is in Christ Jesus
our Lord, and might not by any means be bereft thereof;
this is singly my travel in body and spirit, that you might
be kept and preserved out of all the subtle snares of the
wicked one, who hunts for the souls even of those that
have believed. And, therefore, in dear and tender love, I
have a few things to write unto you, for the clearing of
my conscience, and discharging my duty in the sight of
the Lord 5 and the Lord give you all a tender and an un-

the Present and Succeeding Times. 99

derstanding heart, that both you and I may yet have
cause daily to praise the Lord in the glorious light of his
salvation, which he hath manifested among us, by the re-
vealing his Son Jesus Christ ; to whom belongs dominion.
honour, and glory, for ever, amen.

And first, dear Friends, it is in my heart, to put you
in remembrance of that by which we were called and con-
vinced, which as a foundation principle was laid in and
among us ; and it being unchangeable and unalterable
in itself, doth therefore admit of no alteration or change
in those that are rightly kept to it.

It was a light which arose in our hearts, and shined
forth from Grod, the father of lights, carrying in its ap-
pearance the nature and property of God, both in its con-
demning evil, which the enemy had sown or planted in
us ; and owning, allowing, and justifying every thing that
was good and honest, just and equal; even those thoughts
in our hearts, which were of turning towards the Lord,
and seeking his righteousness ; these thoughts were jus-
tified and encouraged by the light, and all of a contrary
nature discovered and judged, as they were brought to
it to be tried. Now this light did our souls rejoice in,
as they had good cause, though it took away our former
rejoicings; our pleasures in vanities and iniquity died,
our glory in this world withered, our friendship with the
sons of men decayed, and we stood in the light and saw
all these things, and were not sorry at it, but waited daily
to see these things more and more brought to pass ;
neither was there a permitting our thoughts to go outj
how we might prevent those damages, or repair these
losses, but the cross of Christ was indeed our glorying
or rejoicing. And the hope that was before us, did make
us despise the pleasures, treasures and honours, friend-
ships and delights of this world. And in those days, you
grew into a feeling of the heavenly joy, where the hun-
dred-fold was witnessed in your bosoms, and the zeal of
the Lord was kindled by his own spirit in you, against
whatsoever this light of Jesus in the conscience did wit-
ness against ; and the Lord beheld your integrity and
blessed you, and multiplied you, and added to your

100 An Epistle to Friends concerning

strength and stature ; and then did the fruits of this glo-
rious work abound among you, in three more general and
special effects, by which effects, or by their continuance
among you, let all now come to search and try them-
selves, that so, dear Friends, those that have continued
faithful in them all, may persevere in like manner to the
end : and those who upon true search do find that they
have failed, and fallen short in all or any of them, may
make haste to repent, and to turn to that which was the root
of them all, that they may not be found as fruitless and
withered branches, in the day that cometh, lest they be
cut off, and utterly consumed, and blotted out from among
the living branches of the vine ; for a day cometh, that
Truth will look into the fig-tree for fruit, and leaves will
not defend it from the curse and blasting.

The three especial fruits that did spring forth from this
blessed root, and were and are to continue and increase
in us, and among us to the end, are these.

1. Purity, manifested in a godly conversation.

2. Unity, manifested in dear and tender love one to-
wards another.

3. Faithfulness, manifested in bearing a constant and
faithful testimony to the things we had received and be-
lieved, though it were unto great loss and sufferings.

And against all these, doth the wicked one appear, to
see if he can make you barren concerning them, and that
with divers wiles and subtleties, that he may prevail oi
you, and not be known to be the enemy, but might sc
overcome you, as that you might both submit to him, am
then plead for him and his snares and wiles, as beim
just, right, lawful, prudent, convenient, &c. But oh
dear Friends, let all be watchful and diligent, to wait ii
the sense and true feeling of that seed that never fell noi
was beguiled ; and you will, even the least of you3
see and comprehend his workings and transformings, am
be delivered from them.

1. Purity and holiness was a fruit in you, which dotl
yet flourish in many, blessed be the Lord, who are as
watchful and careful to approve themselves in obedience
te the light of Truth in their inward parts, as ever, am

the Present and Succeeding Times. 101

find as great a necessity both of trying and judging with
its judgment as ever; these having thus waited, have re-
newed their strength unto this very day, and do mount
up as upon the wings of an eagle; these are neither
weary in running, nor faint they in their walking : but
alas ! Friends, even these do know with how great and
manifold assaults they have been assaulted, and know
and see with sorrow of heart, how the assault hath pre-
vailed upon some, by working into the mind a secret li-
berty and supposed enlargedness, whereby a careless-
ness hath entered some; and they having no keeper but
the measure of light revealed in their hearts and con-
sciences, so soon as they came to be persuaded to slight
the reproofs of that, they soon erred; and this supposed
liberty entered, that now, after so many years strictness
and circumspection, they should not need now to stand
so straitly to try things and words as at first, because now
a day of more liberty was come. And this liberty secretly
prevailed against that pure fear that once was placed in
their hearts, and against the very obedience of Truth,
inwardly in the subjection of the mind, and then it be-
came manifest outwardly; the actions sometimes blame-
worthy, the words and speech again corrupted, and run
into the old channel of the world, like them again; and
the single pure language, learned in the light, in the
time of their poverty and simplicity, almost lost and for-
gotten, and so the work of God which he wrought, in a
manner laid waste. And then when this liberty is enter-
ed and made use of, as aforesaid, oftentimes a secret
subtlety ariseth against the judgment of Truth, either
from within, or from any outwardly, that are grieved
with this loose and careless kind of speaking or acting;
which subtlety leads to contend for it, against the judg-
ment, telling the creature, why these things are but small
things, and little things, and what! we must not strain at
a gnat, and such like. Oh my Friends ! beware of these
evil suggestions of the wicked one. How came they to
be small and little things, seeing they were great things
with us in the beginning? And how comes an offence
in this nature to be light now, seeing it was heavy in the

103 An Epistle to Friends concerning

beginning? Oh let not the greatest mercies of our God
so fill us, as to make us slight or forget the least obedi-
ence; but rather let the continuance of his mercy, the
more quicken you up unto a zeal for his name and
Truth in all things, to be found doing and speaking ac-
cording to the rule of righteousness, which ye learned in
the light, in the day of your being low and little ; and
then nothing will rise up and be exalted in the multitude
of God's mercies, but that holy birth which lives in pu-
rity, when it is at the highest. And so that life of righte-
ousness will shine forth more and more, which glorifies
God, and seeks his honour. Dear Friends, that ye might
be kept so unto the end, is the breathing aud travel of
my soul ; and that where this neglect hath entered, and
this aforesaid corruption either in speech or action is to
be found, that ye would receive the word of exhortation in
meekness and fear, in which it was written unto you :
and may redeem the time, for the days are and shall be
evil, and none will hold the mystery of the faith, that
saves from falling in the evil day, but such as do keep
the pure and undefiled conscience, which none can do,
but by persisting and continuing in the daily sanctifica-
tion of the spirit, and belief and obedience of the Truth.
2. A second fruit that was brought forth from this good
root, was unity and love one towards another ; which
blessed be the Lord, is preciously preserved in and among
many to this very day; who are so sensible of the divers
operations of Truth in them, to be all by one spirit, that
they are still kept of one heart and mind, given up freely
to serve the Lord in singleness of heart in their genera-
tion; and are in this good work as strengtheners and
encouragers of one another. But notwithstanding the
enemy hath been exceedingly busy, to lay waste and de-
stroy this blessed effect also, and that under divers pre-
tences, which the Lord still discovered by his own Light
and Spirit in his people, who have singly waited upon
him; but many have been his wiles, sometimes fitting
and preparing vessels to rise up in the fleshly and sensual
wisdom, and to traduce and bring in corrupt and evil
doctrines, to try who were not sound in the faith, that

the Present and Succeeding Times. 103

they may draw them aside into a heat and zeal for some-
thing which had not its root in the Truth, and which they
that abode in the Truth could not own, but judge and
condemn in the name of the Lord. Which when such
saw, they took thereat occasion of striving to propagate
and promote that which they saw withstood ; so having
lost subjection to the spirit of Truth in themselves, which
would have kept them in unity in the body, and having
also lost and laid by their subjection to them that were
over them in the Lord, they then grew stubborn and
wilful, and proceeded in more zeal for that which stood
in opposition to the Truth, than ever they did for the
Truth itself; and these sometimes have prevailed, to the
subverting whole households, and have turned several
from the faith and simplicity that is in the gospel, who,
as well as those that subverted them, have lost the fellow-
ship of the saints, and the savour of life, either in them-
selves or others. And then the enemy persuaded them,
all are dead to the life but themselves : and so they grow
to have a tickling joy in what they do and say, in obedi-
ence to that perverse and singular private spirit, and so
grow up to speak evil of dignities, and are unruly, and
dare to speak against heaven, and them that dwell and
inhabit in it, whom God makes to shine as stars in the
firmament of his power. But alas ! for them, my soul
pities them, when I see how they sport themselves with
their own deceivings ; but the day of the Lord is among
his people, which hath and doth make them and their
spirit manifest, and their fruits also have made them
manifest.

Another way that the enemy seeks to break the unity,
and dissolve the bond of amity, is by sowing a seed of
jealousy and prejudice in the hearts of such in "whom he.
can get an entrance ; that so they may cease from the true
and unfeigned love, and that upon a pretended reason,
because of this or that which is supposed or imagined, in
the evil parts in themselves against others ; giving heed
to evil thoughts or surmises, which break forth many
times in whisperings and tale-bearing; which though the
thing supposed to be evil, were really so, yet this is no|

104; An Epistle to Friends concerning

to be allowed or given way to among you, but to use
plainness, one towards another, and single-heartedness ;
and to shut out the evil one in this his subtle appearance
also. Oh ! dear Friends, remember how the Lord hath
dealt with you, and deal you so one by another. He
hath not sought occasions against you, but hath long borne
and suffered, and exercised much patience and tender-
ness towards you ; yet plainly reproving the evil in you,
and not treasuring it up against you. Oh ! Friends, be
like-minded one towards another, that the enemy of your
peace and concord may be defeated, and you preserved
entire to one head, even to Christ Jesus ; that ye may be
one, and the name of the Lord may be one among you ;
and that which tends to the making cold your love, may
be judged in all ; and so brotherly love will continue
with you to the end.

Another way which the enemy works, to scatter and to
bring from this unity, is, by leading some who have be-
lieved, into some sin and iniquity, which the body, that
are in the Truth, are constrained to appear in judgment
against for the Truth's sake : and yet notwithstanding
the party so sinning, being above the witness in them-
selves, which would bring them to own the judgment of
the Spirit of Christ in his church, they exalt themselves
above the judgment, and seek to gain to them such whom
they can enter by their words and complaints, to take
part with them against the judgment, and those that pas-
sed it. Such were those whose words did eat, the apos-
tle said, as a canker, of whom the believers in those
days were to be aware ; for commonly such as have gone
from the power that should have kept them clean and
upright, they will also turn against the power in those
that abide in it, especially if they be drawn forth to re-
prove and rebuke them. But let all such know that is
not the way to be renewed ; and let all that take part
with any that work iniquity, know, that they do but de-
file their own souls thereby, and do but rend themselves
from that body which they cannot prosper out of. An(
therefore, dear Friends, beware of joining with that ii
yourselves or in others, which the power goeth against,

the Present and Succeeding Times. 105

s

let the pretences be what they will ; for that which doth
evil, will always be apt to sow evil complainings of
others; and such as are in the unsatisfied murmuring
against judgment passed upon them, are much to be
feared ; for they thereby render themselves to be the more
guilty, and yet the further from repentance. But, dear
Friends, watch in that which gives you a living feeling
of the living body, which is the church, that in all things
you may demean yourselves as true members of it, serv-
ing one another in love, and submitting yourselves one
unto another for the Lord's sake ; that in all plainness
and singleness, as becometh the Truth, you may seek to
preserve the unity which the enemy of Truth and peace
doth envy ; so shall ye continue to strengthen one ano-
ther's hand in every good work ; and this shall tend to
the weakening of the hands of our enemies, who seek to
divide you, that they might rule over you. Many other
designs doth the wicked one try, daily to break and di-
vide, more than can now be named, or here inserted ; but
they are all out of the light, and if you be in it, you will
see them, and that will preserve you ; for it is one, and
did make us one, and will keep us to be of one heart and
mind to the end, if we abide in it.

3. The third good effect which Truth did work in the
beginning in them who did truly receive it, was zeal and
faithfulness to God, in the bearing testimony to what was
manifest, though through great sufferings, in which as
Friends abide in the root, they do daily increase in power,
to fulfil the same testimony ; for the mercy of the Lord
doth engage them, and his answer of peace in the midst
of their trials, doth arm and encourage them, and they
do hold out to the end. And for such, the Lord hath al-
ways made a way, better than they could have made for
themselves. Yet the enemy hath in this matter also been
very busy, and hath prevailed with some under divers
considerations or rather consultations which he hath pro-
pounded unto them. But, O Friends, be ye all watchful,
and take heed lest any of the testimonies of Truth be
laid waste ; for that which leads to be weary of bearing
witness to the Truth, and to lay it waste, the same will

14

106 An Epistle to Friends concerning

lay thee waste, and bring tbee into such a state, as thou
wilt want the Truth to bear witness for thee ; and though
it be hard for flesh and blood, which hath no kingdom
but here, to fall into the hands of unreasonable men, yet
it is a more fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living
God. And therefore let all lukewarm ones, who are nei-
ther hot nor cold be awakened, and all that have gone
backwards, be warned to return to their first love; else
the Lord will come against them, and the day hastens
that will divide such their portion among hypocrites, ex-
cept they repent.

But to touch at some of the reasons or arguments,
which he that abode not in the Truth himself, useth to
draw others into this kind of treacherous backsliding.

First, He appears to some to persuade them, that their
former testimony was borne more from an imitation of
others, than from a work of the power of God in them-
selves ; and that now, they not finding the thing required
of them, they may leave off their testimonies, or may do
such things as they have denied formerly : this snare
doth the enemy make use of in these days. But mark,
who it is that he hath caught with it ; none but such who
sometimes were low in their minds, and dare not grieve
the Spirit of God in themselves, nor others, but for the
Truth's sake, could give up all things rather than their
testimony; but in time growing careless and loose in
waiting, lost that subject state, and grew high and exalt-
ed in their minds, above the cross that should have cru-
cified the betraying wisdom ; and so having lost the true
exercise of the power, and the feeling of the excellency
and worth of the Truth, they knew not the requirings of
the Lord ; and the earthly mind got up, that placed a
greater esteem upon earthly things, than upon things
that are eternal ; and so things that once thou offeredst
up to God, thou takest again into thine own hand, and so
robbest the Lord, and growest careful about outward
things, as other Gentiles are. And to cover thy shame
therein, the enemy then tempts thee to belie the power
that once wrought in thy heart, and made thee afraid to
act against the light, or to deny the testimony for God in

the Present and Succeeding Times. 107

such things as were manifest, and then sayest, thou didst
it by imitation ; but thou shalt know thy covering is too
narrow, in the day that hasteth upon thee.

Another temptation that the enemy presenteth, is, that
though thou art convinced what to do, or what thou
shouldest deny, yet the trials are so hard and so many,
and persecutors wax worse and worse, so that thou shalt
not hold out to the end ; and where he can get entrance
with this bait, he presently causeth an evil heart of un-
belief and doubting to arise, which takes away even the
strength which the Lord did give ; and so feebleness doth
enter the mind, and a spirit of bondage leads thee to fear
again. And then comes the dispute in thy heart, whe-
ther thou shalt stand with the power of God in the obe-
dience, or whether thou shalt fall under that power that
ariseth against God, and his truth and people? And in
this combat thou hast a subtle enemy, using many de-
vices to betray thee, and a part in thyself, not yet morti-
fied, that is ready to say, pity thyself, pity thy wife, pity
thy children, and pity thy relations ; which it may be
sometimes, are all as so many instruments of satan to se-
duce thee, and lead thee into darkness, that thou may est
not see so great necessity in thy bearing up thy testi-
mony, nor so great a danger in the contrary as indeed
there is.

Oh ! Friends, at such a time as this, where is there
any help but in the Lord? Where canst thou find a Sa-
viour, but in that light which gives to distinguish of the
several voices ? Now it is good for thee to remember,
that if thou walkest after the flesh, thou must and shalt
surely wither and die. In such a time flee, flee to the
Lord, wait in his dread to feel thy strength but renewed
at the present, and take no care for strength next month,
next year, or next trial ; for God is God, and changeth
not, and will be the same to thee in seven trials as in six,
if thou believest and waitest on him in uprightness. And
therefore fear not man, but trust in the Lord, all ye that
have known and felt his power, and let not in the enemy
of your souls, by the door of carnal reasoning, but keep
that shut; and rather consider, how the enemy makes

108 An Epistle to Friends concerning

thee as a rejoicing among his own children, and
strengthens that hope in them, of their overcoming all
others, as well as thee ; which hope is cursed, and shall be
confounded. And consider, that if thou lettest fall thy ,
testimony which thou hast once borne for the Lord, thou
makest the heart of the righteous sad, and makest their
travail through that testimony the harder for them, by
reason of thy encouraging their adversaries by the hope
aforesaid. And whatever thou dost, they must go through
to the end, who will inherit the crown of immortality.

And again consider, it may be that thy backsliding,
or cowardly drawing away the shoulder, may prove a
discouragement to others, and they may stumble in thy
stumbling, and fall with thee, and never be able to rise,
and so thou bringest their blood also upon thee. Oh! re-
member also that servant of the Lord, who could say,
Psal. cxix. 157, "My persecutors are increased, but my
heart doth not decline thy testimonies." That was a noble
spirit becoming the soldiers of Christ; yea, though per-
secuted by princes, as he saith, ver. 161.

Dear Friends, let your minds be stirred up to be zeal-
ous for the Lord, in this the great day of controversy
with darkness and its power. Who hath Grodtobear wit-
ness to his name if you fail? Among whom hath he
made it known as among you? Who have given up them-
selves to the Lord, as you have done? Well, blessed are
they that keep covenant with the Lord, for they shall see
his glory.

One more subtle snare of the enemy in this matter is
in my heart to mention, that is this, viz. to persuade thee
for once to do that which the light hath made manifest
thou shouldest not, with a purpose afterwards to be more
faithful. Oh! Friends, in the name and fear of the Lord,
I exhort and warn you all to take heed of this, for this
will prove but a false confidence, thou wilt find this kind
of going out of the guidance of Truth, to be a dear out-
going to thee ; for if ever thou dost return, it will be very
hardly, and with bitter anguish of soul. Oh ! do not
tempt the Lord on this wise, lest it do prove impossible
upon thy sinning willingly, to renew or restore thee again

the Present and Succeeding Times. 109

by repentance; thou wilt have thy pottage, but wilt lose
the blessing, though thou mayest seek it with thy tears ;
for while thou wentcst out, behold thy way became hedged
up, and the thorny nature got up in thee, and so thou art
debarred and fenced out from enjoying thy former state;
sin being entered, death soon follows. Oh ! remember
Samson, who when he had disclosed a token of a Na-
zarite, in which state he stood in covenant with God, yet
thought to have shaken himself, and to have gone forth
in his strength, as at other times, but was mistaken, Judg.
xvi. &0, For the Lord was departed from him, though he
knew it not. And so though thou hast known the Lord's
presence and power in thy vessel, yet take heed of letting
in that treacherous spirit, to lead thee to unfaithfulness^
and to betray the least of his trusts and testimonies com-
mitted to thee, though it be but for once ; for thereby
thou wilt render thyself unworthy to be found a witness
of his power another time; for the Lord will leave that
vessel, and often doth, and chooseth other vessels to mani-
fest himself in, that will be more true and faithful.

So, dear Friends, in true and tender love I have laid
these things before you, that ye might all be stirred up
and provoked to love and to good works, that ye might
abound in the grace committed to you, and none of you
who have known the Truth, might be entangled with the
wiles of your subtle enemy : and that you that have be-
gun well, might not lose the things that you have wrought,
but might persevere in well doing, till ye have finished
your course in peace. And, Friends, this is the joy and
delight of those that labour among you in the Lord ; and
hereby are our hands strengthened, and our hearts refresh-
ed, when we do find you such as we desire ye should be,
even steadfast in the Truth ; and then also do you find us
toward you such as ye desire we should be, even a re-
freshing in the fellowship of life unto you, and our God
comforts us together, in the mutual joy and comfort of his
Holy Spirit, working in us and you.

And, Friends, I am the more drawn forth at this time
to visit you with an epistle, because the Lord hath given
me some sight of his great and dreadful day, and work ;

110 JLn JEpistle to Friends concerning

ings in it, which is at hand, and greatly hastens, of
which I have something to say unto you, that ye may be
prepared to stand in his day, aud may behold his won-
drous working among his enemies, and have fellowship
with his power therein, and may not be dismayed nor
driven away in the tempest, which will be great.

And as concerning those succeeding times, the spirit
of the Lord hath signified, that they will be times of hor-
ror and amazement to all that have, and yet do reject his
counsel. For as the days of his forbearance, warning,
and inviting have been long, so shall his appearance
amongst those who have withstood him, be fierce and ter-
rible; even so terrible, as who shall abide his coming?
for the Lord will work both secretly and openly, and his
arm shall be manifest to his children in both.

Secretly he shall raise up a continual fretting anguish
amongst his enemies, one against another ; so that being
vexed and tormented inwardly, they shall seek to make
each other miserable, and delight therein for a little sea-
son. And then the prevailer must be prevailed over, and
the digger of the pit must fall therein ; and the confi-
dence that men have had one in another shall fail, and
they will beguile and betray one another, both by coun-
sel and strength. And as they have banded themselves
to break you, whom God hath gathered, so shall they
band themselves one against another, to break, to spoil,
aud destroy one another; and through the multitude of
their treacheries, all credit or belief, upon the account of
their solemn engagement shall fail; so that few men shall
count themselves, or what is their's, safe in the hand of
his friend, who hath not chosen his safety and friend-
ship in the pure light of the unchangeable Truth of God.
Aud all the secret counsels of the ungodly shall be
brought to nought, sometimes by the means of some of
themselves, and sometimes by impossibilities lying in
their way, which shall make their hearts fail of ever ac-
complishing what they have determined : and in this state
shall men fret themselves for a seasou, and shall not be
able to see the hand that turns against them, but shall
turn to fight against one thing, and another, and a third

the Present and Succeeding Times, . ill

thing, and shall stagger, and reel in counsel and judg-
ment, as drunken men that know not where to find the
way to rest ; and when they do yet stir themselves up
against the holy people, and against the holy covenant
of light, and them that walk in it, they shall but the more
be confounded; for these shall be helped with a little help,
which all the ungodly shall not hinder them of, to wit,
the secret arm of the Lord maintaining their cause, and
raising up a witness in the very hearts of their adversa-
ries to plead their innocency, Isa. 8. And this shall make
them yet the more to vex themselves, and to go through
hard bestead. For when they shall look upwaM to their
religion, to their power, policy, or preferments, or friend-
ships, or whatsoever else they had trusted in, and relied
upon, they shall have cause to curse it. And when they
look downwards to the effects produced by all those
things ; behold, then trouble, and horror, and vexation
take hold on them, and drive them to darkness ; and
having no help but what is earthly, and being out of the
knowledge of the mighty overturning power of the Lord
God Almighty, they shall despair, and wear out their
days with anguish. And besides all this, the terrible
hand of the Lord is, and shall be openly manifested
against this ungodly generation, by bringing grievous
and terrible judgments and plagues upon them, tumbling
down all things in which their pride and glory stood,
and overturning even the foundations of their strength ;
yea, the Lord will lay waste the mountain of the ungodly,
and the strength of the fenced city shall fail : and when
men shall say, we will take refuge in them, Nalium, iii.
42, 13, they shall become but a snare, and there shall
the sword devour : and when they shall say we will go
into the field, and put trust in the number and courage
of our soldiers, they shall both be taken away ; and this
evil also will come of the Lord, and his hand will be
stretched out still, and shall bring confusion, ruin upon
ruin, and war upon war ; and the hearts of men shall be
stirred in them, and the nations shall be as waters into
which a tempest, a swift whirlwind is entered ; and even
as waves swell up to the dissolution one of another, and

112 JLn Epistle to Friends concerning

breaking one of another; so shall the swellings of people
be. And because of the hardship and sorrow of those
days, many shall seek and desire death rather than life.

Ah ! my heart relents, and is moved within me, in the
sense of these things, and much more than I can write or
declare, which the Lord will do in the earth, and will
also make haste to accomplish among the sons of men,
that they may know and confess, that the Most High
doth rule in the kingdoms of men, and pulleth down and
setteth up according to his own will. And this shall men
do, before seven times pass over them, and shall be con-
tent to give their glory unto him that sits in heaven.

But, oh ! Friends, while all these things are working
and bringing to pass, repose ye yourselves in the muni-
tion of that rock, that all these shakings shall not move ;
even in the knowledge and feeling of the eternal power
of God, keeping you subjectly given up to his heavenly
will, and feel it daily to kill and mortify that which re-
mains in any of you, which is of this world ; for the
worldly part in any, is the changeable part, and that is
up and down, full and empty, joyful and sorrowful, as
things go well or ill in the world. For as the Truth is
but one, and many are made partakers of its spirit, so
the world is but one, and many are partakers of the spi-
rit of it ; and so many as do partake of it, so many will
be straitened and perplexed with it; but they who are
single to the Truth, waiting daily to feel the life and
virtue of it in their hearts, these shall rejoice in the midst
of adversity. These shall not have their hearts moved
with fear, nor tossed with anguish, because of evil tid-
ings, Psal. cxii. 7? 8. Because that which fixeth them,
remains with them. These shall know their entrance
with the bridegroom, and so be kept from sorrow, though
his coming be with a noise. And when a midnight is
come upon man's glory, yet they being ready and pre-
pared, it will be well with them ; and having a true sense
of the power working in themselves, they cannot but
have uuity and fellowship with the works of it in the
earth/and will not at all murmur against what is, nor
ivish nor will what is not to be : these will be at rest till

the Present and Succeeding Times. . 113

&

the indignation passeth over, and these having no design
to carry on, and no party to promote in the earth, can-
not possibly be defeated nor disappointed in their un-
dertakings.

And when you see divisions and parties, and readings
in the bowels of nations, and rumours and tempests in
the minds of people, then take-heed of being moved to
this party or to that party, or giving your strength to this
or that, or counselling this way or that way ; but stand,
single to the Truth of God, in which neither war, rent
nor division is. And take heed of that part in any of
you, which trusts and relies upon any sort of the men of
this world, in the day of their prosperity ; for the same
party will bring you to suffer with them, in the time of
their adversity, which will not be long after ; for stabi-
lity in that ground there will be none. But when they
shall say, come join with us in this or that, remember
you are joined to the Lord by his pure spirit, to walk
with him in peace and in righteousness ; and you feel-
ing this, this gathers out of all bustlings, and noises, and.
parties, and tumults, and leads you to exalt the standard
of Truth and righteousness, in an innocent conversation,
to see who will flow unto that. And this shall be a
refuge for many of the weary, tossed and afflicted ones
in those days, aud a shelter for many, whose day is not
yet over.

So dearly beloved Friends and brethren, who have
believed and known the blessed appearance of the Truth,
let not your hearts be troubled at any of these things.
Oh ! let not the things that are at present, nor things that
are yet to come, move you from steadfastuess, but rather
double your diligence, zeal and faithfulness to the cause
of God. For they that know the work wrought in them-
selves, they shall rest in the day of trouble, yea, though
the fig-tree fail, and the vine bring not forth, and the la-
bour of the olive-tree ceaseth, and the fields yield no
meat, aud sheep be cut off from the fold, and there be no
bullocks in the stall, yet then may est thou rejoice in the
Lord, and sing praises to the God of thy salvation.
Bab. 3.

15

114 Jin Epistle to Friends concerning

And how near these days are to this poor nation, few
know ; and therefore the cry of the Lord is very loud
unto its inhabitants, through his servants and messen-
gers, that they would prize their time while they have it,
lest they be overturned, wasted and laid desolate before
they are aware, and before destruction come upon them,
and there be no remedy, as it hath already done upon
many.

Oh! London, London! that thou and thy rulers would
have considered, and hearkened and heard, in the day
of thy warnings and invitations, and not have persisted
in thy rebellion, till the Lord was moved against thee,
to cut off the thousands and multitudes from thy streets,
and the pressing and thronging of people from thy gates,
and then to destroy and ruin thy streets also, and lay
desolate thy gates, when thou thoughtest to have replen-
ished them again.

And, oh ! saith my soul, that thy inhabitants would
yet be warned and persuaded to repent and turn to the
Lord, by putting away every one the evil that is in their
hearts, against the Truth in yourselves, and against those
that walk in it, before a greater desolation and destruc-
tion overtake you.

Oh! what shall I say to prevail with London, and
with its inhabitants ! The Lord hath called aloud, he
hath roared out of Zion unto them, but many of them
have not hearkened at all, nor considered at all.

Well, oh, my Friends ! and thou, oh my soul! return
to your rest, dwell in the pavilion of the house of your
God and my God, and shelter yourselves under the sha-
dow of his wings, where ye shall be witnesses of his do-
ings, and see his strange act brought to pass, and shall
not be hurt therewith, nor dismayed.

Oh, my friends ! in the bowels of dear and tender love
have I signified these things unto you, that ye might
stand armed with the whole armour of God, clothed ii
righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation
of the gospel of peace, and freely given up in all things to
the disposing of the Lord, who will deliver us, not by
might, nor by sword, nor spear, but by his own eternal

the Present and Succeeding Times. 115

invisible arm, will lie yet save us and deliver us, and
get himself a name, by preserving of us. And we shall
yet live to praise him, who is worthy of glory, of honour,
and renown, from the rising of the sun to the setting of
the same, now and for ever, amen, amen, saith my soul.

A POSTSCRIPT.

Dear Friends and Brethren,

I HAVE something further in my heart to communi-
cate unto you, in dear and tender love, and in desire for
your preservation out of the snare of your adversary:
and that is, to exhort you all to dwell in the pure judg-
ment of the Truth, which is a defence upon your glory;
and let none bereave you of this, under any pretence
whatsoever. But as you come to a true feeling of the
life in yourselves, to which alone the certain judgment
appertained, so let this life have freedom, and stop it
not from judging all that which is at enmity with the life,
and tends to the hurting of the true plant of God; for I
have seen a harm hath come to many who have parted
with their judgment, and so have become unarmed, and
the enemy hath prevailed upon them, under a pretended
tenderness, to permit or suffer such things as were hurt-
ful to themselves and others ; and though the Lord hath
given them judgment and discerning in the matter, yet
were bereaved of that gift, and so by little and little be-
came beguiled.

Oh! dear Friends! consider these days are perilous
times, and it is needful for every one to watch in that
same eternal light to which you were first turned, that
by its righteous judgment ye may be preserved from
every thing in yourselves that appears contrary to that
precious life of which you have tasted. And when you
have so done, then take heed that the enemy do not do
that by an instrument, which, through your watchful-
ness in the light, he could not do without. And all beware
of that affected tenderness that cries out, be tender to all,.

116 An Epistle to Friends concerning

and pray for all, and mind the good in all, aud love all,
and judge none, but leave judgment to God, &c. I say,
heed not the plausible words of that spirit, which being
guilty, to save its own head from a stroke, would bereave
you of your judgment which God hath given you; and
is indeed truly his judgment, and is to be administered in
his wisdom and power, for the cleansing and keeping
clean his sanctuary: for such as have no judgment in
their goings, are they that know not the true way of
peace, but make them crooked paths. He that goeth in
them, shall not know peace, Isa. lix. 8.

But some may say, was not Christ meek and lowly ?
and ought not all to be like unto him ?

It is true, my Friends ; but there is a difference be-
tween the seed's suffering and its reigning, and there are
times for them both; and when it doth please God to per-
mit the hour and power of darkness in the open perse-
cutors, to exalt itself against his seed and people by per-
secution, or such like ; they are led by his spirit to ap-
pear in meekness and quietness, as a sheep before the
shearer. But what is this to suffering bad and perverse
spirits, that appear under pretence of the Truth, and yet
are out of the Truth, and enemies to its prosperity, striv-
ing to exalt and set up another thing instead of the
Truth ? Such as these the Lord doth not require you to
use only patience and meekness towards ; but if that will
not reclaim them, they must know the judgment of tin
Truth, and you in it must stand over them ; for in this
case the day of the exaltation of Christ is come, and Go(
is crowning Truth with dominion over every false spirit,
and corrupt practice thereof.

And, therefore, dear Friends, eye the Lord in his go-
ings forth, and as you feel his life in you to witness
against any evil and corrupt thing or practice, use plain-
ness, and keep sincerity, and turn not judgment back-
wards; for that which is unwilling to be judged, an<
cries out, judge none, leave all to God, &c. the same
will take upon it both to judge and rule, but not in the
wisdom of God. And those that cry out so much for ten-
derness, and against Truth's judgment, the same are in

the Present and Succeeding Times. . 117

most danger to be drawn out from the patient suffering
in the spirit of Christ Jesus, when they ought to appear
in the most meekness, and to appear rough and wrathful
in the striving and fighting nature, and are most apt to
be tempted into a spirit of revenge, as hath been seen by
sad experience ; for they that lose the exercise of that by
which all should keep dominion over deceit, they lose that
strength by which they should be enabled to suffer all
things for the sake of Christ Jesus.

So, dear Friends, in that which keeps out the de-filer
and the betrayer, all wait upon the Lord, that you may
have your armour on, and be fortified with the strength,
with the might, and with the judgment of God ; and keep
that under in every place, which under pretence of ten-
derness and forbearance, would make void the testimony
of Truth, or make the offence of the cross to cease in any
thing wherein you have been instructed from the begin-
ning ; that the Lord may behold and see judgment esta-
blished, and be pleased, Isa. lix. The Lord looked, and
there was no judgment, and it displeased him ; for there-
by deceit got up, which with it is to be kept down.

So the Lord (rod of power and wisdom preserve you
faithful, and fitted for every good word and work ; the
strong to watch over the weak in singleness, and the
weak to be subject to the strong in the Lord, that so the
pure plant of righteousness and Truth may grow in and
among you all, to his praise that hath called you ; to
whom be glory and honour for ever, amen.

S. C.

( 118 )

WORD IN DUE SEASON

HARVEST MEDITATIONS,

Warning from the Lord God to all the People in England, to leave
off their Wicked and Foolish Customs in their Harvest, before the
Anger of the Lord be kindled against them, and there be no
Remedy.

BEHOLD, the eye of the Lord has passed through
the earth, and has beholden the abominations of the peo-
ple and their customs, which are altogether vain, and his
hand is lifted up against them, to cut them off from the
earth, and wo to them that withstand him ; for them
will the Lord God visit in his displeasure, and rebuke
in his anger : therefore be warned all ye inhabitants of'
the earth, and while ye have time learn wisdom : and de-
part from vanity, before ye be consumed through your
gainsaying.

Upon the 29th of the 4th month, the word of the
Lord came unto me saying, behold, the many abomina-
tions of this people in the time of their harvest ; and al-
though my light hath shined, to have let them see them,
yet they have rejected the counsel thereof; and although
my faithful witness in them hath reproved them, yet they
have not regarded it ; and although I have smitten them
with mildew, and with blasting, yet they have not laid it ^
to heart, but have persisted in the foolish customs of their
forefathers, and have hated to be reformed, neither have
they feared me saith the Lord; but daily do they grieve
my Holy Spirit with their iniquities.

Therefore once more let them be warned of the vani-
ties and abominations of their harvest in particular, that
they may return and learn to fear before me, lest I smite

A Word in due Season, Sfc. 119

their fruitful fields with barrenness, and their goodly
crops with withering, and their children with cleanness
of teeth in all their borders, &c. Amos, iv. 6, 9, 10.

And now this is that which the Lord hath put into my
heart, to warn all ye husbandmen and farmers, that in
the time of harvest, when ye are taking in the fruit and
the increase of your fields, and the issue of your labour,
that ye mind the fear of God, that it may keep you in
the remembrance of him from whence every good gift
comcth, that so it may be good to you, and ye may receive
it with humility aud thankfulness ; and none to inurmur,
because it is no more; and none to glory because it is so
much; but all to be contented, and to mind that which
lets you feel and see the blessing, that ye might be kept
in the worthy walking, and know it to be multiplied unto
you; and let your joy be, in that the light hath shined
upon you, and let that be the joy of your harvest, Isa.
ix. 3.

And remember that the portion of the poor be not
gathered; but consider the Lord has regarded their need ;
neither be churlish nor bitter to them; but let them have
their portion without diminishing, Lev. xix. 9. And
when thou reapest the harvest of thy land, thou shalt not
wholly reap the corners of thy field, [mark] neither shalt
thou gather the gleaning of thy harvest, it is for the poor
and for the stranger. Lay this to heart, ye rich men, lest
ye eat of the portion of the poor, and the hand of the
Lord be turned against you, through their cry, Job, xxxiv.
18. For the Lord will maintain the right of the poor,
Psal. civ. 12.

And take heed of inordinate feasting, spending the
creation upon the lust, making provision for the flesh,
which is contrary to the Christian's example ; but let
your moderation appear in this also, for the reward of
the glutton shall be poverty, Prov. xxiii. 21. And mind
the witness of God, that that may order and guide you
into that which is convenient, and may stop the excess;
that whatsoever is done, may be done to the praise and
glory of God, as becometh Christians.

And let none be over covetous of drinking, neither in

120 A Word in due Season :

the time of your labour, nor at any other time ; for that
hurts the creature, and destroys the health, and hath
overcome the life of mauy ; when they have been strength-
ened by the Lord to labour, then they have hurt them-
selves with their inordinate drinking, and so abusing the
gift of God, it hath been taken from them. But let all
mind God's fear, that ye may feel through that which is
outward, to that which is within ; namely, the thirst of
the soul, which that which is outward will not satisfy ;
that so ye may be brought to wait to know that manifest-
ed within, which is drink indeed, John vi. 55, which
cleanseth from the pollutions that are in the world through
lust, and satisfies the soul.

And let that abominable custom of shouting in the
fields, or elsewhere be left off, which is derived from ge-
neration to generation from the heathen, and from the
papists; and while this be left, leave off calling your-
selves Christians or protestants, for even this thing,
namely, your crying of that which you call your largess,
is a shame to the very name of Christians to be found
amongst them, and renders you but foolish, ignorant peo-
ple, who sport yourselves with your own breath, like the
heathen who know not the Lord that gives it; such as
were the Moabites, whom the Lord's anger was kindled
against, until he threatened to cut off the vintage of Moab,
and their shouting should be no more heard in their vine-
yards, because the headers should tread out no wine in
their presses, Isa. xvi. 9. 10. And so will the Lord do
by you, except ye repent and turn from the folly of your
ways; for he is not changed, neither is there respect of/
persons with him ; therefore let this be no more named
amongst you, who call yourselves Christians.

And let your corrupt and vain harvest-songs be left :
off, your night-work, which lifts up the evil spirit in
man, but opprcsseth the just, and keepeth from the true
joy, in the pure spirit, where the songs of praises are
sung unto God for all his benefits with acceptance ; for
in this also is there great abomination committed in the
land, and the Lord's spirit hath been grieved therewith.
Sometimes ye are spending your precious time, which

or some Harvest Meditations. 121

should be for the resting of the creature, in singing of
filthy and abominable songs, tending to the subverting
and removing of modesty aud chastity from off the face
of the earth ; and it may be the same night, aud in the
same mind, will ye take some of the words of the holy
scriptures, it may be of David's Psalms, or some other of
the psalms, and then in your wicked manner of doubling
and vain repetitions, will sing them, which is far from
singing to the praise and glory of God, or with grace hi
your hearts, but to the great abuse of the scriptures, and to
the dishonour of the name of the Lord ; and be assured
you shall not be holden guiltless, that take God's name
in vain, although in the time of your harvest ; but your
songs shall be turned as the howling of Moab, in the day
when the Lord visited him.

But all mind the light of the Lord Jesus Christ with-
in, that ye may know it lifted up upon you which makes
glad the hearts of the righteous, yea more glad than the
joy of the ungodly, when their corn and wine are increas-
ed, Psal. iv. 6, 7.

And let that wicked and abominable custom of making
lords and ladies amongst you in the harvest-field, be left'
off for ever, which is a shame to your profession, and ren-
ders you to be like the gentiles, who had lords many
amongst them, but knew not the Christian's one Lord.
This ought not to be any more mentioned, but ought to
be denied as a foolish and Antichristian custom, tending to
nothing but to exalt the pride of man's heart, and beget-
ting into emulation and strife ; this also is vanity and
vexation of spirit.

And let none of you who are strong, boast and glory
in your strength over him that is weaker, nor seek to hurt
him by your strength ; but mind the Lord your maker, and
remember your ability to be of him, and not your own,
and so to be used in his fear, without vain-glory.

And all you that have much of the earth in your hands,
and many hired servants, see that ye stand in the power
land wisdom of God, ruling over that part in them all,
'that would lead into rudeness and profaneness ; being
good examples in your places, and giving that which is

16

12& Ji Word in due Season, §*c.

due for their encouragement, not oppressing them in work
nor in wages ; but all mind the Truth of God, the equal
witness between you, which secretly calls for righteous-
ness towards all men, and equity, as ye would have from
all men, that so the Lord may make your land as a fruit-
ful field, and may multiply a blessing upon you, both
within and without.

Thus have I cleared my conscience in the sight of God,
and singly given testimony against these abominations
which have been acted in this nation in harvest time, in
love to your souls, and in obedience to the Lord ; and
whether you will hear or forbear, ye shall know that yei
were warned by a friend to your souls and a lover off
the Truth, which was before the customs of the heathen
were, and therefore plead not antiquity in these things,
and one that desires this nation may walk in the light of
the Lord, and be saved from the reproach of the heathen ; .
whose outward name is

STEPHEN CRISP.

This for the service of Truth, and for a warning to
the foolishly disobedient, is again seen meet to be printed,
that all may hear wisdom's counsel, repent, and amend
their doings.

( 123 )

A

PLAIN PATHWAY OPENED

TO

THE SIMPLE-HEARTED,

For the answering all Doubts and Objections which do arise in them
against the Light and Truth in the Inward Parts ; by which many
are kept from Obedience, and so from Peace to their panting Souls.

BY STEPHEN CRISP.

Friends and People,
I HAYE had a deep exercise upon my spirit, con-
cerning many who are come to feel something stirring
and moving in their hearts, that is good, to bring them
into a serious consideration of their course of life, and
the inward state of their immortal souls. And when you
have sometimes begun to turn your minds to this good
thing that stirred in you ; then have many doubts and
objections arisen in you, lest you should be misled, de-
ceived or deluded And lest this thing that inwardly
strives with you, should lead you into the erroneous way
of the quakers, as the world's teachers call it, for they
speak and write of, and bear a constant testimony to
something that is in man, that calls upon him to repent
and to turn to the Lord : and under this very notion, that
ye have heard evil, and thought evil of that people; by
the same rule you are apt to think evil of that which
works in your own bosom, to lead you out of sin and
iniquity ; and so ye are tempted to slight it, and to get
some slight name for it, to call it by, which Antichrist's
ministers have many to afford you ; as to call it a natural
light ; a common gift of the Spirit, but not a saving gift ;
conviction of a natural conscience ; a legal work 5 yea,
and many call it the devil's work, to disturb the soul of

124? A Plain Pathway Opened.

its peace 5 and some, a diabolical light, &c. And thus
when thou art brought to slight that good principle, that
strives with thee, under some such name, thou gettest ease
again for a little while, and takest liberty to act against
it, and to do and say that which this principle doth in
secret condemn : and then it riseth again, and breaks thy
peace, and brings trouble and anguish upon thy soul.
And then up comes many doubts on the one hand, and
doubts on the other hand, and thy poor soul is beset
and encompassed with doubts, and fears, and jealousies.
Sometimes thou fearest thou withstandest the Truth to
thy own destruction, and sometimes fearest again it is a
delusion, and thou shalt be deceived. And besides, thou
findest many learned men, and worldly wise men, that
tell thee that there is nothing good in thee. And here
thou art in a great strait, and labourest under many sor-
rowful thoughts, and many doubtful disputations arise in
thy mind; the flesh now strongly warreth against that
which comes to disturb it, and the Spirit strongly war-
reth against that which resists and rebels against it : and
these two are contrary, and these contrary things are both
in thee, and thou poor creature must feel the struggling
of them both ; and by reason of thy darkness, and doubts, '
and fears, thou scarce knowest, or at least with cer-
tainty, which is right. Now, in this state and condition,
liow acceptable would a messenger be, one of a thousand,
to show unto such a one that which might deliver his
soul from going down into the pit, and save his life from
the destroyer? Job, xxxiii. 23. And truly very many
are in this straitened state in these days ; for whose
sakes I am drawn into a deep exercise many times, by
day and by night; and my cry to Grod is, that his glori-
ous power may more and more arise to open these doors
that are shut and folded upon many such, and to bring
forth the imprisoned spirits out of the prison-house, and
out of the bondage of this spiritual Egypt, where our
Lord was, and is crucified spiritually; and that he may
expel the clouds of darkness, in which the fears and
doubts, and questionings arise ; and that he may make a
clear way in all such, for his light to break forth out of

A Plain Pathway Opened. l%o

obscurity, in which the answer to those doubts and ques-
tions doth arise.

And by that same spirit that labours with you, am I
moved to send this forth unto you all, as a word of ex-
hortation and counsel, in the name and fear of the Lord
God, by which as many as do rightly receive it, and
make a true use and proof of it, shall find help and bene-
fit ; and shall know the mouth of the questioner stopped,
and the answer of peace witnessed to their immortal
souls, in the Lord's due time. And therefore consider
this, that every good and perfect gift cometh from above,
from the Father of Lights and Spirits, who would not
the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn and
live. And therefore hath he, out of his infinite love, and
tender mercies to the sons of men, prepared a way to
draw nigh unto them, even while they are in their sins,
which he doth not but through Jesus Christ the mediator
of the new covenant, whom he hath freely given to be a
light unto the dark world ; and that he should enlighten
every one that cometh into the world, John, i. 9, of which
number thou art one, whoever thou art, and art enlight-
ened by Christ, though thou be yet darkness in thyself,
as the Ephesians once were ; yet the light shineth in thy
darkness, or else there would not be two contrary na-
tures and seeds found working in thee as there are ; and
this light wherewith thou art enlightened, is the life of
Jesus, John, i. 4, which he hath given a ransom for man.
And that was not natural, as some foolishly imagine ;
for if it were natural, it could not be a ransom for man
out of sin ; for the sin to be natural, and that which re-
proves it natural, is contrary to the apostle, who said,
they two that warred in the creature were contrary ; and
called the one flesh, or natural ; and the other spirit, or
spiritual ; and Christ Jesus called that which should re-
prove the world of sin, the spirit of Truth ; and Anti-
christ and his ministers call it, a natural insufficient light,
&c. But know this, thou that art inquiring; that that in
thee which doth make manifest things to thee that are re-
provable, that is the light wherewith Christ Jesus hath
enlightened thee withal, as the apostle of Christ said in his

120 A Plain Pathway Opened.

epistle to the Ephesians, chap. v. ver. 13, 14. And that
principle which leads thee to do or say such things as
thou art secretly reproved for in thine own conscience,
that is the darkness, and the enemy of thy soul's peace,
which, who walks in, doth not know whither he goeth ;
for this doth minister a peace and pleasure to thee, and
a delight to thy carnal mind for a season ; yet the other,
to wit, the light, the reprover hath power to take away
peace from thee again, and to judge thee, and to make-
that which was sweet to thee to hecome bitter ; and nei-
ther the darkness, nor lust, nor vanity of thy mind, can
deliver thee from this stroke.

Now, that thou mightest be resolved in such a state
what to do, consider, thou that hast these smugglings in
thee about the light in thy conscience, whether it be true
or no, or whether thou shalt own it or no, and art think-
ing in thyself what is best for thee to do ; whether to go
on stoutly against it, or to submit to it : I say consider, if
thou rebel against it, thou canst never know whither it
would lead thee : as it was said of old, Job, xxiv, They
that rebel against the light, they know not the way of it;
so that if thou dost take that course to rebel, that will but
increase thy ignorance of the way that the light leads in,
and make it more terrible to thee every time it doth appear
in thee; till thou comest to that state spoken of, Job,
xxiv. 17, That the dawning of the day, will be as the
shadow of death ; for the more thou rebellest against it,
the more dark thou wilt daily grow, and so the less able
to resolve thyself in those doubtful things that till thy
mind ; but as darkness increaseth in thee, so the power
of it will bind thee down as a chain, and smother every
good desire in thee. And thus by rebellion against the
light, do some men lose the very sense and knowledge
of it, and grow past feeling, and strangers to it, though
it be in them : for the custom of sin, taketh away the sense
and the feeling of the burden of it. But to you I write
that are not yet come to this state of hardness of heart,
but are brought daily into a sense of the burden of sin ;
and that are ready to say, if you were but sure that were
the Truth and way of God which shows you your sin,

A FUin Pathway Opened. 127

you would follow it, and love it, and own it, but are kept
off by doubts and questionings. Verily, I say unto you,
before these doubts be resolved, you must try this, as to
your sorrow you have tried the other, before you can be
effectually informed ; for arguments will not do suffi-
ciently in this case. Therefore try and prove what this
principle can do for thee, when thou obeyest it, which
ye know hath power to condemn you, and break your
peace when you disobey it. Why should ye always be
shut up in unbelief and in doubts, and so kept from try-
ing and proving the light, as well as ye have proved the
darkness, that so ye might reap the fruit of it to salva-
tion, as well as you have done the fruit of the other unto
condemnation? Oh, dear people, consider ye cannot obey
this light of Christ Jesus in your consciences, but by
taking up a daily cross to your own wills, lusts and af-
fections, for that is contrary thereunto ; and that which
leads to obey your lusts, leads to disobey the light ; and
that which leads to obey the light, that crosseth the lusts
and vile affections, which are at enmity with the light,
and must by it be judged and condemned. And that
which leads thee to slight it, and call it by some slighty
name, that is also an enemy to it, and must be judged by
it ; and so as the light comes to rule over those things in
thee which are enemies to it, thou wilt know that it will
lead thee contrary to thy corrupt nature; and as thou
feelest the thing so in thyself, thou wilt come to be wiser
than those teachers that have called it a natural light.
For that which is natural, leadeth according to nature,
but that which is spiritual, leadeth according to the spi-
rit; which the apostle said was contrary to the flesh, and
warred against it. And so that objection will, by thy
obeying the light, come to be answered, far better than
words and arguments could have answered it. And so
likewise the sufficiency of the light thou wilt come to feel,
if thou dost not oppose it, but give up to be guided by it ;
and wilt know that it is able to deliver thee when thou
art tempted, as well as to judge thee when thou hast
yielded to the tempter: for thou knowest already, that it
is able to condemn thee when thou sinuest against it; but

128 A Plain Pathway Opened.

thou canst not certainly know it sufficient to give peace,
and to justify, till thou obeyest it. So then, the plain
pathway to the answering thy doubts about the principle
of Truth in the inward parts, is, by obeying of it, and
yielding to it ; for they that do evil, they grow into ha-
tred against it, and it judges them; as they deny to obey
the light, so the light denies to justify them, and so
coming justly under the condemnation of it, by reason of
transgression, they grow afraid of it. But, alas ! this doth
but prove that it is sent of God, for it doth God's work,
which is righteousness. For to justify the wicked, and to
condemn the righteous, both these are an abomination to
the Lord. And so is it with his witness in thy own con-
science, which God hath placed there to bear witness for
him concerning all thy actions whether they are good or
evil ; and thou thyself, whoever thou art, whether high
or low, rich or poor, professor or profane, shalt confess
unto this, that this hath never condemned thee for that
which was good, nor borne witness against thee for that
thou wast not guilty of.

And, therefore, all you that have been hurried and
tossed with doubts and questionings about the Truth,
come hearken to the counsel of God at this time, once
more sounded forth unto you from his spirit, by a servant
of his without you, and answered by the measure of his
good spirit within you, which hath the same voice and
cry in you, for obedience to what is made manifest of
God in you ; obey the light, and ye shall see daily more
of it, till it break forth as a morning unto you, and till
it shines unto a perfect day; yea, a day of gladness and
rejoicing to your poor distressed souls.

Oh ! Arise, thou that sittest sorrowing, and thou that art
crying out in secret, because of the bonds and fetters that
are yet upon thee ; arise, arise, I say in the name of the
Lord God of Zion, who draws nigh to thee by his quick-
ening spirit, and hearken to his voice, who saith to the
prisoner, come forth ; and to the bowed down, arise ; and
to the feeble ones, put on strength, and follow me, and
obey me ; I will confound your foes, and break the
strength of your enemies, as I have done for my people,

A Plain Pathway Opened. 129

who have forsaken all to follow me, and obey me, so
will I do for you : and if ye in uprightness walk before
me, and keep my covenant, as they have done, no power
or strength of the enemy within or without shall be too
hard for you. And when the Lord doth thus arise in
your souls, and stir up his pure witness, and his arm
awakens in you, and his pure light breaks forth : oh!
what consolation is it to you, and how have many of you
seen your vain doubtings expelled, and a clear convince-
ment hath prevailed upon your spirits concerning the
way of God? and at such a time you have begun to re-
solve to follow the Lord in his pure way of holiness,
thus opened to you in the light, though to the loss of all ;
and though it be to the bearing your part of the great
reproach that lies upon them that love him more than
their lives. And at such a time there was felt a secret
joy in a hidden ground in your souls, and the seed of
the kingdom that had been long buried, began to spring
up in you, in which seed your souls felt some touchings
of that heavenly life and joy, which for the time exceeded
all things that this world could afford. And whensoever
you come to feel this refreshing dew upon your souls,
then take heed and wait singly iu the sense of it, keep
your eye to the joy that is now set before you in Christ
Jesus, the Seed ; for if you let your minds wander, and
your eyes gad abroad, there be objects on every hand to
lead you out from your souls' beloved, and to bring you
to defile your hearts, and make yourselves an unfit place
of residence for him who is holy and pure, and will not
dwell nor take delight in a polluted temple ; but will
withdraw himself as he did from Israel of old, and from
their temple, when it was polluted and profaned. And
besides, when your minds are taken hold of, by any of
the corruptible things of this changeable world, there
will presently kindle a desiring, longing, and lusting
after the enjoyment of those things, though contrary to
the will of God ; and then next, the reasoner and con-
suiter gets up in thee, and starts a question : may not I
enjoy the Lord and this? May not I keep in the way of
Truth, and vet do this or that thing whicli my heart de-

17

130 A Plain Pathway 0])ened.

sireth ? And though it be not perfectly according to the
Truth made manifest in me, yet I will have my will, my
lust, my desire satisfied but this one time, and that is not
much, saith the consulter ; and this is but a small matter,
there be others that do greater things than this. And such
like reasonings enter the mind, and this grieves and vex-
cth that good and righteous tender spirit that moved in
thee, and brings a weight and oppression upon the pure
in thee, and that withdraws itself again from thee, in
which thy light did arise unto thee, and so a night comes
upon thee. ¥ov where the serpent can bring any to make
a question of obeying the Truth, he is as ready to frame
an answer, as to beget the question. But his answer al-
ways comes with a liberty and persuasion to disobey, as
it did by Eve in the beginning; and when transgression
is finished, then death enters upon thee with its dark
power, and manifold sorrows pierce thy poor soul ;
though the fruit was desirable to be eaten, yet now it is
eaten, thou cannot come at life, to eat of that too, though
thou desirest it ; but art driven out, and kept out with
a flaming sword that turns every way against thee. And
here is now a ground laid for doubts and questionings of
a higher nature than before, to arise in thee ; for before
thou doubtedst of the Truth itself, whether it were the
Truth, but now having tasted of it, and received a con-
vincement of it, and yet let forth thy mind from it, after
other lovers, and thy ears after the voice of the adulteress,
and so caused the pure light to withdraw from thee,
through thy rebellion ; now thou desirest thou mightest but
see again what thou hast seen, and feel again what thou hast
felt, but doubtest and fearest that thou shalt never see, nor
feel, nor enjoy the like again. And now thou wishest, oh,
that thou hadst stood in the cross to thy own will, and that
thou hadst denied thyself, that thou might not thus have
lost the sight and sense of thy soul's beloved. And now
thou seest by woful experience, whence doubts and fears
and sorrows do arise, even thy joining with the enemy
who brings forth reasons against thy obedience to the
light. And therefore now hearken to that which remains
in thee, though darkness and sorrow do encompass

A Plain Pathway Opened. 131

thee, yet there is something remains which gives thee a
sense of thy state and condition, and makes thee to know
thy loss and want : hear the voice of this, and it will
humhle thee, and bring thee into true brokenness of heart
and contrition of spirit; and as thou comest to know
that state, then thou hast something to offer to the Lord
of his own preparing, which will be far more acceptable
to him, than a multitude of words, and performances,
and duties, so called; and as thou in the true lowliness
of mind dost come before the Lord, and offerest up this
offering. Grod will hear in heaven, and will answer the
cry of the poor and needy soul that cannot be satisfied
without his presence ; and he will remember his mercies
of old, which never fail, for his seed's sake, which is
not yet brought forth in thee. And when God doth again
shine forth unto thee, and make his power known, thou
must expect it to be in judgment, because of the trans-
gression thou hast gone into, that he may consume that
in thee, which led thee into the sin, from his pure law,
which is light, for Zion is redeemed by judgment. And
therefore take heed lest thou be offended at his appear-
ance; take heed that thou limit not the Holy One; but if
his appearance be with more sharpness and bitterness to
the carnal part than before, it is but just it should be so.
It is the Lord, let him do what he will; he sees more
cause now than before, by how much more thou hast
sinned against his goodness ; but bow to his judgments,
bear his indignation, as Micah said, because thou hast
sinned against him, Mic. vii. 9. And as thou yieldest to
his righteous judgment, thou wilt know the coming to the
midst of them, in which the mercy is remembered and
made manifest. And therefore the hasty and impatient,
that fly the judgment as soon as it begins a little to ap-
pear in them, they never find the true deliverance, but
get ease another way, which lasteth but for a moment :
but they who come to know a thorough work wrought iti
their earth, and the floor thoroughly purged, they come
to know the true and lasting peace to their immortal
souls : and although this is not obtained by ease and li-
berty to the carnal mind, which must die, yet the end

133 A Plain Pathway Opened.

crowns all that hold out to it, they are the saved ones, as
Christ said, Mark, xiii. 23. And they find the returning
with sheaves, as the prophet said, Psal. cxxvi. 5, 6, They
that sow in tears, shall reap in joy: they went forth, said
he, with weeping, and bearing precious seed, but they
shall return with joy, and bring their sheaves : and as
Christ said, they that forsake father and mother, wife
and children, house or lands, yea, or their own lives for
my sake, shall have an hundred-fold in this time, and in
the world to come, life everlasting. Forsaking and self-
denial hath always been the way to life, and to true
blessedness, and is the way unto this day : and therefore
all you who have wandered in your own ways, and have
not yet learned to deny yourselves of what is contrary to
the witness of God in yourselves, but have desires, and
those strong ones too, to keep and hold that still, which
the light in you doth reprove, and yet have desires of
life and peace too, and so are in many doubts and straits
about these things ; to you all this is the counsel of the
Lord, and the cry of his pure spirit, come out of the Ba-
bylonish confusion of your own thoughts, and touch not
that which is unclean, and the Lord will receive you ; and
what God by his pure spirit hath called unclean, let no
man presume to call clean, and to join to it, lest they be
found fighting against God, and nourishing and keeping
that alive, which God hath appointed to die and be de-
stroyed : ye cannot serve two masters, nor partake of the
table of the Lord, and the table of devils. Oh ! feed not
that birth that hungers after evil things, and delights in,
them, but what is for famine, let it be famished, and what
is for the sword, let the two-edged sword that goeth out
of the mouth of the faithful and true witness cut it down,
Rev. i. 16. and iii. 14; and so thou mayest see the
giants in the land slain before thee by one that is mighty
to deliver, and to bring thee out of this Spiritual Egypt
with a high hand : but this thou canst not come to wit-
ness, but by diligently following him ; and if thou willingly
yieldest to his gentle drawings, when thou feelest them
in thy heart, thou wilt find them to be effectual and pro-
fitable to thy soul i and the more thou followest him, the

A Plain Pathway Opened. 133

more tliou wilt feel his goodness break in upon thee for
thy encouragement, and the less thou wilt doubt of his
love and mercy, in leading thee still further, even
unto the end, and unto that rest which will satisfy thy
soul.

Therefore lay aside all consultations that are against
thy obedience to the gift of God in thy heart, which re-
proves sin in thee; and give not way to vain and needless
doubts about it, but as thou fiudest that thou hast been
condemned and judged in thy disobeying of it, now try
and prove whether by taking up thy daily cross, and
obeying of it in thy words and actions, and in all things,
if thou dost not find the answer of sweet peace and joy ;
and when thou shalt find it so, then will there be no more
room for doubts and questionings against thy obeying of
it; but as any questions or doubts do arise in thee, or
shall be cast in thy way by any without thee, thou wilt
feel the answer of it in thyself to thy refreshing; and so
thou wilt come to witness the efifectual operation of it
daily in thy soul to work thy change and translation out
of thyself, into itself; and so thou wilt come not only to
know the light in thee, for that one may do and perish,
for this is the condemnation, that light is come, and not
loved, but thou wilt know that thou art in the light, and
walkest there with God, and in the holy fellowship,
where thou feelest the Lord near thee in his light, and
his reward is with him. And so coming to walk and
dwell in the light, thy conversation is now in heaven, as
the saints of old was, and thy unity is witnessed with
the Father and the Son, as theirs was, who said, if we
walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellow-
ship with him; and if any said they had fellowship, and
walked in darkness, which all sinners do, for sin is the
work of it, such, they said, were liars. And such as
walk in the light, as he is in the light, such come to
know the blood that cleanseth and washeth from the sin,
and from all unrighteousness; and such as feel this work
wrought in them, are brought into such a knowledge of
the blood of Christ, that they need not doubt about it,
nor have the occasion to raise a question where it is, or

134* •# Plain Pathway Opened.

what it is, or what the efficacy of it is ; for having the
work and witness of the blood in them, this forthwith
resolves all doubts that would arise. And so likewise
those that come to know the light in all things to be their
guide, to lead out of darkness and sin, and imperfection,
and to bring into the innocent and blameless conversation
which becometh saints, and so come to know their foot-
steps directed before the Lord, such have done doubting
and questioning about perfection; for such see that which
is perfect to be come, and they, from the belief which they
have of attaining it, are labouring to conform themselves
unto that rule, and endeavouring after it, not as the car-
nal professors, who say they labour after a conquest
over their sins, with a belief they shall never attain it
while they live ; but they so run, that they may attain,
and have the true hope in them, which they that have,
are purifying themselves, as he is pure : that is their hope,
as John said, he that hath this hope in him, purine th
himself as God is pure, that so, even as he was in this
present world, so they may be also. And so here the
substance will come, and will cause the shadow to flee,
and will answer all thy doubts and questions far beyond
what arguments can do.

And again, the many doubts and disputations that
have arisen about the resurrection, as thou comest to be
faithful iu the daily cross that doth slay and crucify that
nature in thee, that hath resisted the Truth, and held
the soul in bondage; as that comes to die, and to be bu-
ried down in the true baptism into Christ's death, thou
wilt feel the pure to spring up in thee, and thou wilt be
made a partaker of the new life, and of the true resurrec-
tion, which is Christ, and all that are in him, are in the
resurrection, and in the life ; for he said, I am the resur-
rection aud the life, he that believeth on me, though he
were dead, yet shall he live; and they that live to God,
iu the Spirit of his Son, have part in the first resurrec-
tion, which whomsoever come to witness, the second
death hath no power over them, but they come to know
the thing as it is in Jesus, and their doubts are all an-
swered about that also; for lie that knows a death and a

A Plain Pathivay Opened, 135

resurrection after this manner, to be dead to sin, and to
be risen with Christ Jesus in the new life, even while
they are in this earthly tabernacle, before it be dissolved ;
such will never question their appearing at the judgment
seat of God after it is dissolved, but do believe it with
joy and gladness, and have a fervent hope concerning
the resurrection of the dead, and have their expectation
unto God in that matter, that he will according to his
promise, raise them up at the last day, and will give unto
every seed his own body, even as pleaseth him. And the
creature is not careful then about such foolish questions?
and doubts, as to inquire what manner of body God will
give them, but leaves it to the Lord, in full faith that he
will raise them up according to the Scriptures : and so
here all thy doubts will flee away and are answered
with that that was before them, as it comes to rule in the
creature, and death that is the root and ground of them,
comes to be swallowed up in the victory of the life.

And so, as thou feelest thy part in this resurrection,
all the doubts and fears of thy own condition will be an-
swered effectually, which cannot otherwise be answered,
but by that good Spirit of God that strives with thee ;
which, when it doth prevail with thee, and thou becomest
subject to it, then it witnesseth for thee; for that there is
a state in which there is a danger of falling away, thy
daily experience teacheth thee to thy sorrow ; and be-
sides, Christ said, every branch in me that beareth not
fruit, must be cut off; and the many examples in the scrip-
tures, of them that departed from the faith, and made
shipwreck of it, and turned with the dog to the vomit,
and the sow to the mire, do sufficiently prove it. And
if thou dost stand, it is by faith, and thou must take
heed, and so mayest thou come to the crown and seal,
and assurance, and an establishment in the kingdom,
where thou shalt no more go forth, but shall have thy
soul's desire answered.

And when thou comest to know this state, and to re-
ceive this white stone that hath the name within, thou
wilt then be without doubt or fear, given up in the will
to God, to do and to suffer all things, according to his

136 A Plain Pathway Opened.

blessed will. And here is the true aud perfect rest to-
thy soul, whoever thou art, that art now labouring in the
iron furnace of thy own thoughts and doubts, in which
the more thou givest thyself up thereto, the darker thou
art, and the fuller of doubts, for they will beget and
multiply oue another; and the more thou reasonest
against obeying God's witness in thy heart, the less able
thou art to obey it : but the little strength that God gives
thee, thou consultest it away, and then when thou would-
est be strong, thou becomest feeble, and when thou
wouldest in some measure obey, thy own consultations
stand in the way, and hinder thee ; and the more thou
increasest in knowledge in this state, the more thou in-
creasestthy sorrow and condemnation ; so that sometimes
thou art ready to wish thou hadst never known so much
of Truth ; and sometimes wishest thou knewest more
concerning such a point, or such a doctrine, or such a
scripture, or such a mystery, and art apt to think, be-
cause thou art yet ignorant in some things relating to
Truth, therefore thou art the more excusable if thou be
disobedient. But alas ! poor soul, consider, the way to
know more, is to be obedient to a little which thou hast
received ; and then that mist and fog of thy own unfaith-
fulness will vanish away from before the eye of thy
mind ; for it is that which hinders good things from thee,
and makes thee go daily with a burden upon thy shoul-
ders, and a guilt upon thy conscience ; and thou canst not,
in any case of thy necessities, come before the Lord with
an open face, but art covered still with thine own iniqui-
ties. And in this state thou knowest neither sabbath,
nor new moon, nor holy-day to the Lord ; but all la-
bour, toil and travail, and wearisomeness of spirit, till
many even come to wish an end of their days, and yet
are in great fear that the end will be worse too. Oh !
how my soul pities you whose state this is, and I have a
great sympathy with your sorrows, ttnd in bowels of ten-
der love am I drawn forth to reach out a hand to help
you, as one that hath obtained mercy to know deliver-
ances, and to witness the way of it, and have the testi-
mony of God in my heart, to witness for the coming of

A Plain Pathway Opened. 137

the Saviour to the poor and needy souls, to the relieving
of them, and comforting of them. And my souPs desire is,
that your bonds might be broken, and your souls might
escape : but this I say in the name of the Lord to you all,
there is no way for your deliverance, but your giving up
in single obedience to that faithful and true witness of
God which stirs and moves in thee against thy sins : and
therefore wait thou to feel thy mind and will subjected
thereunto, that thou mayest feel thyself to be one of those
willing people in this the day of (rod's power ; and cease
from thy reasonings against thy obeying the Truth, and
from saying thou canst not, thou wantest power; and
when God gives thee grace, then thou wilt obey ; for
these sayings are in vain ; for though it is true none can
obey the Lord but by his grace and power given unto
them, yet he hath made his grace, even that which
bringeth salvation, to appear unto all men, as in Titus,
ii. 11, and it hath appeared unto thee, and in thee to
whom I write, and is a reprover in thee, and thou must
turn to that that smites thee, and then thou turnest to the
grace of God ; for it is his grace that strives with thee,
to lead thee out of the evil that it reproves in thee, and
so out of the world that lies in the evil, up to God from
whence the grace cometh : for whosoever doth give up to
the drawings of the good spirit of God that moves in
them, and in obedience thereto do deny themselves of
their own wills, and lusts, and evil desires, and pleasures^
such want not power, but feel Him near them that works
the willingness first, and then the deed according to his
pleasure, and so the glory comes alone to be his. And
then thou knowest the mystery of the cross, and how it
is the power of God, which all that reject the cross, com-
plain for want of. And so, so long as thou livest in the
cross, thou livest in the power, and thy obeying is easy,
and all things are possible to thee through it ; and as long
as thou art daily dying to that which is corruptible, thou
feelest the more life and joy and pleasure in that which
is everlasting, and thy desires grow more and more fer-
vent, after a full and perfect enjoyment of it, in the pure
unity of spirit. And those desires growing strong in

18

138 *3 Plain Pathway Opened.

thee, it grows a lighter thing to thee to part with that
which hinders, though it be thy bosom sins, thy Delilahs
and darlings, yet all must go, for the love thou hast to
Truth. And such only as have this love, and continue
in it, are counted worthy to be heirs of the kingdom of
God; for so long as any thing be hugged and loved be-
side the Lord, if the Lord should manifest his love to
thee, thou wouldest play the harlot, and abuse his mer-
cies, and cleave to thy old lovers, as Israel of old did, that
was after the flesh. And therefore think it not strange,
to be brought through manifold trials, that thereby thou
mayest be purged and prepared as a bride, for the true
husband Christ Jesus ; for there are many that desire
acquaintance with him, but are not fitted for him ; they
must be washed first, and trimmed first, and must put off
the vile raiment first, and must come to know the white
linen put on; and while this work is doing, what need
of patience and quietness of spirit is there? what need of
subjection to the workings of that Holy Spirit in all
things, that thou mayest not be setting limits and bounds
to that which must bound and limit thee in all things ;
nor say in thine heart, if my trials were but so, or my
exercises so or so, I could then bear them ; but rather
submit in all things willingly to do and suffer, and to be
tried and exercised, even as it please the Lord to order,
or suffer thee to be tried ; and in all his dealings say
with the good man, it is the Lord, let him do what he
will with thee. And whosoever gives up thus to him,
though he slay them, yet shall they live ; though he
wound them, yet he will heal them again : therefore learn
patience and stillness of mind, for by taking thought,
thou canst add nothing in this work. Remember Israel
of old, who were commanded to stand still to see the sal-
vation of God in their greatest straits, and they were a,
figure unto thee : and now in the light read thy figure,
and wait for the substance, the true seed, that it may
bring forth peace and rest to thy immortal soul, and may
set up righteousness in thy earth ; which is that, I travail
after, on the behalf of all distressed and afflicted souls
every where, to whom I am a friend and well wisher,

A Plain Pathway Opened. 139

as one knowing their trials, straits, doubts and besettings ;
and also through the rich love of God in Christ Jesus,
do witness the delivering, answering, and satisfying life
made manifest and revealed in its own eternal light,
which lighteth every man. And in true desire that you
may all know the same, and in discharge of my duty to-
wards God and my generation, have I sent forth this
word of counsel and exhortation, and do remain in my
rest with the Lord, being thus far clear of the blood of
all men, whether they hear or forbear. And though in
bonds for the gospel's sake, yet the Lord's free man,
waiting in patience and full assurance for Zion's full re-
demption.

Known by the name,

STEPHEN CRISP.

Ipswich's County Goal, this 3d Month, 1668.

( 110 J

BACKSLIDER REPROVED,

AND HIS

FOLLY MADE MANIFEST,

AND

HIS CONFUSIONS AND CONTRADICTIONS
DISCOVERED.

In a short Reply to a book lately published by Robert Cobbet, called
A Word to the Upright ; who being turned from the Light, now
makes it his work to War against it, and them that walk in it: but
his Weapons are broken, and in his own Snare is he taken.

Written for the Truth's Sake, by a Servant thereof, known by thk

Name of
STEPHEN CRISP.

Prov. x. 18. He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that nttereth a slander t

is a fool.
Vers. 21. The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for -want of -wisdom.
Chap. xii. 2. A good man obtaineth favour with the Lord, but a man of -wicked

devices will he condemn.

Unto which is added, A brief Answer to a Pamphlet, stiled, A brief Discovery
of the Labourers in Mystery Babylon.

IT is not a new nor strange thing, to see the old ene.
my of the light, viz. the prince of darkness, to be dili-
gent in raising up as high mountains and towers as he
can, to keep it from shining ; and as he can bring forth
no evil to man of himself, without some instrument into
which he gets an entrance ; therefore he is diligent in
persuading and tempting from the light, even those that

•5 Backslider Reproved, §"c. 141

liave seen the appearance of it, and not become so subject
to it as they should have been, whose foolish hearts he
darkens, and fills their minds with vain imaginations ;
and then are they choice instruments for his purpose, as
bearing something more of his image, who himself abode
not in the Truth, than others. And such as these he al-
ways spurred on in a blind zeal against the light, as that
which was most destructive to his and their works of
darkness. And among this sort of instruments, here is
one Robert Cobbet, hath presented himself as an enemy
to the doctrine of the light, though he is indeed but as
one of the meanest and most shattered of that camp, and
hath attained to but a small measure of that subtlety which
this father and prince of darkness doth use to furnish his
children with that are capable to receive it. But how-
ever, what he hath, or thinketh he hath, he hath adven-
tured to present to public view, though indeed it is as a
rod for his own chastisement. And I heartily wish there
be so much sense left in him, that he may feel the smart
of it, and may amend and leave off his folly and blind
zeal, and submit to that which comprehends him, his spirit,
and works. For I knew a time when he could not have
believed that he should have been led to such a depth of
confusion, in opposing the light, as now he is, though he
was never faithful to it as he ought, but sought in his
fallen corruptible wisdom to have comprehended it ; but
I desire he may yet see a death upon that which hath
unto this day, kept his soul in death and darkness. And
in order thereunto, and for the Truth's sake, I have writ-
ten these few lines, briefly to show him and others his
confusions, contradictions and absurdities ; or at least a
few of those many which he hath uttered, and printed in
his book, called A Word to the Upright, &c. And there-
fore, reader, take notice, that after his book called God's
Truth attested, was made public, and something was
written in answer thereto, showing him how he contra-
dicted himself and the scriptures too ; in a seeming reply
thereto, he published this, called A Word to the Up-
right, which he saith is to establish them in these erring
days, and to keep the young sprouts of the nation from

l\% A Backslider Reproved,

corruption in opinion ; which, whether R. C. hath writ-
ten a piece that is likely to prove an establishing of the
upright from error, or to prevent the young sprouts from
corruption in principle or opinion, will more appear anon
to the considerate reader, when he hath rightly weighed
the consequences of letting iu all his doctrines for Truth,
whether it will not render them more like to distracted
men, than principal Christians.

At my first sight of this book, it arose in my heart to
write something in answer to it, and to take off the re-
proach which he hath endeavoured to cast upon the
blessed Truth and way of God, which he hath turned his
back upon ; but when T came to make a diligent search
into the matter, I found much of that labour spared, the
most part of his doctrines being answered and confuted
by himself, in the same book, so that it might have been
called, Hobert Cobbet, answering and confuting Robert
Cobbet, as will appear in this ensuing rehearsal of his
doctrines and principles.

And therefore now let the upright, to whom he writes,
consider what he propounds to them as an establishment
against the errors of these erring days.

And first as to the light in the conscience, he saith, page
22, In that the light is a sparkling glimpse in the soul,
it doth convince the soul of what is done amiss, which be-
ing discerned by the soul, serves for a director of the soul
to Christ Jesus, where only lies its help. And in his
10th page saith, that the soul hath knowledge from this
light to eschew evil, and do good ; in the doing of either
of which, stands his wo or peace. And in his S2d page
saith, that this spirit or light in man, is the candle of the
Lord that searcheth the innermost parts of the belly.
And in his 4th page saith, did not this light in thy con-
science condemn thee of all that ever thou didst before
the day of God brake forth ? And in his 3d page saith,
that the end of Christ's coming was to beget unto com-
munion with the Father and himself, by giving them his
life, which is man's light, which, my brethren, being our
salvation, we have it by him who is our Saviour Jesus
Christ. And in his 1.1th page saith, the light serves to

and his Folly made Manifest. 143

condemn for unbelief, and to justify the creature in his
obedience of faith, &c.

So by this time we see what a large testimony R. C.
hath borne to the light in the conscience, and to its ori-
ginal ; to wit, the Life of Jesus, and to its power, effi-
cacy, and influence ; and also to the effects that follow
both the obedient and disobedient; as wo and peace, con-
demnation and justification, and how it is the soul's di-
rector unto Christ, and that by which the soul obtains
the knowledge of what is good, and communion, &c.

Now will or can any, that doth take in and receive
this doctrine from R. C. doubt or question his being a
friend to the light, and to the quakers too, seeing he
hath so strongly asserted their principle, with so many
illustrations ? Well, suppose that now thou dost believe
R. C. in these things, and be settled in thy mind that he
hath written the Truth, and so come to find a need of
loving and obeying this light in thy conscience ; which
he further affirms in the 21st page thus; The Word that
was God, by which all things was made ; in him was
life, and that life was the light of men, and he it is that
lighteth every man that cometh into the world. I say, if
thou dost come to be settled thus in these erring days, as
he calls them, and dost come to have an esteem of the
light according as R. C. hath written ; my counsel is
unto thee, that if R. C. or any else, shall deny this doc-
trine again, and write or speak against it, that thou be-
lieve them not, but keep single to this Truth and thou
shalt find the good effects of it, beyond what he hath or
can declare; yet thus far R. C. hath against his will wit-
nessed to the Truth. Now mark what follows as to this
doctrine, that R. C. may sufficiently appear to confute
himself; he saith in the 22d page, the light in the con-
science cannot lead the followers of its dictates further
than its own centre, which is the centre of nature, and its
power felt, but the power of the centre of nature; and.
that mau's internal light hath no more power to give sal-
vation, than the soul hath to save itself, as in the same
page; and that the sinking down into it for a manifesta-
tion of the salvation that came by grace in Christ, is a

144 *4 Backslider Reproved,

doctrine that turns away the creature from Christ the
Redeemer to a property of nature, wherein can be no
saving health, as in page 10. And again, in the same
page he saith, the light in the conscience being a property
in man, as man is a creature, its office in the soul is not
appointed to give salvation. And in the 21st page he
saith, Christ the word that maketh all things, is not the
light; and although he be goodness itself, and sends forth
his love, to wit, his life, which shed in the heart, is a
light which he calls his spirit, which light is not Christ,
though of his nature. And in the 5th page saith, that the
spirit of man is of the principle of light, and is a spark of
that nature, which having lost its life by the transgression
of the man to God, is dead, &c.

Now by this time where is the settlement for the young
sprouts of the nation? Who must, if they will believe
It. C. believe that the light in the conscience is to lead
to Christ, and yet can lead no further than the centre of
nature ; and that it is salvation and hath power to minis-
ter wo and peace, to justify or condemn ; and now must
believe it can do neither, it being but a property of na-
ture, and dead to God : and must believe that the light of
men, is the life and Christ ; and now must believe that
though this light is his life, and is his spirit, and of his
nature, yet it is not he. Oh, horrible blindness and sot-
tishness ! Is this the way to settle people, for such dou-
ble-minded and double-tongued hypocrites to take in
hand to doctrinate them thus backward and forward, to
believe and deny the same thing, and all in one hour's
time ?

But one thing more I have to note, which It. C. goes
about to settle us in, in these erring times, about what we
should and ought to believe of Christ, what he is that is
the Saviour, in which mark ; first, he affirms in the 3d
page, that Christ is everlasting as he is the word. And
in the 16th page saith, the seed is Christ, to whom the
covenant was made by God, as written, my covenant
shall be with thee, aud with thy seed, and he is Lord
aud Saviour. And in 17th page he quotes the saying of
Christ, they have believed that I came down from thee.

and his Folly made Manifest. 145

So here thou mayest see who R. C. acknowledged to be
the Saviour, even the Seed of Promise, with which God's
covenant stands for ever, which Seed came down from
God, &c. So this is good sound doctrine according to
scripture ; but that thou mayest be unsettled again from
this, 11. C. saith again in the 18th page, that the Saviour
is in nature and creaturality like him ; and that the Seed
that broke the serpent's head is not something that this
R. C. is not, as he is nature aud creature, but is the off-
spring of Adam, consisting as he doth : and saith in his
12th page, The body was Christ : and in his 6th page,
Behold I show you a mystery, you men in the clouds,
Christ being the product of the Holy Ghost to a coagu-
lated substance from the properties of man in Mary. And
in the 18th page saith, Being out of doubt that the soul
of Christ was of aud from the properties of nature and
creature, made by generation of the properties of Mary,
is that seed God promised to break the serpent's head.
And in the 19th page, Is it not the body of Christ by
which we are reconciled unto God? Yes, verily.

So now let all people see if this man be like to settle
any, and to keep the young sprouts from being deceived,
who is thus confused himself; one while telling it is the
Seed that is the Saviour, and the everlasting Word of
God, and he which came down from God, &c. and then
presently saying it is a thing produced, a thing formed
of the properties of man, a body that reconciles, a coagu-
lated substance, a thing in nature like himself, consisting
as he doth both in kind and substance ; and much such-
like, as may be seen more at large in his book.

Well, if R. C. had known Christ Jesus, and the
power of his death and resifrrection, he had not written
so confusedly ; for then he had known the virtue of the
Seed, and the service of body and soul too, and had
known the offering to be made by the Eternal Spirit, and
then he would not have said that it was the body only
that reconciled, or that the body only was Christ, seeing
that the body without the spirit is dead, and that could
not give life ; but the Son of God that took the body,
hath life in himself, and can give life to them that believe^

19

14:6 A Backslider Reproved,

and was, and is, and is to come ; and he is in the faith-
ful, and they are in him and in his body, bone of it, and
flesh of it ; and the life which they live is by faith in him,
and not by talking of him. But these things R. C. is a
stranger to, and so imagines about him, and intrudes into
things which he hath not seen, and is vainly puffed up
in a fleshly mind, and fleshly knowledge which is for
judgment; for this jumble and confusion is the only way
to bring into atheism indeed, if there were no better
assertcrs of the doctrine of Christianity than he is. But
let all sober people wait to feel a measure of that life
and fulness that dwelt in that body of Jesus, for which
it was prepared, that so they may by the power of that
Life be settled in the knowledge of the Saviour Jesus,
and may daily wait for his appearance to save ; for he
ever liveth and is ever needed, and none are safe but
under the government of his Spirit. Now as to what
substance he was of, R. C. saith in his 6th page, His
substance was from the properties of man in Mary ; but
in the same page, he saith again, That the body of our
Lord was of an heavenly substance. And in his other
book saith, He is the Son from the substance of the
Father, and was, he saith, of the nature of heaven. So
then the properties of man in Mary were heavenly sub-
stance, of the nature of heaven, or else R. C is here un-
settled and in error and darkness himself; nay that
which is more, R. C. himself must be of this heavenly
substance, this nature of heaven; for he saith, Christ
consisteth as he doth. But lest ye should believe what
he saith about the heavenly nature, he saith, His soul
was made by generation of the properties of Mary. R.
C. wilt thou not blush at these things when thou reviewest
them?

And then for the form of this substance, he saith, page
8th, That while he there stood, differed nothing from
the form of a servant : but in the 6th page he saith, that
as he was thus circumscribed, and thus consisted of soul,
body and spirit, he was that form of God.

How now R. C. ? What! is the form of a servant, and
the form of God all one ? And is the form of God a

and his Folly made Manifest, 14#

circumscribed form? Hast not thou learned this of
Lodowick Muggleton, that false witness and notorious
blasphemer? (that saith God is but the bigness and com-
pass of a man,) whose steps thou art treading, and whose
end will be thy end, except thou repent.

And then again concerning the blood that saves and
does away sin ; hear what R. C. in his 11th page saith,
My brethren, you are bought with a price, not of blood
of bulls, and goats, nor heifers of a year old, but by the
blood of God. But in his 13th page he is of another
opinion, and saith quite contrary ; these are his words,
viz. Which blood being the blood of his humanity, as he
was creature, was that which did with God expiate for
sin. So now which of these two doctrines shall we be-
lieve, that we are saved by the blood of God, or the blood
of the humanity? Or shall we suppose them to be both
one, and so God to be human, and so the doctrines in-
different?

R. C. will do well to clear up these things, or own his
condemnation upon his folly and presumption ; for it is
unlike he should ever be reconciled to the people of God,
who is so at odds in himself in this manner. Alas ! Ro-
bert! dost thou not yet see whither thou art gone, by
going from the light, and now staggers and reels, and
dost not know whither thou goest ? Oh ! that a day may
be yet found for thee and thine, and that thou mayest
come to bow down to that, which thou now kickest and
spurnest against.

And in page 21, thou sayest, if the light in the conscience
be Christ, then so many men as are in the world, so
many Christs. Why so, Robert? Hast not thou thyself
answered this, in confessing that one Christ hath with
his life served to lighten every man that cometh into the
world? And what need is there then for every man to
have a distinct Christ, seeing he is the Christ of God,
thou sayest, that enlightens them all? And thou sayest
in this same page, that Christ, as he is the word and
maker of all things, is not the light in the conscience ; but in
the next line or two, thou sayest, but the word that was
God, &c. in him was life, and the life is the light of men,

X48 «# Backslider Reproved,

and he lightens every man. How dost thou mean by
this ? dost thou not mean that he lightens them in their
consciences? or where else?

And as to the soul of man, thou sayst in thy 4th page,
that it is a spark of God's eternal nature ; coagulated
into a spiritual substance for a centre of his insensitive
life ; and as thus compacted, is a creature of an eternal
being, of an own self-subsisting consistency.

Answer. 11. C. hath here described a creature that
subsists of itself contrary to the scripture, that saith all
things are upheld by the word. And besides this eternal
creature as he calls it, this spark of God's eternal na-
ture, this coagulated substance, he saith, was to be a
centre for God's insensitive life. What Robert ! had it
not a centre before ? But if this coagulated substance
subsists of itself, then not by the life that centres in it.
And if the soul be a spark of God's nature, how comes
it to be created? and if it be his nature, how comes it to
be. corrupted in the life-time as thou say est it is? and
how can a spark of God's eternal nature, let into itself
the poison of the serpent and so die? where is its own
self-subsistency now? is this thy explaining the matter?
or, where is its being a centre for that insensitive life of
God? And further in thy 5th page thou sayest, this spark,
this coagulated substance, this own self-subsistency dieth ;
and in another place speakest of its perishing ; and yet
talkest of an eternal ereature. But R. C. what life of
time is that which corrupts the soul ? and how came it
to have its abode in an infectious life of time, seeing it is
an eternal creature as thou sayest? but what man's soul,
or the soul of Jesus either is, thou knowest not ; for if
thou hadst, thou wouldest not have thus befooled thyself
to say, man's soul was a spark of God's eternal nature,
and yet say the soul of Christ was but of the properties
of nature made by generation ; nor yet have affirmed that
to be the seed of promise which came by generation
of and from the properties of Mary. Is not that the seed
of promise mentioned in Isa. ix. 6, who is called the
Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of
Peace? And what ! is Mary the mother of God ? This

and his Folly made Manifest. 149

will please the papists well. And is this the way to set-
tle Christians, and preserve the young sprouts of the na-
tion from corruption ? And where is thy scripture to
prove that Jesus the Saviour was created, as in thy 6th
page thou sayest? But oh! this darkness and confusion,
that thou mayest see it, and be ashamed of it.

Again, Robert Cobbet, in his &6th page, saith in plain
words, that Christ and his spirit are not one. And his
argument is, that Christ said, I go away, but I will send
you a comforter. Which argument is sufficient to prove,
that Christ, the Messias and Saviour, is one with the
Spirit of Truth, and not distinct. If one should ask R. C.
how many were mentioned in that text, where he saith,
he that dvvelleth with you, shall be in you ; would he an-
swer that there was more than one; if not, then here is
no more, to wit, Christ and his spirit, which eternally
are one.

But that he may sufficiently manifest his folly, he tells
us in the same 26th page, that the Father, the Woud,
and the Spirit, are all oue, both in respect of consent in
their testimonies, and also in respect of their eternity of
being; so which of these shall we believe? that Christ
and his spirit are one or that they are not one ? R. C. will
do well to tell the people which he will stand by.

And for R. Cobbet's pleading or hoping, that the
powers will keep up a charity to us, upon the account
that thousands of us do, he hopes, believe his narrative
of God; and his desire altering the matter for a corporal
form, into a nature for production of creatures, speaking
forth the model by his word, &c. page 26. Truly we
need not R. C. to set forth an account of our faith and
belief in these things, neither can we own it or him; for
if we should, we should soon be brought under the
judgment both of God and man. And for his pleading,
that in the souudest bodies, there sometimes breaketh
forth a boil : truly if he aims at us by this body, as I
think he doth, we do confess, that so far as ever he was
of us, so far he is that boil which we confess is now
broken forth. But they that know him in particular,
know how little he was of us, and how little while he

150 *9. Backslider Reproved,

professed himself to be of us ; so his breaking out, and
running like a boil or sore, the corrupt matter that was
in him, is no great disparagement to the body ; for the
body is sounder without him than with him ; and whilst
he was amongst us, he was often breaking out with his
whimsies and imaginations, so that he became nauseous
unto us, but not in so gross a manner as now.

And for R. C. saying, that some of us knew that he
counted our language but a cant language ; we know that
from the first of his coming among us, he was far enough
from our language or life either. But it is no great mat-
ter for him to call our language a cant, who replies to our
"works thus, viz. when we said, the Lord is one, and the
name is one; he answers, Friends, do not caper, as in
his 2d page. And he saith in his 31st page, that he is
no Quaker; of which, all that ever saw or heard any
thing of the Quakers' books or doctrines, will bear him
witness; for never did Quaker appear in such a heap of
confusion as R. C. hath done; and yet that malicious
saying of his in this 31st page, that to be a Quaker is to
deny his Lord and Master, God will judge him for; if
by Lord and Master he means the Lord Jesus Christ, as
I think he doth. But he that really and truly is his Lord,
viz. the prince of the air that rules in the hearts of such
disobedient children and apostates as he is ; he, I con-
fess, he must deny more than ever yet he hath done, be-
fore he can become a Quaker, or have unity with them,
who are scornfully so called.

But why doth R. C. in his 30th page, come with a
kiss, Judas-like, and say, brethren, I will ask you a
question, &c. when as the matter he intends there to in-
sinuate to his reader, is, that we deny that Christ that
was born of the virgin Mary, to be Christ. Is not this on
purpose to betray us and beguile his reader? and that
with a lie? for we never yet denied him that was bom
of the virgin Mary, and suffered under Pontius Pilate,
to be the Lord and Saviour. But indeed we never did
believe him to be produced by coagulation, as R. C. doth;
nor by generation of and from the properties of man in
Mary : for then some might have declared his generation,

and Ms Folly made Manifest, 151

which the scripture saith, who can do ? And besides, we
believe him to be the eternal Son of God. But if R.
Cobbet' s doctrine be true, then he was not before Mary :
but his ignorance of Christ, is sufficiently manifested to
all that have an eye opened.

And as to his saying, that the apostle saith, 1 Cor. xv.
1, 2, 3, that the sufferings of Christ is the power of God,
and gospel by which we are saved : that is false and a
belieing the apostle and scripture too ; for all that read
the text may see, that the apostle speaks of his sufferings
but as one part of many of that gospel which he had
preached; but it was the resurrection of Christ he most
of all pointed at, as the principal thing they must come
to feel the power of; as in verse 12.

Many more of R. Cobbet' s absurdities and contradic-
tions I might note down, as also those noted in the an-
swer to his first book, which yet remain unanswered, nor
so much as an attempt made thereof; he, it may be,
despairs of ever reconciling them in the sight of rational
men. But these at present may satisfy the ingenuous rea-
der, what spirit it is in Robert Cobbet, that hath taken
in hand to settle people in these erring days, and to pre-
serve the young sprouts of the nation from corruption.
And so let Robert Cobbet mind, if he writes again, to
keep more within the bounds of moderation, and not to
let his envy against the light, so captivate his reason, as
to bereave him of the use of it, as it hath done ; for truly
is that scripture fulfilled in him, He that walketh in dark-
ness, stumbleth, and knoweth not whither he goeth.

Concerning the Light that lighteth every one that cometli into the.
World, what it is, and what it is not, as Robert Cobbet saith.

Page 1. Which doctrine of the Page 22. Be not deceived, the
light in the conscience, had it light in the conscience cannot lead
been kept in its office, as a school- the followers of its dictates fur-
master, to bring unto Christ, had ther than its own centre, which is
been a doctrine of good morality, the centre of nature, and its power

felt, but the power of the centre of

nature.

152

A Backslider Reproved,

Page 3. 1 deny not, but the end
of .-the coming of the Lord into the
■world, was to beget his children
into fellowship, by communion
with his father and himself, by
giving to them his life, which is
man's light, which, my brethren,
being our salvation, &c.

Page 10. But a light of reason
man hath, as man is a rational
creature, from which his light
hath knowledge of good and bad;
as also knowledge from his light
to eschew evil, and to do good ;
in the doing either of which stands
his wo or peace.

Page 22. But in that the light
is a sparkling glimpse in the soul,
doth convince the soul of what is
done amiss, which discerned by
the soul, serves for a director of
the soul to Christ, where only lies
its help; which spirit or light in
man is the candle of the Lord,
"which searcheth the innermost
parts of the belly, and conies
down with every man by genera-
tion from Adam.

Page 11. The light serves but
to condemn for unbelief, or to
justify the creature in his obe-
dience of faith.

Page 21. But the word which
•was God, by which all things were
made, in him was life, and that
life was the light of men, and he
it is that lighteth every man that
cometh into the world.

Page 4. Did not this Light in
thy conscience condemn thee of
all that ever thou didst, before the
day of God break forth ?

Page 22. So hence I conclude,
that the spirit of man being his
internal Light, hath no more
power to give salvation to the
soul, than the soul hath to save
itself.

Page 10. Therefore the Light
in man, being but the Light of
man, as man is a rational crea-
ture, sinking into it for the mani-
festation of the salvation that
comes from grace, by covenant
from God, by Jesus Christ, is a
doctrine that turns away the crea-
ture from Christ the Redeemer,
to a property of nature, wherein
can be no saving health.

Page 10. The Light in the con-
science being a property in man,
as man is a creature; its office in
the soul is not appointed to give
salvation.

Page 21. Christ, as he is the
Word and Maker of all things, is
not the Light in the conscience.

Page 21. The Word being
goodness itself, sends forth his
love, to wit, his life, which shed
in the heart, is to it a light, and
this he calls his spirit, which light
is not Christ, though of his nature.

Page 5. The. spirit of man be-
ing of the principle of light, is a
creatural spirit from the principle
of Light, as a spark of that nature,
which having lost its life, by the
transgression of the man, to God
is dead.

Page 11. If the light in the con-
science be Christ, then may Christ
be darkness.

and his Folly made Manifest.

153

Concerning Christ, his Body, Soul, and Blood, and what he is,
and is not, as R. C. saith.

Page 3. He is the everlasting
word, but as he was the man
Christ, he was in time.

Page 6. Which body of our
Lord being of a heavenly sub-
stance, as it was circumscribed,
was the body of his personality
that he gave for an offering, for
the ransom of the world ; which
body being of the nature of hea-
ven. Thus have I given you an
account of Jesus, his body, soul,
and spirit ; who as he thus con-
sisted, was that form of God, and
express image of his Father's sub-
stance.

Page 7. We have proved be-
fore the personality of Christ, and
that he was the express image of
God in his person.

Page 16. The seed is Christ, to
whom the covenant was made by
God, as written, My covenant
shall be with thee, and with thy
seed, &c. He is Lord and Sa-
viour.

Page 17. They have believed
that I came down from thee.

Page 19. This Christ being
born of Mary, proceeded from
David and Abraham, according to
the line of the covenant, Christ
coming from Mary, and God form-
ing himself in and with that body
Christ; for its saviour to man,
was the power to Christ, by which
Christ brought forth man's salva-
tion ; but could he, or did he,
without the bodv of Christ recon-
cile ?

SO

Page 5. And the soul of Christ,
that was of and from the soul-like
properties of man's nature, as
Christ consists personally from
his mother Mary.

Page 6. Behold, I show you a
mystery, ye men in the clouds;
Christ being the product of the
Holy Ghost, to a coagulated sub-
stance from the property of man
in Mary.

Page 8. Who while there stood,
differed nothing from the form of
a servant.

Page 12. Which body was
Christ.

Taote 17. He came of Abra-
ham's lineage, of the loins of
Mary, begotten by the Holy Ghost
of his mother Mary, for the Sa-
viour.

Page 18. That the seed which
is the Saviour, is Christ in person ;
for if he had not been creature of
soul and spirit as I am, as I am
nature, it had not availed me ; but
the seed that broke the serpent's
head, is not some strange thing
that I am not, as I am creature,
but of kind and substance as I
am, he being made so from the
nature of Mary, by which he be-
came creature, as the offspring of
Adam, of soul and spirit consist-
ing as do I.

Page 18. Being out of doubt
that the soul of Christ was of and
from the properties of nature and
creature, made by generation of
the properties of Mary, is that
seed that God promised to send
to break the serpent's head.

154< ei Backslider Reproved, 8£c,

Page 11. My brethren, you are Page 19. Is it not the body of
bought with a price, not of blood Christ by which we are reconciled
of bulls, and goats, nor heifers of unto God? yes, verily,
a year old, but by the blood of Page 13. Which blood being
God. the blood of his humanity, as he

was creature, 'Vas that that did
with God expiate for sin.

A

LETTER FROM GERMANY
TO FRIENDS,

EXHORTING THEM

TO DILIGENCE IN MEETINGS.

ALL Friends every where, who have tasted of the
goodness of God, keep in the savour thereof, and let not
your minds be stolen away from that which is living, for
that which is living cometh from above, and makes you
lively, but that which is corruptible, cometh from the
earth, and brings death with it over your souls ; and
therefore watch in diligence to retain the savour of the
life of Truth, that you may live, from a sense that Christ
liveth in you, who is the seed, the truth, the noble plant,
and grows, and bringeth forth fruit in you.

And all Friends, every where, who thus keep and re-
tain the savour of life in them, they will come to feel
daily quickenings thereby, and will have power over the
nature that is dead in Adam to all good works, and es-
pecially to waiting upon God with a steadfast and staid
mind. Nothing so hard as this to that old and cor-
rupt nature which is soon weary. This is that nature
which cannot watch with Christ one hour ; but let his
trials and sufferings be never so great, this leads from
watching to sleeping, this hath no fellowship with the

A Letter from Germany, 155

seed of God in its sufferings, and shall have none, in its
dominion. And where this drowsy nature stands uncru-
cified, it keeps you in the weakness, out of the power,
and this brings out of the savour and feeling of the good-
ness of God, and so makes meetings unprofitable ; and as
it comes through custom to be allowed and subjected to,
it leads into hypocrisy, that is to say, into a professing
to wait upon God, and a presenting the body in the meet-
ing, and then letting the heart, which God requires,
depart from him, even into the ease and liberty of the
flesh, in which the apostle said, they that lived could not
please God.

Therefore, dear Friends, in the name of God I exhort
you, consider what you do when you assemble together;
and let it be in the name of Jesus, that is, in his power,
not in the weakness, nor in the flesh, like a fleshly meet-
ing, but in his name and power make war with the flesh,
and with the drowsy spirit that lodgeth there, and in the
faith overcome it, and be not overcome by it, for that is
bondage, and hold your meetings in the spirit, where
every one is made alive, and flourish, and grow in
life and in dominion, and shine forth to the glory of
God, and to the comforting and refreshing one of another.

For now as any one suffereth himself to be overtaken
with sleep in a meeting, he loseth the sense of the power
of God, he becomes a grief to the diligent, and an evil
example to the negligent, and brings himself under the
judgment of God's power in his own conscience, which
when he awaketh, riseth up against him ; and also he is
under the judgment of the power in the whole meeting,
which, when he comes to a true sense of, will be no light
thing. And further, if any that are unbelieving come in
among you, and see such things among you, that make
a profession of an inward power, and an inward quicken-
ing spirit, and a worship, that is inward in the Spirit and
Truth, herein causeth such the name of God to be dis-
honoured, the way of Truth to be holden in little esteem,
by such who know it not in themselves, and a stumbling
block is hereby laid in their wTay, to hinder them from
any further seeking after the Truth. Oh, Friends ! consi-

156 «# Letter from Germany.

der these things, and be all diligent in this matter, and
let. not that earthly part have liberty, but let it be kept in
the cross till it dies, or else it will keep and hold you
dead and insensible of (rod or one another. And this is
that which hath hindered the growth of many, namely,
their carelessness in coming to meetings, and their sloth-
fulness when they are there. Therefore for the time to
come, let every one that bears the profession of Truth, be
diligent in the work of God, and be good examples to each
other; and observe your time and hour of coming to
meeting ; and set not one hour, and then come at another ;
and neglect not your middle week meetings, by reason of
your outward occasions, for that will not bring a bless-
ing upon your affairs, but let all things give way to the
service of God, and then all things shall work together
for good unto you, and there shall be no lack of any thing
that is good for you.

So, dear Friends, in the true love of God, have I written
this unto you, as it lay upon me from the Lord, as a
word of exhortation, to stir up the pure mind in you all ^
and the God of power and strength, give you of his
might, and of his power to help you in all your necessi-
ties, and in all your combats, and strengthen your faith,
in which, and by which the victory is obtained, which is
the desire of my soul for you all, who am your friend in
the fellowship of the gospel.

STEPHEN CRISP.

( 157 )

A

WORD OF CONSOLATION,

AND A

SOUND OF GLAD TIDINGS

TO ALL

THE MOURNERS IN GERMANY,

AND THE PARTS ADJACENT.

Tender Visitation and Salutation of Love to all that wait for redemp-
tion and Freedom from the burden of Sin ; with an exhortation to
love the appearance of the Day of Deliverance which is now dawn-
ing upon them.

From one that seeks nothing more than the spreading of the Everlast-
ing Gospel, that the Meek and Poor may be comforted thereby;
known by the Name of

STEPHEN CRISP.

ALL ye who hunger and thirst for the fulfilling of the
promises of God made unto his holy and beloved Seed, in
the latter days to be raised, and in the latter age to rule :
and all you that are come to a sense of the great oppres-
sions of the just, both in particular and in the general,
and feel pure groanings within yourselves, to see deli-
verance brought forth unto your souls immortal from
under the bondage ; unto you is this salutation of my
tender and dear love flowing forth, by the operation of
the Eternal Spirit, by which God worketh all things ac-
cording to the counsel of his own will.

Dear hearts, I am sensible how that pure Spirit of the
living God is searching out the habitations of them that
sit in solitary places^ sighing for the delight of the

458 ti Word of Consolation,

everlasting gospel, which we have read must be preached
again in the latter days ; which gospel is Christ the
power of God, that opens the prison doors, and brings
forth the prisoner out of the prison: but Christ Jesus
doth visit them in prison also; so that it is one thing to
feel yourvspirits visited with living breathings after per-
fect freedom, and the glorious liberty of the children of
God. This you may have and feel in you, and yet
be in prison. And then it is a further work to know
the desire answered, and to know the freedom ob-
tained; and this none come to witness, but those who
come to a love and sincere waiting upon the (rod of
power, for an opening in the things that are truly spi-
ritual ; which the carnal man, with his carnal counsel and
book-learned wisdom cannot understand. And there-
fore now in the aboundings of the love of God in my
heart towards you all in the parts of Germany, and in the
provinces, dominions, and richstadts nigh adjacent, am I
drawn forth to visit you with these few things, that you
may be prepared to meet the Lord in the day which is
dawning upon you ; that you might not be as the foolish
virgins, contented with a lamp, and sleeping whilst ye
should get oil. And therefore this I say unto you all in the
name of the Lord God of heaven and earth, that a day, a
glorious day is breaking forth, and shall break forth upon
your nations and countries, even a glory that shall stain the
glory of all professors that are out of the holy life of the
Son of God, a day of gloominess and darkness shall this
day be unto all who are established upon their own moun-
tains ; but a morning of gladness, with a refreshing dew
unto all that long for a habitation in the mountain of the
Lord, which is rising over all the mountains ; yea, this
day shall discover the mountains on which every sort of
men have fed, and the kind and sort that have trusted
Hierein. Esau the profane man hath had his mountain,
and that a den of dragons : Ishmael the mocker had his
mountain, he mocked at the seed, and is cast into the
desert, with her that bore him: Cain had a city, who
slew the just, but was filled with fear, and his plagues
more than he could bear. In these cities and mountains

and a Sound of Glad Tidings. 159

where the plague enters, the dragons lodge, the wild
beast seeks his prey ; and where the wicked builds a
wall for his defence, in those have nations trusted. But
the thundering power of the Lord is arisen, to lay waste
these mountains, to raze these cities, and destroy all wild
beasts of the forest, and to bring anguish and desolation
upon all murderers about religion, upon all the mockers,
upon all the idolaters, upon ail the oppressors of the pure
seed. And in this day shall anguish take hold of many
professors of Christianity, whose religion hath stood in
names of things, and words of godliness ; but at the ap-
pearance of the substance, they shall fret themselves, and
resolve if they can but kill the heir, they shall have the
inheritance ; but if they should let the heir live, they
should be cast out. Now will the wisdom, and strength,
and arm of flesh, with its power and policy, seek by all
means to stop the spreading of this glorious day, lest their
high religion which is accompanied with sin, the work of
darkness, should be discovered.

Howbeit, this I say unto you who sigh and mourn be-
cause of the abomination and spiritual oppression which
you feel, I say, fear not, the day of the Lord shall break
ibrth, and nothing shall be able to stop it, but he that
shall come, will come, and none shall let him. And the
heavenly manifestation of the life of Jesus Christ, which
is the light of men, shall fill the earth, and a Goshen shall
be found for the true Israel, in the time of Egypt's plagues.
Therefore rejoice you, and be glad, and let your heads
be lifted up, for the day of your redemption draweth nigh.

But now, dearly beloved, I have something to say unto
you more particularly, concerning the way of the break-
ing forth of this glorious day, lest any of you that wait
and hope for it, should be mistaken, and should be offend-
ed at his coming in one appearance, whom ye may look
for in another, as the Jews of old were : and therefore in
the fear of the Lord consider these following things.

1. Consider what it is that must be destroyed in this
day of the Lord that cometh to visit your nations ; it is
the works of the devil, who is the author of sin, and his
work is not destroved, so Ions; as sin remains. Now the

160 *1 Word of Consolation,

prophet said, the day of the Lord shall burn as an oven,
and the wicked should be as stubble. So that if the ap-
pearance of God in this your day be in judgment, and
burning, and consuming even those things that have been
delightful, yet take heed you are not offended thereat ;
but that, in you, all that is for the sword, let the two-
edged sword that goeth forth out of his mouth, that hath
the brightness of the morning star, cut it down. And
what God hath appointed to be famished, take you heed of
feeding it, lest you strike against God, and it happen to
you, as once it did to one to whom God said, because
thou hast saved one alive, that I had appointed to die,
thy life shall go for his life. Now God hath appointed
the death of every sin and lust that liveth in your souls,
and hath appointed his Son Christ Jesus to be the killer
and destroyer thereof. And he cometh to the earthly part,
not with peace, but with a sword ; and when ye feel it
cutting off your pleasures, your delights, your worldly
friendships and fellowships, yea, your hope and confi-
dence, which stood on a sinful ground, or a ground where
sin also stood, you must not be offended thereat, but wait
in humility to feel that you are the slain of the Lord,
which the prophet said should be many, in his great and
notable day : and fear not, for he that kills you to what
is old, shall raise you up in the new life of righteousness
that never waxeth old.

2. Consider what it is that must be set up in this day
of the Lord that is visiting the nations ; it is righteous-
ness and truth which have long fallen in the streets, and
equity could not enter ; but God hath determined to exalt
righteousness even in the earth, that it may run down as
a stream in abundance, bearing all before it that is con-
trary to it. And the way of exalting it, the blind world
cannot see, and so fights against it : but they whose eye
is open to mark his footsteps, shall see it is by the shining
forth of its own glory : for as it ariseth in the particular,
to rule the whole man in the fear and pure wisdom of
God, that man ceaseth to act of himself, or speak of him-
self, and is brought to wait upon the good spirit of God,
to know what to do and say, as the hand-maid upou the

and a Sound of Glad Tidings. 161

hand of her mistress ; and such the pure spirit keeps in
a pure conversation without sin, for no man by the spirit
of God is led into sin. And if any come to live in this
pure sinless conversation, this differs from the sinful
world, and so shines over the world, and brings a night
upon their glory : for this shining and beauty of holiness
is answered by the measure of the grace of God in all
consciences, where it shines ; and so many come to be
gathered to the brightness of the arising of this righte-
ousness, and become subject to the love of it. And so
shall the borders of its garment be daily enlarged, and
the borders of the possession of the wicked one shall be
daily lessened, and the seed of God shall possess the
gates of his enemies, according to his promise of old
made by his holy prophets.

And now Friends in the third place, consider the place
where this alteration is to be wrought, where the king-
dom of the man of sin is to be destroyed, and where the
kingdom of Christ is to be set up : it is within you that
this great change is to be wrought, and a great power
must be felt to work it ; for in this case, in vain is the
help of man, without the power of God. Therefore that
which leads to the knowledge of the power, you must
come to love and to obey, which is the light of Jesus
Christ in your consciences, wherewith Christ Jesus, the
free gift of the Father, hath enlightened every one that
cometh into the world ; which light doth discover to the
soul, when the dark power doth begin to stir and ope-
rate, to lead into evil. And those that love the light bet-
ter than their lusts, they come to take up the cross to
the lust whatsoever it be ; and standing faithful in the
cross and denial of themselves, they come to witness
what the apostle said, the cross of Christ is the power of
God through faith unto salvation. And then when this
cross is thus taken up and ^yelf thus denied ; then that
soul is not without the power of God, which is the ground
of their faith : and the more they are herein subjected,
the more power they have, and the more doth their faith
increase, and being obedient to the light of Jesus, the
faithful and true witness of God, they feel peace, and

91

162 A Word of Consolation

encouragement, and a loving hope doth sustain such as
cast an anchor, till God makes a perfect work on their
hearts. And here will arise the great difference between
your hope, and the hope of the hypocritical world ; they
hope to be set free from the condemnation due upon sin,
but you will hope and wait to be set 'free from sin itself,
which is the cause of condemnation, and to be redeemed
out of evil, into the life of innocency, that was before
sin was.

And, dear Friends, you that have attained already to
this hope, hold fast your confidence, waver not, but hope
and wait to the end ; though the seas roar, and the waves
make a noise, yet let this hope be your anchor, for it is
sure. And seeing this great work is to be wrought with-
in, and you are to be made witnesses of it to the sons of
men, oh let your eye be kept diligently to the power,
that ye may be true witnesses of his glory, who is your
souls' beloved. Oh, keep the eye of your minds, which
the God of this world hath blinded, and which now the
God of heaven hath opened and is opening, always
within, that ye may see the appearance of every evil,
and every good in you ; and be able to put a difference,
and may learn wisdom of God to choose the good, and
eschew the evil; that thereby you may know that vessel
cleansed and purged, in which this great work is to be
wrought: for ye know whilst the vessel is filled with
wrath, envy, or with unrighteousness of any kind, such
are not yet fit for the glory of God to shine forth in. And
when that is removed out by judgment, and Zion is set
free from oppression, then the creature returns to God a
pure vessel in the righteousness that was before the fall.
And so a man or woman may come to Adam's state he
was ill before he fell, which was without sin. And against
such the judgment of God doth not go forth, but they
have peace with God, and fellowship in that which is
pure, before sin and transgression was. And they that
come to this state, may be tempted again as was Eve,
and if they watch not, may be entangled again ; but if
such be faithful to the power that redeemed them from
the sin, and in the power resist the temptation, then do

and a Sound of Glad Tidings, 163

such receive the seal of eternal life in Christ Jesus, who
never fell, though he was tempted, and so come to an
establishment in him that never changeth.

And, therefore, dear Friends and people, you upon
whom the glorious day of our God has dawned, and have
the day-star arisen in your hearts, which gives you a hope
that this day is at hand ; or you that have but a sense of
that sure word of prophecy in you, which you are to take
heed unto, till the day-star arise, I say unto you all, in
all your states and conditions, it is faithfulness to what
you know, that God requires of you: and it is those
among you that are willing and obedient, that shall reap
the desires of their souls ; for he that is faithful in a lit-
tle, shall be ruler over much. And therefore Friends, put
not the day of the Lord afar off, when God hath brought
it nigh, for on such it will come as a thief; but all that
wait for it in sincerity of mind, shall see his salvation and
be glad ; for the hills shall flee at his appearance, the
mountains shall be removed and laid waste, that which
hath been as the world's element, shall melt away with
fervent heat, and their heavens pass as a scroll ; but the
poor, the mourners, and the oppressed in soul, shall re-
joice and sing because of their deliverance. And my
Friends, think it not hard, that ye meet with many sore
trials, and deep afflictions, for bearing witness to the
light of the glorious day of God ; for all your cruel suffer-
ings, your cruel mockings, and your heavy and grievous
reproaches, shall tend to the furtherance of the gospel ;
for thereby are the hearts of many open, to inquire concern-
ing you ; and as they come to look towards you by way
of inquiry, then let them see nothing of you but meek-
ness, love to enemies, patience, and an assured hope.
And this will win many to the love of your life, and will
daunt your foes, and in time make them hopeless of ex-
tinguishing your light again, for after this manner have
we in England been exercised from the beginning. Ne-
vertheless the gospel doth abundantly nourish, and the
light and splendour of it break forth ; and many are daily
converted to the faith, and made partakers of the heaven-
ly grace of God, and joy of his salvation with us : and

164 A Word of Consolation, 5fc.

we have great encouragement, both by the feeling life
and power, and presence of God with us, and in us daily,
and also by the fruit of our labours, which we see daily
coming up to our joy. And this I say, that you also who
have believed, may be encouraged, that this day of the
Lord, and dispensation of the light of his Son Jesus Christ
arisen and manifested in and among the people called
Quakers, shall never be extinguished or brought to an
end, but shall spread through your and all countries;
and blessed are they that can receive it. This I have re-
ceived from the Lord, therefore be strong in his might,
and quit yourselves like men ; be faithful to the death,
and Christ shall give you a crown of life. My heart is
full and abounds with love to you all, and to the whole
regions round about you, to whom I send this as the
salutation of my love and tender greeting, in the feeling
of the mercies of (rod that are breaking forth unto you that
mourn and are afflicted, and wait for redemption.

And now my prayer to God is, that this my love may
have acceptance among you, and that you all may con-
sider how clean you must be made, before you can be
vessels in the house. So I do remain in the covenant of
God, in the communion of saints, and in the earnest ex-
pectation of the redemption of Zion's oppressed seed, for
the sake whereof I do labour and suffer both in body
and spirit, and will yet willingly labour, until my course
be finished.

I am a lover of all men's souls,

Known among men by the name,

STEPHEN CRISP.

( 165 )

AN

EPISTLE FROM STEPHEN CRISP,

TO

FRIENDS IN COLCHESTER.

DEARLY beloved friends, brethren and sisters, who
are come to know and feel the life and virtue of God re-
freshing your souls, which you once longed after, and
sought with heavy hearts, and knew not where to find
it ; but now have tasted of the heavenly manna, and are
comforted. My dear Friends, who can express the great-
ness of the mercies of our God in this particular ? but in
a sense and feeling of my fellowship with you, and you
with me herein, am I at this time drawn forth to salute
you, in love unfeigned ; as being present with you in
your drawings nigh unto your God and my God, your
strength and my strength : and Friends, though you
know these things, yet it is in my heart to put you in
mind how that your standing is not by knowledge, but
by your faith in the Son of God ; and whosoever is born
of him, believes him through death, and finds him faith-
ful for ever, and so by faith and obedience, comes to the
joyful resurrection and inheritance in light. And the Son
of God is made manifest, that you having seen his ap-
pearance, may be made like him ; and that power that
can do it, is the same that raised up, and brought again
our Lord Jesus from the dead ; and therefore dear hearts,
you who have believed in the light, be diligent to feel the
power to which all things are possible, that so the bles-
sed work begun in you, may be perfected, to the praise
of God, and your comfort and establishment ; this is it
that hath gone before you in all your sore combats and
conflicts, and you were never weak, while you eyed the
power of God, and marked which way it led you ; for
it always gave you power to accomplish your testimony,
though with your lives in your hands. And Friends, this

166 Am Epistle from Stephen Crisp

glorious blessed power is the same to day as yesterday,
aiid will always be tbe same to you ; if you abide in it,
you will feel no weakness ; that will be among your
enemies : and among you, God will ordain strength, cou-
rage and nobility ; and ye will appear worthy of your
name, to wit, the people and children of God. He hath
none to stand up for him in the earth, but they that trust
in his power; they that trust in their own, their strength
is as tow before the fire. Ye are his little heritage in the
sight of the heathen ; if ye appear valiant many will be-
lieve, and the name you profess shall be honourable, and
you with it : and therefore, Friends, seeing how great
goodness is bestowed upon you, and how greatly your
souls' desires are answered, in that ye are brought from
the barren mountains to the pastures of life, and remem-
bering how you have been kept from being again scatter-
ed by the violence or subtleties of the enemies of Truth,
and of your souls ; and feeling to this day and hour, the
continuation of that blessed power with you, warming,
comforting and refreshing your souls ; oh be encouraged
to follow the Lord with your whole heart, though to the
loss of all that can be lost ; and heed not the darkness of
this world, nor its times and seasons of ebbing and flow-
ing, or appearing more or less ; but mind the power of
God, and observe diligently the times and seasons in
which you are Called to bear a testimony for your God,
and to show forth the faith you have in him, and the
love you have to him, that the world may see you con-
strained, though they cannot see that which constraineth
you. Dearly beloved, my heart is enlarged towards you,
beyond what words can declare ; and as you feel the
love and goodness of God springing up in your hearts,
then feel ye and read my love, which is in the same root
by which I am, and have been supported in all my tra-
vails and sufferings for the seed's sake; and my joy doth
daily increase, because I see daily the captivity of Zion
to return. So rejoice you with me, be glad in the Lord,
and meet diligently together in his power, to praise and
magnify him for his goodness, as in times past, when ye
met together to be made partakers of it, and to be ac-

to Friends in Colchester. 167

quainted with it, that so unthankfulness may be found in
none of you; but ye all may be clearly and singly given
up to do and suffer his will, that hath chosen you to be
a people to himself: and lay by and cast aside all earthly -
mindedness, and all fleshly consultations ; for that will
but darken you and veil your understandings, and bring
in doubtfulness and weakness ; but mind the power over
all, which was before all, and must remain when all that
is contrary to it is hushed and gone ; and in this, I say
again, is your strength and my strength, and the strength
of the whole heritage of our Father. And therefore the
supplication of my soul to the God and Father of my life,
is, that you may be kept and preserved single to the
power of God, minding always its leading and guidance,
which will at last lead every one that believes and obeys
into perfect rest. So dearly beloved in the Lord, fare ye
well, be faithful, be of good courage.
Your friend and brother in the Truth, S. C

( 168 )

AN

ANSWER OF STEPHEN CRISP,

TO

THOMAS LODDINGTON.

FRIEND, thrice I have received, though until now I
had not opportunity, or convenient time to signify the
receipt of it to thee, nor to reply any thing thereunto ;
but now I shall as briefly, as well I may, give thee to
know my sense and judgment of what thou hast written,
and turn back what of it is thy own into thy own bosom.
And as to what thou writest of my exaltedness, or high-
niindedness, &c. in this particular, I shall not say much,
because (rod knoweth that work of humiliation which
himself is the author of, in which he hath made me will-
ing to be a servant unto all men in his love, and it is he
that justifies me, and who art thou that condemnest me?
Shall thy judgment stand ? Nay, surely, it will be thy
own, and out of thy mouth shalt thou be judged with
that measure which thou hast meted out to me ; for thou
sayest, that my judging thee, whom I, as thou sayest,
know not, savours of the accuser of the brethren's spi-
rit ; then surely thou, that hast run so high in judgment
against one whom thou as little knowcst, and less, hast
manifested the savour of that accusing spirit, to purpose ;
but though, let me tell thee, I do know thee, and can
very well trace thy path in which thou walkest, and see
the place of thy standing ; and I do not deny but that the
grace of God hath shined or appeared in thee in times
past, which might raise up some fear of God in thy heart,
and might in measure wash thee from the gross pollu-
tions of the world. But how much thou hast licked up
that which once thou hadst vomited, and how often thou
art tumbling in that from which thou wast once, as it
were washed, God and his witness in thv own conscience

An Answer of Stephen Crisp, $fc. 169

knoweth, to which testimony thou must stand in the day
of his judgment.

And as to thy letter in general, it is but as a heap of
rambling words, run out together without asserting any
thing of what I have either said or writ to thee, except
in that I said thy carnal reason must be famished; and
that is true enough, and thou wilt find it so; for the
things of God were never appointed as food for it, as
saith the apostle, The world by wisdom knows not God,
and the carnal mind is enmity to God, and discerns not
the things of God, neither can, for they are spiritually
discerned; and dust is the serpent's meat, and he must
creep on his belly, read that; he goeth not uprightly,
mark.

And yet, I never said faith was a thing separate from
reason, that is but thy own false suggestion; for we do
desire that all that have received of the like precious
faith with us, may be ready to give a reason thereof to
him that asks it, as I shall be ready to do to thee or any
man when asked thereof; in the mean time, this is my
testimony, that as man stands in the fall, simply consi-
dered, as a vassal and servant of the wicked one ; in that
state, his reason, will, and understanding, are all cor-
rupted, and his affections are vile, and he an enemy to
God and Christ; and in that state, as so, cannot see nor
understand the way of salvation, nor the true reason of
it, nor perceive how it is according to the nature of God,
but with that reason, judgment, and will, will strike at
the appearance of the true way of salvation, as the wise
of this world ever did ; and as thou, according to the hard-
ness of thy heart, art still doing; but the light hath al-
ways broken forth another way, than their reason hath
taught them to expect, and so they were left in darkness,
still groping for the way, and changing and turning this
way and that way, while others entered into the king-
dom, and they were shut out, which is very near to be
thy portion. Wherefore, Friend, we say, that before the
way of the Lord can be acceptable to a man, that is, be-
fore a man can receive that measure of faith which God
hath offered unto all men, in that he hath raised up Jesus

22

170 An Answer of Stephen Crisp

from the dead, he must know that of God in him, to en-
lighten, or clear his understanding, and to rectify his
reason, and reduce it from the gross darkness in which
he hath been ready to call evil good, and good evil; and
yet used his reason, as it was, to maintain this his opi-
nion. And as this enlightening principle of God is known
to work in him, and he giving up his will and judgment
unto the manifestation of the light, then his reason comes
to be rectified or reduced to its original principle of pure
equity, in which he seeth that his reasonable sacrifice and
service to God, is to give up all that he hath to the Lord,
and thereupon he comes to wait for the gift of his spirit,
to order him and his affairs, that now he may live to God,
and not to himself any longer. And when he comes to
feel the gift of God's holy spirit working upon his spirit,
then thereby he hath a right understanding of his duty,
and believes that to be the will of God : and so believ-
ing, this belief or faith working in him by love, he be-
comes obedient, and this kind of faith though it be sepa-
rate from the corrupt reason of the world that lies in
"wickedness, yet it is not separate from the reason of an
enlightened understanding, which through faith doth re-
ceive a perfect evidence of things which are not seen, and
the substance of things that are hoped for. And this kind
of faith which is the substance, thou art a stranger to,
who art yet in the changeable shadows and imaginary
worships, which men of corrupt minds have invented,
and such backsliding hypocrites as thou can conform
unto; but hadst thou had a true living faith mixed with
thy former zeal and religion, it would have made thee
more single-hearted and less self-interested, and more
constant and steadfast in thy principles now. But this day
is come to manifest such a faithless generation, whose
preaching, praying, and worshipping, were for honour and
advantage, and hath suffered that which you so much
preached and prayed against, to come upon you, to make
manifest how long your faith would hold you, when the
sword was taken from you; and how far your zeal would
lead you, when you had not an arm of flesh to lean upon ;
and now it is made manifest, aud we see you, and we can
trust neither you nor your church-faith any more.

to Thomas Lod&ington. 171

And whereas thou hast fallaciously insinuated in thy
paper, that I had denied the ascension of Christ, the resur-
rection of the dead, and the general judgment; these I turn
back again as lies upon thy own head : some of which
are also wilful, because I testified so far as I was re-
quired unto these things ; especially unto that about the
resurrection : to which I said, I did believe, that all both
good and evil, must have or know a day of resurrection.
But if thou wilt be such a fool, as not to be satisfied witli
a scripture-like confession, but will be still pressing to
know with what body 'the dead shall rise, then I say
concerning thy carnal imagination of a body, thou sowest
not that which shall be : now what body shall be, shall
be as pleaseth God, and none knoweth what that is, but he
who knows the seeds that must receive their own bodies
from God: go learn what that means. And as to a gene-
ral judgment, I did express my mind, that God had ap-
pointed a day in which he would judge the world, by the
man Christ Jesus; whom he hath made the judge, both
of the quick and dead, and warned thee to take heed,
that in that day thou mightest have a name and place
among the righteous : and now do again exhort thee to
believe the least appearance of his light that now is3 as
well as is to come ; for it is by the light that the works
of darkness shall be judged in that day, and so are they
now, and this judgment of the light the righteous love,
but the wicked and the rebellious come not to it, but re-
ject it.

And whereas thou sayest it is the mark of heresy to
gainsay the essay or standard of the world, scripture and
right-reason, what is all that rambling stuff to me about
Turk and Pope, &c. I have neither denied any scrip-
ture, or sound argument produced naturally from scrip-
ture: but I did not yet say that the scripture was the
standard of the world, for the scripture saith, the world
is upholden by the Word of God, and that was in the be-
ginning, and was God, and all things were made by it,
as well as upholden by it. But I think thou wilt not say
all things were made by the scripture, for itself is also a
thing which is made, nor by right-reas n neither, ex-
cept thou be of the ranter's principle, that there is no

173 Jin Answer of Stephen Crisp

God but reason, which indeed thou savours too much of
in ftiy discourse. Well, if the world hath no other stand-
ard but scripture, then where it hath no scripture it hath
no standard, and so consequently cannot err; or else
their error cannot be manifest. Is this good doctrine
thinkest thou, oh, thou blind hypocrite? Hast thou not
here done thy worst or greatest endeavour to shuffle out
the knowledge or remembrance of that ensign and stand-
ard of the world, which I say was prophesied of, which
God would set up uuto the nations? Or was that scrip-
ture or reason, which God would give for an ensign and
standard to the nations, to which they must be gathered,
and by whom they must be tried ; for he saith of him, he
shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles ; and the same
He, that was the ensign and standard, should be God's
salvation unto the ends of the earth. And what, Thomas,
dost thou think scripture and reason are God's salvation
to the ends of the earth? If thou dost, I tell thee thou
art deceived, and art expecting life, where it is not to be
had, as thy fathers the old pharisees were, who were
willing enough to have eternal life, but would not come
to him who was the light of the world for it, but run to
the scriptures to seek it, which could not give it, and
perished in their hypocrisy, as thou wilt do without
speedy repentance, and turning unto him who is the light,
who is able to search thy heart, and judge thy thoughts,
and show thee what thou hast done in thy life-time,
which thou must confess is the faithful and true witness.
And then is not this the Christ, whose name is called the
Word of God, by whom God upholds all things, and
tries all things, and manifests all the secrets of men's
hearts? Yea, and this is he thou must bow unto, and
confess unto ; and well will it be for thee, if it be while
there is a place and time found for mercy, which my
soul desires thou mayest find, if it may stand with the
will of God. But this I know, that before ever thou
comest to know an entrance into that kingdom thou
talkest of, that which is head in thee must be broken,
and that which keeps house in thee must tremble, and
that which now seems good and beautiful, must be spoil-
ed 5 for this is my testimony to thee iu the word and spi-

to Thomas Loddington. 173

rit of God, that God will stain thy glory, and make thy
shame and nakedness to appear in the sight of many, if
not of all men that know thee. And inasmuch as thou
hast stretched forth thy hand against the eternal Truth of
God, the Lord will stretch forth his hand against thee,
and will not draw it back till he hath humbled thee, or
utterly confounded thee ; and then thou shalt know it is
hard to kick against that which pricks thee.

So though I have been somewhat large, it is love to
the Truth and to thy soul, which hath constrained me,
and my service unto God I know is acceptable ; and I
could desire it might be so to thee also ; but, however,
whether thou wilt hear or forbear, I am clear of thy
blood, and my conscience I have cleared in giving testi-
mony to the Truth, which is dearer to me than my all
in this world : blessed be the God of my life, who hath
made it so, to him be the glory ascribed for ever and ever.
And, Thomas, although, as thou saidst, my mind has
been as a cage of many unclean birds in days past, which
I do confess to his glory, who hath appeared to cleanse
the unclean, and purge and sanctify a sanctuary or ta-
bernacle for himself to dwell in, and walk in according
to his promise ; I say, this being wrought in me, and for
me, through the effectual working of his power, who
hath separated me as a vessel to bear his name ; I now
dare not let the testimony of his holy power be trodden
under foot of the unclean beasts of the forest, who would
obscure it as in days past, that so night and darkness
might continue still, and they might still prey upon the
simple, and not be seen. Nay, I had rather that this
body were trodden under foot, and I as a man ever to be
despised by all, as I have been by thee, than that this
precious testimony should in any measure fail : for I know
the God of heaven hath decreed to set it over all your
heads, both priests and people, episcopal or presbyterian,
&c. And he is able to do it, and to him I leave thee,
who must judge both thee and me, who knows I have
nought in my heart towards thee, but love to thy poor
immortal soul, and remain thy friend,

S. C.

( in )

AN

EPISTLE FROM STEPHEN CRISP-

FRIENDS.

DEAR plants and babes of an immortal generation,
who are sprung from him who is before Abraham was,
and partake of the strength of his word, by which all
things were made; that in the power of that ability and
might, ye be made able to reign over all things that are
made, and might not be subject unto any thing, which
itself is subject unto change, alteration or end. Oh ye
sons of strength, consider unto what you are born, that
the nobility of your generation may be manifest in the
valour of your minds, that the noble acts of the ancients
may arise in you, and the wisdom of the elders may ap-
pear, who were mighty through God in confounding his
enemies' wisdom, and in the word of his patience, over-
came their strength, and through faith in the covenant,
put to flight the aliens, and through the strength of his
power, ran through the troops of the uncircumcised : in
their day they were faithful in suffering, and God, even
their God, was faithful to give them dominion.

Now brethren, and dearly beloved in our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ, to the end that all may be kept in
him that hath the promise and blessing of the Father,
feel the word that did beget the first breathing to God-
ward, for that was not worldly, but before it was, in the
beginning; neither doth the world satisfy what the word
bath begotten : and whosoever receives satisfaction in the
things of this world, are not the noble seed of inheritance,
unto which appertaineth the kingdom, which is not of
the world. Again, my beloved, that which is begotten
by the word, partakes of his nature, which is meek and
lowly : and this seed and birth grows not but in meek-

An Epistle from Stephen Crisp to Friends. 175

ness, neither seeketh to exalt itself, but humbleth itself
to serve for his friends, and suffer for his enemies. And
therefore whosoever willeth to exalt himself over friends
or enemies, the same is degenerate from the root of the
life that is in the word, and must return to the word in
meekness, and wait to know the lowliness thereof in-
grafted in his soul, lest the heights do separate him from
the love of God, that is in the lowly seed. So let none
of the olive-plants leave their fatness, nor the fig-trees
leave their fruitful lness, in the places where God hath
set you, to seek a dominion to yourselves; for this is
your glory and your crown, to be what you are in the
word, which abides for ever; and let none put trust
under the shadow of a bramble, which will be most sub-
ject to reign; neither delight yourselves in his fruit, for
the end will be bitterness. But oh, thou tender seed,
and beloved of thy mother, which hast been brought
forth with bitter pangs, ever since her return from the
wilderness, behold, thy king is the Lord of Hosts, the
Mighty One of the ancients ; and the Counsellor of the
holy priests and prophets of old, is the oracle of thy
wisdom and understanding. Therefore let thy eye be
always to him, and let the steps of thy feet daily be
directed unto his holy place; let thy ears be open to his
words, and thy heart shall be taught in wisdom ; let the
increase of his power be thy strength, so shalt thou never
be confounded. O ye sons of the morning, and daugh-
ters of the brightness of his arising, who live not but as
he reigns, and die not while he lives in you; oh how my
heart is filled with his love and breathings of his life to
you-ward ; wherewith shall I express, and how shall I
signify unto you, the strength of that love, which he
hath by his divine power raised up in me toward you ;
oh, I am straitened, in that words are too strait and
narrow, to utter the joy that my spirit hath amongst you
night and day, when I behold your order, your feeding,
and your clothing, yea, and your armour, \v hich is light.
Who is like unto thee, O thou beloved Jacob, and
Israel, God's chosen, terrible as an army with banners,
strong as a fenced city, whose dwelling is the munition

176 An Epistle from Stephen Crisp to Friends.

of rocks : the archers have shot against thee, but their
bows were broken; the mighty men, the princes, the
captains, and the nobles have risen up against thee, and
they have fallen by the edge of the sword, even the
word, which proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lamb,
thy light, oh Zion. The wise men have added their wis-
dom, and the strong man hath added his strength, the
scribe and the learned have brought forth their devices,
but God, even thy God, in the midst of thee hath done
wonderfully.

And now brethren, herein am I enlarged, knowing
you can read the lines of my dear and entire love, be-
yond wrhat I can write, because the finger of God hath
been felt to write me in your hearts ; an epistle, not read,
but in the light, where the name is recorded, which is one.
And this is the salutation of my very life unto every one
of you that knows me in that one; that ye live in purity
and peace; then shall love abound amongst you, and my
joy shall be full concerning you. Dear babes, and ever-
lastingly beloved children, whom I feel near me, though
far oft' outwardly, with the arm of sensible love I em-
brace you, and with the undefiled lips of innocency 1 sa-
lute you, and in the arm of his strength that hath loved
you, I leave you, yea, and lie down with you, I having
no other strength than that which is your strength, nor
food, nor riches, nor wisdom, nor glory, but what are
yours also, being anointed with the same oil of gladness,
and joined together in that body which is, and shall for
ever be glorified at the right hand of the eternal Majesty,
whose is the kingdom, and the glory, and the worship
for ever. And this further brethren, is in my heart to
signify unto you, that your joy may be full, that since
my coming southward, I have seen the prosperity of
Truth, and the people that God hath made willing, in
this the day of his power, are many: glory be to the
Lord God of Zion, who turneth her captivity, and re-
stored again her inhabitants from far; and Truth hath
a good savour in these parts ; and Friends keep fresh and
living, and many in a readiness to go out in the Lamb's
warfare, to overcome violence with patience, and the

Jin Epistle from Stephen Crisp to Friends. 177

force of the enemy with faith, and to wait for their sav-
ing through suffering, and feel the rock that upholds, and
the anchor that stays their souls, which hath never failed
us, nor ever will, but will last until adversity cease, aud
tribulation come to an end, and sorrow be no more ; yea,
until the kindom of our Lord be over all the kingdoms
of the earth, and his name over every name, in which is
your strength, and the strength of your dear friend and
brother, in the kingdom, life and patience of the Lamb
and holy seed.

STEPHEN CRISP.

Let copies of this be carefully written and sent forth
among Friends in the East and North Ridings of York-
shire, to be read in the sensible feeling life of the holy
and beloved seed of blessing, when Friends in it, are
met together.

23

-
( 178 )

JOHN FURLY'S TRANSLATIONS

OF

TWO OF STEPHEN CRISPS EPISTLES.

IN

DUTCH,

FRIENDS AT AMSTERDAM.

Amsterdam, the 28th of the 4th Month, 1667.
Dear Friends,
FOR this end hath the Lord God of heaven and earth
made known his everlasting Truth to you, that you
should walk therein, in singleness and uprightness of
heart, and not to live any longer to yourselves, nor to
this world, but to the Lord that hath called you. There-
fore, dear Friends, wait with all diligence upon the Lord,
in the light of his Son Jesus Christ, with which every
one is enlightened, but in you, through the gospel is made
manifest, by which you are called out of the world, to
seek and wait for an inheritance and kingdom that fadeth
not away. And as your minds in this light of Jesus are
staid, you will feel the heavenly power of God, which
will give you a discerning of that which is of the world
in you, and also of those that yet are in the world : and
as you are obedient and subject to this power, you can-
not join with the world, nor with their worships nor man-
ners ; but such live in that clean and unspotted life that
shall judge the world. Also you that have believed in
the name of the Lord, wait to feel the working of the
power of it in yourselves, and to be baptised into his
death, that being dead to the world and the flesh, you
may live to God in the spirit, and your minds may be

An Epistle from Stephen Crisp, $fc. 179

set upon things that are above; for the world and all
things therein must pass away as a scroll, but the word
of God, by which you have been convinced, is everlast-
ing, and by its power shall all things be subdued, and
the throne of wickedness brought under, and righteous-
ness shall be established in the earth ; and all that come
to know this effected in themselves, shall see this day
and be glad. Therefore, Friends, be not discouraged at
the clouds and darkness that yet remain over the nations ;
but keep the faith, and walk in the law of God, so shall
light be in your dwellings, and your borders shall be en-
larged, for the darkness of this world shall never extin-
guish that light, that is broken forth in this day, in which
you have believed. Therefore, my dear Friends, to whom
my soul is at this time enlarged, in the love of God be-
yond words; be strong in the Lord, and walk before
him in a single and upright mind, for that is well-pleas-
ing to the Lord, and keep all things under your feet, that
would dishonour the holy name of God. Let your con-
versation in the sight of men be inoffensive, answering
the witness of God in the consciences of all men, that
the mouths of gainsayers may be stopped, and may be
made to acknowledge to the power, truth and righteous-
ness that is found in and among you.

So God Almighty keep and preserve you by his al-
mighty power, to whose fatherly care and protection I
leave you, dear hearts, to be preserved by him out of all
the snares of the enemy of your souls, which will daily
be discovered by the light to all such as diligently wait
in it.

In the fellowship of which pure everlasting light of
Christ Jesus, I am your friend, and a lover of your souls,
and a servant of the everlasting gospel of God,

S.C.

Friends, keep your meetings in the name of the Lord
with diligence, and let this be read among you in your
assemblies.

180 An Epistle from Stephen Crisp, 8£c.

Friends,

Our fellowship stands in the gospel of peace, which is
the power of God which is everlasting, and which is not
of this world ; if you keep low in this power of God
which is not of this world, then have you fellowship, and
the gospel of peace is felt, and the things of this world
cannot break your fellowship, but you will mount over
the world, and over that which would disquiet and dis-
turb you in yourselves : so will the power bring you to
rest, and to the true sabbath, and to the true joy, and to
the true dominion of life : and you shall know an entrance
to be administered iuto the kingdom of God, over the
devil, and his power, and the least among you shall rule
over him ; but neither the least nor the greatest to rule
over one another, but the power of life over you all ; this
is the requirings of God : and where all that is contrary
to this power, is brought under, there is peace, rest and
stillness enjoyed to the soul. Therefore, my dearly be-
loved Friends, feel after the power that preserves your
fellowship, and let the law of God go over the fallen
reason, in which the world can see you : but in the seed
you are hid, and your life is hid, and your glory is hid,
and kept from spots, and your crown is sure in immorta-
lity. Therefore, dear hearts, love the power, and depend
upon it, that you may feel perfect deliverance by it, from
all that which will bring weights and burdens ; and so
walk in the power and dominiou of Truth in the life of
righteousness over the prince of this world, the serpent
and his earthly wisdom which you are to know an end of;
and when you come to know an end to that, you come to
receive the wisdom that is from above, which is first pure,
then peaceable and without end ; through which you will
be led to a right spirit, and to walk in the path of the
just, which is holiness ; which brings us to see God.

The Almighty God keep and preserve you all to the
end, Amen. S. C.

London, itih of the i2th Month, 1667.

Let this be read in your assemblies, when you are met
in the name and fear of the Lord.

( 181 )

AN

EPISTLE FROM STEPHEN CRISP
TO FRIENDS,

AGAINST

Such as cry out against the Form of Godliness, as against Meeting
at Set Times, on First Days, &c.

Oh, my Dear Friends,
MY soul with love unfeigned salutes you, even in that
very love, which the Father hath bestowed on me, of
which love and goodness he hath also made you sharers
and partakers through Jesus Christ our light and coun-
sellor, whose paths have become paths of peace, and his
right hand has been a support and refuge unto you, in the
days of your weakness and infancy ; so that when the
enemy within, or enemies without, sought to destroy
your hope which you had in God, lo ! you felt his power
near to sustain you : so you became valiant for the name
of your God, and Ms eternal love that sprung up in your
hearts, constrained you to suffer much, rather than his
name should in the least suffer : and by the operation of
his power, ye became so united and joined together, that
your hearts stood open one for another ; and if any thing
happened through weakness and childishness, ye could
feel in that day how God for Christ's sake had forgiven
you, and could in the same forgive one another : and
this was that, dear children, that gave you an under-
standing, and a discerning of the false power, and airy
spirit, in how great a glory soever it appeared : as you
dwelt in that blessed power which kept you low and
broken in yourselves, ye could see both yourselves and
others. And in those days were the hearts of the righte-
ous made glad among you, and ye were enriched with
heavenly benefits, and your assemblies were a delight

182 An Epistle from Stephen Crisp to Friends.

unto yon, because therein your souls were satisfied with
the appearance of his likeness. And, oh, my Friends,
that this glory might ever rest upon you, and that you
might say, the government and the peace of our Lord
Jesus is still increasing amongst us, and that as the Lord
hath called and chosen you, to be his witnesses of his
arising, you might none of you fall short of this testi-
mony ; to wit, to know him raised up in you all, who
bruiseth down satan the scatterer and defiler, and de-
stroys his whole work, though never so crafty. Oh, that
seed which never fell, which cannot be beguiled; oh,
wait to feel it in yourselves, for this is meek and lowly,
long-suffering, and full of patience : this is that which
puts to silence the birth of the flesh, yea, though it
would plead to advance the spirit ; for wisdom is justified
of her own children. Oh, my Friends, my heart is full to-
wards you of the love of my Father, yet am I pained and
in heaviness concerning you, lest that old enemy of Israel's
peace, should beguile any of you and lead you from the
simplicity of the gospel, to follow seducing spirits. And,
therefore, my dearly beloved in the Lord Jesus, I charge
you all to wait in that same eternal light of Jesus, which
at the beginning was a sure guide unto you, and led you
into the form of sound and uncondemnable speech, and
into an inoffensive life towards all people, and made you
watch how to ease the burdens of the oppressed, and so
through believing you were preserved. Therefore by
doubting, let not any be shaken or removed, though the
enemy in these days hath prepared the seeds-men of
doubts and questionings, as well as ye have known them
that have sown the word of faith and soundness, yet
know them asunder, whenever they appear ; for the mi-
nisters of righteousness have from the beginning sown
but one manner of doctrine, and in that you have receiv-
ed us, and we have sought to establish you, both in the
power and form of Truth : now, whosoever strikes at
either, is a seducer, and if any lets in his doctrine, it
will cause divisions among you ; and when you are di-
vided, then the carnality will arise, to feed and maintain
the division ; and so your love to God will wax colder,

An Epistle from Stephen Crisp to Friends, 183

and iniquity will unavoidably abound, which separates
from God, and scatters from the true church, and brings
the soul into desolation : and that which draws forth the
mind about days, and places, and outward things, leads
into animosities and heats ; whereupon false fire comes
sometimes to be offered up. Oh, my Friends, my heart
is broken in remembrance of you, ami what tb© Lord
hath done for you, and how he made you a dread to the
heathen, while ye retained the love and simplicity that
ye learned in Christ. Oh ! how meek, how teuder, how
subject were your souls unto the Truth, and one to an-
other in it ? Oh ! let it neither be lost nor forgotten, but
fulfil my joy in the Lord on your behalf, and with one
consent judge out that which is wicked and abominable,
and let none spare that which appertaineth to the uncir-
cumcised : but let it be done in fear and trembling, that
the fleshly part in all may feel the stroke. But, dear
lambs, let your concord never be broken, nor your agree-
ment, in things appertaining unto godliuess, any ways
be removed from you ; for if it be, then is your beauty
marred, and your crown defaced : but meet together on
the First days, and on other days, as formerly yon have
been led, and the former blessing and presence of God
will be felt among you ; which some not feeling, have
gone into questionings and reasonings, to their own harm.
Dear Friends, the Lord knows the integrity of my soul,
and true love to you ; and that for his glorious Truth's
sake, and for your sakes I write these things to you. Ob>
jeceive my advice ; hearken and hear, and let all self-
willedness be borne down by the meek Lamb's power,
for it is that which gives life, and restores, and heals and
makes up breaches. Therefore, make haste to an hearty
atonement in the seed Christ, the head of every true and
living member, and let none have cause to glory in your
flesh, or in your weakness, but make glad your hearts
who seeks no glory, but the glory of God : his witness
is in your hearts, bearing us record that we have labour-
ed among you, to bring you into the unity of the faith,
und into the knowledge and practice of such things as
tend to your edifying. Therefore, lend not your ears, I

184 An Epistle from Stephen Crisp to Friends.

beseech you, unto that, in any, or in yourselves, that
would, under pretence of formality in times or places,
draw you aside, from the good and blessed testimony of
assembling yourselves together to wait upon your God.
And what there is in any of you that would not conde-
scend unto each other as brethren, is not of the nature of
the true birth, but must by it be subdued : and as that
ariseth and prevails in and among you, so will you again
feel the Lord ministering to his own in you, and your
eyes will be open to see the wiles of our subtle adver-
sary more clearly; who though he may appear masked,
with a show of more holiness, with a promise of a further
glory, higher dispensations, new discoveries, yea, and
with a pretence of leading out of formality into the
power, and many such like baits and snares ; yet, my
dearly beloved, beware of such pretences, for he comes
but to bring you into a disesteem of what you have re-
ceived, and to draw forth the expectation after something
else ; that so you might be robbed and spoiled of your
portion : and then when you come to a want in yourselves,
having lost the former, and missing the latter, you will
be tempted to end in the earth ; and the latter end of such
is worst of all.

So, my dear Friends, in the largeness of my love, have
I written this large epistle to you, in which if you receive
my advice to your benefit, I have my end. And though
heaviness hath been upon me, yet my rejoicing in you will
return unto me agaiu, and my spirit shall praise the Lord
with yours. The Lord God of power preserve you, and
keep you steadfast to the end, in the doctrine of his Son,
and in the obedience of his Truth, unto the fulfilling of
your testimony, and to the obtaining the crown immortal,
which never fades away ; in the earnest of which, and in
the blessed fellowship of his power, in which my soul
desires you may be kept, I bid you farewell; who am
your friend and companion in the Truth, and acquainted
with the burdens of them that cause trouble, whom God
will repay.

STEPHEN CRISP.

AN

ALARM

SOUNDED IN

THE BORDERS OF SPIRITUAL EGYPT,

WHICH

Shall be heard in Babylon, and astonish the Inhabitants of the Defiled
and polluted Habitations of the Earth.

The Power of the Prince of Darkness called into Question, and he
himself examined by the Truth, how he came to Reign over Man-
kind, and how long his Time shall be, till he come to be cast out of
his Dominion, and the Creatures be delivered from under his
Tyranny, to serve God in Spirit and in Truth, as Christ the Prince
of Peace has ordered them.

Also the Number of him whom the World has wondered after, found
out and demonstrated to be near at an end ; and withal, that it is
no ways unlawful nor in vain, both to hope and expect the utter
Desolation and Destruction of Sin in this Life, and the setting up
of perfect Righteousness in the Souls of Men, where Sin has too
long Reigned.

Written in a Testimony to the Truth, and against the false Position

of the Devil and his Servants, by a Servant of God,

STEPHEN CRISP.

Mat. y . 12, 13, 14. Then came his Disciples, and said unto him, Knottiest thou
that tlie Pharisees -were offended after they heard this Saying, — But he said, Let
them alone, they be blind Leaders of the Blind, &c.

1 Johu, iii, 8. He that commits sin is of the Devil, &c.

34

TO THE READER.

Co u vteo us Reader,

THIS small treatise does not appear with the appro-
bation^ the learned doctors of this our age; neither do
I believe it will be received in the academies, or univer-
sities, or among the rabbies, whether they be Papists or
Protestants; and considering the subject, it is not likely
that it should get such patrons. And therefore, must I
singly recommend it to the witness of God, in thy own
conscience, whoever thou art; by which witness thou
knowest, that as long as the devil reigns in thee, it is not
as it ought to be : and if thou be at all desirous that it
should or might be as it ought, it will be no ways offen-
sive unto thee to hear of the overthrow of him, that has
brought out of order; and withal, of the appearance of
him, who is the Restorer of Israel, and the right Heir of
the Gentiles.

Aud this one thing I do desire of thee, of what profes-
sion, religion, or judgment thou mayest be, to wit, That
thou layest by thy own interest in the controversy, for a
little time, and read without prejudice or partiality, and
be not offended, that another is not of thy judgment; but
consider, that thou in thy own particular, art in one and
the same transgression, in the matter aforesaid; seeing
the greatest part of mankind is not of thy judgment; and
they have as much power to judge thee, that thou art
wrong, as thou hast to judge me that I am wrong. There-
fore read in coolness, and consider what thou readest, as
knowing that it is God that must give an understanding.
And whereas the subject or matter of the treatise does
comprehend much, and many things are but hinted at,
therefore look up to the Lord, who can enlarge thy un-
derstanding in it, as it pleaseth him.

And as concerning the priests, who are so busy to
make complaints against sectarians, heretics, and hereti-
cal books, desiriug the magistrates they would abuse
their power, to defend them and their doctrine by perse-

To the Reader. 187

cution ; they would do better to employ their time in the
answering of these positions. And whereas they are
called spiritual, let them fight with spiritual weapons,
if they have them, and bring forth something in de-
fence of their old master, and his kingdom and power,
now in a time of need, when it is near come to an end.

And whereas the words government, dominion, reign
and kingdom, are often used, by which some of perverse
minds may conclude, that I intend thereby the overthrow,
or changing, or subverting of outward government; to
prevent such a mourns, I do declare in the sight of God,
and before all men, that I have no such thought or inten-
tion ; perfectly declaring my judgment, viz. that a Chris-
tian ought to live peaceably and quietly under all sorts
of governments, which the Lord permits to be, or is
pleased to set up. And I do believe, that the ruling or
government of an emperor, king, prince or state in itself,
is not repugnant to, but consistent with the government
of Christ, whose kingdom is spiritual, and the more he
reigns in the hearts of people, the easier will it be for
the rulers of this world to fulfil their office ; and if the
devil were wholly dethroned, yet notwithstanding, they
might still rule, decreeing justice, according to the words
of him, who said, By me kings reign and princes decree
justice; by me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges
of the earth, Pro v. viii. 15, 16. And then they would be
under him, who is their King and Lord ; and the people
would live a pleasant, godly, and peaceable life, under
their respective kings and lords.

And seeing these things are promised, and that he is
faithful that hath promised them, why should we not then
hope for, and expect the fulfilling thereof? And so,
courteous reader, having given thee this short caution and
instruction, I leave thee to read the following discourse,
and remain a friend to thee and all men.

S. 0.

( 188 )

AN

ALARM

SOUNDED IN

THE BORDERS OF SPIRITUAL EGYPT, &c.

MANY are the devices of satan, and great is the sub-
tlety which he furnisheth his children and servants withal,
by which he seeks to uphold his kingdom, pleading now
a right to that which he got by subtlety ; and has taught
his whole family, that it is impossible for any to be freed
from under his service, even as if all men that are created
of God, were created to the service of the devil ; and al-
though he can make no man, yet that he is able, after
they are made, to keep them in his service ; yea, although
their maker does call for them to serve him : and so by
this supposed necessity, which is a doctrine well-pleas-
ing to the flesh, he keeps nations, kindreds, tongues and
people, in bondage to his will : and not only so, but he
has so bewitched and besotted his whole synagogue, and
every sort in it, that they cannot endure to hear that they
should be made free; and all that come to declare liberty
to these captives, and an opening of the door of this pri-
son-house, (the darkness,) unto those that are shut up
within it, they cry out against such, away with them
from the earth, let them be crucified, stoned, hanged,
burned, imprisoned and banished, or at least, derided
and mocked at, and all manner of evil be spoken of them :
and what have they done ? They have preached against
sin, that it must come to an eud, and have preached that
that which is perfect, is to be found in this life, by which
men might come to the acceptable year of the Lord, unto
whom there is nothing acceptable which is imperfect.

Certainly, there is no manner of slaves so well con-
tented with their bondage, as the devil's are ; and there-
fore it is worth the considering, what right he has to

An Alarm, §V. 189

reign over mankind, and what work it is, lie gives his
servants to do, that is so well-pleasing unto them, that
they cannot endure to hear of heing set at liberty, as long
as they have a day to live. As for my part, I have con-
sidered what right the devil can claim to the government
which he has among the children of men, reigning over
kings and princes, priests and people, from one sect to
another, setting them all to work in blind zeal one against
another ; yet all agreeing in this one ^question, to wit, is
there any man or woman upon the earth, that is free from
under the reign of the devil, that lie can live without sin?
or is it possible for any to be so? The general answer is,
no; we are all, and must all be his servants, all the days
of our lives. But some might say, seeing you are all
fellow servants, and that both you and your work do be-
long to one master; why then are you disagreeing with
one another about the work ? But oh ! my soul longeth
that some might be awakened, once to consider and to
bethink themselves, how they came to this state and con-
dition, and by what right and authority their master keeps
them in this bondage, and whether it is not both lawful
and possible to come from under it?

And in the first place it is to be considered, that this
spirit, which is called the devil and satan, had no domi-
nion over man in the beginning ; for God gave man power
over all beasts, fishes, fowls, and over every creeping
thing, that he should rule over them ; and in that time
the devil, that old creeping serpent, was kept under, and
could not speak nor command as with authority ; and he
being but a subject himself, he sought to have dominion ;
having lost the glory of the everlasting kingdom ; and
so he came to the woman, who was made, and brought
forth in a time of sleep, and persuaded her, (mark, not
commanded,) and his persuasion was, that she should
break the command of God, under pretence that she
should be profited thereby. So here was but a sneaking,
underly spirit, coming to the woman in a deceitful, feign-
ed manner, with a lie in his mouth, to see if he could de-
ceive her, and lead her to be disobedient to her God and
Maker. Who could then have thought, that this spirit

190 «4n Marm sounded in the

that was subject to all sorts of misery, should have reign-
ed and ruled over so many millions of thousands of men
both high and low, young and old? Well, the woman
hearkened to a lie, and broke the command of God, and
went to try whether this serpent had found out a way to
make her better or not ; and not only so, but went to the
man, and gave him also, and he did eat. Mark, this de-
vil, the old serpent, he did not go to the man, that was a
work too high for him ; but there comes his companion,
who was given of God, who was of his flesh and bones,
to tempt him ; he did not hearken to the devil, but to his
deceived wife, and he did eat, and their eyes were open-
ed, and they were ashamed, and hid themselves. Here
were the two first subjects which the devil had in his
kingdom, he having before this time no dominion among
the creatures which God had made.

Now it is to be observed, that there are but four ways
to come into dominion, to wit, by descent, by election, by
conquest, and by treason.

Now which of these it is, by which the devil got his
entrance, is easy to be concluded ; all that are wise will
say, that it was by treason and falsehood, and that man
thereby came to be deprived of that dominion and rule
which he had before, and his boldness was taken from
him, and he was ashamed. So now see for whom you
are pleading, all you that are so zealously pleading for
the devil's kingdom, viz. for an old traitor, that came
into his government by a lie, and spoiled our predeces-
sors of their dominion, glory aud power at once by sin,
for which you are now pleading. Oh ! blush and be
ashamed every one of you, and let your mouths be stop-
ped for ever.

But now, seeing that it fell out so, what was the de-
termination of the Lord in this matter ? Hearken to his
sentence ; and to the serpent he said, because thou hast
done so, thou shalt creep upon thy belly, and art cursed
above all cattle ; and above all the beasts of the field.
See, he must creep upon his belly, and not stand upon
his tip-toes, lifting up his head above the nations ; he
must eat dust, and the other beasts must eat the grass of

JBorders of Spiritual Egypt. 191

the field ; but he, dust all the days of his life, and not
the fat of the land, and to have the tenth part of the fruits
of the earth bestowed on his meanest servants, having
also the other nine parts of it bestowed and ordered to
his will ; and so shall it be with thee as long as thou
livest; that is not to say, that he shall live for ever,
and to have dust to eat and a belly to creep upon : but
at last God has determined that his head should be
bruised, there is his end. Oh ! all ye pleaders for sin,
behold your prince, and hear his sentence, and be
ashamed, and stop your mouths for ever.

And now, when he had gotten a little dominion, let
us examine a little, how this traitor used his rule in the
beginning. His first lesson was to teach his new sub-
jects to hide themselves from the presence of God : that
which before was their chiefest joy and crown, was now
their greatest fear and dread ; and so they run under the
trees, hiding themselves, as their posterity now do at
this day; but the Lord found them out, and spoke to
them, and caused them to hear that dreadful sentence ;
and not only so, but drove them out from where life was
to be found, into the earth, where there was nothing to
be gotten without pain and labour. And whereas they
were before in dominion, and had nothing to do, but to
dress the garden in which the life was, they must now
till the ground, which brought forth imto them briars
and thorns ; and in that state man's misery was great,
and his sorrow unspeakable, and his darkness not to be
expressed ; and he had lost his discerning of things that
differ ; and having an expectation of a Seed which should
destroy the serpent, and bruise his head, he was apt to
think that birth to be that seed, as his children in the
fall do at this day : so that when Cain was born, his
mother said, she had gotten a man from the Lord ; but
poor woman, she knew not the seed, and how that that
seed which is born of the flesh is a persecutor, and that
the enmity is great in the first birth ; and so that although
he grew up to be an offerer, yet he did not grow up in
dominion over the serpent, nor over the quality of the
destroyer in himself: and that sort of offering was more

1Q2 JLn JSLlarm sounded in the

acceptable to the devil than to God. And now mark,
that man was a sinner, and yet religious, his sin and
religion were consistent, and could have place together
at one and the same time in one man, as it is now with
the professors of this age; who say, they are sinners,
and that their best works are polluted and denied with
sin, and that they must remain so whilst they live; and
yet they will seek acceptance with God in these polluted
offerings, notwithstanding they do profess him to be pure
to whom they offer. Thus was this first sacrificer blind
and darkened, and so are many thousands after him, and
the dominion of the devil was over him.

First, Deceiving him, by leading him to expect an ac-
ceptance, because he offered, though with an evil heart.

Secondly, To lead him into the evil which had kept
him from acceptance.

Thirdly, By making him so wroth and angry, be-
cause he was not accepted, against his brother that did
well, and was partaker of the one sure faith of the elect
seed of God : and the serpent having thus darkened
his mind, then he durst come before him with a lie,
though he was a man, of whom Eve thought, that
she had gotten him from the Lord, persuading him,
that if faithful Abel was out of the way, that then it
would be better with him ; so he hearkened to the coun-
sel of this evil spirit, and shed innocent blood about re-
ligion. Here persecution got its entrance into the world,
by one that was an offerer, and an evil doer together ; a
fit instrument for such a work. But behold, what be-
came of this man ? The blood which he had shed, and
the earth which had drank it up, cried for vengeance
against this bloody offerer, and he feared exceedingly,
and said, He could not bear his punishment ; and said,
Every one that finds me will slay me ; and to prevent
that, he went and built a city in the land of Nod ; here
was the beginning of fortifications, which were to defend
the transgressor ; for the righteous have a tower, namely,
the name of God, and there they are safe, without such
gates or walls.

Now let every one consider how little right this spirit

Borders of Spiritual Egypt. 193

had in all these things ; but he entered by a lie, and
reigned by a lie, and darkness and deceit was his de-
fence for his government ; and how little reason there is
to plead for such a spirit, let the wise in heart judge.

It would go beyond my present aim and purpose, to
trace this spirit, who is called the devil and satan, the
dragon, and old serpent, through all ages, since the be-
ginning, to see with how little truth, right or equity, he
came to reign among men. The understanding reader
of the scriptures of Truth can see it clear enough ; and
it is a great wonder, and one of the greatest, that is in
that part of the world called Christendom, that there are
so many men, being men of knowledge in other matters,
and such as set up the scriptures, so much as they seem
to do, calling it the word of God, the rule of Christians,
the light of the world, the guide of life, &c. that they
should go with such a book in their hands, pleading for
the devil's kingdom, and for a necessity that it must con-
tinue as long as there is a man upon earth : whereas the
scripture in substance is nothing else but as a declaration
against him and his government, and showeth how he
ought to be forsaken, opposed, resisted, and cast out ;
and withal, how that primitive, pure and holy, and
righteous law of that Spirit, which is called God, and is
' holy, pure, and blessed for ever, how that ought to be
embraced, received and exalted in the whole creation. I
say, this is a very great wonder, of which, and of the
consequences thereof, the Christians so called, have cause
to be ashamed ; yea, are a reproach to the whole world ;
an4 it is high time that some do arise for God ; and
the call is gone forth, Who is on the Lord's side ?
Exod. xxxii. 2&. The devil has an innumerable host t»
plead for sin, some with arguments, and some with cruel
weapons ; but who is on the Lord's side that can say,
The Lord reigns in righteousness, and in truth he judges
the earth? Oh! all ye carnal professors of God and
Christ in words, but in works deny him, and say, that
sin must stand, and remain as long as you live. Be it
known unto you, in the name of the God of heaven, that
where sin remains, there the devil is prince and ruler.

25

194? An Alarm sounded in the

And if that must remain as long as you live, the devil
desires it no longer ; for he that will be his servant in
this life, must be his companion in the world to come.
But hear ye the word of the Lord, oh great host, and
mighty army of the devil, beast, serpent, and the old
deceiver, who plead, that his government shall stand, as
long as there is a man to live upon the earth. The con-
troversy of the Lord God Almighty is proclaimed, and
begun against you all, and your prince ; yea, the arm of
the everlasting God is stretched out against you, and
henceforth ye shall not be prosperous ; but the dominion
of your prince shall be lessened, and both his and your
power shall be weakened, and your weapons, both of
deceit and cruelty shall be broken, and come to nought.
The inheritance of the wicked shall be laid waste, and
the design which hath been carried on so long, shall be
frustrated ; deceit and falsehood shall fall before the
Truth, and darkness shall flee before the Light; and
your fortified city shall fail you, and the land of Nod
will not be a hiding place for you : for the arm of the
mighty God of Jacob shall scatter you as a reproach,
and make you ashamed of your work and of your prince.
Now, to touch a little at your arguments, which
the servants of this spirit make use of to hold up his
kingdom, of which they say, it is impossible that it
should be brought down ; even as if God had given up
all mankind, which is the best of his creation, unto the
devil ; and that he should keep none of them for himself
to serve him, till they have fulfilled the devil's work to
the full, and can serve him no longer: certainly the
heathens, Moors, and Indians, have a better doctrine
than these in the ground : though darkness is over their
understandings, as concerning God and heaven, and such
things, yet many of them do not judge that there is such
a necessity to do evil, as long as they live ; but abstain
from that which they know to be evil, and they that do
so, are esteemed to have their pleasure and delight in the
Elysian fields, after they are dead. Lucillius said, Know
ye not what grievous punishments and torments the
wicked and evil men are to suffer after this life ; or in

Borders of Spiritual Egypt. 195

what great happiness the good men shall live? The
heathen Epicharmus said, If thou art godly in thy mind,
thou shalt, being dead, not suffer evil: and many such
sayings are among them. But these fallen Christians,
who plead a necessity to serve this spirit, whom they
call the devil, whose place they will confess is in hell,
and in the everlasting fire; yet they notwithstanding,
without doing good, expect to enjoy their Elysium, to
wit, a heaven where God aud the holy angels dwell for
ever.

Now let us examine a little what reason there is for
this great mistake.

First, they say, that sin is rooted and planted in the
nature of man ; yea, so that a man must cease to be a
man, before he can come to cease from being a sinner.

Answ. That man in his natural state is so united with
sin, as that he thereby is separated from God, I do not
deny; and also that there is a natural inclination in man
to commit sin, is also true ; to wit, as long as they re-
main in their natural state and condition. And if these
champions for the devil's kingdom had blotted out of
that which they call their rule, all those precious say-
ings, that make mention of a state of grace, of being under
grace, of being changed or translated, of being redeemed
and made free, of being washed, cleansed, and sanctified
perfectly in soul, body and spirit; and many more such
places ; then they had had a plea for their prince. But
seeing there is such a large testimony of the mercy and
goodness of God, and of his power and all-sufficiency to
redeem and save : therefore it is worthy to be pleaded
before we allow the devil such an unlimited power in
and among you, yea, over all the sons and daughters of
men. And therefore, as concerning the first part of this
objection, to wit, that sin is rooted in the nature of man,
how came it to be rooted there ? whose work was it to
make it so ? was it the work of God ? or hath he ordered
it, that it should be so ? if so, why is any man or woman
punished or condemned for its being so, seeing it could
not be otherwise? But none else but such, as are wholly
blind from a true sense of God, will dare to say so : for

196 Jin Alarm sounded, in the

then the manifold calling of sinners unto repentance, to
wash them, to cleanse them, to put away the evil from
them, to cease to do evil, &c. must all be against his will
and ordering, and so consequently but a mockery ; but
God forbid that any man should say or think so. Well,
if it was not by the ordering or appointment of God, but
that God has made man righteous in his nature, will and
affections ; yea, in the image of God he created him ;
then it must needs be another that has wrought this great
work, to plant sin in his nature; and when it is examined,
it will appear that it is the work of a cursed outcast, an
unclean, lying, treacherous spirit, who was rejected of
God, and had no place in the whole creation, but by
framing a lie, he brought a poor woman from her inte-
grity and obedience ; and so from that, came a great al-
teration to be in her, and a ground or foundation was
laid for the devil to build upon ; and from that time he
has always had a rule in the hearts of the children of
disobedience : but now that this rule and government
should not only be universal, but also irresistible and
unalterable ; yea, though God Almighty stretch forth his
power, to redeem any out of this kingdom, to bring them
into the kingdom of his dear Son ; yet they say, it is
impossible for him, till he dies. It is as much as to say,
if God will have any man to serve him perfectly, he must
first kill him, and then he shall have him to his service
in another world : oh horrible ignorance of the power of
God, and of the end for which Christ came into the
world! namely, to destroy the devil and his works. Now,
when his work is destroyed, which has a tendency to
corrupt man's nature, then the nature of men and women
comes to be again holy, clean and pure, and man comes
to be restored to his first image, and the glory of the first
body is again known, of which all the bond-slaves of
the devil are ignorant; and this power to restore the na-
ture of man again is the Lord's alone : it was the devil
that corrupted it, and it is God that sanctifies it again,
and delivers it by the spirit of judgment and of burning,
which the hypocrites cannot bear.

Now, the manner how the nature of man came to be

Borders of Spiritual Egypt, 197

corrupted, you have heard, that it was by man's joining
with that spirit that was fallen and cast out from God,
and had only a power in the darkness, and could not
reigu. over any thing, but over that which he could draw
from the glory of God into the darkness : and God who
dwells in the light, being moved with infinite compas-
sion, sent his eternal Son, that was with him before the
world, that he should be made partaker of the same na-
ture in which man was created, that by the virtue of the
eternal power, he might restore him unto God, and might
minister unto the spirits of all such, to whom this dark-
ness and corrupted state, was a prison-house. And this
Jesus received not the nature of angels, that was not his
work, but he received the seed of Abraham, which was
in captivity, that he might redeem it from captivity through
death, suffering under the weight of that which oppressed
the creature, and caused it to groan after redemption : so
that although it could not deliver itself, yet it might come
to be delivered through faith in him, who is mighty to
save. And this Jesus, which was of the seed of Abraham
after the flesh, purifieth the nature of all those that join
with him ; for the work of the devil, is to bring in cor-
ruption, and the work of Christ is to destroy it, and in-
stead thereof, to bring in everlasting righteousness. Now,
where sin is remaining in the nature, there the covenant
with hell and death is not broken, neither are such in cove-
nant with God, but are yet under the power of the prince
of the air, whatever they may profess. And the death of
Christ is yet of no value unto them, because they are yet
in their sin and corrupted nature, unchanged, untrans-
lated : so that those that hold this plea for the devil, that
because he once got a place in the nature of man, and
has corrupted it, that therefore sin must remain, so long
as the life or nature remains ; such are strangers to the
work of God, and to his power, by which he worketh,
and also to Christ Jesus, through whom he works: and
they have more faith in the power of the devil, than in
the power of Christ, believing that the devil is more
able to keep the creature, and to hold fast that, which
by deceit and treachery he has gotten ; than God, who

196 An Mann sounded, in the

made the creature good in his nature, is able to restore
it to its first purity, that the creature might come to serve
him in righteousness and holiness. And such as so believe,
are no true Christians, nor true believers; but are stand-
ing in the corrupt nature, that has unity with the devil,
and plead his cause, who is willing that his corrupt
birth should live in man, as long as he lives in the world;
for he knows, that so long no acceptable sacrifice can be
offered up to God ; for you cannot bring forth a clean sa-
crifice, out of an unclean vessel ; and as long as nature is
defiled, the works will be unclean that are wrought in
that nature.

Secoudly, The second pleading is, that never any man
was freed from sin, ever since sin first entered into the
world ; and that therefore it is presumption to expect such
a thing in this life.

Answ. If this position were true, that there was never
any man freed from sin, yet it would be presumption to
say, that Grod should not be able to do that which he
never did; and it is also presumption to conclude, that
never any man was freed : but if this position be false,
then not only the consequence is false, to wit, that none
can be freed, but also the argument itself is proved to be
a lie, and so is swept away, and a door is opened unto
alt that have more love to righteousness than to sin, both
to hope and to expect, that the same work should again
be wrought in and for them, without presumption. Now,
that all men are sinners by nature, is evident; and that
some were changed out of that natural state, is as evi-
dent ; so that the question is only, whether those that are
translated out of that sinful nature, remain sinful, yea or
nay? Which if it be so, what advantage have they be-
yond others, if they after they are translated, must re-
main unfreed? But I answer with the words of the apos-
tle, 1 Pet. iv. 1, He that hath suffered in the flesh, hath
ceased from sin. And here he spoke of such that were
yet in the body, but had suffered with, and were made
partakers of the sufferings and death of Christ, by a
dying to sin ; through which every one must pass, before
they can come to the resurrection that is in Christ, by

Harder s of Spiritual Egypt. 199

which, said Peter, they obtained the answer of a good
conscience in the sight of God, which he calls the bap-
tism that saves. Now some having been partakers of that
death, baptism, and resurrection of Christ, by which they
came to cease from sin, and to have an answer of a good
conscience, without offence both to God and man, which
none that sin can have, then may some lawfully ex-
pect to come to the enjoyment of the same state of free-
dom and clearness, as well now as formerly without pre-
sumption.

Secondly, I answer with the words of the apostle
John, 1 John, iii. 9, He that is born of God sinneth not,
because his seed abideth in him, and he cannot sin, for he
is born of God. Now, whereas there have been some that
were born of God, and have been his children, and they
that were so, had overcome the wicked one, so that he could
not touch them, but they had kept their garments white
and unspotted, and that some have been freed from the
law of sin and death, and that some have walked un-
blameable and without spot, and had put off the old man
with his deeds, and had known the new birth, and could
by the Holy Spirit call God Father, which things are all
manifest in the scriptures of Truth, which none can deny,
but those that will deny the scripture, why then should
any man question, that the same works of redemption
should not now again be brought to pass ? And there-
fore it is lawful to expect it without presumption. This
argument being confuted by the experience of the saints.
Thirdly, The faith of God's elect is but one in all
ages ; and that faith has purified the hearts of many in
former ages, and has taught them to walk with God. As
for instance, Enoch walked with God several hundreds
of years, Gen. v. £1, and it would be a horrible thing to
say, that he walked with God, when he walked in sin ;
as if God walked in a sinful way ; for the prophet said,
the bloody man, nor the worker of iniquity, dwells not
nor walks with the Lord. But Enoch dwelled and walk-
ed with the Lord, and did not iniquity ; for if he had, he
should not have obtained a testimony, that he pleased
the Lord ; for sinners and evil doers do not please him.

200 «5n Alarm sounded in the

By faith Noah walked with God, and was a preacher of
righteousness in the old world ; 2 Pet. ii. 5. Also Lot in
Sodom ; which they could not have been, if they had been
sinners, except they had been such preachers as the
preachers at this day ; but they were owned of God,
though they were mocked of men ; and it is said of them,
that they did inherit the righteousness which they preach-
ed. And of Lot it is said, that his soul as well as his
doctrine was righteous. And by the same faith, Job was
kept in the fear of God in the land of Uz ; Job, i. 22,
for that taught him to eschew evil, by which he obtained
a testimony of God, that he was perfect and upright,
which no sinner is ; and if he had not been free from sin,
it would have been false to say of him, that he eschewed
the evil, and was perfect ; and though his trials were
many, yet he sinned not with his lips, neither did he
charge God foolishly. And in the end of all his trials,
God cleared him of having sinned, witnessing that he had
found him faithful, and received a sacrifice from his hand,
for those zealous professors that had charged him with
sin, whom God had cleared. And the same faith caused
Abraham and Sarah to be partakers of the promise : and
Abraham was a friend of God, of which Christ said, that
none could be, but by fulfilling his will ; and those that
do so are no sinners. And by this faith, Moses chose
rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to
enjoy the pleasures of sin, Heb. xi. 25. So, mark, he
left sin and the pleasures, and then he must be without
sin, by which he obtained a testimony that he was a ser-
vant of God, which sinners are not. By faith, David's
heart was made after the mind of God, and that is not
sinful, but free from it, for in him is no darkness at all. By
the same faith the prophets were chosen vessels of God,
and were upheld in their testimony for God, till they
came to obtain that testimony, that they were the men
and servants of God, which they could not have been,
and withal servants unto sin. And the scripture beareth
record of Zachariah and Elizabeth his wife, Luke, i. 2,
that they were both righteous before God, not by an ima-
gined righteousness, but in regard to their conversation,

Borders of Spiritual Egypt. 201

walking in all the commands and statutes of the Lord
unblamable : but if they had been under the power of
sin, and not freed from it, they had been neither un-
blamable nor righteous ; but must at least have trans-
gressed some of the commands of the Lord, or else they
could not be sinners. Also Nathaniel, in whom there
was no guile, John, i. 48, which could not have been, if
he had been under the power of sin. And much more
might I write upon this subject, to show, how that many
by this one faith in all ages, have been delivered from
sin, and become the children and servants of God ; and
therefore, those that are partakers of this faith in this
age, may hope and expect, that the same work may be
wrought in them ; and this is no presumption. And if
these sin-pleaders should say, that there is none partaker
of this faith now at this day, and therefore cannot be
made free from sin, they will exclude themselves, which
they will hardly do, because they would fain have a name
of being believers, though they deny the works of the
true faith in themselves.

Further, let us consider what these strong pleaders for
sin have to fortify themselves withal ; they say, they have
the scripture to plead withal for sin, which certainly was
never the intention of the Holy Spirit, by which it was
given forth. But, say they, it is written in 1 Kings, viii.
46, For there is no man that sinneth not.

Answ. This is very true, neither do I plead, that any
man is free from sin all the days of his life, except Christ,
but have coufessed they are all sinners by nature, until
they be changed ; and besides, there it is but spoken of
a people that were under the law, of which the apostle
says, that it made nothing perfect; but, said he, the
bringing in of a better hope did : but the law did not
purify the comers thereunto, according to the conscience ;
but when the offerers had offered there remained an evi-
dence of sin in the conscience ; but what is that to the
Christians, who are come to know a better hope, and the
blood that purifieth the conscience ? For that same apos-
tle that said, the law made no man perfect, under which
law Solomon was, as also that people concerning whom

86

«02 An Alarm sounded in the

it was said, there is none that lives and sinneth not, not-
withstanding the same apostle said, that it was the bring-
ing in of a better hope that did it. And what, are these
fighters for sin, and sin-pleaders become so zealous, that
they will rather deny the better hope, than to cease from
sin? If not, then there is a possibility to be made perfect
by the blood of Christ, which the blood of bulls and
goats could not do.

Another objection is brought forth, that is, that the
apostle Paul said, that sin lived in him, and that the good
that he would do, he did not; and the evil that he would
not do, that he did.

Answ. That Paul knew the passing through such a
state, is without question, and is not denied ; but this
does not prove at all that he never knew a better state ;
or that he never came to perfection, for in that place he
makes mention of three states. First, how it was with
him, when he lived without the law of God in his liberty
to fight against the Truth, and he thought he might do
many things against the name of Jesus. Secondly, he
declares of his convincement, and how it was with him
then, when he knew he should not do any more against
the Truth; and yet, not being wholly changed, he did
things which he knew he ought not, by reason of sin
living and dwelling in him; and that state he did not call
happy or blessed, as these blind professors do at this
day, that take up a rest in this state, and say, they can
never be redeemed out of it, for he, speaking of such a
condition, cries out for deliverance, calling it a misera-
ble condition; which plainly showeth, that his eye was
upon a further and better state, unto which he, also bear-
eth witness ; saying, he was made free by the law of the
spirit of life, from the law of sin and of death, in which
time he was yet in the body.

Now what reason have these pleaders for sin to believe
-that Paul was in all these three states at once? And if
not, why not in the last? seeing the other two are but
foregoing states, leading to the third ; especially consider-
ing the many other testimonies which he gives of his be-
ing perfect, and of those that by his ministry were brought

Borders of Spiritual Egypt. - 203

to perfection, saying, concerning himself, Timothy and
Sylvanus, we can do nothing against the Truth. And in
another place he testifies, that he has fought a good fight,
kept the faith, and finished his course. Now, if it was
finished, then there was no more to run ; and if the fight
was fought, then the enemies were no more alive, as they
were, when sin lived and dwelt in him. Again, he says
in another place, we preach wisdom among them that are
perfect; that is, after the explication and sense of these
sin-pleaders, we preach wisdom among none, except
among those that are already departed out of this world,
and gone to heaven. And again, as many of you as are
perfect be so minded ; that is to say, after their explica-
tion, let none be thus minded, before they be dead.
Again at last, dear brethren, be perfect, and of one mind,
&c. But this, they say, cannot be in this life. And again
he says to the Hebrews, you are come to the spirits of
just men made perfect, and to God the Righteous Judge
of all, &c. But where were these Hebrews ? were they
yet alive, or were they dead? if dead, how came his
epistle to meet them ? But a wilful blindness is come
over many of these servants and ministers of darkness,
and they have rebellious hearts against the light, that
discovers their sin, and would lead them out of it.

But because they have more love to sin than to the
Hght ; therefore they seek to cover themselves so much :
but the day is come that has discovered them, and their
deceitful coverings will not longer cover them.

Another pleading is of that which is spoken by the
apostle, 1 John, i. 8, If we say we have no sin, we de-
ceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us.

Out of which words, every miserable and pitiful sol-
dier of this great prince of darkness, thinks he may arm
himself sufficiently to fight against that which would de-
liver them, and make them free; but if this scripture
were seen and read with that spirit by which, and in
which, it was written ; then it would appear, that this
John was not such a great friend to sin and the devil,
who is a father of lies, as they would have him to be ;
for in the same chapter he had showed before, into what

804 &n JSlarm sounded in the

state they must come, before they can come to have fel-
lowship with God, viz. to walk in the light, as Christ
was iu the light ; and those that said they had fellowship
with God and Christ, as the priests and professors do
at this day, and did not come to attain unto that state,
to walk in the light, but instead thereof, walked in dark-
ness ; such, said he, were liars, and did not the Truth.

Now he said, his fellowship was with the Father, and
with the Son ; which could not be, if he had walked in
darkness, or was a sinner, or that he had not walked in
the light, as Christ was in the light, for then he would
have made himself a liar, if he had been a sinner, when
he said, that he had fellowship with God and Christ.

And therefore it ought to be well observed, tjiat John
speaks there of a sort of men, that were not yet brought
to confess their sins ; and if such came to that conceit and
pride, as to say they had no sins to confess, and so ex-
alted themselves above the witness of God that reproved
them, then such deceived themselves. But if these that
are so sinful, come to own that which brings them to a
confession of their sins, then God is faithful to forgive
such their sins, and to cleanse them from all iniquity.
Now, when this is done, to wit, when the creature lias
confessed his sin, and God has forgiven it, and cleansed
him, what must then that man say ? must he then say,
that he has his sin still, when he has it not? must he say,
that he is filthy and defiled, when he is cleansed from
all that? This would be a lie; and if he should be
cleansed from all sin he must certainly be cleansed from
lies ; and if it was his duty to confess the work of the
devil, when it was standing in him, which were his sins,
may not he now being cleansed, confess God's work that
has cleansed him, he being cleansed by him freely ?
Must he therefore be cried out for a deceiver and here-
tic ? Who is so blind that cannot see, that it is as ser-
viceable, as needful, and as lawful for a man that has
known the power of God to cleanse him, to confess that,
and to bear a testimony to that work, as it is needful and
lawful, when the devil's work is manifested in him, to
confess that, and to hear a testimony against that*

Borders of Spiritual Egypt. 205

Yet saith John to those that were thus washed, If we
say that we have not sinned, we make God a liar. It is
as much as if he would say, That even those that are
saved, must confess to the power of God, by which they
have been judged for sin; and not to exalt themselves
above it, as if they had never sinned, seeing that the
witness of God testiGeth in all, that they have sinned,
and come short of the glory of God. So that now the
understanding reader may see, that John hath not written
here of an impossibility of being delivered from sin, but
absolutely the contrary ; namely, that those that cannot
say that they are without sin, may come, by confessing
their sins, to be cleansed and made free from it ; yea,
from all that which is unrighteous. Yet some will say,
that the apostle in that place useth the word we, as if he
included himself; as if he would say at that time, If I
should say, that I had no sin, &c.

Answer. This is no proof at all, because the contrary
is proved before, to wit, that he had fellowship with God
and Christ ; which no man could have, that walked not
in the light, as he is in the light; and such may as well,
by the same manner of speaking, prove James to be a
curser, when he said, With the tongue we bless God,
and with it we curse men that are made after the image
of God. And many more such instances might be brought
forth of the lamentations and complaints of the prophets,
concerning the house of Israel, which is translated so,
in that manner of speaking; which does not prove at all,
that the prophets were guilty of such sin and rebellion,
of which they complained, Neh. ix. 37? &c. But how
zealous are these pleaders for sin, to find out words
which they think do serve for the upholding of the king-
dom of their master, when there is not one word that
properly belongs, or was written to their purpose, except
that part of it which the devil aud his servants, their
predecessors, have spoken or written, and that indeed
may serve them ? as I once heard a priest, that was ex-
hortiug the people to employ their time and ability to
gather knowledge, confirming his exhortation with the

&06 Jin Mann sounded in the

scripture, viz. Gen. v. You shall be as gods, knowiu
good and evil.

And another, a Menist preacher in North Holland,
whilst he was warning the people to take heed of being
deceived, he exhorted them to imitate the deaf adders,
Psalm, lviii. 4. And so to stop their ears against the voice>
of the charmers, that charm never so wisely. So the
one hath his proof from the adders, and the other from
the devil. Such scripture places as these, I do confess,
that these pleaders for sin may find to strengthen their
arguments ; but that which was written by the mo-
tion of the holy spirit of God, is a perfect testimony
against them all ; against their work, and against their
prince.

So having answered their chief objections, which they
draw out of the scripture ; by which they endeavour to
prove, That none can be free from sin in this life, con-
trary to Rom. vi. 22, I make haste to the third great
argument of these captives, which they lay down against
their own freedom.

Thirdly, That is, that it is the will of God, to let some
sins remain in the best of his people, to keep them hum-
ble thereby.

Answer. If it be the will of God, that his best servants
should sin, then his will is done when they sin. Aud
what reason have any men to be humbled and cast down,
because they have done the will of God ? but rather to
rejoice and be glad that the will of God is done, and
that their will is conformable to the will of God, that the
will of both can be done together. This is a very easy
way to the joy of the Lord, if this brings to that sentence,
Well done good and faithful servant, &c. But wo unto
those that are given up to believe this lie.

Again, let the understanding reader, I mean those tha
are weary with their sins, and are willing to be freed,
consider, for as concerning the other, they are my op-
posers, how can God properly be called Almighty?
And how can the work of the conversion of souls pro-
perly be called his, if he is necessitated to borrow some-

i

Borders of Spiritual Egypt. 207

thing from the devil to keep his children humble withal ?
Certainly we must conclude, that if God had a better
way to do it, that he would do it in the best, and not in
the worst way, viz. by sin ; which is so very contrary to
his nature.

But let these sin-pleaders suppose, that if God
should "stretch forth his power so far in man, that it
should destroy all the works of the devil, and cast out
sin ; and cause his soul to take as great delight and joy
in well-doing, as ever it had in sin ; and should plant
humility as naturally in the soul, as the devil has planted
pride in it : now the question is, whether this power that
works this change, be not as able to keep the creature
in this condition, as to bring him to it, without any help
of the devil, or his work ? But they will say, To sup-
pose a thing that is impossible, is either against reason
or presumption.

I answer, all things are possible with God, except to
lie ; and as concerning this, it is not only possible, but
the contrary is impossible, because God hath so often
promised it, to make a perfect work, and to finish his
work in all them that trust in him. And for this end is
Christ Jesus come, that he might destroy the devil and
his works. And in the parable he saith, When he comes
that is stronger, he shall bind the strong man, and spoil
his goods, and cast him out. This seems as if Christ
who is the stronger, had no need of the devil, or his
goods either, to keep his people humble thereby: but
the apostle said, That they were kept by the faith,
through the power of God unto salvation. Except you
will say, as the priests in Scotland say, Cursed is he that
says, Faith is without sin ; and let all the people say,
amen. Then the words of the apostle must be read thus ;
You are kept by a faith, which is mixed with sin, in the
power of God unto salvation. But if you will have it so,
speak it out, as they have done : but seeing you profess,
that faith is the gift of God, we may well say, it is able
to cleanse the heart, and to give victory over the world,
and also over the devil and sin. and then there is no need

§08 tin Alarm sounded in the

of sin to keep us humble. For if humility was a fruit of
sin, it would not be so acceptable to God as it is ; for
the prophet says, He giveth his grace to the humble, and
dwelleth with such as are of a contrite and broken heart.
Again, if a few sins, yea, though they be but a rem-
nant, can keep men humble, then a great deal of siu
must needs make a man more humble : so then let us
plentifully sin, that we may plentifully be humble. But
God forbid, that such doctrine or such teachers should
go unreproved ; for they have exalted the work of the
devil beyond the work of God. And it is because such
teachers have been countenanced that the people have
been led into so much blindness, ignorance, and hardness
of heart, and that people have wholly lost the hope and
expectation of a day of deliverance, and have takeu up
a rest in a sinful and slavish state.

And now, if any come to preach the gospel, which
brings deliverance and freedom to the soul, their souls
being in a rest already, though a false polluted rest,
such are looked upon as disturbers of their rest, and
breakers of their peace, and such like ; even as it was
with the prophet Micah, when he cried out, Mic. ii. 10,
Arise ye, and depart, for this is not your rest, because
it is polluted ; it shall destroy you, even with a sore
destruction.

But blessed be the Lord God of heaven and earth for ever,
for he hath brought forth his day of salvation, which many
have longed after, and are longing, and are in travail
that they might come to know it, to whom a sinful state
is no resting-place, but is unto them as a strange land,
in which they cannot sing the songs of Sion, but still
have Jerusalem in their remembrance, which is free-born
from above, longing after the day of gathering, that the
Lamb, and not the changeable priests and teachers,
may be their light and leader. Unto such I say and
testify in the name of the Lord God of heaven, Lift up
your heads, for the day of your redemption draweth
nigh, and deliverance shall come out of Sion, the city
of our solemnity, Isa. xxxiii. 20. And a mighty voicfc

Borders of Spiritual Egypt. £09

shall be sounded forth from the holy mountain, from the
Lord of hosts, and those that hear it shall live, and the
dead bones in the valleys shall be enlivened, and the joy
of that day shall be greater than the joy of the harvest.

Now how, and in what manner these things will be
brought to pass, is a great dispute among many, that are
yet seeking in the carnal wisdom to conceive and com-
prehend spiritual things, and so. they come to be scat-
tered and divided in their imaginations : and therefore,
in the mean time, those that are become willing to sit
down in quietness, in the light of Christ Jesus, that
showeth every running-out of the mind, they come to
feel the pure fear of God to be planted in their hearts ;
so that they dare not think their own thoughts, nor speak
their own words. And here is the beginning of the true
wisdom, by which wisdom it is given unto them, to un-
derstand those things which they could not find out in all
the tjme of their travail and pains in the fallen wisdom.

And whilst they were hearkening after the diiferent
voices of men, they never could have a certainty ; but
now hearing him by whom God speaketh, who is mani-
fest within them, whom their ears are inclined unto within;
they come to know certainly that which they know,
through the testimony of the Holy Spirit, who alone is
able to reveal unto those that fear him, the mysteries of
God's kingdom ; and he shuts them up from the wise
and prudent of thu world.

And, therefore, you that desire to have an understand-
ing of these things, come down from your high-builded
towers of knowledge and comprehension, and sit down
in that pure light, that brings a death upon the earthly
wisdom, and become as fools, that you may be wise ;
and that wisdom that is so received, shall lead to know
the number of the beast, which the whole world, with
all their academical wisdom, and all the sects, with their
inventions, are strangers unto at this day, and are carry-
ing about with them his name, and the number of it, or
his mark, by which they are accepted among men, and
yet do not know what it is ; but when they come to be-
wise enough to know it, and honest enough to forsake it,

310 An Alarm sounded in the

then they will see, that the friendship of this world comes
to be broken, and the enmity to work against the Holy
Seed; and the seed comes to arise and bruise the head of the
enmity, and to nail it fast to a cross till it die, and then
comes freedom, then there is war no more, then there is
peace on earth, and nothing but good- will towards all
men, yea, to enemies. Then anguish and sorrow flee
away, and the perfect love of God casts out fear, and
there is death no more ; but that which is overcome by
immortality. Blessed and happy are all they that come
to know that state, and blessed are they that believe and
wait to enjoy it ; and blessed is that hope which leads
thereunto.

Now, as concerning the chief matter of this treatise,
to wit, concerning the reign of the devil among men,
there is yet one thing worthy to be considered, of which
there is made mention in the scriptures of Truth, in
which it appears, that in the beginning and setting up
of the reign of Christ, the everlasting gospel was
preached, and that many thousands had believed and
obeyed it, so that they came to be witnesses of the king-
dom of Christ; and that the devil was cast out, de-
throned, and put under their feet ; and some were made
priests and kings to God. I say, after all these things
aforesaid, there came an apostacy from the faith, by whicl
all these things afore-mentioned were brought forth ; ane
of that apostacy Paul prophesied to the Thessalonians
and John by the Spirit saw, how that the devil shoule
get a great dominion over men, by many changeable
means and ways executing his power, as a dragon ; thei
as a strange beast with seven heads, and ten horns ; ai
another time, as a little beast with two horns ; then witl
an image ; and then with a whore, &c. And that the
Almighty God has set and appointed a time, a certaii
time, to this dreadful, dark, changeable government, ane
gave John to know, that it should last and continue bi
one thousand two hundred and threescore days or years.
And this is a set time, and hath its beginning, and its
ending ; but the kingdom of Christ, and also his priest-
hood, are both after the power of an endless life.

Borders of Spiritual Egypt. 211

Now, seeing that this last power which the devil has
gotten, is but to continue his appointed time, why should
any be his friend so far as to say, that it must continue
always, and that it must never come to an end ; and that
people no way can get freedom from under his tyranni-
cal power ? Certainly these men that plead so strongly
for his continual reign and power, have more reason and
understanding than they use. As for instance, suppose
that one had hired a house or farm of another for seve-
ral years, and the years being come to an end, that man
to whom that house or farm belongeth, has a desire to
live in it himself; and the in-dweller not being willing,
and they both should come to one of these sin-pleaders,
to hear his judgment and determination, I believe they
would soon say to the in-dweller, thou must depart, the
other is the landlord, and thou hast had thy full time,
and he now desiring to have his house, he must have it ;
and especially if the in-dweller was come into the house
as a thief in a dark night, and had kept it by violence,
and had brought no profit to the landlord at all. And
this is properly the cause between (rod and this prince
of darkness, for he has possessed the inheritance of God,
and ruled over it, not to the advantage of the Lord, but
to his disadvantage and dishonour ; and yet these men
will not do so much right to God as they will do to their
neighbour; but on the contrary, they say, that this usur-
per or thief, that has stolen away the hearts of men from
their Creator, must sit there as long as there is a man
upon the earth, and not any man redeemed. Oh ! blush
for shame, ye hypocrites, can you make a difference be-
tween good and evil among men, and will you not judge
for God ? Come, take your books into your hands, and
read the number of the years, it is called 1260 days ;
reckon after the reckonings of the ancients, 30 days to a
month, and see whether that does not make out 42
months ; and see whether 42 months does not make a
time, times, and half a time ; and see what things are or-
dered to be in those different times ; and see whether you
can find out the beginning of those times that so you may
find the end of them : for all those that had their confi-

%i% An Alarm sounded in the

dence in the number of the year 1666, are now confound-
ed, ashamed, and their hope is frustrated. And now it
is high time to wait upon the Lord, to get an under-
standing and knowledge which makes not ashamed.

Now, the first thing to be considered, to the opening
of this thing is that the first appearance of this man-child,
that was born in heaven by a woman, that was clothed
with the sun, and had her feet upon the moon, and was
crowned with the stars : the first, I say, that appeared
against this child, was a great red dragon : mark, this
was no substitute under the devil, but was the devil
himself; though he appeared in heaven as you may see,
Rev. xii. 13, and he it is that has given power to all
those that have persecuted this woman or her seed ; but
as long as he was in heaven, he was no perfect persecu-
tor ; there- he had no power, but only to be an accuser of
the brethren, and therein he busied himself night and
day. But by this it is evident, that there was a power
over him, to which he accused them, and so long they
could not sing ; but when he was cast out with his an-
gels, then they sung, now is salvation come, and power,
and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ ;
for the accuser of our brethren that accused them day
and night before our God, is cast down, &c.

But then wo unto them that dwell on earth, where the
devil got his power, that is, in the earthly ground ; there
he rules with great wrath, anger and fury, and indigna-
tion, persecuting the woman, and the least appearance of
her seed ; and because he cannot do harm enough of
himself, he goes and makes him a substitute, to wit, a
beast with seven heads and ten horns. Mark, just
the number of his own heads and horns, only he came
out of the pit, and this out of the sea or waters, of which
waters you may read in Rev. xv. 17, that they are peo-
ples, tongues, languages, and nations ; and out of thei
came this strange beast, which the devil counted worthy
to have his perfect power, because he knew that he would
do his work for him to purpose ; and he received his
power for the space of forty-two months ; and his first
work was to persecute the saints. Secondly, to set up

JBorders of Spiritual Egypt. 213

the worship of the devil. Thirdly, to bring the dread of
this seven-headed beast over the whole earth. Fourthly,
to blaspheme the name of God and his tabernacle, and
them that dwell therein. And fifthly, to make people
believe, that there is no overcoming of his power. And
these works are spread, and carried on by three unclean,
spirits, which came forth out of the mouth of the dragon,
beast, and false prophet, over all kindreds, nations,
tongues, and people, and there were none able to resist
them, except those whose names were written in the
book of the life of the Lamb. And as concerning them,
because they would not receive the mark of the beast in
their forehead, or right hand, they must be banished,
and must not have liberty to buy or sell; and those that
would worship nothing but a living substance, and not
an image, though it was alive, those must be killed ; and
when that sort were all killed and banished, and the
whole world being brought, sometimes to worship the
dragon, sometimes to worship the beast that had as many-
heads and horns as the dragon himself; and then to wor-
ship a little beast with two horns, that came out of the
earth; and then to worship the image of the old seven-
headed beast: when, I say, that all things upon the whole
earth were thus disposed, then was it as the devil would
have it; for now had every one subjected himself unto his
power, and received that name or mark, or the number
of the substitute, and admired his great power ; and set
him up as the chief among men, whom none could over-
come, except some few, that had the word of God itself,
(for the other had the scriptures,) and durst seal their tes-
timony against the dragon and false prophet with their
blood ; and because these were but a few, and were soon
killed, they being dead, there was a joyful and merry
world; the devil was well pleased, and they did send
their gifts to one another abundantly ; and those that had
been most busy, and serviceable to kill the witnesses,
that dared to speak of another kingdom or dominion, be-
sides that of the dragon and beast, they had the greatest
gifts. And in those days there was no prophesying, but
in sackcloth, and that did not continue long neither, but

214? Jin Alarm sounded in the

the prophets were killed, and being dead, their dfead bo-
dies were kept above the earth, and were more esteemed
than their living testimony, for that plagued all the wor-
shippers of the beast.

So in such a time have the nations been so long, that
they are so used to the power and reign of the devil, that
they plead for it, as if he had an undoubted right thereto.
And, if the devil might speak himself, he would not de-
sire of the world to rule any longer than the world allow-
ethhim; and they have forgot that it is but to continue
forty-two months, whilst the man-child was caught up
unto God, and whilst his mother was iu the wilderness ;
and also, that it was to be expected that both should ap-
pear again in their appointed time.

But whilst it was thus with the world, viz. that the
true church was not to be found upon earth, but was fled
away, as upon eagles' wings ; and that he that ought to
rule over all, was caught up into heaven; and that the
devil was in his place, the old serpent ruling and giving
his power to whom he pleased, to a great beast, or little
beast, or to a whore, or to any thing like him. And
whilst great and small, high and low, bond and free, did
wonder at his power, and were ready to worship any one
that had his power; let those whose eyes are open, but
consider in what a lamentable state the miserable world
then was, and whether that abomination that made the
world desolate of God and all good order, was not then
set up in the holy place, where it ought not. And was
the world without a religion, or without a profession of
God and Christ in those days? No: they bore a profes-
sion of Christ that is unchangeable, iu all their change-
able ways ; and this was a time of gladness to many.
And they had many sorts of religious, and when they
came to be weary with one, the devil furnished them with
another. And when they had been exercised a long time
in the aforesaid worships of the dragon, the seven-headed
beast, the little beast, and of the living image, then there
came forth yet a deeper mystery of iniquity than before,
the mother of all these abominations ; she showed her-
self, not as a despised whore, but as a queen decked with

Borders of Spiritual Egypt. 815

scarlet, purple and precious stones; and that very beast,
which onone could overcome, but the whole world had
wondered after it, he himself must be under her com-
mand, and must carry her up and down upon the waters,
which are peoples, lands, tongues, and languages. And
this whore has another design upon the poor blind world,
mark, she comes with a preparation to make all drunk,
that they might not make use of their senses, to bethink
themselves where they were; and that they might not
have any suspicion against any thing, she furnishes her-
self with a golden cup, which there was none that had
any thing against it, but every one could well receive it ;
and this was but to deceive them, for any potsherd of the
dunghill had been good enough, yea, a hog's trough
had been too good, to drink that out of which she had
to give them. But she must give her drink to kings and
princes, and nobles, and captains, and merchants, and to
all sorts of men ; so she proffered them her cup, and they
have all drank : but what have they drank? her whore-
doms, fornications, and all abominations of the earth.
How much? Till they were drunk. What did they then?
They committed fornication with her ; they were drunk
of abominations, and the whore was drunk with the blood
of the saints and witnesses of Jesus : and yet the name of
Jesus was still professed upon earth ; that was not per-
secuted ; but those were persecuted, that witnessed Jesus
himself that takes away sin ; such were persecuted ; for
she being the mother of whores, and having nothing to
proffer to her customers but abominations, she could not
endure to hear, that sin, which is an abomination to the
Lord, should be taken away, and that men should live
without sin, and be perfect ; for if so, then she must be
childless, and as a widow, and must lose her high place
on the top of the beast, and then they would not be so
drunk of her cup, and that would not tend to her advan-
tage ; therefore, if any came to be witnesses of Jesus him-
self, she drank the blood of such ; but if they would be
content to drink her cup, and so would please themselves
with good and precious words, and in the mean time

21& An Alarm sounded in the

drink in her abominations, then they might live and
llourish as long as she flourished. ,

But alas ! what do you think, that read with under-
standing, was the state of the world in those days ? Was
it not high time that plagues, indignation, and vengeance
should be poured out upon this bloody whore, and upon
the seat of the beast upon which she did ride, and upon
the whole earth, which had committed fornication with
her? Is it not high time that the carpenters should come,
Zach. i. 20, to cut off these horns ? For at that time the
power of darkness was spread over all, and the will of
the devil was done, and his one thousand two hundred
and sixty years were prosperous to his kingdom, and he
did what he pleased. And if any spoke against him, and
against his kingdom, he would have them killed, and
then his whore would drink the blood of such ; and there
was none left, neither great nor small, neither bond nor
free, high nor low, neither young nor old, but they had
submitted themselves, all of them, and said, who is like
him ? none are able to overcome him ; it is impossible to
be made free from under his power; he must reign as
long as we live ; it is possible for us, cry they, to over-
come princes, kingdoms, and armies ; and therefore we
go out and fight valiantly, and many times we get vic-
tory, and become conquerors ; but to overcome sin, which
the devil has set up in us, that is impossible, and there-
fore it is in vain to trouble ourselves about it, and we
will not do any thing concerning it, seeing we have drank
in a faith, that it is impossible to perform or accom-
plish it.

Aud thus has the whole world been bewitched, in the
time when the devil reigned. And will he and his ser-
vants make us believe, that it must continue so always ?
Though never any other time was given him, but such
as was limited ; aud in the end of that time Ave under-
stand there is a great alteration to come to pass ; to wit,
that the church, the true woman, must come out of the
wilderness again; the man-child must come down again,
and appear upon earth, and rule the nations with a rod

Borders of Spiritual Egypt. 217

of iron, and the whore must be judged; that sorrow,
death and famine must come upon her in one day; and
that ten kings should agree together, to burn her flesh
with fire ; and that the smoke of her torments should
ascend to heaven ; and then the dragon, the beast, and
false prophet, that had still preached peace, though it
was so, as abovesaid, they must all be taken, whilst they
are yet alive in this work and in their power, and be cast
into the lake of the wrath of God, which burnetii for
ever; and these princes, and captains, and merchants,
and inhabitants of the earth, must howl and lament, be-
cause of this great alteration.

And therefore seeing that such a time is lawfully to be
expected, in which the devil, the old serpent, may be
thrust out of his dominion; and that then the time of
joy and rejoicing will be for the upright, it is worth the
spending of our labour and time, to find out that time,
that so it may not come over us, and we see it not, nor
know it, and so let it pass by, as the Jews did, doting
and waiting for it, as a thing which is yet to come, as
they do at this day ; when almost two thousand years are
past, since the thing has come to pass.

Now, you know the Jews had a prophet, who told
them the time when the Messiah should come, afore-
hand, to wit, Daniel, as you may see, Dan. ix. 24, &c.
where he told them, that it was seventy weeks that were
determined upon the people, and upon the city, and that
the Holy One should be anointed. Now, this was not
such a great mystery to them; they knew it was com-
mon to reckon a day for a year among the prophets ; so
that that time was but four hundred fourscore and ten
years that the vision should be sealed, and the daily sa-
crifice taken away, the city be made desolate, and the
anointing of the Holy One, and the Messiah be slain for
the sins of the people. And since the time that the com-
mand was gone forth to build Jerusalem again, in which
time the seventy weeks had their beginning, it is above
two thousand years ago ; the city is since builded again,
and also made again desolate, and the daily sacrifice
taken away, and the prince of the people that then campy

28

218 An Alarm sounded in the

viz. Titus Vespasian the Roman, has destroyed the
sanctuary, and the destruction of it, was with an over-
flowing to the end of the war; and yet all these things
cannot convince them, nor make them believe that the
Messiah is come, or that it was he whom their forefathers
have killed as a blasphemer.

Now, that we, after such clear prophecies of the set-
ting up of the kingdom of Christ, and dethroning of the
devil, sin and Antichrist, should not come to be surprised
with the same blindness and hardness of heart, let us
have a strict observation of the times, that we may not
fight against the appearance of Truth, and put it far away
from us, and say, the days are not come yet, in which
the pouring out of the Spirit can be witnessed; and that
the knowledge of God must cover the earth as the waters
cover the sea ; and that the gospel must be preached again
unto those that dwell upon the earth, and that the Lamb
and his saints must have the victory over the dragon and
his angels. For, such as put the day so far from them,
are in one and the same error with the Jews, and do not
understand the times better than they do ; and so are per-
secuting the true appearance of that which they seem to
expect, and to pray for, as the Jews did, because it does
not appear in their way to answer their carnal expecta-
tions, that despise the day of small things: but from such
are the mysteries of the kingdom shut up, and are reveal-
ed unto those that fear the Lord.

Now to understand these things, let . every one come
to read the prophecies in a measure of that spirit, by
which they were given forth, and that same opens the
prophecies, and without it every one understands only
according to his own fancy or private judgment. The
apostle said, there should come an apostacy from the
faith; that is, from the true Christian faith. Now, when
was that ? And who are they that are thus apostatized,
or fallen away ? Ask the pope, and the whole Roman
Catholic church, and they will tell you, that the pro-
phecy points at Martin Luther, Zuinglius, (Ecolampa-
dius, Calvinus, Menno Simonis, and other heretics, that
have rent many nations from the true apostolic faith, and

Borders of Spiritual Egypt. SI &

the ancient Christian church, the infallible foundation
and pillar of Truth, &c.

Ask the bishops of England, and the presbyters in
Scotland, the pfarherren or pastors in Denmark or Swe-
den, and predicants in the Low Countries, and they will
tell you, that this prophecy signifieth the general apos-
tacy from the apostolic faith and order in the church of
Christy to the pope and popish exercises, and institutions
over all Christendom. Again, ask them, who among
themselves continue as yet in the true apostolical faith
and religion? Then the Lutheran pastors will say, we
do; and therefore cry they join with us. No, say the
bishops in England, we will prove that the apostolical
church had bishops, and that the apostle said, he that de-
sires the office of a bishop, he desires a good work ; and
therefore we are they that are the true church, according
to the first institution. Then say the presbyterians and
Dutch predicants, the bishops in the primitive churches
were not such as you are, but such as we are, whose care
was over the flock, and did teach and rule in ecclesiasti-
cal matters, but not in councils and parliaments, as you
do ; therefore you are fallen from the primitive state.
And now, at last, what says Truth of these, and all
others who deny that faith which purifies the heart, and
can cleanse the consciense from sin, and can give victory
over the world ? This was the faith which Paul preach-
ed, that was nigh in the heart ; and therefore all those
that say, that the heart of a true believer cannot be made
clean, nor that he can come to live without sin, nor to have
a purified conscience ; and all those that deny the word
of faith in the heart, and Christ to be the rule, and set
up another rule, and another faith, and another founda-
tion for it, than the apostle set up ; all such are fallen
from the faith, and are not apostolic, but Antichristian :
and when the man of sin comes to be revealed, they will
come to be revealed with him, and fall with him, and with
Babylon the mother of them all ; great will be their fall
in that day.

There is yet another prophecy of Christ, when he
said, When you see the abomination of desolation stand-

220 *5w Alarm sounded in the

ing in the holy place, where it ought not, then let not
him that is in Jiulea flee unto the mountain ; nor he that
is in the field, go back to fetch his clothes ; nor he that
is on the house-top, come down to take any thing out of
his house, &c. Mat. xxiv. 15. And said he further,
ver. 23. %% Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo,
here is Christ, or there, believe him not, &c. signifying
plainly, that when the abomination of desolation should
be set up, that the people would notwithstanding not
want divers sorts of teachers of the name of Christ. What
were they made desolate of, by the setting up of this
abomination, seeing they were not desolate of a profes-
sion of Christ in divers manners ? They were desolate
of the power and presence of God in all their holy places,
as they called them, where this abomination was set
up ; even as Christ said to the Jews, when they had
made the house of prayer to be a den of thieves ; then
said he, Your house is left unto you desolate. Mark, it
was not then desolate of people, of congregations, of re-
ligions and worship ; but it was desolate of the presence
of God ; for that was not to be found there. So that
abomination which makes people desolate of the power
of God, by which they should have power over their sin
and lusts, and which makes the ministers and teachers
desolate of the spirit of God, by which they should have
been led to preach the gospel ; this abomination has been
set up a long time, and made the people and nations as
a wilderness ; and this has been since that time, that the
Christian religion has been carried on and maintained by
the traditions of men. Then came the poison to be poured
out into the church, and thereby it is come to be so swelled
and big, that it can comprehend in it the tyrannical and
persecuting princes, proud and rebellious bishops, wicked
men-slayers and murderers, unclean, wanton and drunken
people ; they have all room enough in it : and since that
time it is counted heresy, that any should make a pro-
fession of being purified and cleansed ; and from that
time it may be reckoned, that the abomination of desola-
tion has been set up. And, therefore, let us consider how
long it is yet to stand, before the devil comes to be cast

Borders of Spiritual Egypt. 221

out, and the temple of God be cleansed, and the filth of
abomination be burned up, that the God of heaven may
again delight in his sanctuary, and that the earth may
not for ever be empty of his presence, but that he may
be found of those that seek him, and be heard of them
that are mourning after him.

Now John saith, that this time of desolation was to
continue a time, times, and half a time, that is, three
years and a half, or three times twelve months and six
months, that is, forty-two months, or one thousand two
hundred and sixty days ; which times are agreeing to-
gether in one, and do perfectly fulfil the time of the res-
toration of the church, and of the coming down of the
righteous Judge, whose right it is to rule over men ; for
to him are the Gentiles given for an inheritance, and the
ends of the earth for a possession. And that time doth
also perfectly fulfil the time of the power of the beast ;
for these times do all agree together, and as they had
their beginning about one and the same time, they must
also have their end shortly after one another, because
they are like one another.

Now to find out the end of those times, the beginning
must be first known ; now the daily sacrifice was taken
away long before the abomination, that made the earth
desolate, was setup; but from that time that both should
be fulfilled, said the angel to Daniel, there should be one
thousand two hundred and ninety clays, that is thirty
more than John writes of. Now the abomination of
desolation was not set up in the time of Christ ; for, said
he, when you shall see it set up, &c. speaking as of a
thing that was not yet come to pass ; and the apostle
said, There shall come an apostacy from the faith ; that
shows, that it was not yet come, neither did it come till
several hundreds of years after; for the true Christians
suffered many cruel and grievous deaths for the Chris-
tian faith; so that they did not fall away, but endured
to the end, and were saved, and so long the earth was
not desolate. But when that faith was lost, which did
support in sufferings, and that the Christian religion,
which was the holy place; came to be corrupted by

<&%% An Alarm sounded in the

pride, covetousness, persecution and worldly pleasures,
ease, and the delights and honours of this world ; then
the abomination was set up, that made the earth deso-
late. And reckon from that time, one thousand two hun-
dred and sixty years, and add to it these thirty years, of
which the angel spoke to Daniel, Dan. xii. 11, and see
whether we be not about the forty-five years, of which
there is made mention in the twelfth verse, where the
angel having spoken of the one thousand two hundred and
ninety years, adds, Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh
to the thousand three hundred and thirty -five days : sig-
nifying plainly, that there must be a time of patience,
and waiting for the blessed restoration, which was pro-
mised ; and that that time of waiting should continue
from the one thousand two hundred and ninety, till one
thousand three hundred and thirty-five, which are forty-
five days or years ; and then they are blessed that come
thereunto. So he that hath wisdom, let him reckon :
but this reckoning is not comprehended in arithmetic, or
the art of reckoning ; neither can it be conceived by the
wisdom of this world : but such as have the wisdom
which cometh from Crod, they shall understand ; and it
is to such I write ; for I have learned to cover the pearls
before the swine, and to withhold the children's bread
from the dogs.

And by what is here said, it sufficiently appears ; first,
that this intruder or usurper, called the devil, satan, dra-
gon, or Antichrist, has no right to rule and to reign over
mankind, all the days of their life. Secondly, that his
kingdom is a limited kingdom, and was not to continue
for ever. Thirdly, that the limits of it have been re-
vealed to several of the servants of Grod. Fourthly, that
the appointed time of his governments is nigh come to
an end. Fifthly, that there is a blessed day and time to
be expected after the end of his reign. And sixthly,
that none can come to enjoy that blessed time and bless-
edness, nor sing the song of joy and deliverance, but
those that patiently wait upon the Lord in the days of
tribulation ; and have that hope to see the salvation which
cometh out of Sion.

Borders of Spiritual Egypt. 22B

And therefore for conclusion, I shall say this, that all
those that feel themselves in bondage under this prince of
darkness, in what manner soever it be, and are not wil-
ling to remain so always ; believe but in him that showeth
you your bondage, and wait in his pure light in your
own consciences, which discovers darkness and the prince
of it; and then you will feel a hope to spring up in you,
that you may be delivered, as I myself have felt : 1 John,
iii. 3. And this hope will lead to a daily washing and
purifying, and to a daily crucifying and mortifying of
the earthly members. And as this hope comes to work
in thee, it will bring thee to an experience of being deli-
vered in some particular things, and that will strengthen
thy hope of being delivered from more ; and so, at last
a faith will arise in thee, perfectly and thoroughly to be
made free from sin. And when thou art made partaker
of this faith, then the greatest and strongest bond of the
devil is broken ; for, through the unbelief of it, he keeps
his kingdom in man and woman. And when this evil
root of unbelief is taken away, then his kingdom comes
soon to an end, and the government of Truth comes to be
set up in thee ; and so there comes a change to be
wrought in thee, both inwardly and outwardly; and so
comes his kingdom, who is the intruder or usurper, to be
lessened, first in thyself, and then thou comest to see-
that change in another ; and so it goeth forward, from
one to ten, and from ten to a thousand, and so forth, more
and more, until the inheritance of the wicked comes to be
wholly laid waste, till truth and righteousness, and the
reign and government of Christ Jesus our Lord comes to
be set up in the earth, which my soul longs and travails
for; and so, I know it is with many more, for whose sake
this is written ; and as a testimony against that proud and
presumptuous generation of hypocrites, of what sort or
name, or in what nation or kingdom soever they may* be,
who not only have subjected themselves unto this prince
of darkness, and unto the power of him who is called the
devil and satau, but also pretend, that all mankind must
do so, and continue so all their days, and that there is
no remedy nor help against it ; and so deny the power

224 An Alarm sounded in the

of God, and lead the people to trust in a lie. But the
day of the power of God is come, and the refuge of lies
is swept away ; and the deliverance and victory of the
Lamb is known unto many; to whom, and to the ever-
lasting God, by the operation of the Holy Spirit in the
hearts of the redeemed, be sung everlasting praises,
thanksgiving, renown, honour and glory, and dominion
for ever.

POSTSCRIPT.

There comes something further up in my heart con-
cerning this matter, which I think good to communicate
unto you.

There are hardly any ignorant, how commonly it is
said, That we cannot live without sin : and that we can-
not be made free from it, as long as we live in this world ;
even, as if our sin and our life were so knit together,
that they cannot be separated from one another; but that
they must end together, and not the one before the other.
Now all those that believe there is a God, they also be-
lieve that he is the Fountain of Life, and gives life
unto all that live : and all that believe that there is a
devil, they also believe, that he is the author and origi-
nal of sin; as Christ said, When he speaks a lie, he
speaks of his own ; for he is a liar, and a father of lies,
John, viii. 44, and so he is of all other wickedness. Now
he gives life to no man, for that comes of God ; and he
having made them live, then comes the devil, and be-
trays them into sin. And now are men and women
become such fools, that they seek to bind together inse-
parably that which is of God, with that which is of the
devil ; and that is great foolishness ; for what fellowship
has Christ with Belial, or light with darkness ? So also
the life of men, simply considered in itself, has no fel-
lowship with sin; for they come forth of two different
originals ; and he, who is the original of life, is stronger
than he, who is the original of sin : and though he has

Borders of Spiritual Egypt. S25.

brought in sin, and has corrupted nature, which first
was pure, by sin ; and men in that corrupt nature, do
abuse their life, which they have from God, to his dis-
honour, and to their own perdition ; yet that life is not
so joined unto sin, that they are inseparable. For,
though it be true, that men cannot sin, if they live not 5
yet it is not true to say, That if men sin not, then they
cannot live; for the life that some lived, they lived by the
faith of the Son of God, Gal. ii. 20, and that is in domi-
nion over sin, and over the devil, the author of it.

There is another common position, that we must live
in sin, so long as we do carry about with us this body
of sin and death ; meaning this substantial, and corporal
body ; alleging the words of Paul, Rom. vii. &%.

Now this is also a blind and foolish position, as if the
fault of all sins which they commit, were in the body,
or the members of it ; whereas, on the contrary, the body,
simply in itself, is not guilty of that which through the
body is done, it being altogether passive, having no will
in the members ; but they are as instruments, that are or-
dered or disposed of according to the laws of God, or
of the devil ; the one or the other being set up to rule in
the will and mind of the creature; and the members have
no power to do, or leave undone, any thing, but as they
receive it by the will or understanding.

Also, there is no member of the body, but is made to
serve the Lord, and is also made fit for it; and they are
as ready and willing to do, and to fulfil the will of God,
as to fulfil the will of the devil ; yea, and they are more
properly in their right place and service, and have more
joy and freedom in it, than in the service of the devil ;
for the service of the devil is but bondage, to which the
creature is led captive by a lie, as is aforesaid ; and those
that call the corporal bodies, the bodies of sin and death,
they please the devil well enough ; for he well knows,
that as long as they so believe, his birth and seed will
remain in them without hinderance, when the eyes of men
are led out to suspect their own bodies, as being the
cause of all sin and evil which they commit ; which bo-
dies are more fit to serve God, but are capable to be giv-

2d

%%<o An Alarm sounded in the

en up by the will and affection, to serve either God or
the devil, as is manifest by the words of Paul, Rom. vi.
19; As ye have yielded yourselves servants to unclean-
ness, and to iniquity, unto iniquity, even so now yield
your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Now here every one may see, that the same members,
that before were given up to serve unrighteousness, must
now be given up to serve righteousness. [Mark,] they
had them still ; they did not say, we would we were de-
livered from these members and bodies, that were used
to commit sin, that so we might come to be made free ;
but the apostle said plainly, that they were free from
sin, and were become servants unto righteousness, and
that therefore they should give up their members to the
service of him that had made them free, as formerly they
used to do to him that had brought them into bondage.
And these people that so complain against their own bo-
dies, calling them the old man, the body of sin and death,
and of corruption; how will they understand the apos-
tle, where he says, mortify your members which are
upon the earth? What, will they mortify their hands and
feet, and pull out their eyes, and cut out their tongues ?
I suppose not. But how will they fulfil the words
of the apostle, except they find out another body of sin,
and the members of it, which ought to be crucified with
the daily cross ? But the apostle hath named the mem-
bers of that body, which must be mortified, Col. iii. 5,
to wit, fornication, uucleanness, inordinate affection, evil
concupiscence and covetousness, which is idolatry, ver.
8, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communica-
tion out of your mouth, and lying one to another, &c.
these are the members that make up that body which is
called the body of the sins of the flesh, Coloss. ii. 11, and
this is a sort of flesh which God has not made ; for that
which he hath made, that is good, and it is for himself and
not for sin, 1 Cor. vi. 13. And though the devil hath his
seat in the heart, commanding the members of the body
to do his will, yet the same members could serve to do
the will of God, if the devil were cast out, and truth and
righteousness were set up in the heart : and then these

Borders of Spiritual Egypt, 227

sin-pleaders would corae to see, that the fault was not
in their bodies, but in their corrupt hearts, and that there
is another body to be put off, before they can come to do
the will of God, and not the corporal body, which God
has created to serve him.

And besides that, these people show themselves to have
but little love to God; that all his kindness and manifold
mercies cannot draw them to serve him ; but on the con-
trary, they will serve his greatest enemy, as long as they
have members to serve him withal, using those members
which God has given them, against him and his order-
ing; and if he will not permit it so to be, he must take
away those members again ; even as if there was no other
remedy to put an end to sin. That is as much as to say,
if the Lord will not have them to swear, to lie, or to speak
evil, he must make them dumb ; and if he will not have
them to do bad works, he must make them lame; and if
he will take away their life from them, then they will
leave off sinning, but not sooner : yea, they cannot en-
dure to hear of putting off sin sooner; that, say they, is
the grand error of the Quakers, to speak of ceasing to
sin, before we cease to live.

Oh ! where is the sense of the love of God, that this
people should feel in their hearts shed abroad to God, to
constrain them unto obedience? Alas ! they are strangers
thereunto, and the covenant with hell and death is so
strong, and the unbelief is so rooted in them, that they
think this covenant cannot be broken. But blessed be the
Lord, that faith is now manifested, that giveth victory,
and breaketh this covenant.

Another great plea, which these sin-pleaders bring, is
this : if people can come to perfection in this life, then
they have no need of Christ to be their Saviour; as if the
salvation by Christ, and a perfect and pure life were in-
consistent with one another. Ye fools and blind, know
ye not that all good and perfect gifts come from the Lord,
and that none can come to perfection, but by his gift?
And if God be the giver, is it not then by grace ? Where
are works then ? But these pleaders for sin, are as great
strangers to the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, as

328 Jin Alarm sounded in the

they are to perfection, otherwise they would see their
ignorance. When Christ said to his disciples, Be ye per-
fect, as your Father which is in heaven is perfect; that is
as much as to say, according to explanation of these
people, there is your command, when that is done, you
have no need of me. And the apostle spoke wisdom
among them that are perfect, but not such wisdom, 01?
rather foolishness, as this, to persuade them, that they
had no need of Christ to be their Saviour, because they
were come to perfection ; but, on the contrary, he said,
that he could do all things, (then he could be perfect,)
but not as of himself, but through Christ that eriabled
him; and those that come to a perfect state, they know
that their salvation is not of their works, how good and
pure soever they may be, but merely by grace through
Jesus Christ, and that in respect of these three following
observations.

1. First, That it was the appearance of Jesus Christ,
who is the power of God, that has brought them off from
their sin and imperfection ; and that they have not left
them off of themselves, but do own, that it is the grace
of God, as the apostle did, Tit. ii. 11, 12, For the grace
of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared unto all
men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly
lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in
this present world. So here you may see, that it is the
appearance of the grace of God that leads to perfection;
and this perfection is not yet a perfect salvation ; for those
that have it, may fall from it again, and so not be saved ;
but those that endure to the end shall be saved.

2. But Secondly, It is Christ who is the preserver and
keeper unto the end, those that trust in him ; and the
apostles testify, that those that were delivered from the
corruption of this world, must know him to be their
keeper, that had gathered them out of the world ; and
therefore said Jude in his epistle, ver. 24, Now unto him
that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you
faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding
joy, &c. And Peter testifieth, 1 Peter, i. 5, You are kept
by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready

Borders of Spiritual Egypt. 329

to be revealed in the last time. And Paul testifieth, that
the keeping is by Jesus Christ, Phil. iv. 7« So here you
may see, that the bringing to the state of perfection, and
the keeping from falling from it again, are both the work
of Christ ; and yet, this is not a perfect salvation ; for this
does not put away the former sins.

3. But Thirdly, Whoever comes to perfect salvation,
he comes to know Christ to be an offering for sin, and to
obtain reconciliation with God, and forgiveness of his
former sins : for all the holy conversation and perfection
of life, can be counted no more but his duty ; and there-
fore he cannot obtain remission of one of his former sins.
But those that confess their sins, and forsake them, such
come to forgiveness by Jesus Christ, and come to know
his blood cleansing them from all their former sins ; and
so they come to perfect salvation by grace, not by works,
but by faith, that works in the love of God unto obedi-
ence ; without which, faith is but dead, and makes no
man saved : but those that have this true faith and hope
in them, They purify themselves, as he is pure, 1 John,
iii. 3. And he that has not this hope, does not purify
himself, neither does he believe that he can do it ; and
by this we know the true believers from the false ; and
by this sinners are made manifest, that caunot stand in
the congregation of the righteous, Psal. i. 5.

So now let all the pleaders for sin, stop their mouths
for ever, and let the devil stand for himself, and plead
his own cause ; and henceforth do not despise and revile
the innocent, that are travailing and striving after per-
fection, with a faith to obtain it, that they think to be
saved by their own works ; for we hope for no other sal-
vation, but that which is in and by Jesus Christ the eter-
nal Son of God, who is the first-born of every creature,
that brings many sons and daughters unto glory, but not
by leaving them in their sins ; but his name is Jesus, and
he saves people from their sins.

s. a

( 230 )

TO THE

MAGISTRATES OF GRONINGEN,

IN THE

UNITED PROVINCES.

YE rulers and burghermasters of Groningeu, I Lave
a message unto you in the name of the God of heaven
and earth, on the behalf of his Truth and people ; and
therefore hearken to my words, and consider them, for
in love to your souls, and to your city and country, do
I write unto you : and therefore be it known unto you,
you cannot fight agaiust God and prosper ; the powers
that are, said the apostle, are of God, I am a friend
to magistracy and government, and do know that it is
an ordinance of God; but that magistrate beareth the
sword in vain, that doth become a terror to them that do
well, or that endeavour so to do. And therefore, Friends,
turn not your sword against the innocent, for their con-
science sake towards God, for that is not your place ;
but to protect all that fear God, and to encourage such
as depart from the evil of their ways. And whereas the
Lord is pleased in this your day, to visit a small remnant
in your city, with the knowledge of his everlasting
Truth, and to lead them to take up the cross, and deny
themselves, and to leave the customs and ways of this
evil world, and to wait upon God in the despised way
of the Quakers, so called ; what harm is this unto you ?
"What evil have they done since, or what evil have that
people done to any prince or government since they were
a people? What is this great cry and noise made against
us for? Is it not as in days past, if any man depart
from iniquity, he makes himself a prey; and he that
reproveth sin in the gate, for him they lay a snare. Why
are the workers of iniquity so moved ? Ought you not to
inquire of our accusers when they come to you, what
evil we have done against God, or the wholesome laws

To the Magistrates of Groningen. 231

and liberty of the land, before you lay your hands upon
us? Oh take heed of your priests, who fear nothing
more than the breaking out of the light, which as it
ariseth, will give men to see their evil works, and the
foundation upon which they stand. Oh, let not them
deceive you, by stirring you up to persecution, as they
have deceived many princes and governors in other lands,
who now begin to see them, and to cease from the work
to which they have instigated them ; and most governors
and rulers where we live, have a sense of our innocency.
And now your day of trial is come, and I cannot but in
love warn you not to run this course of persecution, for
if you do, you will bring vexation upon yourselves in-
wardly and outwardly, and the judgments of God upon
you and your city, out of which your priests will not be
able to deliver you. And besides, mark, this work
of the Lord shall go on and prosper, and as many as are
found faithful to the light of Christ Jesus in their con-
sciences, shall feel the daily encouragements of the ever-
lasting power of God, which is enough to bear them up,
under all that the power of persecution, which never
was of God, can do against them ; and the divine love
of God, through the faith of Christ, will flow in upon
them, which will make them not to love their lives to
the death, for their testimony's sake : and their innocent
sufferings will reach to that of God in the consciences of
others, and they shall come to believe in that which sup-
ports us, and so come to be made pai'takers of that same
life of righteousness which judgeth the world ; which the
spirit of this world hath always sought to slay in all its
appearances. And further, the more you cause this
people to suffer, the more shall we be drawn in the love
and power of God, to visit them and your city for their
sakes ; for we dare do no other, being commanded so of
Christ, who is the head of our church : and if any, the
least member of him be in prison, in hunger or want,
and we visit them not, he takes it as if he had been soj
and we had neglected visiting him. And this hazard we
dare not run, for all the frowns and threats of men ; for
we know none, but Christ Jesus, shall ever receive

%W>* To the Magistrates of Groningen.

power to say, Go ye cursed, &c. And it is not suffer-
ings and tribulations that can now affright or deter us
from our service and testimony to our God ; for we have
learned in all states to be contented. And if our tribu-
lations abound for the gospel's sake, our consolation
abounds much more; so that we can in the strength of
God, give our back to the smiter, and turn the other
cheek ; and our face to them that pluck off the hair ; and
when all that is done, pray for these our enemies, and
do them good against all this evil. And this we boast
not of, as of ourselves, but as the gift of God, freely
given unto us for Christ's sake, in whom our sufficiency
is. And therefore, Friends, be wise and considerate in
this weighty matter, and take heed what you do ; if this
work be of man, it will cease, and come to nothing,
though you sit still in your places ; but if it be the work
of God, to break forth in his light, and make known his
righteousness to them that have hungered and thirsted
after it, then you cannot stop his work, but it will go
forth when you have done what you can, as others have
done. And, besides, your endeavouring to stop the work
of God, will render you fighters against God, and kindle
his indignation against you, and bring his judgments
upon you. Therefore my counsel to you all is, fear the
living God, who shows you your thoughts, and love the
light in your own consciences, and then you will never
persecute it in others, but it will break forth more and
more, and become a blessing to you and your city ; and
this is my desire, who am your friend, and one that in
obedience to God, and love to your souls, have thus far
cleared my conscience to you, who am a servant of God,
and one that in scorn is called a Quaker, who have
rather chosen, as Moses did, to suffer affliction with the
people of God, than enjoy the pleasures of sin, which are
but for a short season. So the Lord give you a consi-
derate and understanding heart.

STEPHEN CRISP.

( 233 )

A

LAMENTATION

OVER

THE CITY OF GRONINGEN:

CONTAINING

An Answer to Four Papers written against the People called Quakers,
Two by the Magistrates, and Two Lies sung in the Street, by the
wild and ungodly Ballad Singers, which shows that the Spirit of
Persecution and Mockery comes all from one Ground.

Am os, v. 1. Hear ye this Word -which I take up agai7ist you, even a Lamentation,
O House of Israel.

Amos, viii. 10. And Iivill turn your Feasts into Mourning, and all your Songs in-
to Lamentation, and I -will bring up Sackcloth upon all Loins, and Baldness upon
every Head : and I ivill make it as the Mourning of an only Son, and the end
thereof as a bitter Day.

WHAT lamentation shall I take up over thee, 0 Gro-
ningen ! that art a great city, increased in riches, people,
and wickedness, and hast long lived without judgment
in thy goings, and thy footsteps have been after the coun-
sel of thy own heart, and the covenant of death hath
bound thy inhabitants together with a general consent
to walk in darkness, and to obey the power thereof ; and
to live in sin and ungodliness all their days. And in this
path have thy leaders, that tell thee it is impossible to do
otherwise, led thee ; and so they have helped to harden
thy heart against thy Maker, and to settle thee upon thy
lees, and. have for money sold thee a sound of peace,
while thou livest in thy sins, and walkest in darkness,
which is the way to destruction. And thy rulers have
tolerated, if not promoted wickedness, and have not been

30

g.34 To the Magistrates of Groningen*

good examples, nor ruled for God, nor become a terror
to thee in thy ungodly and wanton life, as they ought to
have been. So that on all hands, wickedness is grown
high, the trees of Sodom, and the vines of Gomorrha,
bring forth plentifully in thee ; but the plant of renown,
the royal seed of God, that hath long been as a worm
trampled upon, and the God of Israel, forgotten days with-
out number, although his name hath been in your mouths,
yet his fear hath not been in your hearts ; and though
you have drawn nigh him sometimes with your polluted
lips, yet you have not brought your hearts nigh to him,
but they have still wandered after your lusts and evil
ways ; and you have long taken the name of God in vain,
and thereby brought guilt upon yourselves ; and the Lord
hath been patient and long-suffering with you, and hath
not been hasty to anger, but hath waited to be gracious,
and hath oftentimes smitten you in the secret of your
hearts, and called upon you to leave off the evil of your
ways ; but ye have rejected his voice, and turned away
your ears from hearkening to his reproof; and so by
these things, ye have provoked the Lord to anger against
you, and he is arising to make known his judgment in
the midst of you, which still kindles more and more, till
it burns like a flame, and there will be no abiding his
presence but by repentance. And, Friends, a deep sense
is upon me of the day of your visitation, and also of the
calamity that will come upon you, except you repent, and
break off t;;e evil of your doings, and turn your hearts
to seek the Lord. And I have warned you in love, and
again do warn you to consider your ways, while a little
time is afforded you ; for the wrath of God is ready to
break forth against you, and against all the inhabitants
of the earth that slight the day of his tender visitation.
And there is a lamentation in my heart for thee, O Gro-
ningen, that thou hadst a considerate and understand-
ing heart, that thou mightest foresee thy misery, and es-
cape thy calamity ! My heart is grieved, and my soul is
afflicted, to consider thy present condition, and also to
consider what thou art bringing upon thy own head. Oh,
be not like the foolish folk Solomon speaks of, who be-

To the Magistrates of Groningen. 235

cause judgment is not speedily executed upon an evil
work, therefore their hearts are set in them to do wick-
edly : Oh ! how doth abominations abound in thy streets
like a ilood ! How is thy city filled with drunkenuess,
with oaths, with cursings, and how are thy streets filled
with IshmaeVs brood of mockers and scorners, whose
bonds must be made strong ! Read Isaiah, xxviii. 22.
What care is there taken to suppress these things ? Nay,
the greatest care is how to suppress Truth, and keep
righteousness from shining forth, lest the day-light should
break forth into judgment against thy ungodliness. But
alas ! alas ! the day of thy judgment is come, and that
life is arisen that hath the power in heaven and in earth ;
and ye can no more crucify it, but it must and shall reign
for ever, and judge the earth in righteousness and in
truth. And it is the appearance of this life that comes in-
to the world for judgment, that hath made your city like
a sea, into which a tempest is entered. Your rulers are
like fierce young lions that roar, because they are trou-
bled, and think to affright the lambs with their thunder-
ing out threatenings. Thy priests are like the she-bear
that is robbed of her whelps, seeking their revenge upon
the innocent, and stirring up the young lions as to a prey.
Thy people are like the wild beasts of the forest, which
with a confused noise are gathered together to devour.
Thy children run snarling to and fro in the streets, tu-
multuating and halloing, and utterring all manner of re-
proach and spite against the innocent and harmless peo-
ple, who are departing from your ungodly course of life,
and are called out of your Babylonish worships to be
separated from you.

Oh, Friends, consider, are these the fruits of a gospel
ministry, and a well-governed republic ? Are not these
tumults and uproars a shame to both priests and rulers,
yea, and to all the masters and fathers of families in your
whole city ? Doth it not appear you have lost the good
government that you ought to have over the people, and
the children and servants in your city and respective fa-
milies ? Oh, consider these things ! whence come up-
roars ? Is it not from the spirit of the Sodomites that as-

g36 To the Magistrates of Groningeld,

saulted the house of Lot? And what was it set Jerusa-
lem of an uproar? And what set other cities in the acts of
an uproar, but persecution? And was not Gamaliel a
Jew, yet wise enough to still the tumult, by persuading
them to leave persecution, and leave the matter to God.
Oh, that you who are called Christians, were but so
wise ! But, alas ! it hath grieved my heart, while I was
in your city, to see and hear, young and old, given up to
an Ishmael spirit, mocking and scorning, and deriding
the innocent, and to see how it is happened to you in
Groningen, as it was in the rebellious house of Israel of
old ; they that feared the Lord, were as signs and won-
ders in Israel. Oh, a lamentation ! a lamentation ! let all
that know thee take up over thee, for thy way leads with
speed to destruction, and thou makest haste to fill up thy
measure. Oh! that thou mightest but stand still a little,
and consider thy ways before it be too late. I write these
things in the love of God to all that have an ear to hear,
and a heart to consider : and as to those that shut the ear,
and will not hear, I shall be clear of their blood, and
they shall know that they were warned.

And now all you rulers, priests and inhabitants of the
city of Groningen, let me treat a little more particularly
with you, and inquire what is the reason you are thus
moved and driven on heaps, as you are ? I know the
answer is, Here is a people in our city, that men call
Quakers, that in their life differ from us, and if we pipe
to them, they will not dance, and if we mourn, they will
not lament ; they will neither rejoice in that in which we
rejoice, nor grieve at that at which we grieve ; but in
their worship, and in their manners, and words and all
they differ from us. Well, what then ; what evil have
they done to you or to your city, or what have such
people done against any other city, where they have,
and do live ? Alas ! say men, they are every where
spoken against ; well, that is no rule for you to hate and
persecute them; know you not the religion of the apos-
tles was every where spoken against? yet it was the
truth, and after that way which men called heresy, wor-
shipped they the God of their fathers \ for the true Chris-

To the Magistrates of Gvoningen. 837

lian worship which Christ set up, was to differ from that
in the mount of Samaria, and that at the temple of Jeru-
salem too; must Christ therefore be persecuted? Oh!
how blind and ignorant is this generation, that ye should
again run into the same error of the Pharisees, to con-
demn the old persecutors, and prove new ones yourselves,
and persecute the same Life, as it comes to rise in any,
to witness against you and your lusts, as they and their
fathers did ! and so ye manifest yourselves still to be of
the same race and stock, and to be born of the same
estranged flesh that always persecuted such as were born
after the Spirit. And as they brought upon them all the
righteous blood that was spilt from Abel to Zacharias, so
you are about to bring upon you, and upon your children,
all the righteous blood from Abel to this day, which will
be enough to sink you to perdition. But I cannot rejoice
in your destruction, but the labour of my soul aud my
prayer yet for you is, that ye might be wise, and learn
understanding, and might consider your ways, and might
no longer strive against God, and against his glorious
work; for I tell you in his name, and his authority, he
will be too mighty for you.

And the work which God hath begun in the earth,
shall prosper and flourish, and none shall be able to stop
it, for his seed hath suffered long, and many have cried
in secret for a day of deliverance. And now the day is
come, glory to God for ever, and the everlasting gospel
is preached, and many are thereby turned from the for-
mer darkness, to the true light of Jesus, which enlighten-
eth every man that cometh into the world. And many
are brought to know the right way of the Lord, which
is a way of holiness, and can no longer be content to
walk in the unholy sinful ways, where the priests tell
them, they must live in sin all their days. But now the
hope of redemption is arisen unto many, glory be to God
for ever; and some have received the Bright and Morn-
ing Star; and some are waiting for it in faith and patience,
passing their time in fear and watchfulness, hoping for
the crown that is immortal, which certainly shall be set
upon the heads of all those that faint not by the way, by

S3»8 To the Magistrates of Groningen.

reason of the tribulations that arise for the name of
Christ's sake.

For, Friends and people, consider this one thing, the
Holy Ghost signified unto John, that the dragon, beast,
aud false prophet, should rule 1260 years, (that is not
Christ's kingdom,) and in that time the whole world
should worship the beast and his image, (that is not the
worship of God,) and that the whore should sit upon the
beast that ruled, (that is not the true church,) and that
the world should say, Who can make war with the beast?
They were not the saints that said so, for the Lamb and
the saiuts must have the victory. And all that while, while
the whore was a-top of the ruling beast, the true church
was in the wilderness, and the true governor or ruler
was caught up to God. Now because it hath been thus
1260 years, must it always be thus ? No, surely, this
is a set time, and hath an end, and the end of it is come ;
and the true church is coming out of the wilderness, and
the daughter of Zion hath a new spiritual instrument,
with sharp teeth, to thresh the mountains withal, and
lier son is manifest upon the earth, which is the second
birth, whose kingdom is not of this world, but his do-
minion is over all, (read who can,) and he and the saints
must have the victory ; for they have received power to
judge the three unclean spirits, that are like frogs : the
first that came out of the mouth of the dragon, which fills
the earth with wrath and cruelty; the second that came
out of the mouth of the beast, that fills the earth with
pride, insolency and arrogancy ; the third that came out
of the mouth of the false prophet, that fills the earth with
lying, idolatry, delusions and hypocrisy. These three
spirits are now judged, and their works are judged in
the name of him that lives for ever and ever : and the
day draws nigh for the opening of the lake, aud the cast-
ing in alive the dragon, beast and false prophet, from
whence these three spirits came. And in that day shall
the head of the afflicted be lifted up, and the seed shall
rejoice, and the earth shall know that God hath remem-
bered his people, and you shall know that you have
striven against your Maker.

To the Magistrates of Groningen. 239

Therefore, oh people ! consider your way. Serve not
the beast, neither worship his image ; but fear God, and
give glory to him ; for the hour of his judgment is come :
and now the dragon and his cruelty, and they that are
his executioners, must be judged ; the whore and her cup
of fornication, and all that drink thereof, and commit
fornication with her, must be judged; and the beast, and
his seat, and his power, and his image, and all that won-
der after him, and worship him and his image must be
judged; and the second beast and his power, and all
that are subject to him, must be judged, though bis ap-
pearance is like a lamb ; and the false prophet, with his
lying wonders, and his false fire that he brings down in
the sight of men, must be judged; and all his lies and
delusions, and them that have believed them must all
be judged. For judgment is Truth arisen in the earth;
and therefore are the inhabitants moved like a sea, and
the waves roll to and fro, and the princes imagine vain
things, and the judges write grievousness, and they that
remain in the state of the heathen, who know not God,
they are all in a rage. But alas ! alas ! these things can-
not stop the coming and shining of the Sun of righte-
ousness, nor the breaking forth of his salvation to the
meek, which have long hungered and thirsted after
righteousness.

And therefore, oh ye rulers ! be wise, and consider
what you do, and if you can stop the ebbing and flowing
of the sea, or if you can turn the sun or moon out of
their course, or if you can number the stars of heaven,
or sand upon the sea shore, then you may hinder this
work that is determined and decreed by the same power
by which all these things were made and ordered. But
if you cannot do these, then attempt not to stop the light
of righteousness from breaking forth, for your work will
be in vain, and shame and confusion will be your reward.
For assuredly, you will not find us like other sorts of
people, whose foundation hath been upon this or that
man, and in process of time, some one or other man
hath laid them waste again by his power or policy. But
our foundation is out of your sight, the Rock of Ages,

g40 To the Magistrates of Ghroningen.

which when it appeared in a body of flesh, was cruci-
fied ; but death could not hold it, nor the signet nor sol-
diers neither; but God raised his own, and suffered not
his Holy One to see corruption. And that same power
that raised him, hath quickened us in these mortal bo-
dies ; which we confess you can kill, if God permit you.
But the power lives for ever, and the same quickening
life and power shall appear in other bodies to witness
against you and the world, and shall spread forth more
and more, till the earth is covered with its glory, and till
the glory of all flesh is stained, and their strength as tow
before the fire.

Therefore, I say again, be wise, oh ye judges and ru-
lers of the earth ! and take heed of being found fighters
against God, lest his wrath kindle, and you, and your
Strength and glory become like chaff before the wind in
his presence ; and remember you are warned.

And now, Friends, I come more particularly to capitu-
late with you, the magistrates and people of Groningen,
having before me four papers, all given out against a
people called Quakers, and appearing to come all from
one spirit, though it is sad to say, and to think, men cal-
led magistrates, and a city called Christian, nay, reform-
ed, should have such horrible work found therein as I
found in two or three days stay in your city, and find in
your papers ; and because two of these papers come from
you that are the magistrates, I think it good to say some-
thing to them. First, the one is a sentence given to seve-
ral citizens, the other to some not being citizens, whom
you had imprisoned, in which you have warned the citi-
zens to meet no more in such meetings as they have done,
and the other to come no more in the city to such meet-
ings, and both upon the threatening of further punishment;
and that the reader may the better understand where this
sentence and threatening takes its rise, I shall set down
the sentence verbatim, and then write something to it by
way of inquiry.

The first complaint is irreverent behaviour. Secondly,
that he is called a Quaker. Thirdly, that he was lately
at a meeting. Fourthly, that it was the more to divulge

To the Magistrates of Gvoningen. &41

hurtful and pernicious errors and the spirit's leading; and
upon these you say, that such forbidden conventicles and
dangerous sects must not be suffered, but punished in a
well-governed republic, and therefore you insinuate that
if he conies any more at the Quakers' meeting, he must be
looked upon as disobedient and rebellious, and be dealt
with accordingly.

Now Friends, to the first, what was their irreverent be-
haviour ? Did you show them a law which they would
not be subject to ? Came they not at your summons, in
vwhich they acknowledged you magistrates ? And stood
they not attentively to hear what you said ? Gave they
you not necessary answers to your questions ? But it
seems they put not off their hats ; was that an offence to
you ? Alas ! that men of understanding should no more
regard their reputation, than to take offence at such a
thing, when there is neither law of God, nor nations, nor
of your own city that requires it : you should have made
a law first that they must do so, and then, for your part,
you had done like Ahasuerus. There was something to
say for bowing, viz. the king's commandment, the king's
authority : what Mordecai, wilt thou not bow ? the king
commands it ; well, but Mordecai cannot bow if he dies
for it ; then you know who set up the gallows ; he that
was angry, because he was not bowed to. Were not these
things written for your and our learning? Ye never find
in scripture that the Christians called it irreverent be-
haviour to have hats upon their heads ; and the three chil-
dren had their hats on in the furnace: do ye think they
put on their hats to be cast in the furnace, or had they
them not on when they stood before the king ? And then
this great king came to the mouth of the furnace aud saw
them walk with their hats on ; why did not they pull off
their hats to the king? But neither Christians nor hea-
thens have you for example in this matter, except the
apostate Christians, in this time of the reign of the beast,
in which he hath set up his worship in the stead of
God's. But in this particular, I think the law is not yet
made that I know of, that commands folks to put off their
hats ; and where there is no law, there is no transgres-

31

&4£ To the Magistrates of Groningen,

sion. But what is the matter, here is such offence takeu
about the hat? Is there any worship therein? If so, that
belongs to God, and to no mau. Is there any honour
therein ? If so, the receiving honour from one another is
that which hindered the Pharisees and Jews from receiv-
ing the faith of Jesus, as you may read. So what part
is that in you which is so highly offended ? Is it not come
of the same line and stock with Nimrod that hunted be-
fore the Lord, when he ought to have come after ; and
Esau the profane man that was wroth with him that had
the blessing, though he himself had sold him his birth-
right, and of the stock of Haman, and Jezebel, and Nebu-
chadnezzar, and Herod, and Nero, and Dioclesian, and
Maximillian, and others that might be named, among
whom this principle of seeking worship and honour to
themselves, hath stood always high, to whom the Royal
Seed of God could never bow ; and which think you now
were the best sort ? Abel or Cain, Nimrod or the sons of
God that were in those days, Jacob or Esau, Haman or
Mordecai, Jezebel or Elijah, that could not yield to her
nor fear her ? Nebuchadnezzar or Shadrach, Meshach
and Abednego, Christ and his disciples, or Herod and
Pilate, who could not agree till they went to crucifying
the just? And then, the scripture saith, they were made
friends; then they could agree. And Nero, Domitian,
Trajan, Aurelius, Severus, Maximus, Decius, Vale-
rian, Aurelian, Dioclesian, what think ye of these?
Were not they better that did not yield to them than
they that did? It may be you will say, yea, but
these were heathens. To that I answer, that perse-
cution for conscience and religion sake, and forcing the
conscience to the wills of men, is one and the same work
in itself whoever doth it ; but it is two-fold worse in one
called Christian, than in a heathen. For your being cal-
led Christians or Christian magistrates, gives you no more
power over other men's consciences, than heathens had ;
for that is God's throne in mankind, and he will not
give this prerogative to any, but to his Son Jesus, and
wo to them that rob him of it, for he will have his own
glory and spoil theirs too.

To the Magistrates of Groningen. g<43

Secondly, The thing is, he is one called a Quaker. I
answer, what crime is that to be called a Quaker, see-
ing the Quakers are known through the world to be harm-
less and clear of wronging any kingdom, land, or city,
or private person ? Their principle is to fear God, and to
do justly, and to keep their conscience unspotted 5 so this
is neither crime nor disparagement to be called a Quaker,
but rather a crown and rejoicing; for upon that sort of
men have always the blessing rested, that trembled at the

word of the Lord, as you may read. And they that

mock at trembling and quaking shall know a day of
howling and lamenting, in which they shall tremble and
quake, and wish to die our death, though now they des-
pise our life. And besides you have no law against a
man being called a Quaker, and so here is no transgres-
sion yet.

Thirdly, The thing is, that he was lately at a meeting
of the Quakers. Answer. Is that a crime? against what
law is that? And when was it published, and in what
book of record can we find that law that forbids the be-
ing at a Quakers' meeting? seeing you are within the com-
pass of the Seven United Provinces, that are spoken of
so far for granting liberty of conscience. If you are not
of that mind why do you not publish yourselves to be of
another mind ? What, have you forgot your fathers and
grandfathers already, that suffered so deeply to purchase
liberty of conscience, and spent so much blood and trea-
sure, and implored the aid of foreign protestant princes,
which was plenteously given them, that they might
above all things leave you this inheritance ; to wit, liberty
of conscience to meet together and worship God as you
were or should be persuaded ? And now, are you rob-
bing and spoiling one another of this inheritance ? What,
are ye framing again the old rotten pieces of Duke
W Alva's yoke, to put it upon the necks of your brethren,
to tell them what meetings they must go to, and what
they must believe, and what religion they must be of?
Oh, Friends ! away with this work or else it will make
you stink in the nostrils of the nations, and of your

S44 To the Magistrates of Groningen.

neighbours, and besides it will bring a curse and blast-
ing upon you.

Fourthly, But then you say, this meeting was for the
divulging and spreading of hurtful and pernicious errors,
and the Spirit's leading, &c. Now, Friends, these words
are either true or false : if they are true that such things
are divulged at our meetings, why do not you or your
teachers manifest what these pernicious errors are, that
people may know them, and how they are opposite to
the holy scriptures ? For if you do not do this, your bare
asserting them to be so, will hardly carry authority with
it to make people believe it, except the rude tumultuous
rabble, that are readier to believe lies than truth ; and in-
deed, your authority may prevail further with them to
stir them up against the Truth, than it will to keep them
in the band of sobriety, and from filling the streets with
tumults and uproars. But if you intend the sober sort
should believe you, then discover particularly what these
hurtful and perilous doctrines are, and how they are
against the scriptures of Truth ; and if you cannot do it,
set your priests at work to do it, they have wages enough
to engage them to serve you, if they be not too high for
you ; and wheu you and they have done that, we will
have no more meetings in Groningen, but will come over
to you and take up your religion, if it appears to be
blameless and according to the scriptures ; but till this be
done, we cannot believe men's words, especially, such
men as in contempt to the Spirit's leading, persecute us
for owning the leadings of the Spirit. For shame call this
word in again, were not all that ever were sons of God,
led by the Spirit of God ? And did not the saints of old
walk after the Spirit, and did not the apostle tell them if
they did so, they should live. And what now, must we
be persecuted for being led, and guided, and drawn,
and constrained by the Spirit? Oh, abominable! if
you had been born of the Spirit, you could not have
written so, but being born of the flesh, persecution is as
natural to you, as it hath been to such in former ages ;
but that same spirit that persecutes us for the leading of

To the Magistrates of Groningen'. 245

the Spirit, and mocks at us for the witnessing of the
Spirit, is that which persecuted Christ Jesus in whom
this Holy Spirit lived without measure, that now liveth
in us in measure; so we know we are not greater than
our Lord, and if we patiently suffer for his sake, he will
plead our cause with our enemies. But Friends, I do
N charge these words upon you to be false, and do require
you in the name of the Lord to prove them true if you
can, and let us know what those errors are ; for I do ab-
solutely deny the matter of fact wherewith you charge
us, and that our meeting then or at any other time was
for any such intent or purpose ; so we shall leave it in
the sight of (rod and men, till we hear more particularly
what hurtful and pernicious errors are charged against
us. And where you say such things may not be tolerated
in a well-governed commonwealth, but ought to be pun-
ished, &c. do you mean here your own republic, that
you are so zealous to preserve in good order? If so, I
ask if drunkenness, and swearing;, and ballad- singers,
and rope-dancers, and mountebanks with their jests and
mockeries, and all such things as gaming, and fighting,
&c. if these may be tolerated in such a republic, nay
countenanced? Doth not your streets swarm with ballad-
singers, and every one or two of them gets several great
meetings in a day, some of them singing such horrible,
bawdy, filthy things, as would, I believe, make the whores
in Rome and Venice blush for shame ; see Stemme Voor-
man Jop for one, with several others that I found in your
city. And is this the republic that is so well governed,
that the people of God may not innocently meet together
in it, to wait upon God, and to exhort one another, and
build up one another in the faith of Christ the Light,
but they must be punished? Oh, Friends! if either men
or women had not lost shame and modesty, such cursed
abominable things could never be permitted in your hearts
to be sung; these things do not show you to be such a
well-governed republic, but your judgment is turned
backward, and while you seek to terrify them that do
well, you are the countenancers of all manner of licen-
tious and ungodly persons, upon whom your sword ought

MQ To the Magistrates of Groningen.

to lie. And as for your threatening, we have only this
to say, we shall do nothing in contempt of you or your
authority, and we hope we shall not forbear the doing of
any thing that the Lord our (rod requires at our hands,
knowing that it is better to obey God than man, and
have learned of Christ, who said, I will tell you whom
you shall fear ; Fear not him that can only kill the body,
and can go no further, but fear him that can kill both
soul and body, and can cast them into hell. So our
cause is before the Lord, let him do with us, or suffer
others to do with us as he pleaseth, for his will is good,
and we are given up to do and suffer his will; and if
any men be our enemies for the Truth's sake, we dare
not but love and pity them, and when they know what
they do, they will do so no more; and in the mean time*
the Lord God of heaven supports us by his power and
living presence, in which is that life that we have hun-
gered after.

And now a few words as to those scurrilous and filthy
songs which are sung about your streets concerning the
Quakers, which are as to us not worth the taking notice
of, but for your sakes, the inhabitants of Groningen, that
the sober among you may be stirred up to cry down such
ungodly and filthy work ; as to us, we can well bear
such things. Drunkards made songs of David, and the
rebellious of old chanted to the viol, and drunk their wine
in bowls, but forgot the afflictions of Joseph, but these
were they that were to go into captivity. One of these
nameless songsters saith, That on the sixth of June, when
ye came from church, these Quakers were diligent in their
wicked work. Here he hath written like them that are
or should be wiser, he hath in general terms upbraided
us with wicked works, but not declared what that work
was, but he saith the issue was, that they should be ap-
prehended and sent to prison ; now surely this was the
same spirit in the schout, as is in this ballad -singer; for
the one rejoiceth in the other's work, but neither gives a
reason for the work, and why they did so, but only
scoffingly said, the Spirit did command it. Now the
Spirit of God did never bear such witness in any of his

To the Magistrates of Groningen. 24$

people, that they should take any body out of a quiet
meeting, and send thein to prison ; and the spirit of the
Romans, which was but a manly spirit, that was more
noble, than to condemn any man to prison or death, till
his cause was heard with his accusers, except when they
did it to please the religious persecuting Jews ; it was
below the Romans so to do. Now if this spirit was not
the spirit of God, nor the spirit of well-ordered men, I
leave the reader to judge, what for a spirit it was, that
stirred in the magistrates to persecute, and in the ballad-
singers to make songs of it; but it seems the matter this
ballad-singer fears is, that the Quakers will overturn his
church. Alas, alas ! what, does your foundation shake
already ? Is the judgment of this world, and the
worldly church come, that they are so moved ? Alas !
such kind of instruments, as foolish and ungodly songs
sung about your streets, cannot help your church in
this strait. But then this man takes in hand to tell us,
the right way to God, is to bow to Christ; his disciples
were no ballad-singers, and they that bowed to him, did
not fear rooting out of their church as it seems he doth.
But then he tells of hunting us out of the land ; and that
is very strange, that the magistrates of Groningen should
proclaim their intentions in so weighty a matter as this,
by such heralds as this ; and how this pitiful fellow came
so near the council chamber I know not ; that he should
as well make a song of the magistrates' intentions, as of
our sufferings. But I shall leave that to them that know
better than I ; but it seems both these works are carried
on in a sympathy.

There is another song come to my hand since I came
from Groningen, called De los Gesinde secte der Quakers,
or Loose Sect of the Quakers ; and this savours some-
thing like a work becoming a priest, or such like man ;
and he saith, God sows his ground with good seed, and
inquires how the tares came ? I answer, primarily from
the devil, but instrumentally from his ministers that have
sown such a seed, as to tell people they must all live in
sin all their life* long, and must never be delivered from
the burden of their sins as long as they live. These are

248 To the Magistrates of Groningen.

the seedsmen that get 1000, 1500, or 2000 guilders a-year
for sowing this bad seed ; and these are the enemies to
'the true doctrine of the light of Christ, that lighteth
every man that cometh into the world; but these cannot
deceive the elect. And whereas he speaks of the Quakers
hindering God's honour, and weakening God's heritage ;
alas, where is it? Are drunkards, swearers and liars,
and persecutors, God's heritage ? No, surely. Are bal-
lad-singers and mockers at the Holy Ghost, are they to
the honour of God ? surely no.

But this man that made this song, hath little skill in
honouring God ; for if he had, he had not sent forth
such a fatherless brat as this into the world ; and as to the
choking of the good, which the devil seeks every moment
to do, he is now found acting the devil's part, in this
same work, to see if he can help with that little craft
he hath, to choke the good. But I hope there are many
in Groningen, that have understanding enough to judge
such works of darkness as this, and to see that it is
he that is coming forth in the dragon's host, as one
that would darken the breaking forth of the light, and
would turn people from the word in their heart. And
as for his heap of lies,' that we have perverted the scripture,
and that we have witness by our spirit, that that never
was, and that we have that that is more precious than
the life of the apostles, I shall pass over as a heap of
lies, and bid him, when he makes another song, tell us
who have done so, and set his name to his paper, and
he shall have an answer. But the life of the apostles
was Christ, and he is our life, and we know nothing
more precious than that, and seek for nothing, but that
we may win him, though it be to the loss of all things
else. And as to our judgment, he is blind, and cannot
know it, nor any such vipers as he is, till they be cleansed
from their filth ; and when he comes to know our princi-
ple, he will testify more against himself, than I now
think to do. And he hath as little skill what opens God's
throne, and shuts up hell, or what a lowly heart is, as
in all the rest ; for in this thing, he is but like a fool
prating of things which he hath heard, but never knew

To the Magistrates of Groningen. 249

nor understood. And in the end our patience and long-
suffering, will be found more like a work of the spirit,
than all his malicious biting and snarling, like a dog at
the heels of the innocent; and dare not come to our faces,
nor own his work with his name. And for his upbraiding
us about Cromwell, and about the death of the king of
England, he shows his knowledge to be as little as his
honesty ; for there was not the name of a Quaker in
England when king Charles died ; and besides, if he
had either read or known the tenth part of the cruel
persecutions we suffered under Cromwell, and how many
thousands of us he imprisoned, he would, it may be, have
forborne that part of his song ; for we are a people that
God hath raised up, to witness against the ungodly in all
nations and stations of men, which have corrupted the
earth, and filled it with abominations. And so neither
Cromwell nor Stewart, nor Dutch nor English, nor one
nor the other, can have unity with us, while they love their
wickedness ; for as Christ said, he that doeth evil, hates
the light; and then they must needs hate the witness of
it. But at last this singer saith, he hath written this as the
Spirit hath witnessed, in honour to him to whom he bows.
Now mark, he to whom he bows, is one with that spirit
that guides and moves him ; so if it were the spirit of God,
then he doth it to the honour of God, and bows to him ;
but seeing he hath uttered several lies and falsehoods, it
appears plainly that is the spirit of the devil that hath
led him; for there is no lie of the spirit of Truth.
Therefore his work is to the honour of the devil, and to
him has he bowed like an obedient child ; for the devil is
the father of lies, and also of liars, of which he is one,
and his lies many.

So, Friends, I have with as much brevity as may be,
touched at these things, and what I have written, I have
written in an universal love to you all ; and do desire,
that I may hear you grow wiser and considerate, and
not like a company of mad people, run on heaps, you
know not wherefore ; but as you are called Christians,
and reformed ones too, show forth fruits of sobriety ; and
if your priests think that any in your citv are deluded, if

350 To the Magistrates of Groningetu

they be spiritual, let them take their spiritual weapons^
and convince them in love and tenderness ; and not show
themselves so like the shrine-makers at Ephesus, to cry,
help, men of Ephesus ; so they cry help schout, and help
burghermasters, and help wild and rude people, and
boys in the street. Oh ! shame of these things, and let
your priests buckle on their armour like men, and main-
tain their church and doctrine, and religion, to be apos-
tolical, and let us have liberty to dispute in their syna-
gogues every sabbath- day, as it was in the apostles' time ;
and if any on their part, or on ours offer violence, let
the schout lay his hand upon such. For methinks it is a
pitiful case, that you that are burghers, shopkeepers and
merchants, and the like, should be fain to help the learn-
ed divines, so called, in a matter of religion, and that
you must use your civil power to defend them and their
religion, against their adversaries, and antagonists, when
they come against them with nothing but arguments and
scripture, and such like weapons.

Consider these things, and stand still a little in cool-
ness, and God will open your understandings, and give
you wisdom how to do in this matter ; so as that the
Lord may bless you and your city, and you may all en-
deavour in your respective places, to stop the flood of
iniquity and wickedness, and so prevent the curse of
God, which otherwise hangs over your heads.

And so, Friends, in the sight of God, I feel myself clear
concerning you, having warned you once and again ; and
if ye hearken and hear, it will be well ; but if ye shut your
ears to counsel, and harden your hearts to instruction, I
shall return to my rest with the Lord, and ye shall know
in the day of your calamity, that a prophet and a mes-
sage from God hath been among you.

I am a friend to you all, and to all men, and one that
labours for the good of all, and waits in patience to see
Zion's redemption.

STEPHEN CRISP.

( 251 )

TO THE

BAPTISTS IN HOLLAND,

WITH A

QUERY FOR THEM TO ANSWER.

Friends,
THE occasion of my writing to you at present, is
from yourselves. Some of you may well remember,
that about two months since, I being at the house of Ja-
cob Arients in Dezype, several of your people came into
the said house, and desired to have some discourse or
conference with us, which we very willingly accepted of.
And so discourse having passed about several things, as
about the light in the conscience ; about perfection ; about
the Lord's supper, &c. But several were desirous to
speak about baptism, which also we agreed to speak
about; and they asked me if I did not believe, that the
disciples of Christ did make use of outward water in
baptism. I granted that I did believe they had so some-
times done, but I did not find in the scriptures where
their command was for so doing ; but that baptism hav-
ing been in use, and that by commission from God given
to John, it was not easily left off; but in time the
apostles did hold forth to the believers one baptism.
And so after many words spoken about this matter, I
asked a question, which now I am free to publish, be-
cause as yet I can get no answer. For at that time when
I pressed for an answer, you, seeing what would come,
which way soever you answered, you did like the Pha-
risees of old, Matth. xxi. &7. When Christ asked if the
baptism of John was from God or from man, though they
were convinced in their consciences it was from God, yet
they lied, and said they could not tell ; and so though
you were convinced in this matter, what to have answer-
ed, yet because you thought that the speaking the truth
was not for your purpose, therefore you answered, we

252 & Letter from Stephen Crisp,

cannot tell. So I said, that if you could give me an an-
swer the next day, I should willingly hear it ; but though
several came to the meeting, yet I had no answer. I de-
sired them there present, to put the query to their teach-
ers, and let them, if they could answer it, write their an-
swer, and send it to W. Williams, at Alkmeere, that I
might have it. But to this day I hear of no answer, and
therefore finding it needful to be answered, I have thus
openly and publicly set it forth, that so all that are con-
cerned, may take notice thereof. And if any of you that
could not then tell, can now answer it, you may ; and if
any other on your behalf will, I shall be willing to re-
ceive an answer ; for it is a thing needful to be known ;
for I cannot believe that they that have this one baptism,
can be ignorant what it is.

The question is this, that whereas the apostle in his
epistle to the Ephesians, Eph. iv. 5, saith, There is one
Lord, one faith, one baptism ; I asked, what that one bap-
tism was? Whether the apostle in this place did intend
that baptism which in scripture is called the baptism of
John, which I confessed was with outward water, or
whether he intended the baptism of the Holy Ghost,
which in scripture is called the baptism of Christ ; and I
urging and pressing for an answer, you told me you could
not tell.

Now, Friends, this thing is needful to be known, both
by you and us, and by all men ; therefore consider it. If
the baptism be but one, and you be ignorant of that one,
then have you none, or as ill as none ; for if it be but
one, and you take up another thing in the stead of that
one, it is impossible it can produce that effect which the
one true baptism would do ; and so consequently is as bad
as none. So search yourselves, Friends, for by your dis-
course you have given me ground to suspect you are as
much strangers to the one faith, that gave the saints a
victory over the world, as you are to the one baptism
that makes clean the conscience, and is the answer of a
good conscience in the sight of God, 1 Pet. iii. 21. And
where these two are wanting, and their effects, there is
nothing enjoyed or known, that is profitable to salvation.

A Letter from Stephen Crisp. 253

And though men talk of these things, and make profes-
sion of them ; yet where their fruits do not appear, it is
manifest the things themselves are not there, but a bare
talk. So Friends, search your hearts, and consider your
ways, and turn your minds to the light of the Lord Jesus
Christ, who is the true light that enlighteneth every one
that cometh into the world. And as you wait in that, it
will give you an understanding in things you yet know
not, and make you able in simplicity to answer this ques-
tion, and also make you partakers of this one baptism ;
which is my hearty desire for you.

So I expect your answer, either by writing or print,
as you will, and remain a friend to the Truth, and one
that wishes well to all men.

STEPHEN CRISP.

( 254. )

A

TESTIMONY

CONCERNING

EDWARD GRAUNT OF COLCHESTER.

EDWARD GRAUNT, a man of near seventy years,
who from his youth upward, sought after the knowledge
of the right way of the Lord with great diligence, and
answered his profession with an honest and upright con-
versation, and was a constant worshipper of God, in that
way which appeared to him most agreeable to the scrip-
ture of Truth, which saith, separate the precious from the
vile ; and was one of the first that embraced the light of
the everlasting Truth that shined forth in his and our
hearts, at the preaching of the gospel. And in that light
hath he had his conversation for the space of almost nine
years, without wavering; holding steadfastly the faith of
the Truth, and keeping in the unity of the body. In
which time he hath valiantly and patiently suffered many
things, at the hands of them that have lift up their arm
and power against the Truth, and them that walk there-
in ; partly for his testimony that he hath borne to the
same, and partly for the testimony that he hath borne *
against the false prophets, and deceitful workers, who 1
have sheltered themselves under the divers powers that
have been in being, in these nine years aforesaid. And
as he hath formerly been taken notice of to be one of
the first in coming to the assemblies of the people of
God, thereby setting a good example unto the younger
sort, so he continued in these late cruel and bloody days
of persecution ; and endured many sore blows, at several
times, at which he was not deterred from that testimony
and witness which God had raised him up to bear for his
name.

Now in the end of his generation, upon the sixth day
of the Eleventh month, this good man came to the place

A Testimony concerning Edward Graunt 255

where Friends did usually meet, soon after the tenth hour
of the day, and having stood there with a few more about
half an hour, came the troopers, riding upon them, and
did very grievously beat this old man on his head,
shoulders, back, and arms ; and having received many
blows, he went home, and continued very sore of those
blows ; but was walking up and down several days.
Then it pleased God to visit him with great pains of a
former trouble also ; so that he began to keep his bed.
And sometime during the time of his lying so ill, he was
heard to say he felt more of his blows than he did at
first ; and so he lay sometimes sensible of the pains of his
trouble, and sometimes the pain of blows ; so that he was
in great misery in the outward man, but armed with a
great measure of patience ; and having one side some-
what swelled, he was taken notice of several times to raise
blood, and the last words that he was heard to speak, he
complained of his head, took a handkerchief, and blew
his nose, and hard clotted blood came forth, which was
this morning ; and that which is remarkable, that that
very day month, about the very same minute, as near as
can be reckoned, that he was so beaten and abused, about
the same minute he departed this life ; and left his bruised
and afflicted body behind him, a witness, yea, and his
last witness against their cruelty, until their cruelty
riseth up in judgment against them in the great day of
account, who repent not. So that the Lord hath marked
out the hour and minute for a memorial of their cruelty,
in causing him in the same hour and minute to finish and
complete his testimony ; and in peace and patience to rest
with himself.

STEPHEN CRISP.

( 256 )

AN

EPISTLE FROM STEPHEN CRISP,

WHEN

A PRISONER.

O YE lambs of the green pasture ! ye sheep of my
Father's fold ! ye who by the word of life are made ac-
quainted with the power of regeneration, and are born
into the nature of the Lamb's innocency ; and are grown
up in the virtue of sincerity. Oh ! how glorious is your
appearance ! mine eye beholdeth, and my heart is ra-
vished ; my soul shall praise the God of my life for ever
and ever on your behalf. From the hill have I viewed
you, and from the high tower of my refuge have I looked
on you ; my eye is opened, and I see you the flock of
undefiled lambs in whom my God is glorified. Oh ! feed
ye, and be ye nourished ; for your pastures are enlarged,
and your Shepherd's care is over you ; his arm is able to
defend you from every beast of the field. By day will
lie feed you in his pleasant pastures, and by night will
he fold you in a fold of rest. Oh ! my beloved Friends,
this is the day of which we have spoken, and in which
not only the words, but the nature must be manifested, m
And ye who bear the Lamb's image, and grow in him
nature, first being proved, shall be preserved and deli-
vered, and in the day of trial feel the word of patience ;
for that stayeth the thoughts, and keepeth satisfied in the
present state. And here is the glory of the saints, who
only of all the children of men, can glory in tribulation,
and can grow then in patience. Now doth the glory of
Sion's daughters appear to be within them, and their
strength is a continual spring, whereby her sons are
armed with power, to tread down change and alterations,
and dwell in the dominion over trouble. Glory, glory
to the God of our strength, who keepeth us, who guardeth
Israel, who armeth his chosen ones, and leads them to

Jin Epistle from Stephen Crisp. 257

the battle, and *keeps our head covered therein, that the
enemy cannot wound it.

And here, ray dearly beloved brethren and sisters, in
the generation of our endless posterity, is my unity with
you preserved, though by locks and bars I be separated
outwardly from you, yet by the invisible flowings of life,
do I reach you, and am felt by you, in that eternal Spirit
which quickens and gives life to every member of the
church of Christ. This present separation, is for trial
of our faith, love and patience, that through exercise
they may be perfected, and we all may learn the heavenly
and internal knowledge, sense and feeling one of another,
by sinking into, and waiting in the spirit of the Father,
by which the whole body is knit and united together;
and who knows us not in this, is not truly of us ; for as
we have said, declarations and prophecies must cease,*
but the word which begets and gives life, abides for ever,
and is the daily bread, which is set before the mercy seat,
in the house of our Grod, of which none may eat, but
those who are sanctified, washed and clean, according
to the law, and are witnesses of the offering, that makes
atonement; and these may now feed together, being
nourished, and grow strong as well as ever; because
the enemy cannot rob you of your food, and your water.
Therefore eat, O Friends, and drink abundantly of the
new wine, well refined ; let your hearts be glad, and
let your souls rejoice in the promise, for this is the day

the Lamb's battle, and the day of his victory is near
at hand, wherein the carcasses must be buried out of
sight, and all dead worship without life put under, and
the living worship of the living God, be exalted more
and more. Therefore rejoice ye, and I say again, re-
joice. Let your hearts be strong, O my beloved Friends,
and comfort ye yourselves therein, and one another,
and love one another. Let the spirit of love abound
in you, one towards another, in how much ye see the
enemy seeks to discomfort you. Mark the weak among
you in true love and compassion ; beware of the wiles of
those that are crafty, who seek to lead from the sim-
plicity of the gospel. Keep your testimony alive in all

33

258 An Epistle from Stephen Crisp.

things, wherein ye are required by the Lord, and be
not terrified at all that is, or may come to pass. And
the God of peace and power, of eternal love and truth,
preserve you all faithful to the end, to the everlasting
consolation of your souls, and glory of his great name ;
for the sake whereof he hath saved us, and delivered us,
and will yet deliver us ; to whom be everlasting praises,
and holy thanksgiving for ever and ever. Amen.

STEPHEN CRISP.

( 259 )

AN

EPISTLE FROM STEPHEN CRISP,

TO

FRIENDS.

DEARLY beloved in the Truth, of whom I have at
this time a living remembrance in the living fellowship
into which the Lord of his infinite goodness and mercy
hath called you, and to this day preserved you, who have
with diligence waited upon him. Dear hearts, in love
unfeigned do I dearly salute you all, desiring your stead-
fastness and growth in the precious Truth ; and that ye
may be daily more and more established in the grace of
God, by which ye are called to be his witnesses in that
place ; that you may witness the sufficiency of his grace
who hath called you, let your temptations and trials be
what they may. For, dear Friends, this is a certain say-
ing, and worthy to be believed, that all temptations to
evil, both inward and outward, of what sort soever they
be, do spring from that power which God will in time
bring down and break to pieces for his seed's sake. And
they that abide low in the lowly seed, shall behold their
deliverance with rejoicing, and shall bless the God of
their salvation for ever. But, if any one in the hour of
temptation, lift up himself above that tender principle
that teacheth a whole dependance upon God ; then such
a one seems wise and strong in his own eyes, but by and
by falleth into the snare of the enemy, and then sees his
own weakness and folly, it may be when it is too late.
Therefore, let every one be kept in the pure fear of God,
waiting daily to feel his strength renewed through the
spirit of Christ that worketh in us, both the will and also
the deed ; and such as have their sole dependance upon
God in the faith of his Son, take no care how to pass
through the trials and difficulties of their day, but as
children of a tender father, they cast their care upon

260 An Epistle from Stephen Crisp to Friends,

God, who cares for them, for his name's sake, and brings
them through and over all, in his own time and manner;
and then such have experience, and can speak a word to
the weary soul, from the sense of what God hath done
for them.

So, dear hearts, now you know the way of God, walk
in it with an upright and an humble mind ; and let your
cries arise to God for the planting and spreading his
name; and let your life so shine in the beauty of holi-
ness, that the mouths of all Truth's enemies may be stop-
ped, and the sober inquirers after the Truth, may be
reached by your faithfulness and innocency, which is the
loudest trumpet that can sound out God's praise in the
earth. And without this life, all preaching and testimony
is to no purpose, but tends to the condemnation of them
who make profession of that they enjoy not.

And, my Friends, you know how the good seedsman
hath sown a good seed in and among you ; and no doubt
but the evil seedsman is still watching to sow his evil
seed ; but be you all diligent to keep it out, and watch
over that ground in your own hearts, which cannot re-
ceive any evil seed of what sort or kind soever. For in
the good seed which is Christ, ye have life, ye have com-
fort, ye have heavenly fellowship, by the flowing forth
of the love of God in your hearts one toward another.
But wherever the enemy's seed is sown and received,
that brings in death, sorrow and discord, and begets hard
thoughts and jealousies in the mind, and takes away the I
sight of the single eye, which can see the single heart
in one another. And, if this be stood in a while, it de-
stroys the tender birth of the true seed, in the womb, and
begets and brings forth a false birth in his room, which
exalts itself in the sight of things, which it must never
inherit. Therefore, dear lambs, that ye may abide to the
end, and accomplish your holy testimony with joy to the
glory of God, and to your everlasting rejoicing, I say
again, keep in the tender, lowly frame of spirit, which ye
have learned in the Truth, in which ye will witness a
growing up in strength and understanding.

And, dear hearts, love one another with the same love

An Epistle from Stephen Crisp to Friends, S61

wherewith the Lord hath loved you ; which is that love
that forgives trespasses and covers offences. And hereby
ye will always have a sense of each others life and sin-
cerity, and be tender over the good in one another, and
travail for one another's growth and prosperity. , For this
love teacheth to lay no burdens upon one another, but to
help bear each others burdens, as Christ Jesus hath
taught. And while this love dwells in your hearts, there
is no room for evil thoughts, nor for jealousies, nor evil
surmisings ; but whatever is seen in another that is not
right, this love constrains the one, to deal uprightly with
the other ; and the other feeling the virtue of this love is
constrained thereby to submit to the word, of exhortation
for the Lord's sake, and so both are comforted and re-
freshed together.

And, Friends, wait diligently, daily to feel the life
of your testimony renewed in your souls ; that ye may
know the way of (rod to be still the new and living
way. And this will keep you from fainting by reason of
the length of time, that ye bear the cross and sufferings,
and reproach of the gospel ; for when your life and in-
ward consolation are renewed, as well as your exercises
and trials, there can be no weariness.

And this keeps out of all dead formality, which all
other professors fall into : when they have lost the life of
their testimony, they retain a formal profession, which
stands in words and outward things, which neither
please God, nor bring comfort to their souls.

But you, dearly beloved, wait in diligence for the dew
of heaven, daily to water the plant of God, that ye may
be fruitful to him that hath planted you, and may receive
his blessings in your bosoms, in your families, and in
your meetings, and your souls may praise his name
for ever.

And, Friends, let none be discouraged at the prosperity
of the ungodly, nor at the length of their day, but in the
universal spirit, feel the prosperity of the seed which is
arisen to possess the gate of its enemies, and is prosperous
in the hand of the Lord in many lands and countries :
and Truth reigns over the head of deceit, and treads it

262 An Epistle from Stephen Crisp to Friends'.

down, and breaks the head and power of the serpent,
according to the promise of God. And they that believe,
make not haste, but wait in the patience of Christ, to see
the glorious work which is begun and carried on in the
Lord's time, every one fulfilling their own part in their
day ; and being then gathered to their fathers, they lay
down their heads in the faith, steadfastly believing, that
he that hath begun the work, will finish it to his own
glory and honour.

So, dear Friends, the God of my life bless you, pre-
serve and prosper you in his blessed testimony to which
he hath called you, and strengthen you, and give you
wisdom, so to walk as ye have heard and learned from
the beginning, that in the end ye may rest in him, with
all the faithful.

This is the earnest breathing and desire of your true
Friend, in the fellowship of the gospel of peace,

STEPHEN CRISP.

( S63 )

AN

EPISTLE FROM STEPHEN CRISP>

TO

FRIENDS IN THE NORTH.

HEAR and truly beloved, in the everlasting seed and
holy covenant of life eternal, doth my soul salute you
with love unfeigned; for by the same holy pure spi-
rit by which we have been comforted and refreshed in
one another many a time, when we have been together ;
by the same are you brought into my remembrance, and
my spirit gives thanks to God daily on your behalf, to
whom I am knit and united by a band inseparable, be-
cause of your preservation in the faith, and patience of
Jesus our head ; that though the mountains have swelled
to a great height, and the waves of the raging sea have
rolled so violently against the rock of your dwelling, yet
you are where you were, and your faith is confirmed
through your tribulations, and your patience enlarged
through the exercise thereof. Oh ! dear lambs, what hath
our God done for us ? His arm hath been underneath in
all our trials, else we must needs have fainted long ere
now : but herein doth my soul rejoice, that your testimony
doth live, and that all the strength of darkness hath not
slain it, but it remains as a crown upon your heads. Oh !
my dear Friends, let no man take away this your crown,
and let none lose the price he hath already paid ; for if
any man suffer his testimony to fall, after he hath begun
to bear it, he loseth his sufferings that he hath suffered,
and it is not accounted unto him but as a reproach ; as
he that began to build a house and could not finish it.
Therefore, dear hearts, you that have this glorious testi-
mony of salvation and of life committed to you, be ten-
der and careful of it, as of your most choice treasure, and
count it not a small thing that God hath done for you ;
for no honour is like unto this honour, nor no freedpm

264< Jin Epistle from Stephen Crisp,

like the being a faithful servant of God ; for it hath the
reward of this life, and of that which is to come. But
alas ! my dear Friends, none can accomplish this blessed
testimony in these days of trial, but those alone who
know the daily renewing of that power by which we
were called unto it. And none feels that renewing, but
they that daily wait upon the Lord, who is the well-spring
of all our strength and refreshment ; and whensoever any
come to slight their watch, and to neglect their waiting
upon God, they are but as those who forsake the fountain,
and so grow dry, and barren, and unfruitful to God, or
to their own good. So keep your dependance upon the
Lord, that ye may abide, for he abideth ; and they that
are built upon him alone, do also abide unto the end ;
for the unchangeable power is that which doth make you
unchangeable in your testimony ; and as you dwell in
that, you have the promise, and cannot be brought to
nought, as many have been, who have been exalted in
the knowledge, and grown careless of the cross, who are
already fallen, and set forth as Lot's wife once was, as
an ensample of the judgment of God. But such as have
their dependance upon the Lord alone, feel cause in
themselves to be humble and lowly-minded ; and although
they be joined to the power of God in the covenant of his
light, yet self is kept in the death, and the confidence is
in the power, and the honour of all is given to that which
is eternal, and not to the creature, though never so pure.
And they, who thus in the true humility, give the honour
of their standing and preservation unto the Lord, and
not unto themselves, nor their parts, wits, understandings
nor resolutions, these doth God sufficiently honour with
his glory and presence, and supports them in all their
exercises ; but whoever comes to disregard the power,
and thinks to stand by what he knows and hath seen, he
stands but in a slippery place.

And, dear Friends and brethren, remember to keep
holy the sabbath of your rest in Christ, which is now
come, and see that you rest from your labours, and toil-
ing your spirits in the earth and earthly things; and
whoever feels a burden, lay it off, whatever it be, that

to Friends in the North. &65

ye may possess all things in the free spirit that looks not
at the value of any thing in comparison of the Truth, re-
membering the words of our Lord, that where the trea-
sure is, the heart will also be. So that those whose heart
is in a wife, in a husband, in children, in trade, in riches,
in house and lands, or whatever else, so far that they
cannot willingly give them up for the Truth; these are
such a one's treasure, and this treasure is in the earth ;
and the heart is there, whatever they profess. And these
things come to be the gods in the secret chambers, be-
sides the Lord; and so his first and lasting command-
ment, who said, Thou shalt have none other gods besides
me, is broken ; and this brings guilt and burdens upon
the soul, and then thou canst not keep the spiritual sab-
bath to God, for no burden must be borne therein : but
lie that is entered into the rest, is ceased from his own,
works, as God did from his ; and such keep the sabbath
holy.

So, dearly beloved, cast away that labour and toil
which hath made some to walk uncomfortably in the way,
and some to faint and fall from it; and lift up yoftr hearts
to God in the faith, and give up yourselves and all things
to his will ; and there comes an end of all your cares,
saving only to be found doing his will in your genera-
tion.

And in this blessed service is my joy and my fellow-
ship with you, and all the faithful in Christ Jesus, in
whose love my heart is at this time enlarged towards you,
beyond what words can utter. Yet having no new thing
to write unto you, but the very same which we have heard
and learned from the beginning, to wit, that glorious tes-
timony of the resurrection of life and of salvation, which
God, through the manifestation of his Son, hath com-
mitted unto us to bear. In which blessed testimony I
still labour in the strength of the Lord, and he hath
blessed me therein, and caused me by the operation of
his divine love, to sound the same gospel unto several
countries and nations in the eastern parts of the world,
where a door of utterance is opened unto me ; and many
have believed and obeyed the Truth.

34j

266 An Epistle from Stephen Crisp, £fc.

And having now been in England, visiting the churches
about four months, I am again in the will of Grod about
to cross the seas ; though I much desired first to have
seen your faces in the northern parts, whom my soul
dearly loves; but the necessities of other nations and
countries, bring a constraint upon me, at this time, to
omit it. But the salutation of my love abounds towards
you ; and I pray (rod to give you a living sense thereof
in yourselves, to the comforting and refreshing of every
faithful one among you.

Farewell, and the God of peace multiply and increase
his goodness in all your souls, and preserve you all alive
to himself, to bear his holy testimony amongst his ene-
mies, that the world may know that he is risen, that saves
and preserves from falling. To whom belongs everlast-
ing honour, everlasting renown, and dominion for ever
and evermore.

Your dear friend and brother in the Truth, and com-
panion in the kingdom, patience, and tribulations of
Jesus.

STEPHEN CRISP,

( 267 )

AN

EPISTLE FROM STEPHEN CRISP

TO

FRIENDS IN THE EASTERN PARTS.

Dearly beloved Friends,
IN that love that is better felt than expressed, do I
dearly salute you, as having a true sense of a service to
which the Lord God hath called you in that place, to
witness to his name, which is holy, and must be exalted
in the earth; and the power is making known itself abun-
dantly in the earth ; glory be to God for ever. And, dear
hearts, my soul's cry to the Grod of my life, is daily, that
you may be kept and preserved in the dominion of his
holy, pure Seed, which is a lowly dominion, and a king-
dom that comes in power, and stands in the power. And
dear hearts, have a care of yourselves ; I know, by large
experience, it is a day of trial unto you ; therefore keep
your armour on, that spiritual armour of light, that you
may see round about you which way the enemy works
to betray you, and to do you hurt ; and dwell in that
which gives you an understanding and discerning be-
tween the clean and the unclean ; that among the multi-
tudes that come to you, you may know what to feed, and
what to famish ; to whom ye may open, and to whom ye
must shut ; for it is not lawful to give holy things to dogs,
nor wisdom to cast pearls before swine ; but to feed the
seed, and to wait for the gentle showers that fall from
the everlasting hills upon it, both in you and in them ;
that so it may come up, and answer to your life, and to
your obedience and subjection; and that the world may
see you are not your own, but that you are given up to
obey him that hath bought you and redeemed you both
in word and deed.

S68 Jin Epistle from Stephen Crisp, £fc.

Dearly beloved, my heart is full of love to you, and
my prayers are for you ; and I believe the Lord will do
you good, and bring you into a good experience of things
relating to the kingdom of God, which may be for the,
service of his church, and to the comfort of his people.
I am writing something in answer to Alexander Rosse's
lies and slanders, which I shall speed, and send you
a part of, as soon as I can. Here is also a fine book
which George Keith hath written to the Mennists,
showing how they err from the scriptures, in five princi-
pal particulars, as baptism and the Lord's supper, their
foundation, ministry and worship, which I would also
further as fast as I can.

I shall not enlarge, but remain your dear friend and
brother in the Truth,

STEPHEN CRISP.

( 269 )

ANOTHER

EPISTLE FROM STEPHEN CRISP

TO

FRIENDS.

Dearly Beloved Friends,

IN the fellowship of that pure Spirit by which the
Lord hath reached unto us, and quickened us, and
brought us from that sleep and death of sin, and made us
sensible of a life that is eternal ; in this holy fellowship,
1 say, doth my soul dearly salute you, earnestly breath-
ing unto God, who is our fountain, that he may daily
multiply his grace, mercy and peace upon you, and in
you all ; and may by the influence of his good Spirit,
and blessed presence, make up unto you, that which
others in England and elsewhere do enjoy, and you want;
viz, the many precious opportunities of being comforted
together in our general and large meetings, and the large
flo wings forth of the spirit in the ministers of the gospel.

But, Friends, the Lord our (rod can be all, and will
be all in all unto you that trust in him ; and this know,
you are often in our remembrance, and that spirit of life
that is in us, doth often bring you to mind for good, as
members of the same body, nourished by the same bread
by which we live. And, my dear Friends, your testimony
for God, in that howling wilderness, where Sion our
mother, and all her children are yet in suffering, is very
dear and precious in the sight of God, and of me his ser-
vant; I have with comfort and refreshment to myself
and many brethren, been drawn forth to speak of what
I saw and felt among you, as to your patient and joyful
suffering for the gospel's sake in which you have believed.

And now, dear hearts, go on in the name of the Lord,
until your testimony is accomplished, and let your trust
be alone in God, who hitherto hath made way for you

270 An Epistle from Stephen Crisp

beyond expectation, and will still take the care of you,
as a father over his children. And have a care that nothing
be suffered or permitted among you, that hurts your
testimony for God and his blessed name : Oh Friends I
it is more than our lives ; for this is the day in which
God is making known through us unto the world, that
there is a power able to keep them that trust in it, in the
path of righteousness and holiness. Now as we walk
steadfast in it, notwithstanding all opposition, and with-
out being turned aside to the right hand or the left ; so
come men to see that among us, which is not elsewhere
to be found, to wit, a restoration from the sinful and
fallen life of the whole world, which they, through un-
belief, do say is impossible. But when the work of
restoration is wrought, it shows forth the glory of the
power that wrought it, and the witness shall rise and
answer to the glory of God.

Therefore, I say, Friends, let nothing hurt this ho-
nourable testimony which to you is committed in that
dark country ; and if any among you walk disorderly,
and not as becomes the holy calling wherewith you are
called, take notice of such ; and if they repent not and
reform their evil ways, let the world know that such are
not guided in their evil conversation, by that pure Light
and Spirit in which you have believed. And seeing it
hath pleased God to put it into the heart of our dear
sister E. C. to visit you in the love of God, and fellow-
ship of the gospel, which I doubt not will be to your
comfort and spiritual advantage ; therefore let us by her
have an account how it stands with you particularly;
and if any be disorderly and rebel against the Truth,
send us the particulars, that they may be considered at
the general meeting here, and our best counsel, advice
and assistance we shall send unto you.

And, dear Friends, let none be weary of tribulations,
knowing that the glory of God and the gospel is thereby
advanced, and the seed that is sown in this generation
through sufferings, shall come up in the next, in great glory
and dominion. Therefore, be of good courage ; your

to Friends in the Eastern Parti. S71

work, service, tribulations and afflictions, will never be
forgotten.

And, dear Friends, I came lately out of England,
where there is the greatest addition and increase of the
church of God that ever mine eyes beheld ; and the oc-
casion of it, as to the outward, is a certain law that is
made to plunder Friends' goods, for meeting and preach-
ing; 40Z. sterling for preaching, except the first time,
which is 201. and 201. for the house where the meeting
is, and 10s. for every one that meets. And hereupon
many Friends have been spoiled of their goods ; and
their boldness, steadfastness, faithfulness, and courage
have astonished the nation from the greatest to the least;
and many have believed ; and many officers and magis-
trates rather chose to suffer themselves, than to execute
the law. So that Truth's prosperity is very eminent in
that nation ; and in Scotland and Ireland there is also a
great increase ; and remember, my dear lambs, ye are the
first fruits unto our God in these countries ; that is your
crown ; wear it honourably, and suffer for the remainder
of the seed in meekness and patience, and commit the
work to God, who will break through the nations in his
great power, and will make our innocency shine as the
sun.

So, dear lambs, God Almighty preserve you to him-
self, and comfort and guide you as a Shepherd, and feed
and satisfy you with heavenly refreshments; this is the
desire of my soul for you ; and I know it is your desire ;
and I know God doth and will hear the supplications
and cries of his own ; and in this confidence and faith, I
remain your true and real friend in the gospel of peace,

STEPHEN CRISP,

( m )

TO

THE RULERS AND INHABITANTS

IN

HOLLAND,

AND THE REST OF

THE UNITED PROVINCES.

(The Original Manuscript of a Book in Dutch, called The Ground
and Cause of the Misery of the Netherlands.)

OH, Holland, and the adjacent provinces, a renowned
land, a land full of riches, full of people, full of reli-
gion, and full of all iniquity! Oh, what lamentation shall
I take up over thee, oh, Netherlands ! My soul is afflict-
ed for thee, and my heart is filled with sorrow concern-
ing thy state;, how is distress and anguish come upon
thee ere thou art aware ? And how are thy bowels filled
with confusion and distraction, breakings and shatterings
on every side ? Thy wise men and rulers have lost their
ancient policy, and thy whole land hath lost that unity
in which thy glorying was; and misery is broken in
upon thee like a sea, and there are no banks to keep it
out ; thy strong holds have been and are still but snares
to thee, and gins of thy own preparing, wherein thou art
catched and taken, and hast none to deliver thee; thy
gold and money are now no saviour, neither availeth it
thee that thou hast gotten great riches, for that doth but
sharpen the force of thy enemies against thee ; thy multi-
tude of counsellors is now no safety to thee, because they
are broken in judgment, and confounded and shattered
in their counsels, every man being joined to his own
faction, and seeking the promoting thereof; thy allies
stand afar off to see what will become of thee. Oh, re-

To the Rulers and Inhabitants, £fc. 273

nowned land, of whose fame and greatness the whole
world rung, and all princes and potentates had an eye
upon thy affairs and prosperity, marvelling whereto it
would grow, how Is thy glory stained, thy name and
fame decayed, thy beauty turned to ashes, thy strength
to weakness, thy unity to confusion and tumults, thy
dread to reproach and shame, and the eyes of all po-
tentates now looking out at thy fall and desolation which
hasteth upon thee ! These things are greatly to be la-
mented, and yet is there a greater lamentation over thee,
and that is that few or none have laid these things to
heart, nor sought out the cause of this misery, nor set a
hand to remove it; but the nearer the plagues come, the
more pride, looseness, and hardness of heart, do fill thy
land, and cities, and people ; therein few or none stand
in the gap, few or none plead with God by true repent-
ance, and turning from those abominations for which the
mighty God of heaven is come to visit thee ; but thy eyes
and mind are out at this cause and that cause, crying out
this is a traitor, and that is a traitor ; and one makes lies,
another reports and spreads them, and a third proceeds
upon that as upon a foundation, and so judgment and jus-
tice are turned backward, and your fingers made foul with
blood, and your hands full of iniquity, so that your sword
cannot prevail, nor your designs prosper, until you repent
and turn to the hand that smites you. And then on the
other hand, how are the eyes of the people out at saviours
upon the earth, feeding yourselves with vain and windy
hopes to rid yourselves from your calamity by this means
and by that means, setting up one man, and pulling down
another, calling strangers to your assistance, rather than
making peace with an offended God, whose anger is
justly kindled against you because of your abominations !
Another great misery upon thee at this time is, that
thou hast few or none, to deal plainly with thee in this
thy forsaken condition ; but thy teachers, who have been
the great stirrers up of this confusion, and makers of
parties within thee, are as blind seers that can see no
way for thy escape, but are putting you upon desperate
designs, which tend more to their own interest and ad~

35

S74 To the Rulers and Inhabitants

vantage than to yours, so thinking to make an advan-
tage of your misery, and build their tower higher with
your ruin. And in place of telling you how you were
brought into this condition, and how you might come
out, they are crying out, that they have been too much
despised, and their church counsels too much inspect-
ed, and their power too much limited and restrained,
and you have given too much liberty for people to
exercise their consciences in matters of religion as they
"were persuaded, though contrary to them and their
prescriptions ; so that if you will but serve them in per-
secuting all their opposers, though more upright than
themselves, and if you will but set them up, and put more
into their mouths, they will cry peace to you : oh beware
of such blind guides that see not the danger, nor the
way to escape it, but such have you too long followed.
Oh ye Netherlanders, until now both the leaders and
the led, the rulers and the people, are fallen and falling
into a pit together.

And now that things are thus far gone, oh that there
were yet but an ear to hear counsel, that I might have
hope concerning you, that ye might yet turn to the Lord,
and that he might have mercy on you before utter ruin
hath laid you desolate : yea, a travail is upon me for you,
that ye might be saved if it be possible, and the decree
be not sealed against you : and, however, that I may be
clear in (rod's sight, and free from the blood of all men,
it lies upon me to spread a few things by way of coun-
sel and consideration before the people of these countries,
that the just principle in all consciences may be reached
unto, unto which I do appeal ; and they shall testify in
the day of judgment in the face of all the rebellious, that
they were warned, and that they rejected counsel.

And first, consider the great hypocrisy that is in this
land, which is a crying sin, and provokes the Lord to
anger; how is the simplicity of your forefathers lost?
Where is that zeal and fervency that appeared for refor-
mation a hundred years since ? Nay, is it not become a
crime for any man to seek a further reformation than that
which is stinted and limited by men of corrupt minds ?

in Holland, §*e. 2-73

Steets genegen tot alle boosheit, alle de gebooden godts
brekende. Belid. 5. Doit. 61. Art. Is not this the top of
your reformation ? And if any come to preach a freedom
from sin, and a clean sacrifice out of a clean heart, and
the change of the nature that God works in his children,
that they come Steets genegen tot alle good heyt, how
hateful is such doctrine both to priests and people, as if
they should say, we will have no more reformation than
we have, that is to pray and preach with sinful hearts,
and to perform sinful performances, to transgress and
break all the commands of God, and to abide in the sin-
ful state till we die ; this is the pitch of our religion and
reformation; oh ye hypocrites, can ye bring forth a clean
offering out of such an unclean vessel ? And if the offer-
ing be polluted, will it not be abominable to the pure
God? Said not Christ, first make the inside clean? There-
fore, oh ye inhabitants, cease from all your polluted ser-
vice, and sit down in silence, and say as they did of old,
the Lord hath put us to silence, Jer. viii. 14, 15, 16.
And in this silent submission to the will of God will you
come to find every one the cause of the plague in his own
bosom, to wit, an unclean heart never yet made clean, and
yet undertake to be a worshipper ; an old corrupt nature
never mortified, and yet undertake to talk of a new birth :
oh this hypocrisy hath rung loud in the ears of the God
of heaven, and hath pulled down judgments upon you,
for his soul is weary of your worships and services.
Either come down to his witness in your consciences, the
light which shows you your uncleauness and inclinations
to all wickedness, and believe therein, and humble your-
selves before him, or else cease from worshipping in your
vain and empty forms, for the longer you go on therein,
the more will you provoke the Lord against you, and
that shall ye know to be true from the Lord, to you all,
both one sort and another, who worship in that fallen
state, and sinful condition, and neither come to know a
cleansing, nor so much as a hope thereof raised up in you.
2. Again, consider the rendings and tearings that are
among you upon the account of doctrine and worship,
Which you have all laid upon God, as if he were the au-

276 To the Rulers and Inhabitants

thor of it all ; and that he stood on the part of every party,
though never so opposite one to another, and herein is
the Lord highly provoked, yea his name blasphemed, of
which he is and always was very jealous. How many
rents and divisions are there at this day among the priests
of these countries ? How many among the states and ru-
lers ? How many among the ministers? How many among
all other sects beyond number ? And which of them is it
that doth not endeavour to espouse God, and Christ, and
scripture, &c. as the head of the quarrel and controversy,
as if God were like unto you, broken and divided in
counsel ; oh for shame, put a stop to this taking the name
of God into your mouths, till ye come to know his will
better, and name him not in your rents and divisions,
and private interests, carried on with specious pretences ;
for he sees all your deceitful purposes, and will not hold
that man guiltless that takes his name in vain. Exod. xx.
And know this, that before any man should dare to make
use of the name of God, to maintain his party and cause,
lie ought first to know that his cause is God's cause, and
how should you, any of you know that, while you deny
any infallible spirit in you, or revelation thereby; do
not all your discords remain as doubtful to you, on one
side as on the other? How dare then one man or people
persecute the other, and that upon the account of God's
work, and use his name thereto ? Did not God reprove
this work in the days of Isaiah, ch. lxvi. b, yet ye are
going on with it against them whom ye hate, and there-
by provoke the Lord to anger.

3. Again, consider the means you are using for deli-
verance in this day of your distress, and see whether you
are not working the contrary way, and thereby provoking
the Lord more and more. The first means is by pro-
claiming a fasting day to pray for a blessing upon your
arms by land and sea against your enemies, &c. Now
may not the Lord justly say, who hath required this at
your hands ? What prophet have you among you that
hath received the word from the Lord to say with Joel,
Jo. ii. 15, Blow the trumpet, sanctify a fast, call a solemn
assembly, &c. No, you have denied that spirit, and de-

in Holland, §c. ^T7

lried that which should sanctify your congregations. And
further, in case ye be persuaded it is your duty to keep
a fast, let as many as are so minded observe it in quiet-
ness and humility, but make not your fast an occasion of
strife and persecution against your neighbours and friends
who are not like minded ; for how can you expect a bless-
ing upon your arms, by forcing people to observe your
fast, who neither have faith in your fast, nor arms nei-
ther; and would it not be hypocrisy and sin in such as
are otherwise minded, to dissemble with God and you,
and make you believe they had unity with you, and have
it not? Said not the apostle, Whatsoever is not of faith
is sin? Rom. xiv. 23. And those that because they have
no faith either in your fast or in your arms, cannot dis-
semble and make a show of fasting with you, those you
persecute. Do you think this can bring a blessing upon
you and your proceedings ? I tell you nay ; but ye will
find one day that ye pull down judgments faster by per-
secution than you can prevent them with all your prayers
and fastings ; therefore, cease from using force herein
upon the consciences of any, and they that find their
hearts prepared to keep a day, let them keep it to the
Lord in peace and sincerity, and not to strife and debate,
and to persecuting them that will not do like them. Read
Isaiah, lviii. % 5, 6, 7? see what fast the Lord did then
call for, and he is Grod and doth not change, and till you
come to break off from strife, envy, persecution and op-
pression, your fast will not avail you. Another way
which you have taken for your defence is to make bul-
warks, and to take up arras, which, instead of being a
voluntary work, ye impose it, and enjoin it upon the
people as you do your fast, laying force upon the con-
sciences of people, though you knew there were many a
thousand in the land who had long made profession
against these things, whose hypocrisy is now largely
manifested, and it is seen it was but a profession without
power ; but if they had kept to their principles, we see
what great persecution must thereupon have followed by
the few that have suffered, and borne their testimony in
these things. Oh Netherlanders, is this the way to pros*

278 To the Rulers and Inhabitant's

per, to put force upon the consciences of people, which
alone belong to God, and which your fathers a hundred
years ago did understand no man had power over? (See
the proclamation of the States-General in the year 1581.)
And have you more power in these causes than the king
of Spain had ? Or is it any better for the people of this
age to observe your holidays when you impose them upon
them, if they have no faith in them, nor unity with them,
than it would have been for the people of that age to have
observed the holidays of the papists, which were imposed
upon them, in which they had no faith nor unity with
them. Oh! consider these things, and let conscience be
free for God to rule there, for it is his dwelling-place.

4. Consider what use is at this time made of your low
estate, that instead of turning to the Lord, whose heavy
hand is upon you, and passing by offences wherein ye
have offended each other, and forgiving injuries, and
joining together in covenant with God, and one another
in love, as Christians ought to do: I say, instead hereof,
how is one taking advantage of revenge upon another,
and bringing forth mischief and evil against his neigh-
bour and his brother, and by all means true or false,
sometimes seeking the ruin and destruction each one of
him that is against him, or hath injured him. This is not
the way to healing thy wound, Oh Netherlands, but is
the way to make thy wounds daily bleed afresh, and to
give matter to thy enemies to rejoice over thee, who can
so easily rejoice and triumph one over another; far bet-
ter were it, that ye did humble yourselves and forgive
one another, and seek the public welfare by banishing
each one out of his own bosom that traitor called wrake-
sucht, and enmity, which hath been the ruin of many
famous countries, and hath begun to ruin yours, and will
certainly ruin it, if not cast out ; for self-interest always
breeds contention, and contention wrakesucht; but the
universal love of God which teacheth in the first place
to give no occasion of offence, that preserves all societies
in peace; and had this universal love of God prevailed
in this land, things had not come to the pass they are
come to; but pride and haughtiness went before a fall,

in Holland, #c. 279

and now are the lofty fallen, and they that have been
long contriving how to get into great honours and digni-
ties, are as in a moment fallen. Oh that all that are
concerned both in this falling and rising would consider
the just hand of God in these things, but let none act in
revenge against his neighbour, nor his brother, for ven-
geance is the Lord's, and he doth and will repay it ; and
if some magistrates must be turned out because they have
been exalted, let men more humble, more wise, more
fearing God, and hating covetousness, be nominated in
their places, and not such as will step but into their de-
caying glory, and withering dignities, and there exalt
themselves as they have done, for that is the way to bring
down more judgments and plagues upon this distressed
land, and always to be unsettled and filled with confusion.
5. It is worth the consideration of all men how the
mighty hand of God is manifested in this our age in break-
ing the decrees and force of men, and in overturning all
devices which are contrived of men for the settling their
own interest : by which all men ought to learn to take
heed of binding, or seeking to bind the hand of the Al-
mighty. When was there more policy and counsel em-
ployed for the settling of self-interest than was in England
against the present king ? And when men's bands were
at the strongest, then the Lord confounded their counsels,
and brought him over them, whom they had most ex-
cluded ; yet this served not the rulers of this land for a
warning, who trusted not so much in the Lord for their
establishment, if it were his will, as in their own edicts
and contrivances to keep out the young prince of Orange,
and how suddenly were all their bands and edicts broken ?
Therefore, how had all men need to stand in awe, and to
fear before the Lord, and every one to act quietly in his
own sphere, without having regard to self-interest, and
endeavouring to establish it by deep and crafty contriv-
ances, and without having an eye to what shall be, ex-
cept they knew the counsel of the Almighty therein !
Therefore, O prince, rulers, and people, be wise, sober,
and watchful, and fear and dread the living God, who
sees all your thoughts and purposes; and so many of your

280 To the Rulers and Inhabitants

purposes as are contrary to his holy, pure, and righteous
will, he will either prevent and bring to nought, or else
suffer to come to pass to the hurt and sorrow of the pro-
posers thereof; and in both he will glorify his name, and
make the inhabitants of the earth, both high and low, to
know that he is God, and there is no God besides him
that can pull down and set up at his pleasure ; and that
arrogancy, pride, cruelty, and oppression, are no more
pleasing to him in one man's name or appearance than in
another : and that no throne can be established but in
righteousness, nor no counsel nor government prosper but
what is grounded upon justice and truth, which is the
foundation of every thing that is fast ; and what is not
built thereupon is easily shaken and removed, as expe-
rience hath always taught, and doth teach ; therefore saith
wisdom, Proverbs, viii. 15, By me kings reign and
princes decree justice, &c. and happy is that king, prince,
and ruler, who take wisdom for their guide, and the fear
of God, which is the beginning thereof, for their coun-
sellor.

6. Consider the condition of the burghers in this land,
who in most cities have put themselves in a posture of
defence against their enemies, and let the wise in heart
judge whether in their present state and condition they
have any reason to expect a blessing upon their endea-
vours. O ye burghers, awake and consider how your
time is spent, night and day, in your court, guards and
watches, and lay it to heart, and bethink you, whether it
be now a time for you to multiply your sius and wicked-
ness, and to provoke the Lord to blast all your endea-
vours by your drinking, carding, dicing, and playing, by
all manner of wantonness, idleness, and light and filthy
discourses, and these exercises you call pastimes. Alas,
miserable men, you know not how soon your time may
be short enough, yea, so that you would be glad it were
longer, when a bullet may pass through your head, or a
spear through your bowels, as it has done with many of
late, and may do with many more. Oh ! then a little time
would be precious to you, and especially you that have
not been brought up to such lascivious exercises, but to

in Holland, §*c. 281

your shops and trades, and worldly business, for you to
fall into such courses, and corrupt yourselves, and make
your guards as schools and nurseries of wickedness, and
that in such a time when the Lord hath filled your land
and towns with amazement and confusion ; is this a time
to devise ways and means to shorten your time, and to
spend it worse than ever you did before? Oh ! be ashamed
of these things, and banish cards, and dice, and all wan-
tonness out of your guards, and fear the Lord (rod to
whom you must give an account of all your words and
actions, and of every minute of your mis-spent time ; and
how soon you shall be called to an account hereof you
know not ; but this I am sure, there is a witness for God
nigh in every one of your consciences, which reproves
these things in secret, and if you would give ear thereto,
you would be called to an account every day and hour,
and would spend every day and night as your last, and
then when the end of your days did come, you would
be able to give an account with joy : and know this, that
although this witness of God be despised by you, and the
counsel thereof rejected, yet it will leave you without ex-
cuse in the day of judgment, and then shall you know
that your looseness, wickedness and hardness of heart,
hath grieved the spirit of the Lord, that hath striven with
you every one, as you may see, Job, xxxiii. 14, 29, 30,
and consider every one, if God hath not striven with you
to turn you from your evil way, and what is the reason
you are not turned. And consider also if it be not high
time to leave off wickedness, and not multiply it, espe-
cially when death stands by the door, and in the grave
there is no work ; and let none say, our city is strong, our
burghers are valiant, our commanders are true and faith-
ful ; for if all these things be so, yet these cannot save
you, for the hand of the Lord is above, and beyond all
these things, and his hand is upon you for your sin and
iniquity, and from it can no man protect nor deliver you ;
read Psalm, cxxvii. 1, Except the Lord keep the city the
watchmen watch in vain ; and how can you expect the
Lord to be a keeper of your cities, when you are daily
filling them with those things that are abominable in his

36

282 To the Rulers and Inhabitants

sight? May he not justly cast you out as a reproach and
shame before your enemies, who exceed them all in pro-
fession, and yet daily increase your sins and wickedness.
Oh! repent, repent, and cease to do evil, and cleanse
your hearts, and purify your hands, ye double-minded,
or else the hand that is lifted up against you, will lay you
waste, and none shall be able to deliver you.

7- In the next place, consider what you are doing
all you who are daily raising tumults and insurrections
in the bowels of this distressed land, breaking the bounds
of all order or moderation, stoning, plundering and kill-
ing, and evilly entreating whom you please ; yea, youp
rulers themselves, upon the bare suggestions of every idle
and unruly tongue. What do you think will be the effect
of these things ? How shall your fastings and prayers
procure a blessing from the righteous God, while your
hands are full of blood and cruelty, disorder and mis-
rule ? Is this you that used to be crying out to those,
who for conscience sake, could not in some things be
subject to the commands of rulers, but rather exposed
themselves to patient suffering, Oh ye must be subject to
magistrates, ye must not rebel against authority, nor be
seditious and such like? Where now is your zeal for the
authority and for the magistrates ? Doth it not appear
that deceit and hypocrisy have lodged in the secret cham-
bers of your hearts, and now it is manifest that ye regard
neither magistrates nor authority? But the bringing to pass
your mad and monstrous wills, raging as madmen with-
out either bounds or order ; tossed like a sea, one while
oneway, another while another, without any stability;
by which you are a shame both to your religion and go-
vernment, and a grief to all that have the fear of God
before their eyes. Were it not better that every one rest-
ed in quietness and in peace, waiting upon God, to see
him bring down and set up at his pleasure, and discern-
ing of God, who is the fountain of wisdom, to endue your
prince and rulers with wisdom, how to remove evil men
out of authority, and to place better in their places, and you
to continue in obedience to the power of God, wronging
no man, and abusing no man? Would not this be a

in Holland, §*c. 283

speedier way to bring down a blessing upon you, and
your land and government, and to stop the proceedings
of your enemies, than by filling the land with tumults
and uproars, with violence and cruelties? To that of God
in all consciences I speak, let that answer me.

8. And now the bands of government are broken among
you, and must be again made up, or else you must in-
evitably perish ; let every one, both high and low, consi-
der what government in itself is, that so ye may from the
true original thereof, proceed every one to know your
place in the creation, both how to rule and to be ruled.
The apostle Paul saitb, the powers that are, are of God;
but that power by which a magistrate becomes a tyrant,
or a subject becomes a rebel, that is not of God, but of
the devil, who is the author of evil ; but the power that
is of God, leaves neither ruler nor subject to the liberty
of their own will, but limits both to the will of God ; so
that the magistrate hath no power to command evil to be
done, because he is a magistrate, and the subject hath no
liberty to do evil, because a magistrate doth command it,
but both must be subject to the supreme power of God,
if they will be happy, for that is the ground of happi-
ness. Now this power as it is in God is incomprehensible
and without limit or end ; but as it is manifest in the sons'
and daughters of men, it is the pale and limit that stands
between all good and evil actions ; and all good that is
done is done in it; and all evil that is done is done with-
out it ; and this power stands in all men as a fixed, set-
tled principle to rule them, and to give them law in every
action and word, what they must do, and what they must
forbear ; and he that acts by, and within the compass of
this, he hath no cause to fear the power of the magistrate,
because he hath unity with it ; for his sword is his praise,
and a terror to those that do evil, Rom. xiii. 3. And
therefore God who is a God of order and peace, hath
made known this just and equal principle, called
power, wisdom, light, truth, justice, &c. in every man
both high and low, that men might live in order and in
peace upon the face of the earth, 1 Cor. xiv. 33. By this
the ruler knows it is not good to be fierce, cruel nor in-

£84? To the Rulers and Inhabitants

jurious ; and also that if he were a subject, he would not
be so done unto : by this the subject knows that he ought
not to be stubborn, rebellious nor treacherous ; and that
if he were a ruler he would not be so done unto ; so, as
long as this blessed principle of (rod is submitted to, both
by rulers and people, so long they are a blessing, com-
fort and strength, one to another, and not longer ; for the
power in the ruler is one with the power in the subject;
and whosoever turns from the power, the power turns
against him, and the unity is broken, and instead of peace
and tranquillity, there are discord and trouble ; therefore
happy and blessed are that prince and people, who are
both subject to the higher power, which is the power of
God ; for such feel perfect love and unity one with ano-
ther, and the prince commands in obedience to God, and
the subject obeys for God's sake, and not out of fear,
1 Pet. ii. 13 ; and a government, and a rule built upon
this foundation, and kept here, shall always prosper.
Here no man seeks to vassalize his fellow -creature to his
own will, and no man counts obedience to his lawful
prince a vassallage ; but both serve God in their several
places with cheerfulness : and how happy would such a
nation be and such a people ; and how ought every one
to labour to attain to the knowledge and obedience of
this power which made all things good, and keeps all in
good order ! This, this alone, oh Netherlands ! can heal
thy wound and cure thy breach. This is that can drive
away thy enemies, and reconcile thee with thy friends and
brethren, and until this blessed power of God be had in
more esteem in thee, thou canst not be healed. To this
alone belongs the titles of groote, hoogeu, moogen, ach-
baer, &c. and not to frail and sinful men. And such as
have taken these titles upon them, or do still take them,
the hand of God is, and will be against them ; and will
make them know, that out of this power they are neither
hoogen, nor moogen, nor achbaer, but full of breakings
and confusion : and this pride and exaltation, have been
one cause of thy wound, and if thou should be made
whole on one side, thou wilt break out of another ; and
if thou had no enemies, thou wouldest prove thy own

in Holland, $c. 285

destroyer. Therefore whoever hath an ear let him hear
the voice that calls for truth and righteousness, and judg-
ment among you; and when ye are willing to hear the
Lord, then he will hear you, and not before; and so in
the mean time, while his voice and power in you are
slighted and despised, he will despise and slight all your
fasts and prayers ; yea, and all your labour and toil to
settle yourselves either in religion or government, shall
be in vain. And this shall you know from the Lord,
when he hath fulfilled his purpose upon you, and laid
waste the heritage of the rebellious, and brought you
down to lowliness and to repentance, and to confess unto
him and to his power, which is over all, blessed for ever.
So, Friends, thus far have I cleared myself and dealt
faithfully with you, and warned you of the causes of your
evils, and, whether you will hear or forbear, the Lord
will one day make you know that he hath raised me up
as a watchman to your country, and that I have seen the
evil coming upon you, and have faithfully warned you of
your evil ways, Ezek. xxxiii. 7, 8, both now and before
at divers times, as may be seen in my complaint over
Groningen, printed in the year 1669. Vrieslant terst &
twede deele gedruckt. And well had it been for those
Netherlands if they had taken counsel then; then had
these evils not come upon them. And now I am again
drawn forth in the love of God, once more to write unto
you, though I would willingly have forborne writing at
such a time as this, if I might have been clear in God's
sight; and glad should I be that you had an ear to hear
while yet the day lasteth; and let none be offended at
the plainness of my dealing with you, for it is high time
to speak plainly, destruction is at the door, and it is not
my work to flatter you, nor to advance any party or fac-
tion among you, as the most of your manifold foolish
scribblers at this time do by their pasquils and pamphlets,
which tend more to the increasing your misery, and
kindling up more animosities and feuds among you, than
to taking away either the cause of your misery, or to the
healing your breach : and for my part, I have learned not
to fear man? nor seek the favour of any party or faction,

286 To the Rulers and Inhabitants, £fc.

but to answer the witness of God in all men's consciences,
is ray aim and desire. And so, hoping there is yet a
people in thee, Oh Netherlands ! whose day is not yet
over, nor to whom the word of prophecy and counsel
may not be sent, to make your ears deaf, your eyes blind,
and your hearts fat, Isa. vi. 9, 10; but that it may tend
to the improvement and amendment of life ; I say, hop-
ing there is such a people, I leave this my testimony, to
be read by them in the fear of the Lord, and to be im-
proved to his glory and their comfort. And for the rest,
who cannot endure sound counsel and reproofs, but per-
sist in their iniquity, and harden their hearts against the
Lord and his truth, and against the testimony of his ser-
vants, such shall be forced to endure his plagues and
judgments, until they are converted or consumed. And
to conclude, I say with Malachi, both to priests and peo-
ple, They shall find the day of God to be as a fiery oven,
and all that do not lay his word to heart, shall be as fuel.
Read Mai. ii. 1, 2. iv. 1.

( 287 )

AN

EPISTLE FROM STEPHEN CRISP,

TO THE

PRINCESS ELIZABETH,
IN GERMANY.

IN that love that is universal and free in its own Sow-
ings forth, am I at this time drawn forth to visit the
beloved seed of God, with a tender salutation which will
be better felt and understood in that tender lowly seed
of the kingdom, than it can be read or comprehended in
the sensual or carnal comprehending wisdom of this
world. Therefore, my desire is, that with an inward
retired consideration, thou mayest consider what I have
to say, which I was desirous, and did hope to have sig-
nified unto thee by word of mouth, but am hindered at
present through weakness and inability of body, and
other urgent concerns for the precious Truth's sake, of
which I am a servant, which do not admit of so long
a journey, nor of any long stay at present in these parts.
Neither could I be clear in God's sight, without signify-
ing somewhat of that which is upon me concerning
thee. And I pray God thou mayest have a sense of the
depth of that love from whence it springs.

Well, my friend, for a long time hath a love wrought
in my heart to your family, and great pity wrought in
me many years since, in consideration of the distresses
of the years of your childhood; and a secret joy was in
me, when it pleased God to end those long German wars,
and to restore you in some measure to your former dig-
nities and capacities, wherein you were made capable of
serving God in your generation, who had been so gra-
cious to you. And when I heard that thy brother Charles
had laid his hand upon God's little heritage in the Pala-

288 Jin Epistle from Stephen Crisp

tinate, it grieved my soul for his sake ; arid I was drawn
to go to him at Heydelburg, and in great meekness and
fear of God to warn him of God's displeasure, which I felt
kindled against him ; and this was about the year 1669 ;
and I was constrained to tell him, that as he had
stretched out his hand against God's heritage, the Lord
would stretch out his hand against his, if he did not
cease persecuting the Lord's people for their conscience
towards God. And oh, that he had taken counsel in the
day of his visitation !

And when I heard that thou didst receive several un-
der thy protection, which were expelled and banished
from other places, though I knew their root and ground
to be, that which would not abide in the day of trial,
yet I did rejoice on thy behalf, as believing that it sprang
from a tender principle in thee, which was willing, as
far as thou knewest, to receive disciples in the name of
disciples; and did hope, that in time thou mightest come
to have a disciple's reward ; and that thou mightest in the
end, come to know the revelation of that root and foun-
dation, which hath been the rock of ages to the righteous
in all generations.

And, according to this hope, a travail was in my spi-
rit for thee before the Lord, that he, by his divine power,
might open thy understanding, to see beyond, and over
the offences and stumbling blocks that some pretenders
to high things had cast in thy way, and might learn
thereby to cease from man and men, and their words and
ways, and might be brought to the holy anointing in thy-
self, through faith in Christ Jesus, the quickening spirit;
that by it thou mightest be taught to know the unchange-
able Truth, and how to walk therein with a steadfast
and upright heart before the Lord, to his glory and ho-
nour, and to the good example of those committed to thy
care and charge.

And now, according to the inward travail of my soul,
a day of visitation is come upon thee from the Lord,
and his secret and divine power hath reached thy heart,
and hath as it were shaken the earthly foundations,~that
that which cannot be shaken, might be manifested. And

to the Princess Elizabeth in Germany. 289

in this tender visitation of Grod to thy soul, doth my soul
rejoice ; but my joy is mixed with fear and with a godly
jealousy, lest thou shouldst notwithstanding be beguiled
of the inheritance prepared for the faithful. And there-
fore, that I may clear my conscience in God's sight, and
answer the tender operations of love, which I feel in my
heart towards thee, let me exhort thee to faithfulness to
the love of Grod so manifest unto thee.

And first, I say with the prophet, despise not the day
of small things, nor the branch that springs out of a dry
ground ; for he whose visage is more marred than any
man's, is the fountain of treasure to them that believe
and obey him. For although the Truth doth not appear
in such forms, styles, and methods, and with such drest
up articles, confessions and creeds as the divers invented
ways of men have done, whose mountains have all of
them had hands, first to make them, and then to defend
them ; yet this stone which is cut out of this mountain, and
without hands, will in time break down the images, the
carved, the graven and the molten work of men's hands,
and then increase and fill the whole earth.

Therefore, I say again, despise not the simple, plain
appearance of the light of Christ in the conscience, as a
low thing, and a mean dispensation ; for through it, is the
knowledge of the Father and of the Son unto eternal life,
in all them that believe and obey it ; and those that say
it is a low and mean thing, let them first learn to be obe-
dient to it, in all its requirings, reprovings and disco-
veries. And this will stop the mouths of all opposers,
who are finding fault with it, as low and mean, and yet
walk not up to it.

Secondly, Beware of that which would exalt itself in
the vision of heavenly things, and take the vision for a
possession, as too many have done ; but in times of open-
ings and discoveries, keep low, and be of a plain and
single heart before the Lord ; for vision is for encour-
agement, and not for exaltation ; but whosoever makes
images of those things which they have seen in heaven,
will also bow down to them, and endeavour to make
others bow too, and thence comes a worse Babel, and a

37

290 Jin Epistle from Stephen Crisp

worse idolatry, than that which is set up among them,
who never yet saw into heaven, and so only can make
images of things on earth, and how and cause others to
bow thereunto. Therefore, if the Lord enlarge thy sight
of divine things, by his divine, pure spirit and light in
thy inward parts, walk humbly before him in lowliness
and fear, that thou mayest feel his gentle leadings to
lead thee into the enjoyment and possession of what thou
hast seen, that thou then mayest witness forth his praise to
the sons and daughters of men.

Thirdly, Beware of thy own will, which would run
hastily forth after those things which in and by the will
of man, cannot be attained ; but watch diligently to know
thy own will subject to the will of God in all things ; for
it is not lawful for us to will those things of ourselves,
which are good in themselves ; but to possess our souls
in patience, supported in faith, believing that in (rod's
due time we shall reap, if we faint not. And if the saints
had need of patience to wait for the promise, when they
had done the will of God, how much need have such to
be patient, and to watch the hasty will which would
have the promise, and the power, and peace, and rest, &c.
when they are yet far short of having done the will of
God?

And, Fourthly, let no man deceive thee, either by puffing
thee up, or casting thee down, for it is the Lord that
knows the heart, and not only knows it, but discovereth
it, and his discovery is true, and ought to be believed ;
and no better or worse is any one's state, than just so as
it is represented to them by the pure divine light of Christ
Jesus in their own consciences ; and whoever represents
them better or worse, are deceivers, or mistaken guides.
This is the standard of true knowledge and judgment,
that we all must make use of to believe, and be subject
to, whenever we would take a true measure of ourselves.
This is he that said to some, I have a few things against
thee, and to others, I have many things against thee, &c.
And this is the minister of the tabernacle of God that is
with men, who deals out to every one their proper por-
tion, according to their state, and present condition.

to the Princess Elizabeth in Germany, 291

This is the voice of the Son by whom God now Speaks,
and whom all must hear, and they that hear him live :
he hath power to cast down and to raise up, to wound
and to heal, to kill and make alive, and so hath no one
else. Therefore, wait upon him with an upright mind,
and wherein thou hast at any time been unfaithful, he will
show it, and give thee repentance unto life, and heal thy
backsliding, and at last show thee the consolation of her
whose warfare is accomplished : but it must be accom-
plished in thee first, and that by his divine assistance,
and through pure judgment; for Sion was always re-
deemed with judgments, and her converts with righteous-
ness.

Fifthly, Beware of the friendship of this world, for it
is destructive to the work of God, and is oppressive to
his seed; and when his seed cries to him, from under
the oppression of the spirit of this world, the Lord will
hear, and visit thee in judgment for his seed's sake ; and
thou wilt want that inward comfort thy soul desires : for
in the world's friendship lodgeth, very hiddenly, the real
enmity against God ; so that when we came but to break
off from the outward forms and tokens of the world's
friendship, the enmity wrought mightily against us ; but
the Lord hath crowned his faithful seed and people with
dominion and power, and slain the enmity, and led cap-
tivity captive, glory be to him for ever and ever. And for
this cause is the love of God shed abroad in thy heart,
that it might overcome the enmity, and that wherein it
lodgeth, that thy soul might reign, through a death to the
world, and its glory, over the world, and over the spirit
that rules in it ; and might tread down the vanity and
emptiness thereof, in the dominion of the just; not regard-
ing, but despising the shame and reproach that belong to
the gOspel, and the present tribulations that may attend
it, which are but for a moment, as knowing that they
work for the faithful, a far more exceeding weight of
glory. So keep thy eye to the recompense, and to the
crown which God the righteous judge shall give in that
day, when sheep and goats, lovers of this world, and
lovers of Christ more than all, shall be separated one

29£ An Epistle from Stephen Crisp, Sfc.

from another, and the world's lovers shall perish with the
world, and Christ's true lovers shall reign with him for
evermore.

Sixthly, Let thy power which God hath given thee in
the earth, shine forth in righteousness, in mercy, and in
truth ; for, for that end art thou called, to set forth a good
example in the administration of justice, and easing the
oppressed, encouraging them that do well, and being a
terror to all evil doers; for that end is power in thy hand,
that the giver of it may be honoured ; and they that ho-
nour God, God will honour. Therefore, wait for wisdom's
voice, by whom princes decree justice in the earth, an/l
she will be thy great counsellor : and know this, that the-
glorious power of God by which thy heart and soul is
enlightened and quickened, comes not to destroy rule and
order in the earth, but to establish justice and righteous-
ness, and take away oppression and violence, the hard
heart, that his name may be feared and dreaded on the
earth by the sons of men, and his power over all may
have dominion.

Thus, dear Friend, have I in simplicity and upright-
ness discharged what lay upon me in great plainness and
openness of heart, desiring the Lord God Almighty may
be thy director in all things, and that thou in the innocent
seed of life, may be able to understand in thy day, the
things of thy peace, and may become an instrument of
his praise in the earth, and for the setting forth his great
name ; and in the end, may have thy portion with the
redeemed and sanctified believers and members of that
holy head, Jesus Christ, for evermore.

So I remain a lover of thy soul, and of the souls of
all men, but especially of such who are come to a travail
in Sion's travail ; among whom give the salutation of my
tender love to the church of Holland; and so many as in
measure are made partakers of the precious faith that is
in Christ Jesus our Lord ; in whom farewell.

STEPHEN CRISP.

( 293

AN

EPISTLE FROM STEPHEN CRISP,

TO BE READ IN THE

WOMEN'S MEETINGS

OF

FRIENDS IN IPSWICH.

Friends,

IN that love that springs from the root of life, which
hath brought forth many living branches, doth my salu-
tation reach unto you, in which we have our refresh-
ments and encouragements in the work of God, in this
our generation : and the more your minds are gathered
into that living root, Christ Jesus, the everlasting head
of all living members, both male and female, the more
encouragements you will feel in your service to God.
And therefore, dear Friends, though you be weak in
yourselves, yet in him is strength ; and when ye lack
wisdom, wait upon him, and he will replenish you, and
iill you with his heavenly counsel, to your souls' refresh*
ment.

And, my Friends, above all things, live in the fear of
God, and in love and tenderness one towards another ;
and let not the enemy that lies in wait to destroy, break
the band of your peace ; for while ye keep the peace of
God unbroken, ye can communicate one to another of the
gifts and grace of God, and so will daily feel a being the
better oue for another, which will beget a dearness and
esteem in you towards one another. And in that dearness
and tenderness meet together about the Lord's work,
seeking with one consent to exalt the name of the Lord,
and to honour it above your own merits ; and let none
seek exaltation, but know this, the humblest and most

29* An Epistle from Stephen Crisp,

self-denying, are most highly honoured of God, and fit-
test to do him service ; and they that are most long-suffer-
ing and patient, are most like to Christ the head ; and in
such his virtue will shine, and so make itself known.

And, Friends, have a care in your meetings, to give
due honour unto every member in the body, remembering
none are useless ; but stir up one another to their proper
service in the house of God, and let not the foot be
troubled that it is not a hand, nor the hand that it is not
an eye ; but every one give thanks, that by the grace of
God you are what you are ; and be faithful in your place
and service, that ye may witness a growth. And in your
meeting together, wait to feel the rising of the life, and
opening of the wisdom of God in one another. And let
that speak and propound things needful and necessary
for your welfare, and the welfare of the church; and in
that wisdom choose out two of your meeting, to commit
the trust and charge of the contributions that are among
you unto ; and let them keep a book, in which your cha-
rity and good works may be recorded, for the comfort
and example of them that follow after. Also choose out
one of each particular meeting, and lay it upon them in
the Lord, to take care in their respective meeting on your
behalf.

1. That no women, young nor old, in their respective
meetings, walk disorderly or wantonly, but that they be
admonished and counselled speedily.

%. That no necessities that may fall upon any who are
worthy, may be neglected or disregarded, nor delayed
until a meeting, but they may be forthwith comforted ;
that so the enemy who lies in wait to tempt the poor in
the hour of their distress, may be prevented.

3. That no maids carry themselves unseemly toward
their mistresses, nor mistresses toward their servants : but
if such things should happen, let the matter be taken up
and ended, and not to part asunder with evil in their
minds one toward another; for that will spread and hurt
others.

4. That all women professing Truth, and having chil-
dren, may bring them up in the fear of God ; and that

to be Mead in the Women's Meetings, 8£c. 295

they use no uncomely, rash nor passionate words unto
them, for that sows an evil seed in the children, which
may come up, and dishonour God in the next generation.

5. That no Women-Friends may speak evil of one
another, nor fall out with one another ; nor carry evil in
their minds one against another ; nor bear tales about, to
beget others into evil, and into partyship, but that all
such things may be speedily suppressed and borne down
in the power and judgment of God.

And let that Woman-Friend give account to the meet-
ing, of such as will not receive admonition, that some
other Friends may take the care of such a matter upon
them, and endeavour to break through the hardness, in
the wisdom and love of God.

And if that Woman-Friend have laid out money, let
the meeting order the two Friends who keep the collec-
tion, to reimburse her ; that so every one may be encou-
raged in the work of the Lord, and ye may, as with one
shoulder, bear the Lord's burden in this day of travail,
and also the burdens of the weak, who sometimes are
neither strong enough, nor wise enough to bear their own
burdens ; and afterward, they may grow up to be sensi-
ble of your tenderness, and to bless you in the name of
the Lord.

So, my dear Friends, feel my love, and live in that
from whence it springs, and the God of love and life,
bless, prosper, and keep you in his fear to the end, to be
fellow- helpers with the Lord in his work, comfort and
refreshment to your brethren, and to leave a holy, inno-
cent, upright testimony and example to the generations
that shall follow after.

I rest your Friend in the Truth,

STEPHEN CRISP,

( 296 )

AN

EPISTLE

TENDER COUNSEL AND ADVICE,

To all that have believed the Truth every where, to exhort them to
Faithfulness thereunto.

1. In taking heed of settling in a Formality, without Power.

2. To take need the Spirit of this world doth not drink up their
Spirits.

S. To keep their word, and let their yea be always yea.

4. Not to trust too much to Education, &c.

5. To love one another.

Written by one that travails for Zion's Prosperity,
STEPHEN CRISP.

Dearly Beloved Friends, Brethren and Sisters,
THE salutation of my dear love, in the Sowings forth
of life in the Lord Jesus Christ, our only head, reacheth
unto you all, in the spiritual way of communication, which
you are made partakers of in the Holy Spirit. In the
Teachings forth of this love aud life, which we have re-
ceived from the Father of Life, I am drawn forth to visit
you all with An Epistle of tender Advice and Counsel ;
and especially you, my dear Friends, among whom I
have travelled in this and other nations. Oh the remem-
brance of the glory and power of God that hath appear-
ed amongst us in days past, doth much affect my soul at
this time, knowing the Lord is the same to them that do
hold fast the things they have heard and learned from
the beginning. And my spirit is exercised amongst you,

An Epistle of tender Counsel and Advice. £97

caring and praying for your stability and continuance in
the Truth, although my outward man is so far decayed,
that I cannot travel so much as I used to do, insomuch
that I know many of you, among whom I have travelled
in the gospel of our Lord Jesus, will see my face no more,
yet my travail in spirit is not lessened, nor my love to you,
the Lord's people ; but my cries are day and night
to the Lord, that ye may be preserved blameless unto the
day of his coming, and that ye may be armed with power,
and furnished with wisdom, and may be prepared with
every good gift of the spirit to stand against the wiles
and subtle workings of the devil your adversary, who is
upon his watch, which way he may destroy you, and
spoil you of the lot of your inheritance, prepared for you
in Christ Jesus our Lord: and for this purpose doth he
set all his subtlety to work, and doth inspire many whom
he hath already caught in his snares, and sets them as
snares to catch more of you, that by their example, ye
that do yet stand, might also fall from your steadfastness,
and be a prey unto him.

Therefore, my dear Friends, gird up the loins of your
minds, and put on the whole armour of light, then you
will see round about you, and which way soever the
enemy comes to assault you, you will be prepared to re-
sist him ; for your sufficiency is in the light, and in the
Truth, which the devil is out of; and if your eye be kept
single to Truth in your inward parts, it is not all the de-
ceit of the devil and all his instruments, can beguile
you ; but a certain sense will be given you of his myste-
rious workings.

And, my dear Friends, I would not have you forget
that there be many ways to weaken and to darken you,
which must all be watched against ; therefore walk cir-
cumspectly, keeping your eye in your head, waiting to
feel your strength renewed daily : for, be assured, your
trials and temptations will be renewed, and if you be des-
titute of the heavenly daily bread, there will be a daily
weakening, which will appear by your being overcome
by such things, as once you had a power to stand against,
which is a a;reat grief to behold in manv.

38

398 An Epistle of tender Counsel and Advice.

And now I come to warn you of a few things that have
for some time lain upon me, to send among you ; which
I do in faithfulness recommend to the pure witness of
God in all consciences, not as if I judged any ; but this
I must tell you, there is one that judgeth, and will give
an auswer in every one that listens to him, by which he
may know how far any of these things have prevailed
upon him; and he that judgeth, will also by judgment
deliver them that are caught in satan's snares, if they do
hearken, and submit to his leadings.

1st. Take heed, my dear Friends, of holding the Truth
in a bare formality, satisfying yourselves that you have
for a long time owned the way of Truth, and the assem-
blies of the Lord's people, and appeared as they have
done in all outward things, and have hereby obtained
the repute to be one of them ; and under these considera-
tions sit down at ease, as to the inward man, unacquaint-
ed with the inward travails, either for thyself or others ;
unconcerned whether the noble plant grows, either in thy-
self, or in others. Oh ! my Friends, this is a dangerous
state, yea, more dangerous than my tongue or pen can de-
clare ; though so far as to clear myself, and to warn such,
God will give me utterance: therefore consider how thy
poor soul is beguiled in this condition; for in the first
place thou art deprived of that daily enjoyment which
others do enjoy, in waiting upon the Lord; they feel his
refreshing presence, which either fills them with joy and
comfort, or else opens their understandings in the light
to a certain knowledge of, and testimony against, such
things as yet stand in the way, and hinder the joy of his
salvation from them : but thou that sittest in a dry for-
mality, without an inward travail upon thy spirit, thou
knowest neither of these things, but goest on in the dark,
not knowing whither thou goest, and so in time, thou be-
ing such a stranger to the powerful working of Truth in
thyself, it grows to a question with thee, whether others
do witness any such powerful workings, yea or nay ; for
every thing that is not experimental, is liable to question ;
as he that never saw, knows not what seeing is, and he
that never smelt any thing, he knows not what smelling

An Epistle of tender Counsel and Advice, 299

is; so he that through long continuance in this formal
manner of going to meetings, continues still unacquaint-
ed with the power, will at last he easily made to ques-
tion whether there be such a power or no, and in this
state the dark power will work insensibly, and prevail
upon thy spirit, and fit thee for his own purpose, and will
minister a secret liberty into thy mind, and a looseness,
even as to the form itself by degrees, and so will prepare
thee against a time of some sharp, smart trial that will
come to try thee, either in having something, or parting
with something, which may be had or parted with, if thou
wilt turn thy back on Truth. And when this time of trial
comes upon thee, then the strength and advantage that
the enemy hath gotten upon thee in the time of thy luke-
warm, loose profession, are made manifest ; then thou art
in great straits for a season : if the temptation be in hav-
ing a wife, or husband, or a portion or legacy, or gaining
a suit at law, or recovering a debt, or such like things ;
and the things cannot be had without letting the testimony
of thy profession fall, by swearing, or going to a priest,
or some other matter utterly contrary to thy profession,
oh ! what struggling is there in thy soul to obtain the
thing thou desirest, and yet wouldst fain be reckoned a
Friend still, and art loth to be publicly numbered among
backsliders and apostates. And so if the temptation and
trial come on the other side, in parting with any thing
which thou lovest, for thy profession's sake, as thy wife
and children, thy liberty, thy money, thy cattle, thy
house and land, or what else may be dear to thee, oh,
how doth self work to save itself, and loth it is to part
with the name and reputation of a friend of Truth, and
as loth to part with any of these things for the Truth's
sake, not feeling the hundred-fold in this time, which
Christ spoke of, nor the life everlasting neither. Here
is a day of great difficulty and distress, which is come,
and is coming upon many of such careless professors,
in which they do stand in need of the help of the divine
power of God to support them, and to give them vic-
tory ; but alas, they are estranged from it, and now the
form will not support in the hour of this great trial, but

300 JLn Epistle of tender Counsel and Advice.

the flesh and blood consultings are grown strong for
want of living in the daily cross ; and that nature eries
aloud in the ears of thy soul, which thou hast indulged
and suffered to live ; and if thou considerest the Truth,
and weighest the testimony of that against thy own will
and desire, then thou easily seest which is of most weight
with thee ; for a false weight, and false balance, and
false judgment, is got up in the time of thy careless
profession, and then the old deceiver comes in, and tells
thee, thou seest no evil in it, or at least not so much as on
the contrary side ; so that of two evils, it is wisdom to
choose the least; and such like reasonings fill thy mind,
till at last thy will being strong, and thy understanding
darkened, thou takest up a resolution to hazard thy soul,
and to part with thy dry, withered testimony which thou
hast for a long time borne without life, and embrace the
price that is bidden for it, as Esau and Judas did, and
so sellest the Truth which thou once followedst, and de-
li verest it, as much as in thee lieth, into the hands of its
enemy, to be mocked, and reproached, and trampled
upon. And this is the fruit and effect of a long care-
lessness and remissness, which thou thoughtest once
would never have come to this : and when the servants
of the Lord have declared what sad effects such negli-
gence would produce in time, thou hast been apt to bless
thyself, and to reckon thou wouldst never run so far out,
as publicly to bring reproach upon the way thou pro-
fessedst. But, alas, thou little knewest that thy souPs
enemy was all that while but preparing thee against the
day of thy greatest trial, and as it were, unarming thes
against the day of battle, that he might the more easily
overcome thee : but now thou seest thou art fallen, when
others being tried with the same temptations, stand and
abide in their testimony ; and so mightest thou also, if
thou hadst waited upon God as thou oughtest, in dili-
gence for the renewing of thy strength ; but now, alas,
miserable man or woman, what wilt thou do ? Thy cloak
is now pulled off, thy fig-leaf profession is rent, and thou
hast now but two ways ; and well if there be so many,
to wit, to turn thy mind from the object of thy delight, to

Jin Epistle of tender Counsel and Advice. 301

the Truth which thou hast sold for it, and by repentance
and through judgment, to wait to see if God will be mer-
ciful to thee or no, and to spend thy days in sorrow and
mourning, and to give up now at last to that work thou
so much before slightedst; or else to take the other way,
and that is, to go on in thy rebellion against the light of
Christ Jesus, and add sin to sin, until the custom of sin
may take away the sense of judgment, and so thou may-
est grow to a fleshly ease, and give over caring for thy fu-
ture well-being : but like the beast that perisheth, set thy
heart upon the things of this life for a little season, and
then cometh the end ; and thou who wert once called of
God to an inheritance in his light, must now have thy
portion in the utter darkness ; and thou that wert once
called to have been a vessel of honour, art now become a
vessel of wrath fitted for destruction. Oh! my soul la-
ments the condition of such, and glad would I be if any
of these careless professors of Truth might be awakened
before it be too late : but, however, I am thus far clear
of their blood, and if they perish, the fault will be their
own.

2dly. A second thing that lies upou me to warn you
all of, my dear Friends, is to watch against the spirit of
this world, lest it drink up your spirits too much in an
eager and greedy pursuit after the things of this world,
which happens to several in divers manners to their great
hurt and damage ; and the snare lies deep and hidden,
under a subtle covering. For, whereas it is the duty of
every man to take care for his family, and to be diligent
in the calling God hath set him in, and to improve such
opportunities as God pleaseth to put into his hand ; here
the subtle enemy works to make the care immoderate,
to turn the diligence to slavery, and the improving op-
portunities which God gives him, to a finding and search-
ing out of opportunities, sometimes by indirect causes,
and sometimes to the prejudice of his neighbour, and all
to try, to satisfy a greedy desire after the heaping up of
treasure in this world, and through the earnestness of
the affection that kindles daily more and more after these
things, a man comes in time to have the increase or de-

SOZ Jin Epistle offender Counsel and JLdvice.

crease of these things to be the objects of his joy or sor-
row ; and then he is miserable, for joy or sorrow are the
highest faculties of the mind, and ought to be pitched
upon the highest objects, and not upon transitory things
under the sun, by which neither love nor hatred can be
known. But alas ! how are many cast down at losses, and
lifted up at profits and gains ! Oh, my Friends, take heed
of this fickle and uncertain state, for while some have too
much set their minds after the things of this world, they
have erred from the faith, and have placed their trust in
uncertain riches ; and when they have taken their wings
and fled away, their hope hath gone with them. There-
fore I beseech you, dear Friends, have a care of suffer-
ing your spirits to be sharpened and set on edge about
these outward things ; and take heed of enlarging your
trades and traffics beyond your ability, and beyond your
capacity, for both these evils have been the ruin of some ;
for every one that hath ability, hath not capacity for
great things, and every one that hath capacity hath not
ability; and where either of these are wanting, such
ought to be content with such low and mean things as
they are capable to manage, and able to reach, and not
to bear themselves too much upon the one, and then seek
by indirect means to make the other answerable ; for no
man knows the issue beforehand ; and therefore even in
these things every one ought to wait to know the guid-
ance of the Lord, and to be subject unto his will, though
in a cross to their own ; as the apostle said concerning
them that said, We will go to yonder city, and we will
buy and sell, and get again : which were all lawful things
in themselves ; yet for this, saith he, you ought to have
said, if the Lord will : so he that saith, I will increase
my trade, and enlarge my adventures, that my gain may
thereby be enlarged ; even in this he ought to say, if the
Lord will.

Oh Friends, wait to feel the governing hand of God
in these things, to govern you in your affairs, that so he
may as really be acknowledged by you, the Lord of earth,
as well as heaven, the ruler of your trading and dealings,
as well as of your religion and profession.

An Epistle of tender Counsel and Advice,

3dly. And, Friends, I desire you to remember, that the
crown of our profession was, that our yea was yea, and
our nay was nay, and so it is still with all the faithful
followers of the Truth ; though too many have let in a
false liberty since their first convincement, and have not
that respect to their words as they ought to have, to the
jreat dishonour of God, and grief of the righteous, and
wounding their own souls. Oh ! my Friends, let this be
amended by every one that hath been overtaken in it,
as you tender the honour of God, your own prosperity,
and the good of others ; for many stumblings have here-
by been laid in the way of some who have been near to
Truth, and they have fallen and been lost; but they that
laid the stumblings, will not be found clear of their blood
in the day of the Lord's inquisition.

Therefore, let all take heed for time to come, to be
true to their word ; for all who do profess the Truth, do
in a kind, pawn the Truth as much as in them lies, or
at least their part in the Truth, every time they do pass
their promise, or sign a bill or obligation for any pay-
ment to be made at such a time as is mentioned in the
said promise, bill, or obligation, and such a one hath now
no power to dispense with the payment at the time ap-
pointed, without the consent of the party to whom he
is so engaged ; and if he doth of himself delay, or deny
payment, he forfeits what he pawned, namely his truth.
Now which of you having pawned your coat or cloak for
the half of the value to redeem it again such a day, or
to lose it, would not you be very careful to observe your
day ? But oh ! of how much greater value is this pledge,
when Truth lies at stake ? And I am sure they that truly
love it, will have more care of it than of a cloak, coat, or
any earthly thing.

Therefore, the ways to prevent all such miscarriages,
are to be taken notice of; and that in the first place, that
none run themselves into necessities by indirect courses,
as by an overcharging themselves in trading, nor in over-
buying more than they are able to compass, nor by sure-
tyship, which makes a supposed debt, though uncertain,
and therefore the more dangerous, because it may come

*

301< Jin Epistle of tender Counsel mid Advice.

upon you at unawares, before you are prepared for it.
These things ought in wisdom to be prevented afore-
hand.

Also every one that upon a just occasion doth borrow,
and doth pass his word upon the reputation of Truth, by
promise, bill or obligation, ought at the same time to
have something in his eye of most certainty, by which he
shall be enabled to perform his word, and not to trust to
returns of adventures, increase of crops, gains of trade, or
others keeping their word with him, or any such like un-
certainties ; for if any do so, they may be in this snare of
being unfaithful to their promise before they are aware.
But although there is a kind of uncertainty in all these
things below, yet where a man's truth and profession lies
thus at pawn, and must be fetched home or forfeited,
there ought, as I said before, to be something most cer-
tain in such a one's eye, by which he may save his word ;
as money that he knows to be at his demand, or goods
in possession, or lands that are free, and can be engaged
if the worst come ; for you will find more peace in con-
science, and a better answering of Truth to make a new
engagement of land or goods, than to break an old en-
gagement of your truth and profession.

Dear Friends, my heart is very full in this matter, and
much I could write hereof, but I spare you in love and
good will, believing a word to the wise will be suffi-
cient; for if a fool be brayed in a mortar he will not de-
part from his foolishness. Therefore, dear Friends, be
wise in all these things, that so ye may not be in bond-
age and slavery to the things of this life, but may have a
dominion aud reign over them according to your calling
in Christ Jesus, that every one of you may wear your
crown, and none may have cause justly against any of
you, to say, such a one's yea is nay ; for then he takes
your crown and your pledge, which is hard to gain again.
Oh Friends, I write these things unto you in true love,
and in a holy respect unto the holy name of God, that is
made known among us. Therefore let not a cavilling
wisdom rise up against the word of exhortation to apply
it wrongfully ; but in love and meekness let it be receiv-

&n Epistle of tender Counsel and Advice. 305

ed, as from one that travails for your prosperity, and
warns you of the snares of your souls' enemy.

Fourthly. And, Friends, the next thing that lies upon
me, is in respect unto such as have been brought up and
educated amongst us, and are grown up, and do make
profession of the same way and truth iu which they have
been educated; that all such may take heed that they
rest not iii a bare educational form of the Truth, without
having regard to their inward travail of the soul, and to
their growth in the power of godliness ; for the snares
of their souls' enemy lie deep in this matter, aud his
working is to draw their minds into the world, while
their bodies and their public profession remain amongst
Friends, and to keep them at ease and liberty from the
daily cross, and from the crucifying power, by which
they should travail to subdue that nature in themselves
that is grown up in their youth, as well under this pro-
fession as under any other, where the power is not mind-
ed diligently; and by this means many are and remain
unfitted for the testimony of Truth, not being rooted
and grounded in it, through an experimental warfare in
their own particulars. For, my Friends, I say unto you
in the word of the Lord, Except ye be born again, ye
cannot see the kingdom of God ; and if ye cannot see
that, what availeth it what you see ? For all sight, vision,
and opening of things will not save nor deliver your
souls in the day of trial that will come upon you for the
trial of your faith ; and then if your faith be such a one
as stands in words and terms, though never so true, yet
it will fail you in that day, and you will not be able to
stand. Therefore, dear Friends, sink down in lowliness
and humility, and wait to feel the power revealed in you,
which was revealed in us in the beginning, and join your
minds to it, in a living faith, that you may come to ex-
perience its condemning power, to judge every vain
thought and exalted desire, and every idle word and
evil action; that so by the pure judgment of Truth you
may come to witness a cleansing and a subduing of that
nature that lusteth unto disobedience of the righteous law
of God in your hearts. And as that nature is kept under

39

300 An Epistle of tender Counsel and Advice.

the daily cross, it will weaken and die daily in you; and
the weaker it is made, the more you will feel of the
powerful quickenings of the word of God in your souls,
and a tender life will spring up in you, to your great
comfort, that will be tender of the glory of God, and of
the honour and reputation of your profession : and as
you join herewith, you will be acquainted with the tra-
vails of the true Zion, the mother of us all, who brings
not forth but through deep exercises ; and although this
will take you ofF from the delights and pleasures, and
loftiness of this world, yet the end will repay all your
sorrow and travail, for this will bring you to kuow the
worth of Truth, and teach you to set a value upon it,
and upon every testimony of it, beyond all transitory and
fading things, whereas others who have lightly come by
their profession, will lightly esteem it, and lightly let it
go again. Therefore, my travail and cry is, that you
might be wise unto salvation ; and for that end do I send
this to you that ye might be brought to try your founda-
tions, every one in yourselves, before it be tried for you,
for then it will be too late to come to the true foundation,
or at least it will be through greater hardship. When
the cry at midnight is heard, and the time of entrance
cometh, it will be too late to buy oil to your lamps, and
then such as have a lamp and no oil, will be shut out ;
therefore, prize your time, and examine yourselves, what
reason you have in yourselves, to make profession of the
name and way of God, more than that you were educated
therein, and brought up to it by your parents, guardians,
or masters. Have you ever felt the heavenly virtue of it
overshadowing your souls? And if you have, do you
retain and keep the savour of it still upon your spirits?
Do you feel yourselves possessed with that awe, fear and
reverence of the Lord's presence which the Lord's people
felt in the beginning of their day, and the faithful do
still feel? Is the inward enjoyment of the life of Truth
a greater joy to you than all your outward enjoyments ?
If so, then you will not sell it, nor part with it, for any
thing in this world : and the testimonies which such do
bear for the Truth, will not be traditional, but from a

Jin Epistle of tender Counsel and Advice. 307

sensible convinceraent in themselves, so that they will be
able to say, These things have we received from the
Lord, and they are the testimonies of God manifested
to us in the light of his Son Christ Jesus, in whom we
have believed. Oh Friends, how will this drive back
the storm of temptations that will come, both inwardly
and outwardly, in a time of trouble ? How many are
there, who, for want of this experimental assurance in
themselves, have been brought to great questionings and
doubtings, and knew not whether to go backward or
forward, and many have halted and staggered, and some
have fallen, and rise no more, to the ruin of themselves
and others ; therefore, my dear Friends, trust not to the
resolutions of your own spirits, without a sense of the
power, nor to a receiving the Truth by your education,
but all wait to be made living and true witnesses of the
rising of the power in your own hearts, and the carrying
on of the work of the power in yourselves, to the re-
generating you, and bringing you to that birth that trust-
eth in nothing but in the Lord alone, and hath him for
its support in the greatest exercises : then shall ye stand
and remain, and be a generation chosen of God, to bear
his name and testimony, and to commit it to the next ge-
neration.

Fifthly, xlnd, Friends, let the brotherly love that
was sown in your hearts, as a precious seed in your first
convincement, continue and increase daily, that as ye
are made partakers of one hope of salvation in Christ
Jesus, so ye may continue of one mind and heart, ac-
cording to the working of his Spirit in you, having a
tender respect one for another, as children of one father,
and as such as feed at one table ; for Christ hath ordained,
and doth ordain in all his churches, that we should
love one another, that we should shun all occasions of
offence and grief, that we should walk orderly, and as
becomes his holy gospel, that we may be an honour
thereunto, and a strength and comfort to one another :
this is our great ordinance, our new commandment, which
was also from the beginning, and will always abide the
same through all generations. Therefore, my Friends

308 Jin Epistle of tender Counsel and Advice.

and brethren, let the fruits of sincere and brotherly love
abound amongst you both in word and deed, and let nona
be wanting in fulfilling the law of charity, without which
all profession will be but like sounding brass, or a tink-
ling cymbal.

But if this law be kept to, the life of religion will be
felt, and each one will thereby be taught their duty and
charge concerning another, and know how to comfort in
charity, to admonish in charity, to reprove in charity,
and also to receive all these in charity ; and this will ex-
clude for ever all whispering and tale-bearing, and bring
every one to deal plainly and uprightly with every one,
not suffering sin to rest upon the soul of thy brother, but
to deal with him quickly, plainly and tenderly, even as
thou thyself wouldst be dealt withal ; and however this
kind of dealing be taken, thou shalt not miss of thy re-
ward, but thy peace will remain with thee. For while
Friends' eyes are fixed upon the power of God, as their
guide and leader in all these things, and their design is
simply God's glory, the clearing their own consciences,
and the good of their brother, they will not be discou-
raged in their undertakings ; for they know the power
will certainly come over whatsoever opposeth it, and this
will keep your minds quiet and free from disturbances,
when you see men, and things, and parties arise against
the power, knowing that the power is an everlasting
rock. But as for those things that appear against it, they
are but for a season, in which season patience must
be exercised, and the counsel of wisdom stood in, and
then you will be kept from staggering, or from scattering
by all the fair shows the spirit of opposition can make.

For they that do enjoy the life and substance, and feed
daily of the bread that comes down from heaven, have a
quick sense and discerning of things that are presented
to them, and do know them that are of the earth earthly,
by their earthly savour, from those that are of the heavenly
with their heavenly savour; they know what feeds the head
and the wit, and carnal reason, and what will nourish the
immortal soul, and so come to be fixed, and are not ready
to feed upon unsavoury food, nor to be easily tossed, nor

Jin Epistle of tender Counsel and Advice. 309

to be troubled at evil tidings ; nor can they be drawn
after one thing or man by an affection, nor set against
another man nor thing by a prejudice, but the true balance
of a sound judgment, settled in the divine knowledge,
according to the measure that the Father hath bestowed,
keeps such steady in their way, both in respect to their
own testimony and conversation, and also in respect to
their dealing with others. Oh, my dear Friends, in such
doth the Truth shine, and such are the true followers of
Christ, and they are worthy to be followed, because
their way is as a shining light, shining on towards the
perfect day. And in this sure and steady way, my souFs
desire is, you and I may walk and continue walking,
unto the end of our days, in all sobriety, truth, justice,
righteousness and charity, as good examples in our day,
and comfortable precedents in our end, to them that shall
remaiu, that so we may deliver over all the testimonies
of our Lord Jesus unto the succeeding generations, as
pure, as certain, and as innocent as we received tbem in
the beginning ; and in the end of all our labours, travels,
trials and exercises, may lay down our heads in that
sabbath of rest that remains always for the Lord's people.
This is the breathing desire that lives in me, for all
you who have believed in our Lord Jesus Christ, in
whose name, and in the seuse of his power, and of the
life he hath revealed in every member of his whole body,
I salute you all, and bid you farewell.

STEPHEN CRISP.

( 310 )

AX

EPISTLE FROM STEPHEN CRISP,

TO

FRIENDS AT DANTZIC.

Amsterdam, this 19th of the Fifth Month, 1680.

Dear Friends,
IN the fellowship of that life that was before death
was, do I dearly salute you, praying to the God and
Father of life, that ye may livingly be made sensible of
the increase of his power, grace and virtue, from day to
day, that as your trials and tribulations abound, you may
really feel that seed in yourselves for whose sake the
trials and persecutions come; for it was, and is the seed-
birth of life that was and is persecuted and afflicted in all
ages, as the apostle said, Against thy holy child Jesus
have they done all these things. For you know, my
Friends, that before his birth in some measure did ap-
pear, you were at peace with the world, and the world
with you ; but when ye were turned from darkness to
light, then the dark power began to work against you,
and doth still work, and will work so long as its hour
lasteth ; and what is the work thereof ? Is it not to draw
or drive you again to darkness, from the light to false-
hood, to hypocrisy from truth, to death from life, all
which in the light of life you comprehend and discern ;
and by the operation of that love to God which he hath
shed into your hearts by the spirit of his Son, you are
upholden and preserved in your testimony unto this day,
and by the faith which God hath given you, you have
the evidence of things you do not yet see, and do enjoy
the substance of the tilings you hope for, even immor-
tality and eternal life, the first fruits whereof as an earn-
est are revealed by his spirit in your inward parts ; and
by this faith it is that we know God will put the Seed's

An Epistle from Stephen Crisp, Sfc. 311

enemies under his feet, both inward and outward, accord-
ing to his promise; but, Friends, it is not the part of him
that is a true believer to make haste, but to leave the
times, seasons, ways and means to the Lord alone, whose
will is to be done in earth as in heaven, and shall be
done, in spite of all his enemies. Therefore, dear
Friends, stand given up in the will of your God, who
hath chosen and called you, to make known his name and
power in you, and to let all his enemies know that he is
able to support his children in the greatest exercises, by
which his name in due time by others shall be acknow-
ledged, as it is among you this day; for whose sake
others have formerly suffered and laboured. And, dear
Friends, keep your eye to the power of God, to which
all things are possible, and look not too much upon the
power of death and darkness, for if you do, you will be
captivated in the natural sense, and so will be weakened ;
but being diligently waiting upon Grod in the light of his
Son, in whom he hath appeared to you, you will be so
confirmed in the faith of his power, that you will be able
to believe beyond what your natural sense can compre-r
bend ; and then feel you the life of the true Christians in
all ages of Christendom, in which they have overcome
and trampled upon all manner of sufferings, and even
death itself. For alas, my Friends, what is this life?
What is this breath? What is this time that we have
here on earth but something given us of Grod wherewith
he hath ordained that we should glorify him? And if
we love this life, and the things of it so much as not to
part with it and them for his name's sake, then are we
unworthy of him ; but, my Friends, you have seen how
the Lord your God hath dealt graciously with yon, and
hath not in a long time of suffering permitted the fierce
waves to devour you, but that both you and your testi-
mony are kept alive unto this day by a secret divine
power, and it shall live and outlive your adversaries ;
therefore be of good courage, the cause in which you are
engaged is the Lord Jehovah's, who will arise for his
name's sake in his own time, way and manner, so you
need not to take care how worm Jacob shall arise ; your

31S Jin Epistle from Stephen Crisp, %c.

care is only to be faithful to what God hath made mani-
fest to you, to keep your consciences free, though you
should be bound, that your witness may live, though you
should die ; the Lord knows how to raise his seed, and
to support his servants. And, my Friends, this I must
say unto you, that since I came hither I have been truly
refreshed in the account I have had out of your letters,
and my heart is drawn forth in tender love to you ; and were
my body able to sustain travelling as it hath been, I should,
I believe, come to see your faces ; but I am much de-
cayed in body, howbeit my spirit is at liberty, through
the grace I have received of God, in which I both rejoice
and suffer with the flock and heritage of God every where.
And this, my dear Friends, I lay upon you in the name
of the Lord, even the same that our Lord hath laid upon
us all, to wit, that ye love one another with sincere love,
and that ye be of one mind, in all humility, bearing each
others burdens, and washing each others feet, when
need requires, and be a strength one to another accord-
ing to the ability which God hath given you, that so none
may be lost by means of any one's laying stumbling-
blocks in their way ; but if any will wilfully turn back,
and cause the offence of the cross to cease, for the sake
whereof you suffer tribulation, their condemnation may
be wholly upon their own heads, and you may be kept
perfectly clear of their blood. So the God of peace and
of mercy be with you, and multiply his blessing upon
you, and shine into all your souls, in the glorious mani-
festations of his presence, to your joy and comfort, amen.
Your Friend and brother in the tribulation and patience
of Christ, the head of the true body, which is his church,

STEPHEN CRISP.

( 313 )

A

BABYLONISH OPPOSER OF TRUTH,

BY

THE TRUTH REPROVED;

AND

His Enmity, Falsehood, and Confusion manifested. In answer to an
Impertinent Paper sent abroad by Thomas Crisp;

in WHICH

His False Foundation is discovered, and his Building brought upon
his own Head.

Written by a Servant of Truth, and Witness against Lying and
Liars, STEPHEN CRISP.

THOMAS CRISP, thou or some other of thy party,
having directed a printed paper to me, called Babel's
Builders unmasking themselves, I have read the same,
and well considered the contents thereof, and do find,
that not only a great deal of enmity, but also of falsehood
and contradiction is contained in it ; which when it is
laid before thee in a spirit of love and tenderness, from
one that seeks and desires thy salvation, perhaps it may
have some effect upon thee, to the abating thy foolish
rashness, and may bring thee to a better consideration
of thy work, which -is that I chiefly desire and aim at;
else I am not apt to meddle with things of this nature,
having never loved controversy, for controversy's sake ;
but am one that satisfies myself in an assurance of faith
in the power of the living God, believing it will break
and confound all that rise up against it, as it hitherto
hath done.

40

314? *& Babylonish Opposer of Truth,

Now, considering the time in which thou hast pub-
lished thy book against us, it seems to be the only time
the devil could have taken, advantageously to work in
the minds of people, a belief of our being in a hidden
confederacy with Rome, when many of them of the Ro-
mish religion have, by their wicked works, rendered
themselves obnoxious to the punishment of just law, and
to the abhorrence of all good men; at such a time it is,
that thou renderest us, the people called Quakers, to be
at least half waj in unity with them, having taken such
a stride over to them, as such another may make us meet
and embrace; as in page 9. And that our judgment, or
the judgment which we take part with, is barefaced po-
pery, as in page 14, and in divers other particulars in thy
book. By all which, thou dost but show how willingly
thou wouldst have us fallen upon as papists, or render us
suspicious both to magistrates and the vulgar, by thy
crooked insinuations, as dangerous persons to the true
protestant religion. Oh Thomas ! who hath set thee on
work herein, and so timed thy book, is manifested in the
sight of God to be the father of lies, with whom thou wilt
certainly have thy reward, if thou repent not. And when
all is done of this kind, that thou and they can do, yet
shall we appear in the sight of God, and in the sight of
the magistrates, and in the sight of the men of this and
after generations, to be in our principles and practice, and
life too, at a further distance from that sort of men thou
wouldst link us to, than ever your ranting libertine spirit
will lead you : and when you shall see us delivered from
the evil you thought to bring upon us, and see our testi-
mony shine over the heads of papists, and you too, and
yourselves, for want of the divine assistance of God's
power, crouch and truckle under, as you do already to
the spirit of this world, then will you gnaw your tongues
for very pain, and the reward of your enmity will come
upon your own pates with a witness. Therefore, if there
be yet a day, seek mercy and forgiveness at the hand of
the Lord, before he comes to render his vengeance upon
you for all your hard speeches which ungodlily you have
spoken, written or printed against the Lord and his heri-

by the Truth Reproved. 315

tage ; a people that fear his name, and walk in the light
of his everlasting day, upon which your clouds and
smoke can no more bring a night.

In the next place, I take notice of thy deceit and
falsehood in this little book, which is grounded upon a
lie, viz. G. F., G. W. and A. P. have not denied the
matter of the Barbadoes paper, they have not given one
word of reproof to it, nor disowned the principles there-
in contained, &c. Now, how notoriously false this is,
every unbiassed reader may judge; first, they declare
that this, meaning the matter or doctrine of the paper,
would be the way to bring them all from the measure of
the spirit in their own particulars. What, Thomas, is this
not a word of reproof? Is this not a disowning the prin-
ciple? It is well said, a liar had need of a good memory.
Again, all are to give up to the universal spirit of God
in their own particulars ; what, is not this a disowning
the position of the paper neither ? Again, as to subscrip-
tions to an outward tie, be above such things, &c. we de-
sire you would stop this paper from going any further,
&c. What! not a word yet of reproof or disowning in all
this, but Gr. F., &c. must bear the reflection of this posi-
tion, as if he and they had been the authors of it : hath
not thy enmity betrayed thy reason, and robbed thee of
common justice and ingenuity too? Yea, but thou objectest
page 11, that they are more afraid of the publication,
than ashamed of the matter, &c. This seenis to me a
very silly allegation ; for if the paper were so much ac-
cording to Gr. F.'s &c. minds, yea, the very product of
what we had laboured for a long time, what should make
Cr. F. or any of us afraid of the publishing of it ? Hath
that ever been our practice, to be afraid to publish the
conclusions and agreements of friends and brethren, who,
in the name and power of God, have concluded and
agreed upon things that we knew would staud and be
justifiable by God's witness, though we knew they would
meet with opposition from bad spirits? What needed G. F,,
&c. care what bad spirits or apostates would say of the pa-
per, if they got it ; but only because we knew there was a
ground given them so to say. We did not use to be afraid

316 JL Babylonish Opposer of Truth,

of what you can say to us or our papers, which arc writ-
ten in the true and divine authority of the power of God,
which is over you all ; hut let them go abroad freely for
you to say your worst of them, as knowing that barking
at the sun or the moon cannot keep them from shining :
so that it must needs appear that it was the dislike that
G. F., &c. had to the paper that caused them to desire
the stopping of it, more than for fear of the use you could
make of it ; and yet that fear not wholly excluded nei-
ther, knowing that you might justly reflect upon it in some
things which we could not stand by.

But thou seemest to be highly offended at the kind and
friendly language of G. F., &c. in their paper, by which
thou showest how little savour thou hast of the spirit
of a true Christian, or Christian minister, who is to re-
store such as are overtaken in a fault, in the spirit of
meekness. What if they said, we know you mind the
best things ; the letter being written to a body of people,
dare you say that none of them do mind the best things ?
yea, they were that very day minding how they might
keep down such loose libertines that had for a long time
sought to disturb the peace of their Christian society ;
though they might possibly exceed in the method of pro-
ceeding with them by the arguments or influence of some
few among them. What then ? Must they all be unfriend-
ed and denied brotherhood hereupon, and be written to,
as wicked and ungodly, after thy uncharitable dealing?
And here thou seemest to quote my words, though falla-
ciously, to make a seeming opposition between us, that I
said the paper was not only ill worded, but ill meant ;
my words did not reflect at all upon the subscribers ge-
nerally, as thou quotes them, but upon the contriver or
drawer up of it, whoever it was, that I feared it was
not well meant in him or them, and I am still of the same
mind; and it is my desire, and the desire of us all, that
every Friend may keep in a sense of the measure of the
spirit of God in their own particulars, that in that they
may feel their unity one with another, and with one ano-
ther's testimonies, according to the ancient doctrine
preached among us from the beginning. And those that

by the Truth Reproved. 317

keep in this sense, feel what flows from the universal
spirit of Truth, and receive it in their own measures, from
a sensible satisfaction in themselves, and not from an im-
plicit subjection or blind obedience, as thou enviously in-
timates we aim to set up ; and if it should come to pass,
that a thing should be declared from the motion of the
spirit of God, and that some particular Friend doth not
presently have that sensible satisfaction in himself con-
cerning the matter, what then? Do you think that the
measure of the spirit in himself, will stir him up to op-
pose it, and war against it? Surely no; but it will teach
him to wait in quietness upon God, who is the opener of
the understanding, and doth by his spirit bring his peo-
ple to the unity of the faith. But that sort of men whose
quarrel thou hast so much espoused, are a sort of heady,
unruly opposers of themselves, fierce despisers, who ma-
lign the prosperity of the Truth, and those that labour
in it, aspersing both them and their labours with nick-
names and reproachful speeches, and bloody and murder-
ous insinuations and suggestions; and must all this be fa-
thered upon the spirit of God? Oh, horrible darkness!
Well may it be said night is upon you, and blindness is
happened to you. Are not you ashamed to plead for the
primitive doctrine of Truth as it was practised among us
in the beginning, that every one should keep to the mea-
sure of light and grace given them of God, when thou
seest before thy eyes, whither J. P. and M. P. are come ;
and may see if thou wilt, whither thyself, and many
more of thy loose libertine associates are coming? What!
did the measure of the grace of God in the beginning
teach a conformity to the world in ribands, lace, pen-
dants, bowings, compliments, paying tithes, and marry-
ing with the priests ? &c* Did the spirit of God in the

* Tlie Sth month, 1681.— Thomas Crisp said, that he had paid tithes
lately, and that the spirit of God did or might allow him to pay tithes,
or marry by a priest : and that by the same spirit of God, another
might be required not to pay them, or not to do the same things.

This Thomas Crisp spoke the month and year abovesaid ; and con-
sented to be written and printed; and took a copy of the abovesaid
words with him. Witness, J. Field. jun.

318 A Babylonish Opposer of Truth.

beginning, teach such an industrious improving of fail-
ings and weaknesses, such a raking for evil things, such
heaping up accusations, such rendering of them that fear
God, obnoxious both to reproach and sufferings ? Nay,
nay, Thomas, this is the spirit of the world entered in
another appearance, which hadst thou and they been
faithful to the real gift and grace of God, it would have
preserved you from it.

Now, as concerning that disingenuous manner of re-
flecting, which thou frequently uses, I hope thou wilt
meet with a sufficient reproof in thyself for it, and there-
fore shall not say much, only to put thee in mind, to see
if thou would be so dealt by : as where thou supposest
our meanings, and then comments upon thy own suppo-
sitions ; as that G. F., &c. mean by the universal spirit,
that spirit that set up these orders and meetings ; and I
take it to be meant the judgment of the ruling party, or
Foxonians, &c. And he seems to place more virtue and
power in conforming to his orders of womehs' meetings,
than in all faith and fruits of the spirit, &c. Hast thou here
dealt like an ingenuous adversary ? (I say not a Friend,)
nay, many that never knew Truth, would scorn such
a kind of treating us ; but enmity is blind. I pray God
if it be his will, open thy eyes to see thy own state, and
then thou wilt know that G. F., &c. have deserved to be
better treated at thy hands.

But one thing I marvel at, and that is, how this author
T. C. should labour so much to make his reader believe
G. F., &c. their owning the matter of the paper, and ren-
dering the consequences thereof to be the very doctrine and
government that he hath laboured to set up, upon which
he hath fixed so many heinous names, as clear evidence
of apostacy and ambition, p. 7. This unlimited power,
the pope's yoke, a making men slaves and vassals, p. 9,
arbitrary, unlimited power, implicit, blind, and unaccept-
able obedience, p. 10. The judgment of the ruling
party, or Foxonians among the Quakers, p. 11, and so
on to the 12th page. And then he tells his reader a quite
contrary story, and acquits G. F., &c. again of the matter
charged, and tells us that G. F. differs from the sub-

by the Truth Reproved. 319

scribers of the paper. G. F., &c. have borne their testi-
mony against their subscription ; for G. F., &c. say,
This would make the belief which is in the Light, and
the measure of the spirit in their own particulars, not
one with the universal spirit, &c. And then T. C. adds
as an amen to G. F.'s position, Indeed so it does. Could
any one that had read this book, have thought the author
should before he had done, have acquiesced with G. F.,
&c. and cleared him of his high charge he had laid; and
he who had so endeavoured to make folks believe that
the answer was but a seeming one, an answer for fashion
sake, for fear the paper should be published, not one
word of reproof, no denial in fact, but G. F. and they
all one in the judgment and sense of the paper, &c. ? I
say, who would have thought the same should tell us
that G. F., &c. differ from the subscribers, and that in a
most capital point of their paper, and tell them, their
paper would make the faith, and the measure in which
it stands, not one with the universal spirit, &c. ? It is well
truth is come, though almost at last. Who is BabePs
builder now, Thomas ? Hast not thou played the foolish
woman, that pulled down her house with her own hands?
But as if thou had herein spoken too much truth, thou
seekest to bury it again with three or four palpable lies
in the next page.

First, G. F. seemingly disowns the paper, yet owns
it too.

Secondly, The whole scope of their letter is, that they
are only dissatisfied with the wording of it.

Thirdly, That we have nothing against them we call
opposers, but their not submitting to G. F.'s orders with-
out conviction.

Fourthly, That G. F., &c. does not at all contradict
the principles in the paper, only the subscribing of it,
p. 13.

Is not this strange work, that thou shouldest set thy
name to such notorious untruths, and things wherein
thou thyself showest every body how to contradict thee
too? First tell them that G. F., &c. differ from the sub-
scribers, and wherein, even in such a principle of their

320 A Babylonish Opposer of Truth,

paper, as thou difierest from them in, and indeed I too :
and then to tell them that G. F. does not at all contradict
the principles, &c.

This is even sad work, to see men grope at noon day,
that might have enjoyed the light of the sun as well as
others, if they had kept the love and fear of God in their
hearts. I intend not at present to bestow much more
pains about this matter; the foundation upon which it
was built being discovered to be enmity and falsehood,
the structure cannot stand. In the mean time, glad should
I be that thou, or some of you, may sink down into cool-
ness, and remember whence you are fallen and falling,
and what a spirit is entered you, that is refreshed at any
thing that is a grief to the innocent people of God, aud
are fretting and grieving at that which is our greatest joy
and comfort, in which many among you some time did
partake with us ; I say, when ye see what spirit this is
that hath prevailed upon you, it will make you wish you
had not wandered from the flock, nor from the shepherd's
tents, though it may be, when it is too late. Therefore,
you that have time, prize it ; the Lord's day is come,
and his judgment hastens, and he will decide the con-
troversy.

As for S. E.'s paper which thou puttest in the end of
thy book, we look upon it to be more a fruit of a general
enmity against us as a people, than any particular grudge
against S. E. for we see how thou improvest it; and at
last with a bold faced lie chargest us generally with it,
saying, these things are covered, excused, or justified ?
Who among us have either covered, excused or justified
S. E.'s paper? I never knew any, and I believe thou
neither; but on the contrary divers did testify against it
before it was done, and after it was done, before it could
be outwardly known whether it would be true or no; but
he did give out such a paper to his own hurt and sorrow,
and to the grieving of many; and it serves thee and you
for food and nourishment, and for a stone to stumble upon :
but alas, what will you gain by it? Do you think to
make this conclusion, S. E. was mistaken, and wrote that
as the word of the Lord that was his own word, and became

by the Truth Reproved. 321

his own burden, ergo, G. F. and the people called
Quakers, are led by a wrong spirit, and will and must
fall. Do you think this would not be sorry arguing, if
turned upon yourselves? But I let it pass, and leave it
to your better considerations. And seeing thou hast pub-
lished S. E.'s letter to J. S. in which the offence lies,
here followeth his own testimony against himself and it
long since, which though I know it will not satisfy those
that seek occasions of stumbling, yet it may be a help to
the simple in heart, and a warning to all that may be
tempted in like manner.

AS I was sitting waiting upon the Lord, on the 29th
instant, these things rose in my heart, that I should ac-
knowledge my offence to all the brethren in London and
thereabouts, and Bristol, and to all the brethren north
and south, that have been witnesses against the spirit of
separation ; and am to let you know, that it doth truly
repent me, and sorely grieve me, that you that do bear
a faithful testimony for God, should have any prophecy
thrown at you, which I spoke to John Story in an angry
spirit. I do therefore acknowledge, as I have signified
in my last paper, about two years ago, that I have had
little rest day or night, at times, ever since I spoke these
words to John Story, [that it was the word of the Lord,
that he should die that year,] which were mine own
words, and soon became my burden, and were spoken in
the dark, and darkness was upon my spirit, and so, un-
der a strong temptation, which I was suffered to fall into,
I not standing in the counsel of God ; for which I bore
God's indignation. But I soon saw I should have gone
to him in a meek spirit, to beseech him to be reconciled
to his brethren. But I do judge and condemn that hasty
spirit, that set time for his dying, and called it the word
of the Lord, and do desire this may go as far as wherever
it may have a service for Truth. S. E.

Barbadoes, the 30th of the 3d Month, 1681.

41

( 322 )

AN

EPISTLE FROM STEPHEN CRISP,

FRIENDS IN NORWICH.

DEARLY beloved Friends and brethren, whom God
hath called to the fellowship of his blessed gospel, to par-
take of the cross and sufferings that remain to be fulfilled
in the body of Christ, my spirit is led forth in the tender
love of God, to visit you with a few lines by way of salu-
tation, that ye may be comforted in all manner of tribu-
lations ; and to put you in mind of the great sufferings
under which the precious seed hath long lain, when ye
were strangers to it ; and how all your iniquities were
borne in those days, and the patience and long-sufferings
of God were lengthened out for his seed's sake, and many
of you were made sensible in some measure of the
weights and burdens ; and some had power given them
to cry for deliverance, and sought it many ways, but
could not find it; and that increased the cry; and the
sorrows of those times were very great to them that were
most sensible of their state. And in an acceptable day
did the Lord god make known unto you, that he had
heard your cry, and had pitied your case, and gave you
a gentle visitation of his love, and opened that eye in
you, which the god of this world had blinded ; and then
you could see the gospel shine. And he sent his minis-
ters and messengers among you, to preach the gospel of
eternal life, in the name, power and spirit of Christ Je-
sus, whose message ye received, being prepared by the
inward working of his power. And as many as received
this testimony, received therewith the hope of eternal
life, that should arise and spring up unto you through

An Epistle from Stephen Crisp, §*c. 3£3

death, that was to come upon all that was corruptible.
And from that time the seat of the beast began to fall,
and the birth that had its life in the corruptible things
fell in pain, and the true seed was refreshed, and hope
and consolation were ministered to your immortal souls ;
which hope was the occasion of your not being ashamed
of the cross of Christ, but obtained inward courage to
bear an outward and visible testimony to his name and
power, who was thus come to work your deliverance;
and you thought it worth your while to wait upon him,
yea, you saw no other way for the completing the good
work which he had begun, but to depend and wait upon
him, that he that had been the Alpha, might be known
to be the Omega. And hereupon a godly resolution was
raised in you, not only to begin, but to go on, and to hold
out to the end in this good work ; and the daily comforts,
nourishments and illuminations that you met withal from
his hand, did strengthen and confirm you in this your
godly resolution and practice ; whereby ye grew strong
in the Lord, and were as a well-watered garden ; and the
Lord distributed the gifts of his Holy Spirit among you,
and his loving kindness abounded unto you, and he knit
you up together in the unity of his spirit, according to
your measures who were faithful to him, and put beauty
upon you, and ye became a people to his praise.

Now, my dearly beloved brethren and sisters, it was
not to be expected but while all this was bringing to pass,
the enemy of mankind and of the Truth, w^ould rage and
be angry, and seek a time to show his olttenuiity against
the work of the Lord ; and you know he struggled hard
divers times, but was limited by him that hath all power
in his hand, who doth still limit him. And so far as he
permits and suffers his dark agents to proceed against
his work, and against you for his work's sake, it is but for
a purpose of his own glory, and of your consolation : for
it had been as easy for him to have kept them in as for-
merly ; but he that hath given you to believe in his name,
will also give you power to suffer, that so through pa-
tient enduring your part in the sufferings and tribulations

324 An Epistle from Stephen Crisp,

of the body of Christ, ye may plentifully partake of the
joy and glory that is afterward to be revealed : for as
many of you as abide faithful in the time of these light
afflictions, will see a far more exceeding weight of glory
brought forth, and shall feel your share and portion in it.

Therefore, my dear Friends, look not out at satan nor
his instruments, but comprehend them in the light of your
Saviour, and you will see them limited as the sea, that
thus far shall they go, and no further : and so far as
they have power to go, let no man grudge it, but acknow-
ledge as our Lord did in the day of his sufferings, when
brought before Pilate, thou couldst have no power at all
against me, except it were given thee from above. So
keep your eye to that which is above all Herods, Pi-
lates, Judases, and High Priests, to the eternal power
by which you were called of God, to bear a testimony
for his name in your day ; and as long as ye feel this
power sustaining you, ye cannot be weary, but rather
rejoice, yea leap for joy, considering the crown of your
calling, and that ye are counted worthy to suffer for the
name's sake of him that died for us, and that is risen again,
and reigneth for evermore : and if we suffer with him,
and abide faithful to the end, we know we shall reign
with him forever; and not only so, but even in this life,
he will make a way and deliver his people, and crown
them with victory after their sufficient trials.

And as concerning the outward goods and sustenance
of this life, dear Friends, observe the command of our
Lord, to take care but for one day at once, and he will
give sufficient for that : for his purpose is to wean you
from the visible dependencies, that ye may with the
more brightness and clearness embrace the true riches.
Therefore, it will be good for every one to contract all
their outward affairs, into as narrow a compass as may be,
and to owe no man any thing but love, and to let that
have a free passage, even to their persecutors ; that so
with a clear and a free spirit, you may behold all things
here below, without joy in their increase, or sorrow in
their decrease ; giving up yourselves and yours into the

to Friends in Norwich. 325

hand of God, who cares for you, and who hath not let
forth the wrath of man upon you in his anger, but for the
trial of your faith, which is more precious than gold or
outward goods : and as for them, the loss will be re-
warded in this life an hundred fold, besides an inesti-
mable treasure laid up in heaven. So God Almighty
keep you low and tender of his glory, and furnish you
with patience, wisdom, and with every good work.

This is the earnest prayer and breathing of life for you
all, in your friend and brother in the fellowship of the
gospel of peace,

STEPHEN CRISP.

( 326 )

AN

EPISTLE FROM STEPHEN CRISP,

TO

FRIENDS IN AMSTERDAM.

Dear Friends,

YOU who are kept alive to God in your several mea-
sures of his grace and Truth, to you is the remembrance
of my love in a heavenly band, in which my life reaches
you, rejoicing with you in your rejoicings, and suffering
with you in all your sufferings ; and my tender advice to
you is, that you dwell in the seed that gives you life,
and renews it in you daily ; and in this you will have
wisdom to judge, and strength to bear contradiction of
sinners, as he did in the days of his flesh, and doth still
in his members ; but in this seed, Christ Jesus, is your
victory ; for he shall overcome, and his enemies shall be
his footstool ; and every one that riseth up against him
and his power, shall be confounded and brought to
nought ; for it is given to this seed to break the head of
the other seed. And, therefore, it hath been his policy
from the beginning, to put his head that was to be bro-
ken, under something or other, that had a show of holi-
ness and righteousness, that he might save his head.
And while he is there, he hath his time to bruise the
heel of the true seed, and grieve and hurt the just, and
to make the hindermost of the flock to halt, and to walk
lamely and staggering ; but when the covering comes to
be rent, and his head appears as it is, then he cannot do
so much harm. But it is a time for the true seed to
show his power, according to promise, and to break it in
pieces ; so if ye live in the faith of the seed, ye shall see
the fulfilling to your joy and comfort.

And, dear Friends, be not dismayed nor discouraged,
when you see this evil seed to put up its head in any
where it hath been long covered ; for know this assured-

Jin Epistle from Stephen Crisp, 8£c. 327

ly, the serpent can do less harm when manifest, than he
can do when covered ; and it is the working of the power
and spirit of the true seed, that rends the coverings,
and makes a discovery of the evil ground which was
hidden for a time; but when it is manifest, then it brings
forth according to its own nature, wrath and bitterness,
clamour and reproach, and foams out its own shame;
and such grow fierce, despisers of those that are good,
heady, unruly, not easily entreated ; by their fruits ye
may know them ; such were in the primitive days, and
such are now ; but the power and life of the true seed
was over them then, and so it is now. Therefore, live
in that innocent life, above the striving, reasoning nature,
and meet in the name of Jesus, the seed of promise, and
ye shall feel first the promise ; and as ye lay hold of that
by faith, ye will wait for the fulfilling, and in time the
power will arise, and you will see the fulfilling, and that
head broken, which is so put up against the anointing.
And then your joy will be full, and praises will be offer-
ed to God through him that hath received all power in
heaven and earth, to whom belongs the kingdom, the
power and the glory, for evermore.

STEPHEN CRISP.

( 328 )

A

FAITHFUL WARNING AND EXHORTATION

TO

FRIENDS,

TO

BEWARE OF SEDUCING SPIRITS,

And to keep on the Armour of Light in Simplicity and Sincerity,
as their best Armour in all trials. \

Written by a Lover of Sincerity, and a Travailler for Zion's Redemp-
tion, and for the removing of all Oppressions from off the Souls of
them who have believed, STEPHEN CRISP.

Dear Friends,
YOU know how that God in his infinite love hath vi-
sited us with a very glorious day, in which his Sun of
righteousness is so risen upon us, that the heavenly warmth
thereof hath quickened and enlightened us, and made us
to stand up and serve him iu our day and generation ;
and the virtue of that blessed life in Christ Jesus being
revealed in the souls of them who have truly believed,
hath given them great power over death, and hath made
them able to grapple with satan in all his diverse appear-
ances, and to overcome him ; so that which way soever
he hath hitherto sought to eclipse the glory and bright-
ness of this great and notable day of the Lord, he hath
hitherto been frustrated in his purpose, and his instru-
ments have been made ashamed of their work : for all
that are true children of the day, do find that their stand-

A Faithful Warning, §*c. 329

ing is by faith, and not by knowledge, and are by their
faith kept in a holy dependance upon the power of him
that can overcome all things, and bring them under ; so
that whatever doth arise against the Truth, the faith of
them that are in it lets them, even in the beginning of it,
see to the end of it, and gives them a certainty in them-
selves, by which they are settled in patient and quiet
waiting to see the thing they believe brought to pass ;
and this is their victory, even their faith, and they who
dwell in this faith are not weary, neither do they faint in
all the various exercises they meet with by the way, but
can endure contradiction without discouragement, know-
ing that whatever it is that riseth up against the power
and purpose of God, shall in time be laid low.

And this is the same faith that was once delivered to
the saints, in the primitive days, when Christ the resur-
rection and the life was preached unto them, in whom
they believed, and by whom they were enabled both to
do and to suffer what his will was, and to withstand the
torrent and sea of contradictions they then met withal ;
and the word of God grew mightily, and their zeal and
courage grew for the name of God, so that no stratagem
devised against them could prosper, as long as they kept
in the simplicity of the gospel, and held their faith which
they had in a pure conscience. Here were their great
fortifications, that made them so prevalent and immuta-
ble, viz. simplicity and cleanness of mind ; and as long
as this continued, they continued of one heart and mind,
glorifying God, and building up one another, and com-
forting one another, and were as epistles written in one
another's hearts.

Now, when the devil saw that it was impossible to stop
this glorious work of God by all he could do, by stirring
up the priests and rulers against them, but their strength
was in the Lord, they standing in their simplicity and
pureness of mind ; then the adversary sought out ways,
means and instruments, how to disturb their progress, by
drawing one or other among themselves from that sim-
plicity of the gospel of Christ, in which they had been
of one heart, and had believed and practised the same

43

330 *A Faithful Warning

things, without vain disputations. And having found some
unstable souls fit for his purpose, he wrought powerfully
in them to move questions, which had a tendency to
draw others forth to striving about the question ; then
one would have it thus, and the other would maintaiu it
to be so, neither of them minding whether the question
itself tended to the use of edifying the church. But a great
stir was quickly raised, and that about some few Jewish
rites, and about some right or wrong descents of ge-
nealogies ; one would prove it thus, and the other so ;
and here was a door opened to let in the carnal wisdom
to be the weapons of this war, by which the pure inno-
cent minds of many were corrupted, and some whole'
households subverted; which wheu the devil had thus
far prevailed, he went on further, and gave courage to
some of these his high-minded, heady, unruly servants
to go abroad through the churches, and preach up these
his questions as doctrines, and to seduce and draw away
all they could from the simplicity of the gospel. And
these were so prevalent as to bewitch and betray many ;
so that they were emboldened to withstand the true apos-
tles in that glorious work in which Christ Jesus had em-
ployed them ; so that now a great deal of their work was
to warn the poor flock of Christ of these wolves in sheeps'
clothing, and to give out testimonies of their own since-
rity, and against these deceitful workers, and to open and
unfold the mysterious working of that evil spirit, and how
it wrought cunningly to make void the offence of the
cross, that they might carry on the name and outward
profession of Christianity, with more reputation and less
reproach than at the first. For this was the design, to get
the Christians into a false liberty, and to loosen their
hearts from that sincerity and watchfulness which was
taught them in the beginning : and to what a height the
serpent carried on his work in that day, you may read
at large in the scriptures of Truth, and what sad and
woful work it made in Corinth, in Galatia, in Smyrna,
in Thyatira, and in Laodicea, and also in Achaia, and
what sorrow and labour it cost the good apostles, and

and 'Exhortation to Friends. 331

how the good spirit was grieved by these things, and the
hearts of the righteous made sad thereby.

Yet the enemy had in those days another stratagem as
bad as all the rest, whereby lie sought to lay waste the
work of God ; for after the gospel came to spread abroad,
and many were convinced, both Jews and Gentiles, many
Greeks also came to acknowledge the Truth, who had
been great seekers after natural wisdom, and had sought
to fathom natural causes and effects, and had studied
many curious arts, and philosophical strains and methods,
which suited well with their heathenish worship and re-
ligion, for them to endeavour to find out the benevolent
or malevolent influences of Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, or
other of the gods whom they worshipped. But when they
came to the acknowledgment of the one only true and
living God, the creator of all, and of Jesus Christ whom
he had sent, then they found their curious arts needless,
and their books fit for nothing but the fire, and burnt in
one city as many as were worth 50,000 pieces of silver :
but alas ! the spirit that made use of them was not burnt
in several, but wrought cunningly to bring many of those
their tricks and quirks in among the poor believers, and
endeavoured to make them believe they were such know-
ing men, and had such rare things to acquaint them with,
far beyond the apostles ; and then they went to work with
the opposition of science, as they falsely called it, and
then things must be questioned and disputed that had not
a philosophic or natural reason, to demonstrate to the
senses or understanding. And hereby was the faith of
some made void, and many were spoiled of their sincerity
and uprightness by these vain deceits, and then came in
looseness in conversation ; then a Nicholas with his ran-
terism ; a Jezebel with her pretended loose and wanton
prophecies ; a Balaam with his covetous design upon the
people, might find some to side with them ; for the holy
tie and covenant of their religion, of bearing a daily cross,
that was broken ; but alas ! alas ! the effect of these things
was very lamentable.

And, dear Friends, having briefly touched at these
things, and set these proceedings of satan against the

332 Jl Faithful Warning

Truth among the primitive Christians before you, I now
come to tell you in great plainness and sincerity, what
hath for some months lain upon my mind relating to this
subject, and concerning the day in which we live, and the
dispensation of that everlasting gospel which is now
preached again unto us, in which we found the very same
blessed effects as they did. For when we had believed
therein, it brought us into great simplicity, and into clean-
ness of mind, and into an unfeigned love and unity one
with another ; and from what parts or countries soever
we came, we all spake the same things, and the quirking,
querying, disputing wit was brought down, and cast out
from among us ; though we could query and dispute with
the opposers that were without, in defence of the Truth,
yet we had then no such occasion among them that pro-
fessed Truth ; for we were of one heart, and mind, and
judgment, and in that universal love we laboured to
build up one another in our most holy faith, and to pub-
lish and make known the blessed name of Jesus, in whom
we had believed; and many were daily added to the
church, and came to partake of the same faith, and of the
same love, and grew into the same simplicity of mind,
wherein we found a harmonious rejoicing in spirit, when-
ever we saw one another. In this state did the Truth
preserve us, and our faith was firm in that name and
power by which we were called, that the Lord would go
before us, and prosper us in his blessed way, in which
he caused our souls to take great delight, and take up the
daily cross cheerfully, and deny ourselves for the sake of
him that had called us.

But the old enemy of Truth envied this our tranquillity
quickly, and began to work in some where he found a
ground to work in, and sought to lead them from the
simplicity of the Truth, and to exalt their minds in the
sight of things opened by the Truth, and so did not
abide in the tender fear of Grod, and in the humility of
the innocent seed, but flew up in airy notions and ima-
ginations ; some into a false liberty, and others into
strange imaginations of their own growth to some high
state, and so grew heady and unruly, and were hardened

and Exhortation to Friends. 333

against exhortations ; rather judging themselves fit to
teach, than to be taught, and these drew several after
them through an affection that was not subject to the
cross, and became an occasion of offence and stumbling
to many who were inquiring after the way of the Lord,
and a great exercise and sorrow to such as kept in the
travail and labour for Zion's redemption. But those that
abode in the faith, knew that the power in which they
had believed would arise, and crush down and bruise
that lofty, airy spirit, and all that abode in it, and did
not repent and return to their first love, and do their first
works ; and according as we believed it came to pass, and
their works with which they sought to amuse and aston-
ish the nations, were confounded and brought to nought;
and divers that did adhere and cleave to that spirit, were
lost and scattered, and grew into profaneness and unclean-
ness, and strove against the power of God that wrought
in his people to reclaim and regain them, till at length
the very power of God turned against them, and cut
them off who had been the troublers.

Yet did not the serpent leave off attempting to betray
the innocent, but found out other instruments fit for his
purpose, whom he raised up under pretence of some new
discoveries, accompanied with a voluntary humility, and
a seeming self-denial, when indeed, the design was to
exalt self and man's work, wit and reason, above the
eternal power of God, and through feigned pretences, to
obtain a dominion over the heritage of God, and to im-
pose and obtrude upon them things which were not
taught by the living spirit of Christ Jesus in themselves,
nor had been received by doctrine or message from the
true spiritual labourers in the gospel. By which means the
minds of many were betrayed, and they were exercised
in contending about some outward signs or tokens of
their separation, till the weighty matter they should have
minded, viz. how to be kept in the love of God, and in
the heavenly unity, was in many lost and forgotten, and
instead thereof, a secret root of bitterness grew up, and
a hatred against the prosperity of the church of God,
and the faithful servants and ministers of it, insomuch

334j A Faithful Warning

that they lost the very sense of God's blessed presence
amongst us, and reckoned lie had forsaken us ; and there-
upon many of them also forsook us, and were as another
people, and were puffed up with great expectations of our
downfall, and their own exaltation, aud began to spread
their design of separation into other nations, to the hurt
of many who were deceived by them; so that the tender
love of God, that had wrought in the hearts of the faith-
ful labourers and ministers of the gospel, to the gather-
ing them out of the world, now wrought again effectually,
to gather many of them out of this self-separation, and
with great patience and long suffering, did we travail and
labour with many. And the Lord beheld our sincerity and
care, and blessed his work in our hands, so that the eyes
of many were opened to see the crafty snares by which
they were entangled, and power was given them of God,
to break through and testify against the crafty wiles of
them that had deceived them; and the Lord arose in his
great and mighty power, in and among his people, and
set an eternal judgment on the head of that spirit, and its
work of dissention and separation that it had wrought ;
and it could then proceed no further, but withered and
came to nought. And those who wilfully resisted the of-
fers of the love of God, and of his people, they grew
more and more corrupt, and perished wholly from the
way of the Lord, and the society of his people, and turn-
ed back, some into the world's worship and religions,
and others into the gross pollutions that are therein ; and
the churches of Christ, who stood faithful and true to the
leading of his spirit, came to have rest from that extreme
labour and travail which they had lain several years un-
der, by reason of these things. And God fulfilled the
prophecies of divers of his faithful servants, who by their
faith had seen, and by the spirit had testified at the be-
ginning of that spirit's work, what the end of it should
be; for many there were who saw, that it was from the
earth, and thither it would return; and there it was swal-
lowed up, and all its substance; and as many as refused
to be warned, perished with it: then did the souls of the
faithful give glory and honour to God, in whose hand is

and Exhortation to Friends. 335

power and dominion, and he reigns on high' in his
strength, and is king of saints, and the defence of his
Zion, now, henceforth, and for evermore.

These exercises put and stirred up all the faithful to
great vigilance and watchfulness, for the keeping the
enemy out for the future, at least, as much as in them lay ;
and those that were faithful and ancient Friends, both,
men and women, found it incumbent upon them to meet
together to watch over the liock, and to see to the con-
versations of them who professed the Truth, that it might
answer their profession, and where the contrary appeared,
to deal with them, and to reclaim them, if possible, or
else to deny them, and to clear Truth and Friends of
them, and their disorderly courses. And in this good work
the Lord blessed them, and showed his presence among
them, and gave them wisdom and understanding; and
they took care of the widows and fatherless, of the poor
and afflicted families among them, and had the care upon
them concerning marriages, that none might come together
in a disorderly manner, but that all things might be clear
on either side, and the consent of parents might be ob-
tained before marriage, and that all things might be
kept in good order, and savoury in the sight of God and
men. And divers epistles were written from several el-
der brethren for their encouragement and direction in this
good work; for we knew it was God's work, and would
tend to the limiting of loose and unruly spirits, who
sought liberty more than sincerity ; and sensuality more
than Christ's government, and their subjection to the di-
vine power of God. And when some exalted spirits
came to see unto what this work would tend, they took
offence thereat, and sought to weaken the hands of the
faithful Friends in this good work, under pretence, that
all must be left to the witness of God ; and if people did
not find judgment in themselves for what they did, they
must not be judged by others, being themselves gone
from Truth's judgment and hardened : then they cried
out of innovation and imposition, and such like.

And hereupon were many again seduced and subverted,
and drawn away from their steadfastness in the Truth,

336 A Faithful Warning

and began to appear against the good order of the Lord's
people, and to reflect upon the godly care that lay upon
them, with unhandsome and unsavoury speeches and
writings, till a secret root of bitterness and enmity got
into several that had been convinced ; and in this root
the enemy wrought with great craft and subtlety, to draw
them from the blessed unity that is in Christ Jesus, the
true head of the true church, and begat them into many
jealousies and groundless fears of an apostacy, while in
the mean time he drew them so far to apostatize from
their first love and first works, that they proceeded to ex-
pose Friends both in particular and in general, to the
reproach and scorn of the world, as much as in them
lay.

All which was borne and suffered with much long-
suffering and patience, and a great travail lay upon many
to endeavour the reducement of them that did thus op-
pose themselves ; for we knew our sincerity, and knew
that the Lord would stand by us, and bless our work
and labour of love, and blast their work of enmity, and
that their striving against the Lord and his blessed work
in the hand of his innocent people, neither would nor
could prosper. We doubted not at all, but he that had
stood by us, and helped us from the beginning, would
still stand by us, and give his Truth and people the vic-
tory over every tongue and pen that rose up in judgment
against us, as he hath done to this day, and their work
is manifest, and they can proceed no further, blessed be
his name for ever.

Now, dear Friends, I have made this brief relation of
the forementioned passages, that they that are young in
the Truth may see, and they that are older may be put
in mind, how the old adversary of Truth hath already
wrought in this our day, and what hath been the end and
tendency of his work in all his various appearances, even
as in the primitive days, to stop the bright shining of the
gospel, if he could ; and whereas he is not able to do that,
his next work is to see whom he may devour, that is,
whom he may so ensnare and entrap with his subtle
baits and gins, as that he may, first, draw them from the

and Exhortation to Friends. 337

simplicity of the Truth; next, into an exaltedness in
knowledge; then, into prejudice and enmity against
those that stand in the way to hinder their exalted no-
tions. And by this time he hath taught them to break
the law of charity, and to think evilly of the upright,
and to disesteem the blessed unity and fellowship that is
in the Truth, and then they are fitted for schism and se-
paration upon one specious pretence or another : therefore,
how watchful ought every one to be, for the keeping out
this destroying spirit, which hath brought several already
to that pitch of enmity and defiance to the Truth and
people of God, that if it had been told them in the days
of their tender convincement, they would have been ready
to say with Hazael, is thy servant a dog that he should
do these things?

And, Friends, know this for certain, that satan is still
working, and seeks to winnow you ; and where there
doth remain, after a long convincement, a lightness and
an airiness in any, such are easily driven with his perni-
cious winds. And to this purpose he hath stirred up
some in several cities and countries, such as he knows
are fit for his purpose, who never knew a real mortifica-
tion upon that earthly, sensual wisdom, that is from be-
neath, but have too much saved that alive in themselves,
which Grod did in their first convincement pass a sentence
of death upon; and these, as they cannot reach to a
partaking of the life of Truth in themselves, no more
can they reach nor attain to the hidden mystery of the
unity that the Lord's people have one with another in
that life of Truth, but another life and a power they
have, and in it they grow headstrong and fierce, de-
spisers of them that are born of the spirit, yea, they grow
in wisdom from one degree to another, but it is neither
pure nor peaceable, gentle, nor easy to be entreated. By
their fruits ye may know them ; for from this wisdom are
they often found starting some subtle and abstruse ques-
tions, to amuse the minds of the simple, and to cause the
weak in the faith to err, and to draw away unstable souls
after them, as if they had brought forth some new dis-
coveries; and then here is work for disputing wits, by

43

338 A Faithful Warning

all which the minds are drawn further and further from
the true watchfulness, that becomes those that have such
an enemy to deal with.

Hence it is that all those janglings are sprung about
the forbidden fruit, what it was, and whether good for
food, or not good for food ; upon which some have closed
with that primitive and first error, with which Eve was
ensnared, and have judged it good for food; yea, and
have fed upon it too, till their knowledge hath grown
greater in the evil than in the good. Hence it is that
another starts questions about the mortality or immorta-
lity of the soul. Another, of the state of the soul after
the death of the body, whether it abides a singular es-
sence, or ceaseth to have any singular essence or being.
Another about the state of the body after death. Another
about how many bodies one and the same soul may or
must have at sundry times. Another, how long the wicked
men or angels must endure the "/rath of God for rebel-
lion. Another comes forth and says, there is no such
thing as wrath or anger in (rod, and all that is written
thereof in the holy scriptures is but metaphorically spo-
ken. And many more such like fancies and doting
questions, doth this birth bring forth for the trial of your
faith and steadfastness in the Truth, by which the enemy
is, as I said, trying and winnowing, to see where he may
meet with his own, and may deceive and draw away
some from the faith and unity, and teach them some other
way and doctrine besides the narrow way of regeneration.

Now, my dear and well-beloved in the Lord, you are
witnesses unto this day in how great simplicity and plain-
ness of speech we have preached the word of God among
you, from the day the Lord sent us forth to this day : we
came not unto you with enticing words, we needed not
logical nor philosophical demonstrations ; for our testi-
mony had the demonstration and evidence of the spirit of
Truth in your hearts, and our words, or the word of God
in our mouths, hath not altered nor changed unto this
day, but remains the same as it ever was. The great
doctrine of the gospel was and is regeneration, without
which there is no entrance ; the only means and way to

and Exhortation to Friends. 339

attain it, was and is that light and grace that comes by
Jesus Christ, and sanctifies, and purifies, and brings to
him, by whom the entrance is ministered into the king-
dom ; these things have we declared, and these things
ye have believed, and in this faith are many of our faith-
ful brethren fallen asleep, and their precious souls are at
rest with the Lord. And herein, if ye abide steadfast to
the end, ye shall do well.

And, as concerning all such who seek to trouble any of
your minds with the things above-mentioned, or any
subtle and crafty questions, keep you your habitations in
the power of God, and you will daily come more and
more to discern the tendency of them ; how it is a spirit
that works against the cross, and seeks to cause the of-
fence of it to cease, that they might bear a profession of
Truth, and live in a loose conversation without control
or judgment; and you will see them come to nought like
others before them.

And for the carrying on this kind of libertinism, divers
strange notions are hatched and spread about to corrupt
the minds of whom they can ; for the devil, who is the
author of them, knows well how to apply them to the
advancement of his own kingdom, and for the easing, or
rather hardening, the consciences of such who receive
these things, that they may thereupon shake off the sense
which sometime they had of the righteous judgment of
God, and slight the judgment of his people, and give the
reins to their lusts and passions ; and yet all the while
make a profession and outside appearance among the in-
nocent people of God. Oh Friends ! these are the blots
and spots that are among us ; these are they by whose
means the holy name of God is blasphemed, and his
blessed pure way evilly spoken of by many, and the hearts
of the upright made sad from day to day ; these are such
as cost the apostle tears when he wrote, "I told you of them
before, and now tell you weeping ; they are enemies to
the cross of Christ." These cause the feet of some to
stumble, and others to perish from the way of the Lord,
and yet all the while carry a secret bolster under them
to bear themselves upon, having let in a belief or sup-

34)0 A Faithful Warning ,

position, either that there is no such wrath and judgment ^
to be expected from the hand of God, as hath been largely
spoken and written of by the prophets, Christ and his
apostles, and all the faithful ministers of the gospel unto
this day : or if there be wrath and judgment to be revealed,
it will be but for a time, and then they shall be restored
to glory and happiness, or if they fall short of a due fit-
ting and preparing for the kingdom of God on this side
the grave, it is no great matter, for they shall have other
opportunities even in this world hereafter, when they
shall be born in other bodies.

Some few secretly bolster themselves up and endeavour
to possess others with the supposition or notion of the
finite punishment of wicked men and devils in the world
to come, as where the holy scriptures mention, viz :
everlasting fire, the sin against the holy ghost, never to be
forgiven in this world, nor in that which is to come, eter-
nal judgment, vengeance of eternal fire, the smoke of
their torment shall ascend up for ever and ever, &c. as
plainly declared by Christ and his holy apostles and
gospel ministers, these they limit only to ages.

Another bolsters himself up with a belief, that if he
doth evil, his hell is only here in his own conscience, but
when he leaves the world, all things Mill be as if they
had not been, and the soul shall die with the body, and
suffer an* annihilation as well as the body, or shall be
swallowed up out of all particularity, as a drop of water
into the sea, and so then what matter. And this is the
evil seeds-man, sowing these cursed seeds of fleshly li-
berty and ranterism, even in our day, and hath prevailed
upon some to their destruction ; and they that are se-
duced, as the apostle saith, do wax worse and worse,
seducing whom they can, by these their pernicious ways,
the consequences whereof are woful and lamentable to
consider, and hath cost me and many more great sorrow
and grief. And truly, Friends, the weight of these things
was heavy upon my mind for some time, and it lay upon
me to give a warning to all that have an ear to hear, lest
they suffer their minds to be corrupted by the subtle
laying in wait of satan and his instruments ; for though

and Exhortation to Friends. 341

I know there are many thousands who know the price
and value of their immortal souls, and many who have
truly travailed for the redemption of souls, who do not
stand in need to be warned of these subtle designs, but
do live in that which comprehends the devil and his
crafty working, yet I am drawn forth in true love and
tenderness to the weak, and such as are not yet grown to
a stability in the everlasting and elect seed of God, to
exhort them to take heed to themselves, and to be stirred
up to faithfulness and diligence, and to approve their
hearts in the sight of God, in sincerity and lowliness, that
so they may feel his secret preserving power to keep
them from these gins and nets of the cunning hunters,
who lie in wait to beguile and betray whom they can.

And, Friends, to you who have not known the depths
of satan, I have a few things to offer to your serious con-
sideration : First, you know in what manner you were
convinced, and how your understandings were opened,
and you brought to the acknowledgment of the Truth ;
was it not by the shilling of that true light of Christ Je-
sus in your souls, which by its inward working showed
you that your souls were made subject to a power of
darkness, that had defiled them, and made them unfit for
God to dwell in and to take delight in ? Then you saw
what a contrariety and disproportion there was between
the pure light and your impure souls. Whereupon judg-
ment from God was manifest for the curbing, limiting,
and destroying that power that had thus defiled the
minds and consciences ; and when ye came to believe
this judgment to be the very judgment of God, ye sub-
mitted to it, as right and due unto you ; and as ye thus
submitted to it, ye quickly found some power to with-
stand the temptations of the dark power that had capti-
vated you. And did you not then feel your souls some-
what eased, and a hope raised, that as ye abode faithful
unto that light, you might obtain power to withstand
your souls' enemy in all his appearances ? So that the
faith that was delivered unto you in the beginning was,
that your souls should be so sanctified, fitted and pre-
pared, as to become a habitation for God, and that he

34& «3 Faithful Warning

would so strengthen you, that ye should be able to stand
against the devil and his power, who sought to defile and
destroy the soul. And they that have been diligent and
kept this faith, have found it to be a shield and a defence
in the times of their trials and temptations ; so that they
have found victory by it, and their souls have come to
know a deliverance from under the enemy's power, and
have received ability to serve the Lord, and have felt the
blessed freedom and liberty in the Truth, which they so
much desired and longed for.

Now, wherefore hath all this work been to redeem the
soul, and to convert it, and change it from under the
dark power, and to bring it under the heavenly and glo-
rious power of Christ Jesus ? I ask them that have known
this work, was it only for a few days or years that we
are to continue here in these bodies ? Or, was it not the
effect of the eternal love of Grod in Christ, that in him
our souls might be eternally happy ? I know such as
have truly known this travail, do know the soul to be
more worth than the value and worth of the whole world,
and they are not liable to the seducements of such as
would undervalue the soul. But alas ! there are too
many that never knew what it was to travail for souls,
neither in themselves nor in others, but have received a
sight and knowledge of things at a distance, in a specu-
lative way, as lookers on, and these, having grown up
into a profession by a sight, without a real work in them-
selves, are very ready to be seduced, and to seduce others ;
and wanting the substance that never waxeth old, are
always itching after some new thing, which for a time
seems to be delightful to them, till a newer thing is pre-
sented, and then they are for that also, and so are always
gadding and changing their ways, till at last they are
by the mastering subtlety of their souls' enemy, who
hath power in such unstable minds, led back again into
the world, or into divers sects, heats, and opinions, that
are of the world. And a false liberty gets up in them, in
which they grow heady and stubborn, and look upon
every one that seeks to reclaim them as their enemy, and
let in hard and bitter thoughts against them; and the ene-

and Exhortation to Friends. 34<3

iny fills them with prejudice, and in that state they seek
for the failings of others, and feed upon them as bread to
strengthen themselves, and so grow more and more es-
tranged from the innocent life that is in Jesus, and which
he hath given for food for the children of the kingdom.

Oh! this is a sad condition; and I have often with
deep sorrow lamented the state of some to whose hands
peradventure this may come, when I have seen what a
good beginning they have made in the way of God, and
have been as pleasant plants, and hopeful to bring forth
much fruit to the honour of (rod and comfort of his peo-
ple, and especially to the comfort and salvation of their
own immortal souls : and yet after some good progress
made in the Lord's way, for want of a diligent watchful-
ness and keeping close to the daily cross, and the self-
denial, have laid themselves open to the spoilers, who
have cunningly got an entrance into them, some in the
affectionate part, some in the wise reasoning part, some
through sowing the seeds of prejudice, aud some one way,
and some another, and have beguiled them of the sim-
plicity, and drawn them from the sincerity that is in the
Truth ; and so they have both lost their first love, and
their first work also.

And of these some are so far dead, that they have lost
all sense and feeling of that love of God that worketh in
the hearts of his people, for the regaining of them ; and
to such I shall say little, but tell them, my soul shall
mourn for them in secret, until the Lord easeth my spirit
concerning them. But for the rest who do yet retain
something of a love to the Lord's people, and have some-
times an ear yet open to hear counsel ; to these I say,
God hath put it into my heart to warn you, that ye
strengthen those things that are ready to die, before the
Lord appear against you for your hard words and
hard thoughts ; and come down in humility, and feel
after the first tenderness and brokenness of heart which
once you felt, and hold a fast to the Lord ; feed no more
upon your carnal reasonings, hearken no more to those
seducers that have drawn you from your steadfastness in

344 A Faithful Warning

Christ Jesus, and your place in the body : for, be ye as-
sured, as your food is, so will your life be ; and if ye
will still feed upon the airy notions of that carnal wisdom,
into an airy, light, and wanton life you will grow ; and if
your food be to lick up the dirt and foulness that you can
find here or there, and to feast thereon, and then be lia-
ble to vomit it up again, as some have done ; this will
nourish nothing but the serpent's life, which the power
of God will overcome. But, dear hearts, sink down,
sink down, while yet an arm of love is reached out to you
to receive you, and wait in lowliness to be brought into
that heavenly house, where there is meat indeed, and
drink indeed ; and remember that express sentence of
our Lord, who said, except you eat my flesh, and drink
my blood, ye have no life in you : this is the holy nou-
rishment that nourisheth up the heirs of the kingdom,
into which many are entered, and many of the dear peo-
ple of God whom ye count lightly of, are travailling to
obtain an entrance.

And, Friends, let me use yet one argument more with
you, to persuade you to turn into the unity and fellowship
of the Truth and power of God, in which ye sometimes
took delight with us to walk in it, and that is an argu-
ment from your own experience, to wit , the feebleness
that hath fallen upon many of you, since ye departed from
the heavenly unity with your ancient Friends and breth-
ren ; what a decay of strength and courage in the bearing
forth the several testimonies for the name of Christ, as
they were received from the beginning; and by the faith-
ful followers of him, are to this day kept and accounted
of, as of more worth than a little outward liberty or es-
tate, or such like.

But oh ! my Friends, how is this tie loosened ? And
how is fleshly reasoning gotten up to shun the cross, and
the sufferings that attend the gospel, and an unwilling-
ness in many to give up themselves for his name's sake?
So that they are as if they had lost their spiritual armour,
and their fervent zeal and love to the Truth, and the tes-
timonies of it, which once were dearer to them than their

and Exhortation to Friends. 345

all in this transitory world ; and it is indeed impossible
that the love to God and his Truth should remain in its
former strength, when the love to the brethren decays.
They came together, and they will go together ; and the
want of this love to God and to his people, is the ground
of declining Truth's testimony, and using indirect ways
to shift and shun the sufferings that come for Truth's
sake, by which the hands of Truth's enemies are
strengthened, and many stumbling-blocks have been laid
in the way of the weak ; I beseech you to consider these
things, and lay them to heart, while there is a day and
opportunity to return to your first love, and to your first
zeal for the Truth.

And, dear Friends, I might go into particulars, to lay
before you, wherein this decay of love and zeal for God
and his precious Truth, is manifest in many ; but I spare
you, knowing there is a faithful and true witness for the
Lord, that will, if you mind it, show you more particu-
larly wherein any hath failed, and to that witness of God
I do recommend what I have written to you, which will
testify that I have written in true love to your immortal
souls ; and whosoever slights this tender warning and
exhortation sent unto them in the love of God, will but
harden their own hearts more and more, and lay them-
selves open to the seducing spirits, to be carried away by
the subtle wiles of subtle men, who seek to draw from
the foundation that God hath laid, and to bring you again
to trust to uncertainties, and to fill your minds with
unnecessary things, and to neglect the weighty matters,
and the one thing needful.

Therefore, Friends, wait to feel the daily renewings
by the Holy Spirit in yourselves, and that will renew your
love to God and to his Truth, and the testimonies of it,
and to the brethren that have laboured in it for the good
of your souls, and to all the faithful followers of the
Lamb of God every where ; and that will renew your
love and zeal to the Truth, and to the testimonies of it,
and keep it fresh, and give you a sense of the exceeding
great value of it, and then you will see that the service

44

346 A Faithful Warning, $c.

of all that is given you, is but to serve the Lord in hisf
Truth ; and in the holy faith, you will have a sense of
the reward of all, in your own bosom, that ye lose and suf-
fer for the Lord's sake, and in this you will have an in-
heritance with all the sanctified children of light ; which
that ye all may possess, and none fall short of, is the
earnest desire and prayer of your faithful friend in the
unchangeable Truth,

STEPHEN CRISP.

( 3'4? )

AN

EPISTLE FROM STEPHEN CRISP,

FRIENDS.

DEARLY beloved Friends and brethren in the ever-
lasting fellowship, that stands in the spirit of Christ Je-
sus our one head, I do at this time dearly and tenderly
salute you, in a fresh and living remembrance of the pre-
cious unity and joy in the pure spirit of life, in which we
have been mutually refreshed together in years past,
when I, according to the will of God, travailed and la-
boured among you, in my younger years, with great con-
solation, rejoicing greatly in beholding your order and
unity in the blessed Truth, in which ye prospered, and
were as an army with banners in the Lamb's host; who
went forth conquering among you, and defending and
preserving you by his Almighty power from the mani-
fold snares of satan, that were laid for your feet ; but you
that are ancient can remember with joy, how you were
kept steadfast and immoveable in the holy path of life,
and in the blessed concord, being of one heart and mind,
bent to serve the Lord and his blessed Truth ; I say, the
remembrance of these things is precious to me, and to you
who retain the simplicity of the gospel of Christ our sa-
viour.

And, dear hearts, as ye have met with many assaults
to break your blessed unity, so it is not to be expected,
but that still your great adversary will go about seeking
whom he may devour ; and he, knowing that your strength
is not in yourselves, but in that seed of life that hath in
all ages broken his head, and overcome him in and for
the faithful; therefore, his work is to draw from that

348 An Epistle from Stephen Crisp to Friends.

seed., and from that sweet dependancy upon it, into some
strange ground, where you may be removed from your
strength, and be made a prey to his net. And, therefore,
as that seed is meek and lowly, if he can but exalt any
into the contrary property, they are prepared for him.
And as that seed is not of this world, if he can draw any
into the spirit of this world, they are prepared for him.
And as that seed is patient and long-suffering, if he can
draw any into haste and passion, they are prepared for
him. And as that seed made himself of no reputation, and
sought not honour in this world, if the enemy can but draw
any one to the affecting reputation and honour, they are
prepared for him. And from hence come grindings, heart-
burnings, backbitings, jealousies and mistrust, which
gender strife and contentions, which break out into
schisms and rents, under various pretences, which give
room for the corrupt wit and wisdom that are from be-
neath, to raise disputes and janglings, which are not of
(rod, but of the lusts, the ground of wars and contentions,
which are hurtful to those concerned in them. But in
Christ Jesus is our peace and tranquillity, in whom we
have grown up to be a church and body, to his honour
and glory, and to our salvation ; in whom we rejoice to-
gether, and have dominion over the work of the wicked
one, in the particular, and in the general, and by his
power have seen the counsels of the disobedient brought
to nought many a time, and he is the same still as ever
he was. Therefore, be ye not discouraged at any work
of the enemy, which you see appearing, but keep in the
Lamb's patience, and have faith in the lion of the tribe of
Judah, aud be assured his work in your hand shall pros-
per, as ye abide in his spirit, which is unchangeable and
invincible.

And, dear Friends, as concerning your present exer-
cises that ye labour under, through the discontents of
some amongst you, let none faint in their minds, as if
some strange thing had happened to you, nor any be
overcome with a zeal beyond sound judgment; but re-
member that the dominion belongs to the meek and inno-
cent seed, which will guide you to be tender and conde-

An Epistle from Stephen Crisp to Friends, 349

scending to the brother of low degree, and to keep invio-
lable the law of charity, and to heal the broken and the
wounded, and to restore that which is hurried out of the
way by temptation, making a difference between the ten-
der-hearted, and the wilful, and heady, fierce despisers,
who are easily known by their fruits.

And, dearly beloved, this is a windy day, or a day of
winds, in which that which is in itself chaff, will be
blown away, and what the north wind doth not remove,
will be driven with the east wind, and what persecution
doth not cause to start presently, the winds of dissention
and seducements will drive away, and many are lost al-
ready, and many more will be lost, who have lost the in-
nocent and beautiful love that first shined among us,
and made us amiable to one another. These having
lost their first love, it is no marvel if the first works de-
cay also.

And hence come the self-love, and shunning the
cross, and a desire after the worldly aud fleshly liberty, in
which many are entangled, and become enemies to the cross
of Christ, and seek to make the offence of it to cease, by
which an enmity doth arise against them that bear it,
though it works under other specious pretences, whose
end will be according to their work, and the day will de-
clare and make it manifest.

So, dear Friends, in bowels of dear and tender love,
having a little opened my heart unto you, as a remem-
brance of that ancient and lasting love that hath abound-
ed in my soul to you from the beginning, I bid you fare-
well in the Lord ; and the God of power keep you in the
unity of his spirit, and in pureness and cleanness of mind,
serving the Truth with one heart and mind ; and keep
down the captious wit, and carnal reasonings and dispu-
tation for mastery in all your assemblies ; and let the di-
vine sense rule your affairs, and the wisdom that comes
from above, which ye may know by its being peaceable,
as well as pure ; and those that trust in this gift, need
not strive nor be hasty, but wait in faith, and exercise
their patience the appointed time of the Father, and they
shall see the desire of their souls, and be satisfied. So

350 An Episfle from Stephen Crisp to Friends.

the God of power, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
keep and support you by his divine, comfortable pre-
sence, and direct you in his heavenly wisdom to do his
holy will in your day and generation, which is the hearty
supplication of your

Sincere and faithful Friend and brother,

in the kingdom and patience of Christ Jesus,

STEPHEN CRISP.

{ 351 )

TENDER VISITATION

THE LOVE OF GOD,

UNTO

THOSE PEOPLE CALLED FRENCH PROTESTANTS,

WHEREVER

They are scattered in this time of Tribulation and Persecution, raised
against them by those called Roman Catholics, about matters of
Religion.

FRIENDS, in the movings of God's love in my heart,
I write unto you, and my prayer to (rod is, that he may
by his invisible power, open your hearts to receive a word
of counsel, which might tend to your eternal happiness.

It is evident that you are great sufferers, and the fame
thereof hath readied over many lands and countries, and
hath occasioned many to take notice of your hard mea-
sure, and to compassionate your state and condition, and
to reach out a hand of charity to your relief and assist-
ance, which is indeed a real fruit of true Christianity, and
a duty that all Christians do owe one to another ; yea, to
do good to all men, and especially to the household of
faith.

And in this charity, J am drawn forth to visit you in
these days of your distress, with these few lines of coun-
sel and advice, which, if you receive in sincerity, and
with an humble mind, ye shall do well, and may reap
some benefit by it.

And, first of all, let your minds be seriously exercised,
to consider what is the cause of your sufferings, and why

352 A Tender Visitation

the Lord hath permitted these days of trial and hardship
to come upon you ; and by the way, take notice, I dare
not take upon me to be a judge over you, and to conclude
that God is always angry with a people whom he permits
to fall under great sufferings. No, far be it from me, for
who hath suffered more than God's dear children in this
world? Neither is suffering a certain token of being the
children of God ; for many suffer because they have pro-
voked the Lord to anger, by their disobedience to him ;
and others suffer for the trial of their faith, and that they
may be thereby the more purified and prepared, either
to bear witness to his holy name on earth, among the
children of men, or to possess his heavenly kingdom, into
which, nothing that is not purified and cleansed can enter.
Now, to which of these cases shall be ascribed your pre-
sent sufferings, is best to be known and found out by the
light of Truth in your own hearts and consciences. And,
doubtless, so many of you as will please to sit down and
seriously to consider your ways in time past, will come
to an understanding how it stands between God and your
own souls ; for the Lord hath a faithful and true witness
in the consciences of every one of you, that hath register-
ed your doings from your childhood ; and this will bring
to your remembrance, how you walked before the Lord
in the days of your prosperity and liberty, in your own
nation, when you sat under your own vines and fig-trees,
how short you came in answering the loving kindness of
God, how little that light of understanding was prized,
which God had bestowed upon you more than the rest of
your nation. This will show you that it was as abomi-
nable in the sight of God, for you to bow down and serve
the lusts and passions of your own evil hearts, as it was
for your neighbours to bow down and worship their
images of stocks and stones. This will bring to mind
the luxury and wantonness, the strife and emulation that
was among many of you, and how a great part of you
pleased yourselves with a formality of religion, some-
thing differing from the rest of the nation ; though your
lives and conversations differed little from others, but too
much liberty was taken to looseness and vanity, and to

to the French Protestants. 353

the lusts and concupiscence of the flesh. These things
were a grief to the spirit of God, while ye called upon
him in words, and dishonoured him in your lives, and
gave your adversaries occasion to speak evil of you, and
of your religion; insomuch that it hath been the common
report of strangers and travellers for a long time, that
there was little difference to be found in the lives and
conversations of protestants and papists in France, till
the day came that they went to their several worships.

Oh, friends ! where was the talent of knowledge all
this while? For as you knew better than others, and that
more light had shined unto you, so should your conver-
sations have shined forth, beyond others, in sobriety, in
temperance, and in the fear of the Lord, to the honour of
his holy name amongst his enemies ; and this would have
stopped the mouths of gaiusayers more abundantly than
all the scholastical and critical arguments formed by
force of logic and rhetoric, or philosophy, either could or
ever did.

Now, friends, when these things come to be brought
up in your remembrance by God?s remembrancer in your
consciences, showing you your mispent time in days
past, it will work you into humility, and prepare your
hearts to say with Saul, Lord, what wilt thou have me
to do ? And the Lord will then draw nigh to you in a
strange land, even to as many as seek him diligently ;
for all lands are alike to him, and in every nation, and
among every people, those that fear him and work
righteousness, are accepted with him, through Jesus
Christ our Lord. For he teacheth the humble, saith David,
and instructeth the meek in his ways; and I must tell
you, friends, the reason why you are still such strangers
to the inward and divine teachings of God, is because
you are not humble enough, nor poor in spirit enough,
and so do not know the necessity nor want ye have of it;
but are heaping up teachers to yourselves, that may please
the itching ear, and so are diverted from a diligent heark-
ening to the voice of God, who is a reprover in your own
hearts. In the next place, it is expedient for you se-
riously to consider the cause for which your great suffer-

45

354 A Tender Visitation

ings come upon you ; it may be you will say, it is be-
cause you cannot, for conscience sake, subscribe certain
articles, nor perform ano" practise certain things, which
you believe to be contrary to the mind of God, &c.

You say well : but, my friends, if conscience must be
hearkened to in these respects, pray why is there not as
great need to answer it in your whole lives and conver-
sations? So far as our consciences are illuminated, it is
by the light of Christ, who lighteth every one that
cometh into the world, with the true light; and so far as
conscience is guided by this light, and men suffer them-
selves to be governed by such an illuminated conscience,
they are kept from every thing that offends God by the
same law of conscience, which is light; for the same
light that convinceth my conscience, that it is sin to bow
down to an idol, or worship a crucifix, the same con-
vinceth me in my conscience, that it is a sin to lie, to
swear, to commit fornication, yea, to speak so much as a
vain and idle word, or to let any evil communication or
foolish jesting proceed out of my mouth. Oh ! what a
blessing would this be to you, and what peace of con-
science would it bring into your bosoms, if this rule were
observed in your whole life and conversation; and, sure-
ly, the reason is the same; for if the dictates of Truth
in the conscience be, as you confess, to be followed in
one thing, why not in all ; especially so far as we are
equally illuminated and convinced? And I would ask,
which of you is not as completely and fully satisfied in
respect to your conscience, that drunkenness, swearing,
lying, hypocrisy, pride, &c. are contrary to the holy will
of the pure God, as bowing to an image or crucifix, or
subscribing any superstitious articles whatsoever ? And
the same light of Truth which disco vereth the one, dis-
covered the other, as the apostle saith, whatsoever is re-
provable is made manifest by the light, for that which
maketh manifest is light.

But, by the way, I must put you in mind of a diver-
sity of working in the consciences of men, for all men do
not make scruple of conscience in matters of religion,
from one and the same ground and cause ; for if they

to the French Protestants. S55

did, all would be of the same mind with Christ and his
apostles, and the primitive believers ; who, while they
had their consciences all governed by the spirit of Christ
Jesus, continued together, and were of one heart and
mind. But there be three things principally that divert
men's consciences from this universal rule of holiness,
faith, and charity ; and by these three means, people
come to be led from the holiness, divided in their faiths,
and broken in their charity ; and I shall touch briefly
upon these three, that so the searching, inquiring soul
may be somewhat helped to find whether any of them
have the rule and government of his conscience or no.

1. The first is Education.

2. Worldly Interest.

3. The subjecting the conscience to the government
of other men, and thereby beiug made liable to their in-
terest and passions.

For the first, Education, it must be considered in a
two-fold consideration, good and bad ; for good educa-
tion, it hath a great prevalency upon the mind, as to doc-
trines, principles, and forms and modes of worship ; but
it doth not alone convey from the tutor to the pupil, the
life and virtue of religion, that must be done by the im-
mediate operation of the power and spirit of Christ ; and,
therefore, it is the duty of every one, how good soever
their education hath been, and how sound soever the
principles are that they have received, to wait for this
divine operation in their hearts, to season and sanctify
them, and to fit them to bear a testimony to the Truth,
which they have learned in words and terms, or else
they will grow up in a formal dead profession, and will
want the oil in their own lamps, although their tutors
might have it ; and such, for want of the true life and
virtue of religion in themselves, may make conscience of
this or that form and mode of religion, in which they were
educated, and may stand in a profession of such or such
doctrines and principles ; and yet may be never the bet-
ter for them, as to the great and main end, namely, the
sanctification of the soul, and reconciliation with God,
which the most sound doctrines and principles will not
alone do.

356 •£ Tender Visitation

And, as to bad education, and being tutored and nurs-
ed up in the dark and erroneous ways of the world, that
fallen man hath invented, this makes a conscience too,
though corrupt and denied through the darkness that is
in them and their teachers. They grow stiff in their error,
and set it up for Truth, putting their darkness for light,
and walking by the light of the lire of their own kindling;
crying, thus did our forefathers, and pleading antiquity
for a cloak for error, which makes it not the better, but
the worse. And these deceived consciences have com-
monly this property, that they will endeavour to make
every one's conscience like their own, which, if any can-
not yield to, they are for destroying their bodies, which,
shows they are children of the destroyer, and do his
works ; of whom Christ our Lord prophesied, when he
said, they shall think they do God service when they kill
you ; and still these will tell you it is their conscience,
but by their works it is manifest what it is that hath the
government of such consciences ; not the sweet spirit of
Christ Jesus, but the force of a corrupt education, nourish-
ed and strengthened by the daily motions of satan.

Another thing that seeks to take the government of
some men's consciences, is worldly interest. These are
men of no settled, hearty religion, but allow themselves
a latitude to square their consciences and professions to
their worldly profits, pleasures and advantages ; and so
are a sort of Christians without the cross of Christ ; and
consequently, no disciples of Christ ; for he said, unless
a man take up his daily cross and deny himself, he can-
not be my disciple ; but how hard is it for such men to
make conscience, to keep or to act according to a good
conscience, where worldly loss and damage either in their
profits or pleasures present ? What screwing and wind-
ings do they make to form their consciences to look
another way ? What seeking out of arguments and car-
nal reasonings to make themselves believe otherwise than
they really do believe ; nay, sometimes forcing them-
selves for their interest, to profess that which they do
not, nor cannot believe ; and this is a great abomination
in the sight of GTod, and such are oftentimes shut up in

to the French Protestants. 357

darkness, and given over to a reprobate mind, because
for worldly ends they choose the darkness rather than the
light, and come to have their portions in it.

The third thing is, where men give over their con-
sciences to the regulation and government of others; and
these may be said to be men without the exercise of their
conscience, for they have not the use of it, nor do stand
in a capacity of accepting any illuminations by the work-
ing of God's spirit, but are bound as slaves and vassals
to him to whom they have subjected themselves, and re-
ceive their precepts by the teaching of that man, though
he be never so bad; and of this God complained of old,
saying, their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of
men; then it seems they should have been taught of God.
But, alas ! what a condition are those souls in, and how
uncertainly do they go on that have given themselves
over to another to govern their very thoughts, their faith,
their living and works ; if he err, they must err too ; if
he fall in the ditch, they must fall in too. Nay, and this is
not all, for he himself is not his own, nor the Lord's
freeman, but he is bound under somebody else, as much
as thou art under him, and lie again under another, and
so on ; so that error, darkness, and blindness, spread
themselves over all, and all have wandered from that spirit
which Christ hath sent, according to his promise, to
lead his people into Truth, whom, he said, the world
could not receive; and now it is manifestly true the
world will make any shift rather than come to the teach-
ings of his spirit, yea, will pin their faith upon the sleeve
of k priest or a monk, although they know them to be so
far from infallibility, that they see their failings daily, in
pride, covetousness, luxury, wantonness, and hypocrisy,
and are such as are not able to preserve themselves out
of the snares of satan. Who would think any man of
understanding could be so blinded as to imagine that such
can absolve them of their sin, who cannot keep out of
it themselves, but are overcome by the temptations of sa-
tan, and by their own lusts and concupiscence, and must
have another to absolve them, and another again for him,
and so forth? Ah, where is the pure light of Christ in

358 A Tender Visitation

the conscience all this while, that should guide and rule
the conscience of the one and the other, to teach them
how to keep their consciences void of offence towards
God and man? Oh that men would hearken to this, and
let it have its proper office in their consciences, unto
which God hath appointed it. This would nourish and
strengthen every good thing that hath been planted by
good education, and bring that good which is held in no-
tion to flourish in virtue; this would work out auy evil
thing that hath been sown by bad education, and make
it die and wither ; this would teach you to lay by all
worldly interest, and dedicate yourselves to the Lord,
henceforth to be taught and guided by him ; and Christ
Jesus by his light and spirit, would so open your under-
standings, that he would make you wiser than your
teachers, in the great mystery of regeneration, without
which all worships, religions, confessions, absolutions,
yea, alms and prayers, will stand a man in no stead ; for
except a mail be born again, he cannot see the kingdom
of God.

Now, friends, you that are in sufferings, and are
scattered to and fro in many nations upon the account
that you cannot for conscience sake conform to that re-
ligion which you believe to be idolatrous ; what can be
a more proper exercise for your minds, than to examine
your own souls to see what it is that hath been your lea-
der and guide in this your refusing to conform ? Whether
it were your education, or any worldly interest or de-
pendancies upon any; or whether it were some over-
much sway and prevalency, that any man or men have
had upon your consciences ; or, lastly, whether it hath
been the light of the word and spirit of Christ, shining
in your hearts, and illuminating your understanding to
see the error and idolatry of the nations, and that in ten-
derness of conscience towards God, and in obedience to
his grace and Truth, you chose rather to forsake your
native country, and your worldly enjoyments, than to de-
file your consciences, and sin against that light and grace
that the Fattier of Lights had bestowed upou you ? Now
those of you that find it thus with you, what a comfort

to the French Protestants. 359

will it be in all your adversities, when you feel the evi-
dence of God's witness in your consciences, testifying
your sufferings to be upon this account? And how good
will it be for you all to follow the leadings and guidings
of it in all things, and see if there be not yet many things
remaining in and among you, that are as contrary to that
light and grace in your hearts, and as burdensome to
your souls, and that keep you from reconciliation with
God? And the mor^you exercise yourselves in trying
and proving your words and actions by this light in your
own souls, the more clearly you will see a necessity of
reforming your ways in the sight of God, and not to rest
satisfied that you have obeyed it in one tiling, but to la-
bour and travail in the daily cross, till all things that
stand in opposition to the holy will of God be subdued
in you, that so you may not lose the reward of what you
liave done, for it is not faithfulness in one particular will
serve our turns; but as Moses said, when he prophesied
of Christ, it shall come to pass, saith he, that that soul
which will not hear him in all things shall be cut off.
Therefore, the way to make peace with God, and recon-
ciliation, is to follow the Lord fully, as did Joshua, that
is, to leave off and forsake every thing that is evil in
yourselves, as well as the idolatry that is in others,
which they would have brought you to join with them
in.

In the next place, I would put you upon a serious
consideration, what effect your present suffering condi-
tion hath wrought in you towards your sanctification ;
for it is the work and business of a true Christian soul
to be improved by every condition, and most of all by
sufferings, which are permitted of God for the slaying
and crucifying all that in his people that is contrary unto
him, that they may be as gold purified in the furnace of
tribulation. Now it will be of great profit to you to come
to a search in yourselves, how this work of mortification
is carried on, and to inquire whether that vain and airy
mind that too much prevailed upon you in your own
country, which led you out to fashions and customs, be

360 A Tender Visitation

not yet alive in you, which puts you upon such great
haste to fashion yourselves to the fashions of the nations
where you are scattered, and conforming to their ways
and manners. Oh ! my friends, if a true sense of your
states did remain upon your spirits, how would it make
you grave and weighty, and bring you into sobriety in
words and actions, by which the nations where you live
might see that it was from a sound principle of religion
and godliness, that you had denied the superstition of
your own country ; and not barely for a differing form of
religion, which makes men no better in one form than
another : for you may remember that the apostles and
primitive Christians had not fellowship with those that
held the same form with themselves, if they denied to be
subject to the power of godliness. And indeed, that is
the life of religion, and the crown of all sufferings upon
the account of religion, when the sufferers in the time of
their sufferings, feel in their souls the virtue and life of
him for whose name they suffer, supporting them in their
afflictions, and also preserving them from the pollutions
and defilements of the world. Thus it was with the dis-
ciples of old, who in a time of persecution were scattered
over Asia, Cappadocia, and Bithynia, they carried along
with them the sweet savour of life, and it is said, that
the word of God grew or increased mightily ; for alas !
what advantage hath a protestant over a papist, if both
remain subject to the prince of the power of the air, who
hath his rule in the hearts of the children of disobedience,
of what sort or profession soever they are. Therefore,
let me persuade and beseech you in the tender love of God,
not too much to look upon that little reformation which
you have ; but look at and consider how much is yet to
be reformed before you can come to be, as you know you
ought to be, answerable to the holy, pure mind of the holy,
pure God, with whom, and in whose eternal pure pre-
sence you desire to have your eternal portion and inheri-
tance. And although this be not obtained by works, but
through grace, yet all that are truly subjected to the
grace of God, are led by it to deny all ungodliness and

to the French Protestants. 361

worldly lusts, and to live righteously, and soberly, and
godly, in this present evil world, Tit ii. 11. So examine
yourselves, and see how your lives and conversations
answer the grace and light of Truth, which through
Christ Jesus, the fountain of light and Truth, is commu-
nicated to you, and accordingly you may find a true judg-
ment arise in your own souls, how it stands with every
one of you in the sight of God.

There is one thing more that lies upon me to put you
in mind of, and that is, to move you to an humble thank-
ful mind to the Lord, that he hath in this the time of
your afflictions, opened the hearts of so many kings and
princes to receive and succour you, and of so many peo-
ple to relieve your necessities, which indeed is a great
mercy. The consideration whereof, may be a great mo-
tive upon your spirits to trust the Lord, and to serve him
in your places where you are cast, and to endeavour
yourselves to answer his love and kindness towards you ;
that his mercies and goodness may oblige your hearts to
love the Lord more than all, and this will more and more
open the hearts of all that love the Lord, to minister to
you in such things as you need, both temporal and spiri-
tual. And truly, friends, I have with grief, many a time,
beheld you as a people under great trials, and had wish-
ed your trials had wrought a better effect upon you than
they have yet had ; and there came a necessity upon my
spirit to visit you with these few considerations, in the
pure love of God, hoping they will meet with many
among you that will receive this visitation in the same
love in which it is sent unto you; and I pray God it may
do you good, and have an effect upon your hearts for
your spiritual advantage. But if any among you should
despise it, and cast good counsel behind their backs, and
cavil either at the matter or style, such will but hurt
their own souls, and not me; neither shall I, that I
know of, be concerned thereat, but with grief for their
sakes, having faithfully discharged that which lay upon
me to you-ward, and my reward is with the Lord, and
his spirit teacheth me to love all men, and to labour

46

SQ2 A Tender Visitation, t$c.

for the good of all men, as knowing it is not the will of
God that any should perish; but that all men every
where should repent and come to the knowledge of the
Truth, and be saved.

STEPHEN CRISP.

Colchester, the 17th 11th Month, 1688.

( 363 )

AN

EPISTLE

TENDER LOVE AJYD BROTHERLY ADVICE,

THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST

THROUGHOUT

THE WORLD,

Who are gathered into the one Living Faith, and walk in the Light,
and therein have their fellowship one with another.

From a Friend and brother in the same fellowship, who hath long
Travailed, and still Travails for Zion's Prosperity, and for the
gathering of Zion's Children out of Egypt and Darkness, that they
may walk and dwell in the Light of Zion's Saviour, which is
Christ the Lord. Whose outward Name is STEPHEN CRISP.

DEARLY beloved Friends and brethren, gathered
out of the world by the eternal arm and power of the
mighty (rod, to bear his holy name in your generation ;
my love and life in the fellowship of the universal spirit,
salutes you all ; and my prayer to God is, that you may
be kept steadfast and immoveable in the grace of God,
and in the communion of his Holy Spirit, that ye may
bring forth fruit in abundance, according to the abundant
mercy and grace bestowed upon you, to the glory of God*
and to your mutual joy; comfort and edification.

364 An Epistle of tender Love

And that you may so do, let your eye be kept daily to
the Lord, and behold, and take notice of the wondrous
work that he hath wrought in you, and for you, since
the day ye were first quickened by his immortal word,
and stirred up to seek after him, and to wait upon him ;
how good and gracious he hath been to you, in bringing
you from the barren mountains, where your souls lan-
guished for the heavenly nourishment, where you knew
not the Lord, nor one another, but were without a com-
forter, or any to sympathize with you in your mournings.
Oh, how hath he pitied your groanings, and had com-
passion on your sighings ; and brought you into acquaint-
ance with those that were in the like exercises ; and then
he taught you to believe on him that was able to help you.
And those that were thus taught of the Father, and felt
his drawiug cords of love prevailing upon them ; these
came to Christ their Saviour, and in him began to feel a
unity one with another, in the faith you had received in
him ; whereby you believed he would give you of his
spirit, to teach and guide you in the way of Truth,
righteousness and peace ; and thus was the foundation
of your holy communion laid, and a lively hope raised
in each particular soul, that he that had begun this bles-
sed work would carry it on ; and this hope made you
that ye were not ashamed to make a public profession of
his name before the world, but cheerfully to take up his
cross, and deny yourselves of your former pleasures,
friendships and delights of this world. This hope hath
been your support in many sharp trials and bitter com-
bats you have had with the enemy of your souls' peace
within, and with the enemies of Grod's holy way and
Truth without ; and in all your conflicts, you have found
him nigh at hand, to put forth his power on your behalf,
as you have depended upon him for his assistance ; and
by these experiences of his goodness, your faith hath
been strengthened ; and by the same word of life that
quickened you, many more have been reached unto;
so that you have seen a daily addition of strength in the
particular, and also an addition to your number, to your
great comfort and encouragement. And many have come

and Brotherly Advice, £fc. 365

to wait upon the Lord among you, and many are daily
inquiring after the way to Zion, with their faces thither-
ward. These things are worth your remembrance, and
serious consideration, that you may look upon these
great mercies, as obligations upon your souls, to walk
humbly before the Lord, and to be devout and fervent
in your testimony, for that God that hath done thus great
things for you.

And, Friends, consider of the great works that this
mighty arm of the Lord hath brought to pass in the gene-
ral, as well as in the particular ; how many contrivances
have been framed, and laws and decrees made to lay
you waste, and to make you cease to be a people, and
how have the wicked rejoiced thereat, for a season, cry-
ing, ah, ha, thus would we have it; they are all now
given up to banishment, to imprisonment, to spoil, and
ruin. Now let us see if that invisible arm they trust in,
can deliver them. Oh, Friends ! how hath your God been
your support in the midst of all these exercises ? And
when he hath pleased, how hath he quieted the sharpest
storms, and turned back the greatest floods and torrents
of persecution that ever you met with ? And how hath
he confounded his and your enemies, and brought con-
fusion upon the heads of them that sought your hurt?
Were not these things wrought by the power of God?
Did your number, your policy, your interest* or any thing
that might be called your own, contribute any thing to
these your great preservations and deliverances ? If not,
then let God have the glory, and acknowledge to his
praise, these have been the Lord's doings, and are mar-
vellous in our eyes.

Again, dear Friends, consider how the wicked one
hath wrought in a mystery among yourselves, to scatter
you, and to lay you waste from being a people, as at this
day ! how many several ways hath he tried, raising up
men of perverse minds, to subvert, and to turn you from
the faith, and from the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus
our Lord, and to separate you from that invisible power
that hath been your strength, and to separate you one
from another ; and by subtle wiles, to lead you into a

366 An Epistle of tender Love

false liberty above the cross of Christ ; and sometimes
by sowing seeds of heresy and seditions, endeavouring to
corrupt the minds of whom they could, with pernicious
principles : but oh ! how have their designs been frus-
trated, and the authors thereof confounded and brought to
nought ; and how have you been preserved, as a flock
under the hand of a careful shepherd, even unto this day;
which ministers great cause of thanksgiving unto all the
faithful, who have witnessed the working of this pre
serving power in their own particulars.

Also, my Friends, it is worth your consideration, to
behold, how that by this invisible power, so many faith-
ful watchmen are raised up upon the walls of your Zion,
that in most of your meetings, there be men and women
upon whom God hath laid a concern, to be taking care
for the good of the whole, and to take the oversight upon
them, to see all things kept in good and decent order ;
and to make due provision for the comforting and re-
lieving the necessities of the needy and distressed, that
nothing be lacking to make your way comfortable ; and
these have not been, nor are brought under this charge,
by any act of yours ; but God hath raised up pastors and
teachers, elders and deacons, of his own election and
choice, and bowed their spirits to take upon them the
work and service to which they are appointed for the
Lord's sake, and for the bodies sake, which is the
church, to whom it may truly be said, as in the SOth
chapter of Acts, ver. xxviii. Take ye heed to the flock of
God, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you over-
seers, &c. And such ought to be hearkened to in the
discharge of their trust, as those that must give an ac-
count to him that called them, and gifted them for their
several works and services in the church.

And by these ways and means hath the Lord estab-
lished among you a heavenly government, and built as
it were a hedge about you, that ye may be preserved
from generation to generation ; a people fitted for the
glory that is, and shall daily more and more be revealed
among and upon the faithful, who delight in that power
that called them to be saints, and to bear a profession for

and Brotherly Advice, 8£c. 367

the holy name of God, against the many names and ways
that men in their changeable minds have set up, that the
name of the Lord alone may be exalted.

And, dear Friends and brethren, I entreat you, that
the consideration of these great and weighty things which
God hath wrought for you, and among you, may have
that deep and weighty influence upon your souls, that
ye may find yourselves engaged to answer the love and
mercy of God in your lives and conversation, and in all
you have to do in this world, that ye may show forth the
honour of God in all things : that the light which has
shined in you, may shine forth through you unto others,
who yet sit in darkness, that all men may know hy your
innocent and harmless conversation, and by your close
keeping to the Lord, that ye are a people who are as-
sisted and helped by a supernatural power, which go-
verns your wills, and subjects them to his blessed will,
and that guides and orders your affections, and sets them
upon heavenly and divine objects, and that gives you
power to deny your own private interests, where they
happen to stand in competition with the interest of Truth.
For these, and these only, will be found the true disciples
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who can deny themselves, take
up a cross daily, and follow him in the guidance of his
regenerating power, which brings death upon self, and
crucifies the old nature, with its affections and lusts ; and
raiseth up a birth in you, that hath a holy will and de-
sire to serve the Lord, and do his will on the earth ; and
such as these are instruments in the hand of God for him
to work by, and to do works of righteousness, of justice,
of charity, and all other the virtues belonging to a Chris-
tian life, to the honour of God, and. for the comfort and
benefit of his church and people.

And all you, dear Friends, upon whom the Lord hath
laid a care for his honour, and for the prosperity of the
Truth, and gathered you into the good order of the gos-
pel, to meet together to manage the affairs thereof; take
heed that ye have a single eye to the Lord ; to do the
Lord's business in the leadings of his spirit, which is
but one, and brings all that are given up to be governed

368 Jin Epistle of tender Love

by it, to be of one mind and heart, at least, in the general
purpose and service of those meetings ; although through
the diversity of exercises, and the several degrees of
growth among the brethren, everyone may not see or un-
derstand alike in every matter, at the first propounding
of it : yet this makes no breach of the unity, nor hinders
the brotherly kindness, but puts you often upon an exer-
cise, and an inward travailing, to feel the pure, peacea-
ble wisdom that is from above, to open among you, and
every one's ear is open to it, in whomsoever it speaks ;
and thereby a sense of life is given in the meeting, to
which ail that are of a simple and tender mind, join and
agree. But if any among you should be contrary minded
in the management of some outward affair, relating to the
Truth, this doth not presently break the unity that ye
have in Christ, nor should weaken the brotherly love, so
long as he keeps waiting for an understanding from (rod,
to be gathered into the same sense with you, and walks
with you according to the law of charity ; such a one
ought to be borne with, and cherished, and the supplica-
tions of your souls will go up to God for him, that God
may reveal it to him, if it be his will, that so no differ-
ence may be in understanding, so far as is necessary for
the good of the church, no more than there is in matters
of faith and obedience to God. For, my Friends, it is
not of absolute necessity that every member of the church
should have the same measure of understanding in all
things ; for then where were the duty of the strong bear-
ing with the weak? Then where were the brother of low
degree? Where would be any submitting to them that are
set over others in the Lord ? Which all tend to the pre-
serving unity in the church, notwithstanding the different
measures, and different growths of the members thereof.
For as the spirit of the prophets are subject to the pro-
phets, so are the spirits of all that are kept in a true sub-
jection to the spirit of life in themselves, kept in the
same subjection to the sense of life given by the same
spirit in the church : and by this means we come to know
the one master, even Christ, and have no room for other
masters, in the matter of our obedience to God. And

and Brotherly Advice, 8£c. 369

while every one keeps in this true subjection, the sweet
concord is known, and the oil is not only upon Aaron's
head, but it reacheth the skirts of his garment also ; and
things are kept sweet and savoury, and ye love one ano-
ther, from the greatest to the least in sincerity, and, as
the apostle saith, without dissimulation; and this love
excludes all whisperings of evil things ; all backbiting,
tale-bearing, grudgings and murmurings, and keeps
Friends' minds clean one toward another, waiting for
every opportunity to do each other good, and to preserve
each others reputation ; and their hearts are comforted at
the sight of one another. And in all their affairs, both
relating to the church and to the world, they will be
watchful over their own spirits, and keep in the Lord's
power, over that nature and ground in themselves, that
would be apt to take an offence, or construe any word or
action to a worse sense than the simplicity thereof, or
the intention of the other concerned will allow of.

And whereas it may often fall out, that among a great
many, some may have a different apprehension of a mat-
ter from the rest of their brethren, especially in outward
or temporal things, there ought to be a Christian liberty
maintained for such to express their sense, with freedom
of mind, or else they will go away burdened ; whereas
if they speak their minds freely, and a friendly and
Christian conference be admitted thereupon, they may be
eased, and oftentimes the different apprehension of such
a one comes to be wholly removed, and his understand-
ing opened, to see as the rest see ; for the danger in so-
ciety, doth not lie so much iu this, that some few may
have a differing apprehension in some things from the
general sense, as it doth in this; namely, when such
that so differ, do suffer themselves to be led out of the
bond of charity, and labour to impose their private sense
upon the rest of their brethren, and to be offended and
angry, if it be not received; this is the seed of sedition
and strife that hath grown up in too many to their own
hurt.

And, therefore, my dear Friends, beware of it, and
seek not to drive a matter on in fierceness or in ansjer,

47

370 Jin Epistle of tender Love

nor to take offence into your minds at any time, because
what seems to be clear to you, is not presently received ;
but let all things in the church be propounded with an
awful reverence of him that is the head and life of it,
who hath said, where two or three are met in my name,
I will be in the midst of them : and so he is, and may
be felt by all who keep in his spirit ; but he that fol-
lows his own spirit, sees nothing as he ought to see it.
Therefore, let all beware of their own spirits and natural
tempers, as they are sometimes called, but let all keep
in a gracious temper; then are ye fit for the service of the
house of God, whose house ye are as ye keep upon the
foundation that God hath laid ; and he will build you
up, and teach you how to build up one another in him ;
and as every member must feel life in themselves, and all
from one head, this life will not hurt itself in any, but be
tender of the life in all ; for by this one life of the Word,
ye were begotten, and by it ye are nourished, and made
to grow into your several services in the church of God.
It is no man's learning, or artificial acquirements ; it is
no man's riches, or greatness in this world ; it is no man's
eloquence and natural wisdom, that makes him fit for
government in the church of Christ; unless he, with all
his endowments, be seasoned with the heavenly salt, and.
his spirit subjected, and his gifts pass through the fire of
God's altar, a sacrifice to his praise and honour, that so
self be crucified and baptized in death, and the gifts made
use of in the power of the resurrection of the life of Jesus
in him : and when this great work is wrought in a man.
then all his gifts and qualifications are sanctified, and
they are made use of for the good of the body, which is
the church, and are as ornaments and jewels, which
serve for the joy and comfort of all who are partakers of
the same divine fellowship of life, iu Christ Jesus our
Lord ; and thus come many to be fitted and furnished to
good works, which are brought forth in their due seasons,
for edification, and building up the weak, and for re-
pairing the decayed places, and also for defence of them
that are feeble, that hurtful things may not come near
them.

and Brotherly Advice, 8fc. 371

Oh ! Friends, great is the work the Lord hath called
you to, and is fitting you for, who innocently wait upon
him ; and the Lord hath opened my heart unto you, and
laid it upon me, to exhort and beseech you to have a care
that ye quit yourselves as ye ought, in what God re-
quires of you. Aud for the more particular expressing
what lies before me in the matter, I shall set down a few
particular observations, for your benefit and advantage ;^
and my soul's desire is, that my labour of love may have*
a good effect in all your bosoms, that God may be ho-
noured thereby. And, Friends, ye know the chief busi-
ness to which ye are called in your particular men's and
women's meetings, is under these two heads, justice and
charity ; the first, to see that every one hath right done
him, and the other to take care there be nothing lacking
to the comfort of the poor, that are made partakers of the
same faith with you.

And when ye meet about these things, keep the Lord
in your eye, and wait to feel his power to guide and di-
rect you, to speak and behave yourselves in the church of
God, as becomes the peaceable gospel. And beware of
all brittleness of spirit, and sharp reflection upon each
others words ; for that will kindle up heats, and create
a false fire ; and when one takes a liberty of a sharp
word spoken out of the true fear and tenderness, it often-
times becomes a temptation to another ; and if he hath
not a great care, it will draw him out also, and then the
first is guilty of two evils : First, being led into a temp-
tation, and then, secondly, he becomes a tempter to
others : therefore, all had need to be upon their watch,
neither to tempt, nor be tempted ; and let none think it
a sufficient excuse for them, that they were provoked ;
for we are as answerable to God for evil words spoken
upon provocation, as without provocation ; for, for this
end hath the Lord revealed his power to us, to keep aud
preserve us in his fear and counsel, in the time of our
provocations. And, therefore, if any man, through want
of watchfulness, should be overtaken with heat or pas-
sion, a soft answer appeaseth wrath, saith the wise man ;
and, therefore, such a time is fittest for a soft answer,

37U *3Ln Epistle of tender Love

lest the enemy prevail on any to their hurt, and to the
grief and trouble of their brethren ; for it is the proper
duty of watchmen and overseers, to spare the flock, that
is, let nothing come nigh them that will hurt them, and
wound and grieve them; nay, the good apostle was so
careful over the flock of believers, that if there were any
doubtful matters to be disputed of, he would not have
them that were weak in the faith at such disputes, much
less ought they that are weak to see those that are strong,
descend from their strength, and go into the weakness,
where they are not able to bear, for that is certainly
weak that cannot bear. Those that really live in the
strength and power, they can bear even burdens for them
that cannot bear their own. The apostle, in the place
before mentioned, when he sent for the elders of Ephe-
sus to Miletus, and left a charge with them, before he
said, take heed to the flock of God, he said, take ye heed
to yourselves : and, indeed, we are none of us like to
discharge ourselves well toward others, but by taking
heed to ourselves, to be kept in that sober, innocent frame
of spirit which the Truth calls for.

In the next place, my dear Friends, when ye are called
upon in point of justice, to give a sentence of right be-
tween Friend and Friend, take heed that neither party
get possession of your spirits aforehand, by any way or
means whatsoever, or obtain any word or sentence from
you in the absence of the other party, he not being yet
heard. There is nothing more comely among men, than
impartial judgment ; judgment is a seat where neither
interest nor affection, nor former kindnesses may come ;
we may make no difference of the worthiness or unwor-
thiness of persons in judgment, as we may in charity ;
but in judgment, if a good man, being mistaken, hath a
bad case, or a bad man a good case, according to his case
must he have sentence. It was a good saying, he that
judgeth among men, judgeth for the Lord, and he will
repay it. Therefore, let all be done as unto the Lord,
and as ye are willing to answer it in his presence ; and
although some may for a time be discontent thereat, yet
in time, God shall clear up your innocency as the sun at

and Brotherly Advice, §*c. 373

noon-day; and they that kick at sound judgment, will
find but hard work of it, they do but kick against that
which will prick them ; and, however, such through their
wilfulness, and their abounding in their own sense, may
hurt themselves, yet you will be preserved, and enjoy
your peace and satisfaction in the discharge of your con-
sciences in the sight of God.

And, as concerning practical charity, ye know it is
supported by liberality; and where liberality ceaseth,
charity waxeth cold, yea, so far ceaseth ; where there is
no contribution, there is no distribution ; where the one
is sparing, the other is sparing; and, therefore, let every
one nourish charity in the root, that is, keep a liberal
mind, a heart that looks upon the substance that is given
him, as really bestowed upon him as much for the support
of charity, as for the support of his own body. And
where people are of this mind, they will have a care of
keeping back any of God's part, for he hath in all ages,
in a most singular manner, espoused the cause of the
poor, the widow and fatherless, and hath often signified
by his prophets and ministers, a special charge upon rich
men, that had this world's goods, that they should look
to it that they were faithful stewards of what they pos-
sessed, and that they might be found in good works, and
might not suffer their hearts so to cleave to uncertain
riches, as to neglect the service God had given them the
things of this life for, either to give them up when called
for, in a testimony for his worthy name, or to communi-
cate of them to those that were in necessity.

Now, as concerning the necessities of the poor, there
is great need of wisdom when ye meet together about
that affair ; for as I said before, though the worthiness
or unworthiness of persons, is not to be considered in
judgment, yet in this it is; and you will find some that
God hath made poor, and some that have made them-
selves poor, and some that others have made poor, which
must all have their several considerations, in which you
ought to labour to be unanimous, and not one to be taken
up with an affection to one person more than another;

374 Jin Epistle of tender Lobe

but every one to love every one in the universal spirit,
and then to deal out that love in the outward manifesta-
tions thereof, according to the measure that the Lord in
his wisdom working in you, shall measure forth to them.
And as to those who by sickness, lameness, age, or
other impotency, are brought into poverty by the hand
of providence, these are your peculiar care and objects
pointed out to you, to bestow your charity upon, for by
them the Lord calls for it; for as the earth is the Lord's
and the fullness of it, he hath by his sovereign power,
commanded in every dispensation, that a part of what
we enjoy from him, should be thus employed. The
Israelites were not to reap the corners of their fields, nor
to gather the gleanings of the corn nor vintage, it was
for the poor; and in the time of the gospel, they were to
lay by on the first day of the week, a part of what God
had blessed them with, ;for the relief of those that were
in necessity; nay, they did not confine themselves in
their charity to their own meetings, but had an universal
eye through the whole church of Christ, and upon extra-
ordinary occasions, sent their benevolence to relieve the
saints at Jerusalem, in a time of need : and all that keep
in the guidance of the same universal spirit, will make
it their business to be found in the same practice of
charity and good works. To do good, and to communi-
cate, forget not, saith the apostle; so they that forget not
this Christian duty, will find out the poor's part in the
corners and gleanings of the profits of their trades and
merchandisings, as well as the old Israelite did the cor-
ners and gleanings of his field; and in the distribution
of it, will have a regard to comfort the bowels of such
who are by the divine providence of God, put out of a
capacity of enjoying those outward comforts of health,
and strength and plenty, which others do enjoy. For
while they are partakers of the same faith, and walk in
the way of righteousness with you, submitting themselves
patiently to the dispensation of God's providence towards
them, they are of your household, and under your care,
both to visit, and to relieve as members of the one body, of

and Brotherly Advice, f%c. 375

which Christ Jesus is head ; and he that giveth to such
poor, lendeth to the Lord, and he will repay it.

But there is another sort of poor, who make themselves
poor through their sloth and carelessness, and some-
times by their wilfulness ; being heady and high-minded,
and taking things in hand that are more than they can
manage, and make a flourish for a season, and then
through their own neglect are plunged down into great
poverty; these are a sort which the primitive churches
began to be troubled with in the early days of the gospel.
For the apostle took notice of some that would not work
at all, and sharply reproved them, and said, they that
would not work, should not eat ; and these are commonly
a sort of busy-bodies, and medlers with others' matters,
while they neglect their own, and run into a worse way
than the unbelievers, while they profess to be believers,
yet do not take a due care for those of their own house-
hold.

The charity that is proper to such, is to give them ad-
monition and reproof, and to convince them of their sloth
and negligence ; and if they submit to your reproof, and
are willing to amend, then care ought to be taken to help
them into a way and means to support themselves : and
sometimes by a little help in this kind, some have been
reclaimed from the snares of their souls' enemy ; but if
they will not receive your wholesome counsel and admo-
nition, but kick against it, either in their words or ac-
tions, Friends will be clear of such in the sight of God.
For it is unreasonable in them to expect you should feed
them that will not be advised by you, because they break
the obligation of society, by their disorderly walking;
for our communion doth not stand only in frequenting
meetings, and hearing Truth preached; but in answering
the blessed principle of Truth, in life and conversation,
and therein both the rich and the poor have fellowship
one with another.

There is another sort that are made poor by the op-
pressions and cruelties of others. These oppressed poor,
cry loudly in the ears of the Almighty, and he will in his
own time, avenge their case : but in the mean time there

376 Jin Epistle of tender Love

is a tenderness to be extended to them, not knowing how
soon it may be our turn; and if there be need of counsel
and advice, or if any application can be made to any that
are able to deliver them from the oppressors in such cases,
let all that are capable, be ready and willing to advise,
relieve and help the distressed ; and this is an accepta-
ble work of charity, and a great comfort to such in sharp
afflictions, and their souls will bless the instruments of
their ease and comfort.

And, my dear Friends, as God hath honoured you
with so high and holy a calling, to be his servants and
workmen in this his great and notable day, and to work
together in his power, in setting forth his praise and
glory in the earth, and gathering together in one the
scattered seed, in this and other nations ; oh ! let the
dignity of your calling, provoke and encourage you to be
diligent attenders upon his work and service you are
called to, and let not your concerns in the world, draw
you from observing the times and seasons appointed to
meet together ; but you that are elder, set a good exam-
ple to the younger sort, by a due observation of the hour
appointed, that they that come first one time, may not by
their long staying for others, be discouraged, so as per-
haps they may be last another time ; but when the time
is come, leave your business for the Lord's work, and he
will take care your business shall not suffer, but will add
a blessing upon it, which will do more for you, than the
time can do that may be saved out of his service.

And when ye have to do with perverse, and froward
or disorderly persons, whom ye have occasion to reprove
and to rebuke for the Truth's sake, and you find them
stout and high, and reflecting upon you, then is a time for
the Lamb's meekness to shine forth, and for you to feel
your authority in the name of Christ, to deal with such a
one, and to wait for the pure and peaceable wisdom from
above, to bring down and confound the earthly wisdom.
And in this frame of mind you labour together, to pull
the entangled sheep out of the thicket, and to restore that
which is gone astray to the fold again, if you can ; but if
you cannot, yet ye save yourselves from the guilt of his

and Brotherly Advice, 5fc. 377

blood ; and if such do perish, his blood will be on his
own head. But, on the other hand, if ye suffer their per-
verse spirits to enter, and their provocations to have a
place in you, so as to kiudle your spirits into a heat and
passion, then you get a hurt, and are incapable to do them
any good ; but words will break out that will need re-
pentance, and the wicked will be stiffened and strength-
ened thereby, and you miss the service that you did
really intend. Therefore, dearly beloved, keep upon
your watch, keep on your spiritual armour, keep your
feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, and
the God of peace will be with you, and crown your en-
deavours with good success, to your joy and comfort, and
will bring up his power over your adversaries and oppo-
sers, more and more, to which many shall bow and bend
in your sight ; and will bring shame and confusion upon
the rebellious, who harden their hearts, and stiffen their
necks, against the Lord, and his Christ, and kiugdom,
which he will exalt in the earth, notwithstanding all that
satan and all his evil instruments can do, to hinder the
growth and progress of his blessed Truth ; for of the in-
crease of the government and of the peace of the king-
dom of Christ, there shall be no end.

And now, Friends, I having cleared my conscience of
what lay upon me for some time, to write unto you by
way of remembrance, and as the exhortation of my life
unto you, I remain travailing in spirit for the welfare of
Zion. And although the outward man decays, yet in the
inward man I am comforted, in beholding daily, the
great things that our God hath done, and is still doing
for them that have their sole dependance upon him. So,
committing you to the grace of God, for your director and
preserver in these, and all your several services unto
which God hath called you, that by the operations of his
mighty power, ye may be kept blameless and unspotted
of the world, to his honour and your comfort, and to the
universal comfort and edification of the church, that so
praises and thanksgiving may fill your hearts and mouths,
your families and your meetings ; for he is worthy, who
is our tower, our support, the Lord of hosts, the King of

48

378 An Epistle of tender Love, Sfc.

saints ; to whom be glory, honour and renown, through
this and all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.

From your Friend and brother in the communion and
fellowship of the gospel of peace and purity,

STEPHEN CRISP.

London, the i5th of the 7th Month, 1690.

( 379 )

AN

EPISTLE

WRITTEN FROM AMSTERDAM.

DEARLY beloved Friends, brethren and sisters iu
the everlasting covenant of life, which is made manifest
through Jesus Christ our Lord, by whom we have at-
tained to the ancient fellowship and dominion of the
saints, and holy brethren of old, in the eternal gospel of
peace, and in the sense and feeling of an endless life,
which is one in you and in me; in which fellowship I
am drawn forth in the most dear and precious love of
our heavenly Father, to salute you with this salutation of
love, as a measure of the daily overflowings of pure love,
which I daily feel towards you, whose remembrance,
doubtless, is sweet to me in a far remote country ; and
especially when I behold how the Lord hath blessed
you, and hath said unto his seed, multiply and prosper ;
and it is so, beyond all the countries round about you.
Well, this is the Lord's doing, and the glory shall be his
for ever.

And now, my dearly beloved, seeing that your gather-
ing, preservation, and growth, is of the Lord, how ought
every one to behave himself as the servant of God, in
faithfulness unto that holy gift of his grace, by which
you are what you are, at this day ; and the more espe-
cially by how much you see the wiles and subtleties of
the enemy, who desires to scatter you. Wherefore, in
the everlasting Truth, this I say unto you all, watch and
wait to feel your minds stayed in that which is weighty,
that is the wheat, the good seed, and they who are in it
winds doth not remove them ; but the chaff will be driven
hither and thither, with winds of doctrine of men, and
with tradition ; and this is the mind and spirit that hath
not part in the ancient Truth, and is not satisfied with
it; that seeks out or chooseth to itself new and change^

380 An Epistle written from Amsterdam,

able things ; and against this, all watch, and keep the
dominion in the power of God, over it and all its ways.
And forasmuch as ye know it was the love of Grod by
which ye were gathered, dwell ye in love one with
another, and let it abound in your hearts, that so you
may bear the express image of him that hath begotten
you, and thereby many may be yet gathered unto you.

And as concerning you, my dear brethren and sisters,
who are grown up in the garden of God's delight, and
walk as in the day-light of his presence, and in his
strength and courage, with which he hath armed you,
your joy is full in the Lord, and sorrow is fled from
your hearts ; yet bear me a little in this matter. O, for-
get not the travail of the night, and the footsteps of the
former darkness, in which we mourned for our beloved,
and sought him with tears and broken hearts, that so in
the remembrance of those things, ye may always be
ready to sympathize with the poor, and with the de-
jected in spirit, whose day of darkness, gloominess, and
sorrow^, is but now. O, my Friends, they are exceeding
near me, and my heart is deeply affected with their con-
dition. O, go down with them into the house of mourn-
ing, and bear with them in their bitter lamentation;
help them in the day of their travail, in the same com-
passion whereby we are helped. Be ye tender to such
whom Grod hath made tender, so shall their souls come
up from the dead, and stand forth in the power of the
Lord, and bless you. And, Friends, dwell in wisdom,
and in the discerning and judgment of the spirit of God,
that so you that are strong may be always instructed
how to use your strength against such as are strong, but
not in the Lord ; for such, though never so stubborn,
shall be humbled, and the power is with you that shall
do it ; but the simple and upright soul, though never so
weak, bear up in your arms, and nourish with the milk
of the word, which is your daily support.

Finally, brethren, this is the breathing of my life daily
on your behalf, that in all things ye may approve your-
selves the servants of God, and one of another, in the
free spirit of righteousness and peace : that so the do-

, An Epistle written from Amsterdam. 381

minion which ye have obtained through faith and pa-
tience, ye may still keep and hold in the name and power
of the Lord God, over all powers and spirits whatsoever,
that are not of this holy and heavenly fellowship, in the
free spirit of peace and brotherly love, whether they ap-
pear as open enemies, or pretended friends, to the Truth ;
that none of you may be moved with fear of the one, or
be deceived, entangled, or defiled by the other ; but may
grow and prosper in the nobility of that holy, royal seed,
which never bowed to deceit, nor to the unrighteousness
that is in the world ; but was, and is, and is to come,-a
judge, and condemner of it all. And, dear Friends, be
diligent in every thing which the light hath showed you
to be the work of God, and required of you in this your
day ; and let not lukewarmness enter upon any of you,
for that is loathsome to the Lord ; but with diligence meet
together, and with diligence wait to feel the Lord God to
arise, to scatter and expel all that which is the cause of
leanness and barrenness upon any soul; for it is the Lord
must do it, and he will be waited upon in sincerity and
fervency of spirit ; and such feel the Lord near at hand,
while unto others he is as one afar off. And let charity
and bowels of compassion abound among you, as be-
cometh the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ ; and let none
be hasty to utter words, though manifest in the light, in
which ye wait upon the Lord ; but still wait in silence,
to know the power working in you to bring forth the
words, in the ministration of the eternal word of life, to
answer the life in all ; and if this be not known, retain in
your vessels what is manifest unto you, and it shall be
as bread in your own houses. He that hath an ear let
him hear !

Dearly beloved, in that which is everlasting dwell and
abide steadfast ; so shall ye all grow and flourish as the
blessed plants of the Lord, and men shall see that ye
are fruitful, and glorify your Father which is in heaven ;
who hath been, and is, the husbandman, to whom my
soul freely commits you all — by him to be taught and led
to the finishing your course with joy, and to the glory

382 An Epistle written from Amsterdam.

of his great and precious name*, which he hath made
known among you.

God Almighty preserve you, and keep you faithful,
fresh, and living, in a sense of his continual waterings
and blessings ; that ye may delight in him, and he may
yet delight to do you good.

This is the supplication of me, your dear friend and
brother, in the covenant of an everlasting brotherhood ;
with all who know the generation of the righteous seed,
which is but one, and hath one name, which none knows
but he that hath it

STEPHEN CRISP.

Amsterdam, the 10th of the 2d }
Month, 1663, Old Style. 5

( 383 )

LETTER TO J. R.

Friend J. R.

I AM sorry I have the present occasion of writing to
thee, and would have foreborne, if a necessity had not
been upon me for the Truth's sake, and for thine ; for I
have a deep sense of thy danger, and that thou art in the
way to dishonour thy testimony ; for I am informed by
several who love thee well, that they believe thou art
run into about three hundred pounds debt, to set thyself
up as a public shopkeeper. Whether they* have dealt
with thee about it or no, I know not; but alas, John,
what is the rise and spring of this, and what will the
issue be ? Sink down into that which gives a discerning,
and thou wilt find a secret mistrust, mixed with an
earthly lust, and a crafty carrying it on, under a show of
Truth ; that thereby some other things propounded, might
the better proceed, or be carried on, to the making self
somebody ; and this ground is cursed for ever, and so
will the fruit be. O, consider, is this fitting thyself for
thy testimony, and the keeping thyself from entangle-
ments in thy warfare ? Or is it not rather, a making use
of the name of the Lord, and of Truth, to plunder others
by fair means, or words, to get a visible estate into thy
hand ; and then thou may be plundered of it by foul
means. It is an easy matter to preach and incur fines,
when thou knowest others' goods must bear the loss ;
thou art on the surest side, and then if it be taken away
at last, a whining complaint of suffering for Truth's sake,
must serve instead of paying thy debts, as it hath done
too many already.

Dear John, I wish thou would yet take my counsel,
and send every Friend their goods home, with the
money for what thou hast sold of theirs, and take thee to
thy employment, where God blessed thee, and in which
thou grew up ; and stand ready at the Lord's call, that
if he please to make any public use of thee in his church,
thou mayst be free from worldly entanglements £ and if

38* Letter to J. JR.

not, be content with thy daily bread, both inwardly and
outwardly; and seek to adorn the gospel thou hast
preached, by a holy, simple, and righteous conversation ;
without which, preaching, believing, and profession, and
all the highest terms men can imagine, are all in vain,
and will end with an evil savour.

I have writ these things in love to thee and the pre-
cious Truth, in which my life stands, although it is often
bowed down, to see so many abuse the profession of the
holy Truth; serving themselves thereupon, and not
caring to keep up the reputation of it ; but venturing the
glory of God, the reputation of his people, yea, and their
own souls also, for the reaching after their earthly and
corruptible ends and purposes, which they have pro-
pounded to themselves. I might enlarge, to show the
many evil consequences attending this practice, but hope
by what I have written thou wilt consider the rest, and
still account me thy friend in the Truth.

STEPHEN CRISP.

The 28th of the 9th Month, I678.

( 385 )

LETTER TO A FRIEND.

Dearly Beloved in the Lord,

MY soul salutes thee in the fellowship of that life
that reigns over death and darkness, in which is the
kingdom we seek ; and nothing enters this kingdom, but
"what is born of this life immortal ; and that we may be
kept in it to the end of our days, is the humble prayer
of thy true and real friend and brother, in this heavenly
relation, in which thou may feel my integrity in a few
words.

Dear William, I have had a great exercise of spirit
concerning thee, which none knows but the Lord ; for
my spirit hath been much bowed into thy concern, and
difficulty of thy present circumstance ; and I have had
a sense of the various spirits, and intricate cares, and
multiplicity of affairs, and they of various kinds, which
daily attend thee, enough to drink up thy spirit, and tire
thy soul; and which, if it is not kept to the inexhausti-
ble fountain, may be dried up. And this I must tell
thee, which thou also knows, that the highest capacity of
natural wit and parts, will not, and cannot, perform what
thou hast to do, viz. to propagate and advance the inter-
est and profit of the government and plantation ; and at
the same time to give the interest of Truth, and testimony
of the holy name of God, its due preference in all things ;
for to make the wilderness sing forth the praise of God,
is a skill beyond the wisdom of this world. It is greatly
in man's power to make a wilderness into fruitful fields,
according to the common course of God's providence,
who gives wisdom and strength to be industrious ; but
then, how he who is the Creator may have his due honour
and service thereby, is only taught by his spirit, in them
who singly wait upon him.

There is a wisdom in government that hath respect to
its own preservation, by setting up what is profitable to
it, and suppressing what may be a detriment ; and this
is the image of the true wisdom ; but the substance is the

49

386 Letter to a Friend.

birth, that is heavenly, which reigns in the Father's
kingdom till all is subdued, and then gives it up to him
whose it is. There is a power on earth, that is of God,
by which princes decree justice, this is the image ; and
there is a power which is heavenly, in which the Prince
of Peace, the Lord of Lords, doth reign in an everlasting
kingdom, and this is the substance. By this power is
the spiritual wickedness in higli places brought down ; he
that is a true delegate in this power, can do great things
for God's glory, and shall have his reward, and shall be
a judge of the tribes; and whosoever else pretend to
judgment will seek themselves ; beware of them ; the
times are perilous. All men pretending to be believers,
have not faith in the Lord Jesus ; thou hast a good com-
prehension of things, wait also to receive a sound judg-
ment of men.

I hope thou wilt bear this my style of writing to thee ;
my spirit is under great weight at the writing hereof, and
much I have in my heart, because I love thee much. I
cannot write much at present, but to let thee know I very
kindly received thy letter, and was glad to hear from thee,
and always shall ; and my prayer to God is for thee, and
you all, that you may be kept in the Lord's pure and
holy way ; and above all, for thee, dear W. P. whose
feet are upon a mountain, by which the eyes of many
are upon thee; the Lord furnish thee with wisdom,
courage, and a sound judgment; prefer the Lord's in-
terest, and he will make thy way prosperous.

For my part, I have not been at London since the last
Yearly Meeting, till now. I was last year at the Yearly
Meeting at Amsterdam, and there taken with a fit of the
stone, it lasted three weeks ; and in the winter following,
it pleased the Lord to call from me my dear wife. As to
my body, I grow very crazy and weakly ; can neither
ride, nor very well go on foot. A mile is a great journey
for me ; but am in good courage and confidence concern-
ing the main business I am continued for, namely, for the
service of my God and his dear people. Our country, at
and about Colchester, is very quiet; while other meetings
are laid by for fear, ours is continued by faithfulness, and

Letter to a Friend. 387

is exceeding large, and pretty many lately convinced, to
my great comfort. Our dear Friend Gertrude continues
at my house yet, and is a careful nurse to me. I know
her dear love is to thee ; and many times have 1 heard
breathing desires go forth of her to the Lord on thy be-
half, from a weighty sense of the concern that is upon
thee. She is at Colchester, but intends to come up to the
Yearly Meeting.

Well, dear William, I might write long ere all were
written that lives in my heart towards thee; but in sum-
ma, I love thee well, and salute thee dearly in that which
is unchangeable, in which I remain thy true friend,

STEPHEN CRISP.

London, the -ith of the 2d Month, 1684.

( 388 )

LETTER TO J. T.

Dear Friend, J. T.

IT hath been some time in my heart to visit thee with
a few lines, to express that true love that I have had to
thee ever since I knew thee; which love hath been the cause
of my dealing so truly and plainly with thee from time
to time : for I have always had an eye and desire to thy
preservation in that Truth of which thou wert convinced;
and I have always taken notice that thy progress in the
Truth hath been made harder and more difficult to thee
than it is to many, by reason of thy natural temper,
which is forward and unstable, and hath been mixed,
with a zeal to get forward, and to attain to high things ;
whereby the enemy sometimes hath taken advantage
upon thee to thy hurt: and then the tender love of God
hath again visited thee, and showed thee thy hurt, and
thou hast been sensible that the Lord's hand hath been
over thee for good ; and this hath broken and melted for
a season : but the enemy, who is always upon his watch,
hath sought, even out of that tenderness, to lift up thy
mind into the conceit of some great attainments again ;
and then the former tenderness hath been, as it were, shut
up and closed : so that neither the true working of that
power, nor the love and tender counsel of thy friends
and brethren, could be discerned for a time ; which hath
been a grief and exercise to us, the Lord knoweth. Yet,
notwithstanding, the love we have borne to thee hath not
ceased ; but for my part, I can truly say, that from time
to time I have had an inward travail upon my spirit how
to do thee good, and T thank God my labour of love hath
not been in vain to thee ward.

Dear Jacob, I was exceeedingly refreshed in the ac-
count I received from dear G. D. that thou wert open-
hearted to Friends, and that a tender love was in thy
heart, working thee into more unity than formerly. Well,
dear Friend, nothing saves us but love, for God is love;
and nothing redeems us but righteous judgment adminis-

Letter to J. T. 389

feared in that love ; and where this love is retained in the
heart, and this pure judgment dwelt in, such must needs
have fellowship one with another; for there all are
kept meek and humble, and they have nothing and no-
body to exalt, but only by the name in which they find
the salvation.

Now, dear Jacob, let me tell thee, I do not believe that
all thy temptations are overpassed," or that thy enemy
hath given over his seeking to winnow thee ; and, there-
fore, there is a great necessity for thee to keep upon thy
watch ; and when thou feels most of the inflowings of joy,
then to be most low, and careful to keep thy heart open
to the Lord and to his people ; and so shalt thou retain
that which is given thee : whereas, if thou give way to
that which leads into exaltation and much talking, thou
may talk it away, and then be dry and empty in thyself.
The nature of the true seed is, first to take a deep root
downward, and then to bring forth its fruit upward.
Therefore, let thy soul affect the inward, visible root-
ing and growth of Truth, more than the outward ap-
pearance ; for where there is an inward growth to God-
ward, it is seen and discerned by the spiritual eye that
God hath opened in his children; by which we do ap-
pear lovely, amiable, and comfortable to each other ; and
in this it is that the lasting fellowship stands. For if I
speak with the tongue of men and angels, and want this,
the life of the seed will be burdened and oppressed in
them where it is risen ; though others, whose life stands
in the affection, may be greatly joyed and lifted up there-
by; but this will never bring to God, nor add any to the
body of Christ, nor edify his Church. Therefore, I have
always found it safe, to keep something in the storehouse
for my own food ; and to break only that bread to others
that was given me for that purpose ; and the same that I
have learned by experience declare I unto thee, because
I love thee ; and I hope thou wilt be sensible of my love,
and receive these lines as a token of it ; and remember
my very dear love to thy wife and daughter. Tell her,
I am glad to hear good news of her, and, if thou writes
to me, let me hear how it goes with her : she is now

390 Letter to J. T.

come to years of understanding, and knows the leadings
of the light in her own conscience, what she may do and
speak, and what not; and as she is obedient thereunto,
she will find peace in her own bosom, be a comfort to you,
and will appear lovely to all her friends.

So no more, but my true and unfeigned love to you
all : I rest thy friend in Truth,

STEPHEN CRISP.

( 391 )

LETTER TO A FRIEND.

Dear Friend,
THINE I have received, desiring me to deal faith-
fully with thee as to thy state, which, indeed, I am wil-
ling to do ; for the Lord gives me to distinguish the work
of his spirit, (which is, indeed, to convince of sin, be-
cause of unbelief,) from the work of the enemy, who
also, sometimes, being the author of unbelief, yet accu-
seth for the same ; but it is not his voice that cries, Lord !
help my unbelief. And, dear lamb, my soul is affected
with thy state even daily, and I may often say hourly ;
and a travail is in my spirit concerning thee before the
Lord ; and upon my most near search before the Lord,
I have nothing but good to prophesy concerning thee ; for
the Lord hath beheld the uprightness of thy heart,
which is his own work, and delights therein ; and as to
all those murmurings, repinings, and rebellions thou
writes of, the Lord knows how little consent they have
in thee ; but brings anguish upon thy poor soul, that thou
may feel the need of his salvation : and hitherto he hath
never failed thee, but though thou waited sometimes
long and sought him, yet he answered at last : and though
now the coming of thy soul's beloved, be but as the light-
ning that shines from the east and passeth into the west,
and is not as the glory of a perfect day ; yet, my dear
heart, bless the Lord for what he doth bestow, and that
he hath given thee a heart to wait for more ; and that this
world cannot satisfy thee ; for such will the -Lord as-
suredly satisfy in his own time. Dear lamb, trust in the
Lord, and so farewell.

STEPHEN CRISP.

( 392 )

LETTER TO A FRIEND.

Dearly Beloved,

IN the Lord my soul salutes thee, as one who is
brought into my remembrance, by that Spirit that doth
often bow me to thy burdens, which, I know, are not a
few.

Dear heart, it is nothing but the day that expels the
night, and the day-star brings the hope thereof; there-
fore, my dear friend, forasmuch as it hath pleased God
to cause this star to appear, that thou knowest thine eye
has seen it, be not discouraged because of clouds, but
know that the day is at hand. And as concerning all
satan's buffetings, know and consider, that though they
are never so many and strong, yet they are but like the
waves of the sea, and they are limited : feel thou an ha-
bitation in that which limits them, and rest in patience,
and possess thy soul in that, and it will be well in the
erid : if there were no trials, there would not be so much
need of patience. Dear heart, feel my love, which is
beyond words.

So, with my dear love to thy husband, M. and Anna,
&c. I rest thy true friend,

STEPHEN CRISP.

( 393 )

[It is thought proper to insert in this volume, the following Brief
and Serious Warning, by Ambrose Rigge, together with se-
veral Minutes of Advice of the Yearly Meeting of London,
preceded by an Introductory Minute of their Meeting for Suffer-
ings.]

A BRIEF

AND

SERIOUS WARNING

TO SUCH

AS ARE CONCERNED IN

COMMERCE AND TRADING,

WHO GO UNDER THE PROFESSION OF TRUTH, TO KEEP WITHIN THE

BOUNDS THEREOF, IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, JUSTICE, AND

HONESTY TOWARDS ALL MEN.

WRITTEN BY AMBROSE RIGGE,

IN THE YEAR 1678.

( 394 )

MEETING FOR SUFFERINGS,

Tlie 15th of the Eleventh Month, 1771.

UNDER a sorrowful consideration of the reproach
brought on Truth and our religious profession, by some
late instances of persons under our name, who have
shamefully deviated from our principles, as well as from
common honesty and justice amongst men, in failing of
paying their just debts, and thereby involving themselves
and others in misery and ruin, the last Yearly Meet-
ing in London did direct this meeting to reprint a treatise
of our aucient Friend Ambrose Rigge, long since de-
ceased 5 being a warning to Friends against entering too
deeply into trading, and the spirit of this world, together
with such Yearly Meeting Advices on that head as
might be thought proper.

This meeting therefore hath selected, and added to the
said treatise, divers earnest and pathetic advices of se-
veral of our Yearly Meetings, against a too eager pursuit
of the perishing things of this life, omitting many others
of like import for brevity's sake. But such as are here
retained evidently show, how early a declension from
the primitive simplicity and uprightness of our ancestors
began to prevail among divers in profession with us ;
and at the same time the constant and unremitting care
N and concern, that rested on the minds of our faithful pre-
decessors, and is still continued amongst us, to warn
and advise all Friends against pride, ambition, and
luxury, and launching out into unwarrantable trade to
support them.

A

BRIEF AND SERIOUS WARNING

TO

SUCH AS ARE CONCERNED IN

COMMERCE, &c.

MANY days and months, yea, some years, hath my
life been oppressed, and my spirit grieved, to see and
hear of the uneven walking of many, who have a name
to live, and profess the knowledge of God in words ; yea,
and also of some who have tasted the good word of God,
and have been made partakers of the power of the world
to come, and have received the heavenly gift and grace
of God, which teacheth all who walk in it, to deny all
ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, ho-
nestly and righteously in this present world; whose
faithfulness, with great reason, hath been expected to
God, in things of the highest concern, and to have walked
as lights in the world, and in all faithfulness both to God
and man, to have stood as living monuments of the mer-
cies of the Lord, letting their lights so shine before men,
that they might see their good works, both in spiritual
and temporal concerns ; and so might have honoured
and glorified God in their day and generation, and have
convinced, or confounded gainsayers, putting to silence
the ignorance of foolish men, whereby the worthy name
of the Lord, by which they have been called, might have
been renowned through the earth, and his precious truth
and glory spread to the ends of it ; that many, through
the beholding their good and exemplary conversation in
Christ, coupled with the holy fear of God, might have de-
sired to lay hold of the skirt of a Christian indeed, whose
praise is not of men, but of God.

390 *H Brief and Serious Warning

These are the fruits which we have laboured and tra-
velled for through many and great tribulations, that many
might be turned to righteousness, and that the knowledge
of the power and glory of the Lord might cover the
earth, even as the waters do the sea. This was, and is,
our only end and design, which, blessed be the Lord,
many are witnesses of, and established in, to our abun-
dant joy and comfort : but there are some amongst us who
have not walked humbly with the Lord, as he hath re-
quired, nor kept in that low estate, neither inwardly nor
outwardly, which becometh such, who are travelling up
to Zion, with their faces thitherward, but have gone from
that rock, which is firm and sure, into the great sea of
troubles and uncertainty, where some have been drowned,
others hardly escaping, and many yet labouring for the
shore, with little hope of coming at it ; who have not
only brought themselves in danger of suffering shipwreck,
but have drawn in others, and have endangered them
also ; which hath opened the mouth of the enemies of
Zion's welfare, to blaspheme his great and glorious name,
and hath eclipsed the lustre of the glorious Sun of
Righteousness, both in city and in country ; this is a cry-
ing evil, and ought not to go uureproved, and that with a
severe countenance, for God is angry with it, and will
assuredly punish it.

Many have got credit upon the account of Truth, be-
cause at the beginning it did, and doth still lead all who
were and are faithful to it, to faithfulness and truth even
in the unrighteous Mammon, and to let their yea be yea,
and their nay be nay, even between man and man in out-
ward things ; so that many would have credited one that
was called a Quaker with much, and many I believe did,
merely on that account, some whereof, I doubt not, have
just cause to repent of it already : but if truth and righte-
ousness had been lived in by all who profess it, there had
been no such occasion given; for they who still retain
their integrity to the truth and life of righteousness mani-
fested, can live with a cup of water, and a morsel of bread
in a cottage, before they can hazard other mens' estates
to advance their own ; such are not forward to borrow,

to such as are concerned in Commerce, 8£c. 397

nor to complain for want, for their eye and trust is to the
Lord, their preserver and upholder ; and he hath con-
tinued the little meal in the barrel, and the oil in the
cruise hath not failed to such, till God hath sent further
help : this is certainly known to a remnant at this day,
who have coveted no man's silver, gold nor apparel, but
have and do labour with their hands night and day, that
the gospel may be without charge.

It is so far below the nobility of Christianity, that it is
short of common civility and honest society amongst men,
to twist into mens' estates, and borrow upon the Truth's
credit, gained by the just and upright dealings of the
faithful, more than they certainly know their own estates
are likely to pay ; and with what they borrow reach after
great things in the world, appearing to men to be what
in the sight of (rod and Truth they are not, seeking to
compass great gain to themselves, whereby to make them-
selves or children rich or great in the world : this I tes-
tify for the Lord (rod, is deceit and hypocrisy, and will
be blasted with the breath of his mouth, and we have
seen it blasted already.

And that estate that is got either with the rending, or
with the hazard of rending, another man's, is neither ho-
nestly got, nor can be blessed in the possession ; for he
that borrows money of another, if the money lent be either
the lender's proper estate, or part of it, or orphans' mo-
ney that he is entrusted withal, or widow's, or some such,
who would not let it go but upon certain good security,
and to have the valuable consideration of its improve-
ment ; and the borrower, though he hath little or no real
or personal estate of his own, but hath got some credit,
either as he is a professor of the Truth, or otherwise;
and hath, it may be, a little house, and a small trade, it
may be enough to a low and contented mind ; but then
the enemy gets in, and works in his mind, and he begins
to think of an higher trade, and a finer house, and to live
more at ease and pleasure in the world, and then con-
trives how he may borrow of this and the other ; arid when
accomplished according to his desire, then he begins to un-
dertake great things, and gets into a fine house, and

398 A Brief and Serious Warning

gathers rich furniture and goods together, launching pre-
sently into the strong torrent of a great trade, and then
makes a great show beyond what really he is, which is
dishonesty, and if he accomplishes his intended purpose,
to raise himself in the world, it is with the hazard, at
least, of other mens' ruin, whiph is unjust. But if he
falls short of his expectation, as Commonly such do, then
he doth not only ruin others, but himself also, and brings
a great reproach upon the blessed Truth he professeth,
which is worse than all ; and this hath already been
manifested in a great measure, and by sad experience
witnessed. But the honest upright heart and mind knows
how to want, as well as how to abound, having learned
content in all states and conditions ; a small cottage and
a little trade is sufficient to that mind, and it never wants
what is sufficient; for he that clothes the lilies and
feeds the ravens, cares for all who trust in him, as it is
at this day witnessed, praises to God on high : and that
man hath no glory in, nor mind out after, superfluous or
needless rich hangings, costly furniture, fine tables,
great treats, curious beds, vessels of silver, or vessels of
gold, the very possession of which creates envy, as saith
the ancient Christian Clement Alexandrinus, Pa^dag.
Lib. 2. Cap. 3. Pag. 160, 161.

The way to be rich and happy in this world, is first
to learn righteousness ; for such were never forsaken in
any age, nor their seed begging bread : and charge all
parents of children, that they keep their children low
and plain in meat, drink, apparel, and every thing else,
and in due subjection to all just and reasonable commands,
and let them not appear above the real estates of their
parents, nor get up in pride and high things, though
their parents have plentiful estates, for that is of dan-
gerous consequence to their future happiness. And let
all who profess the Truth, both young and old, rich and
poor, see that they walk according to the rule and disci-
pline of the gospel, in all godly conversation and honesty,
that none may suffer wrong by them in any matter or
thing whatever; that, as the apostle exhorted, they may
owe nothing to any man, but to love one another ; for

to such as are concerned in Commerce, 8£c. 399

love, out of a pure heart, is the fulfilling of the law ;
which law commands to do justly to all men. And he
that hath but little, let him live according to that little,
and appear to be what in truth he is ; for above all God
abhors the hypocrite ; and he that makes haste to be rich
falls into snares, temptations, and many foolish and hurt-
ful lusts, which drown many in perdition ; for the love
of money is the root of all evil, which, while some have
coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced
themselves through with many sorrows.

For preventing this growing evil for the time to come,
let such by faithful Friends be exhorted, who either live
without due care, spending above what they are able to
pay for, or run into great trades, beyond what they can in
honesty and truth manage ; and let them be tenderly ad-
monished of such their undertakings. This will not of-
fend the lowly upright mind ; neither will the honest-
minded, who through a temptation may be drawn into
such a snare and danger, take occasion to stumble, be-
cause his deeds are brought to light. And if after mature
deliberation, any are manifested to be run into any dan-
ger of falling, or pulling others down with them, let them
be faithfully dealt withal in time, before hope of recovery-
be lost, by honest, faithful Friends, who are clear of such
things themselves, and be admonished to pay what they
have borrowed faithfully, and in due time, and be con-
tent with their own, and to labour with their own hands
in the thing that is honest, that they may have where-
with to give to him that needeth, knowing that it is more
blessed to give than to receive. And if they hear, and
are thereby recovered, you will not count your labour lost;
but if they be high, and refuse admonition, it is a mani-
fest sign all is not well. Let such be admonished again
by more Friends, and warned of the danger before them;
and if they still refuse and reject counsel and admoni-
tion, then lay it before the meeting concerned about
Truth's affairs, to which they do belong ; and if they re-
fuse to hear them, then let a testimony go forth against
such their proceedings and undertakings, as not being
agreeable to the Truth, nor the testimony of a good con-

400 •# Brief and Serious Warning, 8£c.

science, neither in the sight of God nor man. This will
be a terror to evil doers of this kind, and a praise, en-
couragement, and refreshment to them who do well, and
nothing will be lost that is worth saving by this care ;
for he that doeth truth, whether in spiritual or temporal
matters, will willingly bring his deeds to the light, that
they may be made manifest to all, that they are wrought
in God.

These things lay weightily upon me, and I may truly
say, in the sight of God, I wrote them in a great cross to
my own will, for I delight not, nay, my soul is bowed
down at the occasion of writing such things ; but there
is no remedy, the name of the Lord has been, and is likely
to be greatly dishonoured, if things of this nature be not
stopped, or prevented for time to come. Therefore I be-
seech you all, who have the weight and sense of these
things upon you, let some speedy and effectual course
be taken to prevent, what possibly we may, both in this
and all other things, that may any way cloud the glory
of that Sun which is risen among us. And make this pub-
lic, and send it abroad to be read in true fear and rever-
ence ; and let all concerned be faithfully and plainly
warned, without respect of persons, by faithful Friends,
who have a concern for God's glory, and his church's
peace and prosperity upon them. So will the majesty
and glory of God shine upon your heads ; and you
shall be a good savour of life, both in them that are saved,
and in them that are lost.

Written by one who longs to see righteousness exalted,
and all deceit confounded.

AMBROSE RIGGE.

Catton place, in Surry, the 16th
of the ilth Month, 1678.

EXTRACTS

FROM THE

YEARLY MEETING EPISTLES,

AND MINUTES.

1675.

ADVISED, that none trade beyond their abilities, nor
stretch beyond their compass; and that they use few
words in dealing, and keep their words in all things, lest
they bring, through their forwardness, dishonour on the
precious truth of God.

1688.

Dear Friends, as it hath pleased God to bring forth a
day of liberty and freedom to serve him, in which he hath
stopped the mouths of the devourers, in a great measure,
for his name's sake ; O ! therefore let every one have a
care to use this liberty, as the name of God may be ho-
noured by it ; and not an occasion taken by any, because
of the present freedom, to launch forth into trading and
worldly business, beyond what they can manage honour-
ably, and with reputation, among the sons of men, and
so that they may keep their word with all men ; and that
their yea may prove yea, and their nay may be nay indeed ;
for whatever is otherwise, cometh of the evil one. And
such who make themselves guilty by thus dishonouring
God, and the holy profession of his name and Truth,
such are for judgment by the Truth ; and the judgment
of Truth ought to be set over them; that the Truth, and
those that abide and walk in it, may be clear of their
iniquities.

51

<i02 Extracts from the

1692.

It is advised and earnestly desired, that the payment
of just debts be not delayed by any professing Truth,
beyond the time promised and agreed upon ; nor occasion
given of complaint to those they deal with, by their back-
wardness of payment where no time is limited ; nor any
to overcharge themselves with too much trading and com-
merce, beyond their capacities to discharge a good con-
science towards all men. And that all Friends concerned,
be very careful not to contract extravagant debts, to the
endangering, the wronging others and their families,
which some have done to the grieving the hearts of the
upright ; nor to break their promises, contracts, or agree-
ments, in their buying and selling, or in any other lawful
affairs, to the injuring themselves and others, occasioning
strife, contention, and reproach to Truth and Friends.
And it is advised that all Friends that are entering into
trade, or that are in trade, and have not stocks sufficient
of their own to answer the trade they aim at, be very
cautious of running themselves into debt, without ad-
vising with some of their ancient and experienced
Friends among whom they live ; and more especially
such trading as hath its dependance upon sea adven-
tures.

1724.

Whereas in this time of general ease and liberty, too
many under our profession have launched forth into the
things of this world, beyond their substance and capaci-
ties, to discharge a good conscience in the performance of
their promises and contracts, as well as their just debts,
to the great scandal of our holy profession, and involving
of themselves, their families and others, in great sorrow
and inconveniences : it is therefore our earnest desire,
that all Friends every where, be very careful to avoid all
inordinate pursuit after the things of this world, by such
ways and means as depend too much upon the uncertain
probabilities of hazardous enterprizes ; but rather labour
to content themselves with such a plain way and manner
of living, as is most agreeable to the self-denying prin-

Yearly Meeting Epistles, £fc. 103

ciple of Truth which we profess, and which is most con-
ducive to that tranquillity of mind, that is requisite to a re-
ligious conduct through this troublesome world.

1727.

Dear Friends, it hath long been the great concern of
this meeting, that all Friends carefully walk in the Di-
vine Light; that they may be preserved from the two
extremes of covetousness on the one hand, and extrava-
gancy on the other ; the latter of which, has been the
occasion of the failings of some among us, in the non-
payment of their just debts ; by which great reproach
hath too often been brought upon our holy profession.
Wherefore we earnestly desire all Friends to be very
careful not to ruu into larger trading and business than
their capacities and abilities can well answer ; and that
they frequently inspect their circumstances, and do not
live at an expense beyond them. And if, through ad-
verse accidents, any should fail in paying their just debts,
and should, after his or her composition, with his, or her
creditors, be so far blessed and prospered in their affairs,
as to be capable of paying their deficiencies ; it is the
earnest desire and advice of this meeting, that they do
not omit the same, it being agreeable to the command of
the gospel, and common justice among men.

1731.

Let your lights so shine before men, that they may see
your good works, and glorify your Father which is in
Heaven. Let us walk wisely towards those that are
without, as well as those within. Let our moderation
and prudence, as well as truth and justice, appear unto
all men, and in all things ; in trading and commerce, in,
speech and communication, in eating and drinking, in
habit and furniture ; and, through all in a meek, lowly,
quiet spirit; that as we profess to be a spiritually-minded
people, we may appear to be such, as being bounded by
the cross of Christ, show forth the power of that divine
principle we make profession of, by a conversation every
way agreeable thereunto.

404) Extracts from the

1732.

We find it our duty to remind our respective members
of the remarkable uprightness and honesty of our Friends
in the beginning, in their commerce and converse. How
exac* were they in performing their words, and promises,
without evasive excuses, and insincere dealings ! How
careful not to involve themselves in business which they
understood not, nor had stock of their own to manage !
How circumspect not to contract greater debts than they
were able to pay in due time ! Which brought great
credit and reputation to our religious society. But with
sorrow we observe, that, contrary to their example, and
the repeated advices formerly given by this meeting, par-
ticularly in the years 1729 and 1731, against an inordi-
nate pursuit after riches, too many have launched into
trades and business above their stocks and capacities ;
by which unjustifiable proceedings and high living, they
have involved themselves and families in trouble and
ruin, and brought considerable loss upon others, to the
great reproach of our holy profession.

1735.

Again, dear Friends, we esteem it our duty to renew
our former advices, that Friends every where take dili-
gent care to prevent, as much as possible, persons pro-
fessing with us defrauding their creditors of their just
dues, to the great scandal and reproach of our holy pro-
fession, by timely admonishing and cautioning all those of
our society, who, by delays in payment, and breaking
their words and promises, give reasonable cause of sus-
picion that their circumstances are desperate ; advising
all such to inspect their accounts, and give up their ef-
fects in time, in order to make the best they can to their
creditors, which will most conduce to their own peace,
and the credit and reputation of our Christian society.
But if any, through ambition, or desire of grandeur in
the world, shall reduce themselves to insolvency, after
having been thus plainly cautioned, and dealt with ac-
cording to the nature of the offence, and pursuant to the

Fearly Meeting Epistles, &fc. 405

advices of this meeting in the years 17&8 and 1733, to
which we refer you, then the society will justly be clear
of reproach arising from the misconduct of such. A care
of this nature we earnestly recommend, not only to
monthly and quarterly meetings, but also that Friends,
in their private capacity, watch over, advise, and caution
one another, whenever they observe any real occasion
for it.

1737.

Dear Friends, it is with much sorrow and grief of heart,
we have still occasion to remind you of the advices so
lately delivered in our Yearly Epistles, namely, to keep
out of the extravagant fashions and customs of the world,
and not to launch further into trade and business, than
you are capable of managing and carrying on with repu-
tation and credit among men, and without prejudice, loss
or detriment to any. We are fully persuaded, that if
Friends every where had a due respect and regard to
this one precept of Christ, viz. Seek ye first the king-
dom of God, and his righteousness ; which is the indis-
pensible duty of all his followers to observe, we should
have little or no occasion for the repetition of such ad-
vices. Let, therefore, we earnestly beseech you, that
precept of our blessed Lord and Master and holy Head
be duly considered and put in practice ; that by ordering
•our conversations agreeable to our profession, we may
show forth the praise of him who hath called us ; so shall
we witness the promise to be fulfilled, them that honour
me, saith the Lord, I will honour.

175*.

We beseech you brethren, stand upon your guard
against the love of this world, and the deceitfulness of
riches ; the nature of which is to choak the good seed,
and to render men unfruitful. An eager pursuit after the
grandeur of this world, is a certain token of earthly-
mindedness ; and those who mind earthly things, are
represented by the apostle Paul, as enemies of the cross
of Christ. The beloved disciple of our Lord also ex-
pressly assures us, that if any man love the world, the

406 Extracts from the

love of the Father is not in him. A resolution to be rich
hath destroyed many. They that will be rich, saith the
apostle, fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many
foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction
and perdition : for the love of money is the root of all
evil ; which while some have coveted after, they have
erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through
with many sorrows. — This hath been verified in the
ruinous consequences of an earthly ambitious spirit,
pushing men forward in the pursuit of greatness, upon
hazardous attempts, which have too often issued in the
fall and ruin of themselves and families, the reproach of
the society, and great loss to others. Some of whom,
probably, have placed the more confidence in them for the
sake of their profession of self-denial, which, had they
really practised, would have prevented the fatal effects
of their covetous and ambitious undertakings. Where-
fore, we entreat Friends, in their Monthly Meetings every
where, to be properly watchful one over another, and
early to caution all against running beyond their depth,
and entangling themselves in a greater multiplicity of
business than they can extricate themselves from with
honour and reputation. And where any shall proceed
in opposition to such advice and counsel of their brethren,
let them in due time be dealt with according to former
advices of this meeting.

1759.

This meeting being sorrowfully affected with the con-
sideration of a great defection in some among us from the
practice of justice and morality, divers of whom, from
negligence, inattention, or ill-grounded hopes, and others
from motives of ambition/ and an eager pursuit after the
world, have launched out of their depth, and entered into
various schemes and branches of commerce, beyond their
abilities to manage ; and some of them into scandalous
practices, to uphold a temporary credit, greatly to the
reproach of our society, and in opeu contradiction to that
principle of universal righteousness we profess ; which
taught our ancestors such conduct, as to extort a con-
fession from our enemies, that, respecting many of them,

Yearly Meeting Epistles, &fc» 407

they could not find any occasion, unless concerning the
law of their God.

And it is the sense and judgment of this meeting, that
if any fall short of paying their just debts, and a com-
position is made with their creditors, to accept of a part,
instead of the whole, notwithstanding the parties may
look upon themselves legally discharged of any obliga-
tion to pay the remainder, yet the principle we profess
enjoins full satisfaction to be made, if ever the debtors
are of ability. And in order that such may the better
retrieve their circumstances, we exhort them to submit to
a manner of living in every respect the most conducive to
this purpose, and correspondent to the state they are re-
duced to : it being exceedingly dishonorable for any to
live in ostentation and greatness at the expense of others ;
which is certainly the case, where any part of the debts
due by the law of equity and strict justice remains un-
paid. And that Friends in their Monthly Meetings be
cautious how they admit such, whose debts are unsatis-
fied, into full unity, or receive their collections, which
cannot properly be deemed of their own.

1767.

Dear Friends, we find it necessary to remind you, that
our worthy ancestors, having their eye directed towards
an enduring inheritance, and their affections established,
npon things above, sought not after greatness in this
world, but passed the time of their sojourning here in
great simplicity of heart, as well as of outward demeanor,
endeavouring thereby to reach the divine witness in every
mind, and promote the love of truth and righteousness
amongst mankind. In minds thus bent upon seeking a
more glorious inheritance than temporals can afford, the
love of this world had little influence. They were
shining examples of temperance, justice and truth. A
defection from this simplicity of heart, and heavenly-
minded ness, into the love and pursuit of this fading
world, hath obviously prevailed with too many amongst
us, and produced the fruits of pride and ambition : these
have brought in many wants, which the simplicity and
integrity of our ancestors preserved them from. To satisfy

408 Extracts from the

these wants, divers have been excited to enter into a
larger extension of trade and commerce, than they had
stock and ability to conduct. Vain ambition, and evil
emulation have led into higher living, and greater ex-
penses than their income would admit. Reduced by these
means in their circumstances, yet unwilling to lessen
their appearance in the world, they have made use of in-
direct methods to procure a temporary support, which
have ended in failures and bankruptcies, unknown among
us in the days of our temperate, and lowly-miuded pre-
decessors.

This lamentable defection in some under our name,
hath occasioned great reproach, and grievous suffering in
the properties of many, almost to the ruin of particulars,
who placed more confidence in those on account of the
self-denying profession they made to the world.

These causes of affliction have been lately renewed,
notwithstanding the many repeated advices, and brotherly
exhortations, which have been heretofore affectionately
communicated. We therefore earnestly beseech, and
intreat, that a godly care may more and more spread
amongst us, early and tenderly to watch over such as may
appear to be in danger of miscarriage in their temporal
concerns ; admonishing the high-minded of the danger of
a fall, and using every endeavour to prevent these scan-
dalous and pernicious occasions of sorrow and suffering ;
and where they break out, that Monthly Meetings fail not
to clear our holy profession of the reproach cast upon it,
by publicly testifying against such, from whose iniqui-
tous conduct the offence comes.

1771.

Notwithstanding the many weighty cautions and whole-
some advices given forth against all injurious and disre-
putable conduct in trade and business, divers instances of
scandalous failures have of late appeared amongst some
in profession with us ; the consideration of which, hath
brought a fresh concern upon the minds of Friends, to
warn all against a most pernicious practice, too much
prevailing amongst the trading part of mankind, which
hath often issued in the utyer ruin of those concerned

Yearly Meeting Epistles, §*c. 409

therein, viz. That of raising and circulating a fictitious
kind of paper credit, with endorsements and acceptances,
to give it an appearance of value, without an intrinsic
reality. A practice highly unbecoming that uprightness
which ought to appear in every member of our religious
society, and of which, therefore, we think it our incum-
bent duty to declare our disapprobation, and disunity
therewith, as absolutely inconsistent with that Truth we
make profession of. We are also engaged to caution
every individual, against imprudently entering into joint
securities with others. For by these practices, many inno-
cent wives and children have been inevitably and unex-
pectedly involved in ruinous and deplorable circum-
stances. We therefore earnestly desire Friends to keep
strictly on their guard, that none, through any specious pre-
tences of rendering acts of friendship to others with safety
to themselves, may risk their own peace and reputation,
and the security of their families. In order hereunto, we
recommend this salutary advice of the wise man to their
especial notice, and regard : Be not thou one of them that
strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts ; if
thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy
bed from under thee ?

To the foregoing weighty advices of the Yearly Meet-
ing we would add the following caution : That young peo-
ple of little or no capital of their own, beware of being
anxious to get speedily into business for themselves as
masters ; but rather content themselves with the condi-
tion of servants, until by their industry and pains they
have added something to their stock, and attained a suf-
ficient degree of knowledge and experience to manage a
trade witli safety. By this means they will be accustomed
to frugality and economy, and a good foundation will be
laid for their conducting themselves properly in a higher
station, if Providence should see meet for them to fill it.
We are your Friends and Brethren.

Signed in and on behalf of the Meeting for Sufferings,
By WILLIAM WESTON, "
Clerk of the Meeting.

52

AN

INDEX

OF THE

CHIEF HEADS CONTAINED IN THIS BOOK.

A Journal of the Life of Stephen Crisp, - - Page 17
A Word of Reproof to the Teachers of the World, - 61
A Description of the Church of Scotland, 68
A Letter to the Mayor of Colchester, 90
Another Letter to the Mayor of Colchester, 95
An Epistle to Friends, concerning the Present and Suc-
ceeding Times, ------- 97

The Postscript, 115

A Word in due season, or some Harvest Meditations, 1 1 8

The Plain Pathway Opened to the Simple-Hearted, - 123
A Backslider Reproved, and his Folly made Manifest,

and his Confusions and Contradictions discovered, 140
A Letter from Germany to Friends, exhorting them to

Diligence in Meetings, - - - - - 154

A Word of Consolation, and a Sound of Glad Tidings
to all the Mourners in Germany, and the Parts Ad-
jacent, - - - - - - - -157

An Epistle to Friends in Colchester, - - - 165

An Answer to Thomas Loddington, - 167

An Epistle to Friends, 174

John Furly's Translations of Two of Stephen Crisp's

Epistles in Dutch, to Friends at Amsterdam, - 178

An Epistle to Friends, against such as cry out against

the Form of Godliness, as against Meeting at Set

Times, on First days, &c. - .. - - - 181

An Alarm sounded in the Borders of Spiritual Egypt, 185

The Postscript, £24

INDEX. 411

To the Magistrates of Groningen in the United Pro-
vinces, - Page 230

A Lamentation over the City of Groningen, - - 233
To the Baptists in Holland, with a Query for them, to

Answer, - - - - - - - -251

A Testimony concerning Edward Graunt of Colchester, 254
An Epistle from Stephen Crisp when a Prisoner, - 256

An Epistle to Friends, 259

An Epistle to Friends in the North, - 263

An Epistle to Friends in the Eastern Parts, - - 267

Another Epistle to Friends, 269

To the Rulers and Inhabitants in Holland, and the rest

of the United Provinces, - 272

An Epistle to the Princess Elizabeth in Germany, - 287
An Epistle to be Read in the Women's Meetings of

Friends in Ipswich, -___-_ 293
An Epistle of Tender Counsel and Advice to all that
have believed the Truth every where, and to exhort
them to Faithfulness thereunto, - 296

An Epistle to Friends at Dantzic, - 310

A Babylonish Opposer of Truth, by the Truth Reprov-
ed ; and his Enmity, Falsehood, and Confusion mani-
fested ; in Answer to an Impertinent Paper sent
abroad by Thomas Crisp, - - - - 313

An Epistle to Friends in Norwich, - 322

An Epistle to Friends in Amsterdam, - 326

A Faithful Warning and Exhortation to Friends, to be-
ware of Seducing Spirits, and to keep on the Armour
of Light in Simplicity and Sincerity, as their best
Armour in all Trials, - - - - - - 328

An Epistle to Friends, ------ 347

A Tender Visitation in the Love of God, unto those People
called French Protestants, wherever they are scatter-
ed in this time of Tribulation and Persecution, raised
against them by those called Roman Catholics, about
Matters of Religion, - - - - - -351

An Epistle of Tender Love and Brotherly Advice, to
all the Churches of Christ throughout the World,
who are gathered into the one Living Faith, and Walk
in the Light, and therein have their Fellowship one
with another, ------- 363

An Epistle written from Amsterdam, - - - 379

Letter to J. R. 383

Letter to a Friend, - - - - - ' - - 385
Letter to J. T 388

4j1S index.

Letter to a Friend, ------ Page 591

Letter to a Friend, ------- 392

A Brief and Serious Warning to such as are concerned
in Commerce and Trading, who go under the Profes-
sion of Truth, to keep within the bounds thereof, in
Righteousness, Justice, and Honesty towards all
Men, by Ambrose Rigge, ----- 393

Extracts from the Yearly Meeting Epistles and

Minutes, - 401

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THE END.

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