I Being quiet and ſtill in my habitation, feeding upon the bread of life, knowne and enjoyed in the light of life, the former dealings of the Lord was brought to my remembrance, and in love to the ſouls of men and women I am made to publiſh and make knowne theſe things which follow, which cannot be hid, for the command to me is, what is revealed, to thee in ſecret, that preach thou on the houſe tops, and what is made knowne unto thee in thy cloſet, that publiſh abroad and let my ſecrets to thee be no longer hid, the candle of the Lord being lighted in me, ſearching me from the beginning, and ſhewing me the ſins of my you h, and now knowing that when I had committed ſinne in my youth, the light of Chriſt in my conſcience diſcovered it, and reproved me ever ſince the time of my being a child, but I not knowing where to wait ran from place to place, from one man to another, who had the greateſt name in godlineſs and profeſſion of holineſſe, but Phiſitians they were of no value, ſometimes I found them daubing as it were with untempered morter, and would have healed that which was to be cut and wounded, and bruiſed the head of the ſerpent while it ſtood, acted I was in wickedneſſe, and ſo from day to day, I went under, a wounded ſpirit, which made me cry day and night by prayer to the Lord as I thought to be at a diſtance from me, and Chriſt that had enlightned me with his light which was then prſent with me to let me ſee my condition, and wounded Eſtate, that I would not own for my guide this condition I continued in till about eighteene years of age, and then much calling and crying out there was of the prieſts of thoſe times (whom I delighted to hear) to goe forth into the war, hearkning to their cry I entred into the war without me, thinking thereby to be beloved of God for my forwardneſſe in that work, and the war within me did ſomwhat ceaſe, but not wholly, for I ſound the ſearcher of all hearts the light of Chriſt in me condemning reproving me in ſecret, and often when I have been to engage with my enemies without me, my ſins have been ſet in order before me, which hath made me even to faint before them, but the reſolvedneſſe in me, and the juſtneſſe of my cauſe as I thought, carried me on to encounter, but this brought not my enemies within me to the ſlaughter, but ſtrength they got by it, I reaſoning thus with my ſelfe, I had fought the Lords battell, and henceforth there was layd up a ſure reward for me, and this ſometimes did quiet me till the Lord uttered his voice in his habitation; then came I to ſee with the light of Chriſt that my iniquities were not yet blotted out, then ſorrow would ſeaſe upon me, and ſadneſſe, paleneſſe of face, ſo that I was long kept to the admiring of many, and when at any time I had been drawne out to receive the creature to the abuſing of my body, which I ſee overtooke me, I not being kept dilligent and watchfull, the ſevere Judgments of God would follow me and reſt depart from me, then mourning and lamenting was my portion, and ſorrowing, and ſighing, with much heavineſſe of ſpirit from the oppreſſed in me did proceed, then ſuch perſwaſion there was in me, that I ſhould joyne with thoſe people called Annabaptiſts and did contend much when I came with thoſe that did oppoſe me (for water baptiſme) taking Scriptures to prove the neceſſity of it, but in a ſhort time, I came to ſee the emptineſſe and huſkineſſe of it, and ſo became dead to it, and the witneſſe of God the light ariſing in me though the power of it I little knew, my condition in meaſure I was brought to know, and to ſee my ſelfe naked and wretched, then to reading of Scriptures and praying I did much give my ſelfe, and at times much tears and weeping I was brought into, then looking upon them as tears of repentance there would be ſome quietneſſe in my ſpirit, and a calme for ſometime, but that remaining in me ſtrong and uncrucified, the Luſt; from whence warres did proceed, peace would not long continue, the light of Chriſt in my conſcience being ſinned againſt, for the vertue and ſtrength of it, I was then ignorant of, but in this my time of ignorance the Lords working power in me his light was not put out though often quenched and ſinned againſt, and this was the Lords love to my ſoule to waken and quicken me morning by morning, and in the night ſeaſon call me to an account with his light, of life and power, with it I now ſee he hath enlightned every one that cometh into the world and that with his light Chriſt Jeſus hath and doth, and ſhall leave all men without excuſe eternally before the pure God who is light and in him is no darkneſſe at all, but all who have and doth and ſhall abide in his light, have and doth and ſhall know, that in it is life and power, and it is able to cleanſe and purifie the heart, and abiding in it, the heart Soule and body is kept cleane in the ſight of the pure God, and ſo the peace of God come to be knowne of all thoſe that abide in his light which ſhines in all conſciences though darkneſſe comprehend it not, yet light comprehend and diſcover it in man, allthough man by his ſtrange inventions ſeeke to darken the glorious light, as when I was afflicted and toſſed too and fro with the ſlight and cunning of mens inventions, for when many conditions I had paſſed through as before mentioned and ſtil the Lord in his love was ſearching me with his light, and with it I did ſee ſinne ſtanding, which cauſed trouble and reſtleſſneſſe, then the docctine of free grace (ſo called) was preached to me that Chriſt had ſuffered for ſinners, and his ſuffering was free, his mercy free, his love, his grace free, ſo there was nothing for me to doe, but to believe theſe things, which Doctrine was ſoone received by me, for it was pleaſing to the fleſhly minde as it was then held forth and declared, by the blinde guides of the world, and now I know that his love, grace, mercy, and light is free, but this muſt goe with it, abide in his-love, in his mercy, in his grace, and light, and here is ſomething to doe contrary to the will of man, and this anſwers Chriſts words, who ſaith, if ye abide in the vine, &c. he further exhorting them; abide in me, and I in you, as the branch cannot beare fruit of it ſelfe, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye except ye abide in me, which man to owne I now ſee he muſt deny himſelfe, and take up the Croſſe, and deny that liberty which all the profeſſors of the world are pleading for, who are out of the life, and enemies to the light, ſo theſe things above mentioned, being in the time of my ignorance blindneſſe, and darkeneſſe, received into my underſtanding, the worke of God was ſtopt and the witneſſe his light in me, quenched, then careleſneſſe, and wildneſſe, and unſtaiedneſſe, with me increaſed, and I could be merry, and ſport my ſelfe in the day time and ſo grew ſottiſh, darke, and dull, and my profeſſion withered, and my zeale abated, and my ſtayedneſſe, and ſoberneſſe was turned into wantoneſſe, and laughter, and could plead for it, that it was the liberty of the Saints, to be merry and cheerly in the world, elſe it might diſhonour the Goſpel, and diſcourage others, and in this condition I was for ſome yeares, after I had taken a wiſe and fell to trading, and much buying and ſelling, and great acquaintance with man I began to have, and to increaſe in my eſtate as to the outward, then I grew tall and great in my thoughts, and began to thinke the Lot of my inheritance was in a good place, then with my fellow tradeſmen I delighted often to be in Taverns, Inns, and drinking houſes, and often times, and money I ſpent that way, and thought it my liberty ſo to dee, and ſome ſmall covering of profeſſion was ſtill with me, which hid me from the world, as praying, and reading in my family, and going to the chiefeſt places of worſhip ſo counted, but all this would not hide, nor cover me from the wrath of the Lambe, and now my fellow tradeſmen, and ſometimes companions in wickedneſſe, in exceſſe of drinking, eating, and wicked ſinging, and idle jeſtings, and fooliſh laughter, in the day time and often in the night ſeaſon be warned to flee and ſhun, all fooliſh laughter, and wantoneſſe, and idle communication which corrupts the good manners, and wait in the light of Chriſt, which convinceth you of ſinne, and of your ungodly deeds, to know the living God, who ſomtimes you will talke of and in words profeſſe him, but in workes deny him, for all workes of darkneſſe, are contrary to the pure God, who if ever you come to know you muſt know him a conſuming fire to all your idle filthy, fooliſh uncleane, corrupt communications, and to all your luſts and pleaſures, which yee at preſent take delight and live in, poor hearts, there is a tenderneſſe in me towards you, and all men; conſider your eſtates, your living careleſly as to your eternall eſtate, your bodyes growing far, with eaſe and fulneſſe, but enter in to your owne cloſers, and let the dore be ſhut, and be quiet and ſtill in your ſpirits, and with the light of Chriſt diligently ſearch and ſee the leaneſſe and ſtarvedneſs of your ſouls and how faint and feeble they are that the pantings and breathings after God from the innocent in you, (which lyeth oppreſſed) you may come to know, and your preſent conditions come to ſee, in the light, for really when you come to be ſearched and ſound out with eternall light of God Chriſt Jeſus, then woe to you that laugh now, for yee ſhall mourne and lament, and your joy and gladneſſe, will be turned into ſighing, and bitter weeping, for the life of ſinne and wickedneſſe you have lived in and ſtill take delight in, this I now know and ſee, in the eternall light of God, that it is your preſent ſtates and conditions, for it is not long ſince I was in that ſtate with you, which was pleaſing to my fleſhly minde, though while I was with you in that mirth and delight, to the ſinfull minde, yet the Lord was preſent to condemne me, with his light, and this, if you will deal plainely with your own hearts in particular, with the light of Chriſt you may come to ſee the Lord condemning you in the midſt of all your mirth, and witneſſing with his light in you againſt your ungodly deeds, in the midſt of your ſportings, and riotings, thus it was with me, whilſt I with you in wickedneſs did joyn, which was untill neer the time called Michaelmas in the year 1654. I then journying towards Cambridge purpoſing to take my delight at that place called Sturbidg faire, & hearing of a people in Cambridge called Quakers, I had a great deſire to ſee them, altho they were counted as the off ſcouring of the world, ſome of the people being then priſoners, after my ſtay one night in that place I went to priſon to ſee the deſpiſed one of the world named Anne Blackely who is a mother in Iſrael, I ſeeing her ſober ſtayed countenance after ſome little ſpace began to aſke her ſome queſtions which ſhe in diſcreet, and wiſe manner anſwered with much tenderneſſe to me, ſhe ſeeing in the eternall light of God my condition, ſpake as ſhe was moved to the witneſſe of God in me, which did ſoone anſwer the ſoundneſſe of her words, and I was brought into much tenderneſſe and many were the teares that then fell from mine eyes, and really ſuch a condition I was then in as I was never made ſenſible of before, in all the time of my profeſſion, for I was pierced, and wounded, and made ſenſible of my condition, and exhorted where to wait, which exhortation tooke deepe root in me, it not parting from me day nor night, but to the light of Chriſt in my conſcience I was kept which brought me into ſoberneſſe, and ſtayedneſſe, ſo the inten, ded evill of my journey, I was kept from, and ſoone after departed out of that towne, towards my outward being, which was at Norwich, where I had and have a wife and tender babes, who were, and are deare unto me in their places, but the forme of my countenance being changed from laughter and fooliſh jeſting into ſoberneſſe and ſtayedneſſe, cauſed a change in my wife at that time ſhe weeping, and crying out, and aſking me often what I ayled, for long I lay under Judgement, mourning ſighing, and groaning, the innocent in me to be delivered, and pangs tooke hold on me, for the delivering of the man child, and then grones and ſighs I came really to know, which could not, nor cannot be uttered, and then the miniſtrations of condemnation which is glorious in its time, I came to know, and when under the greateſt condemnation, & judgment I was brought, & ſenſible of a ſpirit of burning in me, then had the innocent one in me, which never conſented to ſin, pure joy peace & comfort, from the Lord, & my members to it was brough: into ſubjection & ſo became the members of Chriſt, and not any more to become the members of an harlot, neither any more to goe a whoring after my lovers, but according to what was made manifeſt to me, in the light I was made to owne the croſſe, and deſpiſe the ſhame, and in my obedience I did ſee, and taſt, that much coming was the love of God to me, & the juſt in me, got ſtrength and power, and although many trials & temptations I met with from enemies without, & enemies within me, yet through them all I ſee good brought forth, to the clearing of the innocent, and ſtrengthening of the juſt which live by faith, and through the greateſt ſtraights and troubles can rejoyce, and that above written was my eſtate and condition for many months together, ſo that a wonder I was, and amazed they were at me, that formerly knew me, and a great noiſe of my condition went abroad, and many lyes were uttered forth, concerning me, as that I was mad and bound in my bed, and ſeaven men could not hold me, and many ſuch things was invented by the devil in his children who are ſit inſtruments for his purpoſe, who ever hated the children of the light, and Chriſt Jeſus who is the light of the world, and hath enlightened every one that cometh into the world, by his children was put to death.

I ſay, many things was raiſed and invented of me, as that I had given up Trading, and left off my Calling, which thing was utterly falſe, that they accuſed me and the truth of, although I walked along the ſtreets about my buſineſſe in the outward daily. And poor hearts, who make lyes your refuge, this know, that where the truth of God is made manifeſt in the light of Jeſus, and lived in in the life and power, none can or dare take liberty to idlenes, and ſloathfulneſſe in buſineſſe, but every one in their places are made to be faithfull and honeſt therein, doing what they doe as in the ſight of God, and ſo become blameleſſe to that of God in every mans conſcience, and juſtified in the ſight of God, we doing unto all men, as we would that all men ſhould doe unto us, not defrauding, conzening, or cheating any, nor uſing deceitful words, to make any believe a lye, but in plainneſſe of ſpeech, with fewneſſe of words, in ſingleneſſe and uprightneſſe of heart, we are ordered with the light of Chriſt in our lives and converſations, towards all men with whom we have to doe, in this crooked and perverſe Generation. So all you that have reviled and reproached the Lords people, ſcornfully by you called Quakers, it is time for you to ſtop your mouths, and lye low in the duſt, and repent while you have time, and ſay not in your hearts it will be time enough afterwards, leſt the Lord come ſuddenly in an hour you know not, and ſweep you away in your ſins, and ſo you receive your portion with the damned ſpirits, and kept in the lake of darkneſſe and torment, their habitation, from whence there will be no returning any more to the Land of the living, neither ſhall a drop of water be granted in the midſt of your torment and burnings, to coole your tongues, which hath ſpoken lyes of the innocent; therefore be warned in your life-time, you blind people Some of the lyes which was raiſed of me, was received by one of your blind guides of this City, and preached of by him in his high place, but the Lord hath put an end to his dayes, as to the life, and his reward is with him. But herein this wicked and rebellious City, who are up in rebellion againſt the Lord and his choſen elected ones, they gathering about the doores of the innocent: Now ſee wherein you differ from that wicked City Sodome, for idleneſſe and fullneſſe of bread was found in it, and againſt it, and all wickedneſſe in this City, I am, and a witneſſe doe ſtand in innocency, and harmleſneſſe, againſt this lying, evill, inventing, devouring Generation, by whom I am made a mock, a taunt, a by word, and them againſt me doe ſet their mouths awry and am perſecuted and reviled, hated, and daily mocked at as I paſſe the ſtreets, and I patiently bear it; being reviled I intreat, perſecuted, I ſuffer it, and can rejoyce in the midſt of all, and through the ſtrength of my God am kept above them all, Glory, Glory, be given to the pure living God, for ever, Amen, who hath kept me, and doth keep me alive in his light of life, from this deſtroying devouring generation of unreaſonable men, of whom the righteous God, in his righteouſneſſe wilbe avenged, and eaſed of theſe his adveſaries, & this is according to Scriptures which you pretend is your rule, altho your lives, practices, & daily walkings they declare againſt, and when any of your wickednes is declared againſt by any ſervants of the Lord, who dwell in the light, you are preſently ready to fall upon perfection, allthough it be not mentioned by us, you crying out that none can be perfect here, none can be without ſinne here, where is there one Scripture that will maintaine theſe words, this was the Scribes, and phariſees eſtate, who ſought to put the Lamb of God Chriſt Jeſus to death, ſaith hee, I goe away, and you ſhall dye in your ſinns, now, that are crying out, and accuſing us for being papiſts, Conſider who are neerer them you, or wee, for if there be not a place of purging after death, what will become of you, for into Heaven there ſhall enter no uncleane thing, nor nothing that worketh abomination, or maketh a lye, and you that plead for theſe things, looke to it in your life time, and be warned, and owne the light of Chriſt, and it will let you ſee that the grave addeth no perfection, and as the tree falls ſo it lyes, and if you dye in your ſinnes, Chriſt goes away, and whether he goes yee cannot come, This is to all you who plead for ſinne, would live in, and dye in your ſinnes, you muſt not goe where Chriſt goes, and this is according to Scriptures, and you that deny to be guided by his light, in your life time, are workers of iniquity, the word is gone forth depart yee workers of iniquity into utter darkneſſe, there ſhall be weeping, wayling, and gnaſhing of teeth, and Chriſt will not know you, and this is according to Scriptures, yee ſcribes and phariſees, what will yee doe if you dye in your ſinnes, where doth the Scriptures ſpeake of any cleanſing after death, and you that are pleading allwayes to live in ſinne, and none can be without ſinne here, how can the words of Chriſt be owned and received by you, who ſaid unto the woman taken in adultrie, goe thy way ſinne no more, and to the impotent man, leſt a worſe thing come unto thee, ſo be warned, for you muſt be called to an account, and you ſhall be rewarded according to your workes, and deedes done in the body, and this is according to Scriptures, which are as a cloud of witneſſes againſt you, and witneſſeth for the innocent people ſcornfully, & reproachfully by you called Quakers, who are brought to witneſſe the truth of them, in their lives and converſations, and therefore are hated of the world, who love their own, & if we were of the world, the world would love us, but becauſe we are not of the world, therefore the world hates us, as it was from the begining, ſo it is now known and ſeen in the light, according as the Scriptures declares, they that are borne after the fleſh, perſecute thoſe that are borne after the ſpirit, even ſo it is unto this day, poore hearts, you are warned and the witneſſe of God in you, will witneſſe for me, and againſt your ungodly deedes.

So though I be counted a ſoole to the world, and of them hated, it is for Chriſts ſake, and my wiſedome I counted not too dear to give up unto him, and though a mad man as Paul was counted, yet ſtayed in the light, and ſpeaking the words of ſoberneſſe unto all men, with whom I have to doe, and as one that is dead, but alive unto God; and I counted not my life dear unto him, who hath called me, and hath made known his mighty power in me, whereby I know that he is in me, and I in him, and ſo redeemed out of the world, and from the Teachers of it, not any longer to be deceived by them, but in the eternall light of God I doe them ſee, and comprehend, and know them to be of that ſort ſpoken of in the Scriptures, who ſhall and doe lead ſilly women Captive, laden with ſin, and pleading for no live in it, led away with divers luſts, ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. But it they are taught to oppoſe, the light of Chriſt, by the blind guides of the world, who are ſenſuall having not the Spirit, as is made manifeſt by their works and fruits, they living in pride and covetouſneſſe, in envy and malice, haling and cauſe to be haled thoſe that are moved of the Lord, to witneſſe againſt their ungodly practices; and now all people who have any ſoberneſſe and ſtayedneſſe, remaining, and any deſire to know the Lord God, who have created you, and with his light enlightned you, to the light of Chriſt take heed, which reproveth you of ſinne and evill, allthough you act it never ſo ſecretly, and leave the blinde guides of the world, and their ſilthy ſaigned words deny, for by them they ſeek to make merchandiſe of your ſouls, feed them no longer with diſhoneſt gain leſt they deſtroy the ſimplicity in you, & you periſh with them who deny the light of Chriſt, to be ſufficient to guide the creature unto God, and cal it natural, and ſo would have a naturall Chriſt ſutable to their naturall fleſhly mindes, but he is a ſpirit, and cometh from the father of ſpirits, and all who come to know him, muſt know him in his l ght, & worſhip God in ſpirit and in truth, & all who are brought into Chriſts right to waite, know him to be a qu ckning ſpirit, and that he is made manifeſt in fleſh, to diſcover and deſtroy ſin in the fleſh, this is known to the Children of light, but hid from the darke world, who periſh in their iniquities, from the wiſe and prudent, and is revealed to babes & ſucklings, even ſo holy father, for ſo it ſeemed good in thy ſight. And now a few lines to you all deare friends, who have had a taſte of the good word of God, and of the powers of the world to come, keepe in the taſte, and knowledge, your mindes ſtayed in the light, and in the eternall ſtilneſſe to dwell, not ſtriving in your owne wiſdomes to Comprehend the truth, this is not your worke, neither will you come to a growth by it, but your worke is to ſtand ſtill in the light, the life to know, and there feed, that yee may ſee Pharaoh the oppreſſor, his Chariots, and mighty ones overturned and drowned in the red Sea, and the ſoul ſaved, and the creature redeemed out of Egypt and bondage, the promiſed Land you to enjoy, which brings forth all pleaſant riches which is durable, and fadeth not away.

Dear hearts fight not in your wills, neither ſtrive in your wiſedomes, but ſtand ſtill in the light, and know the battell is the Lords, you that are entered into the wane, you being quiet, and patient, and ſtill in your ſpirits, the limbe ſhall get the victory, over the uncircumciſed Philiſtians, and hard hearted Pharachs, you being ſtayed in the light, there is your power, and it will give you victory over the uncleane ſpirits and uncircumciſed in hearts, and eares and in the power and authority of the Lord God, knowne in the light, trample upon them all, that they ſhall be aſhes under your feet, this I know, who am your brother in the eternall truth, and therein ſtand as a witneſſe againſt all thoſe that know not God, who am knowne, and by their ſcornfully called Quaker.