AND as a Traveller to the good Land of Rest and Peace, and having in measure attain'd thereunto, by that Hea­venly Guide Christ Jesus the true Light, that hath been my Instructer and Helper, without which I am nothing, nor can do any thing as I ought to do; I am made free to relate something of my attainment thereunto. I was Born of good Parents, Educated according to the Church of Eng­land; and tho' Young, Zealous therein; yet could not my Immortal Soul be there­with satisfied, but a desire was begotten in me, to know the true God, the which to attain I endeavoured the best way I could, by Prayer and Fasting in secret, not to be seen of any: But God, whose Eye saw me, and my true desire there­in; knowing herein I was not safe, tried me, and by one thought which arose in my Heart concerning God, which I could not help, dashed all my Building to pieces, [Page] [...] [Page 3] [...] [Page 4]and I thought my self the worst Creature living; thus night and day I had great trouble within, but resolv'd in the midst of all, and made it my resolution to fol­low the thing that is good, and that God that saw me, though I saw not him; I was by this often comforted, and it be­came my Song, Great are the Troubles of the Righteous, but the Lord delivers out of them all; and sometimes betwixt Hope and Fear, I travelled from Twelve Years of Age to Eighteen; about which time, by Providence I was led into the North, at which time, by wonderful changes wrought in them (by which they had the name given them) called Quakers, a People so contrary to my Education; and the many strange Reports, that were raised of them, was rather frightful, than desireable to me; but that God, that saw the great desire I had to know him, the only true God, and Jesus Christ his Son, led the blind by a way I knew not, and by one not called a Quaker, but one true to the Church of England, and a sufferer for King Charles the first.

I received a true Account of the Prin­ciples and good Lives of these People, which in Simplicity of Heart was rela­ted [Page 5]to me, of which I was made seri­ously to consider; and in a short time, felt a Power arise in my Heart, and I said this is it I have waited for, and with great Power it rent the Vail, chased away my dark thoughts, gave me some understand­ing of the Scriptures, and I could say, I have heard of thee, and have read of the Wonders thou didst for the Children of Men; but that was not mine, but now by thy great Power and Change thou hast wrought in me, I came to know thee O God, and by this, and in no other way can I be satisfied, and that thou the Im­mortal God, may'st have the Glory of thy own good Work, which I never re­ceived of Man, neither did I ever see or hear any of them called Quakers, till three Years after or more, but returned into my own Country (North-Hampton-shire) to my Relations, and not long after came to London, and made it my busi­ness, and went secretly amongst all per­suasions (except Papists and Ranters) to see if I could find any, that had the sence to know God, and his Son Jesus Christ within them.

But, I could find no outward thing could give my Soul satisfaction, neither [Page 6]then, nor now, and in that State I walk­ed alone three Years, but being at a Meet­ing in great Allhallows, one Edw. Bur­roughs came in, and stood up, and spoke; at which I with others was amazed, ha­ving never seen nor heard any of them before; but was resolved to hear him again; but by the many strange reports raised of them, I was afraid, but I Pray­ed to the Lord my God in whom I trust­ed, that I might not be deceived, for he knew I had nothing in my Eye, but to have a further manifestation of Him, whom to know is Life Eternal, of the which he resolved me, and with Signs and Tokens of his Love, confirmed me, and I could, and can say it was, and is of God, and is the Truth, and proceeds from the same Rock, from which all the Patriarchs, Pro­phets, and Apostles, had their teaching, Christ Jesus the Rock, the Mystery hid from Ages and Generations, is made known unto us, of which Knowledge I have learn'd, as they did, who said, what is to be known of God, is manifest in them, which is the Key of David, which opens and shuts, and gives the true Understanding of the Mystery of the Kingdom of Hea­ven, and the true knowledge to all those, [Page 7]who have in true Obedience submitted to his Yoke, and their Wills subjected to his Will; these shall find his saving Virtue of Life, which Life being received, and joyned too with all the Heart, it will en­dow them with the Heavenly Virtue, in Christ Jesus our High Priest, and Cap­tain of our Salvation: And with Righte­ousness, Peace and Joy, in the Holy Spi­rit of God, and those that willingly give up all they have unto him, shall find in it more than they can believe, or the Carnal Mind can apprehend, for they knew what they said, that the Carnal Mind knows not the things of God, for they are Spiritually discerned, and to be carnally minded is Death, but to be spiritually minded is Life and Peace, which is a certain Truth, and according to the Holy Scriptures, from which I desire neither from Them, nor my Neighbour to borrow Words, or a Profession; but to have a right to them, and be made one with them, by the same Spirit of Jesus Christ, the Lord of all our Mercies; and as in him they lived, mo­ved, and had their being, who gave them forth, he is so to the faithful this day, and what I have heard and seen, I declare, that he is the true God, And [Page 8]the Poor in Spirit receive the Kingdom of Heaven, and see a nothingness and emp­tiness in themselves, without a dayly sup­ply from him, and they are led and made to understand the Mystery of Electi­on and Reprobation, as in the two Seeds and Births, the one elect and blessed of God before the World was; if the mind of Man joyns to Christ, who is God's E­lect, Isa. 42. they are saved by him, and Works out their Salvation with Fear and Trembling; and this is the Elect and Cor­ner-Stone, Christ Jesus, whom soever Builds thereon, The Gates of Hell shall not prevail, and will over turn overturn till he come whose right is to Reign; and as unto this Elect and Precious Seed we Unite, we are therein and thereby bles­ed of God; this is not of our selves, but the free Gift given of God, by which we make our Calling and Election sure, and in this we have learn'd to know the Re­probated, and the Enemy of all Mankind, that leads the mind from God, into the Lust of the Eye, the lust of the Flesh, and the Pride of Life, and all other Evils, which if joined unto the Evil conceived in the mind brings Death, and sepa­rates Man from God his Maker, and [Page 9]here the strong Man keeps the House, and by his Temptations therein, prevails on Man to eat the forbidden Fruit, by which he breaks the Law of God, and falls under Condemnation, from which State there is no coming; nor the Figg-leaf Garment, nor nothing without will cover, but a turning to the blessed Appearance and Gift of God in the Soul, and there find the Mystery, Christ within, the Hope of Glory, who hath many Names, and his Kingdom is compared to a little Leaven, the lost Groat, a grain of Mustard Seed, and many other Parables, and it is vail­ed from Man, who is in the first na­ture of the Earth, Earthly, but revealed in the second Man, who is the Lord from Heaven, which gives us to know the first Man Adam a living Soul, and the last Man Adam a quickning Spirit, by which, unless we be Born again of the true incorruptible Seed, which enlightens us, we cannot see the Kingdom of Hea­ven, nor the Glory thereof, which Man in the first Nature have strove to know; but we must receive that knowledge by the ingrafted Word of God, not in our will and time, these things God gives as to know, but being acquainted [Page 10]with his Mercies, and the Temptations of the evil One, as we may read and learn of Christ, who left us an example, as all true Travellers shall find in them­selves, him near in their best performan­ces; as I have seen, and do see his ap­proach, and when I have heard, or seen any on the high Mountains, in their I­maginations, who pretend they see all the World, and their selves in conceit above all, for which I have been griev­ed, as well-knowing the danger of that State, and willing I was to have advised them, but knowing they was so highly set up in themselves, my voice could not reach them, calling that God which is not God, taking the Name of the Lord God in Vain, for which he will not hold them guiltless, some of them having blown a loud Trumpet, Jehu like, say­ing, Come and see my Zeal for the Lord of Hosts, which I have been grieved to see in some, both Men and Women, and have lived to see divers fall, which I well knew as they stood could not hold out to the end, and many of Martha's Spi­rit I have seen, and now do, which runs, and serves, and cumbers themselves with striving to utter Words, and have got [Page 11]the true Notion in their Heads, but the true Seed hath not taken root down­wards; and those are they which are stumbling-Blocks, who have been by some encouraged, as I might have been, but the Lord my God kept me out of that Temptation, and many others not loving Hypocricy, nor a feigned imitation where­by I might deceive others, in what I was not truly to God, who called me to take up the Cross, to that which my Heart loved, whether they were Idols of Silver, or Gold, or other things tho' useful, yet if over-valued they fill the Heart, of which there must be an emptying, to make room for the Heavenly Jesus, under whose Reign, Israel shall safely possess their Souls in Peace, and have the new Name given them, and the White Stone which none knows, nor can believe, but those that have it, and those are they that are come through great Tribulations, and are washed with the Blood of the Lamb: and all those of this Faith, I dear­ly salute, as being Children of one Fa­ther, whose Voice I know from the Voice of a Stranger, and I thank God, who hath raised up the Poor in Spirit, all that are therein gathered, will out-last all other [Page 12]Notions, and the Lord give Wisdom to them, that have not as yet thereto at­tained, to know the true Ministration and the right Season, when they should, and when they should not, which in some hath been lacking; which causes the weak to stumble, and keeps out more than it brings in.

Thus have I given a short but true Account as I have passed through the Wilderness of this World, and have seen many fall on the Right Hand, and on the Left, where also I might but have had for my preservation, the cloud over me by day to keep me low, that I might not be exalted, neither by Visions, Sights, nor Revelations; many have been hurt thereby, and cast that on others, which concerned themselves: And as the cloud stood over me, it kept me low from self-exaltation, to know my self nothing, but what I received from the God of all my Mercies: and as I see the Cloud by day, I also see the Pillar of Fire by Night, which caused me to stand still, and see the Sal­vation of God, and the bright appea­rance of his Glory. I am sorry for some that are backsliden, and may say to them, what have you or your Fathers found in [Page 13]the God of Jacob, that you should depart from him? But let all the strong will'd, know little David, who trusts not in Bow nor Sword, but in the living God; he by his Sling and smooth Stone, shall hit the Head of those that defies the Armies of Israel's God.

And to all you workers of Iniquity, who have charged us that we deny Christ Jesus come in the Flesh, the Holy Scrip­tures and the Resurrection, and say we are Heathens, and Hereticks, all which we know to be false, and can appeal to God in the integrity of our Hearts therein, and with him we can with Joy leave our Cause, as well-knowing he is able in his time to plead it, tho' there may be evil doers amongst us. If Christ had one in twelve, that was not enough for the Jews and some that followed him, to say he was not in the Truth, because Judas be­trayed him, and Peter deny'd him, and he in that Agony bearing our griefs, Isa. 53. to cry out, My God my God why hast thou forsaken me, all this must needs stum­ble the Eye that looked out, but they remembred his promise, and waited at Je­rusalem for the fulfilling of it, who said, he would come, and he did come, which [Page 14]confirmed them, and so it hath done us.

And now something to you my dear Children, whom I never deck'd in the extreams of formality, to make my self, or you seem what you were not; but this was, and is my desire for you, seek first the Kingdom of Heaven, and the Righ­teousness thereof, and all other things shall be added unto you, be sure to Remember your Creator in the days of your Youth, and you shall find the Comfort of it in your Old Age, or at your Death, when all the Glory of this World will stand you in no stead: And though some of you have met with some Disappointments, yet you shall find (as I have done) all things work to­gether for good, and bring you nearer to God, which I have ever desired for you, more than for Silver or Gold, tho' there­in some of you have had a blessing beyond my desire, and my comfort is, you all set your Faces Sion-ward, and to your Pa­rents have been Dutiful, Loving and O­bedient, for which God will bless you, as you continue in his Grace.

This is written by one that hath been called a Dissenting Quaker, which I de­sire not to be from faithful Friends, for [Page 15]I never knowingly dissented from the Truth, but loved it, and though in some things was not satisfied, yet kept as near as I could in Word and Deed to hurt no one, but endeavoured to answer a good Conscience towards God and all Men, in which I have found him near to help me, and the blessing to my Soul and Body, and have a true Love to all the sincere in Heart, by what name soever called.

And as through Dispensations and Ad­ministrations and Gifts, (which are all by the same Spirit) God is pleased to give a further manifestation of Himself, who is a Spirit, in that way shews Himself to Man as he can receive him, which was, and is his great Love, knowing how hap­py he is made by it, and unhappy with­out it, and God's great Condescension therein, who seeks Man, before Man seeks Him, because he is good, and would have Us be like unto Him, and take delight in Us, and we in Him: and in this way he led all his faithful People, before the Law and after, which Law was given by Moses by Divine Inspiration, many Years after some of those things were done, which all had their signification, and pointed at Christ Jesus coming in the [Page 16]Flesh, who, when come, said, before A­braham was I am, and they in the Wil­derness drank of the same Spiritual Rock, which Rock is Christ, the Messenger of God and of the New Covenant, the Law written in the Heart, unto Him must all come, that will truly know the Interpre­tation of what's contained in both Old and New Testament, which was decla­red from the Spirit and Power of God in the true Seed, and that were left to be profitable, especially to the Man of God, through Faith in Christ Jesus, by which we may see (as our Minds are turned to God) the Examples of those that followed the Lord their God, and there make a true spiritual Application, and see how far we are come into the good work of God, in the proving of our Hearts; as Abraham Offered up Isaac, so must every one offer up what God requires, to manifest our love to God; and for all such who by Faith walk, God will provide himself a Sacrifice; and so Jacob the wrestler with God, sent from his Father's House to go into a strange Land, and have no depen­dency on any outward or visible thing in this his Journey, yet Travels on, and the Sun sets, night comes on, on this Stone [Page 17]lays his head, and thus rests on the faith­fulness of God to him in all conditions, and then is the ladder of true experience seen, where the Angels of God ascend, and de­scend, at the foot abode, and you will say God was here and I knew it not; and here Jacob received his blessing, to whom Children was given, and there was a striving, as by the best Mind and Spirit, you shall find the eldest by Nature will seek to rule, and strive against the belo­ved of the Father: And Joseph the true born Son sold into Egypt, to provide Corn for Jacob and his Sons, but they must go down to fetch it; and this is to be known in its time and season, and the Scripture fulfilled, and the spiritual meaning therein known: As Saul the first King over Israel, for stature and appearance Beautiful, an­nointed of the Prophet to be King; but God saw beyond outward appearances in­to the Heart, and they that go out from God their strength, their defence is gone, and they shall become weak as Soul did, and their Enemies prevail; then contem­tible David, who by his Brethren dispised, him God saw, and by the Arm of God's strength had killed the Lyon and the Bear, and in that Power by which he o­vercame [Page 18]the Latter, by believing in the same Power he overcame the greatest of his Enemies, and this made him King in Saul's stead, though with him he had long Wars to Fight the Lord's Battle: but Solomon by the true Wisdom of God must Build the House, in whose Reign there is Peace and Safety, and he shall Judge and give true Judgment betwixt the Mo­ther and the Child; and Christ's Kingdom (Typified in Solomon's) consists of Righ­teousness, Peace and Joy, which is very delightful and desirous, because, the sa­tisfaction the Soul receives thereby, and hath a true sight of the Love of God in all he doth, is but to make his Creature Man happy, which Love is so great it can­not be expressed, for the which, all those that have received it praise God, and all that have not come out of themselves, and seek the Kingdom of Christ, not in words, but in Truth, that they may partake with thy Saints in Glory, and thereby see the Emptiness and Vanity of this World, whether it be Profession, Pleasure, Riches, Honour; the Excellency of this Excels them all.

And to all you sincere hearted, as Cor­nelius was, to whom Peter was sent, who [Page 19]said, I see of a Truth, God is no respecter of Persons; but amongst all that truly fears God, and works Righteousness, are therein accepted, yet God was pleased by Peter, to Preach and Testifie unto Jesus Christ as his anointed, who was cru­cified, and to his Resurection from the Dead, Acts 10. that in and through him they might believe, and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost and of Power, and thereby the inward cleansing from Sin and Pollution, and by the Power and Work of Christ, to become the Sons of God, which no outward thing can do; but whoso therein believes, shall find Pow­er in that Gift which God hath given, which is a true discerner of the thoughts and intents of the Heart, to which, I would persuade all that are weary and heavy laden to come unto, and they shall assuredly find Rest to their Souls, by Christ Jesus the Substance, unto which all Men must bow in the inwardness of their Hearts, for the day of his bright Appearance is at hand; and Behold he comes with Clouds, Rev. 1.7. yet they that are gazing abroad, cannot see him, being veil'd from that Eye and Mind, as he was unknown to the Jews formerly, [Page 20]who had a great expectation of the com­ing of the Messiah, who came in the will of God at the appointed time; yet he not coming in that Glory, and great Ap­pearances they expected him, they could not believe nor think that it was he, and now there is great expectation in some of his second appearance, some saying, Lo here, and some Lo there, and yet still are disappointed, and strangers to his ap­pearance in Spirit: but to them who truly look for him, he shall appear the second time without Sin, unto Salvation, and there the true inward Christians shall see him in his Glory, and enter into his King­dom, which exceeds all the glory of this World, neither can the wise imaginary part in Man give a true description there­of, but as God's Wisdom rises up into the Throne, and hath the Government of the Mind, they shall know the depth of these things from him that gives it; and give him the Praise, who hath brought them into so happy estate, who desires well for every Creature, both Man and Beast, who groans for deliverance: And as a Man comes to be gathered into the light, and changed into the Nature of Je­sus Christ, the whole Creation will reap [Page 21]great benefit thereby, and as many as have seen the beginning of the good Work of God in what he did, He divided the Light from the Darkness, and saw the Light, and it was Good; and so he went on in every day's Work, till the whole Creation was finished; and as we read in the Old, we must find it in the New, for he saith, I will make a new Heaven, and a new Earth, wherein shall dwell Righteousness. And as in the first, he went on in order in his Work, so you shall find him now; and though by him called into the Vine-yard to work, it shall find in many a high and strong will, which would obstruct the good Work of God, and that Hammon like gets upon the Kings Horse, but he's not Mordica, that sits low in sackcloth at the gate, and where this is, in what pretence so ever, in whom Pride rises and prevails, it will (if suffered) destroy the Seed of the Jews; but he that sees in secret will reveal the matter, and that Spirit shall be brought down, let its cloathing be never so glori­ous: God hath decreed to exalt Mordicai, who is of the true Seed, he is found wor­thy, and the Lord lives; he shall Reign whose Right it is, though the Heathen rage, and the People imagine a vain thing, [Page 22]yet will he set his Son upon the holy hill of Sion.

I could not well omit one thing more, to give satisfaction to some, who may think, I am one that goes under the name that ministers to the People, but I am not; but this I give as my experience, to all that are traveling to find rest with God in his Kingdom of Peace; but to appear in a Publick Assembly, there to speak, I never did; and I am of the Apostle's mind, Let such Women (as want Instructi­on, or would usurpe Authority over the Man) keep Silence in the Church, and give place to Man, to whom God hath given Pre­heminency, and made fit for that great Work; in which Work, had not I satis­faction in my self, and been strengthened by those worthy good Ministers, through the weakness of some others who thereto pretend, and, as I well know, run when they are not sent, I might have stumbled; but I saw, how ever Justified by others, divers of them were not, nor are not upon the right Ground, and some of them have been blown away like Chaff with the Wind, not but that I know there is many Good and Vertuous Women, who are appointed for good Examples in their [Page 23]Families, who in Modesty, Sobriety, Cha­rity, and good Works, a good Life, and Conversation; with these I joyn, and in that Life I desire to Preach to my Chil­dren, Friends, Neighbours and Servants; and they that in this rightness of Heart Live, shall deceive none, but gain to themselves a lasting Establishment, which shall be of good Savour, never to be re­pented of; and as in this I desire to do unto all as I would be done unto, and that in Truth and Sincerity I have here writ, may be for the good of all; to help the Feeble, and strengthen the Weak, and that from the ground of Integrity, and in Good Will to all Men; and it being re­ceived in the good Mind, will cover any Weakness herein contained, and make that use of it as it is intended, Good Will to all, and Glory to God. Yet as there was for­merly, so there is now, he that is born after the Flesh, Persecutes him that is born af­ter the Spirit, whose Censures I expect not to escape, it being so natural to the Litte­ral Jews, when they could find nothing to accuse Christ of, whilst upon the Earth, sought what they could to intrap him in his Words; but God gave him that Wis­dom to see in them, and cautioned his [Page 24]Disciples, not to give the Childrens Bread to Dogs, nor Pearls to Swine, least they trample them under Foot, and turn again and Rent you; under Christ's Protection I leave my self.

This writ by one that hath waited at Wisdom's Gate for Instruction, who hath given me an entrance to know as I have here declared, and all that would go high­er to see the Bride, the Lambs Wife, must be guided thereto by the Meek and Hum­ble Spirit of Jesus, without which there is no Safety, though they may understand all Mysteries, and give much to the Poor, and have all those Gifts the Apostle men­tions (in the 13 of the 1. Epistle to the Corinthians) and yet if the most excelent gift of Charity be wanting that thinks no Evil, which boasteth not, &c. but Suffer­eth, Believeth, Hopeth, and Endureth all Things, and rejoyceth in God alone, he that is here will out-last all other let their pretences be what it will, and they that come not here let them change their Ha­bits, their Customs, and as some call it the Worlds Fashions, yet if they come not to see the World's Covetousness (unto which the Heart of Man is naturally in­clined) rooted out, the Earth will open [Page 25]and swallow up that Mind, and the Heart will be dead to God, and they will loose their part in the blessed Inheritance.

Some on the other hand notwithstand­ing they may have seen the good way, set forward therein, but soon forgot what the Lord did for them, who brought them out of the Land of Darkness, from under their hard Taskmastrrs, who put them to make Brick without Straw; their Hearts not being throughly Converted, they lusted for the Garlick and Onions again, their old Diet; and though they had past the Sea, many dyed in the Wilderness, and all them that delighted in the Sins of Sodom, and make a mock at the good An­gel, that God hath sent to pull just Lot out of Sodom, they shall be struck Blind, and the Fire of God's Wrath shall destroy all such that come not in at the right Door of him who said, I am the Way, the Truth, the Life, and the Light; who ever striveth by any other way will be found Theives and Robbers, and deprive the Soul of its In heritance with God.

This by one who for many Years hath been counted a Dissenter, being never forward to intrude into those things I had not seen nor adhered to, what I had not a [Page 26]clear sight as my duty to God, and there I stand still waiting on God to reveal to me; yet that God that sees the inside, the Heart, hath rewarded me according to the sincerity thereof; and I have found his Love so great and unexpressible, which hath made up all again more than I have lost by any Man, and hath safely preser­ved where Man could not see me, whose Eye is abroad and looks at the outside ap­pearance; but as God's Eye, who beholds both Evil and Good, so have I seen in both Parties things acted and done, which my Soul had no Pleasure nor Unity with, but was willing the Lord should bring me off from those from whom he was depar­ted, and that the sincere hearted of both sides might be Reconciled, for the accom­plishing of which I have used my best Endeavours, desiring there may not be a looking at what is past, but an endeavour­ing for the good of all, as I have really done, as may be seen in this following Letter, which I writ in answer to a Friend, who was and is dissatisfied with some for appearing therein; but let thembe what they please, I am well satisfied in this good Work.

But I have seen the new Wine put into the old Bottle, it not being well seasoned there becomes a Sowerness, and the good Relish thereby seems to be lost, that is in it self good; in which state there is many that keeps to the old Leaven of the Pharisees; Christ gives this Mark by which they should be known, They love the uppermost Places, and to be Master, make long Pray­ers, and to preach in their own Wills, dif­ferent in their Robes, makes a fair show in the Flesh, that they may appear well unto Men; this hath been and is a great grief to the Just, but I am comforted in this, I see many right-hearted and good Christi­ans, who speaks from the Truth the an­nointed of God, those God will bless, and he will appear in them who reigns in Righteousness, and all such shall reign with him for ever and ever; and as I have seen this Good, I have also seen this Evil, which Man is prone to, and apt to set a great value upon themselves, and they not see it, and let the Truth be ne­ver so plainly discovered, and from the Spirit of the Living God dictated; yet if it comes not in their way, and after their manner, as they have set it up in them­selves, there is no room for any thing to [Page 28]enter, though never so good; of this I have made to my self a good Caution, and said, O Lord if this Iniquity remains in me, search it out; for I see it looks ill in others, and so it will in me if I am found therein.