this great city of London, to preach the everlasting Gospel among you. Pray, every one of you, turn inward; let not these words, passing through a mean vessel, be as a bare empty discourse of truth to you, which you only hear; and take no further care of your salvation. Take heed of despising the light that shines in the midst of you: press forward in the heavenly work, in the power of Christ Jesus, even through judgment into death, and then he will give you eternal life. The Lord confirm this, that it may rest upon your hearts, that you may be dead to the things of the world. We are not come to Mount Sinai, that genders to bondage, but we are come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first born which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.' This is the inheritance of the redeemed of the Most High; blessed be the name of the Lord! Let us rest in hope, till he bring us to humility and lowliness of mind, that he may clothe us with heavenly glory, according to his promise, I will beautify my house with glory,' saith the Lord. This is the portion of a poor people, who cast themselves down before the Lord, that he may lift them up and be all in all to them, in whose blessed presence they shall have joy, and rivers of pleasures at his right hand for evermore!" The following is the prayer, which he offered up after the preceding testimony. "Blessed and glorious God! thy presence and power is with thy people everywhere, and thou art stretching forth thy almighty arm, for the salvation of thy chosen ones. Thou art influencing their souls with thy grace and Spirit in their solemn assemblies. We desire to extol and magnify thy great and excellent name for all thy mercies and blessings. We pray thee, bow down thy heavenly ear, and hearken to the cries and supplications of thy people, who are breathing forth the desire of their souls unto thee. Thou art a God hearing prayers; supply their wants and establish their spirits, and uphold them with thy free Spirit. Crown all thy chosen ones with thy loving-kindness and tender mercy; rend the cloud of darkness that hangs over us and take away the veil: bow the heavens, and visit us with thy salvation, and reveal the mysteries of thy Truth unto us, and in all our ways let us acknowledge thee, and do thou lead us in the way everlasting. Righteous God of love! while we live on earth, let VOL. II.-No. 8. our conversation be in heaven, where Christ our Mediator sits at thy right hand; let us follow his example, who was holy, harmless, and undefiled, that we may sit in heavenly places with him. Be thou a sun and shield to us in our earthly pilgrimage. Whom have we in heaven, but thee; and there is none on earth that we desire besides thee. Let us walk before thee in sincerity and truth, and do thou conduct us in the way of truth and righteousness, by thy blessed Spirit. Blessed be thy name for the light of thy saving truth, that hath shined in our minds; and the light of thy countenance that hath been lifted up upon us in our meetings. Thou hast furnished a table for thy people as in the days of old: we cannot but admire thy great love and condescension towards us, and extol and bless thy holy name for thy abounding mercies and the riches of thy goodness to us. We desire to give thee honour and renown, and praise and thanksgiving for thy renewed mercies and spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus, for whom we bless thee, and in whom we desire to be found, not having our own righteousness. To Him, with thyself, and thy holy eternal Spirit, be glory for ever. Amen!"* is about to make, or carry his view of the subject *The editor may be singular in the remark he beyond what others can follow him in, even among the religious Society of which he is a member. But he is not satisfied without observing, with regard to the practice of taking down sermons or prayers delivered in assemblies for divine worship, that, in his opinion, the thing is improper. It may be pleaded, that such declarations are recorded in the New Testament; and also perhaps that ministers among Friends, have even thought it right to set forth in their Journals or writings, some sketch of what they have had on particular occasions to communicate to the people. But in these cases, the analogy is not by any means complete; nor can these exceptions be safely held up as any precedent or rule. branch of that departure from primitive purity and The editor apprehends he sees in the practice, a simplicity, which very early enveloped the church in a veil of dimness and delusion. If Christian ministers and hearers, when met for divine worship, are to know Christ to be in the midst of them by his Spirit, their President and Leader, without whose fresh springs of help they can do nothing acceptably towards God or towards one another, how can any be engaged in endeavouring to treasure up a stock of instruction against another time, or for other circumstances than those, under which they had been supplied according to the very hour of need? As soon as we leave the sure ground of the immediate extension of divine grace and favour to the mind, as furnishing the sole impulse and qualification for instrumental labour, the transition becomes very easy to recited sermons and forms of prayer. Indeed the editor cannot doubt, but that some of those ancient and beautiful compositions, which form parts of the service 38 1688. CHAPTER XX. William Dewsbury is taken ill in London-Addresses a letter to the Yearly Meeting—Returns home-His last hours—Address previous to the close-His death and character-Testimony of his friends respecting him. WILLIAM DEWSBURY continued in London until the 30th of the third month, desirous of attending the approaching Yearly Meeting; but having been taken ill soon after the meeting at which he had been so largely engaged, and his disorder continuing to increase, he addressed the following letter to his friends; and then proceeded homewards. "Dear Friends and brethren; I did not know until last night, but I should have been with you at the Yearly Meeting. But it pleased the Lord to visit me with my ancient distemper, which hath accompanied me many years in prison, and since I was released. The distemper was so sharp upon me last night, that I did not know whether I should live to see another day but crying to the Lord, he ordered and cleared my way to go into the country, so I cannot be with you at the Yearly Meeting; but desire the Lord to assist you with his blessed power and heavenly Life, to bring in the scattered ones to their everlasting comfort, and his glory for ever, Amen! : "And that it may be so with you, is the prayer of your loving brother, "WILLIAM DEWSBURY. "London, the 30th of the Third month, 1688." Although he was favoured with strength to reach home, by short and easy journies, he only lived seventeen days after the date of the above letter. About a week before he died, a few Friends being met in his chamber, rising from his bed in great weakness of body, he addressed them as follows: proclaim the day of the Lord to the people. And he confirmed the same by signs and wonders; and particularly by a lame woman who went on crutches, where I with my dear brethren, George Fox and Richard Farnsworth, were cast: and as I cried mightily unto the Lord in secret, that he would signally manifest himself at that time amongst us, and give witness of his power and presence with us, Richard Farnsworth, in the name of the Lord, took her by the hand, and George Fox after, spoke to her in the power of God, and bid her stand up, and she did, and immediately walked straight, having no need of crutches any more. Therefore, Friends, be faithful, and trust in the Lord your God: for this I can say, I never since played the coward; but joyfully entered prisons as palaces, telling mine enemies to hold me there as long as they could. And in the prisonhouse I sang praises to my God, and esteemed the bolts and locks put upon me as jewels; and in the name of the eternal God I always got the victory. For they could keep me no longer than the determined time of my God. "And, Friends, this I must once again testify to you in the name of the Lord God, that what I saw above thirty years ago still rests as a testimony to leave behind me: That a dreadful terrible day is at hand, and will certainly come to pass, but the time when, I cannot say. But all put on strength in the name of the Lord, and wait to feel his eternal power to preserve you through the tribulations of those days, that approach very near; in the sense of which I have often been distressed and bowed down in spirit, with crics and tears to my God, for the preservation of his heritage. And this I have further to signify, that my departure draws nigh; Blessed be my God! I am prepared; I have nothing to do but die, and put off this corrupt mortal tabernacle, this flesh that hath so many infirmities. But the life that dwells in it ascends above all, out of the reach of death, hell, and the grave: and immor tality and eternal life are my crown for ever and ever! Therefore, you that are left behind, fear not, nor be discouraged, but go on in the name and power of the Lord, and bear a faithful and living testimony for him in your of the Book of Common Prayer, were actually day. And the Lord will prosper his work in brought forth under a precious degree of divine your hand, and cause his Truth to flourish influence; but the old enemy has contrived, by and spread abroad. For it shall have the extolling these productions, to lead away the victory, and no weapon formed against it minds of people from that inwardly searching shall prosper. The Lord hath determined, exercise, that individual labour, in which such it shall possess the gates of its enemies; and words might have been rightly breathed forth, and to settle them down in the use of a form, by the glory and the light thereof shall shine way of helping their infirmities, to the neglect of more and more until the perfect day." feeling after that strength which is "made perfect in weakness." "My God hath put it into my heart to bear a testimony in his name and blessed Truth. I can never forget the day of his great power and blessed appearance, when he first sent me to preach his everlasting Gospel, and to He concluded with prayers to the Lord, and with fervent breathings and supplications for all his people everywhere, but more especially, especial service, in which he had many a for his dearly beloved Friends, assembled at" true yoke-fellow," and having submitted to the Yearly Meeting in London; and departed those deep baptisms indispensable in the great this life about a week afterwards, namely, on work of regeneration, by which his own nathe 17th of the fourth month, 1688, at War- ture was changed, his corrupt will subdued, wick, and was buried the following day. the first Adam slain and the second Adam If we turn from this last stage of William raised in him, a quickening spirit, to bear Dewsbury's pilgrimage, and from its trium- sway and rule in all things; William Dewsphant close, to the earlier periods of his life, bury consulted not with flesh and blood, nor we cannot fail to arrive at the conclusion, that does it appear that he was at any period left he was a man of no ordinary character. Those in doubt as to the course it was right for him clear views of divine things, which attended to pursue. Having once put his hand to the his mind from first to last, from infancy to old spiritual plough, he never again looked back. age, and which he undoubtingly received as a If it was his lot to suffer for the testimony of heavenly gift, as the revelation of the grace a good conscience, he never repined; but, and truth of Jesus Christ,-this inward sense, following the example of the Great Patit was his undeviating concern to obey and tern, "committed himself to him that judgeth follow. He truly received the Gospel neither righteously.". The afflictions and persecuof man, nor by man, neither was he taught it, tions he underwent, neither shook his faith, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. The nor wearied, nor offended him, because his ardour and sincerity with which William foundation was on the rock on this he stood. Dewsbury sought after this divine under- If he triumphed, it was as a servant who restanding of divine subjects, these secret im- joices in his master's service and work— pressions and convictions of divine love"good will to men,"--and thus to increase visiting the mind and instructing it, were his master's glory and self, through the very great, it must be acknowledged, even for power of redeeming love, having become of many years before his mind received full sat- no reputation with him, he invariably yielded, isfaction as to his salvation and peace with for his success, the tribute of thanksgiving God, and before he could be said to have and praise to Him unto whom alone he felt arrived at an establishment in religion. His that it did belong. after-course was indeed like the conduct of the man who built his house upon the rock; the very gates of hell could not prevail against him. His mind was anchored, and every thing that happened to him only served to confirm him in the way cast up before him. He endured, as seeing Him who is invisible, unchangeable; he knew that his Redeemer lived, and felt Him to be near who justified him. "This our dear deceased brother," say his memorialists, "was a man religiously concerned for the honour of God, and had a great care upon his spirit, that those who had believed and made profession of the truth, might answer it in a holy and blameless life and conversation: which, he would often say, could never be done by largeness of knowledge or strength of comprehension, but by a real dying to their wills and affections, by the virtue of the daily cross.' How truly may it be said of William Dewsbury, that he walked by faith and not by "He was one whom God raised up early in sight! even that faith by which "the elders the morning of his glorious day, and made an obtained a good report," and which was to eminent instrument in his hand for the publi him as to them, "the substance of things cation of his mighty day and power; preachhoped for, the evidence of things not seen." ing repentance in order to the remission of On what other principle, but the all-sufficiency sins, and bearing a faithful and universal tesof this divine faith,-faith in the presence and timony to the free grace of God to mankind. power of Christ inwardly revealed, can we The Lord was with him, and prospered him account for his deliberately entering upon in his manifold sufferings, travels, labours and that difficult and untrodden path, persevering exercises in the Gospel of Christ and word of through all obstacles in it, meekly and pati- his ministry. Many were made sensible of ently enduring contradiction, triumphing over the benefit of his labours, to the good and all difficulties, and becoming more than con- welfare of their immortal souls. For the queror in the end? Lord our God, in whose dread and zeal he Taking this view of William Dewsbury's laboured, endued him with faith and courage, character, formed as it was on the model of and with great boldness for his name and apostolic faith, there is no difficulty in ac- truth; and he published the same in great counting for any portion of his conduct, how-plainness and in the simplicity thereof. ever irreconcilable it might appear on other "To the tender-hearted he was exceedingly grounds. Raised up by divine power for an tender; but to the stubborn and lofty he was sharp and plain; admonishing them, and declaring the righteous judgment of God against that state waiting, and endeavouring with much patience and long-suffering, the recovery of such, who through the subtlety of the enemy had fallen from truth and from unity with the people of God; among whom he was sincerely devoted to maintain love and unity. But when any made it their work to cause division and discord, and to sow dissension among brethren, he would plainly testify against them and reject them; and, in the dread of the Lord's power, thunder out God's judgment against their deceit and wickedness-as he did upon his last visit to London, a few days before his departure out of the body, which he then told some of us, was near at hand. "He was fervent and frequent in prayer to God for the good of his church, and for the gathering of people to their true rest; wherein we have had true unity with him. And our souls, with many more, have been often refreshed and comforted with him. His many deep sufferings for the truth, and his faithful travels and labours are never to be forgotten. "And although the envy of wicked and unreasonable men was very great and fierce against him, he feared neither their malice, threats, nor blows; but boldly went forth publishing the truth, by testifying to that of God in all consciences. And the hand of divine Providence did often deliver him in a wonderful manner out of the hands of the wicked, for his name's sake. "Finally, having faithfully served his generation, and finished his sufferings, testimony and course with joy, he hath now obtained the crown immortal, and is gone into the everlasting rest, from all his labours, and his works follow him, with a blessed reward in the kingdom of glory and peace."* The preceding paragraphs form the greater part of a testimony borne to his memory soon after his death, to which are attached the names of six Friends, namely, George Whitehead, Francis Camfield, Richard Pinder, Stephen Crisp, Richard Richardson, and James Parke. APPENDIX. ADDRESS TO KING CHARLES THE SECOND. "OH, KING! hear the word of the Lord God, which came unto me about the sixth hour in the morning of the 20th day of the third month, 1661. Thus saith the Lord through his servant. "Oh! fear and dread the name of the eternal God, who hath created and preserved thee, by his mighty power, and saved thee in the hollow of his hand, in the day of thy great distress, when he corrected thy family and all the nation, that they might walk humbly before him. And those who did humble themselves before him, his presence appeared with them; but when they departed from the lowliness of his spirit, and promised fair things, and did not perform in the uprightness of their hearts, according to their words, though they were never so invincible for strength, and clothed with the policy and wisdom of this world, the Lord hath, and will break them down by the arm of his mighty power, and he catcheth them in their own craft, and overthrows them in their own devices, and not any can deliver themselves out of his mighty hand. He breaks them as the potsherds of the earth, and makes their names to rot and perish among men, and stink in the nostrils of the upright in heart. Thus he sets up, to try if man will give him the glory of his works; and when he kicks against his Maker, he breaks him down in his wrath, and overthrows him in his fierce displeasure. And this is the work of the mighty God, who hath preserved thee in safety, whilst destruction and calamity were on every side; that now thou hast seen a cloud of witnesses before thine eyes. Thou art set on the throne, wherein he is trying and proving thee, that thou mayest, by what thou hast seen, dread his name, and wait in his counsel, the light of his spirit, which is his law in thy heart and conscience, that lets thee see thou art but dust. And if thou watch unto it, and wait upon him in it, thou wilt see the secret evil of thine heart. If thou look up to him in the light of his spirit, and in the uprightness of thine heart judge the evil in thee, and in it wait on him to be guided in true lowliness and humility of spirit, to seek alone his glory, and nothing for thyself, but wait upon him to be an instrument in his hand, that he may govern and order thee in all his ways; then will he enlighten thy understanding, and seal unto thee his secret counsel, and give thee to see through all that profess his name and know him not, and what his true worship is. And he will let thee see what is idolatry, and what is the worship "And this he requireth of thee, in all things in which his presence shall accompany all to mind his law in thy heart, to do unto others who are found faithful therein, and which he as thou wouldst be done unto, if thou wast will defend with his power against all oppo- in their places and they in thine; and let sers. None shall prosper who devise mischief mercy be found in thy hands to all people, as against them that are faithful to him in this thou hast found mercy at the hands of the his worship; this is declared to thee to be pure Lord, yea to thy enemies; and, in what thou obedience to his spirit, which cleanseth the mayest, live in peace with all men. And in heart and purifieth the conscience. And this all thy undertakings seek not thyself; let the is his worship he hath determined in his un- glory of God be the object of thy mind, and changeable and heavenly decree to establish wait to feel his hand leading thee in what thou in the earth, and over all nations it shall stand. ❘ doest. If thou stand in his counsel, to do as He shall scatter all as dust, who seek to op- he requireth of thee, to mind thy place and to press his people, and resist the rising of his keep the people in peace, and punish sin and glory, and thou shalt certainly know the mouth wickedness, and give free liberty for the Lord, of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it. And if by his spirit to rule in the consciences of his thou turn thy mind within, to his counsel in people, as he orders them to meet in his fear, thee, and in diligent watchfulness incline thine and witness forth his mind where he leads ear to his pure spirit, that calls for righteous- them, without restraint; and no more to be ness in thy heart and conscience, and be obe- given like lambs to the slaughter, and driven dient with boldness to walk in the strait way to prison like sheep to the fold, but to have of the daily cross, and deny the evil, and an- free liberty in their peaceable lives to serve swer his requirings, which he makes known their God;-then will he raise his name in to thee; then will he guard thee with the thy father's house, and make thee a nursing power of his heavenly and dreadful presence, father unto his people, and thou shalt partake and will make thee a terror to evil doers, that of the blessings with them that fear him, and a liar or an unclean person shall not be found all the world shall be amazed to hear of his in thy house, nor any worker of iniquity shall dreadful appearance for his people that obey be able to stand before thee; he will clothe his spirit in this nation, which shall convince thee with wisdom, and thou shalt be able to both Jew and Gentile, that the mighty God is judge all causes that are brought before thee risen to manifest his power to them that fear in righteousness. Then wilt thou put away him in these northern countries. And the day all sports, plays, pastimes, drunkenness, un-is very near, wherein it shall be no more said, cleanness, and whatever grieveth his spirit, out of thy sight, and cleanse the land of it, through thy faithful walking with God, who hath made thee a son of affliction from thy youth, that thou mightest learn to fear his name. If thou do these things he will make | "Oh king! let his goodness constrain thee, thee a terror to all nations round about, that and all thy family, to humble yourselves bedevise mischief against thee; the angel of fore him. What could he have done for thee his presence will pitch his tent about thee, more than he hath done? Hath he not been thou standing in his counsel, and giving lib- thy relief in thy greatest straits? Let his erty to his sons and daughters, as he moves goodness engage thee to answer what he rethem by his spirit, to walk in his service. quires of thee; then will he make thee one of The mighty God requireth of thee, that thou the number of his elect and chosen, and thy do not lay a bond upon the spirits of his days will be full of gladness, and thy soul people in matters of worship, to force all to shall live for ever in the kingdom of glory uniformity. Thou hast seen before thine eyes, with all the redeemed who are led by his that the kings and princes of this world, who spirit. But, if thou reject his counsel, his law have sought so to do, have brought much in- in thy heart, and wilt not regard his spirit in nocent blood upon them, who have been seek- thy inward parts, but hearken to the counsel ing by their outward power to establish Zion of thy own heart, and the wit and policy of with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. Thus the spirit of this world, and so set up thyself have his people been slain from day to day, on high, and rob God of his glory;—and give in the nations that have been building Babel, up his people, as they have been, to be pulled in whom is found the blood of the saints and out of their peaceable meetings, and haled to martyrs of Jesus, and all that are slain upon and fro, as sheep that are slaying all the day the earth; for whose sake he is now risen, to long, in tumults, distresses, afflictions, stonings, plead the cause of those that fear him, and stripes, prisons, and death;-and set up proud walk humbly before him. covetous men, who know not God, to be The Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but the Lord liveth that brought up and led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country.' |