A general epistle given forth from the spirit of the Lord to be read in his fear in the assemblies of the church of the first-born, gathered in these northern-countries, and in all countries and islands where ever the people of the Lord are scattered over the face of the earth / W.D. Dewsbury, William, 1621-1688. 1668 Approx. 15 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-11 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A35839 Wing D1269 ESTC R37742 17008866 ocm 17008866 105759 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A35839) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 105759) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1614:2) A general epistle given forth from the spirit of the Lord to be read in his fear in the assemblies of the church of the first-born, gathered in these northern-countries, and in all countries and islands where ever the people of the Lord are scattered over the face of the earth / W.D. Dewsbury, William, 1621-1688. 8 p. [s.n.], [London] printed : 1668. Signed at end: William Dewsbury. Place of publication suggested by Wing. Reproduction of original in the British Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Society of Friends -- Pastoral letters and charges. 2003-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-07 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2003-09 Sara Gothard Sampled and proofread 2003-09 Sara Gothard Text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-10 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A General Epistle , GIVEN FORTH From the Spirit of the Lord , to be Read in his Fear in the Assemblies of the Church of the FIRST-BORN , GATHERED In these Northern-Countries , and in all Countries and Islands where ever the People of the Lord are scattered over the Face of the EARTH . W. D. Printed in the Year , 1668. A General Epistle , &c. Dear Friends , CAlled in the Light of the Lord Jesus to stand Living Witnesses for him upon the Earth amongst the Children of men : Oh! the Bowels of the Love of the Lord that is in my heart to you , that when I was nigh unto death , to the light of all that saw me ( as to the outward man ) and scarce able to speak , I was constrained to give forth the substance of what is now sent amongst you , for a perfect discovery of your conditions ; seeing that many are called , and few chosen ; and many convinced that are not converted ; therefore are these lines written , that you may truly know whether you be born again , and redeemed from the Harth yea or nay . And in order thereunto , let every man and woman search their hearts with the Light of the Lord , and it will truly manifest whether you be born again , and so feed upon the Tree of Life ; or otherwise you rest in outward formal conformity to the Truth , & the heart in the Earth , & that spirit will turn against Truth , and hath done : And some others are drawn to delight their hearts in the gifts , parts , and knowledge which the Lord hath given them , more then in the Lord , the Fountain from whence they come ; and so abuse the gift , and feeds upon the fruit of the Tree of Knowledg , which puffeth up , and maketh man wise in his own eyes , and say in his heart , I am wise , and rich , sees , and wants nothing ; when they are blind , miserable , naked , and wants all things , and whatever any profess , as to the service of God , that is in this condition , they have an end to themselves in what they do , which grieveth the Spirit of the Lord , when men and women in a discoursitive spirit takes upon them to declare the Truth , when the Lord neither calls them , nor speaketh by them ; so are the Children born of the Royal Seed burthened , ( for such have turned against the Truth , and the Children born of it ) whom the Lord hath and will ease in the day determined , when all mouthes shall be closed in silence , but who are opened by him ; and not any voice be heard , but his own Spirit speaking in and thorow his own Children , born of him , who alone seeks his glory , and not any thing for themselves which must be denied . Therefore seeing the Enemies wiles are great and many ; let all dread the Lord , and who have been led astray , wait in the heart-searching Light , to see the Mystery of Iniquity where it led them forth , and return to the Light to judge down proud exalted self , which hath turned against the Truth , and bring into true Poverty , and abhoring of self , to wait at the Throne of Grace , for the Lord to raise you up in the resurrection which raised up Iesus from the dead ; and in this life contentious Self is buried in death , and the true unity is known , where the Lord alone is exalted in purity , joy , love and peace in all his , from the least to the highest growth , and all Flesh abased before him , who is worthy of all obedience , praise and glory for ever , Amen . And all dear Friends and Brethren that love the Light , and rejoyce in the Judgments of the Lord to have subtil Self buried in the true death , that what gifts of the Spirit soever the Lord gives unto you , and the Enemy tempt you never so strongly to puff you up in a self-priding spirit , in what you have received of the Lord ; yet his fear is so minded by you , which keeps you in a true sense of your nothingness , and emptiness in your selves , which causes you to wait in true self-denial , for the daily assistance and renewing of your strength in the resurrection of Life in the Lord Jesus ; and the more he manifests his power with you , the more empty , and nothing you appear in your own eyes : And so is the true Birth known which makes Self of no reputation , that the Lord may be exalted in his unlimitted power , in manifesting himself in the poverty , emptiness , and nothingness of his people , who are born of him , that not any Flesh may glory before him , but all in truth to say , The Lord doth all in me , and through me , and the Lord shall have the glory ; and I will sit in the dust at his feet , with all my Brethren and Sisters , to serve him , and his people , ( through whom we are raised up to sit in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus , ) in what I may , whilst I have a being amongst the Sons of men , to the glory of his Name for ever . And this is the state of the true Disciples of Christ , that cannot feed of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge , although in your journey and travels ( you dear Vessels of the Lord ) you see the tree of Knowledge to be good , where it stands in its place , but the fruit is not good for to eat , and feed upon , because knowledge puffeth up , but grace maketh humble . Therefore dear Brethren and Sisters born of God , who cannot live in any enjoyment , but as you enjoy the Life and Presence of God , from whence every good and perfect gift comes . And dear Lambs , although some of you be , in your own eyes , the meanest amongst the People of the Lord ; yea , at sometimes your trials is so great , that you are ready to account your selves unworthy to be numbred amongst the People of the Lord , and yet you dare not disobey him , neither can you live without his presence . Oh , you dear Children of God I lift up your heads over all temptations and accusations of the Enemy , for your groans and cries are entred into the ●ars of the Lord God , who in the bowels of his Love and Mercies doth constrain me to proclaim the day of the tender compassion of the Lord , to all you who are truly poor in your spirits ; Oh , blessed are you among the children of men ! for yours is the Kingdom of God. Therefore be not weary of waiting upon the Lord , for in his own time he will turn your sorrows into joy , and give to you the spirit of praises , for the spirit of heaviness , as he hath done to many who have endured the like temptations , trials , and sufferings , under which you wait this day for deliverance , and the Lord will be the same to you ; therefore be of good comfort , for as the Serpent was lifted up in the Wilderness , so is the Son of Man lifted up in the Light and Covenant of Life to heal your wounds , and save you from sin , and to give you victory over the Enemy in all his appearances ; so that you thorow Faith in the Name of Christ , make war in righteousness ; and fighting the good Fight , in keeping the Faith , you will be made more then Conquerors thorow his Love that he will shed abroad in your hearts , which will cause you to speak of his goodness , and praise his Name for all his mercies . And all dear Children of the Lord , who do witness in measure that you are truely baptised into his Death , and so are made partakers of his Resurrection , as is before written , which is the Life that worships him according to his own Will , and so is truly accepted of him : therefore watch and pray that you may be guided in the power of his Spirit in all your wayes : And be carefull , that not any be hasty to utter words before the Lord ; neither suffer any sighs or groans , or any thing to be heard to pass thorow you , but as you have the seal of the Spirit of the Lord , that he requires it of you ; this I am commanded to lay , as a charge upon you , that so all Flesh may be truly silent before the Lord , and not any voice to be heard , but the living Spirit of the Lord speaking in his people ; which you that wait in the fear of the Lord , and minds his leadings , may truly know , as it is written , so doth his Children witness , He that hath my Word , saith the Lord , let him speak my Word faithfully ; Is not my Word like a Fire , and a Hammer , that breaks the Rocks in pieces : Therefore all mind to feel the Word of the Lord speaking in you , that the pure burning Life of the Spirit may be tasted and felt in whatsoever you be exercised in , that so you might be fully assured it is not your own work , as man speaking of God , but the Lord alone uttering his own voice in the forcible power of his own Spirit , in what you are exercised in , whether it be to pray in sighs or groans , or in words , or to speak in exhortation or praises , you are not to quench the Spirit of the Lord in this his day , that he is come and doth appear , in giving divers gifts unto his people , in his spiritual appearance , as he did amongst his Disciples who waited at Ierusalem , for the pourings forth of his Spirit from on high ; but they that were strangers to the work of the Spirit could not taste the Life that spake in them ; but said , They were mad and full of new wine , &c. but the Lord justified them , it being the work of his own Spirit ; and although he gave unto them various gifts , yet all in the unity of himself , in which they sacrificed , in returning to the Lord his own with advantage , to the glory of his great Name , as his Children doth at this day ; blessed be his Name for ever , that forth of the mouthes of Babes his praise is declared , in their measures , as it is with those of higher growth in the Lord ; and so do the faithfull Labourers reap the fruit for which they travel , that all the people of the Lord may be filled with his Spirit , and in the exercise and leadings thereof , become a Body of Living Ministers , and a Family of Prophets , the strong leading the weak by the hand , and in tender love building up one another in their most holy Faith , which gives the victory over the World , to reign in the Heavenly Dominion , which causeth the Children of the Most High , in the Authority of the Lord to say to the greatest Persecutors ; Oh man , do what thou hast power , the God whom we serve is able to deliver us out of thy hand ; but if he will not , we are resolved in his strength to suffer what he permitteth man to do ; and this is the holy resolution of all that is born again , and cannot hide your heads in the time of Persecution , because you are born of the Royal Seed , and have overcome the beggerly , cowardly , earthly spirit , thorow the blood of the Lamb , and the word of your testimony , and no more to love your lives to death . And all dear chosen Vessels of the Lord , seeing he hath manifested his grace so largly to you ; with all diligence be obedient in walking answerably to his Love and Mercy received , that as Living Witnesses for God you may shine forth in the beauty of Holiness in all your wayes ; and be carefull in keeping your meetings at the time appointed , every one endeavouring to be the first at the Meeting , that so not any give way to a careless spirit , as some have done , and so come to Meetings when others hath been a considerable time together , and so becomes a burden to the diligent and obedient Servants of the Lord ; and so the Meetings are not so profitable to your comfort , as when you meet diligently at the time ; waiting in the fear of the Lord to feel his sweet presence , which will keep you awake in the Life of his own Spirit , to the glory of his Name , and the comfort of one another , which will cause you to prize the opportunities God gives to you , not knowing how soon you may be deprived of them , &c. And be tender one over another , and watch over one another with a pure single eye ; and every one see the Beam cast out of your own eye , before you go to spy a Mote in others : and if any Brother or Sister offend , you that know , speak to them privately , in all tenderness , to restore them ; and this know , Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his ways , saves a soul from death , and hides a multitude of sins : but if they will not hear , take two or three more , and speak to them again , in the spirit of meekness , waiting and seeking the Lord for their recovery ; but if they will not hear , but persist in wickedness , then acquaint the Church , whom the Lord in his Wisdom will order to deal with them for his own glory . And in all things you do , I dearly beseech you , do unto others as you would be done unto your selves , that so you may all , in your measures , stand as saviours upon Mount-Sion , to the glory of the Lord , in the power of his own Spirit , which will cause the Whisperer , Backbiter , False-accuser , and Tale-bearer to be clensed away , and cast out of the House of the Lord ; that so , in the good order of the holy Spirit of our God , we may all live , that he alone in his Dominion may reign in us , and amongst us , whose Government is upon his shoulders , and all the Crowns of the glory of man cast down at his Feet , that he may be exalted in ordering every member of the Body in their place and service , to his everlasting praise and glory : Even so , dear Father , carry on thy work in all the Churches of the Saints , scattered over the face of the Earth , that in the Eternal unity they may be established in the Lord , being one , and his Name one , and all the contrary swept away with the Breath of thy Mouth , and brightness of thy coming ; So come Lord Jesus , take to thee thy great Power , and reign in thy Authority in and amongst thy dear Children to the astonishment of the Nations , and all people that are not born again , and to the Exaltation of thy own Name and Kingdom over all , who is worthy to reign , blessed for ever , and of whose Dominion there is no end . And all you faithful Labourers in the Gospel of Christ , who in true innocency travel in his Strength , and seeks not any thing for your selves in what you do , but to glorifie the Lord in establishing his people in the Living unity , in his own Spirit : Oh , blessed are you amongst the people ! my soul praises the Lord for you , and blesseth his Name that ever he raised up such a spirit in you , that in all the greatest riches of the gifts of the Spirit God gives to you , yet you remain truly poor in your selves , and in deep humilty become Servants to his People for the Lords sake ; and being poor you make many rich in that which will abide fresh and green in the Winter Storms , and will not fade away in the Terrible Blasts which will come for the trial of his People , and cause all hearts to fa●l , but what is born of his own nature . Oh , dearly beloved Brethren , feel my Bowels of enlarged love , which floweth to you in the Love and Life received and enioyed thorow death , where there is no variableness nor shaddow of change . I remain your Brother , in the Word of his Patience , to endure the Sufferings , according to his determination , with all that love the Lord better then their lives , William Dewsbury . Warwick the 14th of the 10th Moneth , 68.