A testimony and warning given forth in the love of truth and is for the governour, magistrates & people inhabiting on the island of Barbadoes, which is a call to turn to the Lord. Fell, Lydia. 1676 Approx. 17 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 4 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A41048 Wing F625 ESTC R20225 12676885 ocm 12676885 65580 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. A41048) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 65580) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 353:20) A testimony and warning given forth in the love of truth and is for the governour, magistrates & people inhabiting on the island of Barbadoes, which is a call to turn to the Lord. Fell, Lydia. 7 p. s.n., [London? : 1676] Caption title. Signed at end: Lydia Fell. Place and date of publication from Wing. Reproduction of original in 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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O Ye Magistrates and Inhahitants of the Island of Barbadoes , O consider how often the God of Heaven hath visited you , sending his faithful Servants and Messengers amongst you , to call to Repentance and Amendment of Life , and to warn you , that so you might have escaped the many Judgments which his Hand hath brought upon you divers times both by Fires often , and Pestilence , and Storms , all which happened to your great Dammage in outward things ; also many have been taken away by sudden Death , as ye well know , to the Sorrow of some , and amazement for the present , though indeed very soon forgotten again , as many have been Eye-Witnesses thereof : For when the last great Fire was in Town , I being in one House near adjoyning , where were many of the chief Women of the Town , who were there to escape the Danger , and looking on the Fire , and seeing it like to take hold on their Houses , great Terror was then in their Hearts , who then in the Time of Affliction remembred to call upon God , where I heard some of them say , Lord have Mercy , and spare us this time , and surely we will Repent and Amend our Lives : whereas ye knew that ye did lye to God ; for ye still went on in the same Excess after , and unto this day ; so out of your own Mouthes you will be condemned ; for you were then spared alive , and many of your Houses did escape the Fire . And now you are affraid of Wars ; for indeed the Sword it is already furbished for a Slaughter ; all Trees that bring not forth Fruit to God must be cut down by the Sword of his Mouth . Neither can any truly say , that God is unrighteous in his dealings towards the Sons of men , because that his Visitations have been many to turn People from the Wayes which are not good , that so he might have Mercy on all , & abundantly pardon those who through true Repentance and Amendment of Life do hearken unto his Reproofs of Instruction , which is the Way of Life , as saith the Scripture . So now consider how his Messengers have been slighted among you , and sent away empty , and some ye Imprison'd , who came from far to seek for Fruits amongst you , Fruits of Mercy , that so God might shew Mercy in the Day of Visitation , which surely will come on all that dwell on the Earth . Some also who have been long Inhabitants amongst you , my self and another Woman , we were moved to go to your House of Worship , to call upon you to Repentance , that so amongst God's faithful Ones ye might be made Partakers of like precious Mercies in this day of Lovingkindness , which is known to those who are given up with the whole Mind and whole Heart to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes : And indeed , in the shedding abroad of God's Love in our Hearts it was in which I with the other Friend came among you , but ye know ye made a Mock at it ; O therefore take heed that God , who is just in all his Wayes and righteous in all his Judgments , do not laugh at your Calamity , and mock when your Fear cometh , yea , whenas your Fear cometh like a Whirlwind , that none can stop it , then shall you call , but he will not hear , and cry , but he will not answer : And so though we did not break any Law ( for it was not charged against us at your Court ) yet were we committed to Prison , and were haled along by the Bell-man of the Town , who at first handled us roughly ; but we told him , We should not resist him , nor seek to go from him , seeing he was commanded to carry us : thus hath God's Servants been handled in your Island . Likewise the Oppression of God's People who are Dwellers among you is very great , because that for Conscience sake towards God they cannot send Horses nor go in Arms , their Goods are taken from them , almost to the Ruin of some Families outwardly . So all these things and more the great God both of Heaven and Earth taketh notice of ; and surely if there be not a speedy course taken for to ease these heavy Burdens and Oppressions of his People , who are indeed made a Prey upon for turning from Iniquity , and Persecuted for living godly in Christ Jesus : Yea , surely , even God the Lord , who knoweth how to deliver his People , who in all Ages did marvellously appear for those who trusted in him , who is now riding on conquering and to conquer ; we know he is God , who changeth not , but is the same this day , yesterday and forever , with whom there is no variableness nor shadow of turning : I say , he will not turn away from any who turn unto him , and put their whole trust in him ; for he hath said . Mine Ear is not heavy that it cannot hear , neither is mine Hand shortned that it cannot save ; nor will he in any wise cast off any who come unto him . So now there are many that can draw near unto the Throne of his Grace , and can come unto him as unto a faithful Creator , who hath promised , That the Rod of the Wicked shall not alwayes rest on the back of the Righteous , lest they turn to Folly : So I say , that God will shew forth more and more of his Mercies unto thousands , who love him and keep his Commands ; and his Indignation will be known upon thousands of them that hate him , and keep not his Commands ; For if any say , they love God , and keep not his Commands , such are Lyers , and do not the Truth : So these are his Commands , Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart , and with all thy mind , and with all thy strength , and thy Neighbour as thy self ; so to fear God & to keep his Commands is the whole Duty of man , as say the Scriptures of Truth . Now , I say , they who take away Goods from any , would not be so done unto ; they who do imprison any when what is done is for the Answer of a Good Conscience towards God , such would not be done so unto ; such as go about to Kill with the Sword or any carnal Weapon , they would not that another should do so to them ; but Christ saith , He which killeth with the Sword , shall be killed with the Sword : So all his Followers or Disciples must not take up any carnal Weapon ; for their Weapons are spiritual , and mighty through God , to the pulling down of the spiritual Wickedness ; they must take his Yoak , which is easie , and his Burden , which is light , they must take up the Cross daily , which is the Power of God unto Salvation unto all that believe and obey the Truth ; they must walk in the Light as he is in the Light , and so become Children of the Light and of the Day , by putting off all the Works of Darkness and of the Night : and these are Christ's Commands to all his little Flock , for whom he said that a Kingdom is prepared ; yea , he said , Walk in the Light while you have the Light , and work while it is called to Day , for the Night cometh wherein none can work ; yea , the Night cometh , I say , upon the Children of the Night , in whom the Prince of this World ruleth , where the Wars are , and Rumours of Wars within and without : But blessed be God , there are many Children of the Day who can truly say , Greater is he that is in us then he that is in the World ; and Christ said to his Followers , If ye were of the World , the World would love his own ; but ye are not of the World , even as I am not of the World ; but I have chosen you out of the World , therefore doth the World hate you ; but they hated me before they hated you ; and for this cause they hated me , because I testified that the Works thereof are evil . So now consider what is of the World , Evil Thoughts , Envy , Malice , the Lust of the Flesh , the Lust of the Eye , and the Pride of Life , with other such like things , and the Love of the World , which is Enmity with God , as saith the Scripture ; for where the Love of the World is , the Love of the Father is not . And so , I say , turn to the Light of Christ Jesus in your Consciences , that with it you may see how it stands between God and your immortal Souls ; for that is it which stands all people most in stead , that is to say , how it shall be with us when we go hence and be no more , even to our long home ; for our time here is but a moment in comparison of Eternity ; and all Souls are immortal , either ever to live with God in Joy & Happiness , or else in eternal separation from him , in perpetual Misery & Torment , in that Fire which can't be quenched ; as for instance , you may read how that Dives when he was in Hell was not dead , but living in that place of Torment , where he saw Lazarus in Abraham's Bosome , and how Abraham said , Now remember how thou in thy Life-time had thy good things , but Lazarus evil things ; but now he is comforted , and thou tormented : and further he said , There is a great Gulf between , that those who would come from thence cannot come ; so his Day time was gone over his Head. O therefore I warn you in God's Fear , lay these things to heart , before it be too late , and your day of Visitation pass over your Heads ; and let not these things be to you as a Tale that is told , but , as I said , turn to within , to the Light of Christ , and every one deal truly with your own Souls , while you have a time and space given you ; for God will not be mocked , such as every one sows , such shall they reap ; they who sow to the Flesh , shall of the Flesh reap Corruption ; but whoso soweth to the Spirit , doth from the Spirit reap Life everlasting . Now what can any sow to the Spirit ? I say , Nothing but Obedience to its Requirings ; for so is Life reaped , and Joy and Peace , that none can take away ; blessed and praised be God forever , doth my Soul say : and as saith the Scripture , so we say , All have a Measure of the Spirit given to profit withal , as to God-ward ; and by it all may know a profitting in the Knowledge of God , whom to know is Life ; and some have more and some less , as it is testified : but he who hath least , if he come to improve it , he shall find it sufficient for Salvation , for Reproof , for Instruction : and the Reproof of Instruction is the Way of Life ; and so herein it is that God's Grace hath appeared unto all , in that all are enlightned with a measure of the true Light , which as the Apostle said , The Grace of God hath appeared to all men , which teacheth us , that denying all Worldly Lusts , we might live soberly , righteously and godlily in this present evil World : so it hath appeared to all , but all do not turn to it , to be taught by it . And Christ saith , I am the Light of the World : and John saith , That was the true Light , which enlightneth every man that cometh into the World : So we say this is the Grace , the Light , which manifesteth all that is to be known of God , for by it God hath shewn it unto us , and by it God will shew it unto all who believe in it , and no other way but by the measure of his Grace made known in the hearts of all Believers , whereby a profitting is known , and a growing from one degree of Grace to another degree of Grace ; for , By Grace are we saved , and that not of our selves , it is the Gift of God , as said the Apostle , who was taught first to live soberly , then righteously , then godlily , and to do unto all as we would have all do unto us ; for so it teaches , and brings into Righteousness and true Holiness , without which none can ever see God : So all that do run this Ra●e which is set before us faithful unto the end , shall surely obtain the Crown of Life , which God the Righteous Judge shall give at that day : So the Way of Life and the Way of Death is set before every Man and every Woman ; so they who love the Light , they bring all their deeds to the Light , that thereby they may be tryed whether they are wrought in God , who is Light , with whom there is no Darkness at all ; for God will render unto all according as their Works are , whether good or evil ; but they who hate the Light , love their evil deeds , and will not bring their deeds to be tryed , lest by the Light they should be reproved ; for that which manifesteth is Light ; so while it shines in Darkness , the Darkness cannot comprehend it ; but as it shineth out of the Darkness , then shall all see how it is with them ; that is a measure of him who told the Woman of Samaria all that ever she had done , who when she had met with him , she ran and told them of the City , and said , Is not this the Christ ? so when we had found him , by turning to the Light , for that is his Name , we cannot but tell you of him , that you may wait to see his Day-star arise in your Hearts , which gives the true Knowledg of God and of his Glory in the Face of Jesus Christ ; and his Name is called The Word of God. So to the Word of Faith , which is near all , in the Heart and in the Mouth , that all may obey and do it ; for Obedience is better then Sacrifice , and to Hearken better then the Fat of Rams : yea , this Word is a swift Witness , as it is given heed unto , against every Evil Way , and Evil Word , and Evil Thought ; and as it is minded it saith , This is the Way , walk in it , when thou turnest to the right hand or to the left ; and so as Christ said , This is the Condemnation of the World , that Light is come into the World , but men love Darkness rather then Light , because their deeds are evil : so that which shews the Evil , the same gives power against all Evil , and purifies the Conscience from all dead works , and makes alive to serve God in the newness of his own Spirit ; to whom be Praise and Glory , even to God , who is over all in Heaven and Earth blessed forever and ever , Amen . So this is a Testimony and also a Warning from one who hath obtained Mercy through Christ the Lord of Life and Glory , that now ye may seek God , that ye may find him to your Joy ; for he is not far from any one of you ; and this is the way to keep God's Judgments from a Place or Land , even by keeping his Commands , for it is said , that a man's greatest Enemies are those of his own house . And also consider if Iniquity doth not greatly abound in your Island , and even the Sins of Aegypt , Babylon and Sodom ; first Aegypt , Hardness of Heart ; for as Pharaoh said , having hardned his Heart against the Servant of the Lord , Moses , he said , Who is the Lord that I should obey him ? and then the Sins of Babylon , Whoredom and Confusion of Tongues , as Cursing , Swearing , and not Plainness of speech one to another ; whereas Christ said , Let your Communication be Yea , Yea , and Nay , Nay , for what is more cometh of evil : and then the Sins of Sodom , Pride , Idleness and Fulness of Bread. Now let that of God in all your Consciences answer if these things be not so , which are herein testified , and that by the Movings of God's Spirit in my Heart ; and indeed , it is for no other end then to clear my Conscience in his Sight : So if you would have God's Anger turned away , and his Hand of Mercy stretched out towards you still , and towards your Island , it must be by turning to him , who will then turn unto you , and to lie low under his Mighty Hand ; for if God keepeth not the City or Place , all the Watchmen watch but in vain . So this is in true Love to your Souls , from one who is known by the Name of LYDIA FELL . THE END ,