ing God, and mighty Jehovah, send the angel of thy power and presence to conduct my soul into thy heavenly mansion, my holy King, where there is joy and rejoicing, and singing of praises for evermore. Into thy arms, Lord Jesus Christ, I offer up my soul and spirit."

The last words she was heard to say, her voice being low, were, "The Lord my God will help me."

this is love that may be felt: my God, thy goodness is wonderful; my soul praises thee for the overflowings of thy love at this time; an opportunity unexpected:" with many more sweet heavenly expressions. She tenderly acknowledged the kindness of her friends in that visit; and taking leave in brokenness of spirit, desired "the Lord to be with them, and to strengthen them, to be valiant for his truth, and to keep their meetings in his name and She was a lover of peace and unity, and power:" saying, "Oh! what comfortable times promoted it to the utmost of her understandwe have often had in our week-day meetings: ing. Her ministry was very plain and powerhow have our cups overflowed with the love ful; but, to the disconsolate, it often dropped of our heavenly Father!" with more very af-like rain, and ran like oil to the wounded: she fecting expressions; exhorting "to abide in had a word in season to most or all conditions, the unity of the Spirit of Christ, every mem- and often in our week-day meetings, her adber keeping in its proper place, and concerned for the honour of truth, in maintaining good order in the church," &c.

vice hath dropped like dew. Our cups have been filled, and have overflowed with praise to the great Fountain, and we have been encouraged in a holy perseverance in the way of the Lord.

But she is now removed, and has no doubt entered into that joy and bliss prepared for the righteous.

At another time, near her end, she desired "her dear love might be remembered to all Friends, wishing well to them, and to their posterity." She desired those about her, when they should see her going to breathe her last, "to be very still and inward with the Lord in She greatly desired that the Lord's good their spirits, breathing for her easy passage:" presence might attend the meeting at her inadding, “all will be well: I am going home, terment; which was eminently answered. I am going home: I have done with the world, The body was accompanied by Friends and and all that is in it; but breathe that the Lord others to Winchmore-hill meeting, where semay pour out his spirit upon a young genera- veral living testimonies were borne, the way tion, that they may serve him in cleanness of of salvation opened, and many hearts tendered heart." And further said, that "she had by the Lord's power. fought the good fight, and should obtain the crown immortal :" adding, "My beloved is mine, and I am his: he is my all in all." And then she prayed sweetly, "Oh! everlast

She departed this life the 8th day of the seventh month, 1720, aged about sixty-three years, and was buried the 13th of the same, in Friends' burying-ground, at Winchmore-hill.

THE END.

THAT

JOURNAL OF THE LIFE

OF

WORTHY ELDER AND FAITHFUL SERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST,

WILLIAM EDMUNDSON.

Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace. Psal. xxxvii. 37. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Rev. ii. 10. of my God, and he shall go no more out. Rev. iii. 12.

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple

PREFACE.

Friendly Reader,

law, and leaned upon outward observations; wherefore their offerings, sacrifices, sabbaths, set feasts and solemn assemblies, although re

IT hath pleased Almighty God, in the riches quired and appointed in that dispensation, beof his love and mercy, from the time trans- came loathsome and an abomination to the gression first entered, whereby man lost his Lord; but such who in uprightness of heart primitive state of felicity with his Creator in observed the law, were accepted of God, yet paradise, to give some manifestation of his looked for a more glorious dispensation to good spirit, and revelation of the promised come..

Seed; in order to man's restoration from The visible dispensations of God to men death to life, whereby the serpent's head hath have been various, as by angels, the law from been bruised in some, through faith therein, mount Sinai, the ministry of the prophets and as by holy record doth appear; of which John the Baptist, sent in the spirit and power number, in early time, righteous Abel was of Elias, to prepare the way of the Lord. All one, whose offering and person the Lord ac- which dispensations had a glory in them for cepted, and had respect unto. There were their time, though but preparative to one more also some others, in the succeeding genera-glorious yet to be revealed. Then, in the tions before the flood, as Enoch, who walked fulness of time, Christ Jesus, the Seed of the with God in well-pleasing; and Noah, a woman, the Messiah and hope of Israel, was preacher of righteousness; although the un- manifested in the flesh, whose day many progodly world in general rebelled against it, to phets and righteous men desired to see, and their destruction and overthrow. could not, only by faith at a distance, by rea

After the deluge, the holy patriarchs, Abra- son of death. ham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and others, by faith Now was salvation brought nigh, the kingin this holy Seed, were sanctified, obtained a dom of heaven at hand, and the glad tidings good report, and wrought righteousness in of the Gospel preached to the seed of Abratheir generations, before the law was given ham; the glory of former dispensations began from mount Sinai. And even in the time of to wax dim, to such as beheld his glory, which the law, righteous men and prophets had faith excelled, even the glory of the only begotten therein, being inspired thereby; yet many of of the Father, full of grace and truth; yet the Jews, who had the law, and were zealous many of the Jews could not see it so, nor unin the outward performances thereof, not hav-stand his voice, preaching the kingdom of God ing a due regard to the Seed or Word nigh in in parables, and uttering things that had been their hearts, recommended by Moses, which kept secret from the foundation of the world; would have sanctified them, and made their or believe on Him, concerning whom, Moses hearts contrite before the Lord, rebelled against in the law and the prophets did write; but dehim who gave them of his good spirit to in- spised and rejected Him, although the mighty struct them; and though zealous for the cere- works, and great miracles which he wrought monies, yet rejecting their immediate Monitor, among them, by the power of his Father, dethey neglected the weightier matters of the clared him to be the Son of God.

JOURNAL OF THE LIFE OF WILLIAM EDMUNDSON.

85

Howbeit, the most glorious Gospel-day was not yet fully revealed, at least with respect to the Gentiles, whilst our Saviour was in the prepared body, sent only to the house of Israel, in the form of a servant, to fulfil the law and prophets, and things that were written concerning him; but after he had done that work, which the Father had given him to do, in that holy body, and finished the same, by the offering up of himself unto God, as a lamb without spot, a propitiation for the sins of the whole world, he rose again from the dead, appeared to confirm his disciples, and ascended into glory, at the right hand of his Father. Then an open door was set before both Jews and Gentiles, by Jesus Christ, who had consecrated a new and living way through the veil, that is to say, his flesh, and abolished | drawn for a season; and a general apostacy the old covenant, sacrifices, ceremonies, and hand-writing of ordinances, taking it out of the way, and nailing it to his cross, and openly triumphed over principalities and powers.

visible glory, and fled into the wilderness, or obscure place, from the face of the serpent, into a place prepared of God, where she was nourished for a time, times, and half a time, or a thousand two hundred and threescore days, which, in a prophetic sense, is taken to be so many years. And though the dragon sought to drown the woman, by casting waters out of his mouth as a flood after her, yet the earth helped her, and swallowed them up. But a third part of the stars of heaven, or such as had shined as stars in the church, were drawn to the earth by the dragon's tail. There was a great falling-away from the faith of Jesus, as had been foreseen and prophesied of by the holy apostles of the Lamb; the light of Sion was eclipsed and much veiled, or with

came over professed Christians. The smoke of the bottomles pit arose, which darkened sun and air; and out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, which tormented men. Now the old covenant was to pass away, And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and the new covenant to be established, and and made war with the remnant of her seed, the priesthood changed, by the great High that kept the commandments of God, and had Priest without sin, and higher than the hea- the testimony of Jesus Christ. And he gave vens; made not after the law of a carnal unto the monstrous beast, that arose out of the commandment, but by the power of an end- sea, or raging heathen world, his power and less life, a priest for ever, after the order of his seat, and great authority, who opened his Melchisedec. The law was now to go forth mouth in blasphemy against God, his taberof Sion, from the great Law-giver, and writ-nacle, and them that dwell in heaven; and ten in the heart, even the law of the spirit of those that dwelt on the earth worshipped him, life in Christ Jesus, that sets free from the law whose names were not written in the Lamb's of sin and death. Now was the spirit poured | book of life. forth from on high, in a more plentiful manner upon mankind than in former dispensations, and eminently on believers; whereby many were qualified and anointed, both of Jews and Gentiles, as priests and ministers of the Lord, to attend at his holy altar, in his temple not made with hands, and to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. And the holy apostles, commissioned and endued with power from on high, were to teach all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy | Ghost, having assurance from Christ, of his ber of his name. being with them to the end of time. By their This beast appears in show somewhat Chrisministry, and others whom the Lord sent tian, and under pretence of the Lamb's auforth, many were converted to God, and added | thority, though acted by the dragon's power, to the church, both of Jews, Greeks, and other nations; being all baptized by one spirit into one body, or church, which was glorious in that day, as a woman clothed with the sun, having the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: and she brought forth a man-child, who was to rule all nations; but he was caught up unto God, and to his throne, from the great red dragon, that sought to devour him as soon as he was born. Now mystery Babylon, the great, the moThen the woman, or true church, left her | ther of harlots, and abominations of the earth,

Next arose out of the earth, a place more settled than the sea, a beast with two horns like a lamb, but spake as a dragon, and exercised the power of the first beast, causing an image to be made for him, unto which he had power to give life, so as to speak, and cause as many as would not worship the image, to be killed: and both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads; and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the num

derived from the first beast, compelleth men to comply with such traditions and ceremonies, for Christian duties, as resemble the customs of the heathen, in their idolatrous worship and superstition; for denying which, and testifying against the same, many faithful followers of Jesus suffered martyrdom, as their predecessors had done before, under the heathen power, or first beast.

lowers of Christ; yet the Lamb and his followers shall have the victory, and the devil and his angels must be cast into the lake that burns for ever.

The Lamb's warfare is not for the destruction of men's lives, but of sin, the works of the devil in men, and the weapons of his followers are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Howbeit the Lamb, who is also the Lion of the tribe of Judah, hath power to rule the nations with a rod of iron; therefore blessed are they that abide with and follow the Lamb through tribulations, in faith and patience, until they overcome and have their garments washed and made white in his blood; for they shall reign with him for ever. Of this number, we have cause to believe, this worthy servant of the Lord, William Edmundson, author of the ensuing journal, was one.

greater exercise, because there was not then any of the people called Quakers in that nation to have conversation with. His behaviour and deportment so reached both his wife and brother, that they were soon convinced of the truth, and willing to meet with him in his own house, to worship God in spirit, though in outward silence, having refreshing seasons together in the presence of the Lord; and in a little time four more joined with him. About this time John Tiffin, a servant of the Lord, came over from England, who was a strength and comfort to Friends; several were convinced and added to their number.

The Lord was pleased to open the mouth of our said Friend, William Edmundson, in the testimony of Jesus; and being faithful, his gift for the ministry was enlarged, so that he became an able minister of Christ Jesus, skilful in dividing the word of righteousness, plain and powerful in preaching, sound in doctrine, and profound in the mysteries of God, which were largely communicated to him. As a faithful steward and good scribe instructed into the kingdom, he, by direction of his Lord and Master, brought out of his treasury, things new and old, suitable to the service required of him, for the glory of God and good of souls; being willing to spend and be spent in doing the will of him that called him, not counting his life dear to himself, that he might finish the service and charge committed to his trust with joy, but being sensible of the Lord's call thereunto, gave up cheerfully to follow the Lamb through many tribulations, which attended for his testimony's sake.

He was early visited with the inshinings of the glorious light of this Gospel-day in his own heart, whereby his state was often opened to him, though for a time he did not understand what it was that so enlightened him. He was left an orphan when young and thereby exposed to hardship; and after he grew up went into the army, and continued a soldier some time under the parliament, in the late civil wars in England and Scotland. Being religiously inclined, he grew weary of that manner of life; and delivered up his charge, returning towards his native place in England. He preached the Gospel of Christ freely in Having been before contracted to a young wo- this nation, in which he lived and suffered man in Derbyshire, he married her, and soon persecution, being often imprisoned in divers after came into the nation of Ireland, with an places; once about fourteen weeks in a close intention to settle and trade, but was under in- nasty dungeon, among felons and malefacward affliction upon his soul's account. In a tors, where he was almost stifled; frequently little time he went again to England to buy stocked, reviled, abused, and his goods made more goods, and being in the northern part havoc of by covetous men. He also went among his relations, having an inclination in many times into England, labouring in the his mind, he went with two of them to a meet- work of the Gospel in divers parts, and three ing of the people called Quakers, where, by times into the Islands, or English plantations the ministry of some of the said people, in America, going the warfare at his own both he and his two relatives were convinced cost, that the Gospel might not be chargeable. of the way of life. His understanding being He endured hardship as a good soldier of the opened by the truth, he then perceived that it Lamb, approving himself a faithful minister was the Lord by his holy Spirit, who had been of Christ, in much patience in afflictions, in at work in his heart from his youth up. neccssities, in distresses for the Gospel's Wherefore he gave up to its manifestations, sake, in watchings, in fastings, in weariness and loved the Lord's judgments, because and painfulness; by pureness, by knowledge, of sin, until he was purified, and prepared and by the power of God in his ministry, of thereby to be a partaker of mercy, and a chosen vessel for the Lord's service. Returning again to Ireland, and being made willing to bear the cross of Christ, he soon met with various trials for the truth's sake, and had the

which he had many seals in this nation and England, and in the Islands of America, whom he had been instrumental in converting to God.

He was in journeyings often, in perils by