A Small ACCOUNT GIVEN FORTH By one that hath been a Traveller For these 40 Years in the Good OLD WAY. And as an Encouragement to the Weary to go forward; I by Experience have found there is a Rest remains for all they that truly trusts in the Lord.  Psalms 31.14. 
I trusted in thee, O Lord, and said, thou art my God.  Psalms 31.24. 
All ye that trust in the Lord, be strong, he shall establish your Hearts.  
S. B.  
Printed in the Year 1698.   

AS God by his Grace having inclined my Heart to be Merciful, and I have had the Comfort of doing Good; whilst I had an opportunity, in the things as he in this Life is pleased to commit to my Care: I have, as in his sight, walked in the uprightness of my Heart, and as in those things pertaining to this Life, I have endeavoured to keep a good Conscience. So in Love to all that may have the Reading of this small Book, I am willing to give them an understanding, as I have found where it is to be attained; as Christ said, There is but one good, and that is God; and as we come be guided by his good Spirit, it will lead us into all things that are good; without which we cannot inherit Eternal Life. And whatever any may think of me, who look with an evil Eye, yet to my Friends that looks with an Impartial Eye, it will be received, as it is intended good will to all; and to those remain a Friend.  
S. B.   

The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom.  
A good understanding have all those that keep his Law.  
AND as a Traveller to the good Land of Rest and Peace, and having in measure attained thereunto, by that Heavenly Guide Christ Jesus the true Light, that hath been my Instructor 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, and I thought myself the worst Creature living; thus night and day I had great trouble within, but resolved 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 traveled 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  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 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 rend the Veil, 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 sense to know God, and his Son Jesus Christ within them.  
But, I could find no outward thing could give my Soul satisfaction, neither 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 Patriarches, 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 learned, 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, 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 joined 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 the Poor in Spirit receive the Kingdom of Heaven, and see a nothingness and emptiness in themselves, without a daily 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 joins 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 Cornerstone, 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 ourselves, but the free Gift given of God, by which we make our Calling and Election sure, and in this we have learned 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 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 quickening 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 striven to know; but we must receive that knowledge by the engrafted Word of God, not in our will and time, these things God gives as to know, but being acquainted 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 wellknowing 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 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 hypocrisy, 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 overvalued 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 outlast all other 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 myself 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 the God of Jacob, that you should departed from him? But let all the strong willed, 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 Heretics, 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 wellknowing 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 denied 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 remembered his promise, and waited at Jerusalem for the fulfilling of it, who said, he would come, and he did come, which confirmed them, and so it hath done us.  
And now something to you my dear Children, whom I never decked in the extremes of formality, to make myself, 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 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 shows 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 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 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, anointed 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 contemptible David, who by his Brethren despised, him God saw, and by the Arm of God's strength had killed the Lion and the Bear, and in that Power by which he overcame 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 Judgement 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 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 Testify unto Jesus Christ as his anointed, who was crucified, and to his Resurrection 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 veiled from that Eye and Mind, as he was unknown to the Jews formerly, 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 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 King's 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 clothing 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, yet will he set his Son upon the holy hill of Zion.  
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 travelling to find rest with God in his Kingdom of Peace; but to appear in a Public Assembly, there to speak, I never did; and I am of the Apostle's mind, Let such Women (as want Instruction, or would usurp Authority over the Man) keep Silence in the Church, and give place to Man, to whom God hath given Preeminency, and made fit for that great Work; in which Work, had not I satisfaction in myself, 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 Virtuous Women, who are appointed for good Examples in their Families, who in Modesty, Sobriety, Charity, and good Works, a good Life, and Conversation; with these I join, 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 repent 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 entrap him in his Words; but God gave him that Wisdom to see in them, and cautioned his Disciples, not to give the children's Bread to Dogs, nor Pearls to Swine, lest they trample them under Foot, and turn again and Rend you; under Christ's Protection I leave myself.  
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 Lamb's 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 excellent gift of Charity be wanting that thinks no Evil, which boasteth not, etc. but Suffereth, Believeth, Hopeth, and Endureth all Things, and rejoiceth in God alone, he that is here will outlast 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 World's 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 and swallow up that Mind, and the Heart will be dead to God, and they will lose 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 Garlic and Onions again, their old Diet; and though they had past the Sea, many died 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 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 Sourness, and the good Relish thereby seems to be lost, that is in itself 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 anointed 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 enter, though never so good; of this I have made to myself 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.  
S. B.   

How mean soever I may appear to Man,  
A Witness in my Soul there lives that can,  
Bear Record to the Father this, that I  
Seek not Mortals praise, but Immortality;  
That Crown of Rest and Peace I may receive,  
Which Mortals have not in their Power to give;  
Which he must do who sets me free from Sin,  
And being clean in Peace there Rules that King,  
Who will not join unto Iniquity,  
But love's Uprightness and Integrity.  
Thinks Human Wisdom, I can easily see,  
The Scripture can this thing declare to me;  
But 'tis not known by Pleasure, Ease or Sleep,  
Who find this Pearl, must dig low and deep;  
And who finds before it be his own,  
They must sell all to purchase that alone,  
And cast up all his Stock and look within,  
Before to Build this House he doth begin,  
And learn by true experience rightly for to know,  
The thing that's realy good from what's but good in show  
Remember Babel, do not build too High,  
Nor make a Tower to reach unto the Sky,  
Nor look thou out, but turn thy Eye within,  
See Christ there laid, then build thy House on him.  
Who build not on that Rock shall surely fall,  
For he is that Corner Stone uniteth all.  
Cease then a while you Humane Learned Men,  
That know your Wisdom cannot find out him.  
Thou Willing and Obedient, know it's thee,  
Whose Vale is rend to see this Mystery,  
It's not the prudent learned Wit that shall  
Him comprehend who is the Light of all,  
The Lamb of God, who comes in love to gain  
And bring lost Man (strayed from God) back again;  
And make Man happy, the greatest good that can  
Befall to Mortals, or the Sons of Men;  
Which if not rightly known, what e'er we do  
Wants the good Oil, and God's acceptance too.  
He sees the Heart and what rules there full well,  
Whether it be Pride or Passion, Husk, Fame or Shell;  
Of all that cumber we must come to see,  
Man stripped of all and Christ alone to be  
The true conductor, from the ways wherein  
He'll not appear, because they lead from him;  
And all that goes in this true blessed way,  
Shall by his Light be saved both Night and Day.  
And as I have walked unseen and all alone,  
In secret to my God I made my moan.  
It's restless eye that makes complaint to none,  
But unto thee from whom relief must come;  
Out of my Troubles, Doubts and Fears,  
And send the Harvest which was sown in Tears;  
Tho' sorrow may endure for a Night,  
Thy morning Presence brings my Soul delight;  
Thou art a God of Truth, in all things Just,  
And those that know thy Name will in thee Trust.   

An Answer to a Letter from a Friend.  
THine I received, and have considered thereof, and could have been more large in my own, and my Friend's Vindication therein concerned; but am gathered into that, not to strive, but to commit my Cause to God in well-doing; having in myself, and many others, seen Pride to beget Passion, and Passion Prejudice, by which the Eye of the right understanding is made Blind: As for rehearsal of all those former sailings therein contained, if they were true, yet rightly considered, and impartially weighed; may say, since those Divisions, a great manifestation there hath been of such Spirits, to whom those names may deservedly be attributed; tho' for many Years I have been counted a Dissenter, Yet I, nor many more, never took pleasure to lay the Nakedness of any open, but rather to cover for his Names sake, who hath kept us in his Truth, by which we have been preserved.  
I have seen, I have seen, an Enemy enter the House, and hath not been discovered till they come into the Cool, out of the Hurry and Noise, and hear the call of the still Voice; and herein my Soul, with many other of my Christian Friends, have been Blessed; and by this we are led to Unite, and to be truly reconciled in that Spirit, by that Heavenly Jesus, that true Reconciler of Man to his Maker.  
And of this, from thy true Friend, be assured, it was not from the Spirit of Hypocrisy, Policy, or any carnal or selfish End, no, no, our House is not Built on that Sandy Foundation, but on Christ Jesus, that Rock of Ages, which leads his in the way of Everlasting Peace, which Peace cannot be declared, but as it is felt, of which Peace hath my Soul tasted largely, and can say truly, since into this happy state the Lord hath brought me, I have experienced more of that Heavenly Joy, and Everlasting Peace, than ever I knew before, but I thank the Lord who gave me a share thereof, under every dispensation he hath led me through, and can say, they were all good in their time, but this excelleth them all, well knowing the Administration of John to be Glorious in its Time, yet, He that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he; into which Kingdom, that thou may'st have an entrance after all thy Travels, and come into this Sabbath and Rest with God, will be a true Joy to thy Friend, of which I can say, with many more of my dear Friends whom I know not, but as I feel them in this Spirit, It is the Way and there is not another: And for all those that are other wise-minded, the Lord sned a Famine to come on the outward Knowledge, that they may know to be led to the Spiritual Joseph; whoever comes unto him, 〈◊〉 upbraideth no one with what is past, but receives them with his Love, and embraceth them, and they partake with him of the Fatness of the good Land. Of this I am a witness, and remain  
Thy True Friend, S. B. S. B.  
AS to a Fast, I desire this may be solemnly proclaimed; a Fast from Strife, Malice and every evil Work, as new Born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word of Life, and grow thereby, in which we shall be accepted of God, and truly reconciled to one another.   

S. B. Postscript.  
I Did not intent to have Printed this Letter I sent to a Friend, but finding he hath Printed the Letter he sent to me, as an Answer to W. R's Book I sent him, which Book I had good Unity with, and with all that are of a reconciling Spirit, which to my Comfort, I find many sincere hearted therein, and as the vail of Prejudice comes to be taken of the Heart, we shall see one another as God seethe us, to whom I approve my Heart, let Men Judge of me as they please; it is not from any Evil or Insinuating self-end, I can truly say for myself, and many more true Christian Friends, whose Hearts in this matter of Reconciliation is not to gain Praise of Men, God is our witness; but we are led to Unite by that blessed Spirit, who hath showed us of what and in what the Kingdom of Heaven consists, of which is true Righteousness, Joy and Peace in the holy Spirit, which I with many more have tasted, and could be glad all that oppose would come and taste and see how good the Lord is, and with what the Immortal Soul is Refreshed.  
I could never find satisfaction in any visible thing, till I received the Word of God, in which Word I find the Key of David, Which opens and none can shut, and shuts and none can open; and that is that, that opens the Mystery of the Kingdom of God, in which the Father, Son and Spirit is to be koown; which Word of Faith, gave the true understanding to the Prophets and Apostles, and to all the Faithful of God to this day: And in that way which some call Heresy, Worship I the God of my Fathers, believing all the Law and the Prophets, and in Jesus Christ, who is the Author and Finisher of our Faith.  
S. B.   

O Lord! Out of the deep I cried unto thee, and thou pluckedst my feet out of the Mire and Clay, and hast set them in the right way: And being converted, strengthen my Brethren. Unto which I have this further to add, when I first heard the confused noise, made by G. K. and T. B. which appearance was, and is to me like the Golden Calf; and beholding many I knew, which I thought had been more grafted in the Word of Life, than to go after it, for which I was greatly troubled, but the heavenly still Voice gave me this Satisfaction, fret not thyself, be still, it is a Cloud I suffer, the Wind thereof shall blow away the Chaff, but I will gather my Wheat thereby nearer together; and this I know to be a certain Truth, by which my Heart hath been often refreshed, for which my Soul, Praise thou the Lord.  
S. B.   

And unto all those who have raked up the miscarriages and evils, and printed it, and given it abroad to defame the People called Quakers, whose Principles shall outlast their Malice; and was some of us of their Spirit, to render evil for evil, reviling for reviling, might say that of some of them that would cause shame, who covered their foolish actions with the name of the Lord, but it was, and is such a Lord, of which there is many, but not the true God as some can witness, but covered it from Men, hoping time might work them to see their weakness, and know the true Lord overruling all their false Imaginations, who may be truly compared to Saul, when gone from the true God, he goes to the Witch of Endor, and she raised up what he would see, but not what he should see; so he was never the better for it, but his Enemies prevailed, and he fell by his own Sword; so shall envy slay the wicked Man; and they in darkness shall grope for the door, but shall not find it: All this is true, and I own before all Men the Principle of the Quakers. And have this to say for myself, and many more I well know, however our Enemies may render us; we know this by ourselves, and our Consciences bears us witness, we have in good Conversation walked before God and Men, which will speak for us in the gates of our Enemies; and we find the answer of a good Conscience a continual Feast, who have not received the Truth by observation, but by the true administration, by which we have learned what lets into the Kingdom of our God, and what keeps out, let men's pretences be what they will; they that makes lies there refuge, and takes away men's good names, shall be found workers of Iniquity.  
I having in this small account hinted of many States, and several ways of the Lord's working in Man, that he may come to know him, and on him rely in all estates. I have one thing further to add; I have lately seen an excercise at hand, but when or in what I know not, but leave it to God and his appointed time, let it be in Mercy or in Judgement, I believe all is for good, as I have ever found all his deal to me, it was unpleasant to the fleshly part, but I turned in, and saw God's preservation near to all that truly on him relies; and in nothing else was there safety, and therefore I desire all to draw their minds from Vanity and consider their latter end, that it may go well with them, what change so ever comes; for the glory of this World passes away, therefore Work while the Day lasts, for the Night cometh wherein no Man can Work: I have also by my experience learned that in Sights and Visions, without watchfulness, there is a Temptation near, there being a readiness in Man to cast that on others, which God intends for ourselves, if we could patiently wait till the Vision speaks; for want of that many have run fiercely into things without, and have failed, and have brought Reproach on themselves, and God not glorified thereby: this I have also seen, and is often before me, and as there is no outward thing I more truly rejoiced in than to hear the Faithful Ministers of Jesus Christ, in the which I am Comforted, that God hath given such a manifestation of his Heavenly good Spirit to instruct his People in the Right and Everlasting Way, which God will Establish in the Earth; though I could be glad for the sake of many who take offence and are kept back, because it is very discernible, Martha's Spirit speaks when they had better be Silent, goes hastily forward, but would find a greater gain in themselves, if they learned to obey, and stand still and see the Salvation of God; such may be angry that others rise not up and serve after their manner, but Jesus that rightly knows the Spirits of all, saw Mary sit at his Feet, low in herself, she chose the better Part, which shall never be taken away, and the Seed lown in that good Ground shall bring forth Fruit to the Lord of the Harvest; but there is several sorts of Ground in which the good Seed is sown, and there are many Obstructions in the Ground which hinder the Prosperity of God's holy and good Seed; but the Harvest will come, and the good Husbandman will discern the Tares from the Wheat, which none else can do, there being such a likeness; the Administration of John was Glorious, in its time, but he said, Behold the Lamb of God, that takes away the Sins of the World, shall be preferred before and above all appearances, be they what they will, here many that are Last shall be First, and the First Last: these are Christ's own Words, and are certainly true, and believed by one who wishes well to all.  
S. B.   

I being encouraged by the Immortal God to Print this, and the matter contained therein, and gave it to several Friends; and it coming into the hand of T. C. he came to me, and asked me, Whether I meant George Keith? To whom I replied, I did; who made this Application, because he Preached up the Man Christ Jesus; therefore he said, I made him the Golden Calf; and so he reported it: And to all that shall hear this Report, I have this to say, and take Almighty God to be my Witness, I do believe Jesus of Nazareth, Born at Bethlehem, according to God's Divine Appointment, to be the Eternal Son of God, and all those things to be true, as the Scriptures declare of him, and have received so great a benefit by him, as my Tongue cannot express; and for this false Aspersion and wrong Interpretation of T. C. I leave God to plead my Cause, whom I know is able, and in his time will do it; but must say, as I have once before, He that is born after the Flesh Persecutes Him that is born after the Spirit.  
FINIS.