A tender visitation of the Fathers love, to all the elect-children, or, An epistle unto the righteous congregations who in the light are gathered, and are worshippers of the Father in spirit and truth, to be read amongst them in the pure fear of the Lord God, when they are assembled and met together in his name / by Wlliam Smith.

A tender visitation of the Fathers love, to all the elect-children, or, An epistle unto the righteous congregations who in the light are gathered, and are worshippers of the Father in spirit and truth, to be read amongst them in the pure fear of the Lord God, when they are assembled and met together in his name / by Wlliam Smith.

Table of contents

Title page

A tender VISITATION of the Fathers Love, to all the Elect-Children.

A tender VISITATION of the Fathers Love, to all the Elect-Children.

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Dear FRIENDS and BRETHREN,

THe day is the Lords, he hath appeared you to visit, and unto him must the gathering be, his Work is great, his Arme is powerful, he hath made it bare, it rules for him, Nations shall know it, and all People shall behold the appearance of his might, he hath dealt with you in mercy, and yet is his Judgments true; he sought you in his love when there was none to help, he saved by his Power when all beheld you and passed by, who can declare his goodness? or who can shew forth his loving kindness? he hath wrought with his Arme, and his right hand hath done valiantly, mighty things is come to pass thereby, he found you in the Wilderness, and upon Mountains scattered, he prepared a way for you, and hath brought you into the Valleyes; great things hath he done, and prosperous hath his Work been, this is his Day, long it hath been waited for, and the cry hath been for the appearance of it, it is now come, and in it is his Work wrought; you that waited for it, and did abide it, are blessed, for dreadful was his appearance whil'st the wicked stood in his sight, and as a consuming fire he came to destroy them, that many shrunk from him, and could not abide the day of his coming, but fled from his Righteous Judgments, who had truly waited for his Appearance; his Wrath was hot, and his Stroak was heavy, and his rising was like a man of War, so that his Enemies sell before him, and were scattered by his Arm, the mighty could not stand, but from their seat he brought them down; he spake and the Earth trembled, he uttered his voyce and the Hills melted; it is you that have beheld his mighty acts, who did abide the day of his coming, and fled not from his Arm of power, but gave his enemies into his hand, and did not love your lives to death; then did you feel the strength of his might, who came in power to redeem his chosen, then did the womb of the morning open, [Page] then did sore travail come upon you, pangs took hold on every side, and great was the cries that then was heard; now was your Deliverance nigh at hand, and his only begotten came into the World, this was the day in which the poor found help, and that of low degree was raised up, then the Prisoner came out of the pit, and the Captive was delivered out of Iron bonds, so did his work prosper in his hand, and deliverance came by his eternal Power, you felt his terrour upon the wicked, and none was able to resist his might, his stroak was heavy on your loynes, and feebleness possest your reins, for in his wrath he sealed you down, and you languisht in the deep distress; then did your cry go up unto him, and the earnest breathed for relief, his bowels yearned to his own, and his love brake forth like a mighty stream, his ear was open for to hear, and his Arme ready to deliver, for he remembred his holy Covenant, and his own Inheritance whom he had chosen, he did not leave you when you were weary, nor forsake you when you were feeble, but in the deep he was your strength, and in your travail he you upheld, so did he lead you in his Mercy, and yet his Judgments are all true; you walked in the narrow way, and his Arm of power was your support, he brought you thorow the gate of Death, and raised up the seed of Life, his love is not to be expressed, nor the works of his hands to be declared, for in the midst of Judgment he remembred Mercy, and his eye of pitty was open towards you; the Lyon could not prey upon you, his mouth he stopped; the Devourer could not spoil you, him he judged; Pharaoh could not keep you, him he Plagued; the Grave could not shut you up, that he opened, and out of the horrible pit he you delivered, then did the poor find help in his Power, and the needy was relieved in his Mercy, he stretched forth his Arm, and Salvation came, and that was wrought which no other could do, though you had run from man to man, and had enquired after God, and sought to have obtained Peace, yet none could bring true tydings of it, but still you mourned for want of Life, and travelled in the anguish of your Spirits, running but obtained not, seeking but could not find, until you was wearied in sore travail, and ready to faint under your heavy burthens; then did you cry in your deep distress, and he heard out of his holy Hill; he made the Fountain open wide, and his Salvation did not tarry, [Page] he gave you ease and made you glad, and brought you into a wealthy place, that your joy in his presence did increase, and the dayes of mourning passed away, for his work in you he brought to pass, and accomplished the thing which he had determined.

Oh Friends, what hath the Lord done for you! pen cannot write, nor tongue declare; you were lost and he sought you, Strangers and he gathered you, Enemies and he Reconciled you, Sinners and he Saved you; what could the Lord do more for you? Mountains are fallen, the Earth is melted, the Devourer is spoil'd, for against the mighty hath the Lord appeared, and his work hath been prosperous in his hand, he hath brought death upon the first man, and all his deeds he hath destroyed, he hath quickned the second, and in his power he is raised, and in glory is his only begotten come into the world, and unto him must the gathering be; you are blessed in whom he is revealed, who feels your Union with his Life, and your Translation into his Likeness; abide with him, depart not from him, for there is not another that can save, or can refresh the wearied ones, for many have for saken him, and have not continued faithful to him, though for a time they followed him, and whil'st they did abide was faithful in him, but when Tribulation came they started aside, and is turned into a withered branch, for they could not abide the Judgement, nor the straitness of the way to walk in, but sought for ease and a carnal liberty, and so departed from the Lord after they was Enlightned, and of his Word and Power tasted; and having Erred from the Right Way, they have been again Entangled, and a yoak of bondage is come upon their necks, so hath the Enemy wrought upon them, and drawn them from the needful thing, that no Life is possessed, nor Power enjoyed, but Antichrist Exalted, and the Temple filled with a dry spirit, that deadness and drowsiness is over the living, the oyl being stope, the spirit of slumber entred, & the Lamp is filled with it, that when he comes he is not regarded, nor no Readiness to receive him, for there is no delight in waiting for him; so have many lost their First Love, and are Erred from the Way of Life.

Oh Friends! there was a time in which he was more Brettous unto you, when in the day he called you, and in his love did visit you, then was your hearts upright towards him, and your [Page] joy did abound in him, that you could have left all to follow him, and nothing was deare unto you for his sake; then was the Oyl powred forth freely, and the favour of it was sweet unto you, and your Lamps in brightness burned in that day, and Life and Power you truly enjoyed, and in sweet tenderness you was alwaies kept, waiting his presence in you to feel, and the brightness of his glory to behold, your earnest was so much unto him, that nothing could satisfie but the enjoyment of him; Oh how sweet was his Word unto you in that Day, how was you quickned and enlarged in it, that you could have run and not been weary, such was your delight in his Commandements, how did you then attend to his Counsel, and from his mouth received Instruction, it was your Meat and Drink to do his Will, whilst the tenderness did abide upon you, and that which God had raised was fresh and living in you, then was your eye kept single to him, and was not after other Lovers, your delight was in him placed, and in sweet Union with his Life you lived, in the measure which then you had received, and therein was your lives refreshed, and every morning your strength renewed, that there was not then a feeble Person, nor no weariness nor saintness was upon you, but the living Power quickned, and revived you, and a sweet savour of life was then felt amongst you. Oh consider! for it was better with many in that day, then now, who have forsaken their first Love, and are again come under the vail, and doth not feel the springs of life in freshness, to keep them awake and living unto God; Oh come within my Friends, for this Book is opened to be read, divide a right, feel in the Power, see to the Root what springs up, what is the fruit, taste and see how it is, search to the bottom, mind Gods Witness, it will not deceive you, it will let you all see your conditions plainly, it will not bring one thing to Light, and hide another, but it will bring all up, that you may read thorrow with an understanding, from the first day untill now, for the Witness is true, and will bear witness unto the Truth in all, and what is out of the Truth it will reprove without respect of Persons; so may all see your present states, as the witness is minded and taken heed unto, and it will keep all down to the measure of Truth, and then none will seem to be above what they are: And upon whomsoever the Witness smites, hearken to [Page] it, and as it opens your present states, turn not away your ear, that whoever have erred, and from your first Love departed, may again return: Oh he is near you, he waits for you, come, he will not Reject you, but will freely heal you, for yet is the Day of his Mercy to you; for verily many are cooled, and many slumber, who in the day of tenderness truly tasted of the Word and Power, from which the Oyl was poured forth that caused their Lamps to bear a glorious shew; and this is a Lamentation in Israel this day, the glory thereof in many seems to fade, and a dry covering comes over in its place, all may read as you mind the Light, so will every one know your present states, for the eyes of many hath been abroad, and things hath been looked at and reasoned about, and in the visible the mind hath run, untill the Vail hath been secretly drawn, that fears hath entered, and their faith Surprized, and then hath wavered, that they have been driven back and their strength spoiled, and so are many gone astray, and neither finds springs nor pasture: So all be diligent, search out the Matter, the Light will find it where it is, and let all see where you are, and what you feed upon, for the Fathers Love sends to you all, that the strayed may be gathered, and the faithful established, and though there may be some which will not hearken, yet shall Israels glory stand, and all that are willing thither to come, though you have erred, it shall not be remembred, but the healing virtue of life you shall all taste and feel; Oh hearken, come, delay not, the Matter is weighty.

And all you dear and tender ones, born of the Immortal seed, sweet and pretious are you all, the Fountain opens freely unto you, the Fathers love cannot hold from you, for you are his own, he hath Chosen you, and over you is his Arm stretched out, your feet stands in a sure place, and your Foundation none can remove, happy are you that be in such a case, yea blessed for ever, who hath chosen the Lord to be your God, you have stood in the Judgement, and in the Cross hath walked, and nothing could turn your feet aside, you have not been Entangled though often allured, you have been kept out of the Fowlers net, and from him have you been preserved, so in your stations you have stood, and hath not swarved from the Lord, but in his Power hath been kept, and your Integrity you have Retained; [Page] you are the living branches who in the Immortal knowes your Life, your Leafe shall not wither, neither shall your Blossom fade, but glorious shall your Fruit be, for in the River of Pleasure your Root is placed, he hath weaned you from the world his life to delight in, he feeds you dayly with the fatness of his House, and gives you to drink of his Fulness freely; Oh what is like unto your Portion, ye tender Plants, your Bread is sure, and your Water faileth not, your dwelling place is full of Pleasantness, and your peace no man can take away, the Lord hath formed you in the womb, and in his Power hath brought you forth, to make you a Holy People to himself, and a Generation to take delight in; Children of his Love you are, and his mercy is Endless unto you, his Seed he hath raised in you to Raign, and made you Subjects to his Power, in the Covenant of Life he hath Sealed you up, and who shall separate you from his Love? Who is sufficient for these things? or, Who can shew forth his Mightie acts? Oh let not his mercies be forgotten, nor his loving kindness slip out of your minds, for his own Arm hath wrought his Work, and in his Power you have been made to stand, else had you been as others are, for no Temptation but is Common, and none can stand but in his Power, for he alone is Israels keeper, therefore the Boaster is Excluded, and all the loftie is cast down, who in their Difference seems to Glory, and smites at others who in some things may Differ from them, and would have none come near to them but such as in the likeness of their Holiness doth appear, and who appears not with them, such they Judge, and who Receives and owns them, such is there Love unto in the affection, and so runs into a Self-separation and particular Union, and this doth not refresh the Seed, nor travails not to set it free.

Oh dear Friends, watch over this Spirit, that it may not have a place in any of you to Rule, for the Fruit of it is Bitterness, and the End of it is Desolation, therefore be you all stayed in the pure measure of the Love of God Received, that therein you may bind & healm cherish and succour every breathing desire that thirsts after the Lord God, not looking at the appearance, nor Judging according to that, but to feel in the measure of the Love and Life, the true state of every one, and so to divide aright, that however any do appear, the Cry of the Immortal [Page]may be felt, and the state thereof truly Discerned, that you may reach forth an Arm to all that stand in need, and do good to all in tenderness, alwayes considering what makes you to differ; for verily Friends the Lords dear Seed breaths after him out of all Forms and Appearances, and he is gathering and bringing forth a People out of the Traditions, who cannot live any longer therein, such is the Earnest after God in many this Day, unto whom his tender Visitation of Love is Reached forth; so put not a difference in Forms & Appearances, but in their true ground where the difference stands, that betwixt the births you may truly divide, for the least breathing after God in Tenderness is to be Cherished in all, under what Form or Appearance soever they do yet abide, & the Lord is gathering a People in his Mercy out of all Professions, to make them partakers of his living Truth, whose understandings he is opening, to behold the wonderful things that he is bringing to passe in this his Day; so let your bowels be open unto all, that in the Love wherewith the Father hath loved you, and gathered you, in the same Love according to the measure, you may reach to the Seed of God in all, that every tender Plant may be refreshed, and all the weak and feeble may be strengthened and comforted, that every one in their measures may be considered, and as they stand Faithful unto God therein, even so to be nourished and tendered in Love, that all may be brought to a measure of God in themselves, and every one therein to feel there Union with God and one another, that so all friends who are gathered into Gods Truth this Day, may be Translated into his likeness and bear his Image, who is Love, for he hath opened his Love in freeness to you, and hath largely ministred forth of the Riches of it, and this he doth require, that you should Love one another in that Love wherewith he hath loved you, and this will make you glorious as this covering is received upon you, and by it shall all men know that you are true followers of him, whose Name you profess, for it draws you near him, and unites you to him, and makes your truly like him, and it will close you all up in the puritie of it self, and Unite you perfectly together, and preserve you all in tenderness to God and one another, that there will not be an Evil Eye amongst you, but the Strong will bear with the Weak, and not seek so much to please themselves; and this is that which [Page] truly bears, and endures all things, and travails to remove burdens, and to ease the oppressed, Cherishing that which breathes in all, but cannot hurt it in any: Oh waite dear Friends in the Love of the Father to abide, for it is a sweet thing for brethren there to dwell, and let us consider one another, that we may provoke one another more unti love, until it be our garment to cover us throughout, that nakedness may not appear in any, so will all be healers and not burters, nourishers, and not destroyers, and this is well pleasing unto the Lord, and a service that is accepted of him, for it is the travail of the Seed to set free, and to bring out of all straitness, that Unity may be held and Increased, and every Plant may be preserved, and all the Body kept in sweet order, that every Member may feel its Union with the Head, and there Receive its nourishment, so will a supply be ministred unto that part which lacketh, and every Member will stand serviceable in its place, and bear its proper office in the Body, and none to say to each other, I have no need of thee, but all to stand in the pure Unity of Life it self, and there perfectly joyned in the one heart, so will the Lords Name be one, and his People one, and his service and Worship one, and this will keep all in a sweet savour unto God, and a deareness and tenderness one towards another, and unto this hath the Lord called you, wait for the increase of it more amongst you, that love unfegnedly may abound, and the life of Righteousness may stand in Dominion, that so for the soul you may all watch, and with a tender eye be careful one over another, that the Body may truly edifie it self in Love, and all may receive comfort one of another, then will the Lord of Life delight in you, and dwell amongst you, and water you dayly in his fresh Springs, and feed you with the Heritage of Jacob for ever.

Oh dear Lambs, prize the Lords Mercies over all, for unto a high calling he hath called you, be single unto him, that his Love you may answer in walking worthy of all his Mercies, so in his Power he will preserve, and with his Arm defend, that no weapon formed against you shall prosper, for his care is over his own, and unto his Chosen doth his Love reach, for a good Shepheard he is over his Flock, alwayes taking care for them, he leads them where good Pasture is, & feeds them with the choicest food, his Rod is alwaies stretched forth, and in it doth their [Page] Comfort stand, his staffe is near them to defend, that the Devourer cannot Spoil, nor with his teeth make them a prey, he stands by them in the Day, and in the Night he leaves them not, for Israels keeper doth not slumber; you are his Chosen, his Flock, his People, who are of the immortal born, vour place is safe, your strength is sure, abide within and in the Life be ever stayed, for in your Tent you rest in Peace, and blessed are you for evermore.

And let not that eye be opened which would be looking forth, but in your Tent abide with God, that in his gathering you may Stand, and in his Rest your dwelling-place may be; and heed not man, nor his doings, for some hath been hurt with looking there, and hath lost their vnion with the Life, having looked so much Abroad, untill they have suffered loss at Home; and whilest the eye hath thus beheld, it hath been dazled more and more, and when the end could not be seen, then in the astonishment they have sunck down, and into much sorrow have been plunged; let not your minds be so abroad, but keep your habitation within, and see mans time and day, and what it is, and neither regard his Way nor Doings, for if he do well he is Accepted, but if evil he will be Scourged, so man is not to be heeded, for the Lord is above him and all his waies, and hath his heart in his hand, and at his pleasure can turn it, and what comes to pass is by his Permission, and unto all that love him it works for good, therefore let none say, why hath the Lord done this? or, why is it thus comite pass? but all know your gathering unto God, and with him abide, and let pationce be your covering, and meekness the girdle of your loynes, for the Lord hath a work to do and it must be done by whom he will, if he bring up the ASSYRIAN to be a Rod, and make the CALDEANS an ovenflowing Scourge, who shall say unto him, why doest thou so? they have their time, he layes them by, and they pass away, that all may know there is a God in Israel.

Oh dear hearts, be ye all Faithful unto the Lord God, for large is his Love towards you, he will not leave you uor forsake you, but will stand by you, and deliver you out of all your troubles, for he is Israeli strength, and the Salvation of his Chosenones, trust in him alone, and in his Power beleive, for he is able to Save; though the Destroyer pursue, and violently assault, [Page] yet is he near to be a present help unto you, infinite is his Loving Kindness unto you, who are upright in heart, his Arm hath gathered you, his Arm preserves and saves you, that the wicked one doth not touch you, he hath Succoured and Releived you, when the storm hath blown sore upon you, he hath quietted the Wind and the Sea when it hath Raged to overwhelm you, his everlasting Power you have felt, and his renewed Mercies from day to day: Oh wait in the Light that all his Mercies you may read, and every Visitation of his Tender Love may be alwaies fresh upon your hearts, that you may be kept sensible of his everlasting Kindness, and manifold Mercies from time to time bestowed: You are the blessed of the Lord, who in his Power are kept Faithful, and have not Erred from his way, though often tempted, yet by him preserved, that your Confidence in his Power doth abide, which gives you victory over all the Powers of Darkness, for in you is the seed of Life raised, who is both Lord and King, and though the Enemy do pursue you, and casts floods of wrath and fury after you, yet in the Authority and Power of your King you have Dominion over him; therefore look not at Temptations when they come, but keep your eye to the Lord, and be stayed in that which doth discover them, so will he make away for you to escape them, and keep up your Heads above them, and though your troubles may be great, yet will the Lord deliver you out of all, and through the Exercise of Faith and Patience he will establish you in his Holy Hill, and Seal you up in the Covenant of Eternal life, there to rest in the bosome of his dear Love for evermore.

So let not the thing seem small in your eyes, for it is the Arm of his Mercy, which unto you hath reached, therefore above all things to be prized, that you should be called and counted worthy to believe in his Holy Name, and in his everlasting Truth revealed, and also overcome by him to be followers of him in Love, and to know the operation of his Power, by which your minds are renewed, and Translated into a measure of his pure Life, which in you is made manifest by the Revelation of Jesus Christ, who in you hath appeared Sin to destroy, and Everlasting Righteousness to bring in, of which you are partakers through the Riches of his Grace by Faith, wherein ye stand: The everlasting God of Life and Power [Page] keep you all, who in the measure of love received, lives up in the pure obedience to answer the Lords kindness, dayly waiting upon him, that in his wisdom all the works of his hands may be ordered to his everlasting praise.

And all Dear Friends, who in the Lord service stands to bear forth a Testimony in bonds and sufferings, or any other way therein do witness to the Truth of God in your measures, and against all Deceit, Oppression, Cruelty, and Wrong, a Visitation of the Fathers Love reacheth unto you all; Oh feel the living Power your Souls to refresh, and your strength dayly to Renew, that none may be weary or faint in your minds, but all in faithfulness may be upheld to God, keep your eye out of the world and those things which you have left behind, for thither will the Enemy oft be drawing and enticing your minds, to Entangle you, but all be watchful that out of his Snare you may be kept, for the Lord is exercising your patience, to wean you from the love of the World, and all the things that is in it, that your Part and Portion may be in his Life, and your hearts in him alone may delight, that for his sake all other things may be given up freely into his Will, that nothing may be a Bondage to the Just, or Imprison the Righteous Seed, but that in his Power he may Raign, all other things to put under his Feet, that nothing may be a Cumber to your mind, so will your bonds be sweet unto you, and work together for your good; for dear is the Fathers love unto you, his living presence wait to feel, and that will make your Consolation to abound, above all your Sufferings, and lift you up over all that would cast you down, and in waiting the Lord will give you strength to bear, and patience to endure, untill Iniquity have had its day, and the Sufferings be filled up.

And be contented with your present states, and none grudge or murmure in your minds, but all stand freely given up, that you may willingly serve the Lord in what he calls unto, or permits to come upon you, so will his Blessing and Peace abide with you for Ever.

For now is the Lord trying all the wayes and doings of the Children of men, and what is not of Him must fall before Him, for he will not spare the Evil doer, though for a time he may go on, and boast himself against the Lord, and persecute those that fears his Name, yet his End must come, and his Wickedness upon his head will fall, and as a whirlwind from the Almighty it will light upon [Page] him; and as the Summer chaff he will be driven away, and be no more, for the Lord is hastening and cutting the work short in Righteonsness; therefore fear not your adversaries, nor who, or what they be that turns against you, for it is an evident token unto them of perdition, but to you of salvation and that of God, for many have already had their day, and the Lord hath tryed them what they would doe, and they have all betrayed their trust, and turned against his Power, and none that have been Faithful to him, for he tryed them all, and gave to each of them their Day, but none regarded what was put into their hauds, but carelesly neglected it, so he pulled down one, and he set up another, and as their zeal did arise, and that they came to Profess more then others before them, he gave unto them their Day, and tryed them if they would perform what they Professed, but they have been all found Deceitful; and as bitter fruit did spring from such as did Profess, as from those that was pulled down before them, and nothing hath been done by any of them, as to what they might have done, either for God or his People, but from one to another the Yoak hath been continued, and the spirit of Persecution hath Reigned, and the loyns of one hath been as heavy as the loyns of another, and none that did regard the Cry of the afflicted; wherefore the Lord hath removed them, and given their Day into the hands of others, whom he hath brought up to be a scourge unto them, and a Cloud to cover them, for the Lord tryed them All, if any could have been found amongst them that would have done good, that he might have placed them, and set them up in Power to have Ruled, but they all proved Corrupted, and none performed when they was Intrusted, but went backward and drew downward, and forgot the Lord and his Benefits, turning one against another for self Interests, and then strive and contended, until the Lords Spirit was grieved and vexed in beholding their Wickedness, and his Wrath kindled against them, and he stretched out his Arm and overturned them, and hath brought up a People to be a Just Recompence unto them, and a Cloud over them, under which their Sun is set.

What is Man or his way that he should be feared? though he set himself on High and Boast of great things, the Lord Rules over him, and in a moment brings him down, and all his glory passeth away as untimely fruite, if he do not the thing that is Just, the Righteous God finds him out, and layes him naked to all passers by, [Page] whatever he may profess, and so the inside of many are discovered in this Day of Tryal, who professed much, and boasted of great things, but when they were tryed, then they betrayed and brought forth nothing but their own deceitful Workings, neither regarding the Lord, nor fearing his Name; so he laid them all by as Useless in his Service, and hath stained the pride of their glory, that man in all his profession may behold what he is, for all their Professions is brought to Light, and none hath done the thing that is right, therefore are they smitten, & their Foundation shaken, that fear on every side takes hold upon them, & like blind men they grope & cannot find a resting-place, for their way is closed up, and they have lost their aim, and are all Scattered, that many are turned into that way again which once they departed from, and contended against, and hath lost the favour of all that which seemingly they once Professed; and thus hath the Lord God in a little time tryed the wayes and doings of many of the Children of men, and in the Ballance of Truth hath weighed them and their Professions, and hath found them as light as Vanity, and as Airy Shaddows they are passed away, and are all dead and withered, as if they had never been, and now is he trying others. So dear Lambs, all in Gods Power waite, which through all changeable things abides, and do not depart from it at any time, for in that have you been kept in Faithfulness to stand, that you are not shaken, nor driven away from your Hope & Confidence, but still abides in Uprightness to the Truth of God, feeling the sure Foundation which no man can shake or prevail against; this is to be prized by you in the pure fear, and not to be gloryed in with a fleshly confidence, for it is the Lords own work, and it is marvellous to behold, that you who are so much by men despised should in Gods Arm be still Preserved, and are not shaken from your Hope, though many storms have blown upon you; Oh feel the Living in which you are upheld, that faithful to the end you may be kept, for waiting so to be preserved, you shall be everlastingly saved, and glorious will your Reward be, for the Winter is not yet quite over, though many storms hath sorely beat, yet there is some will still arise, and many will vanish in their appearance, but some will fall and shall be felt, and in their time they will be quick, for all is drawing near an End, but the glorious Life none can destroy; therefore look not at man for he hath been tryed, and is manifest to be Corrupted, and all his wayes [Page] perverse and froward, and nothing else from man can be expected, until he come to a measure of Gods Spirit to be guided; so what may appear from man do not you regard, or whether it seem with you or against you, let not your minds look after it, but dwell in Gods Power, and if he work for you, and turn many hearts to do something that is right; let all flesh be silent, and all boasting excluded, that God in his own work may be Glorysied; and if any thing from man appear against you, keep to the Power to preserve you, and in the measure of that pure Eternal Life be ye all stayed, for there is Safety, there is Peace, Satisfaction and eternal Rest; and in that abiding, you will all be kept from Fainting or Falling, and your strength daily will be renewed, and your hearts alwayes enlarged, the way of his Command to run, and nothing will be grievous to you; so will the Truth be gloriously exalted, and the Lords name honoured, who is over all for evermore blessed.

Oh tender Babes, sweet is your savour, you give a pleasant smell, be ye all cloathed with a Low, Meek, and Quiet Spirit, and in the stillness waite to receive your Portion, and in the coolness drink of the River of his Pleasure, for his Mercy endures for ever, and his Bountifullness is opened freely, all the fresh springs are in him, and his own Right Hand gives daily Bread; Oh feed in the Pasture of Life, that in the tenderness you may daily grow, feeling the sweet refreshings of his living presence, and in the life of Righteousness bear his Image, and so will your Ornament adorn the Gospel, and Beautiful will you be in the eyes of all Beholders: And the Lord of Life and Power season, you all continually, Confirms, Strengthen, and Establish you daily, that High and Low, Bond and Free, Male and Female, may evermore feel your Union in the Life of Truth, that with one accord we may lift up our voyce to Magnifie his Name together, who is over all Gods and Kings, alone worthy to be praised and glorifyed for Ever and Ever.

Grace, Mercy and Peace, be unto you all, from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

Dear Lambs, my Life breaths after you, and with you it is wrapped up, either to rejoyce or suffer in the will of God.

Your Dear Brother in the Immortal. William Smith.

THE END.

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§

[Page]

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A Tender VISITATION Of the Fathers Love, To all the Elect-Children: OR AN EPISTLE Unto the Righteous CONGREGATIONS, who in the LIGHT are gathered, and are Worshippers of the Father in Spirit and Truth.

To be read amongst them in the pure fear of the Lord God, when they are Assembled and met together in his Name.

By William Smith.

LONDON, Printed, and are to be sold by Robert Wilson at the Sign of the Black-spread Eagle and Windmill, in Martins near Aldersgate, 1660.

Information about this book

Title statement

A tender visitation of the Fathers love, to all the elect-children, or, An epistle unto the righteous congregations who in the light are gathered, and are worshippers of the Father in spirit and truth, to be read amongst them in the pure fear of the Lord God, when they are assembled and met together in his name / by Wlliam Smith.

Smith, William, d. 1673.

Edition statement

1660

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2005-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A60658

ID [STC]

Wing S4336

ID [STC]

ESTC R2609

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

12076477

ID [OCLC]

ocm 12076477

ID [VID]

53640

Availability

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.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A60658)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 53640)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 824:26)

Source

— A tender visitation of the Fathers love, to all the elect-children, or, An epistle unto the righteous congregations who in the light are gathered, and are worshippers of the Father in spirit and truth, to be read amongst them in the pure fear of the Lord God, when they are assembled and met together in his name / by Wlliam Smith., Smith, William, d. 1673..

Extent

16, [1] p.

Printed, and are sold by Robert Wilson ...,. London :: 1660.. (Reproduction of original in Duke University Library.) (Signed at end: William Smith.)

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