AN EPISTLE By way of TESTIMONY, To the Friends of Manchester And thereabouts, Given forth shortly after the Death of my dear Daughter, MARY MOSS, WIFE of ISAAC MOSS of Manchester, Who departed this Life The XXIX of the 11th Month, 1692.
With a Testimony concerning my dear Wife Mary Watson, who since departed this Life the 2d of the 9th Month, 1694.
By SAMƲEL WATSON
Together with a few words written by Elizabeth Moss concerning her dear Mother.
Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the Death of his Saints,
And I heard a voice from Heaven, saying unto me write, blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord, from hence-forth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their Works do follow them,
LONDON: Printed for Tho. Northcott in George-Yard in Lombard street, 1695
An Epistle by way of Testimony to the Friends of Manchester and thereabouts: Given forth shortly after the Death of my Dear Daughter Mary Moss.
DEar Friends of Manchester and thereabouts, and all who are concerned for the prosperity of the Truth as it is in Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour; it lives upon me to write this Epistle of Memorial concerning our Dear Daughter Mary, of whose departure out of this Life you have a great Loss; as certainly her dear Parents and Relations, her Husband and tender small Babes have, which she left behind her; a loss I say unexpressible, whom she was in her life time a comfort and help to: But the infinite wise God in whose Hand we all are, hath ordered these things according to his divine Will and Pleasure, sometimes for the speedy deliverance of his tribulated Children, in the Work of their Redemption, from all visibles, that the Joy set before them of that which is Eternal, they may, without Interruption, possess; so that though she be removed or departed, who was a comfort to us in her Life-time, and the loss of whom is great, yet the Gain to her is incomparable, and our Peace and great satisfaction is in full assurance, That she is gathered with the wise Virgins gone before her, into the Bridegroom's Chamber of Eternal Joy and Felicity. And pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of all his Saints, and her Memorial shall be had in everlasting Remembrance.
I cannot sufficiently express this tender Branches amiableness, her inward Beauty and glorious Garments which she had put on, as one of the King of Zion's Daughters, whose Royal Robes of Righteousness, Holiness, and true Charity, did shine; not only to the gladding the Members of the same Body, but to those who, as yet, are Strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel, that in the universal love God has to all, in that he would not the Death of any Sinner, so she as a Hand-maid of the Lord, manifested her love and Law of kindness to all, exceeding many others. The Anointing Oyl she was inwardly beautified with, which gave a sweet smelling Savour to the House-hold of Faith, and at seasons, heavenly Breathings, prayers and praises sprung in her, which was as Incense ascending to the Throne of Glory: And many have been comforted in those springs of Life, that streamed from that Well of Salvation opened in her: So she had received from her Spiritual Joshua, not only the South-Land of a good prepared Heart and Ground, but obtained the upper and nether Springs of living Water to the making fruitful this tender Branch and weak Vessel.
And as she was not lavish, or spending her Portion where she ought not, she was not sparing, neither withheld the good Things which she was made Partaker of from the Remnant that loved the Lord Jesus, with whom her Unity stood, and Fellowship in the Covenant of Life, sealed up in that pure Spirit of Adoption, which she had received in him, and through the Pourings in of his abundant love, who is the Alpha and Omega.
She was of a bearing Spirit, and did not love any contention, willing rather to suffer great Trouble and bear Her Exercises patiently, than to lay open the weakness of others; so that Love in the Truth was setled in her Bosom, rather to cover a multitude of Faults, than to make one.
And this Labour of true Love, which hates the Garment spotted in the Flesh, is the true Work, to help and gather [Page 3]out of the World the Snares and Pollutions thereof, Those that are yet unescaped.
She laboured to reach to the little Seed of the Kingdom where it did lye as buried under the Earth, that the Power she had partaken of to work her Redemption, they might also come to feel, and be made sensible of what she witnessed, of that inward Circumcision in Spirit from her Minority; so that little of the Glory of this World was overpleasant in her Eye, but her Eye was opened to behold and look after those things which are Celestial and Eternal. And the Candle which was lighted in her did shine forth to others; so that it is well for them that are left behind, (that observed and loved her godly Conversation Coupled with Fear) to follow her Example; and now to wait, while a day is given, to keep in the Path and Steps of this godly Woman, who was a Pattern of Purity, Patience, Sincerity, Poverty of Spirit and true Humility, eschewing that which comes from an evil Root of Bitterness and Uncleanness, (which is too much brought forth in some of those that profess Godliness) so that a Branch of the true Vine, she was manifest to be in her day and season, abiding in him who is the true and antient Vine, receiving Supyly and Refreshment from him who made her bring forth much Fruit, wherein our Heavenly Father is glorified, for not by the profession only, But, as our Saviour said, by their Fruits ye shall know them.
Her Conversation being in Heaven, the Fruits of the Spirit of God were brought forth in her, (viz.) Love, Meekness Temperance, Chastity, Brotherly Kindness; and above all, she had Charity, which is the Bond of Perfectness.
I can now leave her in the Arms of her blessed Saviour, at whose Feet she kept in the days of her Pilgrimage, and washed his Feet Spiritually with the Tears of Joy, and wiped them as with the Hairs of her Head [Page 4]in pure Obedience, nothing being too dear to pass thorow or to do for him that had done so much for her; O happy art thou Daughter of Zion, that is thus taken away from the evil that is to come, and now crowned with Immortal Glory, which no Spirit of Darkness can bereave thee of. To him be the Glory who hath done this Work for thy poor Soul, whose glorious Resurrection in Christ will appear in the Kingdom of Heaven, and a remnant who Love the Lord (and loved her) are pressing on to obtain a share in the same glory and dignity with our Heavenly Father and High-priest of our Profession, to whom be Praises ascribed for all his mercies continually.
And now, my dear Friends, you that are left behind, who were sometimes conversant with this dear Servant and Follower of the Lamb, who was a sweet-smelling Savour unto you, that have received the Truth in the love of it, and in measure walk in it, this Council and Admonition I give unto you: Keep in the Holy Watch, in the holy stay'dness of Mind, that you may be ready to answer the Mind of him, who is the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, that hath called you out of Darkness into his Marvailous Light, and liberty of his Son Christ Jesus; let no other liberty in your Conversation be given way to than what is purchased by the pretious Blood of the Lamb, by which you are bought, so that you may find in Spirit continually a Standard lifted up in you, to the resisting of all Evil: and that you are not your own, but are bought with a Price, a Holy Engagement is upon you to serve the Lord in your Souls, Bodies, and Spirits, which are his: This one thing keeping to, will keep you in a Holy and humble frame of Life and Conversation, in the daily Cross as becomes the Gospel, and in the feeling of the Love of God, shed abroad in your Hearts, the Branch of Righteousness will spring forth in you, and as a well-watered Garden and a Spring of Water, whose Waters [Page 5]fail not, will your Souls be to bring forth Fruits of Love, godly Patience and holy Obedience to God, in a dayly self-denial and taking up the Cross which Crucifies to the World the Vanities and Lusts thereof, and slays the Enmity on the Cross; so will more and more Branches appear, which spring's from the true Root and Ground of Holiness, where every little one that keeps in the Holy fear, may partake of the Sap and Nourishment which will make you prosperous, and witness a daily growth in the heavenly Life.
And I exhort you all, to give all diligence to make your caling and Election sure, (that an entrance you may know into the Kingdom) and add to your Faith (which you have received in Christ Jesus the Author of it) Vertue; and to Vertue, Knowledg; and to Knowledge, Temperance; and to Temperance, Patience; and to patience, Godliness; and to Godliness, Brotherly kindness; and to Brotherly kindness, Charity; which is the Mark of Christianity, and the Birth which inherits the Kingdom, and those that abide in these things, they cannot be barren or unfruitful in the Work of the Vineyard, God hath called them into, but are always ready and prepared with the wise Virgins, to enter into the Bridegrooms Chamber, not knowing how soon the last call may be to any of us, that are yet remaining in these Tabernacles of Clay; but keep so Waiting, and in Faithfulness, that the Crown of Glory we may obtain, with this pretious, obedient and dear Sister, that is gone before us.
And be not weary in well-doing, and meeting often together; and as you keep in a holy Thirst and hungring after Righteousness, you will partake of a daily Watering at that living Stream, and feeding on that living Bread, which comes down from Heaven, without which you cannot live and walk up to God, nor keep in that which is acceptable unto him; as this dear Plant of our heavenly Father kept to the end of her days.
So unto the great Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls, do I commit you all, to be led, guided and taught by him, who is the Comforter and Spirit of Truth, which leads into all Truth. I communicate this in tender Love to you all, tho' but a small number, and one of them being taken from you, who was great in Love, but little in her own Eyes. The Lord, with whom all things are possible, will give an Encrease, and enlarge your Borders in the Truth, in his own time. So in a Holy salutation of Love and Good will to you all, I bid you farewell, and rest,
A short Testimony concerning my dear Wife, Mary Watson, who departed this life the 2d. of the 9th Month, 1694.
THis dear Companion and Fellow-labourer in the Gospel of life and Salvation, who was a dear and tender Wife to me, given by the great God of Heaven and Earth to be a Yoke-fellow to me, not only in Body, but in Spirit; and though she was attended and afflicted with many Infirmities of Body, yet great hath been our Travails and Exercises in Spirit together, in Prayer and Supplication to God, who hath fitted and prepared our Hearts with prayers and thanksgiving, to offer up to him as Incense upon his Holy Altar; who hath helped us through many Tribulations, and shed abroad his love in our Hearts, and made us livingly to partake together of the Springs of Life and Salvation in our Bosoms, and keep us in a true unity of Spirit, as Heirs of the same Grace, that our Prayers were not hindred; but with Jacob in that Seed, we came often to know a wrestling in our inward Man, and a prevailing with God for a Blessing.
And the end of my dear Companions Labour, Travail and pure Breathings is accomplished, in her final Testimony who is visibly gone, and taken from me, to her sweet Eternal Rest, where no more Afflictions either in Body or Mind can surprize her: But as her terrestrial Body is gone to its [Page 8]Center from whence it came, unto which it was to return again in the appointed time, so her Immortal Soul, in and through Obedience to the Seed Christ Jesus in it's redeemed State, is gathered into a glorious Mansion and everlasting Habitation, where the Resurrection unto Heavenly Happiness stands sure, on the Foundation and Rock of Ages and Generations; She was sometimes under Fears of this great passage from Mortality (as some have been in antient time) but my Travail in Spirit with her Spirit was, That through the living Faith she had received in Christ the Author of it, she might keep still stedfast, and fight the good Fight of Faith, and Victory should be obtained, which was in God's season manifested in her inward Man; and afterwards she spoke forth pure Acknowledgments of the same, to our great refreshing, several Weeks before her departure, giving me comfortably to understand, That the Work of Redemption was wrought and compleated in her, and all doubts and fears removed. And now she waited to be dissolved, and to be with Christ that redeemed and sanctified her, and put on Righteousness as a Garment, and Salvation as a Lamp that burneth; so that as a wise Virgin she was prepared to enter into the Bridegroom's Chamber of Eternal Joy, and Praises filled her Vessel, while she had any Strength in her Vitals remaining, and her Eye was to that heavenly Family out of all the Families of the Earth, where she would gladly be rejoycing with her tender Off-spring and Relations gone before her (as often her Expression were) to be with them.
All visible Helps and outward Enjoyments failing, she had the Lord for her Portion, and kept in a Possession of that heavenly Treasure layed up, which never fails, and fed upon that living Bread and Wine of the Kingdom, which now she is in the more full enjoyment of. She [Page 9]spoke often of the surrounding of the Lambs Glory with her, and she was compassed about with Salvation and the blessed Truth as a Girdle, and the Lambs Glory sprung up to her last moment, and she was sensible, in expression, to the last few hours, and said to me (as formerly she often used) Love, pray for me. And the never failing Sacrifice which God prepares sprung up in me, which the Lord, our tender heavenly Father, hath heard and answered; and now the time being near, and her Glass being run, the Silver-thred cut, and the Golden Pitcher broken, she then gave up the Ghost, in a sweet still manner, on the second day of the 9th Month, 1694. about the 7th Hour at Night, in the bosom of her Maid who waited on her, I being on the other side the Bed, beholding her in the Bowels of Divine Love; so he that gave her me, in his appointed time took her to himself. She lay as a Flour in the Coffin, as if she were asleep; she lived in sweetness and cleanness in her life time, and was sweet at her later end; and now I am left in separation from her visible Body, but I am still with her in a spiritual Union in the heavenly Place, and my labour is to keep in godly Patience and true contentedness in every exercise I am yet to pass through, for his abundant Love and Power hath kept me hitherto, surpassing what I can express; and the Life that I now live is by Faith in the Son of God, in which living Faith I wait to persevere and be preserved to the end of my appointed time, that I may live in obedience to the Honour and Glory of him who is God over all, and hath called and chosen me to bring forth Fruits to his Praise and Glory, who is worthy for ever, Amen.
And now, dear Friends, I shall further proceed in my mournful Relation: On the fourth day of the 9th Month, 1694. being the first day of the Week, my dear Wife was buried in the Meeting-house yard in Lancaster, being the first Corps there Interred, and was accompanied with the [Page 10]Chief of that Town, and the generality of Friends, several hundreds, in company, so that in Testimonies and on other Accounts, things were to the great satisfaction of both Friends and others. So the Truth is precious in all who wait to be guided by it; and our God shall have the Praise in all his Works for ever and evermore, Amen.
And as to her Offspring left behind, she had a tender regard and a holy concern for them, that each particular, through the Grace of God, might be gathered home to the true Sheepfold, and Heavenly Shepherd, Christ Jesus, and laboured in Spirit with many pure Breathings and Heavenly Prayers for them, which shall not return in vain: And her Exhortation to them that were with her, and her Travel in Spirit for those not present on her Dying-bed was, That they might walk humbly before the Lord their Creator, and watch against all the Evil Temptations of this World, the Flesh, the Vanity and Lusts thereof; that no Pride, Vain-Glory or Intemperance, they might be Captivated with, but abiding in the holy fear of the Lord, which makes the Heart clean, all Evil would be suppressed, and slain upon the Cross in them; and Humility, Righteousness, Meekness of Spirit and Holiness, should grow in them, and not only be a comly Garment to them, but a never failing portion: Which she begged of the Lord for them, and which was in her Eye, more than all visible Enjoyments, knowing assuredly all things will fail, but heavenly Treasure is that Pearl of great price, which will never fail.
And she travelled in Spirit, that they might be kept in subjection and true Obedience to their Father, which (she often said) would bring a Blessing from on high upon them; for she was right sensible of his true Care, and the many Tribulations and deep Trials he had pass'd through, and the Lord in the end would give him a Reward, and Crown him with Eternal Glory.
Thus, in a sensible feeling of the Lord's Power and Goodness upon my Spirit, I bear record how it was with this my dear and tender Companion in her Life and Death, who is now gone before us, and we wait to follow after, and to obtain a share in the same celestial Happiness with her, in the Mansion prepared for all the Faithful.
This is for a Memorial of her who lives for ever.
So the Lord who reigns over the Families of Jacob, and works all things together for the good of those that truly Fear, Love, Serve, and Obey him; to him be the Glory and Praise ascribed, who is worthy for ever, Amen.
A few Words, by way of Remembrance of my Dear Mother, Mary Watson.
WHeresoever this may come, I finding it as a weight upon my Spirit, and a Duty which I ought to perform to say something by way of Remembrance, concerning my dear and wel-beloved Mother, who endured the hard pains of Travel for me, and brought me into this World, and Nursed me at her Breast: She being brought near the Gates of Death to most that beheld her at that day, and then did the beloved of her Soul manifest himself unto her, and made her willing to put off, and part with many things which she thought stood in the way; and often in her Life-time, her Expressions were to me, how dearly she had bought me, and what need I had to answer her Love [Page 12]and Care which was over me, with the rest of the Fruit of her Body **only**: And I, being all that am left, the first of her Labours, many times I have been concerned by reason I was not present with her, when she was upon her Dying-Bed: But her Care and Love was over me, as I perceive she did express.
And this I can say, She was never wanting in reproving of Sin in the least appearance in any of us; her Soul loathing and abhorring all manner of Evil wherever it was, either in Servants or Children; and many of her Servants bless the Everlasting God, that ever they came under her Roof on her behalf, being as a tender Nursing-Mother, one whom the Lord had indued with Power from on high, Nourishing, Comforting, Strengthening, exhorting and building up in the most Holy Faith, training up her Children in the way they should walk, and I hope most of them will not depart from Christ.
And for my own part, I have been, as it were raised from the very brink of the Grave, and I am as one of the Monuments of the Lord's Mercy, desiring that Day may never be forgot by me. And when I was in my greatest Calamity, the Thoughts of her from whence I came, was as Marrow to my Bones, blessing the Lord on her behalf, That he was pleas'd to suffer me to spring from such a Root, which brought Honour to his great Name, and the desire of my Heart and Soul is, That we that are her Branches, who are yet left behind, may receive of the same Sap and Virtue from Christ the Root, which will be in us as a Well of Water springing up unto Eternal Life. And it is the Travel of my Spirit in the love of my Heavenly Father, that all Parents would carefully admonish, instruct and reprove their Children, as she did, which would obtain a Blessing from the Lord God upon the Obedient, and it will stand as a Witness against the Disobedient and Rebellious, leaving them without excuse, and add to their Peace and Satisfaction [Page 13]in their own Bosoms, who have so discharged their Duty to their Children.
My dear Mother, tho' but weak of Body, yet formerly was much given to fasting on Religious Accounts, and spending much of her time in private Retirements, fervent Prayers, and praising the Lord, delighting much in Meditations, and like Mary, that Christ said, had chosen that better part, which can never be taken from her; and whilst she had Strength of Body to keep the Meetings, had a word in season suitable to the States and Conditions of many, and a good Instrument in the Lord's Hand to the keeping things sweet, and in good order, relating to Church-Affairs; Father Watson being a suitable Help-meet to her in spiritual Affairs, and tender over her weak Body, and my Soul loves him in the Heavenly Life which will over-ballance all Earthly Treasure.
I might say much of this my dear and tender Mother, how she spent her time in days that are past, and years that are gone, in Supplication, Fasting, Prayer and Alms, not willing to eat her Morsel alone, but distributing freely to those that wanted, and still with that privacy, that, as it's said, (The Left Hand should not know what the Right Hand did,) giving little Sleep to her Eyes, or Slumber to her Eyelids until she had found a place for the God of Jacob to dwell in, and when she had found him whom her Soul loved, she kept upon her Watch-Tower, being ready to enter the Bride-Grooms Chamber at what hour he pleas'd to call.
O the remembrance of this my dear and tender Mother, bows my Heart in Humility, and tenders my Soul, causing me to say, O!thou God of the Righteous grant, that we that are her Offspring, with all thy Flock, may so walk, as that we may receive a part in that everlasting Reward which she hath obtained.
Oh! the loss of so dear and tender a Mother, (which I have with my dear Sisters, who beheld her upon her dying Bed,) is more than I can sufficiently express; and though we Mourn, yet not as without hope, but still my Breathings are, that I with them, and they with me, may be kept faithful to the end of our days, that so we may receive our Penny, and our God shall have the Praise over all, for he is truly worthy, saith my Soul, henceforth and for evermore, Amen.