TO _______ _______

DEAR FRIEND,

It pleased the Lord to refresh me by thy letter. O how precious and pleasant is it to feel life stirring in God's tender lambs, and their hearts purely breathing towards their Father! O that their joy may be full; and that they might sit safe under the shadow of their beloved, bringing forth the fruits of holiness and righteousness to him, in the pure stillness and rest, for ever. Shall not the clouds fly away? Shall not the blackness of darkness and troubles fix and abide in its own centre; and all sorrow, sighing, and fear of the soul's enemy, vanish from the hearts of all the mourners after, and waiters for, the Lord.

O God, hear the cries of thy poor inwardly distressed, and also outwardly afflicted and persecuted, heritage. Arise against that which stands in the way of their life and peace, and of thy service and glory through them; and let thy powerful presence (which doth great things) be felt in the hearts and assemblings of thy people together; that they may be purified and preserved thereby to dwell in thy courts, to be satisfied with thee, to rejoice in thy goodness, and be far from the fear of evil and transgression; which thou knowest how sorely it hath afflicted <461> them, and bowed down their souls before thee.

O my Father, shall thy lambs live? Wilt thou be with them, a tender Father and a mighty God and Saviour? Wilt thou encourage them concerning all their fears, and carry on thy work of redemption mightily in their hearts? Then shall the glory of thy name be sung, and our God alone exalted in the midst of us for ever. And we will walk in humility and fear before thee, and in tender bowels one towards another all our days; and nothing but life shall reign in us, and appear amongst us, when thou hast perfectly destroyed sin and death out of the midst of us.

Dear friend, my heart is with you in your assemblings; and sometimes the Lord gives me cries for you, that he would appear amongst you, as a refresher of your souls and guider of your paths. And O that he would put forth his mighty hand to slay the enmity and earthly nature (with all the reasonings thereof) in every heart; that the pure seed might spring and prosper in you all, to the praise of that fountain from whose fulness it is, and by whose blessing alone it grows up and prospers.

I am thy friend in dearness and truth of affection,

I. P.

From Aylesbury Jail, 4th of 1st month, 1665