Well, my friend, for a long time hath a love wrought in my heart to your family, and great pity wrought in me many years since, in consideration of the distresses of the years of your childhood; and a secret joy was in me, when it pleased God to end those long German wars, and to restore you in some measure to your former dignities and capacities, wherein you were made capable of serving God in your generation, who had been so gracious to you. And when I heard that thy brother Charles had laid his hand upon God's little heritage in the Palatinate, it grieved my soul for his sake; and I was drawn to go to him at Heydelburg, and in great meekness and fear of God to warn him of God's displeasure, which I felt kindled against him; and this was about the year 1669; and I was constrained to tell him, that as he had stretched out his hand against God's heritage, the Lord would stretch our his hand against his, if he did not cease persecuting the Lord's people for their conscience towards God. And oh, that he had taken counsel in the day of his visitation!
And when I heard that thou didst receive several under thy protection, which were expelled and banished from other places, though I knew their root and ground to be that which would not abide in the day of trial, yet I did rejoice on thy behalf, as believing that it sprang from a tender principle in thee, which was willing, as far as thou knewest, to receive disciples in the name of disciples; and did hope, that in time thou mightest come to have a disciple's reward; and that thou mightest in the end, come to know the revelation of that root and foundation, which hath been the rock of ages to the righteous in all generations.
And, according to this hope, a travail was in my spirit for thee before the Lord, that he, by his divine power, might open thy understanding, to see beyond, and over the offenses and stumbling blocks that some pretenders to high things had cast in thy way, and might learn thereby to cease from man and men, and their words and ways, and might be brought to the holy anointing in thyself, through faith in Jesus Christ, the quickening spirit; that by it thou mightest be taught to know the unchangeable Truth, and how to walk therein with a steadfast and upright heart before the Lord, to his glory and honour, and the good example of those committed to thy care and charge.
And now, according to the inward travail of my soul, a day of visitation is come upon thee from the Lord, and his secret and divine power hath reached thy heart, and hath as it were shaken the earthly foundation, that that which cannot be shaken, might be manifested. And in this tender visitation of God to thy soul, doth my soul rejoice; but my joy is mixed with fear and with a godly jealousy, lest thou shouldst notwithstanding be beguiled for the inheritance prepared for the faithful. And therefore, that I may clear my conscience in God's sight, and answer the tender operations of love, which I feel in my heart towards thee, let me exhort thee to faithfulness to the love of God so manifest unto thee.
And first, I say with the prophet, despise not the day of small things, nor the branch that springs out of a dry ground; for he whose visage is more marred than any man's, is the fountain of treasure to them that believe and obey him. For although the Truth doth not appear in such forms, styles, and methods, and with such drest up articles, confessions and creeds as the divers invented ways of men have done, whose mountains have all of them had hands, first to make them, and then to defend them; yet this stone which is cut from the mountain, and without hands, will in time break down images, the carved, the graven and molten works of men's hands, and then increase and fill the whole earth.
Therefore, I say again, despise not the simple, plain appearance of the light of Christ in thy conscience, as a low thing, or a mean dispensation; for through it, is the knowledge of the Father and of the Son unto eternal life, in all them that believe and obey it; and those that say it is a low and mean thing, let them first learn to be obedient to it, in all its requirings, reprovings and discoveries. And this will stop the mouths of all opposers, who are finding fault with it, as low and mean, and yet walk not up to it.
Secondly, beware of that which would exalt itself in the vision of heavenly things, and take the vision for a possession, as too many have done; but in times of openings and discoveries, keep low, and be of a plain and single heart before the Lord; for the vision is for encouragement, and not for exaltation; but whosoever makes images of those things which they have seen in heaven, will also bow down to them, and endeavour to make others bow too, and thence comes a worse Babel, and a worse idolatry, than that which is set up among them, who never yet saw into heaven, and so can only make images of things on earth, and bow and cause others to bow thereunto. Therefore, if the Lord enlarge thy sight of divine things, by his divine, pure spirit and light in thy inward parts, walk humbly before him in lowliness and fear, that thou mayest feel his gentle leadings to lead thee into the enjoyment and possession of what thou hast seen, that thou then mayest witness forth his praise to the sons and daughters of men.
Thirdly, beware of thy own will, which would run hastily forth after those things which in and by the will of man, cannot be attained; but watch diligently to know thy own will subject to the will of God in all things; for it is now lawful for us to will those things of ourselves, which are good in themselves; but to possess our souls in patience, supported in faith, believing that in God's due time we shall reap, if we faint not. And if the saints had need of patience to wait for the promise, when they had done the will of God, how much need have such to be patience, and to watch the hasty will which would have the promise, and peace, and rest, &c. when they are yet far short of having done the will of God?
And, fourthly, let no man deceive thee; either by puffing thee up, or casting thee down; for it is the Lord that knows the hearts, and not only knows it, but discovereth it, and his discovery is true, and ought to be believed; and no better or worse is any one's state, than just so as it is represented to them by the pure divine light of Christ Jesus in their consciences; and whoever represents them better or worse, are deceivers, or mistaken guides. This is the standard of true knowledge and judgment, that we all must make use of to believe, and be subject to, whenever we would take a true measure of ourselves. This is he that said to some, I have a few things against thee, and to others, I have many things against thee, &c. And this is the minister of the tabernacle of God that is in men, who deals out to every one their proper portion, according to their state, and present condition. This is the voice of the Son by whom God now speaks, and whom all must hear, and they that hear him live: he hath power to cast down, and to raise up, to wound and to heal, to kill and make alive, and so hath no else. Therefore, wait upon him with an upright mind, and wherein thou hast at any time been unfaithful, he will show it, and give thee repentance unto life, and heal thy backsliding, and at last show thee the consolation of her whose warfare is accomplished: but it must be accomplished in thee first, and that by his divine assistance, and through pure judgment; for Sion was always redeemed with judgments, and her converts with righteousness.
Fifthly, beware of the friendship of this world, for it is destructive to the work of God, and is oppressive to his seed; and when his seed cries to him, from under the oppression of the spirit of this world, the Lord will hear, and visit thee in judgment for his seed's sake; and thou wilt want that inward comfort thy soul desires: for in the world's friendship lodgeth, very hiddenly, the real enmity against God; so that when we came but to break off from the outward forms and tokens of the world's friendship, the enmity wrought mightily against us; but the Lord hath crowned his faithful seed and people with dominion and power, and slain the enmity, and led captivity captive, glory be to him for ever and ever. And for this cause is the love of God shed abroad in thy heart, that it might overcome the enmity, and that wherein it lodgeth, that thy soul might reign, through a death to the world, and its glory, over the world, and over the spirit that rules in it; and might tread down the vanity and emptiness thereof, in the dominion of the just; not regarding, but despising the shame and reproach that belong to the gospel, and the present tribulations that may attend it, which are but for a moment, as knowing that they work for the faithful, a far more exceeding weight of glory. So keep thy eye to the recompense, and to the crown which God the righteous judge shall give in that day, when sheep and goats, lovers of this world, and lover of Christ more than all, shall be separated one from another, and the world's lovers shall perish with the world, and Christ's lovers shall reign with him for evermore.
Sixthly, let thy power which God hath given thee in the earth, shine forth in righteousness, in mercy, and in truth; for to that end art thou called, to set forth a good example in the administration of justice, and easing the oppressed, encouraging them that do well, and being a terror to all evil doers; for that end is power in thy hand, in that the giver of it may be honoured; and they that honour God, God will honour. Therefore, wait for wisdom's voice, by whom princes decree justice in the earth, and she will be thy great counselor: and know this, that the glorious power of God by which thy heart and soul is enlightened and quickened, comes not to destroy rule and order in the earth, but to establish justice and righteousness, and take away oppression and violence, the hard heart, that his name may be feared and dreaded on the earth by the sons of men, and his power over all may have dominion.
Thus, dear Friend, have I in simplicity and uprightness discharged what lay upon me in great plainness and openness of heart, desiring the Lord God Almighty may be thy director in all things, and that thou in the innocent seed of life, may be able to understand in thy day, the things of thy peace, and may become an instrument of his praise in the earth, and for the setting forth his great name; and in the end, may have thy portion with the redeemed and sanctified believers and members of that holy head, Jesus Christ, forevermore.
So I remain a lover of thy soul, and of the souls of all men, but especially of such who are come to
a travail in Sion's travail; among whom give the salutation of my tender love to the church of
Holland; and so many as in measure are made partakers of the precious faith that is in Christ Jesus
our Lord; in whom farewell.
Stephen Crisp
1. 1.. Crisp, Stephen. The Christian Experiences, Gospel Labours and Writings of that Ancient Servant of Christ, Stephen Crisp. Philadelphia: Benjamin and Thomas Kite, 1822, pages 287-292.