The Journal of Charles Marshall

Title Page

The Journal,
Together with Sundry
Epistles and other Writings
of
Charles Marshall,

A MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL
IN THE
SOCIETY OF FRIENDS;
WHO DIED IN THE YEAR 1698.

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“Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.” – 1 John ii. 6.

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LONDON:
Printed by
RICHARD BARRETT, 13, MARK LANE.
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1844.

The following excerpt is from a 19th century out-of-print text, to be published in late 2009.

CHAPTER XIX.

An Epistle in the Love of God, to Friends everywhere, [exhorting them to perseverance.]

Dear Friends,

Who have been visited with the morning of the heavenly day of God’s everlasting love, and have seen the clear inshining of the celestial light thereof, through which the ancient, precious way of eternal life is cast up in the view of your understanding; in the sense of which mercy, and inexpressible kindness of the Lord, which unto you hath been largely extended, your hearts have been tendered before him: dear lambs and babes of my Father’s fold, in the bowels of inexpressible dearness is the salutation of my love and life unto you; and in the pure stream of love and life, and precious power of the Lord, I say unto you, walk on in the heavenly path of life, and way of peace; the mark is before, the glorious prize, that all shall obtain that run well. Therefore in the name and power of the everlasting God, cast off every weight and burden that hath hindered or would hinder you, and now walk on towards Zion’s city, the palace of the Great King, where he reigns before his ancients gloriously: shut out all weakening and discouraging thoughts and reasonings, and come away in this the day of the arisings of the glorious, powerful God of heaven and earth, who in this his day is freshly visiting his inheritance, causing his latter, plenteous, sweet rain of love, life and heavenly virtue, to descend abundantly thereon. And therefore, all everywhere, who are convinced of the heavenly truth, in the dread, fear, and pure awe of the Almighty, wait to be capacitated to enjoy what the Lord is now plentifully dispensing, of the increase of his goodness and blessings. And the way to be so capacitated for this precious, spiritual enjoyment, is, diligently to wait upon the Lord, in the inward, sweet, retiredness of the mind and spirit; in the feeling of, and subjecting to that heavenly leaven that leavens the whole three measures; so shall every one come to receive the holy divine dispensings of love, life and nourishing virtue, whereby the inward man grows up in strength and stature, and so comes to have an heavenly place of joy in the mansion-house of the Lord.

So to the heavenly, sweet Comforter, to his teachings, leadings and feedings I commit you all everywhere; and rest in the satisfactory knowledge of the prosperity of the Lord’s work, your brother in the labour tribulation and hope of the gospel of peace,

Charles Marshall.

Postscript.

And dear Friends and Brethren,

The lord hath suffered several trials to arise, since we have been a people, through which there hath been, and is, a sifting and winnowing: but as you grow in the knowledge of Him that is true, and abide in Him that is true, you shall receive a certain understanding to know him that is false; and so be preserved in the word of his patience, from entering into the hour of temptation, that all those fall into that, go from the heavenly into the earthly; in which grows the heady, stubborn, and murmuring birth of sensuality, which is born after the fleshly wisdom, and therein makes war with the birth that is after the Spirit; which the Lord Almighty will debase and consume by the brightness of his appearing, arising and coming, and by the breath of his mouth. And many hearts shall be broken with the joy of the Lord, and overcome in the power of his love, who is arising, ah! mournful Zion, to comfort thee through accomplishing thy spiritual warfare, and laying low the enemies of thy prosperity; causing more and more thy light to come, and break forth as brightness, and the glory of the Lord to arise on thee. Amen, Amen, saith my soul and spirit.

C. M.

To be published in Winter 2009.
See partial, uncorrected preview in PDF format (968 KB).
See also: Excerpts from William Shewen, Meditations & Experiences.

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