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diff --git a/75559-0.txt b/75559-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cfeece9 --- /dev/null +++ b/75559-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,22251 @@ + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75559 *** + + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + Transcriber’s Note: + +This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects. +Italics are delimited with the ‘_’ character as _italic_. + +Footnotes have been moved to follow the paragraphs in which they are +referenced. + +Minor errors, attributable to the printer, have been corrected. Please +see the transcriber’s note at the end of this text for details regarding +the handling of any textual issues encountered during its preparation. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + + + THE JOURNAL OF GEORGE FOX. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + EIGHTH EDITION + + OF THE + + JOURNAL OF GEORGE FOX. + + TWO VOLUMES, 5/- NET. + + With Map, recently prepared to accompany same, 6/6 net. + The Map separately, in case, 2/6 net. + + ------- + +“His life well repays study. It is a rich mine, and every page of it +seems to be solid gold. Books now-a-days are spun out, and you get +little after reading much; but _The Journal of George Fox_ contains +ingots of gold—things to be thought on and that will have to be thought +on month by month before you get at the bottom of them.”—CHARLES HADDON +SPURGEON. + + ------- + + LONDON: FRIENDS’ TRACT ASSOCIATION. + + Sold by HEADLEY BROTHERS, 14, Bishopsgate Without, E.C. + + + THE JOURNAL + + OF + + GEORGE FOX; + + BEING AN + + HISTORICAL ACCOUNT + + OF + + HIS LIFE, TRAVELS, SUFFERINGS, AND + CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCES. + + + IN TWO VOLUMES. + VOL. I. + + + ------- + + + _THE EIGHTH (Bi-Centenary) EDITION, reprinted from stereotype plates, + with revised and enlarged indexes._ + + + ------- + + + LONDON: + =Friends’ Tract Association;= + SOLD BY + HEADLEY BROTHERS, + 14, BISHOPSGATE STREET WITHOUT, E.C. + 1901. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + + + HEADLEY BROTHERS, + + PRINTERS, + + LONDON; AND AT ASHFORD, KENT. + + + + + NOTICE TO THE READER. + + ------- + +The present issue of _The Journal of George Fox_ has been printed from +the stereotype plates of the Eighth (Bi-Centenary) Edition, slightly +corrected, and has been furnished with additional particulars of +previous editions of _The Journal_ (see pp. 541-544) and with greatly +enlarged Indexes. + +To accompany this issue, a map has been prepared to show the places +mentioned in _The Journal_, the spelling of the names being mostly taken +from the First Edition. This work has necessitated a considerable amount +of research and enquiry in order to identify some of the more obscure +localities referred to by George Fox. It is hardly to be expected that +the positions of all these, after this lapse of time, will accord with +the judgment of all readers, but it is hoped that the map may promote +the intelligent perusal of these volumes. + +_The Journal_ may be obtained with or without the map (see advertisement +on page ii.). + + NORMAN PENNEY, + _Hon. Sec. Friends’ Tract Association_. + +LONDON, 1901. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + + + INTRODUCTION + + TO THE EIGHTH EDITION. + + +The following Eighth Edition of _The Journal of George Fox_, taken from +the Seventh Edition, as prepared by the late Wilson Armistead, of Leeds, +has been carefully read and collated with the original or First Edition +of that Work. And the reader can be confidently assured, making due +allowance for the translation or omission of a few obsolete expressions, +that the Work is now, in truth and substance, _the same_ as when it was +first printed. A large number of corrections in the spelling of names, +and of other chiefly clerical errors, have also been made, bringing all +down, so far as practicable, into harmony with the usage of the present +date in these respects. + + DANIEL PICKARD. + +LEEDS, 1891. + + + + + INTRODUCTION + + TO THE SEVENTH EDITION. + + + ------- + + +The present re-issue of the _Journal of George Fox_ has, in a great +measure, resulted from the concern of a Friend lately deceased, who was +actively engaged in the last edition, and who provided a handsome sum +towards the further republication of this valuable Testimony to the +Truth. + +Assisted by the above bequest, and prompted by the encouragement of many +Friends, the Editor of this Seventh Edition of the Journal has +endeavoured to increase the usefulness by issuing it in a manner +considerably more adapted, than heretofore, for general usefulness, and +calculated, he hopes, to insure a still more extended circulation. + +In printing from the last edition (which was collated with the first and +third) some further slight improvements in the style have been made, and +redundancies omitted, with an occasional transposition in the +construction of a sentence, or the omission or insertion of a word to +impart clearness to the sense of the author, care being taken in every +instance not in the least to misrepresent his meaning. In addition to +this, the work has now, for the first time, been divided into chapters; +a general table of contents has been supplied; and a considerable number +of Notes, chiefly biographical and historical, have been added, which +must materially increase its interest. + +Though highly approved as a standard work, there is reason to believe +that the _Journal of George Fox_ has not obtained that attention which +its real worth justly demands, even from the members of the Society +which the author was so eminently instrumental in forming. Let those who +have not perused it be induced to make themselves acquainted with its +contents; and may those who are of ability, be stimulated to expend a +portion of their means in promoting the circulation of a work recording +the labours of so eminent a servant of the Lord, concerning whom the +following character was given by one of his contemporaries—not the less +truthful and applicable from having been often quoted—that “He was +indeed a heavenly-minded man, zealous for the name of the Lord, and +preferred the honour of God before all things. He was valiant for the +Truth, bold in asserting it, patient in suffering for it, unwearied in +labouring in it, steady in his testimony to it, immovable as a rock.” + +The many and important truths unfolded in this work, though conveyed in +a style not always suited to the taste of the present day, will, if +patiently and seriously perused, amply compensate the reader, of +whatever denomination, for the time and attention he may bestow upon it. +Sir JAMES MACKINTOSH says, it “Is one of the most extraordinary and +instructive narratives in the world, which no reader of competent +judgment can peruse without revering the virtue of the writer;” and +COLERIDGE in his _Biographia Literaria_ observes: “There exist folios on +the human understanding, and the nature of man, which would have a far +juster claim to their high rank and celebrity, if, in the whole huge +volume, there could be found as much fulness of heart and intellect, as +bursts forth in many a simple page of George Fox.” + +In every point of view, George Fox was a character of no ordinary rank. +Though a stranger to the polish of human learning, he possessed a truly +enlightened mind, connected with sound practical knowledge; and +fearlessly inculcated, amongst persons of all ranks, sentiments and +views on various points, equally conducive to the immediate comfort, and +to the amelioration and advancement of the various classes of civil +society. These views, though then rejected by many as visionary, have +since met with very general acceptance, and in some cases have even +obtained the favourable attention of government. + +But what is of still more importance, he was well taught in the school +of Christ. He was thoroughly versed in the Holy Scriptures, which, to +use his own expression, were “very precious” to him, and he always held +them in high estimation. He firmly believed in the Son of God—in the +atoning efficacy of his sacrifice upon the cross, and in all his offices +and works both _for_ us, and _in_ us; and by obedience to the Light of +Life, the illuminating, renovating power of the Holy Spirit—to Christ in +his spiritual appearance, he realized in himself the benefits conferred +upon mankind by the sufferings and death of the Saviour. By a variety of +preparatory baptisms, he was, on the one hand, given to see the depths +of Satan, and on the other, richly instructed in the mysteries of the +everlasting kingdom of God. Thus trained and exercised he became +abundantly furnished, and qualified to enter upon the arduous service, +to which he believed himself Divinely called; and proved himself to be, +as his _Journal_ largely testifies, “a workman that needed not to be +ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.” + +Contemplating the character of George Fox in this twofold light, the +Editor may, in conclusion, say with his predecessors, that he “indulges +a hope that the history of the author’s life, written by his own hand, +unfolding the energy and operation of that grace by which he was what he +was, will be found interesting to persons of every class, especially to +the really religious of whatever denomination, and still more peculiarly +so to those who profess to believe in the same doctrines he was engaged +so strenuously in preaching. To the promulgation of these doctrines he +steadily devoted upwards of forty years of his life—a life which +exhibited throughout ‘an example of suffering affliction, and of +patience;’ evincing him to be, both in principle and in practice, a +genuine disciple of his crucified LORD—a real CHRISTIAN.” + + W.A. + +P.S.—The Editor is also desirous of directing the special attention of +the reader to the admirable Preface to this work, by William Penn. + +LEEDS, 1852. + + CONTENTS OF VOL. I. + + PAGE. + + THE PREFACE; Being a summary account of the divers dispensations + of God to men, from the beginning of the world to that of our + present age, by the ministry and testimony of his faithful + servant, George Fox, as an introduction to the ensuing Journal. xix. + + + CHAPTER I.—1624-1647.—George Fox’s birth and parentage—his + gravity and piety in youth—apprenticed to a shoemaker, who is + also a grazier, &c.—his integrity in dealing—refuses to drink + healths—his exercises of mind commence—he lives retired—is + tempted to despair—his sorrows continue for some years—has a + sense of Christ’s sufferings—confutes a people who held women + to be devoid of souls—begins to travel on Truth’s account—meets + with Elizabeth Hooton—fasts often, and retires to solitary + places with his Bible—his exercises intermit—sees why none but + Christ could speak to his condition—visits a woman who had + fasted twenty-two days—first declares the Truth at Dukinfield + and Manchester—preaches at a great meeting at Broughton—his + troubles wear off, and he weeps for joy—sees things which + cannot be uttered—is reported to have a discerning + spirit—overcomes his temptations through the power of Christ. 1 + + + CHAPTER II.—1648-1649.—Begins to have great meetings—at Mansfield + he is moved to pray—the Lord’s power so great the house is + shaken—cannot pray in his own will—a temptation besets him that + there is no God, which is dissipated by an inward voice—he + afterwards disputes with and confounds some Atheists—goes to + courts and steeple-houses, &c., to warn against oppression and + oaths—reproves a notorious drunkard, who is reformed—sees who + are the greatest deceivers—shows how people read and understand + the Scriptures—various mysteries are revealed to him—he is sent + to turn people to the Inward Light, Spirit, and Grace, the + Divine Spirit which he infallibly knew would not + deceive—priests and professors rage at these innovations—he + cries for justice in courts and against various wrong + things—denounces the trade of preaching—is sent to preach + freely. 23 + + + CHAPTER III.—1649-1650.—George Fox is first imprisoned at + Nottingham, where the sheriff is convinced—he is liberated and + quiets a distracted woman—he is cruelly treated at + Mansfield-Woodhouse—is taken before the magistrates at + Derby—acknowledges that he is sanctified—is temptingly asked if + he were Christ, which he denies, yet is committed for + blasphemy—his mittimus to Derby prison—writes to the priests of + Derby against preaching for hire, &c.—also against + persecution—to Barton and Bennet, justices, on the same + subject—to Justice Bennet against covetousness—to Justice + Barton, a preacher and a persecutor—to the Mayor of Derby + against persecution and oppression—to the court of Derby + against oaths and oppression—to the bell-ringers of Derby + against vanities and worldly pleasures—his jailer is + convinced—Justice Bennet first gives Friends the name of + Quakers in derision—writes to Friends and others, to open their + understandings, and to direct them to their true Teacher within + themselves—to the convinced people, directing them to internal + silence and to true obedience—an encouragement to the + faithful—to the justices of Derby against persecution, thrice + repeated—to the priests of Derby, on the same subject—to the + justices of Derby, to prize their time, and to depart from + evil—the like to Colonel Barton, justice, and warning of the + plagues and vengeance hanging over the oppressor. 42 + + + CHAPTER IV.—1650-1651.—A trooper visits George Fox from an inward + intimation—declines a commission in the army, and is put in the + dungeon—confutes one who denied Christ’s outward appearance, + from whence a slander is raised against Friends—testifies + against capital punishments for small matters—writes for more + speedy justice to prisoners—intercedes for the life of a young + woman, imprisoned for stealing, who is brought to the gallows, + but reprieved, and afterwards convinced—again refuses to bear + arms, and is committed close prisoner—writes to Barton and + Bennet, justices, against persecution—addresses the convinced + and tender people against hirelings—to the magistrates of Derby + against persecution, and foretelling his own enlargement and + their recompense—is greatly exercised for the wickedness of + Derby—sees the visitation of God’s love pass away from the + town, and writes a lamentation over it—a great judgment fell + upon the town—he is liberated after a year’s + imprisonment—visits Lichfield—preaches repentance through + Doncaster—many dread “the man with leather breeches”—goes to + steeple-houses, as the apostles did to the temples, to bring + people off from them—is denied entertainment, and ill-treated + at some places—refuses to inform against his persecutors—many + are convinced in Yorkshire, amongst others, Richard Farnsworth, + James Naylor, William Dewsbury, Justice Hotham, and Captain + Pursloe. 67 + + + CHAPTER V.—1652.—George Fox visits great men’s houses, warning + them to repent—is accused of calling himself Christ—refutes the + charge, and tells the accuser that Judas’s end would be his, + which shortly came to pass, hence a slander is raised against + Friends—is stoned at Doncaster—a scoffing priest made to + tremble at the Lord’s power—a slandering priest cut off in his + wickedness—a murderous man seeks George Fox, but misses him—he + lays in a wood all night—the influence of one man or woman, who + lives in the same spirit that the prophets and apostles were + in, is to be felt within a circuit of ten miles—George Fox + ascends Pendle Hill, whence he sees the place of a great + gathering of people—on descending, refreshes himself at a + spring of water, having taken little sustenance for several + days—foresees a great people in white raiment about Wensleydale + and Sedbergh—a wicked man designs to injure him, but is + prevented—many are convinced in Dent, and a meeting is settled + at Sedbergh, where he had seen a people in white + raiment—preaches for several hours in the steeple-house yard + there—preaches on a rock, near Firbank chapel, to 1,000 people + for three hours—the family of Judge Fell convinced, and a + meeting settled at his house, and continued for forty + years—preaches through Lancaster streets—at a meeting of + priests at Ulverstone he speaks in great power, so that one of + them said, “the church shook”—disputes with priest + Lampitt—Justice Sawrey is the first persecutor in the + north—forty priests appear against George Fox at Lancaster + Sessions for speaking blasphemy; they are confounded, and he is + cleared of the charge—James Naylor’s account of George Fox’s + trial at Lancaster Sessions—priest Jackus is reproved from the + bench for his blasphemy—these priests are reproved by the + populace—Colonel West defends and protects George Fox against + the machinations of the priests, and the design of Judge + Windham, at the risk of losing his place. 100 + + + CHAPTER VI.—1652-1653.—George Fox is branded by the priests as a + witch—writes to Justice Sawrey, prophesying of the judgments + impending over him—warning to priest Lampitt—exhortation to the + people of Ulverstone—to the followers of Lampitt, against a + hireling ministry, &c.—a rebuke to Adam Sands for his + wickedness—to priest Tatham, against his hireling ministry and + his suing for tithes—foretells the dissolution of the Long + Parliament—fasts ten days—James Milner and Richard Myer create + a schism, which is soon healed—the latter is miraculously + healed of his lameness, but afterwards disobeys the Lord, and + dies not long after—Anthony Pearson, an opposer, is + convinced—the priests are shown to be Antichrist—George Fox + preaches at John Wilkinson’s steeple-house three + hours—admonishes a professor _for praising him_—reproves + Wilkinson for speaking against his conscience—many hundreds are + convinced—discerns an unclean spirit in a woman, and speaks + sharply to her—the like of some other women—speaks sharply to + an envious Baptist—preaches in the steeple house at Carlisle, + where the Lord’s power was such that the people + trembled—committed to Carlisle prison as a blasphemer, heretic, + and seducer—the priests who come to see him are exceedingly + rude—Anthony Pearson’s remonstrance to the Judges of assize + against the unjust imprisonment and detention of George Fox—he + is put in the dungeon, a filthy place, where a woman is found + eaten to death with vermin—here James Parnell visits him—a + challenge to professors to declare their objections to George + Fox’s ministry—it being reported that George Fox was to die for + religion, the Little Parliament write to the sheriff respecting + him—he himself expostulates with Justices Craston and Studholm + on their imprisoning him—A. Pearson and the governor visit the + prison, blame the magistrates, require sureties of the jailer, + and put the under-jailer in the dungeon for his cruelty to + George Fox, who is soon after liberated—George Fox has great + meetings, and _thousands_ are convinced—visits Gilsland, a + noted country for thieving—has a glorious meeting of many + thousands, near Langlands, on the top of a hill—great + convincement in the six northern counties. 145 + + + CHAPTER VII.—1653-1654.—George Fox disputes most of the day with + priest Wilkinson—Many Friends lose their business for declining + the world’s salutations, but afterwards their tried + faithfulness and integrity procure them more than their + neighbours—George Fox issues an address to Friends + everywhere—two persecuting justices at Carlisle are cut off and + a third disgraced—George Fox passes through Halifax, a rude + town of professors—at Synderhill-Green, he has a mighty meeting + of some thousands, and there was a general convincement—about + sixty ministers are now raised up in the north, to travel + towards the south, the east, and the west, in Truth’s + service—George Fox’s address to Friends in the ministry—Rice + Jones and many other false prophets rise up against friends and + are blasted—a wicked man binds himself with an oath to kill + George Fox, but is prevented—great convincement in + Lincolnshire—at Swannington, George Fox has much controversy + with professors—has a great dispute with priest Stevens and + seven other priests at Drayton—his father being present was + convinced, and said, “Truly I see he that will but stand to the + truth it will carry him out”—priest Stevens propagates lies + respecting George Fox, which the Lord swept away—is taken + before Colonel Hacker, who sends him before the + Protector—speaks prophetically to the Colonel—has a friendly + conference with the Protector—is dismissed by him very + friendly—refuses his entertainment—Captain Drury scoffs at + trembling, but is made to tremble in a remarkable manner—George + Fox prays with some officers, who are greatly shaken by the + Lord’s power—priests and professors greatly disturbed because + many of the people are convinced, and moved to declare against + the rest. 184 + + + CHAPTER VIII.—1654-1655.—Address to professors of Christianity + against persecution—to such as follow the world’s fashions—to + the Pope, and all kings, and rulers in Europe, against + persecution—to the justices appointed for trying ministers of + religion, being a testimony against hireling ministers—Samuel + Fisher and others are convinced at a meeting at Romney, where + the Lord’s power is marvellously displayed—a large meeting at + Coggeshall of about two thousand people, which lasted several + hours—many reproaches are cast upon the truth, and lying, + slanderous books published, which are answered, and the truth + set over the gainsayers—to those who scorn trembling and + quaking—great rage is manifested against the truth and Friends, + and their plainness is contemned—to the churches gathered into + outward forms, opening their state and warning of the woes + coming upon them—to the Protector, respecting the imprisonment + of Friends for refusing to take oaths and pay tithes, &c.—to + Friends to offer themselves to lie in prison for a brother or + sister—an encouragement to Friends in their several exercises. 216 + + + CHAPTER IX.—1655-1656.—Friends slandered by Presbyterians and + Independents, suffer much from them and the Baptists for + refusing to pay tithes—the priests hunt after a fallen benefice + like crows after carrion—great miracles wrought through + several—an Independent preacher convinced, but relapses—address + to the convinced in Ireland—a sick woman at Baldock + restored—George Fox parts and reconciles two furious + combatants—to the seven parishes at the Land’s End, + recommending attention to the Inward Light—George Fox parts + with James Naylor, and has a presentiment of his fall—Major + Ceely places George Fox and Edward Pyot under arrest—they are + sent to Launceston jail—put into Doomsdale, and suffer a long + and cruel imprisonment—a paper against swearing—Peter Ceely’s + mittimus—George Fox has great service in jail—many are + convinced and opposers are confounded—experiences some + remarkable preservations—Edward Pyot writes an excellent letter + to Judge Glynne on the liberty of the subject, and on the + injustice and illegality of their imprisonment—Truth spreads in + the west by the very means taken to prevent it—exhortation and + warning to magistrates—answer to the Exeter general warrant for + taking up and imprisoning Friends—exhortation to Friends in the + ministry—warning to priests and professors—cruel jailer + imprisoned in Doomsdale, and further judgments upon him + follow—a Friend offers to lie in prison instead of George + Fox—Edward Pyot to Major General Desborough, in answer to his + conditional offer of liberty—George Fox to the same—he and his + Friends are soon after liberated. 250 + + + CHAPTER X.—1656-1657.—Address to those who are given to pleasures + and wantonness—to the bowlers in Castle-Green at + Launceston—George Fox visits Friends imprisoned at Exeter, + amongst whom is James Naylor, who has apostatized, but + afterwards returned into the Truth—at a meeting in the orchard + at Bristol about ten thousand persons are present—Paul Gwin, a + rude Baptist, creates a disturbance, but is reproved and + silenced—meeting of two or three thousand persons at N. + Crisp’s—Justice Stooks prevents the magistrates from + apprehending George Fox—speaks to the Protector at Hyde Park, + who invites him to his house—accordingly goes to Whitehall, and + speaks to the Protector about Friends’ sufferings—travels + through most parts of the nation after his liberation from + Launceston jail—this year, 1656, there were seldom fewer than + one thousand Friends in prison—to Friends on the schism of J. + Naylor—to Friends to keep up their meetings—on judging the + ministry, &c.—an answer to a high-flown professor—to + professors, priests, and teachers on immediate revelation and + universal grace, &c. &c.—at Cardiff, George Fox sends word to + some who had run out that “the day of their visitation was + over”—at Brecknock, his companion, John-ap-John, preaches in + the streets—at night, there is a great uproar, like that of + Diana’s craftsmen—at William Gandy’s has a large meeting of two + or three thousand persons—Cromwell proclaims a fast for rain, + and is told by George Fox that the drought was a sign of their + barrenness—concerning the true fast and the false—preaches + three hours at a great meeting in Radnorshire, and many are + convinced—their horses are twice robbed of their oats—from a + high hill sounds the day of the Lord, and foretells where God + would raise up a people to himself, which came to pass—travels + through every county in Wales, where there is a brave people, + who sit under Christ’s teaching—has a large meeting on the top + of a hill near Liverpool—at Manchester is taken into custody, + but soon released. 323 + + CHAPTER XI.—1657.—Exhortation to Friends to take heed to the + Light of Christ—an expostulation with persecutors—to Friends to + be valiant for the truth—in parts of Cumberland the priests are + so forsaken that some steeple-houses stand empty—John + Wilkinson, the priest, is so deserted, that he sets up a + meeting in his own house—then a silent meeting, and at last + joins Friends, and becomes an able minister—George Fox travels + into Scotland with Colonel Osburn and Robert Widders—the latter + was a thundering man against the rottenness of the priests’ + hypocrisy and deceit—Lady Hamilton is convinced—the Scotch + priests raise the war-cry, and draw up their curses, which + George Fox answers—they are in a rage and panic when he comes + there, thinking “that all was gone”—some Baptists, with their + logic and syllogisms, are confuted by George Fox’s logic—he is + banished from Scotland by the council, but disregards their + order—George Fox and William Osburn are waylaid by thieves, who + are admonished by the former, and overawed by the Lord’s + power—the Highlanders run at them with pitchforks—at Johnstons + they are banished the town—on hearing that the council of + Edinburgh had issued warrants against him, George Fox goes + thither, and is not molested. 384 + + + CHAPTER XII.—1657-1659.—George Fox journeys from Scotland to + England—dissuades a person from setting up a college at Durham + to make ministers—has a meeting with Rice Jones and his + people—attends a general Yearly Meeting for the whole nation, + held at John Crook’s, which continued three days—address to + Friends in the ministry—disputes with a Jesuit—writes to Lady + Claypole—writes to Cromwell respecting the fast on account of + persecution abroad, whilst there was much of it at home—writes + a reproof to Parliament for their hypocrisy—speaks to the + Protector in Hampton-Court Park about Friends’ sufferings—the + Protector invites Fox to his house—he goes next day, but the + Protector being sick he does not see him—the Protector died + soon after—writes to encourage Friends to faithfulness—has a + foresight of the King’s restoration long before the event + occurred, as well as several others—Friends are disseized of + their copyhold lands for refusing to swear—cautions Friends to + avoid plots, &c.—against bearing arms—great places in the army + are offered to Friends, but invariably refused—priest Townsend + fails to substantiate his charge of error and blasphemy against + George Fox, and is signally defeated—George Fox’s vision of the + city of London is realized—he gives a final warning to those in + authority, before their overthrow. 413 + + + CHAPTER XIII.—1659-1660.—Address to the Cornish people, + respecting shipwrecks—the soldiers at Bristol are punished for + disturbing Friends’ meetings—several thousands attend a general + meeting at Edward Pyot’s—General Monk also restrains his + soldiers—great drunkenness at elections for Parliament-men—the + Yearly Meeting is held at Balby—and a general meeting of + discipline for several counties held at Skipton—a Friend goes + naked (divested of the upper garments) through the town, + declaring truth, and is much abused—general meeting at Arnside + for three counties—George Fox is committed to Lancaster Castle + by Major Porter—writes an answer to his mittimus—Margaret Fell + writes to the magistrates thereon—address on true + religion—against persecution—to Friends, on the change of + government—to Charles II., exhorting him to exercise mercy and + forgiveness towards his enemies, and to restrain + profaneness—the sheriff of Lancashire’s return to George Fox’s + writ of _Habeas Corpus_—M. Fell and Ann Curtis speak to the + King on the subject—the King orders his removal to London by + _Habeas Corpus_, and there sets him at liberty. 456 + + + CHAPTER XIV.—1660-1662.—George Fox writes an epistle of + consolation to Friends unjustly imprisoned in consequence of + the insurrection of the Fifth-Monarchy Men—Friends’ declaration + against war and plots—John Perrot and Charles Bailie create a + schism—some Friends in New England are put to death, a sense + whereof is given to George Fox at the time—the King’s mandamus + to the Governor of New England and others, to restrain them + from executing Friends—the _Battledore_ is published, showing + by examples from thirty languages, that “Thou” and “Thee” are + proper to one person—on true worship—George Fox disputes with + some Jesuits, and with _all_ other sects—John Perrot’s heresy + condemned—on judicial swearing—George Fox and Richard + Hubberthorn write to the King, showing the number of Friends + imprisoned prior to, and during the first year of the + Restoration, and the number who died in prison during the + Commonwealth—Thomas Sharman, jailer at Derby, convinced, and + writes to George Fox—George Fox applies to Lord D’Aubigny on + behalf of two Friends imprisoned in the Inquisition at Malta, + who procures their liberation—the ground and rise of + persecution set forth—great service at _Bristol_, where also he + has a vision—visits Capt. Brown and his wife; the former had + fled from persecution, and was judged in himself, but + afterwards convinced—George Fox and several others are arrested + by Lord Beaumont, and sent to Leicester jail—they are suddenly + liberated—to Friends on the death of Edward Burrough—escapes + from persecutors—Friends established on Christ, the Rock of + Ages. 489 + + + + + THE PREFACE; + + BEING + + A SUMMARY ACCOUNT OF THE DIVERS DISPENSATIONS OF + GOD TO MEN, + +FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD TO THAT OF OUR PRESENT AGE, BY THE + MINISTRY AND TESTIMONY OF HIS FAITHFUL SERVANT, GEORGE FOX, AS AN + INTRODUCTION TO THE ENSUING JOURNAL. + + BY + + WILLIAM PENN. + + + ------------------------------------------------------ + + +Divers have been the dispensations of God since the creation of the +world unto the sons of men; but the great end of all of them has been +the renown of his own excellent name in the creation and restoration of +man: man, the emblem of himself, as a god on earth, and the glory of all +his works. The world began with innocency: all was then good that the +good God had made: and as he blessed the works of his hands, so their +natures and harmony magnified Him their Creator. Then the morning stars +sang together for joy, and all parts of his works said Amen to his law; +not a jar in the whole frame, but man in paradise, the beasts in the +field, the fowl in the air, the fish in the sea, the lights in the +heavens, the fruits of the earth; yea the air, the earth, the water, and +fire worshipped, praised, and exalted his power, wisdom, and goodness! O +holy sabbath! O holy day to the Lord. + +But this happy state lasted not long: for man, the crown and glory of +the whole, being tempted to aspire above his place, unhappily yielded +against command and duty, as well as interest and felicity; and so fell +below it, lost the divine image, the wisdom, power, and purity he was +made in. By which, being no longer fit for paradise, he was expelled +that garden of God, his proper dwelling and residence, and was driven +out, as a poor vagabond, from the presence of the Lord, to wander in the +earth, the habitation of beasts. + +Yet God that made him, had pity on him; for He seeing he was deceived, +and that it was not of malice, or an original presumption in him, but +through the subtilty of the serpent (that had first fallen from his own +state), and by the mediation of the woman, man’s own nature and +companion (whom the serpent had first deluded), in his infinite goodness +and wisdom found out a way to repair the breach, recover the loss, and +restore fallen man again by a nobler and more excellent Adam, promised +to be born of a woman; that as by means of a woman the evil one had +prevailed upon man, by a woman also he should come into the world, who +would prevail against him and bruise his head, and deliver man from his +power; and which, in a signal manner, by the dispensation of the Son of +God in the flesh, in the fulness of time, was personally and fully +accomplished by him, and in him, as man’s Saviour and Redeemer. + +But his power was not limited, in the manifestation of it, to that time; +for both before and since his blessed manifestation in the flesh he has +been the light and life, the rock and strength of all that ever feared +God: present with them in their temptations, he followed them in their +travels and afflictions, and supported and carried them through and over +the difficulties that have attended them in their earthly pilgrimage. By +this, Abel’s heart excelled Cain’s, Seth obtained the pre-eminence, and +Enoch walked with God. It was this that strove with the old world, and +which they rebelled against, and which sanctified and instructed Noah to +salvation. + +But the outward dispensation that followed the benighted state of man, +after his fall, especially among the patriarchs, was generally that of +angels; as the Scriptures of the Old Testament do in many places +express, as to Abraham, Jacob, &c. The next was that of the law by +Moses, which was also delivered by angels, as the apostle tells us. This +dispensation was much outward, and suited to a low and servile state; +called therefore that of a schoolmaster, to point out and prepare that +people to look and long for the Messiah, who would deliver them from the +servitude of a ceremonious and imperfect dispensation, by knowing the +realities of those mysterious representations in themselves. In this +time the law was written on stone, the temple built with hands, attended +with an outward priesthood, and external rites and ceremonies, that were +shadows of the good things that were to come, and were only to serve +till the Seed came, or the more excellent and general manifestation of +Christ, to whom was the promise, and to all men only in him, in whom it +was Yea and Amen; even life from death, immortality and eternal life. + +This the prophets foresaw, and comforted the believing Jews in the +certainty of it; which was the height of the Mosaical dispensation, and +which ended in John’s ministry, the forerunner of the Messiah, as John’s +was finished in him, the fulness of all. And God, that at sundry times +and in divers manners, had spoken to the fathers by his servants the +prophets, spoke then by his Son Christ Jesus, “who is heir of all +things”; being the gospel day, which is the dispensation of sonship; +bringing in thereby a nearer testament and a better hope; even the +beginning of the glory of the latter days, and of the restitution of all +things; yea, the restoration of the kingdom unto Israel. + +Now, the Spirit, that was more sparingly communicated in former +dispensations, began to be “poured forth upon all flesh,” according to +the prophet Joel; and the light that shined in darkness, or but dimly +before, the most gracious God caused to shine out of darkness: and the +day-star began to arise in the hearts of believers, giving unto them the +knowledge of God in the face (or appearance) of his Son Christ Jesus. + +Now, the poor in spirit, the meek, the true mourners, the hungry and +thirsty after righteousness, the peace-makers, the pure in heart, the +merciful, and the persecuted, came more especially in remembrance before +the Lord, and were sought out and blessed by Israel’s true Shepherd. Old +Jerusalem with her children grew out of date, and the New Jerusalem into +request, the mother of the sons of the gospel day. Wherefore no more at +Old Jerusalem, nor at the mountain of Samaria, will God be worshipped, +above other places; for, behold, he is declared and preached a Spirit, +and he will be known as such, and worshipped in the Spirit and in the +Truth. He will come nearer than of old time, and he will write his law +in the heart, and put his fear and Spirit in the inward parts, according +to his promise. Then signs, types, and shadows flew away, the day having +discovered their insufficiency in not reaching to the inside of the cup, +to the cleansing of the conscience; and all elementary services were +expired in and by Him that is the substance of all. + +And to this great and blessed end of the dispensation of the Son of God, +did the apostles testify, whom he had chosen and anointed by his Spirit, +to turn the Jews from their prejudice and superstition, and the Gentiles +from their vanity and idolatry, to Christ’s Light and Spirit that shined +in them; that they might be quickened from the sins and trespasses in +which they were dead, to serve the living God in the newness of the +Spirit of life, and walk as children of the light, and of the day, even +the day of holiness: for such “put on Christ,” the light of the world, +“and make no more provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” +So that the Light, Spirit, and Grace that comes by Christ, and appears +in man, was what the apostles ministered from, and turned people’s minds +unto, and in which they gathered and built up the churches of Christ in +their day. For which cause they advised them not to quench the Spirit, +but wait for the Spirit, and speak by the Spirit, and pray by the +Spirit, and walk in the Spirit too, as that which approved them the +truly begotten children of God; “born, not of flesh and blood, or of the +will of man, but of the will of God;” by doing his will, and denying +their own; by drinking of Christ’s cup, and being baptised with his +baptism of self-denial: the way and path that all the heirs of life have +trod to blessedness. But, alas! even in the apostles’ days, those bright +stars of the first magnitude of the Gospel light, some clouds, +foretelling an eclipse of this primitive glory, began to appear, and +several of them gave early caution of it to the Christians of their +time; that even then there was, and yet would be more and more, a +falling away from the power of godliness, and the purity of that +spiritual dispensation, by such as sought to make a fair show in the +flesh, but with whom the offence of the cross ceased; yet with this +comfortable conclusion, that they saw beyond it a more glorious time +than ever, to the true church. Their sight was true, and what they +foretold to the churches, gathered by them in the name and power of +Jesus, came so to pass: for Christians degenerated apace into outsides, +as days, and meats, and divers other ceremonies. And which was worse, +they fell into strife and contention about them, separating one from +another, then envying, and as they had power, persecuting one another, +to the shame and scandal of their common Christianity, and grievous +stumbling and offence to the heathen, among whom the Lord had so long +and so marvellously preserved them. And having got at last the worldly +power into their hands, by kings and emperors embracing the Christian +profession, they changed what they could, the kingdom of Christ, which +is not of this world, into a worldly kingdom; or at least styled the +worldly kingdom that was in their hands the kingdom of Christ, and so +they became worldly, and not true Christians. Then human inventions and +novelties, both in doctrine and worship, crowded fast into the church; a +door being opened thereunto by the grossness and carnality that appeared +then among the generality of Christians; who had long since left the +guidance of God’s meek and heavenly Spirit, and given themselves up to +superstition, will-worship, and voluntary humility. And as superstition +is blind, so it is heady and furious; for all must stoop to its blind +and boundless zeal, or perish by it: in the name of the Spirit, +persecuting the very appearance of the Spirit of God in others, and +opposing that in them which they resisted in themselves, viz., the +Light, Grace, and Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ; but always under the +notion of innovation, heresy, schism, or some such plausible name. +Though Christianity allows of no name or pretence whatever for +persecuting any man for matters of mere religion; religion being in its +very nature, meek, gentle, and forbearing; and consists of faith, hope, +and charity, which no persecutor can have, whilst he remains a +persecutor; in that a man cannot believe well, or hope well, or have a +charitable or tender regard to another, whilst he would violate his mind +or persecute his body for matters of faith or worship towards his God. + +Thus the false church sprang up, and mounted the chair. But though she +lost her nature, she would keep her good name of the Lamb’s bride, the +true church and mother of the faithful; constraining all to receive her +mark, either in the forehead, or right hand, publicly or privately: but +in deed and in truth she was Mystery, Babylon, the mother of harlots; +mother of those that, with all their show and outside of religion, were +adulterated and gone from the Spirit, nature, and life of Christ, and +grown vain, worldly, ambitious, covetous, cruel, &c., which are the +fruits of the flesh, and not of the Spirit. + +Now it was that the true church fled into the wilderness, that is, from +superstition and violence, to a retired, solitary, and lonely state; +hidden, and as it were out of sight of men, though not out of the world: +which shows that her wonted visibility was not essential to the being of +a true church in the judgment of the Holy Ghost; she being as true a +church in the wilderness, though not as visible and lustrous, as when +she was in her former splendour of profession. In this state many +attempts she made to return, but the waters were yet too high, and her +way blocked up, and many of her excellent children, in several nations +and centuries, fell by the cruelty of superstition, because they would +not fall from their faithfulness to the truth. + +The last age did set some steps towards it, both as to doctrine, +worship, and practice. But practice quickly failed, for wickedness +flowed in a little time, as well among the professors of the +Reformation, as those they reformed from; so that by the fruits of +conversation they were not to be distinguished. And the children of the +reformers, if not the reformers themselves, betook themselves very early +to earthly policy and power to uphold and carry on their reformation, +that had been begun with spiritual weapons; which I have often thought +has been one of the greatest reasons the Reformation made no better +progress, as to the life and soul of religion; for whilst the reformers +were lowly and spiritually minded, and trusted in God, and looked to +him, and lived in his fear, and consulted not with flesh and blood, nor +sought deliverance in their own way, there were daily added to the +church such as, one might reasonably say, should be saved. For they were +not so careful to be safe from persecution, as to be faithful under it, +being more concerned to spread the truth by their faith and patience in +tribulation, than to get the worldly power out of their hands, that +inflicted their sufferings upon them; and it will be well if the Lord +suffer them not to fall by the very same way they took to stand. In +doctrine, they were in some things short; in other things, to avoid one +extreme they ran into another; and for worship, there was, for the +generality, more of man than of God. They owned the Spirit, Inspiration, +and Revelation indeed, and grounded their separation and reformation +upon the sense and understanding they received from it, in the reading +of the Scriptures of Truth; and this was their plea, the Scripture was +the text, the Spirit the interpreter, and that to every one for himself. +But yet there was too much of human invention, tradition, and art, that +remained both in praying and preaching, and of worldly authority and +worldly greatness in their ministers, especially in this kingdom, +Sweden, Denmark, and some parts of Germany. God was therefore pleased +among us, to shift from vessel to vessel: and the next remove humbled +the ministry, so that they were more strict in preaching, devout in +praying, and zealous for keeping the Lord’s day, and catechising +children and servants, and repeating at home in their families what they +had heard in public. + +But even as these grew into power, they were not only for whipping some +out, but others into the temple; and they appeared rigid in their +spirits, rather than severe in their lives, and more for a party than +for piety; which brought forth another people, that were yet more +retired and select. They would not communicate at large, or in common +with others; but formed churches among themselves of such as could give +some account of their conversion, at least of very promising experiences +of the work of God’s grace upon their hearts, and under mutual +agreements and covenants of fellowship they kept together. These people +were somewhat of a softer temper, and seemed to recommend religion by +the charms of its love, mercy, and goodness, rather than by the terrors +of its judgments and punishments; by which the former party would have +terrified people into religion. + +They also allowed greater liberty to prophesy than those before them; +for they admitted any member to speak or pray, as well as their pastor +(whom they always chose, and not the civil magistrate), if such found +anything pressing upon them to either duty, even without the distinction +of clergy or laity; persons of any trade, be it never so low and +mechanical. But alas! even these people suffered great loss: for tasting +of worldly empire, and the favour of princes, and the gain that ensued, +they degenerated but too much. For though they had cried down national +churches, and ministry, and maintenance too, some of them, when it was +their own turn to be tried, fell under the weight of worldly honour and +advantage, got into profitable parsonages too much, and outlived and +contradicted their own principles: and which was yet worse, turned some +of them absolute persecutors of other men for God’s sake, that but so +lately came themselves out of the furnace; which drove many a step +farther, and that was into the water—another baptism, as believing they +were not scripturally baptized; and hoping to find that presence and +power of God in submitting to that ordinance, which they desired and +wanted. + +These people made also profession of neglecting, if not renouncing, and +censuring, not only the necessity but use of all human learning as to +the ministry; and all other qualifications to it, besides the helps and +gifts of the Spirit of God, and those natural and common to men; and for +a time they seemed like John of old, a burning and a shining light to +other societies. + +They were very diligent, plain, and serious, strong in Scripture, and +bold in profession, bearing much reproach, and contradiction: but that +which others fell by, proved their hurt. For worldly power spoiled them +too; who had enough of it to try them, what they would do if they had +more; and they rested also too much upon their watery dispensation, +instead of passing on more fully to the fire and Holy Ghost, which was +his baptism, who came with a “fan in his hand that he might thoroughly +(and not in part only) purge his floor,” and take away the dross and the +tin of his people, and make a man finer than gold. Withal, they grew +high, rough, and self-righteous, opposing further attainment; too much +forgetting the day of their infancy and littleness, which gave them +something of a real beauty; insomuch that many left them, and all +visible churches and societies, and wandered up and down, as sheep +without a shepherd, and as doves without their mates; seeking their +beloved, but could not find Him (as their souls desired to know him) +whom their souls loved above their chiefest joy. + +These people were called Seekers by some, and the Family of Love by +others; because, as they came to the knowledge of one another, they +sometimes met together, not formally to pray or preach, at appointed +times or places, in their own wills, as in times past they were +accustomed to do; but waited together in silence, and as anything rose +in any one of their minds that they thought savoured of a divine spring, +so they sometimes spoke. But so it was, that some of them not keeping in +humility, and in the fear of God, after the abundance of revelation, +were exalted above measure; and for want of staying their minds in an +humble dependence upon Him that opened their understandings to see great +things in his law, they ran out in their own imaginations, and mixing +them with those divine openings, brought forth a monstrous birth, to the +scandal of those that feared God, and waited daily in the temple not +made with hands, for the consolation of Israel; the Jew inward, and +circumcision in spirit. + +This people obtained the name of Ranters, from their extravagant +discourses and practices. For they interpreted Christ’s fulfilling of +the law for us, to be a discharging of us from any obligation and duty +the law required, instead of the condemnation of the law for sins past, +upon faith and repentance; and that now it was no sin to do that which +before it was a sin to commit, the slavish fear of the law being taken +off by Christ, and all things good that man did, if he did but do them +with the mind and persuasion that it was so. Insomuch that divers fell +into gross and enormous practices; pretending in excuse thereof that +they could, without evil, commit the same act which was sin in another +to do; thereby distinguishing between the action and the evil of it, by +the direction of the mind, and intention in the doing of it. Which was +to make sin superabound by the aboundings of grace, and to turn from the +grace of God into wantonness, a securer way of sinning than before; as +if Christ came not to take away sin, but that we might sin more freely +at his cost, and with less danger to ourselves. I say, this ensnared +divers, and brought them to an utter and lamentable loss, as to their +eternal state; and they grew very troublesome to the better sort of +people, and furnished the looser with an occasion to profane. + +It was about that very same time, as you may see in the ensuing annals, +that the eternal, wise, and good God was pleased, in his infinite love, +to honour and visit this benighted and bewildered nation with his +glorious dayspring from on high; yea, with a most sure and certain sound +of the Word of Light and Life, through the testimony of a chosen vessel, +to an effectual and blessed purpose, can many thousands say, Glory be to +the name of the Lord for ever! + +For as it reached the conscience and broke the heart, and brought many +to a sense and search, so what people had been vainly seeking _without_, +with much pains and cost, they by this ministry found _within_; where it +was they wanted what they sought for, viz., the right way to peace with +God. For they were directed to the Light of Jesus Christ within them, as +the seed and leaven of the kingdom of God; near all, because _in_ all, +and God’s talent to all; a faithful and true witness and just monitor +_in_ every bosom; the gift and grace of God to life and salvation, that +appears to all, though few regard it. This, the traditional Christian, +conceited of himself, and strong in his own will and righteousness, and +overcome with blind zeal and passion, either despised as a low and +common thing, or opposed as a novelty, under many hard names or +opprobrious terms; denying, in his ignorant and angry mind, any fresh +manifestation of God’s power and Spirit in man in these days, though +never more needed to make true Christians: not unlike those Jews of old, +that rejected the Son of God at the very same time that they blindly +professed to wait for the Messiah to come; because, alas, he appeared +not among them according to their carnal mind and expectation. + +This brought forth many abusive books, which filled the greater sort +with envy, and lesser with rage, and made the way and progress of this +blessed testimony strait and narrow indeed to those that received it. +However, God owned his own work, and this testimony did effectually +reach, gather, comfort, and establish, the weary and heavy laden, the +hungry and thirsty, the poor and needy, the mournful and sick of many +maladies, that had spent all upon physicians of no value, and waited for +relief from heaven; help only from above: seeing, upon a serious trial +of all things, nothing else would do but Christ himself, the light of +his countenance, a touch of his garment, and help from his hand, who +cured the poor woman’s issue, raised the centurion’s servant, the +widow’s son, the ruler’s daughter, and Peter’s mother; and like her, +they no sooner felt his power and efficacy upon their souls, than they +gave up to obey him in a testimony to his power, and with resigned wills +and faithful hearts, through all mockings, contradictions, beatings, +prisons, and many other jeopardies that attended them for his blessed +name’s sake. + +And truly, they were very many and very great; so that in all human +probability they must have been swallowed up quick of the proud and +boisterous waves that swelled and beat against them; but that the God of +all their tender mercies was with them in his glorious authority, so +that the hills often fled and the mountains melted before the power that +filled them; working mightily for them, as well as in them, one ever +following the other. By which they saw plainly, to their exceeding great +confirmation and comfort, “that all things were possible with him with +whom they had to do.” And that the more that which God required seemed +to cross man’s wisdom, and expose them to man’s wrath, the more God +appeared to help and carry them through all to his glory; insomuch that +if ever any people could say in truth, “Thou art our sun and our shield, +our rock and sanctuary, and by thee we have leaped over a wall, and by +thee we have run through a troop, and by thee we have put the armies of +the aliens to flight,” these people had right to say it. And as God had +delivered their souls of the wearisome burdens of sin and vanity, and +enriched their poverty of spirit, and satisfied their great hunger and +thirst after eternal righteousness, and filled them with the good things +of his own house, and made them stewards of his manifold gifts; so they +went forth to all quarters of these nations, to declare to the +inhabitants thereof, what God had done for them; what they had found, +and where and how they had found it; viz., the way to peace with God; +inviting them to come and see and taste for themselves, the truth of +what they declared unto them. + +And as their testimony was to the principle of God in man, the precious +pearl and leaven of the kingdom, as the only blessed means appointed of +God to quicken, convince, and sanctify man; so they opened to them what +it was in itself, and what it was given to them for; how they might know +it from their own spirit, and that of the subtle appearance of the evil +one; and what it would do for all those, whose minds are turned off from +the vanity of the world and its lifeless ways and teachers, and adhere +to this blessed light in themselves, which discovers and condemns sin in +all its appearances, and shows how to overcome it, if minded and obeyed +in its holy manifestations and convictions; giving power to such to +avoid and resist those things that do not please God, and to grow strong +in love, faith, and good works; that so man, whom sin hath made as a +wilderness, overrun with briars and thorns, might become as the garden +of God, cultivated by his Divine power, and replenished with the most +virtuous and beautiful plants of God’s own right hand planting, to his +eternal praise. + +But these experimental preachers of glad tidings of God’s truth and +kingdom, could not run when they list, or pray or preach when they +pleased, but as Christ their Redeemer prepared and moved them by his own +blessed Spirit, for which they waited in their services and meetings, +and spoke as that gave them utterance, and which was as those having +authority, and not like the dreaming, dry, and formal Pharisees. And so +it plainly appeared to the serious-minded, whose spiritual eye the Lord +Jesus had in any measure opened; so that to one was given the word of +exhortation, to another the word of reproof, to another the word of +consolation, and all by the same Spirit and in the good order thereof, +to the convincing and edifying of many. + +And truly they waxed strong and bold through faithfulness; and by the +power and Spirit of the Lord Jesus became very fruitful; thousands, in a +short time, being turned to the Truth through their testimony in +ministry and sufferings, insomuch as in most counties, and many of the +considerable towns of England, meetings were settled, and daily there +were added such as should be saved. For they were diligent to plant and +to water, and the Lord blessed their labours with an exceeding great +increase; notwithstanding all the opposition made to their blessed +progress, by false rumours, calumnies, and bitter persecutions; not only +from the powers of the earth, but from every one that listed to injure +and abuse them; so that they seemed indeed to be as poor sheep appointed +to the slaughter, and as a people killed all the day long. + +It were fitter for a volume than a preface, but so much as to repeat the +contents of their cruel sufferings from professors as well as from +profane, and from magistrates as well as from the rabble, that it may +well be said of this abused and despised people, they went forth weeping +and sowed in tears, bearing testimony to the precious seed, the seed of +the kingdom, which stands not in words, the finest, the highest that +man’s wit can use, but in power; the power of Christ Jesus, to whom God +the Father hath given all power in heaven and in earth, that he might +rule angels above, and men below; who empowered them, as their work +witnesseth, by the many that were turned through their ministry from +darkness to the light, and out of the broad into the narrow way, +bringing people to a weighty, serious, and godly conversation; the +practice of that doctrine which they taught. + +And as without this secret Divine power there is no quickening and +regenerating of dead souls, so the want of this generating and begetting +power and life, is the cause of the little fruit that the many +ministries that have been, and are in the world, bring forth. O that +both ministers and people were sensible of this! My soul is often +troubled for them, and sorrow and mourning compass me about for their +sakes. O that they were wise! O that they would consider, and lay to +heart the things that truly and substantially make for their lasting +peace! + +Two things are to be briefly touched upon; the doctrine they taught, and +the example they led among the people. I have already touched upon their +fundamental principle, which is as the corner-stone of their fabric; and +to speak eminently and properly, their characteristic, or main +distinguishing point or principle, viz., the Light of Christ within, as +God’s gift for man’s salvation. This, I say, is as the root of the +goodly tree of doctrines that grew and branched out from it, which I +shall now mention in their natural and experimental order. + +First, Repentance from dead works to serve the living God; which +comprehends three operations, first, a sight of sin; secondly, a sense +and godly sorrow for it; thirdly, an amendment for the time to come. +This was the repentance they preached and pressed, and a natural result +from the principle they turned all people unto. For of light came sight; +and of sight came sense and sorrow; and of sense and sorrow came +amendment of life; which doctrine of repentance leads to justification; +that is, forgiveness of the sins that are past, through Christ, the +alone propitiation; and to the sanctification or purgation of the soul +from the defiling habits of sin present; which is justification in the +complete sense of that word; comprehending both justification from the +guilt of the sins that are past, as if they had never been committed, +through the love and mercy of God in Christ Jesus; and the creature’s +being made inwardly just through the cleansing and sanctifying power and +Spirit of Christ revealed in the soul which is commonly called +sanctification. + +From hence sprang a second doctrine they were led to declare, as the +mark of the prize of the high calling of all true Christians, viz., +perfection from sin, according to the Scriptures of Truth, which testify +it to be the end of Christ’s coming, the nature of his kingdom, and for +which his Spirit was given. But they never held a perfection in wisdom +and glory in this life, or from natural infirmities or death, as some +have with a weak or ill mind, imagined and insinuated against them. + +This they called a redeemed state, regeneration, or the new birth; +teaching everywhere, according to their foundation, that unless this +work were known, there was no inheriting of the kingdom of God. + +Third, to an acknowledgment of eternal rewards and punishments, as they +have good reason; for else of all people, certainly they must be the +most miserable; who for about forty years have been exceedingly great +sufferers for their profession, and in some cases, treated worse than +the worst of men, yea, as the refuse and offscouring of all things. + +This was the purport of their doctrine and ministry; which, for the most +part, is what other professors of Christianity pretend to hold in words +and forms, but not in the _power_ of godliness; that has been long lost +by men’s departing from that principle and Seed of Life that is in man, +and which man has not regarded, but lost the sense of; and in and by +which only he can be quickened in his mind to serve the living God in +newness of life. For as the life of religion was lost, and the +generality lived and worshipped God after their own wills, and not after +the will of God, nor the mind of Christ, which stood in the works and +fruits of the Holy Spirit; so that which they pressed, was not notion, +but experience, not formality, but godliness; as being sensible in +themselves, through the work of God’s righteous judgments, that without +holiness no man should ever see the Lord with comfort. + +Besides these doctrines, and out of them, as the larger branches, there +sprang forth several particular doctrines, that did exemplify and +further explain the truth and efficacy of the general doctrine before +observed, in their lives and examples. As, + +I. Communion and loving one another. This is a noted mark in the mouth +of all sorts of people concerning them. “They will meet, they will help +and stick one to another.” Whence it is common to hear some say, “Look +how the Quakers love and take care of one another.” Others less moderate +will say, “The Quakers love none but themselves”; and if loving one +another, and having an intimate communion in religion, and constant care +to meet to worship God and help one another, be any mark of primitive +Christianity, they had it, blessed be the Lord, in an ample manner. + +II. To love enemies. This they both taught and practised; for they did +not only refuse to be revenged for injuries done them, and condemned it +as of an unchristian spirit, but they did freely forgive, yea, help and +relieve those that had been cruel to them, when it was in their power to +have been even with them; of which many and singular instances might be +given; endeavouring, through patience, to overcome all injustice and +oppression, and preaching this doctrine as Christian for others to +follow. + +III. The sufficiency of truth speaking, according to Christ’s own form +of words, of Yea, Yea, and Nay, Nay, among Christians without swearing, +both from Christ’s express prohibition, “Swear not at all,” Matt. v.; +and for that they being under the tie and bond of truth in themselves +there was both no necessity for an oath, and it would be a reproach to +their Christian veracity to assure their truth by such an extraordinary +way of speaking; but offering at the same time, to be punished to the +full, for false speaking, as others for perjury, if ever guilty of it; +and hereby they exclude with all true, all false and profane swearing; +for which the land did and doth mourn, and the great God was and is not +a little offended with it. + +IV. Not fighting but suffering, is another testimony peculiar to this +people; they affirm that Christianity teacheth people “to beat their +swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks, and to +learn war no more,” so that the wolf may lie down with the lamb, and the +lion with the calf, and nothing that destroys be entertained in the +hearts of people; exhorting them to employ their zeal against sin, and +turn their anger against Satan, and no longer war one against another; +because all wars and fightings come of men’s own hearts’ lusts, +according to the apostle James, and not of the meek spirit of Christ +Jesus, who is captain of another warfare, and which is carried on with +other weapons. Thus, as truth-speaking succeeded swearing, so faith and +truth succeeded fighting, in the doctrine and practice of this people. +Nor ought they for this to be obnoxious to civil government, since if +they cannot fight for it, neither can they fight against it; which is no +mean security to the state; nor is it reasonable that people should be +blamed for not doing more for others than they can do for themselves. +And Christianity set aside, if the costs and fruits of war were well +considered, peace, with its inconveniences, is generally preferable. But +though they were not for fighting, they were for submitting to +government; and that, not only for fear, but for conscience’ sake, where +government doth not interfere with conscience; believing it to be an +ordinance of God, and where it is justly administered, a great benefit +to mankind; though it has been their lot, through blind zeal in some, +and interest in others, to have felt the strokes of it with greater +weight and rigour than any other persuasion in this age; whilst they, of +all others (religion set aside) have given the civil magistrate the +least occasion of trouble in the discharge of his office. + +V. Another part of the character of this people is, they refuse to pay +tithes, or maintenance to a national ministry, and that for two reasons; +the one is, that they believe all compelled maintenance, even to gospel +ministers, to be unlawful, because expressly contrary to Christ’s +command, who said, “Freely you have received, freely give;” at least +that the maintenance of gospel ministers should be free, and not forced. +The other reason of their refusal is, because those ministers are not +gospel ones, in that the Holy Ghost is not their foundation, but human +arts and parts; so that it is not matter of humour or sullenness, but +pure conscience towards God, that they cannot help to support national +ministries where they dwell, which are but too much and too visibly +become ways of worldly advantage and preferment. + +VI. Not to respect persons, was another of their doctrines and +practices, for which they were often buffeted and abused. They affirmed +it to be sinful to give flattering titles, or to use vain gestures and +compliments of respect; though to virtue and authority they ever made a +difference, but after their plain and homely manner, yet sincere and +substantial way; well remembering the example of Mordecai and Elihu, but +more especially the command of their Lord and Master Jesus Christ who +forbade his followers to call men Rabbi, which implies lord and master, +also the fashionable greetings and salutations of those times; that so +self-love and honour, to which the proud mind of man is incident, in his +fallen estate, might not be indulged but rebuked. + +VII. They also used the plain language of Thou and Thee, to a single +person, whatever was his degree among men. And indeed the wisdom of God +was much seen, in bringing forth this people in so plain an appearance; +for it was a close and distinguishing test upon the spirit of those they +came among; showing their insides and what predominated, notwithstanding +their high and great profession of religion. This, among the rest, +sounded so harsh to many of them, and they took it so ill, that they +would say, “Thou me, thou my dog; if thou thouest me, I’ll thou thy +teeth down thy throat,” forgetting the language they use to God in their +own prayers, and the common style of the Scriptures, and that it is an +absolute and essential propriety of speech; and what good had their +religion done them, who were so sensibly touched with indignation for +the use of this plain, honest, and true speech? + +VIII. They recommended silence by their example, having very few words +upon all occasions; they were at a word in dealing; nor could their +customers with many words tempt them from it; having more regard to +truth than custom, to example than gain. They sought solitude; but when +in company, they would neither use, nor willingly hear, unnecessary as +well as unlawful discourses; whereby they preserved their minds pure and +undisturbed from unprofitable thoughts and diversions; nor could they +humour the custom of “Good night, Good morrow, God speed;” for they knew +the night was good, and the day was good, without wishing of either; and +that in the other expression, the holy name of God was too lightly and +unthinkingly used, and therefore taken in vain. Besides, they were words +and wishes of course, and are usually as little meant, as are love and +service in the custom of cap and knee; and superfluity in those, as well +as in other things, was burdensome to them; and therefore they did not +only decline to use them, but found themselves often pressed to reprove +the practice. + +IX. For the same reason they forbore drinking to people, or pledging of +them, as the manner of the world is; a practice that is not only +unnecessary, but they thought evil in the tendencies of it; being a +provocation to drinking more than did people good, as well as that it +was in itself vain and heathenish. + +X. Their way of marriage is peculiar to them; and is a distinguishing +practice from all other societies professing Christianity. They say that +marriage is an ordinance of God, and that God only can rightly join man +and woman in marriage. Therefore they use neither priest nor magistrate, +but the man and woman concerned, take each other as husband and wife, in +the presence of divers credible witnesses, “promising unto each other, +with God’s assistance, to be loving and faithful in that relation, till +death shall separate them.” But, antecedent to all this, they first +present themselves to the Monthly Meeting for the affairs of the church, +where they reside, there declaring their intentions to take one another +as man and wife, if the said meeting have nothing material to object +against it. They are constantly asked the necessary questions,[A] as in +case of parents, or guardians, if they have acquainted them with their +intention, and have their consent, &c. In case it appears they proceeded +orderly, the meeting passes their proposal, and so records it in their +meeting book; and in case the woman is a widow and hath children, due +care is there taken, that provision also be made by her for the orphans +before the said marriage; advising the parties concerned to appoint a +convenient time and place, and to give fitting notice to their +relations, and such friends and neighbours, as they desire should be the +witnesses of their marriage: where they take one another by the hand, +and by name promising reciprocally after the manner before expressed. Of +all which proceedings, a narrative, in the way of certificate, is made, +to which the said parties first set their hands, thereby making it their +act and deed; and then divers of the relations, spectators, and auditors +set their names as witnesses of what they said and signed; which +certificate is afterward registered in the record belonging to the +meeting where the marriage is solemnized. Which regular method has been, +as it deserves, adjudged in courts of law a good marriage where it has +been disputed and contested, for want of the accustomed formality of +priest and ring, &c., which ceremonies they have refused, not out of +humour, but conscience reasonably grounded, inasmuch as no Scripture +example tells us, that the priest had any other part of old time, than +that of a witness among the rest, before whom the Jews used to take one +another: and therefore this people look upon it as an imposition, to +advance the power and profits of the clergy. And for the use of the +ring, it is enough to say, that it was a heathenish and vain custom, and +never in practice among the people of God, Jews, or primitive +Christians. The words of the usual form, as “With my body I thee +worship,” &c., are hardly defensible: in short, they are more careful, +exact, and regular than any form now used, and it is free from the +inconveniences other methods are attended with; their care and checks +being so many, and such, that no clandestine marriages can be performed +among them. + +XI. It may not be unfit to say something here of their births and +burials, which make up so much of the pomp and solemnity of too many +called Christians. For births, the parents name their own children, +which is usually some days after they are born, and afterward sign a +certificate, for that purpose prepared, of the birth and name of the +child, or children, which is recorded in a proper book, in the Monthly +Meeting, to which the parents belong; avoiding the accustomed ceremonies +and festivals. + +XII. Their burials are performed with the same simplicity. If the corpse +of the deceased be near any public meeting place, it is usually carried +thither, for the more convenient reception of those that accompany it to +the ground they bury in, and it so falls out sometimes, that while the +meeting is gathering for the burial, some or other have a word of +exhortation, for the sake of the people there met together: after which, +the body is borne away by the young men, or those that are of their +neighbourhood, or that were most intimate with the deceased party: the +corpse being in a plain coffin, without any covering or furniture upon +it. At the ground, they pause some time before they put the body into +its grave, that if any there should have anything upon them to exhort +the people, they may not be disappointed, and that the relations may the +more retiredly and solemnly take their last leave of the corpse of their +departed kindred, and the spectators have a sense of mortality, by the +occasion then given them to reflect upon their own latter end. Otherwise +they have no set rites or ceremonies on those occasions; neither do the +kindred of the deceased wear mourning, they looking upon it as a worldly +ceremony and piece of pomp; and that what mourning is fit for a +Christian to have, at the departure of a beloved relation or friend, +should be worn in the mind, which is only sensible of the loss; and the +love they had to them, and remembrance of them, to be outwardly +expressed by a respect to their advice, and care of those they have left +behind them, and their love of that they loved. Which conduct of theirs, +though unmodish or unfashionable, leaves nothing of the substance of +things neglected or undone; and as they aim at no more, so that +simplicity of life is what they observe with great satisfaction, though +it sometimes happens not to be without the mockeries of the vain world +they live in. + +These things gave them a rough and disagreeable appearance with the +generality; who thought them turners of the world upside down, as indeed +in some sense they were: but in no other than that wherein Paul was so +charged, viz., to bring things back into their primitive and right order +again. For these, and such like practices of theirs, were not the result +of humour, as some have fancied, but a fruit of inward sense, which God, +through his fear, had begotten in them. They did not consider how to +contradict the world, or distinguish themselves; being none of their +business, as it was not their interest; no, it was not the result of +consultation, or a framed design to declare or recommend schism or +novelty. But God having given them a sight of themselves, they saw the +whole world in the same glass of truth; and sensibly discerned the +affections and passions of men, and the rise and tendency of things; +what gratified “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the +pride of life, which are not of the Father, but of the world.” And from +thence sprang, in that night of darkness and apostacy, which hath been +over people, through their degeneration from the Light and Spirit of +God, these and many other vain customs; which are seen, by the heavenly +day of Christ which dawns in the soul, to be, either wrong in their +original, or, by time and abuse, hurtful in their practice. And though +these things seemed trivial to some, and rendered this people stingy and +conceited in such persons’ opinions; there was and is more in them than +they were aware of. It was not very easy to our primitive Friends to +make themselves sights and spectacles, and the scorn and derision of the +world; which they easily foresaw must be the consequence of so +unfashionable a conversation in it. But herein was the wisdom of God +seen in the foolishness of these things; first, that they discovered the +satisfaction and concern that people had in and for the fashions of this +world, notwithstanding their pretences to another; in that any +disappointment about them came so very near them, that the greatest +honesty, virtue, wisdom, and ability were unwelcome without them. +Secondly, it seasonably and profitably divided conversation; for making +their society uneasy to their relations and acquaintance, it gave them +the opportunity of more retirement and solitude, wherein they met with +better company, even the Lord God, their Redeemer, and grew strong in +his love, power, and wisdom, and were thereby better qualified for his +service; and the success abundantly showed it: blessed be the name of +the Lord. + +And though they were not great and learned in the esteem of this world +(for then they had not wanted followers upon their own credit and +authority), yet they were generally of the most sober of the several +persuasions they were in, and of the most repute for religion; and many +of them of good capacity, substance, and account among men. + +And also some among them neither wanted for parts, learning, nor estate; +though then, as of old, not many wise, nor noble, &c., were called, or +at least received the heavenly call; because of the cross that attended +the profession of it in sincerity; but neither do parts or learning make +men the better Christians, though the better orators and disputants; and +it is the ignorance of people about the divine gift that causes that +vulgar and mischievous mistake. Theory and practice, expression and +enjoyment; words and life; are two things. O! it is the penitent, the +reformed, the lowly, the watchful, the self-denying and holy soul that +is the Christian; and that frame is the fruit and work of the Spirit, +which is the life of Jesus; whose life, though hid in God the Father, is +shed abroad in the hearts of them that truly believe. O! that people did +but know this to cleanse them, to circumcise them, to quicken them, and +to make them new creatures indeed; re-created, or re-generated after +Christ Jesus unto good works; that they might live to God and not to +themselves; and offer up living prayers and living praises to the living +God, through his own living Spirit, in which he is only to be worshipped +in this gospel day. O! that they that read me could but feel me; for my +heart is affected with this merciful visitation of the Father of Lights +and Spirits, to this poor nation, and the whole world, through the same +testimony. Why should the inhabitants thereof reject it? Why should they +lose the blessed benefit of it? Why should they not turn to the Lord +with all their hearts, and say, from the heart, “Speak, Lord, for now +thy poor servants hear? O! that thy will may be done, thy great, thy +good and holy will, in earth as it is in heaven: do it in us, do it upon +us, do what thou wilt with us, for we are thine and desire to glorify +thee our Creator, both for that, and because thou art our Redeemer; for +thou art redeeming us from the earth; from the vanities and pollutions +of it, to be a peculiar people unto thee.” O! this were a brave day for +England, if so she could say in truth. But alas, the case is otherwise, +for which some of thine inhabitants, O land of my nativity I have +mourned over thee with bitter wailing and lamentation. Their heads have +been indeed as waters, and their eyes as fountains of tears, because of +thy transgression and stiffneckedness; because thou wilt not hear and +fear, and return to the Rock, even thy Rock, O England! from whence thou +wert hewn. But be thou warned, O land of great profession, to receive +him into thy heart; behold at that door it is, he hath stood so long +knocking, but thou wilt yet have none of him. O! be thou awakened, lest +Jerusalem’s judgments do swiftly overtake thee, because of Jerusalem’s +sins that abound in thee. For she abounded in formality, but made void +the weighty things of God’s law, as thou daily doest. + +She withstood the Son of God in the flesh, and thou resistest the Son of +God in the Spirit. He would have gathered her as a hen gathereth her +chickens under her wings, and she would not; so would he have gathered +thee out of thy lifeless profession, and have brought thee to inherit +substance, to have known his power and kingdom, for which he often +knocked within by his grace and Spirit, and without, by his servants and +witnesses; but thou wouldst not be gathered. On the contrary, as +Jerusalem of old persecuted the manifestation of the Son of God in the +flesh, and crucified him, and whipped and imprisoned his servants; so +hast thou, O land, crucified to thyself afresh the Lord of life and +glory, and done despite to his Spirit of grace; slighting the fatherly +visitation, and persecuting the blessed dispensers of it by thy laws and +magistrates; though they have early and late pleaded with thee in the +power and Spirit of the Lord; in love and meekness, that thou mightest +know the Lord and serve him, and become the glory of all lands. + +But thou hast evilly entreated and requited them. Thou hast set at +naught all their counsel, and wouldst have none of their reproof, as +thou shouldst have done. Their appearance was too strait, and their +qualifications were too mean for thee to receive them; like the Jews of +old, that cried, “Is not this the carpenter’s son, and are not his +brethren among us; which of the scribes, of the learned, (the orthodox) +believe in him?” prophesying their fall in a year or two, and making and +executing severe laws to bring it to pass; by endeavouring to terrify +them out of their holy way, or destroying them for abiding faithful to +it. But thou hast seen how many governments that rose against them, and +determined their downfall, have been overturned and extinguished, and +that they are still preserved, and become a great and a considerable +people among the middle sort of thy numerous inhabitants. And +notwithstanding the many difficulties, without and within, which they +have laboured under, since the Lord God Eternal first gathered them, +they are an increasing people, the Lord still adding unto them, in +divers parts, such as shall be saved, if they persevere to the end. And +to thee were they, and are they lifted up as a standard, and as a city +set upon a hill, and to the nations round about thee, that in their +light thou mayest come to see light, even in Christ Jesus, the Light of +the world; and therefore thy Light, and Life too, if thou wouldst but +turn from thy many evil ways, and receive and obey it. For in the “Light +of the Lamb, must the nations of them that are saved walk,” as the +Scriptures testify. + +Remember, O nation of great profession! how the Lord has waited upon +thee since the days of reformation, and the many mercies and judgments +with which he has pleaded with thee; awake and arise out of thy deep +sleep, and yet hear his Word in thy heart, that thou mayest live. + +Let not this thy day of visitation pass over thy head, nor neglect thou +so great salvation as is this which is come to thy house, O England! For +why shouldst thou die, O land that God desires to bless? Be assured it +is He that has been in the midst of this people, in the midst of thee, +and no delusion, as thy mistaken teachers have made thee believe. And +this thou shalt find by their marks and fruits, if thou wilt consider +them in the spirit of moderation. + +I. They were changed men themselves before they went about to change +others. Their hearts were rent as well as their garments; and they knew +the power and work of God upon them. And this was seen by the great +alteration it made, and their stricter course of life, and more godly +conversation, that immediately followed upon it. + +II. They went not forth, or preached in their own time and will, but in +the will of God, and spoke not their own studied matter, but as they +were opened and moved of his Spirit, with which they were well +acquainted in their own conversion; which cannot be expressed to carnal +men so as to give them any intelligible account; for to such it is as +Christ said, “like the blowing of the wind, which no man knows whence it +cometh, or whither it goeth;” yet this proof and seal went along with +their ministry, that many were turned from their lifeless professions, +and the evil of their ways, to the knowledge of God, and a holy life, as +thousands can witness. And as they freely received what they had to say +from the Lord, so they freely administered it to others. + +III. The bent and stress of their ministry was conversion to God, +regeneration, and holiness; not schemes of doctrines and verbal creeds, +or new forms of worship; but a leaving off in religion, the superfluous, +and reducing the ceremonious and formal part, and pressing earnestly the +substantial, the necessary and profitable part; as all upon a serious +reflection must and do acknowledge. + +IV. They directed people to a principle by which all that they asserted, +preached and exhorted others to, might be wrought in them, and known to +them, through experience, to be true; which is a high and distinguishing +mark of the truth of their ministry; both that they knew what they said, +and were not afraid of coming to the test. For as they were bold from +certainty, so they required conformity upon no human authority, but upon +conviction, and the conviction of this principle, which they asserted +was in them that they preached unto, and unto that they directed them, +that they might examine and prove the reality of those things which they +had affirmed of it, and its manifestation and work in man. And this is +more than many ministries in the world pretend to. They declare of +religion, say many things true in words, of God, Christ, and the Spirit, +of holiness and heaven; that all men should repent and mend their lives, +or they will go to hell, &c. But which of them all pretend to speak of +their own knowledge and experience; or ever directed men to a divine +principle or agent, placed of God in man, to help him; and how to know +it, and wait to feel its power to work that good and acceptable will of +God in them? + +Some of them indeed have spoken of the Spirit and the operations of it +to sanctification, and the performance of worship to God; but _where_ +and _how_ to find it, and wait in it to perform this duty, was yet as a +mystery reserved for this further degree of reformation. So that this +people did not only in words more than equally press repentance, +conversion, and holiness, but did it knowingly and experimentally; and +directed those to whom they preached to a sufficient principle, and told +them where it is, and by what tokens they might know it, and which way +they might experience the power and efficacy of it to their soul’s +happiness; which is more than theory and speculation, upon which most +other ministries depend; for here is certainty,—a bottom upon which man +may boldly appear before God in the great day of account. + +V. They reached to the inward state and condition of people, which is an +evidence of the virtue of their principle, and of their ministering from +it, and not from their own imaginations, glosses, or comments upon +Scripture. For nothing reaches the heart, but what is from the heart, or +pierces the conscience, but what comes from a living conscience: +insomuch that as it hath often happened, where people have under secrecy +revealed their state or condition to some choice friends for advice or +ease, they have been so particularly directed in the ministry of this +people, that they have challenged their friends with discovering their +secrets, and telling the preachers their cases. Yea, the very thoughts +and purposes of the hearts of many have been so plainly detected, that +they have, like Nathaniel, cried, out of this inward appearance of +Christ, “Thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel.” And +those that have embraced this divine principle have found this mark of +its truth and divinity (that the woman of Samaria did of Christ when in +the flesh, to be the Messiah, viz.), “it had told them all that ever +they had done;” shown them their insides, the most inward secrets of +their hearts; and laid judgment to the line and righteousness to the +plummet; of which thousands can at this day give in their witness. So +that nothing has been affirmed by this people of the power and virtue of +this heavenly principle, that such as have turned to it have not found +true, and more; and that one half had not been told to them of what they +have seen of the power, purity, wisdom, mercy, and goodness of God +herein. + +VI. The accomplishments with which this principle fitted, even some of +the meanest of this people, for their work and service; furnishing some +of them with an extraordinary understanding in divine things, and an +admirable fluency and taking way of expression, which gave occasion to +some to wonder, saying of them, as of their Master, “Is not this such a +mechanic’s son? how came he by this learning?” As from thence others +took occasion to suspect and insinuate they were Jesuits in disguise, +who have had the reputation of learned men for an age past, though there +was not the least ground of truth for any such reflection. + +VII. They came forth, low, and despised, and hated, as the primitive +Christians did, and not by the help of worldly wisdom or power, as +former reformations in part did: but in all things, it may be said, this +people were brought forth in the cross, in a contradiction to the ways, +worships, fashions, and customs of this world; yea, against wind and +tide, that so no flesh might glory before God. + +VIII. They could have no design to themselves in this work, thus to +expose themselves to scorn and abuse, to spend and be spent; leaving +wife and children, house and land, and all that can be accounted dear to +men, with their lives in their hands, being daily in jeopardy, to +declare this primitive message, revived in their spirits by the good +Spirit and power of God, viz., “That God is light, and in him is no +darkness at all; and that he has sent his Son a light into the world to +enlighten all men in order to salvation; and that they that say they +have fellowship with God and are his children and people, and yet walk +in darkness, viz., in disobedience to the light in their consciences, +and after the vanity of this world, lie, and do not the truth. But that +all such as love the light, and bring their deeds to it, and walk in the +light, as God is in the light, the blood of Jesus Christ his Son should +cleanse them from all sin.” + +IX. Their known great constancy and patience in suffering for their +testimony, in all the branches of it, and that, sometimes unto death, by +beatings, bruisings, long and crowded imprisonments, and noisome +dungeons. Four of them in New England dying by the hands of the +executioner, purely for preaching amongst that people; besides +banishments and excessive plunders and sequestrations of their goods and +estates, almost in all parts, not easily to be expressed, and less to be +endured, but by those that have the support of a good and glorious +cause: refusing deliverance by any indirect ways or means, as often as +it was offered to them. + +X. That they did not only not show any disposition to revenge, when it +was at any time in their power, but forgave their cruel enemies; showing +mercy to those that had none for them. + +XI. Their plainness with those in authority; not unlike the ancient +prophets, not fearing to tell them to their faces of their private and +public sins; and their prophecies to them of their afflictions and +downfall, when in the top of their glory: also of some national +judgments, as of the plague, and fire of London, in express terms, and +likewise particular ones to divers persecutors, which accordingly +overtook them, and which were very remarkable in the places where they +dwelt, and in time they may be made public for the glory of God. + +Thus, reader, thou seest this people in their rise, principles, +ministry, and progress, both their general and particular testimony, by +which thou mayest be informed how and upon what foot they sprung, and +became so considerable a people. It remains next that I show also their +care, conduct, and discipline, as a Christian and reformed Society, that +they might be found living up to their own principles and profession. +And this, the rather, because they have hardly suffered more in their +character from the unjust charge of error, than by the false imputation +of disorder; which calumny indeed has not failed to follow all the true +steps that were ever made to reformation, and under which reproach none +suffered more than the primitive Christians themselves, that were the +honour of Christianity, and the great lights and examples of their own +and succeeding ages. + +This people increasing daily, both in town and country, a holy care fell +upon some of the elders among them, for the benefit and service of the +church. And the first business in their view, after the example of the +primitive saints, was the exercise of charity; to supply the necessities +of the poor, and answer the like occasions. Wherefore collections were +early and liberally made for that and divers other services in the +church, and entrusted with faithful men, fearing God, and of good +report, who were not weary in well-doing; adding often of their own, in +large proportions, which they never brought to account, or desired +should be known, much less restored to them, that none might want, nor +any service be retarded or disappointed. + +They were also very careful that every one that belonged to them, +answered their profession in their behaviour among men upon all +occasions; that they lived peaceably, and were in all things good +examples. They found themselves engaged to record their sufferings and +services; and in case of marriage, which they could not perform in the +usual methods of the nation, but among themselves, they took care that +all things were clear between the parties and all others. And it was +rare then, that any one entertained such inclinations to a person on +that account, till he or she had communicated it secretly to some very +weighty and eminent friends among them, that they might have a sense of +the matter; looking to the counsel and unity of their brethren as of +great moment to them. But because the charge of the poor, the number of +orphans, marriages, sufferings, and other matters multiplied, and that +it was good that the churches were in some way and method of proceeding +in such affairs among them, to the end they might the better correspond +upon occasion, where a member of one meeting might have to do with one +of another; it pleased the Lord, in his wisdom and goodness, to open the +understanding of the first instrument of this dispensation of life, +about a good and orderly way of proceeding; and he felt a holy concern +to visit the churches in person throughout this nation, to begin and +establish it among them; and by his epistles the like was done in other +nations and provinces abroad; which he also afterwards visited, and +helped in that service, as shall be observed when I come to speak of +him. + +Now the care, conduct, and discipline I have been speaking of, and which +are now practised among this people, are as followeth:— + +This godly elder, in every county where he travelled, exhorted them, +that some out of every meeting of worship, should meet together once in +the month, to confer about the wants and occasions of the church. And as +the case required, so those monthly meetings were fewer or more in +number in every respective county; four or six meetings of worship +usually making one monthly meeting of business. And accordingly the +brethren met him from place to place, and began the said meetings, viz., +for the Poor; Orphans; Orderly Walking; Integrity to their Profession; +Births, Marriages, Burials, Sufferings, &c. And that these monthly +meetings should, in each county, make up one quarterly meeting, where +the most zealous and eminent friends of the county should assemble to +communicate, advise, and help one another, especially when any business +seemed difficult, or a monthly meeting was tender of determining a +matter. + +Also these quarterly meetings should digest the reports of the monthly +meetings, and prepare one for the county, against the yearly meeting, in +which the quarterly meetings resolve, which is held yearly in London; +where the churches in this nation and other nations[1] and provinces +meet, by chosen members of their respective counties, both mutually to +communicate their church affairs, and to advise, and be advised in any +depending case to edification; also to provide a requisite stock for the +discharge of general expenses for general services in the church, not +needful to be here particularized. + +Footnote 1: + + At present (1891), there are eleven Yearly Meetings on the American + continent also, in association with each other, and with that of + London. + +At these meetings any of the members of the churches may come if they +please, and speak their minds freely, in the fear of God, to any matter; +but the mind of each meeting therein represented is chiefly understood, +as to particular cases, in the sense delivered by the persons deputed or +chosen for that purpose. + +During their yearly meeting, to which their other meetings refer in +their order and resolve themselves, care is taken by a select number, +for that service chosen by the general assembly, to draw up the +minutes[2] of the said meeting, upon the several matters that have been +under consideration therein, to the end that the respective quarterly +and monthly meetings may be informed of all proceedings, together with a +general exhortation to holiness, unity, and charity. Of all which +proceedings in yearly, quarterly, and monthly meetings, due record is +kept by some one appointed for that service, or that hath voluntarily +undertaken it. These meetings are opened, and usually concluded, in +their solemn waiting upon God, who is sometimes graciously pleased to +answer them with as signal evidences of his love and presence, as in any +of their meetings for worship. + +Footnote 2: + + This is not now quite correct. A committee still draws up the General + Epistle; but the minutes of the transactions of the meeting are made + as matters occur during its several sittings. + +It is further to be noted, that in these solemn assemblies for the +church’s service, there is no one who presides among them after the +manner of the assemblies of other people; Christ only being their +president, as he is pleased to appear in life and wisdom in any one or +more of them, to whom, whatever be their capacity or degree, the rest +adhere with a firm unity, not of authority but conviction, which is the +divine authority and way of Christ’s power and Spirit in his people: +making good his blessed promise, “that he would be in the midst of his, +where and whenever they were met together in his name, even to the end +of the world.” So be it. + +Now it may be expected, I should here set down what sort of authority is +exercised by this people, upon such members of their society, as +correspond not in their lives with their profession, and that are +refractory to this good and wholesome order settled among them; and the +rather, because they have not wanted their reproach and suffering from +some tongues, upon this occasion, in a plentiful manner. + +The power they exercise is such as Christ has given to his own people, +to the end of the world, in the persons of his disciples, viz., “to +oversee, exhort, reprove,” and after long suffering and waiting upon the +disobedient and refractory, “to disown them, as any more of their +communion, or that they will any longer stand charged in the sight and +judgment of God or men, with their conversation or behaviour as one of +them until they repent.” The subject matter about which this authority, +in any of the foregoing branches of it, is exercised, is first, in +relation to common and general practice; and secondly, about those +things that more strictly refer to their own character and profession, +and distinguish them from all other professors of Christianity; avoiding +two extremes upon which many split, viz., persecution and libertinism; +that is, a coercive power to whip people into the temple; that such as +will not conform, though against faith and conscience, shall be punished +in their persons or estates; or leaving all loose and at large, as to +practice, unaccountable to all but God and the magistrate. To which +hurtful extreme nothing has more contributed than the abuse of church +power, by such as suffer their passions and private interests to prevail +with them to carry it to outward force and corporal punishment—a +practice they have been taught to dislike, by their extreme sufferings, +as well as their known principle for an universal liberty of conscience. + +On the other hand, they equally dislike an independency in society, an +unaccountableness in practice and conversation to the terms of their own +communion, and to those that are the members of it. They distinguish +between imposing any practice that immediately regards faith or worship +(which is never to be done, nor suffered, or submitted unto), and +requiring Christian compliance with those methods that only respect +church-business in its more civil part and concern, and that regard the +discreet and orderly maintenance of the character of the society, as a +sober and religious community. In short, what is for the promotion of +holiness and charity, that men may practice what they profess, live up +to their own principles, and not be at liberty to give the lie to their +own profession, without rebuke, is their use and limit of church power. +They compel none to them, but oblige those that are of them to walk +suitably, or they are denied by them; that is all the mark they set upon +them, and the power they exercise, or judge a Christian society can +exercise, upon those that are the members of it. + +The way of their proceeding against one who has lapsed or transgressed +is this. He is visited by some of them, and the matter of fact laid home +to him, be it any evil practice against known and general virtue, or any +branch of their particular testimony, which he, in common, professeth +with them. They labour with him in much love and zeal for the good of +his soul, the honour of God, and reputation of their profession, to own +his fault and condemn it, in as ample a manner as the evil or scandal +was given by him; which, for the most part, is performed by some written +testimony under the party’s hand; and if it so happen that the party +proves refractory, and is not willing to clear the truth they profess +from the reproach of his or her evil-doing or unfaithfulness, they, +after repeated entreaties and due waiting for a token of repentance, +give forth a paper to disown such a fact, and the party offending; +recording the same as a testimony of their care for the honour of the +truth they profess. + +And if such shall clear their profession and themselves, by sincere +acknowledgment of their fault, and godly sorrow for so doing, they are +received and looked upon again as members of their communion. For as +God, so his true people, upbraid no man after repentance. + +This is the account I had to give of the people of God called Quakers, +as to their rise, appearance, principles, and practices, in this age of +the world, both with respect to their faith and worship, discipline and +conversation. And I judge it very proper in this place, because it is to +preface the Journal of the first blessed and glorious instrument of this +work, and for a testimony to him in his singular qualifications and +services, in which he abundantly excelled in this day, and which are +worthy to be set forth as an example to all succeeding times; to the +glory of the most high God, and for a just memorial to that worthy and +excellent man, his faithful servant and apostle to this generation of +the world. + +I am now come to the third head or branch of my Preface, viz., the +instrumental author. For it is natural for some to say, Well, here is +the people and work, but where and who was the man, the instrument? he +that in this age was sent to begin this work and people? I shall, as God +shall enable me, declare who and what he was, not only by report of +others, but from my own long and most inward converse, and intimate +knowledge of him; for which my soul blesseth God, as it hath often done; +and I doubt not, that by the time I have discharged myself of this part +of my Preface, my serious readers will believe I had good cause so to +do. + +The blessed instrument of this work in this day of God, of whom I am now +about to write, was GEORGE FOX, distinguished from another of that name, +by that other’s addition of Younger to his name in all his writings; not +that he was so in years, but that he was so in the truth; but he was +also a worthy man, witness, and servant of God in his time. + +But this George Fox was born in Leicestershire, about the year 1624. He +descended of honest and sufficient parents, who endeavoured to bring him +up, as they did the rest of their children, in the way and worship of +the nation; especially his mother, who was a woman accomplished above +most of her degree in the place where she lived. But from a child he +appeared of another frame of mind than the rest of his brethren; being +more religious, inward, still, solid, and observing, beyond his years, +as the answers he would give, and the questions he would put upon +occasion, manifested to the astonishment of those that heard him, +especially in divine things. + +His mother taking notice of his singular temper, and the gravity, +wisdom, and piety that very early shined through him, refusing childish +and vain sports and company, when very young, she was tender and +indulgent over him, so that from her he met with little difficulty. As +to his employment, he was brought up in country business: and as he took +most delight in sheep, so he was very skilful in them; an employment +that very well suited his mind in several respects, both from its +innocency and solitude; and was a just figure of his after ministry and +service. + +I shall not break in upon his own account, which is by much the best +that can be given, and therefore desire, what I can, to avoid saying any +thing of what is said already, as to the particular passages of his +coming forth; but, in general, when he was somewhat above twenty, he +left his friends, and visited the most retired and religious people in +those parts; and some there were in this nation, who waited for the +consolation of Israel night and day; as Zacharias, Anna, and good old +Simeon did of old time. To these he was sent, and these he sought out in +the neighbouring counties, and among them he sojourned till his more +ample ministry came upon him. At this time he taught, and was an example +of silence, endeavouring to bring them from self-performances, +testifying and turning to the Light of Christ within them, and +encouraging them to wait in patience to feel the power of it to stir in +their hearts, that their knowledge and worship of God might stand in the +power of an endless life, which was to be found in the Light, as it was +obeyed in the manifestation of it in man. “For in the Word was Life, and +that Life is the Light of men,” Life in the Word, Light in men—and Life +in men too, as the Light is obeyed; the children of the Light living in +the Life of the Word, by which the Word begets them again to God, which +is the regeneration and new birth, without which there is no coming unto +the kingdom of God; and which, whoever comes to, is greater than John, +that is, than John’s dispensation, which was not that of the kingdom, +but the consummation of the legal, and forerunning of the gospel +dispensation. Accordingly, several meetings were gathered in those +parts; and thus his time was employed for some years. + +In 1652, he being in his usual retirement to the Lord upon a very high +mountain, in some of the higher parts of Yorkshire, as I take it, his +mind exercised towards the Lord, he had a vision of the great work of +God in the earth, and of the way that he was to go forth to begin it. He +saw people as thick as motes in the sun, that should in time be brought +home to the Lord; that there might be but one shepherd and one sheepfold +in all the earth. There his eye was directed northward, beholding a +great people that should receive him and his message in those parts. +Upon this mountain he was moved of the Lord to sound forth his great and +notable day, as if he had been in a great auditory, and from thence went +north, as the Lord had shown him; and in every place where he came, if +not before he came to it, he had his particular exercise and service +shown to him, so that the Lord was his leader indeed; for it was not in +vain that he travelled, God in most places sealing his commission with +the convincement of some of all sorts, as well publicans as sober +professors of religion. Some of the first and most eminent of them which +are at rest, were Richard Farnsworth, James Naylor, William Dewsbury, +Francis Howgill, Edward Burrough, John Camm, John Audland, Richard +Hubberthorn, T. Taylor, John Aldam, T. Holmes, Alexander Parker, William +Simpson, William Caton, John Stubbs, Robert Widders, John Burnyeat, +Robert Lodge, Thomas Salthouse, and many more worthies, that cannot be +well here named, together with divers yet living of the first and great +convincement, who, after the knowledge of God’s purging judgments in +themselves, and some time of waiting in silence upon him, to feel and +receive power from on high to speak in his name (which none else rightly +can, though they may use the same words), felt the divine motions, and +were frequently drawn forth, especially to visit the public assemblies, +to reprove, inform, and exhort them; sometimes in markets, fairs, +streets, and by the highway-side, calling people to repentance, and to +turn to the Lord with their hearts as well as their mouths; directing +them to the Light of Christ within them, to see, examine, and consider +their ways by, and to eschew the evil, and do the good and acceptable +will of God. They suffered great hardships for this their love and +goodwill, being often put in the stocks, stoned, beaten, whipped, and +imprisoned, though honest men and of good report where they lived, that +had left wives and children, and houses and lands, to visit them with a +living call to repentance. And though the priests generally set +themselves to oppose them, and write against them, and insinuated most +false and scandalous stories to defame them, stirring up the magistrates +to suppress them, especially in those northern parts; yet God was +pleased so to fill them with his living power, and give them such an +open door of utterance in his service, that there was a mighty +convincement over those parts. + +And through the tender and singular indulgence of Judge Bradshaw and +Judge Fell, who were wont to go that circuit in the infancy of things, +the priests were never able to gain the point they laboured for, which +was to have proceeded to blood, and, if possible, Herod-like, by a cruel +exercise of the civil power, to have cut them off and rooted them out of +the country. Especially Judge Fell, who was not only a check to their +rage in the course of legal proceedings, but otherwise upon occasion, +and finally countenanced this people; for his wife receiving the truth +with the first, it had that influence upon his spirit, being a just and +wise man, and seeing in his own wife and family a full confutation of +all the popular clamours against the way of truth, that he covered them +what he could, and freely opened his doors, and gave up his house to his +wife and her friends, not valuing the reproach of ignorant or +evil-minded people, which I here mention to his and her honour, and +which will be, I believe, an honour and a blessing to such of their name +and family, as shall be found in that tenderness, humility, love, and +zeal for the truth and people of the Lord. + +That house was for some years at first, till the truth had opened its +way in the southern parts of this island, an eminent receptacle of this +people. Others of good note and substance in those northern counties, +had also opened their houses with their hearts, to the many publishers, +that in a short time the Lord had raised to declare his salvation to the +people, and where meetings of the Lord’s messengers were frequently +held, to communicate their services and exercises, and comfort and edify +one another in their blessed ministry. + +But lest this may be thought a digression, having touched upon this +before, I return to this excellent man; and for his personal qualities, +both natural, moral, and divine, as they appeared in his converse with +his brethren, and in the church of God, take as follows:— + +I. He was a man that God endued with a clear and wonderful depth, a +discerner of others’ spirits, and very much a master of his own. And +though the side of his understanding which lay next to the world, and +especially the expression of it, might sound uncouth and unfashionable +to nice ears, his matter was nevertheless very profound; and would not +only bear to be often considered, but the more it was so, the more +weighty and instructing it appeared. And as abruptly and brokenly as +sometimes his sentences would fall from him, about divine things, it is +well known they were often as texts to many fairer declarations. And +indeed it showed, beyond all contradiction, that God sent him; that no +arts or parts had any share in the matter or manner of his ministry; and +that so many great, excellent, and necessary truths as he came forth to +preach to mankind, had therefore nothing of man’s wit or wisdom to +recommend them; so that as to man he was an original, being no man’s +copy. And his ministry and writings show they are from one that was not +taught of man, nor had learned what he said by study. Nor were they +notional or speculative, but sensible and practical truths, tending to +conversion and regeneration, and the setting up of the kingdom of God in +the hearts of men; and the way of it was his work. So that I have many +times been overcome in myself, and been made to say, with my Lord and +Master upon the like occasion; “I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven +and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent of +this world, and revealed them to babes.” For many times hath my soul +bowed in an humble thankfulness to the Lord, that he did not choose any +of the wise and learned of this world to be the first messenger, in our +age, of his blessed truth to men; but that he took one that was not of +high degree, or elegant speech, or learned after the way of this world, +that his message and work he sent him to do, might come with less +suspicion or jealousy of human wisdom and interest, and with more force +and clearness upon the consciences of those that sincerely sought the +way of truth in the love of it. I say, beholding with the eye of my +mind, which the God of heaven had opened in me, the marks of God’s +finger and hand visibly, in this testimony, from the clearness of the +principle, the power and efficacy of it, in the exemplary sobriety, +plainness, zeal, steadiness, humility, gravity, punctuality, charity, +and circumspect care in the government of church affairs, which shined +in his and their life and testimony that God employed in this work, it +greatly confirmed me that it was of God, and engaged my soul in a deep +love, fear, reverence, and thankfulness for his love and mercy therein +to mankind; in which mind I remain, and shall, I hope, to the end of my +days. + +II. In his testimony or ministry, he much laboured to open truth to the +people’s understandings, and to bottom them upon the principle and +principal, Christ Jesus, the Light of the world, that by bringing them +to something that was of God in themselves, they might the better know +and judge of him and themselves. + +III. He had an extraordinary gift in opening the Scriptures. He would go +to the marrow of things, and show the mind, harmony, and fulfilling of +them with much plainness, and to great comfort and edification. + +IV. The mystery of the first and second Adam, of the fall and +restoration, of the law and gospel, of shadows and substance, of the +servant’s and Son’s state, and the fulfilling of the Scriptures in +Christ, and by Christ, the true Light, in all that are his through the +obedience of faith, were much of the substance and drift of his +testimonies. In all which he was witnessed to be of God, being sensibly +felt to speak that which he had received of Christ, and which was his +own experience, in that which never errs nor fails. + +V. But above all he excelled in prayer. The inwardness and weight of his +spirit, the reverence and solemnity of his address and behaviour, and +the fewness and fulness of his words, have often struck, even strangers, +with admiration, as they used to reach others with consolation. The most +awful, living, reverent frame I ever felt or beheld, I must say, was his +in prayer. And truly it was a testimony he knew and lived nearer to the +Lord than other men; for they that know Him most, will see most reason +to approach him with reverence and fear. + +VI. He was of an innocent life, no busy-body, nor self-seeker, neither +touchy nor critical; what fell from him was very inoffensive if, not +very edifying. So meek, contented, modest, easy, steady, tender, it was +a pleasure to be in his company. He exercised no authority but over +evil, and that everywhere and in all; but with love, compassion, and +long-suffering. A most merciful man, as ready to forgive, as unapt to +take or give an offence. Thousands can truly say, he was of an excellent +spirit and savour among them, and because thereof, the most excellent +spirits loved him with an unfeigned and unfading love. + +VII. He was an incessant labourer; for in his younger time, before his +many great and deep sufferings and travels had enfeebled his body for +itinerant services, he laboured much in the word, and doctrine, and +discipline in England, Scotland, and Ireland, turning many to God, and +confirming those that were convinced of the truth, and settling good +order as to church affairs among them. And towards the conclusion of his +travelling services, between the years 1671 and 1677, he visited the +churches of Christ in the plantations in America, and in the United +Provinces, and Germany, as his following Journal relates, to the +convincement and consolation of many. After that time he chiefly resided +in and about the city of London; and besides the services of his +ministry, which were frequent and serviceable, he wrote much, both to +them that are within, and those that are without, the communion. But the +care he took of the affairs of the church in general was very great. + +VIII. He was often where the records of the affairs of the church are +kept, and the letters from the many meetings of God’s people over all +the world, where settled, come upon occasions; which letters he had read +to him, and communicated them to the meeting that is weekly[3] held +there for such services; and he would be sure to stir them up to +discharge them, especially in suffering cases, showing great sympathy +and compassion upon all such occasions, carefully looking into the +respective cases, and endeavouring speedy relief, according to the +nature of them. So that the churches, or any of the suffering members +thereof, were sure not to be forgotten or delayed in their desires, if +he were there. + +Footnote 3: + + Called the Meeting for Sufferings, and now held monthly, except + exigencies require more frequent sittings. + +IX. As he was unwearied, so he was undaunted in his services for God and +his people; he was no more to be moved to fear than to wrath. His +behaviour at Derby, Lichfield, Appleby, before Oliver Cromwell, at +Launceston, Scarborough, Worcester, and Westminster-Hall, with many +other places and exercises, did abundantly evidence it to his enemies as +well as his friends. + +But as in the primitive times, some rose up against the blessed apostles +of our Lord Jesus Christ, even from among those that they had turned to +the hope of the gospel, who became their greatest trouble; so this man +of God had his share of suffering from some that were convinced by him, +who through prejudice or mistake ran against him, as one that sought +dominion over conscience; because he pressed by his presence or +epistles, a ready and zealous compliance with such good and wholesome +things as tended to an orderly conversation about the affairs of the +church, and in their walking before men. That which contributed much to +this ill work, was, in some, a begrudging of this meek man the love and +esteem he had and deserved in the hearts of the people; and weakness in +others, that were taken with their groundless suggestions of imposition +and blind obedience. + +They would have had every man independent; that as he had the principle +in himself, he should only stand and fall to that, and nobody else; not +considering that the principle is one in all; and though the measure of +light or grace might differ, yet the nature of it was the same; and +being so, they struck at the spiritual unity, which a people, guided by +the same principle, are naturally led into; so that what is evil to one, +is so to all, and what is virtuous, honest, and of good report to one, +is so to all, from the sense and savour of the one universal principle +which is common to all, and, which the disaffected also profess to be, +the root of all true Christian fellowship, and that Spirit into which +the people of God drink, and come to be spiritually-minded, and of one +heart and one soul. + +Some weakly mistook good order in the government of church affairs, for +discipline in worship, and that it was so pressed or recommended by him +and other brethren. And they were ready to reflect the same things that +Dissenters had very reasonably objected upon the national churches, that +have coercively pressed conformity to their respective creeds and +worships. Whereas these things related wholly to conversation, and the +outward (and as I may say) civil part of the church, that men should +walk up to the principles of their belief, and not be wanting in care +and charity. But though some have stumbled and fallen through mistakes, +and an unreasonable obstinacy, even to a prejudice; yet, blessed be God, +the generality have returned to their first love, and seen the work of +the enemy, that loses no opportunity or advantage by which he may check +or hinder the work of God, disquiet the peace of his church, and chill +the love of his people to the truth and one to another; and there is +hope of divers of the few that are yet at a distance. + +In all these occasions, though there was no person the discontented +struck so sharply at as this good man, he bore all their weakness and +prejudice, and returned not reflection for reflection; but forgave them +their weak and bitter speeches, praying for them that they might have a +sense of their hurt, see the subtilty of the enemy to rend and divide, +and return into their first love that thought no ill. + +And truly, I must say, that though God had visibly clothed him with a +divine preference and authority, and indeed his very presence expressed +a religious majesty, yet he never abused it; but held his place in the +church of God with great meekness, and a most engaging humility and +moderation. For upon all occasions, like his blessed Master, he was a +servant to all; holding and exercising his eldership, in the invisible +power that had gathered them, with reverence to the Head and care over +the body; and was received only in that spirit and power of Christ, as +the first and chief elder in this age; who, as he was therefore worthy +of double honour, so for the same reason it was given by the faithful of +this day; because his authority was inward and not outward, and that he +got it and kept it by the love of God, and power of an endless life. I +write my knowledge and not report, and my witness is true, having been +with him for weeks and months together on divers occasions, and those of +the nearest and most exercising nature, and that by night and by day, by +sea and by land, in this and in foreign countries: and I can say I never +saw him out of his place, or not a match for every service or occasion. +For in all things he acquitted himself like a man, yea, a strong man, a +new and heavenly-minded man; a divine and a naturalist, and all of God +Almighty’s making. I have been surprised at his questions and answers in +natural things; that whilst he was ignorant of useless and sophistical +science, he had in him the foundation of useful and commendable +knowledge, and cherished it everywhere. Civil, beyond all forms of +breeding, in his behaviour; very temperate, eating little, and sleeping +less, though a bulky person. + +Thus he lived and sojourned among us: and as he lived, so he died; +feeling the same eternal power, that had raised and preserved him, in +his last moments. So full of assurance was he, that he triumphed over +death; and so even in his spirit to the last, as if death were hardly +worth notice or a mention; recommending to some with him, the despatch +and dispersion of an epistle, just before written to the churches of +Christ throughout the world, and his own books; but above all, Friends, +and, of all Friends, those in Ireland and America, twice over saying, +“Mind poor Friends in Ireland and America.” + +And to some that came in and inquired how he found himself, he answered, +“Never heed, the Lord’s power is over all weakness and death; the Seed +reigns, blessed be the Lord:” which was about four or five hours before +his departure out of this world. He was at the great meeting near +Lombard Street on the first day of the week, and it was the third +following, about ten at night, when he left us, being at the house of +Henry Goldney at the same court. In a good old age he went, after having +lived to see his children’s children, to many generations, in the truth. +He had the comfort of a short illness, and the blessing of a clear sense +to the last; and we may truly say, with a man of God of old, that “being +dead, he yet speaketh;” and though absent in body, he is present in +spirit; neither time nor place being able to interrupt the communion of +saints, or dissolve the fellowship of the spirits of the just. His works +praise him, because they are to the praise of Him that wrought by him; +for which his memorial is, and shall be blessed. I have done, as to this +part of my Preface, when I have left this short epitaph to his name: +“Many sons have done virtuously in this day; but, dear George, thou +excellest them all.” + +And now, Friends, you that profess to walk in the way this blessed man +was sent of God to turn us into, suffer, I beseech you, the word of +exhortation, as well fathers as children, and elders as young men. The +glory of this day, and foundation of the hope that has not made us +ashamed since we were a people, you know, is that blessed principle of +Light and Life of Christ which we profess, and direct all people to, as +the great instrument and agent of man’s conversion to God. It was by +this we were first touched, and effectually enlightened as to our inward +state, which put us upon the consideration of our latter end, causing us +to set the Lord before our eyes, and to number our days, that we might +apply our hearts to wisdom. In that day we judged not after the sight of +the eye, or after the hearing of the ear; but according to the light and +sense this blessed principle gave us, we judged and acted in reference +to things and persons, ourselves and others, yea, towards God our Maker. +For being quickened by it in our inward man, we could easily discern the +difference of things; and feel what was right and what was wrong, and +what was fit and what not, both in reference to religious and civil +concerns. That being the ground of the fellowship of all saints, it was +in that our fellowship stood. In this we desired to have a sense one of +another, and acted towards one another, and all men, in love, +faithfulness, and fear. + +In the feeling of the motions of this principle we drew near to the +Lord, and waited to be prepared by it, that we might feel those drawings +and movings before we approached the Lord in prayer, or opened our +mouths in ministry. And in our beginning and ending with this, stood our +comfort, service, and edification. And as we ran faster, or fell short, +we made burdens for ourselves to bear; our service finding in ourselves +a rebuke instead of an acceptance, and in lieu of “Well done,” “Who hath +required this at your hands?” In that day we were an exercised people; +our very countenances and deportment declared it. + +Care for others was then much upon us, as well as for ourselves, +especially the young convinced. Often had we the burden of the word of +the Lord to our neighbours, relations, and acquaintance; and sometimes +strangers also. We were in travail for one another’s preservation; not +seeking but shunning occasions of any coldness or misunderstanding, +treating one another as those that believed and felt God present; which +kept our conversation innocent, serious, and weighty, guarding ourselves +against the cares and friendships of the world. We held the truth in the +spirit of it, and not in our own spirits, or after our own wills and +affections. These were bowed and brought into subjection, insomuch that +it was visible to them that knew us. We did not think ourselves at our +own disposal, to go where we list, or say or do what we list, or when we +list. Our liberty stood in the liberty of the Spirit of Truth; and no +pleasure, no profit, no fear, no favour, could draw us from this +retired, strict and watchful frame. We were so far from seeking +occasions of company, that, we avoided them what we could, pursuing our +own business with moderation, instead of meddling with other people’s +unnecessarily. + +Our words were few and savoury, our looks composed and weighty, and our +whole deportment very observable. True it is, that this retired and +strict sort of life from the liberty of the conversation of the world, +exposed us to the censures of many, as humourists, conceited and +self-righteous persons, &c.; but it was our preservation from many +snares, to which others were continually exposed from the prevalency of +the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, that +wanted no occasions or temptations to excite them abroad in the converse +of the world. + +I cannot forget the humility and chaste zeal of that day. O how constant +at meetings, how retired in them, how firm to Truth’s life, as well as +Truth’s principles! and how entire and united in our communion, as +indeed became those that profess One Head, even Christ Jesus the Lord! + +This being the testimony and example the man of God before mentioned was +sent to declare and leave amongst us, and we having embraced the same as +the merciful visitation of God to us, the word of exhortation at this +time is, that we continue to be found in the way of this testimony with +all zeal and integrity, and so much the more, by how much the day +draweth near. + +And first, as to you, my beloved and much honoured brethren in Christ, +that are in the exercise of the ministry: Oh, feel Life in your +ministry! Let Life be your commission, your well-spring and treasury on +all such occasions, else, you will know, there can be no begetting to +God, since nothing can quicken or make people alive to God, but the Life +of God: and it must be a ministry in and from Life, that enlivens any +people to God. We have seen the fruit of all other ministries, by the +few that are turned from the evil of their ways. It is not our parts or +memory, the repetition of former openings in our own will and time, that +will do God’s work. A dry, doctrinal ministry, however sound in words, +can reach but the ear, and is but a dream at the best. There is another +soundness, that is soundest of all, viz., Christ the power of God. This +is the key of David, that opens and none shuts, and shuts, and none can +open; as the oil to the lamp, and the soul to the body, so is that to +the best of words: which made Christ to say, “My words they are spirit, +and they are life;” that is, they are from life and therefore they make +you alive, that receive them. If the disciples that had lived with Jesus +were to stay at Jerusalem till they received it, so must we wait to +receive before we minister, if we will turn people from darkness to +light, and from Satan’s power to God. + +I fervently bow my knees to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, +that you may always be like-minded, that you may ever wait reverently +for the coming and opening of the Word of Life, and attend upon it in +your ministry and service, that you may serve God in his Spirit. And be +it little, or be it much, it is well; for much is not too much, and the +least is enough, if from the motion of God’s Spirit; and without it +verily, ever so little is too much, because to no profit. + +For it is the spirit of the Lord immediately, or through the ministry of +his servants, that teacheth his people to profit; and to be sure, so far +as we take him along with us in our services, so far we are profitable, +and no farther. For if it be the Lord that must work all things in us, +and for our own salvation, much more is it the Lord, that must work in +us, for the conversion of others. If therefore it was once a cross to us +to speak, though the Lord required it at our hands, let it never be so +to be silent, when he does not. + +It is one of the most dreadful sayings in the book of God, that “he that +adds to the words of the prophecy of this book, God will add the plagues +written in this book.” To keep back the counsel of God is as terrible; +for “he that takes away from the words of the prophecy of this book, God +shall take away his part out of the book of life.” And truly, it has +great caution in it to those that use the name of the Lord, to be well +assured that the Lord speaks, that they may not be found of the number +of those that add to the words of the testimony of prophecy, which the +Lord giveth them to bear; nor yet to mince or diminish the same, both +being so very offensive to God. + +Wherefore, brethren, let us be careful neither to out-go our Guide, nor +yet loiter behind him; since he that makes haste may miss his way, and +he that stays behind, lose his Guide: for even those that have received +the word of the Lord, had need wait for wisdom, that they may see how to +divide the word aright; which plainly implieth, that it is possible for +one that hath received the word of the Lord, to miss in the division and +application of it, which must come from an impatiency of spirit, and a +self-working, which makes an unsound and dangerous mixture; and will +hardly beget a right-minded, living people to God. + +I am earnest in this, above all other considerations, as to public +brethren, well knowing how much it concerns the present and future +state, and preservation of the church of Christ Jesus, that has been +gathered and built up by a living and powerful minister, that the +ministry be held, preserved, and continued in the manifestations, +motions, and supplies, of the same life and power, from time to time. + +And wherever it is observed that any one does minister more from gifts +and parts than life and power, though they have an enlightened and +doctrinal understanding, let them in time be advised and admonished for +their preservation, because insensibly such will come to depend upon a +self-sufficiency; to forsake Christ the living Fountain, and to hew out +unto themselves cisterns that will hold no living waters; and by degrees +draw others from waiting upon the gift of God in themselves, and to feel +it in others, in order to their strength and refreshment, to wait upon +them, and to turn from God to man again, and so to make shipwreck of the +faith once delivered to the saints, and of a good conscience towards +God; which are only kept by that Divine gift of life, that begat the +one, and awakened and sanctified the other in the beginning. + +Nor is it enough that we have known the Divine gift, and in it have +reached to the spirits in prison, and been the instruments of the +convincing of others of the way of God, if we keep not as low and poor +in ourselves, and as depending upon the Lord as ever; since no memory, +no repetitions of former openings, revelations, or enjoyments, will +bring a soul to God, or afford bread to the hungry, or water to the +thirsty, unless life go with what we say; and that must be waited for. + +O that we may have no other fountain, treasury or dependence! that none +may presume at any rate to act of themselves for God; because they have +long acted from God; that we may not supply want of waiting with our own +wisdom, or think that we may take less care, and more liberty in +speaking, than formerly; and that where we do not feel the Lord by his +power to open us and enlarge us, whatever be the expectation of the +people, or has been our customary supply and character, we may not +exceed or fill up the time with our own. + +I hope we shall ever remember who it was that said, “Of yourselves you +can do nothing;” our sufficiency is in Him. And if we are not to speak +our own words, or take thought what we shall say to men in our defence, +when exposed for our testimony, surely we ought to speak none of our own +words, or take thought what we shall say in our testimony and ministry +in the name of the Lord to the souls of the people; for then of all +times, and of all other occasions, should it be fulfilled in us, “for it +is not you that speak, but the Spirit of my Father that speaketh in +you.” + +And indeed, the ministry of the Spirit must and does keep its analogy +and agreement with the birth of the Spirit; that as no man can inherit +the kingdom of God unless he be born of the Spirit, so no ministry can +beget a soul to God but that which is from the Spirit. For this, as I +said before, the disciples waited before they went forth; and in this +our elder brethren, and messengers of God in our day, waited, visited, +and reached to us. And having begun in the Spirit, let none ever hope or +seek to be made perfect in the flesh. For what is the flesh to the +Spirit, or the chaff to the wheat? And if we keep in the Spirit, we +shall keep in the unity of it, which is the ground of true fellowship. +For by drinking into that one Spirit, we are made one people to God, and +by it we are continued in the unity of the faith, and the bond of peace. +No envying, no bitterness, no strife, can have place with us. We shall +watch always for good, and not for evil, over one another and rejoice +exceedingly and not begrudge one another’s increase in the riches of the +grace with which God replenisheth his faithful servants. + +And, brethren, as to you is committed the dispensation of the oracles of +God, which give you frequent opportunities, and great place with the +people among whom you travel, I beseech you that you would not think it +sufficient to declare the word of life in their assemblies, however +edifying and comfortable such opportunities may be to you and them. But, +as was the practice of the man of God before mentioned, in great +measure, when among us, inquire the state of the several churches you +visit; who among them are afflicted or sick, who are tempted, and if any +are unfaithful or obstinate; and endeavour to issue those things in the +wisdom and power of God, which will be a glorious crown upon your +ministry. As that prepares your way in the hearts of the people to +receive you as men of God, so it gives you credit with them to do them +good by your advice in other respects. The afflicted will be comforted +by you; the tempted, strengthened; the sick, refreshed; the unfaithful, +convicted and restored; and such as are obstinate, softened and fitted +for reconciliation: which is clenching the nail, and applying and +fastening the general testimony by that particular care of the several +branches of it, in reference to them more immediately concerned in it. + +For though good and wise men, and elders too, may reside in such places, +who are of worth and importance in the general, and in other places; yet +it does not always follow, that they may have the room they deserve in +the hearts of the people they live among; or some particular occasion +may make it unfit for him or them to use that authority. But you that +travel as God’s messengers, if they receive you in the greater, shall +they refuse you in the less? And if they own the general testimony, can +they withstand the particular application of it in their own cases? Thus +ye will show yourselves workmen indeed, and carry your business before +you to the praise of His name that hath called you from darkness to +light, that you might turn others from Satan’s power unto God and his +kingdom, which is _within_. And O that there were more of such faithful +labourers in the vineyard of the Lord!—Never more need since the day of +God. + +Wherefore I cannot but cry and call aloud to you, that have been long +professors of the truth, and know the truth in the convincing power of +it, and have had a sober conversation among men, yet content yourselves +only to know truth for yourselves, to go to meetings, and exercise an +ordinary charity in the church, and an honest behaviour in the world, +and limit yourselves within those bounds; feeling little or no concern +upon your spirits for the glory of the Lord in the prosperity of his +truth in the earth, more than to be glad that others succeed in such +service. Arise ye in the name and power of the Lord Jesus! Behold how +white the fields are unto harvest, in this and other nations, and how +few able and faithful labourers there are to work therein! Your country +folks, neighbours, and kindred, want to know the Lord and his truth, and +to walk in it. Does nothing lie at your door upon their account? Search +and see, and lose no time, I beseech you, for the Lord is at hand. I do +not judge you, there is one that judgeth all men, and his judgment is +true. You have mightily increased in your outward substance; may you +equally increase in your inward riches, and do good with both, while you +have a day to do good. Your enemies would once have taken what you had +from you, for his name’s sake, in whom you have believed; wherefore he +has given you much of the world in the face of your enemies. But, O let +it be your servant and not your master—your diversion rather than your +business! Let the Lord be chiefly in your eye, and ponder your ways, and +see if God has nothing more for you to do; and if you find yourselves +short in your account with him, then wait for his preparation, and be +ready to receive the word of command, and be not weary of well-doing, +when you have put your hand to the plough; and assuredly you shall reap +(if you faint not) the fruit of your heavenly labour in God’s +everlasting kingdom. + +And you, young convinced ones, be you entreated, and exhorted to a +diligent and chaste waiting upon God, in the way of his blessed +manifestation and appearance of himself to you. Look not out, but +within. Let not another’s liberty be your snare. Neither act by +imitation, but sense and feeling of God’s power in yourselves. Crush not +the tender buddings of it in your souls, nor overrun in your desires, +and warmness of affections, the holy and gentle motions of it. Remember +it is a still voice that speaks to us in this day, and that it is not to +be heard in the noises and hurries of the mind; but it is distinctly +understood in a retired frame. Jesus loved and chose solitudes; often +going to mountains, to gardens, and sea-sides, to avoid crowds and +hurries, to show his disciples it was good to be solitary, and sit loose +to the world. Two enemies lie near your states, imagination and liberty; +but the plain, practical, living, holy truth, that has convinced you, +will preserve you, if you mind it in yourselves, and bring all thoughts, +imaginations, and affections to the test of it, to see if they are +wrought in God, or of the enemy, or your ownselves. So will a true +taste, discerning, and judgment, be preserved to you, of what you should +do and leave undone. And in your diligence and faithfulness in this way +you will come to inherit substance: and Christ, the eternal wisdom, will +fill your treasury. And when you are converted, as well as convinced, +then confirm your brethren, and be ready to every good word and work, +that the Lord shall call you to; that you may be to his praise, who has +chosen you to be partakers, with the saints in light, of a kingdom that +cannot be shaken, an inheritance incorruptible, in eternal habitations. + +And now, as for you that are the children of God’s people, a great +concern is upon my spirit for your good; and often are my knees bowed to +the God of your fathers for you, that you may come to be partakers of +the same divine life and power, that has been the glory of this day; +that a generation you may be to God, a holy nation and a peculiar +people, zealous of good works, when all our heads are laid in the dust. +O you young men and women, let it not suffice you, that you are the +children of the people of the Lord! you must also be born again, if you +will inherit the kingdom of God. Your fathers are but such after the +flesh, and could but beget you in the likeness of the first Adam; but +you must be begotten into the likeness of the second Adam by a spiritual +generation. And therefore look carefully about you, O ye children of the +children of God! consider your standing, and see what you are in +relation to this divine kindred, family, and birth. Have you obeyed the +Light, and received and walked in the Spirit, that is the incorruptible +Seed of the Word and kingdom of God, of which you must be born again? +God is no respecter of persons. The father cannot save or answer for the +child, or the child for the father, but “in the sin thou sinnest, thou +shalt die; and in the righteousness thou doest, through Jesus Christ, +thou shalt live;” for it is the willing and obedient that shall eat the +good of the land. Be not deceived, God is not mocked; such as all +nations and people sow, such they shall reap at the hand of the just +God. And then your many and great privileges, above the children of +other people, will add weight in the scale against you, if you choose +not the way of the Lord. For you have had line upon line, and precept +upon precept, and not only good doctrine, but good example; and which is +more, you have been turned to, and acquainted with, a principle in +yourselves, which others have been ignorant of; and you know, you may be +as good as you please, without the fear of frowns and blows, or being +turned out of doors and forsaken of father and mother for God’s sake, +and his holy religion, as has been the case of some of your fathers, in +the day they first entered into this holy path. If you, after hearing +and seeing the wonders that God has wrought in the deliverance and +preservation of them, through a sea of troubles, and the manifold +temporal, as well as spiritual blessings, that he has filled them with, +in the sight of their enemies, should neglect and turn your backs upon +so great and so near a salvation, you would not only be most ungrateful +children to God and them, but must expect that God will call the +children of those that knew him not, to take the crown out of your +hands, and that your lot will be a dreadful judgment at the hand of the +Lord. But O, that it may never be so with any of you! The Lord forbid, +saith my soul. + +Wherefore, O ye young men and women, look to the rock of your fathers! +choose the God of your fathers. There is no other God but he; no other +Light but his; no other grace but his, nor Spirit but his, to convince +you, quicken, and comfort you: to lead, guide, and preserve you to God’s +everlasting kingdom. So will you be possessors, as well as professors, +of the truth; embracing it not only by education, but judgment and +conviction, from a sense begotten in your souls, through the operation +of the eternal Spirit and power of God in your hearts, by which you may +come to be the seed of Abraham through faith, and the circumcision not +made with hands, and so heirs of the promise made to the fathers of an +incorruptible crown; that (as I said before) a generation you may be to +God, holding up the profession of the blessed truth in the life and +power of it. For formality in religion is nauseous to God and good men; +and the more so, where any form or appearance has been new and peculiar, +and begun and practised upon a principle, with an uncommon zeal and +strictness. Therefore, I say, for you to fall flat and formal, and +continue the profession, without that salt and savour, by which it is +come to obtain a good report among men, is not to answer God’s love, nor +your parents’ care, nor the mind of truth in yourselves, nor in those +that are without; who, though they will not obey the truth, have sight +and sense enough to see if they do, that make a profession of it. For +where the divine virtue of it is not felt in the soul, and waited for, +and lived in, imperfections will quickly break out, and show themselves, +and detect the unfaithfulness of such persons, and that their insides +are not seasoned with the nature of that holy principle which they +profess. + +Wherefore, dear children, let me entreat you to shut your eyes at the +temptations and allurements of this low and perishing world, and not +suffer your affections to be captivated by those lusts and vanities that +your fathers, for truth’s sake, long since turned their backs upon. But +as you believe it to be the truth, receive it into your hearts, that you +may become the children of God; so that it may never be said of you, as +the Evangelist writes of the Jews of his time, that Christ, the true +Light, “came to his own, but his own received him not; but to as many as +received him, to them he gave power to become the children of God; which +were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will +of man, but of God.” A most close and comprehensive passage to this +occasion. You exactly and peculiarly answer to those professing Jews, in +that you bear the name of God’s people, by being the children and +wearing the form of God’s people; so that he, by his light in you, may +be said to come to his own, and if you obey it not, but turn your back +upon it, and walk after the vanities of your minds, you will be of those +that receive him not, which, I pray God, may never be your case and +judgment; but that you may be thoroughly sensible of the many and great +obligations you lie under to the Lord for his love, and to your parents +for their care; and with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your +strength, turn to the Lord, to his gift and Spirit in you, and hear his +voice, and obey it, that you may seal to the testimony of your fathers, +by the truth and evidence of your own experience; that your children’s +children may bless you, and the Lord for you, as those that delivered a +faithful example, as well as record of the truth of God unto them. So +will the grey hairs of your dear parents yet alive, go down to the grave +with joy, to see you the posterity of truth, as well as theirs, and that +not only their nature but spirit shall live in you when they are gone. + +I shall conclude this Preface with a few words to those that are not of +our communion, into whose hands this may come; especially those of our +own nation. + +Friends, as you are the sons and daughters of Adam, and my brethren +after the flesh, many and earnest have been my desires and prayers to +God on your behalf, that you may come to know your Creator to be your +Redeemer and Restorer to the image that, through sin, you have lost, by +the power and Spirit of his Son Jesus Christ, whom he hath given for the +light and life of the world. And O that you who are called Christians, +would receive him into your heart! for there it is you want him, and at +that door he stands knocking, that you should let him in, but you do not +open to him; you are full of other guests, so that a manger is his lot +among you now, as well as of old. Yet you are full of profession, as +were the Jews when he came among them, who knew him not, but rejected +and evilly entreated him. So that if you come not to the possession and +experience of what you profess, all your formality in religion will +stand you in no stead in the day of God’s judgment. + +I beseech you ponder with yourselves your eternal condition, and see +what title, what ground and foundation you have for your Christianity; +if more than a profession, and an historical belief of the gospel. Have +you known the baptism of fire, and the Holy Ghost, and the fan of Christ +that winnows away the chaff,—the carnal lusts and affections?—that +divine leaven of the kingdom, that, being received, leavens the whole +lump of man, sanctifying him throughout, in body, soul, and spirit? If +this be not the ground of your confidence, you are in a miserable state. + +You will say, perhaps, that though you are sinners, and live in the +daily commission of sin, and are not sanctified, as I have been +speaking, yet you have faith in Christ, who has borne the curse for you, +and in him you are complete by faith; his righteousness being imputed to +you. + +But, my friends, let me entreat you not to deceive yourselves in so +important a point, as is that of your immortal souls. If you have _true_ +faith in Christ, your faith will make you clean, it will sanctify you: +for the saints’ faith was their victory. By this they overcame sin +within, and sinful men without. And if thou art in Christ, thou walkest +not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, whose fruits are manifest. +Yea, thou art a new creature, new made, new fashioned after God’s will +and mould; old things are done away, and, behold, all things are become +new; new love, desires, will, affections, and practices. It is not any +longer thou that livest, thou disobedient, carnal, worldly one; but it +is Christ that liveth in thee; and to live is Christ, and to die is thy +eternal gain; because thou art assured, that “thy corruptible shall put +on incorruption, and thy mortal immortality:” and that thou hast a +glorious house, eternal in the heavens, that will never wax old or pass +away. All this follows being in Christ, as the sensation of heat follows +fire, and light the sun. + +Therefore have a care how you presume to rely upon such a notion, as +that you are in Christ, whilst in your old fallen nature. For what +communion hath light with darkness, or Christ with Belial? Hear what the +beloved disciple tells you; “If we say we have fellowship with God, and +walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.” That is, if we go on in +a sinful way, are captivated by our carnal affections, and are not +converted to God, we walk in darkness, and cannot possibly have any +fellowship with God. Christ clothes them with his righteousness, that +receive his grace in their hearts, and deny themselves, and take up his +cross daily, and follow him. Christ’s righteousness makes men inwardly +holy, of holy minds, wills, and practices. It is nevertheless Christ’s, +because we have it; for it is ours, not by nature, but by faith and +adoption. It is the gift of God. But still, though not ours, as of or +from ourselves, for in that sense it is Christ’s, for it is of and from +him; yet it is ours, and must be ours in possession, efficacy, and +enjoyment, to do us any good, or Christ’s righteousness will profit us +nothing. It was after this manner, that he was made to the primitive +Christians, righteousness, sanctification, justification, and +redemption; and if ever you will have the comfort, kernel, and marrow of +the Christian religion, thus you must come to learn and obtain it. + +Now, my friends, by what you have read, and will read in what follows, +you may perceive that God has visited a poor people among you with this +saving knowledge and testimony; whom he has upheld and increased to this +day, notwithstanding the fierce opposition they have met withal. Despise +not the meanness of this appearance; it was, and yet is (we know) a day +of small things, and of small account with too many; and many hard and +ill names are given to it; but it is of God; it came from Him because it +leads to Him. This we know, but we cannot make another know it, as we +know it, unless he will take the same way to know it that we took. The +world talks of God; but what do they do? They pray for power, but reject +the principle in which it is. If you would know God, and worship and +serve God as you should do, you must come to the means he has ordained +and given for that purpose. Some seek it in books, some in learned men, +but what they look for is _in themselves_, yet they overlook it. The +voice is too still, the Seed too small, and the Light shineth in +darkness. They are abroad, and so cannot divide the spoil; but the woman +that lost her silver, found it at home, after she had lighted her candle +and swept her house. Do you so too, and you shall find what Pilate +wanted to know, viz., Truth. + +The Light of Christ within, who is the Light of the world (and so a +light to you, that tells you the truth of your condition), leads all +that take heed unto it, out of darkness into God’s marvellous light; for +light grows upon the obedient. It is sown for the righteous, and their +way is a shining light, that shines forth more and more to the perfect +day. + +Wherefore, O friends, turn in, turn in, I beseech you! Where is the +poison, there is the antidote; there you want Christ, and there you must +find him; and, blessed be God, there you may find him. “Seek and you +shall find,” I testify for God; but then you must seek aright, with your +whole heart, as men that seek for their lives, yea, for their eternal +lives; diligently, humbly, patiently, as those that can taste no +pleasure, comfort, or satisfaction in anything else, unless you find him +whom your souls want, and desire to know and love above all. O, it is a +travail, a spiritual travail! let the carnal, profane world think and +say as it will. And through this path you must walk to the city of God, +that has eternal foundations, if ever you will come there. + +And what does this blessed Light do for you? 1. It sets all your sins in +order before you; it detects the spirit of this world in all its baits +and allurements, and shows how man came to fall from God, and the fallen +estate he is in. 2. It begets a sense and sorrow, in such as believe in +it, for this fearful lapse. You will then see Him distinctly whom you +have pierced, and all the blows and wounds you have given him by your +disobedience; and how you have made him to serve with your sins, and you +will weep and mourn for it, and your sorrow will be a godly sorrow. 3. +After this it will bring you to the holy watch, to take care that you do +so no more, that the enemy surprise you not again. Then thoughts as well +as words and works, will come to judgment, which is the way of holiness, +in which the redeemed of the Lord do walk. Here you will come to love +God above all, and your neighbours as yourselves. Nothing hurts, nothing +harms, nothing makes afraid on this holy mountain; now you come to be +Christ’s indeed, for you are his in nature and spirit, and not your own. +And when you are thus Christ’s, then Christ is yours, and not before; +and here communion with the Father and with the Son you will know, and +the efficacy of the blood of cleansing, even the blood of Jesus Christ, +that immaculate Lamb, which speaketh better things than the blood of +Abel, and which cleanseth from all sin the consciences of those that, +through the living faith, come to be sprinkled with it from dead works +to serve the living God. + +To conclude; behold the testimony and doctrine of the people called +Quakers! Behold their practice and discipline! and behold the blessed +man and men that were sent of God in this excellent work and service! +all which will be more particularly expressed in the ensuing annals of +the man of God; which I do heartily recommend to my reader’s most +serious perusal, and beseech Almighty God, that his blessing may go +along with it, to the convincing of many, as yet strangers to this holy +dispensation, and also to the edification of the church of God in +general; who, for his manifold and repeated mercies and blessings to his +people, in this day of his great love, is worthy ever to have the glory, +honour, thanksgiving, and renown; and be it rendered and ascribed, with +fear and reverence, through Him in whom he is well pleased, his beloved +Son and Lamb, our Light and Life, that sits with him upon the throne, +world without end. Amen, + +Says one whom God has long since mercifully favoured with his fatherly + visitation, and who was not disobedient to the heavenly vision and + call; to whom the way of Truth is more lovely and precious than + ever, and who knowing the beauty and benefit of it above all worldly + treasure, has chosen it for his chiefest joy; and therefore + recommends it to thy love and choice, because he is with great + sincerity and affection thy soul’s friend, + + WILLIAM PENN. + + + + + + + + + ------------------------------------------- + + + + + + + + +[For the testimonies respecting George Fox, which were here inserted in + former editions of this work, see Appendix at the conclusion of Vol. + II.] + + + JOURNAL OF GEORGE FOX. + + + --------------------- + + CHAPTER I. + +1624-1647.—George Fox’s birth and parentage—his gravity and piety in + youth. Apprenticed to a shoemaker, who is also a grazier, &c.—his + integrity in dealing. Refuses to drink healths—his exercises of mind + commence—he lives retired—is tempted to despair. His sorrows + continue for some years—has a sense of Christ’s sufferings. Confutes + a people who held women to be devoid of souls—begins to travel on + Truth’s account—meets with Elizabeth Hooton—fasts often, and retires + to solitary places with his Bible—his exercises intermit. Sees why + none but Christ could speak to his condition. Visits a woman who had + fasted twenty-two days—first declares the Truth at Dukinfield and + Manchester. Preaches at a great meeting at Broughton. His troubles + wear off, and he weeps for joy—sees things which cannot be + uttered—is reported to have a discerning spirit—overcomes his + temptations through the power of Christ. + + +That all may know the dealings of the Lord with me, and the various +exercises, trials, and troubles through which he led me, in order to +prepare and fit me for the work unto which he had appointed me, and may +thereby be drawn to admire and glorify his infinite wisdom and goodness, +I think fit (before I proceed to set forth my public travels in the +service of Truth), briefly to mention how it was with me in my youth, +and how the work of the Lord was begun, and gradually carried on in me, +even from my childhood. + +I was born in the month called July, 1624, at DRAYTON-IN-THE-CLAY, in +LEICESTERSHIRE. My father’s name was Christopher Fox: he was by +profession a weaver, an honest man; and there was a seed of God in him. +The neighbours called him Righteous Christer. My mother was an upright +woman; her maiden name was Mary Lago, of the family of the Lagos, and of +the stock of the martyrs. + +In my very young years I had a gravity and stayedness of mind and +spirit, not usual in children; insomuch, that when I saw old men behave +lightly and wantonly towards each other, I had a dislike thereof raised +in my heart, and said within myself, “If ever I come to be a man, surely +I shall not do so, nor be so wanton.” + +When I came to eleven years of age, I knew pureness and righteousness; +for while a child I was taught how to walk to be kept pure. The Lord +taught me to be faithful in all things, and to act faithfully two ways, +viz., inwardly to God, and outwardly to man; and to keep to Yea and Nay +in all things. For the Lord showed me, that though the people of the +world have mouths full of deceit, and changeable words, yet I was to +keep to Yea and Nay in all things; and that my words should be few and +savoury, seasoned with grace; and that I might not eat and drink to make +myself wanton, but for health, using the creatures in their service, as +servants in their places, to the glory of Him that created them; they +being in their covenant, and I being brought up into the covenant, as +sanctified by the Word which was in the beginning, by which all things +are upheld; wherein is unity with the creation. + +But people being strangers to the covenant of life with God, they eat +and drink to make themselves wanton with the creatures, wasting them +upon their own lusts, and living in all filthiness, loving foul ways, +and devouring the creation; and all this in the world, in the pollutions +thereof, without God: therefore I was to shun all such. + +Afterwards, as I grew up, my relations thought to make me a priest; but +others persuaded to the contrary: whereupon I was put to a man, a +shoemaker by trade, but who dealt in wool, and was a grazier, and sold +cattle; and a great deal went through my hands. While I was with him, he +was blessed; but after I left him he broke, and came to nothing. I never +wronged man or woman in all that time; for the Lord’s power was with me, +and over me to preserve me. While I was in that service, I used in my +dealings the word Verily, and it was a common saying among people that +knew me, “If George says Verily, there is no altering him.” When boys +and rude people would laugh at me, I let them alone, and went my way; +but people had generally a love to me for my innocency and honesty. + +When I came towards nineteen years of age, being upon business at a +fair, one of my cousins, whose name was Bradford, a professor, and +having another professor with him, came to me and asked me to drink part +of a jug of beer with them, and I, being thirsty, went in with them; for +I loved any that had a sense of good, or that sought after the Lord. +When we had drunk each a glass, they began to drink healths, calling for +more, and agreeing together, that he that would not drink should pay +all. I was grieved that any who made profession of religion, should do +so. They grieved me very much, having never had such a thing put to me +before, by any sort of people; wherefore I rose up to go, and putting my +hand into my pocket, laid a groat on the table before them, and said, +“If it be so, I will leave you.” So I went away; and when I had done +what business I had to do, I returned home, but did not go to bed that +night, nor could I sleep, but sometimes walked up and down, and +sometimes prayed and cried to the Lord, who said unto me, “Thou seest +how young people go together into vanity, and old people into the earth; +thou must forsake all, both young and old, and keep out of all, and be +as a stranger unto all.” + +Then at the command of God, on the ninth day of the seventh month, 1643, +I left my relations, and broke off all familiarity or fellowship with +old or young. I passed to LUTTERWORTH, where I stayed some time; and +thence to NORTHAMPTON, where also I made some stay: then to +NEWPORT-PAGNELL, whence, after I had stayed a while, I went to BARNET, +in the fourth month, called June,[4] in 1644. As I thus travelled +through the country, professors took notice and sought to be acquainted +with me; but I was afraid of them, for I was sensible they did not +possess what they professed. + +Footnote 4: + + Old Style. + +Now during the time that I was at BARNET, a strong temptation to despair +came upon me. Then I saw how Christ was tempted, and mighty troubles I +was in; sometimes I kept myself retired in my chamber, and often walked +solitary in the chace, to wait upon the Lord. I wondered why these +things should come to me; and I looked upon myself and said, “Was I ever +so before?” Then I thought, because I had forsaken my relations, I had +done amiss against them; so I was brought to call to my mind all the +time that I had spent, and to consider whether I had wronged any. But +temptations grew more and more, and I was tempted almost to despair; and +when Satan could not effect his design upon me that way, he laid snares +for me, and baits to draw me to commit some sin, whereby he might take +advantage to bring me to despair. I was about twenty years of age when +these exercises came upon me; and I continued in that condition some +years, in great trouble, and fain would have put it from me. I went to +many a priest to look for comfort, but found no comfort from them. + +From BARNET I went to LONDON, where I took a lodging, and was under +great misery and trouble there; for I looked upon the great professors +of the city, and I saw all was dark and under the chain of darkness. I +had an uncle there, one Pickering, a Baptist (and they were tender +then,) yet I could not impart my mind to him, nor join with them; for I +saw all, young and old, where they were. Some tender people would have +had me stay, but I was fearful, and returned homewards into +LEICESTERSHIRE again, having a regard upon my mind unto my parents and +relations, lest I should grieve them; who, I understood, were troubled +at my absence. + +When I was come down into Leicestershire, my relations would have had me +marry, but I told them I was but a lad, and I must get wisdom. Others +would have had me into the auxiliary band among the soldiery, but I +refused; and I was grieved that they proffered such things to me, being +a tender youth. Then I went to COVENTRY, where I took a chamber for a +while at a professor’s house, till people began to be acquainted with +me; for there were many tender people in that town. After some time I +went into my own country again, and was there about a year, in great +sorrows and troubles, and walked many nights by myself. + +Then the priest of DRAYTON, the town of my birth, whose name was +Nathaniel Stevens, came often to me, and I went often to him; and +another priest sometimes came with him; and they would give place to me +to hear me, and I would ask them questions, and reason with them. And +this priest Stevens asked me a question, viz., Why Christ cried out upon +the cross, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” and why he said, +“If it be possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not my will, but +thine be done?” I told him that at that time the sins of all mankind +were upon Him, and their iniquities and transgressions with which He was +wounded, which He was to bear, and to be an offering for, as He was man, +but He died not as He was God; and so, in that He died for all men, and +tasted death for every man, He was an offering for the sins of the whole +world. This I spoke, being at that time in a measure sensible of +Christ’s sufferings, and what He went through. And the priest said, “It +was a very good, full answer, and such a one as he had not heard.” At +that time he would applaud and speak highly of me to others; and what I +said in discourse to him on the week-days, he would preach on the +first-days; for which I did not like him. This priest afterwards became +my great persecutor. + +After this I went to another ancient priest at MANCETTER, in +Warwickshire, and reasoned with him about the ground of despair and +temptations; but he was ignorant of my condition; he bade me take +tobacco and sing psalms. Tobacco was a thing I did not love, and psalms +I was not in a state to sing; I could not sing. Then he bid me come +again, and he would tell me many things; but when I came he was angry +and pettish, for my former words had displeased him. He told my +troubles, sorrows, and griefs to his servants; which grieved me that I +had opened my mind to such a one. I saw they were all miserable +comforters; and this brought my troubles more upon me. Then I heard of a +priest living about TAMWORTH, who was accounted an experienced man, and +I went seven miles to him; but I found him only like an empty hollow +cask. I heard also of one called Dr. Cradock, of COVENTRY, and went to +him. I asked him the ground of temptations and despair, and how troubles +came to be wrought in man? He asked me, Who was Christ’s father and +mother? I told him, Mary was his mother, and that he was supposed to be +the son of Joseph, but he was the Son of God. Now, as we were walking +together in his garden, the alley being narrow, I chanced, in turning, +to set my foot on the side of a bed, at which the man was in a rage, as +if his house had been on fire. Thus all our discourse was lost, and I +went away in sorrow, worse than I was when I came. I thought them +miserable comforters, and saw they were all as nothing to me; for they +could not reach my condition. After this I went to another, one Macham, +a priest in high account. He would needs give me some physic, and I was +to have been let blood; but they could not get one drop of blood from +me, either in arms or head (though they endeavoured to do so,) my body +being as it were, dried up with sorrows, grief and troubles, which were +so great upon me that I could have wished I had never been born, or that +I had been born blind, that I might never have seen wickedness or +vanity; and deaf, that I might never have heard vain and wicked words, +or the Lord’s name blasphemed. When the time called Christmas came, +while others were feasting and sporting themselves, I looked out poor +widows from house to house, and gave them some money. When I was invited +to marriages (as I sometimes was,) I went to none at all, but the next +day, or soon after, I would go and visit them; and if they were poor, I +gave them some money; for I had wherewith both to keep myself from being +chargeable to others, and to administer something to the necessities of +those who were in need. + +About the beginning of the year 1646, as I was going to COVENTRY, and +approaching towards the gate, a consideration arose in me, how it was +said that “all Christians are believers, both Protestants and Papists;” +and the Lord opened to me that, if all were believers, then they were +all born of God, and passed from death to life, and that none were true +believers but such; and though others said they were believers, yet they +were not. At another time, as I was walking in a field on a first-day +morning, the Lord opened to me, “that being bred at Oxford or Cambridge +was not enough to fit and qualify men to be ministers of Christ;” and I +wondered at it, because it was the common belief of people. But I saw it +clearly as the Lord opened it to me, and was satisfied, and admired the +goodness of the Lord who had opened this thing unto me that morning. +This struck at priest Stevens’ ministry, namely, “that to be bred at +Oxford or Cambridge was not enough to make a man fit to be a minister of +Christ.” So that which opened in me, I saw struck at the priest’s +ministry. But my relations were much troubled that I would not go with +them to hear the priest; for I would get into the orchards, or the +fields, with my Bible by myself. I asked them, Did not the apostle say +to believers, that “they needed no man to teach them, but as the +anointing teacheth them?” And though they knew this was Scripture, and +that it was true, yet they were grieved because I could not be subject +in this matter, to go to hear the priest with them. I saw that to be a +true believer was another thing than they looked upon it to be; and I +saw that being bred at Oxford or Cambridge did not qualify or fit a man +to be a minister of Christ: what then should I follow such for? So +neither these, nor any of the Dissenting people, could I join with, but +was as a stranger to all, relying wholly upon the Lord Jesus Christ. + +At another time it was opened in me, “That God, who made the world, did +not dwell in temples made with hands.” This at first seemed a strange +word, because both priests and people used to call their temples or +churches, dreadful places, holy ground, and the temples of God. But the +Lord showed me clearly, that he did not dwell in these temples which men +had commanded and set up, but in people’s hearts: for both Stephen and +the apostle Paul bore testimony, that he did not dwell in temples made +with hands, not even in that which he had once commanded to be built, +since he put an end to it; but that his people were his temple, and he +dwelt in them. This opened in me as I walked in the fields to my +relations’ house. When I came there, they told me that Nathaniel +Stevens, the priest, had been there, and told them “he was afraid of me, +for going after new lights.” I smiled in myself, knowing what the Lord +had opened in me concerning him and his brethren; but I told not my +relations, who though they saw beyond the priests, yet they went to hear +them, and were grieved because I would not go also. But I brought them +Scriptures, and told them, there was an anointing within man to teach +him, and that the Lord would teach his people himself. I had also great +openings concerning the things written in the Revelations; and when I +spoke of them, the priests and professors would say that was a sealed +book, and would have kept me out of it: but I told them, Christ could +open the seals, and that they were the nearest things to us; for the +Epistles were written to the saints that lived in former ages, but the +Revelations were written of things to come. + +After this, I met with a sort of people that held women have no souls, +(adding in a light manner,) no more than a goose. But I reproved them, +and told them that was not right; for Mary said, “My soul doth magnify +the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” + +Removing to another place, I came among a people that relied much on +dreams. I told them, except they could distinguish between dream and +dream, they would confound all together; for there were three sorts of +dreams; multitude of business sometimes caused dreams; and there were +whisperings of Satan in man in the night-season; and there were +speakings of God to man in dreams. But these people came out of these +things, and at last became Friends. + +Now though I had great openings, yet great trouble and temptation came +many times upon me; so that when it was day, I wished for night, and +when it was night, I wished for day: and by reason of the openings I had +in my troubles, I could say as David said, “Day unto day uttereth +speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge.” When I had openings, +they answered one another, and answered the Scriptures; for I had great +openings of the Scriptures: and when I was in troubles, one trouble also +answered to another. + +About the beginning of the year 1647, I was moved of the Lord to go into +DERBYSHIRE, where I met with some friendly people, and had many +discourses with them. Then passing further into the PEAK-COUNTRY, I met +with more friendly people, and with some in empty, high notions. +Travelling on through some parts of LEICESTERSHIRE and into +NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, I met with a tender people, and a very tender woman, +whose name was Elizabeth Hooton;[5] and with these I had some meetings +and discourses. But my troubles continued, and I was often under great +temptations; I fasted much, and walked abroad in solitary places many +days, and often took my Bible, and went and sat in hollow trees and +lonesome places till night came on; and frequently, in the night, walked +mournfully about by myself: for I was a man of sorrows in the times of +the first workings of the Lord in me. + +Footnote 5: + + Elizabeth Hooton was born at Nottingham about the year 1600; was the + wife of a person who occupied a respectable position in society. In + 1647, when George Fox first met with her, she formed one of a company + of serious persons, who occasionally met together. Little is known of + her, but “the meetings and discourses” she had with George Fox appear + to have been the means of convincing her of the spiritual views of + Friends. Sewell says in 1650—“From a true experience of the Lord’s + work in man, she felt herself moved publicly to preach the way of + salvation to others.” She was therefore not only the first of her sex, + but the second individual who appeared in the character of a minister + amongst the newly-gathered society. The preaching of women was not at + this period considered singular, several being thus engaged among the + various religious sects then in England. Elizabeth Hooton had not long + publicly testified as a minister, before her sincerity and + faithfulness were tested by persecution. Besides suffering in other + ways, she endured several imprisonments, sometimes for months + together. As a gospel minister, she stood high in the estimation of + her friends, and in advanced life performed two religious visits to + America and the West Indies, the latter of which occupied her several + years. She was one who travelled with George Fox amongst the West + India Islands, as related elsewhere in these volumes, being suddenly + taken ill in Jamaica, where she died the day following, aged about 71 + years, a minister 21 years. + +During all this time I was never joined in profession of religion with +any, but gave myself up to the Lord, having forsaken all evil company, +and taken leave of father and mother, and all other relations, and +travelled up and down as a stranger in the earth, which way the Lord +inclined my heart; taking a chamber to myself in the town where I came, +and tarrying sometimes a month, more or less, in a place; for I durst +not stay long in any place, being afraid both of professor and profane, +lest, being a tender young man, I should be hurt by conversing much with +either. For which reason I kept myself much as a stranger, seeking +heavenly wisdom and getting knowledge from the Lord; and was brought off +from outward things, to rely wholly on the Lord alone. Though my +exercises and troubles were very great, yet were they not so continual +but that I had some intermissions, and was sometimes brought into such a +heavenly joy, that I thought I had been in Abraham’s bosom. As I cannot +declare the misery I was in, it was so great and heavy upon me; so +neither can I set forth the mercies of God unto me in all my misery. O, +the everlasting love of God to my soul, when I was in great distress! +when my troubles and torments were great, then was his love exceedingly +great. “Thou, Lord, makest a fruitful field a barren wilderness, and a +barren wilderness a fruitful field; thou bringest down and settest up; +thou killest and makest alive; all honour and glory be to thee, O Lord +of glory; the knowledge of thee in the Spirit, is life; but that +knowledge which is fleshly, works death.” While there is this knowledge +in the flesh, deceit and self-will conform to anything, and will say +yes, yes, to that it doth not know. The knowledge which the world hath +of what the prophets and apostles spoke, is a fleshly knowledge; and the +apostates from the life, in which the prophets and apostles were, have +gotten their words, the Holy Scriptures, in a form, but not in their +life nor Spirit that gave them forth. So they all lie in confusion, and +are making provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof; but not +to fulfil the law and command of Christ in his power and Spirit: this, +they say, they cannot do; but to fulfil the lusts of the flesh, that +they can do with delight. + +Now after I had received that opening from the Lord, that “to be bred at +Oxford or Cambridge was not sufficient to fit a man to be a minister of +Christ,” I regarded the priests less, and looked more after the +Dissenting people. Among them I saw there was some tenderness; and many +of them came afterwards to be convinced, for they had some openings. But +as I had forsaken the priests, so I left the separate preachers also, +and those esteemed the most experienced people; for I saw there was none +among them all that could speak to my condition. When all my hopes in +them and in all men were gone, so that I had nothing outwardly to help +me, nor could I tell what to do; then, O! then I heard a voice which +said, “There is one, even Christ Jesus, that can speak to thy +condition;” and when I heard it, my heart did leap for joy. Then the +Lord let me see why there was none upon the earth that could speak to my +condition, namely, that I might give him all the glory; for all are +concluded under sin, and shut up in unbelief, as I had been, that Jesus +Christ might have the pre-eminence, who enlightens, and gives grace, and +faith, and power. Thus when God doth work, who shall hinder it? and this +I knew experimentally. My desires after the Lord grew stronger, and zeal +in the pure knowledge of God, and of Christ alone, without the help of +any man, book, or writing. For though I read the Scriptures that spoke +of Christ and of God; yet I knew him not, but by revelation, as he who +hath the key did open, and as the Father of Life drew me to his Son by +his Spirit. Then the Lord gently led me along, and let me see his love, +which was endless and eternal, surpassing all the knowledge that men +have in the natural state, or can obtain from history or books; and that +love let me see myself, as I was without him. I was afraid of all +company, for I saw them perfectly where they were, through the love of +God, which let me see myself. I had not fellowship with any people, +priests, or professors, or any sort of separated people, but with +Christ, who hath the key, and opened the door of Light and Life unto me. +I was afraid of all carnal talk and talkers, for I could see nothing but +corruptions, and the life lay under the burthen of corruptions. When I +myself was in the deep, shut up under all, I could not believe that I +should ever overcome; my troubles, my sorrows, and my temptations were +so great, that I thought many times I should have despaired, I was so +tempted. But when Christ opened to me, how he was tempted by the same +devil, and overcame him and bruised his head, and that through him and +his power, light, grace, and Spirit, I should overcome also, I had +confidence in him; so he it was that opened to me, when I was shut up, +and had no hope nor faith. Christ, who had enlightened me, gave me his +light to believe in; he gave me hope, which he himself revealed in me, +and he gave me his Spirit and grace, which I found sufficient in the +deeps and in weakness. Thus, in the deepest miseries, and in the +greatest sorrows and temptations, that many times beset me, the Lord in +his mercy did keep me. I found that there were two thirsts in me; the +one after the creatures, to get help and strength there; and the other +after the Lord, the Creator, and his Son Jesus Christ. I saw all the +world could do me no good; if I had had a king’s diet, palace, and +attendance, all would have been as nothing; for nothing gave me comfort, +but the Lord by his power. I saw professors, priests, and people, were +whole and at ease in that condition which was my misery; and they loved +that which I would have been rid of. But the Lord stayed my desires upon +himself, from whom came my help, and my care was cast upon him alone. +Therefore, all wait patiently upon the Lord, whatsoever condition you be +in; wait in the grace and truth that comes by Jesus: for if ye so do, +there is a promise to you, and the Lord God will fulfil it in you. +Blessed are all they that do indeed hunger and thirst after +righteousness, they shall be satisfied with it. I have found it so, +praised be the Lord who filleth with it, and satisfieth the desires of +the hungry soul. O let the house of the spiritual Israel say, “His mercy +endureth for ever!” It is the great love of God to make a wilderness of +that which is pleasant to the outward eye and fleshly mind; and to make +a fruitful field of a barren wilderness. This is the great work of God. +But while people’s minds run in the earthly, after the creatures and +changeable things, changeable ways and religions, and changeable, +uncertain teachers, their minds are in bondage, they are brittle and +changeable, tossed up and down with windy doctrines and thoughts, and +notions and things; their minds being out of the unchangeable truth in +the inward parts, the Light of Jesus Christ, which would keep them to +the unchangeable. He is the way to the Father; and in all my troubles he +preserved me by his Spirit and power; praised be his holy name for ever! + +Again I heard a voice which said, “Thou serpent! thou dost seek to +destroy the life, but canst not; for the sword which keepeth the tree of +life shall destroy thee.” So Christ, the Word of God, that bruised the +head of the serpent, the destroyer, preserved me; my inward mind being +joined to his good Seed, that bruised the head of this serpent, the +destroyer. This inward life sprung up in me, to answer all the opposing +professors and priests, and brought Scriptures to my memory to refute +them with. + +At another time I saw the great love of God, and I was filled with +admiration at the infinitude of it; I saw what was cast out from God, +and what entered into God’s kingdom; and how by Jesus, the opener of the +door, with his heavenly key, the entrance was given; and I saw death, +how it had passed upon all men, and oppressed the seed of God, in man, +and in me; and how I in the seed came forth, and what the promise was +to. Yet it was so with me, that there seemed to be two pleading in me; +questionings arose in my mind about gifts and prophecies; and I was +tempted again to despair, as if I had sinned against the Holy Ghost. I +was in great perplexity and trouble for many days; yet I gave up myself +to the Lord still. + +One day when I had been walking solitarily abroad, and was come home, I +was wrapped up in the love of God, so that I could not but admire the +greatness of his love. While I was in that condition it was opened unto +me by the eternal Light and Power, and I saw clearly therein, “that all +was done, and to be done, in and by Christ; and how he conquers and +destroys this tempter, the Devil, and all his works, and is above him; +and that all these troubles were good for me, and temptations for the +trial of my faith, which Christ had given me.” The Lord opened me, that +I saw through all these troubles and temptations; my living faith was +raised, that I saw all was done by Christ, the Life, and my belief was +in Him. When at any time my condition was veiled, my secret belief was +stayed firm, and hope underneath held me, as an anchor in the bottom of +the sea, and anchored my immortal soul to its Bishop, causing it to swim +above the sea, the world, where all the raging waves, foul weather, +tempests, and temptations are. But, O! then did I see my troubles, +trials, and temptations more clearly than ever I had done. As the light +appeared, all appeared that is out of the light; darkness, death, +temptations, the unrighteous, the ungodly; all was manifest and seen in +the light. After this, a pure fire appeared in me: then I saw how he sat +as a refiner’s fire and as fullers’ soap;—then the spiritual discerning +came into me, by which I did discern my own thoughts, groans, and sighs; +and what it was that veiled me, and what it was that opened me. That +which could not abide in the patience, nor endure the fire, in the light +I found it to be the groans of the flesh, that could not give up to the +will of God, which had veiled me; and that could not be patient in all +trials, troubles, and perplexities;—could not give up self to die by the +cross, the power of God, that the living and quickened might follow him; +and that that which would cloud and veil from the presence of +Christ—that which the sword of the Spirit cuts down, and which must die, +might not be kept alive. I discerned also the groans of the Spirit, +which opened me, and made intercession to God; in which Spirit is the +true waiting upon God, for the redemption of the body and of the whole +creation. By this Spirit, in which the true sighing is, I saw over the +false sighings and groanings. By this invisible Spirit I discerned all +the false hearing, the false seeing, and the false smelling which was +above the Spirit, quenching and grieving it; and that all they that were +there, were in confusion and deceit, where the false asking and praying +is, in deceit, in that nature and tongue that takes God’s holy name in +vain, wallows in the Egyptian sea, and asketh, but hath not; for they +hate his light and resist the Holy Ghost; turn grace into wantonness, +and rebel against the Spirit; and are erred from the faith they should +ask in, and from the Spirit they should pray by. He that knoweth these +things in the true Spirit, can witness them. The divine light of Christ +manifesteth all things; the spiritual fire trieth all things, and +severeth all things. Several things did I then see as the Lord opened +them to me; for he showed me that which can live in his holy refining +fire, and that can live to God under his law. He made me sensible how +the law and the prophets were until John; and how the least in the +everlasting kingdom of God is greater than John. + +The pure and perfect law of God is over the flesh, to keep it and its +works, which are not perfect, under, by the perfect law; and the law of +God that is perfect, answers the perfect principle of God in every one. +This law the Jews, and the prophets, and John were to perform and do. +None know the giver of this law but by the Spirit of God; neither can +any truly read it, or hear its voice, but by the Spirit of God; he that +can receive it, let him. John, who was the greatest prophet that was +born of a woman, did bear witness to the light, which Christ, the great +heavenly prophet, hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world +withal; that they might believe in it, and become the children of light, +and so have the light of life, and not come into condemnation. For the +true belief stands in the light that condemns all evil, and the Devil, +who is the prince of darkness, and would draw out of the light into +condemnation. They that walk in this light, come to the mountain of the +house of God, established above all mountains, and to God’s teaching, +who will teach them his ways. These things were opened to me in the +light. + +I saw also the mountains burning up, and the rubbish; the rough and +crooked ways and places, made smooth and plain, that the Lord might come +into his tabernacle. These things are to be found in man’s heart. But to +speak of these things being within, seemed strange to the rough, and +crooked, and mountainous ones. Yet the Lord saith, “O Earth, hear the +word of the Lord!” The law of the Spirit crosseth the fleshly mind, +spirit, and will, which lives in disobedience, and doth not keep within +the law of the Spirit. I saw this law was the pure love of God, which +was upon me, and which I must go through though I was troubled while I +was under it; for I could not be dead to the law, but through the law +which did judge and condemn that which is to be condemned. I saw many +talked of the law, who had never known the law to be their schoolmaster; +and many talked of the gospel of Christ, who had never known life and +immortality brought to light in them by it. You that have been under +that schoolmaster, and the condemnation of it, know these things; for +though the Lord in that day opened these things unto me in secret, they +have since been published by his eternal Spirit, as on the house top. +And as you are brought into the law, and through the law to be dead to +it, and witness the righteousness of the law fulfilled in you, you will +afterwards come to know what it is to be brought into the faith, and +through faith from under the law; and abiding in the faith, which Christ +is the author of, you will have peace and access to God. But if ye look +out from the faith, and from that which would keep you in the victory, +and look after fleshly things or words, you will be brought into bondage +to flesh again, and to the law, which takes hold upon the flesh and sin, +and worketh wrath, and the works of the flesh will appear again. The law +of God takes hold upon the law of sin and death; but the law of faith, +or the law of the Spirit of life, which is the love of God, and which +comes by Jesus (who is the end of the law for righteousness’ sake,) +makes free from the law of sin and death. This law of life +fleshly-minded men do not know; yet they will tempt you, to draw you +from the Spirit into the flesh, and so into bondage. + +Therefore ye, who know the love of God, and the law of his Spirit, and +the freedom that is in Jesus Christ, stand fast in him, in that divine +faith which he is the author of in you; and be not entangled with the +yoke of bondage. For the ministry of Christ Jesus, and his teaching, +bring into liberty and freedom; but the ministry that is of man, and by +man, and which stands in the will of man, bringeth into bondage, and +under the shadow of death and darkness. Therefore none can be ministers +of Christ Jesus but in the eternal Spirit, which was before the +Scriptures were given forth; for if they have not his Spirit, they are +none of his. Though they may have his light to condemn them that hate +it, yet they can never bring any into unity and fellowship in the +Spirit, except they be in it; for the Seed of God is a burdensome stone +to the selfish, fleshly, earthly will, which reigns in its own knowledge +and understanding that must perish, and in its wisdom that is devilish. +And the Spirit of God is grieved, and vexed, and quenched with that +which brings into the fleshly bondage; and that which wars against the +Spirit of God, must be mortified by it; for the flesh lusteth against +the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the +one to the other. The flesh would have its liberty, and the Spirit would +have its liberty; but the Spirit is to have its liberty and not the +flesh. If therefore ye quench the Spirit, and join to the flesh, and be +servants of it, then ye are judged and tormented by the Spirit; but if +ye join to the Spirit and serve God in it, ye have liberty and victory +over the flesh and its works. Therefore keep in the daily cross, the +power of God, by which you may witness all that to be crucified which is +contrary to the will of God, and which shall not come into his kingdom. +These things are here mentioned and opened for information, exhortation, +and comfort to others, as the Lord opened them unto me in that day. In +that day I wondered that the children of Israel should murmur for water +and victuals, for I could have fasted long without murmuring or minding +victuals. But I was judged at other times, that I was not contented to +be sometimes without the water and bread of life, that I might learn to +know how to want, and how to abound. + +I heard of a woman in LANCASHIRE, that had fasted two and twenty days, +and I travelled to see her; but when I came to her I saw that she was +under a temptation. When I had spoken to her what I had from the Lord, I +left her, her father being one high in profession. Passing on, I went +among the professors at DUKINFIELD and MANCHESTER, where I stayed a +while, and declared truth among them. There were some convinced, who +received the Lord’s teaching, by which they were confirmed and stood in +the truth. But the professors were in a rage, all pleading for sin and +imperfection, and could not endure to hear talk of perfection, and of a +holy and sinless life. But the Lord’s power was over all; though they +were chained under darkness and sin, which they pleaded for, and +quenched the tender thing in them. + +About this time there was a great meeting of the Baptists, at BROUGHTON, +in Leicestershire, with some that had separated from them; and people of +other notions went thither, and I went also. Not many of the Baptists +came, but many others were there. The Lord opened my mouth, and the +everlasting truth was declared amongst them, and the power of the Lord +was over them all. For in that day the Lord’s power began to spring, and +I had great openings in the Scriptures. Several were convinced in those +parts, and were turned from darkness to light, from the power of Satan +unto God; and many were raised up to praise God. When I reasoned with +professors and other people, some became convinced. + +I was still under great temptations sometimes, and my inward sufferings +were heavy; but I could find none to open my condition to but the Lord +alone, unto whom I cried night and day. I went back into +NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, and there the Lord showed me that the natures of those +things, which were hurtful without, were within, in the hearts and minds +of wicked men. The natures of dogs, swine, vipers, of Sodom and Egypt, +Pharaoh, Cain, Ishmael, Esau, &c.; the natures of these I saw within, +though people had been looking without. I cried to the Lord, saying, +“Why should I be thus, seeing I was never addicted to commit those +evils?” and the Lord answered, “That it was needful I should have a +sense of all conditions, how else should I speak to all conditions?” and +in this I saw the infinite love of God. I saw also, that there was an +ocean of darkness and death; but an infinite ocean of light and love, +which flowed over the ocean of darkness. In that also I saw the infinite +love of God, and I had great openings. + +And as I was walking by the steeple-house,[6] in MANSFIELD, the Lord +said unto me, “That which people trample upon, must be thy food.” And as +the Lord spoke he opened it to me, that people and professors trampled +upon the life, even the life of Christ; they fed upon words, and fed one +another with words; but they trampled upon the life; trampled underfoot +the blood of the Son of God, which blood was my life, and lived in their +airy notions, talking of him. It seemed strange to me at first, that I +should feed on that which the high professors trampled upon; but the +Lord opened it clearly to me by his eternal Spirit and Power. + +Footnote 6: + + The term “steeplehouse” occurs not unfrequently in this _Journal_, and + in the early writings and records of Friends. Though it may sound + harsh, and appear to savour of the scurrility and intolerance of that + zealous age, yet this, or any other mode of speech adopted by Friends, + was by no means taken up for the purpose of opprobrium, but rather + significantly to discover the little veneration or distinction they + could show for these buildings more than others; believing that the + Almighty is equally present everywhere, to bless and to sanctify every + place and everything to those that walk uprightly on the earth, his + footstool. + + One of the chief points of George Fox’s ministry was to overturn that + insidious reverence for names and things which is too frequently + substituted for the worship that is “in spirit and in truth.” Few + instances more distinctly exhibit this sort of covert idolatry, than + the general notion of _sanctity_ which is attached to the building + called a “_church_.” The word “church” is, in the Holy Scriptures, + never applied to an outward temple or building, but to a company of + believers, whether generally or particularly. The use of this term + appears to have crept in among Christians, and with it a superstitious + consecration of those places, as possessing some latent quality not + affecting other works of art or nature. To this Stephen the martyr + evidently alluded when he said, “Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in + temples made with hands,” &c., Acts vii. 48. Clemens of Alexandria + says, “Not the place, but the congregation of the elect, I call a + church,” Stromat. vii., 715 B. + +Then came people from far and near to see me; but I was fearful of being +drawn out by them; yet I was made to speak, and open things to them. +There was one Brown, who had great prophecies and sights of me upon his +death-bed. He spoke openly of what I should be made instrumental by the +Lord to bring forth. And of others he spoke, that they should come to +nothing, which was fulfilled on some, who then were something in show. +When this man was buried, a great work of the Lord fell upon me, to the +admiration of many, who thought I had been dead; and many came to see me +for about fourteen days. I was very much altered in countenance and +person, as if my body had been new moulded or changed. While I was in +that condition, I had a sense and discerning given me by the Lord, +through which I saw plainly, that when many people talked of God and of +Christ, &c., the serpent spoke in them; but this was hard to be borne. +Yet the work of the Lord went on in some, and my sorrows and troubles +began to wear off, and tears of joy dropped from me, so that I could +have wept night and day with tears of joy to the Lord, in humility and +brokenness of heart. I saw into that which was without end, and things +which cannot be uttered, and of the greatness and infinitude of the love +of God, which cannot be expressed by words. For I had been brought +through the very ocean of darkness and death, and through and over the +power of Satan, by the eternal, glorious power of Christ; even through +that darkness was I brought, which covered over all the world, and which +chained down all, and shut up all in death. The same eternal power of +God, which brought me through these things, was that which afterwards +shook the nations, priests, professors, and people. Then could I say I +had been in spiritual Babylon, Sodom, Egypt, and the grave; but by the +eternal power of God I was come out of it, and was brought over it, and +the power of it, into the power of Christ. I saw the harvest white, and +the seed of God lying thick in the ground, as ever did wheat that was +sown outwardly, and none to gather it; for this I mourned with tears. A +report went abroad of me that I was a young man that had a discerning +spirit; whereupon many came to me, from far and near, professors, +priests, and people. The Lord’s power broke forth; and I had great +openings and prophecies; and spoke unto them of the things of God, which +they heard with attention and silence, and went away, and spread the +fame thereof. Then came the tempter, and set upon me again, charging me, +that I had sinned against the Holy Ghost; but I could not tell in what. +Then Paul’s condition came before me, how, after he had been taken up +into the third heavens, and seen things not lawful to be uttered, a +messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him. Thus, by the power of Christ, +I got over that temptation also. + + + + + CHAPTER II. + +1648-1649.—Begins to have great meetings—at Mansfield he is moved to + pray—the Lord’s power so great the house is shaken—cannot pray in + his own will—a temptation besets him that there is no God, which is + dissipated by an inward voice—he afterwards disputes with and + confounds some Atheists—goes to courts and steeple-houses, &c., to + warn against oppression and oaths—reproves a notorious drunkard, who + is reformed—sees who are the greatest deceivers—shows how people + read and understand the Scriptures—various mysteries are revealed to + him—he is sent to turn people to the Inward Light, Spirit, and + Grace, the Divine Spirit which he infallibly knew would not + deceive—priests and professors rage at these innovations—he cries + for justice in courts and against various wrong things—denounces the + trade of preaching—is sent to preach freely. + +In the year 1648, as I was sitting in a friend’s house in +Nottinghamshire (for by this time the power of God had opened the hearts +of some to receive the word of life and reconciliation,) I saw there was +a great crack to go throughout the earth, and a great smoke to go as the +crack went; and that after the crack there should be a great shaking: +this was the earth in people’s hearts, which was to be shaken before the +seed of God was raised out of the earth. And it was so; for the Lord’s +power began to shake them, and great meetings we begun to have, and a +mighty power and work of God there was amongst people, to the +astonishment of both people and priests. + +And there was a meeting of priests and professors at a justice’s house, +and I went among them. Here they discoursed how Paul said, “He had not +known sin, but by the law, which said, Thou shalt not lust:” and they +held that to be spoken of the outward law. But I told them, Paul spoke +that after he was convinced; for he had the outward law before, and was +brought up in it, when he was in the lust of persecution; but this was +the law of God in his mind, which he served, and which the law in his +members warred against; for that which he thought had been life to him, +proved death. So the more sober of the priests and professors yielded, +and consented that it was not the outward law, but the inward, which +showed the inward lust which Paul spoke of after he was convinced: for +the outward law took hold upon the outward action; but the inward law +upon the inward lust. + +After this I went again to MANSFIELD, where was a great meeting of +professors and people; here I was moved to pray; and the Lord’s power +was so great, that the house seemed to be shaken. When I had done, some +of the professors said it was now as in the days of the apostles, when +the house was shaken where they were. After I had prayed, one of the +professors would pray, which brought deadness and a veil over them: and +others of the professors were grieved at him and told him, it was a +temptation upon him. Then he came to me, and desired that I would pray +again; but I could not pray in man’s will. + +Soon after there was another great meeting of professors, and a captain, +whose name was Amor Stoddard, came in. They were discoursing of the +blood of Christ; and as they were discoursing of it, I saw, through the +immediate opening of the Invisible Spirit, the blood of Christ. And I +cried out among them, and said, “Do ye not see the blood of Christ? See +it in your hearts, to sprinkle your hearts and consciences from dead +works, to serve the living God:” for I saw it, the blood of the New +Covenant, how it came into the heart. This startled the professors, who +would have the blood only without them, and not in them. But Captain +Stoddard was reached, and said, “Let the youth speak; hear the youth +speak;” when he saw they endeavoured to bear me down with many words. + +There was also a company of priests, that were looked upon to be tender; +one of their names was Kellett; and several people that were tender, +went to hear them. I was moved to go after them, and bid them mind the +Lord’s teaching in their inward parts. That priest Kellett was against +parsonages then; but afterwards he got a great one, and turned a +persecutor. + +Now, after I had had some service in these parts, I went through +DERBYSHIRE into my own county, LEICESTERSHIRE, again, and several tender +people were convinced. Passing thence, I met with a great company of +professors in WARWICKSHIRE, who were praying, and expounding the +Scriptures in the fields. They gave the Bible to me, and I opened it on +the fifth of Matthew, where Christ expounded the law; and I opened the +inward state to them, and the outward state; upon which they fell into a +fierce contention, and so parted; but the Lord’s power got ground. + +Then I heard of a great meeting to be at LEICESTER, for a dispute, +wherein Presbyterians, Independents, Baptists, and Common-prayer-men +were said to be all concerned. The meeting was in a steeple-house; and +thither I was moved by the Lord God to go, and be amongst them. I heard +their discourse and reasonings, some being in pews, and the priest in +the pulpit; abundance of people being gathered together. At last one +woman asked a question out of Peter, What that birth was, viz., a being +born again of incorruptible seed, by the Word of God, that liveth and +abideth for ever? And the priest said to her, “I permit not a woman to +speak in the church;” though he had before given liberty for any to +speak. Whereupon I was wrapped up, as in a rapture, in the Lord’s power; +and I stepped up and asked the priest, “Dost thou call this (the +steeple-house) a church? Or dost thou call this mixed multitude a +church?” For the woman asking a question, he ought to have answered it, +having given liberty for any to speak. But, instead of answering me, he +asked me what a church was? I told him, “The church was the pillar and +ground of truth, made up of living stones, living members, a spiritual +household, which Christ was the head of: but he was not the head of a +mixed multitude, or of an old house made up of lime, stones, and wood.” +This set them all on fire: the priest came down out of his pulpit, and +others out of their pews, and the dispute there was marred. But I went +to a great inn, and there disputed the thing with the priests and +professors of all sorts; and they were all on a fire. But I maintained +the true church, and the true head thereof, over the heads of them all, +till they all gave out and fled away. One man seemed loving, and +appeared for a while to join with me; but he soon turned against me, and +joined with a priest, in pleading for infants’ baptism, though he +himself had been a Baptist before; and so left me alone. Howbeit, there +were several convinced that day; and the woman that asked the question +was convinced, and her family; and the Lord’s power and glory shone over +all. + +After this I returned into Nottinghamshire, and went into the VALE OF +BEAVOR. As I went, I preached repentance to the people; and there were +many convinced in the Vale of Beavor, in many towns; for I stayed some +weeks amongst them. One morning, as I was sitting by the fire, a great +cloud came over me, and a temptation beset me; but I sat still. And it +was said, “All things come by nature;” and the elements and stars came +over me, so that I was in a manner quite clouded with it. But as I sat +still, and silent, the people of the house perceived nothing. And as I +sat still under it, and let it alone, a living hope arose in me, and a +true voice, which said, “There _is_ a living God who made all things.” +And immediately the cloud and temptation vanished away, and life rose +over it all; my heart was glad, and I praised the living God. After some +time, I met with some people who had a notion that there was no God, but +that all things came by nature. I had a great dispute with them, and +overturned them, and made some of them confess that there is a living +God. Then I saw that it was good that I had gone through that exercise. +We had great meetings in those parts, for the power of the Lord broke +through in that part of the country. Returning into NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, I +found there a company of shattered Baptists, and others; and the Lord’s +power wrought mightily, and gathered many of them. Afterwards I went to +MANSFIELD and thereaway, where the Lord’s power was wonderfully +manifested both at Mansfield and other neighbouring towns. In Derbyshire +the mighty power of God wrought in a wonderful manner. At EATON, a town +near Derby, there was a meeting of Friends, where there was such a +mighty power of God that they were greatly shaken, and many mouths were +opened in the power of the Lord God. Many were moved by the Lord to go +to steeple-houses, to the priests and to the people, to declare the +everlasting truth unto them. + +At a certain time, when I was at MANSFIELD, there was a sitting of the +justices about hiring of servants; and it was upon me from the Lord to +go and speak to the justices, that they should not oppress the servants +in their wages. So I walked towards the inn where they sat; but finding +a company of fiddlers there, I did not go in, but thought to come in the +morning, when I might have a more serious opportunity to discourse with +them, not thinking that a seasonable time. But when I came again in the +morning, they were gone, and I was struck even blind, that I could not +see. I inquired of the innkeeper where the justices were to sit that +day; and he told me, at a town eight miles off. My sight began to come +to me again; and I went and ran thitherward as fast as I could. When I +was come to the house where they were, and many servants with them, I +exhorted the justices not to oppress the servants in their wages, but to +do that which was right and just to them; and I exhorted the servants to +do their duties, and serve honestly, &c. They all received my +exhortation kindly; for I was moved of the Lord therein. + +Moreover, I was moved to go to several courts and steeple-houses at +Mansfield, and other places, to warn them to leave off oppression and +oaths, and to turn from deceit to the Lord, and do justly. Particularly +at Mansfield, after I had been at a court there, I was moved to go and +speak to one of the most wicked men in the country, one who was a common +drunkard, a noted whore-master, and a rhyme-maker; and I reproved him in +the dread of the mighty God, for his evil courses. When I had done +speaking, and left him, he came after me, and told me, that he was so +smitten when I spoke to him, that he had scarcely any strength left in +him. So this man was convinced, and turned from his wickedness, and +remained an honest, sober man, to the astonishment of the people who had +known him before. Thus the work of the Lord went forward, and many were +turned from the darkness to the light, within the compass of these three +years, 1646, 1647, and 1648. Divers meetings of Friends, in several +places, were then gathered to God’s teaching, by his light, Spirit, and +power; for the Lord’s power broke forth more and more, wonderfully. + +Now was I come up in Spirit through the flaming sword, into the paradise +of God. All things were new; and all the creation gave another smell +unto me than before, beyond what words can utter. I knew nothing but +pureness, and innocency, and righteousness, being renewed into the image +of God by Christ Jesus, to the state of Adam, which he was in before he +fell. The creation was opened to me; and it was showed me how all things +had their names given them, according to their nature and virtue. I was +at a stand in my mind, whether I should practise physic for the good of +mankind, seeing the nature and virtues of things were so opened to me by +the Lord. But I was immediately taken up in Spirit, to see into another +or more steadfast state than Adam’s innocency, even into a state in +Christ Jesus, that should never fall. And the Lord showed me that such +as were faithful to him, in the power and light of Christ, should come +up into that state in which Adam was before he fell; in which the +admirable works of creation, and the virtues thereof, may be known, +through the openings of that divine Word of wisdom and power, by which +they were made. Great things did the Lord lead me into, and wonderful +depths were opened unto me, beyond what can by words be declared; but as +people come into subjection to the Spirit of God, and grow up in the +image and power of the Almighty, they may receive the Word of Wisdom, +that opens all things, and come to know the hidden unity in the Eternal +Being. + +Thus I travelled on in the Lord’s service, as the Lord led me. And when +I came to NOTTINGHAM, the mighty power of God was there among Friends. +From thence I went to CLAWSON in Leicestershire, in the VALE of BEAVOR, +and the mighty power of God was there also, in several towns and +villages where Friends were gathered. While I was there, the Lord opened +to me three things, relating to those three great professions in the +world, physic, divinity (so called), and law. He showed me that the +physicians were out of the wisdom of God, by which the creatures were +made; and so knew not their virtues, because they were out of the Word +of Wisdom; by which they were made. He showed me that the priests were +out of the true faith, which Christ is the author of; the faith which +purifies and gives victory, and brings people to have access to God, by +which they please God; which mystery of faith is held in a pure +conscience. He showed me also, that the lawyers were out of the equity, +and out of the true justice, and out of the law of God, which went over +the first transgression, and over all sin, and answered the Spirit of +God, that was grieved and transgressed in man. And that these three, the +physicians, the priests, and the lawyers, ruled the world out of the +wisdom, out of the faith, and out of the equity and law of God; the one +pretending the cure of the body, the other the cure of the soul, and the +third the property of the people. But I saw they were all out of wisdom, +out of the faith, out of the equity and perfect law of God. And as the +Lord opened these things unto me, I felt his power went forth over all, +by which all might be reformed, if they would receive and bow unto it. +The priests might be reformed, and brought into the true faith, which +was the gift of God. The lawyers might be reformed, and brought into the +law of God, which answers that of God, which is transgressed, in every +one, and brings to love one’s neighbour as himself. This lets man see, +if he wrongs his neighbour he wrongs himself; and this teaches him to do +unto others as he would they should do unto him. The physicians might be +reformed, and brought into the wisdom of God, by which all things were +made and created; that they might receive a right knowledge of them, and +understand their virtues, which the Word of Wisdom, by which they were +made and are upheld, hath given them. Abundance was opened concerning +these things; how all lay out of the wisdom of God, and out of the +righteousness and holiness that man at the first was made in. But as all +believe in the light, and walk in the light, which Christ hath +enlightened every man that cometh into the world withal, and so become +children of the light, and of the day of Christ; in his day all things +are seen, visible and invisible, by the divine light of Christ, the +spiritual, heavenly man, by whom all things were made and created. + +Then I saw concerning the priests, that although they stood in deceit, +and acted by the dark power, which both they and their people were kept +under; yet they were not the greatest deceivers spoken of in the +Scriptures; for these were not come so far as many of them had come. But +the Lord opened to me who the greatest deceivers were, and how far they +might come; even such as came as far as Cain, to hear the voice of God; +and such as came out of Egypt, and through the Red Sea, and to praise +God on the banks of the sea-shore; such as could speak by experience of +God’s miracles and wonders; such as were come as far as Korah and +Dathan, and their company; such as were come as far as Balaam, who could +speak the word of the Lord, who heard his voice and knew it, and knew +his Spirit, and could see the star of Jacob, and the goodliness of +Israel’s tent; the second birth, which no enchantment could prevail +against: these that could speak so much of their experiences of God, and +yet turned from the Spirit and the Word, and went into the gainsaying; +these were, and would be, the great deceivers, far beyond the priests. +Likewise among the Christians, such as should preach in Christ’s name, +and should work miracles, cast out devils, and go as far as a Cain, a +Korah, and a Balaam, in the gospel times, these were and would be the +great deceivers. They that could speak some experiences of Christ and +God, but lived not in the life: these were they that led the world after +them, who got the form of godliness, but denied the power; who inwardly +ravened from the Spirit, and brought people into the form, but +persecuted them that were in the power, as Cain did; and ran greedily +after the error of Balaam, through covetousness, loving the wages of +unrighteousness, as Balaam did. These followers of Cain, Korah, and +Balaam have brought the world, since the apostles’ days, to be like a +sea. And such as these, I saw, might deceive now, as they had in former +ages: but it is impossible for them to deceive the elect, who are chosen +in Christ, who was before the world began, and before the deceiver was; +though others may be deceived in their openings and prophecies, not +keeping their minds to the Lord Jesus Christ, who doth open and reveal +to his. + +I saw the state of those, both priests and people, who, in reading the +Scriptures, cry out much against Cain, Esau, and Judas, and other wicked +men of former times, mentioned in the Holy Scriptures; but do not see +the nature of Cain, of Esau, of Judas, and those others, in themselves. +These said, it was they, they, they, that were the bad people; putting +it off from themselves: but when some of these came, with the light and +Spirit of truth, to see into themselves, then they came to say, I, I, I, +it is I myself that have been the Ishmael, and the Esau, &c. For then +they came to see the nature of wild Ishmael in themselves; the nature of +Cain, of Esau, of Korah, of Balaam, and of the son of perdition in +themselves, sitting above all that is called God in them. Thus I saw it +was the fallen man that was got up into the Scriptures, and was finding +fault with those before mentioned; and, with the backsliding Jews, +calling them the sturdy oaks, and tall cedars, and fat bulls of Bashan, +wild heifers, vipers, serpents, &c.; and charging them that it was they +that closed their eyes, and stopped their ears, and hardened their +hearts, and were dull of hearing: that it was they that hated the light +and rebelled against it; that quenched the Spirit, and vexed, and +grieved it; that walked despitefully against the Spirit of grace, and +turned the grace of God into wantonness; and that it was they that +resisted the Holy Ghost, that got the form of godliness, and turned +against the power: and they were the inwardly ravening wolves, that had +got the sheep’s clothing; they were the wells without water, and clouds +without rain, and trees without fruit, &c. But when these, who were so +much taken up with finding fault with others, and thought themselves +clear from these things, came to look into themselves, and with the +light of Christ thoroughly to search themselves, they might see enough +of this in themselves; and then the cry could not be, it is he, or they, +as before; but I and we are found in these conditions. + +I saw also, how people read the Scriptures without a right sense of +them, and without duly applying them to their own states. For, when they +read that death reigned from Adam to Moses; that the law and the +prophets were until John; and that the least in the kingdom is greater +than John; they read these things and applied them to others, but they +did not turn in to find the truth of these things in themselves. As +these things came to be opened in me, I saw death reigned over them from +Adam to Moses; from the entrance into transgression, till they came to +the ministration of condemnation, which restrains people from sin that +brings death. Then, when the ministration of Moses is passed through, +the ministry of the prophets comes to be read and understood, which +reaches through the figures, types, and shadows unto John, the greatest +prophet born of a woman; whose ministration prepares the way of the +Lord, by bringing down the exalted mountains, and making straight paths. +And as this ministration is passed through, an entrance comes to be +known into the everlasting kingdom. Thus I saw plainly that none could +read Moses aright, without Moses’ spirit, by which Moses saw how man was +in the image of God in Paradise, and how he fell, how death came over +him, and how all men have been under this death. I saw how Moses +received the pure law, that went over all transgressors; and how the +clean beasts, which were figures and types, were offered up, when the +people were come into the righteous law that went over the first +transgression. Both Moses and the prophets saw through the types and +figures and beyond them, and saw Christ, the great prophet, that was to +come to fulfil them. I saw that none could read John’s words aright, and +with a true understanding of them, but in and with the same divine +Spirit by which John spoke them; and by his burning, shining light, +which is sent from God. For by that Spirit their crooked natures might +be made straight, and their rough natures smooth, and the exacter and +violent doer in them might be cast out; and they that had been +hypocrites might come to bring forth fruits meet for repentance, and +their mountain of sin and earthliness might be laid low, and their +valley exalted in them, that there might be a way prepared for the Lord +in them: then the least of the kingdom is greater than John. But all +must first know the voice crying in the wilderness, in their hearts, +which through transgression, were become a wilderness. Thus I saw it was +an easy matter to say death reigned from Adam to Moses; and that the law +and the prophets were until John; and that the least in the kingdom is +greater than John; but none could know _how_ death reigned from Adam to +Moses, &c., but by the same Holy Spirit that Moses, the prophets, and +John were in. They could not know the spiritual meaning of Moses’, the +prophets’, and John’s words, nor see their path and travels, much less +see through them, and to the end of them into the kingdom, unless they +had the Spirit and light of Jesus; nor could they know the words of +Christ, and of his apostles, without his Spirit. But as man comes +through by the Spirit and power of God, to Christ, who fulfils the +types, figures, shadows, promises, and prophecies that were of him, and +is led by the Holy Ghost into the truth and substance of the Scriptures, +sitting down in him who is the author and end of them; then are they +read, and understood with profit and great delight. + +Moreover, when I was brought up into his image in righteousness and +holiness, and into the paradise of God, He let me see how Adam was made +a living soul: and also the stature of Christ, the mystery that had been +hid from ages and generations; which things are hard to be uttered and +cannot be borne by many. For, of all the sects in Christendom (so +called) that I discoursed withal, I found none that could bear to be +told that any should come to Adam’s perfection, into the image of God, +that righteousness and holiness that Adam was in before he fell; to be +clear and pure without sin, as he was. Therefore how should they be able +to bear being told that any should grow up to the measure of the stature +of the fulness of Christ, when they cannot bear to hear that any should +come, whilst upon earth, into the same power and Spirit that the +prophets and apostles were in? Though it is a certain truth, that none +can understand their writings aright, without the same Spirit by which +they were written. + +Now the Lord God opened to me by his invisible power, “that every man +was enlightened by the divine light of Christ;” and I saw it shine +through all; and that they that believed in it came out of condemnation +to the light of life, and became the children of it; but they that hated +it, and did not believe in it, were condemned by it, though they made a +profession of Christ. This I saw in the pure openings of the light, +without the help of any man; neither did I then know where to find it in +the Scriptures, though afterwards, searching the Scriptures, I found it. +For I saw in that Light and Spirit which was before the Scriptures were +given forth, and which led the holy men of God to give them forth, that +all must come to that Spirit, if they would know God, or Christ, or the +Scriptures aright, which they that gave them forth were led and taught +by. + +But I observed a dulness and drowsy heaviness upon people, which I +wondered at: for sometimes when I would set myself to sleep, my mind +went over all to the beginning, in that which is from everlasting to +everlasting. I saw death was to pass over this sleepy heavy state; and I +told people they must come to witness death to that sleepy, heavy +nature, and a cross to it in the power of God, that their minds and +hearts might be on things above. + +On a certain time, as I was walking in the fields, the Lord said unto +me: “Thy name is written in the Lamb’s book of life, which was before +the foundation of the world;” and, as the Lord spoke it, I believed, and +saw it in the new birth. Then, some time after, the Lord commanded me to +go abroad into the world, which was like a briery thorny wilderness; and +when I came, in the Lord’s mighty power, with the word of life into the +world, the world swelled, and made a noise like the great raging waves +of the sea. Priests and professors, magistrates and people, were all +like a sea, when I came to proclaim the day of the Lord amongst them, +and to preach repentance to them. + +I was sent to turn people from darkness to the light, that they might +receive Christ Jesus: for, to as many as should receive him in his +light, I saw that he would give power to become the sons of God; which I +had obtained by receiving Christ. I was to direct people to the Spirit, +that gave forth the Scriptures, by which they might be led into all +truth, and so up to Christ and God, as they had been who gave them +forth. I was to turn them to the grace of God, and to the truth in the +heart, which came by Jesus; that by this grace they might be taught, +which would bring them salvation, that their hearts might be established +by it, and their words might be seasoned, and all might come to know +their salvation nigh. I saw that Christ died for all men, and was a +propitiation for all; and enlightened all men and women with his divine +and saving light; and that none could be a true believer, but who +believed in it. I saw that the grace of God, which bringeth salvation, +had appeared to all men, and that the manifestation of the Spirit of God +was given to every man, to profit withal. These things I did not see by +the help of man, nor by the letter, though they are written in the +letter, but I saw them in the light of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by his +immediate Spirit and power, as did the holy men of God, by whom the Holy +Scriptures were written. Yet I had no slight esteem of the holy +Scriptures, but they were very precious to me, for I was in that Spirit +by which they were given forth: and what the Lord opened in me, I +afterwards found was agreeable to them. I could speak much of these +things, and many volumes might be written, but all would prove too short +to set forth the infinite love, wisdom, and power of God, in preparing, +fitting, and furnishing me for the service he had appointed me to; +letting me see the depths of Satan on the one hand, and opening to me, +on the other hand, the divine mysteries of His own everlasting kingdom. + +Now, when the Lord God and his son Jesus Christ sent me forth into the +world, to preach his everlasting gospel and kingdom, I was glad that I +was commanded to turn people to that inward light, Spirit, and grace, by +which all might know their salvation, and their way to God; even that +Divine Spirit which would lead them into all truth, and which I +infallibly knew would never deceive any. + +But with and by this divine power and Spirit of God, and the light of +Jesus, I was to bring people off from all their own ways, to Christ, the +new and living way; and from their churches, which men had made and +gathered, to the church in God, the general assembly written in heaven +which Christ is the head of: and off from the world’s, teachers, made by +men, to learn of Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life, of +whom the Father said, “This is my beloved Son, hear ye him;” and off +from all the world’s worships, to know the Spirit of Truth in the inward +parts, and to be led thereby; that in it they might worship the Father +of spirits, who seeks such to worship him; which Spirit they that +worshipped not in, knew not what they worshipped. And I was to bring +people off from all the world’s religions, which are vain; that they +might know the pure religion, might visit the fatherless, the widows, +and the strangers, and keep themselves from the spots of the world; then +there would not be so many beggars, the sight of whom often grieved my +heart, as it denoted so much hard-heartedness amongst them that +professed the name of Christ. I was to bring them off from all the +world’s fellowships, and prayings, and singings, which stood in forms +without power; that their fellowship might be in the Holy Ghost, and in +the Eternal Spirit of God; that they might pray in the Holy Ghost, and +sing in the Spirit, and with the grace that comes by Jesus; making +melody in their hearts to the Lord, who hath sent his beloved Son to be +their Saviour, and caused his heavenly sun to shine upon all the world, +and through them all, and his heavenly rain to fall upon the just and +the unjust (as his outward rain doth fall, and his outward sun doth +shine on all), which is God’s unspeakable love to the world. I was to +bring people off from Jewish ceremonies, and from heathenish fables, and +from men’s inventions and windy doctrines, by which they blew the people +about this way and the other way, from sect to sect; and from all their +beggarly rudiments, with their schools and colleges for making ministers +of Christ, who are indeed ministers of their own making, but not of +Christ’s; and from all their images and crosses, and sprinkling of +infants, with all their holy days (so called) and all their vain +traditions, which they had instituted since the apostles’ days, which +the Lord’s power was against: in the dread and authority of which, I was +moved to declare against them all, and against all that preached and not +freely, as being such as had not received freely from Christ. + +Moreover, when the Lord sent me forth into the world, he forbade me to +put off my hat to any, high or low; and I was required to Thee and Thou +all men and women, without any respect to rich or poor, great or small. +And as I travelled up and down, I was not to bid people Good morrow or +Good evening; neither might I bow or scrape with my leg to any one; and +this made the sects and professions to rage. But the Lord’s power +carried me over all to his glory, and many came to be turned to God in a +little time; for the heavenly day of the Lord sprung from on high, and +broke forth apace, by the light of which many came to see where they +were. + +But O! the rage that then was in the priests, magistrates, professors, +and people of all sorts; but especially in priests and professors! for, +though Thou, to a single person, was according to their own learning, +their accidence, and grammar rules, and according to the Bible, yet they +could not bear to hear it: and as to the hat-honour, because I could not +put off my hat to them, it set them all into a rage. But the Lord showed +me that it was an honour below, which he would lay in the dust, and +stain;—an honour which proud flesh looked for, but sought not the honour +which came from God only;—an honour invented by men in the fall, and in +the alienation from God, who were offended if it were not given them; +and yet they would be looked upon as saints, church-members and great +Christians: but Christ saith, “How can ye believe, who receive honour +one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?” “And +I (saith Christ) receive not honour of men:” showing that men have an +honour, which men will receive and give; but Christ will have none of +it. This is the honour which Christ will not receive, and which must be +laid in the dust. O! the rage and scorn, the heat and fury that arose! +O! the blows, punchings, beatings, and imprisonments that we underwent, +for not putting off our hats to men! for that soon tried all men’s +patience and sobriety what it was. Some had their hats violently plucked +off and thrown away, so that they quite lost them. The bad language and +evil usage we received on this account are hard to be expressed, besides +the danger we were sometimes in, of losing our lives for this matter, +and that by the great professors of Christianity, who thereby evinced +that they were not true believers. And though it was but a small thing +in the eye of man, yet a wonderful confusion it brought among all +professors and priests; but, blessed be the Lord, many came to see the +vanity of that custom of putting off the hat to men, and felt the weight +of Truth’s testimony against it. + +About this time I was sorely exercised in going to their courts to cry +for justice, and in speaking and writing to judges and justices to do +justly; in warning such as kept public-houses for entertainment, that +they should not let people have more drink than would do them good; and +in testifying against their wakes or feasts, may-games, sports, plays, +and shows, which trained up people to vanity and looseness, and led them +from the fear of God; and the days they had set forth for holy-days were +usually the times wherein they most dishonoured God by these things.[7] +In fairs, also, and in markets, I was made to declare against their +deceitful merchandise, cheating, and cozening; warning all to deal +justly, to speak the truth, to let their yea be yea, and their nay be +nay; and to do unto others as they would have others do unto them; +forewarning them of the great and terrible day of the Lord, which would +come upon them all. I was moved also to cry against all sorts of music, +and against the mountebanks playing tricks on their stages, for they +burthened the pure life, and stirred up people’s minds to vanity. I was +much exercised, too, with school-masters and school-mistresses, warning +them to teach their children sobriety in the fear of the Lord, that they +might not be nursed and trained up in lightness, vanity, and wantonness. +Likewise I was made to warn masters and mistresses, fathers and mothers +in private families, to take care that their children and servants might +be trained up in the fear of the Lord; and that they themselves should +be therein examples and patterns of sobriety and virtue to them. For I +saw that as the Jews were to teach their children the law of God and the +old covenant, and to train them up in it, and their servants, yea, the +very strangers were to keep the Sabbath amongst them, and be +circumcised, before they might eat of their sacrifices; so all +Christians, and all that made a profession of Christianity, ought to +train up their children and servants in the new covenant of light, +Christ Jesus, who is God’s salvation to the ends of the earth, that all +may know their salvation: and they ought to train them up in the law of +life, the law of the Spirit, the law of love and of faith; that they +might be made free from the law of sin and death. And all Christians +ought to be circumcised by the Spirit, which puts off the body of the +sins of the flesh, that they may come to eat of the heavenly sacrifice, +Christ Jesus, that true spiritual food, which none can rightly feed upon +but they that are circumcised by the Spirit. Likewise, I was exercised +about the star-gazers, who drew people’s minds from Christ, the bright +and the morning star; and from the Sun of righteousness, by whom the +sun, and moon, and stars, and all things else were made, who is the +wisdom of God, and from whom the right knowledge of all things is +received. + +Footnote 7: + + By a royal proclamation of James I., issued in 1618 (for Lancashire), + these pastimes were made lawful recreations for the First-day of the + week, provided they did not interfere with the times appointed for + worship. Many of the clergy at first refused to promulgate the + proclamation, though by so doing they acted contrary to their + canonical obedience, and laid themselves open to penalties. In the + seventh year of Charles I., this proclamation, at the instigation of + Archbishop Laud, was revived, and extended to the whole nation, and + was enjoined to be published and advocated from the pulpit by all + ministers, to their disgrace. By the revival of this offensive + proclamation, these disorderly revels had arrived to such a height of + licentious depravity, that some well-disposed justices, in the county + of Somerset, petitioned the judges on the western circuit, Sir Thomas + Richardson, Lord Chief Justice, and Baron Denham, to suppress them. + For so doing, they were summoned before the King and Council, by + Archbishop Laud, for illegally interfering with the ecclesiastical + jurisdiction, and the council rescinded the prohibitions, and + cashiered the judges.—(See Fuller’s _Church Hist._, Book x., p. 74: + and Book xi., p. 147). + +But the earthly spirit of the priests wounded my life; and when I heard +the bell toll to call people together to the steeple-house, it struck at +my life; for it was just like a market-bell, to gather people together, +that the priest might set forth his ware to sale. O! the vast sums of +money that are gotten by the trade they make of selling the Scriptures, +and by their preaching, from the highest bishop to the lowest priest! +What one trade else in the world is comparable to it? notwithstanding +the Scriptures were given forth freely, and Christ commanded his +ministers to preach freely, and the prophets and apostles denounced +judgment against all covetous hirelings and diviners for money. But in +this free Spirit of the Lord Jesus was I sent forth to declare the Word +of life and reconciliation freely, that all might come to Christ, who +gives freely, and who renews up into the image of God, which man and +woman were in before they fell, that they might sit down in heavenly +places in Christ Jesus. + + + + + CHAPTER III. + +1649-1650—George Fox is first imprisoned at Nottingham, where the + Sheriff is convinced—he is liberated and quiets a distracted + woman—he is cruelly treated at Mansfield-Woodhouse—is taken before + the magistrates at Derby—acknowledges that he is sanctified—is + temptingly asked if he were Christ, which he denies, yet is + committed for blasphemy—his mittimus to Derby prison—writes to the + priests at Derby against preaching for hire, &c.—also against + persecution—to Barton and Bennet, justices, on the same subject—to + Justice Bennet against covetousness—to Justice Barton, a preacher + and a persecutor—to the Mayor of Derby against persecution and + oppression—to the court of Derby against oaths and oppression—to the + bell-ringers of Derby against vanities and worldly pleasures—his + jailer is convinced—Justice Bennet first gives Friends the name of + Quakers in derision—writes to Friends and others, to open their + understandings, and to direct them to their true Teacher within + themselves—to the convinced people, directing them to internal + silence and to true obedience—an encouragement to the faithful—to + the justices of Derby against persecution, thrice repeated—to the + priests of Derby, on the same subject—to the justices of Derby, to + prize their time, and to depart from evil—the like to Colonel + Barton, justice, and warning of the plagues and vengeance hanging + over the oppressor. + + +Now as I went towards NOTTINGHAM on a First-day in the morning, with +Friends to a meeting there, when I came on the top of a hill in sight of +the town, I espied the great steeple-house; and the Lord said unto me, +“thou must go cry against yonder great idol, and against the worshippers +therein.” I said nothing of this to the Friends that were with me, but +went on with them to the meeting, where the mighty power of the Lord was +amongst us; in which I left Friends sitting in the meeting, and I went +away to the steeple-house. When I came there, all the people looked like +fallow-ground, and the priest (like a great lump of earth) stood in his +pulpit above. He took for his text these words of Peter, “We have also a +more sure Word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as +unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the +day-star arise in your hearts.” And he told the people that this was the +Scriptures, by which they were to try all doctrines, religions, and +opinions. Now the Lord’s power was so mighty upon me, and so strong in +me, that I could not hold, but was made to cry out and say, “O no, it is +not the Scriptures;” and I told them what it was, namely, the Holy +Spirit, by which the holy men of God gave forth the Scriptures, whereby +opinions, religions, and judgments were to be tried; for it led into all +truth, and so gave the knowledge of all truth. The Jews had the +Scriptures, and yet resisted the Holy Ghost, and rejected Christ, the +bright morning-star. They persecuted Christ and his apostles, and took +upon them to try their doctrines by the Scriptures, but erred in +judgment, and did not try them aright, because they tried without the +Holy Ghost. As I spoke thus amongst them, the officers came and took me +away, and put me into a nasty, stinking prison; the smell whereof got so +into my nose and throat, that it very much annoyed me. + +But that day the Lord’s power sounded so in their ears, that they were +amazed at the voice; and could not get it out of their ears for some +time after, they were so reached by the Lord’s power in the +steeple-house. At night they took me before the mayor, aldermen, and +sheriffs of the town; and when I was brought before them, the mayor was +in a peevish, fretful temper, but the Lord’s power allayed him. They +examined me at large; and I told them how the Lord had moved me to come. +After some discourse between them and me, they sent me back to prison +again; but some time after the head sheriff, whose name was John +Reckless, sent for me to his house. When I came in, his wife met me in +the hall, and said, “Salvation is come to our house.” She took me by the +hand, and was much wrought upon by the power of the Lord God; and her +husband, and children, and servants were much changed, for the power of +the Lord wrought upon them. I lodged at the sheriff’s, and great +meetings we had in his house. Some persons of considerable condition in +the world came to them, and the Lord’s power appeared eminently amongst +them. This sheriff sent for the other sheriff, and for a woman they had +had dealings with in the way of trade; and he told her before the other +sheriff, that they had wronged her in their dealings with her (for the +other sheriff and he were partners), and that they ought to make her +restitution. This he spoke cheerfully; but the other sheriff denied it; +and the woman said she knew nothing of it. But the friendly sheriff said +it was so, and that the other knew it well enough; and having discovered +the matter, and acknowledged the wrong done by them, he made restitution +to the woman, and exhorted the other sheriff to do the like. + +The Lord’s power was with this friendly sheriff, and wrought a mighty +change in him, and great openings he had. The next market-day, as he was +walking with me in the chamber, in his slippers, he said, “I must go +into the market, and preach repentance to the people;” and accordingly +he went into the market, and into several streets, and preached +repentance to the people. Several others also in the town were moved to +speak to the mayor and magistrates, and to the people, exhorting them to +repent. Hereupon the magistrates grew very angry, and sent for me from +the Sheriff’s house, and committed me to the common prison. When the +assize came on, there was one moved to come and offer up himself for me, +body for body; yea, life also: but when I should have been brought +before the judge, the sheriff’s man being somewhat long in fetching me +to the sessions-house, the judge was risen before I came. At which I +understood the judge was somewhat offended, and said, “he would have +admonished the youth, if he had been brought before him;” for I was then +imprisoned by the name of A YOUTH. So I was returned to prison again, +and put into the common jail. The Lord’s power was great among Friends; +but the people began to be very rude; wherefore the governor of the +castle sent down soldiers, and dispersed them; and after that they were +quiet. But both priests and people were astonished at the wonderful +power that broke forth; and several of the priests were made tender, and +some did confess to the power of the Lord. + +Now, after I was released from Nottingham jail, where I had been kept +prisoner some time, I travelled as before, in the work of the Lord. +Coming to MANSFIELD-WOODHOUSE, there was a distracted woman under a +doctor’s hand, with her hair loose all about her ears. He was about to +bleed her, she being first bound, and many people being about her, +holding her by violence; but he could get no blood from her. I desired +them to unbind her, and let her alone, for they could not touch the +spirit in her, by which she was tormented. So they unbound her; and I +was moved to speak to her, and in the name of the Lord to bid her be +quiet and still; and she was so. The Lord’s power settled her mind, and +she mended; and afterwards she received the truth, and continued in it +to her death. The Lord’s name was honoured; to whom the glory of all his +works belongs. Many great and wonderful things were wrought by the +heavenly power in those days; for the Lord made bare his omnipotent arm, +and manifested his power to the astonishment of many, by the healing +virtue whereof many have been delivered from great infirmities, and the +devils were made subject through his name; of which particular instances +might be given, beyond what this unbelieving age is able to receive or +bear. But blessed for ever be the name of the Lord, and everlastingly +honoured, and over all exalted and magnified be the arm of his glorious +power, by which he hath wrought gloriously; let the honour and praise of +all his works be ascribed to him alone. + +Now while I was at Mansfield-Woodhouse, I was moved to go to the +steeple-house there, and declare the truth to the priest and people; but +the people fell upon me in great rage, struck me down, and almost +stifled and smothered me; and I was cruelly beaten and bruised by them +with their hands, Bibles, and sticks. Then they haled me out, though I +was hardly able to stand, and put me into the stocks, where I sat some +hours; and they brought dog-whips and horse-whips, threatening to whip +me. After some time they had me before the magistrate, at a knight’s +house, where were many great persons; who, seeing how evilly I had been +used, after much threatening, set me at liberty. But the rude people +stoned me out of the town, for preaching the word of life to them. I was +scarcely able to move or stand, by reason of the ill-usage I had +received; yet with considerable effort I got about a mile from the town, +and then I met with some people who gave me something to comfort me, +because I was inwardly bruised; but the Lord’s power soon healed me +again. That day some people were convinced of the Lord’s truth, and +turned to his teaching, at which I rejoiced. + +Then I went into LEICESTERSHIRE, several Friends accompanying me. There +were some Baptists in that country whom I desired to see and speak with, +because they were separated from the public worship. So one Oates, who +was one of their chief teachers, and others of the heads of them, with +several others of their company, came to meet us at BARROW; and there we +discoursed with them. One of them said, “What was not of faith was sin.” +Whereupon I asked them, What faith was? and how it was wrought in man? +But they turned off from that, and spoke of their baptism in water. Then +I asked them, Whether their mountain of sin was brought down and laid +low in them? and their rough and crooked ways made smooth and straight +in them? for they looked upon that Scripture as meaning outward +mountains and ways. But I told them they must find them in their own +hearts; which they seemed to wonder at. We asked them who baptized John +the Baptist? and who baptized Peter, John, and the rest of the Apostles? +and put them to prove by Scripture that these were baptized in water; +but they were silent. Then I asked them, “Seeing Judas, who betrayed +Christ, and was called the Son of Perdition, had hanged himself, what +Son of Perdition was that which Paul spoke of, that sat in the temple of +God, exalted above all that is called God? and what temple of God that +was in which this Son of Perdition sat? and whether he, that betrays +Christ within in himself, be not one in nature with that Judas, that +betrayed Christ without?” But they could not tell what to make of this, +nor what to say to it. So after some discourse we parted; and some of +them were loving to us. On the First-day following we came to BAGWORTH, +and went to a steeple-house, where some Friends were got in; and the +people locked them in, and themselves too, with the priest. But after +the priest had done, they opened the door, and we went in also, and had +a service for the Lord amongst them. Afterwards we had a meeting in the +town, amongst several people that were in high notions. + +Passing from thence, I heard of a people that were in prison in COVENTRY +for religion. And as I walked towards the jail, the word of the Lord +came to me saying, “MY LOVE WAS ALWAYS TO THEE, AND THOU ART IN MY +LOVE.” And I was ravished with the sense of the love of God, and greatly +strengthened in my inward man. But when I came into the jail, where the +prisoners were, a great power of darkness struck at me, and I sat still, +having my spirit gathered into the love of God. At last these prisoners +began to rant, and vapour, and blaspheme, at which my soul was greatly +grieved. They said they were God; but that we could not bear such +things. When they were calm, I stood up and asked them whether they did +such things by motion, or from Scripture; and they said, from Scripture. +A Bible being at hand, I asked them to point out that Scripture; and +they showed me the place where the sheet was let down to Peter, and it +was said to him, what was sanctified he should not call common or +unclean. When I had showed them that that Scripture proved nothing for +their purpose, they brought another, which spoke of God’s reconciling +all things to himself, things in heaven, and things in earth. I told +them I owned that Scripture also, but showed them that that was nothing +to their purpose either. Then seeing they said they were God, I asked +them, if they knew whether it would rain to-morrow? they said they could +not tell. I told them, God could tell. Again, I asked them, if they +thought they should be always in that condition, or should change? and +they answered they could not tell. Then said I unto them, God can tell, +and God doth not change. You say you are God; and yet you cannot tell +whether you shall change or not. So they were confounded, and quite +brought down for the time. After I had reproved them for their +blasphemous expressions, I went away; for I perceived they were Ranters. +I had met with none before; and I admired the goodness of the Lord in +appearing so unto me before I went amongst them. Not long after this, +one of these Ranters, whose name was Joseph Salmon, put forth a paper, +or book of recantation; upon which they were set at liberty. + +From Coventry I went to ATHERSTONE; and it being their lecture-day, I +was moved to go to their chapel to speak to the priests and people. They +were generally pretty quiet; only some few raged, and would have had my +relations to have me bound. I declared largely to them how that God was +come to teach his people himself, and to bring them off from all their +man-made teachers to hear his Son. Some were convinced there. + +Then I went to MARKET-BOSWORTH, and there was a lecture there also. He +that preached that day was Nathaniel Stevens, who was priest of the town +where I was born. He raged much when I spoke to him and to the people, +and told them I was mad. He had said before, to one Colonel Purfoy, that +there was never such a plant bred in England; and he bid the people not +to hear me. So the people, being stirred up by this deceitful priest, +fell upon us, and stoned us out of the town; yet they did not do us much +hurt. Howbeit, some people were made loving that day, and others were +confirmed, seeing the rage of both priests and professors; and some +cried out, that the priest durst not stand to prove his ministry. + +As I travelled through markets, fairs, and divers places, I saw death +and darkness in all people, where the power of the Lord God had not +shaken them. As I was passing on in Leicestershire, I came to TWY-CROSS, +where there were excise-men. I was moved of the Lord to go to them, and +warn them to take heed of oppressing the poor; and people were much +affected with it. There was in that town a great man, that had long lain +sick, and was given up by the physicians; and some Friends in the town +desired me to go to see him. I went up to him in his chamber, and spoke +the word of life to him, and was moved to pray by him; and the Lord was +entreated, and restored him to health. But when I was come down stairs, +into a lower room, and was speaking to the servants, and to some people +that were there, a serving-man of his came raving out of another room, +with a naked rapier in his hand, and set it just to my side. I looked +steadfastly on him, and said, “Alack for thee, poor creature! what wilt +thou do with thy carnal weapon; it is no more to me than a straw.” The +standers-by were much troubled, and he went away in a rage, and full of +wrath. But when the news of it came to his master, he turned him out of +his service. Thus the Lord’s power preserved me, and raised up the weak +man, who afterwards was very loving to Friends; and when I came to that +town again, both he and his wife came to see me. + +After this I was moved to go into Derbyshire, where the mighty power of +God was among Friends. And I went to CHESTERFIELD, where one Britland +was priest. He saw beyond the common sort of priests, for he had been +partly convinced, and had spoken much on behalf of Truth, before he was +priest there; but when the priest of that town died, he got the +parsonage, and choked himself with it. I was moved to speak to him and +the people in the great love of God, that they might come off from all +men’s teaching unto God’s teaching; and he was not able to gainsay. But +they had me before the Mayor, and threatened to send me, with some +others, to the House of Correction; and kept us in custody till it was +late in the night. Then the officers, with the watchmen, put us out of +the town, leaving us to shift as we could. So I bent my course toward +Derby, having a friend or two with me. In our way we met with many +professors; and at KIDSEY-PARK many were convinced. + +Then coming to DERBY, I lay at a doctor’s house, whose wife was +convinced; and so were several more in the town. As I was walking in my +chamber, the [steeple-house] bell rung, and it struck at my life at the +very hearing of it; so I asked the woman of the house what the bell rung +for? She said there was to be a great lecture there that day, and many +of the officers of the army, and priests, and preachers were to be +there, and a colonel, that was a preacher. Then was I moved of the Lord +to go up to them; and when they had done I spoke to them what the Lord +commanded me, and they were pretty quiet. But there came an officer and +took me by the hand, and said I must go before the magistrates, and the +other two that were with me. It was about the first hour after noon that +we came before them. They asked me, Why we came thither; I said, God +moved us so to do; and I told them, “God dwells not in temples made with +hands.” I told them also, All their preaching, baptism, and sacrifices +would never sanctify them; and bid them look unto Christ in them, and +not unto men; for it is Christ that sanctifies. Then they ran into many +words; but I told them they were not to dispute of God and Christ, but +to obey him. The power of God thundered amongst them, and they flew like +chaff before it. They put me in and out of the room often, hurrying me +backward and forward; for they were from the first hour till the ninth +at night in examining me. Sometimes they would tell me, in a deriding +manner, that I was taken up in raptures. At last they asked me, Whether +I was sanctified? I answered, Yes; for I was in the paradise of God. +Then they asked me, If I had no sin? I answered, “Christ, my Saviour, +has taken away my sin, and in him there is no sin.” They asked, How we +knew that Christ did abide in us? I said, By his Spirit, that he has +given us. They temptingly asked, If any of us were Christ? I answered, +Nay, we were nothing, Christ is all. They said, If a man steal, is it no +sin? I answered, All unrighteousness is sin. So when they had wearied +themselves in examining me, they committed me and one other man to the +House of Correction in Derby for six months, as blasphemers; as appears +by the following mittimus:— + + _To the Master of the House of Correction in Derby, greeting._ + + “We have sent you herewithal the bodies of George Fox, late of + Mansfield, in the county of Nottingham, and John Fretwell, late of + Stainsby, in the county of Derby, husbandman, brought before us this + present day, and charged with the avowed uttering and broaching of + divers blasphemous opinions contrary to a late Act of Parliament, + which, upon their examination before us, they have confessed. These + are therefore to require you forthwith, upon sight thereof, to receive + them, the said George Fox and John Fretwell, into your custody, and + them therein safely to keep during the space of six months, without + bail or mainprize, or until they shall find sufficient security to be + of good behaviour, or be thence delivered by order from ourselves. + Hereof you are not to fail. Given under our hands and seals this 30th + day of October, 1650. + + GER. BENNETT, + NATH. BARTON.” + +Now did the priests bestir themselves in their pulpits to preach up sin +for term of life; and much of their work was to plead for it; so that +people said, never was the like heard. After some time, he that was +committed with me, not standing faithful to his testimony, got in with +the jailer, and by him made way to the justice to have leave to go to +see his mother; and so got his liberty. It was then reported, that he +said I had bewitched and deceived him; but my spirit was strengthened +when he was gone. The priests and professors, the justices and the +jailer, were all in a great rage against me. The jailer watched my words +and actions, and would often ask me questions to ensnare me; and +sometimes asked me such silly questions as, Whether the door was latched +or not? thinking to draw some sudden, unadvised answer from me, whence +he might take advantage to charge sin upon me; but I was kept watchful +and chaste, so that they could get no advantage of me, which they +wondered at. + +Not long after my commitment, I was moved to write both to the priests +and magistrates of Derby. And first to the priests. + + “O friends, I was sent unto you to tell you, that if you had received + the gospel freely, you would minister it freely without money or + price: but you make a trade and sale of what the prophets and the + apostles have spoken; and so you corrupt the truth. And you are the + men that lead silly women captive, who are ever learning, and never + able to come to the knowledge of the truth; you have a form of + godliness, but you deny the power. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood + Moses, so do you resist the truth, being men of corrupt minds, + reprobate concerning the faith. But you shall proceed no further; for + your folly shall be made manifest to all men as theirs was. Moreover, + the Lord sent me to tell you, that he doth look for fruits. You asked + me, if Scripture was my rule? but it is not your rule, to rule your + lives by, but to talk of in words. You are the men that live in + pleasures, pride, and wantonness, in fulness of bread, and abundance + of idleness: see if this be not the sin of Sodom. Lot received the + angels, but Sodom was envious. You show forth the vain nature; you + stand in the steps of them that crucified MY SAVIOUR, and mocked him; + you are their children; you show forth their fruit. They had the chief + place in the assemblies, and so have you; they loved to be called + Rabbi, and so do you.” + + G. F. + +I wrote to the magistrates who committed me to this effect:— + + “FRIENDS, + + “I am forced, in tender love unto your souls, to write unto you, and + beseech you to consider what you do, and what the commands of God call + for. He requires justice and mercy, to break every yoke, and to let + the oppressed go free. But who calleth for justice, or loveth mercy, + or contendeth for the truth? Is not judgment turned backward, and doth + not justice stand afar off? Is not truth silenced in the streets, or + can equity enter? And do not they that depart from evil make + themselves a prey? Oh! consider what ye do in time, and take heed whom + ye imprison; for the magistrate is set for the punishment of + evil-doers, and for the praise of them that do well. Now, I entreat + you, in time take heed what you do; for surely the Lord will come, and + will make manifest both the builders and the work. If it be of man, it + will fail; but if it be of God, nothing will overthrow it. Therefore I + desire and pray, that you would take heed, and beware what you do, + lest ye be found fighters against God.” + + G. F. + +Now, after I had thus far cleared my conscience to them, I waited in +holy patience, leaving the event to God, in whose will I stood. After +some time I was moved to write again to the justices that had committed +me, to lay their evils before them, that they might repent. One of them, +Nathaniel Barton, was a colonel, a justice, and a preacher. + + “FRIENDS, + + “You spoke of the good old way which the prophet spoke of; but the + prophet cried against the abominations which you hold up. Had you the + power of God, ye would not persecute the good way. He that spoke of + the good way was set in the stocks. The people cried, ‘Away with him + to the stocks,’ for speaking the truth. Ah! foolish people, who have + eyes and see not, ears and hear not, without understanding! ‘Fear ye + not me,’ saith the Lord, ‘and will ye not tremble at my presence?’ O + your pride and abominations are odious in the eyes of God! You that + are preachers have the chief place in the assemblies, and are called + of men, Master. Such were and are against my Saviour and Maker: they + shut up the kingdom of heaven from men, and neither go in themselves, + nor suffer others. Therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation, + who have their places, and walk in their steps. You may say, if you + had been in the days of the prophets, or Christ, you would not have + persecuted them; wherefore be ye witnesses against yourselves, that ye + are the children of them, seeing ye now persecute the way of truth. O + consider, there is a true judge, that will give every one of you a + reward according to your works. O mind where you are, you that hold up + the abominations which the true prophet cried against! O come down, + and sit in the dust! The Lord is coming with power, and he will throw + down every one that is lifted up, that he alone may be exalted.” + +As I had thus written unto them jointly, so, after some time, I wrote to +each of them by himself. To Justice Bennet thus:— + + “FRIEND, + + “Thou that dost profess God and Christ in words, see how thou + followest him. To take off burthens, to visit them that are in + prison, to show mercy, clothe thy own flesh, and deal thy bread to + the hungry; these are God’s commandments. To relieve the fatherless, + and to visit the widows in their afflictions, and to keep thyself + unspotted of the world; this is pure religion before God. But if + thou dost profess Christ, and follow covetousness, and greediness, + and earthly-mindedness, thou deniest him in life, and deceivest + thyself and others, and takest him for a cloak. Woe be to you, + greedy and rich men; weep and howl, for your misery that shall come. + Take heed of covetousness and extortion; God doth forbid that. Woe + be to the man that coveteth an evil covetousness, that he may set + his nest on high, and cover himself with thick clay. O! do not love + that which God forbids. His servant thou art, whom thou dost obey, + whether it be of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness. + Think of Lazarus and Dives; the one fared sumptuously every day, the + other was a beggar. See if thou be not Dives: be not deceived, God + is not mocked with vain words; evil communication corrupteth good + manners; awake to righteousness, and sin not.” + + G. F. + +That to Justice Barton was in these words:— + + “FRIEND, + + “Thou that preachest Christ, and the Scriptures in words, when any + come to follow that which thou hast spoken of, and to live the life of + the Scriptures, then they that speak the Scriptures, but do not lead + their lives according thereunto, persecute them that do. Mind the + prophets, and Jesus Christ, and his apostles, and all the holy men of + God; what they spoke was from the life; but they that had not the + life, but the words, persecuted and imprisoned them that lived in the + life, which those had backslidden from.” + + G. F. + +Having written to the justices and to the priests, it was upon me to +write to the Mayor of Derby also; who, though he did not sign the +mittimus, had a hand with the rest in sending me to prison. To him I +wrote after this manner:— + + “FRIEND, + + “Thou art set in place to do justice; but, in imprisoning my body, + thou hast done contrary to justice, according to your own law. O take + heed of pleasing men more than God, for that is the way of the Scribes + and Pharisees; they sought the praise of men more than God. Remember + who said, ‘I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in; I was in prison, + and ye visited Me not.’ O friend, thy envy is not against me, but + against the power of truth. I had no envy to you, but love. O take + heed of oppression, ‘for the day of the Lord is coming, that shall + burn as an oven; and all the proud, and all that do wickedly, shall be + as stubble; and the day that cometh, shall burn them up, saith the + Lord of Hosts; it shall leave them neither root nor branch.’ O friend, + if the love of God were in thee, thou wouldst love the truth, hear the + truth spoken, and not imprison unjustly. The love of God beareth, and + suffereth, and envieth no man. If the love of God had broken your + hearts, you would show mercy; but you show forth what ruleth you. + Every tree doth show forth its fruit; you do show forth your fruits + openly. For drunkenness, swearing, pride, and vanity, rule among you, + from the teacher to the people. O friend, mercy, and true judgment, + and justice, are cried for in your streets! Oppression, + unmercifulness, cruelty, hatred, pride, pleasures, wantonness, and + fulness, are in your streets; but the poor are not regarded. O! take + heed: ‘Woe be to the crown of pride! Woe be to them that drink wine in + bowls, and the poor is ready to perish.’ O! remember Lazarus and + Dives! One fared deliciously every day, and the other was a beggar. O + friend, mind these things, for they are near; and see whether thou be + not in Dives’ state.” + +I wrote also to the court at Derby thus:— + + “I am moved to write unto you, to take heed of oppressing the poor in + your courts, or laying burthens upon poor people, which they cannot + bear; and of imposing false oaths, or making them to take oaths which + they cannot perform. The Lord saith, ‘I will come near to judgment, + and will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the false + swearers, and against the idolaters, and against those that oppress + widows and fatherless.’ Therefore take heed of all these things + betimes. The Lord’s judgments are all true and righteous; and he + delighteth in mercy. So love mercy, dear people, and consider in + time.” + +Likewise to the ringers of the bells in the steeple-house, called St. +Peter’s, in Derby, I sent these few lines:— + + “FRIENDS, + + “Take heed of pleasures, and prize your time now, while you have it, + and do not spend it in pleasures or earthliness. The time may come, + that you will say you had time, when it is past. Therefore look at the + love of God now, while you have time; for it bringeth to loathe all + vanities and worldly pleasures. O consider! Time is precious. Fear + God, and rejoice in him, who hath made heaven and earth.” + +While I was in prison, divers professors came to discourse with me; and +I had a sense, before they spoke, that they came to plead for sin and +imperfection. I asked them, Whether they were believers and had faith? +and they said, Yes. I asked them, In whom? and they said, In Christ. I +replied, If ye are true believers in Christ, you are passed from death +to life; and if passed from death, then from sin that bringeth death. +And if your faith be true, it will give you victory over sin and the +devil, purify your hearts and consciences (for the true faith is held in +a pure conscience,) and bring you to please God, and give you access to +him again. But they could not endure to hear of purity, and of victory +over sin and the devil; for they said they could not believe that any +could be free from sin on this side the grave. I bid them give over +babbling about the Scriptures, which were holy men’s words, whilst they +pleaded for unholiness. + +At another time a company of professors came, and they also began to +plead for sin. I asked them, Whether they had hope? and they said, Yes: +God forbid but we should have hope. I asked them, What hope is it that +you have? Is Christ in you the hope of your glory? Doth it purify you, +as he is pure? But they could not abide to hear of being made pure here. +Then I bid them forbear talking of the Scriptures, which were holy men’s +words. For the holy men, that wrote the Scriptures, pleaded for holiness +in heart, life, and conversation here; but since you plead for impurity +and sin, which is of the devil, what have you to do with the holy men’s +words? + +Now the keeper of the prison, being a high professor, was greatly +enraged against me, and spoke very wickedly of me: but it pleased the +Lord one day to strike him so, that he was in great trouble and under +great terror of mind. As I was walking in my chamber I heard a doleful +noise; and standing still, I heard him say to his wife, “Wife, I have +seen the day of judgment, and I saw George there, and I was afraid of +him, because I had done him so much wrong, and spoken so much against +him to the ministers and professors, and to the justices, and in taverns +and ale-houses.” After this, towards the evening, he came up into my +chamber, and said to me, “I have been as a lion against you; but now I +come like a lamb, and like the jailer that came to Paul and Silas +trembling.” And he desired that he might lodge with me; I told him that +I was in his power, he might do what he would: but he said nay, he would +have my leave, and he could desire to be always with me, but not to have +me as a prisoner; and he said “he had been plagued, and his house had +been plagued for my sake.” So I suffered him to lodge with me; and then +he told me all his heart, and said he believed what I had said of the +true faith and hope to be true; and he wondered that the other man that +was put into prison with me did not stand to it; and said, “That man was +not right, but I was an honest man.” He confessed also to me, that at +those times when I had asked him to let me go forth to speak the word of +the Lord to the people, and he had refused to let me, and I had laid the +weight thereof upon him, that he used to be under great trouble, amazed, +and almost distracted for some time after; and in such a condition that +he had little strength left him. When the morning came, he rose, and +went to the justices, and told them, “that he and his house had been +plagued for my sake:” and one of the justices replied (as he reported to +me), that the plagues were on them too for keeping me. This was Justice +Bennet of Derby, who was the first that called us Quakers, because I bid +them tremble at the word of the Lord. This was in the year 1650.[8] + +Footnote 8: + + The designation “Quakers,” which was at first applied in scorn, has + ever since been used by the world to distinguish Friends from other + professors of religion. The first use of the term in the records of + Parliament, occurs in the journals of the House of Commons in 1654. + +After this the justices gave leave that I should have liberty to walk a +mile. I perceived their end, and told the jailer if they would show me +how far a mile was, I might walk it sometimes; for I believed they +thought I would go away. And the jailer confessed afterwards, that they +did it with that intent, to have me escape, to ease them of their +plague; but I told him I was not of that spirit. + +This jailer had a sister, a sickly young woman. She came up into my +chamber to visit me; and after she had stayed some time, and I had +spoken the words of truth to her, she went down, and told them that “we +were an innocent people, and did none any hurt, but did good to all, +even to them that hated us;” and she desired them to use kindness +towards me. + +As my restraint prevented my travelling about, to declare and spread +truth through the country, it came upon me to write a paper, and send it +forth to be spread abroad both amongst Friends and other tender people, +for the opening of their understandings in the way of truth, and +directing them to the true teacher in themselves. It was as follows:— + + “The Lord doth show unto man his thoughts, and discovereth all the + secret workings in man. A man may be brought to see his evil thoughts, + running mind, and vain imaginations, and may strive to keep them down, + and to keep his mind in; but he cannot overcome them, nor keep his + mind within, to the Lord. In this state and condition submit to the + Spirit of the Lord, which discovers them, and which will bring to wait + upon him, and destroy them. Therefore stand in the faith of the Lord + Jesus Christ, who is the author of the true faith, and mind him; for + he will discover the root of lusts, evil thoughts, and vain + imaginations, and how they are begotten, conceived, and bred; then how + they are brought forth, and how every evil member doth work. He will + discover every principle from its own nature and root. + + “So mind the faith of Christ, and the anointing which is in you, to be + taught by it, which will discover all workings in you; and as he + teacheth you, so obey and forsake; else you will not grow up in the + faith, nor in the life of Christ, where the love of God is received. + Now love begetteth love, its own nature and image: and when mercy and + truth meet, what joy there is! Mercy triumphs in judgment; and love + and mercy bear the judgment of the world, in patience. That which + cannot bear the world’s judgment is not the love of God; for love + beareth all things, and is above the world’s judgment: for the world’s + judgment is but foolishness. And though it be the world’s judgment and + practice to cast all the world’s filthiness that is among themselves + upon the saints, yet their judgment is false. + + “Now the chaste virgins follow Christ, the Lamb that takes away the + sins of the world; but they that are of that spirit which is not + chaste, will not follow Christ the Lamb in his steps, but are + disobedient to him in his commands. So the fleshly mind doth mind the + flesh, and talketh of the flesh! its knowledge is fleshly and not + spiritual; and savours of death and not of the Spirit of life. Some + men have the nature of swine wallowing in the mire. Some the nature of + dogs to bite both the sheep and one another. Some of lions, to tear, + devour, and destroy. Some of wolves, to tear and devour the lambs and + sheep of Christ; and some men have the nature of the serpent (that old + adversary), to sting, envenom, and poison. ‘He that hath an ear to + hear, let him hear,’ and learn these things within himself. Some men + have the natures of other beasts and creatures, minding nothing but + earthly and visible things, and feeding without the fear of God. Some + have the nature of a horse, to prance and vapour in their strength, + and to be swift in doing evil; and some have the nature of tall, + sturdy oaks, to flourish and spread in wisdom and strength; who are + strong in evil, which must perish and come to the fire. Thus the evil + is but one in all, but worketh many ways; and whatsoever a man’s or + woman’s nature is addicted to, that is outward, the evil one will fit + him with that, and will please his nature and appetite to keep his + mind in his inventions, and in the creatures from the Creator. + + “O! therefore let not the mind go forth from God; for if it do, it + will be stained, venomed, and corrupted. If the mind go forth from the + Lord it is hard to bring it in again; therefore take heed of the + enemy, and keep in the faith of Christ. O! therefore mind that which + is eternal and invisible, and him who is the Creator and Mover of all + things; for the things that are made are not made of things that do + appear; for the visible covereth the invisible sight in you. But as + the Lord who is invisible, opens you by his invisible Power and + Spirit, and brings down the carnal mind in you, so the invisible and + immortal things are brought to light in you. O! therefore you, that + know the light, walk in the light! for there are children of darkness, + that will talk of the light and of the truth, and not walk in it. The + children of the light love the light, and walk in the light; but the + children of darkness walk in darkness, and hate the light; and in + these the earthly lust, and the carnal mind choke the seed of faith; + and this bringeth oppression on the seed and death over themselves. O! + therefore, mind the pure Spirit of the everlasting God, which will + teach you to use the creatures in their right place, and which judgeth + the evil. ‘To Thee, O God, be all glory and honour, who art Lord of + all, visible and invisible! To Thee be all praise, who bringest out of + the deep, to Thyself; O powerful God who art worthy of all glory!’ For + the Lord, who created all, and gives life and strength to all, is over + all, and merciful to all. ‘So Thou who hast made all, and art overall, + to Thee be all glory! In Thee is my strength, my refreshment, and + life, my joy and my gladness, my rejoicing and glorying for evermore!’ + To live and walk in the Spirit of God is joy, and peace, and life; but + the mind going forth into the creatures, or into any visible things + from the Lord, this bringeth death. Now when the mind is got into the + flesh and into death, the accuser gets within, and the law of sin and + death gets into the flesh. Then the life suffers under the law of sin + and death; and then there is straitness and failings. For then the + good is shut up, and the self-righteousness is exalted. Then man doth + work in the outward law, though he cannot justify himself by the law + but is condemned by the light; for he cannot get out of that state, + but by abiding in the light, resting in the mercy of God and believing + in him, from whom all mercy flows. For there is peace in resting in + the Lord Jesus. This is the narrow way that leads to him, the life; + but few will abide in it; keep therefore in the innocency, and be + obedient to the faith in him; and take heed of conforming to the + world, and of reasoning with flesh and blood, for that bringeth + disobedience; and then imaginations and questionings arise to draw + from obedience to the truth of Christ. But the obedience of faith + destroyeth imaginations and questionings, and all the temptations in + the flesh, and buffetings, and lookings forth, and fetching up things + that are past. By not keeping in the life and light, and not crossing + the corrupt will by the power of God, the evil nature grows up in man, + and then burdens will come, and man will be stained with that nature. + But Esau’s mountains shall be laid waste, and become a wilderness, + where the dragons lie: but Jacob, the second birth, shall be fruitful, + and shall arise. For Esau is hated, and must not be lord; but Jacob, + the second birth, which is perfect and plain, shall be lord; for he is + beloved of God.” + + G. F. + +I wrote another paper about the same time, and sent it forth amongst the +convinced people as follows:— + + “The LORD IS KING over all the earth! Therefore, all people, praise + and glorify your King in true obedience, in uprightness, and in the + beauty of holiness. O! consider, in the true obedience, the Lord is + known, and an understanding from him is received. Mark and consider in + silence, in lowliness of mind, and thou wilt hear the Lord speak unto + thee in thy mind. His voice is sweet and pleasant; his sheep hear his + voice, and they will not hearken to another. When they hear his voice, + they rejoice and are obedient; they also sing for joy. O, their hearts + are filled with everlasting triumph! They sing, and praise the eternal + God in Sion; their joy man shall never take from them. Glory to the + Lord God for evermore!” + +But many that had been convinced of the truth, turned aside, because of +the persecution that arose; whereupon I wrote a few lines for the +comfort and encouragement of the faithful, thus:— + + “Come, ye blessed of the Lord, and rejoice together! keep in unity and + oneness of spirit; triumph above the world! be joyful in the Lord, + reigning above the world, and above all things that draw from the + Lord; that in clearness, righteousness, pureness, and joy, you may be + preserved to the Lord. O hear! O hearken to the call of the Lord! Come + out of the world and keep out of it for evermore! Come, sing together, + ye righteous ones, the song of the Lord, the song of the Lamb; which + none can learn, but they who are redeemed from the earth, and from the + world.” + +While I was in the House of Correction, my relations came to see me; and +being troubled for my imprisonment, they went to the justices that cast +me into prison, and desired to have me home with them; offering to be +bound in one hundred pounds, and others of Derby with them in fifty +pounds each, that I should come no more thither to declare against the +priests. So I was had up before the justices; and because I would not +consent, that they, or any should be bound for me (for I was innocent +from any ill behaviour, and had spoken the word of life and truth unto +them,) Justice Bennet rose up in a rage; and as I was kneeling down to +pray to the Lord to forgive him, he ran upon me, and struck me with both +his hands, crying, “Away with him, jailer, take him away, jailer.” +Whereupon I was had again to prison, and there kept, until the time of +my commitment for six months was expired. But I had now the liberty of +walking a mile by myself, which I made use of, as I felt freedom. +Sometimes I went into the market, and streets, and warned the people to +repent of their wickedness; and so returned to prison again. And there +being persons of several sorts of religion in the prison, I sometimes +went and visited them in their meetings on first-days. + +After I had been before the justices, and they had required sureties for +my good behaviour (which I could not consent should be given, to blemish +my innocency,) it came upon me to write to the justices again; which I +did as follows:— + + “FRIENDS, + + “See what it is in you that doth imprison; see, who is head in you; + and see, if something do not accuse you? Consider, you must be brought + to judgment. Think of Lazarus and Dives; the one fared sumptuously + every day, the other was a beggar. Now you have time, prize it, while + you have it. Would you have me to be bound to my good behaviour? I am + bound to my good behaviour; and cry for good behaviour of all people, + to turn from the vanities and pleasures, the oppression and deceits, + of this world; and there will come a time that you shall know it. + Therefore take heed of pleasures, and deceits, and pride; and look not + at man, but at the Lord; for ‘Look unto me, all ye ends of the earth, + and be ye saved,’ saith the Lord.” + +Some little time after I wrote to them again:— + + “FRIENDS, + + “Would you have me to be bound to my good behaviour from drunkenness, + or swearing, or fighting, or adultery, and the like? The Lord hath + redeemed me from all these things; and the love of God hath brought me + to loathe all wantonness, blessed be His name! Drunkards, and + fighters, and swearers, have their liberty without bonds; and you lay + your law upon me, whom neither you, nor any other can justly accuse of + these things; praised be the Lord! I can look to no man for my + liberty, but to the Lord alone, who hath all men’s hearts in his + hand.” + +And after some time, not finding my spirit clear of them, I wrote to +them again, as follows:— + + “FRIENDS, + + “Had you known who sent me to you, ye would have received me; for the + Lord sent me to warn you of the woes that are coming upon you; and to + bid you look at the Lord, and not at man. But when I told you my + experience, what the Lord had done for me, then your hearts were + hardened, and you sent me to prison, where you have kept me many + weeks. If the love of God had broken your hearts, then would ye see + what ye have done; you would not have imprisoned me, had not my Father + suffered you; and by his power I shall be loosed; for he openeth and + shutteth; to him be all glory! In what have I misbehaved myself, that + any should be bound for me? All men’s words will do me no good, nor + their bonds either, to keep my heart, if I had not a guide _within_, + to keep me in the upright life to God. But I believe in the Lord, that + through his strength and power, I shall be preserved from ungodliness + and worldly lusts. The Scripture saith, ‘receive strangers,’ but you + imprison such. As you are in authority, take heed of oppression and + oaths, of injustice, and gifts or rewards, for God doth loathe all + such. But love mercy, and true judgment, and justice, for that the + Lord delights in. I do not write with hatred to you; but to keep my + conscience clear; take heed how you spend your time.” + +I was moved also to write again to the priests of Derby:— + + “FRIENDS, + + “You profess to be the ministers of Jesus Christ in words, but you + show by your fruits what your ministry is. Every tree shows its fruit: + the ministry of Jesus Christ is in mercy and love, to loose them that + are bound, to bring out of bondage, and to let them that are in + captivity go free. Where is your example, if the Scriptures be your + rule, to imprison for religion? Have you any command for it from + Christ? If that were in you, which you profess, you would walk in + their steps, who wrote the Scriptures. ‘But he is not a Jew who is one + outwardly, whose praise is of men; but he is a Jew who is one + inwardly, whose praise is of God.’ But if you build upon the prophets + and apostles in words, and pervert their life, remember the woes which + Jesus Christ spoke against such. They that spoke the prophets’ words, + but denied Christ, they professed a Christ to come; but had they known + him they would not have crucified him. The saints, whom the love of + God did change, were brought thereby to walk in love and mercy; for he + that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God. But where envy, pride, and + hatred rule, the nature of the world rules, and not the nature of + Jesus Christ. I write with no hatred to you; but that you may weigh + yourselves, and see how you pass your time.” + +Thus having cleared my conscience to the priests, it was not long before +a concern came upon me to write again to the Justices, which I did as +follows:— + + “I am moved to warn you to take heed of giving way to your own wills. + Love the cross; and satisfy not your own minds in the flesh; but prize + your time, while you have it, and walk up to that you know, in + obedience to God; then you shall not be condemned for that you know + not; but for that you do know, and do not obey. Consider betimes, + weigh yourselves, and see where you are, and whom you serve. For if ye + blaspheme God, and take his name in vain; if ye swear and lie; if ye + give way to envy and hatred, to covetousness and greediness, to + pleasures and wantonness, or any other vices, be assured that ye do + serve the Devil. But if ye fear the Lord, and serve him, you will + loathe all these things. He that loveth God, will not blaspheme his + name; but where there is opposing God, and serving the Devil, that + profession is sad and miserable. O prize your time, and do not love + that which God forbids; lying, wrath, malice, envy, hatred, + greediness, covetousness, oppression, gluttony, drunkenness, whoredom, + and all unrighteousness God doth forbid. So consider, and be not + deceived; ‘Evil communication corrupts good manners.’ Be not deceived, + God will not be mocked with vain words; the wrath of God is revealed + from heaven against all ungodliness. Therefore obey that which + convinces you of all evil, and tells you that you should do no evil; + it will lead you to repentance, and keep you in the fear of the Lord. + O look at the mercies of God, and prize them, and do not turn them + into wantonness. O eye the Lord, and not earthly things!” + +Besides this, I wrote the following to Colonel Barton, who was both a +justice and a preacher, as was hinted before:— + + “FRIEND, + + “Do not cloak and cover thyself; there is a God, who knoweth thy + heart, and will uncover thee; he seeth thy way. ‘Woe be to him that + covereth, and not with My Spirit,’ saith the Lord. Dost thou do + contrary to the law, and then put it from thee? Mercy and true + judgment thou neglectest; look what was spoken against such. My + Saviour said to such, ‘I was sick and in prison, and ye visited Me + not; I was hungry, and ye fed Me not; I was a stranger, and ye took Me + not in.’ And when they said, ‘When saw we Thee in prison, and did not + come to Thee,’ &c., he replied, ‘Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of + these little ones, ye did it not to Me.’ Thou hast imprisoned me for + bearing witness to the life and power of truth, and yet thou + professest to be a minister of Christ; but if Christ had sent thee, + thou wouldst bring out of prison, and out of bondage, and wouldst + receive strangers. Thou hast been wanton upon earth, thou hast lived + plenteously, and nourished thy heart, as in a day of slaughter; thou + hast killed the Just. O look where thou art, and how thou hast spent + thy time! O remember thyself, and now, whilst thou hast time, prize + it. Do not slight the free mercy, or despise the long-suffering of + God, which is great salvation; but mind that in thee which doth + convince, and would not let thee swear, nor lie, nor take God’s name + in vain. Thou knowest thou shouldst do none of these things; thou hast + learned that which will condemn thee; therefore obey the light, which + doth convince thee, forsake thy sins, and look at the mercies of God; + and prize his love in sparing thee till now. The Lord saith, ‘Look + unto me all ye ends of the earth, and be ye saved; cease from man, + whose breath is in his nostrils.’ Prize thy time, and see whom thou + servest; for his servant thou art whom thou dost obey, whether of sin + unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness. If thou serve God, and + fear him, thou wilt not blaspheme his name, or curse, or swear, or + take his name in vain, or follow pleasures and wantonness, whoredom, + and drunkenness, or wrath, or malice, or revenge, or rashness, or + headiness, pride or gluttony, greediness, oppression, or covetousness, + or foolish jestings, or vain songs. God doth forbid these things, and + all unrighteousness. If thou profess God, and act any of these things, + thou takest him for a cloak, and servest the Devil. Consider with + thyself, and do not love that which God hateth. He that loveth God, + keepeth his commandments. The Devil will tell thee, it is a hard thing + to keep God’s commandments; but it is an easy thing to keep the + Devil’s commandments, and to live in all unrighteousness and + ungodliness, turning the grace of God into wantonness. But let the + unrighteous man forsake his ways, and turn unto me, saith the Lord, + and I will have mercy. ‘Turn ye, why will ye die?’ saith the Lord. + + “Howl, ye great ones, for the plagues are pouring out upon you! Howl, + ye oppressors, for recompense and vengeance is coming upon you! Woe + unto them that covetously join one house to another; and bring one + field so nigh unto another that the poor can get no more ground, and + that ye may dwell upon the earth alone; these things are in the ears + of the Lord of Hosts. Woe unto him that covetously getteth evil-gotten + goods into his house, that he may set his nest on high, to escape from + the power of evil.” + + + + + CHAPTER IV. + +1650-1651.—A trooper visits George Fox from an inward + intimation—declines a commission in the army, and is put in the + dungeon—confutes one who denied Christ’s outward appearance, from + whence a slander is raised against Friends—testifies against capital + punishments for small matters—writes for more speedy justice to + prisoners—intercedes for the life of a young woman, imprisoned for + stealing, who is brought to the gallows but reprieved, and + afterwards convinced—again refuses to bear arms, and is committed + close prisoner—writes to Barton and Bennet, justices, against + persecution—addresses the convinced and tender people against + hirelings—to the magistrates of Derby against persecution, and + foretelling his own enlargement and their recompense—is greatly + exercised for the wickedness of Derby—sees the visitation of God’s + love pass away from the town, and writes a lamentation over it—a + great judgment fell upon the town—he is liberated after a year’s + imprisonment—visits Lichfield—preaches repentance through + Doncaster—many dread “the man with leather breeches”—goes to + steeple-houses, as the apostles did to the temples, to bring people + off from them—is denied entertainment, and ill-treated at some + places—refuses to inform against his persecutors—many are convinced + in Yorkshire, amongst others, Richard Farnsworth, James Naylor, + William Dewsbury, Justice Hotham, and Captain Pursloe. + + +While I was yet in the House of Correction, there came unto me a +trooper, and said, as he was sitting in the steeple-house, hearing the +priest, exceeding great trouble came upon him; and the voice of the Lord +came to him saying, “Dost thou not know that my servant is in prison? Go +to him for direction.” So I spoke to his condition, and his +understanding was opened. I told him, that which showed him his sins, +and troubled him for them, would show him his salvation; for he that +shows a man his sin, is the same that takes it away. While I was +speaking to him, the Lord’s power opened him, so that he began to have a +good understanding in the Lord’s truth, and to be sensible of God’s +mercies; and began to speak boldly in his quarters amongst the soldiers, +and to others, concerning truth (for the Scriptures were very much +opened to him), insomuch that he said, “his colonel was as blind as +Nebuchadnezzar, to cast the servant of the Lord into prison.” Upon this +his colonel had a spite against him; and at Worcester fight, the year +after, when the two armies were lying near one another, two came out of +the king’s army, and challenged any two of the Parliament army to fight +with them; his colonel made choice of him and another to answer the +challenge. And when in the encounter his companion was slain, he drove +both his enemies within musket-shot out of the town, without firing a +pistol at them. This, when he returned, he told me with his own mouth. +But, when the fight was over, he saw the deceit and hypocrisy of the +officers; and being sensible how wonderfully the Lord had preserved him, +and seeing also to the end of fighting, he laid down his arms. + +Now the time of my commitment to the house of correction being nearly +ended, and there being many new soldiers raised, the commissioners would +have made me captain over them; and the soldiers said they would have +none but me.[9] So the keeper of the house of correction was commanded +to bring me before the commissioners and soldiers in the market-place; +and there they offered me that preferment, as they called it, asking me, +if I would not take up arms for the Commonwealth against Charles Stuart? +I told them, I knew from whence all wars arose, even from the lust, +according to James’s doctrine; and that I lived in the virtue of that +life and power that took away the occasion of all wars. But they courted +me to accept their offer, and thought I did but compliment them. But I +told them, I was come into the covenant of peace, which was before wars +and strifes were. They said, they offered it in love and kindness to me, +because of my virtue; and such like flattering words they used. But I +told them, if that was their love and kindness, I trampled it under my +feet. Then their rage got up, and they said, “Take him away, jailer, and +put him into the dungeon amongst the rogues and felons.” So I was had +away and put into a lousy, stinking place, without any bed, amongst +thirty felons, where I was kept almost half a year, unless it were at +times; for they would sometimes let me walk in the garden, having a +belief that I would not go away. Now when they had got me into Derby +dungeon, it was the belief and saying of people that I should never come +out; but I had faith in God, and believed I should be delivered in his +time; for the Lord had said to me before, that I was not to be removed +from that place yet, being set there for a service which he had for me +to do. + +Footnote 9: + + The English nation at this period was much engrossed with the great + subjects of religion and politics, and both were mingled together in + strange conjunction. The chief rulers of the Commonwealth, more + especially Oliver Cromwell, had contrived to interweave their own + views on spiritual matters into the minds of the soldiers; who, in + those days, commonly united, with the profession of arms, the + profession also of Christianity. The unsettled state of the country + caused them to be stationed in considerable numbers in most of the + principal towns of the north, and several of them had made + acquaintance with George Fox during his imprisonment, and were so much + impressed in his favour, that it appears they were desirous, as the + time of his release drew near, to engage him in the capacity of their + captain. + +After it was noised abroad that I was in Derby dungeon, my relations +came to see me again; and they were much troubled that I should be in +prison; for they looked upon it to be a great shame to them for me to be +imprisoned for religion; and some thought I was mad, because I advocated +purity, and righteousness, and perfection. + +Among others that came to see, and discourse with me, was a person from +Nottingham, a soldier, that had been a Baptist (as I understood), and +with him came several others. In discourse he said to me, “Your faith +stands in a man that died at Jerusalem, and there was never any such +thing.” I was exceedingly grieved to hear him say so; and I said to him, +“How! did not Christ suffer without the gates of Jerusalem through the +professing Jews, and chief priests, and Pilate?” And he denied that ever +Christ suffered there outwardly. Then I asked him whether there were not +chief priests, and Jews, and Pilate there outwardly? and when he could +not deny that, then I told him, as certainly as there was a chief +priest, and Jews, and Pilate there outwardly, so certainly was Christ +persecuted by them, and did suffer there outwardly under them. Yet from +this man’s words was a slander raised upon us, that the Quakers denied +Christ that suffered and died at Jerusalem; which was all utterly false, +and the least thought of it never entered our hearts; but it was a mere +slander cast upon us, and occasioned by this person’s words. The same +person also said, that never any of the prophets, or apostles, or holy +men of God, suffered any thing outwardly; but all their sufferings were +inward. But I instanced to him how many of them suffered, and by whom +they suffered: and so was the power of the Lord brought over his wicked +imaginations. + +There came also another company to me, that pretended they were triers +of spirits; I asked them what was the first step to peace, and what it +was by which a man might see his salvation? and they were presently up +in the airy mind, and said I was mad. Thus they came to try spirits, who +did not know themselves, nor their own spirits. + +In this time of my imprisonment, I was exceedingly exercised about the +proceedings of the judges and magistrates in their courts of judicature. +I was moved to write to the judges concerning their putting men to death +for cattle, and money, and small matters; and to show them how contrary +it was to the law of God in old time; for I was under great suffering in +my spirit because of it, and under the very sense of death; but standing +in the will of God, a heavenly breathing arose in my soul to the Lord. +Then did I see the heavens opened, and I rejoiced, and gave glory to +God. So I wrote to the judges as follows:— + + “I am moved to write unto you to take heed of putting men to death for + stealing cattle or money &c.; for thieves in the old time were to make + restitution; and if they had not wherewith, they were to be sold for + their theft. Mind the laws of God in the Scriptures, and the Spirit + that gave them forth; let them be your rule in executing judgment; and + show mercy, that you may receive mercy from God, the judge of all. + Take heed of gifts and rewards, and of pride; for God doth forbid + them; they blind the eyes of the wise. I do not write to give liberty + to sin; God hath forbidden it; but that you should judge according to + his laws, and show mercy: for he delighteth in true judgment and in + mercy. I beseech you to mind these things, and prize your time, now + you have it: fear God, and serve him; for he is a consuming fire.” + +Besides this, I wrote another letter to the judges, to this effect:— + + “I am moved to write unto you that ye do true justice to every man; + and see that none be oppressed, or wronged, or any oaths imposed; for + the land mourneth because of oaths, and adulteries, and sorceries, and + drunkenness, and profaneness. O consider, ye that are men set in + authority: be moderate, and in lowliness consider these things. Show + mercy to the fatherless, to the widows, and to the poor; and take heed + of rewards or gifts, for they blind the eyes of the wise; the Lord + doth loathe all such. Love mercy and true judgment, justice, and + righteousness, for the Lord delighteth therein. Consider these things + in time, and take heed how ye spend your time. Now ye have time, prize + it, and show mercy, that ye may receive mercy from the Lord; for he is + coming to try all things, and will plead with all flesh, as by fire.” + +Moreover I laid before the judges what a hurtful thing it was, that +prisoners should lie so long in jail; showing how they learned +wickedness one of another in talking of their bad deeds: and therefore +speedy justice should be done. For I was a tender youth, and dwelt in +the fear of God, and being grieved to hear their bad language, I was +often made to reprove them for their wicked words, and evil conduct +towards each other. People admired that I was so preserved and kept; for +they could never catch a word or action from me, to make any thing of +against me, all the time I was there; for the Lord’s infinite power +upheld and preserved me all that time; to him be praises and glory for +ever! + +While I was here in prison, there was a young woman in the jail for +robbing her master of some money. When she was to be tried for her life, +I wrote to the judge and to the jury about her, showing them how it was +contrary to the law of God in old time to put people to death for +stealing, and moving them to show mercy. Yet she was condemned to die, +and a grave was made for her; and at the time appointed she was carried +forth to execution. Then I wrote a few words, warning all people to +beware of greediness or covetousness, for it leads from God; and +exhorting all to fear the Lord, to avoid all earthly lusts, and to prize +their time while they have it: this I gave to be read at the gallows. +And though they had her upon the ladder, with a cloth bound over her +face, ready to be turned off, yet they did not put her to death, but +brought her back again to prison: and in the prison she afterwards came +to be convinced of God’s everlasting truth. + +There was also in the jail, while I was there, a prisoner, a wicked, +ungodly man, who was a reputed conjuror. He threatened how he would talk +with me, and what he would do to me; but he never had power to open his +mouth to me. And once the jailer and he falling out, he threatened that +he would raise the Devil, and break his house down, so that he made the +jailer afraid. Then I was moved of the Lord to go in his power, and +rebuke him, and say unto him, “Come let us see what thou canst do; do +Thy worst;” and I told him the Devil was raised high enough in him +already, but the power of God chained him down: so he slunk away from +me. + +Now the time of Worcester fight coming on, Justice Bennet sent the +constables to press me for a soldier, seeing I would not voluntarily +accept of a command. I told them that I was brought off from outward +wars. They came down again to give me press-money, but I would take +none. Then I was brought up to Sergeant Holes, kept there awhile, and +then taken down again. After a while the constables fetched me up again, +and brought me before the commissioners, who said I should go for a +soldier; but I told them that I was dead to it. They said I was alive. I +told them, where envy and hatred are, there is confusion. They offered +me money twice, but I would not take it: then they were angry, and +committed me close prisoner, without bail or mainprize. Whereupon I +wrote to them again, directing my letter to Colonel Barton (who was a +preacher), and the rest that were concerned in my commitment. I wrote +thus:— + + “You who are without Christ, and yet use the words which he and his + saints have spoken; consider, neither he nor His apostles did ever + imprison any; but my Saviour is merciful even to the unmerciful and + rebellious. He brings out of prison and bondage; but men, while the + carnal mind rules, oppress and imprison. My Saviour saith, ‘Love your + enemies, and do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that + despitefully use you and persecute you;’ for the love of God doth not + persecute any, but loveth all where it dwelleth. ‘He that hateth his + brother is a murderer.’ You profess to be Christians, and one of you a + minister of Jesus Christ; yet you have imprisoned me, who am a servant + of Jesus Christ. The apostles never imprisoned any, but were + imprisoned themselves. Take heed of speaking of Christ in words, and + denying him in life and power. O friends, the imprisoning of my body + is to satisfy your wills; but take heed of giving way to your wills, + for that will hurt you. If the love of God had broken your hearts, ye + would not have imprisoned me; but my love is to you, as to all my + fellow-creatures; and that you may weigh yourselves, and see how you + stand, is this written.” + +About this time I was moved to give forth the following, to go amongst +the convinced and tender people, to manifest the deceits of the world, +and how the priests have deceived the people:— + +_To all you that love the Lord Jesus Christ with a pure and naked heart, +and the generation of the righteous._ + + “Christ was ever hated; and the righteous for his sake. Mind who they + were that did ever hate them: he that was born after the flesh did + persecute him that was born after the Spirit; and so it is now. Mind + who were the chiefest against Christ; even the great, learned men, the + heads of the people, rulers and teachers, that professed the law and + the prophets, and looked for Christ. They looked for an outwardly + glorious Christ, to hold up their outward glory; but Christ spoke + against the works of the world, and against the priests, and scribes, + and Pharisees, and their hypocritical profession. He that is a + stranger to Christ, is a hireling; but the servants of Jesus Christ + are free men. The false teachers always laid burdens upon the people; + and the true servants of the Lord spoke against them. Jeremiah spoke + against hirelings, and said, It was a horrible thing; What will ye do + in the end? for the people and priests were given to covetousness. + Paul spoke against such as made gain upon the people; and exhorted the + saints to turn away from such as were covetous men and proud, such as + loved pleasures more than God—such as had a form of godliness, but + denied the power thereof; ‘for of this sort,’ said he, ‘are they that + creep into houses, and lead captive silly women, who are ever + learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; men of + corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith; and as Jannes and + Jambres withstood Moses, so,’ said he, ‘do these resist the truth; but + they shall proceed no further, for their folly shall be made manifest + unto all men.’ Moses forsook honours and pleasures which he might have + enjoyed. The apostle in his time saw this corruption entering, which + now is spread over the world, of having a form of godliness, but + denying the power. Ask any of your teachers whether you may ever + overcome your corruptions or sins? None of them believe that; but, ‘as + long as man is here, he must,’ they say, ‘carry about with him the + body of sin.’ Thus pride is kept up, and that honour and mastership, + which Christ denied, and all unrighteousness; yet multitudes of + teachers! heaps of teachers! the golden cup full of abominations! Paul + did not preach for wages, but laboured with his hands, that he might + be an example to all them that follow him. O people, see who follow + Paul! The prophet Jeremiah said, ‘The prophets prophesy falsely, and + the priests bear rule by their means;’ but now the priests bear rule + by the means they get from the people: take away their means, and they + will bear rule over you no longer. They are such as, the apostle said, + ‘intruded into those things which they never saw, being vainly puffed + up with a fleshly mind;’ and as the Scriptures declare of some of old, + ‘They go in the way of Cain, who was a murderer, and in the way of + Balaam, who coveted the wages of unrighteousness.’ The prophet Micah + also cried against the judges that judged for reward, and the priests + that taught for hire, and the prophets that prophesied for money; and + yet leaned on the Lord, saying, ‘Is not the Lord amongst us? Gifts + blind the eyes of the wise.’ The gift of God was never purchased with + money. All the holy servants of God did ever cry against deceit; and + where the Lord hath manifested his love, they do loathe it, and that + nature which holdeth it up.” + +Again a concern came upon me to write to the magistrates of Derby; which +I did as follows:— + + “FRIENDS, + + “I desire you to consider in time whom ye do imprison; for the + magistrate is set for the punishment of evil-doers, and for the praise + of them that do well. But when the Lord doth send his messengers unto + you, to warn you of the woes that will come upon you, except you + repent, then you persecute them, and put them in prison; and say, ‘We + have a law, and by our law we may do it.’ For you indeed justify + yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts. He will not be + worshipped with your forms and professions, and shows of religion. + Therefore consider, ye that talk of God, how ye are subject to him; + for they are his children that do his will. What doth the Lord require + of you but to do justice, to love and show mercy, to walk humbly with + him, and to help the widows and fatherless to their right? But instead + thereof ye oppress the poor. Do not your judges judge for rewards, and + your priests teach for hire? The time is coming, that he who seeth all + things, will discover all your secrets: and know this assuredly, the + Lord will deliver his servants out of your hands, and he will + recompense all your unjust dealings towards his people. I desire you + to consider of these things; search the Scriptures, and see whether + any of the people of God did ever imprison any for religion. They were + themselves imprisoned. I desire you to consider, that it is written, + ‘When the church is met together, ye may all prophesy one by one, that + all may learn, and all may be comforted;’ and then, ‘if anything be + revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.’ + Thus it was in the true church; and thus it ought to be now. But it is + not so in your assemblies; he that teaches for hire may speak, and + none may contradict him. Again, consider the liberty that was given to + the apostles, even among the unbelieving Jews; when after the reading + of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue said unto + them, ‘Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the + people, say on.’ I desire you to consider in stillness, and strive not + against the Lord; for he is stronger than you. Though ye hold his + people fast for a time, yet when he cometh, he will make known who are + his; for his coming is like the refiner’s fire and like fuller’s soap. + Then the stone that is set at nought by you builders, shall be the + headstone of the corner. O friends, lay these things to heart, and let + them not seem light things to you. I write to you in love, to mind the + laws of God and your own souls, and to do as the holy men of God did.” + +Great was my exercise and travail in spirit, during my imprisonment +here, because of the wickedness that was in this town; for though some +were convinced, yet the generality were a hardened people; and I saw the +visitation of God’s love pass away from them. I mourned over them; and +it came upon me to give forth the following lamentation for them:— + + “O Derby! as the waters run away when the flood-gates are up, so doth + the visitation of God’s love pass away from thee, O Derby! Therefore + look where thou art, and how thou art grounded; and consider, before + thou art utterly forsaken. The Lord moved me twice, before I came to + cry against the deceits and vanities that are in thee, and to warn all + to look at the Lord, and not at man. The woe is against the crown of + pride; the woe is against drunkenness and vain pleasures, and against + them that make a profession of religion in words, yet are high and + lofty in mind, and live in oppression and envy. O Derby! thy + profession and preaching stink before the Lord. Ye profess a Sabbath + in words, and meet together, dressing yourselves in fine apparel; you + uphold pride. Thy women go with stretched-forth necks and wanton eyes, + &c., which the true prophet of old cried against. Your assemblies are + odious, and an abomination to the Lord: pride is set up, and bowed + down to; covetousness abounds; and he that doeth wickedly is honoured: + so deceit bears with deceit; and yet they profess Christ in words. O + the deceit that is within thee! it doth even break my heart to see how + God is dishonoured in thee, O Derby!” + +After I had seen the visitation of God’s love pass away from this place, +I knew that my imprisonment here would not continue long; but I saw that +when the Lord should bring me forth, it would be as the letting of a +lion out of a den amongst the wild beasts of the forest. For all +professions stood in a beastly spirit and nature, pleading for sin, and +for the body of sin and imperfection, as long as they lived. They all +raged, and ran against the life and Spirit which gave forth the +Scriptures, which they professed in words. And so it was, as will appear +hereafter. + +There was a great judgment upon the town, and the magistrates were +uneasy about me; but they could not agree what to do with me. One while +they would have me sent up to the parliament; another while they would +have banished me to Ireland. At first they called me a deceiver, and a +seducer, and a blasphemer; afterwards, when God had brought his plagues +upon them, they said I was an honest, virtuous man. But their good +report or bad report, their well speaking or ill speaking, was nothing +to me; for the one did not lift me up, nor the other cast me down: +praised be the Lord! At length they were made to turn me out of jail, +about the beginning of Winter, in the year 1651, after I had been a +prisoner in Derby almost a year, six months in the House of Correction, +and the rest of the time in the common jail and dungeon. + +Thus being set at liberty again, I went on, as before, in the work of +the Lord, passing through the country, first, into my own country of +LEICESTERSHIRE, and had meetings as I went; and the Lord’s Spirit and +power accompanied me. Afterwards I went near to BURTON-ON-TRENT, where +some were convinced; and so to BUSHEL-HOUSE, where I had a meeting. I +went up into the country, where there were friendly people; yet an +outrageous wicked professor had an intent to do me a mischief, but the +Lord prevented him. Blessed be the Lord! + +As I was walking along with several Friends, I lifted up my head and saw +three steeple-house spires, and they struck at my life. I asked them +what place that was? and they said, LICHFIELD. Immediately the word of +the Lord came to me that I must go thither. Being come to the house we +were going to, I wished the Friends that were with me, to walk into the +house, saying nothing to them whither I was to go. As soon as they were +gone, I stepped away, and went by my eye over hedge and ditch, till I +came within a mile of Lichfield; where, in a great field, there were +shepherds keeping their sheep. Then I was commanded by the Lord to pull +off my shoes. I stood still, for it was Winter; and the word of the Lord +was like a fire in me. So I put off my shoes, and left them with the +shepherds; and the poor shepherds trembled and were astonished. Then I +walked on about a mile, and as soon as I was within the city, the word +of the Lord came to me again, saying, “Cry, Woe unto the bloody city of +Lichfield.” So I went up and down the streets, crying with a loud voice, +“WOE TO THE BLOODY CITY OF LICHFIELD!” It being market-day, I went into +the market-place, and to and fro in the several parts of it, and made +stands, crying as before, “WOE TO THE BLOODY CITY OF LICHFIELD!” And no +one laid hands on me; but as I went thus crying through the streets, +there seemed to me to be a channel of blood running down the streets, +and the market-place appeared like a pool of blood. When I had declared +what was upon me, and felt myself clear, I went out of the town in +peace; and returning to the shepherds, gave them some money, and took my +shoes of them again. But the fire of the Lord was so in my feet, and all +over me, that I did not matter to put on my shoes any more, and was at a +stand whether I should or not, till I felt freedom from the Lord so to +do; and then, after I had washed my feet, I put on my shoes again. After +this a deep consideration came upon me, why, or for what reason, I +should be sent to cry against that city, and call it THE BLOODY CITY. +For though the parliament had the minster one while, and the king +another, and much blood had been shed in the town, during the wars +between them, yet that was no more than had befallen many other places. +But afterwards I came to understand, that in the Emperor Dioclesian’s +time, a thousand Christians were martyred in Lichfield. So I was to go, +without my shoes, through the channel of their blood, and into the pool +of their blood in the market-place, that I might raise up the memorial +of the blood of those martyrs which had been shed above a thousand years +before, and lay cold in their streets. So the sense of this blood was +upon me, and I obeyed the word of the Lord. Ancient records testify how +many of the Christian Britons suffered there. Much I could write of the +sense I had of the blood of the martyrs that hath been shed in this +nation for the name of Christ, both under the ten persecutions and +since; but I leave it to the Lord, and to His book, out of which all +shall be judged; for His book is a most certain record, and His Spirit a +true recorder. + +Then I passed up and down through the countries, having meetings amongst +friendly people in many places; but my relations were offended at me. +After some time I returned into Nottinghamshire, to MANSFIELD, and went +into Derbyshire, visiting Friends. Then passing into Yorkshire, I +preached repentance through DONCASTER, and several other places; and +after came to BALBY, where Richard Farnsworth[10] and some others were +convinced. So travelling through several places, preaching repentance, +and the word of life to the people, I came into the parts about +WAKEFIELD, where James Naylor lived; he and Thomas Goodyear came to me, +and were both convinced, and received the truth. William Dewsbury[11] +also and his wife, with many more, came to me, who were convinced, and +received the truth. + +Footnote 10: + + Richard Farnsworth became an eminent minister, and many were turned to + God by him. He was mighty in discourses with priests and professors, + and laboured much in the gospel. He was twelve months imprisoned at + Banbury in 1655, and after great sufferings and persecutions, he + finished his testimony in London, in 1666. A short time before his + death, sitting up in bed, he spoke in as much power and strength of + spirit as he had done at any time in his health, testifying that he + was filled with the love of God more than he was able to express. He + published many small works in defence of truth. + +Footnote 11: + + William Dewsbury, often mentioned in this Journal, became a valiant + minister of the gospel, travelling extensively in its advocacy. + Whiting says, “he was an extraordinary man many ways, and I thought as + exact a pattern of a perfect man as ever I knew.” His health became + impaired through the sharp persecutions he passed through, consisting + of many long imprisonments, beatings, and bruisings. In 1688, going up + to London to visit the brethren, he was taken ill of a distemper + contracted in prison. Returning home, he died shortly after, leaving a + heavenly testimony behind him, expressed about a week before he died. + This, with other information, is recorded in _Piety Promoted_, vol. + i., pp. 163-168, and further particulars in Whiting’s _Memoirs_, p. + 25, and at pp. 376-387. His works were published in 1 vol. quarto, in + 1689. + +From thence I passed through the country towards Captain Pursloe’s house +by SELBY, and visited John Leek, who had been to visit me in Derby +prison, and was convinced. I had a horse, but was fain to leave him, not +knowing what to do with him; for I was moved to go to many great houses, +to admonish and exhort the people to turn to the Lord. Thus passing on, +I was moved of the Lord to go to BEVERLEY steeple-house, which was then +a place of high profession; and being very wet with rain, I went first +to an inn, and as soon as I came to the door, a young woman of the house +came to the door, and said, “What, is it you? come in,” as if she had +known me before; for the Lord’s power bowed their hearts. So I refreshed +myself and went to bed; and in the morning, my clothes being still wet, +I got ready, and having paid for what I had had in the inn, I went up to +the steeple-house, where was a man preaching. When he had done, I was +moved to speak to him, and to the people, in the mighty power of God, +and turned them to their teacher, Christ Jesus. The power of the Lord +was so strong, that it struck a mighty dread amongst the people. The +mayor came and spoke a few words to me; but none of them had any power +to meddle with me. So I passed away out of the town, and in the +afternoon went to another steeple-house about two miles off. When the +priest had done, I was moved to speak to him, and to the people very +largely, showing them the way of life and truth, and the ground of +election and reprobation. The priest said, he was but a child, and could +not dispute with me; I told him I did not come to dispute, but to hold +forth the word of life and truth unto them, that they might all know the +one Seed, which the promise of God was to, both in the male and in the +female. Here the people were very loving, and would have had me come +again on a week-day, and preach among them; but I directed them to their +teacher, Christ Jesus, and so passed away. + +The next day I went to CRANSWICK, to Captain Pursloe’s, who accompanied +me to Justice Hotham’s. This Justice Hotham was a tender man, one that +had some experience of God’s workings in his heart. After some discourse +with him of the things of God, he took me into his closet; where, +sitting together, he told me he had known that principle these ten +years, and was glad that the Lord did now publish it abroad to the +people. After a while there came a priest to visit him, with whom also I +had some discourse concerning Truth. But his mouth was quickly stopped, +for he was nothing but a notionist, and not in possession of what he +talked of. + +While I was here, there came a great woman of Beverley to speak to +Justice Hotham about some business; and in discourse she told him, that +the last Sabbath-day (as she called it) there came an angel or spirit +into the church at Beverley, and spoke the wonderful things of God, to +the astonishment of all that were there; and when it had done, it passed +away, and they did not know whence it came, nor whither it went; but it +astonished all, both priests, professors, and magistrates of the town. +This relation Justice Hotham gave me afterwards, and then I gave him an +account how I had been that day at Beverley steeple-house, and had +declared truth to the priest and the people there. There were in the +country thereabouts some noted priests and doctors, with whom Justice +Hotham was acquainted. He would fain have them speak with me, and +offered to send for them, under pretence of some business he had with +them, but I wished him not to do so. + +When the First-day of the week was come, Justice Hotham walked out with +me into the field; and Captain Pursloe coming up after us, Justice +Hotham left us and returned home, but Captain Pursloe went with me into +the steeple-house. When the priest had done, I spoke both to priest and +people; declared to them the word of life and truth, and directed them +where they might find their teacher, the Lord Jesus Christ. Some were +convinced, received the truth, and stand fast in it; and have a fine +meeting to this day. + +In the afternoon I went to another steeple-house about three miles off, +where preached a great high-priest, called a doctor, one of them whom +Justice Hotham would have sent for to speak with me. I went into the +steeple-house, and stayed till the priest had done. The words which he +took for his text were these, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to +the waters; and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat, yea come, +buy wine and milk without money and without price.” Then was I moved of +the Lord to say unto him, “Come down, thou deceiver; dost thou bid +people come freely, and take of the water of life freely, and yet thou +takest three hundred pounds a-year of them, for preaching the Scriptures +to them. Mayest thou not blush for shame? Did the prophet Isaiah, and +Christ do so, who spoke the words, and gave them forth freely? Did not +Christ say to his ministers, whom he sent to preach, ‘Freely ye have +received, freely give?’” The priest, like a man amazed, hastened away. +After he had left his flock, I had as much time as I could desire to +speak to the people; and I directed them from the darkness to the light, +and to the grace of God, that would teach them, and bring them +salvation; to the Spirit of God in their inward parts, which would be a +free teacher unto them. + +Having cleared myself amongst the people, I returned to Justice Hotham’s +house that night, who, when I came in, took me in his arms, and said his +house was my house, for he was exceedingly glad at the work of the Lord, +and that his power was revealed. Then he told me why he went not with me +to the steeple-house in the morning, and what reasonings he had in +himself about it; for he thought, if he had gone with me to the +steeple-house, the officers would have put me to him; and then he should +have been so put to it, that he should not have known what to do. But he +was glad, he said, when Captain Pursloe came up to go with me; yet +neither of them was dressed, nor had his band about his neck. It was a +strange thing then to see a man come into a steeple-house without a +band; yet Captain Pursloe went in with me without his band, the Lord’s +power and truth had so affected him that he minded it not. + +From hence I passed on through the country, and came at night to an inn +where was a company of rude people. I bid the woman of the house, if she +had any meat, to bring me some; but because I said Thee and Thou to her +she looked strangely on me. Then I asked her if she had any milk; and +she said, No. I was sensible she spoke falsely, and being willing to try +her further, I asked her if she had any cream; she denied that she had +any. Now there stood a churn in the room, and a little boy playing about +it, put his hands into it, and pulled it down, and threw all the cream +on the floor before my eyes. Thus was the woman manifested to be a liar. +She was amazed, and blessed herself, and taking up the child, whipped it +sorely; but I reproved her for her lying and deceit. After the Lord had +thus discovered her deceit and perverseness, I walked out of the house, +and went away till I came to a stack of hay, and lay in the hay-stack +that night in rain and snow, it being but three days before the time +called Christmas. + +The next day I came into YORK, where were several people that were very +tender. Upon the First-day of the week following, I was commanded of the +Lord to go to the great minster, and speak to the priest Bowles and his +hearers in their great cathedral. Accordingly I went: and when the +priest had done, I told them I had something from the Lord God to speak +to the priest and people. “Then say on quickly,” said a professor that +was among them, for it was frost and snow, and very cold weather. Then I +told them, This was the word of the Lord God unto them, that they lived +in words; but God Almighty looked for fruits amongst them. As soon as +the words were out of my mouth, they hurried me out, and threw me down +the steps; but I got up again without hurt, and went to my lodgings. +Several were convinced there: for the very groans that arose from the +weight and oppression that was upon the Spirit of God in me, would open +people, and strike them, and make them confess that the groans which +broke forth through me did reach them: for my life was burthened with +their profession without possession, and words without fruit. After I +had done my present service in York, and several were convinced there, +received the truth of God, and were turned to his teaching, I passed out +of York, and looking towards Cleveland, I saw there was a people that +had tasted of the power of God. I saw then there was a seed in that +country, and that God had an humble people there. + +Passing onwards that night, a Papist overtook me, and talked to me of +his religion, and of their meetings; and I let him speak all that was in +his mind. That night I stayed at an ale-house. The next morning I was +moved of the Lord to speak the word of the Lord to this Papist. So I +went to his house, and declared against his religion, and all their +superstitious ways; and told him that God was come to teach his people +himself. This put the Papist into such a rage, that he could not then +endure to stay in his own house. + +The next day I came to BURRABY, where a priest and several friendly +people met together. Many of the people were convinced, and have +continued faithful ever since; and there is a great meeting of Friends +in that town. The priest also was forced to confess to the truth, though +he came not into it. + +The day following I went into CLEVELAND, amongst those people that had +tasted of the power of God. They had formerly had great meetings, but +were then all shattered to pieces, and the heads of them turned Ranters. +I told them that after they had had such meetings, they did not wait +upon God to feel His power, to gather their minds inward, that they +might feel His presence and power amongst them in their meetings, to sit +down therein, and wait upon Him; for they had spoken themselves dry; +they had spent their portions, and not living in that which they spoke +of, they were now become dry. They had some kind of meetings still; but +they took tobacco and drank ale in their meetings, and were grown light +and loose. But my message unto them from the Lord was, That they should +all come together again, and wait to feel the Lord’s power and Spirit in +themselves, to gather them to Christ, that they might be taught of Him +who says, “Learn of me.” For when they had declared that which the Lord +had opened to them, then the people were to receive it; and both the +speakers and hearers were to live in that themselves. But when these had +no more to declare, but went to seek forms without life, that made +themselves dry and barren, and the people also; and from thence came all +their loss: for the Lord renews His mercies and His strength to them +that wait upon Him. The heads of these people came to nothing: but most +of them came to be convinced, and received God’s everlasting truth, and +continue a meeting to this day, sitting under the teaching of the Lord +Jesus Christ their Saviour. + +Upon the First-day of the next week, the word of the Lord came to me to +go to the steeple-house there, which I did. When the priest had done I +spoke the truth to him and the people, and directed them to their +teacher within, Christ Jesus, their free teacher, that had bought them. +The priest came to me, and I had a little discourse with him; but he was +soon stopped, and silent. Then being clear of the place, I passed away, +having had several meetings amongst those people. + +Though at this time the snow was very deep, I kept travelling; and going +through the country, came to a market-town, where I met with many +professors, with whom I had much reasoning. I asked them many questions, +which they were not able to answer; saying, they had never had such deep +questions put to them in all their lives. + +From them I went to STAITHES, where also I met with many professors, and +some Ranters. I had large meetings amongst them, and a great +convincement there was. Many received the truth; amongst whom, one was a +man of an hundred years of age; another was a chief constable; and a +third was a priest, whose name was Philip Scafe. Him the Lord, by his +free Spirit, did afterwards make a free minister of his free gospel. + +The priest of this town was a lofty one, who much oppressed the people +for his tithes. If they went a-fishing many leagues off, he would make +them pay the tithe-money of what they made of their fish, though they +caught them at a great distance, and carried them as far as Yarmouth to +sell. I was moved to go to the steeple-house there, to declare the +truth, and expose the priest. When I had spoken to him, and laid his +oppression of the people before him, he fled away. The chief of the +parish were very light and vain; so after I had spoken the word of life +to them, I turned away from them, because they did not receive it, and +left them. But the word of the Lord, which I had declared amongst them, +remained with some of them; so that at night some of the heads of the +parish came to me, and most of them were convinced and satisfied, and +confessed to the truth. Thus the truth began to spread in that country, +and great meetings we had; at which the priest began to rage, and the +Ranters to be stirred; and they sent word that they would have a dispute +with me, both the oppressing priest, and the leader of the Ranters. A +day was fixed, and the Ranter came with his company; and another priest, +a Scotchman, came; but not the oppressing priest of Staithes. Philip +Scafe, who had been a priest, and was convinced, was with me; and a +great number of people met. When we were settled, the Ranter, whose name +was T. Bushel, told me he had had a vision of me; that I was sitting in +a great chair, and that he was to come and put off his hat, and bow down +to the ground before me; and he did so; and many other flattering words +he spoke. I told him it was his own figure, and said unto him, “Repent, +thou beast.” He said it was jealousy in me to say so. Then I asked him +the ground of jealousy, and how it came to be bred in man? and the +nature of a beast, what made it, and how it was bred in man? For I saw +him directly in the nature of the beast; and therefore I wished to know +of him how that nature came to be bred in him? I told him he should give +me an account of the things done in the body, before we came to +discourse of things done out of the body. So I stopped his mouth, and +all his fellow Ranters were silenced; for he was the head of them. Then +I called for the oppressing priest, but he came not; only the Scotch +priest came, whose mouth was soon stopped with a very few words; he +being out of the life of what he professed. Then I had a good +opportunity with the people. I laid open the Ranters, ranking them with +the old Ranters in Sodom. The priests I manifested to be of the same +stamp with their fellow-hirelings, the false prophets of old, and the +priests that then bore rule over the people by their means, seeking for +their gain from their quarter, divining for money, and teaching for +filthy lucre. I brought all the prophets, and Christ, and the apostles, +over the heads of the priests, showing how the prophets, Christ, and the +apostles had long since discovered them by their marks and fruits. Then +I directed the people to their inward teacher, Christ Jesus their +Saviour; and I preached up Christ in the hearts of His people, when all +these mountains were laid low. The people were all quiet, and the +gainsayers’ mouths were stopped; for though they broiled inwardly, yet +the power bound them down, that they could not break out. + +After the meeting, this Scotch priest desired me to walk with him on the +top of the cliffs; whereupon I called a brother-in-law of his, who was +in some measure convinced, and desired him to go with me, telling him I +desired to have somebody by to hear what was said, lest the priest, when +I was gone, should report anything of me which I did not say. We went +together; and as we walked, the priest asked me many things concerning +the light, and concerning the soul; to all which I answered him fully. +When he had done questioning, we parted, and he went his way; and +meeting with Philip Scafe, he broke his cane against the ground in +madness, and said, if ever he met with me again, he would have my life, +or I should have his; adding that he would give his head, if I was not +knocked down within a month. By this, Friends suspected that his intent +was, in desiring me to walk with him alone, either to thrust me down +from off the cliff, or to do me some other mischief; and that when he +saw himself frustrated in that, by my having one with me, it made him +rage. I feared neither his prophecies nor his threats; for I feared God +Almighty. But some Friends, through their affection for me, feared much +that this priest would do me some mischief, or set on others to do it. +Yet after some years this very Scotch priest, and his wife also, came to +be convinced of the truth; and about twelve years after this I was at +their house. + +After this, there came another priest to a meeting where I was, one that +was in repute above all the priests in the country. As I was speaking in +the meeting, that the gospel was the power of God, and how it brought +life and immortality to light in men, and was turning people from +darkness to the light, this high-flown priest said the gospel was +mortal. I told him, the true minister said, the gospel was the power of +God, and would he make the power of God mortal? Upon that the other +priest, Philip Scafe, that was convinced, and had felt the immortal +power of God in himself, took him up and reproved him; so a great +dispute arose between them: the convinced priest holding that the gospel +was immortal, and the other priest that it was mortal. But the Lord’s +power was too hard for this opposing priest, and stopped his mouth; and +many people were convinced, seeing the darkness that was in the opposing +priest, and the light that was in the convinced priest. + +Then another priest sent to have a dispute with me, and Friends went +with me to the house where he was; but when he understood we were come, +he slipped out of the house, and hid himself under a hedge. The people +went to seek him, and found him, but could not get him to come to us. +Then I went to a steeple-house hard by, where the priest and people were +in a great rage: this priest had threatened Friends what he would do; +but when I came he fled; for the Lord’s power came over him and them. +Yea, the Lord’s everlasting power was over the world, and reached to the +hearts of people, and made both priests and professors tremble. It shook +the earthly and airy spirit, in which they held their profession of +religion and worship, so that it was a dreadful thing unto them, when it +was told them, “The man in leather breeches is come.”[12] At the hearing +thereof the priests, in many places would get out of the way; they were +so struck with the dread of the eternal power of God; and fear surprised +the hypocrites. + +Footnote 12: + + The leathern garments worn by George Fox were chosen by him for their + simplicity and durability; and though they often subjected their + wearer to ridicule and abuse, he had no motive beyond the + above-mentioned for choosing such a garb. Many persons have been + amused, if not offended at him for having worn such a dress when he + was a young man. In those days leathern garments were not so singular + as some suppose. It was a well authenticated fact, that an eminent + merchant of the city of London, about 150 years ago, travelled on foot + from Newcastle, in search of a livelihood, clad in a _coat of + leather_. He opened a warehouse in London for the sale of heavy + articles of iron, which were manufactured in the neighbourhood of + Newcastle. In a few years he became prosperous, accumulated a large + fortune, and ranked with the magnates of the city, sharing in all the + civic honours of the corporation. The firm which he established still + continues to conduct a flourishing business, at a warehouse in Thames + Street, which is familiarly known in the trade by “The Leathern + Doublet;” a representation of the founder’s original dress being fixed + as a sign in front of the building. + +From this place we passed to WHITBY and SCARBOROUGH, where we had some +services for the Lord; there are large meetings settled there since. +From thence I passed over the WOLDS to MALTON, where we had great +meetings; as we had also at the towns thereabouts. At one town a priest +sent me a challenge to dispute with me; but when I came, he would not +come forth; so I had a good opportunity with the people, and the Lord’s +power came over them. One, who had been a wild, drunken man, was so +reached therewith, that he came to me as lowly as a lamb; though he and +his companions had before sent for drink, to make the rude people drunk, +on purpose that they might abuse us. When I found the priest would not +come forth, I was moved to go to the steeple-house; the priest was +confounded, and the Lord’s power came over all. + +On the First-day following, came one of the highest Independent +professors, a woman, who had let in such a prejudice against me, that +she said before she came, she could willingly go to see me hanged: but +when she came, she was convinced, and remains a Friend. + +Then I turned to MALTON again, and very great meetings there were; to +which more people would have come, but durst not for fear of their +relations; for it was thought a strange thing then to preach in houses, +and not go to the church, as they called it; so that I was much desired +to go and speak in the steeple-houses. One of the priests wrote to me, +and invited me to preach in the steeple-house, calling me his brother. +Another priest, a noted man, kept a lecture there. Now the Lord had +showed me, while I was in Derby prison, that I should speak in +steeple-houses, to gather people from thence; and a concern sometimes +would come upon my mind about the pulpits that the priests lolled in. +For the steeple-houses and pulpits were offensive to my mind, because +both priests and people called them the house of God, and idolized them; +reckoning that God dwelt there in the outward house. Whereas they should +have looked for God and Christ to dwell in their hearts, and their +bodies to be made the temples of God; for the apostle said, “God +dwelleth not in temples made with hands:” but by reason of the people’s +idolizing those places, it was counted a heinous thing to declare +against them. When I came into the steeple-house, there were not above +eleven hearers, and the priest was preaching to them. But after it was +known in the town that I was in the steeple-house, it was soon filled +with people. When the priest that preached that day had done, he sent +the other priest that had invited me thither, to bring me up into the +pulpit; but I sent word to him, that I needed not to go into the pulpit. +Then he sent to me again, desiring me to go up into it; for, he said, it +was a better place, and there I might be seen of the people. I sent him +word again, I could be seen and heard well enough where I was; and that +I came not there to hold up such places, nor their maintenance and +trade. Upon my saying so, they began to be angry, and said, “these false +prophets were to come in the last times.” Their saying so grieved many +of the people; and some began to murmur at it. Whereupon I stood up, and +desired all to be quiet; and stepping upon a high seat, I declared unto +them the marks of the false prophets, and showed that they were already +come; and set the true prophets, and Christ, and His apostles over them; +and manifested these to be out of the steps of the true prophets, and of +Christ and His apostles. I directed the people to their inward teacher, +Christ Jesus, who would turn them from darkness to the light. And having +opened divers Scriptures to them, I directed them to the Spirit of God +in themselves, by which they might come to Him, and by which they might +also come to know who the false prophets were. So having had a large +opportunity among them, I departed in peace. + +After some time, I came to PICKERING, where in the steeple-house the +justices held their sessions, Justice Robinson being chairman. I had a +meeting in the school-house at the same time; and abundance of priests +and professors came to it, asking questions, which were answered to +their satisfaction. It being sessions-time, four chief constables and +many other people were convinced that day; and word was carried to +Justice Robinson that his priest was overthrown and convinced, whom he +had a love to, more than to all the priests besides. After the meeting, +we went to an inn. Justice Robinson’s priest was very lowly and loving, +and would have paid for my dinner, but I would by no means suffer it. +Then he offered that I should have his steeple-house to preach in, but I +refused it, and told him and the people, that I came to bring them off +from such things to Christ. + +The next morning I went with the four chief constables, and others, to +visit Justice Robinson, who met me at his chamber door. I told him I +could not honour him with man’s honour. He said he did not look for it. +So I went into his chamber, and opened to him the state of the false +prophets, and of the true prophets; and set the true prophets, and +Christ, and the apostles over the other; and directed his mind to Christ +his teacher. I opened to him the parables, and how election and +reprobation stood; as that reprobation stood in the first birth, and +election stood in the second birth. I showed also what the promise of +God was to, and what the judgment of God was against, He confessed to it +all; and was so opened with the truth, that when another justice that +was present, made some little opposition, he informed him. At our +parting, he said it was very well that I exercised that gift, which God +had given me. He took the chief constables aside, and would have given +them some money for me, saying, he would not have me at any charge in +their country; but they told him that they could not persuade me to take +any; and so accepting his kindness, I refused his money. + +From thence I passed up into the country, and the priest that called me +brother (in whose school-house I had the meeting at Pickering,) went +along with me. When we came into a town to bait, the bells rang. I asked +what they rang for: and they said, for me to preach in the +steeple-house. After some time I felt drawings that way; and as I walked +to the steeple-house, I saw the people were gathered together in the +yard. The old priest would have had me to go into the steeple-house; but +I said, it was no matter. It was something strange to the people, that I +would not go into that which they called the house of God. I stood up in +the steeple-house yard, and declared to the people, that I came not to +hold up their idol temples, nor their priests, nor their tithes, nor +their augmentations, nor their priests’ wages, nor their Jewish and +heathenish ceremonies and traditions (for I denied all these,) and told +them that that piece of ground was no more holy than another piece of +ground. I showed them that the apostles’ going into the Jews’ synagogues +and temples, which God had commanded, was to bring people off from that +temple, and those synagogues, and from the offerings, and tithes, and +covetous priests of that time; that such as came to be convinced of the +truth, and converted to it, and believed in Jesus Christ, whom the +apostles preached, met together afterwards in dwelling-houses; and that +all who preach Christ, the Word of life, ought to preach freely, as the +apostles did, and as He had commanded. So I was sent of the Lord God of +heaven and earth to preach freely, and to bring people off from these +outward temples made with hands, which God dwelleth not in; that they +might know their bodies to become the temples of God and of Christ: and +to draw people off from all their superstitious ceremonies, and Jewish +and heathenish customs, traditions, and doctrines of men; and from all +the world’s hireling teachers, that take tithes and great wages, +preaching for hire, and divining for money, whom God and Christ never +sent, as themselves confess, when they say they never heard God’s voice, +nor Christ’s voice. Therefore I exhorted the people to come off from all +these things, and directed them to the Spirit and grace of God in +themselves, and to the light of Jesus in their own hearts, that they +might come to know Christ, their free teacher, to bring them salvation, +and to open the Scriptures to them. Thus the Lord gave me a good +opportunity amongst them to open things largely unto them. All was +quiet, and many were convinced; blessed be the Lord! + +I passed on to another town, where there was another great meeting, the +old priest before mentioned going along with me; and there came +professors of several sorts to it. I sat on a haystack, and spoke +nothing for some hours; for I was to famish them from words. The +professors would ever and anon be speaking to the old priest, and asking +him when I would begin, and when I would speak. He bade them wait; and +told them, that the people waited upon Christ a long while before he +spoke. At last I was moved of the Lord to speak; and they were struck by +the Lord’s power; the word of life reached to them, and there was a +general convincement amongst them. + +From hence I passed on, the old priest being still with me, and several +others. As we went along, some people called to him, and said, “Mr. +Boyes, we owe you some money for tithes, pray come and take it.” But he +threw up his hands, and said he had enough, he would have none of it; +they might keep it; and he praised the Lord he had enough. + +At length we came to this old priest’s steeple-house in the MOORS; and +when we were come into it, he went before me, and held open the pulpit +door; but I told him I should not go into it. This steeple-house was +very much painted. I told him and the people, that the painted beast had +a painted house. Then I opened to them the rise of all those houses, and +their superstitious ways; showing them, that as the end of the apostles’ +going into the temple and synagogues, which God had commanded, was not +to hold them up, but to bring the people to Christ, the substance; so +the end of my coming there, was not to hold up these temples, priests, +and tithes, which God had never commanded, but to bring themselves off +from all these things, to Christ the substance. I showed them the true +worship, which Christ had set up; and distinguished Christ the true way +from all the false ways, opening the parables to them, and turning them +from darkness to the true light, that by it they might see themselves, +their sins, and Christ their Saviour; that believing in Him, they might +be saved from their sins. + +After this we went to one Birdet’s house, where I had a great meeting, +and this old priest accompanied me still, leaving his steeple-house; for +he had been looked upon as a famous priest, above Common-Prayer-men, and +Presbyters, and Independents too. Before he was convinced, he went +sometimes into their steeple-houses and preached; for he had been a +zealous man in his way. And when they complained of him to Justice +Hotham, he bid them distrain his horse for travelling on the Lord’s day +(as he called it); but Hotham did that only to put them off, for he knew +the priest used no horse, but travelled on foot. + +Now I came towards CRANSWICK, to Captain Pursloe’s and Justice Hotham’s, +who received me kindly, being glad that the Lord’s power had so +appeared; that truth was spread, and so many had received it; and that +Justice Robinson was so civil. Justice Hotham said, If God had not +raised up this principle of light and life, which I preached, the nation +had been overrun with Ranterism, and all the justices in the nation +could not have stopped it with all their laws; because (said he) they +would have said as we said, and done as we commanded, and yet have kept +their own principle still. But this principle of truth, said he, +overthrows their principle, and the root and ground thereof; and +therefore, he was glad the Lord had raised up this principle of life and +truth. + +From thence I travelled up to HOLDERNESS, and came to a justice’s house, +whose name was Pearson, where there was a very tender woman, that +believed in the truth, and was so affected therewith, that she said she +could have left all and have followed me. + +Thence I went to ORAM, to one George Hartis’s, where many of that town +were convinced. On the First-day I was moved to go into the +steeple-house, where the priest had got another to help him; and many +professors and contenders were assembled together. But the Lord’s power +was over all; the priests fled away, and much good service I had for the +Lord amongst the people. Some of those great professors were convinced, +and became honest, faithful Friends, being men of account in the place. + +The next day, Friends and friendly people having left me, I travelled +alone, declaring the day of the Lord amongst people in the towns where I +came, and warning them to repent. One day, I came towards night into a +town called PATRINGTON; and as I walked along the town, I warned both +priest and people (for the priest was in the street) to repent and turn +to the Lord. It grew dark before I came to the end of the town; and a +multitude of people gathered about me, to whom I declared the word of +life. When I had cleared myself, I went to an inn, and desired them to +let me have a lodging; but they would not. Then I desired them to let me +have a little meat, or milk, and I would pay them for it; but they would +not. So I walked out of the town, and a company of fellows followed me, +and asked me, what news? I bid them repent, and fear the Lord. After I +had gone some distance, I came to another house, and desired the people +to let me have a little meat and drink, and lodging for my money; but +they denied me. Then I went to another house, and desired the same; but +they refused me also. By this time it was grown so dark, that I could +not see the highway; but I discerned a ditch, and got a little water and +refreshed myself. Then I got over the ditch, and being weary with +travelling, sat down among the furze-bushes till it was day. About break +of day I got up and passed over the fields. A man came after me with a +great pike-staff, and went along with me to a town; and he raised the +town upon me, with the constable and chief constable, before the sun was +up. I declared God’s everlasting truth amongst them, warning them of the +day of the Lord, that was coming upon all sin and wickedness; and +exhorted them to repent. But they seized me, and had me back to +Patrington, about three miles, guarding me with pikes, staves, and +halberds. + +Now when I was come back to Patrington, all the town was in an uproar, +and the priest and people were consulting together; so I had another +opportunity to declare the word of life amongst them, and warn them to +repent. At last a professor, a tender man, called me into his house, and +there I took a little milk and bread, not having eaten for some days +before. Then they guarded me about nine miles to a justice. When I was +come near his house, a man came riding after us, and asked me whether I +was the man that was apprehended? I asked him wherefore he asked? He +said, for no hurt; and I told him I was; so he rode away to the justice +before us. The men that guarded me said, It was well if the justice was +not drunk, before we got to him; for he used to be drunk early. When I +was brought in before him, because I did not put off my hat, and said +Thou to him, he asked the man that rode thither before me, whether I was +not mazed or fond; but the man told him, no, it was my principle. Then I +warned him to repent, and come to the light, which Christ had +enlightened him with, that by it he might see all his evil words and +actions; and to return to Christ Jesus whilst he had time; and that +whilst he had time, he should prize it. “Ay, ay,” said he, “the light +that is spoken of in the third of John.” I desired him that he would +mind it and obey it. As I admonished him, I laid my hand upon him, and +he was brought down by the power of the Lord; and all the watchmen stood +amazed. Then he took me into a little parlour with the other man, and +desired to see what I had in my pockets, of letters or intelligence. I +plucked out my linen, and showed him that I had no letters. He said, He +is not a vagrant by his linen; and then he set me at liberty. I went +back to Patrington, with the man that had ridden before me to the +justice; for he lived at Patrington. When I came there, he would have +had me have a meeting at the Cross; but I said, it was no matter, his +house would serve. He desired me to go to bed, or lie down upon a bed; +which he did, that they might say, they had seen me in a bed, or upon a +bed; for a report had been raised that I would not lie on any bed, +because at that time I lay many times out of doors. Now when the +First-day of the week was come, I went to the steeple-house, and +declared the truth to the priest and people; and the people did not +molest me, for the power of God was come over them. Presently after I +had a great meeting at the man’s house where I lay, and many were +convinced of the Lord’s everlasting truth, who stand faithful witnesses +of it to this day. They were exceedingly grieved that they did not +receive me, nor give me lodging, when I was there before. + +From hence I travelled through the country, even to the furthest part +thereof, warning people, in towns and villages, to repent, and directing +them to Christ Jesus, their teacher. + +On the First-day of the week I came to one Colonel Overton’s house, and +had a great meeting of the prime of the people of that country; where +many things were opened out of the Scriptures, which they had never +heard before. Many were convinced, and received the word of life, and +were settled in the truth of God. + +Then I returned to PATRINGTON again, and visited those Friends that were +convinced there; by whom I understood that a tailor, and some wild +blades in that town, had occasioned my being carried before the justice. +The tailor came to ask my forgiveness, fearing I would complain of him. +The constables also were afraid, lest I should trouble them. But I +forgave them all, and warned them to turn to the Lord, and to amend +their lives. Now that which made them the more afraid was this: when I +was in the steeple-house at Oram not long before, there came a +professor, who gave me a push on the breast in the steeple-house, and +bid me get out of the church. “Alas, poor man!” said I, “dost thou call +the steeple-house the church? The church is the people, whom God hath +purchased with His blood, and not the house.” It happened that Justice +Hotham came to hear of this man’s abuse, sent his warrant for him, and +bound him over to the sessions; so affected was he with the truth, and +so zealous to keep the peace. And indeed this Justice Hotham had asked +me before, whether any people had meddled with me, or abused me; but I +was not at liberty to tell him anything of that kind, but was to forgive +all. + + + + + CHAPTER V. + +1652.—George Fox visits great men’s houses, warning them to repent—is + accused of calling himself Christ—refutes the charge, and tells the + accuser that Judas’s end would he his, which shortly came to pass; + hence a slander is raised against Friends—is stoned at Doncaster—a + scoffing priest made to tremble at the Lord’s power—a slandering + priest cut off in his wickedness—a murderous man seeks George Fox, + but misses him—he lays in a wood all night—the influence of one man + or woman, who lives in the same spirit that the prophets and + apostles were in, is to be felt within a circuit of ten miles—George + Fox ascends Pendle Hill, whence he sees the place of a great + gathering of people—on descending, refreshes himself at a spring of + water, having taken little sustenance for several days—foresees a + great people in white raiment about Wensleydale and Sedbergh—a + wicked man designs to injure him, but is prevented—many are + convinced in Dent, and a meeting is settled at Sedbergh, where he + had seen a people in white raiment—preaches for several hours in the + steeple-house yard there—preaches on a rock, near Firbank chapel, to + 1,000 people, for three hours—the family of Judge Fell convinced, + and a meeting settled at his house, and continued for forty + years—preaches through Lancaster streets—at a meeting of priests at + Ulverstone he speaks in great power, so that one of them said, “the + church shook”—disputes with priest Lampitt—Justice Sawrey is the + first persecutor in the north—forty priests appear against George + Fox at Lancaster Sessions for speaking blasphemy; they are + confounded, and he is cleared of the charge—James Naylor’s account + of George Fox’s trial at Lancaster Sessions—priest Jackus is + reproved from the bench for his blasphemy—these priests are reproved + by the populace—Col. West defends and protects George Fox against + the machinations of the priests, and the design of Judge Windham, at + the risk of losing his place. + + +From PATRINGTON I went to several great men’s houses, warning them to +repent. Some received me lovingly, and some slighted me. Thus I passed +on, and at night came to another town, where I desired lodging and meat, +and I would pay for it; but they would not lodge me, except I would go +to the constable, which was the custom (they said) of all lodgers at +inns, if strangers. I told them I should not go; for that custom was for +suspicious persons, but I was an innocent man. After I had warned them +to repent, declared unto them the day of their visitation, and directed +them to the light of Christ and Spirit of God, that they might come to +know salvation, I passed away; and the people were something tendered, +and troubled afterwards. When it grew dark, I spied a hay-stack, and +went and sat under it all night, till morning. + +The next day I passed into HULL, admonishing and warning people, as I +went, to turn to Christ Jesus that they might receive salvation. That +night I got a lodging, but was very sore with travelling on foot so far. + +Afterwards I came to BALBY, and visited Friends up and down in those +parts; and then passed into the edge of NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, visiting +Friends there; and so into LINCOLNSHIRE, and visited Friends there. And +on the First-day of the week I went to a steeple-house on this side of +Trent; and in the afternoon to one on the other side of the Trent, +declaring the word of life to the people, and directing them to their +teacher, Christ Jesus, who died for them that they might hear him, and +receive salvation by him. Then I went further into the country, and had +several meetings. To one meeting came a great man, and a priest and many +professors; but the Lord’s power came over them all, and they went their +ways peaceably. There came a man to that meeting, who had been at one +before, and raised a false accusation against me, and made a noise up +and down the country, reporting that I had said I was Christ; which was +utterly false. + +And when I came to GAINSBOROUGH, where a Friend had been declaring truth +in the market, the town and market-people were all in an uproar. I went +into a friendly man’s house, and the people rushed in after me; so that +the house was filled with professors, disputers, and rude people. This +false accuser came in, and charged me openly before all the people, that +I had said, I was Christ, and he had got witnesses to prove it. This set +the people into such a rage, that they had much to do to keep their +hands off me. Then I was moved of the Lord God to stand up on the table, +and, in the eternal power of God, to tell the people “That Christ was +_in them_, except they were reprobates; and that it was Christ the +eternal power of God, that spoke in me at that time unto them; not that +I was Christ.” And the people were generally satisfied, except himself, +a professor, and his own false-witnesses. I called the accuser Judas, +and was moved to tell him, that Judas’s end would be his; and that that +was the word of the Lord and of Christ, through me, to him. So the +Lord’s power came over all, and quieted the minds of the people, and +they departed in peace. But this Judas went away, and shortly after +hanged himself, and a stake was driven into his grave. Afterwards the +wicked priests raised a scandal upon us, and reported that a Quaker had +hanged himself in Lincolnshire, and had a stake driven through him. This +falsehood they printed to the nation, adding sin to sin; which the truth +and we were clear of: for he was no more a Quaker than the priest that +printed it, but was one of their own people. But notwithstanding this +wicked slander, by which the adversary designed to defame us, and turn +people’s minds against the truth we held forth, many in Lincolnshire +received the gospel, being convinced of the Lord’s everlasting truth, +and sat down therein under the Lord’s heavenly teaching. + +After this I passed, in the Lord’s power, into YORKSHIRE, came to +WARMSWORTH, and went to the steeple-house in the forenoon,[13] but they +shut the door against me; yet after a while they let in Thomas Aldam, +and then shut it again; and the priest fell upon him, asking him +questions. At last they opened the door, and I went in. As soon as I was +in the priest’s sight, he discontinued preaching, though I said nothing +to him, and asked me, “What have you to say!” and presently cried out, +“Come, come, I will prove them false prophets, in Matthew;” but he was +so confounded, he could not find the chapter. Then he fell on me, asking +me many questions, and I stood still all this while, not saying anything +amongst them. At last I said, “Seeing here are so many questions asked, +I may answer them.” But as soon as I began to speak, the people +violently rushed upon me, and thrust me out of the steeple-house again, +and locked the door on me. As soon as they had done their service, and +were come forth, the people ran upon me, and knocked me sorely with +their staves, threw clods and stones at me, and abused me much; the +priest also, being in a great rage, laid violent hands on me himself. +But I warned them and him of the terrible day of the Lord, and exhorted +them to repent, and turn to Christ. Being filled with the Lord’s +refreshing power, I was not sensible of much hurt I had received by +their blows. In the afternoon I went to another steeple-house, but the +priest had done before I got thither; so I preached repentance to the +people that were left, and directed them to their inward teacher, Jesus +Christ. + +Footnote 13: + + The circumstance of Friends entering the public places of worship in + the times of the Commonwealth, is one which has been much + misunderstood, and greatly misrepresented. For these acts of + dedication they have been calumniated as disturbers of religious + congregations, and as outraging the peace and order of the churches. + This estimate, doubtless, has been formed with reference to usages of + more modern date; but to decide upon the conduct of Friends in this + particular, from a consideration of present circumstances, would be + exceedingly erroneous. In preaching in the national places of worship, + they did but avail themselves of a common liberty, in a period of + extraordinary excitement on religious things. There were numerous + other religious meetings held in those times, but into none of these + did Friends obtrude themselves. Some probably will argue, that the + fact of their being so severely punished for persisting in this + practice, may be adduced in support of its irregularity; but it may be + answered, that the preaching of Friends almost everywhere, at that + time, whether in steeple-houses or private houses, in-doors or out of + doors, equally called down the rigour of ecclesiastical vengeance. It + was not, in fact, because Friends preached in these places so much as + for what they preached that they suffered. When George Fox was + committed to Derby prison in 1650, after preaching in the + steeple-house at “a great lecture,” the mittimus states his offence + was, for “uttering and broaching of divers blasphemous opinions.” In + 1659, Gilbert Latey went to Dunstan’s steeple-house in the west, where + the noted Dr. Manton preached. At the conclusion of the sermon, + Gilbert Latey addressed the assembly relative to some errors in + Manton’s sermon, for which he was seized by a constable and taken + before a magistrate; who, however, gave G. Latey leave to speak for + himself. The statement he made satisfied the justice, and he replied, + that he had heard the people called Quakers, were a sort of mad, + whimsical folks; “but,” said he, “for this man, he talks very + rationally, and I think, for my part, you should not have brought him + before me.” To which the constable replied, “Sir, I think so too.” + This occurred eleven years after G. Fox first visited a steeple-house, + and, during that time, Friends had suffered very much for speaking in + them, yet now a magistrate declares, that speaking rationally after + the preacher had finished in a steeple-house, is not an offence for + which a man ought to be brought before him. But the ministry of + Friends struck at the very foundation of all hierarchical systems, and + the discovery of this circumstance prompted the priests to call in the + aid of the civil power, to suppress the promulgation of views so + opposed to ecclesiastical domination. + +From hence I went to BALBY, and so to DONCASTER, where I had formerly +preached repentance on the market-day; which had made a noise and alarm +in the country. On the First-day I went to the steeple-house, and after +the priest had done, I spoke to him and the people what the Lord had +commanded me; and they were in a great rage, hurried me out, threw me +down, and haled me before the magistrates. A long examination they made +of me, and much work I had with them. They threatened my life if ever I +came there again; and that they would leave me to the mercy of the +people. Nevertheless, I declared truth amongst them, and directed them +to the light of Christ in them; testifying unto them that “God was come +to teach his people himself, whether they would hear or forbear.” After +a while they put us out (for some Friends were with me) among the rude +multitude, and they stoned us down the street. An innkeeper, that was a +bailiff, came and took us into his house; and they broke his head, that +the blood ran down his face, with the stones that they threw at us. We +stayed a while in his house, and showed the more sober people the +priest’s fruits. Then we went to Balby, about a mile off, and the rude +people laid wait for us, and stoned us down the lane; but, blessed be +the Lord, we did not receive much hurt. + +The next First-day I went to TICKHILL, whither the Friends of that side +gathered together, and in the meeting a mighty brokenness by the power +of God was amongst the people. I went out of the meeting, being moved of +God to go to the steeple-house; and when I came there, I found the +priest and most of the chief of the parish together in the chancel. So I +went up to them, and began to speak; but they immediately fell upon me; +and the clerk took up his Bible, as I was speaking, and struck me on the +face with it, so that it gushed out with blood, and I bled exceedingly +in the steeple-house. Then the people cried, “Let us have him out of the +church;” and when they had got me out, they beat me exceedingly, and +threw me down, and over a hedge; and afterwards they dragged me through +a house into the street, stoning and beating me as they drew me along, +so that I was besmeared all over with blood and dirt. They got my hat +from me, which I never obtained again. Yet when I was got upon my legs +again, I declared to them the word of life, and showed them the fruits +of their teacher, and how they dishonoured Christianity. After a while I +got into the meeting again amongst Friends; and the priest and people +coming by the house, I went forth with Friends into the yard, and there +I spoke to the priest and people. The priest scoffed at us, and called +us Quakers. But the Lord’s power was so over them, and the word of life +was declared in such authority and dread to them, that the priest began +trembling himself; and one of the people said, “Look how the priest +trembles and shakes, he is turned a Quaker also.” When the meeting was +over, Friends departed; and I went without my hat to BALBY, about seven +or eight miles. Friends were much abused that day by the priest and his +people; insomuch that some moderate justices hearing of it, two or three +of them came, and sat at the town, to hear and examine the business. And +he that had shed my blood was afraid of having his hand cut off, for +striking me in the church (as they called it;) but I forgave him, and +would not appear against him. + +In the beginning of this year 1652 great rage got up in priests and +people, and in some of the magistrates of the West-Riding of Yorkshire, +against the truth and Friends; insomuch that the priest of WARMSWORTH +procured a warrant from the justices against me and Thomas Aldam, to be +executed in any part of the West-Riding of Yorkshire. At the same time I +had a vision of a bear and two great mastiff dogs; that I should pass by +them, and they should do me no hurt; and it proved so: for the constable +took Thomas Aldam and carried him to York. I went with Thomas Aldam +twenty miles towards York: and the constable had the warrant for me +also, and said, “he saw me, but he was loath to trouble men that were +strangers; but Thomas Aldam was his neighbour.” So the Lord’s power +restrained him, that he had not power to meddle with me. We came to +Lieutenant Roper’s, where we had a great meeting of many considerable +men; and the truth was powerfully declared amongst them, and the +Scriptures wonderfully opened, and the parables and sayings of Christ +were expounded, and the state of the church in the apostles’ days was +plainly set forth, and the apostacy since from that state discovered. +The truth had great dominion that day, so that those great men that were +present did generally confess to it, saying, “they believed that this +principle must go over the whole world.” There were at this meeting +James Naylor, Thomas Goodyear,[14] and William Dewsbury, who had been +convinced the year before; and Richard Farnsworth also. And the +constable stayed with Thomas Aldam till the meeting was over, and then +went towards York prison; but did not meddle with me. + +Footnote 14: + + Thomas Goodyear became a faithful minister, and suffered much + persecution and imprisonment. When in Oxford jail (for refusing to + swear), the jailer put irons on his legs, which being too small hurt + him, and besides other abuse, would not let him and other Friends have + straw to lie on. The jailer also told the other prisoners if they + wanted coats, they might take those of the Friends off their backs; + but one of the prisoners answered he would go naked first. + + Thomas Goodyear was the author of “_A Plain Testimony to the Ancient + Truth and Work of God_.” He died at Selby, in 1693. + +From hence I went to WAKEFIELD; and on the First-day after, I went to a +steeple-house, where James Naylor had been a member of an Independent +church; but upon his receiving truth, he was excommunicated. When I came +in, and the priest had done, the people called upon me to come up to the +priest, which I did; but when I began to declare the word of life to +them, and to lay open the deceit of the priest, they rushed upon me +suddenly, thrust me out at the other door, punching and beating me, and +cried, “Let us have him to the stocks.” But the Lord’s power restrained +them, that they were not suffered to put me in. So I passed away to the +meeting, where were a great many professors and friendly people +gathered, and a great convincement there was that day; for the people +were mightily satisfied that they were directed to the Lord’s teaching +_in themselves_. Here we got some lodging; for four of us had lain under +a hedge the night before, there being then few Friends in that place. + +The same day Richard Farnsworth went to another great steeple-house, +belonging to a high priest, and declared the word of truth unto the +people; and a great service he had amongst them; for the Lord’s dread +and power was mightily over all. + +The priest of that church which James Naylor had been a member of, whose +name was Marshall, raised many wicked slanders about me, as, “that I +carried bottles with me, and made people drink of them, which made them +follow me;” and, “that I rode upon a great black horse, and was seen in +one country upon it in one hour, and at the same hour in another country +threescore miles off;” and that I would give a fellow money to follow +me, when I was on my black horse. With these lies he fed his people, to +make them think evil of the truth which I had declared amongst them. But +by these lies he preached many of his hearers away from him; for I was +then travelling on foot, and had no horse at that time; which the people +generally knew. The Lord soon after cut off this envious priest in his +wickedness. + +After this I came to HIGH-TOWN, where dwelt a woman who had been +convinced a little before. We went to her house, and had a meeting; and +the people gathered together, and we declared the truth to them, and had +some service for the Lord amongst them; they passed away again +peaceably. But there was a widow woman, named Green, who, being filled +with envy, went to one that was called a gentleman in the town, (who was +reported to have killed two men and one woman,) and informed him against +us, though he was no officer. The next morning we drew up some queries +to be sent to the priest. When we had done, and were just going away, +some of the friendly people of the town came running up to the house +where we were, and told us that this murdering man had sharpened a pike +to stab us, and was coming up with his sword by his side. We were just +passing away, and so missed him. But we were no sooner gone, than he +came to the house where we had been; and the people generally concluded +if we had not been gone, he would have murdered some of us. That night +we lay in a wood, and were very wet, for it rained exceedingly. In the +morning I was moved to return to the town, when they gave us a full +relation of this wicked man. + +From hence we passed to BRADFORD, where we met with Richard Farnsworth +again, from whom we had parted a little before. When we came in, they +set meat before us; but as I was going to eat, the word of the Lord came +to me, saying, “Eat not the bread of such as have an evil eye.” +Immediately I arose from the table, and ate nothing. The woman of the +house was a Baptist. After I had exhorted the family to turn to the Lord +Jesus Christ, and hearken to his teachings in their own hearts, we +departed thence. + +As we travelled through the country, preaching repentance to the people, +we came into a town on the market-day. There was a lecture there that +day; and I went into the steeple-house, where were many priests, +professors, and people. The priest that preached, took for his text +those words of Jeremiah, chap. v., ver. 31: “My people love to have it +so,” leaving out the foregoing words, viz., “The prophets prophesy +falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means.” So I showed the +people his deceit, and directed them to Christ, the _true Teacher +within_; declaring, “that God was come to teach his people himself, and +to bring them off from all the world’s teachers and hirelings, that they +might come to receive freely from him.” Then warning them of the day of +the Lord, that was coming upon all flesh, I passed from thence without +much opposition. + +At night we came to a country place, where there was no public-house +near. The people desired us to stay all night; which we did, and had +good service for the Lord, declaring his truth amongst them. + +The next day we passed on; for the Lord had said unto me, “If but one +man or woman were raised up by His power, to stand and live in the same +Spirit that the prophets and apostles were in, who gave forth the +Scriptures, that man or woman should shake all the country in their +profession for ten miles round.” For people had the Scriptures, but not +in that same light, and power, and Spirit, which they were in that gave +forth the Scriptures; and so they neither knew God, nor Christ, nor the +Scriptures aright; nor had they unity one with another, being out of the +power and Spirit of God. Therefore as we passed along we warned all +people, wherever we met them, of the day of the Lord that was coming +upon them. + +As we travelled we came near a very great hill, called PENDLE-HILL, and +I was moved of the Lord to go up to the top of it; which I did with +difficulty, it was so very steep and high. When I was come to the top, I +saw the sea bordering upon Lancashire. From the top of this hill the +Lord let me see in what places he had a great people to be gathered. As +I went down I found a spring of water in the side of the hill, with +which I refreshed myself, having eaten or drunk but little for several +days before.[15] + +Footnote 15: + + The spring here alluded to is called George Fox’s Well to this day. + +At night we came to an inn, and declared truth to the man of the house, +and wrote a paper to the priests and professors, declaring “the day of +the Lord, and that Christ was come to teach people himself, by his power +and Spirit in their hearts, and to bring people off from all the world’s +ways and teachers, to his own free teaching, who had bought them, and +was the Saviour of all them that believed in Him.” The man of the house +spread the paper abroad, and was mightily affected with the truth. Here +the Lord opened unto me, and let me see a great people in white raiment +by a river side, coming to the Lord; and the place that I saw them in +was about WENSLEYDALE and SEDBERGH. + +The next day we travelled on, and at night got a little fern or brackens +to put under us, and lay upon a common. Next morning we reached a town, +where Richard Farnsworth parted from me; and then I travelled alone +again. I came up Wensleydale, and at the market-town in that Dale, there +was a lecture on the market-day. I went into the steeple-house; and +after the priest had done, I “proclaimed the day of the Lord to the +priest and people, warning them to turn from darkness to the light, and +from the power of Satan unto God, that they might come to know God and +Christ aright, and to receive his teaching, who teacheth freely.” +Largely and freely did I declare the word of life unto them, and had not +much persecution there. Afterwards I passed up the Dales, warning people +to fear God, and preaching the everlasting gospel to them. + +In my way I came to a great house, where was a schoolmaster; and they +got me into the house. I asked them questions about their religion and +worship; and afterwards I declared the truth to them. They had me into a +parlour, and locked me in, pretending that I was a young man that was +mad, and had run away from my relations: and that they would keep me +till they could send to them. But I soon convinced them of their +mistake, and they let me forth, and would have had me to stay; but I was +not to stay there. Then having exhorted them to repentance, and directed +them to the light of Christ Jesus, that through it they might come unto +him and be saved, I passed from them, and came in the night to a little +ale-house on a common, where there was a company of rude fellows +drinking. Because I would not drink with them, they struck me with their +clubs; but I reproved them, and brought them to be somewhat cooler; and +then I walked out of the house upon the common in the night. After some +time one of these drunken fellows came out, and would have come close up +to me, pretending to whisper to me; but I perceived he had a knife; and +therefore I kept off him, and bid him repent, and fear God. So the Lord +by His power preserved me from this wicked man; and he went into the +house again. The next morning I went on through other Dales, warning and +exhorting people everywhere as I passed, to repent and turn to the Lord: +and several were convinced. At one house that I came to, the man of the +house (whom I afterwards found to be a kinsman of John Blakelin’s,) +would have given me money, but I would not receive it. + +As I travelled through the Dales, I came to a man’s house, whose name +was Tennant. I was moved to speak to the family, and declare God’s +everlasting truth to them; and as I was turning away from them, I was +moved to turn again, and speak to the man himself; and he was convinced, +and his family, and lived and died in the truth. Thence I came to Major +Bousfield’s, who received me, as did also several others; and some that +were then convinced have stood faithful ever since. I went also through +GRISDALE, and several others of those Dales, in which some were +convinced. And I went into DENT, where many were convinced also. From +Major Bousfield’s I came to Richard Robinson’s, and declared the +everlasting truth to him. + +The next day I went to a meeting at Justice Benson’s, where I met a +people that were separated from the public worship. This was the place I +had seen, where a people came forth in white raiment. A large meeting it +was, and the people were generally convinced, and continue a large +meeting still of Friends near Sedbergh; which was then first gathered +through my ministry in the name of Jesus. + +In the same week there was a great fair, at which servants used to be +hired; and I declared the day of the Lord through the fair. After I had +done so, I went into the steeple-house yard, and many of the people of +the fair came thither to me, and abundance of priests and professors. +There “I declared the everlasting truth of the Lord, and the word of +life for several hours, showing that the Lord was come to teach his +people himself, and to bring them off from all the world’s ways and +teachers, to Christ the true teacher, and the true way to God. I laid +open their teachers, showing that they were like them that were of old +condemned by the prophets, and by Christ, and by the apostles. I +exhorted the people to come off from the temples made with hands; and +wait to receive the Spirit of the Lord, that they might know themselves +to be the temples of God.” Not one of the priests had power to open his +mouth against what I declared: but at last a captain said, “Why will you +not go into the church? this is not a fit place to preach in.” I told +him, I denied their church. Then stood up one Francis Howgill, who was a +preacher to a congregation: he had not seen me before, yet he undertook +to answer that captain, and soon put him to silence. Then said Francis +Howgill of me, “This man speaks with authority, and not as the scribes.” +After this I opened to the people, that that ground and house was no +holier than another place; and that that house was not the church, but +the people, whom Christ is the head of. After a while the priests came +up to me, and I warned them to repent. One of them said I was mad, and +so they turned away. But many people were convinced there that day, and +were glad to hear the truth declared, and received it with joy. Amongst +these was one Captain Ward, who received the truth in the love of it, +and lived and died in it. + +The next First-day I came to FIRBANK CHAPEL, in Westmoreland, where +Francis Howgill, before named, and John Audland,[16] had been preaching +in the morning. The chapel was full of people, so that many could not +get in. Francis Howgill said, he thought I looked into the chapel, and +his spirit was ready to fail, the Lord’s power did so surprise him; but +I did not look in. They made haste, and had quickly done, and they and +some of the people went to dinner, but abundance stayed till they came +again. Now John Blakelin and others came to me, and desired me not to +reprove them publicly; for they were not parish teachers, but pretty +tender men. I could not tell them whether I should or not (though I had +not at that time any drawings to declare publicly against them), but I +said they must leave me to the Lord’s movings. While the others were +gone to dinner, I went to a brook and got a little water; and then came +and sat down on the top of a rock hard by the chapel. In the afternoon +the people gathered about me, with several of their preachers. It was +judged there were above a thousand people; “amongst whom I declared +God’s everlasting truth and word of life freely and largely, for about +the space of three hours, directing all to the Spirit of God _in +themselves_, that they might be turned from darkness to the light, and +believe in it, that they might become the children of it; and might be +turned from the power of Satan, which they had been under, unto God; and +by the Spirit of truth might be led into all truth, and sensibly +understand the words of the prophets, and of Christ, and of the +apostles; and might all come to know Christ to be their teacher, to +instruct them, their counsellor to direct them, their shepherd to feed +them, their bishop to oversee them, and their prophet to open divine +mysteries to them; and might know their bodies to be prepared, +sanctified, and made fit temples for God and Christ to dwell in.” In the +openings of heavenly life, I explained unto them the prophets, and the +figures, and shadows, and directed them to Christ, the substance. Then I +opened the parables and sayings of Christ, and things that had been long +hid, showing the intent and scope of the apostles’ writings, and that +their epistles were written to the elect. When I had opened that state, +I showed also the state of the apostacy since the apostles’ days; that +the priests have got the Scriptures, but are not in that Spirit which +gave them forth, and have put them into chapter and verse, to make a +trade of holy men’s words; and that the teachers and priests now are +found in the steps of the false prophets, chief priests, scribes, and +Pharisees of old, and are such, as the true prophets, Christ, and his +apostles cried out against, and so are judged and condemned by the +Spirit of the true prophets, and of Christ, and of his apostles; and +that none, who are in that Spirit, and guided by it now, can own them. + +Footnote 16: + + Francis Howgill and John Audland were both religiously inclined, and + were convinced during the present year. They became eminent ministers, + travelling in the gospel, and suffering fines and imprisonments for + its sake, turning many to God. Howgill, for refusing to swear, was + sent to Appleby jail, the following sentence being passed against + him:—“You are put out of the king’s protection and the benefit of the + law: your lands are confiscated to the king during your life, and your + goods and chattels for ever; and you to be a prisoner during your + life.” He praised God for the many sweet enjoyments and refreshments + he received on his prison bed, whereon he lay, freely forgiving all. + His end was in great peace, in 1668. See _Piety Promoted_, i. 64-67. + + John Audland also laboured much in the gospel, for which he suffered + persecution and imprisonments. In his last sickness he was exceedingly + filled with high praises to God, being overcome with a sense of His + love and joy. When he grew weaker he was helped on his knees, and upon + his bed fervently supplicated the Lord on behalf of all His people + that “they might be preserved in the truth, out of the evil of the + world.” See _Piety Promoted_, i., 41-44; and _Memoirs of F. Howgill_, + by James Backhouse. + +Now there were many old people, who went into the chapel and looked out +at the windows, thinking it a strange thing to see a man preach on a +hill, and not in their church, as they called it; whereupon “I was moved +to open to the people, that the steeple-house, and the ground whereon it +stood, were no more holy than that mountain; and that those temples, +which they called the dreadful houses of God, were not set up by the +command of God and of Christ; nor their priests called, as Aaron’s +priesthood was; nor their tithes appointed by God, as those amongst the +Jews were; but that Christ was come, who ended both the temple and its +worship, and the priests and their tithes; and that all should now +hearken unto him; for he said, “Learn of me;” and God said of him, “This +is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him.” I declared +unto them that the Lord God had sent me to preach the everlasting gospel +and word of life amongst them, and to bring them off from all these +temples, tithes, priests, and rudiments of the world, which had been +instituted since the apostles’ days, and had been set up by such as had +erred from the Spirit and power the apostles were in.” Very largely was +I opened at this meeting, and the Lord’s convincing power accompanied my +ministry, and reached the hearts of the people, whereby many were +convinced; and all the teachers of that congregation (who were many,) +were convinced of God’s everlasting truth. + +After the meeting was over I went to John Audland’s, and from thence to +PRESTON-PATRICK chapel, where a great meeting was appointed; to which I +went, and had a large opportunity amongst the people to preach the +everlasting gospel, opening to them (as to others on the like occasion), +that the end of my coming into that place was, not to hold it up, no +more than the apostles’ going into the Jewish synagogues and temple was, +to uphold those; but to bring them off from all such things, as the +apostles brought the saints of old from off the Jewish temple and +Aaron’s priesthood, that they might come to witness their bodies to be +the temples of God, and Christ in them to be their teacher. + +From this place I went to KENDAL, where a meeting was appointed in the +town-hall; in which I declared the word of life amongst the people, +showing them “how they might come to the saving knowledge of Christ, and +have a right understanding of the Holy Scriptures, opening to them what +it was that would lead them into the way of reconciliation with God, and +what would be their condemnation.” After the meeting I stayed a while in +the town; several were convinced there, and many appeared loving. One, +whose name was Cock, met me in the street, and would have given me a +roll of tobacco, for people then were much given to smoking: I accepted +his love, but did not receive the tobacco. + +From thence I went to UNDERBARROW, to one Miles Bateman’s; and several +people going along with me, great reasonings I had with them, especially +with Edward Burrough.[17] At night the priest and many professors came +to the house, and much disputing I had with them. Supper being provided +for the priest and the rest of the company, I had not freedom to eat +with them, but told them, if they would appoint a meeting for the next +day at the steeple-house, and acquaint the people with it, I might meet +them. They had a great deal of reasoning about it; some being for it, +and some against it. In the morning I went out, after I had spoken again +to them concerning the meeting; and as I walked upon a bank by the +house, there were several poor people, travellers, asking relief, who I +saw were in necessity; and they gave them nothing, but said they were +cheats. It grieved me to see such hard-heartedness amongst professors; +so, when they were gone in to their breakfast, I ran after the poor +people about a quarter of a mile, and gave them some money. Meanwhile +some of them that were in the house, coming out again, and seeing me a +quarter of a mile off, said I could not have gone so far in such an +instant, if I had not had wings. Hereupon the meeting was like to have +been put by; for they were filled with such strange thoughts concerning +me, that many of them were against having a meeting with me. I told them +I ran after those poor people to give them some money, being grieved at +their hard-heartedness, who gave them nothing. Then came Miles and +Stephen Hubbersty, who being more simple-hearted men, would have the +meeting held. So to the chapel I went, and the priest came. A great +meeting there was, and the way of life and salvation was opened; and +after a while the priest fled away. Many of Crook and Underbarrow were +convinced that day, received the word of life, and stood fast in it +under the teaching of Christ Jesus. After I had declared the truth to +them for some hours, and the meeting was ended, the chief-constable, and +some other professors fell to reasoning with me in the chapel-yard; +whereupon I took a Bible, and opened to them the Scriptures, and dealt +tenderly with them, as one would do with a child. They that were in the +light of Christ, and Spirit of God, knew when I spoke Scripture, though +I did not mention chapter and verse, after the priest’s form unto them. + +Footnote 17: + + Edward Burrough was a religious and promising young man, had left the + Episcopal church, for which he had been educated as a minister, and + joined the Presbyterians, with whom he was a preacher of great + account. After several discussions with George Fox, he became fully + convinced, and joined Friends, to the great displeasure of his parents + and relatives. He became a most active and zealous gospel labourer, + being both a great writer and a powerful and awakening preacher. In + 1662, he was taken from a meeting in London, and for “testifying to + the name of the Lord Jesus,” was committed to prison, where he lay + with above 100 of his friends imprisoned on the same account, being + shut up among felons in nasty places, so that, for want of room, many + of them sickened and died. Amongst these was Edward Burrough, whose + sickness increased daily. He was heard often in prayer, day and night, + not forgetting to intercede for his persecutors. The morning before he + died, he said, “Now my soul and spirit is entered into its own being + with God, and this form of person must return from whence it was + taken.” His works were collected and printed in 1672, and parts of + them have recently been re-published. + +From hence I went along with an aged man, whose heart the Lord had +opened, and he invited me to his house; his name was James Dickinson; he +was convinced that day, received the truth, and lived and died in it. + +I came the next day to James Taylor’s, of NEWTON in CARTMEL, in +LANCASHIRE. And on the First-day of the week I went to the chapel, where +one priest Camelford used to preach; and after he had done I began to +speak the word of life to the people. But this priest was in such a +rage, and was so peevish, that he had no patience to hear; but stirred +up the rude multitude, who haled me out, struck and punched me, and +threw me headlong over a stone wall; yet, blessed be the Lord, his power +preserved me. He that did this violence to me was a wicked man, one John +Knipe, whom afterwards the Lord cut off. There was a youth in the +chapel, writing after the priest; I was moved to speak to him, and he +came to be convinced, and received a part of the ministry of the gospel; +his name was John Braithwaite. + +Then I went up to an ale-house, to which many people resorted between +the time of their morning and afternoon preaching. I had much reasoning +with the people there, declaring to them, that “God was come to teach +his people Himself, and to bring them off from all false teachers, such +as the prophets, Christ, and the apostles cried against.” Many received +the word of life at that time, and abode in it. + +In the afternoon I went about two or three miles to another +steeple-house or chapel, called LYNDAL. When the priest had done, I +spoke to him and the people what the Lord commanded me; and there were +great opposers; but afterwards they came to be convinced. After this I +went to one Captain Sands, who with his wife seemed somewhat affected +with truth; and if they could have held the world and truth together +they would have received it; but they were hypocrites, and he a very +chaffy light man. Wherefore I reproved him for his lightness, and for +his jesting, telling him it was not seemly in a great professor, as he +was. He told me he had a son, who upon his death-bed had also reproved +him for it, and warned him of it. But he neither regarded the admonition +of his dying son, nor the reproofs of God’s Spirit in himself. + +From hence I went to ULVERSTONE, and so to SWARTHMORE to Judge Fell’s; +whither came up one Lampitt, a priest, who was a high notionist. With +him I had much reasoning; for he talked of high notions and perfection, +and thereby deceived the people. He would have owned me, but I could not +own nor join with him, he was so full of filth. He said, he was above +John; and made as though he knew all things. But I told him, “Death +reigned from Adam to Moses, that he was under death, and knew not Moses, +for Moses saw the paradise of God; but he knew neither Moses nor the +prophets, nor John.” For that crooked and rough nature stood in him, and +the mountain of sin and corruption; and the way was not prepared in him +for the Lord. He confessed he had been under a cross in things; but now +he could sing psalms, and do anything: I told him, “now he could see a +thief, and join hand in hand with him, but he could not preach Moses, +nor the prophets, nor John, nor Christ, except he were in the same +spirit that they were in.” Margaret Fell had been absent in the +day-time; and at night her children told her, that priest Lampitt and I +had disagreed; which somewhat troubled her, because she was in +profession with him; but he hid his dirty actions from them. At night we +had much reasoning, and I declared the truth to her and her family. + +The next day Lampitt came again, and I had much discourse with him +before Margaret Fell, who then clearly discerned the priest. A +convincement of the Lord’s truth came upon her and her family. Soon +after a day was to be observed for a humiliation, and Margaret Fell +asked me to go with her to the steeple-house at Ulverstone, for she was +not wholly come off from them; I replied, “I must do as I am ordered by +the Lord.” So I left her, and walked into the fields; and the word of +the Lord came to me, saying, “Go to the steeple-house after them.” When +I came, Lampitt was singing with his people; but his spirit was so foul, +and the matter they sung so unsuitable to their states, that after they +had done singing, I was moved of the Lord to speak to him and the +people. The word of the Lord to them was, “He is not a Jew that is one +outwardly, but he is a Jew that is one inwardly, whose praise is not of +man, but of God.” Then, as the Lord opened further, I showed them, “that +God was come to teach His people by His Spirit, and to bring them off +from all their old ways, religions, churches, and worships; for all +their religions, worships, and ways, were but talking with other men’s +words; but they were out of the life and Spirit which they were in who +gave them forth.” Then cried out one, called Justice Sawrey, “Take him +away;” but Judge Fell’s wife said to the officers, “Let him alone, why +may not he speak as well as any other?” Lampitt also, the priest, in +deceit said, “Let him speak.” So at length, when I had declared some +time, Justice Sawrey caused the constable to put me out; and then I +spoke to the people in the grave-yard. + +The First-day after, I was moved to go to ALDINGHAM steeple-house; and +when the priest had done, I spoke to him; but he got away. Then I +declared the word of life to the people, and warned them to turn to the +Lord. + +From thence I passed to RAMPSIDE, where was a chapel, in which Thomas +Lawson used to preach, who was an eminent priest. He very lovingly +acquainted his people in the morning of my coming in the afternoon; by +which means very many people were gathered together. When I came, I saw +there was no place so convenient as the chapel; so I went into it, and +all was quiet. Thomas Lawson went not up into his pulpit, but left all +the time to me. The everlasting day of the eternal God was proclaimed +that day, and the everlasting truth was largely declared, which reached +and entered into the hearts of people, and many received the truth in +the love of it. This priest came to be convinced, left his chapel, threw +off his preaching for hire, and came to preach the Lord Jesus and his +kingdom freely. After that some rude people cast scandals upon him, and +thought to have done him a mischief; but he was preserved over all, grew +in the wisdom of God mightily, and proved very serviceable in his place. + +I returned to Swarthmore again, and on the next First-day went to DALTON +steeple-house; where, after the priest had done, I declared the word of +life to the people, that they might be turned from darkness to light, +and from the power of Satan to God, and might come off from their +superstitious ways, and from their teachers made by man, to Christ, the +true and living way, to be taught of him. + +From thence I went into the island of WALNEY; and after the priest had +done, I spoke to him, but he got away. Then I declared the truth to the +people, but they were rude. I went to speak with the priest at his +house, but he would not be seen. The people said he went to hide himself +in the haymow; and they went to look for him there, but could not find +him. Then they said he was gone to hide himself in the standing corn, +but they could not find him there either. So I went to James +Lancaster’s, who was convinced in the island; and thence I returned to +SWARTHMORE, where the Lord’s power came upon Margaret Fell and her +daughter Sarah, and several others. + +Then I went to BAYCLIFF, where Leonard Fell was convinced, and became a +minister of the everlasting gospel. Several others were convinced there, +and came into obedience to the truth. Here the people said, they could +not dispute, and would fain have put some other to converse with me; but +I bid them “fear the Lord, and not in a light way talk of the Lord’s +words, but put the things in practice.” I directed them to the divine +light of Christ and his Spirit in their hearts, which would discover to +them all the evil thoughts, words and actions, they had thought, spoken, +and acted; by which light they might see their sin, and also their +Saviour, Christ Jesus, to save them from their sins. This, I told them, +“was their first step to peace, even to stand still in the light that +showed them their sins and transgressions; by which they might come to +see how they were in the fall of old Adam, in darkness and death, +strangers to the covenant of promise, and without God in the world; and +by the same light they might see Christ, that died for them, to be their +Redeemer and Saviour, and their way to God.” + +After this I went to a chapel beyond GLEASTON, which was built, but no +priest had ever preached in it. Thither the country people came, and a +quiet, peaceable meeting it was, in which the word of life was declared, +and many were convinced of the truth about Gleaston. + +From thence I returned to SWARTHMORE. After I had stayed a few days, and +most of the family were convinced, I went again into Westmorland, where +priest Lampitt had been amongst the professors on Kendal side, and had +mightily incensed them against me; telling them I held many strange +things; I met with those he had so incensed, and sat up all night with +them at James Dickinson’s, and answered all their objections. They were +both thoroughly satisfied with the truth that I had declared, and +dissatisfied with him and his lies, so that he clearly lost the best of +his hearers and followers, who thus came to see his deceit, and forsook +him. + +I passed on to John Audland’s and Gervase Benson’s, and had great +meetings amongst those people that had been convinced before; then to +John Blakelin’s[18] and Richard Robinson’s, and had mighty meetings +there; and so up towards GRISDALE. + +Footnote 18: + + John Blakelin, mentioned elsewhere in this Journal, became a faithful + minister of the gospel, travelling much on truth’s account, for which + he also suffered imprisonments, and great loss of goods. He died + without sigh or groan, in 1705, aged about 80. He expressed, in his + old age, “the comfort he had in the Lord’s peace and presence with + him, that his day’s work was nigh done, and his reward and rest with + God sure.” See _Piety Promoted_, ii., 42-46. + +Soon after, Judge Fell being come home, Margaret Fell his wife sent to +me, desiring me to return thither; and, feeling freedom from the Lord so +to do, I went back to SWARTHMORE. I found the priests and professors, +and that envious Justice Sawrey, had much incensed Judge Fell and +Captain Sands against the truth by their lies; but when I came to speak +with him, I answered all his objections; and so thoroughly satisfied him +by the Scriptures, that he was convinced in his judgment. He asked me if +I was that George Fox, whom Justice Robinson spoke so much in +commendation of amongst many of the parliament men. I told him, I had +been with Justice Robinson, and with Justice Hotham in Yorkshire, who +were very civil and loving to me, and that they were convinced in their +judgment by the Spirit of God, that the principle which I bore testimony +to, was the truth, and they saw over and beyond the priests of the +nation; so that they, and many others, were now come to be wiser than +their teachers. After we had discoursed some time together, Judge Fell +himself was satisfied also, and came to see, by the openings of the +Spirit of God in his heart, over all the priests and teachers of the +world, and did not go to hear them for some years before he died; for he +knew it was the truth that I declared, and that Christ was the teacher +of his people, and their Saviour. He sometimes wished that I were a +while with Judge Bradshaw to discourse with him. There came to Judge +Fell’s, Captain Sands before-mentioned, endeavouring to incense the +judge against me; for he was an evil-minded man, and full of envy +against me; and yet he could speak high things, and use the Scripture +words, and say, “Behold, I make all things new.” But I told him, then he +must have a new God, for his God was his belly. Besides him, came also +that envious justice, John Sawrey. I told him “his heart was rotten, and +he was full of hypocrisy to the brim.” Several other people also came, +whose states the Lord gave me a discerning of; and I spoke to their +conditions. While I was in those parts, Richard Farnsworth and James +Naylor came to see me and the family; and Judge Fell, being satisfied +that it was the way of truth, notwithstanding all their opposition, +suffered the meeting to be kept at his house; and a great meeting was +settled there in the Lord’s power, which continued near forty years, +until the year 1690, that a new meeting-house was erected near it. + +After I had stayed a while, and the meeting there was well settled, I +went to UNDERBARROW, where I had a great meeting. From thence to KELLET, +and had a great meeting at Robert Widders’s, to which several came from +Lancaster, and some from York; and many were convinced there. On the +market-day I went to LANCASTER, and spoke through the market in the +dreadful power of God, declaring the day of the Lord to the people, and +crying out against all their deceitful merchandise. I preached +righteousness and truth unto them, which they should all follow after, +and walk and live in; directing them how and where they might find and +receive the Spirit of God to guide them thereinto. After I had cleared +myself in the market, I went to my lodging, whither several people came, +and many were convinced, who have stood faithful to the truth. + +On the First-day following, in the forenoon, I had a great meeting in +the street at Lancaster, amongst the soldiers and people, unto whom I +declared the word of life, and the everlasting truth. I opened unto +them, “that all the traditions they had lived in, and all their worships +and religions, and the profession they made of the Scriptures, were good +for nothing, while they lived out of the life and power which they were +in who gave forth the Scriptures. I directed them to the light of +Christ, the heavenly Man, and to the Spirit of God in their own hearts, +that they might come to be acquainted with God and with Christ, receive +him for their teacher, and know his kingdom set up in them.” + +In the afternoon I went to the steeple-house at Lancaster, and declared +the truth both to the priest and people; laying open before them the +deceits they lived in, and directing them to the power and Spirit of +God, which they wanted. But they haled me out, and stoned me along the +street, till I came to John Lawson’s house. + +Another First-day I went to a steeple-house by the water side, where one +Whitehead was priest, to whom, and to the people, I declared the truth +in the dreadful power of God. There came to me a doctor, who was so full +of envy, that he said he could find in his heart to run me through with +his rapier, though he should be hung for it the next day; yet this man +came afterwards to be convinced of the truth, so far as to be loving to +Friends. Some people were convinced thereabouts, who willingly sat down +under the ministry of Christ their teacher: and a meeting was settled +there in the power of God, which has continued to this day. + +After this I returned into Westmorland, and spoke through KENDAL, on a +market-day. So dreadful was the power of God upon me, that people flew +like chaff before me into their houses. I warned them of the mighty day +of the Lord, and exhorted them to hearken to the voice of God in their +own hearts, who was now come to teach his people Himself. When some +opposed, many others took my part, insomuch that at last some of the +people fell to fighting about me; but I went and spoke to them, and they +parted again. Several were convinced. + +On the First-day after, I had a very large meeting in UNDERBARROW, at +Miles Bateman’s house, where I was moved to declare, “that all people in +the fall were gone from the image of God, righteousness, and holiness, +and were become as wells without the water of life, as clouds without +the heavenly rain, as trees without the heavenly fruit, and were +degenerated into the nature of beasts, and of serpents, and of tall +cedars, and of oaks, and of bulls, and of heifers: so that they might +read the natures of these creatures within, as the prophet described +them to the people of old that were out of truth. I opened to them how +some were in the nature of dogs and swine, biting and rending; some in +the nature of briars, thistles, and thorns; some like the owls and +dragons in the night; some like wild asses and horses, snuffing up the +wind; and some like mountains and rocks, and crooked and rough ways. +Wherefore I exhorted them to read these things within, in their own +natures, as well as without; and that, when they read without of the +wandering stars, they should look within, and see how they wandered from +the bright and morning star. And they should consider, that as the +fallow ground in their fields must be ploughed up, before it would bear +seed to them, so must the fallow ground of their hearts be ploughed up, +before they could bear seed to God. Now all these names and things I +showed them, were spoken of, and to man and woman, since they fell from +the image of God; but as they come to be renewed again into the image of +God, they come out of the natures of these things, and so out of the +names thereof.” Many more such things were declared to them, and they +were turned to the light of Christ, by which they might come to know +Christ, to receive him, and to witness him to be their substance and +their way, their salvation and true teacher. Many were convinced at that +time. + +After I had travelled up and down in those countries, and had had great +meetings, I came to SWARTHMORE again. And when I had visited Friends in +those parts, I heard of a great meeting the priests were to have at +ULVERSTONE, on a lecture-day. I went to it, and into the steeple-house +in the dread and power of the Lord. When the priest had done, I spoke +among them the word of the Lord, which was as a hammer, and as a fire +amongst them. And though Lampitt, the priest of the place, had been at +variance with most of the priests before, yet against the truth they all +joined together. But the mighty power of the Lord was over all; and so +wonderful was the appearance thereof, that priest Bennett said “the +church shook,” insomuch that he was afraid and trembled. And when he had +spoken a few confused words, he hastened out, for fear it should fall on +his head. Many priests got together there; but they had no power as yet +to persecute. + +When I had cleared my conscience towards them, I went up to SWARTHMORE +again, whither came four or five of the priests. Coming to discourse, I +asked them, “whether any one of them could say he ever had the word of +the Lord to go and speak to such or such a people?” None of them durst +say he had; but one of them burst out into a passion, and said, “he +could speak his experiences as well as I.” I told him experience was one +thing; but to receive and go with a message, and to have a word from the +Lord, as the prophets and apostles had and did, and as I had done to +them, this was another thing. And therefore I put it to them again, +“could any of them say he had ever had a command or word from the Lord +immediately at any time?” but none of them could say so. Then I told +them, the false prophets, the false apostles, and antichrists, could use +the words of the true prophets, the true apostles, and of Christ, and +would speak of other men’s experiences, though they themselves never +knew or heard the voice of God or Christ; and such as they might obtain +the good words and experiences of others; this puzzled them much, and +laid them open. At another time, when I was discoursing with several +priests at Judge Fell’s house, and he was by, I asked them the same +question, “whether any of them ever heard the voice of God or Christ, to +bid him go to such and such a people, to declare his word or message +unto them?” for any one, I told them, that could but read, might declare +the experiences of the prophets and apostles, which were recorded in the +Scriptures. Hereupon Thomas Taylor,[19] an ancient priest, did +ingenuously confess before Judge Fell, “that he had never heard the +voice of God, nor of Christ, to send him to any people, but he spoke his +experiences, and the experiences of the saints in former ages, and that +he preached.” This very much confirmed Judge Fell in the persuasion he +had, “that the priests were wrong;” for he had thought formerly, as the +generality of people then did, “that they were sent from God.” + +Footnote 19: + + Thomas Taylor, born in 1616, was educated at Oxford University, and + became a preacher among the Puritans, at or near Skipton, and also at + Richmond. He discontinued preaching for hire, and joined Friends, + becoming a valiant minister of Christ. He also wrote much in support + of the truth. He suffered many imprisonments, but the Lord was with + him, and upheld him by his mighty power, in the hardships and + opposition he met with for truth’s sake. He died in peace at Stafford, + in 1681. + +Thomas Taylor was convinced at this time, and travelled with me into +Westmorland. Coining to CROSSLAND steeple-house, we found the people +gathered together; and the Lord opened Thomas Taylor’s mouth (though he +was convinced but a day before), so that he declared amongst them, “how +he had been before he was convinced;” and like the good scribe that was +converted to the kingdom, he brought forth things new and old to the +people, and showed them how “the priests were out of the way;” which +tormented the priest. Some little discourse I had with them, but they +fled away; and a precious meeting there was, wherein the Lord’s power +was over all; and the people were directed to the Spirit of God, by +which they might come to know God and Christ, and to understand the +Scriptures aright. After this I passed on, visiting Friends, and had +very large meetings in Westmorland. + +Now began the priests to rage more and more, and as much as they could, +to stir up persecution. James Naylor and Francis Howgill were cast into +prison in Appleby jail, at the instigation of the malicious priests; +some of whom prophesied “that within a month we should be all scattered +again, and come to nothing.” But, blessed for ever be the worthy name of +the Lord, the work of the Lord went on and prospered. For about this +time John Audland, Francis Howgill, John Camm,[20] Edward Burrough, +Richard Hubberthorn,[21] Miles Hubbersty, and Miles Halhead,[22] with +several others, being endued with power from on high, came forth in the +work of the ministry, and approved themselves faithful labourers +therein, travelling up and down, and preaching the gospel freely; by +means whereof multitudes were convinced, and many effectually turned to +the Lord. Amongst these, Christopher Taylor[23] was one, brother to +Thomas Taylor before-mentioned; and who had been a preacher to a people +as well as his brother; but after they had received a knowledge of the +truth, they soon came into obedience thereunto, and left their preaching +for hire or rewards. And having received a part of the ministry of the +gospel, they preached Christ freely; being often sent by the Lord to +declare his word in steeple-houses and in markets; and great sufferers +they were. + +Footnote 20: + + John Camm, after joining Friends, became an eminent minister, + travelling in the service of truth. He was a man of weak constitution, + but richly furnished with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, clear in + judgment, and a sharp reprover of wickedness. His ministry was deep + and weighty. Having an estate of his own, he suffered the spoiling of + his goods joyfully. He often called his children together, and + exhorted them to fear the Lord, and would wonderfully praise God for + his goodness, counting his bodily weakness a happiness, saying, “How + great a benefit do I enjoy beyond many, I have such a large time of + preparation for death, being daily dying, that I may live for ever + with my God, in that kingdom that is unspeakably full of glory. My + outward man daily wastes and moulders down, and draws towards its + place and centre; but my inward man revives and mounts upwards, + towards its place and habitation in the heavens.” See _Piety + Promoted_, i., 3-6. + +Footnote 21: + + Richard Hubberthorn, who is frequently mentioned in this _Journal_, + and whose name often occurs in the early part of the history of + Friends, became an able gospel minister, and patient sufferer for the + truth. He was a native of Lancashire, the only son of a yeoman of good + repute. In his youth he obtained a post in the Parliamentary army, + which, on his embracing the truth, he quitted, and testified publicly + against it; becoming a valiant soldier under the banner of the Prince + of peace. After passing through many inward probations, he became + qualified to direct others in their way to the kingdom of heaven, and + was one of the first of our Society who travelled in the work of the + ministry. + + Richard Hubberthorn was a man of much meekness, humility, patience, + and brotherly kindness, clear in judgment, and quick of understanding; + and, although he was of low stature, and had an infirm constitution + and weak voice, he was a powerful and successful minister, and great + numbers were convinced by him, and brought over to the faith and + practice which he preached. He travelled in the exercise of his gift + nine years, and shared at different times in the sufferings to which + the early Friends were exposed. In 1662, he was violently haled from a + meeting in London, and taken before that implacable persecutor, + Alderman Brown, who, after abusing him with his own hands, committed + him to Newgate. Here the throng was so great, and the air so impure, + that he soon fell sick. His disorder increased upon him, and, within + two months from the time of his commitment, with an unclouded prospect + of a resting place “where the wicked cease from troubling,” he was + released by death. He wrote many treatises, which were collected and + published in 1 vol. quarto, in 1663. + +Footnote 22: + + This is the only mention of Miles Halhead in this Journal. His name + occurs frequently in Sewell’s _History_, from which it appears he + travelled largely and suffered much on Truth’s account, being the + first of the Quakers imprisoned at Kendal. + +Footnote 23: + + Christopher Taylor, after writing and preaching much on Truth’s + account, removed to America about the year 1683, and died at + Philadelphia in 1686. See account of him in Whiting’s _Memoirs_, pp. + 352-55. + +After I had visited Friends in WESTMORLAND, I returned into LANCASHIRE, +and went to ULVERSTONE, where W. Lampitt was priest; who, though he had +preached of a people that should own the teachings of God, and had said, +“that men and women should come to declare the gospel;” yet afterwards, +when it came to be fulfilled, he persecuted both it and them. To this +priest’s house I went, where abundance of priests and professors were +got together after their lecture, with whom I had great disputings +concerning Christ and the Scriptures; for they were loath to let their +trade go down, which they made of preaching Christ’s, and the apostles’ +and prophets’ words. But the Lord’s power went over the heads of them +all, and his word of life was held forth amongst them; though many of +them were exceedingly envious and devilish. Yet after this many priests +and professors came to me from far and near; of whom, they that were +innocent and simple-minded were satisfied, and went away refreshed; but +the fat and full were fed with judgment, and sent empty away: for that +was the word of the Lord to be divided to them. + +Now when meetings were set up, and we met in private houses, Lampitt the +priest began to rage; and he said, “we forsook the temple, and went to +Jeroboam’s calves’ houses;” so that many professors began to see how he +had declined from that which he had formerly held and preached. Hereupon +the case of Jeroboam’s calves was opened to the professors, priests, and +people; and it was manifested unto them, “that their houses (which they +called churches) were more like Jeroboam’s calves’ houses, even the old +mass-houses which were set up in the darkness of Popery; and which they, +who called themselves Protestants, and professed to be more enlightened +than the Papists, did still hold up; although God had never commanded +them: whereas that temple, which God had commanded at Jerusalem, Christ +came to end the service of; and they that received and believed in him, +their bodies came to be the temples of God, and of Christ, and of the +Holy Ghost, to dwell in them, and to walk in them. And all such were +gathered into the name of Jesus, whose name is above every name, and +there is no salvation by any other name under the whole heaven, but by +the name of Jesus. And they that were thus gathered met together in +several dwelling-houses, which were not called the temple, nor the +church; but their bodies were the temples of God, and the believers were +the church, which Christ was the head of. So that Christ was not called +the head of an old house, which was made by men’s hands, neither did he +come to purchase and sanctify, and redeem with his blood, an old house, +which they called their church, but the people of whom he is the head.” +Much work I had in those days with priests and people, concerning their +old mass-houses, which they called their churches; for the priests had +persuaded the people that it was the house of God; whereas the apostle +says, “whose house we are,” &c., Heb. iii. 6. So the people are God’s +house, in whom he dwells. And the apostle saith, “Christ purchased his +church with his own blood;” and Christ calls his church his spouse, his +bride, and the Lamb’s wife; so that this title, church and spouse, was +not given to an old house, but to his people, the true believers. + +After this, on a lecture-day, I was moved to go to the steeple-house at +ULVERSTONE, where were abundance of professors, priests, and people. I +went up near to priest Lampitt, who was blustering on in his preaching; +and after the Lord had opened my mouth to speak, John Sawrey the justice +came to me and said, “if I would speak according to the Scriptures, I +should speak.” I wondered at his speaking so to me, for I did speak +according to the Scriptures, and I told him, “I should speak according +to the Scriptures, and bring the Scriptures to prove what I had to say; +for I had something to speak to Lampitt and to them.” Then he said, I +should not speak, contradicting himself who had said just before, “I +should speak, if I would speak according to the Scriptures.” The people +were quiet, and heard me gladly, until this Justice Sawrey (who was the +first stirrer up of cruel persecution in the North) incensed them +against me, and set them on to hale, beat, and bruise me. Suddenly the +people were in a rage, and fell upon me in the steeple-house before his +face; knocked me down, kicked me, and trampled upon me; and so great was +the uproar, that some tumbled over their seats for fear. At last he came +and took me from the people, led me out of the steeple-house, and put me +into the hands of the constables and other officers, bidding them whip +me and put me out of the town. They led me about a quarter of a mile, +some taking hold of my collar, and some by my arms and shoulders, and +shook and dragged me along. Many friendly people being come to the +market, and some of them to the steeple house to hear me, divers of +these they knocked down also, and broke their heads, so that the blood +ran down from several of them; and Judge Fell’s son running after, to +see what they would do with me, they threw him into a ditch of water, +some of them crying, “knock the teeth out of his head.” + +Now when they had haled me to the common moss-side, a multitude of +people following, the constables and other officers gave me some blows +over my back with their willow-rods, and so thrust me among the rude +multitude, who, having furnished themselves, some with staves, some with +hedge-stakes, and others with holm or holly-bushes, fell upon me, and +beat me on my head, arms, and shoulders, till they had deprived me of +sense; so that I fell down upon the wet common. When I recovered again, +and saw myself lying in a watery common, and the people standing about +me, I lay still a little while; and the power of the Lord sprang through +me, and the Eternal Refreshings refreshed me, so that I stood up again +in the strengthening power of the Eternal God; and stretching out my +arms amongst them, I said with a loud voice, “Strike again; here are my +arms, my head, and my cheeks.” There was in the company a mason, a +professor, but a rude fellow; he with his walking rule-staff gave me a +blow with all his might, just over the back of my hand, as it was +stretched out; with which blow my hand was so bruised, and my arm so +benumbed, that I could not draw it unto me again; so that some of the +people cried out, “he hath spoiled his hand for ever having the use of +it any more.” But I looked at it in the love of God (for I was in the +love of God to them all, that had persecuted me), and after a while the +Lord’s power sprang through me again, and through my hand and arm, so +that in a moment I recovered strength in my hand and arm, in the sight +of them all. Then they began to fall out among themselves, and some of +them came to me, and said, if I would give them money, they would secure +me from the rest. But I was moved of the Lord to declare to them the +word of life, and showed them their false Christianity, and the fruits +of their priest’s ministry; telling them they were more like heathens +and Jews, than true Christians. + +Then was I moved of the Lord to come up again through the midst of the +people, and go into ULVERSTONE market. As I went, there met me a +soldier, with his sword by his side; “Sir,” said he to me, “I see you +are a man, and I am ashamed and grieved that you should be thus abused;” +and he offered to assist me in what he could. But I told him the Lord’s +power was over all; so I walked through the people in the market, and +none of them had power to touch me then. But some of the market-people +abusing some Friends in the market, I turned me about and saw this +soldier among them with his naked rapier, whereupon I ran in amongst +them, and catching hold of his hand that his rapier was in, I bid him +put up his sword again, if he would go along with me; for I was willing +to draw him out from the company, lest some mischief should be done. A +few days after seven men fell upon this soldier, and beat him cruelly, +because he had taken part with Friends and me; for it was the manner of +the persecutors of that country, for twenty or forty people to run upon +one man. And they fell so upon Friends in many places, that they could +hardly pass the highways, stoning, beating, and breaking their heads. +When I came to SWARTHMORE, I found the friends there dressing the heads +and hands of Friends and friendly people, which had been broken or hurt +that day by the professors and hearers of Lampitt, the priest. My body +and arms were yellow, black, and blue, with the blows and bruises I +received amongst them that day. Now began the priests to prophesy again, +that within half a year we should be all put down and gone.[24] + +Footnote 24: + + The priests reckoned wrong in this, for, as Sewell justly observed, it + fared with the early Friends as with trees, which grow best when most + lopped. “Duris ut ilex tonsa bipennibus, per damna, per cædes, ab + ipso, ducit opes animumque ferre.” + + “As by the lopping axe, the sturdy oak + Improves her shade, and thrives beneath the stroke: + Tho’ present loss and wounds severe she feel, + She draws fresh vigour from the invading steel.” + +About two weeks after this I went into WALNEY island, and James Naylor +went with me. We stayed one night at a little town on this side, called +COCKAN, and had a meeting there, where one was convinced. After a while +there came a man with a pistol, whereupon the people ran out of doors. +He called for me; and when I came out to him, he snapped his pistol at +me, but it would not go off. This caused the people to make a great +bustle about him; and some of them took hold of him, to prevent his +doing mischief; but I was moved in the Lord’s power to speak to him; and +he was so struck by the power of the Lord, that he trembled for fear, +and went and hid himself. Thus the Lord’s power came over them all, +though there was a great rage in the country. + +Next morning I went over in a boat to James Lancaster’s. As soon as I +came to land, there rushed out about forty men with staves, clubs, and +fishing poles, who fell upon me, beating and punching me, and +endeavouring to thrust me backward into the sea. When they had thrust me +almost into the sea, and I saw they would have knocked me down in it, I +went up into the midst of them; but they laid at me again, and knocked +me down, and stunned me. When I came to myself, I looked up and saw +James Lancaster’s wife throwing stones at my face, and her husband, +James Lancaster, was lying over me, to keep the blows and the stones off +me. For the people had persuaded James Lancaster’s wife that I had +bewitched her husband; and had promised her, that if she would let them +know when I came hither, they would be my death. And having got +knowledge of my coming, many of the town rose up in this manner with +clubs and staves to kill me; but the Lord’s power preserved me, that +they could not take away my life. At length I got up on my feet, but +they beat me down again into the boat; which James Lancaster observing, +he presently came into it, and set me over the water from them; but +while we were on the water within their reach, they struck at us with +long poles and threw stones after us. By the time we were come to the +other side, we saw them beating James Naylor; for whilst they had been +beating me, he walked up into a field, and they never minded him till I +was gone; then they fell upon him, and all their cry was, “Kill him, +kill him.” + +When I was come over to the town again, on the other side of the water, +the townsmen rose up with pitchforks, flails, and staves, to keep me out +of the town, crying, “Kill him, knock him on the head, bring the cart, +and carry him away to the churchyard.” So after they had abused me, they +drove me some distance out of the town, and there left me. Then went +James Lancaster back to look after James Naylor; and I being now left +alone, went to a ditch of water, and having washed myself (for they had +besmeared my face, hands, and clothes, with miry dirt), I walked about +three miles to Thomas Hutton’s house, where lodged Thomas Lawson, the +priest that was convinced. When I came in, I could hardly speak to them, +I was so bruised; only I told them where I left James Naylor; so they +took each of them a horse, and went and brought him thither that night. +The next day Margaret Fell hearing of it, sent a horse for me; but so +sore I was with bruises, I was not able to bear the shaking of the horse +without much pain. When I was come to SWARTHMORE, Justice Sawrey, and +one Justice Thompson of Lancaster, granted a warrant against me; but +Judge Fell coming home it was not served upon me; for he was out of the +country all this time, that I was thus cruelly abused. When he came +home, he sent forth warrants into the isle of Walney, to apprehend all +those riotous persons; whereupon some of them fled the country. James +Lancaster’s wife was afterwards convinced of the truth, and repented of +the evils she had done me; and so did others of those bitter persecutors +also; but the judgments of God fell upon some of them, and destruction +is come upon many of them since. Judge Fell asked me to give him a +relation of my persecution; but I told him they could do no otherwise in +the spirit wherein they were, and that they manifested the fruits of +their priest’s ministry, and their profession and religion to be wrong. +So he told his wife I made light of it, and that I spoke of it as a man +that had not been concerned; for, indeed, the Lord’s power healed me +again. + +After I was recovered, I went to YEALAND, where there was a great +meeting. In the evening there came a priest to the house, with a pistol +in his hand, under pretence to light a pipe of tobacco. The maid of the +house seeing the pistol told her master; who, clapping his hands on the +door-posts, told him he should not come in there. While he stood there, +keeping the door-way, he looked up, and spied over the wall a company of +men coming, some armed with staves, and one with a musket. But the Lord +God prevented their bloody design; so that seeing themselves discovered, +they went their way, and did no harm. + +The time for the sessions at LANCASTER being come, I went thither with +Judge Fell; who on the way told me, he had never had such a matter +brought before him before, and he could not well tell what to do in the +business. I told him, when Paul was brought before the rulers, and the +Jews and priests came down to accuse him, and laid many false things to +his charge, Paul stood still all that while. And when they had done, +Festus, the governor, and king Agrippa, beckoned to him to speak for +himself; which Paul did, and cleared himself of all those false +accusations; so he might do with me. Being come to LANCASTER, Justice +Sawrey and Justice Thompson having granted a warrant to apprehend me, +though I was not apprehended by it, yet hearing of it, I appeared at the +sessions; where there appeared against me about forty priests. These had +chosen one Marshall, priest of Lancaster, to be their orator; and had +provided one young priest, and two priests’ sons, to bear witness +against me, who had sworn beforehand that I had spoken blasphemy. When +the justices were sat, they heard all that the priests and their +witnesses could say and charge against me; their orator Marshall, +sitting by, and explaining their sayings for them; but the witnesses +were so confounded, that they discovered themselves to be false +witnesses; for when the court had examined one of them upon oath, and +then began to examine another, he was at such loss he could not answer +directly, but said the other could say it. Which made the justices say +to him, “have you sworn it, and given it in already upon your oath, and +now say that he can say it? It seems you did not hear those words spoken +yourself, though you have sworn it.” + +There were then in court several people who had been at that meeting, +wherein the witnesses swore I spoke those blasphemous words, which the +priests accused me of; and these being men of integrity and reputation +in the country, declared and affirmed in court, that the oath, which the +witnesses had taken against me, was altogether false; and that no such +words as they had sworn against me, were spoken by me at that meeting. +Indeed, most of the serious men of that part of the country, that were +then at the sessions, had been at that meeting, and had heard me both at +that and other meetings also. This was taken notice of by Colonel West, +who, being a justice of the peace, was then upon the bench; and having +long been weak in body, blessed the Lord, and said, “the Lord had healed +him that day;” adding, that he never saw so many sober people and good +faces together in all his life. And then, turning himself to me, he said +in the open sessions, “George, if thou hast anything to say to the +people, thou mayst freely declare it.” I was moved of the Lord to speak; +and as soon as I began, priest Marshall, the orator for the rest of the +priests, went away. That which I was moved to declare was this: “that +the Holy Scriptures were given forth by the Spirit of God, and all +people must first come to the Spirit of God in themselves, by which they +might know God and Christ, of whom the prophets and the apostles learnt; +and by the same Spirit know the Holy Scriptures; for as the Spirit of +God was in them that gave forth the Scriptures, so the same Spirit of +God must be in all them that come to understand the Scriptures; by which +Spirit they might have fellowship with the Son, and with the Father, and +with the Scriptures, and with one another; and without this Spirit they +can know neither God nor Christ, nor the Scriptures, nor have right +fellowship one with another.” I had no sooner spoken these words, than +about half a dozen priests that stood behind me, burst out into a +passion; and one of them, named Jackus, amongst other things that he +spoke against the truth, said, that the Spirit and the letter were +inseparable. I replied, “then every one that hath the letter hath the +Spirit; and they might buy the Spirit with the letter of the +Scriptures.” This plain discovery of darkness in the priest, moved Judge +Fell and Colonel West to reprove them openly, and tell them, that +according to that position they might carry the Spirit in their pockets, +as they did the Scriptures. Upon this the priests being confounded and +put to silence, rushed out in a rage against the justices, because they +could not have their bloody ends upon me. The justices, seeing the +witnesses did not agree, and perceiving that they were brought to answer +the priests’ envy, and finding that all their evidences were not +sufficient in law to make good their charge against me, discharged me. +And after Judge Fell had spoken to Justice Sawrey and Justice Thompson +concerning the warrant they had given forth against me, and showed them +the errors thereof, he and Colonel West granted a supersedeas to stop +the execution of it. + +Thus was I cleared in open sessions of all those lying accusations which +the malicious priests had laid to my charge; and multitudes of people +praised God that day, for it was a joyful day to many. Justice +Benson[25] of WESTMORLAND, was convinced; and Major Ripan, mayor of +LANCASTER, also. It was a day of everlasting salvation to hundreds of +people; for the Lord Jesus Christ, the way to the Father, and the free +teacher, was exalted and set up, and his everlasting gospel was preached +and the word of eternal life was declared over the heads of the priests, +and all such money-preachers. For the Lord opened many mouths that day +to speak his word to the priests, and several friendly people and +professors reproved the priests in their inns, and in the streets; so +that they fell, like an old rotten house; and the cry was among the +people, that the Quakers had got the day, and the priests were fallen. +Many people were convinced that day, amongst whom was Thomas Briggs, who +before had been averse to Friends and truth, insomuch that discoursing +with John Lawson, a Friend, concerning perfection, Thomas Briggs said to +him, “dost thou hold perfection?” at the same time lifting up his hand +to give the Friend a box on the ear. But this Thomas Briggs, being +convinced of the truth that day, declared against his own priest, +Jackus; and afterwards became a faithful minister of the gospel, and +stood so to the end of his days.[26] + +Footnote 25: + + Gervase Benson, once a colonel in the army, and, at this date, a + Justice of the peace, appears, from the burial register of Friends, to + have been resident at Kendal. He died in 1679. In _Barclay’s Letters, + &c., of Early Friends_, is a letter from him to George Fox and James + Naylor. It is dated at London, 11th Month, 29th, 1653. He appears to + have gone up to that city under a sense of duty. “Pray to the Lord for + me,” he writes, “that I may be kept in all faithfulness, with boldness + to bear witness to the truth, against all deceits as they are made + manifest in me, to the praise of his free grace and love to me, which + I find daily flowing into my soul, to the refreshing thereof.” + +Footnote 26: + + Thomas Briggs, from being a persecutor and an opposer, became an + eminent minister amongst Friends, and his name occurs frequently in + Sewell’s _History_, and in Whiting’s _Memoirs_, to which the reader is + referred for some account of his labours. He was very instrumental in + turning men from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto + God. Not only did he suffer personally, by imprisonment and violence, + but was fined five times, for having meetings in his house, to the + extent of £50. He travelled much in Wales, and other places, often + accompanying George Fox. He went with him to the West Indies in 1671. + A short time before his death, he wrote to George Fox, in which he + signified his perseverance in godliness. He bore “a large testimony + the First-day before his decease,” being aged about seventy-five; a + minister thirty-two years. + +When the sessions were over, James Naylor, who was present, gave a brief +account of the proceedings in a letter, which soon after he wrote to +Friends; and which is here added for the reader’s further satisfaction +in this matter:— + + “Dear friends and brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ, my dear love unto + you all, desiring you may be kept steadfast in the Lord Jesus Christ, + and in the power of his love, boldly to witness forth the truth, as it + is revealed in you by the mighty working of the Father: to whom alone + be everlasting praise and honour for evermore! Dear friends, the Lord + doth much manifest his love and power in these parts. On the + Second-day of last week, my brother George and I were at Lancaster; + there were abundance of Friends from all parts: and a high sort, who + sided with the priests, giving out, they now hoped to see a stop put + to that great work which had gone on so fast, and with such power that + their kingdom is much shaken. We were called before Judge Fell, + Colonel West, Justice Sawrey, &c., to answer what was charged against + George. There were three witnesses to eight particulars, but they were + much confused in themselves; which gave much light to the truth; + whereby the justices did plainly see that it was envy; and they many + times told them so. One of the witnesses was a young priest, who + confessed he should not have meddled, had not another priest sent for + him, and set him to work. The other witnesses were two priests’ sons: + it was proved there by many that heard one of them say, ‘if he had + power he would make George deny his profession, and that he would take + away his life.’ This was a single witness to one of the greatest + untruths that was charged against George; and the justices told him, + that they saw, because he could not take away his life, he went about + to take away his liberty. There was one priest chosen out of the whole + number, as an orator to plead against us; who spared no pains to show + forth his envy against the truth; and when he could not prevail, he + went down in a rage; and there came up a number of them into the room, + among whom was one Jackus. George was then speaking in the room, one + of the justices having desired him, if he had anything to say, he + would speak, at which priest Jackus was in such a rage, that he broke + forth into many high expressions against the truth spoken by my dear + brother George; amongst which this was one that the letter and the + Spirit were inseparable. Hereupon the justices stood up, and bid him + prove that, before he went any further. Then seeing himself caught, he + would have denied it; and when he could not get off so, the rest of + the priests would have helped him to a meaning for his words; but the + justices would admit no other meaning than the plain sense of the + words, and told him he had laid down a position, and it was fit he + should prove it; pressing the matter close upon him. Whereupon the + priests, being put to silence, went down in a greater rage than + before; and some of them, after they were gone down, being asked what + they had done, lied and said, they could not get into the room; + thereby to hide their shame, and keep the people in blindness. The + justices, Judge Fell and Colonel West, were much convinced of the + truth, and set up justice and equity; and have much silenced the rage + of the people. Many bitter spirits were at Lancaster to see the event, + but went home and cried the priests had lost the day: everlasting + praises be to him who fought the battle for us, who is our King for + ever! There were others called, whom the witnesses confessed were in + the room when the things charged on George were said to have been + spoken; but they all, as one man, denied that any such words were + spoken; which gave much light to the justices, and they durst rely on + what they witnessed; for they said they knew many of them to be honest + men. + + “There was a warrant granted against us at Appleby; but Justice Benson + told them it was not according to law, and so it ceased. I hear he is + a faithful man in the truth. The priests began to preach against the + justices, and said, they were not to meddle in these things, but to + end controversy between neighbour and neighbour. They are not pleased + with the law, because it is not in the statute to imprison us, as the + priest that pleaded against us said. The justices bid him put it into + the statute, if he could; he said, it should want no will of his. They + are much afraid that they shall lose all; they are much discontented + in these parts; and some of them cry, all ‘is gone.’ Dear Friends, + dwell in patience, and wait upon the Lord, who will do his own work. + Look not at man, in the work; nor at man who opposeth the work; but + rest in the will of the Lord, that so ye may be furnished with + patience both to do and to suffer what ye shall be called unto; that + your end in all things may be his praise. Take up his cross freely, + which keeps low the fleshly man; that Christ may be set up and + honoured in all things, the light advanced in you and the judgment set + up, which must give sentence against all that opposeth the truth;—that + the captivity may be led captive, and the prisoner set free to seek + the Lord;—that righteousness may rule in you, and peace and joy may + dwell in you, wherein consisteth the kingdom of the Father; to whom be + all praise for ever! Dear friends meet often together, and take heed + of what exalteth itself above its brother; but keep low, and serve one + another in love for the Lord’s sake. Let all Friends know how it is + with us, that God may have the praise of all.” + + J. N. + + Written from Kellet, the 30th + of the 8th Month, 1652. + +At this time I was in a fast, and was not to eat until this work of God, +which then lay weighty upon me, was accomplished. But the Lord’s power +was wonderfully exalted, and gave truth and Friends dominion therein +over all, to his glory. His gospel was freely preached that day, over +the heads of about forty hireling priests. I stayed two or three days +afterwards in Lancaster, and had some meetings there; and the rude and +baser sort of people plotted together to draw me out of the house, and +to throw me over LANCASTER bridge, but the Lord prevented them. Then +they invented another mischief, which was this: after a meeting at +Lancaster they brought down a distracted man, and another with him with +bundles of birchen rods bound together like besoms, with which they +would have whipped me: but I was moved to speak to them in the Lord’s +mighty power, which chained down the distracted man, and the other also, +and made them calm and quiet. Then I bid him throw his rods into the +fire, and burn them; and he did so. Thus the Lord’s power being over +them, they departed quietly. + +But the priests, fretting to see themselves overthrown at the sessions +at LANCASTER, got some of the envious justices to join with them; and, +at the following assize at LANCASTER, informed Judge Windham against me. +Whereupon the judge made a speech against me in open court; and +commanded Colonel West, who was clerk of the assize, to issue forth a +warrant for the apprehending of me: but Colonel West told the judge of +my innocency, and spoke boldly in my defence. Yet the judge commanded +him again, either to write a warrant, or go off from his seat: then he +told the judge plainly that he would not do it; but that he would offer +up all his estate, and his body also, for me. Thus he stopped the judge; +and the Lord’s power came over all; so that the priests and justices +could not get their envy executed. That same night I came into +LANCASTER, it being the assize time, and hearing of a warrant to be +given out against me, I judged it better to show myself openly, than for +my adversaries to seek me. So I went to Judge Fell’s and Colonel West’s +chambers. As soon as I came in they smiled on me; and Colonel West said, +“What! are you come into the dragon’s mouth?” I stayed in town till the +judge went out of town; and I walked up and down the town, but no one +meddled with me, or questioned me. Thus the Lord’s blessed power, which +is over all, carried me through and over this exercise, gave dominion +over his enemies, and enabled me to go on in his glorious work and +service for his great name’s sake. For though the beast maketh war +against the saints, yet the Lamb hath got, and will get, the victory. + + + + + CHAPTER VI. + +1652-1653.—George Fox is branded by the priests as a witch—writes to + Justice Sawrey, prophesying of the judgments impending over + him—warning to priest Lampitt—exhortation to the people of + Ulverstone—to the followers of Lampitt, against a hireling ministry, + &c.—a rebuke to Adam Sands for his wickedness—to priest Tatham, + against his hireling ministry and his suing for tithes—foretells the + dissolution of the Long Parliament—fasts ten days—James Milner and + Richard Myer create a schism, which is soon healed—the latter is + miraculously healed of his lameness, but afterwards disobeys the + Lord, and dies not long after—Anthony Pearson, an opposer, is + convinced—the priests are shown to be antichrist—George Fox preaches + at John Wilkinson’s steeple-house three hours—admonishes a professor + _for praising him_—reproves Wilkinson for speaking against his + conscience—many hundreds are convinced—discerns an unclean spirit in + a woman, and speaks sharply to her—the like of some other + women—speaks sharply to an envious Baptist—preaches in the + steeple-house at Carlisle, where the Lord’s power was such that the + people trembled—committed to Carlisle prison as a blasphemer, + heretic, and seducer—the priests who come to see him are exceedingly + rude—Anthony Pearson’s remonstrance to the Judges of assize against + the unjust imprisonment and detention of George Fox—he is put in the + dungeon, a filthy place, where a woman is found eaten to death with + vermin—here James Parnell visits him—a challenge to professors to + declare their objections to George Fox’s ministry—it being reported + that George Fox was to die for religion, the Little Parliament write + to the sheriff respecting him—he himself expostulates with Justices + Craston and Studholm on their imprisoning him—A. Pearson and the + governor visit the prison, blame the magistrates, require sureties + of the jailer, and put the under-jailer in the dungeon for his + cruelty to George Fox, who is soon after liberated—George Fox has + great meetings, and _thousands_ are convinced—visits Gilsland, a + noted country for thieving—has a glorious meeting of many thousands, + near Langlands, on the top of a hill—great convincement in the six + northern counties. + + +From LANCASTER I returned to Robert Widders’s, and from thence I went to +Thomas Leper’s to a meeting in the evening; and a very blessed meeting +we had there: after which I walked in the evening to Robert Widders’s +again. No sooner was I gone, than there came a company of disguised men +to Thomas Leper’s, with swords and pistols; who, suddenly entering the +house, put out the candles, and swung their swords about amongst the +people of the house, who held up the chairs before them to save +themselves from being cut and wounded. At length they drove all the +people out of the house, and then searched it for me; who, it seems, was +the only person they looked for: for they had laid wait before on the +highway, by which I should have gone had I rode to Robert Widders’s. And +not meeting with me on the way, they thought to find me in the house, +but the Lord prevented them. Soon after I was come to Robert Widders’s, +some Friends came from the town where Thomas Leper lived, and gave us a +relation of this wicked attempt: and they were afraid lest they should +come and search Robert Widders’s house also for me, and do me a +mischief; but the Lord restrained them that they came not. Though these +men were in disguise, the Friends perceived some of them to be +Frenchmen, and supposed them to be servants belonging to one called Sir +Robert Bindlas; for some of them had said, that in their nation they +used to tie the Protestants to trees, and whip and destroy them. His +servants used often to abuse Friends, both in their meetings, and going +to and from them. They once took Richard Hubberthorn and several others +out of one, and carried them a good way off into the fields; and there +bound them, and left them bound in the Winter season. At another time, +one of his servants came to Francis Fleming’s house, and thrust his +naked rapier in at the door and windows; but there being at the house a +kinsman of Francis Fleming’s, one who was not a Friend, he came with a +cudgel in his hand, and bid the serving-man put up his rapier; which, +when the other would not, but vapoured at him with it, and was rude, he +knocked him down with his cudgel, and took his rapier from him; and had +it not been for Friends, he would have run him through with it. So the +Friends preserved the life of him that would have destroyed theirs. + +From Robert Widders’s I went to visit Justice West, Richard Hubberthorn +accompanying me. Not knowing the way, or the danger of the sands, we +rode where, as we were afterwards told, no man ever rode before, +swimming our horses over a very dangerous place. When we were come in, +Justice West asked us if we did not see two men riding over the sands: +“I shall have their clothes anon,” said he, “for they cannot escape +drowning, and I am the coroner.” But when we told him that we were the +men, he was astonished, and wondered how we escaped drowning. Upon this +the envious priests and professors raised a slanderous report concerning +me, that neither water could drown me, nor could they draw blood of me; +and that therefore surely I was a witch; indeed, sometimes when they +beat me with great staves, they did not much draw my blood, though they +bruised my body oftimes very sorely. But all these slanders were nothing +to me with respect to myself, though I was concerned on the truth’s +behalf, which I saw, they endeavoured by these means to prejudice people +against; for I considered that their forefathers, the apostate Jews, +called the master of the house Beelzebub; and these apostate Christians +from the life and power of God, could do no less to his seed. But the +Lord’s power carried me over their slanderous tongues, and their bloody +murderous spirits; who had the ground of witchcraft in themselves, which +kept them from coming to God, and to Christ. + +Having visited Justice West, I went to SWARTHMORE, visiting Friends; and +the Lord’s power was over all the persecutors there. I was moved to +write several letters to the magistrates, priests, and professors, +thereabouts, who had raised persecution before; that which I sent to +Justice Sawrey was after this manner:— + + “FRIEND, + + “Thou wast the first beginner of all the persecution in the North; + thou wast the beginner and the maker of the people tumultuous. Thou + wast the first stirrer of them up against the righteous seed, and + against the truth of God; the first strengthener of the hands of + evil-doers against the innocent and harmless; and thou shalt not + prosper. Thou wast the first stirrer up of strikers, stoners, + persecutors, stockers, mockers, and imprisoners in the North, and of + revilers, slanderers, railers, and false accusers. This was thy work, + and this thou stirredst up! so thy fruits declare thy spirit. Instead + of stirring up the pure mind in people, thou hast stirred up the + wicked, malicious, and envious, and taken hand with the wicked. Thou + hast made the people’s minds envious up and down the country; this was + thy work. But God hath shortened thy days, and limited thee; hath set + thy bounds, and broken thy jaws; discovered thy religion to the simple + and babes, and brought thy deeds to light. How is thy habitation + fallen, and become the habitation of devils! How is thy beauty lost, + and thy glory withered! How hast thou showed thy end that thou hast + served God but with thy lips, thy heart being far from him, and thou + in hypocrisy! How hath the form of thy teaching declared itself to be + the mark of the false prophets, whose fruit declares itself! for by + their fruits they are known. How are the wise men turned backward! + View thy ways, and take notice with whom thou hast taken part. That of + God in thy conscience will tell thee; the Ancient of days will reprove + thee. How hath thy zeal appeared to be the blind zeal of a persecutor, + which Christ and his apostles forbade Christians to follow! How hast + thou strengthened the hands of evil-doers, and been a praise to them, + and not to them that do well! How like a madman and blind man, didst + thou turn thy sword backward against the saints, against whom there is + no law! How wilt thou be gnawed and burned one day, when thou shalt + feel the flame and have the plagues of God poured upon thee, and thou + begin to gnaw thy tongue for pain, because of the plagues! Thou shalt + have thy reward according to thy works. Thou canst not escape; the + Lord’s righteous judgment will find thee out, and the witness of God + in thy conscience shall answer it. How hast thou caused the heathen to + blaspheme, gone on with the multitude to do evil, and joined hand and + hand with the wicked! How is thy latter end worse than thy beginning, + who art come with the dog to bite, and art turned as a wolf, to devour + the lambs! How hast thou discovered thyself to be a man more fit to be + kept in a place to be nurtured, than to be set in a place to nurture! + How wast thou exalted and puffed up with pride! and now art thou + fallen down with shame, that thou comest to be covered with that which + thou stirredst up and broughtest forth. Let not John Sawrey take the + words of God into his mouth till he be reformed; let him not take his + name into his mouth till he depart from iniquity; let not him and his + teacher make a profession of the saints’ words, except they intend to + proclaim themselves hypocrites, whose lives are so contrary to the + lives of the saints; whose church hath made itself manifest to be a + cage of unclean birds. You, having a form of godliness, but not the + power, have made them that are in the power your derision, your + by-word, and talk at your feasts. Thy ill savour, John Sawrey, the + country about have smelled, and of thy unchristian carriage all that + fear God have been ashamed; and to them thou hast been a grief; in the + day of account thou shalt know it, even in the day of thy + condemnation. Thou wast mounted up, and hadst set thy nest on high, + but never gottest higher than the fowls of the air. Now thou art run + amongst the beast of prey, and art fallen into the earth; so that + earthliness and covetousness have swallowed thee up. Thy conceitedness + would not carry thee through, in whom was found the selfish principle, + which hath blinded thy eye. Thy back must be bowed down always; for + thy table is already become thy snare.” + + G. F. + +This Justice Sawrey, who was the first persecutor in that country, was +afterwards drowned. + +I wrote also to William Lampitt, the priest of ULVERSTONE, thus:— + + “The word of the Lord to thee, O Lampitt! who art a deceiver, + surfeited and drunk with the earthly spirit, rambling up and down in + the Scriptures, and blending thy spirit amongst the saints’ + conditions; who hadst a prophecy, as thy father Balaam had, but art + erred from it, as thy father did; one whose fruit hath withered (of + which I am a witness,) and many who have known thy fruit, have seen + the end of it, that it is withered, and do see where thou art in the + blind world, a blind leader of the blind; as a beast wallowing and + tumbling in the earth, and in the lust; one that is erred from the + Spirit of the Lord, of old ordained for condemnation. Thou art in the + seat of the Pharisees, art called of men master, standest praying in + the synagogues, and hast the chief seat in the assemblies; a right + hypocrite in the steps of the Pharisees, and in the way of thy + fathers, the hypocrites, which our Lord Jesus Christ cried woe + against. Such with the light thou art seen to be, and by the light art + comprehended; which is thy condemnation, who hatest it, and will be so + eternally, except thou repent. To thee this is the word of God; for in + Christ’s way thou art not, but in the Pharisees’, as thou mayest read, + Matt, xxiii., and all that own Christ’s words may see thee there. + Christ, who died at Jerusalem, cried woe against such as thou art; and + Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. The woe remains + upon thee, and from under it thou canst never come, but through + judgment, condemnation, and true repentance. To thee this is the word + of God; to that of God in thy conscience do I speak, which will + witness the truth of what I write, and will condemn thee. And when + thou art in thy torment (though now thou swellest in thy vanity, and + livest in wickedness,) remember thou wast warned in thy lifetime. When + the eternal condemnation is stretched over thee, thou shalt witness + this to be the word of the Lord God unto thee; and if ever thy eye + shall see repentance, thou wilt witness me to have been a friend of + thy soul.” + + G. F. + +Having thus cleared my conscience to the justice, and to the priest of +ULVERSTONE, who had raised the first persecution in that country, it was +upon me to send this warning in writing to the people of ULVERSTONE in +general. + + “Consider, O people! who are within the parish of ULVERSTONE; I was + moved of the Lord to come into your public places to speak among you, + being sent of God to direct your minds to him, that you might know + where you might find your teacher; that your minds might be staid + alone upon God, and you might not gad abroad without you for a + teacher; for the Lord God alone will teach his people; and he is + coming to teach them, and to gather them from idols’ temples, and from + the customary worships, which all the world is trained up in. God hath + given to every one of you a measure of his Spirit, according to your + capacity; liars, drunkards, whoremongers, and thieves, and who follow + filthy pleasures, you all have this measure in you. This is the + measure of the Spirit of God, that shows you sin, and evil, and + deceit; which lets you see that lying is sin; and theft, drunkenness, + and uncleanness, all to be the works of darkness. Therefore mind your + measure (for nothing that is unclean shall enter into the kingdom of + God), and prize your time while you have it, lest the time come that + you say with sorrow, we had time, but it is past. O! why will ye die? + why will ye choose your own ways? why will ye follow the course of the + world? and why will ye follow envy, malice, drunkenness, and foolish + pleasures? know ye not in your consciences that all these are evil and + sin? and that they who act such things, shall never enter into the + kingdom of God? O! that ye would consider, and see how you have spent + your time, and mind how ye do spend it, and observe whom you serve; + for ‘the wages of sin is death.’ Do not ye know, that whatsoever is + more than yea and nay, cometh of evil? O! ye drunkards, who live in + drunkenness, do ye think to escape the fire and the judgment of God? + Though ye swell in venom, and live in lust for a while, yet God will + find you out, and bring you to judgment. + + “Therefore love the light, which Christ hath enlightened you withal, + who saith, ‘I am the light of the world,’ and who doth enlighten every + one that cometh into the world. One loves the light, and brings his + works to the light and there is no occasion at all of stumbling; the + other hates the light, because his deeds are evil, and the light will + reprove him. Thou that hatest this light, thou hast it; thou knowest + that lying, drunkenness, swearing, whoredom, theft, all ungodliness, + and all unrighteousness, are evil. Christ Jesus hath given thee light + enough to let thee see these are evil. This light, if thou lovest it, + will teach thee holiness and righteousness, without which none shall + see God; but if thou hatest this light, it is thy condemnation. Thus + are Christ’s words found to be true, and fulfilled among you; you that + hate this light, set up hirelings, and idols’ temples, and such + priests as bear rule by their means; such shepherds as hold up such + things; who are called of men masters, and have the chiefest place in + the assemblies, whom Christ cried woe against, Matt, xxiii.; such as + go in the way of Cain in envy, and after the error of Balaam for + wages, gifts, and rewards; these have been your teachers; and these + you have held up. But they who love the light, are taught of God; and + the Lord is coming to teach his people himself, and to gather his own + from the hirelings, and from such as seek for their gain from their + quarter, and from such as bear rule by their means. The Lord is + opening the eyes of people, that they may see such as bear rule over + them. But all, whose are shut, are such as the prophet spoke of, that + ‘have eyes and see not,’ but are foolish, upholding such things. + Therefore, poor people, as ye love your own souls, consider the love + of God to your souls, while ye have time, and do not turn the grace of + God into wantonness. That which shows you ungodliness and worldly + lusts, should and would be your teacher, if ye would hearken to it; + for the saints of old witnessed the grace of God to be their teacher, + which taught them to live soberly and godly in this present world. Ye + that are not sober, this grace of God hath appeared unto you, but you + turn it into wantonness, and so set up teachers, who are not sober, + not holy, not godly. Here you are left without excuse, when the + righteous judgment of God shall be revealed upon all who live ungodly. + Therefore to the light in you I speak; and when the book of conscience + shall come to be opened, then shall you witness what I say to be true, + and you all shall be judged out of it. God Almighty direct your minds + (such of you especially who love honesty and sincerity,) that you may + receive mercy in the time of need. Your teacher is _within you_; look + not forth; it will teach you both lying in bed, and going abroad, to + shun all occasion of sin and evil.” + + G. F. + +As the foregoing was directed to all the inhabitants of ULVERSTONE in +general, so it was upon me to write also to those more particularly, +that most constantly followed W. Lampitt, the priest. To these I wrote +thus:— + + “The word of the Lord God to all the people that follow priest + Lampitt, who is a blind guide. Ye are such as are turned from the + light of Christ within, which he hath enlightened you withal; ye are + such as follow that which Christ cried woe against, that go not in + Christ’s way, but in the Pharisees’ way, as ye may read, Matt. xxiii., + which our Lord Jesus Christ cried woe against. He is the same + yesterday, to-day, and for ever; but him ye own not, while ye follow + such as he cried woe against; though under a colour ye make a + profession, and Lampitt, your priest, makes a trade of Christ’s and + the saints’ words, as his fathers, the Pharisees, made a profession of + the prophets’ and of Moses’s words. Woe was unto them who had not the + life, so woe is unto you who have not the life that gave forth the + Scriptures, as your fruits have made manifest. For when the Lord hath + moved some to come amongst you to preach the truth freely, you have + knocked them down, beat, and punched, and haled them out of your + assemblies. Such a people serve thee, O Lampitt, to make a prey upon, + and these are thy fruits. O! let shame, shame, strike thee and you all + in the faces, who make a profession of Christ’s words, and yet are + stoners, and strikers, and mockers, and scoffers. Let all see, if this + be not a cage of unclean birds, spoken of in the Scriptures, by those + who had the life of the Scriptures. Such a company of people thou + deceivest, and feedest them with thy fancies; thou makest a trade of + the Scriptures, and takest them for thy cloak. But thou art manifest + to all the children of light; for that cloak will not cover thee; thy + skirts are seen, and thy nakedness appears. The Lord made one to go + naked among you, a figure of thy nakedness, and of your nakedness, and + as a sign amongst you, before your destruction cometh; that you might + see that you were naked, and not covered with the truth. To the light + in all your consciences I speak, which Christ Jesus doth enlighten you + withal. It will show you the time you have spent, and all the evil + deeds you have done in that time; who follow such a teacher, that acts + contrary to this light, and leads you into the ditch. When you are in + the ditch together, both teacher and people, remember ye were warned + in your lifetime. If ever your eyes come to see repentance, and you + obey the light of Jesus Christ in you, you will witness me to have + been a friend of your souls, and that I have sought your eternal good, + and written this in dear love to you. Then will you own your + condemnation; which you must all own, before you can come into that + blessed life, of which there is no end. But ye, who hate the light, + because your deeds are evil, this light is your condemnation. O! that + ye would love this light, and hearken to it! It would teach you, both + in your daily occupations, and as you lie upon your beds, and would + never let you speak a vain word. In loving it, you love Christ; in + hating it, you bring condemnation thereof upon yourselves. To you this + is the word of God, from under which you can never pass, nor ever + escape the terror of the Lord, in the state you are in, who hate the + light.” + + G. F. + +Amongst the chief hearers and followers of this priest Lampitt of +ULVERSTONE, was one Adam Sands, who was a very wicked, false man, and +would have destroyed truth and its followers if he could. To him I was +moved to write thus:— + + “ADAM SANDS, + + “To the light in thy conscience I appeal, thou child of the Devil, + thou enemy of righteousness; the Lord will strike thee down, though + now for a while in thy wickedness thou mayest reign. The plagues of + God are due to thee, who hardenest thyself in thy wickedness against + the pure truth of God. With the pure truth of God, which thou hast + resisted and persecuted, thou art to be thrashed down, which is + eternal, and doth comprehend thee; and with the light, which thou + despisest, thou art seen; and it is thy condemnation. Thou as one + brutish, and thy wife as an hypocrite, and you both as murderers of + the just, in that which is eternal, are seen and comprehended; and + your hearts searched, and tried, and condemned by the light. The light + in thy conscience will witness the truth of what I write to thee; and + will let thee see that thou art not born of God, but art from the + truth, in the beastly nature. If ever thy eye see repentance, thou + wilt witness me a friend of thy soul, and a seeker of thy eternal + good.” + + G. F. + +This Adam Sands afterwards died miserably. + +I was moved also to write to priest Tatham. + + “The word of the Lord to thee, priest Tatham, who art found out of the + doctrine of Christ; having the chiefest place in the assembly, being + called of men, master, and standing praying in the synagogue in the + steps of the Pharisees, which our Lord Jesus Christ cried woe against. + In his way thou art not, but in the way of the scribes and Pharisees, + as thou mayest read, Matt. xxiii. There Christ’s words judge thee, and + the Scriptures of truth condemn thee. For thou art such a one as sues + men at the law for tithes, and yet professest thyself to be a minister + of Christ; which Christ never empowered his to do; neither did any of + his apostles or ministers ever do so. Here I charge thee in the + presence of the living God, to be out of their doctrine; and that as + one of those evil beasts the Scripture speaks of, thou mindest earthly + things, which the life of the Scriptures is against. Thou art for + destruction in the state wherein thou standest; and it will be thy + portion eternally, if thou dost not repent. To that of God in thy + conscience I speak, which will witness the truth of what I say. Thou + goest in Cain’s way, in envy, an enemy to God, and from the command of + God. Thou goest in Balaam’s way, from the Spirit of God, for gifts and + rewards, the wages of unrighteousness. Thou son of Balaam, thou art + worse than thy father, for though he loved the wages of + unrighteousness, yet he durst not take them; but thou not only takest + them, but suest men at the law if they will not give them thee, which + no true minister of Jesus Christ ever did; therefore stop thy mouth + for ever, and never make mention of them, or profess thyself one of + them. With the light thou art seen and comprehended, who art light and + vain, and speakest a divination of thy own brain, and deceivest the + people. That in thy conscience will witness what I say, and will + condemn thee, who art one of those that bear rule by their means, + which the Lord sent Jeremiah to cry against, Jer. v.; and so thou + holdest up ‘the horrible and filthy thing that is committed in the + land.’ They that do not tremble at the word of the Lord, are the + foolish people that hold thee up; they are sottish children, and have + no understanding; they are wise to do evil, but not to do good, who + are deceived by thee. Thou art one of those that seek their gain from + their quarter; a greedy dumb dog, that never hath enough, as thy + practice makes manifest, which the Lord sent Isaiah to cry against, + Isa. lvi. 11, 12. And thou art such a one as the Lord sent Ezekiel to + cry against, who feedest of the fat, and clothest with the wool, and + makest a prey of the people. But the Lord is gathering his sheep from + thy mouth, that to thee they shall be a prey no longer. Thou enemy of + God, here this prophecy is fulfilled upon thee, Ezek. xxxiv., and thou + art one of them; I charge it upon thee in the presence of the living + God; a hireling thou art, and they that put not into thy mouth, thou + preparest war against them. Thou hatest the good, and lovest the evil, + which the Lord sent Micah to cry against, Mic. iii. Cover thy lips, + and stop thy mouth for ever, thou child of darkness; for with the + light thou art comprehended, and seen to be among them which the holy + men of God cried woe against; and by the Spirit of the Living God thou + art judged. In the light, which is thy condemnation, thou art + comprehended; thy race is seen, and thy compass known, who art out of + the commands of Christ, and out of the doctrine and life of the + apostles. Thou art proved and tried: to thee this is the word of the + Lord, to thee it shall be as a hammer, a fire, and a sword, and from + under it thou shalt never come, unless thou repent; who art with the + light to be condemned in that state wherein thou standest: and if ever + thy eye see repentance, this thy condemnation thou must own.” + + G. F. + +I wrote also to —— Burton, priest of SEDBERGH, much to the same purpose, +he being in the same evil ground, nature, and practice. Many other +epistles also and papers, which are too many and large to be inserted in +this place, I wrote about that time, as the Lord moved me thereunto, +which I sent among the priests, professors, and people of all sorts, for +the laying their evil ways open before them, that they might see and +forsake them; and opening the way of truth unto them, that they might +come to walk therein. + +After I had cleared my conscience at that time to the priests and people +near SWARTHMORE, I went again into WESTMORLAND. A company of men with +pikes and staves laid wait for me at a bridge in the way, and they met +with some Friends, but missed me. Afterwards they came to the meeting +with their pikes and staves: but Justice Benson being there, and many +considerable people besides, they were prevented from doing the mischief +they intended. So they went away in a great rage, without hurting any +one. + +I went from the meeting to GRAYRIGG, and had a meeting there at +Alexander Dixon’s house, to which the priest (who was a Baptist, and a +chapel priest,) came to oppose; but the Lord confounded him by his +power. Some of the priest’s people tumbled down some milk-pails which +stood upon the side of the house, which was much crowded; whereupon the +priest, after he and his company were gone away, raised a slander, “that +the Devil frightened him, and took away a side of the house while he was +in the meeting.” And though this was a known falsehood, yet it served +the priests and professors to feed on for a while; and so shameless they +were, that they printed and published it. + +Another time this priest came to a meeting, and fell to jangling. First +he said, “the Scriptures were the word of God.” I told him they were the +words of God, but were not Christ, who is the Word; and bid him prove by +Scripture what he said. Then he said it was not the Scripture that was +the Word; and, setting his foot upon the Bible, he said it was but +copies bound up together. Many unsavoury words came from him, but after +he was gone we had a blessed meeting, and the Lord’s power and presence +was preciously manifested and felt amongst us. Soon after he sent me a +challenge to meet me at KENDAL. I sent him word he need not go so far as +KENDAL, for I would meet him in his own parish. The hour being fixed, we +met, and abundance of rude people gathered together, besides the +baptized people who were his own Members; and they had intended to do +mischief, but God prevented them. When we were met, I declared the day +of the Lord to them, and directed them to Christ Jesus. Then the priest +out with his Bible, and said it was the word of God. I told him it was +the words of God, but not God, the Word. His answer was, he would prove +the Scriptures to be the word before all the people. I let him go on, +having a man there that could take down in writing both what he said, +and what I said. When he could not prove it (for I kept him to Scripture +proof, chapter and verse for it,) the people gnashed their teeth for +anger, and said he would have me anon; but in going about to prove that +one error, he ran into many. And when at length he saw he could not +prove it, then he said he would prove it to be a God: so he toiled +himself afresh, till he perspired again, but could not prove what he had +affirmed. And he and his company were full of wrath; for I kept his +assertions on the head of him and them all, and told them I owned what +the Scriptures said of themselves, namely, that they were the words of +God, but Christ was the Word. So the Lord’s power came over all, and +they being confounded went away. The Lord disappointed their mischievous +intentions against me, and Friends were established in Christ; and many +of the priest’s followers saw the folly of their teacher. + +After this, priest Bennet, of CARTMEL, sent a challenge to dispute with +me. Hereupon I came to his steeple-house on a First-day, and found him +preaching. When he had done, I spoke to him and his people; but the +priest would not stand the trial, but went his way. After he was gone, I +had much discourse with the people; and when I was come out into the +steeple-house yard, and was discoursing further with the professors, and +declaring truth unto them, one of them set his foot behind me, and two +of them ran against my breast, and threw me down backwards against a +grave-stone, wickedly and maliciously seeking to hurt me; but I got up +again, and was moved of the Lord to speak to them. Then I went up to the +priest’s house, and desired him to come forth that I might discourse +with him, seeing he had challenged me; but he would not be seen. So the +Lord’s power came over them all, which was greatly manifested at that +time. Amongst the priest’s hearers was one Richard Roper, one of the +bitterest professors the priest had: he was very fierce and hot in his +contention; but afterwards he came to be convinced of God’s eternal +truth, became a minister thereof, and continued faithful to his death. + +It was now about the beginning of the year 1653, when I returned to +SWARTHMORE; and going to a meeting at GLEASTON, a professor challenged a +dispute with me. I went to the house where he was, and called him to +come forth; but the Lord’s power was over him, so that he durst not +meddle. Then I departed thence, and visited the meetings of Friends in +LANCASHIRE, and came back to SWARTHMORE. Great openings I had from the +Lord, not only of divine and spiritual matters, but also of outward +things, relating to the civil government. For being one day in +Swarthmore-hall, when Judge Fell and Justice Benson were talking of the +news, and of the parliament then sitting, which was called the Long +Parliament, I was moved to tell them, that before that day two weeks the +Parliament should be broken up, and the speaker plucked out of his +chair. And that day two weeks Justice Benson coming thither again, told +Judge Fell, that now he saw George was a true prophet; for Oliver had +broken up the parliament. + +About this time I was in a fast for about ten days, my spirit being +greatly exercised on truth’s account; for James Milner and Richard Myer +went out into imaginations, and a company followed them. This James +Milner and some of his company, had true openings at first; but getting +into pride and exaltation of spirit, they ran out from truth. I was sent +for to them, and was moved of the Lord to go, and show them their +outgoings: and they were brought to see their folly, and condemned it, +and came into the way of truth again. After some time I went to a +meeting at ARNSIDE, where Richard Myer was, who had been long lame of +one of his arms. I was moved of the Lord to say unto him, amongst all +the people, “Stand up on thy legs” (for he was sitting down): and he +stood up, and stretched out his arm that had been lame a long time, and +said, “Be it known unto you, all people, that this day I am healed.” Yet +his parents could hardly believe it; but after the meeting was done, +they had him aside, took off his doublet, and then saw it was true. He +came soon after to Swarthmore meeting, and then declared how that the +Lord had healed him. Yet after this the Lord commanded him to go to York +with a message from him, but he disobeyed the Lord; and the Lord struck +him again, so that he died about three-quarters of a year after. + +Now were great threatenings given forth in CUMBERLAND, that if ever I +came there again, they would take away my life. When I heard it I was +drawn to go into CUMBERLAND, and went to Miles Wennington’s, in the same +parish from which those threatenings came; but they had not power to +touch me. + +About this time Anthony Pearson was convinced, who had been an opposer +of Friends.[27] He came over to SWARTHMORE; and I being then at Colonel +West’s, they sent for me. Colonel West said, “Go, George, for it may be +great service to the man.” So I went, and the Lord’s power reached him. + +Footnote 27: + + Justice Pearson, who “was convinced as he sat on the bench,” became + the author of an approved work, _The Great Case of Tithes_. A striking + letter from him, dated in 1653, respecting his religious state, is + inserted in _Letters of Early Friends_, pages 10-12. + +About this time also the Lord opened several mouths to declare the truth +to priests and people, so that many were cast into prison. I went again +into CUMBERLAND, and Anthony Pearson and his wife, and several Friends, +went with me to BOOTLE, where Anthony Pearson left me, and went to +Carlisle sessions; for he was a Justice of the peace in three counties. +On a First-day I went into the steeple-house at BOOTLE; and when the +priest had done, I began to speak. But the people were exceeding rude, +and struck and beat me in the yard: one gave me a very great blow over +my wrist, so that the people thought he had broken my hand to pieces. +The constable was very desirous to keep the peace, and would have set +some of them by the heels that struck me, if I would have given way to +it. After my service amongst them was over, I went to Joseph Nicholson’s +house,[28] and the constable went a little way with us, to keep off the +rude multitude. In the afternoon I went again; and then the priest had +got another priest, that came from LONDON, and was highly accounted of, +to help him. Before I went in to the steeple-house, I sat a little upon +the Cross, and Friends with me; but the Friends were moved to go into +the steeple-house, and I went in after them. The London priest was +preaching; who gathered up all the Scriptures he could think of, that +spoke of false prophets, and antichrists, and deceivers, and threw them +upon us; but when he had done I recollected all those Scriptures, and +brought them back upon himself. Then the people fell upon me in a rude +manner; but the constable charged them to keep the peace, and so made +them quiet again. + +Footnote 28: + + Joseph Nicholson was one of those who, with his wife, suffered in the + New England persecution, being imprisoned there and laid in irons. He + was also immured within the walls of Dover Castle in 1661. See + Bowden’s _History of Friends in America_, vol. i., pp. 203-206, and + 268, &c. + +Then the priest began to rage, and said I must not speak there, I told +him he had his hour-glass, by which he had preached, and he having done, +the time was free for me, as well as for him, for he was but a stranger +there himself. So I opened the Scriptures to them, and let them see +“that those Scriptures, that spoke of the false prophets, and +antichrists, and deceivers, described them and their generation, and +belonged to them who were found walking in their steps, and bringing +forth their fruits; and not unto us, who were not guilty of such +things.” I manifested to them, that they were out of the steps of the +true prophets and apostles; and showed them clearly, by the fruits and +marks, that it was they of whom those Scriptures spoke, and not we. And +I declared the truth, and the word of life to the people, and directed +them to Christ their Teacher. All was quiet while I was speaking; but +when I had done, and was come out, the priests were both of them in such +a rage, that they foamed at the mouth for anger against me. The priest +of the place made an oration to the people in the steeple-house yard, +and said, “This man hath gotten all the honest men and women in +LANCASHIRE to him; and now,” said he, “he comes here to do the same.” +Then said I unto him, “What wilt thou have left? and what have the +priests left them, but such as themselves? For if it be the honest that +receive the truth, and are turned to Christ, then it must be the +dishonest that follow thee, and such as thou art.” Some also of the +priest’s people began to plead for their priest, and for tithes; but I +told them it were better for them to plead for Christ, who had ended the +tithing-priesthood and tithes, and had sent forth his ministers to give +freely, as they had received freely. So the Lord’s power came over them +all, put them to silence, and restrained the rude people, that they +could not do the mischief they intended. When I came down again to +Joseph Nicholson’s house, I saw a great hole in my coat, which was cut +with a knife, but it was not cut through my doubtlet, for the Lord had +prevented their mischief. And the next day a rude wicked man would have +done violence to a Friend, but the Lord’s power stopped him. + +Now was I moved to send James Lancaster to appoint a meeting at John +Wilkinson’s steeple-house near COCKERMOUTH, who was a preacher in great +repute, and had three parishes under him; wherefore I stayed at +MILLOM-IN-BOOTLE till he came back again. In the meantime some of those +called the gentry of the country had formed a plot against me, and had +given a little boy a rapier, to do me mischief with it. They came with +the boy to Joseph Nicholson’s house to seek me; but the Lord had so +ordered it, that I was gone into the fields. They met with James +Lancaster, but did not much abuse him; and not finding me in the house, +after a while they went away again. So I walked up and down in the +fields that night, and did not go to bed, as very often I used to do. + +The next day we came to the steeple-house, where James Lancaster had +appointed the meeting. There were at this meeting twelve soldiers and +their wives, who were come thither from CARLISLE; and the country people +came in, as if it had been to a fair. I lay at a house a short distance +from the place, so that many Friends were there before me. When I came, +I found James Lancaster speaking under a yew tree; which was so full of +people that I feared they would break it down. I looked about for a +place to stand upon, to speak to the people; for they lay all up and +down like people at a leaguer. After I was discovered, a professor came +to me, and asked, if I would go into the church; seeing no place +convenient to speak to the people from, I told him, “Yes;” whereupon the +people rushed in; so that when I came in, the house and even the pulpit +was so full of people, that I had much ado to get in; and they that +could not get in, stood about the walls. When the people were settled, I +stood up on a seat; and the Lord opened my mouth “to declare his +everlasting truth, and his everlasting day; and to lay open all their +teachers, their rudiments, traditions, and inventions, that they had +been in, in the night of apostacy since the apostles’ days. I turned +them to Christ the true teacher, and to the true spiritual worship; +directing them where to find the Spirit and truth, that they might +worship God therein. I opened Christ’s parables unto them, and directed +them to the Spirit of God in themselves, that would open the Scriptures +unto them. And I showed them, how all might come to know their Saviour, +and sit under his teaching;—might come to be heirs of the kingdom of +God, and know both the voice of God and of Christ, by which they might +discover all the false shepherds and teachers they had been under; and +be gathered to the true shepherd, priest, bishop, and prophet, Christ +Jesus, whom God commanded all to hear.” So when I had largely declared +the word of life unto them, for about three hours, I walked from amongst +the people, and they passed away very well satisfied. + +Among the rest a professor followed me, praising and commending me; but +his words were like a thistle to me. At last I turned about, and bid him +“fear the Lord:” whereupon priest Larkham, of COCKERMOUTH (for several +priests were got together on the way who came after the meeting was +over,) said to me, “Sir, why do you judge so; you must not judge.” But I +turned to him and said, “Friend, dost not thou discern an exhortation +from a judgment? I admonished him to fear God; and dost thou say I judge +him?” So this priest and I falling into discourse, I manifested him to +be amongst the false prophets and covetous hirelings. And several people +being moved to speak to him, he and two others of the priests soon got +away. When they were gone, John Wilkinson, who was preacher of that +parish, and of two other parishes in CUMBERLAND, began to dispute +against his own conscience for several hours, till the people generally +turned against him; for he thought to have tired me out, but the Lord’s +power tired him out, and the Lord’s truth came over him and them all. +Many hundreds were convinced that day, and received the Lord Jesus +Christ, and his free teaching, with gladness; of whom some have died in +the truth, and many stand faithful witnesses thereof. The soldiers also +were convinced, and their wives, and continued with me till First-day. + +On First-day I went to the steeple-house at COCKERMOUTH, where priest +Larkham lived. When he had done, I began to speak, and the people began +to be rude; but the soldiers told them we had broken no law, and they +became quiet. Then I turned to the priest, and laid him open among the +false prophets and hirelings; at which word the priest went his way, and +said, “He calls me hireling;” which was true enough, and all the people +knew it. Then some of the great men of the town came to me, and said, +“Sir, we have no learned men to dispute with you.” I told them I came +not to dispute, but to show the way of salvation to them, the way of +everlasting life. I declared largely the way of life and truth, and +directed them to Christ their Teacher, who had died for them, and bought +them with his blood. + +When I had done, I went about two miles to another great steeple-house +of John Wilkinson’s, called BRIGHAM; where the people, having been at +the other meeting, were mightily affected, and would have put my horse +into the steeple-house yard; but I said, “No, the priest claims that; +take him to an inn.” When I came into the steeple-house yard, I saw the +people coming in great companies, as to a fair; and abundance were +already gathered in the lanes, and about the steeple-house. I was very +thirsty, and walked about a quarter of a mile to a brook, where I got +some water, and refreshed myself. As I came up again, I met Wilkinson, +who as I passed by him said, “Sir, will you preach to-day? If you will,” +said he, “I will not oppose you in word or thought.” I replied, “Oppose +if thou wilt; I have something to speak to the people.” “And,” said I, +“thou carriedst thyself foolishly the other day, and spoke against thy +conscience and reason; insomuch that thy hearers cried out against +thee.” So I left him, and went on; for he saw it was in vain to oppose, +the people were so affected with the Lord’s truth. When I came into the +steeple-house yard, a professor came to me, and asked if I would not go +into the church as he called it. And I seeing no convenient place to +stand to speak to the people from, went in, and stood up on a seat after +they were settled. The priest came in also, but did not go up to his +pulpit. + +The Lord opened my mouth, and I declared his everlasting truth, and word +of life to the people; “directing them to the spirit of God in +themselves, by which they might know God and Christ, and the Scriptures, +and come to have heavenly fellowship in the Spirit. I declared to them, +that every one that cometh into the world, was enlightened by Christ the +life; by which light they might see their sins, and Christ, who was come +to save them from their sins, and died for them. And, if they came to +walk in this light, they might therein see Christ to be the author of +their faith, and the finisher thereof; their Shepherd to feed them, +their Priest to teach them, and their great Prophet to open divine +mysteries unto them, and to be always present with them. I explained +also unto them, in the openings of the Lord, the first covenant, +explaining to them the types, and the substance of those figures; and so +bringing them on to Christ, the new covenant. I also manifested unto +them, that there had been a night of apostacy since the apostles’ days; +but that now the everlasting gospel was preached again, which brought +life and immortality to light; and the day of the Lord was come, and +Christ was come to teach his people himself by his light, grace, power, +and Spirit.” A fine opportunity the Lord gave me to preach truth among +the people that day for about three hours; and all was quiet. Many +hundreds were convinced; and some of them praised God and said, “Now we +know the first step to peace.” The preacher also said privately to some +of his hearers, that I had broken them and overthrown them. + +After this I went to a village, and many people accompanied me. As I was +sitting in a house full of people, declaring the word of life unto them, +I cast mine eye upon a woman, and discerned an unclean spirit in her. +And I was moved of the Lord to speak sharply to her, and told her she +was a witch [under the influence of an unclean spirit]; whereupon she +went out of the room. Now, I being a stranger there, and knowing nothing +of the woman outwardly, the people wondered at it, and told me +afterwards that I had discovered a great thing; for all the country +looked upon her to be a witch. The Lord had given me a spirit of +discerning, by which I many times saw the states and conditions of +people, and could try their spirits. For not long before, as I was going +to a meeting, I saw some women in a field, and I discerned them to be +witches; and I was moved to go out of my way into the field to them, and +declare unto them their conditions. At another time there came such an +one into Swarthmore-hall in the meeting time; and I was moved to speak +sharply to her, and told her she was a witch [under the power of an evil +spirit]; and the people said afterwards she was generally accounted so. +There came also at another time another woman, and stood at a distance +from me, and I cast mine eye upon her, and said, “thou hast been a +harlot;” for I perfectly saw the condition and life of the woman. The +woman answered and said, many could tell her of her outward sins, but +none could tell her of her inward. Then I told her her heart was not +right before the Lord, and that from the inward came the outward. This +woman came afterwards to be convinced of God’s truth, and became a +Friend. + +From the aforesaid village we came up to Thomas Bewley’s, near CALDBECK; +and from thence, having had some service for the Lord there, I passed to +a town, where I had a meeting at the Cross; and all was pretty quiet. +When I had declared the truth unto them, and directed them to Christ +their teacher, some received the truth. We had another meeting upon the +borders, in a steeple-house yard, to which many professors and +contenders came; but the Lord’s power was over all; and when the word of +life had been declared amongst them, some received the truth there also. + +From thence we came to CARLISLE, and the pastor of the Baptists, with +most of his hearers, came to me to the abbey, where I had a meeting, and +declared the word of life amongst them; and many of the Baptists, and of +the soldiers, were convinced. After the meeting, the pastor of the +Baptists, a high notionist, and a flashy man, came to me, and asked me, +“what must be damned;” I was moved immediately to tell him, “that which +spoke in him was to be damned.” This stopped his mouth; and the witness +of God was raised up in him. I opened to him the states of election and +reprobation, so that he said he never heard the like in his life. He +also came afterwards to be convinced. + +Then I went up to the castle among the soldiers, who beat a drum, and +called the garrison together. I preached the truth amongst them, +“directing them to the Lord Jesus Christ to be their teacher, and to the +measure of his Spirit in themselves, by which they might be turned from +the darkness to the light, and from the power of Satan unto God. I +warned them all, that they should do no violence to any man, but should +show forth a Christian life; telling them, that he who was to be their +teacher, would be their condemner, if they were disobedient to him.” So +I left them, having no opposition from any of them except the sergeants, +who afterwards came to be convinced. + +On the market-day I went up into the market, to the market-cross. Now +the magistrates had both threatened and sent their serjeants; and the +magistrates’ wives had said that if I came there, they would pluck the +hair off my head; and that the serjeants should take me up. +Nevertheless, I obeyed the Lord God, and went upon the Cross, and there +declared unto them, that the day of the Lord was coming upon all their +deceitful ways and doings, and deceitful merchandize; and that they +should put away all cozening and cheating, and keep to yea and nay, and +speak the truth one to another; so the truth and the power of God was +set over them. After I had declared the word of life to the people, the +throng became so great that the serjeants could not get to me, nor the +magistrates’ wives come at me, I passed away quietly. Many people and +soldiers came to me, and some Baptists, that were bitter contenders; +amongst whom one of their deacons, being an envious man, and finding the +Lord’s power was over them, cried out for very anger. Whereupon I set my +eyes upon him, and spoke sharply to him in the power of the Lord; and he +cried, “Do not pierce me so with thy eyes; keep thy eyes off me.” + +On the First-day following I went into the steeple-house; and after the +priest had done, I preached the truth to the people, and declared the +word of life amongst them. The priest got away, and the magistrates +desired me to go out of the steeple-house. But I still declared the way +of the Lord unto them, and told them, “I came to speak the word of life +and salvation from the Lord amongst them.” The power of the Lord was +dreadful amongst them in the steeple-house, so that the people trembled +and shook, and they thought the steeple-house shook: and some of them +feared it would fall down on their heads. The magistrates’ wives were in +a rage, and strove mightily to be at me: but the soldiers and friendly +people stood thick about me. At length the rude people of the city rose, +and came with staves and stones into the steeple-house, crying, “Down +with these round-headed rogues;” and they threw stones. Whereupon the +governor sent a file or two of musketeers into the steeple-house, to +appease the tumult, and commanded all the other soldiers out. So those +soldiers took me by the hand in a friendly manner, and said they would +have me along with them. When we came forth into the street, the city +was in an uproar, and the governor came down; and some of those soldiers +were put in prison for standing by me, and for me, against the +town’s-people. A lieutenant, that had been convinced, came, and brought +me to his house, where there was a Baptists’ meeting, and thither came +Friends also, and we had a very quiet meeting; they heard the word of +life gladly, and many received it. + +The next day, the justices and magistrates of the town being gathered in +the townhall, they granted a warrant against me, and sent for me to come +before them. I was then gone to a Baptist’s house; but hearing of it, I +went up to the hall to them, where many rude people were; some of whom +had sworn strange, false things against me. I had much discourse with +the magistrates, wherein I laid open the fruits of their priests’ +preaching, and showed them how void they were of Christianity; and that, +though they were such great professors (for they were Independents and +Presbyterians,) they were without the possession of that which they +professed. After a large examination they committed me to prison as a +blasphemer, a heretic, and a seducer; though they could not justly +charge any such thing against me. The jail at CARLISLE had two jailers, +an upper and an under, who looked like two great bear-wards. Now when I +was brought in, the upper jailer had me up into a great chamber, and +told me, I should have what I would in that room. But I told him, he +should not expect any money from me, for I would neither lie in any of +his beds, nor eat any of his victuals. Then he put me into another room; +where after a while, I got something to lie upon. There I lay till the +assizes came; and then all the talk was, that I was to be hanged. The +high sheriff, whose name was Wilfred Lawson, stirred them much up to +take away my life; and said, he would guard me to my execution himself. +They were in a great rage, and set three musketeers for a guard upon me; +one at my chamber door, another at the stairs’ foot, and a third at the +street door; and they would let none come at me, except one sometimes, +to bring me some necessary things. At night they would bring up priests +to me, sometimes as late as the tenth hour; who were exceedingly rude +and devilish. There was a company of bitter Scotch priests, +Presbyterians, made up of envy and malice, who were not fit to speak of +the things of God, they were so foul-mouthed; but the Lord, by his +power, gave me dominion over them all, and I let them see both their +fruits and their spirits. Great ladies also (as they were called) came +to see the man that they said was to die. Now, while both the judge, +justices, and sheriff, were contriving together how they might put me to +death, the Lord disappointed their design by an unexpected way; for the +judge’s clerk (as I was informed,) started a question among them, which +confounded all their counsels; so that after that they had not power to +call me before the judge. + +Anthony Pearson being then in Carlisle, and perceiving that they did not +intend to bring me, as was expected, upon my trial, wrote a letter to +the judges, directed as follows:— + + TO THE JUDGES OF ASSIZE AND JAIL-DELIVERY FOR THE NORTHERN PARTS, + SITTING AT CARLISLE. + + “You are raised up to do righteousness and justice, and sent forth to + punish him that doth evil, and to encourage him that doth well, and to + set the oppressed free. I am therefore moved to lay before you the + condition of George Fox, whom the magistrates of this city have cast + into prison, for words that he is accused to have spoken, which they + call blasphemy. He was sent to the jail, till he should be delivered + by due course of law; and it was expected he should have been + proceeded against in the common-law court at this assizes. The + informations against him were delivered into court; and the act allows + and appoints that way of trial. How hardly and unchristianly he hath + been hitherto dealt with, I shall not now mention; but you may + consider, that nothing he is accused of is nice and difficult. And, to + my knowledge, he utterly abhors and detests every particular, which by + the act against blasphemous opinions, is appointed to be punished; and + differs as much from those people against whom the law was made, as + light from darkness. Though he is committed, judgment is not given + against him; nor have his accusers been face to face, to affirm before + him what they have informed against him; nor was he heard as to the + particulars of their accusations; nor doth it appear, that any word + they charge against him, is within the act. But, indeed, I could not + yet so much as see the information, no, not in court, though I desired + it, both of the clerk of the assizes and of the magistrates’ clerk; + nor hath he had a copy of them. This is very hard; and that he should + be so closely restrained, that his friends may not speak with him, I + know no law nor reason for. I do therefore claim for him a due and + lawful hearing, and that he may have a copy of his charge, and freedom + to answer for himself; and that rather before you, than to be left to + the rulers of this town, who are not competent judges of blasphemy, as + by their mittimus appears; who have committed him upon an act of + parliament, and mention words as spoken by him at his examination, + which are not within the act, and which he utterly denies. The words + mentioned in the mittimus he denies to have spoken; and hath neither + professed nor avowed them.” + + ANTHONY PEARSON. + +Notwithstanding this letter, the judges were resolved not to suffer me +to be brought before them; but reviling and scoffing at me behind my +back, left me to the magistrates of the town; giving them what +encouragement they could to exercise their cruelty upon me. Whereupon +(though I had been kept up so close in the jailer’s house that Friends +were not suffered to visit me, and Colonel Benson and Justice Pearson +were denied to see me,) the next day, after the judges were gone out of +town, an order was sent to the jailer to put me down into the dungeon +among the moss-troopers,[29] thieves, and murderers, which accordingly +he did. A filthy nasty place it was, where men and women were put +together in a very uncivil manner, and not even a house of convenience +to it; and the prisoners so lousy that one woman was almost eaten to +death with lice. Yet, as bad as the place was, the prisoners were all +made very loving and subject to me; and some of them were convinced of +the truth, as the publicans and harlots were of old; so that they were +able to confound any priest, that might come to the grates to dispute. +But the jailer was very cruel, and the under-jailer very abusive to me +and to Friends that came to see me; for he would beat Friends with a +great cudgel, that did but come to the window to look in upon me. I +could get up to the grate, where sometimes I took in my meat; at which +the jailer was often offended. One time he came in a great rage, and +beat me with a great cudgel, though I was not at the grate at that time; +and as he beat me, he cried, “Come out of the window,” though I was then +far enough from it. While he struck me, I was made to sing in the Lord’s +power; and that made him rage the more. Then he fetched a fiddler, and +brought him in where I was, and set him to play, thinking to vex me +thereby; but while he played, I was moved in the everlasting power of +the Lord God to sing; and my voice drowned the noise of the fiddle, and +struck and confounded them, and made them give over fiddling and go +their way. + +Footnote 29: + + Moss-troopers were the remnant of a kind of freebooters, who infested + the borders of England and Scotland in feudal times, making incursions + on each other, less for the purpose of contention in arms, than for + committing depredations on cattle and property. + +Justice Benson’s wife was moved of the Lord to come to visit me, and to +eat no meat but what she ate with me at the bars of the dungeon window. +She was afterwards herself imprisoned at YORK, when she was great with +child, for speaking to a priest; and was kept in prison, and not +suffered to go out, when the time of her travail was come; so she was +delivered of her child in the prison. She was an honest, tender woman, +and continued faithful to the truth until she died. + +Whilst I was in the dungeon at CARLISLE, James Parnell, a little lad of +about sixteen years of age, came to see me, and was convinced. And the +Lord quickly made him a powerful minister of the word of life, and many +were turned to Christ by him, though he lived not long: for, travelling +into ESSEX, in the work of the ministry, in the year 1655, he was +committed to COLCHESTER castle, where he endured very great hardships +and sufferings; being put by the cruel jailer into a hole in the castle +wall, called the oven, so high from the ground, that he went up to it by +a ladder; which being six feet too short, he was obliged to climb from +the ladder to the hole by a rope that was fastened above. And when +Friends would have given him a cord and a basket, to draw up his +victuals in, the inhuman jailer would not suffer them, but forced him to +go down and up by that short ladder and rope, to fetch his victuals, +(which for a long time he did), or else he might have famished in the +hole. At length, his limbs being much benumbed with lying in that place, +yet being constrained to go down to take up some victuals, as he came up +the ladder again with his victuals in one hand, and caught at the rope +with the other, he missed the rope, and fell down from a very great +height upon the stones; by which fall he was exceedingly wounded in his +head and arms, and his body was so much bruised, that he died in a short +time after.[30] When he was dead, the wicked professors, to cover their +own cruelty, wrote a book of him, and said, “he fasted himself to +death;” which was an abominable falsehood, and was manifested so to be +by another book, which was written in answer to that, and was called +“The Lamb’s Defence against Lies.” + +Footnote 30: + + James Parnell, according to the historian Sewell, was trained up in + the schools of literature. Though young, he became a valiant soldier + of the Lamb; + + “In age a stripling, but in service old;” + + and died a true martyr in a dungeon’s gloom. Particulars of his + barbarous treatment, and consequent death in jail, may be found in + Sewell’s _History_, vol. i., under date 1655; and fuller information + in his _Life_ by Callaway. In Barclay’s _Letters of early Friends_ is + one from James Parnell written from Colchester Castle, wherein he + says, “They have laboured to make my bonds grievous, but my strength + the Philistines know not: I am kept and nourished in the midst of mine + enemies; glory be to God the Highest, who hath counted me worthy to + bear the bonds of the gospel.” + +Now when I saw that I was not likely to be brought to a public hearing +and trial (although I had before answered in writing, the particular +matters charged against me, at the time of my first examination and +commitment), I was moved to send the following paper, as a public +challenge to all those that belied the truth and me behind my back, to +come forth and make good their charge:— + + “If any in Westmorland, or Cumberland, or elsewhere, that profess + Christianity, and pretend to love God and Christ, are not satisfied + concerning the things of God, which I, who am called George Fox, have + spoken and declared, let them declare and publish their + dissatisfaction in writing, and not back-bite, nor lie, nor persecute, + in secret: this I demand of you all in the presence of the living God, + as ye will answer it to him. For the exaltation of the truth, and the + confounding of deceit, is this given forth. To that of God in your + consciences I speak; declare or write your dissatisfaction to any of + them, whom you call Quakers, that truth may be exalted, and all may + come to the light, with which Christ has enlightened every one that + cometh into the world: that nothing may be hid in darkness, in + prisons, holes, or corners, but that all things may be brought to the + light of Christ, and by the light of Christ may be tried. This am I + moved of the Lord to write, and send forth to be set upon the + market-crosses in Westmorland, and elsewhere. To the light of Christ + in you I speak, that none of you may speak evil of the things of God, + which you know not; nor act contrary to the light, that gave forth the + Scriptures; lest you be found fighters against God, and the hand of + the Lord be turned against you.” + + G. F. + +While I thus lay in the dungeon at CARLISLE, the report raised at the +time of the assize, “that I should be put to death,” was gone far and +near; insomuch that the parliament then sitting (which, I think, was +called the Little Parliament), hearing, that a young man at CARLISLE was +to die for religion, caused a letter to be sent to the sheriff and +magistrates concerning me. About the same time I wrote also to the +justices at CARLISLE, that had cast me into prison, and that persecuted +Friends at the instigation of the priests for tithes; expostulating the +matter with them thus:— + + “FRIENDS, THOMAS CRASTON AND CUTHBERT STUDHOLM. + + “Your noise is gone up to London before the sober people. What + imprisoning, what gagging, what havoc and spoiling of the goods of + people have you made within these few years! Unlike men; as though you + had never read the Scriptures, or had not minded them! Is this the end + of Carlisle’s religion? is this the end of your ministry; and is this + the end of your church, and of your profession of Christianity? You + have shamed it by your folly, your madness, and blind zeal. Was it not + always the work of the blind guides, watchmen, leaders, and false + prophets, to prepare war against them that would not put into their + mouths? And have not you been the priests’ pack-horses, and + executioners? When they spur you up to bear the sword against the + just, do not you run on against the creatures, that cannot hold up + such as the Scriptures did always testify against? Yet will you lift + up your unholy hands, and call upon God with your polluted lips, and + pretend a fast, who are full of strife and debate. Did your hearts + never burn within you? Did you never come to question your conditions? + Are you wholly given up to do the Devil’s lusts, to persecute? Where + is your loving of enemies? Where is your entertaining of strangers? + Where is your overcoming evil with good? Where are your teachers that + can stop the mouths of gainsayers, and can convince gainsayers and + such as oppose themselves? Have you no ministers of the Spirit, no + soldiers with spiritual weapons displaying Christ’s colours? But all + the dragon’s, the murderer’s, the persecutor’s arm of flesh; Cain’s + weapons, chief priests taking counsel; Judas and the multitude with + swords and staves; Sodom’s company raging about Lot’s house; like the + priests and princes against Jeremiah; like the dragon, beast, and + great whore, and the false church, which John saw, should cast into + prison, and kill, and persecute? Whose weapons are you bearing? Doth + not the false church make merchandise of cattle, corn, wine, and oil, + even to the very souls of men? And hath not all this been since the + true church went into the wilderness? Read Revelations the xiith, with + the xviiith: do you not read and see what a spirit you are of, and + what a bottomless pit you are in? And have not you dishonoured the + place of justice and authority? What! turned your sword backward like + madmen, who are a praise to the evil-doer, and would be a terror to + the good, with all force and might to stop the way of justice! Doth + not the Lord, think you, behold your actions? How many have you + wronged? how many have you imprisoned and persecuted, and put out of + your synagogues? Are you they that must fulfil the prophecy of Christ, + Matt. xxiii. John xvi.? + + “Read the Scriptures, and see how unlike you are to the prophets, + Christ, and his apostles; and what a visage you have, like unto them + that persecuted the prophets, Christ, and the apostles. You are found + in their steps, wrestling with flesh and blood, and not with + principalities, and powers, and spiritual wickedness, and your + teachers imprisoning and persecuting for outward things, you being + their executioners; the like whereof hath not been in all the nations. + The havoc that hath been made, the spoiling of the goods of people, + taking away their oxen and fatted beeves, their sheep, corn, wool, and + household goods, and giving them to the priests, that have done no + work for them; more like moss-troopers than ministers of the gospel, + they take them from Friends; sueing them in your courts, and fining + them because they will not break the commands of Christ; that is, + because they will not swear. Thus you act against them that do not + lift up a hand against you; and as much as you turn against them you + turn against Christ. But he is risen that will plead their cause, and + you cannot be hid; for your works are come to light, and the end of + your ministry is seen, what it is for—for means. You have dishonoured + the truth, the gospel, and are they that make it chargeable. You have + lost your glory. You have dishonoured yourselves. Persecution was ever + blind and mad. Read the apostle, what he saith of himself, when he was + in your nature. Exaltation and pride, and your lifting up yourselves, + hath brought you to this; not being humble, not doing justice, not + loving mercy. When such as have been beaten and bruised by your rude + company, to whom you are a praise and encouragement, have come, and + laid things before you, that you might do justice, preserve and keep + peace, you, knowing they could not swear, have put an oath to them. + This hath been your trick and cover, that ye might not do justice to + the just; but by this means you have gone on still further to + encourage the evil-doer. But the Lord sees your hearts! If ye were not + men past feeling, ye would fear and tremble before the God of the + whole earth, who is risen and will stain your glory, mar your pride, + deface your beauty, and lay it in the dust. Though for a time you may + swell in your pride, glory in your shame, and make a mock of God’s + messengers, who for reproving sin in the gate, are become your prey, + you will feel the heavy hand of God, and his judgments at the last. + + “This is from a lover of the truth, and of righteousness, and of your + souls; but a witness against all such as make a trade of the + prophets’, Christ’s, and the Apostles’ words, and are found in the + steps of them that persecuted the prophets’, Christ’s, and the + Apostles’ life; who will persecute them, that will not hold you up, + and put into your mouths, and give you means. Tithes were before the + law, and tithes were in the law; but tithes, since the days of the + apostles, have been only since the false church got up. Now Christ, + who is come to end the law, and to end war, redeems men out of the + tenths, and out of the nines also. The redeemed of the Lord shall + reign upon the earth, and know the election, which was before the + world began. Since the days of the apostles, tithes have been set up + by the Papists, and by them that went forth from the apostles into the + world; so set up by the false church, that made merchandise of people, + since the true church went into the wilderness. But now is the + judgment of the great whore come, and the beast and false prophet, the + old dragon, shall be taken and cast in the fire, and the Lamb and his + saints shall have the victory. Now is Christ come, who will make war + in righteousness, and destroy with the sword of his mouth all these + inventors and inventions, that have got up, and been set up since the + days of the apostles, and since the true church went into the + wilderness. And the everlasting gospel, which is the power of God, + shall be preached again to all nations, and kindreds and tongues, in + this the Lamb’s day, before whom you shall appear to judgment. You + have no way to escape. For He hath appeared, who is ‘the First and the + Last, the beginning and the ending, the Alpha and the Omega; He that + was dead, is alive again, and lives for evermore!’” + +I mentioned before that Gervase Benson and Anthony Pearson, though they +had been justices of the peace, were not permitted to come to me in the +prison; whereupon they jointly wrote a letter to the magistrates, +priests, and people at CARLISLE, concerning my imprisonment; which was +thus:— + + “Him, who is called George Fox, who is persecuted by rulers and + magistrates, by justices, by priests, and by people, and who suffers + imprisonment of his body at this present, as a blasphemer, and a + heretic, and a seducer, him do we witness, who in measure are made + partakers of the same life, that lives in him, to be a minister of the + eternal Word of God, by whom the everlasting gospel is preached; by + the powerful preaching whereof the eternal Father of the saints hath + opened the blind eyes, hath unstopped the deaf ears, hath let the + oppressed go free, and hath raised up the dead out of the graves. + Christ is now preached in and among the saints, the same that ever he + was; and because his heavenly image is borne up in this his faithful + servant, therefore doth fallen man (rulers, priests, and people) + persecute him. Because he lives up out of the fall, and testifies + against the works of the world, that the deeds thereof are evil, he + suffers by you magistrates; not as an evil-doer. For thus it was ever, + where the seed of God was kept in prison under the cursed nature, that + nature sought to imprison them in whom it was raised. The Lord will + make him to you as a burdensome stone; for the sword of the spirit of + the Almighty is put into the hands of the saints, which shall wound + all the wicked, and shall not be put up till it hath cut down all + corrupt judges, justices, magistrates, priests, and professors; till + he hath brought his wonderful thing to pass in the earth; which is to + make new heavens and a new earth, wherein shall dwell righteousness; + which now he is about to do. Therefore fear the Lord God Almighty, ye + judges, justices, commanders, priests, and people; ye that forget God, + suddenly will the Lord come, and destroy you with utter destruction, + and will sweep your names out of the earth, and will restore his + people judges, as at the first, and counsellors, as at the beginning. + And all persecutors shall partake of the plagues of the whore, who + hath made the kings of the earth and the great men drunk with the wine + of her fornications, and hath drunk the blood of the saints; and + therefore shall you be partakers of her plagues. + + “We are not suffered to see our friend in prison, whom we witness to + be a messenger of the living God. Now all people, consider whether + this be according to law, or from the wicked, perverse, envious will + of the envious rulers and magistrates, who are of the same generation + that persecuted Jesus Christ; for, said he, ‘as they have done to me, + so will they do to you.’ And as he took the love, the kindness, and + service that was showed and performed to any of his afflicted ones in + their sufferings and distress, as done unto himself, so the injuries + and wrongs that were done by any to any of his little ones, he + resented, as done unto himself also. Therefore you, who are so far + from visiting him yourselves in his suffering servant, that ye will + not suffer his brethren to visit him, ye must depart, ye workers of + iniquity, into the lake that burns with fire. The Lord is coming to + thrash the mountains, and will beat them to dust; and all corrupt + rulers, corrupt officers, and corrupt laws, the Lord will take + vengeance on, by which the tender consciences of his people are + oppressed. He will give his people his law, and will judge his people + himself, not according to the sight of the eye, and hearing of the + ear, but with righteousness, and with equity. Now are your hearts made + manifest to be full of envy against the living truth of God, which is + made manifest in his people, who are contemned and dispised of the + world, and scornfully called Quakers. You are worse than the heathens, + that put Paul in prison, for none of his friends or acquaintance were + hindered to come to him by them; therefore they shall be witnesses + against you. Ye are made manifest to the saints, to be of the same + generation that put Christ to death, and that put the apostles in + prison on the same pretence that you act under, in calling truth + error, and the ministers of God blasphemers, as they did. But the day + is dreadful and terrible, that shall come upon you, ye evil + magistrates, priests and people, who profess the truth in words + outwardly, and yet persecute the power of truth, and them that stand + in and for the truth. While ye have time prize it, and remember what + is written, Isa. liv. 17.” + + GERVASE BENSON. + ANTHONY PEARSON. + +Not long after this, the Lord’s power came over the justices, and they +were made to set me at liberty. But some time previous, the governor, +and Anthony Pearson, came down into the dungeon to see the place where I +was kept, and understand what usage I had. They found the place so bad, +and the savour so ill, that they cried shame on the magistrates for +suffering the jailer to do such things. They called for the jailers into +the dungeon, and required them to find sureties for their good +behaviour; and the under-jailer who had been such a cruel fellow, they +put into the dungeon with me, amongst the moss-troopers. + +After I was set at liberty, I went to Thomas Bewley’s, where came a +Baptist teacher to oppose me; but he was convinced. Robert Widders being +with me, was moved to go to CALDBECK steeple-house, and the Baptist +teacher went along with him the same day. The people fell upon them, and +almost killed Robert Widders; and took the Baptist’s sword from him and +beat him sorely. This Baptist had the inheritance of an impropriation of +tithes; and he went home, and gave it up freely. Robert Widders was sent +to CARLISLE jail, where having lain a while, he was set at liberty +again.[31] William Dewsbury also went to another steeple-house hard by, +and the people almost killed him, they beat him so; but the Lord’s power +was over all, and healed him again. In that day many Friends went into +the steeple-houses, to declare the truth to the priests and people, and +great sufferings they underwent; but the Lord’s power sustained them. + +Footnote 31: + + Robert Widders is often mentioned in this Journal, having travelled + with George Fox in Scotland, as also in many parts of America. They + went through great perils by sea and land, in the wilderness and in + woods, in danger of wild beasts; yet through all the Lord supported + him, and kept him faithful to the end. He was valiant for God’s truth, + establishing many in the faith. He was a great sufferer from + persecutors; once, at Caldbeck, he was thrown down on the ground, and + kicked and beaten so cruelly, that blood gushed out of his mouth, and + he was supposed to be dead. At Lamplugh, his clothes were torn on his + back, and the hair from off his head; and at Bishop-Auckland, he was + stoned and sorely bruised. His cattle, corn, and household goods were + also swept away by wholesale, yet he was not at all dejected or + concerned, knowing well for what he suffered. He was much resigned + during his last sickness, often saying on his death-bed, “his heart + was filled with the love of God;” and he departed this life in great + peace in 1686, aged sixty-eight years. + +Now I went into the country, and had mighty great meetings. The +everlasting gospel and word of life flourished, and thousands were +turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, and to his teaching. Several that had +taken tithes, as impropriators, denied the receiving of them any longer, +and delivered them up freely to the parishioners. Passing into +WESTMORLAND, I had many great meetings. At STRICKLAND-HEAD I had a large +meeting, where a justice of peace out of Bishoprick, whose name was +Henry Draper, came, and many contenders were there. The priests and +magistrates were in a great rage against me in WESTMORLAND, and had a +warrant to apprehend me, which they renewed from time to time, for a +long time; yet the Lord did not suffer them to serve it upon me. I +travelled on amongst Friends, visiting the meetings till I came to +SWARTHMORE, where I heard that the Baptists and professors in Scotland +had sent to have a dispute with me. I sent them word, that I would meet +them in CUMBERLAND, at Thomas Bewley’s house, whither accordingly I +went, but none of them came. + +Some dangers at this time I underwent in my travels; for at one time, as +we were passing from a meeting, and going through WIGTON on a +market-day, the people of the town had set a guard with pitch-forks; and +although some of their own neighbours were with us, they kept us out of +the town, and would not let us pass through it, under the pretence of +preventing the sickness; though there was no occasion for any such +thing. However, they fell upon us, and had like to have spoiled us and +our horses; but the Lord restrained them, that they did not much hurt; +and we passed away. Another time, as I was passing between two Friends’ +houses, some rude fellows lay in wait in a lane, and exceedingly stoned +and abused us; but at last, through the Lord’s assistance, we got +through them, and had not much hurt. But this showed the fruits of the +priest’s teaching, which shamed their profession of Christianity. + +After I had visited Friends in that county, I went through the county +into DURHAM, having large meetings by the way. A very large one I had at +Anthony Pearson’s, where many were convinced. From thence I passed +through NORTHUMBERLAND to DERWENT-WATER, where there were great +meetings; and the priests threatened that they would come, but none +came. The everlasting word of life was freely preached, and freely +received; and many hundreds were turned to Christ, their teacher. + +In NORTHUMBERLAND many came to dispute, of whom some pleaded against +perfection: unto whom I declared, “that Adam and Eve were perfect before +they fell; and all that God made was perfect; and that the imperfection +came by the Devil, and the fall; but Christ, that came to destroy the +Devil, said, ‘Be ye perfect.’” One of the professors alleged that Job +said, “Shall mortal man be more pure than his Maker? The heavens are not +clean in his sight. God charged his angels with folly.” But I showed him +his mistake, and let him see, “that it was not Job that said so, but one +of those that contended against Job; for Job stood for perfection, and +held his integrity: and they were called miserable comforters.” Then +these professors said, the outward body was the body of death and sin. I +showed them their mistake in that also; for “Adam and Eve had each of +them an outward body, before the body of death and sin got into them; +and that man and woman will have bodies, when the body of sin and death +is put off again; when they are renewed up into the image of God again +by Christ Jesus, which they were in before they fell.” So they ceased at +that time from opposing further; and glorious meetings we had in the +Lord’s power. + +Then we passed on to HEXHAM, where we had a great meeting at the top of +a hill. The priest threatened he would come, and oppose us, but he came +not; so that all was quiet; and the everlasting day, and renowned truth +of the ever-living God was sounded over those dark countries, and his +Son exalted over all. It was proclaimed amongst the people that “the day +was now come, wherein all that made a profession of the Son of God, +might receive him; and that to as many as would receive him, he would +give power to become the sons of God, as he had done to me.” And it was +further declared, that “he that had the Son of God, had life eternal; +but that he that had not the Son of God (though he professed all the +Scriptures, from the first of Genesis to the last of the Revelations), +had not life.” After all were directed to the light of Christ, by which +they might see him and receive him, and know where their true teacher +was, and the everlasting truth had been largely declared amongst them, +we passed away through HEXHAM peaceably, and came to GILSLAND, a country +noted for thieving. + +Here a Friend seeing the priest, went to speak to him; whereupon the +latter came down to our inn, and the town’s-people gathered about us. +The priest said, he would prove us deceivers out of the Bible, but could +find no Scripture for his purpose. Then he went into the inn; and after +a while came out again, and brought some broken sentences of Scripture, +that mention “the doctrines and commandments of men, &c., and, touch +not, taste not, &c., for they perish with the using.” All which, poor +man! was his own condition; whereas we were persecuted, because we would +not taste, nor touch, nor handle their doctrines and traditions, which +we knew perished with the using. I asked him what he called the +steeple-house? “O,” said he, “the dreadful house of God, the temple of +God.” Then I showed him, and the poor dark people, that their bodies +should be the temples of God; and that Christ never commanded these +temples, but ended that temple at Jerusalem, which God had commanded. +While I was speaking, the priest got away; and afterwards the people +appeared as if they feared we would take their purses, or steal their +horses; judging us like themselves, who are naturally given to thieving. + +The next day we came through the country into CUMBERLAND again, where we +had a general meeting of many thousands of people at the top of a hill +near LANGLANDS. A glorious and heavenly meeting it was; for the glory of +the Lord did shine over all; and there were as many as one could well +speak over, the multitude was so great. Their eyes were fixed on Christ +their teacher; and they came to sit under their own vine; insomuch that +Francis Howgill, coming afterwards to visit them, found they had no need +of words; for they were sitting under their teacher Christ Jesus; in the +sense whereof, he sat down amongst them, without speaking anything. A +great convincement there was in CUMBERLAND, DURHAM, NORTHUMBERLAND, +WESTMORLAND, LANCASHIRE, and YORKSHIRE; and the plants of God grew, and +flourished, the heavenly rain descending, and God’s glory shining upon +them, so that many mouths were opened by the Lord to his praise; yea, to +babes and sucklings he ordained strength. + + + + + CHAPTER VII. + +1653-1654.—George Fox disputes most of the day with priest + Wilkinson—many Friends lose their business for declining the world’s + salutations, but afterwards their tried faithfulness and integrity + procure them more than their neighbours—George Fox issues an address + to Friends everywhere—two persecuting justices at Carlisle are cut + off, and a third disgraced—George Fox passes through Halifax, a rude + town of professors—at Synderhill-Green he has a mighty meeting of + some thousands, and there was a general convincement—about sixty + ministers are now raised up in the north, to travel towards the + south, the east, and the west, in Truth’s service—George Fox’s + address to Friends in the ministry—Rice Jones and many other false + prophets rise up against Friends and are blasted—a wicked man binds + himself with an oath to kill George Fox, but is prevented—great + convincement in Lincolnshire—at Swannington George Fox has much + controversy with professors—has a great dispute with priest Stevens, + and seven other priests at Drayton—his father being present was + convinced, and said, “Truly I see he that will but stand to the + truth, it will carry him out”—Priest Stevens propagates lies + respecting George Fox, which the Lord swept away—is taken before + Colonel Hacker, who sends him to the Protector—speaks prophetically + to the Colonel—has a friendly conference with the Protector—is + dismissed by him very friendly—refuses his entertainment—Captain + Drury scoffs at trembling, but is made to tremble in a remarkable + manner—George Fox prays with some officers, who are greatly shaken + by the Lord’s power—priests and professors greatly disturbed because + many of their people are convinced, and moved to declare against the + rest. + + +After my release from CARLISLE prison, I was moved to go to priest +Wilkinson’s steeple-house again at BRIGHAM; and being got in before him, +when he came in, I was declaring the truth to the people, though they +were but few; for the most and the best of his hearers were turned to +Christ’s free teaching; and we had a meeting of Friends hard by, where +Thomas Stubbs was declaring the word of life amongst them. As soon as +the priest came in, he opposed me; and there we stayed most part of the +day; for when I began, he opposed me; so if any law was broken, he broke +it. When his people would be haling me out, I manifested his fruits to +be such, as Christ spoke of, when he said, “they shall hale you out of +their synagogues;” and then he would be ashamed, and they would let me +alone. There he stood till it was almost night, jangling and opposing +me, and would not go to his dinner; for he thought to weary me out. But +at last, the Lord’s power and truth came so over him, that he packed +away with his people. When he was gone, I went to the meeting of +Friends, who were turned to the Lord, and by his power established on +Christ, the rock and foundation of the true prophets and apostles, but +not of the false. + +About this time the priests and professors fell to prophesying against +us afresh. They had said long before, that we should be destroyed within +a month; and after that, they prolonged the time to half-a-year; but +that time being long expired, and we mightily increased in number, they +now gave forth, that we would eat out one another. For often after +meetings, many tender people having a great way to go, tarried at +Friends’ houses by the way, and sometimes more than there were beds to +lodge in; so that some have lain on the hay-mows; hereupon Cain’s fear +possessed the professors and world’s people. For they were afraid, that +when we had eaten one another out, we would all come to be maintained by +the parishes, and be chargeable to them. But after a while, when they +saw that the Lord blessed and increased Friends, as he did Abraham, both +in the field and in the basket, at their goings forth, and comings in, +at their risings up and lyings down, and that all things prospered with +them; then they saw the falseness of all their prophesies against us; +and that it was in vain to curse, where God had blessed. + +At the first convincement, when Friends could not put off their hats to +people, or say You to a single person, but Thou and Thee;—when they +could not bow, or use flattering words in salutations, or adopt the +fashions and customs of the world, many Friends, that were tradesmen of +several sorts, lost their customers at first; for the people were shy of +them, and would not trade with them; so that for a time some Friends +could hardly get money enough to buy bread. But afterwards, when people +came to have experience of Friends’ honesty and faithfulness, and found +that their yea was yea, and their nay was nay; that they kept to a word +in their dealings, and that they would not cozen and cheat them; but +that if they sent a child to their shops for anything, they were as well +used as if they had come themselves; the lives and conversation of +Friends did preach, and reached to the witness of God in the people. +Then things altered so, that all the inquiry was, “where is there a +draper, or shopkeeper, or tailor, or shoemaker, or any other tradesman, +that is a Quaker?” Insomuch that Friends had more trade than many of +their neighbours, and if there was any trading, they had a great part of +it. Then the envious professors altered their note, and began to cry +out, “if we let these Quakers alone, they will take the trade of the +nation out of our hands.” This has been the Lord’s doing to and for his +people! which my desire is, that all, who profess his holy truth, may be +kept truly sensible of, and that all may be preserved, in and by his +power and Spirit, faithful to God and man; first to God, in obeying him +in all things; and then in doing unto all men, that which is just and +righteous, to all men and women, in all things, that they have to do or +deal with them in; that the Lord God may be glorified in their +practising truth, holiness, godliness, and righteousness, amongst people +in all their lives and conversation. + +Friends being now grown very numerous in the northern parts of the +nation, and many young-convinced ones coming daily in among us, I was +moved of the Lord to write the following epistle, and send it forth +amongst them, in order to stir up the pure mind, and raise a holy care +and watchfulness in them over themselves, and one another, for the +honour of truth:— + + “_To you all, Friends everywhere, scattered abroad_. + + “In the measure of the life of God, wait for wisdom from God, even + from him, from whom it comes. And all ye, who are children of God, + wait for living food from the living God, to be nourished up to + eternal life, from the one fountain, from whence life comes; that ye + may all be guided and walk in order; servants in your places, young + men and women in your places, and rulers of families; that every one, + in your respective places, may adorn the truth, in the measure of it. + With it let your minds be kept up to the Lord Jesus, from whom it + comes, that ye may be a sweet savour to God, and in wisdom ye may all + be ordered and ruled;—that a crown and a glory ye may be one to + another in the Lord. And that no strife, bitterness, or self-will, may + appear amongst you; but with the Light, in which is unity, all these + may be condemned. And that every one in particular, may see to, and + take care of, the ordering and ruling of his own family; that in + righteousness and wisdom it may be governed, the fear and dread of the + Lord being set in every one’s heart; that the secrets of the Lord + every one may come to receive; that stewards of his grace you may come + to be, to dispense it to every one as they have need; and so in + savouring and right discerning you may all be kept; that nothing, that + is contrary to the pure life of God, may be brought forth in you, or + among you; but all that is contrary to it, may be judged by it; so + that in light, in life, and love, ye may all live, and all that is + contrary to the light, and life, and love, may be brought to judgment, + and by that light condemned. And that no fruitless trees be among you; + but all cut down and condemned by the light, and cast into the fire; + so that every one may bear and bring forth fruit unto God, and grow + fruitful in his knowledge, and in his wisdom; and that none may appear + in words beyond what they are in the life, that gave forth the words. + Here none shall be as the untimely figs; none shall be of those trees + whose fruit withers; such go in Cain’s way, from the light, and by it + are condemned. + + “Let none amongst you boast yourselves above your measure; for if you + do, out of God’s kingdom you are excluded; for in that boasting part + gets up the pride, and the strife, which is contrary to the light, + that leads to the kingdom of God, and gives an entrance thereinto, and + an understanding to know the things that belong to the kingdom of God. + There the light and life of man every one receives, even Him who was, + before the world was, by whom it was made, who is the righteousness of + God, and his wisdom; to whom all glory, honour, thanks, and praise + belong, who is God blessed for ever. Let no image or likeness be made; + but wait in the light, which will bring condemnation on that part that + would make the images; for that prisons the just. So to the lust yield + not the eye, nor the flesh; for the pride of life stands in that which + keeps out the love of the Father; and upon which his judgments and + wrath remain, where the love of the world is sought after, and a crown + that is mortal. In this ground the evil enters, which is cursed; which + brings forth briars and thorns, where death reigns, and tribulation + and anguish are upon every soul, and the Egyptian tongue is heard; all + which is by the light condemned. There the earth is, which must be + removed; by the light it is seen, and by the power it is removed, and + out of its place it is shaken; to which the thunders utter their + voices, before the mysteries of God be opened, and Jesus revealed. + Therefore all ye whose minds are turned to this light, wait upon the + Lord Jesus for the crown that is immortal, and that fadeth not away.” + + G. F. + + “This is to be sent amongst all Friends in the truth, the flock of + God, to be read at their meetings.” + +While Friends abode in the northern parts, a priest of WREXHAM, in +Wales, whose name was Morgan Floyd, having heard reports concerning us, +sent two of his congregation into the North to inquire concerning us, to +try us, and bring him an account of us. But when these triers came down +amongst us, the power of the Lord overcame them, and they were both +convinced of the truth. So they stayed some time with us, and then +returned to Wales; where afterwards one of them departed from his +convincement; but the other, whose name was John-ap-John, abode in the +truth, and received a part in the ministry, in which he continued +faithful. + +Now were the priests greatly disturbed at NEWCASTLE, at KENDAL, and in +most of the northern counties. There being one Gilpin, that had +sometimes come amongst us at KENDAL, and soon run out from the truth +into vain imaginations, the priests made what evil use they could of him +against us; but the Lord’s power confounded them all. And the Lord God +cut off two of the persecuting justices at CARLISLE; and the other, +after a time, was turned out of his place, and left the town. + +About this time the oath or engagement to OLIVER CROMWELL, was tendered +to the soldiers; many of whom were disbanded, because, in obedience to +Christ, they could not swear. John Stubbs was one, who was convinced +when I was in CARLISLE prison, and became a good soldier in the Lamb’s +war, and a faithful minister of Christ Jesus, travelling much in the +service of the Lord in Holland, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Egypt, and +America. And the Lord’s power preserved him out of the hands of the +Papists, though many times he was in great danger of the Inquisition. +But some of the soldiers who had been convinced, but had not come into +obedience to the truth, took Cromwell’s oath; and going afterwards into +Scotland, and coming before a garrison there, the garrison thinking they +had been enemies, fired at them, and killed many of them; which was a +sad judgment. + +When the churches were settled in the North, and Friends were sat down +under Christ’s teaching, and the glory of the Lord shone over them, I +passed from SWARTHMORE to LANCASTER (about the beginning of the year +1654,) and so through the counties, visiting Friends till I came to +SYNDERHILL-GREEN,[32] where a meeting was appointed three weeks before; +leaving the North fresh and green, under Christ their teacher. But +before I came to SYNDERHILL-GREEN, we passed through HALIFAX, a rude +town of professors, and came to one, Thomas Taylor’s, who had been a +captain, where we met with some janglers; but the Lord’s power was over +all; for I travelled in the motion of God’s power. When I came to +SYNDERHILL-GREEN, there was a mighty meeting, some thousands of people +(as it was supposed). Many persons of note were there, as captains and +other officers; and there was a general convincement; for the Lord’s +power and truth was over all, and there was no opposition. + +Footnote 32: + + Near Handsworth Woodhouse, Yorkshire. + +About this time did the Lord move upon the spirits of many, whom he had +raised up, and sent forth to labour in his vineyard, to travel +southwards, and spread themselves, in the service of the gospel, to the +eastern, southern, and western parts of the nation; as Francis Howgill +and Edward Burrough to LONDON; John Camm and John Audland to BRISTOL; +Richard Hubberthorn and George Whitehead[33] towards NORWICH; Thomas +Holmes[34] into Wales, and others different ways; for above sixty +ministers had the Lord raised up, and now sent abroad out of the North +country. The sense of their service being very weighty upon me, I was +moved to give forth the following paper:— + + “_To Friends in the Ministry._ + + “All Friends everywhere, Know the Seed of God, which bruiseth the seed + of the serpent, and is above the seed of the serpent; which Seed sins + not, but bruiseth the serpent’s head, that doth sin, and tempts to + sin; which Seed God’s promise and God’s blessing is to; and which is + one in the male and in the female. Where it is head, and hath bruised + the head of the other, to the beginning you are come; and the younger + is known, and he that is servant to the younger. And the promise of + God, which is to the Seed, is fulfilled and fulfilling; the Scriptures + come to be opened and owned; the flesh of Christ known, who took upon + him the seed of Abraham according to the flesh; and the everlasting + priesthood known, the everlasting covenant. Christ takes upon him the + seed of Abraham, and is a priest after the order of Melchizedek; + without father, without mother, without beginning of days (mark) or + end of life; this is the priest that ever lives; the covenant of life, + of light and peace. And the everlasting offering here is known once + for all, which offering overthrows that nature which offered; out of + which the priesthood arose, that could not continue by reason of + death. And here is the other offering known, the everlasting offering + which perfects for ever them that are sanctified; which offering + blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances, triumphs over them, and + ascends above all principalities and powers. + + “Now he that hath the Spirit of Jesus, sees this; and here is the love + of God received, that doth not rejoice in iniquity, but leads to + repent of it. This is the word of the Lord God to you all, Friends + everywhere scattered abroad, Know the power of God in one another, and + in that rejoice; for then you rejoice in the cross of Christ, who is + not of the world; which cross is the power of God to all them that are + saved. You, that know the power, and feel the power, you feel the + cross of Christ, you feel the gospel, which is the power of God unto + salvation to every one that believeth. Now, he that believes in the + light, believes in the everlasting covenant, in the one offering; + comes to the life of the prophets and Moses; comes to see Christ the + hope, the mystery, which hope perisheth not, but lets you see the hope + that perisheth, which is not that mystery; and the expectation in that + perishing hope fades. Where this never-failing hope is witnessed, the + Lord comes to be sanctified in the heart, and you come to the + beginning, to Christ the hope, which perisheth not; but the other + hope, and the other expectation perisheth. So all of you, know the + perishing of the other, and the failing of the expectation therein; + and know that which perisheth not; that you may be ready to give a + reason of this hope with meekness and fear, to every man that asketh + you. Christ the hope, the mystery, that perisheth not; the end of all + perishing things, the end of all changeable things, the end of the + decaying covenant, the end of that which waxeth old and doth decay; + the end of the first covenant, of Moses, and of the prophets; the + righteousness of God, Christ Jesus the Son; his throne ye will know, + heirs with him ye will be; who makes his children kings and priests to + him, and brings them to know his throne and his power. + + “There is no justification out of the light, out of Christ; + justification is in the light in Christ; here is the doer of the will + of God, here is the entering into the kingdom. He that believes in the + light, becomes a child of light; and here the wisdom is received that + is justified of her children. Here believing in the light, you shall + not abide in darkness, but shall have the light of life; and come + every one to witness the light that shines in your hearts, which light + will give you the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the + face of Jesus Christ. With which light you will see him reign, who is + the prince of life and of peace; which light turns from him, that is + out of the truth, and abode not in it; where the true peace is not. + + “Friends, be not hasty; for he that believes in the light, makes not + haste. Here the grace is received, by which you come to be saved; the + election is known, which obtains the promise; the will is seen that + wills; the mind is known that runs and obtains not, but stops and + becomes dull. Now, that with the light being seen, and judged, and + stopped, the patience is here known which obtains the crown, and the + immortality is come to light. So all they now that act contrary to the + light, and do not believe in it, do not come to justification. And, + all Friends, if you go from the light, from wanting to have the + promise of God fulfilled to the Seed, whereby you may know Christ to + reign, you thereby bring on yourselves changeable garments, and come + to wear the changeable garments, and the strange flesh, which leads to + adultery, which the law goes upon, which shuts out of the kingdom: and + out of this will doth proceed the work or building, that is for the + fire; whereby you may come to suffer loss. Therefore love the light, + which doth condemn that, and receive the power from the Lord, with + which you stand over that, and condemn it: feeling and seeing that + which gives you the victory over the world, and to see out of time, to + before time. + + “Again Friends, know Abraham, that must obey the voice of Sarah, that + bears seed; which casts forth the bondwoman and her son: do not go + forth, there will the wildness lodge. Know that which bears the wild + son, and its mother, who is not Sarah; for the promise is to the Seed, + not of many, but one, which seed is Christ: and this Seed now you come + to witness stands above all, yea, on the head of the serpent. And so + all, as I said before, who come to feel and witness this, come to the + beginning; and this to all the seed of God, the church, that it you + all may come to know, where there is no blemish, nor spot, nor + wrinkle, nor any such thing. This is that which is purchased by the + blood of Jesus, and to the Father presented out of all that defiles; + which is the pillar and ground of truth. None come to this, but such + as come to the light of Christ, who purchased this church. They who go + from the light are shut out and condemned, though they profess all the + Scriptures declared from it. Therefore walk in the light, that you may + have fellowship with the Son, and with the Father; and come all to + witness his image, his power, and his law, which is his light; which + hath converted your souls, and brought them to submit to the higher + power, above that which is out of the truth: that you may know here + the mercy and truth, and the faith that works by love, which Christ is + the author of, who lighteth every one of you; which faith gives the + victory. Now that which gives the victory is perfect; and that which + the ministers of God received from God, is that which is perfect; and + that which they are to minister is for the perfecting of the saints, + till they all come in the unity of the faith unto a perfect man. This + is the word of the Lord God to you all; every one in the measure of + life wait, that with it all your minds may be guided up to the Father + of life, the Father of Spirits; to receive power from him, and wisdom, + that with it you may be ordered to his glory; to whom be all glory for + ever! All keep in the light and life, that judgeth down that which is + contrary to the light and life. So the Lord God Almighty be with you + all. And keep your meetings everywhere, being guided by that of God; + by that you may see the Lord God among you, even him who lighteth + every man that cometh into the world: by whom the world was made; that + men, who are come into the world, might believe. He that believeth + not, the light condemns him: he that believeth, cometh out of + condemnation. So this light, which lighteth every man that cometh into + the world, and which they that hate it stumble at, is the light of + men. + + “All Friends, that speak in public, see that it be in the life of God; + for that begets to God: the fruits of that shall never wither. This + sows to the Spirit, which is in prison, and of the Spirit reaps life; + and the other sows to the flesh, and of the flesh reaps corruption. + And this you may see all the world over, amongst these seeds-men, what + may be reaped in the field, that is, the world. Therefore in the + Spirit of the Lord God wait, which cuts down and casts out all this, + the root and branches of it. In that wait to receive power, and the + Lord God Almighty preserve you in it; whereby you may come to feel the + light, that comprehends time and the world, and fathoms it; which, + believed in, gives you victory over the world. And here the power of + the Lord is received, which subdues all the contrary, and puts off the + garments that will stain and pollute. With this light you come to + reach the light in every man, which Christ enlightens every man that + cometh into the world withal: and here the things of Christ come to be + known, and the voice of Christ heard. Therefore keep in the light, the + covenant of peace, and walk in the covenant of life. + + “There is that which maketh merry over the witness of God; and there + is that which maketh merry in the Lord; which rejoiceth over that + which hath made merry over it: of that take notice, you who are in the + light. Such the Lord doth beautify, whose trust is in his strength: + and the Lord doth see such, and them that are in his light. But such + as are from the light, whose eyes are after their abominations and + idols, their eyes are to be blinded; and their beautiful idols, and + their abominations to be destroyed, and by the light condemned, which + they have made from the life, in their own strength; which with the + light is seen, and overthrown by the power of God. ‘If you can change + my covenant,’ saith the Lord, ‘which keeps the day in its season, and + the night in its season (mark, my covenant, the light); if you can + change this, then may you change the covenant of God with his seed.’ + + “So all Friends, that are turned to the light, which cometh from him, + by whom the world was made, who was, before it was made, Christ Jesus, + the Saviour of your souls; abide in the light, and you will see your + salvation to be walls and bulwarks against that, which the light + discovers to be contrary to it. Waiting in the light, you will receive + the power of God, which is the gospel of peace; that you may be shod + with it, and know that in one another, which raiseth up the seed of + God, sets it over the world and the earth, and crucifies the + affections and lusts: then the truth comes to reign, which is the + girdle.” + + G.F. + +Footnote 33: + + George Whitehead, who was convinced when about seventeen years old, + became a valiant minister for about sixty-eight years, till the time + of his decease, which took place, in great peace, after an illness of + some weeks. He waited, patiently resigned to the will of God, desiring + to be dissolved and be with Christ; saying, “he felt the sting of + death to be taken away.” He was a preacher of the gospel in life and + power, and turned many from darkness to light, being a chief + instrument in gathering a people to the Lord in and about Norwich. At + one meeting he had in those parts, it is recorded that “nearly the + whole congregation was convinced by the mighty power of God, through + his lively and piercing testimony and prayer.” He suffered great + hardships, long and sore imprisonments, and severe whipping for his + testimony to the truth, much of which is recorded in his published + Journal, with his travels and other services, to which the reader is + referred. + +Footnote 34: + + Thomas Holmes was serviceable in his day and generation, suffering + imprisonment on Truth’s account. In 1656, he was in jail, at Chester, + with seven or eight other Friends. Some of his services in Wales are + related, in a letter from him (probably to George Fox,) in Barclay’s + _Letters of Early Friends_, p. 222. + +About this time Rice Jones of NOTTINGHAM (who had been a Baptist, and +was turned Ranter,) and his company, began to prophesy against me, +giving out, that I was then at the highest, and that after that time I +should fall down as fast. He sent a bundle of railing papers from +NOTTINGHAM to MANSFIELD, CLAWSON, and the towns thereabouts, judging +Friends for declaring the truth in the markets and in steeple-houses; +which papers I answered. But his and his company’s prophecies came upon +themselves; for soon after they fell to pieces, and many of his +followers became Friends, and continued so. And through the Lord’s +blessed power, truth and Friends have increased, and do increase in the +increase of God: and I, by the same power, have been and am preserved, +and kept in the everlasting Seed, that never fell, nor changes. But Rice +Jones took the oaths that were put to him, and so disobeyed the command +of Christ. Many such false prophets have risen up against me, but the +Lord hath blasted them, and will blast all who rise against the blessed +Seed, and me in that. My confidence is in the Lord; for I saw their end, +and how the Lord would confound them, before he sent me forth. + +I was now at SYNDERHILL-GREEN, where I had had a large meeting in the +daytime; and at night we had a great meeting again in Thomas Stacey’s +house; for people came from far, and could not soon depart. The high +sheriff of the county told Captain Bradford, that he intended to come up +with half a dozen of his troopers to the meeting; but the Lord prevented +him. When I had attended some meetings thereabouts, I travelled up and +down in YORKSHIRE, as far as HOLDERNESS, and to the land’s end that way, +visiting Friends and the churches of Christ; which were finely settled +under Christ’s teaching. At length I came to Captain Bradford’s house, +whither many Ranters came from YORK to wrangle; but they were confounded +and stopped. Thither came also she who was called the Lady Montague, who +was then convinced, and lived and died in the truth. + +Then I came again to Thomas Taylor’s, within three miles of HALIFAX, +where was a meeting of about two hundred people; amongst which were many +rude people, and divers butchers, several of whom had bound themselves +with an oath before they came out, that they would kill me (as I was +told); one of those butchers had been accused of killing a man and a +woman. They came in a very rude manner, and made a great disturbance in +the meeting. The meeting being in a field, Thomas Taylor stood up, and +said unto them, “If you will be civil, you may stay, but if not, I +charge you to be gone from off my ground.” But they were the worse, and +said they would make it like a common; and they yelled, and made a +noise, as if they had been at a bear-baiting. They thrust Friends up and +down; and Friends being peaceable, the Lord’s power came over them. +Several times they thrust me off from the place I stood on, by the +crowding of the people together against me; but still I was moved of the +Lord to stand up again, as I was thrust down. At last I was moved of the +Lord to say unto them, “if they would discourse of the things of God, +let them come up to me one by one; and if they had anything to say or to +object, I would answer them all, one after another;” but they were all +silent, and had nothing to say. And then the Lord’s power came so over +them all, and answered the witness of God in them, that they were bound +by the power of God; and a glorious, powerful meeting we had, and his +power went over all, and the minds of the people were turned by the +Spirit of God in them to God, and to Christ their teacher. The powerful +word of life was largely declared that day; and in the life and power of +God we broke up our meeting; and that rude company went their way to +HALIFAX. The people asked them, why they did not kill me, according to +the oath they had sworn; and they maliciously answered, that I had so +bewitched them, that they could not do it. Thus was the devil chained at +that time. Friends told me, that they used to come at other times, and +be very rude; and sometimes break their stools and seats, and make +frightful work amongst them; but the Lord’s power had now bound them. + +Shortly after this, the butcher, that had been accused of killing a man +and a woman before, and who was one of them that had then bound himself +by an oath to kill me, killed another man, and was sent to YORK jail. +Another of those rude butchers, who had also sworn to kill me, having +accustomed himself to thrust his tongue out of his mouth, in derision of +Friends, when they passed by him, had it so swollen out of his mouth, +that he could never draw it in again, but died so. Several strange and +sudden judgments came upon many of these conspirators against me, which +would be too large here to declare. God’s vengeance from heaven came +upon the blood-thirsty, who sought after blood; for all such spirits I +laid before the Lord, and left them to him to deal with them, who is +stronger than all; in whose power I was preserved, and carried on to do +his work. The Lord hath raised a fine people in these parts, whom he +hath drawn to Christ, and gathered in his name; who feel Christ amongst +them, and sit under his teaching. + +After this I came to BALBY; from whence several Friends went with me +into LINCOLNSHIRE; of whom some went to the steeple-houses, and some to +private meetings. There came to the meeting where I was, the sheriff of +LINCOLN, and several with him, who made great contention and jangling +for a time. But at length the Lord’s power struck him, that he was +convinced of the truth, and received the word of life, as did several +others also that had opposed, and continued among Friends till they +died. Great meetings there were, and a large convincement in those +parts. Many were turned to the Lord Jesus, and came to sit under his +teaching; leaving their priests, and their superstitious ways; and the +day of the Lord flourished over all. Amongst them that came to our +meetings in that country, was one called Sir Richard Wrey, who was +convinced; as was also his brother, and his brother’s wife, who abode in +the truth, and died therein, though he afterwards ran out. + +Having visited these countries, I came into DERBYSHIRE; the sheriff of +LINCOLN, who was lately convinced, being with me. In one meeting we had +some opposition, but the Lord’s glorious power gave dominion over all. +At night there came a company of bailiffs and serving-men, and called me +out. I went out to them, having some Friends with me. They were +exceedingly rude and violent; for they had plotted together, and +intended to carry me away with them in the dark of the evening by force: +and then to do me a mischief; but the Lord’s power went over them, and +chained them, so that they could not effect their design; and at last +they went away. The next day, Thomas Aldam understanding that the +serving-men belonged to one called a knight, who lived not far off, went +to his house, and laid before him the bad conduct of his servants. The +knight rebuked them, and did not allow of their evil carriage towards +us. + +After this we came into NOTTINGHAMSHIRE to SKEGBY, where we had a great +meeting of divers sorts of people: and the Lord’s power went over them, +and all was quiet. The people were turned to the Spirit of God, by which +many came to receive his power, and to sit under the teaching of Christ, +their Saviour. A great people the Lord hath in those parts. + +I passed towards KIDSLEY PARK, where came many Ranters; but the Lord’s +power checked them. From thence I went into the PEAK COUNTRY towards +Thomas Hammersley’s, where came the Ranters of that country, and many +high professors. The Ranters opposed me, and began swearing. When I +reproved them for it, they would bring Scripture for it, and said, +Abraham, and Jacob, and Joseph swore; and the priests, Moses, the +prophets, and the angels swore. Then I told them, “I confessed all these +did so, as the Scripture records; but, said I, Christ (who said, ‘Before +Abraham was, I am’) saith, ‘Swear not at all.’ And Christ ends the +prophets, and the old priesthood, and the dispensation of Moses, and +reigns over the house of Jacob and of Joseph; and he says, ‘Swear not at +all.’ And God, when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, +saith, ‘Let all the angels of God worship him,’ to wit, Christ Jesus, +who saith, ‘Swear not at all.’ And as for the plea that men make for +swearing to end their strife, Christ, who says, ‘Swear not at all,’ +destroys the Devil and his works, who is the author of strife, for that +is one of his works. And God said, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am +well pleased; hear ye him.’ So the Son is to be heard, who forbids +swearing. And the apostle James, who heard the Son of God, followed him, +and preached him, forbids all oaths, James v. 12.” So the Lord’s power +went over them: and his Son and his doctrine was set over them. The word +of life was fully and richly preached, and many were convinced that day. +This Thomas Hammersley being summoned to serve upon a jury, was admitted +to serve without an oath; and when he, as foreman of the jury, brought +in the verdict, the judge declared, “that he had been a judge many +years, but never heard a more upright verdict than that Quaker had then +brought in.” Much might be written of things of this nature, which time +would fail to declare. But the Lord’s blessed power and truth was +exalted over all, who is worthy of all praise and glory for ever! + +Travelling through DERBYSHIRE, I visited Friends till I came to +SWANNINGTON, in LEICESTERSHIRE, where there was a general meeting, to +which many Ranters, Baptists, and other professors came; for great +contests there had been with them, and with the priests in that town. To +this meeting several Friends came from various parts, as John Audland, +Francis Howgill, and Edward Pyot from BRISTOL, and Edward Burrough from +LONDON; and several were convinced in those parts. The Ranters made a +disturbance, and were very rude, but at last the Lord’s power came over +them, and they were confounded. The next day Jacob Bottomley, a great +Ranter, came from LEICESTER; but the Lord’s power stopped him, and came +over them all. There came a priest too, but he also was confounded by +the mighty power of the Lord. About this time the priests, Baptists, +Ranters, and other professors, were very rude, and stirred up the rude +people against us. We sent to the Ranters to come forth, and try their +God. Abundance of them came, who were very rude, and sung, and whistled, +and danced; but the Lord’s power so confounded them, that many of them +came to be convinced. + +After this I went to TWYCROSS, whither came some Ranters, who sung and +danced before me. But I was moved in the dread of the Lord to reprove +them; and the Lord’s power came over them, so that some of them were +convinced, and received the Spirit of God; and are become a fine people, +living and walking soberly in the truth of Christ. I went to Anthony +Brickley’s in WARWICKSHIRE, where there was a great meeting; several +Baptists and other people came and jangled; but the Lord’s power came +over them. + +Then I went to DRAYTON in LEICESTERSHIRE to visit my relations. As soon +as I was come in, Nathaniel Stephens the priest, having got another +priest, and given notice to the country, sent to me to come to them, as +they could not do anything till I came. Having been three years away +from my relations, I knew nothing of their design. But at last I went +into the steeple-house yard, where the two priests were; and they had +gathered abundance of people. When I came there, they would have me go +into the steeple-house. I asked them what I should do there; and they +said, Mr. Stephens could not bear the cold. I told them he might bear it +as well as I. At last we went into a great hall, Richard Farnsworth +being with me; and a great dispute we had with these priests, concerning +their practices, how contrary they were to Christ and his apostles. The +priests would know where tithes were forbidden or ended. I showed them +out of the seventh chapter to the Hebrews, “that not only tithes but the +priesthood that took tithes, was ended; and the law was ended and +disannulled, by which the priesthood was made, and tithes were commanded +to be paid.” Then the priests stirred up the people to some lightness +and rudeness. I had known Stephens from a child, therefore I laid open +his condition, and the manner of his preaching; and “how that he, like +the rest of the priests, did apply the promises to the first birth, +which must die. But I showed that the promises were to the Seed, not to +the many seeds, but to one Seed, Christ; who was one in male and female; +for all were to be born again before they could enter into the kingdom +of God.” Then he said, I must not judge so: but I told him, “he that was +spiritual judged all things.” Then he confessed that that was a full +Scripture; “but, neighbours,” said he, “this is the business; George Fox +is come to the light of the sun, and now he thinks to put out my +star-light.” I told him, “I would not quench the least measure of God in +any, much less put out his star-light, if it were true star-light—light +from the morning star.” But I told him, “if he had anything from Christ +or God, he ought to speak it freely, and not take tithes from the people +for preaching, seeing Christ commanded his ministers to give freely, as +they had received freely.” So I charged him to preach no more for +tithes, or any hire. But he said he would not yield to that. After a +while the people began to be vain and rude; so we broke up; yet some +were made loving to the truth that day. Before we parted, I told them +that, if the Lord would, I intended to be at the town again that day +week. + +In the interim I went into the country, and had meetings, and came +thither again that day week. Against that time this priest had got seven +priests to help him: for priest Stephens had given notice at a lecture +on a market-day at ATHERSTONE, that such a day there would be a meeting +and a dispute with me. I knew nothing of it; but had only said, I should +be in town that day week again. These eight priests had gathered several +hundreds of people, even most of the country thereabouts, and they would +have had me into the steeple-house; but I would not go in, but got on a +hill and there spoke to them and the people. There were with me Thomas +Taylor, who had been a priest, James Parnell, and several other Friends. +The priests thought that day to trample down truth; but the truth came +over them. Then they grew light, and the people rude; and the priests +would not stand trial with me; but would be contending here and there a +little, with one Friend or other. At last one of the priests brought his +son to dispute with me; but his mouth was soon stopped. When he could +not tell how to answer, he would ask his father: and his father was +confounded also, when he came to answer for his son. So, after they had +toiled themselves, they went away in a rage to priest Stephens’ house to +drink. As they went away, I said, “I never came to a place where so many +priests together would not stand the trial with me.” Whereupon they and +some of their wives came about me, laid hold of me, and fawningly said, +“what might I have been, if it had not been for the Quakers!” Then they +began to push Friends to and fro, to thrust them from me, and to pluck +me to themselves. After a while several lusty fellows came, took me up +in their arms, and carried me into the steeple-house porch, intending to +carry me into the steeple-house by force; but the door being locked, +they fell down on a heap, having me under them. As soon as I could, I +got up from under them, and went to the hill again: then they took me +from that place to the steeple-house wall, and set me on something like +a footstool; and all the priests being come back, stood under with the +people. The priests cried, “Come, to argument, to argument:” I said, “I +denied all their voices, for they were the voices of hirelings and +strangers.” And they cried, “Prove it, prove it.” Then I directed them +to the tenth of John, where they might see what Christ said of such; he +declared, “he was the true shepherd that laid down his life for his +sheep, and his sheep heard his voice, and followed him; but the hireling +would fly, when the wolf came, because he was a hireling.” I offered to +prove that they were such hirelings. Then the priests plucked me off +from the stool again; and they themselves got all upon footstools under +the steeple-house wall. + +Then I felt the mighty power of God arise over all, and told them, “if +they would but give audience, and hear me quietly, I would show them by +the Scriptures, why I denied those eight priests or teachers, that stood +before me; and all the hireling teachers of the world whatsoever; and I +would give them Scriptures for what I said.” Whereupon both priests and +people consented. Then I showed them out of the prophets Isaiah, +Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Micah, Malachi, and others, that they were in the +steps of such as God sent his true prophets to cry against; for, said I, +“You are such as the prophet Jeremiah cried against, chap. v. when he +said, ‘The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their +means;’ which he called an astonishing and horrible thing. You are such +as they that used their tongues and said, Thus saith the Lord, when the +Lord never spoke to them: and such as followed their own spirits, and +saw nothing; but spoke forth a divination of their own brain; and by +their lies and their lightness had caused the people to err, Jer. xiv. +You are such as they were, that sought for their gain from their +quarter; that were as greedy, dumb dogs, that could never have enough, +whom the Lord sent his prophet Isaiah to cry against, Isaiah lvi. You +are such, as they were, who taught for handfuls of barley, and pieces of +bread; who sewed pillows under people’s arm-holes, that they might lie +soft in their sins, Ezek. xiii. You are such as they that taught for the +fleece, and the wool, and made a prey of the people, Ezek. xxxiv. But +the Lord is gathering his sheep from your mouths, and from off your +barren mountains; and is bringing them to Christ, the one Shepherd, whom +he hath set over his flocks; as by his prophet Ezekiel he then declared +he would do. You are such as they that divined for money, and preached +for hire; and if a man did not put into their mouths, they prepared war +against him, as the prophet Micah complained, chap. iii.” Thus I went +through the prophets, too largely to be here repeated. Then coming to +the New Testament, I showed from thence, “that they were like the chief +priests, and scribes, and Pharisees of old, such as Christ cried woe +against, Matt, xxiii. And that they were such false apostles, as the +true apostles cried against, such as taught for filthy lucre; such +antichrists and deceivers, as they cried against, that minded earthly +things, and served not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies: for +they that served Christ gave freely, and preached freely, as he +commanded them. But they that will not preach without hire, tithes, or +outward means, serve their own bellies, and not Christ; and through the +good words of the Scriptures, and feigned words of their own, they made +merchandise of the people then, as (said I) ye do now.” + +So when I had largely quoted the Scriptures, and showed them, wherein +they were like the Pharisees, loving to be called of men masters, and to +go in long robes, and to stand praying in the synagogues, and to have +the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the like; and when I had thrown them +out in the sight of the people amongst the false prophets, deceivers, +scribes, and Pharisees, and showed at large, how such as they were +judged and condemned by the true prophets, by Christ, and by the +apostles, “I directed them to the light of Christ Jesus, who enlightens +every man that cometh into the world; that by it they might see, whether +these things were not true, as had been spoken.” When I appealed to that +of God in their consciences, the light of Christ Jesus in them, they +could not bear to hear of it; they were all quiet till then; but then a +professor said, “George, what! wilt thou never have done?” I told him, I +should have done shortly. So I went on a little longer, and cleared +myself of them in the Lord’s power. When I had done, all the priests and +people stood silent for a time: at last one of the priests said, they +would read the Scriptures that I had quoted. I told them, with all my +heart. They began to read the 23rd of Jeremiah, and there they saw the +marks of the false prophets, that he cried against. When they had read a +verse or two, I said, “Take notice, people:” but the priests said, “Hold +thy tongue, George.” I bid them read the whole chapter throughout; for +it was all against them: then they stopped, and would read no further; +but asked me a question. I told them, I would answer their question, the +matter being first granted that I had charged them with, viz., that they +were false prophets, false teachers, antichrists, and deceivers, such as +the true prophets, Christ, and the apostles cried against. A professor +said Nay to that; but I said, “Yea; for you leaving the matter, and +going to another thing, seem to consent to the proof of the former +charge.” Then I answered their question, which was this; Seeing those +false prophets were adulterated, whether I did judge Stephens to be an +adulterer? To which I answered, he was adulterated from God in his +practice, like those false prophets and the Jews. They would not stand +to vindicate him, but broke up the meeting. Then the priests whispered +together; and priest Stephens came to me, and desired that my father and +brother and I might go aside with him, that he might speak to me in +private; and the rest of the priests should keep the people from coming +to us. I was very loath to go aside with him; but the people cried, “Go, +George; do, George, go aside with him.” I was afraid, if I did not go, +they would say, I was disobedient to my parents; so I went, and the rest +of the priests were to keep the people off; but they could not, for the +people being willing to hear, drew close to us. I asked the priest what +he had to say; and he said, “if he was out of the way, I should pray for +him: and if I was out of the way he would pray for me: and he would give +me a form of words to pray for him by.” I replied, “It seems thou dost +not know whether thou art in the right way, or not; neither dost thou +know whether I am in the right way, or not; but I know that I am in the +everlasting way, Christ Jesus, which thou art out of. And thou wouldest +give me a form of words to pray by, and yet thou deniest the Common +Prayer-Book to pray by, as well as I; and I deny thy form of words, as +well as it. If thou wouldst have me pray for thee by a form of words, is +not this to deny the apostle’s doctrine and practice of praying by the +Spirit, as it gave words and utterance?” Here the people fell a +laughing: but I was moved to speak more to him. And when I had cleared +myself to him and them, we parted, after I had told them, that I should +(God willing) be in the town that day week again. So the priests packed +away, and many people were convinced; for the Lord’s power came over +all. Though they thought to have confounded truth that day, many were +convinced of it; and many that were convinced before, were by that day’s +work confirmed in the truth, and abode in it; and a great shake it gave +to the priests. My father, though he was a hearer and follower of the +priest, was so well satisfied, that he struck his cane upon the ground, +and said, “Truly, I see, he that will but stand to the truth, it will +carry him out.” + +I passed about in the country till that day week, and then came again; +for we had appointed a meeting at my relations’ house. Now priest +Stephens having had notice beforehand thereof, had got another priest to +him; and they had a company of troopers with them, and sent for me to +come to them. But I sent them word our meeting was appointed, and they +might come to it, if they would. The priests came not; but the troopers +came, and many rude people. They had laid their plot, that the troopers +should take every one’s name, and then command them to go home; and such +as would not go, they should take, and carry them away with them. +Accordingly they began, and took several names, charging them to go +home; but when they came to take my name, my relations told them, I was +at home already: so they could not take me away that time. Nevertheless +they took my name: but the Lord’s power was over them, and they went +away, both professors and troopers, crossed and vexed, because they +obtained not their end. But several were convinced that day, and admired +the love and power of God. This was that priest Stephens, who once said +of me, “never was such a plant bred in England:” yet afterwards he +reported, “that I was carried up into the clouds, and found again full +of gold and silver;” and many lies, and false reports he raised +respecting me: but the Lord swept them all away. The reason why I would +not go into their steeple-house was, because I was to bear my testimony +against it, and to bring all off from such places, to the Spirit of God; +that they might know their bodies to be the temples of the Holy Ghost; +and to bring them off from all the hireling teachers, to Christ their +free teacher, who died for them, and purchased them with his blood. + +After this I went into the country, and had several meetings, and came +to SWANNINGTON, where the soldiers came again; but the meeting was +quiet, the Lord’s power was over all, and the soldiers did not +interfere. Then I went to LEICESTER, and then to WHETSTONE. There came +about seventeen troopers of Colonel Hacker’s regiment, with his marshal, +and took me up before the meeting, though Friends were beginning to +gather together; for there were several Friends come from various parts. +I told the marshal, “he might let all the Friends go, I would answer for +them all;” so he took me, and let them go, except Alexander Parker, who +went with me.[35] At night they had me before Colonel Hacker, his major, +and captains, a great company of them; and much discourse we had about +the priests, and meetings, for at this time there was a rumour of a plot +against Oliver Cromwell. Much reasoning I had with them about the light +of Christ, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world. +Colonel Hacker asked, whether it was not this light of Christ that made +Judas betray his master, and afterwards led him to hang himself? I told +him, “No; that was the spirit of darkness, which hated Christ and his +light.” Then Colonel Hacker said, I might go home, and keep there, and +not go abroad to meetings. I told him, “I was an innocent man, free from +plots, and denied all such work.” His son Needham said, “Father, this +man hath reigned too long, it is time to have him cut off.” I asked him, +“For what? what had I done? or whom had I wronged from a child? for I +was bred and born in that country, and who could accuse me of any evil +from a child?” Then Colonel Hacker asked me again, if I would go home, +and stay there? I told him, “if I should promise him that, it would +manifest that I was guilty of something, to go home, and make my home a +prison; and if I went to meetings, they would say, I broke their order.” +I told them, “I should go to meetings, as the Lord should order me, and +therefore could not submit to their requirings;” but I said, “we were a +peaceable people.” “Well then,” said Colonel Hacker, “I will send you to +my Lord Protector, by Captain Drury, one of his life-guards.” + +Footnote 35: + + “Alexander Parker,” says Whiting, “was an eminent servant of God, and + minister of Jesus Christ; born near Bolton, in Lancashire, + well-educated, and had a gentleman-like carriage and deportment, for I + knew him well.” He travelled extensively in the service of the gospel, + often in company with George Fox, being frequently mentioned in this + Journal. He suffered fines, imprisonments, and persecution, being once + pulled down as he was preaching in London, and fined for it £20. He + died in great peace in 1689, having written many books and epistles, + in which, though being dead, he yet speaketh. + +That night I was kept a prisoner at the Marshalsea; and the next morning +by six o’clock, I was delivered to Captain Drury. I desired he would let +me speak with Colonel Hacker before I went, and he had me to his +bed-side. Colonel Hacker set upon me presently again, to go home and +keep no more meetings. I told him, “I could not submit to that, but must +have my liberty to serve God and go to meetings.” “Then,” said he, “you +must go before the Protector.” “Whereupon I kneeled by his bedside, and +besought the Lord to forgive him, for he was as Pilate, though he would +wash his hands; and when the day of his misery and trial should come +upon him, I bid him then remember what I had said to him. But he was +stirred up, and set on by priest Stephens, and the other priests and +professors, wherein their envy and baseness was manifest; who, when they +could not overcome me by disputes and arguments, nor resist the Spirit +of the Lord that was in me, then they got soldiers to take me up. + +Afterwards, when this Colonel Hacker was in prison in LONDON, a day or +two before he was executed, he was put in mind of what he had done +against the innocent; and he remembered it, and confessed to it to +Margaret Fell, saying he knew well whom she meant; and he had a trouble +upon him for it. So his son, who told his father I had reigned too long, +and that it was time to have me cut off, might observe how his father +was cut off afterwards, he being hanged at TYBURN. + +Now was I carried up a prisoner by Captain Drury from LEICESTER; and +when we came to HARBOROUGH, he asked me, if I would go home and stay a +fortnight? “I should have my liberty,” he said, “if I would not go to, +nor keep meetings.” I told him, “I could not promise any such thing.” +Several times upon the road did he ask, and try me after the same +manner, and still I gave him the same answers. So he brought me to +LONDON, and lodged me at the Mermaid over-against the Mews at +CHARING-CROSS. As we travelled, I was moved of the Lord to warn people +at the inns and places, where I came, of the day of the Lord that was +coming upon them. William Dewsbury and Marmaduke Storr being in prison +at NORTHAMPTON, he let me go and visit them. + +After Captain Drury had lodged me at the Mermaid, he left me there, and +went to give the Protector an account of me. When he came to me again, +he told me, the Protector required that I should promise not to take up +a carnal sword or weapon against him or the government, as it then was, +and I should write it in what words I saw good, and set my hand to it. I +said little in reply to Captain Drury. But the next morning I was moved +of the Lord to write a paper to the Protector, Oliver Cromwell; “Wherein +I did in the presence of the Lord God declare, that I denied the wearing +or drawing of a carnal sword, or any other outward weapon, against him +or any man: and that I was sent of God to stand a witness against all +violence, and against the works of darkness; and to turn people from +darkness to light; and to bring them from the causes of war and +fighting, to the peaceable gospel, and from being evil-doers, which the +magistrates’ swords should be a terror to.” When I had written what the +Lord had given me to write, I set my name to it, and gave it to Captain +Drury to hand to Oliver Cromwell, which he did. + +After some time Captain Drury brought me before the Protector himself at +WHITEHALL. It was in a morning, before he was dressed, and one Harvey, +who had come a little among Friends, but was disobedient, waited upon +him. When I came in, I was moved to say, “Peace be in this house; and I +exhorted him to keep in the fear of God, that he might receive wisdom +from Him, that by it he might be directed, and order all things under +his hand to God’s glory.” I spoke much to him of truth, and much +discourse I had with him about religion; wherein he carried himself very +moderately. But, he said, we quarrelled with priests, whom he called +ministers. I told him, “I did not quarrel with them, but they quarrelled +with me and my friends.” “But,” said I, “if we own the prophets, Christ, +and the apostles, we cannot hold up such teachers, prophets, and +shepherds, as the prophets, Christ, and the apostles declared against; +but we must declare against them by the same power and Spirit.” Then I +showed him, “that the prophets, Christ, and the apostles declared +freely, and against them that did not declare freely; such as preached +for filthy lucre, and divined for money, and preached for hire, and were +covetous and greedy, that can never have enough; and that they that have +the same Spirit, that Christ, and the prophets, and the apostles had, +could not but declare against all such now, as they did then.” As I +spoke, he several times said, it was very good, and it was truth. I told +him, “that all Christendom (so called) possessed the Scriptures, but +wanted the power and Spirit that they had, who gave forth the +Scriptures, and that was the reason they were not in fellowship with the +Son, nor with the Father, nor with the Scriptures, nor one with +another.” + +Many more words I had with him, but people coming in, I drew a little +back; and as I was turning, he caught me by the hand, and with tears in +his eyes, said, “Come again to my house, for if thou and I were but an +hour a day together, we should be nearer one to the other;” adding that +he wished me no more ill than he did his own soul. I told him, “if he +did, he wronged his own soul;” and I bid him “hearken to God’s voice, +that he might stand in His counsel and obey it; and if he did so, that +would keep him from hardness of heart; but if he did not hear God’s +voice, his heart would be hardened.” He said, it was true. Then I went +out; and when Captain Drury came out after me, he told me, “his lord +Protector said, I was at liberty, and might go whither I would.” Then I +was brought into a great hall, where the Protector’s gentlemen were to +dine; and I asked them, what they brought me thither for? they said, it +was by the Protector’s order, that I might dine with them. I bid them +let the Protector know, I would not eat of his bread, nor drink of his +drink. When he heard this, he said, “Now I see there is a people risen +and come up, that I cannot win either with gifts, honours, offices, or +places; but all other sects and people I can.” It was told him again, +“that we had forsaken our own, and were not likely to look for such +things from him.” + +Being set at liberty I went to the inn again, where Captain Drury had at +first lodged me. This Captain Drury, though he sometimes carried fairly, +was an enemy to me and to truth, and opposed it; and when professors +came to me (while I was under his custody,) and he was by, he would +scoff at trembling, and call us Quakers, as the Independents and +Presbyterians had nick-named us before. But afterwards he once came to +me, and told me, that, as he was lying on his bed to rest himself in the +day-time, a sudden trembling seized on him, that his joints knocked +together, and his body shook so that he could not rise from his bed; he +was so shaken, that he had not strength enough left to rise. But he felt +the power of the Lord was upon him, and he fell off his bed, and cried +to the Lord, and said, he never would speak against the Quakers more, or +such as trembled at the word of God. + +During the time I was prisoner at CHARING-CROSS, there came abundance to +see me, people of almost all sorts, priests, professors, officers of the +army, &c. And one time a company of officers being with me, desired me +to pray with them. I sat still, with my mind retired to the Lord. At +last I felt the power and Spirit of God move in me, and the Lord’s power +did so shake and shatter them, that they wondered, though they did not +live in it. + +Among those that came to see me, was one Colonel Packer, with several of +his officers; and while they were with me, came in one Cobb, and a great +company of Ranters with him. The Ranters began to call for drink and +tobacco; but I desired them to forbear it in my room, telling them, if +they had such a desire for it, they might go into another room. One of +them cried, “all is ours;” and another said, “all is well.” I replied, +“how is all well, while thou art so peevish, and envious, and crabbed?” +for I saw he was of a peevish nature. I spoke to their conditions, and +they were sensible of it, and looked upon one another, wondering. + +Then Colonel Packer began to talk with a light, chaffy mind, concerning +God, and Christ, and the Scriptures; it was a great grief to my soul and +spirit, when I heard him talk so lightly; so that I told him, “he was +too light to talk of the things of God, for he did not know the solidity +of a man.” Thereupon the officers raged, and said, would I say so of +their colonel. This Packer was a Baptist, and he and the Ranters bowed +and scraped to one another very much; for it was the manner of the +Ranters to be exceedingly complimental (as they call it), so that Packer +bid them give over their compliments; but I told them, “they were fit to +go together, for they were both of one spirit.” + +This Colonel Packer lived at THEOBALDS near WALTHAM, and was made a +justice of peace. He set up a great meeting of the Baptists at THEOBALDS +PARK; for he and some other officers had purchased it. They were +exceedingly high, and railed against Friends and truth, and threatened +to apprehend me with their warrants if ever I came there. Yet after I +was set at liberty, I was moved of the Lord God to go down to THEOBALDS, +and appoint a meeting hard by them; to which many of his people came, +and divers of his hearers were convinced of the way of truth, and +received Christ, the free teacher, and came off from him; and that made +him rage the more. But the Lord’s power came over him, so that he had +not power to meddle with me. Then I went to WALTHAM close by him, and +had a meeting there; but the people were very rude, and gathered about +the house and broke the windows. Whereupon I went out to them, with the +Bible in my hand, and desired them to come in; and told them, “I would +show them Scripture both for our principles and practices.” And when I +had done so, I showed them also, “that their teachers were in the steps +of such, as the prophets, and Christ, and the apostles testified +against.” Then I directed them to the Light of Christ, and Spirit of God +in their own hearts, that by it they might come to know their free +teacher, the Lord Jesus Christ. The meeting being ended, they went away +quieted and satisfied, and a meeting has since been settled in that +town. But this was some time after I was set at liberty by Oliver +Cromwell. + +When I came from WHITEHALL to the Mermaid at CHARING-CROSS, I stayed not +long there; but went into the city of LONDON, where we had great and +powerful meetings; so great were the throngs of people, that I could +hardly get to and from the meetings for the crowds; and the truth spread +exceedingly. Thomas Aldam and Robert Craven, who had been sheriff of +LINCOLN, and many Friends, came up to LONDON after me; but Alexander +Parker abode with me. + +After a while I went to WHITEHALL again, and was moved “to declare the +day of the Lord amongst them, and that the Lord was come to teach his +people himself;” so I preached truth both to the officers, and to them +that were called Oliver’s gentlemen, who were of his guard. But a priest +opposed, while I was declaring the word of the Lord amongst them; for +Oliver had several priests about him, of which this was his news-monger; +an envious priest, and a light, scornful, chaffy man. I bid him repent; +and he put it in his newspaper the next week, that I had been at +WHITEHALL, and had bid a godly minister there repent. When I went +thither again, I met with him; and abundance of people gathered about +me. I manifested the priest to be a liar in several things that he had +affirmed; and so he was silenced. He put in the news, that I wore silver +buttons, which was false, for they were but alchymy. Afterwards he said +in the news, that I hung ribands on people’s arms, which made them +follow me; this was another of his lies, for I never wore or used +ribands in my life. Three Friends went to examine this priest, that gave +forth this false intelligence, and to know of him where he had that +information. He said, it was a woman that told him so; and if they would +come again, he would tell them her name. When they returned, he said it +was a man, but would not mention his name then; but if they would come +again, he would tell them his name, and where he lived. They went the +third time, and then he would not say who told him; but offered, if I +would give it under my hand, that there was no such thing, he would put +that into the news. Thereupon the Friends carried it to him under my +hand; but when they came, he broke his promise, and would not insert it; +but was in a rage, and threatened them with the constable. This was the +deceitful doing of this forger of lies; which he spread over all the +nation in the news, to render truth odious, and to put evil into +people’s minds against Friends and truth; of which a more large account +may be seen in a book printed soon after this time, for the clearing of +Friends and truth from the slanders, lies, and false reports raised and +cast upon them. These priests, the news-mongers, were of the Independent +sect, like those in LEICESTER; but the Lord’s power came over all their +lies, and swept them away; and many came to see the naughtiness of these +priests. The God of Heaven carried me over all in his power, and his +blessed power went over the nation: insomuch, that many Friends about +this time were moved to go up and down, to sound forth the everlasting +gospel in most parts of it, and also in SCOTLAND: and the glory of the +Lord was felt over all to his everlasting praise. A great convincement +there was in LONDON, and some in the Protector’s house and family; I +went to see him again, but could not get access to him, the officers +were grown so rude. + +The Presbyterians, Independents, and Baptists, were greatly disturbed; +for many of their people turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, and sat down +under his teachings: they received his power, and felt it in their +hearts: and then they were moved of the Lord to declare against the rest +of them. + +I appointed a meeting in the fields near ACTON, in which the word of +life, the saving truth, was declared freely. The Lord’s power was +eminently manifested, and his blessed day exalted over all. + + + + + CHAPTER VIII. + +1654-1655.—Address to professors of Christianity against persecution—to + such as follow the world’s fashions—to the Pope, and all kings, and + rulers in Europe, against persecution—to the justices appointed for + trying ministers of religion, being a testimony against hireling + ministers—Samuel Fisher and others are convinced at a meeting at + Romney, where the Lord’s power is marvellously displayed—a large + meeting at Coggeshall of about two thousand people, which lasted + several hours—many reproaches are cast upon the truth, and lying + slanderous books published, which are answered, and the truth set + over the gainsayers—to those who scorn trembling and quaking—great + rage is manifested against the truth and Friends, and their + plainness is contemned—to the churches gathered into outward forms, + opening their state and warning of the woes coming upon them—to the + Protector, respecting the imprisonment of Friends for refusing to + take oaths and pay tithes, &c.—to Friends, to offer themselves to + lie in prison for a brother or sister—an encouragement to Friends in + their several exercises. + + +About this time I was moved to write a paper, and send it among the +professors; as follows:— + + “_To all professors of Christianity._ + + “All they that professed Jesus Christ in words, and yet heard him not + when he was come, said, he was a deceiver and a devil. The chief + priests called him so. The Jews said, ‘He hath a devil, and is mad; + why do ye hear him?’ But others said, ‘These are not the words of him + that hath a devil: can a devil open the eyes of the blind?’ The Jews + then doubted, whether he was the Christ or not; and so all, like the + Jews, in the knowledge, in the notion, that profess Christ without + only, where Christ is risen within, do not own him, but doubt of him; + though Christ is the same now and for ever. Jesus Christ said, ‘I and + my Father are one;’ then the Jews took up stones to stone him. And + where Jesus Christ is now spiritually come and made manifest, such as + are Christians in outward profession only, have the same hard hearts + inwardly now, as the Jews had then; and cast stones at him where he is + risen. Jesus said, ‘For which of these good works do ye stone me?’ The + Jews answered, ‘For thy good works we stone thee not; but for + blasphemy, in that thou being a man, makest thyself God.’ Jesus + answered them, ‘Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? + and the Scripture cannot be broken. Say ye of him, whom the Father + hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, because I + said, I am the Son of God?’ The Jews said to him, ‘Say we not well, + that thou hast a devil?’ Jesus answered, ‘I honour my Father, and ye + dishonour me.’ And they that were in the synagogue rose up, and thrust + him out of the city; and took him up to the edge of the hill whereon + their city was built, to cast him down headlong. The pharisees said of + him, ‘He casteth out devils, by the prince of devils.’ Jesus Christ + was called a glutton and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and + sinners; but wisdom is justified of her children. The officers, when + the high-priests and pharisees asked them, ‘Why have ye not brought + him?’ said, ‘Never man spake like this man.’ The Pharisees said, ‘Are + ye also deceived? Do any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believe on + him?’ but this people, which know not the law, are accursed. Nicodemus + (he that came unto Jesus by night), said unto them, ‘Doth our law + judge any man, before it hear him?’ When Stephen confessed Jesus, the + substance of all figures and types, and was brought before the chief + priests to his trial, he told them, ‘The Most High dwelleth not in + temples made with hands:’ and brought the prophets’ words to witness, + and told them they were stiff-necked, and uncircumcised in heart and + ears, and always resisted the Holy Ghost, as their fathers had done. + Stephen was full of the Holy Ghost, and said he saw Jesus, and they + ran upon him and stoned him to death, as he was calling upon the Lord. + When Paul confessed Jesus Christ and his resurrection, Festus said he + was mad. When Paul preached the resurrection, some mocked; the Jews + persuaded the people, and they stoned him, and drew him out of the + city, thinking he had been dead. They stirred up the Gentiles to make + their minds evil-affected towards the brethren. They stirred up the + devout and honourable women, and the chief of the city, and raised + persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their + coasts; and there was an assault made both of the Gentiles and of the + Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully and to stone them. In + like manner all in the nature of those Jews now, whose religion stands + in notions, stir up the rulers, and ignorant people, and incense them + against Jesus Christ, to stone all with one consent, in whom he is + risen. This is, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, and the + blindness of the people discovered. + + “The same power now is made manifest, and doth overturn the world, as + did then overturn the world, to the exalting of the Lord, and to the + pulling down of the kingdom of Satan and of this world, and setting up + his own kingdom, to his everlasting praise. The Lord is now exalting + himself, and throwing down man’s self. The proud one’s head is aloft, + fearing he should lose his pride and his crown. The priests incense + the ignorant people, for fear their trade should go down; and the + professors show forth what is in them, being full of rage; which + proves that Jesus Christ, the substance, is not there; but a stony + heart to stone the precious, where it is risen. The carnal mind feeds + upon the outward letter; earth feeds upon earth; and that vineyard is + not dressed, but is full of briars and nettles; and ravenous beasts, + swine and dogs, wolves and lions, and all venomous creatures lodge in + that habitation. That house is foul and is not swept. These are the + persecutors of the just, enemies of the truth, and of Christ; + blasphemers of God and his truth. These call upon God with their lips, + but their hearts are far from him. These feed on lies, priests and + people. These incense the people, and stir up envy; for it begets its + own, one like itself. These are as the waves of the sea, foaming out + their own shame. These have double eyes, whose bodies are full of + darkness. These paint themselves with the prophets’, with Christ’s, + and with the apostles’ words most fair. Whited walls ye are; painted + sepulchres; murderers of the just. Your eyes, your minds, your hearts + are double. Ye flatterers, repent and turn from your carnal ends, who + are full of mischief, pretending God and godliness, taking him for + your cloak; but he will uncover you, and he hath uncovered you to his + children. He will make you bare, discover your secrets, and take off + your crown; he will take away your mantle and your veil, and strip you + of your clothing, that your nakedness may appear, and how you sit + deceiving the nations. Your abomination and your falseness is now made + manifest to them, who are of God; who in his power triumph over you, + rejoice over you, the beast, the dragon, the false prophet, the + seducer, the hypocrite, the mother of all harlots. Now thou must have + thy cup double, give it to her double. + + “Sing over her, ye righteous ones, sing over them all ye saints; + triumph in glory, triumph over deceit; sing the song of the Lamb, + triumph over the world; spread the truth abroad. Come ye captive ones + out of prison, and rejoice with one accord, for the joyful days are + coming. Let us be glad and rejoice for ever! singleness of heart is + come, pureness of heart is come, joy and gladness is come. The + glorious God is exalting himself: truth hath been talked of, but now + it is possessed. Christ hath been talked of; but now he is come and is + possessed. The glory hath been talked of; but now it is possessed, and + the glory of man is defacing. The Son of God hath been talked of; but + now he is come, and hath given us understanding. Unity hath been + talked of; but now it is come. Virgins have been talked of; but now + they are come with oil in their lamps. He will be glorified alone. + + “Where pride is thrown down, earth and the fleshly will is thrown + down, and the pure is raised up; there alone is the Lord exalted. Let + the heavens bow down to him, and the earth reel to and fro, and + stagger up and down. The Lord is setting up his throne and his crown, + and throwing down the crown of man, and he alone will be glorified; to + whom be all honour and glory, all praises and all thanks! Who gives + his children wisdom and strength, knowledge and virtue, power and + riches, blessings and durable substance; an eye to discern, and an ear + to hear things singly; and brings down the pride of man’s heart, and + turns the wicked out of the kingdom. The righteous inherit + righteousness; the pure, pureness; the holy, holiness. Praises, + praises be to the Lord, whose glory now shines, whose day is broken + forth; which is hid from the world, hid from all worldly-wise ones, + and from all the prudent of this world; hid from the fowls of the air, + hid from all vultures’ eyes, all venomous beasts, all liars, all dogs, + and all swine. But to them that fear his name, the secrets of the Lord + are made manifest, the treasures of wisdom are opened, and the fulness + of knowledge: for thou, O Lord, dost make thyself manifest to thy + children.” + + G. F. + +My spirit was greatly burdened to see the pride, that existed in the +nation, even among professors; and in the sense thereof I was moved to +give forth the following paper, directed— + + “_To such as follow the World’s Fashions._ + + “What a world is this! how doth the devil garnish himself! and how + obedient are people to do his will and mind! They are altogether so + carried away with fooleries and vanities, both men and women, that + they have lost the hidden man of the heart, and the meek and quiet + spirit; which with the Lord is of great price. They have lost the + adorning of Sarah; they are putting on gold and gay apparel; women + plaiting the hair, men and women powdering it; making their backs look + like bags of meal. They look so strange, that they can scarce look at + one another, they are so lifted up in pride. Pride is flown up into + their head, and hath so lifted them up, that they snuff up, like wild + asses; like Ephraim, they feed upon wind; and are like wild heifers, + who feed upon the mountains. Pride hath puffed up every one of them: + they are out of the fear of God, men and women, young and old; one + puffs up another. They must be in the fashion of the world, else they + are not in esteem; else they shall not be respected, if they have not + gold or silver upon their backs, or if the hair be not powdered. But + if he have store of ribands hanging about his waist, and at his knees, + and in his hat, of divers colours, red, white, black, or yellow, and + his hair be powdered, then he is a brave man; then he is accepted, he + is no Quaker, because he has ribands on his back, and front, and + knees, and his hair powdered. This is the array of the world. But is + not this from the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, or the pride + of life? + + “Likewise the women having their gold, their patches on their faces, + noses, cheeks, foreheads; having their rings on their fingers, wearing + gold, having their cuffs double, under and above, like unto a butcher + with his white sleeves; having their ribands tied about their hands, + and three or four gold laces about their clothes; this is no Quaker, + say they. This attire pleaseth the world: and if they cannot get these + things, they are discontented. But this is not the attire of Sarah, + whose adorning was the hidden man of the heart, the ornament of a + quiet and meek spirit. This is the adorning of the heathen, not of the + apostle, nor of the saints, whose adorning was, not wearing of gold, + nor plaiting of hair, but a meek and quiet spirit; which was and is of + great price with the Lord. Here was the sobriety and good ornament, + which was accepted of the Lord. This was Paul’s exhortation and + preaching; but we see, the talkers of Paul’s words live out of Paul’s + command, and out of the example of Sarah; and are found in the steps + of the great heathen, who comes to examine the apostles in his + gorgeous apparel. + + “Now, are not these, that have got their ribands hanging about their + arms, hands, back, waists, knees, hats, like unto fiddlers’ boys? This + shows that you are got into the basest and most contemptible life, who + are in the fashion of the fiddler’s boys and stage-players, quite out + of the paths and steps of solid men; and in the very steps and paths + of the wild heads, who give themselves up to every invention and + vanity of the world that appears, and are inventing how to get it upon + their backs, heads, feet, and legs, and say, if it be out of the + fashion it is nothing worth. Are not these the spoilers of the + creation, who have the fat and the best of it, and waste and destroy + it? Do not these cumber God’s earth? Let that of God in all + consciences answer, and those who are in the wisdom, judge. And + further, if one get a pair of trousers like a coat, and hang them + about with points, and up almost to the middle, a pair of double cuffs + upon his hands, and a feather in his cap, here is a gentleman; bow + before him, put off your hats, get a company of fiddlers, a set of + music, and women to dance. This is a brave fellow. Up in the chamber; + up in the chamber without, and up in the chamber within. Are these + your fine Christians? Yea, say they, they are Christians. + + “But, say the serious people, they are out of Christ’s life, and out + of the apostles’ command, and out of the saints’ ornament. And to see + such as are before described, as are in the fashions of the world + before-mentioned, a company of them playing at bowls, or at tables, or + at shuffle-board; or each taking his horse, that has bunches of + ribands on his head, as the rider has on his own (who, perhaps, has a + ring in his ear too) and so go to horse-racing, to spoil the + creatures; O, these are gentlemen indeed, these are bred up gentlemen, + these are brave fellows, and they must take their recreation; for + pleasures are lawful. These in their sports set up their shouts, like + wild asses. They are like the kine or beasts, when they are put to + grass, lowing when they are full. Here is the glorying of those before + mentioned; but it is in the flesh, not in the Lord. These are bad + Christians, and show that they are gluttoned with the creatures, and + then the flesh rejoiceth. Here is bad breeding of youth and young + women, who are carried away with the vanities of the mind in their own + inventions, pride, arrogancy, lust, gluttony, uncleanness. They eat + and drink, and rise up to the play. This is the generation which God + is not well-pleased with; for their eyes are full of adultery, and + cannot cease from evil. These be they that live in pleasures upon + earth; these be they who are dead while they live; who glory not in + the Lord, but in the flesh. These be they that are out of the life, + that the Scriptures were given forth from; who live in the fashions + and vanities of the world, out of truth’s adorning, in the devil’s + adorning (who is out of the truth); and not in the adorning of the + Lord, which is a meek and quiet spirit, which is with the Lord of + great price. But this ornament and this adorning is not put on by them + that adorn themselves, and have the ornament of him that is out of the + truth. That is not accepted with the Lord, which is accepted in their + eye.” + + G. F. + +Moreover it came upon me about this time from the Lord, to write a short +paper and send forth, as an exhortation and warning to the Pope, and all +kings and rulers in EUROPE; as follows:— + + “FRIENDS, + + “Ye heads, and rulers, kings, and nobles of all sorts, be not bitter, + nor hasty in persecuting the lambs of Christ, neither turn yourself + against the visitation of God, and his tender love and mercies from on + high, who sent to visit you; lest the Lord’s hand, arm, and power, + take hold swiftly upon you; which is now stretched over the world. It + is turned against kings, and shall turn wise men backward, and will + bring their crowns to the dust, and lay them low and level with the + earth. The Lord will be king, who gives crowns to whomsoever obey his + will. This is the age wherein the Lord God of heaven and earth is + staining the pride of man, and defacing his glory. You that profess + Christ, and do not love your enemies, but on the contrary shut up and + imprison those who are his friends; these are marks that you are out + of his life, and do not love Christ, who do not the things he + commands. The day of the Lord’s wrath is kindling, and his fire is + going forth to burn up the wicked; which will leave neither root nor + branch. They that have lost their habitation with God, are out of the + Spirit, that gave forth the Scriptures, and from the light that Jesus + Christ hath enlightened them withal; and so from the true foundation. + Therefore be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slower to persecute: + for the Lord is bringing his people to himself, from all the world’s + ways, to Christ the way; and from all the world’s churches, to the + church which is in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; and from + all the world’s teachers, to teach his people himself by his Spirit; + from all the world’s images, into the image of himself; and from their + likeness into his own likeness; and from all the world’s crosses of + stone or wood, into his power, which is the cross of Christ. For all + these images, crosses, and likenesses are among them, that are + apostatized from the image of God, the power of God, the cross of + Christ, which now fathoms the world, and is throwing down that which + is contrary to it; which power of God never changes. + + “Let this go to the kings of France, and of Spain, and to the Pope, + for them to prove all things, and to hold that which is good. And + first to prove, that they have not quenched the Spirit: for the mighty + day of the Lord is come, and coming upon all wickedness, and + ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men, who will plead with all flesh + by fire and by sword. And the truth, the crown of glory, and the + sceptre of righteousness over all shall be exalted; which shall answer + that of God in every one upon the earth, though they be from it. + Christ is come a light into the world, and doth enlighten every one + that cometh into the world; that all through him might believe. He + that feeleth the light that Christ hath enlightened him withal, he + feeleth Christ in his mind, and the cross of Christ, which is the + power of God; he shall not need to have a cross of wood or stone, to + put him in mind of Christ, or of his cross, which is the power of God + manifest in the inward parts.” + + G. F. + +Besides this I was moved to write a letter to the Protector, to warn him +of the mighty work the Lord hath to do in the nations, and of the +shaking of them; and to beware of his own wit, craft, subtilty, and +policy, or seeking any by-ends to himself. + +There was about this time an order for the trying of ministers (so +called), and for approving, or ejecting them out of their places or +benefices; whereupon I wrote a paper to the justices, and other +commissioners, who were appointed to that work, as follows:— + + “FRIENDS, + + “You that are justices, and in commission to try ministers, who have + so long been in the vineyard of God, see whether they be such as are + mentioned in the Scriptures, whom the prophets, Christ, and the + apostles, disapproved of. And if they be such as they disapproved, see + how ye can stand approved in the sight of God, to let such go into his + vineyard, and approve of them who will admire your persons, because of + advantage, and if you do not give them advantage, they will not admire + your persons. Such Jude speaks of. See if they be not such as teach + for filthy lucre, for the love of money, covetous, such as love + themselves, who have a form of godliness, but deny the power; from + such the apostles bid to ‘turn away.’ The apostle said their mouths + should be stopped, who served not the Lord Jesus, but their own + bellies, being evil, who mind earthly things. Paul gave Timothy a + description to try ministers by; he said, ‘they must not be covetous, + nor given to wine, nor filthy lucre, nor novices; lest being lifted up + into pride, they fall into the condemnation of the devil:’ these he + was to try and prove without partiality. Now take heed of approving + such as he disapproved; for since the apostles’ days such as he + disapproved have had their liberty; and they have told us, the tongues + were their original, and that they were orthodox men; and that the + steeple-house, with a cross on the top of it, was the church (the + Papist’s mass-house, you may look on the top of it, and see the sign). + But the Scriptures tell us, ‘all the earth was of one language before + the building of Babel;’ and when Pilate crucified Christ, he set the + tongues, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, over his head. And John tells us, + that the beast had power over the tongues, kindreds, and nations; and + that the whore sits upon the tongues, of whose cup all nations have + drunk, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her. + John also said the tongues are waters. + + “Christ gives marks to his disciples, and to the multitude, how to try + such as these that you are to try. They are called of men, master; + they love the chiefest seat in the assemblies; they are sayers but not + doers; and, said he, they shall put you out of the synagogues. Seven + woes he denounced against them, and so disapproved them. Christ said, + false prophets should come; and John saw they were come; for they went + forth from them, and the world since hath gone after them. But Babylon + must be confounded, the mother of harlots; and the Devil must be + taken; and with him the beast, and the false prophet must be cast into + the lake of fire; for the Lamb and his saints over all must reign, and + have the victory. The Lord God sent his prophets of old, to cry + against the shepherds that sought for the fleece, Ezek. xxxiv., and to + cry against such shepherds as seek for their gain from their quarter, + and never have enough, Isa. v. 6; and to cry against the prophets that + prophesied falsely, and the priests that bore rule by their means; + which was the filthy and horrible thing, Jer. v. And if you would + forbear to give them means, you would see how long they would bear + rule. + + “There was in old time a storehouse for the fatherless, strangers, and + widows, to come to and be filled; and they did not prosper then who + did not bring their tithes to the storehouse. But did not Christ put + an end to that priesthood, tithes, temple, and priests? And doth not + the apostle say, that the priesthood is changed, the law is changed, + and the commandment disannulled? Might not they have pleaded the law + of God that gave them tithes? Have ever any of the priests prospered + that take tithes since, by the law of man? Was not the first author of + them, since Christ’s time, the Pope, or some of his church? Did the + apostles cast men into prison for tithes, as your ministers do now? As + instance; Ralph Hollingworth, priest of Phillingham, for petty tithes, + not exceeding six shillings, has cast into Lincoln prison a poor + thatcher, named Thomas Bromby; where he has been about eight and + thirty weeks, and still remains a prisoner. And the priest petitioned + the judge that the poor man might not labour in the city, to get a + little money towards his maintenance in prison. Is this a good savour + amongst you, that are in commission to choose ministers? Is this glad + tidings, to cast into prison a man that is not his hearer, because he + could not put into his mouth? Can such as are in the fear of God, and + in his wisdom, own such things? + + “The ministers of Christ are to plant a vineyard, and then eat of the + fruit; to plough, sow, and thrash, and get the corn; and then let them + reap; but not cast them into prison for whom they do no work. Christ, + when he sent forth his ministers, bid them give freely, as they had + received freely; and into what city or town soever they came, inquire + who were worthy and there abide; and what they set before you, said + he, that eat. And when these came back again to Christ, and he asked + them if they wanted anything, they said No. They did not go to a town, + and call the people together, to know how much they might have by the + year, as these that are in the apostacy do now. The apostle said, + ‘have I not power to eat and to drink?’ But he did not say, to take + tithes, Easter-reckonings, Midsummer-dues, augmentations, and great + sums of money; but ‘have I not power to eat and to drink?’ Yet he did + not use that power among the Corinthians. But they that are + apostatized from him, will take tithes, great sums of money, + Easter-reckonings, and Midsummer-dues; and cast them into prison that + will not give it them, whom they do no work for. The ox’s mouth must + not be muzzled that treads out the corn; but see if the corn be + trodden out in you, and the wheat be in the garner. This is from a + lover of your souls, and one that desires your eternal good.” + + G. F. + +After I had made some stay in the city of LONDON, and cleared myself of +what service lay upon me at that time there, I was moved of the Lord to +go down into BEDFORDSHIRE to John Crook’s house, at LUTON, where there +was a great meeting, and people generally convinced of the Lord’s truth. +When I was come thither, John Crook told me that next day several of +those that were called the gentlemen of the country, would come to dine +with him and to discourse with me. They came, and I declared to them +God’s eternal truth. Several Friends went to the steeple-houses that +day. And there was a meeting in the country, which Alexander Parker went +to; and towards the middle of the day it came upon me to go to it, +though it was several miles off. John Crook went with me. When we +arrived, there was one —— Gritton, who had been a Baptist, but was got +higher than they, and called himself a trier of spirits. He told people +their fortunes, and pretended to discover to them when their goods were +stolen or houses broken up, who the persons were that did it; by which +he had got into the affections of many people thereabouts. This man was +in that meeting, speaking, and making a hideous noise over the +young-convinced Friends, when I came in; and he bid Alexander Parker +give a reason of his hope. Alexander Parker told him, Christ was his +hope; but because he did not answer him so soon as he expected, he +boastingly cried, “his mouth is stopped.” Then Gritton directed his +speech to me, for I stood still and heard him express many things, which +were not agreeable to Scripture. I asked him, whether he could make +those things out by Scripture which he had spoken, and he said, Yes, +yes. Then I bid the people take out their Bibles to search the places he +should quote for proof of his assertions; but he could not make good by +Scripture that which he had said. So he was ashamed and fled out of the +house, and his people were generally convinced: for his spirit was +discovered, and he came no more amongst them. When his people were +convinced and settled in God’s truth, they gave forth a book against +him, and denied his spirit and his false discoveries. Many were turned +to Christ Jesus that day, and came to sit under his teaching; insomuch +that the judges were in a great rage, and many of the magistrates in +BEDFORDSHIRE, because there were so many turned from the hireling +priests to the Lord Jesus Christ’s free teaching. But John Crook[36] was +kept by the power of the Lord; yet he was discharged from being a +justice. + +Footnote 36: + + John Crook was a Justice of the Peace, and a man of note in the county + of Bedford. He became an eminent preacher of the gospel, in which he + laboured extensively, and many were the seals of his ministry. He + suffered many imprisonments, which he bore with patience, as also his + bodily infirmities, often expressing the inward joy and peace he had + with the Lord. He died in 1699, in the eighty-second year of his age, + having been a minister about forty-four years, and his writings were + published in 1701, entitled, _The Design of Christianity testified in + the Books, Epistles, and MSS. of John Crook_. + +After some time I returned to LONDON again, where Friends were finely +established in the truth, and great comings-in there were. About this +time several Friends went beyond sea to declare the everlasting truth of +God. When I had stayed a while in the city, I went into KENT. When we +came to ROCHESTER, there was a guard kept to examine passengers, but we +passed by, and were not stopped. So I went to CRANBROOK, where there was +a great meeting; several soldiers were at it, and many were turned to +the Lord that day. After the meeting, some of the soldiers were somewhat +rude, but the Lord’s power came over them. Thomas Howsigoe, an +Independent preacher, who lived near CRANBROOK, was convinced, and +became a faithful minister for the Lord Jesus. Some Friends had +travelled into KENT before, as John Stubbs and William Caton, and the +priests and professors had stirred up the magistrates at MAIDSTONE to +whip them, for declaring God’s truth unto them; as may be seen at large +in the Journal of William Caton’s life. Captain Dunk was also convinced +in KENT. He went with me to RYE, where we had a meeting; to which the +Mayor and officers, and several captains came. They took down what I +said in writing, which I was well pleased with. All was quiet, and the +people affected with the truth. + +From RYE I went to ROMNEY, where, the people having had notice of my +coming some time before, there was a very large meeting. Thither came +Samuel Fisher, an eminent preacher among the Baptists, who had had a +parsonage reputed worth about two hundred pounds a year, which for +conscience sake he had given up. There was also the pastor of the +Baptists, and abundance of their people. The power of the Lord was so +mightily over the meeting, that many were reached thereby, and one +greatly shaken, and the life sprung up in many. One of the pastors of +the Baptists, being amazed at the work of the Lord’s power, bid one of +our friends that was so wrought upon, have a good conscience; whereupon +I was moved of the Lord to bid him take heed of hypocrisy and deceit; +and he was silent. A great convincement there was that day; many were +turned from darkness to the divine light of Christ, and came to see +their teachers’ errors, and to sit under the Lord Jesus Christ’s +teaching, to know him their way, and the covenant of light, which God +had given to be their salvation; and they were brought to the one +baptism, and to the one baptizer, Christ Jesus. When the meeting was +over, Samuel Fisher’s wife said, “Now we may discern this day between +flesh and spirit, and distinguish spiritual teaching from fleshly.” The +people were generally well satisfied with what had been declared; but +the two Baptist teachers and their company, when they were gone from the +meeting, fell to reasoning amongst the people. Samuel Fisher, with many +others, reasoned for the word of life, which had been declared that day; +and the other pastor and his party reasoned against it; so it divided +them asunder, and cut them in the midst. A friend came and told me, that +the Baptists were disputing one with another; and desired me to go up to +them; but I said “let them alone, the Lord will divide them; and they +that reason for truth, will be too hard for the other;” and so it was. +Samuel Fisher received the truth in the love of it, became a faithful +minister, preached Christ freely, and laboured much in the service of +the Lord, being moved to go and declare the word of life at Dunkirk and +in Holland, and in divers parts of Italy, as Leghorn, and Rome itself; +yet the Lord preserved him and his companion John Stubbs, out of their +Inquisitions.[37] + +Footnote 37: + + Sewell states that Samuel Fisher and John Stubbs, when at Rome, + conversed with some of the cardinals, and testified against Popish + superstitions. They also spread books among the friars, some of whom + expressed their contents to be true; but, said they, if we should + acknowledge this publicly, we might expect to be burned for it. + + Whiting records the death of Samuel Fisher in 1665. “Other Friends,” + he says, “were transported; and many died in Newgate, and on + shipboard, in order to transportation, to the number of 122, in + London, Westminster, and Southwark; particularly Samuel Fisher, &c., + faithful ministers and labourers in the work of the Lord, taken at + meetings died in the White Lion prison, Southwark, 1665, in the time + of the pestilence [plague], which began in the time of the persecution + of Friends under the Conventicle Act, as a signal token of the Lord’s + displeasure. It broke out first in a house next to that of the first + man that was banished, who lived to return to London, and died at a + great age.” + +From ROMNEY I passed to DOVER, and had a meeting, where several were +convinced. Near DOVER a governor and his wife were convinced, who had +been Baptists; and the Baptists thereabouts were much offended, and grew +very envious; but the Lord’s power came over all. Luke Howard of DOVER +was convinced some time before, and became a faithful minister of +Christ.[38] + +Footnote 38: + + For some account of Luke Howard, see _Piety Promoted_, Part ix. He was + several times imprisoned; once in Dover Castle, for sixteen months, + for going to meetings. At this time, he employed six men in his trade, + but was obliged to shut up his shop for six months. He obtained the + use of an entry to the prison grate, where meat was drawn up with a + cord, and he worked a little there. He suffered another long + confinement in 1684. Speaking of his imprisonments, he says, “I had + perfect peace, joy, and content in it all; the Lord made it good unto + me, both within and without.” + +Returning from DOVER I went to CANTERBURY, where a few honest-hearted +people were turned to the Lord, who sat down under Christ’s teaching. +Thence I passed to CRANBROOK again, where I had a great meeting. A +friend went to the steeple-house, and was cast into prison; but the +Lord’s power was manifested, and his truth spread. + +From thence I passed into SUSSEX, and lodged near HORSHAM, where there +was a great meeting, and many were convinced. Also at STEYNING we had a +great meeting in the market house, and several were convinced; for the +Lord’s power was with us. I had several meetings in the neighbourhood; +and among the rest, one was appointed at a great man’s house, and he and +his son went to fetch several priests that had threatened to come and +dispute. But none of them came; for the Lord’s power was mighty in us; a +glorious meeting we had. The man of the house and his son were vexed, +because none of the priests would come. So the hearts of people were +opened by the Spirit of God, and they were turned from the hirelings to +Christ Jesus their shepherd, who had purchased them without money, and +would feed them without money or price. Many that came, expecting to +hear a dispute, were convinced; amongst whom Nicholas Beard was one.[39] + +Footnote 39: + + Nicholas Beard was an early seeker of the Lord in his youth, and would + often travel many miles to hear the best reputed teachers of the + times. He became a faithful minister of Christ, and a large sufferer + for his sake. For one year’s tithes he had taken from him twelve oxen, + six cows, and one bull, which were sold for £111 5s., but worth more. + For worshipping God, and refusing to swear or bear arms, he was + prosecuted on the statute for £20 a month, and underwent imprisonment + several years, and loss of goods to more than £1,000. Yet it pleased + the Lord to support and bless him and a large family, so that on his + deathbed he was heard to say, “O Lord, my soul blesseth thee, and all + that is within me magnifieth thy holy name!” He often desired to + depart and be with Christ, and died in great peace, in 1702, aged + eighty, a minister about thirty years. + +Thus the Lord’s power came over all, and his day many came to see. There +were abundance of Ranters in those parts, and professors that had been +so loose in their lives, that they began to be weary of it and had +thought to go into Scotland to live privately. But the Lord’s net caught +them, and their understandings were opened by his light, Spirit, and +power, through which they came to receive the truth, and to be settled +upon the Lord; and so became very sober men, and good friends in the +truth. Great blessing and praising of the Lord there was amongst them, +and great admiration in the country. + +Out of SUSSEX I travelled to READING, where I found a few that were +convinced of the way of the Lord. There I stayed till First-day, and had +a meeting in George Lamboll’s orchard; and a great part of the town came +to it. A glorious meeting it proved; a great convincement there was, and +the people were mightily satisfied. Thither came two of Judge Fell’s +daughters to me, and George Bishop, of BRISTOL, with his sword by his +side, for he was a captain.[40] After the meeting many Baptists and +Ranters came privately, reasoning and discoursing; but the Lord’s power +came over them. The Ranters pleaded, that God made the Devil; I denied +it, and told them, “I was come into the power of God, the seed Christ, +which was before the Devil was, and bruised the head of him; and he +became a Devil by going out of truth, and so became a murderer and a +destroyer. So I showed them that God did not make the Devil; for God is +a God of truth, and he made all things good, and blessed them; but God +did not bless the Devil. And the Devil is bad, and was a liar and a +murderer from the beginning, and spoke of himself and not from God.” And +so the truth stopped them, and bound them, and came over all the highest +notions in the nation, and confounded them. For by the power of the Lord +God I was manifest, and sought to be made manifest to the Spirit of God +in all; that by it (which they vexed, and quenched, and grieved,) they +might be turned to God; as many were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ by +the Holy Spirit, and were come to sit under his teaching. + +Footnote 40: + + This Captain Bishop, who is mentioned as wearing his sword, soon + discontinued it, being convinced, and joining Friends. He was the + author of _An Account of the Persecution in New England_, and he + issued a prophetic warning to the King and Parliament, in 1664, for + banishing Friends, which was fulfilled. See _Sewell’s History_; Index. + +After this meeting at READING I passed up to LONDON, where I stayed a +while, and had large meetings, then into ESSEX, and came to COGGESHALL, +where was a meeting of about two thousand people, as it was supposed, +which lasted several hours, and a glorious meeting it was; for the word +of life was freely declared, and people were turned to the Lord Jesus +Christ, their teacher and their Saviour, the way, the truth, and the +life. + +On the sixth day of that week I had a meeting near COLCHESTER, to which +many professors and the Independent teachers came. After I had done +speaking, and was stepped down from the place on which I stood, one of +the Independent teachers began to make a jangling; which Amor Stoddart +perceiving, said to me, Stand up again, George, for I was going away, +and did not at first hear them. But when I heard the jangling +Independent, I stood up again; and after a while the Lord’s power came +over him and his company; and they were confounded, and the Lord’s truth +went over all. A great flock of sheep hath the Lord Jesus Christ in that +country, that feed in his pastures of life. On the First-day following +we had a very large meeting, near COLCHESTER, wherein the Lord’s power +was eminently manifested, and the people were very well satisfied; for +they were turned to Christ’s free teaching, and received it gladly. Many +of these people had been of the stock of the martyrs. + +As I passed through COLCHESTER, I went to visit James Parnel in prison, +but the cruel jailer would hardly let us come in, or stay with him. Very +cruel they were to him; the jailer’s wife threatened to have his blood; +and in that jail they destroyed him, as the reader may see in a book +printed soon after his death, giving an account of his life and death; +and also in an epistle printed with his collected books and writings. + +From COLCHESTER I went to IPSWICH, where we had a little meeting, and +very rude; but the Lord’s power came over them. After the meeting I +said, “if any had a desire to hear further, they might come to the inn;” +and there came in a company of rude butchers, that had abused Friends; +but the Lord’s power so chained them that they could not do mischief. +Then I wrote a paper, and gave it forth to the town, “warning them of +the day of the Lord, that they might repent of the evils they lived in; +directing them to Christ, their teacher, and way; and exhorting them to +forsake their hireling teachers.” + +We passed from IPSWICH to MENDLESHAM, in SUFFOLK, where Robert Duncan +lived. There we had a large quiet meeting, and the Lord’s power was +preciously felt amongst us. Then we passed to a meeting at Captain +Lawrence’s in NORFOLK; where, it was supposed, were above a thousand +people; and all was quiet. Many persons of note were present, and a +great convincement there was; for they were turned to Christ, their way +and their teacher, and many of them received him, and sat down under +him, their vine. Here we parted with Amor Stoddart and some other +Friends, who intended to meet us again in HUNTINGDONSHIRE. + +About two in the morning we took horse for NORWICH, where Christopher +Atkins had run out, and brought dishonour upon the blessed truth and +name of the Lord. But he had been denied by Friends; and afterwards he +gave forth a paper of condemnation of his sin and evil. We came to +YARMOUTH, and there stayed a while; where there was a Friend, Thomas +Bond, in prison for the truth of Christ. There we had some service; and +some were turned to the Lord in that town. From thence we rode to +another town, about twenty miles off, where were many tender people; and +I was moved of the Lord to speak to them, as I sat on my horse, in +several places as I passed along. + +We went to another town about five miles from thence, and set up our +horses at an inn, Richard Hubberthorn and I having travelled five and +forty miles that day. There were some friendly people in the town; and +we had a tender, broken meeting amongst them, in the Lord’s power, to +his praise. We bid the hostler have our horses ready by three in the +morning; for we intended to ride to LYNN, about three and thirty miles, +next morning. But when we were in bed at our inn, about eleven at night, +the constable and officers came, with a great rabble of people, into the +inn, and said they were come with a hue and cry from a justice of peace, +that lived near the town about five miles off, where I had spoken to the +people in the streets, as I rode along, to search for two horsemen, that +rode upon gray horses, and in gray clothes; a house having been broken +up on the Seventh-day before at night. We told them “we were honest, +innocent men, and abhorred such things;” yet they apprehended us, and +set a guard with halberts and pikes upon us that night; making some of +those friendly people, with others, to watch us. Next morning we were up +betimes, and the constable with his guard carried us before a justice of +peace about five miles off. We took two or three of the sufficient men +of the town with us, who had been with us at the great meeting at +Captain Lawrence’s, and could testify that we lay both the Seventh-day +night, and the First-day night, at Captain Lawrence’s; and it was the +Seventh-day night that they said the house was broken up. + +The reader is to be informed, that during the time that I was a prisoner +at the Mermaid at CHARING CROSS, this Captain Lawrence brought several +Independent justices to see me there, with whom I had much discourse; +which they took offence at. For they pleaded for imperfection, and to +sin as long as they lived; but did not like to hear of Christ teaching +his people himself, and making people as clear, whilst here upon the +earth, as Adam and Eve were before they fell. These justices had plotted +together this mischief against me in the country, pretending a house was +broken up; that they might send their hue and cry after me. They were +vexed also, and troubled, to hear of the great meeting at John +Lawrence’s aforesaid; for a colonel was convinced there that day, who +lived and died in the truth. But Providence so ordered, that the +constable carried us to a justice about five miles onward in our way +towards LYNN, who was not an Independent justice, as the rest were. + +When we were brought before him, he began to be angry, because we did +not put off our hats to him. I told him, I had been before the +Protector, and he was not offended at my hat; and why should he be +offended at it, who was but one of his servants? Then he read the hue +and cry; and I told him, “that that night, wherein the house was said to +be broken up, we were at Captain Lawrence’s house; and that we had +several men present who could testify the truth thereof.” Thereupon the +justice, having examined us and them said “he believed we were not the +men that had broken the house; but he was sorry,” he said, “that he had +no more against us.” We told him, “he ought not to be sorry for not +having evil against us; but rather to be glad; for to rejoice, when he +got evil against people, as for housebreaking, or the like, was not a +good mind in him.” It was a good while yet, before he could resolve, +whether to let us go, or send us to prison; and the wicked constable +stirred him up against us, telling him, “we had good horses, and that if +it pleased him, he would carry us to NORWICH jail.” But we took hold of +the justice’s confession, that “he believed we were not the men that had +broken the house;” and after we had admonished him to fear the Lord in +his day, the Lord’s power came over him, so that he let us go; so their +snare was broken. A great people were afterwards gathered to the Lord in +that town, where I was moved to speak to them in the street; and from +whence the hue and cry came. + +Being set at liberty, we travelled to LYNN; where we arrived about three +in the afternoon. Having set up our horses, we met with Joseph Fuce,[41] +who was an ensign; and we wished him to speak to as many of the people +of the town as he could that feared God; and to the captains and +officers to come together; which he did. We had a very glorious meeting +amongst them, and turned them to the Spirit of God, by which they might +know God and Christ, and understand the Scriptures; and so learn of God +and of Christ, as the prophets and apostles did. Many were convinced +there; and a fine meeting there is, of them that are come off from the +hirelings’ teaching, and sit under the teaching of the Lord Jesus +Christ. + +Footnote 41: + + Joseph Fuce was one of those faithful ministers who died in White Lion + prison, Southwark, in 1665, during the time of the plague. + +LYNN being then a garrison, we desired Joseph Fuce to get us the gate +opened by three next morning, for we had forty miles to ride next day. +By that means getting out early, we came next day by eleven or twelve to +SUTTON, near the Isle of Ely, where Amor Stoddart, and the Friends with +him, met us again. A multitude of people was gathered there, and no less +than four priests. The priest of the town made a great jangle; but the +Lord’s power so confounded him, that he went away: the other three +stayed; and one of them was convinced. One of the other two, whilst I +was speaking, came to lean upon me; but I bid him sit down, seeing he +was so slothful. A great convincement there was that day; and many +hundreds were turned from the darkness to the light, from the power of +Satan unto God, and from the spirit of error to the Spirit of truth, to +be led thereby into all truth. People came to this meeting from +HUNTINGDON, and beyond; and the mayor’s wife of CAMBRIDGE was there +also. A glorious meeting it was, and many were settled under Christ’s +teaching, and knew him, their Shepherd, to feed them; for the word of +life was freely declared, and gladly received by them. The meeting ended +in the power of the Lord, and in peace; and after it I walked out and +went into a garden; where I had not been long, before a Friend came to +me, and told me several justices were come to break up the meeting. But +many of the people were gone away; so they missed of their design: and +after they had stayed a while, they went away also, in a fret. + +That evening I passed to CAMBRIDGE. When I came into the town, the +scholars hearing of me, were up, and were exceedingly rude. I kept on my +horse’s back, and rode through them in the Lord’s power; but they +unhorsed Amor Stoddart before he could get to the inn. When we were in +the inn, they were so rude in the courts, and in the streets, that +miners, colliers, and carters could never be ruder. The people of the +house asked us “what we would have for supper.” “Supper!” said I, “were +it not that the Lord’s power is over them, these rude scholars look as +if they would pluck us in pieces, and make a supper of us.” They knew I +was so against the trade of preaching, which they were there as +apprentices to learn, that they raged as much as ever Diana’s craftsmen +did against Paul. At this place John Crook met us. When it was within +night, the mayor of the town, being friendly, came and fetched me to his +house; and as we walked through the streets, there was a bustle in the +town; but they did not know me, it being darkish. They were in a rage, +not only against me, but against the mayor also; so that he was almost +afraid to walk the streets with me, for the tumult. We sent for the +friendly people, and had a fine meeting there in the power of God: and I +stayed there all night. Next morning, having ordered our horses to be +ready by six, we passed peaceably out of town; and the destroyers were +disappointed; for they thought I would have stayed longer, and intended +to do us mischief; but our passing away early in the morning frustrated +their evil purposes against us. + +Then we rode to BISHOP-STORTFORD, where some were convinced: and so to +HERTFORD, where also there were some convinced; and where there is now a +large meeting. From thence we returned to LONDON, where Friends received +us gladly; the Lord’s power having carried us through many snares and +dangers. Great service we had for the Lord; for many hundreds were +brought to sit under the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ, their +Saviour, and to praise the Lord through him. James Naylor also was come +up to London; and Richard Hubberthorn and I stayed some time in the +city, visiting Friends and answering gainsayers; for we had great +disputes with professors of all sorts. Many reproaches they cast upon +truth; and lying slanderous books they gave forth against us: but we +answered them all, cleared God’s truth, and set it over them; and the +Lord’s power was over all. + +Amongst other services for the Lord, which then lay upon me in the city, +I was moved to give forth a paper which is as follows:— + + _To Those that Made a Scorn of Trembling and Quaking._ + + “The word of the Lord to all you that scorn trembling, and quaking; + who scoff at, scorn, stone, and belch forth oaths against, those who + are trembling and quaking; threatening them, and beating them. + Strangers ye are to all the apostles and prophets; and are of the + generation that stoned them, and mocked them in those ages. Ye are the + scoffers of whom they spoke, that are come in the last times. Be ye + witnesses against yourselves. To the light in all your consciences I + speak, that with it you may see yourselves to be out of the life of + the holy men of God. + + “Moses, who was judge over all Israel, trembled, feared, and quaked: + when the Lord said unto him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of + Isaac, and the God of Jacob, then Moses trembled, and durst not + behold.’ This, which makes to tremble now, ye teachers and people + scoff at, and scorn them in your streets who witness the power of the + Lord. Moses forsook the pleasures of the world, which he might have + enjoyed for a season. He might have been called the son of Pharaoh’s + daughter; he refused it, and forsook Pharaoh’s house; yet was no + vagabond. David, a king, trembled; he was mocked; they made songs on + him; they wagged their heads at him. Will you profess David’s words, + and Moses’s words, who are in the generation of your fathers, mockers, + scoffers, wonderers, and despisers, who are to perish? O blush! be + ashamed of all your profession, and be confounded! Job trembled, his + flesh trembled, and they mocked him: so do you now mock them in whom + the same power of God is made manifest; and yet you profess Job’s + words. O deceitful hypocrites! will ye not own Scripture? O shame! + never profess Scripture words, and deny the power, which, according to + Scripture, makes the keepers of the house to tremble, and the strong + man to bow himself. These things both priests, magistrates, and people + scoff at; but with the power ye are judged, and by the power and life + condemned. + + “The prophet Jeremiah trembled, he shook, his bones quaked, he reeled + to and fro, like a drunken man, when he saw the deceits of the priests + and prophets, who were turned from the way of God; they were not + ashamed, neither could they blush. Such were gone from the light; and + such were they that ruled over the people. But he was brought to cry, + O foolish people! that had eyes, and could not see; that had ears, and + could not hear; that did not fear the Lord, and tremble at his + presence, who placed the sands for bounds to the sea, by a perpetual + decree, that the waves thereof cannot pass! And he said, ‘A horrible + thing is committed in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, and the + priests bear rule by their means. Shall not I visit for these things, + saith the Lord? Shall not my soul be avenged upon such a nation as + this?’ They were such as did not tremble at the word of the Lord; + therefore he called them a foolish people. Hear all ye the word of the + Lord, ye foolish people, who scorn trembling and quaking. Give over + professing the prophet Jeremiah’s words, and making a trade of them; + for with his words you are judged to be among the scoffers, scorners, + and stockers. For he was stocked by your generation; and you now stock + them that tremble at the word of the Lord, at the power of the mighty + God, which raises up the seed of God, and throws down the earth which + hath kept it down. So, you who are in the fall where death reigneth, + who are enemies of the truth, despising the power of God, as those of + your generation ever did, woe and misery is your portion, except you + speedily repent. + + “Isaiah saith, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his + word.’ Again, ‘To this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and + of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.’ Isa. lxv. 2. ‘Your + brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, + Let the Lord be glorified; but he shall appear to your joy, and they + shall be ashamed.’ Isa. lxvi. 5. Now all ye scoffers and scorners, + that despise trembling, you regard not the word of the Lord; they are + not regarded by you, that tremble at the word; who are regarded by the + Lord: therefore you are contrary to Isaiah’s words. Profess him and + his words no more, for shame, nor make a trade of his words, ye that + seek for your gain from your quarter, ye greedy, dumb dogs, that never + have enough; ye are they that despise trembling; ye are such as Isaiah + cried against, who himself witnessed trembling. Here therefore be ye + witnesses against yourselves, that with the light in your consciences + ye may see ye are out of the prophet Isaiah’s spirit, and are haters + of them that tremble, whom the Lord regards; such you regard not, but + hate and persecute, mock and rail against them. It is manifest that + you walk in the steps of your forefathers, that persecuted the + prophets. + + “Habakkuk, the prophet of the Lord, trembled. And Joel, the prophet of + the Lord, said, ‘Blow the trumpet in Zion, and let all the inhabitants + of the earth tremble: the people shall tremble, and all faces shall + gather blackness, and the people shall be much pained.’ And now this + trembling is witnessed by the power of the Lord. This power of the + Lord is come; the trumpet is sounding; the earth is shaking, the + inhabitants of the earth are trembling; the dead are arising, and the + living are praising God; the world is raging, and the scoffers are + scorning; and they that witness trembling and quaking wrought in them + by the power of the Lord, can scarcely pass up and down the streets, + but with stones and blows, fists and sticks, or dogs set at them; or + they are pursued with mockings and reproaches. Thus you vent forth + your malice against them that witness the power of the Lord, as the + prophets did; who are come to the broken heart and contrite spirit, + who tremble at the word of the Lord, and whom the Lord regards: these + you stone and stock, and set your dogs at; these you scoff and scorn, + these you revile and reproach; but these reproaches are our riches; + praised be the Lord who hath given us power over them. If you see one, + as Habakkuk, whose ‘lips quivered,’ whose ‘belly shook,’ who said, + ‘rottenness was entered into his bones,’ and who ‘trembled in + himself;’ if you see such a one in this condition now, ye say, he is + bewitched. Here again you show yourselves strangers to that power, to + that life, that was in the prophet: therefore, for shame, never make a + profession of his words, nor a trade of his words; nor of Joel’s, who + witnessed trembling, which ye scorn and scoff at. Ye proud scoffers + and scorners, misery, misery is your end, except you speedily repent. + + “Daniel, a servant of the most high God, trembled; his strength and + his breath were gone; he was imprisoned, he was hated, he was + persecuted. They laid baits and snares for him, in whom the Holy + Spirit of God was. Now for shame, you that make a profession of + Daniel’s words, give over your profession; priests and people, who + scorn and scoff at trembling, with the light you are seen to be out of + Daniel’s life, and by the same power you are judged, at which you + scorn and scoff. Here again be ye witnesses against yourselves, that + ye are scorners and scoffers against the truth; and with the Scripture + ye are judged to be contrary to the life of the holy men of God. + + “Paul, a minister of God, made, by the will of God, a messenger of the + Lord Jesus, a vessel of the Lord, to carry his name abroad into + several nations, trembled: and when the dark, blind world, having got + some of his words and epistles, you teachers make a trade of them, and + obtain great sums of money by it, and so destroy souls for dishonest + gain: making a trade of his words, and of the rest of the apostles’ + and prophets’, and of Christ’s words, but denying the Spirit and life + that they were guided by; and that power which shook the flesh and the + earth, which the apostle witnessed, who said, when he came among the + Corinthians, that ‘he was with them in weakness, and in fear, and in + much trembling,’ that their faith might not stand in the wisdom of + men, but in the power of God; in that power which made him to tremble. + This power it is that the world, and all the scoffing teachers, scoff + at and scorn in your towns, in your villages, in your assemblies, in + your ale-houses. For shame, lay aside all your profession of the + apostle’s words and conditions! Some of them that scoff at this power, + call it the power of the devil. Some persecute, stone and stock, + imprison and whip them, in whom that power is made manifest, and load + them with reproaches, as not worthy to walk on the earth; hated and + persecuted, as the off-scouring of all things. Here you may see you + are in the steps of your forefathers, who persecuted the apostles, and + acted so against them, stocked them, mocked them, imprisoned them, + stoned them, whipped them, haled them out of the synagogues, + reproached them, and shamefully entreated them. Do not you here fulfil + the Scripture, and Christ’s saying, who said, ‘If they kill you, they + will think they do God service?’ Yet you make a profession of Christ’s + words, of the prophets’ and apostles’ words, and call yourselves + churches, and ministers of the gospel. I charge you, in the presence + of the living God, to be silent who act such things! Mind the light in + your consciences, ye scoffers and scorners, which Christ hath + enlightened you withal: that with it ye may see yourselves, what ye + act, and what ye have acted; for they who act such things shall not + inherit the kingdom of God: all such things are by the light + condemned. + + “You who have come to witness trembling and quaking, the powers of the + earth to be shaken, the lustful nature to be destroyed, the scorning + and scoffing nature judged by the light; wait in it to receive power + from him who shakes the earth. That power we own, and our faith stands + in it, which all the world scoffs at; the lofty ones, the proud, the + presumptuous, who live in presumption, and yet make a profession of + the Scriptures, as your fathers the Pharisees did, who were painted + sepulchres and serpents; and as the scribes did, who had the chiefest + place in the assemblies, stood praying in the synagogues, and were + called of men masters, which Christ cried woe against. These are not + come so far as the trembling of devils, who believed and trembled. Let + that judge you. The light and life of the Scripture is seen and made + manifest, and with it all you scoffers and scorners, all you + persecutors and railers are seen. + + “Take warning, all ye powers of the earth, how ye persecute them whom + the world nickname and call Quakers, who dwell in the eternal power of + God; lest the hand of the Lord be turned against you, and ye be all + cut off. To you this is the word of God. Fear and tremble, and take + warning! for this is the man whom the Lord doth regard, who trembles + at his word; whom you, who are of the world, scoff and scorn, stock, + persecute, and imprison. Here ye may see ye are contrary to God and to + the prophets; and are such as hate what the Lord regards; which we, + whom the world scorns and call Quakers, own. We exalt and honour that + power, that makes the devils tremble, shakes the earth, and throws + down the loftiness and the haughtiness of man; which makes the beasts + of the field to tremble, and the earth to reel to and fro; which + cleaves the earth asunder, and overturneth the world. This power we + own, and honour, and preach; but all scoffers and persecutors, railers + and scorners, stockers and whippers, we deny by that power which + throweth down all that nature; seeing that all who act such things, + without repentance, shall not inherit the kingdom of God, but are for + destruction. + + “Rejoice, all ye righteous ones, who are persecuted for righteousness’ + sake; for great is your reward in heaven. Rejoice ye that suffer for + well doing; for ye shall not lose your reward. Wait in the light, that + you may grow up in the life that gave forth the Scriptures; that with + it you may see the saints’ conditions, and all that which they + testified against; and there with it ye will see the state of those + that reproached and scoffed at them; that mocked and persecuted them; + that whipped and stocked them, and haled them out of the synagogues + before magistrates. To you, who are in the same light and life, the + same things do they now; that they may fill up the measure of their + fathers. With the light now they are seen, where the light, and life, + and power of God is made manifest; for as they did unto them, so they + will do unto you. Here is our joy; the Scripture is fulfilled, and + fulfilling; and with the light, which was before the world was, which + is now made manifest in the children of light, they see the world, and + comprehend it, and the actions of it; for he that loves the world, and + turns from the light, is an enemy to God; he turneth into wickedness; + for the whole world lieth in wickedness. He who turns from the light, + turns into the works of evil, which the light of Christ testifies + against; and by this light, where it is made manifest, all the works + of the world are seen and made manifest.” + + G.F. + + This is to go abroad among the scattered + ones, and among the world. + +Great was the rage and enmity of professors, as well as profane, against +the truth and people of God at this time; and great the contempt and +disdain they showed of Friends’ plainness. Wherefore I was moved to +write the following, and sent it forth:— + + _An Epistle to Churches gathered into outward forms, upon the + earth._ + + “All ye churches gathered into outward forms upon the earth, the Son + of God is come to reign; he will tread and trample, will shake and + make you quiver, you that are found out of his light, without his life + and power. His day hath appeared; mortar and clay will you be found. + Breaking, shaking, and quaking are coming among you! your high + building is to be laid desolate; your professed liberty shall be your + bondage; the mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it. Tremble, ye + hypocrites, ye notionists! the fenced cities shall be laid desolate, + the fruitful fields shall become a wilderness; your false joy shall + become your heaviness; the time of weeping and desolation draweth + nigh! Come, ye witty ones, see how ye can stand before the Almighty, + who is now come to plead with you; you will fall like leaves, and + wither like weeds! Come, you that have boasted of my name, saith the + Lord, and have gloried in the flesh, ye shall fade like a flower; who + have slain my witness yet boast of my words, which have been as a song + unto you. Come, ye novelists, who love novelties, changeable suits of + apparel, who are in the fashions, outward and inward, putting on one + thing this day, and another the other day. ‘I will strip thee,’ saith + the Lord, ‘I will make thee bare, I will make thee naked, and thou + shalt know that I am the Lord.’ + + “‘What! hast thou professed the prophets’ words? hast thou professed + the apostles’ words, and my Son’s words; hast thou covered thyself + with their expressions? thinkest thou not that I see thee out of my + life? thinkest thou, thou witty one, to hide thyself where none can + see thee? thinkest thou, if thou fliest to the uttermost parts of the + earth, that I am not there? Is not the earth mine, and the fulness of + it, saith the Lord?’ Come, all ye that have trusted in your own + conceited notions, and knowledge, and wisdom, who were never yet out + of the earth, and the lusts of it; never yet got the load of thick + clay off you; never were out of the drunken spirit, whose imperfection + appears, which must be come upon as a potter’s vessel; broken + cisterns; ye that have been made wise in your own conceit, wise in + your own eyes, in which pride hath lifted you up, and not the + humility; you must be abased. You have run on, every one after his own + invention; every man hath done the thing that was right in his own + eyes, that which pleased himself. This hath been the course of people + upon earth. Ye have run on without a king, without Christ, the light + of the world, which hath enlightened every one that is come into the + world. But now is truth risen, now are your fruits withering. + + “And you that are fortified, and have fortified your strong houses, + called your churches, make ye your cords strong, the Lord will break + you asunder, ye that are gathering in, and ye that are gathered. For + the Lord is risen to scatter you; his witness is risen in the hearts + of his people, they will not be fed with dead words, nor with that + which dies of itself; nor will they be satisfied with the husks which + the swine feed upon. All ye priests in the nation, and teachers, that + now stand against the light, your envy shows that ye are in Cain’s + way; your greediness shows that ye are in Balaam’s way; your standing + against the light which hath enlightened every man that cometh into + the world, doth manifest that you are in Korah’s way, that spoke the + great high words of vanity; ye whose consciences are seared as with a + hot iron, whose judgment doth not linger, whose damnation doth not + slumber, who serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but your own bellies; + who are the evil beasts spoken of, which have destroyed many families, + taken away their cattle, their horses, their goods, even their + household goods; destroyed many poor men, even whole families, taking + their whole estates from them whom you do no work for. O! the grievous + actions that are done by you, the ministers of unrighteousness; whose + fruits declare to the whole nation that you are the devil’s + messengers! your actions declare it; your taking tithes, + augmentations, treble damages, Midsummer-dues (as ye call them), of + them ye do no work for, nor minister to. + + “All ye powers of the earth, beware of holding such up as are + unrighteous. Let not the words of the unrighteous overcome you, lest + God, the righteous judge of heaven and earth, take hold upon you; + whose judgment is according to that of God in you, which will let you + see when you transgress. Come you proud and lofty ones, who have not + considered the handy-works of the Lord, but have destroyed them; nor + have regarded the way of the Lord, but have had plenty of the + creatures, and have therewith fattened yourselves, and forgotten the + Lord and his way: O let shame cover your faces here upon earth! Come + ye that are given to pleasures, and spend your time in sports, and + idleness, and fulness; your fruits declare the sins of Sodom; yet you + will talk of my name, and of my saints’ words. ‘But I behold you afar + off,’ saith the Lord; you are proud and lofty; you are evil patterns, + bad examples, full, rich, and idle; who say others are idle, that + cannot maintain your lusts. O! the unrighteous balances that are among + people! O! the iniquity in measuring! O! the oppression in ruling and + governing! Because of these things my hand shall come upon you, saith + the Lord. For the oppression is entered into the ears of the Lord, who + gives rest to the wearied, to the burthened, to the oppressed; who + feeds the hungry, and clothes the naked; who brings the mighty from + their seats, beats the lofty to the ground, and makes the haughty + bend. + + “Come, saith the Lord, ye mockers, scorners, and rebellious ones, + light and wild people, vain and heady; you have had your day of joy, + you have scoffed, you have mocked and derided my messengers and my + ambassadors, who have preached in your streets, and cried in your + synagogues and temples; a day of trembling and lamentation shall come + upon you, when you are not aware. I will take away your pride and your + height; I will shake you as a leaf, and bring you to be as men + distracted. I will distract you, and make you that you shall not trust + one another in the earth, who have joined hand in hand against my + servants in the truth. I will smite you with terrors, and bring fear + upon you; the cup of my indignation and fury shall you drink. Where + will you appear when repentance is hid from your eyes, when profane + Esau, your father, is set before you, and Ishmael and Cain, wild and + envious, whose fruits declare the stock? + + “Come, ye proud priests, who have eaten up the fat of the nation, who + by violence have taken other men’s goods, whose envy hath slain many, + whose wickedness and darkness hath abounded, and whose unrighteousness + daily appears; your fruits every day declare it, in summoning up by + writs and subpœnas from most parts of the nation for wages and + tithes, such as you do no work for. O abominable unrighteousness! how + is the state of man lost, that they do not take these things to heart + to feel them! what havoc is made in most parts of the nation with + such! And all ye priests and teachers, who are railing and brawling in + the pulpit, setting people at variance one against another, haters and + hateful, provoking people to hate one another, here is the seed of + enmity seen, which you have sown and are sowing, whose seed must he + bruised by the seed of the woman, which above your heads is set.” + + G. F. + +This year came out the oath of abjuration, by which many Friends +suffered; and several went to speak to the Protector about it; but he +began to harden. And sufferings increasing upon Friends, by reason that +envious magistrates made use of that oath as a snare to catch Friends +in, who, they knew, could not swear at all; I was moved to write to the +Protector, as follows:— + + “The magistrate is not to bear the sword in vain, who ought to be a + terror to evil-doers; but as the magistrate that doth bear the sword + in vain, is not a terror to evil-doers, so he is not a praise to them + that do well. Now hath God raised up a people by his power, whom + people, priests, and magistrates, who are out of the fear of God, + scornfully call Quakers, who cry against drunkenness (for drunkards + destroy God’s creatures), and against oaths (for because of oaths the + land mourns), and these drunkards and swearers, to whom the + magistrate’s sword should be a terror, are, we see, at liberty; but + for crying against such, many are cast into prison; as also for + testifying against their pride and filthiness, their deceitful + merchandise in markets, their cozening and their cheating, their + excess and naughtiness, their playing at bowls and shuffle boards, at + cards and at dice, and their other vain and wanton pleasures. They who + live in pleasures are dead while they live; and they who live in + wantonness kill the just. This we know by the Spirit of God, which + gave forth the Scriptures, which the Father has given to us, and hath + placed his righteous law in our hearts; which law is a terror to + evil-doers, and answers that which is of God in every man’s + conscience. They who act contrary to the measure of God’s Spirit in + every man’s conscience, cast the law of God behind their backs, and + walk despitefully against the Spirit of grace. The magistrate’s sword, + we see, is borne in vain, whilst the evil-doers are at liberty to do + evil; and they that cry against such, are for so doing punished by the + magistrate, who hath turned his sword backward against the Lord. Now + the wicked one fenceth himself, and persecutes the innocent as + vagabonds and wanderers, for crying against sin, and against + unrighteousness and ungodliness openly, in the markets and in the + highways; or as railers, because they tell them what judgment will + come upon them that follow such practices. Here they that depart from + iniquity are become a prey, and few lay it to heart. But God will + thrash the mountains, beat the hills, cleave the rocks, and cast into + his press, which is trodden without the city, and will bathe his sword + in the blood of the wicked and unrighteous. You that have drunk the + cup of abominations, a hard cup have you had to drink; you are the + enemies of God, and of you he will be avenged. + + “Now ye, in whom something of God is remaining, consider; If the sword + was not borne in vain, but turned against the evil-doers, then the + righteous would not suffer, and be cast into holes, dungeons, corners, + prisons, and houses of correction, as peace-breakers, for testifying + against sin openly, as they are commanded of the Lord, and against the + covetousness of the priests, and their false worships; who exact money + of poor people, whom they do no work for. O! where will you appear in + the day of the Lord? or how will you stand in the day of his righteous + judgment? How many jails and houses of correction are now made places + to put the lambs of Christ in, for following him, and obeying his + commands, which are too numerous to mention. The royal law of Christ, + ‘to do as ye would be done by,’ is trodden down under foot; so that + men can profess him in words, but crucify him wheresoever he appears, + and cast him into prison, as the talkers of him always did in the + generations and ages past. The labourers, whom God, the master of the + harvest, hath sent into his vineyard, do the chief of the priests, and + the rulers now take counsel together against, to cast them into + prison: and here are the fruits of priests, and people, and rulers, + without the fear of God. The day is come and coming, that every man’s + work doth appear and shall appear; glory be to the Lord God for ever. + So see, and consider the days you have spent, and do spend; for this + is your day of visitation. Many have suffered great fines, because + they could not swear, but obey Christ’s doctrine, who saith, ‘Swear + not at all:’ and are made a prey upon for abiding in the command of + Christ. Many are cast into prison because they cannot take the oath of + abjuration, though they denied all that is abjured in it; and by that + means many of the messengers and ministers of the Lord Jesus Christ + are cast into prison because they will not swear, nor go out of + Christ’s command. + + “Therefore, O man, consider; to the measure of the life of God in thee + I speak. Many also lie in jails, because they cannot pay the priest’s + tithes; many have their goods spoiled, and treble damages taken of + them; and many are whipped and beaten in the house of correction, + without breach of any law. These things are done in thy name, in order + to protect them in these actions. If men fearing God bore the sword, + if covetousness were hated, and men of courage for God were set up, + then they would be a terror to evil-doers, and a praise to them that + do well; and not cause them to suffer. Here equity would be heard in + our land, and righteousness would stand up and take place; which + giveth not place to the unrighteous, but judgeth it. To the measure of + God’s Spirit in thee I speak, that thou mayest consider, and come to + rule for God; that thou mayest answer that which is of God in every + man’s conscience; for this is that, which bringeth to honour all men + in the Lord. Therefore consider for whom thou dost rule, that thou + mayest come to receive power from God to rule for him; and all that is + contrary to God may by his light be condemned. + + “From a lover of thy soul, who desires thy eternal good.” + + G. F. + +But sufferings and imprisonments continuing and increasing, and the +Protector (under whose name they were inflicted,) hardening himself +against the complaints that were made to him, I was moved to issue the +following amongst Friends, to bring the weight of their sufferings more +heavy upon the heads of the persecutors:— + + “Who is moved by the power of the Lord to offer himself to the justice + for his brother or sister, that lies in prison, and to go lie there in + their stead, that his brother or sister may come out of prison, and so + offer his life for his brother or sister? Where any lie in prison for + tithes, witnessing the priesthood changed, that took tithes, and the + unchangeable priesthood come; if any brother in the light, who + witnesseth a change of the old priesthood that took tithes, and a + disannulling of the commandment for tithes, be moved of the Lord to go + to the priest or impropriator, to offer himself to lie in prison for + his brother, and to lay down his life, that he may come forth, he may + cheerfully do it, and heap up coals of fire upon the head of the + adversary of God. Likewise where any suffer for the truth by them who + are in the untruth, if any Friends be moved of the Lord to go to the + magistrate, judge, general, or protector, and offer up themselves to + lay down their lives for the brethren; as Christ hath laid down his + life for you, so lay down your lives one for another. Here you may go + over the heads of the persecutors, and reach the witness of God in + all. And this shall rest a judgment upon them all for ever, and be + witnessed to by that which is of God in their consciences. Given forth + from the Spirit of the Lord through + + G. F.” + +Besides this, I wrote also a short epistle to Friends, as an +encouragement to them in their several exercises; which was as follows:— + + “MY DEAR FRIENDS, + + “In the power of the everlasting God, which comprehends the power of + darkness, and all temptation, and that which comes out of it, in this + power of God dwell. It will bring and keep you to the Word in the + beginning; it will keep you up to the life, to feed thereupon, in + which you are over the power of darkness, and in which you will find + and feel dominion and life. And that will let you see, before the + tempter was, and over him; and into that the tempter cannot come; for + the power and truth he is out of. Therefore in that life dwell, in + which you will know dominion; and let your faith be in the power, and + over the weakness and temptations, and look not at them: but in the + light and power of God look at the Lord’s strength, which will be made + perfect in your weakest state. In all temptations look at the grace of + God to bring your salvation, which is your teacher to teach you: for + when you look or hearken to the temptations, you go from your teacher, + the grace of God; and so are darkened in going from that teacher, the + grace of God, which is sufficient in all temptations, to lead out of + them, and to keep over them.” + + G. F. + + + + + CHAPTER IX. + +1655-1656.—Friends slandered by Presbyterians and Independents, suffer + much from them and the Baptists for refusing to pay tithes—the + priests hunt after a fallen benefice like crows after carrion—great + miracles wrought through several—an Independent preacher convinced, + but relapses—address to the convinced in Ireland—a sick woman at + Baldock restored—George Fox parts and reconciles two furious + combatants—to the seven parishes at the Land’s End, recommending + attention to the Inward Light—George Fox parts with James Naylor, + and has a presentiment of his fall—Major Ceely places George Fox and + Edward Pyot under arrest—they are sent to Launceston jail—put into + Doomsdale, and suffer a long and cruel imprisonment—a paper against + swearing—Peter Ceely’s mittimus—George Fox has great service in + jail—many are convinced, and opposers are confounded—experiences + some remarkable preservations—Edward Pyot writes an excellent letter + to Judge Glynne on the liberty of the subject, and on the injustice + and illegality of their imprisonment—Truth spreads in the west by + the very means taken to prevent it—exhortation and warning to + magistrates—answer to the Exeter general warrant for taking up and + imprisoning Friends—exhortation to Friends in the ministry—warning + to priests and professors—cruel jailer imprisoned in Doomsdale, and + further judgments upon him follow—a Friend offers to lie in prison + instead of George Fox—Edward Pyot to Major-General Desborough, in + answer to his conditional offer of liberty—George Fox to the same—he + and his Friends are soon after liberated. + + +After clearing myself of those services for the Lord, which lay upon me +in LONDON, I passed into BEDFORDSHIRE and NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. At +WELLINGBOROUGH, I had a great meeting, in which the Lord’s everlasting +power and truth was over all; and many in that country were turned to +the Lord. Great rage was amongst the professors, for the wicked priests, +Presbyterians, and Independents, falsely reported “that we carried +bottles about with us, which we gave people to drink of; which made them +follow us:” but the Power, and Spirit, and Truth of God kept Friends +over the rage of the people. Great spoiling also there was of Friends’ +goods for tithes, by the Independent and Presbyterian priests, and some +Baptist priests, that had got into the steeple-houses. + +From WELLINGBOROUGH I went into LEICESTERSHIRE, where Colonel Hacker had +threatened that if I came there he would imprison me again, though the +Protector had set me at liberty: but when I was come to WHETSTONE, (the +meeting from which he took me before,) all was quiet there. Colonel +Hacker’s wife, and his marshal came to the meeting, and were convinced: +for the glorious powerful day of the Lord was exalted over all, and many +were convinced that day. There were at that meeting two justices of the +peace, that came out of Wales, whose names were Peter Price and Walter +Jenkin; who came both to be ministers of Christ. + +I went from thence to SILEBY, to William Smith’s, where was a great +meeting, to which several Baptists came; one of them, a Baptist teacher, +was convinced, and came to sit under the Lord’s teaching by his Spirit +and power. This Baptist said, he had baptized thirty in a day. + +From thence I went to DRAYTON, my native town, where so many priests and +professors had formerly gathered together against me; but now not a +priest or professor appeared. I asked some of my relations where all the +priests and professors were? They said, the priest of NUN-EATON was +dead, and eight or nine of them were seeking to get his benefice. “They +will let you alone now,” said they, “for they are like a company of +crows, when a sheep is dead, they all gather together to pull out the +puddings; so do the priests for a fallen benefice.” These were some of +their own hearers that said so of them; but they had spent their venom +against me, and the Lord delivered me by his power out of their snares. + +Then I went to BADDESLEY, where was a great meeting. Many came far to +it; and were convinced and turned to the Lord; who came under Christ’s +teaching, and were settled upon him, their foundation and their rock. + +From thence I passed into NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, and had large meetings there; +and into DERBYSHIRE, where the Lord’s power came over all; and many were +turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, and +came to receive the Holy Ghost. Great miracles were wrought in many +places by the power of the Lord through several. + +In DERBYSHIRE James Naylor met me, and told me, seven or eight priests +had challenged him to a dispute. I had a travail in my spirit for him, +and the Lord answered me, and I was moved to bid him go on, and God +Almighty would be with him, and give him the victory in His power. And +the Lord did so; insomuch that the people saw the priests were foiled, +and they cried, “a Nailer, a Nailer hath confuted them all.” After the +dispute, he came to me again, praising the Lord. Thus was the Lord’s day +proclaimed and set over all their heads, and people began to see the +apostacy and slavery they had been under to their hireling teachers for +means; and they came to know their teacher, the Lord Jesus, who had +purchased them, and made their peace between God and them. While we were +here, Friends came out of YORKSHIRE to see us, and were glad of the +prosperity of truth. + +After this I passed into WARWICKSHIRE, through Friends, visiting their +meetings; and so into WORCESTERSHIRE. I had a meeting at BIRMINGHAM, as +I went, where several were convinced and turned to the Lord. At length I +came to one Cole’s house in WORCESTERSHIRE, near CHATTAN. This Cole had +given an Independent preacher a meeting-place, and the Independent came +to be convinced, and after he was convinced he laid aside his preaching; +whereupon the old man—— Cole gave him a hundred pounds a-year. I had a +meeting there, and a very great one it was, insomuch that the +meeting-place would not hold the people: and many were turned to the +Lord that day. Afterwards, when the time of trials came, this +Independent did not stand to that which had convinced him, but turned +back, whereupon the old man took away his hundred pounds a-year from him +again. But Cole himself died in God’s truth. + +I heard that at EVESHAM the magistrates had cast several Friends into +prison; and that, hearing of my coming, they made a pair of high stocks. +I sent for Edward Pittaway, a Friend that lived near EVESHAM, and asked +him the truth of the thing; and he said it was so. I went that night +with him to EVESHAM, and in the evening we had a large, precious +meeting, wherein Friends and people were refreshed with the word of +life, and with the power of the Lord. Next morning I rode to one of the +prisons, and visited Friends there, and encouraged them. Then I rode to +the other prison, where there were several prisoners; and amongst them +was Humphrey Smith,[42] who had been a priest, but was now become a free +minister of Christ. When I had visited the Friends at both prisons, and +was turned away from the prison to go out of town, I espied the +magistrates coming to seize me. But the Lord frustrated their intent, +the innocent escaped their snare, and God’s blessed power came over them +all. But exceedingly rude and envious were the priests and professors +about this time in those parts. + +Footnote 42: + + Humphrey Smith became an able gospel minister, turning many to + righteousness. He had a vision of the destruction of London by fire, + six years before it happened, which vision he made known as a warning + to the people to repent. (See _Piety Promoted_, vol. i. p. 39 and his + published works). He had also a clear foresight of his own sufferings + and death thereby. He died a prisoner for the testimony of Jesus in + Winchester jail, in 1663, where he fell ill after a year’s + imprisonment. Whilst he was very ill in prison, he said, “My heart is + filled with the power of God;” and then added, “It is good for a man + at such a time as this, to have the Lord to be his friend.” Near his + departure, he prayed earnestly, saying, “Hear me, O Lord, uphold and + preserve me. I know that my Redeemer liveth: Thou art strong and + mighty, O Lord;” and prayed “that the Lord would deliver His people + from their cruel oppressors”; and for those who had been convinced by + him, “that the Lord would be their teacher.” + +I went from EVESHAM to WORCESTER, and had a precious meeting there, and +quiet. But after it, as we came down the street towards our inn, some of +the professors fell to discourse with Friends, and were like to have +made a tumult in the city. As we went into the inn, they all cluttered +into the yard; but I went among them, and got them quieted. Next day I +walked into the town, and had much discourse with some of the +professors, concerning Christ and the way of truth. One of them denied +that Christ was of Abraham, according to the flesh, and that he was +declared to be the Son of God, according to the Spirit; but I proved +from Rom. i. that he was of the seed of Abraham, being made of the seed +of David according to the flesh; and that according to the Spirit he was +declared to be the Son of God. Afterwards I wrote a paper concerning it. + +From WORCESTER we went to TEWKESBURY, where in the evening we had a +great meeting; to which came the priest of the town with a great rabble +of rude people. He boasted, that he would see whether he or I should +have the victory. “I turned the people to the divine light, which +Christ, the heavenly and spiritual man, enlighteneth them withal; that +with that light they might see their sins, and that they were in death +and darkness, and without God in the world; and that with the same light +they might also see Christ from whom it comes, their Saviour and +Redeemer, who shed his blood and died for them, and who is the way to +God, the truth, and the life.” Here the priest began to rage against the +Light, and denied it; for neither priest nor professor could endure to +hear the Light spoken of. So the priest having railed at the Light went +away, and left his rude company amongst us; but the Lord’s power came +over them, though mischief was in their hearts. + +Leaving TEWKESBURY, we came to WARWICK, where in the evening we had a +meeting at a widow’s house, with many sober people. A precious meeting +we had in the Lord’s power, and several were convinced and turned to the +Lord. After it, as I was walking out, a Baptist in the company began to +jangle; and the bailiff of the town with his officers came in, and said, +“What do these people here at this time of night?” So he secured John +Crook, Amor Stoddart, Gerrard Roberts,[43] and myself, but we had leave +to go to our inn, and to be forth-coming in the morning. Next morning +many rude people came to the inn, and into our chambers, desperate +fellows; but the Lord’s power gave us dominion over them. Gerrard +Roberts and John Crook went up to the bailiff to speak with him, and to +know what he had to say to us. He said we might go our ways, for he had +little to say to us. As we rode out of town, it lay upon me to ride to +his house to let him know, “that the Protector having given forth an +instrument of government, in which liberty of conscience was granted, it +was very strange that, contrary to that instrument of government, he +would trouble peaceable people that feared God.” The Friends went with +me, but the rude people gathered about us with stones; and one of them +took hold of my horse’s bridle and broke it; but the horse drawing back +threw him under him. Though the bailiff saw this, yet he did not stop, +nor so much as rebuke the rude multitude, so that it was much we were +not slain or hurt in the streets; for the people threw stones, and +struck at us, as we rode along the town. + +Footnote 43: + + Gerrard Roberts, a merchant of London, was one of the most active + members of the Society in making the needful arrangements for the + visits of its ministers to foreign parts. + +When we were quite out of the town, I told Friends, “it was upon me from +the Lord, that I must go back into it again; and if anyone of them felt +anything upon him from the Lord, he might follow me, and the rest that +did not, might go on to DUN-COW.” So I passed up through the market in +the dreadful power of God, declaring the word of life to them, and John +Crook followed me. Some struck at me; but the Lord’s power was over +them, and gave me dominion over all. I showed them their unworthiness of +the name of Christians, and the unworthiness of their teachers who had +not brought them into more sobriety; and what a shame they were to +Christianity! + +Having cleared myself, I turned back out of the town again, and passed +to COVENTRY; where we found the people closed up with darkness. I went +to a professor’s house that I had formerly been at, and he was drunk, +which grieved my soul so, that I did not go into any house in the town; +but rode into some of the streets, and into the market-place. I felt the +power of the Lord God was over the town. + +Then I went on to DUN-COW, and had a meeting there in the evening, and +some were turned to the Lord by his Spirit, as also at WARWICK and +TEWKESBURY. We lay at DUN-COW that night, and there we met with John +Camm, a faithful minister of the everlasting gospel. In the morning +there gathered a rude company of priests and people, who behaved more +like beasts than men; for some of them came riding on horseback into the +room where we were; but the Lord gave us dominion over them. + +From thence we passed into LEICESTERSHIRE, where we had a great meeting +at the place where I had been taken formerly; and after that we came to +BADDESLEY in WARWICKSHIRE. Here William Edmundson,[44] a Friend who +lived in Ireland, having some drawings upon his spirit to come over into +England to see me, met with me; by whom I wrote to the few Friends then +convinced in the north of Ireland, as follows:— + + “FRIENDS, + + “In that which convinced you, wait; that you may have that removed you + are convinced of. And all my dear Friends, dwell in the life, and + love, and power, and wisdom of God, in unity one with another, and + with God; and the peace and wisdom of God fill all your hearts, that + nothing may rule in you but the life, which stands in the Lord God.” + + G. F. + +Footnote 44: + + William Edmundson was the first person who publicly espoused the + principles of Friends in Ireland. He was some time a soldier in + Cromwell’s army, but the strivings of the Holy Spirit drew him out of + the corruptions of the world, to a nearer acquaintance with God. He + left the army, and joined the people called Quakers, though they were + much spoken against. His life and property were given up to the + service of the gospel, and many were his trials and sufferings on its + account, which he bore with exemplary patience. During the civil wars, + he had on one occasion twenty of his cows driven away from him. His + house was also beset by some hundreds of banditti, and the shots they + fired into the house were heard at two miles’ distance. After it was + plundered and burned, himself and two sons were led away prisoners, + bareheaded, and barefooted, and nearly naked, except they gave William + Edmundson an old blanket of his own to wrap about him. + + After a toilsome night, journeying through bushes, rough stones, mire, + and water knee-deep, they were taken to a wood, and after a mock show + of justice, condemned to death; the young men to be hanged, and their + father, in compliment to his courage, to be shot. Though death was no + terror to this pious man, he expostulated with his persecutors; + reminding them of his services in behalf of their countryfolk. Several + of them confessed they knew him to be an honest man; yet justice and + mercy were disregarded, and they prepared to execute their purpose. + The youths were hoodwinked, in order to hang them; and two firelocks + made ready to shoot their father, whom they were about to hoodwink + also; but he told them they need not, for he could look them in the + face, and was not afraid to die. + + At this juncture arrived a lieutenant, a brother of one whose life + William Edmundson had saved, when the English soldiers were about to + hang him. Thus the Lord interposed and would not suffer them to take + their lives. The officer released the prisoners from death, but did + not restore them to liberty, taking them to Athlone, not from a + grateful sense of remembered services, but from a hope of preferment + thereby. On entering the town, the high sheriff, soldiers, and rabble, + gave them abusive language; and their lives were endangered, had not a + lieutenant of the Irish army who recognised William Edmundson, + declared aloud his knowledge of him, and of his worth, and thus + quieted the tumult. They were then brought to the Irish colonel, + before whom he appeared, wrapped in his blanket. Though the colonel + was personally acquainted with him, he did not, in these + circumstances, know him; but when he said, I am old William Edmundson, + the colonel rose, and with tears in his eyes, expressed his sorrow to + see him in that condition. After reprimanding the lieutenant, he + committed them to the care of one of his captains, sent them food and + money, and they met with better treatment. + + Great sufferings was it the lot of this faithful man to endure; who + was unwearied in his Master’s service for upwards of fifty years of + his life, counting nothing too near or dear to part with, or too great + to suffer, if he could but win Christ and the souls of his fellow-men. + Yet in these and many other great exercises and straits, the Lord’s + arm and generous providence, says he, have preserved and supported me. + He spared not himself, even to old age, in performing travels and + services as a gospel minister, beyond the ordinary course of nature, + often saying the Lord was his song and his strength, and had carried + him through many and various exercises and perils. As a fixed star in + the firmament of God’s power did he continue to hold his integrity to + the last, being enabled to say, “O death! where is thy sting? O grave! + where is thy victory?” + +When these few lines were read amongst the Friends in Ireland at their +meeting, the power of the Lord came upon all in the room. + +From Baddesley we passed to SWANINGTON and HIGHAM, and so into +Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire, having great meetings; and many were +turned to the Lord by his power and Spirit. When we came to BALDOCK in +Hertfordshire, I asked, if there was nothing in that town, no +profession; and it was answered me, there were some Baptists and a +Baptist woman sick. John Rush of Bedfordshire went with me to visit her. +When we came in, there were many tender people about her. They told me +she was not a woman for this world, but if I had anything to comfort her +concerning the world to come, I might speak to her. I was moved of the +Lord God to speak to her; and the Lord raised her up again to the +astonishment of the town and country. This Baptist woman and her +husband, whose name was Baldock, came to be convinced, and many hundreds +of people have met at their house since. Great meetings and +convincements were in those parts afterwards; many received the word of +life, and sat down under the teaching of Christ, their Saviour. + +When we had visited this sick woman, we returned to our inn, where were +two desperate fellows fighting so furiously, that none durst come nigh +to part them. But I was moved, in the Lord’s power, to go to them; and +when I had loosed their hands, I held one of them by one hand, and the +other by the other, showed them the evil of their doings, and reconciled +them one to the other, and they were so loving and thankful to me, that +people admired at it.[45] + +Footnote 45: + + The circumstance above related is reminding of a somewhat similar one + recorded of Edward Burrough. + + “At London,” says Sewell the historian, “there is a custom in + summer-time, when the evening approaches, and tradesmen leave off + working, that many lusty fellows meet in the fields, to try their + skill and strength in wrestling, where generally a multitude of people + stand gazing in a ring. + + “Now it so fell out, that Edward Burrough passed by the place where + they were wrestling, and standing still among the spectators, saw how + a strong and dexterous fellow had already thrown three others, and was + waiting for a fourth champion, if any durst venture to enter the + lists. At length, none being bold enough to try, Edward Burrough + stepped into the ring, which was commonly made up of all sorts of + people; and having looked upon the wrestler with a serious + countenance, the man was not a little surprised, instead of an airy + antagonist, to meet with a grave and awful young man; and all stood + amazed as it were at this sight, eagerly expecting what would be the + issue of this combat. But it was quite another fight Edward Burrough + aimed at. For having already fought against spiritual wickedness, that + had once prevailed over him, and having overcome in measure, by the + grace of God, he now endeavoured also to fight against it in others, + and to turn them from the evil of their ways. With this intention, he + began very seriously to speak to the bystanders, and that with such a + heart-piercing power, that he was heard by the mixed multitude, with + no less attention than admiration; for his speech tended to turn them + from darkness to the light, and from the power of Satan unto God. To + effect this, he laboured with convincing words, showing how God had + not left himself without a witness, but had given to man a measure of + his grace, and enlightened every one with the light of Christ. + + “Thus zealously he preached; and though many might look upon this as a + novelty, yet it was of such effect, that some were convinced of the + truth; for Burrough was a breaker of stony hearts, and therefore by a + certain author not unjustly called ‘a son of thunder;’ though he + omitted not in due season to speak a word of consolation to those that + were of a broken heart, and of a contrite spirit.” + +From thence I passed to MARKET-STREET, where God had a people, and +through ALBAN’S to LONDON, where Friends were glad of the prosperity of +truth, and the manifestation of the Lord’s glorious power which had +delivered us, and carried us through many dangers and difficulties. I +also rejoiced to find truth prosper in the city, and all things well +amongst friends there. Only there was one John Toldervey, who had been +convinced of truth, and run out from it, and the envious priests took +occasion from thence to write a wicked book against Friends, which they +stuffed with many lies, to render truth and Friends odious. They +entitled their book, “_The Foot out of the Snare_.” But this poor man +came to see his folly and returned, condemned his backsliding, answered +the priest’s book, and exposed all their lies and wickedness. Thus the +Lord’s power came over them, and his everlasting Seed reigned, and +reigns to this day. + +Now after I had tarried some time in London, and had visited Friends in +their meetings, I went out of town, leaving James Naylor in the city. As +I passed from him I cast my eyes upon him, and a fear struck me +concerning him; but I went away, and rode down to RYEGATE in Surrey, +where I had a little meeting. There the Friends told me of one Thomas +Moore, a justice of peace, that lived not far from Ryegate, a friendly, +moderate man; I went to visit him at his house, and he came to be a +serviceable man in truth. + +We passed on to Thomas Patching’s, of Binscombe in Godalming, where we +had a meeting, to which several Friends came from London, and John +Bolton and his wife came on foot in frost and snow. After this we went +towards HORSHAM-PARK; and having visited Friends, passed on to ARUNDEL +and CHICHESTER, where we had meetings. At Chichester many professors +came in, and made some jangling, but the Lord’s power was over them. The +woman of the house where the meeting was, though convinced of truth, yet +not keeping her mind close to that which convinced her, fell in love +with a man of the world, who was there that time. When I knew it, I took +her aside, and was moved to speak to her, and to pray for her; but a +light thing got up in her mind, and she slighted it. Afterwards she +married the man, and soon after went distracted; for he was greatly in +debt, and she greatly disappointed. Then was I sent for to her, and the +Lord was entreated, raised her up again, and settled her mind by his +power. Afterwards her husband died; and she acknowledged the just +judgments of God were come upon her, for slighting the exhortation and +counsel I had given her. + +After we left Chichester, we travelled to PORTSMOUTH. There the soldiers +had us to the governor’s house. After some examination, the Lord’s power +came over them, and we were set at liberty, and had a meeting in the +town. After which we came to RINGWOOD, where in the evening we had a +meeting, at which several were convinced, and turned to the Spirit of +the Lord, and to the teaching of Christ Jesus, their Saviour. + +From Ringwood we came to POOLE; and having set up our horses at an inn, +we sent into the town to inquire for such as feared the Lord, and such +as were worthy; and had a meeting with several sober people. William +Baily, a Baptist teacher, was convinced there at that time.[46] The +people received the truth in the inward parts, and were turned to the +Lord Jesus Christ, their rock and foundation, their teacher and Saviour; +and there is become a great gathering in the name of Jesus of a very +tender people, who continue under Christ’s teaching. + +Footnote 46: + + William Bailey (or Bayley), whose writings were published in one + volume, 4to, in 1676, and of whom there is a brief account in _Piety + Promoted_, vol. i., p. 83, is stated to have been “mighty in the + Scriptures,” and not only a believer and preacher of the word of + faith, but a sufferer for the same. On one occasion, he was thrown + down and dragged upon the ground by the hair of his head, his + persecutors endeavouring to rend and break asunder his jaws, so that + the ground whereon he lay was besmeared with his blood. As if this + butchering had not been enough to make him a sacrifice, a heavy man + stamped on his breast with his feet, endeavouring to beat the breath + out of his body. When this persecutor had done his pleasure, he told + the jailer to take him away and put him in some nasty hole, for his + entertainment and cure. + + William Bailey, being master of a ship, often crossed the mighty + waters for the maintenance of his family, and many beyond the seas + were comforted by his ministry. He was taken ill at sea on his return + from visiting Friends in Barbadoes, and died on board the _Samuel_ of + London, in latitude 46° 36´ N. He died in great peace, as if he had + fallen asleep, exhorting those around him to fear God. + +We went also to SOUTHAMPTON and had a meeting; several were convinced +there also. Edward Pyot of Bristol travelled with me all this western +journey. + +From thence we went to DORCHESTER, and alighted at an inn, a Baptist’s +house; we sent into the town to the Baptists, to let us have their +meeting-house to meet in, and to invite the sober people to the meeting; +but they denied it us. We sent to them again, to know why they would +deny us their meeting-house; so the thing was noised in the town. Then +we sent them word, if they would not let us come to their house, they, +or any people that feared God, might come to our inn, if they pleased. +They were in a great rage; and their teacher and many of them came up, +and slapped their Bibles on the table. I asked them, why they were so +angry; were they angry with the Bible? But they fell into a discourse +about their water-baptism. I asked them, whether they could say, they +were sent of God to baptise people, as John was; and whether they had +the same Spirit and power that the apostles had? They said, they had +not. Then I asked them, how many powers there are; whether there are any +more than the power of God, and the power of the devil? They said, there +was not any other power than those two. Then said I, “if you have not +the power of God that the apostles had, then you act by the power of the +devil.” Many sober people were present, who said, “they have thrown +themselves on their backs.” Many substantial people were convinced that +night; a precious service we had there for the Lord, and his power came +over all. Next morning, as we were passing away, the Baptists, being in +a rage, began to shake the dust off their feet after us. “What,” said I, +“in the power of darkness! We, who are in the power of God, shake off +the dust of our feet against you.” + +Leaving Dorchester, we came to WEYMOUTH; where also we enquired after +the sober people; and about fourscore of them gathered together at a +priest’s house. Most of them received the word of life, and were turned +to their teacher Christ Jesus, who had enlightened them with his divine +light, by which they might see their sins, and him who saveth from sin. +A blessed meeting we had with them of several hours, and they received +the truth in the love of it, with gladness of heart. The state of their +teachers and the apostacy was opened to them; and the state of the +apostles, and of the church in their days; and the state of the law, and +of the prophets before Christ, and how Christ came to fulfil them; how +he was their teacher in the apostles’ days, and how he was come now to +teach his people himself by his power and Spirit. All was quiet, the +meeting broke up peaceably, and the people were very loving; and a +meeting is continued in that town to this day. Many are added to them; +and some that had been Ranters came to own the truth, and to live very +soberly. + +There was a captain of horse in the town, who sent to me, and would fain +have had me to stay longer; but I was not to stay. He and his man rode +out of town with me about seven miles, Edward Pyot also being with me. +This captain was the fattest, merriest man, the most cheerful, and the +most given to laughter, that ever I met with; insomuch that I was +several times moved to speak in the dreadful power of the Lord to him; +and yet it was become so customary to him, that he would presently laugh +at anything he saw. But I still admonished him to come to sobriety, +sincerity, and the fear of the Lord. We staid at an inn that night; and +in the morning I was moved to speak to him again, when he parted from +us. Next time I saw him, he told me, that when I spoke to him at +parting, the power of the Lord so struck him, that before he got home he +was serious enough, and had discontinued his laughing. He afterwards was +convinced, and became a serious and good man, and died in the truth. + +Parting from him we went to HONITON; and at our inn inquired what people +there were in the town that feared God, and sent for them. There came to +us some of the Particular Baptists, with whom we had much reasoning. I +told them, “they held their doctrine of particular election in Esau’s, +Cain’s, and Ishmael’s nature; not in Jacob, the second birth; but they +must be born again, before they could enter the kingdom of God. And that +as the promise of God was to the Seed, not as many, but as one, which is +Christ; so the election stands _in Christ_; and they must be such as +walk in his light, grace, Spirit, and truth.” + +From thence we passed to TOPSHAM, and stayed over the First-day; but the +innkeeper and his people were rude. Next morning we gave forth some +queries to the priests and professors; whereupon some rude professors +came into our inn; and had we not gone when we did, they would have +stopped us. I wore a girdle, which through forgetfulness I left behind +me at the inn, and afterwards sent to the innkeeper for, but he would +not let me have it again. Afterwards, when he was tormented in his mind +about it, he took it and burnt it, lest he should be bewitched by it, as +he said; yet when he had burnt it, he was more tormented than before. +Some, notwithstanding the rudeness of the place, were convinced; and a +meeting was afterwards settled in that town, which has continued ever +since. + +After this we passed to TOTNESS, a dark town. We lodged at an inn, and +at night Edward Pyot was sick, but the Lord’s power healed him, so that +next day we got to KINGSBRIDGE, and at our inn inquired for the sober +people of the town. They directed us to Nicholas Tripe and his wife, and +we went to their house. They sent for the priest, with whom we had some +discourse; but he being confounded, quickly left us. Nicholas Tripe and +his wife were convinced; and there is since a good meeting of Friends in +that country. In the evening we returned to our inn; and there being +many people drinking in the house, I was moved of the Lord to go amongst +them, and to direct them to the light, which Christ, the heavenly Man, +had enlightened them withal; by which they might see all their evil +ways, words, and deeds, and by the same light they might also see Jesus +Christ their Saviour. The innkeeper stood uneasy, seeing it hindered his +guests from drinking; and as soon as the last words were out of my +mouth, he snatched up the candle, and said, “Come, here is a light for +you to go into your chamber.” Next morning, when he was cool, I +represented to him “what an uncivil thing it was for him to do so;” then +warning him of the day of the Lord, we got ready and passed away. + +We came next day to PLYMOUTH, and after having refreshed ourselves at +our inn, we went to Robert Cary’s house, where we had a very precious +meeting. At this meeting was one Elizabeth Trelawny, daughter to a +baronet; she being somewhat dull of hearing came close to me, and placed +her ear very near me while I spoke; and she was convinced. After the +meeting some jangling Baptists came in, but the Lord’s power came over +them, and Elizabeth Trelawney gave testimony thereto. A fine meeting was +settled there in the Lord’s power, which has continued ever since; where +many faithful Friends have been convinced. + +From thence we passed into CORNWALL, and came to an inn in the parish of +MENHENIOT. At night we had a meeting at Edward Hancock’s house, to which +came one Thomas Mounce, and a priest, with many people. We made the +priest confess he was a minister made and maintained by the state; and +he was confounded and went his way; but many of the people stayed. I +directed them to the “light of Christ, by which they might see their +sins, and their Saviour Christ Jesus, the way to God, and their Mediator +to make peace between God and them; their Shepherd to feed them, and +their Prophet to teach them. I directed them also to the Spirit of God +in themselves, by which they might know the Scriptures, and be led into +all truth; by which they might know God, and in it have unity one with +another.” Many were convinced at that time, and came under Christ’s +teaching, and there are fine gatherings in the name of Jesus in those +parts at this day. + +We travelled thence through PENRYN to HELSTON; but could not obtain +knowledge of any sober people, through the badness of the innkeepers. At +length we came to a village where some Baptists and sober people lived, +with whom we had some discourse; and some of them were brought to +confess, that they stumbled at the light of Christ. They would have had +us to stay with them, but we passed thence to MARKET-JEW (Marazion); and +having taken up our lodging at an inn, we went out over-night to inquire +for such as feared the Lord. Next morning the mayor and aldermen +gathered together, with the high-sheriff of the county; and they sent +first the constables to bid us come before them. We asked them for their +warrant, and they saying they had none, we told them we should not go +along with them without. Upon the return of the constables without us, +they sent their serjeants, and we asked them for their warrant. They +said, they had none; but they told us, the mayor and aldermen stayed for +us. We told them, the mayor and his company did not well to trouble us +in our inn, and we should not go with them without a warrant. So they +went away and came again; and when we asked them for their warrant, one +of them pulled his mace from under his cloak; we asked them whether this +was their custom to molest and trouble strangers in their inns and +lodgings? After some time Edward Pyot went to the mayor and aldermen, +and had much discourse with them; but the Lord’s power gave him dominion +over them all. When he had returned, several of the officers came to us, +and we laid before them the incivility and unworthiness of their conduct +towards us, who were the servants of the Lord God, thus to stop and +trouble us in our lodgings; and what an unchristian act it was. Before +we left the town I wrote a paper, to be sent to the seven parishes at +the Land’s End. A copy of which follows:— + + “The mighty day of the Lord is come, and coming, wherein all hearts + shall be made manifest, and the secrets of everyone’s heart shall be + revealed by the light of Jesus, who lighteth every man that cometh + into the world, that all men through him might believe, and that the + world might have life through him, who saith, ‘Learn of me,’ and of + whom God saith, ‘This is my beloved Son, hear ye him.’ Christ is come + to teach his people himself; and everyone that will not hear this + Prophet, which God hath raised up, and which Moses spoke of, when he + said, ‘Like unto me will God raise you up a Prophet, him shall you + hear;’ every one (I say) that will not hear this Prophet, is to be cut + off. They that despised Moses’s law, died under the hand of two or + three witnesses; but how much greater punishment will come upon them + that neglect this great salvation, Christ Jesus, who saith, ‘Learn of + me: I am the way, the truth, and the life;’ who lighteth every man + that cometh into the world: and by His light lets him see his evil + ways and his evil deeds. But if you hate this light, and go on in + evil, this light will be your condemnation. Therefore, now ye have + time, prize it; for this is the day of your visitation, and salvation + offered to you. Every one of you hath a light from Christ, which lets + you see you should not lie, nor do wrong to any, nor swear, nor curse, + nor take God’s name in vain, nor steal. It is the light that shows you + these evil deeds; which if you love, and come unto it and follow it, + will lead you to Christ, who is the way to the Father, from whom it + comes; where no unrighteousness enters, nor ungodliness. If you hate + this light, it will be your condemnation; but if you love it and come + to it, you will come to Christ; and it will bring you off from all the + world’s teachers and ways, to learn of Christ, and will preserve you + from the evils of the world, and all the deceivers in it.” + + G. F. + +This paper a Friend who was then with me had; and when we were gone +three or four miles from Market-Jew towards the west, he meeting with a +man upon the road, gave him a copy of the paper. This man proved to be a +servant to one Peter Ceely, major in the army, and a justice of peace in +that county; and he riding before us to a place called St. Ives, showed +the paper to his master, Major Ceely. When we came to IVES, Edward +Pyot’s horse having cast a shoe, we stayed to have it set; and while he +was getting his horse shod, I walked down to the sea-side. When I +returned I found the town in an uproar; and they were hailing Edward +Pyot and the other Friend before Major Ceely. I followed them into the +justice’s house, though they did not lay hands upon me. When we came in, +the house was full of rude people; whereupon I asked whether there were +not an officer among them to keep the people civil? Major Ceely said, he +was a magistrate. I told him, “he should show forth gravity and sobriety +then, and use his authority to keep the people civil; for I never saw +any people ruder: the Indians were more like Christians than they.” +After a while they brought forth the paper aforesaid, and asked whether +I would own it? I said, yes. Then he tendered the oath of abjuration to +us; whereupon I put my hand in my pocket and drew forth the answer to +it, which had been given to the Protector. After I had given him that, +he examined us severally, one by one. He had with him a silly, young +priest, who asked us many frivolous questions; and amongst the rest he +desired to cut my hair, which then was pretty long; but I was not to cut +it though many times many were offended at it. I told them, “I had no +pride in it, and it was not of my own putting on.” At length the justice +put us under a guard of soldiers, who were hard and wild, like the +justice himself; nevertheless “we warned the people of the day of the +Lord, and declared the truth to them.” The next day he sent us, guarded +by a party of horse with swords and pistols, to REDRUTH. + +On First-day the soldiers would have taken us away; but we told them it +was their Sabbath, and it was not usual to travel on that day. Several +of the town’s-people gathered about us, and whilst I held the soldiers +in discourse, Edward Pyot spoke to the people; and afterwards he held +the soldiers in discourse whilst I spoke to the people; and in the mean +time the other Friend got out the back way, and went to the +steeple-house to speak to the priest and people. The people were +exceedingly desperate, in a mighty rage against him, and abused him. The +soldiers also missing him, were in a great rage, ready to kill us; but I +declared the day of the Lord, and the word of eternal life to the people +that gathered about us. In the afternoon the soldiers were resolved to +have us away, so we took horse. When we were got to the town’s-end, I +was moved of the Lord to go back again, to speak to the old man of the +house; the soldiers drew out their pistols, and swore I should not go +back. I heeded them not, but rode back, and they rode after me. I +cleared myself to the old man and the people, and then returned with +them, and reproved them for being so rude and violent. + +At night we were brought to a town called Smethick then, but since +FALMOUTH. It being the evening of the First-day, there came to our inn +the chief constable of the place, and many sober people, some of whom +began to inquire concerning us. We told them we were prisoners for +truth’s sake; and much discourse we had with them concerning the things +of God. They were very sober and loving to us. Some were convinced and +stood faithful ever after. + +After the constable and these people were gone, other people came in, +who were also very civil, and went away very loving. When all were gone +we went to our chamber to go to bed, and about eleven o’clock Edward +Pyot said, “I will shut the door, it may be some may come to do us some +mischief.” Afterwards we understood that Captain Keat, who commanded the +party, had purposed to do us some mischief that night; but the door +being bolted he missed his design. Next morning Captain Keat brought a +kinsman of his, a rude, wicked man, and put him into the room, he +himself standing without. The evil-minded man walking huffing up and +down the room, I bid him fear the Lord; whereupon he ran upon me, struck +me with both his hands; and placing his leg behind me, would have fain +thrown me down, but he could not for I stood stiff and still, and let +him strike. As I looked towards the door, I saw Captain Keat look on and +see his kinsman thus beat and abuse me. Whereupon I said, “Keat, dost +thou allow this?” and he said, he did; “Is this manly or civil,” said I, +“to have us under a guard and put a man to abuse and beat us? is this +manly, civil, or christian?” I desired one of our friends to send for +the constables, and they came. Then I desired the captain to let the +constables see his warrant or order, by which he was to carry us; which +he did; and his warrant was to conduct us safe to Captain Fox, governor +of Pendennis Castle; and if the governor should not be at home, he was +to convey us to Launceston jail. I told him, he had broken his order +concerning us; for we, who were his prisoners, were to be safely +conducted, but he had brought a man to beat and abuse us; so he having +broken his order, I wished the constable to keep the warrant. +Accordingly he did, and told the soldiers they might go, for he would +take charge of the prisoners; and if it cost twenty shillings in charges +to carry us up, they should not have the warrant again. I showed the +soldiers the baseness of their carriage towards us; and they walked up +and down the house, being pitifully blank and down. The constables went +to the castle, and told the officers what they had done. The officers +showed great dislike of Captain Keat’s base carriage towards us; and +told the constables that Major-General Desborough was coming to Bodmin, +and that we should meet him; and it was likely he would free us. +Meanwhile our old guard of soldiers came by way of entreaty to us, and +promised that they would be civil to us, if we would go with them. Thus +the morning was spent till it was about eleven o’clock; and then upon +the soldiers’ entreaty, and promise to be more civil, the constables +gave them the order again, and we went with them. Great was the civility +and courtesy of the constables and people of that town towards us, who +kindly entertained us; and the Lord rewarded them with his truth; for +many of them have since been convinced thereof, and are gathered into +the name of Jesus, and sit under Christ, their teacher and Saviour. + +Captain Keat, who commanded our guard, understanding that Captain Fox, +who was the governor of Pendennis Castle, was gone to meet Major-General +Desborough, did not take us thither; but went with us directly to +Bodmin. We met Major-General Desborough on the way; the captain of his +troop that rode before him, knew me, and said, “O, Mr. Fox, what do you +here?” I replied, “I am a prisoner.” “Alack,” said he, “for what?” I +told him, “I was taken up as I was travelling.” “Then,” said he, “I will +speak to my lord, and he will set you at liberty.” So he came from the +head of his troop, rode up to the coach, and spoke to the major-general. +We also told him how we were taken. He began to speak against the light +of Christ, for which I reproved him; then he told the soldiers they +might carry us to Launceston; for he could not stay to talk with us, +lest his horses should take cold. + +So to BODMIN we were conveyed that night; and when we were come to our +inn, Captain Keat, who was in before us, put me into a room, and went +his way. When I was come in, there stood a man with a naked rapier in +his hand. Whereupon I turned out again, called for Captain Keat, and +said unto him, “What now, Keat, what trick hast thou played now, to put +me into a room where there is a man with his naked rapier? what is thy +end in this?” “O,” said he, “pray hold your tongue; for if you speak to +this man, we cannot all rule him, he is so devilish.” “Then,” said I, +“dost thou put me into a room where there is such a man with a naked +rapier, that thou sayest you cannot rule him? what an unworthy, base +trick is this! and to put me singly into this room from the rest of my +friends, that were my fellow prisoners with me!” Thus his plot was +discovered, and the mischief they intended was prevented. Afterwards we +got another room, where we were together all night; and in the evening +we declared the truth to the people; but they were hardened and dark +people. The soldiers also, notwithstanding their fair promises, were +very rude and wicked to us again, and sat up drinking and roaring all +night. + +Next day we were brought to LAUNCESTON, where Captain Keat delivered us +to the jailer. Now was there no friend, nor friendly people near us; and +the people of the town were dark and hardened. The jailer required us to +pay seven shillings a-week for our horse-meat, and seven for our diet a +piece. But after some time several sober people came to see us, and some +of the town were convinced; and many friendly people out of several +parts of the country, came to visit us, and were convinced. Then arose a +great rage among the professors and priests against us; and they said, +this people Thou and Thee all men without respect, and they will not put +off their hats, nor bow the knee to any man: this made them fret. But, +said they, we shall see, when the assize comes, whether they will dare +to Thou and Thee the judge, and keep on their hats before him. They +expected we should be hanged at the assize. But all this was little to +us; for we saw how God would stain the world’s honour and glory, and +were commanded not to seek that honour, nor give it; but we knew the +honour that comes from God only, and sought that. + +It was nine weeks from the time of our commitment to the assizes, to +which abundance of people came from far and near to hear the trial of +the Quakers. Captain Bradden lay with his troop of horse there, whose +soldiers and the sheriff’s men guarded us up to the court through the +multitude of people that filled the streets; and much ado they had to +get us through them. Besides, the doors and windows were filled with +people looking out upon us. When we were brought into the court, we +stood some time with our hats on, and all was quiet; and I was moved to +say, “Peace be amongst you!” Judge Glynne, a Welchman, then chief +justice of England, said to the jailer, “what be these you have brought +here into the court?” “Prisoners, my Lord,” said he. “Why do you not put +off your hats?” said the judge to us: we said nothing. “Put off your +hats,” said the judge again. Still we said nothing. Then said the judge, +“The court commands you to put off your hats.” Then I spoke, and said, +“Where did ever any magistrate, king, or judge, from Moses to Daniel, +command any to put off their hats, when they came before them in their +courts, either amongst the Jews, the people of God, or amongst the +heathens? and if the law of England doth command any such thing, show me +that law either written or printed.” Then the judge grew very angry, and +said, “I do not carry my law-books on my back.” “But,” said I, “tell me +where it is printed in any statute-book, that I may read it.” Then said +the judge, “Take him away, prevaricator! I’ll _jerk_ him.” So they took +us away, and put us among the thieves. Presently after he calls to the +jailer, “Bring them up again.” “Come,” said he, “where had they hats +from Moses to Daniel; come, answer me: I have you fast now,” said he. I +replied, “Thou mayest read in the third of Daniel, that the three +children were cast into the fiery furnace by Nebuchadnezzar’s command, +with their coats, their hose, and their hats on.” This plain instance +stopped him: so that not having any thing else to say to the point, he +cried again, “Take them away, jailer.” Accordingly we were taken away, +and thrust in among the thieves, where we were kept a great while; and +then, without being called again, the sheriff’s men and the troopers +made way for us (but we were almost spent) to get through the crowd of +people, and guarded us to the prison again, a multitude of people +following us, with whom we had much discourse and reasoning at the jail. +We had some good books to set forth our principles, and to inform people +of the truth: which the judge and justices hearing of, they sent Captain +Bradden for them, who came into the jail to us, and violently took our +books from us, some out of Edward Pyot’s hands, and carried them away; +so we never got them again. + +In the afternoon we were had up again into the court by the jailer and +sheriff’s men, and troopers, who had a mighty toil to get us through the +crowd of people. When we were in the court, waiting to be called, I +seeing both the jurymen, and such a multitude of others swearing, it +grieved my life, that such as professed Christianity should so openly +disobey and break the command of Christ and the apostle. And I was moved +of the Lord to give forth a paper against swearing, which I had about +me, to the grand and petty juries; which was as follows:— + + “_Concerning Swearing._ + + “Take heed of giving people oaths to swear: for Christ our Lord and + Master saith, ‘Swear not at all; but let your communications be yea + yea, and nay nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.’ + If any man was to suffer death, it must be by the hand of two or three + witnesses; and the hands of the witnesses were to be first put upon + him, to put him to death. And the apostle James saith, ‘My brethren, + above all things swear not, neither by heaven, nor by earth, nor by + any other oath, lest ye fall into condemnation.’ Hence you may see, + those that swear fall into condemnation, and are out of Christ’s and + the apostle’s doctrine. Therefore, every one of you having a light + from Christ, who saith, ‘I am the light of the world,’ and doth + enlighten every man that cometh into the world; who also saith, ‘Learn + of me,’ whose doctrine is, not to swear; and the apostle’s doctrine + is, not to swear; ‘let your yea be yea, and your nay be nay, in all + your communications; for whatsoever is more, cometh of evil.’ Then, + they that go into more than yea and nay, go into evil, and are out of + the doctrine of Christ. + + “Now, if you say, ‘that the oath was the end of controversy and + strife,’ they who are in strife, are out of Christ’s doctrine; for he + is the covenant of peace: and they who are in it, are in the covenant + of peace. And the apostle brings that but as an example: as, men + swearing by the greater; and the oath was the end of controversy and + strife among men; and said, verily, men swear by the greater: but God + could not find a greater, but swears by himself, concerning Christ; + who, when he was come, taught not to swear at all. So such as are in + him, and follow him, cannot but abide in his doctrine. + + “If you say, ‘they swore under the law, and under the prophets,’ + Christ is the end of the law, and of the prophets, to every one that + believeth for righteousness’ sake. Now mark; if you believe, ‘I am the + light of the world, which doth enlighten every man that cometh into + the world,’ saith Christ, by whom it was made; and every man of you + that is come into the world is enlightened with a light that comes + from Christ, by whom the world was made, that all of you through him + might believe; that is the end for which he doth enlighten you. Now if + you do believe in the light, as Christ commands, and saith, ‘believe + in the light, that you may be children of light,’ you believe in + Christ, and come to learn of him who is the way to the Father. This is + the light which shows the evil actions you have all acted, the ungodly + deeds you have committed, and all the ungodly speeches you have + spoken; and all your oaths, cursed speaking, and ungodly actions. Now + if you attend to this light, it will let you see all that you have + done contrary to it; and loving it, it will turn you from your evil + deeds, evil actions, evil ways, evil words, to Christ, who is not of + the world; who is the light which lighteth every man that cometh into + the world;—who testifies against the world, that the deeds thereof are + evil. So doth the light in every man, that he hath received from him, + testify against his works and deeds that are evil, that they are + contrary to the light; and each shall give an account at the day of + judgment for every idle word that is spoken. This light shall bring + every tongue to confess, yea, and every knee to bow at the name of + Jesus; in which light, if you believe, you shall not come into + condemnation, but come to Christ, who is not of the world;—to him by + whom it was made; but if you believe not in the light, this, the + light, is your condemnation, saith Christ.” + + G. F. + +This paper passing among them from the jury to the justices, they +presented it to the judge; so that when we were called before the judge, +he bade the clerk give me that paper; and then asked me, “whether that +seditious paper was mine;” I told him, “If they would read it up in open +court, that I might hear it, if it was mine I would own it, and stand by +it.” He would have had me to take it, and look upon it in my own hand; +but “I again desired that it might be read, that all the country might +hear it, and judge whether there was any sedition in it or not; for if +there were I was willing to suffer for it.” At last the clerk of the +assize read it with an audible voice, that all the people might hear it: +and when he had done, I told them, “it was my paper; I would own it; and +so might they too, except they would deny the Scripture: for was not +this Scripture language, and the words and commands of Christ, and the +apostle, which all true Christians ought to obey?” Then they let fall +that subject; and the judge fell upon us about our hats again, bidding +the jailer take them off, which he did, and gave them to us; and we put +them on again. Then we asked the judge and the justices, what we had +lain in prison for these nine weeks, seeing they now objected nothing to +us but about our hats; and as for putting off our hats, I told them, +that was the honour which God would lay in the dust, though they made so +much to do about it; the honour which is of men, and which men seek one +of another, and is the mark of unbelievers. For “how can ye believe,” +saith Christ, “who receive honour one of another, and seek not the +honour that cometh from God only?” and Christ saith, “I receive not +honour from men;” and all true Christians should be of his mind. + +Then the judge began to make a great speech, how he represented the lord +Protector’s person; who had made him lord chief justice of England, and +sent him to come that circuit, &c. We desired him then, that he would do +us justice for our false imprisonment, which we had suffered nine weeks +wrongfully. But instead of that, they brought in an indictment, that +they had framed against us; so strange a thing, and so full of lies, +that I thought it had been against some of the thieves; that we came “by +force and arms, and in a hostile manner into the court;” who were +brought, as aforesaid. I told them, “it was false:” and still we cried +for justice for our false imprisonment, being taken up in our journey +without cause by Major Ceely. Then Peter Ceely spoke to the judge, and +said, “May it please you, my lord, this man (pointing to me), went aside +with me, and told me how serviceable I might be for his design; that he +could raise forty thousand men at an hour’s warning, and involve the +nation in blood, and so bring in King Charles. I would have aided him +out of the country, but he would not go. If it please you, my lord, I +have a witness to swear it.” So he called upon his witness; but the +judge not being forward to examine the witness, I desired that he would +be pleased to let my mittimus be read in the face of the court and +country, in which my crime was signified, for which I was sent to +prison. The judge said, “it should not be read;” I said, “it ought to +be, seeing it concerned my liberty and my life.” The judge said again, +“It shall not be read;” but I said, “it ought to be read; for if I have +done anything worthy of death, or of bonds, let all the country know +it.” Then seeing they would not read it, I spoke to one of my +fellow-prisoners, “Thou hast a copy of it, read it up,” said I. “It +shall not be read,” said the judge; “Jailer,” said he, “take him away, I +will see whether he or I shall be master.” So I was taken away; and a +while after called for again. I still cried to have my mittimus read; +for that signified the cause of my commitment: wherefore I again spoke +to the friend, my fellow prisoner, to read it. He did read it, and the +judge, justices, and whole court were silent; for the people were eager +to hear it. It was as follows:— + +_Peter Ceely, one of the Justices of the Peace of this County, to the + Keeper of His Highness’s jail at Launceston, or his lawful Deputy in + that behalf, Greeting_:— + + “I send you herewithal by the bearers hereof, the bodies of Edward + Pyot of Bristol, and George Fox of Drayton-in-the-Clay, in + Leicestershire, and William Salt of London, which they pretend to be + the places of their habitations, who go under the notion of Quakers + and acknowledge themselves to be such; who have spread several papers + tending to the disturbance of the public peace, and cannot render any + lawful cause of coming into these parts, being persons altogether + unknown, and having no pass for their travelling up and down the + country, and refusing to give sureties of their good behaviour, + according to the law in that behalf provided; and refuse to take the + oath of abjuration, &c. These are therefore, in the name of his + Highness the lord Protector, to will and command you, that when the + bodies of said Edward Pyot, George Fox, and William Salt, shall be + unto you brought, you them receive, and in his highness’s prison + aforesaid you safely keep them, until by due course of law they shall + be delivered. Hereof fail you not, as you will answer the contrary at + your perils. Given under my hand and seal, at St. Ives, the eighteenth + day of January, 1665.” + + P. CEELY. + +When it was read I spoke thus to the judge and justices: “Thou that +sayest thou art chief justice of England, and you justices know, that if +I had put in sureties, I might have gone whither I pleased; and have +carried on the design (if I had had one), which Major Ceely hath charged +me with: and if I had spoken those words to him, which he hath here +declared, judge ye, whether bail or mainprize could have been taken in +that case.” Then, turning my speech to Major Ceely, I said, “When or +where did I take thee aside? Was not thy house full of rude people, and +thou as rude as any of them at our examination: so that I asked for a +constable or some other officer, to keep the people civil? But if thou +art my accuser, why sittest thou on the bench? This is not a place for +thee to sit in; for accusers do not use to sit with the judge: thou +oughtest to come down, and stand by me, and look me in the face. +Besides, I would ask the judge and justices whether or not Major Ceely +is not guilty of this treason, which he charges against me, in +concealing it so long as he hath done? Does he understand his place +either as a soldier or a justice of the peace? For he tells you here, +that I went aside with him, and told him what a design I had in hand, +and how serviceable he might be for my design: that I could raise forty +thousand men in an hour’s time, and bring in King Charles, and involve +the nation in blood. He saith, moreover, he would have aided me out of +the country, but I would not go; and therefore he committed me to prison +for want of sureties for the good behaviour, as the mittimus declares. +Now do not you see plainly that Major Ceely is guilty of this plot and +treason that he talks of, and hath made himself a party to it, by +desiring me to go out of the country, and demanding bail of me, and not +charging me with this pretended treason till now, nor discovering it? +But I deny and abhor his words, and am innocent of his devilish design.” +So that business was let fall: for the judge saw clearly enough, that +instead of ensnaring me, he had ensnared himself. + +Major Ceely then got up again and said, “If it please you, my lord, to +hear me: this man struck me, and gave me such a blow, as I never had in +my life.” At this I smiled in my heart, and said, “Major Ceely, thou art +a justice of peace, and a major of a troop of horse, and tells the judge +here in the face of the court and country, that I (who am a prisoner) +struck thee, and gave thee such a blow, as thou never hadst the like in +thy life? What! art thou not ashamed? Prithee, Major Ceely?” said I, +“where did I strike thee? and who is thy witness for that? who was by?” +He said it was in the Castle-Green, and that Captain Bradden was +standing by, when I struck him. “I desired the judge to let him produce +his witness for that, and I called again upon Major Ceely to come down +from off the bench, telling him, it was not fit that the accuser should +sit as judge over the accused.” When I called again for his witnesses, +he said Captain Bradden was his witness. Then, I said, “Speak, Captain +Bradden, didst thou see me give him such a blow, and strike him, as he +saith?” Captain Bradden made no answer; but bowed his head towards me. I +desired him to speak up, if he knew any such thing: but he only bowed +his head again. “Nay,” said I, “speak up, and let the court and country +hear, and let not bowing of the head serve the turn. If I have done so, +let the law be inflicted on me; I fear not sufferings, nor death itself, +for I am an innocent man concerning all this charge.” But Captain +Bradden never testified to it: and the judge finding those snares would +not hold, cried, “Take him away, jailer:” and then, when we were taken +away, he fined us twenty marks a-piece for not putting off our hats; and +to be kept in prison till we paid it: so he sent us back to the jail. + +At night Captain Bradden came to see us, and seven or eight justices +with him, who were very civil to us, and told us, they believed neither +the judge nor any in the court gave credit to the charges which Major +Ceely had brought forward against me in the face of the country. And +Captain Bradden said, Major Ceely had an intent to take away my life if +he could have got another witness. “But,” said I, “Captain Bradden, why +didst not thou witness for me, or against me, seeing Major Ceely +produced thee for a witness, that thou saw me strike him; and when I +desired thee to speak either for me or against me, according to what +thou saw or knew, thou wouldst not speak.” “Why,” said he, “when Major +Ceely and I came by you, as you were walking in the Castle-Green, he put +off his hat to you, and said, ‘How do you do, Mr. Fox? Your servant, +Sir.’ Then you said to him, ‘Major Ceely, take heed of hypocrisy, and of +a rotten heart: for when came I to be thy master, and thou my servant? +Do servants cast their masters into prison?’ This was the great blow he +meant you gave him.” Then I called to mind that they walked by us, and +that he spoke so to me, and I to him; which hypocrisy and +rotten-heartedness he manifested openly, when he complained of this to +the judge in open court, and in the face of the country; and would have +made them all believe, that I struck him outwardly with my hand. + +Now we were kept in prison, and many came from far and near, to see us; +of whom some were people of account in the world; for the report of our +trial was spread abroad, and our boldness and innocency in our answers +to the judge and court were talked of in town and country. Among others +came Humphrey Lower to visit us, a grave, sober, old man, who had been a +justice of peace; he was very sorry we should lie in prison; telling us +how serviceable we might be if we were at liberty. We reasoned with him +concerning swearing; and having acquainted him how they tendered the +oath of abjuration to us, as a snare, because they knew we could not +swear, we showed him that no people could be serviceable to God, if they +disobeyed the command of Christ; and that they that imprisoned us for +the hat-honour, which was of men, and which men sought for, prisoned the +good, and vexed and grieved the spirit of God in themselves, which +should have turned their minds to God. So we turned him to the Spirit of +God in his heart, and to the light of Christ Jesus; and he was +thoroughly convinced, and continued so to his death, and became very +serviceable, to us.[47] + +Footnote 47: + + Humphrey Lower, who resided near Bodmin, in Cornwall, was an + influential magistrate, his name appearing as such in the history of + the county, under Charles I. He could, however, say with Paul, “What + things were gain unto me, those I counted loss for Christ.” In 1658, + for not attending the national worship, and refusing to enter into + bond to appear at the assizes, on a presentment made against him by + the constable of the parish, H. Lower was, on his non-appearance, + committed, notwithstanding his age and high character, to Launceston + jail, where he continued till the assizes; and then was put forth + without examination or trial, or any satisfaction for such rough + treatment. In 1660, he was sent for by a warrant, to appear before two + justices at Wadebridge, when one of them, Roscarrock, tendered him the + oath of supremacy; and for his refusing to take it, a mittimus was + made out and subscribed by him and two other magistrates, who acted + very unwillingly. Thereupon he was again sent to Launceston jail, + where he remained about two weeks, and then was freed by Sir J. + Coryton and E. Hearle. It is stated that H. Lower, when himself in the + commission of the peace, had more obliged the said Roscarrock than any + other man, by doing him many singular offices of justice and courtesy. + The return was a very ungrateful one. + + G. Fox mentions large and satisfactory meetings held at his house in + 1663 and 1668, and says that he continued serviceable till his death, + the date of which event is not recorded. + +There came also to see us one Colonel Rouse, a justice of peace, with a +great company with him. He was as full of words and talk as ever I heard +any man in my life, so that there was no speaking to him. At length I +asked him, “whether he had ever been at school, and knew what belonged +to questions and answers;” (this I said to stop him.) “At school!” said +he, “Yes.” “At school!” said the soldiers; “doth he say so to our +colonel, that is a scholar?” Then said I, “If he be so, let him be +still, and receive answers to what he hath said.” Then I was moved to +speak the word of life to him in God’s dreadful power; which came so +over him that he could not open his mouth: his face swelled and was red +like a turkey; his lips moved, and he mumbled something; but the people +thought he would have fallen down. I stepped to him, and he said he was +never so in his life before: for the Lord’s power stopped the evil power +in him; so that he was almost choked. The man was ever after very loving +to Friends, and not so full of airy words to us; though he was full of +pride; but the Lord’s power came over him, and the rest that were with +him. + +Another time there came an officer of the army, a very malicious, bitter +professor, whom I had known in London. He was full of his airy talk +also, and spoke slightingly of the light of Christ, and against the +truth, and against the Spirit of God being in men, as it was in the +apostles’ days; till the power of God that bound the evil in him, had +almost choked him as it did Colonel Rouse: for he was so full of evil +that he could not speak, but blubbered and stuttered. But from the time +that the Lord’s power struck him, and came over him, he was ever after +more loving to us. + +The assize being over, and we settled in prison upon such a commitment, +that we were not likely to be soon released, we discontinued giving the +jailer seven shillings a-week each for our horses, and seven for +ourselves; and sent our horses out into the country. Upon which he grew +very wicked and devilish; and put us down into Doomsdale, a nasty, +stinking place, where they put murderers, after they were condemned. The +place was so noisome, that it was observed few that went in ever came +out again in health. There was no house of office in it; and the +excrements of the prisoners that from time to time had been left there, +had not been carried out (as we were told) for many years. So that it +was all like mire, and in some places to the top of the shoes in water +and urine; and he would not let us cleanse it, nor suffer us to have +beds or straw to lie on. At night some friendly people of the town +brought us a candle and a little straw, and we burnt some of it to take +away the stink. The thieves lay over our heads, and the head jailer in a +room by them, over us also. It seems the smoke went up into the jailer’s +room; which put him into such a rage, that he took the pots of +excrements of the thieves, and poured them through a hole upon our heads +in Doomsdale; whereby we were so bespattered, that we could not touch +ourselves or one another. And the stink increased upon us, so that what +with that, and what with smoke, we had nearly been choked and smothered. +We had the stink under our feet before, but now we had it on our heads +and backs also; and he having quenched our straw with the filth he +poured down, had made a great smother in the place. Moreover he railed +at us most hideously, calling us hatchet-faced dogs, and such strange +names as we had never heard. In this manner were we fain to stand all +night, for we could not sit down, the place was so full of filthy +excrements.[48] A great while he kept us in this manner, before he would +let us cleanse it, or suffer us to have any victuals brought in but what +we had through the grate. Once a girl brought us a little meat, and he +arrested her for breaking his house, and sued her in the town-court for +breaking the prison. Much trouble he put her to, whereby others were so +discouraged, that we had much to do to get water or victuals. Near this +time we sent for a young woman, Ann Downer, from London, that could +write, and take things well in short-hand, to buy and dress our meat for +us, which she was very willing to do, it being also upon her spirit to +come to us in the love of God; and she was very serviceable to us. + +Footnote 48: + + We who live in the 19th century, when the impartial administration of + justice extends to all ranks of society, and when the accommodations + of our prisons are so vigilantly looked into, can scarcely credit that + respectable Englishmen should be subjected to such gross abuse in + pestilential dungeons. But the early annals of Friends abound with + similar cases, many of them still more aggravated. Take the following + example:— + + During the close imprisonment of Friends at Aberdeen, Patrick + Livingstone often preached to the people through the prison windows, + exhorting the people to fear God. This practice was highly displeasing + to the magistrates. They, therefore, sought to prevent it, by causing + some of them to be separated from the rest of their companions, and + violently thrust into a close-vaulted cell, on the top of the jail, + called the “iron-house,” where the worst of felons and murderers were + usually confined. They had neither light nor air, except through a + long hole in a thick wall, which had a double grating of iron on the + outside and another within. Here they were kept night and day, in the + heat of the summer of 1678, when the filthiness of the place, and the + corruption of the air so closely pent-up, produced a multitude of + worms, called _white maggots_ and _other vermin_, which swarmed about + even upon their beds and victuals, and manifestly tended to the + extreme danger of their health and lives. + +This head-jailer, we were informed, had been a thief, and was branded in +the hand and in the shoulder: his wife, too, had been branded in the +hand. The under-jailer had been branded in the hand and shoulder; and +his wife in the hand also. Colonel Bennet, who was a Baptist teacher, +having purchased the jail and lands belonging to the castle, had placed +this head-jailer therein. The prisoners, and some wild people, talked of +spirits that haunted Doomsdale, and how many had died in it; thinking +perhaps to terrify us therewith. But I told them, that if all the +spirits and devils in hell were there, I was over them in the power of +God, and feared no such thing; for Christ, our priest, would sanctify +the walls and the house to us, he who bruised the head of the devil. The +priest was to cleanse the plague out of the walls of the house under the +law, which Christ, our priest, ended; who sanctifies both inwardly and +outwardly the walls of the house, the walls of the heart, and all things +to his people. + +By this time the general quarter-sessions drew nigh; and the jailer +still carrying himself basely and wickedly towards us, we drew up our +suffering case, and sent it to the sessions at Bodmin. On reading of +which the justices gave order, “that Doomsdale door should be opened and +that we should have liberty to cleanse it, and to buy our meat in the +town.” We also sent a copy of our sufferings to the Protector, setting +forth how we were taken and committed by Major Ceely; and abused by +Captain Keat as aforesaid, and the rest in order. The Protector sent +down an order to Captain Fox, governor of Pendennis Castle, to examine +the matter about the soldiers abusing us, and striking me. There were at +that time many of the gentry of the country at the castle; and Captain +Keat’s kinsman, that struck me, was sent for before them, and much +threatened. They told him, “that if I should change my principle, I +might take the extremity of the law against him, and might recover sound +damages of him.” Captain Keat also was checked, for suffering the +prisoners under his charge to be abused. This was of great service in +the country; for afterwards Friends might have spoken in any market or +steeple-house thereabouts, and none would meddle with them. + +I understood that Hugh Peters, one of the Protector’s chaplains, told +him they could not do George Fox a greater service for the spreading of +his principles in Cornwall, than to imprison him there. And indeed my +imprisonment there was of the Lord, and for his service in those parts; +for after the assizes were over, and it was known we were likely to +continue prisoners, several Friends from most parts of the nation came +into the country to visit us. Those parts of the West were very dark +countries at that time; but the Lord’s light and truth broke forth, +shone over all, and many were turned from darkness to light, and from +Satan’s power unto God. Many were moved to go to the steeple-houses; and +several were sent to prison to us; and a great convincement began in the +country. For now we had liberty to come out and to walk in the +Castle-Green; and many came to us on first-days, to whom we declared the +word of life. Great service we had among them, and many were turned to +God, up and down the country; but great rage got up in the priests and +professors against the truth and us. One of the envious professors had +collected many Scripture sentences, to prove that we ought to put off +our hats to the people; and he invited the town of Launceston to come +into the castle-yard to hear him read them: amongst other instances that +he there brought, one was, that Saul bowed to the witch of Endor. When +he had done, we got a little liberty to speak; and we showed both him +and the people, “that Saul was gone from God, and had disobeyed God, +like them, when he went to the witch of Endor: that neither the +prophets, nor Christ, nor the apostles ever taught people to bow to a +witch.” The man went away with his rude people; but some stayed with us, +and we showed them that this was not gospel instruction, to teach people +to bow to a witch. For now people began to be affected with the truth, +and the devil’s rage increased; so that we were often in great danger. + +One time there came a soldier to us; and whilst one of our friends was +admonishing and exhorting him to sobriety, &c., I saw him begin to draw +his sword. Whereupon I stepped to him, and told him what a shame it was +to offer to draw his sword upon a naked man, and a prisoner; and how +unfit and unworthy he was to carry such a weapon; and that if he should +have offered such a thing to some men, they would have taken his sword +from him, and have broken it to pieces. So he was ashamed, and went his +way; and the Lord’s power preserved us. + +Another time, about eleven at night, the jailer being half drunk, came +and told me he had got a man now to dispute with me (this was when we +had leave to go a little into the town.) As soon as he spoke these +words, I felt there was mischief intended to my body. All that night and +the next day, I lay down on a grass-plat to slumber, and I felt +something still about my body; and I started up and struck at it in the +power of the Lord, and yet still it was about my body. Then I arose and +walked into the Castle-Green, and the under-keeper came to me, and told +me there was a maid would speak with me in the prison. I felt a snare in +his words too, therefore I went not into the prison, but to the grate, +and looking in, I saw a man that was lately brought to prison for being +a conjurer, and he had a knife in his hand. I spoke to him, and he +threatened to cut my chaps; but being within the jail, he could not come +at me. This was the jailer’s great disputant. I went soon after into the +jailer’s house, and found him at breakfast; and he had then got his +conjurer out with him. I told the jailer his plot was discovered. Then +he got up from the table, and cast his napkin away in a rage; and I left +them and went away to my chamber; for at this time we were out of +Doomsdale. At the time the jailer had said the dispute should be, I went +down and walked in the court (the place appointed) till about eleven, +but nobody came. Then I went up to my chamber again, and after a while I +heard one call for me. I stepped to the stairs’ head, and there I saw +the jailer’s wife upon the stairs, and the conjuror at the bottom of the +stairs, holding his hand behind his back and in a great rage. I asked +him, “Man, what hast thou in thy hand behind thy back? Pluck thy hand +before thee,” said I; “let us see thy hand, and what thou hast in it.” +Then in a rage he plucked forth his hand with a naked knife in it. I +showed the jailer’s wife the wicked design of her husband and herself +against me; for this was the man they they had brought to dispute of the +things of God. But the Lord discovered their plot, and prevented their +evil design; they both raged, and the conjuror threatened. Then I was +moved to speak sharply to him in the dreadful power of the Lord, which +bound him down, so that he never after durst appear before me to speak +to me. I saw it was the Lord alone that preserved me out of their bloody +hands; for the devil had a great enmity to me, and stirred up his +instruments to seek my hurt. But the Lord prevented them; and my heart +was filled with thanksgivings and praises unto him. + +Now while I was exercised with people of divers sorts, that came some +out of good will to visit us, some out of an envious, carping mind to +wrangle and dispute, and some out of curiosity to see us, Edward Pyot, +who before his convincement had been a captain in the army, and had a +good understanding in the laws and rights of the people, being sensible +of the injustice and envy of Judge Glynne to us at our trial, and +willing to lay the weight thereof upon him, and make him sensible +thereof also, wrote an epistle to him on behalf of us all, thus:— + + “_To John Glynne, Chief Justice of England._ + + “FRIEND, + + “We are free men of England, free born; our rights and liberties are + according to law, and ought to be defended by it: and therefore with + thee, by whose hand we have so long suffered, and still suffer, let us + reason a little plainly concerning thy proceedings against us, whether + they have been according to law, and agreeable to thy duty and office, + as chief minister of the law, or justice of England. And in meekness + and lowliness abide, that the witness of God in thy conscience may be + heard to speak and judge in this matter, for thou and we must all + appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that everyone may receive + according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Therefore, + friend, in moderation and soberness, weigh what is herein laid before + thee. + + “In the afternoon, before we were brought before thee at the assize at + Launceston, thou didst cause many scores of our books to be violently + taken from us by armed men without due process of law; which being + perused to see if anything in them could be found to be laid to our + charge, who were innocent men, and then upon our legal issue, thou + hast detained from us to this very day. Now our books are our goods, + and our goods are our property; and our liberty is to have and enjoy + our property; and of our liberty and property the law is the defence, + which saith, ‘No free man shall be disseized of his freehold, + liberties, or free customs, &c., nor any way otherwise destroyed: and + we shall not pass upon him, but by lawful judgment of his peers, or by + the law of the land.’ Magna Charta, cap. 29. Now friend, consider, is + not the taking away of a man’s goods violently, by force of arms, as + aforesaid, contrary to the law of the land? Is not the keeping of them + so taken away, a disseizing him of his property, and a destroying of + it and his liberty, yea, his very being, so far as the invading of the + guard the law sets about him, is in order thereunto? Calls not the law + this, a destroying of a man? Is there any more than one common guard + or defence to property, liberty, and life, viz. the law? And can this + guard be broken on the former (viz. property and liberty), and the + latter (viz. life,) be sure? Doth not he that makes an invasion upon a + man’s property and liberty (which he doth, who, contrary to law, which + is the guard, acts against either,) make an invasion upon a man’s + life; since that which is the guard of the one, is also of the other? + If a penny, or a penny’s-worth, be taken from a man contrary to law, + may not by the same rule all that a man hath be taken away? If the + bond of the law be broken upon a man’s property, may it not on the + same ground be broken upon his person? And by the same reason, as it + is broken on one man, may it not be broken upon all, since the + liberty, and property, and beings of all men under a government are + relative, a communion of wealth, as the members in the body, but one + guard and defence to all, the law? One man cannot be injured therein, + but it redounds to all. Are not such things in order to the subversion + and dissolution of government? Where there is no law, what is become + of government? And of what value is the law made, when the ministers + thereof break it at pleasure upon men’s properties, liberties, and + persons? Canst thou clear thyself of these things, as to us? To that + of God in thy conscience, which is just, do I speak. Hast thou acted + like a minister, the chief minister, of the law, who hast taken our + goods, and yet detainest them, without so much as going by lawful + warrant, grounded upon due information, which in this our case thou + couldst not have; for none had perused them, whereby to give thee + information? Shouldst thou exercise violence and force of arms on + prisoners’ goods, in their prison-chamber, instead of proceeding + orderly and legally, which thy place calls upon thee, above any man, + to tender, defend, and maintain against wrong, and to preserve entire + the guard of every man’s being, liberty, life, and livelihood? + Shouldst thou, whose duty it is to punish the wrong-doer, do wrong + thyself? who ought to see that the law is kept and observed, break the + law, and turn aside the due administration thereof? Surely from thee, + considering thou art chief justice of England, other things were + expected, both by us and by the people of this nation. + + “And when we were brought before thee, and stood upon our legal issue, + and no accuser or accusation came in against us, as to what we had + been wrongfully imprisoned, and in prison detained for nine weeks, + shouldst not thou have caused us to be acquitted by proclamation? + Saith not the law so? Oughtest thou not to have examined the cause of + our commitment? And there not appearing a lawful cause, oughtest thou + not to have discharged us? Is it not the substance of thy office and + duty, to do justice according to the law and custom of England? Is not + this the end of the administration of the law? of the general assizes? + of the jail delivery? of the judges going the circuits? Hast not thou + by doing otherwise, acted contrary to all these, and to Magna Charta? + which, cap. 29, saith, ‘We shall sell to no man, we shall deny or + defer to no man, either justice or right.’ Hast thou not both deferred + and denied to us, who had been so long oppressed, this justice and + right? And when of thee justice we demanded, saidst thou not, ‘If we + would be uncovered, thou wouldst hear us, and do us justice?’—‘We + shall sell to no man, we shall deny or defer to no man, either justice + or right,’ saith Magna Charta, as aforesaid. Again, ‘We have commanded + all our justices, that they shall henceforth do even law, and + execution of right to all our subjects, rich and poor, without having + regard to any man’s person; and without letting to do right for any + letters or commandments, which may come to them from us, or from any + other, or by any other cause, &c., upon pain to be at our will, body, + lands, and goods, to do therewith as shall please us, in case they do + contrary,’ saith Stat. 20. Edw. III. cap. 1. Again, ‘Ye shall swear + that ye shall do even law and execution of right to all, rich and + poor, without having regard to any person; and that ye deny to no man + common right by the king’s letters, or other man’s, nor for any other + cause. And in case any letter come to you contrary to the law, that ye + do nothing by such letter, but certify the king thereof, and go forth + to do the law notwithstanding those letters. And in case ye be from + henceforth found in default in any of the points aforesaid, ye shall + be at the king’s will of body, lands, and goods, thereof to be done, + as shall please him,’ saith the oath, appointed by the statute to be + taken by all the judges, Stat. 18. Edw. III. But none of these nor any + other law hath such an expression or condition in it as this, viz., + ‘provided he will put off his hat to you, or be uncovered:’ nor doth + the law of God so say, or that your persons be respected; but the + contrary. From whence then comes this new law, ‘If ye will be + uncovered I will hear you, and do you justice?’ This hearing complaint + of wrong, this doing of justice, upon condition, wherein lies the + equity and reasonableness of that? When were these fundamental laws + repealed, which were the issue of much blood and war; to uphold which + cost the miseries and blood of the late wars, that we shall now be + heard, as to right, and have justice done us but upon condition, and + that too such a trifling one as putting off the hat? Doth thy saying + so, who art commanded, as aforesaid, repeal them, and make them of + none effect, and all the miseries undergone, and the blood shed for + them of old, and of late years? Whether it be so or not indeed, and to + the nation, thou hast made it so to us, to whom thou hast denied the + justice of our liberty (when we were before thee, and no accuser, nor + accusation came in against us,) and the hearing of the wrong done to + us, who are innocent, and the doing us right. And bonds hast thou + cast, and continued upon us until this day, under an unreasonable and + cruel jailer, for not performing that thy condition, for + conscience-sake. But thinkest thou that this thine own conditional + justice maketh void the law? or can it do so? or absolve thee before + God or man? or acquit the penalty mentioned in the laws aforesaid? + unto which hast thou not consented and sworn? viz., ‘And in case ye be + from henceforth found in default, in any of the points aforesaid, ye + shall be at the king’s will, of body, lands, and goods, thereof to be + done as shall please him.’ And is not thy saying, ‘If ye will be + uncovered (or put off your hats), I will hear you, and do you + justice;’ and because we could not put them off for conscience-sake, + thy denying us justice, and refusing to hear us, as to wrong, who had + so unjustly suffered, a default in thee against the very essence of + those laws, yea, and overthrow thereof, for which thing’s sake (being + of the highest importance to the well-being of men), so just, so + equal, so necessary, those laws were made, and all the provisions + therein? To make a default in any one point of which provisions, + exposeth to the said penalty. Dost not thou by this time see where + thou art? Art thou sure thou shalt never be made to understand and + feel the justice thereof? Is thy seat so high, and thy fence so great, + and art thou so certain of thy time and station, above all that have + gone before thee, whom justice hath cut down, and given them their + due, that thou shalt never be called to an account, nor with its long + and sure stroke be reached? Deceive not thyself, God is come nearer to + judgment than the workers of iniquity in this age imagine; who + persecute and evil-entreat those that witness the just and Holy One, + for their witnessing of him who is come to reign for ever and ever. + Saith he not, he will be a swift witness against the false swearers? + God is not mocked. + + “Surely, friend, that must needs be a very great offence which + deprives a man of justice, of being heard as to wrong, of the benefit + of the law, and of those laws afore-rehearsed; to defend the justice + and equity of which a man hath adventured his blood and all that is + dear to him. But to stand covered (or with the hat on), in conscience + to the command of the Lord, is made by thee such an offence (which is + none in law), and rendered upon us (who are innocent, serving the + living God), effectual to deny us justice, though the laws of God, and + of man, and the oath, equity and reason, say the contrary, and on it + pronounce such a penalty. ‘If ye will be uncovered (uncovered, saidst + thou), I will hear you, and do you justice;’ but justice we had not, + nor were we heard, because Jesus Christ, who is the higher power, the + lawgiver of his people, in our consciences commanded us not to respect + persons, whom we choose to obey rather than man. And for our obedience + unto him hast thou cast us into prison, and continued us there till + this very day, having showed us neither law for it, nor Scripture, nor + instances of either, nor example of heathens nor others. + + “Friend, come down to that of God, that is just in thee, and consider, + was ever such a thing as this heard of in this nation? what is become + of seriousness, of true judgment, and of righteousness? An unrighteous + man, standing before thee with his hat off, shall be heard; but an + innocent man, appearing with his hat on in conscience to the Lord, + shall neither be heard nor have justice. Is not this regarding of + persons contrary to the laws aforesaid, and the oath and the law of + God? Understand and judge: Did we not own authority and government + oftentimes before the court? Didst not thou say in the court, thou + wast glad to hear so much from us of our owning magistracy? Pleaded we + not to the indictment, though it was such a new-found one as England + never heard of before? Came we not when thou sent for us? Went we not + when thou bade us go? And are we not still prisoners at thy command + and at thy will? If the hat had been such an offence to thee, couldst + not thou have caused it to be taken off, when thou heard us so often + declare, we could not do it in conscience to the commands of the Lord, + and that for that cause we forbore it, not in contempt of thee or of + authority, nor in disrespect to thine, or any man’s person (for we + said, we honoured all men in the Lord, and owned authority, which was + a terror to evildoers, and a praise to them that do well; and our + souls were subject to the higher powers for conscience-sake): as thou + caused them to be taken off, and to be kept so, when thou called the + jury to find us transgressors without a law? + + “What ado hast thou made to take away the righteousness of the + righteous from him, and to cause us to suffer further, whom thou knew + to have been so long wrongfully in prison contrary to law? Is not + liberty of conscience a natural right? Had there been a law in this + case, and we bound up in our consciences that we could not have obeyed + it, was not liberty of conscience there to take place? For where the + law saith not against, there needs no plea of liberty of conscience; + but the law have we not offended, yet in thy will hast thou caused, + and dost thou yet cause us to suffer for our consciences, where the + law requires no such thing; and yet for liberty of conscience hath all + the blood been spilt, and the miseries of the late wars undergone, and + (as the Protector saith,) this government undertakes to preserve it; + and a natural right, he saith, it is; and he that would have it, he + saith, ought to give it. And if it be a natural right, as is + undeniable, then to attempt to force it, or to punish a man for not + doing contrary to it, is to act against nature; which, as it is + unreasonable, so it is the same as to offer violence to a man’s life. + And what an offence that is in the law thou knowest; and how, by the + common law of England, all acts, agreements, and laws, that are + against nature, are mere nullities; and all the judges cannot make one + case to be law that is against nature. But put the case, had our + standing with our hats on been an offence in law, and we wilfully, and + in contempt, and not out of conscience had stood so (which we deny as + aforesaid), yet that is not a ground wherefore we should be denied + justice, or be heard as to the wrong done to us. ‘If ye will not + offend in one case, I will do you justice in another;’ this is not the + language of the law, or of justice, which distributes to everyone + right; justice to whom justice is due, punishment to whom punishment + is due. A man who does wrong may also have wrong done to him; shall he + not have right wherein he is wronged, unless he right him whom he hath + wronged? The law saith not so; but the wrong-doer is to suffer, and + the sufferer of wrong to be righted. Is not to do otherwise a denying, + letting, or stopping of even law and execution of justice, and a + bringing under the penalties aforesaid? Mind and consider. + + “And shouldst thou have accused, when no witness appeared against us, + as in the particulars of striking Peter Ceely, and dispersing books + (as thou saidst) against magistracy and ministry, with which thou + didst falsely accuse one of us? Saith not the law, ‘the judge ought + not to be the accuser?’ much less a false accuser? And wast not thou + such a one, in affirming, that he dispersed books against magistracy + and ministry, when as the books were violently taken out of our + chamber (as hath been said,) undispersed by him, or any of us? Nor + didst thou make it appear in one particular, wherein those books thou + didst so violently cause to be taken away, were against magistracy or + ministry? or gave one instance, or reply, when he denied what thou + charged therein, and spoke to thee to bring forth those books and make + thy charge appear. Is not the sword of the magistrate of God to pass + upon such evil-doing? And according to the administration of the law, + ought not accusations to be by way of indictment, wherein the offence + is to be charged, and the law expressed against which it is? Can there + be an issue without an indictment? Or can an indictment be found + before proof be made of the offence charged therein? And hast thou not + herein acted contrary to the law and the administration thereof, and + thy duty as a judge? What just cause of offence gave George Fox to + thee, when, upon thy producing a paper concerning swearing, sent by + him (as thou said) to the grand jury, and requiring him to say, + whether it was his handwriting? he answered, ‘read it up before the + country, and when he heard it read, if it were his, he would own it?’ + Is it not equal, and according to law, that what a man is charged with + before the country, should be read in the hearing of him and of the + country? When a paper is delivered out of a man’s hand, alterations + may be made in it to his prejudice, which, on a sudden looking over + it, may not presently be discerned, but by hearing it read up, may be + better understood, whether any such alterations have been made + therein? Couldst thou in justice have expected or required him to do + otherwise? Considering also, that he was not insensible how much he + had suffered already, being innocent, and what endeavours were used to + cause him further to suffer? Was not what he said, as aforesaid, a + plain and single answer, and sufficient in the law? Though (as hath + been demonstrated) thou didst act contrary to law, and to thy office, + in being his accuser therein, and producing the paper against him. And + his liberty it was, whether he would have made thee any answer at all, + to what thou didst exhibit, or demand, out of the due course of law; + for to the law answer is to be made, not to thy will. Wherefore then + wast thou so filled with rage and fury at his reply? Calmly, and in + the fear of the Lord, consider, wherefore didst thou revile him, + particularly with the reproachful names of juggler and prevaricator? + Wherein did he juggle? wherein did he prevaricate? Wherefore didst + thou use such threatening language, and such menacings to him and us, + saying, thou wouldst _ferk_ us, with such like? Doth not the law + forbid reviling, and rage, and fury, threatening, and menacing of + prisoners? Soberly mind, is this to act like a judge or a man? Is not + this transgression? Is not the sword of the magistrate of God to pass + on this as evil-doing, which the righteous law condemns, and the + higher power is against, which judgeth for God? + + “Take heed what ye do, for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who + is with you in the judgment. ‘Wherefore now, let the fear of the Lord + be upon you; take heed, and do it: for there is no iniquity with the + Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts,’ said + Jehoshaphat to the judges of Judah. Pride and fury, passion and rage, + reviling and threatening, are not the Lord’s; these, and the principle + out of which they spring, are for judgment, and must come under the + sword of the magistrate of God; and it is of an ill savour, especially + such an expression, as to threaten to _ferk_ us. Is not such a saying + more becoming a schoolmaster with his rod and ferula in his hand, than + thee, who art the chief justice of the nation, who sittest in the + highest seat of judgment, who ought to give a good example, and so to + judge that others may hear and fear? Weigh it soberly and consider, + doth not threatening language demonstrate an inequality, and + partiality in him, who sits as judge? Is it not a deterring of a + prisoner from standing to, and pleading the innocency of his cause? + Provides not the law against it? Saith it not, that irons and all + other bonds shall be taken from the prisoner, that he may plead + without fear, and with such freedom of spirit, as if he were not a + prisoner? But when he, who is to judge according to the law, shall + beforehand threaten and menace the prisoner contrary to the law, how + can the mind of the prisoner be free to plead his innocency before + him? or expect equal judgment from him who, before he hears him, + threatens what he will do unto him? Is not this the case between thee + and us? Is not this the measure we have received at thy hands? Hast + thou herein dealt according to law? or to thy duty? or as thou wouldst + be done unto? Let that of God in thy conscience judge. + + “And didst thou not say, there was a law for putting off the hat, and + that thou wouldst show a law? and didst not thou often so express + thyself? But didst thou produce any law, or show where that law might + be found? or any judicial precedent, or in what king’s reign, when we + so often desired it of thee, having never heard of, nor known any such + law, by which thou didst judge us? Was not what we demanded of thee + reasonable and just? Was that a savoury answer, and according to law, + which thou gave us, viz., ‘I am not to carry the law-books at my back, + up and down the country; I am not to instruct you?’ Was ever such an + expression heard before these days to come out of a judge’s mouth? Is + he not to be of counsel in the law for the prisoner, and to instruct + him therein? Is it not for this cause that the prisoner, in many + cases, is not allowed counsel by the law? In all courts of justice in + this nation, has it not been known so to have been? And to the + prisoner has not this been often declared when he demanded counsel, + alleging his ignorance in the law, by reason of which his cause might + miscarry, though it were righteous, viz., ‘the court is of counsel for + you’? Ought not he that judgeth in the law, to be expert in the law? + Couldst thou not tell by what act of parliament it was made, or by + what judicial precedent, or in what king’s reign, or when it was + adjudged so by the common law (which are all the grounds the law of + England has), had there been such a law, though the words of the law + thou couldst not remember? Surely, to inform the prisoner when he + desired it, especially as to a law which was never heard of, by which + he proceeds to judge him, that he may know what law it is by which he + is to be judged, becomes him who judgeth for God; for so the law was + read to the Jews by which they were to be judged, yea, every + Sabbath-day; this was the commandment of the Lord. But instead thereof + to say, ‘I am not to carry the law-books at my back up and down the + country; I am not to instruct you:’ to say, ‘there is a law,’ and to + say, ‘thou wilt show it,’ and yet not to show it, nor to tell where it + is to be found; consider whether it be consistent with truth or + justice? + + “Have not thy whole proceedings against us made it evidently appear, + that thy desire was to cause us to suffer, not to deliver us, who, + being innocent, suffered; to have us aspersed and reproached before + the country, not to have our innocency cleared and vindicated? Doth + not thy taking away our books as aforesaid, and perusing them in such + haste before our trial, and accusing us with something, which thou + said was contained in them, make it to appear, that matter was sought + out of them, wherewithal to charge us, when the Et Cetera warrant + would not stand in law, by which we stood committed, and were then + upon our delivery, according to due course of law? Doth it not further + appear, by thy refusing to take from our hands a copy of the strange + Et Cetera warrant, by which we were committed, and of the paper for + which we were apprehended, to read it or cause it to be read, that so + our long sufferings by reason of both might be looked into, and + weighed in the law, whether just or righteous, and the country might + as well see our innocency and sufferings without a cause, and the + manner of dealing with us as to hear such reports as went of us, as + great offenders, when we called upon thee often so to do, and which + thou ought to have done, and said, thou would do, but did it not; or + so much as take notice before the country that we had been falsely + imprisoned, and had wrongfully suffered? But what might asperse and + charge us, thou brought in thyself, contrary to law, and called to + have us charged therewith. Is not this further manifest, in that thou + didst cause us on a sudden to be withdrawn, and the petty jury to be + called in with their verdict, whereupon Peter Ceely’s falsely accusing + George Fox with telling him privately of a design, and persuading him + to join therein, it was by G. Fox made so clear to be a manifest + falsehood, and so plainly to be perceived, that the cause of our + sufferings was not any evil we had done, or law that we had + transgressed, but malice and wickedness? + + “And is it not abundantly clear from thy not permitting us to answer, + and clear ourselves of the many foul slanders charged upon us in the + new-found indictment, of which no proof was made; but when we were + answering thereunto, and clearing ourselves thereof, thou didst stop + us, saying, ‘thou minded not those things, but only the putting off + the hat’ when as, before the country, the new-found indictment, + charged us with those things, and the petty jury brought in their + verdict, ‘guilty of the trespasses and contempts mentioned therein;’ + of which (except as to the hat) not one witness or evidence was + produced; and as to the hat, not any law, or judicial precedent, upon + the transgression of which all legal indictments are only to be + grounded? Now the law seeks not for causes whereby to make the + innocent suffer, but helps him to right who suffers wrong, relieves + the oppressed, and searches out the matter, whether that, of which a + man stands accused, be so or not, seeking judgment, and hastening + righteousness; and it saith, ‘the innocent and the righteous slay thou + not.’ But whether thou hast done so to us, or the contrary, let the + witness of God in thee search and judge, as these thy fruits do also + make manifest. + + “And, friend, consider how abominably wicked, and how highly to be + abhorred, denied, and witnessed against, and how contrary to the laws + such a proceeding is, to charge a man with many offences in an + indictment, which they who draw the indictment, they who prosecute, + and they who find the bill, know to be false, and to be inserted + purposely to reproach and wound his good name, whom with some small + matter which they can prove, they charge and indict; as is the common + practice at this day. Prove but one particular charge in the + indictment, and it must stand (say they) for a true bill, though there + be ever so many falsehoods therein, purposely to wrong him, who is + maliciously prosecuted: this is known to the judges, and almost every + man who has to do with, and attends, their courts. How contrary is + this to the end and righteousness of the law, which clears the + innocent, and condemns the guilty, and condemns not the righteous with + the wicked! Much it is cried out against; but what reformation is + there thereof? How else shall clerks of assize, and other clerks of + courts, fill up their bags (out of which perhaps their master must + have a secret consideration), and be heightened in pride and + impudence; that even in open court they take upon them to check and + revile men; men without reproof, when a few lines might serve instead + of a hundred? How else shall the spirit that is in men, that lusteth + unto envy, malice, strife, and contention, be cherished and nourished + to feed the lawyers, and dependents on courts, with the bread of men’s + children, and the ruin of their families, to maintain their long suits + and malicious contentions! For a judge to say, ‘I mind not these + things; I will not hear you clear yourselves of what you are falsely + accused: one thing I mind in your charge, the rest are but matter of + form, set there to render you such wicked men before the country, as + the thing that is to be proved against you is not sufficient to make + out.’ + + “O! abominable wickedness, and perverting of the righteous end of the + law, which is so careful and tender of every man’s peace and + innocency. How is the law in the administration thereof adulterated by + lawyers, as the Scriptures are mangled by priests! And that which was + made to preserve the righteous, and to punish the wicked, perverted to + the punishing of the righteous, and the preserving of the wicked! An + eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth; life for life; burning for + burning; wound for wound; a stripe for a stripe; he that accuseth a + man falsely to suffer the same as he should have suffered, who was + falsely accused, if he had been guilty; this saith the righteous law + of God, which is agreeable to that of God, in every man’s conscience. + Are not such forms of iniquity to be denied, which are so contrary to + the law of God, and man? which serve for gendering strife, and + kindling contention? and of this nature was not that, with which thou + didst cause us to be indicted? and this form didst thou not uphold, in + not permitting us to answer to the many foul slanders therein; saying, + ‘Those things thou mindest not.’ Will not the wrath of God be revealed + from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who + hold the truth in unrighteousness; who are so far from the power of + godliness, that they have not the form, but the form of iniquity, + which is set and held up, instead of, and as a law, to overthrow and + destroy the righteousness of the righteous, and so to shut him up, as + by the law he can never get out? Is not the cry, thinkest thou, gone + up? ‘It is time for thee to set to thine hand, O Lord, for thine + enemies have made void thy law!’ Draws not the hour nigh? Fills not up + the measure of iniquity apace? Surely the day is coming, and + hasteneth. Ye have been warned from the presence, and by the mouth of + the Lord; and clear will he be when he cometh to judgment, and upright + when he giveth sentence. That of God in every one of your consciences + shall so to him bear witness and confess, and your mouths shall be + stopped, and before your Judge shall ye be silent, when he shall + divide you your portion, and render unto you according to your deeds. + Therefore, whilst thou hast time, prize it, and repent: for verily + ‘Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence; a fire shall devour + before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall + call to the heavens from above, and to the earth that he may judge his + people; and the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is + judge himself. Consider this, ye that forget God, lest he tear you in + pieces, and there be none to deliver.’ + + “And, friend, shouldst thou have given judgment against us (wherein + thou didst fine us twenty marks a-piece, and imprisonment till + payment), without causing us, being prisoners, to be brought before + thee, to hear the judgment, and to move what we had to say in arrest + of judgment? Is not this contrary to the law, as is manifest to those + who understand the proceedings thereof? Is not the prisoner to be + called before judgment be given? and is not the indictment to be read? + and the verdict thereupon? And is not liberty to be given him to move + in arrest of judgment? And if it be a just exception in the law, ought + not there to be an arrest of judgment? For the indictment may not be + drawn up according to law, and may be wrong placed, and the offence + charged therein may not be a crime in law; or the jury may have been + corrupted, or menaced, or set on by some of the justices; with other + particulars, which are known to be legal and just exceptions. And the + judgment ought to be in the prisoner’s hearing, not behind his back, + as if the judge were so conscious of the error thereof, that he dare + not give it to the face of the prisoner. But these privileges of the + law, this justice, we (who had so long and so greatly suffered + contrary to law), received not, nor could have at thy hands; no, not + so much as a copy or sight of that long and new-found indictment + (which in England was never heard of before, nor that the matter + contained therein was an offence in law, nor ever was there any law, + or judicial precedent, that made it so); though two friends of ours in + our names and our behalf, that night, next day, and day following, + often desired it of the clerk of the assize, his assistants, and + servants; but they could not have it, nor so much liberty as to see + it. And it is likely not unknown or unperceived by thee, that, had we + been called, as we ought to have been, or known when it was to be + given, three or four words might have been a sufficient, legal arrest, + of the judgment given on that new-found indictment, and the verdict + thereupon. + + “Therefore, as our liberties, who are innocent, have not (in thy + account) been worth the minding, and esteemed fit for nothing but to + be trampled under foot, and destroyed, so, if we find fault with what + thou hast done, thou hast taken care that no door be left open to us + in the law, but a writ of error; the consideration whereof, and the + judgment to be given thereon, is to be had only where thyself art + chief; of whom such complaint is to be made, and the error assigned + for the reverse of thy judgment. And what the fruit of that may be + well expected to be, by what we have already mentioned, as having + received at thy hands, thou hast given us to understand. And here thou + mayest think thou hast made thyself secure, and sufficiently barred up + our way of relief, against whom (though thou knew we had done nothing + contrary to the law, or worthy of bonds, much less of the bonds and + sufferings we had sustained): thou hast proceeded as has been + rehearsed: notwithstanding that thou art (as are all the judges of the + nation) entrusted, not with a legislative power, but to administer + justice, and to do even law and execution of right to all, high and + low, rich and poor, without having regard to any man’s person; and art + sworn so to do, as has been said: and wherein thou dost contrary art + liable to punishment, as ceasing from being a judge, and becoming a + wrong-doer, and an oppressor; which what it is to be, many of thy + predecessors have understood, some by death, others by fine and + imprisonment. And of this thou mayest not be ignorant, that to deny a + prisoner any of the privileges the law allows him, is to deny him + justice, to try him in an arbitrary way, to rob him of that liberty + which the law gives him, which is his inheritance as a free man; to do + which is in effect to subvert the fundamental laws and government of + England, and to introduce an arbitrary and tyrannical government + against law; which is treason by the common law; and treasons by the + common law are not taken away by the statutes of 25 Edw. III. 1 Henry + IV. 1, 2, m. See O. St. Johns, now chief justice of the common pleas, + his argument against Strafford, fol. 65, in the case. + + “These things we have laid before thee in all plainness, that (with + the light of Jesus Christ, who lighteth every one that cometh into the + world, a measure of which thou hast, which showeth the evil, and + reproveth thee for sin, for which thou must be accountable,) thou + mayest consider and see what thou hast done against the innocent; that + shame may overtake thee, and thou mayest turn unto the Lord, who now + calleth thee to repentance by his servants, whom, for witnessing his + living truth in them, thou hast cast into, and yet continues under, + cruel bonds and sufferings.” + + EDW. PYOT. + + From the Jail in Launceston, the 14th + day of the 5th Month, 1656. + +By this letter the reader may observe how contrary to law we were made +to suffer; but the Lord, who saw the integrity of our hearts to him, and +knew the innocency of our cause, was with us in our sufferings, bore up +our spirits, and made them easy to us; and gave us opportunities of +publishing his name and truth amongst the people; so that several of the +town came to be convinced, and many were made loving to us. Friends from +many parts came to visit us; amongst whom were two out of Wales, who had +been justices of peace. Also Judge Haggert’s wife, of Bristol, who was +convinced, with several of her children; and her husband was very kind +and serviceable to Friends, and had a love to God’s people, which he +retained to his death. + +Now in Cornwall, Devonshire, Dorsetshire, and Somersetshire, truth began +to spread mightily, and many were turned to Christ Jesus and his free +teaching; for many Friends that came to visit us, were drawn forth to +declare the truth in those counties; which made the priests and +professors rage, and they stirred up the magistrates to ensnare Friends. +They placed watches in the streets and highways, on pretence of taking +up all suspicious persons; under which colour they stopped and took up +the Friends that travelled in and through those counties, coming to +visit us in prison; which they did, that they might not pass up and down +in the Lord’s service. But that by which they thought to stop the truth, +was the means of spreading it so much the more; for then Friends were +frequently moved to speak to one constable, and to the other officer, +and to the justices they were brought before; and this caused the truth +to spread the more amongst them in all their parishes. And when Friends +got among the watches, it would be a fortnight or three weeks before +they could get out of them again; for no sooner had one constable taken +them and carried them before the justices, and they had discharged them, +than another would take them up, and carry them before other justices; +which put the country to much needless trouble and charges. + +As Thomas Rawlinson was coming out of the north to visit us, a constable +in Devonshire took him up, and at night took twenty shillings out of his +pocket; and after being thus robbed, he was cast into Exeter jail. They +cast Henry Pollexfen also into prison in Devonshire for being a Jesuit, +who had been a justice of peace for nearly forty years before. Many +Friends were cruelly beaten by them; nay, some clothiers that were going +to the mill with their cloth, and others about their occupations, were +taken up and whipped, though men of about eighty or a hundred pounds a +year, and not above four or five miles from their families. + +The mayor of Launceston, too, was a very wicked man, for he took up all +he could get, and cast them into prison; and he would search substantial +grave women, their petticoats and their head-clothes. A young man having +come to see us, who came not through the town, I drew up all the gross, +inhuman, and unchristian actions of the mayor (for his carriage was more +like a heathen than a Christian,) to him I gave it, and bid him seal it +up, and go out again the back way; and then come into the town through +the gates. He did so; and the watch took him up, and carried him before +the mayor, who presently searched his pockets and found the letter, +wherein he saw all his actions characterized. This shamed him so, that +from that time he meddled little with the servants of the Lord. + +Now from the sense I had of the snare that was laid, and mischief +intended, in setting up those watches at the time to stop and take up +Friends, it came upon me to give forth the following, as— + + “_An Exhortation and Warning to the Magistrates._ + + “All ye powers of the earth, Christ is come to reign, and is among + you, and ye know him not; who doth enlighten every one of you, that ye + all through him might believe in him, who is the light, who treads the + wine-press alone without the city, and whose feet are upon it. + Therefore see all, and examine with the light, what ye are ripe for; + for the press is ready for you. + + “Before honour is humility. You that would have honour before ye have + humility (mark, before ye have humility), are ye not as the heathen + are? Ye would have honour before ye have humility; did not all the + persecutors that ever were upon the earth want this humility? They + wanted the honour, and yet would have the honour before they had the + humility, and had learned that. So ye that are out of the humility, + are out of the honour; and ye are not to have the honour, who have not + the humility; for before honour is humility; mark, before it. + + “Now ye pretend liberty of conscience; yet one shall not carry a + letter to a friend, nor men visit their friends, nor prisoners, nor + carry a book about them, either for their own use, or for their + friends. Men shall not see their friends; but watches are set up to + catch and stop them; and these must be well-armed men too, against an + innocent people, that have not so much as a stick in their hands, who + are in scorn called Quakers. Yet by such as set up these watches is + pretended liberty of conscience; who take up them, whose consciences + are exercised towards God and men, who worship God in their way, which + is the truth; which they that are out of the light call heresy. Now + these set up the watches against them, whom they in scorn call + Quakers, because they confess and witness the true light, that + lighteth every one that cometh into the world, amongst people, as they + pass through the country, or among their friends. This is the + dangerous doctrine which watchmen are set up against, to subdue error, + as they call it, which is the light that doth enlighten every man that + cometh into the world—Him, by whom the world was made; who was + glorified with the Father before the world began. For those whom they + in scorn call Quakers, have they set their watches, able men, + well-armed; to take up such as bear this testimony either in words, + books, or letters. So that is the light you hate, which enlightens + every man that cometh into the world; and these that witness to this + light you put in prison; and after you have imprisoned them, you set + your watches to take up all that go to visit them, and imprison them + also; so that by setting up your watches, ye would stop all relief + from coming to prisoners. + + “Therefore this is the word of the Lord God to you, and a charge to + you all, in the presence of the living God of heaven and earth; every + man of you being enlightened with a light that cometh from Christ, the + Saviour of people’s souls; to this light, all take heed, that with it + you may see Christ, from whom the light cometh, to be your Saviour, by + whom the world was made, who saith, ‘Learn of me.’ But if ye hate this + light, ye hate Christ, who doth enlighten you all, that through him + (who is the light) you might believe. But not believing in, nor + bringing your deeds to the light, which will make them manifest and + reprove them, this is your condemnation, even the light. Remember, you + are warned in your life-time, for this light is your way to salvation, + if you walk in it; and your condemnation, if you reject and hate it. + You can never come to Christ, the Second Priest, unless you come to + the light, which the Second Priest hath enlightened you withal. So ye + that come not to the light, ye go to the priests that take tithes, as + did the first priesthood: and hale out of your synagogues and temples + (as some call them), as that priesthood did that took tithes; which + they that were of the second priesthood did not. Was there ever such a + generation! or did ever such a generation of men appear, as in this + age, who are so full of madness, envy, and persecution, that they + stand up in watches, with weapons against the truth, to persecute it, + as the towns and countries do declare; which rings as Sodom, and like + Gomorrah! And this hath its liberty, and truth is stood against; and + to reprove sin is accounted a breach of the peace, as they say who are + out of the truth, and set up their watches against it.” + + G. F. + +Besides this general warning, there coming to my hand a copy of a +warrant issued from the Exeter sessions, in express terms, “for +apprehending all Quakers,” wherein truth and Friends were reproached and +vilified, I was moved to write an answer thereunto, and send it abroad, +for clearing truth and Friends from the slanders therein cast upon them, +and to manifest the wickedness of that persecuting spirit from whence it +proceeded; which was after this manner:— + + “Whereas a warrant was granted last sessions, held at Exeter, on the + eighteenth day of the fifth month, 1656, which warrant is ‘for + apprehending and taking up all such as are Quakers, or call themselves + Quakers, or go under the notion of Quakers; and is directed to the + chief constables, to be sent by them to the petty constables, + requiring them to set watches, able men with bills, to take up all + such Quakers as aforesaid.’ And whereas in your said warrant, you + speak of the Quakers spreading seditious books and papers; I answer, + They whom ye in scorn call Quakers, have no seditious books or papers: + but their books are against sedition, and seditious men, and seditious + books, and seditious teachers, and seditious ways. Thus ye have + numbered them, who are honest, godly, and holy men, that fear God, + amongst beggars, rogues, and vagabonds; thus putting no difference + between the precious and the vile. You are not fit to judge, who have + set up your bills, and armed your men, to stand up together in battle + against innocent people, the lambs of Christ, who have not lifted up a + hand against you. But if ye were sensible of the state of your own + country, your cities, your towns, your villages, how the cry of them + is like Gomorrah, and the ring like Sodom, and the sound like the old + world, where all flesh had corrupted its way, which God overthrew with + the flood;—if you did consider this with yourselves, you would find + something to turn the sword against, and not against the lambs of + Christ;—you would not make a mock of the innocent, that stand a + witness against all sin and unrighteousness in your towns and + steeple-houses. + + “Noah, the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, was grieved + with the filthy conversation of the wicked; so are we now. So likewise + just Lot was grieved with their unmerciful deeds, and the filthy + conversation of Sodom. And were not these hated of the world, and of + them that lived in filthiness? And whereas you speak of those, whom + you in scorn call Quakers, that they are a grief to those whom you + call pious and religious people, and their religion. To such as are in + the religion that is vain, whose tongues are not bridled, I believe + the Quakers are a grief; but they are not a grief to such as are in + the pure religion, which keepeth unspotted from the world; which sets + not up bills, nor watches, to maintain it by the world; for they are + not of the world who are in the pure religion, which keeps them + unspotted of the world; mark, the ‘pure religion, which keeps + unspotted of the world.’ But to such as are in the religion that is + not pure, who have a form of godliness, and not the power—to such as + you call pious, the truth itself was always a grief; and so it is in + this age. And now your fruits appear, the end of your religion and + profession, and what you possess; but you are in the error, and have + been but in the profession, out of the possession of the Spirit, who + are not in the Spirit of truth. For where did that ever set stints and + bounds, and number the just and innocent with the wicked? But the + wicked set stints, and bounds, and limits to the just, and number them + among the wicked; yea, they spoke all manner of evil of them, as ye + are doing now of us. Nay, according as it was foretold in the + Scripture, such as tremble at the word of God, you cast out and hate, + you that have your temple-worship. + + “You say, the Quakers come to disturb you in your churches (as you + call them,) was it not the practice of the apostles to go into the + synagogues and temples, to witness against the priesthood that took + tithes, and was it not the practice of the Jews to hale them out, + persecute and stone them, that witnessed Christ the second priest, and + went to bring people off from the first priesthood? Was it not the + practice of the prophets, to go and cry against the high places? And + was it not the practice of the Jews, when they were backslidden, and + of the heathen, to imprison and persecute the prophets, and send after + them into other countries? And is this not the practice of you now, + who are holding up your high places, which the Papists erected, which + ye now call your churches; where ye beat and persecute? What kind of + religious people are you, that are filled with so much madness? Did + not Paul confess he was mad, while he was in your practice, haling, + beating, imprisoning, putting out of the synagogues, having his + authority from the chief priests? And are not the chief priests the + cause of this? Was there ever such a cry made in any age past, as + there is now in the pulpits, railing against an innocent people, whom + in scorn ye call Quakers, who lift not up a hand against you; but who + are indeed the pious, that are of the pure religion, who fear God, + worship him in Spirit and in truth, and cannot join with you in your + religion? And do not the ministers of God say, that the Scriptures are + a declaration, which you call the word? Do you not rob Christ of his + title, and of his honour, and give it to the letter, and show + yourselves out of the doctrine of the ministers of God, who call the + Scriptures by the name of writings and treatises, and declarations; + and who said, Christ’s name is called the Word of God? Are not you + here in the error you speak of, which is your common talk among you? + There was talk among some of you of your gospel-shining; doth your + gospel which you profess persecute? Did ever any of them, that did + possess it, cast into prison and not suffer others to go to visit + them? Are you like Christians in this, or like heathens, who set + bounds and watches over the land, that they should not pass to visit + them that are in prison? Was ever the like heard in any age? Search + and see, if you have not outstripped them all in your watches, in your + persecution, and imprisonments. O! never talk, that we are a grief to + them that are in the pure religion. + + “And whereas in your warrant we are represented as disaffected to + government; I say, the law, which is a terror to the evil-doer, we + own, the higher power to which the soul must be subject; but we deny + the evil-doer, the malicious man reigning, and the envious man seeking + for his prey, whose envy is against the innocent; who raiseth up the + country against honest men, and so becomes a trouble to the country, + in raising them up to take the innocent; but that we leave to the Lord + to judge. Your false accusations of heresy and blasphemy we deny. You + should have laid them down in particulars, that people might have seen + them, and not have slandered us behind our backs. The law saith, the + crime should be mentioned in the warrant. Then for your saying, ‘we + deny the godly ministers to be a true ministry of Christ,’ that is + false; for we say, that the godly ministers are the ministers of + Christ. But which of your ministers dare say, that they are truly + godly? And your charging us with seducing many weak people, is false + also; we seduce none; but you, that deny the light, which lighteth + every man that cometh into the world, are seduced from the anointing + which should teach you; and if ye would be taught by it, ye would not + need that any man should teach you. But such as are taught by the + anointing, which abideth in them, and deny man’s teaching, these ye + call seducers, quite contrary to John’s doctrine, 1 John ii. 26, 27. + You speak quite contrary to him; that which is truth, ye call + seducing; and that which he calls seducing, you call truth; read the + latter part of the chapter. + + “Beware, I warn you all from the Lord God of glory, set not any bound + against him; stint him not; limit not the Holy One of Israel; for the + Lord is rising in power and great glory, who will rule the nations + with a rod of iron, which to him are but as the drop of a bucket. He + that measures the waters in the hollow of his hand, will dash the + nations together as a potter’s vessel. And know, you that are found in + this his day blaspheming his work, that God hath brought forth, + calling it blasphemy, fighting against it, setting up your carnal + weapons, making your bonds strong; God will break asunder that which + your carnal policy hath invented, and which by your carnal weapons ye + would uphold; and make you to know there is a God in heaven, who + carries his lambs in his arms, which are come among wolves, and are + ready to be torn in pieces in every place, yea, in your + steeple-houses; where people have appeared without reason, and natural + affection. + + “Therefore all ye petty constables, sheriffs, and justices, take + warning; take heed what ye do against the lambs of Christ; for Christ + is come, and coming, who will give to every one of you a reward + according to your works, you who have the letter, which speaks of + Christ; but now ye are persecuting that which the Scripture speaks of; + as your fruits make manifest. Therefore every one, sheriffs, justices, + constables, &c., consider what ye do possess, and what a profession ye + are now in, that all these carnal weapons are now set up against the + innocent, yea, against the truth; which shows that ye have not the + spiritual weapons, and that ye want the counsel of Gamaliel, yea, ye + want the counsel of such a man among you, who said, ‘Let the apostles + alone; if it be of God it will stand; if it be not, it will come to + nought.’ But ye may see yourselves on the contrary, in the spirit of + them that came with Judas, with swords and staves from the chief + priests against Christ; still it is against Christ, where he is made + manifest. Paul (while Saul) went against him, though he professed a + Christ that was to come; and the Jews professed a Christ that was to + come; yet Paul persecuted him, where he was manifested in his saints. + So ye profess a Christ that is come, but persecute him where he is + manifest. You that have the letter, the high places, the synagogues, + you persecute him, where he is made manifest in his saints, as the + Jews did. They who were in the letter, out of the life, persecuted + them that were in the life of that which they profess in the letter; + so now do you persecute them that are in the life, and are yourselves + strangers to it, as your fruits make appear. You have numbered the + people of God amongst transgressors; but have you imprisoned any of + the rogues and transgressors you speak of? You have imprisoned the + innocent, and let the others go free.” + + G. F. + +When I had sent abroad the foregoing, so great a sense came upon me of +the veil of darkness that was over the priests and professors of +Christianity, that I was moved to give forth the following, as an +awakening warning to them:— + + “Blindness hath happened to the professed Christians of the letter + now-a-days, as blindness happened to the Jews, who professed the + letter, but owned not the life which the letter speaks of; as the + Christians now, to whom this blindness hath happened, who profess the + Scripture, but own not the life, which the Scripture speaks of. For + against the life the Jews stood, who professed the letter of the + Scripture, but they were blind; they gathered counsel against the + life; they were in an uproar when the babe was born in Bethlehem, + Herod and all the chief priests. And Herod sought to destroy all the + young children in Bethlehem, yet missed the babe; Herod, that fox, + though he put John to death. You may here see how the literal + professors stood up, not for the truth, but quite against it. + Furthermore, the chief priests consulted together how they might take + Jesus by subtilty, and put him to death; mark, by their subtilty. The + professors of a Christ that was to come, preached of a Messiah, of a + Christ, of a Saviour; but denied the life, when he was made manifest. + The chief priests, when they were assembled with the elders, and had + taken counsel, gave large money unto the soldiers, to declare that + ‘his disciples came by night, and stole him away.’ Likewise in the + day, when the children of Israel were in Egypt, and they with their + children began to spread and multiply, ‘Come,’ said the Egyptians, + ‘let us deal wisely with them to afflict them, and tax them;’ which + held, until the Lord overthrew their oppressors, and brought out his + seed by his mighty power from under the oppressor, and exalted his Son + above all, though the heathen raged, and the people imagined vain + things. He made his power known, that all might see that there was no + God upon the earth but himself. This power now hath brought forth the + work of the Lord! Many who are turned to Christ, the light, have + received the power of God, and are thereby become the sons of God. + + “Now this birth, that is born of God, are all the powers of the world + joined together to crucify; to put to death those Jews in the Spirit, + as they put Christ to death in the flesh formerly. This is the birth + that all the wicked world is enraged against; against this they set + their watches,—this birth, brought forth by the Mighty God of Jacob, + who rides upon the high places of the earth. This is the birth that + the professed Christians without the life in our days rage against, + and lay out all their wisdom about. Are not the chief priests and wise + men of the earth consulting together how they may destroy this birth? + Is not this the birth, that is banished out of your hearts, you that + profess the Scripture, and are talkers of it, but do not own the light + and life which the Scripture speaks of, as the Jews would not; and so + you will not have Christ to reign over you, as they would not? Do you + not hale out of your synagogues, and before magistrates? Do you not + herein fulfil Christ’s words, who said to his disciples, They should + be haled out of the synagogues, and before rulers? Do you not + persecute them from city to city? Do you not almost fill your prisons + with them? And now set your watches, that none may visit them, whom ye + have put into prison? Is not this an unchristian spirit? How can you + for shame say you are upholders of truth? Or how can you for shame say + that truth hath been professed among you? Yet we grant that you have + talked of it. And how can you for shame say the gospel shines among + you, when you will not own the life of it; when you call it error, and + the evil seed? Yea, the very truth, the very life of truth ye have + blasphemed against now, as the Jews did against Christ, calling him a + devil; you now call it error, and the evil seed, and stand up against + it, and turn the sword against it. As in the days of the Jews, it was + the Jews outward in the flesh, not the Jews in the Spirit, who turned + the sword against Christ; so in these days it is those Christians who + profess the Scripture, but are out of the Life of it. And is it not a + shame to all the ministers of the Gospel (as they are called,) that + they can find no better way to maintain that which they call the truth + and their Gospel, than by carnal weapons, stocks and prisons, whips, + watches, and wards, and powers of the earth? Were these the apostles’ + weapons? Carnal watches and wards, stocks and prisons, and haling out + of the synagogues, when they came to speak? Judge yourselves, what an + antichristian spirit you have. Never talk of defending truth with that + which is against truth. For are you not setting up the rabble of the + world against it? Do they not join with you with swords and staves + against it? Is this the life of Christians? Is not this the life of + error, and of the evil seedsman? + + “Surely, ye would find work enough, if ye were in the fear of the + Lord, to turn your swords against profaneness, the oaths and + wickedness that are in your streets and highways. How do they ring + like Sodom, and give a sound like Gomorrah! But these are become a + prey in this your age, that reprove in your gates sin, wickedness, and + profaneness; they are become your by-word. Against them your councils + are gathered, them you cast into prison, and hale out of your + synagogues; and cast them likewise into prison that write and speak + against it, and set your guards to stop and hinder any from visiting + them whom you cast into prison, and give them the names of vagabonds + and wanderers. Was ever the like heard, in the days of the heathen, + against the apostles who witnessed the gospel? Did they set guards and + watches in every town, in every city, to take the disciples, the + brethren, the believers, that heard that the apostles were cast into + prison, and came to see what they wanted? Show ye not as much rage and + fury now in your age, as was in those in that age? And how can you + talk of the gospel, and of defending the gospel, when you are setting + guards and watches against it, and are defending that which stands + against it; and the lambs of Christ are almost torn to pieces amongst + you, who are like wolves? for the Lord hath now sent his lambs amongst + wolves. Have not you professed the words of Christ, of the prophets + and apostles, as the Jews had long professed the Scriptures, the words + of Moses and of the prophets, that prophesied of Christ that was to + come, and stood against him when he was come? as you do in this day of + his reign, in this day of his glorious gospel, who are persecuting the + messengers of it, imprisoning them, persecuting them in your streets + and highways; and are setting up your watches against them, who bring + you the glad tidings of peace to your souls, whose feet are beautiful + on the top of the mountains; mark, on the top of the mountains, that + against which the mountains rage and swell. But God will make them + melt; the sun is risen, which will make them melt. God will cleave the + rocks and mountains asunder, and make the hills to bow perpetually; + for his Son he will exalt, and his glory he will give to HIM and not + to another. + + “Therefore be awakened, ye rulers of the earth, and take counsel of + the Lord; take not counsel together against him. Make not your bonds + strong; set not yourselves in battle against him, for ye will be found + but as briars and thorns before him, which the fire shall consume. + Therefore be awakened, all ye talkers of the Scripture, that gather + yourselves together by your multitudes and meetings, and have had your + teachers; but not having the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures, + the Lord God of glory, the Father of spirits, will scatter you. All + your bonds will not hold you together, who are out of the Spirit, + which is the bond of peace. The thrashing instrument is gone forth, + which will beat the hills to pieces. Sion is risen to thrash. Out of + the holy mountain is the trumpet sounded. Stand not up against the + Lord; for all nations are with the Lord as the drop of a bucket. He + that measures the waters in the hollow of his hand, and weighs the + earth in scales, the Lord of hosts is his name, who is now risen and + rising to plead the cause of the innocent; who is exalting his Son, + and bringing his sheep to him. Now are they seen and known that feed + upon wind, that are lifted up, given up to believe lies; who report, + and say, ‘Report, and we will report it.’ Now are they seen who have a + form of godliness, but deny the power; so Christ is denied, the power + itself is denied; for Christ is the power of God. And the power being + denied by you, that have a form of godliness, that have the words of + the Scriptures, the gospel is denied; for the gospel is the power of + God. Thus it is among you, that have the knowledge and wisdom that is + sensual, earthly, and devilish. Doth it not appear so? Let your jails + and watches witness your fruits in every town. Your wisdom is earthly, + sensual, and devilish; you have a knowledge and wisdom, but not that + which is from above; for that is pure and gentle, so is not your + knowledge; but to know Christ is life eternal. Now your fruits have + manifested that you are not of this; and so out of the power of God, + which is the cross of Christ; for you are found in the world, out of + the power of God, out of the cross of Christ, persecuting. So that + which doth persecute, and send forth writings and decrees to stop all, + and take up all, and set watches, and prepare bonds to stint the Lord; + to imprison and persecute, and suffer none to go to visit them; this + shows you are not Christians, but stand against a Christian’s life, + which brings to love enemies. + + “Where is your heaping up coals of fire; your love to your enemies; + who are thus persecuting your friends? ‘He came to his own, and his + own received him not;’ here is a turning of the sword against the + just. Do you show here a Christian’s life, or yourselves Christians, + who are filling your jails with Christians in Spirit, you that are in + the letter (in shadows), as the Jews in the letter put the Jews in the + Spirit into prison? Is not this the fruit in our days of the + Christians in the letter, to put the Christians in the Spirit into + prison? Doth not this show that your decrees, which you have sent + forth, proceed from death, who thus act against the life, and them + that are in it; which the Scriptures were given forth from? Is it not + here as it was with Saul, when he went to persecute, to hale to + prison, and bind all that he could find calling upon that name, who + were Christians in the life, the Spirit, such as you are now + persecuting, because they are in the life, though you profess their + words? Are not your decrees gone forth from the same spirit of envy, + against the same Spirit of Christ they were in? Is it not manifest to + all that fear God, and to the sober-minded and honest-hearted people + that see your practices, your decrees, your letters, to stop, to + molest, to hinder, to imprison them that are moved of the Lord to do + his will, or to go to visit prisoners whom you have imprisoned? Doth + this show you to have a spirit like Paul, yea or nay? or are you not + quite contrary, like unto them that persecuted Paul? The day hath + declared it. + + “To that of God in you all I speak, which shall witness it at the last + day,—the day of judgment. Persecution was blind in all ages; and + madness and folly led it: yet persecution got always a form or + pretence of godliness,—a talk of religion, as in the days of Moses, of + Jeremiah, of Christ, and of the apostles. ‘Come,’ saith the council, + ‘let us crush them while they are young, they have almost overspread + the nation in every corner.’ This is as much as to say, ‘Let us put + this birth to death, as Pharaoh and Herod did the children.’ But the + Lord caused his truth the more to spread. For you may read, what + numbers came out of Egypt! and what multitudes followed Christ! + Therefore, with consideration read these lines, and not with fury. Let + not foolishness appear; but consider in humility the paths you go in, + what spirit you are of, and what the end of your conversation is; for + in love to your souls I write, that in the day of your visitation you + may consider it. + + “From him who loveth righteousness, and the establishing of it, and + truth, peace, and faith, which is by Christ Jesus (Mercy and peace be + multiplied among such!) but a witness against all hypocrites, and all + who have a profession, but live out of the possession, in an + hypocritical religion, in the lusts and fashions of the world, having + a form of godliness, but standing against the power with might and + main, sword and staff. Which things declare your conversation and + practices to be out of Christ’s life, against the gospel practice, and + contrary to the manner and order of the saints.” + + G. F. + +We continued in prison till the next assize; before which time divers +Friends, both men and women, were sent to prison, that had been taken up +by the watches. When the assize came on, several of these were called +before the judge, and indicted; and though the jailer brought them into +court, yet they indicted them, that they came in “by force of arms and +in an hostile manner;” and the judge fined them, because they would not +put off their hats. But we were not called before the judges any more. + +Great work we had, and service for the Lord, both between the assizes +and after, amongst professors and people of all sorts; for many came to +see us and to reason with us. Elizabeth Trelawny of Plymouth (who was +the daughter of a baronet) being convinced (as was formerly mentioned,) +the priests and professors, and some great persons of her kindred were +exasperated, and wrote letters to her. She being a wise and tender +woman, and fearing to give them any advantage, sent their letters to me; +and I answered them, and returned them to her again, for her to answer. +Which she did: till growing in the power, and Spirit, and wisdom of God, +she came herself to be able to answer the wisest priest and professor of +them all; and had a dominion over them in the truth, through the power +of the Lord, by which she was kept faithful to her death. + +While I was in prison here, the Baptists and Fifth-monarchy-men +prophesied, “That this year Christ should come, and reign upon earth a +thousand years.” And they looked upon this reign to be outward; when he +was come inwardly in the hearts of his people, to reign and rule there, +and these professors would not thus receive him. So they failed in their +prophecy and expectation, and had not the possession of him. But Christ +_is_ come, and doth dwell in the hearts of his people, and reign there. +Thousands, at the door of whose hearts he hath been knocking, have +opened to him; and he is come in, and doth sup with them and they with +him; the heavenly supper with the heavenly and spiritual man. So many of +these Baptist and Monarchy-people became the greatest enemies to the +possessors of Christ; but he reigns in the hearts of his saints over all +their envy. + +At the assize divers justices came to us and were pretty civil, and +reasoned of the things of God soberly, expressing a pity towards us. +Captain Fox, governor of Pendennis Castle, came and looked me in the +face, and said not a word; but went to his company, and told them, “he +never saw a simpler man in his life.” I called after him, and said, +“Stay, we will see who is the simpler man.” But he went his way; a light +chaffy man. + +Thomas Lower[49] also came to visit us, and offered us money, which we +refused; accepting his love nevertheless. He asked us many questions +concerning our denying the Scriptures to be the word of God; and +concerning the sacraments and such like; to all which he received +satisfaction. I spoke particularly to him and he afterwards said, “my +words were as a flash of lightning, they ran so through him.” He said, +“he never met with such men in his life; for they knew the thoughts of +his heart, and were as the wise master-builders of the assemblies, that +fastened their words like nails.” He came to be convinced of the truth, +and remains a Friend to this day. When he came home to his aunt +Hambley’s, where he then lived, and made report to her concerning us, +she, with her sister Grace Billing, hearing the report of truth, came to +visit us in prison, and was convinced also. Great sufferings and +spoiling of goods both he and his aunt have undergone for the truth’s +sake. + +Footnote 49: + + Thomas Lower was son-in-law to Judge Fell, having married his daughter + Mary. + +About this time I was moved to give forth the following exhortation to +Friends in the ministry:— + + “FRIENDS, + + “In the power of life and wisdom, and dread of the Lord God of life, + and heaven, and earth, dwell, that in the wisdom of God over all ye + may be preserved, and be a terror to all the adversaries of God, and a + dread, answering that of God in them all, spreading the truth abroad, + awakening the witness, confounding deceit, gathering out of + transgression into the life, the covenant of light and peace with God. + Let all nations hear the sound by word or writing. Spare no place, + spare no tongue nor pen; but be obedient to the Lord God; go through + the work; be valiant for the truth upon earth; and tread and trample + upon all that is contrary. Ye have the power, do not abuse it; and + strength and presence of the Lord, eye it, and the wisdom; that with + it you may all be ordered to the glory of the Lord God. Keep in the + dominion; keep in the power over all deceit; tread over them in that + which lets you see to the world’s end, and the uttermost parts of the + earth. Reign and rule with Christ, whose sceptre and throne are now + set up, whose dominion is over all to the ends of the earth; whose + dominion is an everlasting dominion; whose throne is an everlasting + throne; whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; and whose power is + above all powers. Therefore this is the word of the Lord God to you + all: keep in the wisdom of God, that spreads over all the earth; the + wisdom of the creation, that is pure, from above, not destructive. For + now shall salvation go out of Zion, to judge the mount of Esau: and + now shall the law go forth from Jerusalem, to answer the principle of + God in all; to hew down all inventors and inventions. For all the + princes of the earth are but as air to the power of the Lord God, + which you are in, and have tasted of: therefore live in it; this is + the word of the Lord God to you all, do not abuse it; keep down and + low; and take heed of false joys, that will change. + + “Bring all into the worship of God. Plough up the fallow ground. + Thrash and get out the corn; that the seed, the wheat, may be gathered + into the barn; that to the beginning all people may come—to Christ, + who was, before the world was made. For the chaff is come upon the + wheat by transgression; he that treads it out, is out of + transgression, and fathoms transgression; puts a difference between + the precious and the vile; and can pick out the wheat from the tares, + and gather into the garner: so brings to the lively hope, the immortal + soul into God, out of which it came. None worship God but who come to + the principle of God, which they have transgressed. None are ploughed + up but he who comes to the principle of God in him, that he hath + transgressed. Then he doth service to God; then is the planting and + the watering; and the increase from God cometh. So the ministers of + the Spirit must minister to the Spirit that is in prison, which hath + been in captivity in every one; that with the Spirit of Christ, people + may be led out of captivity up to God, the Father of Spirits, do + service to him, and have unity with him, with the Scriptures, and one + with another. This is the word of the Lord God to you all, and a + charge to you all in the presence of the living God; be patterns, be + examples in all countries, places, islands, nations, wherever you + come; that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of + people, and to them; then you will come to walk cheerfully over the + world, answering that of God in every one; whereby in them ye may be a + blessing, and make the witness of God, in them to bless you: then to + the Lord God you will be a sweet savour, and a blessing. + + “Spare no deceit. Lay the sword upon it; go over it; keep yourselves + clear of the blood of all men, either by word, or writing; and keep + yourselves clean, that you may stand, in your throne, and everyone + have his lot, and stand in the lot in the Ancient of Days. The + blessing of the Lord be with you, and keep you over all the idolatrous + worships and worshippers. Let them know the living God; for teachings, + churches, worships, set up by man’s earthly understanding, knowledge, + and will, must be thrown down by the power of the Lord God. All this + must be overthrown by that which gave forth Scripture; and who are in + that, reign over it all: that is the word of the Lord God to you all. + In that is God worshipped, that brings to declare his will; and brings + to the church in God, the ground and pillar of truth: for now has the + mighty day of the Lord appeared, and the arrows of the Almighty are + gone forth, which shall stick in the hearts of the wicked. Now will I + arise, saith the Lord God Almighty, to trample and thunder down + deceit, which hath long reigned, and stained the earth: now will I + have my glory out of every one. The Lord God Almighty over all in his + strength and power keep you, to his glory, that you may come to answer + that of God in every one. + + “Proclaim the mighty day of the Lord of fire and sword, who will be + worshipped in spirit and in truth; and keep in the life and power of + the Lord God, that the inhabitants of the earth may tremble before + you; that the Lord’s power and majesty may be admired among the + hypocrites and heathens, and ye in the wisdom, dread, life, terror, + and dominion preserved to his glory: that nothing may rule or reign, + but power and life itself; and in the wisdom of God ye may be + preserved in it. This is the word of the Lord God to you all. The call + is now out of transgression; the Spirit bids, ‘come.’ The call is now + from all false worships and gods, and from all inventions and dead + works, to serve the living God. The call is to repentance, to + amendment of life, whereby righteousness may be brought forth; which + shall go throughout the earth. Therefore ye that are chosen and + faithful, who are with the Lamb, go through your work faithfully, and + in the strength and power of the Lord: and be obedient to the power; + for that will save you out of the hands of unreasonable men, and + preserve you over the world to himself. Hereby you may live in the + kingdom, that stands in power, which hath no end; where glory and life + is.” + + G. F. + +After the assizes, the sheriff, with some soldiers, came to guard a +woman to execution, that was sentenced to die; and we had much discourse +with them. One of them wickedly said, that “Christ was as passionate a +man as any that lived upon the earth;” for which we rebuked him. Another +time we asked the jailer what doings there were at the sessions; and he +said, “Small matters: only about thirty for bastardy.” We thought it +very strange, that they who professed themselves Christians should make +small matters of such things. But this jailer was very bad himself; I +often admonished him to sobriety; but he abused people that came to +visit us. Edward Pyot had a cheese sent him from BRISTOL by his wife; +and the jailer took it from him, and carried it to the mayor, to search +it for treasonable letters, as he said; and though they found no treason +in the cheese, they kept it from us. This jailer might have been rich if +he had carried himself civilly; but he sought his own ruin; which soon +after came upon him; for the next year he was turned out of his place, +and for some wickedness cast into the jail himself; and there begged of +our Friends. And for some unruliness in his conduct, he was, by the +succeeding jailer, put into Doomsdale, locked in irons, and beaten; and +bid to “remember how he had abused those good men, whom he had wickedly, +without any cause, cast into that nasty dungeon;” and told, “that now he +deservedly should suffer for his wickedness; and the same measure he had +meted to others, should be meted out to himself.” He became very poor, +and died in prison; and his wife and family came to misery. + +While I was in prison in LAUNCESTON, a friend went to Oliver Cromwell, +and offered himself, body for body, to lie in Doomsdale in my stead; if +he would take him, and let me have liberty. Which thing so struck him, +that he said to his great men and council, “Which of you would do so +much for me if I were in the same condition?” And though he did not +accept of the Friend’s offer, but said, “he could not do it, for that it +was contrary to law;” yet the truth thereby came mightily over him. A +good while after this he sent down Major-General Desborough, pretending +to set us at liberty. When he came, he offered us our liberty, if we +would say, “we would go home, and preach no more;” but we could not +promise him. Then he urged, that we should promise “to go home, if the +Lord permitted;” whereupon Edward Pyot wrote him the following letter:— + + “_To Major-General Desborough._ + + “FRIEND, + + “Though much might be said as to the liberty of Englishmen to travel + in any part of the nation of England, it being as the Englishman’s + house by the law, and he to be protected in any part of it; and if he + transgress the law, the penalty upon the transgressor is to be + inflicted. And as to the liberty of conscience, which is a natural + right, and a fundamental; the exercise of it, by those who profess + faith in God by Jesus Christ, is to be protected; as by the instrument + of government appears, though they differ in doctrine, worship, and + discipline; provided the liberty extend not to Popery, to prelacy, nor + to licentiousness. Where these rights, which are the price of much + blood and treasure in the late wars, are denied us, our liberty is + infringed. Yet in the power of God over all, by which all are to be + ruled, are we, and in it dwell, and by it alone are guided to do the + will of God; whose will is free; and we, in the freedom of his will, + walk by the power, either as it commands or permits, without any + condition or enforcement thereunto by men; but as the power moves + either by command or permission. And although we cannot covenant or + condition to go forth of these parts, or to do this or that thing, if + the Lord permit (for that were to do the will of man by God’s + permission,) yet it is probable we may pass forth from these parts in + the liberty of the will of God, as we may be severally moved, guided + by the pure power, and not of necessity. We, who were first committed, + were passing homewards when we were apprehended; and, as far as I + know, we might pass, if the prison doors were commanded to be opened, + and we freed of our bonds. Should we stay, if the Lord commands us to + go; or should we go, if the Lord commands us to stay; or having no + command to stay, but being permitted to pass from hence, the pure + power moving thereto, and yet we stay; or go, when as before commanded + to stay; we should then be wanderers indeed; for such are wanderers, + who wander out from the will and power of God, abroad, at large, in + their own wills and earthly minds. And so, in the fear of the Lord + God, well weigh and consider, with the just weight and just balance, + that justice thou mayest do to the just and innocent in prison.” + + EDWARD PYOT. + +Some time having elapsed after the foregoing was delivered him, and he +not giving any order for our discharge, I also wrote to him, as +follows:— + + “_To Major-General Desborough._ + + “FRIEND, + + “We who are in the power of God, the ruler and upholder of all things, + who know and dwell in his power, to it we must be obedient; which + brings us to stand out all men’s wills, unlimited. To say, ‘we will, + if the Lord permit,’ in a case of buying and selling to get gain, if + the intent be so to do, may be done; but we standing in the power of + God to do his will, and to stand out of man’s will, if man propose, + ‘we shall have our liberty if we will say we will go to our outward + home, if the Lord permit, or if it will be the will of God;’ and + because we cannot say these words in this case, shall not have our + liberty, when we know that the will of God is, we shall ‘go to speak + at some other place;’ here we cannot say these words truly. For to + say, ‘we will go to our outward habitation, if it be according to the + will of God,’ when we know the will of God is otherwise, we cannot + speak so truly and clearly. Neither can any man say so to him, that + requires it of him; who stands in the power, and knows the power of + God to lead him, according to God’s will, when it leads him to another + place than his outward home. But the Son of God, who came to do, and + did, the will of God, had no place whereon to lay his head; and the + apostles, and many of the followers of Christ, had no certain + dwelling-place. Now, if these should have been restrained, because + they could not say, they would go to their outward homes, if it were + the will of God, when they knew it was the will of God they should + not; and they could not do the will of God in doing so; and therefore + could not speak those words to satisfy man’s mind and will, would not + such restraint have been evil? Abraham could not do the will of God, + but in going from his native country; and those who are of faith are + of Abraham, of whom Christ came according to the flesh. Now, if you + allege, ‘this is to let all loose, and at liberty to idleness,’ I say, + no; such as are in the power of God, who do the will of God, come to + receive his wisdom, by which all his creatures were created; and by + which they are used to his glory. This I shall say; whoever are moved + by the Lord God of glory and power, to go to their outward + habitations, such of us may go to our outward homes, and there be + diligent in serving the Lord, that they may be a blessing from the + Lord God in their generation; diligently serving him in life and + doctrine, in manners, in conversation, in all things. And those of us + who are moved of the Lord to go to any other place, we standing in his + will, and being moved by his power, which comprehends all things, and + is not to be limited, we shall do his will, as we are commanded to do. + + “So the Lord God open your understandings, that you may see this great + power of the Lord, which he is now manifesting among his children in + this his day; that ye may not withstand it in our Friends, that are + come into the power of God, and to God, and know him by whom the world + was made; by whom all things were created that were created; and there + was not anything made, but what was made for him, and to him, and by + him; who is the power of God, and doth enlighten every man that cometh + into the world. Friends being come to this light, which cometh from + Christ, and having received power from him, by whom all things were + created, who hath all power in heaven and earth given to him, who is + the wisdom of God, we have received wisdom and power from him; by + which the Lord doth give us to know how to use and order the creatures + to the glory of him who is the creator of all things. Friends here are + taught of the Lord to be diligent, serving him; and who come into the + life, the Scriptures were given forth from, are given up to serve the + Lord; and of this I have in all your consciences a witness. So, if + thou open the prison door, we shall not stay there. If thou send a + liberate, and set us free, we shall not stay in prison; for Israel is + to go out free, whose freedom is purchased by the power of God, and + the blood of Jesus. But who goeth out of the power of God, loseth his + freedom. + + “GEORGE FOX, + + “The 13th of the 6th And the rest who are sufferers for + Month, 1656.” the truth in Launceston jail.” + +After this Major Desborough came to the Castle-Green, and played at +bowls with the justices and others. Several Friends were moved to go, +and admonish them not to spend their time so vainly; desiring them to +consider, that “though they professed themselves to be Christians, yet +they gave themselves up to their pleasures, and kept the servants of God +meanwhile in prison;” and telling them, “the Lord would plead with them, +and visit them for such things.” But notwithstanding what was written or +said to him, he went away, and left us in prison. We understood +afterwards, that he left the business to Colonel Bennet, who had the +command of the jail. For sometime after Bennet would have set us at +liberty, if we would have paid his jailer’s fees. But we told him, “we +could give the jailer no fees, for we were innocent sufferers; and how +could they expect fees of us, who had suffered so long wrongfully?” +After a while Colonel Bennet coming to town, sent for us to an inn, and +insisted again upon fees, which we refused. At last the power of the +Lord came so over him, that he freely set us at liberty on the 13th day +of the seventh month, 1656. We had been prisoners nine weeks at the +first assize, called the Lent-assize, which was in the spring of the +year. + + + + + CHAPTER X. + +1656-1657.—Address to those who are given to pleasures and wantonness—to + the bowlers in the Castle-Green at Launceston—George Fox visits + Friends imprisoned at Exeter, amongst whom is James Naylor, who has + apostatized, but afterwards returned into the Truth—at a meeting in + the orchard at Bristol about 10,000 persons are present—Paul Gwin, a + rude Baptist, creates a disturbance, but is reproved and + silenced—meeting of two or three thousand persons at N. + Crisp’s—Justice Stooks prevents the magistrates from apprehending + George Fox—speaks to the protector at Hyde-park, who invites him to + his house—accordingly goes to Whitehall, and speaks to the Protector + about Friends’ sufferings—travels through most parts of the nation + after his liberation from Launceston jail—this year, 1656, there + were seldom fewer than one thousand Friends in prison—to Friends, on + the schism of J. Naylor—to Friends, to keep up their meetings—on + judging the ministry, &c.—an answer to a high-flown professor—to + professors, priests, and teachers, on immediate revelation and + universal grace, &c., &c.—at Cardiff, George Fox sends word to some + who had run out that “the day of their visitation was over”—at + Brecknock, his companion, John-ap-John, preaches in the streets—at + night there is a great uproar, like that of Diana’s craftsmen—at + William Gandy’s has a large meeting of two or three thousand + persons—Cromwell proclaims a fast for rain, and is told by George + Fox that the drought was a sign of their barrenness—concerning the + true fast and the false—preaches three hours at a great meeting in + Radnorshire, and many are convinced—their horses are twice robbed of + their oats—from a high hill sounds the day of the Lord, and + foretells where God would raise up a people to himself, which came + to pass—travels through every county in Wales, where there is a + brave people, who sit under Christ’s teaching—has a large meeting on + the top of a hill near Liverpool—at Manchester is taken into + custody, but soon released. + + +Observing, while I was a prisoner at LAUNCESTON, how much the people +(especially they who are called the gentry) were addicted to pleasures +and vain recreations, I was moved, before I left the place, to give +forth several papers as a warning to them, and all that so misspend +their time. One of which was thus directed:— + + “THIS IS TO GO ABROAD AMONG THEM WHO ARE GIVEN TO PLEASURES AND + WANTONNESS. + + “The sins of Sodom and Gomorrah were pride, fulness of bread, and + abundance of idleness. Their filthy conversation vexed the righteous + soul of just Lot day by day, and they would not take warning; on whom + God therefore sent fire, and turned them into ashes. And in spiritual + Sodom and Egypt was our Lord Jesus Christ crucified; and it is + written, ‘The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to + play; with whom God was not well pleased; and there fell three and + twenty thousand in one day.’ These the apostle commanded the saints + they should not follow; for these things happened to them for + examples, and are written for our admonition. God spared not the old + world; but reserving Noah, a preacher of righteousness, brought the + flood upon the world of the ungodly, making them an example to all + that after should live ungodly. Mark, ye ungodly ones, who are as + natural brute beasts, who speak great swelling words of vanity, + alluring through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, as + they that count it pleasure to riot in the day-time, sporting + yourselves with your own deceivings; ye shall receive the reward of + unrighteousness. Ye are as dogs and swine turned to the vomit, and + wallowing in the mire, speaking evil of things that ye know not; and + unless ye repent, ye shall utterly perish in your own corruptions. Ye + have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have + nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter: ye have condemned and + killed the just, and he doth not resist you. Go to, weep and howl, for + the misery that is coming upon you. She that liveth in pleasures, is + dead while she liveth. God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, + making them an example to all those that after should live ungodly, in + the wicked, filthy conversation: mark, here is your example. Hear + this, ye that are given to pleasures, and read your examples.” + + G. F. + +Another paper, upon my taking notice of the bowlers that came to sport +themselves in the Castle-Green, was as follows:— + + “The word of the Lord to all you vain and idle-minded people, who are + lovers of sports, pleasures, foolish exercises, and recreations, as + you call them; consider of your ways, what it is you are doing. Was + this the end of your creation? Did God make all things for you, and + you to serve your lusts and pleasures? Did not the Lord make all + things for you, and you for himself, to fear and worship him in spirit + and in truth, in righteousness and true holiness? But where is your + service of God, so long as your hearts run after lusts and pleasures? + Ye cannot serve God, and the foolish pleasures of the world, as + bowling, drinking, hunting, hawking, and the like: if these have your + hearts, God will not have your lips: consider, for it is true. + Therefore from the Lord must you all witness woe and misery, + tribulation and wrath, who continue in the love and practice of your + vain sports, lusts, and pleasures. Now is the day, when all everywhere + are exhorted to repentance. O foolish people, wicked and slow of heart + to believe the threatenings of the great Jehovah against the wicked! + What will ye do in the day of the Lord’s fierce wrath, that makes + haste to come upon the world of ungodly men! What good have your + foolish sports and delights done you now they are past? Or what good + will they do you, when the Lord calls for your souls? + + “Therefore all now awake from sleep, and see where you are: and let + the light of Jesus Christ, that shines in every one of your + consciences, search you thoroughly; and it will let you clearly see, + for all your profession of God, Christ, and the Scriptures, you are + ignorant of them, and enemies to them all, and your own souls also: + and being found living in pleasures, you are dead while you live. + Therefore doth the Lord by many messengers forewarn you, and call you + to repentance and deep humiliation, that you may forsake the evil of + your doings, own this day of your visitation, and while you have time, + prize it; lest the things which belong to your peace be hid from your + eyes, for your disobedience and rebellion against the Holy One. And + then had it been good that you never had been born. Repent, for the + kingdom of heaven is at hand: again I say, repent!” + + Given forth in LAUNCESTON Jail, + in Cornwall. + + To the Bowlers in the Green. + +Being released from our imprisonment we got horses and rode towards +Humphrey Lower’s, and met him on the road. He told us, “He was much +troubled in his mind concerning us, and could not rest at home, but was +going to Colonel Bennet to seek our liberty.” When we told him, “we were +set at liberty, and were going to his house,” he was exceedingly glad. +To his house we went, and had a fine precious meeting; many were +convinced, and turned by the Spirit of the Lord to the Lord Jesus +Christ’s teaching. + +From his house we went to Loveday Hambley’s, where we also had a fine +large meeting. The Lord’s power was over all; many were convinced there +also, and turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, their teacher. + +After we had tarried there two or three days, we came to Thomas +Mouncey’s, where we had a general meeting for the whole county; which, +being very large, was held in his orchard. Friends from Plymouth were +there, and from many places. The Lord’s power was over all; and a great +convincement there was in many parts of the county. Their watches were +down, and all was plain and open; for the Lord had let me see, before I +was set at liberty, that he would make all the country plain before us. +Thomas and Ann Curtis, with an alderman of Reading, who was convinced, +had come to Launceston to see us while I was a prisoner: and when Ann, +and the other man returned, Thomas Curtis stayed behind in CORNWALL, and +had good service for the Lord at that time.[50] + +Footnote 50: + + Thomas Curtis became a faithful minister, and sufferer for Christ’s + sake. In 1666, he is mentioned in a letter from Alexander Parker to + Margaret Fell as being a prisoner with thirty-two or thirty-three + others. His wife, Ann Curtis, was a daughter of a sheriff of Bristol. + See a letter of T. Curtis to George Fox, in _Letters of Early + Friends_, p. 240. + +From Thomas Mouncey’s we passed to LAUNCESTON again, and visited that +little remnant of Friends that had been raised up there while we were in +prison; and the Lord’s plants grew finely, and were established on +Christ, their rock and foundation. As we were going out of town again, +the constable of Launceston came running to us with the cheese that had +been taken from Edward Pyot; which they had kept from us all this while, +and were tormented with it. But being now set at liberty, we would not +receive it. + +From Launceston we came to OKINGTON [Oakhampton], and lodged at an inn, +which the mayor of the town kept. He had stopped and taken up several +Friends, but was very civil to us; and was convinced in his judgment. + +From thence we came to EXETER, where many Friends were in prison; and +amongst the rest James Naylor. For a little before we were set at +liberty, James had run out into imaginations, and a company with him: +which raised up a great darkness in the nation.[51] He came to Bristol, +and made a disturbance there: and from thence he was coming to +Launceston to see me; but was stopped by the way, and imprisoned at +Exeter; as were also several others; one of whom, an honest tender man, +died in prison there, whose blood lieth on the heads of his persecutors. + +Footnote 51: + + James Naylor was a monument of human frailty. His gift in the ministry + was eminent; his experience in divine things truly great. He fell + through unwatchfulness, but was restored through deep sufferings and + unfeigned repentance. His own writings are the most clear and lively + description of the various dispensations he underwent; some of them + deserve to be transmitted to the latest posterity. His address to his + brethren bespeaks the real repentance of his heart; in that he says, + “My heart is broken this day for the offence I have occasioned to + God’s truth and people,—I beseech you, forgive wherein I evilly + requited your love in that day. God knows my sorrow for it!” &c. A few + hours before his death, he spoke in the presence of several witnesses + the following remarkable words:— + + “There is a spirit which I feel, that delights to do no evil, nor to + revenge any wrong; but delights to endure all things, in hope to enjoy + its own in the end. Its hope is to outlive all wrath and contention, + and to weary out all exaltation and cruelty, or whatever is of a + nature contrary to itself. It sees to the end of all temptations; as + it bears no evil in itself, so it conceives none in thought to any + other. If it be betrayed, it bears it; for its ground and spring is + the mercy and forgiveness of God. Its crown is meekness; its life is + everlasting love unfeigned. It takes its kingdom with entreaty, and + not with contention, and keeps it by lowliness of mind. In God alone + it can rejoice, though none else regard it, or can own its life. It is + conceived in sorrow, and brought forth without any to pity it; nor + doth it murmur at grief and oppression. It never rejoiceth, but + through sufferings; for with the world’s joy it is murdered. I found + it alone; being forsaken. I have fellowship therein with those who + lived in dens and desolate places in the earth; who through death + obtained this resurrection, and eternal, holy life!” + + Such was the end of James Naylor; who, in his forty-fourth year, + “chastened, but not killed—cast down, but not destroyed”—through much + tribulation, entered, we may humbly hope, “into the kingdom of + God.”—(For full particulars, see his Life by Joseph Gurney Bevan.) + +The night we came to EXETER, I spoke with James Naylor; for I saw he was +out and wrong: and so was his company. Next day, being First-day, we +went to visit the prisoners, and had a meeting with them in the prison; +but James Naylor and some of them could not stay the meeting. There came +a corporal of horse into the meeting, and was convinced, and remained a +very good Friend. The next day I spoke to James Naylor again; and he +slighted what I said, and was dark, and much out; yet he would have come +and kissed me. But I said, “since he had turned against the power of +God, I could not receive his show of kindness;” the Lord moved me to +slight him, and to set the power of God over him. So after I had been +warring with the world, there was now a wicked spirit risen up amongst +Friends to war against. I admonished him and his company. When he was +come to London, his resisting the power of God in me, and the truth that +was declared to him by me, became one of his greatest burdens. But he +came to see his out-going, and to condemn it; and after some time he +returned to truth again; as in the printed account of his repentance, +condemnation, and recovery, may be more fully seen. + +We passed from Exeter through COLLUMPTON and TAUNTON, visiting Friends; +and had meetings amongst them. From thence we came to PUDDIMORE, to +William Beaton’s; where on the First-day we had a very large meeting. A +great convincement there was all through that country; many meetings we +had, and the Lord’s power was over all; many were turned, by the power +and Spirit of God, to the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for them, and came +to sit under his free teaching. + +From thence we went to John Dander’s, where we had another precious +meeting. The Lord’s power was over all, and many were convinced of God’s +eternal truth. Contention was raised by professors and Baptists in some +places, but the Lord’s power came over them. From thence we came to +Edward Pyot’s house near BRISTOL. It was the Seventh-day at night that +we came thither; and it was quickly noised over the town that I was +come. I had never been there before. + +On First-day morning I went to the meeting in Broadmead at BRISTOL; +which was large and quiet. Notice was given of a meeting to be in the +afternoon in the orchard. There was at Bristol a rude Baptist, named +Paul Gwin, who had before made great disturbance in our meetings, being +encouraged and set on by the mayor, who, it was reported, would +sometimes give him his dinner to encourage him. Such multitudes of rude +people he gathered after him, that it was thought there had been +sometimes ten thousand people at our meeting in the orchard. As I was +going into the orchard the people told me, that Paul Gwin, the rude +jangling Baptist, was going to the meeting. “I bid them never heed, it +was nothing to me who went to it.” + +When I was come into the orchard, I stood upon the stone that Friends +used to stand on when they spoke; and I was moved of the Lord to put off +my hat, and to stand a pretty while, and let the people look at me; for +some thousands of people were there. While I thus stood silent, this +rude Baptist began to find fault with my hair; but I said nothing to +him. Then he ran on into words; and at last, “Ye wise men of Bristol,” +said he, “I strange at you, that you will stand here, and hear a man +speak and affirm that which he cannot make good.” Then the Lord opened +my mouth (for as yet I had not spoken a word), and I asked the people, +“whether they ever heard me speak; or ever saw me before:” and I bid +them “take notice what kind of man this was amongst them that should so +impudently say, that I spoke and affirmed that which I could not make +good; and yet neither he nor they had ever heard me or seen me before. +Therefore that was a lying, envious, malicious spirit, that spoke in +him; and it was of the Devil, and not of God. I charged him in the dread +and power of the Lord to be silent: and the mighty power of God came +over him, and all his company. Then a glorious, peaceable meeting we +had, and the word of life was divided amongst them; and they were turned +from the darkness to the light,—to Jesus their Saviour. The Scriptures +were largely opened to them; and the traditions, rudiments, ways, and +doctrines of men were laid open before the people; and they were turned +to the light of Christ, that with it they might see them, and see him to +lead them out of them. I opened also to them the types, figures, and +shadows of Christ in the time of the law; and showed them that Christ +was come, and had ended the types, shadows, tithes, and oaths, and put +down swearing; and had set up yea and nay instead of it, and a free +ministry; for he was now come to teach people himself, and his heavenly +day was springing from on high.” For many hours did I declare the word +of life amongst them in the eternal power of God, that by him they might +come up into the beginning, and be reconciled to him. And having turned +them to the Spirit of God in themselves, that would lead into all truth, +I was moved to pray in the mighty power of God; and the Lord’s power +came over all. When I had done, this fellow began to babble again; and +John Audland was moved to bid him repent, and fear God. So his own +people and followers being ashamed of him, he passed away, and never +came again to disturb the meeting. The meeting broke up quietly, and the +Lord’s power and glory shone over all: a blessed day it was, and the +Lord had the praise. After a while this Paul Gwin went beyond the seas; +many years after I met with him again at Barbadoes: of which in its +place. + +From Bristol we returned to Edward Pyot’s, where we had a great meeting. +The Lord’s power was over all, truth was declared and spread abroad, and +many were turned to Christ Jesus, their life, their prophet to teach +them, their shepherd to feed them, and their bishop to oversee them, +After the meeting, I had reasoning with some professors; and the Lord’s +truth and power came over them. + +From Edward Pyot’s we passed to SLAUGHTERFORD, where we had a very large +meeting (Edward Pyot and another Friend being still with me); great +turning of people there was to the Lord Jesus Christ, their teacher; and +people were glad that they were brought to know their way, their free +teacher, and their Saviour, Christ Jesus. + +The First-day following we went to Nathaniel Crisp’s house, who had been +a justice of peace in WILTSHIRE, where it was supposed there were +between two and three thousand people at a meeting; and all was quiet. +The mighty power of God was manifest, and people were turned to the +grace and truth in their hearts, that came by Jesus Christ, which taught +them to deny all ungodliness and worldly lust, and to live soberly and +godly in this present world; so that every man and woman might know the +grace of God, which had appeared to all men, and which was saving, and +sufficient to bring their salvation. This teacher, the grace of God, +would teach them how to live, what to do, and what to deny; it would +season their words, and establish their hearts. This was a free teacher +to every one of them; that they might come to be heirs of this grace, +and of Christ, by whom it came; who hath ended the prophets, and the +priests that took tithes, and the Jewish temple. And as for the hireling +priests that take tithes now, and their temples (which priests were made +at schools and colleges of man’s setting up, and not by Christ), they, +with all their inventions, were to be denied. For the apostles denied +the true priesthood and temple, which God had commanded, after Christ +had put an end thereto. The Scriptures, and the truths therein +contained, were largely opened, and the people turned to the Spirit of +God in their hearts; that by it they might be led into all truth, and +understand the Scriptures, and know God and Christ, and come to have +unity with them, and one with another in the same Spirit. They went away +generally satisfied, and were glad that they were turned to Christ +Jesus, their teacher and Saviour. + +Next day we went to MARLBOROUGH, where we had a little meeting. The +sessions being held that day, they were about to grant a warrant to send +for me; but one Justice Stooks being at the sessions, stopped them, +telling them there was a meeting at his house yesterday, at which there +were several thousands. So the warrant was stopped, and the meeting was +quiet; and several received Christ Jesus their teacher, came into the +new covenant, and abode in it. + +From hence we went to NEWBURY, where we had a large, blessed meeting, +and several were convinced. Then we passed to READING, where we had a +large, precious meeting in the Lord’s power, amongst the plants of God. +Many of the people came in, and were reached, and added to the meeting. +All was quiet, and the Lord’s power was over all. We went next to +KINGSTON-ON-THAMES, where a few came in to us that were turned to the +Lord Jesus Christ: but it is since become a larger meeting. + +Leaving Kingston, we rode to LONDON. When we came near Hyde Park, we saw +a great concourse of people, and looking towards them, espied the +Protector coming in his coach. Whereupon I rode to his coach-side; and +some of his life-guards would have put me away, but he forbade them. So +I rode by with him, “declaring what the Lord gave me to say to him of +his condition, and of the sufferings of Friends in the nation; showing +him, how contrary this persecution was to Christ and his apostles, and +to Christianity.” When we arrived at James’s Park-gate, I left him; and +at parting he desired me to come to his house. Next day, one of his +wife’s maids, whose name was Mary Saunders, came to me at my lodging, +and told me her master came to her, and said he would tell her some good +news. When she asked him what it was, he told her, George Fox was come +to town. She replied that was good news indeed (for she had received +truth,) but she said, she could hardly believe him, till he told her how +I met him, and rode from Hyde Park to James’s Park with him. + +After a little time Edward Pyot and I went to WHITEHALL: and when we +came before him, Dr. Owen, vice-chancellor of Oxford, was with him. We +were moved to speak to Oliver Cromwell concerning the sufferings of +Friends, and laid them before him; and directed him to the light of +Christ, who enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world. He said +it was a natural light; but we “showed him the contrary, and manifested +that it was divine and spiritual, proceeding from Christ, the spiritual +and heavenly man; and that which was called the _life_ in Christ the +Word, was called the _light_ in us.” The power of the Lord God arose in +me, and I was moved in it “to bid him lay down his crown at the feet of +Jesus.” Several times I spoke to him to the same effect. Now I was +standing by the table, and he came and sat upon the table’s side by me, +and said he would be as high as I was; and so continued speaking against +the light of Christ Jesus; and went away in a light manner. But the +Lord’s power came over him, so that when he came to his wife and other +company, he said, “I never parted so from them before;” for he was +judged in himself. + +After he had left us, as we were going out, many great persons came +about us; and one of them began to speak against the light, and against +the truth; and I was made to slight him, for speaking so lightly of the +things of God. Whereupon, one of them told me he was the Major-General +of Northamptonshire. “What!” said I, “our old persecutor, that has +persecuted and sent so many of our friends to prison, and is a shame to +Christianity and religion! I am glad I have met with thee,” said I. So I +was moved to speak sharply to him of his unchristian carriage, and he +slunk away: for he had been a cruel persecutor in Northamptonshire. + +Now, after I had visited the meetings of Friends in and about LONDON, I +went into BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, and Edward Pyot with me; and in several +places in that county many received the truth. Great meetings we had, +and the Lord’s power was eminently manifested. I passed through +Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire, into LINCOLNSHIRE. After having +had several meetings in Lincolnshire, I had at last a meeting where two +knights, one called Sir Richard Wrey, and the other Sir John Wrey, with +their wives, were at the meeting. One of their wives was convinced, +received the truth, and died in it. When the meeting was over we passed +away; and it being evening, and dark, a company of wild serving-men +encompassed me about, with intent (as I apprehended) to do me some +mischief. But I spoke aloud to them, and asked, “What are ye? +highwaymen?” Whereupon some Friends and friendly people that were +behind, came up to us, and knew some of them. So I reproved them for +their uncivil and rude carriage, and exhorted them to fear God; and the +Lord’s power came over them, and stopped their mischievous design: +blessed be his name for ever! + +Then I turned into HUNTINGDONSHIRE: and the mayor of HUNTINGDON came to +visit me, and was very loving, and his wife received the truth. + +Thence I passed into CAMBRIDGESHIRE, and the Fen-country, where I had +many meetings, and the Lord’s truth spread. Robert Craven (who had been +sheriff of Lincoln) and Amor Stoddart, and Alexander Parker were with +me. We went to CROWLAND, a very rude place; for the townspeople were +collected at the inn we went to, and were half drunk, both priest and +people. I reproved them for their drunkenness, and warned them of the +day of the Lord, that was coming upon all the wicked; exhorting them to +leave their drunkenness, and turn to the Lord in time. Whilst I was thus +speaking to them, and showing the priest the fruits of his ministry, he +and the clerk broke out into a rage, and got up the tongs and +fire-shovel to us; so that had not the Lord’s power preserved us, we +might have been murdered amongst them. Yet, for all their rudeness and +violence, some received the truth then, and have stood in it ever since. + +Thence we passed to BOSTON, where most of the chief of the town came to +our inn, and the people seemed much satisfied. But there was a raging +man in the yard, and Robert Craven was moved to speak to him, and told +him he shamed Christianity, which with some few other words so stopped +the man, that he went away quiet. Some were convinced there also. + +Thus we had large meetings up and down, for I travelled into Yorkshire, +and returned out of Holderness, over Humber, visiting Friends; and then +returning into Leicestershire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, and +WARWICKSHIRE, among Friends, I had a meeting at EDGE-HILL. There came to +it Ranters, Baptists, and several sorts of rude people; for I had sent +word about three weeks before to have a meeting there, so that hundreds +of people were gathered thither, and many Friends came far to it. The +Lord’s everlasting truth and word of life reached over all; the rude and +unruly spirits were chained down; and many that day were turned to the +Lord Jesus Christ, by his power and Spirit, and came to sit under his +blessed, free teaching, and to be fed with his eternal, heavenly food. +All was peaceable; the people passed quietly away, and some of them said +it was a mighty, powerful meeting; for the presence of the Lord was +felt, and his power and Spirit amongst them. + +From hence I passed to WARWICK and to BAGLEY, having precious meetings; +and then in GLOUCESTERSHIRE, and so to OXFORD, where the scholars were +very rude; but the Lord’s power came over them. Great meetings we had up +and down as we travelled. Then I went to Colonel Grimes’s, where there +was a very large meeting; and thence to Nathaniel Crisp’s, where came +another justice to the meeting, who was also convinced. At CIRENCESTER +we had a meeting which is since much increased; and so we came to +EVESHAM again, where I met John Camm. + +Thus having travelled over most part of the nation, I returned to LONDON +again, having cleared myself of that which lay upon me from the Lord. +For after I was released out of Launceston jail, I was moved of the Lord +to travel over the nation, the truth being now spread, and finely +planted in most places, that I might answer and remove out of the minds +of people some objections, which the envious priests and professors had +raised and spread abroad concerning us. For what Christ said of false +prophets and antichrists coming in the last days, they applied to us; +and said, We were they. + + Therefore was I moved to open this through the nation, and to show + “That they who said we were the false prophets, antichrists, and + deceivers, that should come in the last days, were indeed themselves + they. For when Christ told his disciples in the viith and xxivth of + Matthew, that false prophets and antichrists should come in the last + times, and (if it were possible) should deceive the very elect; he + said, ‘By their fruits ye shall know them;’ for they should be + inwardly ravening wolves, having the sheep’s clothing. ‘And,’ said he, + ‘do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?’ as much as to + say, their nature and spirit should be like a thorn, or like a + thistle. And he bid his disciples not go after them. But before the + disciples were deceased, the antichrists, false prophets, and + deceivers were come. For John in his first epistle said, ‘Little + children, it is the last time; and as ye have heard that antichrist + shall come, even now there are many antichrists, whereby we know that + it is the last time.’ So here, as Christ said to his disciples they + should come, the disciples saw they were come; as may be seen at large + in Peter, Jude, John, and other places of Scripture; ‘whereby,’ says + John, ‘we know it is the last time.’ And this last time began above + sixteen hundred years since. John said, ‘they went out from us;’ the + false prophets, antichrists, seducers, and deceivers, went out from + the church; ‘but you,’ said he, to the church, ‘have an anointing, + which abideth in you; and you need not that any man teach you, but as + the same anointing teacheth you of all things; and as it hath taught + you, ye shall abide in him.’ Christ said to his disciples, ‘Go not + after them, for they are inwardly ravening wolves;’ and John exhorts + the saints to the anointing within them; and the rest of the apostles + exhort the churches to the grace, the light, the truth, the Spirit, + the word of faith, and to Christ in their hearts, the hope of glory. + Christ told the saints that the Spirit of truth, the Holy Ghost, + should be their leader into all truth; and Jude exhorts the church to + ‘pray in the Holy Ghost,’ and ‘to be built up in their most holy + faith,’ which Christ was the author of. Christ, by his servant John, + ‘exhorted the seven churches to hear what the Spirit said to the + churches,’ and this was an inward, spiritual hearing. Christ says, the + inwardly ravening wolves should have the sheep’s clothing. Paul speaks + of some in his time, that had ‘a form of godliness, but denied the + power.’ John said, ‘they went out from us.’ Jude said, they go in + Cain’s way, and in Balaam’s, and Corah’s way. By all which it may be + clearly seen, that the false prophets and antichrists, which Christ + foretold should come, the apostles saw were come; and in their day it + was the last time; and these went forth from them into the world, and + the world went after them. These were the foremen, the leaders of the + world, that brought them into a form of godliness, but inwardly + ravened from the power and Spirit. These have the sheep’s clothing, + the words of Christ, of the prophets, and of the apostles; but are + inwardly ravened from the power and Spirit that they were in, who gave + forth the Scriptures. These have made up the beast and the whore! + These have got the dragon’s power, the murdering, destroying, + persecuting power! and these are they that the world wonders after! + These have drunk the blood of the martyrs, prophets, and saints, and + persecuted the true church into the wilderness! These have set up the + false compelling worships, and have drunk the blood of the saints, + that will not drink of their cup! These have made the cage for the + unclean birds, that have their several unclean notes in their cage; + which cage is made up by the power of darkness, and uncleanness; and + the birds of the cage deny the Holy Ghost, and the power of God, which + the apostles were in, is to be now manifested in the saints! + + “Thus since Christ said, the false prophets and antichrists should + come, and the apostle said, they were come, the beast’s and the + dragon’s worship hath been set up; and the whore is got up with her + false prophets, and her cage hath been made, and all the nations have + drunk of her cup of fornication; the blood of the martyrs and saints + they have drunk, and the true church hath fled into the wilderness; + and all this since the apostles’ days. Yet the blind deceivers, the + antichrists, and false prophets of our age, would make us and people + believe, that the false prophets, antichrists, and deceivers are come + but now, though John and other of the apostles tell us they were come + above sixteen hundred years ago. And ye may see what work and + confusion they have made in the world; how much blood these Cains have + drunk that went in Cain’s way; which blood cries to God for vengeance + upon Christendom! And how these Balaams that have erred from the power + and Spirit which the apostles were in, have coveted after other men’s + estates, the many jails, courts, and spoilings of goods will bear + witness. And how the Corahs have gainsayed the life, power, and + Spirit, which the apostles and true church were in, and the free + teaching of Christ and his apostles, and the work of their ministry, + which was ‘to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus,’ hath been + evident. + + “Therefore in the name and power of the Lord Jesus was I sent to + preach again the everlasting gospel, which had been preached before + unto Abraham, and in the apostles’ days; which was to go over all + nations, and be preached to every creature. For as the apostacy hath + gone over all nations since the apostles’ days, so that the nations + are become as waters, unstable, being gone from Christ the foundation; + so must the gospel, the power of God, go over all nations again. We + find the false prophets, anti-christs, deceivers, whore, false church, + beast, and his worship in the dragon’s power, have got up in the times + between the apostles and us. For Christ said, ‘they should come;’ and + the apostles saw ‘they were come,’ and coming in their days; and that + they went forth from them, and the world went after them. And now hath + the Lord raised us up beyond them, and set us over them in the + everlasting gospel, the power of God; that as all have been darkened + by the beast, whore, false prophets, and antichrists, so the + everlasting gospel may be preached again by us to all nations, and to + every creature, which will bring life and immortality to light in + them, that they may see over the devil and his false prophets, + antichrists, seducers, and deceivers, and over the whore and beast, + and to that which was before they were. This message of the glorious + everlasting gospel was I sent forth to declare and publish, and + thousands by it are turned to God, having received it; and are come + into subjection to it, and into the holy order of it. And since I have + declared this message in this part of the world, and in America, and + have written books on the same, to spread it universally abroad; the + blind prophets, preachers, and deceivers, have given over telling us + the false prophets should ‘come in the last times;’ for a great light + is sprung up, and shines over their heads; so that every child in + truth sees the folly of their sayings. + + “Then they raised other objections against us, and invented shifts to + save themselves from truth’s stroke. For when we blamed them for + taking tithes, which came from the tribe of Levi, and were set up here + by the Romish church, they would plead, ‘that Christ told the scribes + and Pharisees they ought to pay tithes of mint, anise, and cummin, + though they had neglected the weightier matters;’ and that Christ + said, ‘the scribes and pharisees sat in Moses’s seat, therefore all + that they bid you do, that do and observe.’ And when we told them they + were envious, persecuting priests, they would reply, that ‘some + preached Christ of envy, and some of contention, and some of + good-will.’ Now these Scriptures, and such like they would bring to + darken the minds of their hearers, and to persuade them and us, ‘that + we ought to do as they say, though they themselves were like the + Pharisees; and that we should rejoice when envious men and men of + strife preached Christ; and that we should give them the tithes, as + the Jews did to the tribe of Levi.’ These were fair glosses; here was + a great heap of husks, but no kernel. Now this was their blindness; + for the Levitical priesthood Christ hath ended, and disannulled the + commandment that gave them tithes, and the law, by which those priests + were made. Christ did not come after that order, neither did he send + forth his ministers after that order; for those of that order were to + take tithes for their maintenance; but his ministers he sent forth + _freely_. And as for hearing that the Pharisees, and the Jews paid + tithes of mint, anise, and cummin, that was before Christ was + sacrificed and offered up; the Jews were then to do the law, and + perform their offerings and sacrifices, which the Jewish priests + taught them. But after Christ was offered up, he bid them then, ‘go + into all nations and preach the gospel; and lo,’ said he, ‘I will be + with you to the end of the world;’ and in another place he saith, ‘I + will be _in_ you.’ So he did not bid them go to hear the Pharisees + then, and pay tithe of mint, anise, and cummin then; but ‘Go preach + the gospel, and believe in the Lord Jesus, and be saved, and receive + the gospel,’ which would bring people off from the Jews, the tithes, + the Levitical law, and the offerings thereof, to Christ, the one + Offering, made once for them all. O what work had the apostle with + both the Galatians and the Romans, to bring them off the law to the + faith in Christ! + + “And as for the apostle’s saying, ‘Some preached Christ of envy and + strife,’ &c., that was at the first spreading of Christ’s name abroad, + when they were in danger not only to be cast out of the synagogues, + but to be stoned to death, that confessed the name of Jesus, as may be + seen by the uproars that were among the Jews and Diana’s worshippers + at the preaching of Christ. So the apostle might well rejoice, if the + envious, and men of strife and contention did preach Christ at that + time, though they thought thereby to add affliction to his bonds; but + afterward, when Christ’s name was spread abroad, and many had got a + form of godliness, but denied the power thereof, envious, proud, + contentious men, men of strife, covetous teachers for filthy lucre, + the apostles commanded the saints to turn from, and not have any + fellowship with them. And the deacons and ministers were first to be + proved, to see if they were in the power of godliness, and the Holy + Ghost made them overseers and preachers. So it may be seen how the + priests have abused these Scriptures for their own ends, and have + wrested them to their own destruction, to justify envious, contentious + men, and men of strife. Whereas the apostle says, ‘the man of God must + be patient, and apt to teach;’ and they were to follow Christ as they + had him for their example. The apostle indeed was very tender to + people, while he saw them walk in simplicity; as in the case of them + that were scrupulous about meats and days; but when the apostle saw + that some drew them into the observation of days, and to settle in + such things, he then reproves them sharply, and asks them, ‘who had + bewitched them?’ So in the case of marrying he was tender, lest their + minds should be drawn from the Lord’s joining; but when they came to + forbid marriage, and to set up rules for meats and drinks, he called + it ‘a doctrine of devils,’ and an ‘erring from the true faith.’ So + also he was tender concerning circumcision, and in tenderness suffered + some to be circumcised; but when he saw they went to make a sect + thereby, and set up circumcision as a standing practice, he told them + plainly, ‘if they were circumcised, Christ would profit them nothing.’ + In like manner he was tender concerning baptizing with water; but when + he saw they began to make sects about it, some crying up Paul, others + Apollos, he judged them, and called them carnal, and thanks God he had + baptised no more, but such and such; declaring plainly, that ‘he was + sent to preach the gospel, and not to baptize;’ and brought them to + the one baptism by the one Spirit, into the one body, which Christ, + the spiritual man, is the head of; and exhorted the church ‘all to + drink into that one Spirit.’ For he set up in the church one faith, + which Christ was the author of; and one baptism, which was that of the + Spirit, into the one body; and one Lord Jesus Christ, the spiritual + baptizer, whom John said should come after him. And further the + apostle declared, that they who worshipped and served God in the + Spirit, were of the circumcision of the Spirit, which was not made + with hands; by which ‘the body of the sins of the flesh was put off;’ + which circumcision Christ is the minister of. + + “Another great objection they had, ‘That the Quakers denied the + sacrament (as they called it) of bread and wine, which,’ they said, + ‘they were to take, and do in remembrance of Christ to the end of the + world.’ Much work we had with the priests and professors about this, + and the several modes of receiving it in Christendom, so called; for + some take it kneeling, and some sitting; but none of them all, that + ever I could find, take it as the disciples took it. For they took it + in a chamber, after supper; but these generally take it before dinner: + and some say, after the priest hath blessed it, it is ‘Christ’s body.’ + But as to the matter, Christ said, ‘Do this in remembrance of me.’ He + did not tell them how often they should do it, or how long; neither + did he enjoin them to do it always, as long as they lived, or that all + believers in him should do it to the world’s end. + + “The apostle Paul, who was not converted till after Christ’s death, + tells the Corinthians, that he had received of the Lord that which he + delivered unto them concerning this matter: and he relates Christ’s + words concerning the cup thus; ‘This do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in + remembrance of me;’ and himself adds, ‘For [as often as] ye eat this + bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.’ + So according to what the apostle here delivers, neither Christ nor he + enjoined people to do this always; but leave it to their liberty [as + oft as ye drink it, &c.]. Now the Jews used to take a cup, and to + break bread, and divide it among them in their feasts; as may be seen + in the Jewish Antiquities: so that the breaking of bread, and drinking + of wine, were Jewish rites, which were not to last always. They also + baptised with water; which made it not seem a strange thing to them + when John the Baptist came with his decreasing ministration of + water-baptism. But as to the bread and wine, after the disciples had + taken it, some of them questioned whether Jesus was the Christ; for + some of them said, after he was crucified, ‘We trusted that it had + been he which should have redeemed Israel,’ &c. And though the + Corinthians had the bread and wine, and were baptized in water, the + apostle told them they were ‘reprobates, if Christ was not in them;’ + and bid them ‘examine themselves.’ And as the apostle said, ‘As oft as + ye do eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show forth the Lord’s + death [till he come:’] so Christ had said before, that he ‘was the + bread of life, which came down from heaven;’ and that ‘he would come + and dwell in them;’ which the apostles did witness fulfilled; and + exhorted others to seek for that which comes down from above; but the + outward bread and wine, and water, are not from above, but from below. + + “Now ye that eat and drink this outward bread and wine in remembrance + of Christ’s death, and have your fellowships in that, will ye come no + nearer to Christ’s death, than to take bread and wine in remembrance + of it? After ye have eaten in remembrance of his death, ye must come + _into his death_, and _die with him_, as the apostles did, if ye will + _live with him_. This is a nearer and further advanced state, to be + with him in the fellowship of his death, than only to take bread and + wine in remembrance of his death. You must have fellowship with Christ + in his sufferings: if ye will reign with him, ye must suffer with him; + if ye will live with him, ye must die with him; and if ye die with + him, ye must be buried with him: and being buried with him in the true + baptism, ye also rise with him. Then having suffered with him, died + with him, and been buried with him, if ye are risen with Christ, ‘seek + those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand + of God.’ Eat the bread which comes down from above, which is not + outward bread; and drink the cup of salvation which he gives in his + kingdom, which is not outward wine. And then there will not be a + looking at the things that are seen (as outward bread and wine, and + water are:) for, as says the apostle, ‘The things that are seen are + temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal.’ + + “So here are many states and conditions to be gone through, before + people come to see and partake of that, which ‘cometh down from + above.’ For first, there was a taking of the outward bread and wine in + remembrance of Christ’s death: this was temporary, and not of + necessity, but at their liberty; as oft as ye do it, &c. Secondly, + there must be a coming into his death, a suffering with Christ; and + this is of necessity to salvation, and not temporary, but continual: + there must be a dying daily. Thirdly, a being buried with Christ. + Fourthly, a rising with Christ. Fifthly, after they are risen with + Christ, then a seeking those things which are above; a seeking the + bread that comes down from heaven, a feeding on and having fellowship + in that. For outward bread, wine, and water, are from below, visible + and temporal: but saith the apostle, ‘We look not at things that are + seen; for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that + are not seen are eternal.’ So the fellowship that stands in the use of + bread, wine, water, circumcision, outward temple, and things seen, + will have an end: but the fellowship which stands in the gospel, the + power of God, which was before the Devil was, and which brings life + and immortality to light, by which people may see over the Devil, that + has darkened them; this fellowship is eternal, and will stand. And all + that are in it seek that which is heavenly and eternal, which comes + down from above, and are settled in the eternal mystery of the + fellowship of the gospel, which is hid from all eyes, that look only + at visible things. The apostle told the Corinthians, who were in + disorder about water, bread and wine, that he desired to know nothing + amongst them but Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” + +Thus were the objections, which the priests and professors had raised +against Friends, answered and cleared; and the stumbling-blocks, which +they had laid in the way of the weak, removed. And as things were thus +opened, people came to see over them and through them, and to have their +minds settled upon the Lord Jesus Christ, their free teacher: which was +the service for which I was moved to travel over the nation after my +imprisonment in LAUNCESTON jail. In this year the Lord’s truth was +finely planted over the nation, and many thousands were turned to the +Lord; insomuch that there were seldom fewer than one thousand in prison +in this nation for truth’s testimony; some for tithes, some for going to +the steeple-houses, some for contempts (as they called them), some for +not swearing, and others for not putting off their hats, &c. + +Now after I had visited most parts of the nation, and was come to LONDON +again, finding that evil spirit at work, which had drawn J. N. and his +followers out from truth, to run Friends into heats about him, I wrote a +short epistle to Friends, as follows:— + + “To all the elect seed of God called Quakers, where the death is + brought into the death, and the elder is servant to the younger, and + the elect is known, which cannot be deceived, but obtains victory. + This is the word of the Lord God to you all: Go not forth to the + aggravating part, to strive with it out of the power of God; lest ye + hurt yourselves, and run into the same nature, out of the life. For + patience must get the victory; and to answer that of God in every one, + it must bring every one to it, to bring them from the contrary. Let + your moderation, and temperance, and patience be known unto all men in + the Seed of God. For that which reacheth to the aggravating part + without life, sets up the aggravating part, and breeds confusion; and + hath a life in outward strife, but reacheth not to the witness of God + in every one, through which they might come into peace and covenant + with God, and fellowship one with another. Therefore that which + reacheth this witness of God in yourselves, and in others, is the life + and light; which will out-last all, is over all, and will overcome + all. And therefore in the Seed of life live, which bruiseth the Seed + of death.” + + G. F. + +I also wrote another short epistle to Friends, to encourage them to keep +up their meetings in the Lord’s power; of which epistle a copy here +follows:— + + “DEAR FRIENDS, + + “Keep your meetings in the power of the Lord, which is over all that + is in the fall and must have an end. Therefore be wise in the wisdom + of God, which is from above, by which all things were made and + created; that that may be justified among you, and you all kept in the + solid life, which was before death was; and in the light, which was + before the darkness was with all its works. In which light and life ye + all may feel, and have the heavenly unity and peace, possessing the + gospel fellowship, that is everlasting: which was before that, which + doth not last for ever; and will remain when that is gone. For the + gospel being the power of God, is pure and everlasting. Know it to be + your portion: in which is stability, and life, and immortality, + shining over that which darkens the mortal. So be faithful every one + to God, in your measures of his power and life, that ye may answer + God’s love and mercy to you, as obedient children of the Most High; + dwelling in love, unity, and peace, and in innocency of heart towards + one another; that God may be glorified in you, and you kept faithful + witnesses for him, and valiant for the truth on earth. God Almighty + preserve you all to his glory, that ye may feel his blessing among + you, and be possessors thereof.” + + G. F. + +About this time many mouths were opened in our meetings, to declare the +goodness of the Lord, and some that were young and tender in the truth +would sometimes utter a few words in thanksgiving and praises to God. +That no disorder might arise from this in our meetings, I was moved to +write an epistle to Friends, by way of advice in that matter. And thus +it was:— + + “All my dear friends in the noble Seed of God, who have known his + power, life, and presence among you, let it be your joy to hear or see + the springs of life break forth in any; through which ye may have all + unity in the same, feeling life and power. And above all things, take + heed of judging any one openly in your meetings, except they be openly + profane or rebellious, such as be out of the truth; that by the power, + life, and wisdom ye may stand over them, and by it answer the witness + of God in the world, that such, whom ye bear your testimony against, + are none of you: that therein the truth may stand clear and single. + But such as are tender, if they should be moved to bubble forth a few + words, and speak in the Seed and Lamb’s power, suffer and bear that; + that is, the tender. And if they should go beyond their measure, bear + it in the meeting for peace and order’s sake, and that the spirits of + the world be not moved against you. But when the meeting is done, if + any be moved to speak to them, between you and them, one or two of + you, that feel it in the life, do it in the love and wisdom that is + pure and gentle from above: for love is that which edifies, bears all + things, suffers long, and fulfils the law. In this ye have order and + edification, ye have wisdom to preserve you all wise and in patience; + which takes away the occasion of stumbling the weak, and the occasion + of the spirits of the world to get up: but in the royal Seed, the + heavy stone, ye keep down all that is wrong; and by it answer that of + God in all. For ye will hear, see, and feel the power of God + preaching, as your faith is all in it (when ye do not hear words,) to + bind, to chain, to limit, to frustrate; that nothing shall rise, nor + come forth but what is in the power: with that ye will hold back, and + with that ye will let up, and open every spring, plant, and spark; in + which will be your joy and refreshment in the power of God. + + “Now that ye know the power of God, and are come to it, which is the + cross of Christ, that crucifies you to the state that Adam and Eve + were in, in the fall, and so to the world, by this power of God ye + come to see the state they were in before they fell; which power of + God is the cross, in which stands the everlasting glory; which brings + up into the righteousness, holiness, and image of God, and crucifies + to the unrighteousness, unholiness, and image of Satan, that Adam and + Eve, and their sons and daughters, are in, in the fall. Through this + power of God, ye come to see the state they were in before they fell; + yea, I say, and to a higher state, to the Seed Christ, the second + Adam, by whom all things were made. For man hath been driven from God: + all Adam and Eve’s sons and daughters, being in the state of the fall + in the earth, are driven from God. But it is said, the Church is in + God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: so they who come to the + church, which is in God the Father of Christ, must come to God again: + and so out of the state that Adam and his children are in, in the + fall, out of the image of God, of righteousness and holiness, and they + must come into the righteousness, true holiness, and image of God; and + so out of the earth whither man hath been driven, when they come to + the church which is in God. The way to this, is Christ, the Light, the + Life, the Truth, the Saviour, the Redeemer, the Sanctifier, and the + Justifier; in and through whose power, light and life, conversion, + regeneration, and translation are known from death to life, from + darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God again. These are + members of the true church, who know the work of regeneration in the + operation and feeling of it; and being come to be members of the + church in God, they are indeed members one of another in the power of + God, which was before the power of darkness was. So they that come to + the church that is in God and Christ, must come out of the state that + Adam was in, in the fall, driven from God, to know the state that he + was in before he fell. But they that live in the state that Adam was + in, in the fall, and cannot believe a possibility of coming into the + state he was in before he fell, come not to the church which is in + God; but are far from that, and are not passed from death to life; but + are enemies to the cross of Christ, which is the power of God. For + they mind earthly things, and serve not Christ, nor love the power, + which should bring them up to the state that Adam was in before he + fell, and crucify them to the state that man is in in the fall; that + through this power they might see to the beginning, the power that man + was in before the heavenly image, and holiness, and righteousness was + lost; by which power they might come to know the Seed, Christ, which + brings out of the old things, and makes all things new; in which life + eternal is felt. For all the poorness, emptiness, and barrenness is in + the state that man is in, in the fall, out of God’s power; by which + power he is made rich, and hath strength again; which power is the + cross, in which the mystery of the fellowship stands: and in which is + the true glorying, which crucifies to all other gloryings. + + “And, Friends, though ye may have been convinced, and tasted of the + power, and felt the light; yet afterwards ye may feel a winter storm, + tempest and hail, frost and cold, and temptation in the wilderness. Be + patient and still in the power, and in the light, that doth convince + you, to keep your minds to God; in that be quiet, that ye may come to + the summer, that your flight be not in the winter. For if ye sit still + in the patience, which overcomes in the power of God, there will be no + flying. The husbandman after he hath sowed his seed, is patient. And + by the power, being kept in the patience, ye will come by the light to + see through, and feel over winter storms and tempests, and all the + coldness, barrenness, and emptiness: and the same light and power will + go over the tempter’s head; which power and light was before he was. + So standing still in the light, ye will see your salvation, ye will + see the Lord’s strength, feel the small rain, and the fresh springs, + your minds being kept low in the power and light; for that which is + out of the power lifts up. But in the power and light ye will feel + God, revealing his secrets, inspiring your minds, and his gifts coming + in unto you: through which your hearts will be filled with God’s love, + and praises to him that lives for evermore: for in his light and power + his blessing is received. So in that, the eternal power of the Lord + Jesus Christ preserve and keep you! Live every one in the power of + God, that ye may all come to be heirs of that, and know it to be your + portion; even the Kingdom, that hath no end, and the endless life, + which the Seed is heir of. Feel that set over all, which hath the + promise and blessing of God for ever.” + + G. F. + +About this time I received some lines from a high professor, concerning +the way of Christ, to which I returned the following answer:— + + “FRIEND, + + “It is not circumstances we contend about, but the way of Christ and + his light, which are but one; though the world hath imagined many + ways, and all out of the light; which by the light are condemned. He + who preached this light, said, ‘He that knoweth God, heareth us; he + that is not of God heareth us not: hereby know we the Spirit of Truth, + and the spirit of error.’ It is the same now, with them that know the + truth; though the whole world lies in wickedness. All dispensations + and differences, that are not one in the light we deny; and by the + light, that was before separation, do we see them to be + self-separations in the sensual, having not the Spirit. Their fruits + and end are weighed in the even balance, and found to be in the dark, + the lo-here, and lo-there thou tellest of. The presence of Christ is + not with them, though the blind see it not; who see not with the pure + eye which is single; but with the many eyes which lead into the many + ways. Nor are any the people of God, but they who are baptised into + this principle of light; by which all the faithful servants of the + Lord were ever guided in all ages, since the apostacy, and before. For + the apostacy are and is from the light; and all that oppose the light + was apostates. They who contest against the truth, are enemies to it, + and are not actuated by the Spirit; but have another way than the + light. All such are in the world, its words, fashions, and customs, + though of several forms, as to their worship; yet all under the god of + this world, opposing the light and appearance of Christ, which should + lead out from under his power, of what form soever they are: yet are + they all joined against the light. All these are of the world; and + fighting against them who are not of the world, but are gathered and + gathering out of it; and so it ever was against the people of God, + under what name soever. + + “They only are saints by calling, who are called into the light; and + sons of Sion, who vary not from the light, to which the Spirit is + promised, which is not tied to any forms out of the light; wherein all + inherit who are co-heirs with Christ; which many talk of, who inherit + the earthly instead of the heavenly. And whereas thou speakest of + Christ and his apostles clothing themselves with the sayings and words + of the prophets; and of their being your example in so doing; I say, + wolves will take the sheep’s clothing; but the light and life finds + them out, and judges (not by their stolen words, but) by their works. + Nor did Christ cover himself with any words, but what were fulfilled + in him; neither do any of Christ’s boast in other men’s lines made + ready without them: to which rule if ye be obedient, fewer words and + more life will be seen among you. Then ye will not count it straitness + to silence the flesh, and hear what he saith, who speaks peace, ‘that + his people turn no more to folly.’ If ye once know that what is stolen + must be restored fourfold, the mouth of the false prophet will be + stopped, which builds up in deceit, but not in righteousness. + + “And whereas thou sayest, ‘The Spirit of truth affords nothing but + endless varieties;’ I say, the Spirit of truth thou knowest not: for + the Spirit of truth said, ‘there is but one thing needful;’ and to + speak the same thing again, is safe for the hearers. But that spirit, + which affords nothing but endless varieties, is not the Spirit of + truth; but is gone out into curious notions: and the number of his + names and colours is read nowhere, but in the unity of the Spirit of + truth. All others call truth deceit, and deceit truth, as the blind, + that opposed the light, ever did; who are ever learning endless + varieties, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, nor + to an end of their labours: but when they are out of one form, get + into another; so long as they can find a green tree without. Thus ye + are kept at work all your life, and to the grave in sorrow, as the + dumb priests, thou tellest of, have been before you: only ye have got + a finer image, but less life. And thou, whose teaching hath no end, + art in the horse-mill thou speakest of. I have read the epistles of + Timothy, and to the Hebrews; and there I find the duty of all + believers is, to see the law of the new covenant written in the heart, + whereby all may know God, from the least to the greatest. I know the + Holy Scriptures are profitable for the man of God; but what is that to + the man of sin, to the first-born, who is out of the light, and being + unstable and unlearned, wrests them to his own destruction; but to the + life cannot come? + + “And for your two ordinances thou speakest of, I say, upon the same + account ye deny the priests of the world therein, we deny you; being + both of you not only out of the life, but out of the form too. That + command, Matt. xxviii. 19, ye never had, nor its power; which was, ‘to + baptize into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.’ What Paul + received of the Lord, that body, and that bread, ye know as little, + but what ye have found in the chapter; nor the coming of Christ + either, who cannot believe his light. And whereas thou speakest of + preaching Christ of envy, and pleadest for it; I say, such preachers + we have enough of in these days. What else art thou doing, who sayest, + Paul was sent to baptize; though Paul says he was not: and so thou + wouldst prove him a liar, if any would believe thee before him. Thou + sayest also, ‘for ought thou knowest, he might baptize thousands.’ + Thou mightest as easily have said millions, and as soon have proved + it. Thou mayest say the same of circumcision also, and on the same + ground. + + “As for the signs that followed those that believed, which thou sayest + are ceased; I say, they who cannot receive the light cannot see the + signs, nor could believe them if they should see them to carp at; no + more than formerly they could do, who opposed the light in former + ages. They cannot properly be said to cease to such, who never had + them; but have only heard or read, that others long ago had them. But + that the power, and signs, and presence of God is not the same that + ever it was, in the measure, wherein he is received in the light, that + I deny; and declare it to be false, and from a spirit that knows not + God, nor his power. + + “And as for the gospel foundation thou speakest of, I say, it is to be + laid again in all the world. Ye never were on it, since the man of sin + set up his forms without power. Till ye can own the light of Christ, + which the saints preached, and their life and practice; for shame + cease to talk of their foundation, or glorious work, or quakings and + tremblings, which are the saints’ experiences, which the world knows + not, nor can own: though ye cannot read that ever any came aright to + declare how they knew God, or received his word, without them. In thy + exhortation thou biddest me ‘love Christ, wheresoever I see him:’ but + hadst thou told me where one might come to see him, or how one might + know him, thou hadst showed more of a Christian in that, than in all + thou hast spoken. But it seems, ye are not all of one mind: some of + you say, ‘he is gone, and will be no more seen, till doomsday;’ but if + ever ye come to see Christ to your comfort, while ye oppose his light, + then God hath not spoken by me. This thou shalt remember, when thy + time thou hast spent.” + + G. F. + +Great opposition did the priests and professors make about this time +against the light of Christ Jesus, denying it to be universally given; +and against the pouring forth of the Spirit, and sons and daughters +prophesying thereby. Much they laboured to darken the minds of people, +that they might keep them still in a dependence on their teaching. +Wherefore I was moved of the Lord to give forth the following lines, for +the opening of the minds and understandings of people, and to manifest +the blindness and darkness of their teachers:— + + “To all you professors, priests, and teachers, who are in darkness, + and know not the Spirit in prison, nor the light that shines in + darkness, and which the darkness doth not comprehend; but are the + infidels, whom the god of the world hath blinded, and to whom the + gospel is hid. For though ye have the four books, yet the gospel is + hid to you; who are now wondering at the work of God, and do not + believe that Christ hath enlightened every one that cometh into the + world. I offer you some Scriptures to read, which will prove your + spirits, and try them, how contrary they are to the apostles’ spirit, + the Spirit of Christ and of the saints. Christ went and ‘preached to + the spirits in prison,’ 1 Pet. iii. 19. He that readeth, let him + understand, whether this was a measure of the Spirit, yea or nay, or + the Spirit without measure, which he ministered to? ‘For he whom God + hath sent, speaketh the words of God; for God giveth not the Spirit by + measure unto him,’ John iii. 34. Here Christ had not the Spirit given + to him by measure. The apostle said, ‘We will not boast of things + without (or beyond) our measure.’ 2 Cor. x. 13. So here was measure, + and not by measure. Christ, who received not the Spirit by measure, + told his disciples he would ‘send them the Comforter, the Spirit of + Truth, that should guide them into all truth: for he should not speak + of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he + will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall + receive of mine, and show it unto you,’ John xvi. 13, 14. Mind, read, + and learn; the Comforter shall receive of mine, saith Christ, and + shall show it unto you: who hath the measure, receives of his who hath + not by measure. The Comforter, when he comes, is to ‘reprove the world + of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment,’ ver. 8. Now all mind + the great work of God: the Spirit of Truth, which leads the saints + into all truth, which receives of Christ’s, and shows it unto the + disciples, who are in the measure, he shall reprove the world of sin, + because they do not believe, &c. The Comforter, whom Christ will send, + takes of his, and shows it to the disciples; the same reproves the + world. Mind now, whether this be a measure, yea or nay, which comes + from him, who received not the Spirit by measure. He that leads the + believer into all truth, reproves the unbeliever in the world, of sin, + of righteousness, and of judgment; so he that is led into all truth, + sees that which is reproved, by the Spirit of Truth that leads him. + Now Christ saith, ‘He shall take of mine, and show it unto you.’ Is + this a measure, yea or nay, from him to whom God gave the Spirit not + by measure? + + “Again, the Lord said, both by his prophet, Joel ii. 28, and his + apostle, Acts ii. 17, 18, ‘It shall come to pass in the last days, I + will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, your sons and your + daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, and your + old men shall dream dreams: and on my servants, and handmaidens, I + will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.’ + Look, ye deceivers: here the Lord saith, he will pour out of his + Spirit; mark the word, OF the Lord’s Spirit upon all flesh. What! + young men, old men, sons and daughters, and maidens, all these to have + the Spirit of God poured forth upon them? Here, say they, these deny + the means then: nay, that is the means. And the great and notable day + of the Lord is coming, wherein it shall come to pass, that whosoever + shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. The God of the + spirits of all flesh is known; ‘And,’ saith the apostle, who would not + boast of things beyond his measure, ‘that which may be known of God is + manifest _in_ them; for God hath showed it unto them,’ Rom. i. 19. By + this which was of God manifest in them, they knew covetousness, + maliciousness, murder, deceit, and ungodliness; and knew that the + judgments of God were upon such things; and that they were worthy of + death not only that did the same, but who had pleasure in them that + did them. Therefore said the apostle, ‘the wrath of God is revealed + from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men,’ &c. + Now this of God manifest in them, which God showed unto them, by which + they know unrighteousness, and God’s judgments thereupon, and that + they which commit such things are worthy of death; whether this be a + measure, yea or nay, which is of God, and which he hath showed to + them? What was that in them that ‘did by nature the things contained + in the law, which showed the work of the law written in their heart,’ + Rom. ii. 14, 15? Mark, ‘written!’ Shall not this judge them that have + the outward law, but are out of the life of it? The apostle saith, + ‘the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit + withal,’ 1 Cor. xii. 7. There are diversities of gifts, but the same + Spirit; but ‘the manifestation of it is given to every man to profit + withal.’ Mark, ‘to one is given by the Spirit, the word of wisdom; to + another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by + the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; + to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another + discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another + the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the + self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.’ Mark + that, to every man severally as he will. + + “Again, the apostle saith, ‘the grace of God that bringeth salvation, + hath appeared unto all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and + worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this + present world,’ Tit. ii. 11, 12. Now ye, that turn this grace which + bringeth salvation, into lasciviousness, deny it, and say, that which + teacheth the saints, who by grace are saved, hath not appeared to all + men. Jude saith, ‘Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his + saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are + ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds which they have + committed, and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have + spoken against him,’ ver. 15. Here mark again; him that cometh with + ten thousands of his saints, to convince all of their ungodly deeds + and hard speeches; here it is, ALL of their ungodly deeds, and ALL of + their hard speeches; none left out, but ALL to be convinced and + judged, the world reproved by him who comes with ten thousands of his + saints, and will reign, and be king and judge. And have not ye all + something in you, that doth reprove you for your hard speeches, and + your ungodly deeds, the ungodliest of you all, who live in your hard + speeches against him, and his light and spiritual appearance in his + people? + + “Again, the apostle, writing to the Gentiles, saith, ‘But unto every + one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the gift of + Christ,’ Eph. iv. 7. Now mark, here is the measure of the gift of + Christ, ‘who lighteth every man that cometh into the world,’ John i. + 9, ‘that all men through him might believe. He that believeth on him + is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned, &c. And this + is the condemnation, that light is come into the world,’ &c., John + iii. 18, 19. Now every man that cometh into the world being + enlightened, one loves it, and brings his deeds to the light, that + with the light he may see whether they be wrought in God; the other + hates the light, ‘because his deeds are evil;’ and he will not bring + his deeds to the light, because he knows the light will reprove him. + So he that hates the light, wherewith Christ hath enlightened him, + knows the light will reprove him for his evil deeds; and, therefore, + he will not come to the light. + + “Again, the Lord by his prophet said concerning Christ, ‘I will give + him for a light to the Gentiles, that he may be my salvation to the + ends of the earth,’ Isa. xliv. 6. And what is that, which the children + that walk ‘according to the course of this world, according to the + prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the + children of disobedience,’ Eph. ii. 2, are disobedient to? Mark, and + read for yourselves, who being disobedient, walk according to the + course of the world, according to the power of the prince of the air; + mark, I say, what it is that all such are disobedient to? He that hath + an ear, let him hear. The apostle saith to the Colossians, ‘the wrath + of God cometh upon the children of disobedience,’ Col. iii. 6. Come, + ye professors, let us see, is not this something of God that is + disobeyed? Is it not that which is of God manifest in them, which God + hath shown them, which lets them see God’s judgments are upon such, + when they act unrighteously? Is not this the measure of God (mark), + the Spirit that is in prison? and the Spirit of God that is grieved? + + “And ye professors, come, let us read the parable of the talents, and + reckon with you, and see who it is that hath hid the Lord’s money in + the earth? Come, ye that have gained, enter ye into your master’s joy. + Go, thou that hast hid the Lord’s money in the earth, into utter + darkness; ‘take it from him, and give it to him that hath;’ every man + shall have his reward. For the Lord hath given ‘to every man according + to his several ability,’ Matt. xxv. 15; mark that, ‘to every man + according to his several ability?’ read this, if you can. Now is the + Lord coming to call every man severally to account, to whom he hath + given severally according to his ability. Now the wicked and slothful + servant, who hid the Lord’s money in the earth, will be found out; and + the Lord’s money will be taken from him, although he hath hidden it. + To him the Lord’s commands have been grievous; but to us they are not, + who love God and keep his commandments. ‘And,’ saith the apostle to + the Romans, ‘I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that + is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to + think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man + the measure of faith,’ Rom. xii. 3. Read and mark, here is a measure + of faith. + + “‘And,’ said another apostle, ‘as everyone hath received the gift, + even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the + manifold grace of God,’ 1 Pet. iv. 10, ‘For the grace of God hath + appeared unto all men.’ The good stewards can give their account with + joy; but ye bad stewards, that turn the grace of God into + lasciviousness, now ye will be reckoned withal; now ye shall have your + reward. ‘But,’ say the world, ‘must every one minister as he hath + received the gift?’ ‘Yea,’ say I, ‘but let him speak as the oracles of + God; and let him do it as of the ability which God giveth,’ ver. 11. + John in the Revelation saith, ‘They were judged every man according to + his works,’ Rev. xx. 13. Christ saith, ‘every idle word that men shall + speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment,’ Matt. + xii. 36. So ‘ye, that name the name of Christ depart from iniquity,’ 2 + Tim. ii. 19. ‘The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, + with his angels; and then he shall reward every one according to his + works,’ Matt. xvi. 27. He who is gone into a far country, and hath + given the talents to every one of you, according to your several + ability, ‘will render to every man according to his deeds,’ Rom. ii. + 6. ‘And further I say unto you, if any man have not the Spirit of + Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead + because of sin, but the Spirit is life, because of righteousness,’ + Rom. viii. 9, 10. So let the light which cometh from Christ examine; + for the Lord is appearing. Ye that have received according to your + ability, smite not your fellow-servant; and think not that the Lord + delayeth the time of his coming. Be not as they that said, ‘Let us eat + and drink, for to-morrow we shall die.’ + + “The apostle tells the Ephesians, that unto him ‘this grace was + given—to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which + from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all + things by Jesus Christ,’ Eph. iii. 9. Read and understand every one + with the light which comes from Christ, the mystery, which will be + your condemnation, if ye believe not in it. This is to all, who + stumble at the work of the Spirit of God, the manifestation of it, + ‘which is given to every man, to profit withal.’ Come, ye professors, + who stumble at it; let us read the parables. ‘A sower went forth to + sow; and some seed fell on the highway ground, and some on stony + ground, and some on thorny ground; the Seed is the Word, the Son of + Man is the seedsman. He that hath an ear, let him hear,’ Matt. xiii. + Now look, all ye professors, what ground ye are? and what ye have + brought forth? and whether the wicked seedsman hath not got his seed + into your ground? ‘He that hath an ear, let him hear.’ And come, read + another parable, of the householder, hiring labourers to go into the + vineyard, and agreeing with every man for a penny, Matt. xx. Every man + is to have his penny, the last that went in, as well as the first; and + the last shall be first, and the first shall be last; for many are + called but few are chosen. He that hath an ear, let him hear.’ There + is a promise spoken to Cain, that if he did well he should be + accepted, Gen. iv. 7. And Esau had a birthright, but despised it. Yet + it is ‘not of him that willeth,’ Rom. ix. 16; ‘but by grace ye are + saved,’ Eph. ii. 8. And stand still, and see your salvation, Exod. + xiv. 13. And ye that are children of light, put on the armour of + light, that ye may come into the ‘unity of the faith, and of the + knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of + the stature of the fulness of Christ; that henceforth ye be no more + children tossed to and fro,’ Eph. iv. 13. + + “And the Lord said, he would make a new covenant, by ‘writing his law + in people’s hearts, and putting his Spirit in their inward parts;’ + whereby they should all come to know the Lord—Him by whom the world + was made. Now every one of you, mind the law written in your hearts, + and this Spirit put in your inward parts, that it need not be said to + you, ‘know the Lord;’ but that ye may witness the promise of God + fulfilled in you. ‘But,’ say the world, and professors, ‘if every one + must come to witness the law of God written in their hearts, and the + Spirit put in the inward parts, what must we do with all our + teachers?’ As we come to witness that, we need not any man to teach us + to know the Lord, having his law written in our hearts, and his Spirit + put in our inward parts. This is the covenant of life, the everlasting + covenant, which decays not, nor changes; and here is the way to the + Father, without which no man cometh unto the Father. + + “And here is the everlasting priesthood, the end of the old + priesthood, whose lips were to preserve knowledge; but now, saith + Christ, ‘Learn of me;’ who is the high-priest of the new priesthood. + ‘And,’ saith the apostle, ‘that ye may grow up in the knowledge of + Jesus Christ, in whom are hid the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.’ + So we are brought off from the old priesthood that changed, to Christ, + to the new priesthood, that changeth not; and off from the first + covenant, that doth decay, to the everlasting covenant that doth not + decay, Christ Jesus, the covenant of Light, from whom every one of you + have a light, that ye might believe in the covenant of Light. If ye + believe not, ye are condemned; for light is come into the world, and + men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. ‘I + am come a light into the world,’ saith Christ, ‘that whosoever + believeth in me, should not abide in darkness, but have the light of + life,’ John xii., 46. And, ‘believe in the light, that ye may be + children of the light.’ But ye who do not believe in the light, but + hate it, because it manifests your deeds to be evil, ye are they that + are condemned by the light. + + “Therefore, while ye have time, prize it; seek the Lord while he may + be found, and call upon him while he is near; lest he say, ‘time is + past;’ for the rich glutton’s time was past. Therefore, while time is + not quite past, consider, search yourselves, and see if ye be not they + that hate the light; and so are builders that stumble at the + corner-stone; for they that hated the light, and did not believe in + the light, did so in ages past. ‘I am the light of the world,’ saith + Christ, ‘who enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world;’ and + he also saith, ‘learn of me;’ and of him God saith, ‘this is my + beloved Son, hear ye him.’ Here is your teacher. But ye that hate the + light, do not learn of Christ, and will not have him to be your king, + to reign over you;—Him, to whom all power in heaven and earth is + given, who bears his government upon his shoulders, who is now come to + reign; who lighteth every man that cometh into the world, and will + give to every man a reward, according to his works, whether they be + good or evil. So every man, with the light that comes from Christ, + will see his deeds, both he that hates it, and he that loves it. And + he that will not bring his deeds to the light, because it will reprove + him, that is his condemnation; and he shall have a reward according to + his deeds. For the Lord is come to reckon with you. He looks for + fruits; now the axe is laid to your root, and every tree of you that + bears not good fruit, must be hewn down, and cast into the fire.” + + G. F. + +Having stayed some time in LONDON, and visited the meetings of Friends +in and about the city, and cleared myself of what services the Lord had +at that time laid upon me there, I travelled into KENT, SUSSEX, and +SURREY, visiting Friends, amongst whom I had great meetings; and many +times met with opposition from Baptists and other jangling professors; +but the Lord’s power went over them. + +We staid one night at FARNHAM, where we had a little meeting, and the +people were exceedingly rude; but at last the Lord’s power came over +them. After it we went to our inn, and gave notice that any that feared +God might come to us: and there came abundance of rude people, the +magistrates of the town also, and some professors. I declared the truth +unto them; and those of the people that behaved rudely, the magistrates +put out of the room. When they were gone there came another rude company +of professors and some of the chief of the town. They called for faggots +and drink, though we forbade them; and were as rude a people as ever I +met with. The Lord’s power chained them that they had not power to do us +any mischief; but when they went away, they left all their faggots and +beer which they had called for into the room, for us to pay for in the +morning. We showed the innkeeper what an unworthy thing it was, but he +told us, “we must pay it,” and we did. Before we left the town I wrote a +paper to the magistrates and heads of the town, and to the priest, +showing them and him how he had taught his people, and laying before +them their rude and uncivil conduct to strangers that sought their good. + +Leaving that place we came to BASINGSTOKE, a very rude town; where they +had formerly very much abused Friends. There I had a meeting in the +evening, which was quiet for the Lord’s power chained the unruly. At the +close of it I was moved to put off my hat, and pray to the Lord to open +their understandings; upon which they raised a report, that, “I put off +my hat to them, and bid them good-night,” which was never in my heart. +After the meeting, when we came to our inn, I sent for the innkeeper (as +I used to do,) and he came into the room to us, and showed himself a +very rude man. I admonished him to be sober and fear the Lord; but he +called for faggots and a pint of wine, and drank it off himself; then +called for another, and called up half a dozen men into our chamber. +Thereupon I bid him go out of the chamber, and told him he should not +drink there, for we sent for him up to speak to him concerning his +eternal good. He was exceedingly mad, rude, and drunk. When he continued +his rudeness, and would not be gone, I told him the chamber was mine for +the time I lodged in it, and called for the key. Then he went away in +great rage. In the morning he would not be seen; but I told his wife of +his unchristian and rude behaviour towards us. + +After this we came to BRIDPORT, having meetings in the way. We went to +an inn, and sent into the town for such as feared God; and there came a +shopkeeper, a professor, and put off his hat to us, and seeing we did +not the same to him again, but said Thou and Thee to him, he told us, +“he was not of our religion;” and after some discourse with him he went +away. Then he went and stirred up the priest and magistrates against us, +and after a while sent to the inn to desire us to come to his house, for +there were some that would speak with us, he said. Thomas Curtis was +with me, and he went to the man’s house; where, when he came, the man +had laid a snare for him, for he had got the priest and magistrate +thither, and they boasted much that they had caught George Fox, taking +him for me. When they perceived their mistake, they were in great rage; +yet the Lord’s power came over them, so that they let him go again. +Meanwhile I had an opportunity of speaking to some sober people that +came to the inn. When Thomas was come back, and we were passing out of +the town, some of them came to us, and said, “the officers were coming +to fetch me;” but the Lord’s power came over them all, so that they had +not power to touch me. There were some convinced in the town, who were +turned to the Lord, and have stood faithful in their testimony to the +truth ever since, and a fine meeting there is there. + +Passing hence we visited PORTSMOUTH and POOLE, where we had glorious +meetings; and many were turned to the Lord. At RINGWOOD we had a large +general meeting, where the Lord’s power was over all. At WEYMOUTH we had +a meeting; and thence came through DORCHESTER to LYME, where the inn we +went to was taken up with mountebanks, so that there was hardly any room +for us or our horses. In the evening we drew up some queries concerning +the ground of all diseases, and the natures and virtues of medicinal +things, and sent them to the mountebanks; letting them know, “if they +would not answer them, we would stick them on the cross next day.” This +brought them down, and made them cool, for they could not answer them; +but in the morning they reasoned a little with us. We left the queries +with some friendly people, that were convinced in the town, to stick +upon the market-cross. The Lord’s power reached some of the sober people +in that place, who were turned by the Light and Spirit of Christ to his +free teaching. + +We then travelled to EXETER; and at the sign of the Seven Stars, an inn +at the bridge foot, had a general meeting of Friends out of Cornwall and +Devonshire; to which came Humphrey Lower, Thomas Lower, and John +Ellis[52] from the Land’s End, Henry Pollexfen, and Friends from +Plymouth, Elizabeth Trelawny, and divers other Friends. A blessed +heavenly meeting we had, and the Lord’s everlasting power came over all, +in which I saw and said, “that the Lord’s power had surrounded this +nation round about, as with a wall and bulwark, and his seed reached +from sea to sea.” Friends were established in the everlasting Seed of +life, Christ Jesus, their life, rock, teacher and shepherd. + +Footnote 52: + + John Ellis, who is only twice mentioned in this journal, was an able + gospel minister, preaching in the authority of divine life, to the + reaching of God’s witness in many hearts. His doctrine was sound, + flowing from the living fountain and divine spring of life and + heavenly wisdom. His preaching was full of reproof and caution, but in + that meekness which made it edifying. Whilst tender of the good in + all, he was terrible against the workers of iniquity. He was a man of + great kindness, a visitor of the widows and fatherless in their + distress, feeding the hungry and clothing the naked, according to his + ability. He laboured greatly in the gospel in several counties, often + saying, “His Father’s business must not be neglected, or done + negligently.” As he was travelling in the service of Truth, he was + taken ill, and died in great peace in 1707 saying, “I am ready, for I + have a sure foundation.” + +Next morning Major Blackmore sent soldiers to apprehend me; but I was +gone before they came. As I was riding up the street, I saw the officers +going down; so the Lord crossed them in their design, and Friends passed +away peaceably and quietly. The soldiers examined some Friends after I +was gone, “what they did there;” but when they told them they were in +their inn, and had business in the city, they went away without meddling +any further with them. + +From EXETER I took meetings as I went, till I came to BRISTOL, and was +at the meeting there. After which I did not stay in the town, but passed +into Wales, and had a meeting at the Slone. Thence going to CARDIFF, a +justice of the peace sent to me, desiring I would come with half a dozen +of my friends to his house. So I took a friend or two, and went up to +him, and he and his wife received us very civilly. The next day we had a +meeting at Cardiff in the town-hall, and that justice sent about +seventeen of his family to the meeting. There came some disturbers, but +the Lord’s power was over them, and many were turned to the Lord. To +some that had run out with James Naylor, and did not come to meetings, I +sent word, that “the day of their visitation was over,” and they never +prospered after. + +We travelled from Cardiff to SWANSEA, where we had a blessed meeting; +and a meeting was settled there in the name of Jesus. In our way thither +we passed over in a boat, with the high-sheriff of the county, and next +day I went to speak with him, but he would not admit me. + +We went to another meeting in the country, where the Lord’s presence was +much with us. Thence to a great man’s house, who received us very +lovingly; but next morning he would not be seen; one that in the mean +time had come to him, had so estranged him, that we could not get to +speak with him again. + +We still passed on through the countries, having meetings and gathering +people, in the name of Christ, to Him their heavenly teacher, till we +came to BRECKNOCK; where we set up our horses at an inn. There went with +me Thomas Holmes and John-ap-John, who was moved of the Lord to speak in +the streets. I walked out a little into the fields, and when I came in +again, the town was in an uproar. When I came into the chamber in the +inn, it was full of people, and they were speaking in Welsh; I desired +them to speak in English, which they did, and much discourse we had. +After a while they went away; but towards night the magistrates gathered +together in the streets, with a multitude of people, and they bid them +shout, and gathered up the town; so that for about two hours together, +there was such a noise, that the like we had not heard; and the +magistrates set them on to shout again, when they had given over. We +thought it looked like the uproar, which we read was amongst Diana’s +craftsmen. This tumult continued till night; and if the Lord’s power had +not limited them, they seemed likely to have pulled down the house, and +us to pieces. + +At night, the woman of the house would have had us go to supper in +another room, but we discerning her plot, refused. Then she would have +had half a dozen men come into the room to us, under pretence of +discoursing with us. We told her, no persons should come into our room +that night, neither would we go to them. Then she said, we should sup in +another room; but we told her we would have no supper, if not in our own +room. At length, when she saw she could not get us out, she brought up +our supper in a great rage. So she and they were crossed in their +design, for they had an intent to do us mischief; but the Lord God +prevented them. Next morning I wrote a paper to the town concerning +their unchristian conduct, showing the fruits of their priests and +magistrates; and as I passed out of the town I spoke to the people, and +told them, they were a shame to Christianity and religion. + +From this place we went to a great meeting in a steeple-house yard, +where was a priest, and Walter Jenkin, who had been a justice, and +another justice. A blessed glorious meeting we had. There being many +professors, I was moved of the Lord to open the Scriptures to them, and +to answer their objections (for I knew them very well;) and to turn them +to Christ, who had enlightened them; with which light they might see the +sins and trespasses they had been dead in, and their Saviour, who came +to redeem them out of them, who was to be their way to God, the truth +and the life to them, and their priest made higher than the heavens, so +that they might come to sit under his teaching. A peaceable meeting we +had; many were convinced and settled in the truth that day. After it, I +went with Walter Jenkin to the other justice’s house; and he said to me, +“You have this day given great satisfaction to the people, and answered +all the objections that were in their minds.” For the people had the +Scriptures, but were not turned to the Spirit, which should let them see +that, which gave them forth, the Spirit of God, which is the key to open +them. + +From hence we passed to Richard Hamborow’s, at PONTEMOIL, where was a +great meeting; to which came another justice of peace, and several great +people, whose understandings were opened by the Lord’s Spirit and power, +and they were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, from whence it came. A +great convincement there was; a large meeting was gathered in those +parts, and settled in the name of Jesus. + +After this we returned to England, and came to SHREWSBURY, where we had +a great meeting, and visited Friends all over the countries in their +meetings, till we came to William Gandy’s, in CHESHIRE, where we had a +meeting of between two and three thousand people, as it was thought; and +the everlasting word of life was held forth, and received that day. A +blessed meeting it was, for Friends were settled by the power of God +upon Christ Jesus, the rock and foundation. + +At this time there was a great drought; and after this general meeting +was ended, there fell so great a rain, that Friends said, they thought +we could not travel, the waters would be so risen. But I believed the +rain had not extended so far, as they had come that day to the meeting. +Next day in the afternoon, when we turned back into some parts of Wales +again, the roads were dusty, and no rain had fallen there. + +When Oliver Cromwell sent forth a proclamation for a fast throughout the +nation, for rain, when there was a very great drought, it was observed, +that as far as truth had spread in the north, there were pleasant +showers and rain enough, when in the south, in many places, they were +almost spoiled for want of rain. At that time I was moved to write an +answer to the Protector’s proclamation, wherein I told him, “if he had +come to own God’s truth, he should have had rain; and that drought was a +sign unto them of their barrenness, and want of the water of life.” +About the same time was written the following paper, to distinguish +between true and false fasts:— + + “_Concerning the true Fast and the false._ + + “To all you that are keeping fasts, who ‘smite with the fist of + wickedness, and fast for strife and debate;’ against you hath a voice + cried aloud, like a trumpet, that you may come to know the true fast, + which is accepted; and the fast, which is in the strife and the + debate, and smiting with the fists of wickedness; which fast is not + required of the Lord. ‘Behold, in the day of your fast, you find + pleasure, and exact all your labours. Behold (mark, take notice), ye + fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness; + ye shall not fast, as ye do this day, to make your voice heard on + high. Is it such a fast, that I have chosen, saith the Lord, a day for + a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, + and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a + fast and an acceptable day to the Lord?’ + + “Consider all you that fast, see, if it be not ‘hanging down the head + for a day, like a bulrush;’ and fasting for ‘strife and debate,’ and + to ‘smite with the fists of wickedness, to make your voice be heard on + high?’ But this fast is not accepted of the Lord: but that which leads + you from strife, from debate, from wickedness; which is not to ‘bow + down the head, as a bulrush for a day,’ and yet live in exacting and + pleasure; this is not accepted of the Lord: but that which separates + from all these before-mentioned. That which separates from + ‘wickedness, debate, strife, pleasures, smiting with the fist of + wickedness,’ brings to know the true fast, which ‘breaks the bonds of + iniquity, and deals bread to the hungry; brings the poor that are cast + out to his own house, and when he sees any naked, he covers them, and + hides not himself from his own flesh.’ Here is the true fast, which + separates from them, where the bonds of iniquity are standing, and the + heavy burthens of the oppressed remaining, and the yoke not broken; + who deal not bread to the hungry, and bring not the poor to their own + house; who see the naked, but let him go unclothed, and hide + themselves from their own flesh. Yet such will make their voice to be + heard on high, as Christ speaks of the Pharisees, who ‘sounded a + trumpet before them, and disfigured their faces,’ to appear to men to + fast; but the bonds of iniquity were standing, strife and debate were + standing, striking with the fists of wickedness standing; these made + their voice heard on high, who had their reward. + + “But that which brings to the true fast, which appears not to men to + fast, but unto the Father ‘who seeth in secret; the Father that seeth + in secret, shall reward this openly.’ This fast separates from the + Pharisees’ fast, and them that bow the head for a day, like a bulrush. + This is it which brings ‘to deal bread to the hungry, and clothe thine + own flesh when thou seest them naked; to bring the poor to thine + house, and to loose the bonds of wickedness;’ mark, this is the fast; + and ‘to undo every heavy burthen (mark again), and to let the + oppressed go free;’ this is the fast: and ‘to break every yoke.’ When + thou observest this fast, ‘then shall thy light break forth as the + morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily, and thy + righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy + rere-ward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt + cry, and he shall say, Here I am: if thou take away from the midst of + thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; + and if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted + soul, then shall thy light arise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as + the noon-day.’ The light brings to know this fast; and walking in it + this fast is kept; and he that believeth in the light, abides not in + darkness. And again; ‘the Lord shall guide thee continually, and + satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones; and thou shalt be + like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail + not,’ Isa. lviii. 11. These are they that are guided by the light + which comes from Christ, where the springs are. + + “And again; ‘they that shall be of thee (that keep this fast,) shall + build the old waste places, and thou shalt raise up the foundations of + many generations; and thou shalt be called The repairer of the breach, + The restorer of the paths to dwell in,’ Isa. lviii. 12. Now that which + gives to see the foundations of many generations, is the light which + separates from all, which is out of the light: and they that go out of + the light, though they may pretend a fast, and bow down the head for a + time, yet they are far from this fast, that doth raise up the + foundations of many generations, and is the repairer of the breach, + and restorer of the paths to dwell in. That which doth give to see + these foundations of many generations, and these breaches that are to + be repaired and restored, and paths to dwell in, is the light which + brings to know the true fast; and where this fast is known, which is + from wickedness, debate, strife, pleasures, from exacting, from the + voice that is heard on high, from the speaking of vanity, from the + bonds of iniquity, which breaks every yoke, and lets the oppressed go + free; here the health grows; here the morning is known, and + righteousness goes forth; the glory of the Lord is the rere-ward, and + the light riseth; the soul is drawn out to the hungry, and satisfies + the afflicted soul; and the springs of living water are known and + felt. The waters fail not here; the Lord guides continually, and the + foundations of many generations come to be seen and raised up: The + repairer of breaches is here witnessed, The restorer of paths to dwell + in. + + “But all such as are out of the light which the prophets were in, with + which they saw Christ, and such as are in fasts, where was strife, + wickedness, debate, and bowing down the head like a bulrush for a day, + lifting their voice on high, and the bonds of wickedness yet standing, + and the burthens unloosed, and the oppressed not let go free, and the + yoke not broken, the nakedness not clothed, the bread not dealt to the + hungry, and these foundations of many generations not raised up; until + these things before-mentioned, be broken down,—on such the light + breaks not forth as the morning, and the Lord hears them not. Such + have their reward; their iniquities have separated them from their + God, their sins have hid his face from them, that he will not hear: + their hands are defiled with blood, and their fingers with iniquity, + whose lips have spoken lies, and tongues muttered perverseness. ‘None + calleth for justice, nor do any plead for truth; they trust in vanity, + and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. They + hatch cockatrice-eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eateth of + their eggs, dies; and that which is crushed breaks out into a viper: + their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover + themselves with their works.’ Observe; ‘their works are works of + iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands: their feet run to + do evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts + are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths; + the way of peace they know not, and there is no judgment in their + doings. They have made them a crooked path; whosoever goeth therein + shall not know peace:’ mark; such go from the light, therefore is + judgment far off; neither doth justice overtake. Here is obscurity, + walking in darkness; groping like blind men, as though they had no + eyes, and stumbling at noon-day in desolate places, like blind men. + Here is the roaring like bears, and mourning sorely like doves; here + judgment is looked for, but there is none, and salvation is put far + off: for the light is denied, which gives to see it. But here are the + multiplying of transgression, and their sins testifying against them; + the transgression that was within them, and their iniquities, which + they knew in transgressing and lying against the Lord, speaking the + things they should not, when they knew by that of God in them, that + they should not speak it. So departing from the way of God, speaking + oppression, revolting, conceiving and uttering forth from the heart + words of falsehood; here judgment is turned away backward, and justice + stands afar off; truth is fallen in the streets, and equity cannot + enter. Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil makes + himself a prey. The Lord saw it, and it displeased him. These are such + as are in the fast, which God doth not accept; not in the true fast, + whose ‘light breaks forth as the morning:’ but these are such as are + in the false fast, who grope, like blind men. + + “That which gives to know the true fast, and the false fast, is the + Light, which gives the eye to see each fast, where the true judgment + is, and the iniquity standeth not, nor the transgressor, nor the + speaker of lies; but that is judged and condemned with the Light, + which makes it manifest. And when they who are in this fast call upon + the Lord, the Lord will answer them, Here am I. Here truth is pleaded + for, and falsehood flies away. + + “But they who are out of this fast, in the perverseness, whose tongues + utter perverse things, who are stumbling and groping like blind men, + out of the light, in the iniquity which separates from God, who hides + his face from them that he will not hear;—these going from the light, + go from the Lord and his face. So this is it which must be fasted + from; for it separates from God; and here comes the reward openly, + which condemns all that is contrary to the light; injustice, iniquity, + transgression, vanity, and that which bringeth forth mischief, which + hatcheth the cockatrice-eggs, and weaves the spider’s web: he that + eateth of these eggs dies. Mark, ‘that which is crushed breaks out + into a viper;’ mark again, ‘their webs shall not become garments, + neither shall they cover themselves with their works of vanity; acts + of violence are in their hands.’ This is all out of the light, in the + wickedness. ‘Their feet run to do evil, and they make haste to shed + innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of vanity; wasting and + destruction are in their path.’ This is all far from the light. Again, + ‘the way of peace they know not, there is no judgment in their goings; + they have made them crooked paths, whosoever go therein, shall not + know peace.’ Mark; who go in their way, that know not the way of + peace, shall they know peace? ‘Whose path is crooked, where there is + no judgment in their goings;’ take notice, ‘no judgment in their + goings;’ this is all from the light, which manifesteth that which is + to be judged; where the covenant of peace is known, where all that + which is contrary to it is kept out. All who live in those things + contrary to the light, in the false fast, stumbling and groping like + blind men, may mark their path, and behold their reward. They that are + in the true fast, are separated from all these; from their words and + actions, their fruits, and their fast: but of those whose fast breaks + the bonds of iniquity, whom the Lord hears, and to whom righteousness + springs forth, and goes before them, the glory of the Lord is the + rere-ward.” + + G. F. + +We passed into Wales through MONTGOMERYSHIRE, and so into RADNORSHIRE, +where there was a meeting like a leaguer, for multitudes. I walked a +little aside, whilst the people were gathering; and there came to me +John-ap-John, a Welshman, whom I desired to go to the people; and if he +had anything upon him from the Lord to them, he might speak to them in +Welsh, and thereby gather them more together. Then came Morgan +Watkins[53] to me, who was then become loving to Friends, and said, “the +people lie like a leaguer, and the gentry of the country are come in.” I +bid him go up also, and leave me, for I had a great travail upon me for +the salvation of the people. When they were well gathered, I went into +the meeting, and stood upon a chair about three hours. I stood a while +before I began to speak; after some time I felt the power of the Lord go +over the whole assembly; and his everlasting life and truth shone over +all. The Scriptures were opened to them, and their objections answered. +They were directed to the light of Christ, the heavenly man; that by it +they might all see their sins, and Christ Jesus to be their Saviour, +their Redeemer, their Mediator, and come to feed on him, the bread of +life from heaven. Many were turned to the Lord Jesus, and his free +teaching that day; and all were bowed down under the power of God; so +that though the multitude was so great, that many sat on horseback to +hear, there was no opposition. A priest who sat with his wife on +horseback, heard attentively, and made no objection. The people parted +peaceably and quietly, with great satisfaction; many of them saying they +never heard such a sermon before, or the Scriptures so opened. For the +new covenant was opened, and the old, and the nature and terms of each; +and the parables were explained. The state of the church in the +apostles’ days was set forth, and the apostacy laid open; and the free +teaching of Christ and the apostles was set over the hireling teachers; +and the Lord had the praise of all, for many were turned to him that +day. + +Footnote 53: + + Morgan Watkins, who is only mentioned in this place, became a sufferer + for the truth. About eight years from the above date, we find him in + the Gatehouse prison, near Westminster abbey, with nineteen others on + the same account, being committed by warrant from the Duke of + Albemarle, “for being at a meeting in St. John’s.” This was during the + time the plague visited London. In Barclay’s _Letters of Early + Friends_, are two from Morgan Watkins, one of them dated from the + Gatehouse prison, in which he says, “Blessed be His name who hath kept + me, and nineteen more in this close place, all in health, above these + five weeks; notwithstanding three have been buried out of this prison + of the sickness.—Good is the hand of the Lord to his own, whose death + is gain.” + + In a letter written about three months after the above, he mentions + the release of himself and Friends, and adds, “I have been weak since + I came out into the air, but through the great love of my God, I am + wonderfully preserved, to the praise of his name. But the two + imprisonments in Newgate, and the one at the Gatehouse, have much + weakened my body, in which I have had several battles with death; but + the power of my God arising, gave me dominion over the distemper and + weakness of the flesh. The day was dreadful to all flesh, and few were + able to abide it, and stand in the judgment; but the Lord was very + merciful to the remnant of his people, and his blessed seed is arising + in many.” + +I went back thence to LEOMINSTER, where was a great meeting in a field; +many hundreds of people being gathered together. There were about six +congregational preachers and priests among them; and Thomas Taylor, who +had been a priest, but was now become a minister of Christ, was with me. +I stood up, and declared about three hours; and none of the priests were +able to open their mouths in opposition; the Lord’s power and truth so +reached them, and bound them down. At length one priest went off about a +bow-shot from me, drew several of the people after him, and began to +preach to them. So I kept our meeting, and he kept his. After a while +Thomas Taylor was moved to go and speak to him; and he gave over; and +he, and the people he had drawn off, came to us again; and the Lord’s +power went over them all. At last a Baptist, that was convinced, said, +“Where’s priest Tombs? how chance he doth not come out?” This Tombs was +priest of Leominster. Hereupon some went and told the priest; who came +with the bailiffs and other officers of the town. When he was come, they +set him upon a stool over against me. Now I was speaking of the +heavenly, divine light of Christ, with which he “enlightens every one +that cometh into the world, to give them the knowledge of the glory of +God in the face of Christ Jesus their Saviour.” When priest Tombs heard +this, he cried out, “That is a natural light, and a made light.” Then I +desired the people to take out their Bibles; and I asked the priest +whether he affirmed that that was a created, natural, made light, which +John, a man that was sent from God, did bear witness to, and spoke of, +when he said, “In him (to wit, in the Word) was life, and that life was +the light of men,” John i. 4. “Dost thou affirm and mean,” said I, “that +this light here spoken of, was a created, natural, made light?” And he +said, “Yes.” Then I showed by the Scriptures, that the natural, created, +made light, is the outward light in the outward firmament, proceeding +from the sun, moon, and stars. “And dost thou affirm,” said I, “that God +sent John to bear witness to the light of the sun, moon, and stars?” +Then said he, “Did I say so?” I replied, “Didst thou not say it was a +natural, created, made light, that John bore witness unto? If thou dost +not like thy words, take them again and mend them.” Then he said, “That +light which I spoke of, was a natural, created light.” I told him, “he +had not at all mended his cause; for that light which I spoke of, was +the very same that John was sent of God to bear witness to, which was +the life in the Word, by which all the natural lights, as sun, moon, and +stars, were made. ‘In him (to wit, the Word) was life, and that life was +the light of men.’” So I directed the people to turn to the place in +their Bibles, and recited to them the words of John, how that ‘In the +beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. +The same was in the beginning with God; all things were made by him, and +without him was not anything made, that was made. (So all natural, +created lights were made by Christ the Word.) In him was life, and the +life was the light of men; and that was the true light, which lighteth +every man that cometh into the world.’ And Christ saith of himself, John +viii. 12, “I am the light of the world;” and bids them “believe in the +light,” John xii. 36. And God said of him by the prophet Isaiah, chap. +xlix. 6, “I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou +mayest be my salvation to the ends of the earth.” So Christ in his light +is saving. And the apostle said, “The light which shined in their +hearts, was to give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God +in the face of Jesus Christ;” and that was their “treasure in their +earthen vessels,” 2 Cor. iv. 6, 7. + +When I had thus opened the matter to the people, the priest cried to the +magistrates, “Take this man away, or else I shall not speak any more.” +“But,” said I, “Priest Tombs, deceive not thyself, thou art not in thy +pulpit now, nor in thy old mass-house; but we are in the fields.” So he +was shuffling to be gone; and Thomas Taylor stood up, and undertook to +make out our principle by Christ’s parable concerning the sower, Matt. +xiii. Then said the priest, “Let that man speak, and not the other.” So +he got into a little jangling for a while; till the Lord’s power stopped +and confounded him. Afterwards a Friend stood up and told him, how he +had sued him for tithe eggs, and other Friends for other tithes; for he +was an Anabaptist preacher, and yet had a parsonage at Leominster, and +had several journeymen under him. He said “he had a wife, and he had a +concubine; and his wife was the baptized people, and his concubine was +the world.” But the Lord’s power came over him and them all, and the +everlasting truth was declared that day; and many were turned by it to +the Lord Jesus Christ their teacher and way to God. Of great service +that meeting was in those parts. Next day Thomas Taylor went to this +priest, and reasoned with him; and overcame him by the power of the +Word. + +From this place I travelled on in Wales, having several meetings, till I +came to TENBY; where, as I rode up the street, a justice of peace came +out of his house, desired me to alight, and stay at his house; and I did +so. On First-day the mayor and his wife, and several of the chief of the +town, came in about ten o’clock, and stayed all the time of the meeting. +A glorious one it was. John-ap-John being then with me, left it, and +went to the steeple-house; and the governor cast him into prison. On the +Second-day morning the governor sent one of his officers to the +justice’s house to fetch me; which grieved the mayor and the justice; +for they were both with me in the justice’s house when the officer came. +So the mayor and the justice went up to the governor before me; and a +while after I went up with the officer. When I came in, I said, “Peace +be unto this house.” And before the governor could examine me, I asked +him why he cast my friend into prison. He said, “For standing with his +hat on in the church.” I said, “Had not the priest two caps on his head, +a black one and a white one? Cut off the brims of the hat, and then my +friend would have but one, and the brims of the hat were but to defend +him from weather.” “These are frivolous things,” said the governor. “Why +then,” said I, “dost thou cast my friend into prison for such frivolous +things?” Then he asked me, whether I owned election and reprobation; +“Yes,” said I, “and thou art in the reprobation.” At that he was in a +rage, and said he would send me to prison till I proved it; but I told +him I would prove that quickly, if he would confess truth. Then I asked +him, whether wrath, fury, rage, and persecution, were not marks of +reprobation; for he that was born of the flesh, persecuted him that was +born of the Spirit; but Christ and his disciples never persecuted nor +imprisoned any. Then he fairly confessed that he had too much wrath, +haste and passion in him. I told him Esau was up in him, the first +birth, not Jacob, the second birth. The Lord’s power so reached and came +over him, that he confessed to truth; and the other justice came, and +shook me kindly by the hand. + +As I was passing away, I was moved to speak to the governor again, and +he invited me to dine with him, and set my friend at liberty. I went +back to the other justice’s house; and after some time the mayor and his +wife, and the justice and his wife, and divers other Friends of the +town, went about half a mile out of town with us, to the water-side, +when we went away; and there, when we parted from them, I was moved of +the Lord to kneel down with them; and pray to the Lord to preserve them. +So after I had recommended them to the Lord Jesus Christ, their Saviour +and free teacher, we passed away in the Lord’s power, and the Lord had +the glory. A meeting continues in that town to this day. + +We travelled to Pembrokeshire, and in PEMBROKE had some service for the +Lord. Thence we passed to HAVERFORD-WEST, where we had a great meeting, +and all was quiet. The Lord’s power came over all, and many were settled +in the new covenant, Christ Jesus, and built upon him, their rock and +foundation; and they stand a precious meeting to this day. Next day, +being their fair-day, we passed through it, and sounded the day of the +Lord, and his everlasting truth amongst them. + +After this we came into another county, and at noon came into a great +market-town, and went into several inns, before we could get any meat +for our horses. At last we came to one where we got some. Then +John-ap-John being with me, went and spoke through the town, declaring +the truth to the people; and when he came to me again, he said he +thought all the town were as people asleep. After a while he was moved +to go and declare truth in the streets again; then the town was all in +an uproar, and cast him into prison. Presently after, several of the +chief of the town came, with others, to the inn where I was, and said, +“They have cast your man into prison.” “For what?” said I, “He preached +in our streets,” said they. Then I asked them, “What did he say? had he +reproved some of the drunkards and swearers, and warned them to repent, +and leave off their evil doings, and turn to the Lord?” I asked them, +who cast him into prison? They said, the high-sheriff and justices, and +the mayor. I asked their names, and whether they understood themselves? +and whether that was their conduct to travellers that passed through +their town, and strangers that admonished and exhorted them to fear the +Lord, and reproved sin in their gates? These went back, and told the +officers what I said; and after a while they brought down John-ap-John, +guarded with halberts, in order to put him out of the town. Being at the +inn door, I bid the officers take their hands off him. They said, ‘the +mayor and justices had commanded them to put him out of town.’ I told +them I would talk with their mayor and justices, concerning their +uncivil and unchristian carriage towards him. So I spoke to John to go +look after the horses, and get them ready, and charged the officers not +to touch him. And after I had declared the truth to them, and showed +them the fruits of their priests, and their incivility and +unchristian-like carriage, they left us. They were a kind of +Independents; but a very wicked town, and false. We bid the innkeeper +give our horses a peck of oats; and no sooner had we turned our backs, +than the oats were stolen from our horses. After we had refreshed +ourselves a little, and were ready, we took horse, and rode up to the +inn, where the mayor, sheriff, and justices were. I called to speak with +them, and asked them why they had imprisoned John-ap-John, and kept him +in prison two or three hours? But they would not answer me a word; they +only looked out at the windows upon me. So I showed them how unchristian +their carriage was to strangers and travellers, and manifested the +fruits of their teachers; and I declared the truth unto them, and warned +them of the day of the Lord, that was coming upon all evildoers; and the +Lord’s power came over them, that they looked ashamed; but not a word +could I get from them in answer. So when I had warned them to repent, +and turn to the Lord, we passed away; and at night came to a little inn, +very poor, but very cheap; for our own provision and our two horses, +cost but eightpence; but the horses would not eat their oats. We +declared the truth to the people of the place, and sounded the day of +the Lord through the countries. + +Thence, we came to a great town, and went to an inn. Edward Edwards went +into the market, and declared the truth amongst the people; and they +followed him to the inn, and filled the yard, and were exceedingly rude; +yet good service we had for the Lord amongst them; for the life of +Christianity and the power of it tormented their chaffy spirits, and +came over them, so that some were reached and convinced; and the Lord’s +power came over all. The magistrates were bound; they had no power to +meddle with us. + +After this we came to another great town on a market-day; and +John-ap-John declared the everlasting truth through the streets, and +proclaimed the day of the Lord amongst them. In the evening many people +gathered about the inn; and some of them, being drunk, would fain have +had us into the street again; but seeing their design, I told them, if +there were any that feared God, and desired to hear the truth, they +might come into our inn; or else we might have a meeting with them next +morning. Some service for the Lord we had amongst them, both over night +and in the morning; and though the people were hard to receive the +truth, yet the seed was sown; and thereabouts the Lord hath a people +gathered to himself. In that inn also I turned but my back to the man +that was giving oats to my horse; and looking round again, I observed he +was filling his pockets with the provender. A wicked, thievish people, +to rob the poor dumb creature of his food. I would rather they had +robbed me. + +Leaving this town and travelling on, a great man overtook us on the way, +and he purposed (as he told us afterwards) to take us up at the next +town for highwaymen. But before we came to the town, I was moved of the +Lord to speak to him. What I spoke reached to the witness of God in the +man, who was so affected therewith, that he had us to his house, and +entertained us very civilly. He and his wife desired us to give them +some Scriptures, both for proof of our principles and against the +priests. We were glad of the service, and furnished them with Scriptures +enough; and he wrote them down, and was convinced of the truth, both by +the Spirit of God in his own heart, and by the Scriptures, which were a +confirmation to him. Afterwards he set us on our journey, and as we +travelled we came to a hill, which the people of the country say, is two +or three miles high; from the side of this hill I could see a great way. +And I was moved to set my face several ways, and to sound the day of the +Lord there; and I told John-ap-John (a faithful Welsh minister) in what +places God would raise up a people to himself, to sit under his own +teaching. Those places he took note of, and a great people have since +been raised up there. The like I have been moved to do in many other +rude places; and yet I have been moved to declare the Lord had a seed in +those parts, and afterwards there have been a brave people raised up in +the covenant of God, and gathered in the name of Jesus; where they have +salvation and free teaching. + +From this hill we came to DOLGELLY, and went to an inn. John-ap-John +declared through the streets, and the town’s people rose and gathered +about him. There being two Independent priests in the town, they came +out and discoursed with him together. I went up to them, and finding +them speaking in Welsh, I asked them, “what was the subject they spoke +upon, and why they were not more moderate, and spoke not one by one? For +the things of God,” I told them, “were weighty, and they should speak of +them with fear and reverence.” Then I desired them to speak in English, +that I might discourse with them, and they did so. They affirmed, “that +the light which John came to bear witness of, was a created, natural, +made light.” But I took the Bible, and showed them (as I had done to +others before,) “that the natural lights, which were made and created, +were the sun, moon, and stars; but this light, which John bare witness +to, and which he called ‘the true light, that lighteth every man that +cometh into the world,’ is the life in Christ the Word, by which all +things were made and created. The same that is called the life in +Christ, is called the light in man; and this is a heavenly divine light, +which lets men see their evil words and deeds, shows them all their +sins, and, if they would attend unto it, would bring them to Christ, +from whom it comes, that they might know him to save them from their +sin, and to blot it out. This light, I told them, shone in the darkness +of their hearts, and the darkness in them could not comprehend it; but +in those hearts where God had commanded it to shine out of darkness, it +gave unto such the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Christ +Jesus their Saviour. Then I opened the Scriptures largely to them, and +turned them to the Spirit of God in their hearts, which would reveal the +mysteries in the Scriptures to them, and would lead them into all truth +as they became subject thereunto. I directed them to that which would +give everyone of them the knowledge of Christ, who died for them, that +he might be their way to God, and make peace between God and them.” + +The people were attentive, and I spoke to John-ap-John to stand up and +speak it in Welsh to them, which he did; and they generally received it, +and with hands lifted up blessed and praised God. The priests’ mouths +were stopped, so that they were quiet all the while, for I had brought +them to be sober at the first, by telling them that, “when they speak of +the things of God and of Christ, they should speak with fear and +reverence.” Thus the meeting broke up in peace in the street, and many +of the people accompanied us to our inn, and rejoiced in the truth that +had been declared unto them; that they were turned to the light and +Spirit in themselves, by which they might see their sin, and know +salvation from it. When we went out of the town, the people were so +affected, that they lifted up their hands, and blessed the Lord for our +coming. A precious seed the Lord hath thereaway, and many people in +those parts are since gathered to the Lord Jesus Christ, to sit down +under his free teaching; and they have suffered much for him. + +From hence we passed to CAERNARVON, a city like a castle. When we had +put up our horses at an inn, and refreshed ourselves, John-ap-John went +forth, and spoke through the streets; which were so strait and short, +that one might stand in the midst of the town and see both the gates. I +followed him, and a multitude of people were soon gathered; amongst whom +a very dark priest began to babble; but his mouth was soon stopped. When +John had cleared himself, I declared the word of life amongst the +people; directing them to “the light of Christ in their hearts, that by +it they might see all their own ways, religions, and teachers, and might +come off from them all, to Christ, the true and living way, and the free +teacher.” Some of them were rude, but the greater part were civil, and +told us they had heard how we had been persecuted and abused in many +places, but they would not do so to us there. I commended their +moderation and sobriety, and warned them of “the day of the Lord, that +was coming upon all sin and wickedness;” testifying unto them, “that +Christ was now come to teach his people himself, by his Spirit and by +his power.” + +From hence we went to BEAUMARIS; a town wherein John-ap-John had +formerly been preacher. After we had put up our horses at an inn, John +went forth and spoke through the street: and there being a garrison in +the town, they took him and put him into prison. The innkeeper’s wife +came and told me that the governor and magistrates were sending for me +to commit me to prison also. I told her, they had done more than they +could answer already; and had acted contrary to Christianity in +imprisoning him for reproving sin in their streets and for declaring the +truth. Soon after came other friendly people, and told me, if I went out +into the street they would imprison me also; and therefore they desired +me to keep at the inn. Upon this I was moved to go and walk up and down +the streets; and told the people, “what an uncivil and unchristian thing +they had done, in casting my friend into prison.” And, they being high +professors, I asked them, “if this was the entertainment they had for +strangers; if they would willingly be so served themselves; and whether +they, who looked upon the Scriptures to be their rule, had any example +therein from Christ or his apostles, for what they had done?” So after a +while they set John-ap-John at liberty. + +Next day, being market-day, we were to cross a great water: and not far +from the place where we were to take boat, many of the market-people +drew to us; amongst whom we had good service for the Lord, “declaring +the word of life and everlasting truth unto them, and proclaiming the +day of the Lord amongst them, which was coming upon all wickedness; and +directing them to the light of Christ, which he, the heavenly man, had +enlightened them with; by which they might see all their sins, and false +ways, religions, worships, and teachers: and by the same light might see +Christ Jesus, who was come to save them, and lead them to God.” After +the Lord’s truth had been declared to them in the power of God, and +Christ the free teacher set over all the hireling teachers, I bid +John-ap-John get his horse into the boat, which was then ready. But +there being a company of wild gentlemen, as they called them, got into +it, whom we found very rude, and far from gentleness, they, with others, +kept his horse out of the boat. I rode to the boat’s side and spoke to +them, showing them “what unmanly and unchristian conduct it was; and +told them they showed an unworthy spirit, below Christianity or +humanity.” As I spoke, I leaped my horse into the boat amongst them, +thinking John’s horse would have followed, when he had seen mine go in +before him; but the water being deep, John could not get his horse into +the boat. Wherefore I leaped out again on horseback into the water, and +stayed with John on that side till the boat returned. There we tarried +from eleven in the forenoon, to two in the afternoon, before the boat +came to fetch us; and then we had forty-two miles to ride that evening: +and when we had paid for our passage, we had but one groat left between +us in money. We rode about sixteen miles, and then got a little hay for +our horses. Setting forward again, we came in the night to a little +ale-house, where we intended to stay and bait; but finding we could have +neither oats nor hay there, we travelled on all night; and about five in +the morning got to a place within six miles of WREXHAM; where that day +we met with many Friends, and had a glorious meeting; and the Lord’s +everlasting power and truth was over all: and a meeting is continued +there to this day. Very weary we were with travelling so hard up and +down in Wales; and in many places we found it difficult to get meat +either for our horses or ourselves. + +Next day we passed thence into FLINTSHIRE, sounding the day of the Lord +through the towns; and came into WREXHAM at night. Here many of Floyd’s +people came to us; but very rude, wild, and airy they were, and little +sense of truth they had: yet some were convinced in that town. Next +morning one called a lady sent for me, who kept a preacher in her house. +I went, but found both her and her preacher very light and airy; too +light to receive the weighty things of God. In her lightness she came +and asked me, if she should cut my hair: but I was moved to reprove her, +and bid her cut down the corruptions in herself with the sword of the +Spirit of God. So after I had admonished her to be more grave and sober, +we passed away: and afterwards in her frothy mind, she made her boast +that “she came behind me and cut off the curl of my hair;” but she spoke +falsely. + +From Wrexham we came to CHESTER; and being the fair time, we stayed a +while, and visited Friends. For I had travelled through every county in +Wales, preaching the everlasting gospel of Christ; and a brave people +there is now, who have received it, and sit under Christ’s teaching. But +before I left Wales, I wrote to the magistrates of BEAUMARIS concerning +the imprisoning of John-ap-John; letting them see their conditions, and +the fruits of their Christianity, and of their teachers. Afterwards I +met with some of them near LONDON; but oh how ashamed they were of their +action! + +From CHESTER we came to LIVERPOOL, where was at that time a fair also. +As I rode through the fair, there stood a Friend upon the cross, +declaring the truth to the people: who seeing me ride by, and knowing I +had appointed a meeting next day upon a hill not far off, gave notice to +the people “that George Fox, the servant of the Lord, would have a +meeting next day upon such hill; and if any feared the Lord, they might +come and hear him declare the word of life to them.” We went that night +to Richard Cubban’s, who himself was convinced, though not his wife; but +at that time she became convinced also. + +Next day we went to the meeting on the top of the hill, which was very +large. Some rude people with a priest’s wife came, and made a noise for +a while, but the Lord’s power came over them, the meeting became quiet, +and the truth of God was declared amongst them. Many were that day +settled upon the rock and foundation, Christ Jesus, and under his +teaching; who made peace between God and them. + +We had a small meeting with a few Friends and people at MALPAS. Thence +we came to another place, where we had another meeting. There came a +bailiff with a sword, and was rude; but the Lord’s power came over him, +and Friends were established in the truth. + +Thence we came to MANCHESTER; and the sessions being there that day, +many rude people were come out of the country. In the meeting they threw +at me coals, clods, stones, and water; yet the Lord’s power bore me up +over them, that they could not strike me down. At last, when they saw +they could not prevail by throwing water, stones, and dirt at me, they +went and informed the justices in the sessions; who thereupon sent +officers to fetch me before them. The officers came in while I was +declaring the word of life to the people, and plucked me down, and haled +me up into their court. When I came there, all the court was in disorder +and noise. Wherefore I asked where were the magistrates that they did +not keep the people civil? Some of the justices said they were +magistrates. I asked them, why then did they not appease the people, and +keep them sober? for one cried, “I’ll swear,” and another cried, “I’ll +swear.” I declared to the justices how we were abused in our meeting by +the rude people who threw stones, and clods, dirt, and water; and how I +was haled out of the meeting, and brought thither, contrary to the +instrument of government, which said, “none shall be molested in their +meetings that professed God, and owned the Lord Jesus Christ;” which I +did. So the truth came over them, that when one of the rude fellows +cried “he would swear,” one of the justices checked him, saying “what +will you swear? hold your tongue.” At last they bid the constable take +me to my lodging; and there be secured till morning, till they sent for +me again. So the constable had me to my lodging; and as we went the +people were exceedingly rude; but I let them see “the fruits of their +teachers, and how they shamed Christianity, and dishonoured the name of +Jesus, which they professed.” At night we went to a justice’s house in +the town, who was pretty moderate; and I had much discourse with him. +Next morning we sent to the constable to know if he had anything more to +say to us. And he sent us word “he had nothing to say to us, but that we +might go whither we would.” The Lord hath since raised up a people to +stand for his name and truth in that town over those chaffy professors. + +We passed from Manchester, having many precious meetings in several +places, till we came to PRESTON; between which and Lancaster I had a +general meeting: from which I went to LANCASTER. There at our inn I met +with Colonel West, who was very glad to see me: who meeting with Judge +Fell, told him I was mightily grown in the truth; when indeed he was +come nearer to the truth, and so could better discern it. + +We came from Lancaster to Robert Widders’s. On the First-day after I had +a general meeting near SAND-SIDE, of Friends of WESTMORLAND and +LANCASHIRE, when the Lord’s everlasting power was over all; in which the +word of eternal life was declared, and Friends were settled upon the +foundation, Christ Jesus, under his free teaching; and many were +convinced, and turned to the Lord. + +Next day I came over the Sands to SWARTHMORE, where Friends were glad to +see me. I stayed there two First-days, visiting Friends in their +meetings thereaways. They rejoiced with me in the goodness of the Lord, +who by his eternal power had carried me through, and over many +difficulties and dangers in his service: to him be the praise for ever! + + + + + CHAPTER XI. + +1657.—Exhortation to Friends to take heed to the Light of Christ—an + expostulation with persecutors—to Friends to be valiant for the + truth—in parts of Cumberland the priests are so forsaken that some + steeple-houses stand empty—John Wilkinson, the priest, is so + deserted, that he sets up a meeting in his own house—then a silent + meeting, and at last joins Friends, and becomes an able + minister—George Fox travels into Scotland with Col. Osborn and + Robert Widders—the latter was a thundering man against the + rottenness of the priests’ hypocrisy and deceit—Lady Hamilton is + convinced—the Scotch priests raise the war-cry, and draw up their + curses, which George Fox answers—they are in a rage and panic when + he comes there, thinking “that all was gone”—some Baptists, with + their logic and syllogisms, are confuted by George Fox’s logic—he is + banished Scotland by the council, but disregards their order—George + Fox and William Osburn are waylaid by thieves, who are admonished by + the former, and overawed by the Lord’s power—the Highlanders run at + them with pitchforks—at Johnstons they are banished the town—on + hearing that the council of Edinburgh had issued warrants against + him, George Fox goes thither, and is not molested. + + +Having got a little respite from travel, I was moved to write an epistle +to Friends, as follows:— + + “All Friends of the Lord everywhere, whose minds are turned in towards + the Lord, take heed to the light within you, which is the light of + Christ; which, as ye love it, will call your minds inward, that are + abroad in the creatures: so your minds may be renewed by it, and + turned to God in this which is pure, to worship the living God, the + Lord of Hosts over all the creatures. That which calls your minds out + of the lusts of the world, will call them out of the affections and + desires, and turn you to set your affections above. That which calls + the mind out of the world, will give judgment upon the world’s + affections and lusts, and is the same that calls out your minds from + the world’s teachers, and the creatures, to have your minds renewed. + There is your obedience known and found; there the image of God is + renewed in you; and ye come to grow up in it. That which calls your + minds out of the earth, turns them towards God, where the pure Babe is + born of the virgin; and the Babe’s food is known, the children’s + bread, which comes from the living God, and nourishes up to eternal + life. These babes and children receive their wisdom from above, from + the pure living God, and not from the earthly one: for that is trodden + under foot with such. All who hate this light, whose minds are abroad + in the creatures, in the earth, and in the image of the devil, get the + words of the saints, that received their wisdom from above, into the + old nature, and their corrupted minds. Such are murderers of the just, + enemies to the cross of Christ, in whom the prince of the air lodgeth: + sons of perdition, betrayers of the just. + + “Therefore take heed to that light, which is oppressed with that + nature; which light, as it arises, shall condemn all that cursed + nature, shall turn it out, and shut it out of the house; and so ye + will come to see the candle lighted, and the house sweeping and swept. + Then the pure pearl ariseth; then the eternal God is exalted. The same + light that calls in your minds out of the world, turns them to God, + the Father of lights. Here in the pure mind is the pure God waited + upon for wisdom from above; the pure God is seen night and day; and + the eternal peace, of which there is no end, enjoyed. People may have + openings, and yet their minds go into the lusts of the flesh; but + there the affections are not mortified. Therefore hearken to that, and + take heed to that, which calls your minds out of the affections and + lusts of the world, to have them renewed. The same will turn your + minds to God; the same light will set your affections above, and bring + you to wait for the pure wisdom of God from on high, that it may be + justified in you. + + “Wait all in that, which calls in your minds, and turns them to God; + here is the true cross. That mind shall feed upon nothing that is + earthly; but be kept in the pure light of God up to God, to feed upon + the living food, which comes from the living God. The Lord God + Almighty be with you all, dear babes, and keep you all in his strength + and power to his glory, over all the world—you whose minds are called + out of it, and turned to God, to worship the Creator, and serve him, + and not the creature. The light of God, which calls the mind out of + the creatures, and turns it to God, brings into a being of endless joy + and peace. Here is always a seeing God present, which is not known to + the world, whose hearts are in the creatures, whose knowledge is in + the flesh, whose minds are not renewed. + + “Therefore all Friends, the Seed of God mind and dwell in, to reign + over the unjust: and the power of the Lord dwell in, to keep you clear + in your understandings, that the Seed of God may reign in you all;—the + Seed of God, which is but one in all, which is Christ in the male and + in the female, which the promise is to. Wait upon the Lord for the + just to reign over the unjust, and for the Seed of God to reign over + the seed of the serpent, and be the head; and that all that is mortal + may die; for out of that will rise presumption. So fare ye well, and + God Almighty bless, and guide, and keep you in his wisdom.” + + G. F. + +About this time Friends, that were moved of the Lord to go to the +steeple-houses and markets, to reprove sin, and warn people of the day +of the Lord, suffered much hardship from rude people, and also from the +magistrates; being commonly pulled down, buffeted, beaten, and +frequently sent to prison. Wherefore I was moved to give forth the +following expostulation, to be spread amongst people, to show them, how +contrary they acted therein to the apostles’ doctrine and practice, and +to bring them to more moderation. Thus it was:— + + “Is it not better for you, that have cast into prison the servants and + children of the Lord God, for speaking as they are moved, in + steeple-houses or markets? Is it not better, I say, for you to try all + things, and hold fast that which is good? Is it not of more honour and + credit, to prove all things, and try all things, than to pluck down in + the steeple-houses, and pull off the hair of their heads, and cast + them into prison? Is this an honour to your truth and gospel you + profess? Doth it not show that ye are out of the truth, and are not + ready to instruct the gainsayers? Hath not the Lord said, ‘He will + pour out of his Spirit upon all flesh, and his sons and his daughters + shall prophesy; old men shall dream dreams, and young men see visions; + and on his handmaids he will pour forth of his Spirit?’ Was not this + prophecy in past ages stood against by the wise learned men in their + own wisdom, and by the synagogue teachers? Were not those haled out of + the synagogues and temple, who witnessed the Spirit poured forth upon + them? Doth not this show, that ye have not the pourings forth of this + Spirit upon you, who fill the jails with so many sons and daughters, + and hold up such teachers as are bred up in learning at Oxford and + Cambridge, and are made by the will of man? Doth not this show, that + ye, who are bred up there, who are made teachers by the will of man, + and who persecute for prophesying, are strangers to the Spirit that is + ‘poured forth upon sons and daughters,’ by which Spirit they come to + ‘minister to the spirits that are in prison?’ The Lord hath a + controversy with you, who are found prisoning and persecuting such as + the Lord hath poured forth of his Spirit upon. Do not your fruits + show, in all the nation where ye come; in towns, cities, villages, and + countries, that ye are the seedsmen made by the will of man, who sow + to the flesh, of which nothing but corruption is reaped? Ye are looked + upon, and your fruits, and that which may be gathered, is seen by all + that are in the light, as they pass through your countries, towns, + cities, and villages, that ye are all the seedsmen that have sown to + the flesh. Mark, and of this take notice, ye who are of that birth + that is born of the flesh, sow to your own, persecuting him that is + born of the Spirit. Such as sow to the Spirit, and of the Spirit reap + life eternal, ye cast into prison. Do ye not hale out of the + synagogues, persecute and beat in them, and knock down? Are not these + the works of the flesh? Have not many been almost murdered and + smothered in your synagogues? Have not some been haled out of them, + for but looking at the priest, and after cast into prison? Doth not + all this make manifest what spirit ye are of, and your fruits to be of + the flesh? What pleasures and sports in every town are to be seen + among your flocks, that sow to the flesh and are born of it! + + “Whereas the ministers of the Spirit cried against such, as ‘sported + in the day-time;’ such as ‘ate and drank, and rose up to play;’ such + as lived wantonly upon earth in pleasures; such as lived in fulness of + bread and idleness; such as defile the flesh: such did God overthrow + and destroy, and set them forth as examples to all them that after + should live ungodly. But are not the fruits of this reaped in every + town? Cannot we hence see, that here is sowing to the flesh? Again, + what scorning and scoffing, what mocking, derision, and strife! What + oaths and drunkenness, uncleanness and cursed speaking! What lust and + pride are seen in the streets! These fruits we see are reaped to the + flesh. So here we see the seedsman, him that sows to this flesh, of + which nothing but corruption is reaped; as the countries, towns, + cities, and villages make manifest. But the ministers of the Spirit, + who sow to the Spirit, come to reap eternal life. These discern the + other seedsman, who sows to the flesh, and of the flesh reaps + corruption. For the day hath manifested each seedsman, and what is + reaped from each is seen; glory be to the Lord God for ever! The + ministers of the Spirit, who are born of the Spirit, sons and + daughters, who have the Spirit poured forth upon them, and witness the + promise of God fulfilled in them, by the Spirit of God preach and + minister to the Spirit in prison in every one, in the sight of God, + the Father of Spirits. God’s hand is turned against you all, that have + destroyed God’s creatures upon your lust. God’s hand is turned against + you that have wronged by unjust dealing, defrauded, and oppressed the + poor, and respected the persons of the proud (such as are in gay + apparel); and lend not your ear to the cry of the poor. The Lord’s + hand is turned against you, and his righteous judgment and justice + upon you will be accomplished and repaid: who shall have a reward, + every one according to his works. + + “O! the abomination, the hypocritical profession that is upon the + earth, where God and Christ, faith, hope, the Holy Spirit, and truth + are professed; but the fear of God, and the faith that purifies and + gives victory over the world, are not lived in! Doth it not appear, + that the wisdom that rules in all those, whom the seedsman that sows + to the flesh, sows for, and who are born of the flesh, is from below, + earthly, sensual, and devilish; that their understanding is brutish, + and their knowledge natural, as the brute beasts? For men and women in + that state, have not patience to speak one to the other of the + Scriptures, without much corruption and flesh appearing, yet they have + a feigned humility, a will-worship, and righteousness of self; but + they own not the light, which ‘lighteth every man that cometh into the + world,’ Christ Jesus, the righteousness of God; which being owned, + self, and the righteousness of self, come to be denied. Here is the + humility that is contrary to the light, that is from below and + feigned: here is the wisdom that is earthly, sensual, and devilish; + for people can scarce speak one to another, without destroying one + another, prisoning and persecuting one another, when they speak of the + Scriptures. Now, this is the devilish wisdom, murdering and + destroying: this is not the wisdom that is from above, which is pure + and peaceable; gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good + fruits. Here all may read each seedsman, which hath each wisdom. He + that sows to the flesh, and is born of that, hath the wisdom that is + earthly, sensual, and devilish; he that sows to the Spirit, a minister + of the Spirit, hath the wisdom from above, which is pure, peaceable, + gentle, and easy to be entreated;—the wisdom by which all things were + made and created. Now is each wisdom discovered, and each seedsman; + the day, which is the light, hath discovered them.” + + G. F. + +I was also moved to give forth the following epistle to Friends, to stir +them up to be bold and valiant for the truth, and to encourage them in +their sufferings for it:— + + “All Friends and brethren everywhere, now is the day of your trial, + now is the time for you to be valiant, and to see that the testimony + of the Lord doth not fall. Now is the day for the exercise of your + gifts, of your patience, and of your faith. Now is the time to be + armed with patience, with the light, with righteousness, and with the + helmet of salvation. Now is the trial of the slothful servant, who + hides his talent, and will judge Christ hard. Now, happy are they that + can say, ‘the earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof, and he + gives the increase;’ and therefore, who takes it from you? Is it not + the Lord still that suffers it? For the Lord can try you as he did + Job, whom he made rich, whom he made poor, and whom he made rich + again; who still kept his integrity in all conditions. Learn Paul’s + lesson, ‘in all states to be content;’ and have his faith, that + ‘nothing is able to separate us from the love of God, which we have in + Christ Jesus.’ Therefore be rich in life, and in grace, which will + endure, ye who are heirs of life, and born of the womb of eternity, + that noble birth, that cannot stoop to that which is born in sin, and + conceived in iniquity; who are better bred and born; whose religion is + from God, above all the religions that are from below; and who walk by + faith, by that which God hath given you, and not by that which men + make, who walk by sight, from the Mass-Book to the Directory. Such are + subject to stumble and fall, who walk by sight and not by faith. + + “Therefore mind him that destroys the original of sin, the devil and + his works, and cuts off the entail of Satan, viz., sin; who would have + by entail an inheritance of sin in men and women from generation to + generation, and pleads for it by all his lawyers and counsellors. For + though the law, which made nothing perfect, did not cut it off; yet + Christ being come destroys the devil and his works, and cuts off the + entail of sin. This angers all the devil’s lawyers and counsellors, + that Satan shall not hold sin by entail in thy garden, in thy field, + in thy temple, thy tabernacle. So keep your tabernacles, that there ye + may see the glory of the Lord appear at the doors thereof. And be + faithful; for ye see, what the worthies and valiants of the Lord + attained unto by faith. Enoch by faith was translated. Noah by faith + was preserved over the waters in his ark. Abraham by faith forsook his + father’s house and religion, and all the religions of the world. Isaac + and Jacob by faith followed his steps. See also how Samuel, with other + of the Lord’s prophets, and David, by faith were preserved to God, + over God’s enemies! Daniel and the three children by faith escaped the + lions and the fire, and preserved their worship clean, and by it were + kept over the worships of the world. The apostles by faith travelled + up and down the world, were preserved from all the religions of the + world, and held forth the pure religion to the dark world, which they + had received from God; and likewise their fellowship was received from + above, which is in the gospel that is everlasting. In this, neither + powers, principalities, nor thrones, dominions nor angels, things + present, nor things to come, nor heights, nor depths, nor death, + mockings, nor spoiling of goods, nor prisons, nor fetters, were able + to separate them from the love of God, which they had in Christ Jesus. + + “And Friends, ‘quench not the Spirit, nor despise prophesying,’ where + it moves; neither hinder the babes and sucklings from crying Hosanna; + for out of their mouths will God ordain strength. There were some in + Christ’s day that were against such, whom he reproved; and there were + some in Moses’s day, who would have stopped the prophets in the camp, + whom Moses reproved, and said, by way of encouragement to them, ‘Would + God, that all the Lord’s people were prophets!’ So I say now to you. + Therefore ye, that stop it in yourselves, do not quench it in others, + neither in babe nor suckling; for the Lord hears the cries of the + needy, and the sighs and groans of the poor. Judge not that, nor the + sighs and groans of the Spirit, which cannot be uttered, lest ye judge + prayer; for prayer as well lies in sighs and groans to the Lord as + otherwise. Let not the sons and daughters, nor the hand-maidens be + stopped in their prophesyings, nor the young men in their visions, nor + the old men in their dreams; but let the Lord be glorified in and + through all, who is over all, God blessed for ever! So every one may + improve his talents, every one exercise his gifts, and every one speak + as the Spirit gives him utterance. Thus every one may minister as he + hath received the grace, as a good steward to him that hath given it + him; so that all plants may bud and bring forth fruit to the glory of + God; ‘for the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to + profit withal.’ + + “See, that every one hath profited in heavenly things: male and + female, look into your own vineyards, and see what fruit ye bear to + God; look into your own houses, see how they are decked and trimmed, + and see what odours, myrrh, and frankincense ye have therein, and what + a smell and savour ye have to ascend to God, that he may be glorified. + Bring all your deeds to the light, which ye are taught to believe in + by Christ, your Head, the heavenly Man; and see how they are wrought + in God. Every male and female, let Christ dwell in your hearts by + faith, and let your mouths be opened to the glory of God the Father, + that he may rule and reign in you. We must not have Christ Jesus, the + Lord of life, put any more in a stable, amongst the horses and asses; + but he must now have the best chamber, the heart, and the rude, + debauched spirit must be turned out. Therefore let Him reign, whose + right it is, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, by which ye call him + Lord, in which ye pray, and have comfort and fellowship with the + Father and with the Son. Therefore know the triumph in it, and in God + and his power (which the devil is out of), and in the seed, which is + first and last, the beginning and ending, the top and cornerstone; in + which is my love to you, and in which I rest— + + Your friend, G. F.” + + “_Postscript_—And, Friends, be careful how ye set your feet among the + tender plants, that are springing up out of God’s earth; lest ye tread + upon them, hurt, bruise, or crush them in God’s vineyard.” + +After I had tarried two First-days at Swarthmore, and had visited +Friends in their meetings thereabouts, I passed into WESTMORLAND, in the +same work, till I came to John Audland’s, where there was a general +meeting. The night before I had a vision of a desperate creature, that +was coming to destroy me, but I got victory over it. And next day in +meeting-time came one Otway, with some rude fellows. He rode round about +the meeting with his sword or rapier, and would fain have got in through +the Friends to me; but the meeting being great, the Friends stood close, +so that he could not easily come at me. When he had rode about several +times raging, and found he could not get in, being limited by the Lord’s +power, he went away. It was a glorious meeting, ended peaceably, and the +Lord’s everlasting power came over all. This wild man went home, became +distracted, and not long after died. I sent a paper to John Blaykling to +read to him, while he lay ill, showing him his wickedness; and he +acknowledged something of it. + +From hence, I went through KENDAL, where a warrant had long lain to +apprehend me; and the constables seeing me, ran to fetch their warrant, +as I was riding through the town; but before they could come with it, I +was gone past, and so escaped their hands. + +I travelled northwards, visiting Friends’ meetings, till I came to +STRICKLAND-HEAD, where I had a great meeting. Most of the gentry of that +country being gathered to a horse-race, not far from the meeting, I was +moved to go and declare the truth unto them; and a chief-constable, that +was there, also admonished them. Our meeting was quiet, and the Lord was +with us; and by his word and power, Friends were settled in the eternal +truth. + +From hence we passed into CUMBERLAND, where we had many precious living +meetings. After we had travelled to GILSLAND, and had a meeting there, +we came to CARLISLE, where they used to put Friends out of the town; but +there came a great flood while we were there, that they could not put us +out; so we had a meeting there on First-day. After which we passed to +ABBEY-HOLM, and had a little meeting there. This is a place, where I +told Friends long before, a great people would come forth to the Lord; +which hath since come to pass, and a large meeting is gathered to the +Lord in those parts. + +I passed hence to a general meeting at LANGLANDS in Cumberland, which +was very large; for most of the people had so forsaken the priests, that +the steeple-houses in some places stood empty. And John Wilkinson,[54] a +preacher, I have often named before, who had three steeple-houses, had +so few hearers left, that, giving over preaching in them, he first set +up a meeting in his house, and preached there to them that were left. +Afterwards he set up a silent meeting (like Friends,) to which came a +few; for most of his hearers were come to Friends. Thus he held on till +he had not past half a dozen left; the rest still forsaking him, and +coming to Friends. At last, when he had so very few left, he would come +to Pardshaw Crag (where Friends had a meeting of several hundreds of +people, who were all come to sit under the Lord Jesus Christ’s +teaching,) and he would walk about the meeting on First-days, like a man +that went about the commons to look for sheep. During this time I came +to PARDSHAW CRAG meeting, and he with three or four of his followers, +that were yet left to him, came to the meeting that day, and were all +thoroughly convinced. After the meeting, Wilkinson asked me two or three +questions, which I answered him to his satisfaction; and from that time +he came amongst Friends, became an able minister, preached the gospel +freely, and turned many to Christ’s free teaching. And after he had +continued many years in the free ministry of Jesus, he died in 1675. + +Footnote 54: + + This was not the same John Wilkinson who joined with Storey in + creating a schism in the Society. + +I had for some time felt drawings on my spirit to go into SCOTLAND; and +had sent to Colonel William Osburn of Scotland, desiring him to come and +meet me; and he, with some others, came out of Scotland to this meeting. +After the meeting was over (which, he said, was the most glorious one he +ever saw in his life,) I passed with him and his company into Scotland; +having Robert Widders with me, a thundering man against hypocrisy, +deceit, and the rottenness of the priests. + +The first night we came into Scotland we lodged at an inn. The innkeeper +told us, an Earl lived about a quarter of a mile off, who had a desire +to see me; and had left word at his house, that if ever I came into +Scotland, he should send him word. He told us there were three +drawbridges to his house, and that it would be nine o’clock before the +third bridge was drawn. Finding we had time in the evening, we walked to +his house. He received us very lovingly; and said, he would have gone +with us on our journey, but he was previously engaged to go to a +funeral. After we had spent some time with him, we parted very friendly, +and returned to our inn. Next morning we travelled on, and passing +through DUMFRIES came to DOUGLAS, where we met with some Friends; and +thence passed to the HEADS, where we had a blessed meeting in the name +of Jesus, and felt him in the midst. + +Leaving Heads, we went to BADCOW, and had a meeting there; to which +abundance of people came, and many were convinced; amongst whom was one, +called a lady. From thence we passed towards the HIGHLANDS to William +Osburn’s house, where we gathered up the sufferings of Friends, and the +principles of the Scotch priests, which may be seen in a book called +_The Scotch Priests’ Principles_. + +Afterwards we returned to Heads, Badcow, and GARSHORE, where the said +Lady Margaret Hambleton was convinced; who afterwards went to warn +Oliver Cromwell and Charles Fleetwood of the day of the Lord that was +coming upon them. + +On First-day we had a great meeting, and several professors came to it. +Now, the priests had frightened the people with the doctrine of election +and reprobation, telling them “that God had ordained the greatest part +of men and women for hell; and that, let them pray, or preach, or sing, +or do what they could, it was all to no purpose, if they were ordained +for hell;—that God had a certain number elected for heaven, let them do +what they would, as David an adulterer, and Paul a persecutor, yet +elected vessels for heaven. So the fault was not at all in the creature, +less or more, but God had ordained it so.” I was led to open to the +people the falseness and folly of their priests’ doctrines, and showed +how they had abused those Scriptures they brought and quoted to them, as +in Jude, and other places. For whereas they said, there was no fault at +all in the creature, I showed them that they whom Jude speaks of, to +wit, Cain, Korah, and Balaam, who, he says, were ordained of old to +condemnation, the fault was in them. For did not God warn Cain and +Balaam, and put the question to Cain, “If thou doest well, shalt thou +not be accepted?” And did not the Lord bring Korah out of Egypt and his +company? yet did not he gainsay both God and his law, and his prophet +Moses? Here people might see that there was a fault in Cain, Korah, and +Balaam, and so there is in all that go in their ways. For if they who +are called Christians, resist the gospel, as Korah did the law; if they +err from the Spirit of God, as Balaam did, and do evil, as Cain did, is +not here a fault? Which fault is in themselves, and is the cause of +their reprobation, and not God. Doth not Christ say, “Go, preach the +gospel to all nations?” Which is the gospel of salvation. He would not +have sent them into all nations, to preach the doctrine of salvation, if +the greatest part of men had been ordained for hell. Was not Christ a +propitiation for the sins of the whole world, for those that become +reprobates, as well as for the saints? He died for all men, the ungodly, +as well as the godly, as the apostle bears witness, 2 Cor. v. 15; Rom. +v. 6. And he “enlightens every man that cometh into the world,” that +through him they might all believe. And Christ bids them believe in the +light; but all they that hate the light, which Christ bids all believe +in, are reprobated. + +Again, “the manifestation of the Spirit of God is given to every man, to +profit withal;” but they that vex, quench and grieve it, are in the +reprobation; and the fault is in them, as it is also in them that hate +his light. The apostle says, “The grace of God, which brings salvation, +hath appeared unto all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and +worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this +present world,” Tit. ii. 11, 12. Now when men and women live ungodly, +and in the lusts of the world, turn this grace of God into wantonness, +and walk despitefully against it, and so deny God, and the Lord Jesus +Christ, that bought them; the fault is in all such as thus turn the +grace of God into wantonness, and walk despitefully against that which +would bring their salvation, and save them out of the reprobation. But +the priests, it seems, can see no fault in such as deny God, and the +Lord Jesus Christ, that hath bought them—such as deny his light, which +they should believe in, and his grace, which should teach them to live +godly, and which should bring them their salvation. Now all that believe +in the light of Christ, as he commands, are in the election, and sit +under the teaching of the grace of God which brings their salvation. But +such as turn this grace into wantonness, are in the reprobation; and +such as hate the light are in the condemnation. Therefore I exhorted all +the people to believe in the light, as Christ commands, and own the +grace of God, their free teacher; and it would assuredly bring them +their salvation; for it is sufficient. Many other Scriptures were +opened, concerning reprobation, and the eyes of the people were opened; +and a spring of life rose up among them. + +These things soon came to the priests’ ears; for the people that sat +under their dark teachings, began to see light and to come into the +covenant of light. The noise was spread over Scotland, amongst the +priests, that I was come thither; and a great cry was among them that +all would be spoiled; for they said I had spoiled all the honest men and +women in England already, so according to their account the worst was +left to them. Upon this they gathered great assemblies of priests +together, and drew up a number of curses to be read in their several +steeple-houses, that all the people might say “Amen” to them. Some few +of these I will here set down, the rest may be read in the book before +mentioned, of _The Scotch Priests’ Principles_. + + The first was, “Cursed is he that saith, every man hath a light within + him sufficient to lead him to salvation; and let all the people say, + Amen.” + + The second, “Cursed is he that saith, faith is without sin; and let + all the people say, Amen.” + + The third, “Cursed is he that denieth the Sabbath day; and let all the + people say, Amen.”[55] + +Footnote 55: + + It is justly observed by a writer, not of the Society of Friends, that + these “place the Presbyterian Christianity of that day in a most + unfavourable light, and show how deeply it was imbued with a sour + persecuting spirit of Popery.” + +In this last they make the people curse themselves; for on the Sabbath +day (which is the seventh-day of the week, which the Jews kept by the +command of God to them), they kept markets and fairs, and so brought the +curse upon their own heads. + +As to the first, concerning the light, Christ saith, “Believe in the +light, that ye may become children of the light;” and “he that believeth +shall be saved; he that believeth shall have everlasting life; he that +believeth passes from death to life, and is grafted into Christ.” And +“ye do well,” said the apostle, “that ye take heed unto the light that +shines in the dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in +your hearts.” So the light is sufficient to lead unto the day-star. + +And as concerning faith, it is the gift of God; and every gift of God is +pure. The faith, which Christ is the author of, is precious, divine, and +without sin. This is the faith which gives victory over sin, and access +to God; in which faith, they please God. But they are reprobates +themselves concerning this faith, and are in their dead faith, who +charge sin upon this faith, under pain of a curse; which faith gives +victory over their curse, and returns it into their own bowels. + +A company of Scots near BADCOW, challenged a dispute with some of our +Scotch Friends, for with me they would not dispute; so some of the +Scotch Friends met them at the market-place. The dispute was to be +concerning the Sabbath-day, and some other of their principles +before-mentioned; and I having got their principles and assertions, +showed the Friends where they might easily be overthrown, and a Scotch +Friend, a smith, overthrew them clearly. + +There were two Independent churches in Scotland, in one of which many +were convinced; but the pastor of the other was in a great rage against +truth and Friends. They had their elders, who sometimes would exercise +their gifts amongst the church-members, and were sometimes pretty +tender; but their pastor speaking so much against the light and us, the +friends of Christ, he darkened his hearers, so that they grew blind, and +dry, and lost their tenderness. He continued preaching against Friends, +and against the light of Christ Jesus, calling it natural; at last one +day in his preaching, he cursed the light, and fell down, as if dead, in +his pulpit. The people carried him out, and laid him upon a grave-stone, +and poured strong waters into him, which brought him to life again; and +they carried him home, but he was mopish. After a while he stripped off +his clothes, put on a Scotch plaid, and went into the country amongst +the dairy-women. When he had stayed there about two weeks, he came home, +and went into the pulpit again. Whereupon the people expected some great +manifestation or revelation from him; but, instead thereof, he began to +tell them what entertainment he had met with; how one woman gave him +skimmed-milk, another gave him buttermilk, and another gave him good +milk; so the people were fain to take him out of the pulpit again, and +carry him home. He that gave me this account was Andrew Robinson, one of +his chief hearers, who came afterwards to be convinced, and received the +truth. He said he never heard that he recovered his senses again. By +this people may see what came upon him that cursed the light; which +Light is the Life in Christ, the Word; and it may be a warning to all +others, that speak evil against the Light of Christ. + +Now were the priests in such a rage, that they posted to Edinburgh to +Oliver Cromwell’s council there, with petitions against me. The noise +was, “that all was gone;” for several Friends were come out of England +and spread over Scotland, sounding the day of the Lord, preaching the +everlasting gospel of salvation, and turning people to Christ Jesus, who +died for them, that they might receive his free teaching. After I had +gathered the principles of the Scotch priests, and the sufferings of +Friends, and had seen the Friends in that part of Scotland settled, by +the Lord’s power, upon Christ their foundation, I went to Edinburgh, and +in the way came to LINLITHGOW; where, lodging at an inn, the innkeeper’s +wife, who was blind, received the word of life, and came under the +teaching of Christ Jesus, her Saviour. At night there came in abundance +of soldiers and some officers, with whom we had much discourse; some +were rude. One of the officers said, “he would obey the Turk’s or +Pilate’s command if they should command him to guard Christ to crucify +him.” So far was he from all tenderness, or sense of the Spirit of +Christ, that he would rather crucify the just, than suffer for or with +the just; whereas many officers and magistrates have lost their places, +before they would turn against the Lord and his Just One. + +When I had stayed a while at EDINBURGH, I went to LEITH, where many +officers of the army came in with their wives, and many were convinced. +Among these Edward Billing’s wife was one; she brought a great deal of +coral in her hand, and threw it on the table before me, to see whether I +would speak against it or not. I took no notice of it, but declared the +truth to her, and she was reached. There came in many Baptists, who were +very rude, but the Lord’s power came over them, so that they went away +confounded. Then there came in another sort, and one of them said, “he +would dispute with me; and for argument’s sake, would deny there was a +God.” I told him, “he might be one of those fools that said in his +heart, There is no God, but he should know him in the day of his +judgment.” So he went his way; and a precious time we had afterwards +with several people of account; and the Lord’s power came over all. +William Osburn was with me. Colonel Lidcott’s wife and William Welch’s +wife, and several of the officers themselves, were convinced. Edward +Billing and his wife at that time lived apart; and she being reached by +truth, and become loving to Friends, we sent for her husband, who came; +and the Lord’s power reached unto them both, they joined in it, and +agreed to live together in love and unity, as man and wife. + +After this we returned to EDINBURGH, where many thousands were gathered +together, with abundance of priests among them, about burning a witch, +and I was moved to declare the day of the Lord amongst them. When I had +done, I went to our meeting, whither many rude people and Baptists came. +The Baptists began to vaunt with their logic and syllogisms; but I was +moved in the Lord’s power to thrash their chaffy, light minds; and +showed the people that, after that fallacious way of discoursing, they +might make white seem black, and black white; as, that because a cock +had two legs, and each of them had two legs, therefore they were all +cocks. Thus they might turn anything into lightness and vanity; but it +was not the way of Christ or his apostles, to teach, speak, or reason, +after that manner. Hereupon those Baptists went their way, and after +they were gone, we had a blessed meeting in the Lord’s power, which was +over all. + +I mentioned before, that many of the Scotch priests, being greatly +disturbed at the spreading of truth, and the loss of their hearers +thereby, were gone to Edinburgh, to petition the council against me. +Now, when I came from the meeting to the inn where I lodged, an officer +belonging to the council brought me the following order:— + + “_Thursday, the 8th of October, 1657, at his Highness’s Council in + Scotland._ + + ORDERED, + + That George Fox do appear before the Council on Tuesday, the 13th of + October next, in the forenoon. + + E. DOWNING, Clerk of the Council.” + +When he had delivered me the order, he asked me, “whether I would appear +or not?” I did not tell him whether I would or not; but asked him “if he +had not forged the order:” he said, “no, it was a real order from the +council, and he was sent, as their messenger, with it.” When the time +came I appeared, and was conducted into a large room, where many great +persons came and looked at me. After a while the door-keeper had me into +the council-chamber; and as I was going in, he took off my hat. I asked +him “why he did so, and who was there, that I might not go in with my +hat on?” for I told him “I had been before the Protector with it on.” +But he hung it up, and had me in before them. When I had stood a while, +and they had said nothing to me, I was moved of the Lord to say, “Peace +be amongst you; wait in the fear of God, that ye may receive his wisdom +from above, by which all things were made and created; that by it ye may +all be ordered, and may order all things unto your hands to God’s +glory.” They asked me, “what was the occasion of my coming into that +nation?” I told them, “I came to visit the seed of God, which had long +lain in bondage under corruption; and the intent of my coming was, that +all in the nation, that professed the Scriptures, the words of Christ, +and of the prophets, and apostles, might come to the light, Spirit, and +power, which they were in, who gave them forth; that so in and by the +Spirit they might understand the Scriptures, know Christ and God aright, +and have fellowship with them, and one with another.” They asked me +“whether I had any outward business there?” I said, “nay.” Then they +asked me how long I intended to stay in the country? I told them “I +should say little to that; my time was not to be long, yet in my freedom +in the Lord, I stood in the will of him that sent me.” Then they bid me +withdraw, and the door-keeper took me by the hand, and led me forth. In +a little time they sent for me again, and told me, “I must depart the +nation of Scotland by that day seventh night.” I asked them, “why, what +had I done? What was my transgression, that they passed such a sentence +upon me to depart out of the nation?” They told me, “they would not +dispute with me.” Then I desired them “to hear what I had to say to +them;” but they said, “they would not hear me.” I told them, Pharaoh +heard Moses and Aaron, and yet he was a heathen and no Christian, and +Herod heard John the Baptist; and they should not be worse than these. +But they cried, “withdraw, withdraw.” Whereupon the door-keeper took me +again by the hand, and led me out. Then I returned to my inn, and +continued still in Edinburgh, visiting Friends there and thereabouts, +and strengthening them in the Lord. After a little time, I wrote a +letter to the council, to lay before them their unchristian dealing in +banishing me, an innocent man, that sought their salvation and eternal +good; a copy of which letter here follows:— + + “_To the Council of Edinburgh._ + + “Ye that sit in council, and bring before your judgment-seat the + innocent, the just, without showing the least cause what evil I have + done, or convicting me of any breach of law; and afterward banish me + out of your nation and country, without telling me why, or what evil I + had done; though I told you, when ye asked me how long I would stay in + the nation, that my time was not long (I spoke it innocently), and yet + ye banish me. Will not all, think ye, that fear God, judge this to be + wickedness? Consider, did not they sit in council about Stephen, when + they stoned him to death? Did not they sit in council about Peter and + John, when they haled them out of the temple, and put them out of + their council for a little season, and took counsel together, and then + brought them in again and threatened them, and charged them to speak + no more in that name? Was not this to stop the truth from spreading in + that time? And had not the priests a hand in these things with the + magistrates? and in examining Stephen, when he was stoned to death? + Was not the council gathered together against Jesus Christ to put him + to death? and had not the chief priests a hand in it? When they go to + persecute the just, and crucify the just, do they not then neglect + judgment, and mercy, and justice, and the weighty matters of the law, + which is just? Was not the apostle Paul tossed up and down by the + priests and the rulers? Was not John the Baptist cast into prison? Are + not ye doing the same work, showing what spirit ye are of? Now do not + ye show the end of your profession, the end of your prayers, the end + of your religion, and the end of your teaching, who are now come to + banish the truth, and him that is come to declare it unto you? Doth + not this show that ye are but in the words, out of the life, of the + prophets, Christ, and his apostles? for they did not use such practice + as to banish any. How do ye receive strangers, which is a command of + God among the prophets, Christ, and the apostles? Some by that means + have entertained angels at unawares; but ye banish one that comes to + visit the Seed of God, and is not chargeable to any of you. Will not + all that fear God, look upon this to be spite and wickedness against + the truth? How are ye like to love enemies, that banish your friend? + How are ye like to do good to them that hate you, when ye do evil to + them that love you? How are ye like to heap coals of fire on their + heads that hate you, and to overcome evil with good, when ye banish + thus? Do ye not manifest to all that are in the truth, that ye have + not the Christian spirit? How did ye do justice to me, when ye could + not convict me of any evil, yet banish me? This shows that truth is + banished out of your hearts, and ye have taken part against the truth + with evil-doers; with the wicked, envious priests, and stoners, + strikers, and mockers in the streets; with these, ye that banish, have + taken part. Whereas ye should have been a terror to these, and a + praise to them that do well, and succourers of them that are in the + truth; then might ye have been a blessing to the nation; ye would not + have banished him that was moved of the Lord to visit the Seed of God, + and thereby have brought your names upon record, and made them to + stink in ages to come, among them that fear God. Were not the + magistrates stirred up in former ages to persecute or banish, by the + corrupt priests? and did not the corrupt priests stir up the rude + multitude against the just in other ages? Therefore are your streets + like Sodom and Gomorrah. Did not the Jews and the priests make the + Gentiles’ minds envious against the apostles? Who were they that would + not have the prophet Amos to prophesy at the king’s chapel; but bid + him fly his way? And when Jeremiah was put in the prison, in the + dungeon, and in the stocks, had not the priests a hand with the + princes in doing it? Now see all that were in this work of banishing, + prisoning, persecuting, whether they were not all out of the life of + Christ, the prophets, and apostles? To the witness of God in you all I + speak. Consider whether they were not always the blind magistrates, + who turned their sword backward, that knew not their friends from + their foes, and so hit their friends? Such magistrates were deceived + by flattery.” + + G. F. + +When this was delivered, and read amongst them, some of them, I heard, +were troubled at what they had done, being made sensible that they would +not be so served themselves. But it was not long before they that +banished me, were banished themselves, or glad to get away; who would +not do good in the day when they had power, nor suffer others that +would. + +After I had spent some time among Friends at Edinburgh, and thereabouts, +I passed to HEADS again, where Friends had been in great sufferings; for +the Presbyterian priests had excommunicated them, and given charge that +none should buy or sell, or eat or drink with them. So they could +neither sell their commodities, nor buy what they wanted; which made it +go very hard with some of them; for if they had bought bread or other +victuals of any of their neighbours, the priests threatened them so with +curses, that they would run and fetch it from them again. But Colonel +Ashfield being a justice of peace in that country, put a stop to the +priests’ proceedings. This Colonel Ashfield was afterwards convinced +himself, had a meeting settled at his house, declared the truth, and +lived and died in it. + +After I had visited Friends at Heads and thereaways, and had encouraged +them in the Lord, I went to GLASGOW, where a meeting was appointed; but +not one of the town came to it. As I went into the city, the guard at +the gates took me before the governor, who was a moderate man. Much +discourse I had with him; but he was too light to receive the truth, yet +he set me at liberty; so I passed to the meeting. But seeing none of the +town’s-people came, we declared truth through the town, and so passed +away; and having visited Friends in their meetings thereabouts, returned +towards BADCOW. Several Friends declared truth in their steeple-houses, +and the Lord’s power was with them. + +Once as I was going with William Osburn to his house, there lay a +company of rude fellows by the way-side, hid under the hedges and in +bushes. Seeing them, I asked him, “what they were?” “O,” said he, “they +are thieves.” Robert Widders, being moved to go and speak to a priest, +was left behind, intending to come after. So I said to William Osburn, +“I will stay here in this valley, and do thou go look after Robert +Widders;” but he was unwilling to go, being afraid to leave me there +alone, because of those fellows, till I told him, “I feared them not.” +Then I called to them, asking them, “what they lay lurking there for,” +and I bid them come to me; but they were loath to come. I charged them +to come up to me, or else it might be worse with them; then they came +trembling, for the dread of the Lord had struck them. I admonished them +to be honest, and directed them to the light of Christ in their hearts, +that by it they might see what an evil it was to follow after theft and +robbery; and the power of the Lord came over them. I stayed there till +William Osburn and Robert Widders came up, and then we passed on +together. But it is likely that, if we two had gone away before, they +would have robbed Robert Widders when he had come after alone, there +being three or four of them. + +We went to William Osburn’s house, where we had a good opportunity to +declare the truth to several people that came in. Then we went among the +Highlanders, who were so devilish they had like to have spoiled us and +our horses; for they ran at us with pitch-forks; but through the Lord’s +goodness we escaped them, being preserved by his power. + +Thence we passed to STIRLING, where the soldiers took us up, and had us +to the main-guard. After a few words with the officers, the Lord’s power +coming over them, we were set at liberty: but no meeting could we get +amongst them in the town, they were so closed up in darkness. Next +morning there came a man with a horse that was to run a race, and most +of the town’s-people and officers went to see it. As they came back from +the race, I had a brave opportunity to declare the day of the Lord, and +his word of life amongst them. Some confessed to it, and some opposed; +but the Lord’s truth and power came over them all. + +Leaving Stirling, we came to BURNTISLAND, where I had two meetings at +one Captain Pool’s house; one in the morning, the other in the +afternoon. Whilst they went to dine, I walked to the seaside, not having +freedom to eat with them. Both he and his wife were convinced, and +became good Friends afterwards, and several officers of the army came in +and received the truth. + +We passed thence through several other places, till we came to +JOHNSTONS, where were several Baptists that were very bitter, and came +in a rage to dispute with us: vain janglers and disputers indeed they +were. When they could not prevail by disputing, they went and informed +the governor against us; and next morning raised a whole company of +foot, and banished me, and Alexander Parker, also James Lancaster, and +Robert Widders out of the town. As they guarded us through the town, +James Lancaster was moved to sing with a melodious sound in the power of +God; and I was moved to proclaim the day of the Lord, and preach the +everlasting gospel to the people. For they generally came forth, so that +the streets were filled with them: and the soldiers were so ashamed that +they said, “they would rather have gone to Jamaica, than have guarded us +so.” But we were put into a boat with our horses, carried over the +water, and there left. The Baptists, who were the cause of our being put +out of this town, were themselves, not long after, turned out of the +army; and he that was then governor was discarded also when the king +came in. + +Being thus thrust out of Johnstons, we went to another market-town, +where Edward Billing[56] and many soldiers quartered. We went to an inn, +and desired to have a meeting in the town, that we might preach the +everlasting gospel amongst them. The officers and soldiers said, we +should have it in the town-hall; but the Scotch magistrates in spite +appointed a meeting there that day for the business of the town. When +the officers of the soldiery understood this, and perceived that it was +done in malice, they would have had us to go into the town-hall +nevertheless. But we told them, “by no means, for then the magistrates +might inform the governor against them, and say, they took the town-hall +from them by force, when they were to do their town business therein.” +We told them, “we would go to the market-place;” they said, “it was +market-day;” we replied, “it was so much the better; for we would have +all people to hear truth, and know our principles.” Alexander Parker +went and stood upon the market-cross with a Bible in his hand, and +declared the truth amongst the soldiers and market-people; but the +Scots, being a dark, carnal people, gave little heed, and hardly took +notice of what was said. After a while I was moved of the Lord to stand +up at the cross, and declare with a loud voice the everlasting truth, +and the day of the Lord that was coming upon all sin and wickedness. +Whereupon the people came running out of the town-hall, and they +gathered so together, that at last we had a large meeting; for they sat +in the court only for a pretence, to hinder us from having the hall to +meet in. When the people were come away, the magistrates followed them. +Some walked by, but some stayed and heard; and the Lord’s power came +over all, and kept all quiet. “The people were turned to the Lord Jesus +Christ, who died for them, and had enlightened them, that with his light +they might see their evil deeds, be saved from their sins by him, and +come to know him to be their teacher. But if they would not receive +Christ and own him, it was told them, that this light, which came from +him, would be their condemnation.” + +Footnote 56: + + Edward Billing was a faithful sufferer for the truth. Henry Fell, in a + letter to Margaret Fell, in 1660, mentions Friends being beat very + sore, and exceedingly abused in the streets. “They pulled me out of + meeting,” he says, “beat me much, knocked me down in the street, and + tore all my coat. Edward Billing and his wife were much abused, he + especially.” + + Edward Billing was one of the three Friends, who, in 1659, appeared + before the bar of the House of Commons, to present an address + describing the sufferings of Friends, and signed by 164 of the + Society, wherein they make an offer of their own bodies, person for + person, to lie in prison instead of such of their brethren as were + then under confinement, and might be in danger of their lives through + extreme durance. (See _Letters of Early Friends_, pp. 62–68.) Although + little or no apparent effect appeared to be produced at the time in + the House from the above-mentioned appeal, it appears, from the + journals of the Commons in the month following, a committee was + appointed, “to consider of the imprisonment of such persons who + continue committed for conscience sake, and how, and in what manner + they are, and continue committed, together with the whole cause + thereof, and how they may be discharged; and to report the same to the + Parliament.” + +Several of them were made loving to us, especially the English people, +and some came afterwards to be convinced. But there was a soldier that +was very envious against us; he hated both us and the truth, spoke evil +of it, and very despitefully against the light of Christ Jesus, to which +we bore testimony. Mighty zealous he was for the priests and their +hearers. As this man was hearing the priest, holding his hat before his +face, while the priest prayed, one of the priest’s hearers stabbed him +to death; so he who had rejected the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, +and cried down the servants of the Lord, was murdered amongst them whom +he had so cried up, and by one of them. + +We travelled from this town to LEITH, warning and exhorting people, as +we went, to turn to the Lord. At Leith the innkeeper told me, that the +council had granted warrants to apprehend me, “because I was not gone +out of the nation, after the seven days were expired, that they had +ordered me to depart in.” Several friendly people also came and told me +the same; to whom I said, “What do ye tell me of their warrants against +me? if there were a cart-load of them I do not heed them, for the Lord’s +power is over them all.” + +I went from Leith to EDINBURGH again, where they said the warrants of +the council were out against me. I went to the inn where I had lodged +before, and no man offered to meddle with me. After I had visited +Friends in the city, I desired those that travelled with me, to get +ready their horses in the morning, and we rode out of town together; +there were with me at that time, Thomas Rawlinson, Alexander Parker, and +Robert Widders. When we were out of town they asked me, “whither I would +go?” I told them it was upon me from the Lord to go back again to +Johnstons (the town out of which we had been lately thrust,) to set the +power of God and his truth over them also. Alexander Parker said, “he +would go along with me;” and I wished the other two to stay at a town, +about three miles from Edinburgh, till we returned. Then Alexander and I +got over the water, about three miles across, and rode through the +country; but in the afternoon, his horse being weak, and not able to +hold up with mine, I put on and got into Johnstons just as they were +drawing up the bridges; the officers and soldiers never questioning me. +I rode up the street to Captain Davenport’s house, from which we had +been banished. There were many officers with him; and when I came +amongst them, they lifted up their hands, wondering that I should come +again; but I told them, “the Lord God had sent me amongst them again;” +so they went their way. The Baptists sent me a letter, by way of +challenge, “to discourse with me next day.” I sent them word, “I would +meet them at such a house, about half a mile out of the town, at such an +hour.” For I considered, if I should stay in town to discourse with +them, they might under pretence of discoursing with me, have raised men +to put me out of the town again as they had done before. At the time +appointed I went to the place, Captain Davenport and his son +accompanying me, where I stayed some hours, but not one of them came. +While I stayed there waiting for them, I saw Alexander Parker coming; +who not being able to reach the town, had lain out the night before; and +I was exceedingly glad that we were met again. + +This Captain Davenport was then loving to Friends; but afterwards coming +more into obedience to truth, he was turned out of his place for not +putting off his hat, and for saying Thou and Thee to them. + +When we had waited beyond reasonable ground to expect any of them +coming, we departed; and Alexander Parker being moved to go again to the +town, where we had the meeting at the market-cross, I passed alone to +Lieutenant Foster’s quarters, where I found several officers that were +convinced. From thence I went up to the town, where I had left the other +two Friends, and we went back to EDINBURGH together. + +When we were come to the city, I bid Robert Widders follow me; and in +the dread and power of the Lord we came up to the first two sentries; +and the Lord’s power came so over them, that we passed by them without +any examination. Then we rode up the street to the marketplace, by the +main-guard out at the gate by the third sentry, and so clear out at the +suburbs, and there came to an inn and set up our horses, it being the +seventh-day of the week. Now I saw and felt that we had rode, as it +were, against the cannon’s mouth, or the sword’s point; but the Lord’s +power and immediate hand carried us over the heads of them all. Next day +I went to the meeting in the city, Friends having notice that I would +attend it. There came many officers and soldiers to it, and a glorious +meeting it was; the everlasting power of God was set over the nation, +and his Son reigned in his glorious power. All was quiet, and no man +offered to meddle with me. When the meeting was ended, and I had visited +Friends, I came out of the city to my inn again; and next day, being the +second day of the week, we set forward towards the borders of England. + +As we travelled along the country I spied a steeple-house, and it struck +at my life. I asked “what steeple-house it was,” and was answered that +it was DUNBAR. When I came thither, and had put up at an inn, I walked +to the steeple-house, having a friend or two with me. When we came into +the yard, one of the chief men of the town was walking there. I spoke to +one of the friends that were with me, to go to him and tell him, “that +about nine next morning there would be a meeting there of the people of +God called Quakers; of which we desired he would give notice to the +people of the town.” He sent me word, that they were to have a lecture +there at nine; but that we might have our meeting there at eight, if we +would. We concluded so, and desired him to give notice of it. +Accordingly in the morning both poor and rich came; and there being a +captain of horse quartered in the town, he and his troopers came also, +so that we had a large meeting; and a glorious one it was, the Lord’s +power being over all. + +After some time the priest came, and went into the steeple-house; but we +being in the yard, most of the people stayed with us. Friends were so +full, and their voices so high in the power of God, that the priest +could do little in the steeple-house, but came quickly out again, stood +a while, and then went his way. I opened to the people, “where they +might find Christ Jesus, turned them to the light, which he had +enlightened them withal, that in the light they might see Christ, that +died for them, turn to him, and know him to be their Saviour and free +teacher. I let them see, that all the teachers they had hitherto +followed, were hirelings, who made the gospel chargeable; showed them +the wrong ways they had walked in, in the night of apostacy, directed +them to Christ, the new and living way to God; manifested unto them, how +they had lost the religion and worship which Christ set up in spirit and +truth, and had hitherto been in the religions and worships of men’s +making and setting up. After I had turned the people to the Spirit of +God, which led the holy men of God to give forth the Scriptures; and +showed them, that they must also come to receive, and be led by, the +same Spirit in themselves (a measure of which was given unto every one +of them), if ever they came to know God and Christ, and the Scriptures +aright; perceiving the other Friends that were with me to be full of the +power and word of the Lord, I stepped down, giving way for them to +declare what they had from the Lord unto the people.” + +Towards the latter end of the meeting some professors began to jangle; +whereupon I stood up again, and answered their questions, so that they +seemed to be satisfied, and our meeting ended in the Lord’s power, quiet +and peaceable. This was the last meeting I had in Scotland; the truth +and the power of God was set over that nation, and many, by the power +and Spirit of God, were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, their Saviour +and teacher, whose blood was shed for them; and there is since a great +increase, and great there will be in Scotland. For when first I set my +horse’s feet upon Scottish ground, I felt the seed of God to sparkle +about me, like innumerable sparks of fire. Not but that there is +abundance of thick, cloddy earth of hypocrisy and falseness above, and a +briery, brambly nature, which is to be burnt up with God’s Word, and +ploughed up with his spiritual plough, before God’s Seed brings forth +heavenly and spiritual fruit to his glory. But the husbandman is to wait +in patience. + + + + + CHAPTER XII. + +1657-1659.—George Fox journeys from Scotland to England—dissuades a + person from setting up a college at Durham to make ministers—has a + meeting with Rice Jones and his people—attends a general Yearly + Meeting for the whole nation, held at John Crook’s, which continued + three days—address to Friends in the ministry—disputes with a + Jesuit—writes to Lady Claypole—writes to Cromwell respecting the + fast on account of persecution abroad, whilst there was much of it + at home—writes a reproof to Parliament for their hypocrisy—speaks to + the Protector in Hampton-Court Park about Friends’ sufferings—the + Protector invites Fox to his house—he goes next day, but the + Protector being sick he does not see him—the Protector died soon + after—writes to encourage Friends to faithfulness—has a foresight of + the King’s restoration long before the event occurred, as well as + several others—Friends are disseized of their copyhold lands for + refusing to swear—cautions Friends to avoid plots, &c.—against + bearing arms—great places in the army are offered to Friends, but + invariably refused—priest Townsend fails to substantiate his charge + of error and blasphemy against George Fox, and is signally + defeated—George Fox’s vision of the city of London is realized—he + gives a final warning to those in authority before their overthrow. + + +From Dunbar we came to BERWICK, where we were questioned a little by the +officers: but the governor was loving towards us; and in the evening we +had a little meeting, in which the power of the Lord was manifested over +all. + +Leaving Berwick, we came to MORPETH, and so through the country, +visiting Friends, to NEWCASTLE, where I had been once before. The +Newcastle priests had written many books against us; and one Ledger, an +alderman of the town, was very envious against truth and Friends. He and +the priests had said, “the Quakers would not come into any great towns, +but lived in the Fells, like butterflies.” So I took Anthony Pearson +with me, and went to this Ledger, and several others of the aldermen, +“desiring to have a meeting amongst them, seeing they had written so +many books against us, for we were now come, I told them, into their +great town.” But they would not allow we should have a meeting, neither +would they be spoken to withal, save only this Ledger and one other. I +queried, “had they not called Friends butterflies, and said, we would +not come into any great towns? and now we were come into their town, +they would not hear us, though they had printed books against us; ‘Who +are the butterflies now?’” said I. Then Ledger began to plead for the +Sabbath-day; but I told him they kept markets and fairs on that which +was the Sabbath-day, for that was the seventh day of the week; whereas +that day, which the professed Christians now met on, and call their +Sabbath, is the first day of the week. As we could not have a public +meeting among them, we got a little one among Friends and friendly +people, at Gateshead; where a meeting is continued to this day, in the +name of Jesus. As I was passing by the market-place, the power of the +Lord rose in me, “to warn them of the day of the Lord, that was coming +upon them.” And not long after, all those priests of Newcastle and their +profession, were turned out, when the king came in. + +From Newcastle we travelled through the countries, having meetings and +visiting Friends as we went, in Northumberland and Durham. A very good +one we had at Lieutenant Dove’s, where many were turned to the Lord and +his teaching. After the meeting I went to visit a justice of peace, a +very sober, loving man, who confessed to the truth. + +Thence we came to DURHAM, where was a man come from London, to set up a +college there, to make ministers of Christ, as they said. I went, with +some others, to reason with him, and to let him see, “that to teach men +Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, and the seven arts, which were all but the +teachings of the natural man, was not the way to make them ministers of +Christ. For the languages began at Babel; and to the Greeks, that spoke +Greek, as their mother-tongue, the preaching of the cross of Christ was +foolishness; and to the Jews, that spoke Hebrew as their mother-tongue, +Christ was a stumbling-block. The Romans, who had the Latin, persecuted +the Christians; and Pilate, one of the Roman governors, set Hebrew, +Greek, and Latin over Christ, when he crucified him. So he might see the +many languages began at Babel, and they set them above Christ, the Word, +when they crucified him. John the divine, who preached the Word, that +was in the beginning, said, ‘that the beast and the whore have power +over tongues and languages, and they are as waters.’ Thus I told him he +might see, the whore and beast have power over the tongues and the many +languages which are in mystery Babylon; for they began at Babel; and the +persecutors of Christ Jesus set them over him, when he was crucified by +them; but he is risen above them all, who was before them all. ‘Now,’ +said I, to this man, ‘dost thou think to make ministers of Christ by +these natural, confused languages, which sprung from Babel, are admired +in Babylon, and set above Christ, the Life, by a persecutor?’ O no!” The +man confessed to many of these things. Then we showed him further, “that +Christ made his ministers himself, gave gifts unto them, and bid them +‘pray to the Lord of the harvest, to send forth labourers.’ And Peter +and John, though unlearned and ignorant (as to school-learning) preached +Christ Jesus, the Word, which was in the beginning, before Babel was. +Paul also was made an apostle, not of man, nor by man, neither received +he the gospel from man, but from Jesus Christ, who is the same now, and +so is his gospel, as it was at that day.” When we had thus discoursed +with the man, he became very loving and tender; and, after he had +considered further of it, declined to set up his college. + +From Durham we went to Anthony Pearson’s: thence into CLEVELAND, passed +through Yorkshire to the further end of HOLDERNESS, and had mighty +meetings, the Lord’s power accompanying us. + +After we left Anthony Pearson’s, we went by HULL and PONTEFRACT, to +George Watkinson’s house, and visited most of the meetings in those +parts, till we came to SCALE-HOUSE, and so to SWARTHMORE; the +everlasting power and arm of God carrying us through and preserving us. +After I had visited Friends thereaways, I passed into Yorkshire again, +and Cheshire, and so through other counties into Derbyshire and +Nottinghamshire: glorious meetings we had, the Lord’s presence being +with us. + +At NOTTINGHAM I sent to Rice Jones, desiring him to make his people +acquainted, that I had something to say to them from the Lord. He came +and told me, “many of them lived in the country, and he could not tell +how to send to them.” I told him, “he might acquaint those about the +town of it, and send to as many in the country as he could.” Next day we +met at the castle, there being about fourscore people, to whom I +declared the truth for about two hours; and the Lord’s power was over +them all, so that they were not able to open their mouths in opposition. +When I had done, one of them asked me a question, which I was loath to +answer, for I saw it might lead to dispute, and I was unwilling to go +into jangling, for some of the people were tender; yet I could not well +tell how to escape it. Wherefore I answered the question, and was moved +forthwith to speak to Rice Jones, and lay before him, “that he had been +the man that had scattered such as had been tender, and some that had +been convinced, and had been led out of many vanities of the world, +which he had formerly judged; but now he judged the power of God in +them, and they, being simple, turned to him; and so he and they were +turned to be vainer than the world: for many of his followers were +become the greatest foot-ball players and wrestlers in the country. I +told him, it was the serpent in him, that had scattered, and done hurt +to such as were tender towards the Lord. Nevertheless, if he waited in +the fear of God, for the Seed of the woman, Christ Jesus, to bruise the +serpent’s head in him, that had scattered and done the hurt, he might +come to gather them again by this heavenly Seed; though it would be a +hard work for him to gather them again out of those vanities he had led +them into.” At this Rice Jones said, “Thou liest, it is not the Seed of +the woman that bruises the serpent’s head.” “No!” said I, “what is it +then?” “I say it is the law,” said he. “But,” said I, “the Scripture, +speaking of the Seed of the woman, saith, ‘It shall bruise thy head, and +thou shalt bruise his heel.’ Now, hath the law an heel,” said I, “to be +bruised?” Then Rice Jones and all his company were at a stand, and I was +moved in the power of the Lord to speak to him, and say, “This Seed, +Jesus Christ, the Seed of the woman, which should bruise the serpent’s +head, shall bruise thy head, and break you all to pieces.” Thus did I +leave on the heads of them the Seed, Christ; and not long after he and +his company scattered to pieces, several of whom came to be Friends, and +stand to this day. Many of them had been convinced about eight years +before, but had been led aside by this Rice Jones; for they denied the +inward cross, the power of God, and so went into vanity. + +It was about eight years since I had been formerly amongst them; in +which time I was to pass over them, and by them, seeing they had +slighted the Lord’s truth and power, and the visitation of his love unto +them. But now I was moved to go to them again, and it was of great +service, for many of them were brought to the Lord Jesus Christ, and +were settled upon him, sitting down under his teaching and feeding, +where they were kept fresh and green; and the others that would not be +gathered to him, soon after withered. This was that Rice Jones who some +years before had said, “I was then at the highest, and should fall.” +But, poor man! he little thought how near his own fall was. + +We left Nottingham, and went into WARWICKSHIRE, and thence passing +through some parts of NORTHAMPTONSHIRE and LEICESTERSHIRE, visiting +Friends, and having meetings with them as we travelled, came into +BEDFORDSHIRE, where we had large gatherings in the name of Jesus. After +some time we came to John Crook’s house, where a general YEARLY MEETING +for the whole nation was appointed to be held.[57] This meeting lasted +three days, and many Friends from most parts of the nation came to it; +so that the inns and towns around were filled, for many thousands of +people were at it. And although there was some disturbance by rude +people that had run out from truth; yet the Lord’s power came over all, +and a glorious meeting it was. The everlasting gospel was preached, and +many received it, which brought life and immortality to light in them, +and shined over all. + +Footnote 57: + + The first Yearly Meeting of the Society appears to have been held in + 1658, at Scalehouse, about three miles from Skipton. At that meeting + the subject of the visit of Friends “beyond the sea,” claimed much + attention, and it was agreed to recommend a general collection in aid + of these gospel missions. An epistle was issued to that effect, and + the appeal was liberally responded to, and considering the value of + money at that period, a large amount was raised. The epistle, with + particulars of the collection and its disbursement, may be seen in + Bowden’s _History of Friends in America_, vol. i., p. 58-60. + + Yearly Meetings were held in different parts of England to the number + of twenty-six, at which were reported the number of prisoners; the + various sufferings on account of the Truth; those who died for it; and + the number of ministers deceased. The affairs of truth were also + considered, and the members of the church had blessed opportunities of + heavenly correspondence and fellowship, one with another. For full + particulars of the setting up of General and Yearly Meetings, and of + the institution and objects of the Discipline in the Society, see + _Letters, &c., of Early Friends_, part ii., pp. 275-353. + +I was moved by the power and Spirit of the Lord, to open unto them “the +promise of God, that it was made to the Seed, not to seeds, as many, but +to One, which Seed was Christ; and that all people, both male and +female, should feel this Seed in them, which was heir of the promise; +that so they might all witness Christ in them, the hope of glory, the +mystery, which had been hid from ages and generations, which was +revealed to the apostles, and is revealed again now, after this long +night of apostacy. So that all might come up into this Seed, Christ +Jesus, and walk in it, and sit down together in the heavenly places in +Christ Jesus, who was the foundation of the prophets and apostles, and +the rock of ages; and is our foundation now. All sitting down in him, +sit down in the substance, the first and the last, that changes not, the +Seed that bruises the serpent’s head, and was before he was; who ends +all types, figures, and shadows, and is the substance of them all; in +whom there is no shadow.” Now these things were upon me to open unto +all, that they might mind and see what it is they sit down in. + +“For, First, They that sit down in Adam in the fall, sit down in misery, +in death, in darkness, and corruption. + +“Secondly, They that sit down in types, figures, and shadows, and under +the first priesthood, law, and covenant, sit down in that which must +have an end, and which made nothing perfect. + +“Thirdly, They that sit down in the apostacy, that hath got up since the +apostles’ days, sit down in spiritual Sodom and Egypt, and are drinking +of the whore’s cup, under the beast’s and dragon’s power. + +“Fourthly, They that sit down in the state in which Adam was before he +fell, sit down in that which may be fallen from; for he fell from that +state, though it was perfect. + +“Fifthly, They that sit down in the prophets, sit down in that which +must be fulfilled; and they that sit down in the fellowship of water, +bread, and wine, these being temporal things, sit down in that which is +short of Christ, and of his baptism. + +“Sixthly, To sit down in a profession of all the Scriptures, from +Genesis to Revelations, and not to be in the power and Spirit which they +were in, that gave them forth; that was to be turned away from, by them +that came into the power and Spirit which they were in that gave forth +the Scriptures. + +“Seventhly, They that sit down in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, sit +down in him that never fell nor ever changed. Here is the safe sitting +for all his elect, his church, his spiritual members, of which he is the +living head, his living stones, the household of faith; of which house +he is the corner-stone, that stands and abides all weathers. ‘For,’ as +the apostle said, ‘he hath quickened us, who were dead in sins and +trespasses, &c., and made us to sit together in heavenly places in +Christ Jesus; that in ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of +his grace, in his kindness towards us through Jesus Christ.’ Now, the +ages are come, that his kindness and exceeding riches towards us through +Jesus Christ, are truly manifested in us, as in the apostles’ days, even +in us, who have been dead in sins and trespasses as they were, but now +are quickened, and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ +Jesus, the First and the Last, by whom all things were created; who is +ascended above all, and is over all, and whose glorious presence is now +known. All that sit down here in Christ Jesus, see where all other +people sit, and in what. + +“The promise of God being to the Seed, which is one, Christ Jesus, every +man and woman must come to witness this Seed, _Christ in them_, that +they may be heirs of the promise; and inheriting that, they will inherit +substance. These things were largely declared of; the state of the +church, the state of the false church since the apostles’ days, opened; +and how the true church fled into the wilderness; and the state of the +false prophets, which Christ said should come, and John saw were come, +and how all the world wondered after them; how they had filled the world +with false doctrines, ways, worships, and religions; and how the +everlasting gospel was now preached again to all nations, kindreds, +tongues, and people; for all they had drunk the whore’s cup, and she was +over them, and sat upon them. In this night of apostacy, the pure +religion and worship in Spirit, which was in the apostles’ days, the way +of life and living faith, and the power and Holy Ghost were lost; but +now they came to be set up again by Christ Jesus, his messengers and +ministers of the gospel, as in the apostles’ days. For as Christ sent +his disciples to go and preach the gospel in all the world, and after +that the false prophets and antichrists went over the world, and +preached their false doctrines and traditions, and heathenish and Jewish +rudiments: so now again, the everlasting gospel must be preached to all +nations, and to every creature, that they may come into the pure +religion, to worship God in Spirit and in truth, that they may know +Christ Jesus, their way to God, and him to be the author of their faith, +and receive the gospel from heaven, and not from men; in which gospel, +received from heaven, is the heavenly fellowship, which is a mystery to +all the fellowships in the world.” Now after these things had been +largely opened, with many other things concerning Christ Jesus and his +kingdom, and the people were turned to the divine light of Christ, and +his Spirit, by which they might come both to know God and Christ, and +the Scriptures, and to have fellowship with them, and one with another +in the same Spirit, I was moved to declare and open many other things to +those Friends who had received a part of the ministry, concerning the +exercise of their spiritual gifts in the church; which, being taken in +writing by one that was present, was after this manner:— + + “FRIENDS, + + “Take heed of destroying that which ye have begotten; for that which + destroys, goes out, and is the cast-away. And though that be true, + yea, and may be the pure truth which such a one speaks, yet if he doth + not remain in that, and live in that in his own particular, but goes + out, the same which he is gone out from, cometh over him. So that + which calms and cools the spirits, goes over the world, and brings to + the Father, to inherit the life eternal: and reaches to the spirits in + prison in all. Therefore in the living, immoveable word of the Lord + God dwell, and in the renown thereof; and remain on the foundation + that is pure, and that is sure: for whosoever goes out from the pure, + and ministers not in and from that, comes to an end, and doth not + remain; though he may have had a time, and may have been serviceable + for a time, while he lived in the thing. + + “Take heed of many words; what reacheth to the life, settles in the + life. That which cometh from the life, and is received from God, + reaches to the life, and settles others in the life: for the work is + not now as it was at first; the work now is, to settle and stay in the + life. For as Friends have been led to minister in the power, and the + power hath gone through, so that there hath grown an understanding + among both people of the world and Friends; so Friends must be kept in + the life which is pure, that with that they may answer the pure life + of God in others. If Friends do not live in the pure life which they + speak of, to answer the life in those they speak to, the other part + steps in; and so there comes up an outward acquaintance, and such let + that come over them. But as every one is kept living in the life of + God, over all that which is contrary, they are in their places; then + they do not lay hands on any suddenly, which is the danger now; for if + any one do, he may lose his discerning, and may lay hands on the wrong + part, and so let the deceit come too near him; and the deceit will + steal over, so that it will be a hard thing for him to overcome it. + There is no one who strikes his fellow-servants, but first he is gone + from the pure in his own particular; for when he goeth from the light + he is enlightened withal, then he strikes; and then he hath his + reward; the light which he is gone from, Christ, comes and gives him + his reward. This is the state of the evil servants; the boisterous, + the hasty, and rash, beget nothing to God; but the life, which doth + reach the life, is that which begets to God. When all are settled in + the life, they are in that which remains for ever: and what is + received there, is received from the Lord; and what one receiveth from + the Lord, he keepeth; and so he sitteth still, and cool, and quiet in + his own spirit, and gives it forth as he is moved; but to the harlots, + judgment. + + “Friends, this is the word of the Lord to you all, be watchful and + careful in all meetings ye come into; for where Friends are sitting + together in silence, they are many times gathered into their own + measures. When a man is come newly out of the world, from ministering + to the world’s people, he cometh out of the mire; and then he had need + take heed that he be not rash. For now, when he comes into a silent + meeting, that is another state; then he must come, and feel his own + spirit, how it is, when he comes to them that sit silent. If he be + rash, they will judge him, that having been in the world, and amongst + the world, the heat is not yet off him. For he may come in the heat of + his spirit out of the world; whereas the others are still and cool; + and his condition in that not being agreeable to theirs, he may rather + do them hurt, by begetting them out of the cool state into the heating + state, if he be not in that which commands his own spirit, and gives + him to know it. + + “There is a great danger too in travelling abroad in the world. The + same power that moves any to go forth, is that which must keep them. + For it is the greatest danger to go abroad, except a man be moved of + the Lord, and go in the power of the Lord; for then, he keeping in the + power, is kept by it in his journey, and in his work; and it will + enable him to answer the transgressed, and keep above the + transgressor. Every one feeling the danger to his own particular in + travelling abroad, there the pure fear of the Lord will be placed, and + kept in. Though they that travel may have openings when they are + abroad, to minister to others, yet, for their own particular growth, + they must dwell in the life which doth open; and that will keep down + that which would boast. For the minister comes into the death to that + which is in the death and in prison, and so returns up again into the + life, and into the power, and into the wisdom, to preserve him clean. + + “This is the word of the Lord God to you all; feel that ye stand in + the presence of the Lord: for every man’s word shall be his burden; + but the Word of the Lord is pure, and answers the pure in everyone. + The Word of the Lord is that which was in the beginning, and brings to + the beginning. It is a hammer, to beat down the transgressor (not the + transgressed), and as a fire to burn up that which is contrary to it. + Friends, come into that which is over all the spirits of the world, + fathoms all the spirits of the world, and stands in the patience; with + that, ye may see where others stand, and reach that which is of God in + everyone. Here is no strife, no contention, out of transgression; for + he that goeth into strife, and into contention, is from the pure + Spirit. For where any goeth into contention, if anything hath been + begotten by him before, then that contentious nature doth get a-head, + spoileth that which was begotten, and quencheth his own prophesying. + So if that which would arise into strife, be not subjected by the + power in the particular, that is dangerous. + + “If any have a moving to any place, and have spoken what they were + moved of the Lord, let them return unto their habitation again, and + live in the pure life of God, and in the fear of the Lord; so will ye + be kept in the life—in the solid and seasoned spirit, and preach as + well in life, as with words (for none must be light or wild). For the + Seed of God is weighty, brings to be solid, and leads into the wisdom + of God, by which the wisdom of the creation is known. But if that part + be up, which runs into imaginations, and that part be standing, in + which the imaginations come up, and the pure spirit be not thoroughly + come up to rule and reign, then that will run out, that will glory, + boast, and vapour; and so will such a one spoil that which opened to + him: this is for condemnation. Let every one mind that, which feels + through and commands his spirit, whereby every one may know what + spirit he is of; for he should first try his own spirit, and then he + may try others; he should first know his own spirit, and then he may + know others. Therefore that which doth command all these spirits, + where the heats and burnings come in and get up, in that wait, which + chains them down and cools: that is the elect, the heir of the promise + of God. For no hasty, rash, brittle spirits (though they have + prophecies) have held out, and gone through, they not being subjected + in the prophecy. The earthly will not abide, for it is brittle; and in + that state the ministry was another’s, not the Son’s; for the Son hath + life in himself, and the Son hath the power, which man being obedient + to, he may be serviceable; but if he go from the pure power, he falls, + and abuses it. Therefore let your faith stand in the pure power of the + Lord God, and do not abuse it; but let that search through, and work + through; and let every one stand in the power of the Lord, which + reacheth the seed of God; which is the heir of the promise of life + without end. Let none be hasty to speak; for ye have time enough, and + with an eye ye may reach the witness: neither let any be backward when + ye are moved; for that brings destruction. + + “Now, truth hath an honour in the hearts of those who are not Friends; + so that all Friends being kept in the truth, they are kept in the + honour, they are honourable, for that will honour them; but if any + lose the power, they lose the life, they lose their crown, they lose + their honour, they lose the cross, which should crucify them, and they + crucify the just; and by losing the power, the Lamb comes to be slain. + And as it is here, so will it be in other nations; for all Friends, + here and there, are as one family; the seed, the plants, they are as a + family. Now all being kept in that which subjects all, and keeps all + under, to wit, the Seed itself, the life itself, that is the heir of + the promise; that is the bond of peace; for there is the unity in the + Spirit with God, and with one another. For he that is kept in the + life, hears God, and sees man’s condition; and with that he answers + the life in others, that hear God also; thus one Friend that is come + into that, comprehends the world. But that which Friends speak, they + must live in; so may they expect, that others may come into that which + they speak, to live in the same. For the power of the Lord God hath + been abused by some, and the worth of truth hath not been minded; + there hath been a trampling on, and marring with the feet, and that + abuseth the power. But now every Friend is to keep in the power, and + to take heed to it; for that must be kept down, which would trample + and mar with the feet, and the pure life and power of God is to be + lived in over that, that none with the feet may foul or mar, but every + one may be kept in the pure power and life of the Lord. Then the water + of life cometh in; then he that ministereth, drinketh himself, and + giveth others to drink. + + “When any shall be moved to go and speak in a steeple-house or market, + turn in to that which moves, and be obedient to it, that that which + would not go, may be kept down; for that which would not go, will be + apt to get up. And take heed on the other hand, that the lavishing + part do not get up, for it is a bad savour; therefore that must be + kept down, and be kept subject. Wait in the light of the Lord, that ye + may be all kept in the wisdom of God. For when the Seed is up in every + particular, there is no danger; but when there is an opening and + prophecy, and the power stirs before the seed comes up, then there is + something that will be apt to run out rashly; there is the danger, and + there must be the patience in the fear. For it is a weighty thing to + be in the work of the ministry of the Lord God, and to go forth in + that. It is not as a customary preaching; but it is to bring people to + the end of all outward preaching. For when ye have declared the truth + to the people, and they have received it, and are come into that which + ye speak of, the uttering of many words, and long declarations out of + the life, may beget them into a form. And if any should run on rashly + into words again, without the savour of life, then they that are come + into the thing that he spoke of, will judge him; whereby he may hurt + again that which he had raised up before. So Friends, ye must all come + into the thing that is spoken in the openings of the heavenly life + among you, and walk in the love of God, that ye may answer the thing + spoken to. + + “And take heed all of running into inordinate affections; for when + people come to own you, there is danger of the wrong part getting up. + There was a strife among the disciples of Christ, who should be the + greatest; Christ told them, ‘The heathen exercise lordship, and have + dominion over one another; but it shall not be so among you.’ For + Christ the Seed was to come up in every one of them; so then, where is + the greatest? for that part in the disciples which looked to be the + greatest, was the same that was in the Gentiles. But as any one comes + here, to live in the word that sanctified him, having the heart + sanctified, the tongue and lips sanctified, living in the word of + wisdom that makes clean the heart, and reconciles to God, all things + being upheld by the Word and power;—as there is an abiding in the Word + of God, that upholds times and seasons, and gives all things increase, + and a dwelling in the Word of wisdom; if there be but two or three + agreed in this on earth, it shall be done for them in heaven. So in + this must all things be ordered by the Word of wisdom and power, that + upholds all things, the times and the seasons, that are in the + Father’s hand, to the glory of God, whereby his blessing may be felt + among you; and this brings to the beginning. So this is the word of + the Lord God to you all, Keep down, keep low, that nothing may rule or + reign in you, but life itself. + + “Now, the power being lived in, the cross is lived in; and wherever + Friends come in this, they draw the power and the life over; they + leave a witness behind them, answering the witness of God in others. + And where this is lived in, there is no want of wisdom, of power, of + knowledge; but he that ministereth in this, seeth with the eye which + the Lord openeth in him, what is for the fire, and what for the sword, + what must be fed with judgment, and what be nourished. This brings all + down, and to be low, every one keeping to the power; for let a man get + up ever so high, yet he must come down again to the power, where he + left; what he went from, he must come down again to that. Before all + these wicked spirits be got down, which are rambling abroad, Friends + must have patience, must wait in patience, in the cool life; and he + who is in this, doing the work of the Lord, hath the tasting and the + feeling of the Lamb’s power and authority. Therefore all Friends, keep + cool and quiet in the power of the Lord God; and all that is contrary + will be subjected; the Lamb hath the victory, in the Seed, through the + patience. + + “If any have been moved to speak, and have quenched that which moved + them, let none such go forth afterwards into words, until they feel + the power arise and move them thereto again; for after the first + motion is quenched, the other part will be apt to get up; and if any + go forth in that, he goeth forth in his own, and the betrayer will + come into that. And all Friends, be careful not to meddle with the + powers of the earth; but keep out of all such things; and as ye keep + in the Lamb’s authority, ye will answer that of God in them, and bring + them to do justice, which is the end of the law. Keep out of all + jangling; for all that are in the transgression, are out from the law + of love, but all that are in the law of love, come to the Lamb’s + power, in the Lamb’s authority, who is the end of the law outward. For + the law being added because of transgression, Christ, who was + glorified with the Father, before the world began, is the end of the + law, bringing them that live in the law of life, to live over all + transgression; which every one must feel in himself.” + +More was then spoken to many of these particulars, which was not taken +at large as delivered. + +After this meeting was over, and most of the Friends were gone away, as +I was walking in John Crook’s garden, there came a party of horse, with +a constable to seize me. I heard them ask “who was in the house,” and +somebody answered, “I was there.” They said, “I was the man they looked +for;” and went forthwith into the house, where they had many words with +John Crook, and some few Friends that were with him. But the Lord’s +power so confounded them, that they never came into the garden to look +for me, but went their way in a rage. When I came into the house, +Friends were very glad to see them so confounded, and that I had escaped +them. Next day I passed thence, and after I had visited Friends in +several places as I went, came to LONDON, the Lord’s power accompanying +me, and bearing me up in his service. + +I had not been long in London, before I heard that a Jesuit, who came +over with an ambassador from Spain, had challenged all the Quakers to +dispute with them at the Earl of Newport’s house:[58] whereupon Friends +let him know that some would meet him. Then he sent us word “he would +meet with twelve of the wisest and most learned men we had:” a while +after he sent us word “he would meet with but six;” and after that, he +sent us word again, “he would have but three to come.” We hastened what +we could, lest, after all his great boast, he should put it quite off at +last. When we were come to the house, I bid Nicholas Bond and Edward +Burrough go up, and enter into discourse with him; and I would walk a +while in the yard, and then come up after them. I advised them to state +this question to him, Whether or not the church of Rome, as it now +stood, was not degenerated from the true church, which was in the +primitive times, from the life and doctrine, and from the power and +Spirit that they were in? They stated the question accordingly; and the +Jesuit affirmed, “that the church of Rome now was in the virginity and +purity of the primitive church.” By this time I was come to them. Then +we asked him, “whether they had the Holy Ghost poured out upon them, as +the apostles had?” He said, “No.” “Then,” said I, “if ye have not the +same Holy Ghost poured forth upon you, and the same power and Spirit +that the apostles had, then ye are degenerated from the power and Spirit +which the primitive church was in.” There needed little more to be said +to that. + +Footnote 58: + + The Earl of Newport, it would appear, was very favourably inclined + towards Friends. In a letter from E. Burrough to F. Howgill, 4th of + 7th Month [9th Month] 1658, he observes, “This night, at Woodcock’s, + at the meeting, was the Earl of Newport; he is truly loving to us.” In + the same letter, E. Burrough says, “Truth spreads and grows. The Earl + of Pembroke has been with us; there is a principle of God stirring in + him.” + +Then I asked him, “what Scripture they had for setting up cloisters for +nuns, abbeys and monasteries for men, for all their several orders; and +for their praying by beads, and to images; for making crosses, for +forbidding meats and marriages, and for putting people to death for +religion? If,” said I, “ye are in the practice of the primitive church, +in its purity and virginity, then let us see by Scriptures, wherever +they practised any such things.” (For it was agreed on both hands, that +we should make good by Scriptures what we said.) Then he told us of a +written word, and an unwritten word. I asked him “what he called his +unwritten word:” he said, “The written word is the Scriptures, and the +unwritten word is that which the apostles spoke by word of mouth; +which,” said he, “are all those traditions that we practise.” I bid him +prove that by Scripture. Then he brought the Scripture, where the +apostle says (2 Thess. ii. 5), “When I was with you, I told you these +things.” “That is,” said he, “I told you of nunneries, and monasteries, +and of putting to death for religion, and of praying by beads, and to +images, and all the rest of the practices of the church of Rome, which,” +he said, “was the unwritten word of the apostles, which they told then, +and have since been continued down by tradition unto these times.” Then +“I desired him to read that Scripture again, that he might see how he +had perverted the apostle’s words; for that which he there tells the +Thessalonians ‘he had told them before,’ is not an unwritten word, but +is there written down, namely, that the man of sin, the son of +perdition, shall be revealed, before that great and terrible day of +Christ, which he was writing of, should come: so this was not telling +them any of those things that the church of Rome practises. In like +manner the apostle, in the third chapter of that epistle, tells the +church of some disorderly persons, he heard were amongst them, +busy-bodies, who did not work at all; concerning whom he had commanded +them by his unwritten word, when he was among them, that if any would +not work, neither should he eat; which now he commands them again in his +written word in this epistle, 2 Thess. iii. So this Scripture afforded +no proof for their invented traditions; and he had no other +Scripture-proof to offer.” Therefore I told him, “this was another +degeneration of their church into such inventions and traditions as the +apostles and primitive saints never practised.” + +After this he came to his sacrament of the altar, beginning at the +paschal-lamb, and the shew-bread; and so came to the words of Christ, +“This is my body,” and to what the apostle wrote of it to the +Corinthians; concluding, “that after the priest had consecrated the +bread and wine, it was immortal and divine, and he that received it, +received the whole Christ.” I followed him through the Scriptures he +brought, till I came to Christ’s words and the apostle’s; and I showed +him “that the same apostle told the Corinthians, after they had taken +bread and wine in remembrance of Christ’s death, that they were +reprobates, if Christ was not _in_ them: but if the bread they ate was +Christ, he must of necessity be in them, after they had eaten it. +Besides, if this bread and this wine, which the Corinthians ate and +drank, was Christ’s body, then how hath Christ a body in heaven?” I +observed to him also, “that both the disciples at the supper, and the +Corinthians afterwards, were to eat the bread, and drink the wine in +‘remembrance of Christ,’ and to show forth his death, till he come; +which plainly proves, the bread and wine which they took was not his +body. For if it had been his real body that they ate, then he had been +come, and was then there present; and it had been improper to have done +such a thing in remembrance of him, if he had been then present with +them; as he must have been, if that bread and wine, which they ate and +drank, had been his real body.” Then as to those words of Christ, “This +is my body,” I told him Christ calls himself a vine, and a door, and is +called in Scripture a rock; “Is Christ therefore an outward rock, door, +or vine?” “O” said the Jesuit, “those words are to be interpreted:” +“So,” said I, “are those words of Christ, ‘this is my body.’” + +Now having stopped his mouth as to argument, I made the Jesuit a +proposal thus: “That seeing,” he said “the bread and wine was immortal +and divine, and the very Christ, and that whosoever received it, +received the whole Christ; let a meeting be appointed between some of +them (whom the Pope and his cardinals should appoint) and some of us; +and let a bottle of wine and a loaf of bread be brought, and divided +each into two parts, and let them consecrate which of those parts they +would. And then set the consecrated and the unconsecrated bread and wine +in a safe place, with a sure watch upon it, and let trial thus be made, +Whether the consecrated bread and wine would not lose its goodness, and +the bread grow dry and mouldy, and the wine turn dead and sour, as well +and as soon as that which was unconsecrated. By this means, said I, the +truth of this matter may be made manifest. And if the consecrated bread +and wine change not, but retain their savour and goodness, this may be a +means to draw many to your church: if they change, decay, and lose their +goodness, then ought you to confess, and forsake your error, and shed no +more blood about it: for much blood hath been shed about these things, +as in Queen Mary’s days.” To this the Jesuit made this reply: “Take,” +said he, “a piece of new cloth, and cut it into two pieces, and make two +garments of it; and put one of them upon king David’s back, and the +other upon a beggar’s, and the one garment shall wear away as well as +the other.” “Is this thy answer?” said I; “Yes,” said he. “Then,” said +I, “by this the company may all be satisfied that your consecrated bread +and wine is not Christ. Have ye told people so long that the consecrated +bread and wine was immortal and divine, and that it was the very and +real body and blood of Christ, and dost thou now say it will wear away, +or decay, as well as the other? I must tell thee, Christ remains the +same to-day as yesterday, and never decays! but is the saints’ heavenly +food in all generations, through which they have life.” He replied no +more to this, being willing to let it fall; for the people that were +present saw his error, and that he could not defend it. + +Then I asked him “why their church persecuted and put people to death +for religion.” He replied, “it was not the church that did it, but the +magistrates.” I asked him “whether those magistrates were not counted +and called believers and Christians.” He said, “Yes:” “Why then,” said +I, “are they not members of your church?” “Yes,” said he. Then I left it +to the people to judge from his own concessions, whether the church of +Rome doth not persecute, and put people to death for religion. Thus we +parted; and his subtilty was comprehended by simplicity. + +During the time I was at London, many services lay upon me; for it was a +time of much suffering. I was moved to write to Oliver Cromwell, and lay +before him the sufferings of Friends, both in this nation and in +Ireland. There was also a rumour about this time of making Cromwell +king: whereupon I was moved to go to him, and warned him against it, and +of divers dangers; which, if he did not avoid, “he would bring a shame +and ruin upon himself and his posterity.” He seemed to take well what I +said to him, and thanked me: yet afterwards I was moved to write to him +more fully concerning that matter. + +About this time the Lady Claypole[59] (so called) was sick and much +troubled in mind, and could receive no comfort from any that came to +her; which when I heard of, I was moved to write to her the following +letter:— + + “FRIEND, + + “Be still and cool in thy own mind and spirit from thy own thoughts, + and then thou wilt feel the principle of God to turn thy mind to the + Lord, from whom cometh life; whereby thou mayest receive his strength + and power to allay all storms, and tempests. That is it which works up + into patience, innocency, soberness, into stillness, staidness, + quietness up to God, with his power. Therefore mind; that is the word + of the Lord God unto thee, that thou mayest feel the authority of God, + and thy faith in that, to work down that which troubles thee; for that + is it which keeps peace, and brings up the witness in thee, which hath + been transgressed, to feel after God with his power and life, who is a + God of order and peace. When thou art in the transgression of the life + of God in thy own particular, the mind flies up in the air, the + creature is led into the night, nature goes out of its course, an old + garment goes on, and an uppermost clothing; and thy nature being led + out of its course, it comes to be all on fire, in the transgression; + and that defaceth the glory of the first body. Therefore be still a + while from thy own thoughts, searching, seeking, desires, and + imaginations, and be staid in the principle of God in thee, that it + may raise thy mind up to God, and stay it upon God, and thou wilt find + strength from him, and find him to be a God at hand, a present help in + the time of trouble, and of need. And thou being come to the principle + of God, which hath been transgressed, it will keep thee humble; and + the humble, God will teach his way, which is peace, and such he doth + exalt. Now as the principle of God in thee hath been transgressed, + come to it, that it may keep thy mind down low to the Lord God; and + deny thyself; for from thy own will, that is, the earthly, thou must + be kept. Then thou wilt feel the power of God, which will bring nature + into its course, and give thee to see the glory of the first body. + There the wisdom of God will be received, which is Christ, by which + all things were made and created, and thou wilt thereby be preserved + and ordered to God’s glory. There thou wilt come to receive and feel + the physician of value, who clothes people in their right mind, + whereby they may serve God, and do his will. For all distractions, + unruliness, and confusion are in the transgression; which + transgression must be brought down, before the principle of God, which + hath been transgressed against, be lifted up: whereby the mind may be + seasoned, and stilled, and a right understanding of the Lord may be + received; whereby his blessings enter, and are felt, over all that is + contrary, in the power of the Lord God, which raises up the principle + of God within, gives a feeling after God, and in time gives dominion. + Therefore, keep in the fear of the Lord God; that is the word of the + Lord unto thee. For all these things happen to thee for thy good, and + for the good of those concerned for thee, to make you know yourselves, + and your own weakness, and that ye may know the Lord’s strength and + power, and may trust in him. + + “Let the time that is past be sufficient to every one, who in anything + hath been lifted up in transgression out of the power of the Lord; for + he can bring down and abase the mighty, and lay them in the dust of + the earth. Therefore, all keep low in his fear, that thereby ye may + receive the secrets of God and his wisdom, may know the shadow of the + Almighty, and sit under it, in all tempests, and storms, and heats. + For God is at hand, and the Most High rules in the children of men. + This then is the word of the Lord God unto you all; whatever + temptations, distractions, confusions, the light doth make manifest + and discover, do not look at these temptations, confusions, + corruptions; but look at the light, which discovers them, and makes + them manifest; and with the same light you may feel over them, to + receive power to stand against them. The same light which lets you see + sin and transgression, will let you see the covenant of God, which + blots out your sin and transgression, which gives victory and dominion + over it, and brings into covenant with God. For looking down at sin, + and corruption, and distraction, ye are swallowed up in it: but + looking at the light, which discovers them, ye will see over them. + That will give victory; and ye will find grace and strength: there is + the first step to peace. That will bring salvation; by it ye may see + to the beginning, and the ‘glory that was with the Father before the + world began;’ and so come to know the Seed of God, which is the heir + of the promise of God, and of the world which hath no end; which + bruises the head of the serpent, who stops people from coming to God. + That ye may feel the power of an endless life, the power of God, which + is immortal; which brings the immortal soul up to the immortal God, in + whom it doth rejoice. So in the name and power of the Lord Jesus + Christ, God Almighty strengthen thee.” + + G.F. + +Footnote 59: + + Lady Claypole was the favourite daughter of Oliver Cromwell, who + deeply felt her loss, for she died shortly after the period of + receiving the letter George Fox addressed to her. Nor was it long + before Oliver himself followed her; both he and his daughter dying in + the same year. + +When the foregoing paper was read to Lady Claypole, she said, it staid +her mind for the present. Afterwards many Friends got copies of it, both +in England and Ireland, and read it to people that were troubled in +mind; and it was made useful for the settling of the minds of several. + +About this time came forth a declaration from Oliver Cromwell, the +Protector, for a collection towards the relief of divers Protestant +Churches, driven out of Poland; and of twenty Protestant families, +driven out of the confines of Bohemia. And there having been a like +declaration published some time before, to invite the nation to a day of +solemn fasting and humiliation, in order to a contribution being made +for the suffering Protestants of the valleys of Lucerne, Angrona, &c., +who were persecuted by the Duke of Savoy, I was moved to write to the +Protector and chief magistrates on this occasion, both to show them the +nature of a true fast (such as God requires and accepts,) and to make +them sensible of their injustice and self-condemnation, in blaming the +Papists for persecuting the Protestants abroad, while they themselves, +calling themselves Protestants, were at the same time persecuting their +Protestant neighbours and friends at home. That which I wrote to them +was after this manner:— + +“_To the Heads and Governors of this Nation, who have put forth a + declaration for keeping a day of solemn Fasting and Humiliation, for + the persecution (as you say) of divers people beyond the seas, + professing the Reformed religion, which, ye say, hath been transmitted + unto them from their ancestors_. + + “A profession of the Reformed religion may be transmitted to + generations, and so holden by tradition; and in that, wherein the + profession and tradition are holden, is the day of humiliation kept; + which stands in the will of man. This is not the fast that the Lord + requires, ‘to bow down the head like a bulrush for a day,’ and the day + following be in the same condition that they were the day before. To + the light of Christ Jesus in your consciences do I speak, which + testifieth for God every day, and witnesseth against all sin and + persecution; which measure of God, if ye be guided by it, doth not + limit God to a day, but leads to the fast which the Lord requires, + which is, ‘To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy + burdens, to break every yoke, and to let the oppressed go free.’ Isa. + lviii. 6, 7. This is the fast that the Lord requires; and this stands + not in the transmission of times, nor in the traditions of men; but in + that which was before times were, which leads out of time, and shall + be when time shall be no more. These that teach for doctrine the + commandments of men, are they that ever persecuted the life and power + when it came. + + “And whereas ye mention a decree or edict that was made against the + said persecuted Protestants, all such decrees proceed from the ground + of the Pope’s religion and supremacy, and therein stands his tyranny + and cruelty, acted in that will, which is in that nature which + exerciseth lordship over one another (as ye may read, Mark x. 42; Luke + xxii. 25), as all the heathen do, and ever did; and in the heathenish + nature is all the tyranny and persecution exercised, by them that are + out of the obedience to the light of Christ Jesus, which is the guide + and leader of all who are tender of that of God in the conscience. But + they who are not led by this, know not what it is to suffer for + conscience’ sake. Now, whereas ye take into your consideration the sad + persecution, tyranny, and cruelty, exercised upon them, whom ye call + your Protestant brethren, and contribute to administer to their wants + outwardly; this is good in its place, and we approve it; and see it + good to administer to the necessities of others, and to do good to + all: and we who are sufferers by a law derived from the Pope, are + willing to join and to contribute with you to their outward + necessities. For ‘the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof;’ + who is good and gracious to all, willing that all should be saved, and + come to the knowledge of the truth. + + “But in the meantime, while ye are doing this, and taking notice of + others’ cruelty, tyranny, and persecution, turn your eye upon + yourselves, and see what ye are doing at home. To the light of Christ + Jesus in all your consciences I speak, which cannot lie, nor err, nor + bear false witness; but which bears witness for God, and cries for + equity, justice, and righteousness to be executed. See what ye are + doing, who profess the Scriptures, which were given forth by the + saints in light, who dwelt in the light, and in the life of them. For + them who now witness the same light, life, and power, that gave forth + the Scriptures, which ye in words profess, ye persecute;—them ye hale + out of your synagogues and markets;—beat, stock, and imprison. Now let + that of God in your consciences, which is just, righteous, and equal, + examine and try, whether ye have any example or precedent to exercise + this persecution, which now many in this nation suffer under, who are + a people harmless and innocent, walking in obedience towards God and + man. + + “And though ye account the way of truth they walk in, heresy, yet + therein do they exercise themselves, to have always ‘a conscience void + of offence towards God and man,’ as ye may read the saints of old did + (Acts xxiv. 14, 15, 16); wronging no man, neither giving any just + cause of offence; only being obedient to the commands of the Lord, to + declare, as they are moved by the Holy Ghost; and standing for the + testimony of a good conscience, speaking the truth in Christ, their + consciences bearing them witness that they lie not; for this do they + suffer under you, who in words profess the same thing for which they + suffer. Now see if any age or generation did ever persecute as ye do; + for ye profess Christ Jesus, who reveals the Father, and persecute + them that witness the revelation of the Father by Christ Jesus unto + them. Ye profess Christ Jesus, who is ‘the light of the world, that + enlightens every man that cometh into the world;’ yet persecute them + that bear witness and give testimony to this light. Ye profess that + the Word is become flesh, yet persecute them that witness it so. Ye + profess that whosoever confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the + flesh, is an anti-christ; yet persecute them that do confess him come + in the flesh, and call them antichrists and deceivers. Ye profess that + the kingdom of Christ is come; yet persecute them that witness it + come. Ye profess Christ Jesus, the resurrection and the life; yet + persecute them that witness him to be so. + + “If ye say, ‘How shall we know that these people, who say they witness + these things, do so, or not?’ I answer, Turn your minds to the light, + which Christ Jesus hath enlightened you withal, which is one in all; + and if ye walk in the light, ye shall have the light of life; then ye + will know and see what ye have done, who have persecuted the Lord of + glory (in his people) in whom is life, and the life is the light of + men. To no other touchstone shall we turn you, than into your own + consciences; there shall ye find the truth of what we have declared + unto you, and of what we bear testimony to, according to the holy + Scriptures. When the books of consciences are opened, and all judged + out of them, then shall ye witness us to be of God, and our testimony + to be true. Though now ye may stop your ears, and harden your hearts, + while it is called to-day; but then ye shall know what ye have done, + and against whom ye have transgressed;—then ye will see that no + persecutors, in any age or generation before you, ever transgressed + against that light, and measure of God made manifest, in such manner + as ye have done. For though Christ and the apostles were persecuted in + their times, the Jews, for the most part, did not know that he was the + Christ, when he came, notwithstanding they had the Scriptures, which + prophesied of him; neither did they believe that he was risen again, + when the apostles preached his resurrection. But ye say, ‘ye believe + he is come; ye believe his resurrection;’ yet ye persecute those that + witness him come in the flesh, those that are buried with him in + baptism, that are conformable to his death, and know the power of his + resurrection; these ye persecute, hale before magistrates, and suffer + to be beaten in your synagogues; these ye cause to be whipped, and + stocked, shamefully entreated, and cast into prison; as many jails in + this nation at this day testify to your faces. Therefore honestly + consider what ye are doing, while ye are taking notice of others’ + cruelties, lest ye overlook your own. There is some difference in many + things, between the Popish religion and that which ye call the + Protestant, but in this persecution of yours there is no difference; + for ye will confess that the foundation of your religion is grounded + upon the Scriptures; yet ye are persecuting them that are in the same + life which they were in, who gave forth the Scriptures, yourselves + being the meanwhile under a profession of the words they spoke; and + this ye shall one day witness. So ye have a profession and form, and + persecute them that are in the possession, life, and power. + + “Therefore know assuredly that ye must come to judgment; for he is + made manifest, to whom all judgment is committed. Therefore to the + light of Christ Jesus in your own consciences, which searcheth and + trieth you, turn your minds; stand still, and wait there to receive + the righteous law, which is according to that of God in the + conscience, which is now rising, and is bearing witness against all + ungodliness and unrighteousness of men; and they whom ye persecute are + manifest to God, and that of God in all consciences shall bear witness + for us, that we are of God; this ye shall one day witness, whether ye + will hear or forbear. Our rejoicing is in the testimony of our + consciences, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly + wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the + world; not handling the word of God deceitfully, but in the + manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man’s + conscience in the sight of God; and if our gospel be hid, it is hid to + them that are lost. For witnessing the holding of the mystery of faith + in a pure conscience, do we suffer, and are subject for conscience’ + sake. + + “This is thankworthy, if a man, for conscience’ sake, endure griefs + and sufferings wrongfully. In this is our joy and rejoicing, having a + good conscience, that whereas we are evil spoken of, as evil-doers, + they may be ashamed that falsely accuse our good conversation in + Christ; which is not only the putting away of the filth of the flesh, + but the answer of a good conscience toward God, by the resurrection of + Jesus Christ. This we witness made manifest (eternal praises to the + living God!) and bear testimony to that which spoke it in the apostle + in life and power. Therefore do we bear witness and testify against + those, who, being in a form and profession of it, persecute the life + and power. To the eternal light of Christ Jesus, the searcher and + trier of all hearts, turn your minds, and see what ye are doing; lest + ye overturn your foundation, whereon ye pretend to stand, while ye are + professing the Scriptures, and persecuting the life, light, and power, + which they were in who gave them forth. For the stone, cut out of the + mountains without hands, is now striking at the feet of the image, the + profession, which is set up, and stands in the will of man. Now is + that made manifest unto which all must answer; all must appear before + the judgment-seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done + in the body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or + bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we + are made manifest unto God, and shall be made manifest in all your + consciences, which ye shall witness.” + + G. F. + +Divers times, both in the time of the Long Parliament, and of the +Protector (so called) and of the Committee of Safety, when they +proclaimed fasts, I was moved to write to them, and tell them, their +fasts were like unto Jezebel’s; for commonly, when they proclaimed +fasts, there was some mischief contrived against us. I knew their fasts +were for strife and debate, to smite with the fist of wickedness; as the +New England professors soon after did, who, before they put our Friends +to death, proclaimed a fast also. + +Now it was a time of great sufferings; and many Friends being in +prisons, many other Friends were moved to go to the parliament, to offer +up themselves to lie in the same dungeon, where their friends lay, that +they that were in prison might go out, and not perish in the stinking +jails. This we did in love to God and our brethren, that they might not +die in prison; and in love to those that cast them in, that they might +not bring innocent blood upon their own heads; which we knew would cry +to the Lord, and bring his wrath, vengeance, and plagues upon them. But +little favour could we find from those professing parliaments; instead +thereof they would rage, and sometimes threaten those Friends that thus +attended them, that they would whip them, and send them home. Then +commonly soon after the Lord would turn them out, and send them home; +who had not a heart to do good in the day of their power. But they went +not off without being forewarned, for I was moved to write to them, in +their several turns, as I did to the Long Parliament, unto whom I +declared, before they were broken up, that “thick darkness was coming +over them all, even a day of darkness that should be felt.” + +And because the parliament that now sat was made up mostly of high +professors, who, pretending to be more religious than others, were +indeed greater persecutors of them that were truly religious, I was +moved to send them the following lines, as a reproof of their +hypocrisy:— + + “O Friends, do not cloak and cover yourselves; there is a God that + knoweth your hearts, and that will uncover you. He seeth your way. + ‘Woe be to him that covereth, but not with my Spirit, saith the Lord.’ + Do ye act contrary to the law, and then put it from you? Mercy and + true judgment ye neglect. Look, what was spoken against such: my + Saviour spoke against such: ‘I was sick, and ye visited me not; I was + hungry, and ye fed me not; I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; I + was in prison, and ye visited me not.’ But they said, ‘When saw we + thee in prison, and did not come to thee?’ ‘Inasmuch as ye did it not + unto one of these little ones, ye did it not unto me.’ Friends, ye + imprison them that are in the life and power of truth, and yet profess + to be the ministers of Christ. But if Christ had sent you, ye would + bring out of prison, and bondage, and receive strangers. Ye have lived + in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your + hearts, as in a day of slaughter; ye have condemned, and killed the + just, and he doth not resist you.” + + G. F. + +After this, as I was going out of town, having two Friends with me, when +we were little more than a mile out of the city, there met us two +troopers belonging to Colonel Hacker’s regiment, who took me, and the +Friends that were with me, and brought us back to the Mews, and there +kept us prisoners. But the Lord’s power was so over them, that they did +not take us before any officer; but shortly after set us at liberty +again. + +The same day, taking boat, I went to KINGSTON, and thence to HAMPTON +COURT, to speak with the Protector about the sufferings of Friends. I +met him riding into Hampton-Court Park, and before I came to him, as he +rode at the head of his life-guard, I saw and felt a waft (or +apparition) of death go forth against him; and when I came to him, he +looked like a dead man. After I had laid the sufferings of Friends +before him, and had warned him, according as I was moved to speak to +him, he bid me come to his house. So I returned to Kingston, and next +day went to Hampton Court, to speak further with him. But when I came, +he was sick, and —— Harvey, who was one that waited on him, told me the +doctors were not willing I should speak with him. So I passed away, and +never saw him more. + +From Kingston I went to Isaac Penington’s, in BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, where I +had appointed a meeting, and the Lord’s truth and power were preciously +manifested amongst us. After I had visited Friends in those parts, I +returned to LONDON, and soon after went into ESSEX, where I had not been +long before I heard that the Protector was dead, and his son Richard +made Protector in his room. Whereupon I came up to LONDON again. + +Before this time the church-faith (so called) was given forth, which was +said to have been made at the Savoy in eleven days’ time. I got a copy +before it was published, and wrote an answer to it; and when their book +of church-faith was sold in the streets, my answer to it was sold also. +This angered some of the parliament-men, so that one of them told me, +“they must have me to Smithfield.” I told him, “I was above their fires, +and feared them not.” And reasoning with him, I wished him to consider, +“Had all people been without a faith these sixteen hundred years, that +now the priests must make them one? Did not the apostle say, that Jesus +was the author and finisher of their faith? And since Christ Jesus was +the author of the apostles’ faith, of the church’s faith in primitive +times, and of the martyrs’ faith, should not all people look unto him to +be the author and finisher of their faith, and not to the priests?” Much +work we had about the priest-made faith; for they called us +house-creepers, leading silly women captive, because we met in houses, +and would not hold up their priests and temples, which they had made and +set up. I told them, that it was they who led silly women captive, and +crept into houses, who kept people always learning under them, who were +covetous, and had a form of godliness, but denied the power and Spirit +which the apostles were in. Such began to creep in the apostles’ days; +but now they had got the magistrates on their side, who upheld those +houses for them, which they had crept into, their temples, with their +tithes: whereas the apostles brought people off even from that temple, +and those tithes and offerings, which God had for a time commanded. And +the apostles met in several private houses, being to preach the gospel +to all nations; which they did freely, as Christ had commanded them. +Thus do we, who bring people off from these priests, temples, and tithes +which God never commanded, to meet in houses, or on mountains, as the +saints of old did, who were gathered in the name of Jesus, Christ being +their Prophet, Priest, and Shepherd. + +Major Wiggan, a very envious man, was present, yet he bridled himself +before the parliament-men, and some others that were there in company. +He took upon him to make a speech, and said, “Christ had taken away the +guilt of sin, but had left the power of sin remaining in us.” I told +him, that was strange doctrine, for Christ came to destroy the devil and +his works, and the power of sin, and so to cleanse men from sin. + +So Major Wiggan’s mouth was stopped at that time. But next day, desiring +to speak with me again, I took a friend or two with me, and went to him. +Then he vented much passion and rage, beyond the bounds of a Christian +or moral man; whereupon I reproved him; and having brought the Lord’s +power over him, and let him see what condition he was in, I left him. + +After some time I passed out of London, and had a meeting at Sergeant +Birkhead’s at TWICKENHAM, to which many people came, and some of +considerable quality in the world. A glorious meeting it was, wherein +the Scriptures were largely and clearly opened, and Christ exalted above +all, to the great satisfaction of the hearers. + +But there was great persecution in many places, both by imprisoning and +breaking up of meetings. At a meeting about seven miles from London, the +rude people usually came out of several parishes round about, to abuse +Friends, and often beat and bruised them exceedingly. One day they +abused about eighty Friends, who went to that meeting out of London, +tearing their coats and cloaks off their backs, and throwing them into +ditches and ponds; and when they had besmeared them with dirt, they said +they looked like witches. The next First-day, I was moved of the Lord to +go to that meeting, though I was then very weak. When I came there, I +bid Friends bring a table, and set it in the field, where they used to +meet, to stand upon. According to their wonted course, the rude people +came. Having a Bible in my hand, I showed them their and their priests’ +and teachers’ fruits: and the people became ashamed, and were quiet. I +opened the Scriptures to them, and our principles agreeing therewith; I +turned the people from darkness to the light of Christ and his Spirit, +by which they might understand the Scriptures, see themselves and their +sins, and know Christ Jesus to be their Saviour. So the meeting ended +quietly, and the Lord’s power came over all to his glory. But it was a +time of great sufferings; for besides the imprisonments (through which +many died) our meetings were greatly disturbed. They have thrown rotten +eggs and wild-fire into our meetings, and have brought in drums beating, +and kettles, to make noises with, that the truth might not be heard; and +among these, the priests were as rude as any: as may be seen in the book +of the fighting priests, wherein a list is given of some of them that +had actually beaten and abused Friends. + +Many also of our Friends were brought up to LONDON, prisoners, to be +tried before the committee; where Henry Vane,[60] being Chairman, would +not suffer Friends to come in, except they would put off their hats: but +at last the Lord’s power came over him, so that, through the mediation +of others, they were admitted. Many of us having been imprisoned upon +contempts (as they called them) for not putting off our hats, it was not +a likely thing that Friends, who had suffered so long for it from +others, should put off their hats to him. But the Lord’s power came over +them all, and wrought so, that several Friends were set at liberty by +them. Now inasmuch as sufferings grew very sharp, I was moved of the +Lord to write a few lines and send amongst Friends, to encourage them to +go on faithfully and boldly, through the exercises of the day; of which +a copy here follows:— + + “MY dear Friends, wherever scattered abroad, in prison or out of + prison; fear not, because of the reports of sufferings; let not the + evil spies of the good land make you afraid, if they tell you the + walls are high, and there are Anakims in the land; for at the blowing + of the rams’ horns did the walls of Jericho fall; and they that + brought the evil report, perished in the wilderness. But dwell ye in + the faith, patience, and hope, having the Word of Life to keep you, + which is beyond the law; and having the oath of God, his covenant, + Christ Jesus, which divides the waters asunder, and makes them to run + all on heaps; in that stand: and ye will see all things work together + for good to them that love God. In that triumph, when sufferings come, + whatever they may be. Your faith, your shield, your helmet, your + armour you have on; ye are ready to skip over a mountain, a wall, or a + hill, and to walk through the deep waters, though they be as heaps + upon heaps. The evil spies of the good land may preach up hardness; + but Caleb, which signifies a heart, and Joshua, a Saviour, triumph + over all.” + + G.F. + +Footnote 60: + + Vane was a conspicuous character at this period. He was strongly + attached to a republican government, and opposed Cromwell in his + progress towards assuming the reins of government as protector. He was + said to be one of the leaders of the Independents. Bishop Burnet, the + historian, says of him:—“Though he set up a form of religion in a way + of his own, yet it consisted rather in a withdrawing from all other + forms, than in any new or particular forms and opinions; from which he + and his party were called Seekers, and seemed to wait for some new and + clearer manifestations.” James Naylor, in a letter to Margaret Fell, + speaks of Vane as “very loving to Friends, but drunk with + imaginations.” + +After a while I went to READING, where I was under great sufferings and +exercises, and in great travail of spirit for about ten weeks. For I saw +there was great confusion and distraction amongst the people, and that +the powers were plucking each other to pieces. And I saw how many were +destroying the simplicity, and betraying the truth. Much hypocrisy, +deceit, and strife, was got uppermost in the people, so that they were +ready to sheath their swords in one another’s bowels. There had been a +tenderness in many of them formerly, when they were low, but when they +were got up, had killed and taken possession, they came to be as bad as +others; so that we had much to do with them about our hats, and saying +Thou and Thee to them. They turned their profession of patience and +moderation into rage and madness; and many of them were like distracted +men for this hat-honour. For they had hardened themselves by persecuting +the innocent, and were at this time crucifying the Seed, Christ, both in +themselves and others; till at last they fell to biting and devouring +one another, until they were consumed one of another; who had turned +against, and judged, that which God had wrought in them, and showed unto +them. So shortly after, God overthrew them, and turned them upside down, +and brought the king over them, who were often surmising that the +Quakers met together to bring in King Charles, whereas, Friends did not +concern themselves with the outward powers, or government. But at last +the Lord brought him in, and many of them when they saw he would be +brought in, voted for bringing him in. So with heart and voice praise +the name of the Lord, to whom it doth belong; who over all hath the +supremacy, and who will rock the nations, for he is over them. + +I had a sight and sense of the king’s return a good while before, and so +had some others. I wrote to Oliver several times, and let him know that +while he was persecuting God’s people, they whom he accounted his +enemies were preparing to come upon him. When some forward spirits that +came amongst us, would have bought Somerset-house, that we might have +meetings in it, I forbade them to do so; for I then foresaw the king’s +coming in again. Besides, there came a woman to me in the Strand, who +had a prophecy concerning King Charles’s coming in, three years before +he came: and she told me, she must go to him to declare it. I advised +her to wait upon the Lord, and keep it to herself; for if it should be +known that she went on such a message, they would look upon it to be +treason; but she said, she must go, and tell him, that he should be +brought into England again. I saw her prophecy was true, and that a +great stroke must come upon them in power; for they that had then got +possession were so exceeding high, and such great persecution was acted +by them, who called themselves saints, that they would take from Friends +their copyhold lands, because they could not swear in their courts. + +Sometimes when we laid these sufferings before Oliver Cromwell, he would +not believe it. Wherefore Thomas Aldam[61] and Anthony Pearson were +moved to go through all the jails in England, and to get copies of +Friends’ commitments under the jailer’s hands, that they might lay the +weight of their sufferings upon Oliver Cromwell. And when he would not +give order for the releasing of them, Thomas Aldam was moved to take his +cap from off his head, and to rend it in pieces before him, and to say +unto him, “So shall thy government be rent from thee and thy house.” + +Footnote 61: + + Thomas Aldam died in 1660, and as this is the last mention of him in + this journal, the following particulars may be added:—He resided at + Warmsworth, in Yorkshire, and was convinced by George Fox, in 1651, + having been previously a great follower of the priests and teachers of + the times. But his hungering and thirsting soul not being satisfied + amongst them, he left them, and having received the Truth, became + valiant for the same, giving up his strength and substance to serve + the Lord. Many beatings, reproaches, imprisonments, much spoiling of + goods and other sufferings he endured, for Christ’s sake. He was one + of the first called a Quaker imprisoned in York castle, in 1652, where + he was kept two years and six months, not being suffered once to go + home, nor permitted to see his wife, children, or relatives, when they + went to visit him. He was also fined during that imprisonment £40, at + the assize, for appearing before the judge with his hat on, and saying + thee and thou to him. During the same imprisonment for tithes, he was + sued at law for treble damages, his property being taken to the value + of £42, not leaving one cow to give milk for his young children and + family. Many other sufferings did he undergo, which made him have a + tender sympathy for others who were sufferers for the Truth, whose + cause he often pleaded. He wrote several small works in defence of + Truth, and his son, Thomas Aldam, who was also a faithful minister, + published a testimony concerning him, in 1690. See _Piety Promoted_, + vol. i., pp. 25-28; vol. iii., p 58. + +Another Friend also, a woman, was moved to go to the parliament (that +was envious against Friends) with a pitcher in her hand, which she broke +into pieces before them, and told them, “so should they be broken to +pieces:” which came to pass shortly after. + +And in my great suffering and travail of spirit for the nation, being +grievously burdened with their hypocrisy, treachery, and falsehood, I +saw God would bring that over them, which they had been above; and that +all must be brought down to that which convinced them, before they could +get over that bad spirit within and without: for it is the pure, +invisible Spirit, that doth and only can work down all deceit in people. + +While I was under that sore travail at Reading, by reason of grief and +sorrow of mind, and the great exercise that was upon my spirit, my +countenance was altered, and I looked poor and thin; and there came a +company of unclean spirits to me, and told me, “the plagues of God were +upon me.” I told them, it was the same spirit spoke that in them, that +said so of Christ, when he was stricken and smitten; they hid their face +from him. But when I had travailed with the witness of God, which they +had quenched, and had got through with it, and over all that hypocrisy +which the outside professors were run into, and saw how that would be +brought down, and turned under, and that life would rise over it, I came +to have ease, and the light, power, and Spirit shone over all. And then +having recovered, and got through my travails and sufferings, my body +and face swelled, when I came abroad into the air; and then the bad +spirits said, “I was grown fat,” and they envied at that also. So I saw, +that no condition nor state would please that spirit of theirs. But the +Lord preserved me by his power and Spirit through and over all, and in +his power I came to LONDON again. + +Now was there a great pother made about the image or effigy of Oliver +Cromwell lying in state; men standing and sounding with trumpets over +his image, after he was dead. At this my spirit was greatly grieved, and +the Lord, I found, was highly offended. Then did I write the following +lines, and sent among them, to reprove their wickedness, and warn them +to repent:— + + “O friends, what are ye doing! What mean ye to sound before an image! + Will not all sober people think ye are like madmen? O, how am I + grieved with your abominations! O, how am I wearied! My soul is + wearied with you, saith the Lord: will I not be avenged of you, think + ye, for your abominations? O, how have ye plucked down and set up! How + are your hearts made whole, and not rent! How are ye turned to + fooleries! Which things in times past, ye stood over. How have ye left + my dread, saith the Lord! Fear therefore, and repent, lest the snare + and the pit take you all. The great day of the Lord is come upon all + your abominations; the swift hand of the Lord is turned against them. + The sober people in these nations stand amazed at your doings, and are + ashamed, as if ye would bring in Popery.” + + G. F. + +About this time great stirs were in the nation, the minds of people +being unsettled. Much plotting and contriving there was by the several +factions, to carry on their several interests. And a great care being +upon me, lest any young or ignorant people, that might sometimes come +amongst us, should be drawn into that snare, I was moved to give forth +the following epistle as a warning unto all such:— + + “All Friends, everywhere, keep out of plots and bustling, and the arm + of flesh; for all these are amongst Adam’s sons in the fall, where + they are destroying men’s lives like dogs, beasts, and swine, goring, + rending, and biting one another, destroying one another, and wrestling + with flesh and blood. Whence arise wars and killing but from the + lusts? Now all this is in Adam in the fall, out of Adam that never + fell, in whom there is peace and life. Ye are called to peace, + therefore follow it; and that peace is in Christ, not in Adam in the + fall. All that pretend to fight for Christ, are deceived; for his + kingdom is not of this world, therefore his servants do not fight. + Fighters are not of Christ’s kingdom, but are without Christ’s + kingdom; his kingdom stands in peace and righteousness, but fighters + are in the lust; and all that would destroy men’s lives, are not of + Christ’s mind, who came to save men’s lives. Christ’s kingdom is not + of this world; it is peaceable: and all that are in strife, are not of + his kingdom. All that pretend to fight for the Gospel, are deceived; + for the gospel is the power of God, which was before the devil, or + fall of man was; and the gospel of peace was before fighting was. + Therefore they that pretend fighting, are ignorant of the gospel; and + all that talk of fighting for Sion, are in darkness; for Sion needs no + such helpers. All such as profess themselves to be ministers of + Christ, or Christians, and go about to beat down the whore with + outward, carnal weapons, the flesh and the whore are got up in + themselves, and they are in a blind zeal; for the whore got up by the + inward ravening from the Spirit of God; and the beating down thereof, + must be by the inward stroke of the sword of the Spirit within. All + such as pretend Christ Jesus, and confess him, and yet run into the + use of carnal weapons, wrestling with flesh and blood, throw away the + spiritual weapons. They that would be wrestlers with flesh and blood, + throw away Christ’s doctrine; the flesh is got up in them, and they + are weary of their sufferings. Such as would revenge themselves, are + out of Christ’s doctrine. Such as being stricken on one cheek, would + not turn the other, are out of Christ’s doctrine: and such as do not + love one another, nor love enemies, are out of Christ’s doctrine. + + “Therefore, ye that are heirs of the blessings of God, which were + before the curse and the fall were, come to inherit your portions; and + ye that are heirs of the gospel of peace, which was before the devil + was, live in the gospel of peace, seeking the peace of all men, and + the good of all men; and live in Christ, who came to save men’s lives, + out of Adam in the fall, where they destroy men’s lives, and live not + in Christ. The Jews’ sword outwardly, by which they cut down the + heathen, was a type of the Spirit of God within, which cuts down the + heathenish nature within. So live in the peaceable kingdom of Christ + Jesus. Live in the peace of God, and not in the lusts, from whence + wars arise. Live in Christ the Prince of Peace, the way of God, who is + the second Adam, that never fell; but live not in Adam in the fall, in + the destruction, where they destroy one another. Therefore come out of + Adam in the fall, into the Adam that never fell. Live in love and + peace with all men; keep out of all the bustlings in the world; meddle + not with the powers of the earth; but mind the kingdom, the way of + peace. Ye that are heirs of grace, heirs of the kingdom, heirs of the + gospel, heirs of salvation, saints of the Most High, and children of + God, whose conversation is in heaven, that is above the combustions of + the earth; let your conversation preach to all men, and your innocent + lives, that they who speak evil of you, beholding your godly + conversation, may glorify your Father which is in heaven. + + “All Friends everywhere, this I charge you, which is the word of the + Lord God unto you all, ‘Live in peace, in Christ the way of peace,’ + and therein seek the peace of all men, and no man’s hurt. In Adam in + the fall, is no peace; but in Adam out of the fall, is peace: so, ye + being in Adam which never fell, it is love that overcomes, and not + hatred with hatred, nor strife with strife. Therefore live all in the + peaceable life, doing good to all men, and seeking the good and + welfare of all men.” + + G. F. + +Not long after this, George Booth rose in arms in Cheshire, and Lambert +went against him. At which time some foolish, rash spirits, that came +sometimes amongst us, were ready to take up arms; but I was moved of the +Lord to warn and forbid them, and they were quiet. In the time of the +Committee of Safety (so called), we were invited by them to take up +arms, and great places and commands were offered some of us; but we +denied them all, and declared against it both by word and writing; +testifying that our weapons and armour were not carnal, but spiritual. +And lest any that came amongst us, should be drawn into that snare, it +came upon me from the Lord, to write a few lines on that occasion, and +send them forth, as a caution to all amongst us. Of which this is a +copy: + + “All Friends everywhere, take heed to keep out of the powers of the + earth, that run into wars and fightings, which make not for peace, but + destroy it; such will not have the kingdom. And, Friends, take heed of + joining with this or the other, or meddling with any, or being busy + with other men’s matters; but mind the Lord, his power, and his + service. Let Friends keep out of other men’s matters, and keep in that + which answers the witness in them all, out of the man’s part, where + they must expect wars and dishonour. Friends everywhere, dwell in your + own, in the power of the Lord God, to keep your minds up to the Lord + God, from falling down to the strength of Egypt, or going thither for + strength, after ye are come out of it, like the children of Israel + after they were come out of outward Egypt. But dwell in the power of + the Lord God, that ye may keep over all the powers of the earth, + amongst whom the just hand of God is come; for they have turned + against the just, disobeyed the just, in their own particulars, and so + gone on in one against the just; therefore the just sets them one + against another. Now he that goes to help among them, is astray from + the just in himself, in the unstaid state, and doth not know, by the + All-seeing Eye (that beholdeth,) him that recompenseth and rewardeth, + and lives not in the hand, in the power, that mangles and overturns, + which vexeth the transgressors, that come to be blind, and zealous for + they do not know what. Therefore keep in peace, and in the love and + power of God, and in unity and love one to another, lest any go out, + and fall with the uncircumcised: that is, they that are from the + Spirit in themselves, and they that go from it, go into the pit + together. Therefore stand (it is the word of the Lord God to you all) + in the fear and dread of the Lord God, his power, life, light, seed, + and wisdom, by which ye may take away the occasion of wars, and so + know a kingdom which hath no end, and fight for that with spiritual + weapons, which takes away the occasion of the carnal; and there gather + men to war, as many as ye can, and set up as many as ye can with these + weapons.” + + G. F. + +After I had stayed some time in London, and had visited Friends’ +meetings there and thereabouts, and the Lord’s power was set over all, I +travelled into the counties again, passing through ESSEX and SUFFOLK +into NORFOLK, visiting Friends, till I came to NORWICH, where we had a +meeting about the time called Christmas. The Mayor of Norwich, having +got previous notice of the meeting I intended to have there, granted a +warrant to apprehend me. When I was come thither, and heard of the +warrant, I sent some friends to the mayor to reason with him about it. +His answer was, the soldiers should not meet; and did we think to meet? +He would have us to go and meet without the city, for he said, the +town’s-people were so rude that he could hardly order them, and he +feared that our meeting would make tumults in the town. But our friends +told him we were a peaceable people, and that he ought to keep the +peace; for we could not but meet to worship God, as our manner was. So +he became moderate, and did not send his officers to the meeting. A +large one it was, and abundance of rude people came, with an intent to +do mischief; but the Lord’s power came over them, so that they were +chained by it, though several priests were there, and professors and +Ranters. + +Among the priests, one whose name was Townsend, stood up and cried, +“Error, blasphemy, and an ungodly meeting!” I bid him not burden himself +with that which he could not make good; and I asked him what was our +error and blasphemy; for I told him, he should make good his words +before I had done with him, or be shamed. As for an ungodly meeting, I +said, I believed there were many people there that feared God, and +therefore it was both unchristian and uncivil in him, to charge civil, +godly people with an ungodly meeting. He said, my error and blasphemy +was, in that I said, that people must wait upon God by his power and +Spirit, and feel his presence when they did not speak words. I asked him +then, whether the apostles and holy men of God did not hear God speak to +them in their silence, before they spoke forth the Scripture, and before +it was written? He replied, Yes, David and the prophets heard God, +before they penned the Scriptures, and felt his presence in silence +before they spoke them forth. Then said I, All people take notice, he +said this was error and blasphemy in me to say these words; and now he +hath confessed, it is no more than the holy men of God in former times +witnessed. So I showed them that as the holy men of God who gave forth +the Scripture as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, heard and learned of +God, before they spoke them forth; so must they all hearken and hear +what the Spirit saith, which will lead them into all truth, that they +may know God and Christ, and may understand the Scriptures. O, said the +priest, this is not that George Fox I would speak withal; this is a +subtle man, said he. So the Lord’s power came over all, and the rude +people were made moderate, and were reached by it; and some professors +that were there, called to the priests, saying, “prove the blasphemy and +errors which ye have charged them with; ye have spoken much against them +behind their backs, but nothing ye can prove now (said they) to their +faces.” But the priest began to get away; whereupon I told him, we had +many things to charge him withal, therefore let him set a time and place +to answer them; which he did and went his way. A glorious day this was, +for truth came over all, and people were turned to God by his power and +Spirit, and to the Lord Jesus Christ, their free teacher, who was +exalted over all. And as we passed away, people’s hearts were generally +filled with love towards us; yea, the ruder sort of them desired another +meeting, for the evil intentions they had against us were thrown out of +their hearts. At night I passed out of town to a Friends’ house, and +thence to Colonel Dennis’s, where we had a great meeting; and afterwards +travelled on, visiting Friends in NORFOLK, HUNTINGDONSHIRE, and +CAMBRIDGESHIRE. But George Whitehead and Richard Hubberthorn stayed +about Norwich to meet the priest, who was soon confounded, the Lord’s +power came so over him. + +After I had travelled through many counties in the Lord’s service, and +many were convinced, notwithstanding the people in some places were very +rude, I returned to LONDON, when General Monk was come up thither, and +the gates and posts of the city were pulling down. Long before this I +had a vision, wherein I saw the city lie in heaps and the gates down; +and it was then represented to me, just as I saw it several years after, +lying in heaps, when it was burned. + +Divers times, both by word and writing, had I forewarned the several +powers, both in Oliver’s time and after, of the day of recompense that +was coming upon them; but they rejecting counsel, and slighting those +visitations of love to them, I was moved now, before they were quite +overturned, to lay their backsliding, hypocrisy, and treacherous dealing +before them, thus: + + “FRIENDS, now are the prophecies fulfilled and fulfilling upon you, + which have been spoken to you by the people of God in your courts, + steeple-houses, towns, cities, markets, highways, and at your feasts, + when ye were in your pleasures, and puffed up, that ye would neither + hear God nor man; when ye were in your height of authority, though + raised up from a mean state, none might come nigh you without bowing, + or the respect of persons, for ye were in the world’s way, + compliments, and fashions, which, for conscience’ sake towards God + they could not go into, being redeemed therefrom; therefore they were + hated by you for that cause. But how are ye brought low, who exalted + yourselves above your brethren, and threw the just and harmless from + among you, until at last God hath thrown you out; and when ye cast the + innocent from among you, then ye fell to biting one another until ye + were consumed one of another. And so the day is come upon you, which + before was told you, though ye would not believe it. And are not your + hearts so hardened, that ye will hardly yet believe, though ready to + go into captivity? Was it not told you, when ye spilt the blood of the + innocent in your steeple-houses, markets, highways, and cities, yea, + and even in your courts also, because they said the word ‘Thou’ to + you, and could not put off their hats to you, that if something did + not arise up amongst yourselves, to avenge the blood of the innocent, + there would come something from beyond the seas, which lay reserved + there, which being brought by the arm of God, the arm of flesh and + strongest mountain cannot withstand? Yet ye would not consider, + regard, or hear; but cried, peace, peace, and feasted yourselves, and + sat down in the spoil of your enemies, being treacherous both to God + and man; and who will trust you now? Have ye not made covenants and + oaths? and broken covenants and oaths between God and man, and made + the nations breakers both of covenants and oaths; so that nothing but + hypocrisy, rottenness, and falsehood under fair pretence, was amongst + you? + + “When ye pretended to set up the old cause, it was but yourselves; for + which ye long stuck to sober people, who saw ye would do no good. But + it was a joy for any of you to get up into authority, that ye might + have praise, honour, and respect; and they that were in the + self-denial were a derision to you, from amongst whom that was + banished. Thus ye became the nation’s masters, and not servants; + whereas the greatest of all should be the servants of all. But there + ye lost your authority, not considering your estates, from whence ye + were, and to what end God had raised you up; but forgot the Lord, and + quenched that which was good in yourselves, and persecuted them that + lived in it; and so are grown so gross and perverse, that at last ye + are fit for neither God nor man. Have not ye called the Quakers the + fanatic people, and the giddy heads? But whither now are ye giddying? + into Cain’s city Nod, which signifies fugitive, or wandering? Have not + ye persecuted and imprisoned to death such as God had respect to, and + is now reproving you for their sakes, by them whom ye have hated? Were + not many amongst you cut off for your persecution, and yet the rest of + you would not take warning? Was there not a book of examples sent out + unto you, of what sudden and strange deaths happened to the + persecutors of the innocent; and yet ye would not take warning, until + the overflowing scourge is now coming upon you. Are not ye they that + have killed like Cain, who have killed about your sacrifice, and + mingled the blood of the innocent with it? Hath not God now vagabonded + you, that ye should become a curse upon the earth, who have persecuted + Friends to death? Did not the blood of the righteous cry out of the + ground for vengeance? And will not the blood of the righteous be + required? Could ye think that the Lord would let you sit always with + bloody hands and fists of wickedness? Ah! what is become of all your + feasts and your fasts, the prayers and blessings of your priests?” + + + + + CHAPTER XIII. + +1659-1660.—Address to the Cornish people, respecting shipwrecks—the + soldiers at Bristol are punished for disturbing Friends’ + meetings—several thousands attend a general meeting at Edward + Pyot’s—General Monk also restrains his soldiers—great drunkenness at + elections for Parliament-men—the Yearly Meeting is held at Balby—and + a general meeting of discipline for several counties held at + Skipton—a Friend goes naked (divested of the upper garments) through + the town, declaring Truth, and is much abused—general meeting at + Arnside for three counties—George Fox is committed to Lancaster + Castle by Major Porter—writes an answer to his mittimus—Margaret + Fell writes to the magistrates thereon—address on true + religion—against persecution—to Friends, on the change of + government—to Charles II., exhorting him to exercise mercy and + forgiveness towards his enemies, and to restrain profaneness—the + Sheriff of Lancashire’s return to George Fox’s writ of _Habeas + Corpus_—M. Fell and Ann Curtis speak to the King on the subject—the + King orders his removal to London by Habeas Corpus, and there sets + him at liberty. + + +Being now clear of the City of London, and finding my spirit drawn to +visit Friends in the western parts of England, passing first into SURREY +and SUSSEX, I came to a great town where there was a large meeting, to +which several Friends from Reading came, and a blessed one it was. The +priest of the town was in a great rage, but did not come out of his +house; wherefore, hearing him make a great noise in his house, as we +were passing from the meeting, we bid him come out into the street, and +we would discourse with him; but he would not. So the Lord’s power being +over all, Friends were refreshed therein. Thence I went to another +market-town, where in the evening we had a precious meeting, and the +fresh sense of the presence of the Lord was sweetly felt amongst us. +Then turning into HAMPSHIRE and DORSETSHIRE, I went to RINGWOOD and +POOLE, visiting Friends in the Lord’s power, and had great meetings +amongst them. + +At DORCHESTER we had a great meeting in the evening at our inn, which +many soldiers attended, and were pretty civil. But the constables and +officers of the town came, under pretence to look for a Jesuit, whose +head (they said) was shaved; and they would have all put off their hats, +or they would take them off, to look for the Jesuit’s shaven crown. So +they took off my hat (for I was the man they aimed at,) and looked very +narrowly, but not finding any bald or shaven place on my head they went +away with shame; and the soldiers, and other sober people, were greatly +offended with them. But it was of good service for the Lord, and all +things wrought together for good; for it affected the people; and after +the officers were gone, we had a fine meeting, and people were turned to +the Lord Jesus Christ, their teacher, who had bought them, and would +reconcile them to God. + +Thence we passed into SOMERSETSHIRE, where the Presbyterians and other +professors were very wicked, and often disturbed Friends’ meetings. One +time especially (as we were then informed) there was a very wicked man, +whom they got to come to the Quakers’ meeting; this man put a bear’s +skin on his back, and undertook with that to play pranks in the meeting. +Accordingly, setting himself just opposite to the Friend that was +speaking, he lolled his tongue out of his mouth, having his bear’s skin +on his back, and so made sport to his wicked followers, and caused a +great disturbance in the meeting. But an eminent judgment overtook him, +and his punishment slumbered not; for as he went back from the meeting, +there was a bull-baiting in the way which he stayed to see; and coming +within the bull’s reach, he struck his horn under the man’s chin into +his throat, and struck his tongue out of his mouth, so that it hung +lolling out, as he had used it before, in derision in the meeting. And +the bull’s horn running up into the man’s head, he swung him about upon +his horn in a most remarkable and fearful manner. Thus he that came to +do mischief amongst God’s people, was mischiefed himself; and well would +it be, if such apparent examples of Divine vengeance, would teach others +to beware.[62] + +Footnote 62: + + Many were the judgments which overtook the persecutors of the Early + Friends, as related in their journals, and the histories of the + Society. The following occurred in Scotland, as related in Jaffray’s + diary:—“James Skene, who was generally known by the name of ‘White + James,’ to distinguish him from a very abusive and wicked man of the + same name, called ‘Black James,’ took great delight in inventing + malicious slanders against Friends. On one occasion, whilst he was + repeating some wicked verses, which he had composed on purpose to + defame a worthy and innocent person, he was in that instant suddenly + struck down as one dead, and was for some time deprived of his senses. + When he recovered, he acknowledged the just judgment of God upon him, + confessed the offence he had committed against this innocent people, + and gave proof of repentance by ever after abstaining from such + practices.” + +We travelled through SOMERSETSHIRE and DEVONSHIRE, till we came to +PLYMOUTH, and so into CORNWALL, visiting the meetings of Friends to the +Land’s End. Many precious and blessed meetings we had all along as we +went, wherein they that were convinced were established, and many others +were added to them. At the LAND’S END, there was an honest fisherman +convinced, who became a faithful minister of Christ; I took notice of +him to Friends, and told them, “He was like Peter.”[63] + +Footnote 63: + + The honest fisherman mentioned here was Nicholas Jose, who was a great + sufferer for Christ’s sake, both in loss of goods and imprisonments in + Launceston Jail, Pendennis Castle, and other places; indeed scarcely a + year passed over without his being called on to suffer severely in + some way or other for the testimony of a good conscience. He was + imprisoned with twenty-four other Friends, about the year 1682, and + continued in confinement till 1685. For an interesting account of this + worthy man, see _Select Miscellanies_ vol. iv., 250-255. + +While I was in Cornwall, there were great shipwrecks about the Land’s +End. Now it was the custom of that country, that at such a time both +rich and poor went out, to get as much of the wreck as they could, not +caring to save the people’s lives; and in some places, they call +shipwrecks, God’s grace. These things troubled me; it grieved my spirit +to hear of such unchristian actions, considering how far they were below +the heathen at Melita, who received Paul, made him a fire, and were +courteous towards him, and them that had suffered shipwreck with him. +Wherefore I was moved to write a paper, and send it to all the parishes, +priests, and magistrates, to reprove them for such greedy actions, and +to warn and exhort them that, if they could assist to save people’s +lives, and preserve their ships and goods, they should use their +diligence therein; and consider, if it had been their own condition, +they would judge it hard if they should be upon a wreck, and people +should strive to get what they could get from them, and not regard their +lives. A copy of this paper here follows:— + + “FRIENDS AND PEOPLE, + + “Take heed of greediness and covetousness, for that is idolatry; and + the idolater must not enter into the kingdom of God. Take heed of + drunkenness, oaths, and cursings, for such are destroyers of the + creation, and make it to groan. Lay aside all fighting, quarrelling, + brawling, and evil speakings, which are the works of the flesh, and + not of the Spirit; for they who follow such things are not likely to + inherit the kingdom of God. Put away all corrupt words, which are + unsavoury, and misnaming one another; for ye must give an account of + every idle word. Lay aside all profession and religion that is vain; + and come to the possession, and the pure religion, which is to visit + the fatherless, the widow, and the stranger, and receive them; for + some thereby may entertain angels, or the servants of the Lord + unawares, as Paul was entertained after the shipwreck at Melita. Do + not take people’s goods from them by force out of their ships, + seamen’s or other’s, neither covet ye them; but rather endeavour to + preserve their lives, and their goods for them; for that shows a + spirit of compassion, and the spirit of a Christian. But if ye be + greedy and covetous of other men’s goods, not mattering what becomes + of the men, would ye be served so yourselves? If ye should have a ship + cast away in other places, and the people should come to tear the + goods and ship in pieces, not regarding to save the men’s lives, but + be ready to fight one with another for your goods, do not ye believe + such goods would become a curse to them? And may ye not as surely + believe, such kind of actions will become a curse unto you? When the + spoil of one ship’s goods is idly spent, and consumed upon the lusts, + in ale-houses, taverns, and otherwise, then ye gape for another. Is + this to ‘do as ye would be done by,’ which is the law and the + prophets? + + “Therefore, priest Hull, are these thy fruits? What dost thou take + people’s labour and goods for? Hast thou taught them no better manners + and conversation, who are so brutish and heathenish? Now all such + things we judge in whomsoever. But if any Friend, or others, preserve + men’s lives, and endeavour to save their goods and estates, and + restore what they can of a wreck to the owners; if they consider such + for their labour, doing in that case unto them what they would have + done unto themselves, that we approve. And if they buy or sell, and do + not make a prey, that is allowed of still, in the way of ‘doing as ye + would be done by,’ keeping to the law and to the prophets: that is, if + ye should be wrecked in another country, ye would have other people to + save your lives and goods, and have your goods restored to you again, + and you would commend them for so doing. All that do otherwise, that + wait for a wreck, and get the goods for themselves, not regarding the + lives of the men: but if any of them escape drowning, let them go + begging up and down the country; and if any escape with a little, + sometimes rob them of it;—all that do so, are not for preserving the + creation, but for destroying it; and those goods which are so gotten, + shall be a curse, a plague, and a judgment to them, and the judgments + of God will follow them for acting such things; the witness in your + consciences shall answer it. Therefore, all ye who have done such + things, ‘do so no more lest a worse thing come unto you.’ But that + which is good, do; preserve men’s lives and estates, and labour to + restore the loss and breach; that the Lord requires. Be not like a + company of greedy dogs, and worse than heathens, as if ye had never + heard of God, nor Christ, nor the Scriptures, nor pure religion. + + “And priest Hull, have people spent their money upon thee, for that + which is no bread? for a thing of nought, that thou hast such fruits? + All such teachers we utterly deny as make a trade of the Scriptures, + which are given forth from the Spirit of God, that they may be + believed, read, and practised, and that Christ, whom they testify of, + may be enjoyed. We own Christ, and are come off from all your + steeple-houses, which were the old mass-houses; for there are their + bad fruits harboured. Come to the Church which is in God (1 Thess. + i.), and to the light which Christ Jesus hath enlightened you withal, + which shows you all your ungodly words, ungodly thoughts, and ungodly + actions. This will be your teacher, if ye love it; your condemnation + if ye hate it; for the mighty day of the Lord is coming upon all + wickedness and ungodliness; therefore lay aside your whoredoms and + fornications. + + “And ye magistrates who are to do justice, think ye not that the hand + of the Lord God is against you, and that his judgments will come upon + you, who do not look after these things and stop them with the law, + which is, ‘to do unto all men, as they would have done unto them,’ + whereby ye might be good savour in your country? Is not the law to + preserve men’s lives and estates, ‘doing unto all men, as they would + that men should do unto them?’ For all men would have their lives and + estates preserved; therefore, should not ye preserve others, and not + suffer them to be devoured and destroyed? The evil of these things + will lie upon you, both priests and magistrates.” + + G. F. + + ”_Postscript._—All dear Friends who fear the Lord, keep out of the + ravenous world’s spirit, which leads to destroy, and which is out of + the wisdom of God. When ships are wrecked, do not run to destroy and + make havoc of ship and goods with the world; but to save the men, and + the goods for them, and so deny yourselves, ‘and do unto them, as ye + would that they should do unto you.’” + + G. F. + +This paper had good service among the people; and Friends have +endeavoured much to save the lives of the crews in times of wrecks, and +to preserve the ships and goods for them. And when some that have +suffered shipwreck, have been almost dead and starved, Friends have +taken them to their houses, to succour and recover them; which is an act +to be practised by all true Christians. + +I had many precious, blessed, living meetings in Cornwall, several +eminent people being convinced in that county, whom neither priests nor +magistrates, by spoiling goods or imprisonments, could make to forsake +their Shepherd, the Lord Jesus, who bought them; and all Friends, who +were turned to Christ, their Teacher and Saviour, being settled in peace +and quietness upon him, their foundation, we left them to the Lord Jesus +Christ’s teaching and ordering, fresh and green. Thomas Lower, who had +accompanied me through all that county, brought me over Horse-bridge +into DEVONSHIRE again; and after several meetings there, we came into +SOMERSETSHIRE, where we had divers large and peaceable meetings; and so +passed through the county, visiting Friends, till we came to BRISTOL. + +I entered BRISTOL on the seventh day of the week. The day before, the +soldiers came with their muskets into the meeting, and were exceedingly +rude, beating and striking Friends with them, and drove them out of the +orchard in a great rage, threatening what they would do, if Friends came +there again. For the mayor and the commander of the soldiers had, it +seems, combined together to make a disturbance amongst Friends. When +Friends told me what a rage there was in the town, how they were +threatened by the mayor and soldiers, and how unruly the soldiers had +been the day before, I sent for several Friends, as George Bishop, +Thomas Gouldney, Thomas Speed, and Edward Pyot, and desired them to go +to the mayor and aldermen, and request them, seeing he and they had +broken up our meetings, to let Friends have the town-hall to meet in; +and for the use of it Friends would give them twenty pounds a-year, to +be distributed amongst the poor; and when the mayor and aldermen had +business to do in it, Friends would not meet in it, but only on +First-days. These Friends were astonished at this, and said the mayor +and aldermen would think that they were mad. I said, nay; for this would +be a considerable benefit to the poor. And it was upon me from the Lord +to bid them go. At last they consented, and went, though in the cross to +their own wills. When they had laid the thing before the mayor, he said, +“for his part he could consent to it, but he was but one:” and he told +Friends of another great hall they might have, but that they did not +accept, it being inconvenient. So Friends came away, leaving the mayor +in a very loving frame towards them; for they felt the Lord’s power had +come over him. When they came back, I spoke to them to go also to the +colonel that commanded the soldiers, and lay before him the rude conduct +of his soldiers, how they came armed amongst innocent people, who were +waiting upon, and worshipping the Lord; but they were backward to go to +him. + +Next morning, being first day, we went to the meeting in the orchard, +where the soldiers had so lately been so rude. After I had declared the +truth some time in the meeting, there came in many rude soldiers and +people, some with drawn swords. The innkeepers had made some of them +drunk; and one had bound himself with an oath, to cut down and kill the +man that spoke. He came pressing in, through all the crowd of people, to +within two yards of me, and stopped at those four Friends before +mentioned (who should have gone to the colonel as I would have had +them,) and began jangling with them. Suddenly I saw his sword was put up +and gone: for the Lord’s power came over all, and chained him with the +rest. We had a blessed meeting, and the Lord’s everlasting power and +presence was felt amongst us. On the day following, the four Friends +went and spoke with the colonel, and he sent for the soldiers, and cut +and slashed some of them before the Friends’ faces; which when I heard +of I blamed the Friends for letting him do so, and also that they did +not go on the seventh day, as I would have had them, which might have +prevented this cutting of the soldiers, and the trouble they gave at our +meeting. But thus the Lord’s power came over all those persecuting, +bloody minds, and the meeting there was held in peace for a good while +after without disturbance. + +I had then also a general meeting at Edward Pyot’s, near Bristol, at +which it was supposed were several thousands; for besides Friends from +many parts thereabouts, some of the Baptists and Independents, with +their teachers, came to it, and many of the sober people of Bristol; +insomuch that the people that stayed behind said, “the city looked +naked,” so many were gone out of it to this meeting. It was very quiet, +many glorious truths were opened to the people, and the Lord Jesus +Christ was set up, who was the end of all figures and shadows of the +law, and the first covenant. It was declared to the people that all +figures and shadows were given to man, after he fell; and that all the +rudiments and inventions of men, which have been set up in Christendom, +many of which were Jewish and heathenish, were not set up by the command +of Christ; and all images and likenesses man has made to himself, or for +himself, whether of things in heaven or things in earth, have been since +he lost the image and likeness of God, which God made him in. But now +Christ is come to redeem, translate, convert, and regenerate man out of +all these things that he hath set up in the fall, out of the true types, +figures, and shadows also, and out of death and darkness, into the +light, life, and image of God again, which man and woman were in before +they fell. Therefore all now should come, and all might come to receive, +Christ Jesus, the substance, by his light, Spirit, grace, and faith; and +should live and walk in him, the Redeemer and Saviour. + +And as we had much work with priests and professors, who pleaded for +imperfection, I was opened to declare and manifest unto them, that Adam +and Eve were perfect before they fell; and God saw that all that he had +made, was good, and he blessed it. But imperfection came in by the fall, +through man and woman’s hearkening to the devil, who was out of truth. +And though the law made nothing perfect, yet it made way for the +bringing in of the better hope, which hope is Christ, who destroys the +devil and his works, that made man and woman imperfect. Christ saith to +his disciples, “Be ye perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect:” +and he, who himself was perfect, comes to make man and woman perfect +again, and brings them again to the state which God made them in. So he +is the maker up of the breach, and the peace between God and man. + +That this might the better be understood by the lowest capacities, I +used a comparison of two old people, that had their house broken down by +an enemy, so that they, with all their children, were liable to all +storms and tempests. And there came some to them that pretended to be +workmen, and offered to build up their house again, if they would give +them so much a-year: but when they had got their money, they left their +house as they found it. After this manner came a second, third, fourth, +fifth, and sixth, each with his several pretence, to build up the old +house, and each got the people’s money; and then cried, “they could not +rear up the house, nor could the breach be made up; for there is no +perfection here, cry they; the house can never be perfectly built up +again in this life;” though they had taken the people’s money for the +doing of it. For all the sect-masters in Christendom (so called) have +pretended to build up Adam and Eve’s fallen house, and when they have +got people’s money, they tell them the work cannot be perfectly done +here; and so their house lies as it did. But I told the people, Christ +was come to do it freely, who, by one offering, hath perfected for ever +all them that are sanctified, and renews them into the image of God, +which man and woman were in before they fell, and makes man and woman’s +house as perfect again as God made them at the first: and this, Christ, +the heavenly man, doth freely. Therefore all are to look unto him, and +all that have received him, are to walk in him, the life, the substance, +the first and the last, the rock of ages, and foundation of many +generations. Largely were these, and many other things, opened and +declared unto the people, the word of life was preached, which doth live +and abide; and all were exhorted to hear and obey that which liveth and +abideth, that by it all might be born again of the immortal Seed, and +feed on the milk of the Word. A glorious meeting there was, wherein the +Lord’s everlasting Seed, Christ Jesus, was set over all, and Friends +parted in the power and Spirit of the Lord, in peace and in his truth, +that is over all. + +About this time the soldiers under General Monk’s command were rude and +troublesome at Friends’ meetings in many places, whereof complaint being +made to him, he gave forth the following order, which somewhat +restrained them:— + + “_St. James’s, the 9th of March, 1659._ + + “I do require all officers and soldiers to forbear to disturb the + peaceable meetings of the Quakers, they doing nothing prejudicial to + the Parliament or Commonwealth of England. + + “GEORGE MONK.” + +After the meeting at Edward Pyot’s I passed to OLVESTON, to NAILSWORTH, +and to Nathaniel Crisp’s; where there was a large meeting, and several +soldiers at it, but quiet. From thence we passed to GLOUCESTER, visiting +meetings. In Gloucester we had a peaceable meeting, though the town was +very rude, and divided; for one part of the soldiers were for the king, +and another for the parliament. As I passed out of the town, over the +bridge, Edward Pyot being with me, the soldiers there said, “they were +for the king;” but after we were past them, and they understood it was +I, they were in a great rage that I had escaped them, and said, “had +they known it had been I, they would have shot me with hail-shot, rather +than I should have escaped them.” But the Lord prevented their devilish +design, and brought me safe to Colonel Grimes’s house, where we had a +large general meeting, and the Lord’s truth and power was set over all; +Friends were established upon the Rock, and settled under the Lord Jesus +Christ’s teaching. + +We passed thence to TEWKESBURY, and so to WORCESTER, visiting Friends in +their meetings as we went. And in all my time I never saw the like +drunkenness as in the towns, for they had been choosing parliament-men. +At Worcester the Lord’s truth was set over all, people were finely +settled therein, and Friends praised the Lord; nay, I saw the very earth +rejoiced. Yet great fears and troubles were in many people, and a +looking for the king’s coming in, and all things being altered. They +would ask me what I thought of times and things. I told them the Lord’s +power was over all, and his light shone over all; that fear would take +hold only on the hypocrites, such as had not been faithful to God, and +on our persecutors. For in my travail and sufferings at Reading, when +people were at a stand, and could not tell what might come in, and who +might rule, I told them the Lord’s power was over all (for I had +travelled through in it), and his day shined, whosoever should come in; +and whether the king came in or not, all would be well to them that +loved the Lord, and were faithful to him. Therefore I bid all Friends +fear none but the Lord, and keep in his power that was over all. + +From Worcester I visited Friends in their meetings, till I came to +BADDESLEY, and thence I went to DRAYTON, in Leicestershire, to visit my +relations. While there, one Burton, a justice, hearing I had a good +horse, sent a warrant to search for me and my horse; but I was gone +before they came; and so he missed of his wicked end. I passed on to +TWY-CROSS, SWANNINGTON, and DERBY, where I visited Friends, and found my +old jailer amongst them, who had formerly kept me in the house of +correction there, now convinced of the truth, which I then suffered +under him for. + +Passing into Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, I came to SYNDERHILL-GREEN, +visiting Friends through all those parts in their meetings, and so on to +BALBY in Yorkshire, where our Yearly Meeting at that time was held in a +great orchard of John Killam’s, where it was supposed some thousands of +people and Friends were gathered together. In the morning I heard that a +troop of horse was sent from York, to break up our meeting, and that the +militia, newly raised, was to join them. I went into the meeting, and +stood up on a great stool, and after I had spoken some time, two +trumpeters came up, sounding their trumpets near me, and the captain of +the troop cried, “Divide to the right and left, and make way;” then they +rode up to me. I was declaring the everlasting truth, and word of life, +in the mighty power of the Lord. The captain bid me “come down, for he +was come to disperse our meeting.” After some time I told him they all +knew we were a peaceable people, and used to have such great meetings; +but if he apprehended that we met in a hostile way, I desired him to +make search among us, and if he found either sword or pistol about any +there, let such suffer. He told me, “he must see us dispersed, for he +came all night on purpose to disperse us.” I asked him, “what honour it +would be to him, to ride with swords and pistols amongst so many unarmed +men and women as there were?” If he would be still and quiet, our +meeting probably might not continue above two or three hours; and when +it was done, as we came peaceably together, so we should part; for he +might perceive the meeting was so large, that all the country +thereabouts could not entertain them, but that they intended to depart +towards their homes at night. He said “he could not stay to see the +meeting ended, but must disperse them before he went.” I desired him +then, if he himself could not stay, that he would let a dozen of his +soldiers stay, and see the order and peaceableness of our meeting. He +said, “he would permit us an hour’s time;” and left half a dozen +soldiers with us. Then he went away with his troop, and Friends of the +house gave the soldiers that stayed, and their horses, some meat. When +the captain was gone, the soldiers that were left told us, “we might +stay till night if we would.” But we stayed but about three hours after, +and had a glorious, powerful meeting; for the presence of the living God +was manifest amongst us; the Seed, Christ, was set over all, and Friends +were built upon him, the foundation, and settled under his glorious, +heavenly teaching. + +After the meeting, Friends passed away in peace, greatly refreshed with +the presence of the Lord, and filled with joy and gladness, that the +Lord’s power had given them such dominion. Many of the militia soldiers +stayed also, and were much vexed that the captain and troopers had not +broken up our meeting, and cursed them. It was reported that they +intended to do us some mischief that day; but the troopers, instead of +assisting them, were rather assistant to us, in not joining with them, +as they expected, but preventing them from doing the mischief they +designed. Yet this captain was a desperate man, for it was he that had +said to me in Scotland, that “he would obey his superior’s commands; and +if it were to crucify Christ he would do it; or execute the great Turk’s +commands against the Christians, if he were under him.” So that it was +an eminent power of the Lord, which chained both him and his troopers, +and those envious militia-soldiers also, who went away, not having power +to hurt any of us, nor to break up our meeting. + +Next day we had a heavenly meeting at WARMSWORTH, of Friends in the +ministry and several others; and then Friends parted. As they passed +through the country, several were taken up. For the day that our first +meeting was held on, Lambert was routed, and it made great confusion in +the country; but Friends were not kept long in prison at that time. As I +went to this meeting at Balby, there came several to me at Skegby in +Nottinghamshire, that were then going to be soldiers under Lambert, and +would have bought my horse of me; and because I would not sell him, they +were in a great rage against me, using many threatening words; but I +told them, “God would confound and scatter them;” and within two or +three days after, they were scattered indeed. + +From Warmsworth, I passed in the Lord’s power to BARTON-ABBEY, [Monk +Bretton] where I had a great meeting; and thence to Thomas Taylor’s, and +so to SKIPTON, where there was a general meeting of men Friends out of +many counties, concerning the affairs of the church.[64] A Friend went +naked [divested of the upper garments] through the town, declaring +truth, and he was much beaten. Some others also came to me all bloody. +As I walked in the street, a desperate fellow had an intent to do me a +mischief; but he was prevented, and our meeting was quiet. To this +meeting came many Friends out of most parts of the nation; for it was +about business relating to the church, both in this nation and beyond +the seas. + +Footnote 64: + + General Meetings and Yearly Meetings appear to have been somewhat + similar in their character. They were held in various parts. The first + of which we have any account took place at Swannington, in + Leicestershire, in 1654. + +Several years before, when I was in the North, I was moved to recommend +the setting up of this meeting for that service; for many Friends +suffered in divers parts of the nation, their goods were taken from them +contrary to the law, and they understood not how to help themselves, or +where to seek redress. But after this meeting was set up, several +Friends who had been magistrates, and others that understood something +of the law, came thither, and were able to inform Friends, and to assist +them in gathering up the sufferings, that they might be laid before the +justices, judges, or Parliament. This meeting had stood several years, +and divers justices and captains had come to break it up; but when they +understood the business Friends met about, and saw their books and +accounts of collections for relief of the poor, how we took care one +county to help another, and to help our friends beyond the seas, and +provide for our poor, that none of them should be chargeable to their +parishes, &c., the justices and officers confessed we did their work, +and passed away peaceably and lovingly, commending Friends’ practice. +Sometimes there would come two hundred of the poor of other people, and +wait there till the meeting was done (for all the country knew we met +about the poor,) and after the meeting, Friends would send to the bakers +for bread, and give every one of these poor people a loaf, how many +soever there were of them; for we were taught to “do good unto all; +though especially to the household of faith.” + +After this meeting I visited Friends in their meetings, till I came to +LANCASTER; whence I went to Robert Widders’s, and so to ARNSIDE, where I +had a general meeting for all the Friends in Westmorland, Cumberland, +and Lancashire. It was quiet and peaceable, and the living presence of +the Lord was amongst us. I went back with Robert Widders; and Friends +all passed away, fresh in the life and power of Christ, in which they +had dominion, being settled upon him, the heavenly rock and foundation. +After the meeting, there came several rude fellows, serving-men, +belonging to one called Sir George Middleton, a justice that lived near, +to make some disturbance, as it was thought. The meeting being ended, +they did nothing there; but lighting on three women Friends going from +it, they set upon them with impudent scoffs, and one of them carried +himself very abusively and immodestly towards them. The same man abused +other Friends also, and was so outrageous that he would have cut them +with an axe; but was restrained by some of his fellows. Another time the +same man set upon six Friends that were going to meeting, at Yealand, +and beat and abused them very much, so that he bruised their faces, and +shed much of their blood, wounding them very sore, one of them in +several parts of his body; yet they lifted not up a hand against him, +but gave him their backs and their cheeks to beat. + +From Robert Widders’s I went next day to SWARTHMORE, Francis Howgill and +Thomas Curtis being with me. I had not been long there before Henry +Porter, a justice, sent a warrant by the chief constable and three petty +constables to apprehend me. I had a sense of this beforehand; and being +in the parlour with Richard Richardson and Margaret Fell, her servants +came, and told her there were some come to search the house for arms; +and they went up into the chambers under that pretence. It came upon me +to go out to them; and as I was going by some of them, I spoke to them; +whereupon they asked me my name. I readily told them my name; and then +they laid hold on me, saying, “I was the man they looked for,” and led +me away to ULVERSTONE. They kept me all night at the constable’s house, +and set a guard of fifteen or sixteen men to watch me; some of whom sat +in the chimney, for fear I should go up it; such dark imaginations +possessed them. They were very rude and uncivil, and would neither +suffer me to speak to Friends, nor suffer them to bring me necessaries; +but with violence thrust them out, and kept a strong guard upon me. Very +wicked and rude they were, and a great noise they made about me. One of +the constables, whose name was Ashburnham, said, “He did not think a +thousand men could have taken me.” Another of the constables, whose name +was Mount, a very wicked man, said, “He would have served Judge Fell +himself so, if he had been alive, and he had had a warrant for him.” + +Next morning, about six, I was putting on my boots and spurs to go with +them before some justice; but they pulled off the latter, took my knife +out of my pocket, and hastened me away along the town, with a party of +horse and abundance of people, not suffering me to stay till my own +horse came down. When I was gone about a quarter of a mile with them, +some Friends, with Margaret Fell and her children, came towards me; and +then a great party of horse gathered about me in a mad rage and fury, +crying out, “Will they rescue him? Will they rescue him?” Whereupon I +said unto them, “Here is my hair, here is my back, here are my cheeks, +strike on!” With these words their heat was a little assuaged. Then they +brought a little horse, and two of them took up one of my legs, and put +my foot in the stirrup, and two or three lifting over my other leg, set +me upon it behind the saddle, and so led the horse by the halter; but I +had nothing to hold by. When they were come some distance out of the +town, they beat the little horse, and made him kick and gallop; +whereupon I slipped off him, and told them, “They should not abuse the +creature.” They were much enraged at my getting off, and took me by the +legs and feet, and set me upon the same horse, behind the saddle again; +and so led it about two miles, till they came to a great water called +the CARTER-FORD. By this time my own horse was come to us, and the water +being deep, and their little horse scarcely able to carry me through, +they let me get upon my own, through the persuasion of some of their own +company, leading him through the water. One wicked fellow kneeled down, +and lifting up his hands, blessed God, that I was taken. When I was come +over the Sands, I told them I heard I had liberty to choose what justice +I would go before; but Mount and the other constables cried, “No, I +should not.” Then they led me to LANCASTER, about fourteen miles, and a +great triumph they thought to have had; but as they led me, I was moved +“to sing praises to the Lord, in his triumphing power over all.” + +When I was come to Lancaster, the spirits of the people being mightily +up, I stood and looked earnestly upon them; and they cried, “Look at his +eyes!” After a while I spoke to them; and then they were pretty sober. +Then came a young man, and took me to his house; and after a little time +the officers had me to Major Porter’s, the justice, and who had sent +forth the warrant against me; he had several others with him. When I +came in, I said, “Peace be amongst you.” Porter asked me, “Why I came +down into the country that troublesome time?” I told him, “To visit my +brethren.” “Then,” said he, “you have great meetings up and down.” I +told him though we had, our meetings were known throughout the nation to +be peaceable, and we were a peaceable people. He said, “We saw the devil +in people’s faces.” I told him, “If I saw a drunkard, or a swearer, or a +peevish, heady man, I could not say I saw the Spirit of God in him.” And +I asked him, “If he could see the Spirit of God?” He said, “We cried +against their ministers.” I told him, while we were as Saul, sitting +under the priests, and running up and down with their packets of +letters, we were never called pestilent fellows, nor makers of sects; +but when we were come to exercise our consciences towards God and man, +we were called pestilent fellows, as Paul was. He said, we could express +ourselves well enough, and he would not dispute with me; but he would +restrain me. I desired to know, “for what, and by whose order he sent +his warrant for me;” and I complained to him of the abuse of the +constables and other officers, after they had taken me, and in their +bringing me thither. He would not take notice of that, but told me, “He +had an order, but would not let me see it; for he would not reveal the +king’s secrets;” and besides, “a prisoner,” he said, “was not to see for +what he was committed.” I told him, that was not reason; for how should +he make his defence then? I said, “I ought to have a copy of it;” but he +said, “There was a judge once that fined a man for letting a prisoner +have a copy of his mittimus; and,” said he, “I have an old clerk, though +I am a young justice.” Then he called to his clerk, saying, “Is it not +ready yet? Bring it,” meaning the mittimus; but it not being ready, he +said to me, “I was a disturber of the nation.” I told him, I had been a +blessing to the nation, in and through the Lord’s power and truth, and +the Spirit of God in all consciences would answer it. + +Then he charged me as “an enemy to the king; that I endeavoured to raise +a new war, and imbrue the nation in blood again.” I told him, I had +never learned the postures of war, but was clear and innocent as a child +concerning those things, and therefore was bold. Then came the clerk +with the mittimus, and the jailer was sent for, and commanded to take +and put me into the Dark-house, and to let none come to me; but keep me +there a close prisoner, till I should be delivered by the king or +parliament. Then the justice asked the constables where my horse was; +“for I hear,” said he, “that he has a good horse; have ye brought it?” I +told him where my horse was, but he did not meddle with him. As they +took me to the jail, the constable gave me my knife again, and then +asked me to give it him; but I told him, nay, he had not been so civil +to me. So they put me into the jail, and the under-jailer, one Hardy, a +very wicked man, was exceedingly rude and cruel, and many times would +not let me have meat brought in, but as I could get it under the door. +Many people came to look at me, some in great rage, and very uncivil and +rude. Once there came two young priests, and very abusive they were; the +worst of people could not be worse. Amongst those that came in this +manner, old Preston’s wife, of Holker, was one. She used many abusive +words, telling me, “My tongue should be cut out,” and that “I should be +hanged;” showing me the gallows. But the Lord God cut her off, and she +died in a miserable condition. + +Being now a close prisoner in the common jail at Lancaster, I desired +Thomas Cummins and Thomas Green to go to the jailer, and desire of him a +copy of my mittimus, that I might know what I stood committed for. They +went; and the jailer answered, “he could not give a copy of it, for +another had been fined for so doing:” but he gave them liberty to read +it over. To the best of their remembrance the matters therein charged +against me were, “that I was a person generally suspected to be a common +disturber of the peace of the nation, an enemy to the king, and a chief +upholder of the Quakers’ sect; and that, together with others of my +fanatic opinion, I have of late endeavoured to raise insurrections in +these parts of the country, and to embroil the whole kingdom in blood. +Wherefore the jailer was commanded to keep me in safe custody, until I +should be released by order of the king and parliament.” + +When I had thus got the heads of the charge contained in the mittimus, I +wrote a plain answer, in vindication of my innocency in each particular; +as follows:— + + “I am a prisoner at Lancaster, committed by Justice Porter. A copy of + the mittimus I cannot get, but such expressions I am told are in it, + as are very untrue; as ‘that I am generally suspected to be a common + disturber of the nation’s peace, an enemy to the king, and that I, + with others, endeavour to raise insurrections to embroil the nation in + blood;’ all of which is utterly false, and I do, in every part + thereof, deny it. for I am not a person generally suspected to be a + disturber of the nation’s peace, nor have I given any cause for such + suspicion; for through the nation I have been tried for these things + formerly. In the days of Oliver, I was taken up on pretence of raising + arms against him, which was also false; for I meddled not with raising + arms at all. Yet I was then carried up a prisoner to London, and + brought before him; when I cleared myself, and denied the drawing of a + carnal weapon against him, or any man upon the earth; for my weapons + are spiritual, which take away the occasion of war, and lead into + peace. Upon my declaring this to Oliver, I was set at liberty by him. + + “After this I was taken, and sent to prison by Major Ceely in + Cornwall, who, when I was brought before the judge, informed against + me, ‘that I took him aside, and told him, that I could raise forty + thousand men in an hour’s time, to involve the nation in blood, and + bring in King Charles.’ This also was utterly false, and a lie of his + own inventing, as was then proved upon him: for I never spoke any such + word to him. I never was found in any plot; I never took any + engagement or oath; nor ever learned war-postures. As those were false + charges against me then, so are these now, which come from Major + Porter, who is lately appointed to be justice, but wanted power + formerly to exercise his cruelty against us; which is but the + wickedness of the old enemy. The peace of the nation I am not a + disturber of, nor ever was; but seek the peace of it, and of all men, + and stand for all nations’ peace, and all men’s peace upon the earth, + and wish all knew my innocency in these things. + + “And whereas Major Porter says, ‘I am an enemy to the king:’ this is + false; for my love is to him and to all men, though they be enemies to + God, to themselves, and to me. And I can say, it is of the Lord that + he is come in, to bring down many unrighteously set up; of which I had + a sight three years before he came in. It is much he should say I am + an enemy to the king, for I have no reason so to be, he having done + nothing against me. But I have been often imprisoned and persecuted + these eleven or twelve years by them that have been against both the + king and his father, even the party that Porter was made a major by, + and bore arms for; but not by them that were for the king. I was never + an enemy to the king, nor to any man’s person upon the earth. I am in + the love that fulfils the law, which thinks no evil, but loves even + enemies, and would have the king saved, and come to the knowledge of + the truth, and be brought into the fear of the Lord, to receive his + wisdom from above, by which all things were made and created; that + with that wisdom he may order all things to the glory of God. + + “Whereas he calls me, ‘a chief upholder of the Quakers’ sect.’ I + answer: the Quakers are not a sect, but are in the power of God, which + was before sects were; they witness the election before the world + began, and are come to live in the life, which the prophets and + apostles lived in, who gave forth the Scriptures; therefore are we + hated by envious, wrathful, wicked, and persecuting men. But God is + the upholder of us all by his mighty power, and preserves us from the + wrath of the wicked, that would swallow us up. + + “And whereas he says, ‘that I, together with others of my fanatic + opinion, as he calls it, have of late endeavoured to raise + insurrections, and to embroil the whole kingdom in blood:’ I say this + is altogether false; to these things I am as a child, and know nothing + of them. The postures of war I never learned: my weapons are spiritual + and not carnal: for with carnal weapons I do not fight: I am a + follower of him who said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world.’ And + though these lies and slanders are raised upon me, I deny the drawing + of any carnal weapon against the king or parliament, or any man upon + earth; for I am come to the end of the law, ‘to love enemies, and + wrestle not with flesh and blood;’ but am in that which saves men’s + lives. A witness I am against all murderers, plotters, and all such as + would ‘imbrue the nation in blood;’ for it is not in my heart to have + any man’s life destroyed. And as for the word fanatic, which signifies + furious, foolish, mad, &c., he might have considered himself, before + he had used that word, and have learned the humility which goes before + honour. We are not furious, foolish, or mad; but through patience and + meekness have borne lies and slanders, and persecutions many years, + and have undergone great sufferings. The spiritual man that wrestles + not with flesh and blood, and the Spirit that reproves sin in the + gate, which is the Spirit of truth, wisdom, and sound judgment; this + is not mad, foolish, furious, which fanatic signifies; but all are of + a mad, furious, foolish spirit, that wrestle with flesh and blood, + with carnal weapons, in their furiousness, foolishness, and rage. This + is not the Spirit of God, but of error, that persecutes in a mad, + blind zeal, like Nebuchadnezzar and Saul. + + “Now, inasmuch as I am ordered to be kept prisoner, till I be + delivered by order from the king or parliament, therefore have I + written these things to be laid before you, the king and parliament, + that ye may consider of them before ye act anything therein; that ye + may weigh, in the wisdom of God, the intent and end of men’s spirits, + lest ye act the thing that will bring the hand of the Lord upon you, + and against you, as many have done before, who have been in authority, + whom God hath overthrown; in whom we trust, whom we fear and cry unto + day and night;—who hath heard us, doth, and will hear us, and avenge + our cause. For much innocent blood has been shed; and many have been + persecuted to death by such as have been in authority before you, whom + God hath vomited out, because they turned against the just. Therefore + consider your standing, now that ye have the day, and receive this as + a warning of love to you. + + “From an innocent sufferer in bonds, and close prisoner in Lancaster + Castle, called + + “GEORGE FOX.” + +Upon my being taken and forcibly carried away from Margaret Fell’s +house, and charged with things of so high a nature, she was +concerned, looking upon it to be an injury offered to herself. +Whereupon she wrote the following lines, and distributed them:— + + _“To all Magistrates, concerning the wrong taking up, and + imprisoning of George Fox at Lancaster._ + + “I do inform the governors of this nation, that Henry Porter, + mayor of Lancaster, sent a warrant, with four constables, to my + house, for which he had no authority or order. They searched my + house, and apprehended George Fox in it, who was not guilty of the + breach of any law, or of any offence against any in the nation. + After they had taken him, and brought him before the said Henry + Porter, bail was offered, what he would demand, for his + appearance, to answer what could be laid to his charge; but he + (contrary to law, if he had taken him lawfully) refused to accept + of any bail, and put him in close prison. After he was in prison, + a copy of his mittimus was demanded, which ought not to be denied + to any prisoner, so that he may see what is laid to his charge; + but it was denied him: a copy he could not have, they were + suffered only to read it over. Every thing that was there charged + against him was utterly false; he was not guilty of any one charge + in it, as will be proved and manifested to the nation. Let the + governors consider it. I am concerned in this thing, inasmuch as + he was apprehended in my house; and if he be guilty, I am too. So + I desire to have this searched out. + + “MARGARET FELL.” + +After this Margaret Fell determined to go to London, to speak with +the king about my being taken, and to show him the manner of it, and +the unjust dealing and evil usage I had received. When Justice +Porter heard of this, he vapoured, that he would go and meet her in +the gap. But when he came before the king, having been a zealous man +for the parliament against the king, several of the courtiers spoke +to him concerning his plundering their houses; so that he quickly +had enough of the court, and soon returned into the country. +Meanwhile the jailer seemed very fearful, and said, he was afraid +Major Porter would hang him, because he had not put me in the +Dark-house. But when the jailer waited on him, after his return from +London, he was very blank and down, and asked, “how I did,” +pretending he would find a way to set me at liberty. But having +overshot himself in his mittimus, by ordering me “to be kept a +prisoner till I should be delivered by the king or parliament,” he +had put it out of his power to release me if he would. He was the +more down also upon reading a letter which I sent him; for when he +was in the height of his rage and threats against me, and thought to +ingratiate himself into the king’s favour by imprisoning me, I was +moved to write to him, and put him in mind, “how fierce he had been +against the king and his party, though now he would be thought +zealous for the king.” Among other things in my letter, I called to +his remembrance, that when he held Lancaster Castle for the +parliament against the king, he was so rough and fierce against +those that favoured the king, that he said, “he would leave them +neither dog nor cat, if they did not bring him provision to the +castle.” I asked him also, “whose great buck’s horns those were, +that were in his house; and where he had both them and the wainscot +from that he ceiled his house withal; had he them not from Hornby +Castle?” + +About this time Ann Curtis, of Reading, came to see me; and +understanding how I stood committed, it was upon her also to go to +the king about it. Her father, who had been sheriff of Bristol, had +been hung near his own door for endeavouring to bring in the king; +on which consideration she had some hopes the king might hear her on +my behalf. Accordingly, when she returned to London, she and +Margaret Fell went to the king together, who, when he understood +whose daughter she was, received her kindly. And her request to him +being “to send for me up, and hear the cause himself,” he promised +her he would, and commanded his secretary to send down an order for +bringing me up. But when they came to the secretary for the order, +he, being no friend to us, said, “it was not in his power; he must +act according to law, and I must be brought up by an _habeas corpus_ +before the judges.” So he wrote to the judge of the King’s Bench, +signifying that it was the king’s pleasure, that I should be sent up +by an _habeas corpus_. Accordingly a writ was sent down, and +delivered to the sheriff; but because it was directed to the +chancellor of Lancaster, the sheriff put it off to him; on the other +hand, the chancellor would not make the warrant upon it, but said +the sheriff must do that. At length both chancellor and sheriff were +got together; but being both enemies to truth, they sought occasion +for delay, and found, they said, an error in the writ, which was, +that being directed to the chancellor, it stated, “George Fox in +prison under _your_ custody,” whereas the prison I was in was not, +they said, in the chancellor’s custody, but in the sheriff’s; so the +word _your_ should have been _his_. On this they returned the writ +to London, only to have that one word altered. When it was altered, +and brought down again, the sheriff refused to carry me up, unless I +would seal a writing to him, and become bound to pay for the +sealing, and the charge of carrying me up; which I refused, telling +them I would not seal anything to them, nor be bound. So the matter +rested a while, and I continued in prison. + +Meanwhile the assize came on; but as there was a writ for removing +me up, I was not brought before the judge. At the assize many people +came to see me; and I was moved to speak out of the jail window to +them, and show them “how uncertain their religion was; and that +every sort, when uppermost, had persecuted the rest. When Popery was +uppermost, people had been persecuted for not following the mass; +and they who then held up the mass cried, ‘It was the higher power, +and people must be subject to the higher power.’ Afterwards, they +that set up the Common Prayer persecuted others for not following +that; saying, ‘It was the higher power then also, and we must be +subject to that.’ Since that, the Presbyterians and Independents +cried each of them, ‘We must be subject to the higher power, and +submit to the directory of the one, and the church-faith of the +other.’ Thus all, like the apostate Jews, have cried, ‘Help, men of +Israel, against the true Christians.’ So people might see, how +uncertain they are of their religions. But I directed them to Christ +Jesus, that they might be built upon him, the rock and foundation, +that changeth not.” Much on this wise I declared to them, and they +were very quiet and very attentive. + +Afterwards I gave forth a paper concerning True Religion, as +follows: + + “True Religion is the true rule, and right way of serving God; a + pure stream of righteousness, flowing from the image of God; the + life and power of God planted in the heart and mind by the law of + life, which bringeth the soul, mind, spirit, and body to be + conformable to God, the Father of spirits, and to Christ; so that + they come to have fellowship with the Father and the Son, and with + all his holy angels and saints. This religion is from above, pure + and undefiled before God, leads to visit the fatherless, widows, + and strangers, and keeps from the spots of the world. This + religion is above all the defiled, spotted religions in the world, + that keep not their professors from defilement, but leave them + impure, below, and spotted; whose fatherless, and widows, and + strangers beg up and down the streets.” + + G. F. + +Soon after I gave forth a paper against persecution as follows: + + “The Papists, Common-Prayer-men, Presbyterians, Independents, and + Baptists persecute one another about their own inventions, their + mass, common-prayer, directory, and church-faith, which they have + made, and framed, and not for the truth; for they know not what + spirit they are of, who persecute, and would have men’s lives + destroyed about church-worship and religion, as saith Christ; who + also said, ‘He came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.’ + Now we cannot trust our bodies, souls, or spirits into the hands + of those that know not what spirit they are of, but will persecute + and destroy men’s lives, and not save them; they know not what + spirit they are of themselves, therefore they are not fit to be + trusted with others. They would destroy by a law, as the disciples + once would have done by prayer, who would have commanded ‘fire to + come down from heaven’ to destroy them that would not receive + Christ. But Christ rebuked them, and told them they did not know + what spirit they were of. If they did not know what spirit they + were of, do these who have persecuted about church and religion + since the apostles’ days, who would compel men’s bodies, goods, + lives, souls, and estates, into their hands by a law, or make them + suffer? Those that destroy men’s lives are not the ministers of + Christ, the Saviour; and seeing they know not what spirit they are + of, the lives, bodies, and souls of men are not to be trusted in + their hands. And ye that persecute shall have no resurrection to + life with God, except ye repent. But they that know what spirit + they are of themselves, are in the unrebukable zeal, and by the + spirit of God they offer up their spirits, souls, and bodies to + the Lord, which are his, to keep them.” + + G. F. + +Whilst I was kept in Lancaster jail, I was moved to give forth the +following paper, “for staying the minds of any such as might be +hurried or troubled about the change of government”:— + + “ALL FRIENDS, let the dread and majesty of God fill you! And as + concerning the changing of times and governments, let not that + trouble any of you; for God hath a mighty work and hand therein. + He will yet change again, until that come up, which must reign; in + vain shall powers and armies withstand the Lord, for his + determined work shall come to pass. But it is just with the Lord + that what is now come up should be so, and he will be served by + it. Therefore let none murmur, nor distrust God; for he will + provoke many to zeal against unrighteousness, and for + righteousness, through things which are suffered now to work for a + season; yea many, whose zeal was even dead, shall revive again, + shall see their backslidings, and bewail them bitterly. For God + shall thunder from heaven, and break forth in a mighty noise; his + enemies shall be astonished, the workers of iniquity confounded, + and all that have not the garment of righteousness shall be amazed + at the mighty and strange work of the Lord, which shall be + certainly brought to pass. But, my babes, look ye not out, but be + still in the light of the Lamb; and he shall fight for you. The + Almighty Hand, which must break and divide your enemies, and take + away peace from them, preserve and keep you whole, in unity and + peace with itself, and one with another. Amen.” + + G. F. + +I was moved also to write to the king, to “exhort him to exercise +mercy and forgiveness towards his enemies, and to warn him to +restrain the profaneness and looseness that had got up in the nation +on his return.” It was thus:— + + “_To the King._ + + “KING CHARLES, + + “Thou earnest not into this nation by sword, nor by victory of + war, but by the power of the Lord. Now if thou live not in it, + thou wilt not prosper. If the Lord hath showed thee mercy and + forgiven thee, and thou dost not show mercy and forgiveness, the + Lord God will not hear thy prayers, nor them that pray for thee. + If thou stop not persecution and persecutors, and take away all + laws that hold up persecution about religion; if thou persist in + them, and uphold persecution, that will make thee as blind as + those that have gone before thee; for persecution hath always + blinded those that have gone into it. Such, God by his power + overthrows, doth his valiant acts upon, and bringeth salvation to + his oppressed ones. If thou bear the sword in vain, and let + drunkenness, oaths, plays, may-games, with such like abominations + and vanities be encouraged or go unpunished, as setting up + may-poles, with the image of the crown on the top of them, &c., + the nations will quickly turn like Sodom and Gomorrah, and be as + bad as the old world, who grieved the Lord until he overthrew + them; and so he will you, if these things be not suppressed. + Hardly was there so much wickedness at liberty before, as there is + at this day, as though there was no terror nor sword of + magistracy; which doth not grace the government, nor is a praise + to them that do well. Our prayers are for them that are in + authority, that under them we may live a godly life, in which we + have peace, and that we may not be brought into ungodliness by + them. Hear, and consider, and do good in thy time, whilst thou + hast power; be merciful and forgive; this is the way to overcome, + and obtain the kingdom of Christ.” + + G. F. + +It was long before the sheriff would yield to remove me to London, +unless I would seal a bond to him, and bear their charges; which I +still refused to do. Then they consulted how to convey me, and first +concluded to send up a party of horse with me. I told them, “If I +were such a man as they had represented me to be, they had need send +a troop or two of horse to guard me.” When they considered what a +charge it would be to them to send up a party of horse with me, they +altered their purpose, and concluded to send me up guarded only by +the jailer and some bailiffs. But, upon further consideration, they +found that would be a great charge to them also, and therefore sent +for me to the jailer’s house, and told me, if I would put in bail, +that I would be in London such a day of the term, I should have +leave to go up with some of my own friends. I told them I would +neither put in bail, nor give one piece of silver to the jailer; for +I was an innocent man, and they had imprisoned me wrongfully, and +laid a false charge upon me. Nevertheless, I said, if they would let +me go up with one or two of my friends to bear me company, I might +go up, and be in London such a day, if the Lord should permit; and +if they desired it, I, or any of my friends that went with me, would +carry up their charge against myself. At last, when they saw they +could do no otherwise with me, the sheriff yielded, consenting that +I should come up with some of my friends, without any other +engagement than my word, to appear before the judges at London, such +a day of the term if the Lord should permit. + +Whereupon I was let out of prison, and went to SWARTHMORE, where I +stayed two or three days, and then to LANCASTER again, and so to +PRESTON, having meetings amongst friends, till I came into CHESHIRE +to William Gandy’s, where there was a large meeting out of doors, +the house not being sufficient to contain it. That day the Lord’s +everlasting Seed was set over all, and Friends were turned to it, +who is the Heir of the Promise. Thence I came into STAFFORDSHIRE and +WARWICKSHIRE, to Anthony Bickliff’s; and at NUNEATON, at the house +of a priest’s widow, we had a blessed meeting, wherein the +everlasting Word of Life was powerfully declared, and many settled +in it. Then travelling on, visiting Friends’ meetings, in about +three weeks of my coming out of prison, I reached LONDON, Richard +Hubberthorn and Robert Widders being with me. + +When we came to Charing-Cross, multitudes of people were gathered +together to see the burning of the bowels of some of the old king’s +judges, who had been hung, drawn, and quartered. + +We went next morning to judge Mallet’s chamber, who was putting on +his red gown, to go sit upon some more of the king’s judges. He was +very peevish and froward, and said I might come another time. We +went again to his chamber, when Judge Foster was with him, who was +called the lord chief justice of England. With me was one called +Esquire Marsh, who was one of the bedchamber to the king, When we +had delivered to the judges the charge that was against me, and they +had read to those words, “that I and my friends were embroiling the +nation in blood,” &c., they struck their hands on the table. +Whereupon I told them, “I was the man whom that charge was against, +but I was as innocent of any such thing as a new-born child, and had +brought it up myself; and some of my friends came up with me without +any guard.” As yet they had not minded my hat, but now seeing it on, +they said, “What, did I stand with my hat on!” I told them I did not +so in contempt of them. They then commanded it to be taken off; and +when they called for the marshal of the King’s Bench, they said to +him, “You must take this man and secure him; but let him have a +chamber, and not put him amongst the prisoners.” “My lord,” said the +marshal, “I have no chamber to put him into; my house is so full I +cannot tell where to provide a room for him, but amongst the +prisoners.” “Nay,” said the judge, “you must not put him amongst the +prisoners.” But when he still answered, he had no other place to put +me in, Judge Foster said to me, “Will you appear to-morrow about ten +o’clock at the King’s Bench bar in Westminster Hall?” I said, “Yes, +if the Lord give me strength.” Then said Judge Foster to the other +judge, “If he says yes, and promises it, you may take his word;” so +I was dismissed. + +Next day I appeared at the King’s Bench bar at the hour appointed, +Robert Widders, Richard Hubberthorn, and Esquire Marsh going with +me. I was brought into the middle of the court; and as soon as I +came in, was moved to look round, and turning to the people, said, +“Peace be among you;” and the power of the Lord sprang over the +court. The charge against me was read openly. The people were +moderate, and the judges cool and loving; and the Lord’s mercy was +to them. But when they came to that part which said, “that I and my +friends were embroiling the nation in blood, and raising a new war, +and that I was an enemy to the king,” &c., they lifted up their +hands. Then, stretching out my arms, I said, “I am the man whom that +charge is against; but I am as innocent as a child concerning the +charge, and have never learned any war postures. And,” said I, “do +ye think that if I and my friends had been such men as the charge +declares, that I would have brought it up myself against myself? Or +that I should have been suffered to come up with only one or two of +my friends with me? Had I been such a man as this charge sets forth, +I had need to have been guarded with a troop or two of horse. But +the sheriff and magistrates of Lancashire thought fit to let me and +my friends come up with it ourselves, nearly two hundred miles, +without any guard at all; which, ye may be sure, they would not have +done, had they looked upon me to be such a man.” Then the judge +asked me, whether it should be filed, or what I would do with it. I +answered, “Ye are judges, and able, I hope, to judge in this matter, +therefore do with it what ye will; for I am the man these charges +are against, and here ye see, I have brought them up myself; do ye +what ye will with them, I leave it to you.” Then Judge Twisden +beginning to speak some angry words, I appealed to Judge Foster and +Judge Mallet, who had heard me over-night. Whereupon they said, +“They did not accuse me, for they had nothing against me.” Then +stood up Esquire Marsh, who was of the king’s bedchamber, and told +the judges, “It was the king’s pleasure, that I should be set at +liberty, seeing no accuser came up against me.” They asked me, +“Whether I would put it to the king and council?” I said, “Yes, with +a good will.” Thereupon they sent the sheriff’s return, which he +made to the writ of _habeas corpus_, containing the matter charged +against me in the mittimus, to the king, that he might see for what +I was committed. The return of the sheriff of Lancaster was thus:— + + “By virtue of his Majesty’s writ, to me directed, and hereunto + annexed, I certify, that before the receipt of the said writ, + George Fox, in the said writ mentioned, was committed to his + Majesty’s jail at the castle of Lancaster, in my custody, by a + warrant from Henry Porter, Esq., one of his Majesty’s justices of + peace within the county palatine aforesaid, bearing date the fifth + of June now last past; for that he, the said George Fox, was + generally suspected to be a common disturber of the peace of this + nation, an enemy to our sovereign lord the king, and a chief + upholder of the Quakers’ sect; and that he, together with others + of his fanatic opinion, have of late endeavoured to make + insurrections in these parts of the country, and to embroil the + whole kingdom in blood. And this is the cause of his taking and + detaining. Nevertheless, the body of the said George Fox I have + ready before Thomas Mallet, knight, one of his Majesty’s justices, + assigned to hold pleas before his Majesty, at his chamber in + Serjeant’s Inn, in Fleet-street, to do and receive those things + which his Majesty’s said justice shall determine concerning him in + this behalf, as by the aforesaid writ is required. + + ‘GEORGE CHETHAM, Esq., Sheriff.’” + +On perusal of this, and consideration of the whole matter, the king, +being satisfied of my innocency, commanded his secretary to send an +order to Judge Mallet for my release; which he did, thus:— + + “It is his Majesty’s pleasure, that you give order for releasing, + and setting at full liberty, the person of George Fox, late a + prisoner in Lancaster jail, and commanded hither by an _habeas + corpus_. And this signification of his Majesty’s pleasure shall be + your sufficient warrant. Dated at Whitehall, the 24th of October, + 1660. + + “EDWARD NICHOLAS.” + + For Sir Thomas Mallet, Knight, + one of the Justices of the King’s Bench. + +When this order was delivered, Judge Mallet forthwith sent his +warrant to the marshal of the King’s Bench for my release, as +follows:— + + “By virtue of a warrant, which this morning I have received from + the Right Hon. Sir Edward Nicholas, Knight, one of his Majesty’s + principal secretaries, for the releasing and setting at liberty of + George Fox, late a prisoner in Lancaster jail, and from thence + brought hither by _habeas corpus_, and yesterday committed unto + your custody; I do hereby require you accordingly to release and + set the said prisoner, George Fox, at liberty; for which this + shall be your warrant and discharge. Given under my hand, the 25th + day of October, in the year of our Lord God, 1660. + + “THOMAS MALLET.” + + To Sir John Lenthal, Knight, + Marshal of the King’s Bench, or his deputy. + +Thus, after being a prisoner more than twenty weeks, I was freely +set at liberty by the king’s command, the Lord’s power having +wonderfully wrought for the clearing of my innocency; Porter, who +committed me, not daring to appear to make good the charge he had +falsely suggested against me. + + + + + CHAPTER XIV. + +1660-1662.—George Fox writes an epistle of consolation to Friends + unjustly imprisoned in consequence of the insurrection of the + Fifth-Monarchy Men—Friends’ declaration against war and + plots—John Perrot and Charles Bailey create a schism—some + Friends in New England are put to death, a sense whereof is + given to George Fox at the time—the King’s mandamus to the + Governor of New England and others, to restrain them from + executing Friends—the _Battledore_ is published, showing, by + examples from thirty languages, that “Thou” and “Thee” are + proper to one person—on true worship—George Fox disputes with + some Jesuits, and with _all_ other sects—John Perrot’s heresy + condemned—on judicial swearing—George Fox and Richard + Hubberthorn write to the King, showing the number of Friends + imprisoned prior to, and during the first year of, the + Restoration, and the number who died in prison during the + Commonwealth—Thomas Sharman, jailer at Derby, convinced, and + writes to George Fox—George Fox applies to Lord D’Aubigny on + behalf of two Friends imprisoned in the Inquisition at Malta, + who procures their liberation—the ground and rise of persecution + set forth—great service at _Bristol_, where also he has a + vision—visits Captain Brown and his wife; the former had lied + from persecution, and was judged in himself, but afterwards + convinced—George Fox and several others are arrested by Lord + Beaumont, and sent to Leicester jail—they are suddenly + liberated—to Friends on the death of Edward Burrough—escapes + from persecutors—Friends established on Christ, the Rock of + Ages. + + +When it was known I was discharged from Lancaster Castle, a company +of envious, wicked spirits were troubled, and terror took hold of +Justice Porter; for he was afraid I would take advantage of the law +against him for my wrong imprisonment, and thereby undo him, his +wife, and children. Indeed I was pressed by some in authority to +make him and the rest examples; but I said, “I should leave them to +the Lord; if the Lord forgave them, I should not trouble myself with +them.” + +Now did I see the end of the travail which I had had in my sore +exercise at Reading; for the everlasting power of the Lord was over +all, and his blessed truth, life, and light shone over the nation, +and great and glorious meetings we had, and very quiet; and many +flocked in unto the truth. Richard Hubberthorn had been with the +king, who said, “None should molest us, so long as we lived +peaceably,” and promised this to us upon the word of a king, telling +him we might make use of his promise.[65] Some Friends also were +admitted into the House of Lords, and had liberty to declare their +reasons, why they could not pay tithes, swear, or go to the +steeple-house worship, or join with others in worship, and they +heard them moderately. And there being about seven hundred Friends +in prison in the nation, who had been committed under Oliver’s and +Richard’s government, upon contempts (as they call them), when the +king came in, he set them all at liberty. There seemed at that time +an inclination and intention in the government to grant Friends’ +liberty, because they were sensible that we had suffered as well as +they under the former powers. But still, when anything was going +forward in order thereto, some dirty spirits or other, that would +seem to be for us, threw something in the way to stop it. + +Footnote 65: + + Some interesting particulars of what passed during Richard + Hubberthorn’s interview with the king are related in Sewell’s + _History_, for which see the index of that work. + +It was said, there was an instrument drawn up for confirming our +liberty, and that it only wanted signing; when, suddenly, that +wicked attempt of the Fifth-monarchy-people broke out, and put the +city and nation in an uproar. This was on a First-day night, and +very glorious meetings we had had that day, wherein the Lord’s truth +shone over all, and his power was exalted above all; but about +midnight, or soon after, the drums beat, and the cry was, “Arm, +Arm!” I got up out of bed, and in the morning took boat, and landing +at Whitehall-stairs, walked through Whitehall. They looked strangely +at me there, but I passed through them, and went to Pall-Mall, where +divers Friends came to me, though it had now become dangerous +passing the streets; for by this time, the city and suburbs were up +in arms, and exceedingly rude the people and soldiers were; insomuch +that Henry Fell,[66] going to a Friend’s house, the soldiers knocked +him down, and he would have been killed, had not the Duke of York +come by. Great mischief was done in the city this week; and when the +next First-day came, as Friends went to their meetings, many were +taken prisoners. + +Footnote 66: + + Henry Fell was an eminent minister in the Society. In 1656 and + 1658 he visited the West India isles. During the first visit, he + was absent from home about a year. From 1659 to 1662, he was + mostly engaged in gospel labours in England, and from this period + we lose all trace of him. He is mentioned in Whiting’s Catalogue + as having died in America. His home was in Lancashire, and there + is reason to believe he was a near relative of Judge Fell. He + appears to have received an education considerably above most of + his day. Some of his letters are given in Bowden’s _History of + Friends in America_, and in Barclay’s _Letters of Early Friends_. + +I stayed at Pall-Mall, intending to be at the meeting there; but on +the Seventh-day night, a company of troopers came and knocked at the +door. The servant letting them in, they rushed into the house, and +laid hold of me; and there being amongst them one that had served +under the parliament, he put his hand to my pocket, and asked, +“whether I had any pistols?” I told him he knew I did not carry +pistols, why therefore ask such a question of me, whom he knew to be +a peaceable man? Others of the soldiers ran into the chambers, and +there found in bed Esquire Marsh, who, though he was one of the +king’s bedchamber, out of his love to me, came and lodged where I +did. When they came down again, they said, “Why should we take this +man away with us? We will let him alone.” “O,” said the parliament +soldier, “he is one of the heads, and a chief ringleader.” Upon this +the soldiers were taking me away, but Esquire Marsh hearing of it, +sent for him that commanded the party, and desired him to let me +alone, for he would see me forthcoming in the morning. + +In the morning before they could fetch me, and before the meeting +was gathered, there came a company of foot soldiers to the house and +one of them drawing his sword, held it over my head. I asked him, +“why he drew his sword at an unarmed man?” at which his fellows +being ashamed, bid him put up his sword. These foot soldiers took me +away to Whitehall, before the troopers came for me. As I was going +out, several friends were coming in to the meeting, whose boldness +and cheerfulness I commended, and encouraged them to persevere +therein. When I was brought to Whitehall, the soldiers and people +were exceedingly rude, yet I declared truth to them; but some great +persons coming by, who were very full of envy, “What,” said they, +“do ye let him preach? Put him into such a place, where he may not +stir.” So into that place they put me, and the soldiers watched over +me. I told them, though they could confine my body and shut that up, +yet they could not stop the Word of Life. Some came and asked me, +“What I was?” I told them, “A preacher of righteousness.” After I +had been kept there two or three hours, Esquire Marsh spoke to Lord +Gerrard, and he came and bid them set me at liberty. The marshal, +when I was discharged, demanded fees. I told him I could not give +him any, neither was it our practice; and asked him how he could +demand fees of me, who was innocent. + +Then I went through the guards, the Lord’s power being over them; +and after I had declared truth to the soldiers, I went up the +streets with two Irish colonels that came from Whitehall, to an inn, +where many Friends were at that time prisoners under a guard. I +desired these colonels to speak to the guard to let me go in to +visit my friends, that were prisoners there; but they would not. +Then I stepped to the sentry, and desired him to let me go up; and +he did so. While I was there, the soldiers went to Pall-Mall again +to search for me there; but not finding me, they turned towards the +inn, and bid all come out that were not prisoners; so they went out. +But I asked the soldiers that were within, “Whether I might not stay +there a while with my friends?” They said, “Yes.” I stayed, and so +escaped their hands again. Towards night I went to Pall-Mall, to see +how it was with the Friends there; and after I had stayed a while, I +went up into the city. Great rifling of houses there was at this +time to search for people. I went to a private friend’s house, and +Richard Hubberthorn was with me. There we drew up a declaration +against plots and fightings, to be presented to the king and +council; but when finished, and sent to print, it was taken in the +press. + +On this insurrection of the Fifth-monarchy men, great havoc was made +both in city and country, so that it was dangerous for sober people +to stir abroad for several weeks after; men or women could hardly go +up and down the streets to buy provisions for their families without +being abused. In the country they dragged men and women out of their +houses, and some sick men out of their beds by the legs. Nay, one +man in a fever, the soldiers dragged out of bed to prison, and when +he was brought there he died. His name was Thomas Pachyn. + +Margaret Fell went to the king, and told him what sad work there was +in the city and nation, and showed him we were an innocent, +peaceable people, and that we must keep our meetings as heretofore, +whatever we suffered; but that it concerned him to see that peace +was kept, that no innocent blood might be shed. The prisons were now +everywhere filled with Friends, and others, in the city and country, +and the posts were so laid for the searching of letters, that none +could pass unsearched. We heard of several thousands of our Friends +being cast into prison in several parts of the nation, and Margaret +Fell carried an account of them to the king and council. Next week +we had an account of several thousands more being cast into prison; +and she went and laid them also before the king and council. They +wondered how we could have such intelligence, having given strict +charge for the intercepting of all letters: but the Lord so ordered +it, that we had an account, notwithstanding all their stoppings. + +In the deep sense I had of the grievous suffering Friends underwent, +and of their innocency towards God and man, I was moved to send the +following epistle to them, as a word of consolation, and advised +them to send up an account of their sufferings:— + + “MY DEAR FRIENDS, + + “In the immortal seed of God, which will plead its own + innocency, who are inheritors of an everlasting kingdom that is + incorruptible, and of a world and riches that fade not away, + peace and mercy be multiplied amongst you in all your + sufferings; whose backs were not unready, but your hair and + cheeks prepared; who never feared suffering, knowing it is your + portion in the world, from the foundation of which the Lamb was + slain, who reigns in his glory, which he had with his Father + before the world began. He is your rock in all floods and waves, + upon which ye can stand safe, with a cheerful countenance, + beholding the Lord God of the whole earth on your side. So in + the Seed of God, which was before the unrighteous world, in + which sufferings are, live and feed; wherein the Bread of Life + is felt, and no cause to complain of hunger or cold. Friends, I + would have you all, that are or have been lately in prison, to + send up an account of your sufferings, and how things are + amongst you, that it may be delivered to the king and his + council; for things are pretty well here after the storm.” + + G. F. + + London, the 28th of the 11th Month, 1660. + +Having lost our former declaration in the press, we hastily drew up +another against plots and fighting, got it printed, and sent some +copies to the king and council; others were sold in the streets, and +at the Exchange. Which declaration was some years after reprinted, +and is as follows:— + + _A Declaration from the harmless and innocent people of God, + called Quakers, against all sedition, plotters, and fighters in + the world: for removing the ground of jealousy and suspicion from + magistrates and people concerning wars and fightings._ + + Presented to the King upon the 21st day of the 11th Month, 1660. + + “Our principle is, and our practices have always been, to seek + peace and ensue it; to follow after righteousness and the + knowledge of God; seeking the good and welfare, and doing that + which tends to the peace of all. We know that wars and fightings + proceed from the lusts of men, as James iv. 1-3, out of which the + Lord hath redeemed us, and so out of the occasion of war. The + occasion of war, and war itself (wherein envious men, who are + lovers of themselves more than lovers of God, lust, kill, and + desire to have men’s lives or estates) ariseth from lust. All + bloody principles and practices, as to our own particulars, we + utterly deny; with all outward wars and strife, and fightings with + outward weapons, for any end, or under any pretence whatsoever; + this is our testimony to the whole world. + + “And whereas it is objected: + + “But although you now say ‘that you cannot fight, nor take up arms + at all, yet if the Spirit move you, then you will change your + principle, and you will sell your coat, and buy a sword, and fight + for the kingdom of Christ.’ + + “To this we answer, Christ said to Peter, ‘Put up thy sword in his + place;’ though he had said before, he that had no sword might sell + his coat and buy one (to the fulfilling of the law and the + Scripture), yet after, when he had bid him put it up, he said, ‘he + that taketh the sword, shall perish with the sword.’ And further, + Christ said to Pilate, ‘Thinkest thou, that I cannot now pray to + my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions + of angels?’ And this might satisfy Peter, Luke xxii. 36, after he + had put up his sword, when he said to him, ‘He that took it, + should perish with it;’ which satisfieth us, Matt. xxvi. 51-53. + And in the Revelation, it is said, ‘He that kills with the sword, + shall perish with the sword; and here is the faith and the + patience of the saints.’ And so Christ’s kingdom is not of this + world, therefore do not his servants fight, as he told Pilate, the + magistrate, who crucified him. And did they not look upon Christ + as a raiser of sedition? and did not he pray, ‘Forgive them?’ But + thus it is that we are numbered amongst transgressors, and + fighters, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. + + “That the Spirit of Christ, by which we are guided, is not + changeable, so as once to command us from a thing as evil, and + again to move unto it; and we certainly know, and testify to the + world, that the Spirit of Christ, which leads us into all truth, + will never move us to fight and war against any man with outward + weapons, neither for the kingdom of Christ, nor for the kingdoms + of this world. + + “First, Because the kingdom of Christ God will exalt, according to + his promise, and cause it to grow and flourish in righteousness; + ‘not by might, nor by power (of outward sword), but by my Spirit, + saith the Lord,’ Zech. iv. 6. So those that use any weapon to + fight for Christ, or for the establishing of his kingdom or + government,—their spirit, principle, and practice we deny. + + “Secondly, We do earnestly desire and wait, that, by the Word of + God’s power, and its effectual operation in the hearts of men, the + kingdoms of this world may become the kingdoms of the Lord, and of + his Christ; that he may rule and reign in men by his Spirit and + truth; that thereby all people, out of every profession, may be + brought into love and unity with God, and one with another; and + that they may all come to witness the prophet’s words, who said, + ‘Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they + learn war any more,’ Isa. ii. 4., Mic. iv. 3. + + “So we, whom the Lord hath called into the obedience of his truth, + have denied wars and fightings, and cannot more learn them. This + is a certain testimony unto all the world, of the truth of our + hearts in this particular, that as God persuadeth every man’s + heart to believe, so they may receive it. For we have not, as some + others, gone about with cunningly-devised fables, nor have we ever + denied in practice what we have professed in principle; but in + sincerity and truth, and by the word of God, have we laboured to + manifest unto all men, that both we and our ways might be + witnessed in the hearts of all. + + “And whereas all manner of evil hath been falsely spoken of us, we + hereby speak the plain truth of our hearts, to take away the + occasion of that offence; that so being innocent, we may not + suffer for other men’s offences, nor be made a prey of by the + wills of men for that of which we were never guilty; but in the + uprightness of our hearts we may, under the power ordained of God + for the punishment of evil-doers, and for the praise of them that + do well, live a peaceable and godly life, in all godliness and + honesty. For although we have always suffered, and do now more + abundantly suffer, yet we know that it is for righteousness’ sake; + ‘for our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our consciences, that + in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by + the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world,’ 2 + Cor. i. 12, which for us is a witness for the convincing of our + enemies. For this we can say to all the world, we have wronged no + man, we have used no force nor violence against any man: we have + been found in no plots, nor guilty of sedition. When we have been + wronged, we have not sought to revenge ourselves; we have not made + resistance against authority; but wherein we could not obey for + conscience’ sake, we have suffered the most of any people in the + nation. We have been counted as sheep for the slaughter, + persecuted and despised, beaten, stoned, wounded, stocked, + whipped, imprisoned, haled out of synagogues, cast into dungeons + and noisome vaults, where many have died in bonds, shut up from + our friends, denied needful sustenance for many days together, + with other the like cruelties. + + “And the cause of all these sufferings is not for any evil, but + for things relating to the worship of our God, and in obedience to + his requirings. For which cause we shall freely give up our bodies + a sacrifice, rather than disobey the Lord: for we know, as the + Lord hath kept us innocent, so he will plead our cause, when there + is none in the earth to plead it. So we, in obedience unto his + truth, do not love our lives unto death, that we may do his will, + and wrong no man in our generation, but seek the good and peace of + all men. He who hath commanded us that we shall not swear at all, + Matt. v. 34, hath also commanded us that we shall not kill, Matt. + v.; so that we can neither kill men, nor swear for or against + them. This is both our principle and practice, and has been from + the beginning; so that if we suffer, as suspected to take up arms, + or make war against any, it is without any ground from us; for it + neither is, nor ever was in our hearts, since we owned the truth + of God; neither shall we ever do it, because it is contrary to the + Spirit of Christ, his doctrine, and the practices of his apostles; + even contrary to him, for whom we suffer all things, and endure + all things. + + “And whereas men come against us with clubs, staves, drawn swords, + pistols cocked, and beat, cut, and abuse us, yet we never resisted + them; but to them our hair, backs, and cheeks, have been ready. It + is not an honour to manhood or nobility to run upon harmless + people, who lift not up a hand against them, with arms and + weapons. + + “Therefore consider these things, ye men of understanding; for + plotters, raisers of insurrections, tumultuous ones, and fighters, + running with swords, clubs, staves, and pistols, one against + another; these, we say, are of the world, and have their + foundation from this unrighteous world, from the foundation of + which the Lamb hath been slain; which Lamb hath redeemed us from + this unrighteous world, and we are not of it, but are heirs of a + world of which there is no end, and of a kingdom where no + corruptible thing enters. Our weapons are spiritual, and not + carnal, yet mighty through God, to the pulling down of the + strongholds of sin and Satan, who is the author of wars, fighting, + murder, and plots. Our swords are broken into ploughshares, and + spears into pruning-hooks, as prophesied of in Micah iv. Therefore + we cannot learn war any more, neither rise up against nation or + kingdom with outward weapons, though you have numbered us amongst + the transgressors and plotters. The Lord knows our innocency + herein, and will plead our cause with all people upon earth, at + the day of their judgment, when all men shall have a reward + according to their works. + + “Therefore in love we warn you for your soul’s good, not to wrong + the innocent, nor the babes of Christ, which he hath in his hand, + which he cares for as the apple of his eye; neither seek to + destroy the heritage of God, nor turn your swords backward upon + such as the law was not made for, i.e., the righteous: but for + sinners and transgressors, to keep them down. For those are not + peacemakers, nor lovers of enemies, neither can they overcome evil + with good, who wrong them that are friends to you and all men, and + wish your good, and the good of all people on the earth. If you + oppress us, as they did the children of Israel in Egypt, and if + you oppress us as they did when Christ was born, and as they did + the Christians in the primitive times; we can say, ‘The Lord + forgive you;’ and leave the Lord to deal with you, and not revenge + ourselves. If you say, as the council said to Peter and John, + ‘speak no more in that name;’ and if you serve us, as they served + the three children spoken of in Daniel, God is the same that ever + he was, that lives for ever and ever, who hath the innocent in his + arms. + + “O, Friends! offend not the Lord and his little ones, neither + afflict his people; but consider and be moderate. Do not run on + hastily, but consider mercy, justice, and judgment; that is the + way for you to prosper, and obtain favour of the Lord. Our + meetings were stopped and broken up in the days of Oliver, under + pretence of plotting against him; in the days of the Committee of + Safety we were looked upon as plotters to bring in King Charles; + and now our peaceable meetings are termed seditious. O! that men + should lose their reason, and go contrary to their own conscience; + knowing that we have suffered all things, and have been accounted + plotters from the beginning, though we have declared against them + both by word of mouth and printing, and are clear from any such + thing! We have suffered all along, because we would not take up + carnal weapons to fight, and are thus made a prey, because we are + the innocent lambs of Christ, and cannot avenge ourselves! These + things are left on your hearts to consider; but we are out of all + those things, in the patience of the saints; and we know, as + Christ said, ‘He that takes the sword, shall perish with the + sword;’ Matt. xxvi. 52; Rev. xiii. 10. + + “This is given forth from the people called Quakers, to + satisfy the king and his council, and all those that have any + jealousy concerning us, that all occasion of suspicion may be + taken away, and our innocency cleared.” + + “_Postscript._—Though we are numbered amongst transgressors, + and have been given up to rude, merciless men, by whom our + meetings are broken up, in which we edified one another in our + holy faith, and prayed together to the Lord that lives for ever, + yet he is our pleader in this day. The Lord saith, ‘They that + feared his name spoke often together’ (as in Malachi); which were + as his jewels. For this cause, and no evil-doing, are we cast into + holes, dungeons, houses of correction, prisons (neither old nor + young being spared, men nor women), and made a prey of in the + sight of all nations, under the pretence of being seditious, &c., + so that all rude people run upon us to take possession. For which + we say, ‘The Lord forgive them that have thus done to us;’ who + doth, and will enable us to suffer; and never shall we lift up + hand against any that thus use us; but desire the Lord may have + mercy upon them, that they may consider what they have done. For + how is it possible for them to requite us for the wrong they have + done to us? Who to all nations have sounded us abroad as + seditious, who were never found plotters against any, since we + knew the life and power of Jesus Christ manifested in us, who hath + redeemed us from the world, all works of darkness, and plotters + therein, by which we know the election, before the world began. So + we say, the Lord have mercy upon our enemies and forgive them, for + what they have done unto us! + + “O! do as ye would be done by; do unto all men as you would have + them do unto you; for this is the law and the prophets. + + “All plots, insurrections, and riotous meetings we deny, knowing + them to be of the devil, the murderer; which we in Christ, who was + before they were, triumph over. And all wars and fightings with + carnal weapons we deny, who have the sword of the Spirit; and all + that wrong us, we leave to the Lord. This is to clear our + innocency from the aspersion cast upon us, that we are seditious + or plotters.” + + _Added in the reprinting._ + + “COURTEOUS READER, + + “This was our testimony above twenty years ago; since then we have + not been found acting contrary to it, nor ever shall; for the + truth, that is our guide, is unchangeable. This is now reprinted + to the men of this age, many of whom were then children, and doth + stand as our certain testimony against all plotting and fighting + with carnal weapons. And if any by departing from the truth should + do so, this is our testimony in the truth against them, and will + stand over them, and the truth will be clear of them.” + +This declaration somewhat cleared the dark air that was over the +city and country. And soon after the king gave forth a proclamation, +“That no soldiers should search any house without a constable.” But +the jails were still full, many thousands of Friends being in +prison; which mischief was occasioned by the wicked rising of the +Fifth-monarchy-men. But when those that were taken came to be +executed, they did us the justice to clear us openly from having any +hand in or knowledge of their plot. After that, the king being +continually importuned thereunto, issued a declaration, “That +Friends should be set at liberty without paying fees.” But great +labour, travail, and pains were taken, before this was obtained; for +Thomas Moor and Margaret Fell went often to the king about it.[67] + +Footnote 67: + + Among the Swarthmore collection of MSS. has been found a narrative + of an interview Thomas Moore had with the king, which has been + printed in _Letters of Early Friends_, p. 92, to which the reader + is referred. It is endorsed by George Fox thus:—“What the king + said to T. Moor, 1600, 14th of 10th month.” It will be remembered + Thomas Moor was formerly a justice of the peace, and was convinced + by George Fox, as related at page 260 in this volume. + +Much blood was shed this year, many of the late king’s judges being +hung, drawn, and quartered. Amongst them that so suffered, Colonel +Hacker was one, who sent me prisoner from Leicester to London in +Oliver’s time, of which an account is given before. A sad day it +was, and a repaying of blood with blood. For in the time of Oliver +Cromwell, when several men were put to death by him, being hung, +drawn, and quartered, for pretended treasons, I felt from the Lord +God, that their blood would be required; and I said as much then to +several. And now upon the king’s return, when several that had been +against him were put to death, as the others that were for him had +been before by Oliver, this was sad work, destroying people contrary +to the nature of Christians, who have the nature of lambs and sheep. +But there was a secret hand in bringing this day upon that +hypocritical generation of professors, who, being got into power, +grew proud, haughty, and cruel beyond others, and persecuted the +people of God without pity. + +Therefore when Friends were under cruel persecutions and sufferings +in the Commonwealth’s time, I was moved of the Lord to write to +Friends to draw up accounts of their sufferings, and lay them before +the justices at their sessions; and if they would not do justice, +then to lay them before the judges at the assize; and if they would +not do justice, then to lay them before the parliament, the +protector and his council, that they might all see what was done +under their government; and if they would not do justice, then to +lay it before the Lord, who would hear the cries of the oppressed, +and of the widows and fatherless whom they had made so. For that +which we suffered for, and for which our goods were spoiled, was our +obedience to the Lord in his Power and in his Spirit, who was able +to help and to succour, and we had no helper in the earth but him. +And he heard the cries of his people, and brought an overflowing +scourge over the heads of all our persecutors, which brought a +dread, and a fear amongst and on them all: so that those who had +nicknamed us (who are the children of light) and in scorn called us +Quakers, the Lord made to quake; and many of them would have been +glad to have hid themselves amongst us; and some of them, through +the distress that came upon them, did at length come to confess to +the truth. O! the daily reproaches, revilings, and beatings we +underwent amongst them, even in the highways, because we could not +put off our hats to them, and for saying Thou and Thee to them! O! +the havoc and spoil the priests made of our goods, because we could +not put into their mouths and give them tithes; besides casting into +prisons, and laying great fines upon us, because we could not swear! +But for all these things did the Lord God plead with them. Yet some +were so hardened in their wickedness, that when they were turned out +of their places and offices, they said, “If they had power, they +would do the same again.” And when this day of overturning was come +upon them, they said, “It was all on account of us.” Wherefore I was +moved to write to them, and ask them, “Did we ever resist them when +they took away our ploughs and plough-gears, our carts and horses, +our corn and cattle, our kettles and platters from us, whipped us, +set us in the stocks, and cast us into prison, and all this only for +serving and worshipping God in spirit and truth, and because we +could not conform to their religions, manners, customs, and +fashions? Did we ever resist them? Did we not give them our backs to +beat, and our cheeks to pull off the hair, and our faces to spit on? +Had not their priests, that prompted them on to such work, pulled +them with themselves into the ditch? Why then would they say, ‘It +was all on account of us,’ when it was owing to themselves and their +priests, their blind prophets, that followed their own spirits, and +could foresee nothing of these times and things that were come upon +them, which we had long forewarned them of, as Jeremiah and Christ +had forewarned Jerusalem. They had thought to weary us out, and undo +us, but they undid themselves. Whereas we could praise God, +notwithstanding all their plundering of us, that we had a platter, a +horse, and plough still.” + +Many ways were these professors warned, by word, by writing, and by +signs; but they would believe none, till it was too late. William +Sympson[68] was moved of the Lord to go, several times for three +years, naked and barefoot before them, as a sign unto them, in +markets, courts, towns, cities, to priests’ and great men’s houses, +telling them, “So should they be stripped naked, as he was +stripped!” And sometimes he was moved to put on sackcloth, and +besmear his face, and tell them, “So would the Lord God besmear all +their religion, as he was besmeared.” Great sufferings did that poor +man undergo, sore whippings with horse-whips and coach-whips on his +bare body, grievous stonings and imprisonments, in three years’ +time, before the king came in, that they might have taken warning; +but they would not: they rewarded his love with cruel usage. Only +the Mayor of Cambridge did nobly to him, for he put his gown about +him, and took him into his house. + +Footnote 68: + + This is probably the Friend of whom there is some account in + _Piety Promoted_, vol. ii., p. 71. He was born in Lancashire, and + receiving the Truth, became a faithful minister of it, for which + he was often imprisoned, and underwent cruel and hard sufferings. + In 1670, he went to Barbadoes with John Burnyeat, to preach the + gospel in that island, but after having some service there, he was + taken ill of a fever, during which he felt great peace and + consolation of spirit, and signified “he should die.” He was often + praising and glorifying God after this manner: “O! all that is + within me praise and magnify the Lord God, who is worthy for ever + of all glory; everlasting praises to the God of my life, who only + is worthy, and lives over all, and is above all, God blessed for + ever. Amen.” He died in much peace and quietness. + +Another Friend, Robert Huntingdon, was moved of the Lord to go into +Carlisle steeple-house, with a white sheet about him, amongst the +great Presbyterians and Independents there, to show them that the +surplice was coming up again: and he put a halter about his neck, to +show them that a halter was coming upon them; which was fulfilled +upon some of our persecutors not long after. + +Another, Richard Sale, living near Chester, being constable of the +place where he lived, had a Friend sent to him with a pass, whom +those wicked professors had taken up for a vagabond, because he +travelled in the work of the ministry; and this constable being +convinced by the Friend that was thus brought to him, gave him his +pass and liberty, and was afterwards himself cast into prison. After +this, on a lecture-day, Richard Sale was moved to go to the +steeple-house, in the time of their worship, and carry to those +persecuting priests and people, a lantern and candle, as a figure of +their darkness; but they cruelly abused him, and like dark +professors as they were, put him into their prison called +Little-Ease; and so squeezed his body therein, that not long after +he died.[69] + +Footnote 69: + + Richard Sale, the constable who became convinced, was an undaunted + reprover of vice. The place in which he lost his life, called + “Little Ease,” is described to have been “a hole hewed out in a + rock; the breadth across, seventeen inches; from the back to the + inside of the great door, at the top, seven inches; at the + shoulders, eight inches; at the breast, nine inches and a half; + from the top to the bottom, one yard and a half, with a device to + lessen the height, as they are minded to torment the persons put + in, by drawboards which shoot over the two sides to a yard height, + or thereabout.” + + Into this place was Richard Sale put several times, in 1656-1657, + for three, four, five and eight hours together. Being corpulent, + it required the strength of four men to thrust him in. In doing + which they crushed him till the blood gushed out of his mouth and + nose. He survived the last torture but two months, and died + imputing his death to the cruelty of his persecutors. + + In this place they tormented many of those who were induced, with, + Christian courage, to reprove the vices, either of ministers, + magistrates, or people. Richard Costrop, for preaching repentance + in the streets, was put in Little Ease till next day, and then, by + the Mayor, sent to Bridewell. Thomas Yarwood, who, as the Mayor + and Aldermen were going to a customary feast, with music playing + before them, dared to remind them wherein real Christianity stood, + viz., _in true holiness and the fear of the Lord_, was sent to + Little Ease, and kept there five hours; by which he, being but a + weak sickly man was much bruised and hurt. William Sympson, + attempting, in Christian love, to exhort the people, after their + public preacher had ended his sermon, was first put in the stocks, + and afterwards kept in Little Ease nine hours. When, next morning, + he complained to the Mayor of his cruel usage, he was sent again + to the same place, after the Sheriff, in the Mayor’s presence, had + struck him in the face, so that he bled very much. Edward Morgan, + complaining to the Mayor against a drunken fellow who had grossly + abused him, was sent to Little Ease for not putting off his hat + when he made that complaint, and the drunkard went unpunished; as + did also a servant who had robbed his master, a Friend, the master + being, by this same magistrate, imprisoned eleven weeks, because + he would not swear to the fact of the robbery. + +Many warnings of many sorts were Friends moved, in the power of the +Lord, to give to that generation; which they not only rejected, but +abused Friends, calling us giddy-headed Quakers; but God brought his +judgments upon those persecuting priests and magistrates. For when +the king came in, most of them were turned out of their places and +benefices, and the spoilers were spoiled: and then we could ask +them, “Who were the giddy heads now?” Then many confessed we had +been true prophets to the nation, and said, “Had we cried against +some priests only, they should have liked us then; but crying +against all made them dislike us.” But now they saw those priests, +which were then looked upon to be the best, were as bad as the rest. +For indeed, some of those that were counted the most eminent, were +the bitterest and greatest stirrers up of the magistrates to +persecution; and it was a judgment upon them to be denied the free +liberty of their consciences when the king came in, because when +they were uppermost, they would not have liberty of conscience +granted to others. One Hewes, of Plymouth, a priest of great note in +Oliver’s days, when some liberty was granted, prayed “that God would +put it into the hearts of the chief magistrates of the nation, to +remove this cursed toleration.” Others prayed against it under the +name of Intolerable Toleration. But a while after when the king was +come in and priest Hewes turned out of his great benefice for not +conforming to the Common Prayer, a Friend of Plymouth meeting with +him, asked, “Whether he would account toleration accursed now?” and +“whether he would not now be glad of a toleration?” To which the +priest returned no answer save by the shaking of his head. But as +stiff as these men were then against toleration, it is well known +many of them petitioned the king for toleration, and for +meeting-places, and paid for licenses too. But to return to the +present time, the latter end of the year 1660 and beginning of 1661. + +Although those Friends that had been imprisoned on the rising of the +Monarchy-men were set at liberty, meetings were much disturbed, and +great sufferings Friends underwent. For besides what was done by +officers and soldiers, many wild fellows and rude people often came +in. There came one time, when I was at Pall Mall, an ambassador with +a company of Irishmen and rude fellows; the meeting was over before +they came, and I was gone up into a chamber, where I heard one of +them say, “He would kill all the Quakers.” I went down to him, and +was moved in the power of the Lord to speak to him. I told him, “The +law said, ‘an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth;’ but thou +threatenest to kill all the Quakers, though they have done thee no +hurt. But,” said I, “Here is gospel for thee: here is my hair, here +is my cheek, and here is my shoulder,” turning it to him. This came +so over him, that he and his companions stood as men amazed, and +said, if that was our principle, and if we were as we said, they +never saw the like in their lives. I told them, what I was in words, +I was the same in life. Then the ambassador, who had stood without, +came in: for he said that Irish colonel was such a desperate man, +that he durst not come in with him, for fear he should do us some +mischief; but truth came over him, and he carried himself lovingly +towards us; as also did the ambassador; for the Lord’s power was +over them all. + +At Mile-End, Friends were kept out of their meeting-place by +soldiers, but they stood nobly in the truth, valiant for the Lord’s +name; and at last the truth gave them dominion. + +About this time we had an account that John Love, a Friend, that was +moved to go and bear testimony against the idolatry of the Papists, +was dead in prison at Rome: it was suspected he was privately put to +death in prison. John Perrot was also a prisoner there, and being +released came over again; but after his arrival here, he with +Charles Baily and others, turned aside from the unity of Friends and +truth. Whereupon I was moved to issue a paper, declaring how the +Lord would blast him and his followers, if they did not repent and +return; and that they should wither like the grass on the housetop, +which many of them did; but others returned and repented. + +Also before this time we received account from New England, “that +the government there had made a law to banish the Quakers out of +their colonies, upon pain of death, in case they returned; and that +several Friends, having been so banished, and returning, were taken, +and actually hung; and that many more were in prison, in danger of +the like sentence being executed upon them.”[70] When those were put +to death, I was in prison at Lancaster, and had a perfect sense of +their sufferings, as though it had been myself, and as though the +halter had been put about my own neck; though we had not at that +time heard of it. + +Footnote 70: + + The persecution of the Quakers in New England, by the Puritans and + Independents, who had themselves fled from home to enjoy religious + liberty, forms a dreadful story, the very recital of which is + revolting to humanity. Some they caused to have their ears cut + off; and, amongst many other cruelties, which would fill a volume, + they ordered three Quaker women to be stripped to the waist, and + flogged through eleven towns, a distance of eighty miles, in all + the severity of frost and snow. But, as if this was not enough, + they actually hanged three men and one woman for Christ’s sake, + who all acquitted themselves, at their awful exit, with that + firmness and submission which a Christian martyr is enabled to + sustain at such an hour of nature’s extremity, giving full proof + of their sincerity and trust in the goodness and support of Him, + who had called them to make a public profession of his name before + a wicked and perverse generation. Their names were—William + Robinson, Marmaduke Stevenson, William Leddra, and Mary Dyer. + + On the day appointed for the execution of these innocent victims, + they were led to the gallows by military officers, accompanied by + a band of about 200 armed men, besides many horsemen—a measure + which plainly indicated that some fear of popular indignation was + apprehended; and, that no appeal might be made to the feelings of + the multitude, a drummer was appointed to march before the + condemned persons, to beat the drum, especially when any of them + attempted to speak. + + Glorious signs of heavenly joy and gladness were visible in the + countenances of these holy martyrs, who walked hand in hand to the + place where they were to suffer. “This is to me an hour of the + greatest joy,” exclaimed Mary Dyer; adding, that no eye could see, + no ear could hear, no tongue could utter, no heart could + understand, the sweet refreshings of the Spirit of the Lord which + she then felt. + + Being come to the ladder, and having taken leave of each other + with tender affection, they yielded up their lives into the hands + of their enemies, Robinson’s last words being, “I suffer for + Christ, in whom I live, and for whom I die;” and those of + Stevenson, “This day shall we be at rest with the Lord.” William + Leddra, patiently submitting himself whilst the executioner put + the halter round his neck, said, “I commit my righteous cause unto + thee, O God;” and, as he was turned off, died with these words, + “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” When Mary Dyer ascended the + ladder, she was told by some of the standers-by that even now, if + she would obey them, she might come down and save her life. But + this magnanimous sufferer shrank not from her doom, well knowing + in whom, and for whom she was about to die; she contentedly laid + down her life, saying, “In obedience to the will of the Lord, I + abide faithful unto death.” + + “We too, have had our martyrs. Such wert thou, + Illustrious woman! though the starry crown + Of martyrdom has sat on many a brow, + In the world’s eye, of far more wide renown. + + Yet the same spirit graced thy fameless end, + Which shone in Latimer and his compeers; + Upon whose hallowed memories still attend + Manhood’s warm reverence, childhood’s guileless tears. + + Well did they win them; may they keep them long! + Their names require not praise obscure as mine, + Nor does my muse their cherish’d memories wrong, + By this imperfect aim to honour thine. + + Heroic martyr of a sect despised! + Thy name and memory to my heart are dear: + Thy fearless zeal (in artless childhood prized) + The lapse of years has taught me to revere. + + Thy Christian worth demands no poet’s lay, + Historian’s pen, nor sculptor’s boasted art; + What could the proudest tribute these can pay + To thy immortal spirit, now impart? + + Yet seems it like a sacred debt to give + The brief memorial thou mayst well supply; + Whose life display’d how Christians ought to live, + Whose death—how Christian martyrs calmly die.” + + For further particulars of the New England persecution, the reader + is referred to Sewell’s _History_; Bowden’s _History of Friends in + America_; Kelty’s _Early Days in the Society of Friends_; + Hodgson’s _Historical Memoirs, &c._ + +But as soon as we heard of it, Edward Burrough went to the king, and +told him, “There was a vein of innocent blood opened in his +dominions, which, if it were not stopped, would overrun all.” To +which the king replied, “But I will stop that vein.” Edward Burrough +said, “Then do it speedily, for we do not know how many may soon be +put to death.” The king answered, “As speedily as ye will. Call,” +said he to some present, “the secretary, and I will do it +presently.” The secretary being called, a mandamus was forthwith +granted. A day or two after, Edward Burrough going again to the +king, to desire the matter might be expedited, the king said, “He +had no occasion at present to send a ship thither, but if we would +send one, we might do it as soon as we chose.” Edward Burrough then +asked the king, “if it would please him to grant his deputation to +one called a Quaker, to carry the mandamus to New England?” He said, +“Yes, to whom ye will.” Whereupon E. B. named Samuel Shattock, who +being an inhabitant of New England, was banished by their law, to be +hung if he came again; and to him the deputation was granted. Then +he sent for Ralph Goldsmith, an honest Friend, who was master of a +good ship, and agreed with him for £300, goods or no goods, to sail +in ten days. He forthwith prepared to set sail, and, with a +prosperous gale, in about six weeks arrived before the town of +Boston, in New England, upon a First-day morning. Many passengers +went with him, both of New and Old England, Friends, whom the Lord +moved to go to bear testimony against those bloody persecutors, who +had exceeded all the world in that age in their persecutions. + +The townsmen at Boston seeing a ship come into the bay with English +colours, soon came on board, and asked for the captain. Ralph +Goldsmith told them, he was the commander. They asked him, if he had +any letters? He said, “Yes.” They asked, if he would deliver them? +He said, “No, not to-day.” So they went on shore, and reported there +was a ship full of Quakers, and that Samuel Shattock was among them, +who, they knew, was, by their law, to be put to death, for coming +again after banishment; but they knew not his errand, nor his +authority. + +So all being kept close that day, and none of the ship’s company +suffered to land, next morning, Samuel Shattock, the king’s deputy, +and Ralph Goldsmith, the commander of the vessel, went on shore; and +sending back to the ship the men that landed them, they two went +through the town to the governor’s (John Endicott’s) door, and +knocked. He sent out a man to know their business. They sent him +word, their business was from the king of England, and they would +deliver their message to none but the governor himself. They were +then admitted, and the governor came to them; and having received +the deputation and the mandamus, he put off his hat, and looked upon +them. Then going out, he bid the Friends follow him. He went to the +deputy-governor, and after a short consultation, came out to the +Friends, and said, “We shall obey his Majesty’s commands.” After +this the master gave liberty to the passengers to land; and +presently the noise of the business flew about the town, and the +Friends of the town and the passengers of the ship met together, to +offer up their praises and thanksgivings to God, who had so +wonderfully delivered them from the teeth of the devourer. While +they were thus met, a poor Friend came in, who, being sentenced by +their bloody law to die, had lain some time in irons, expecting +execution. This added to their joy, and caused them to lift up their +hearts in high praises to God, who is worthy for ever to have the +praise, the glory, and the honour; for he only is able to deliver, +to save, and to support all that sincerely put their trust in him. + +Here follows a copy of the mandamus:— + + “CHARLES R. + + “Trusty and well beloved, we greet you well. Having been informed + that several of our subjects amongst you, called Quakers, have + been and are imprisoned by you, whereof some have been executed, + and others, as hath been represented unto us, are in danger to + undergo the like, we have thought fit to signify our pleasure in + that behalf for the future; and do hereby require, that if there + be any of those people called Quakers amongst you, now already + condemned to suffer death or other corporal punishment, or that + are imprisoned, and obnoxious to the like condemnation, you are to + forbear to proceed any further therein; but that you forthwith + send the said persons, whether condemned or imprisoned, over into + this our kingdom of England, together with the respective crimes + or offences laid to their charge: to the end such course may be + taken with them here, as shall be agreeable to our laws and their + demerits. And for so doing, these our letters shall be your + sufficient warrant and discharge. Given at our Court at Whitehall, + the 9th day of September, 1661, in the thirteenth year of our + reign.” + + Subscribed: “To our trusty and well beloved John Endicott, Esq., + and to all and every other the governor or governors of our + plantations of New England, and of all the colonies thereunto + belonging, that now are, or hereafter shall be: and to all and + every the ministers and officers of our plantations and colonies + whatsoever, within the continent of New England. + + “By his Majesty’s command. + “WILLIAM MORRIS.” + +Some time after this several New England magistrates came over, with +one of their priests. We had several discourses with them concerning +their murdering our Friends, the servants of the Lord; but they were +ashamed to stand to their bloody actions. On one of these occasions +I asked Simon Broadstreet, one of the New England magistrates, +“Whether he had not a hand in putting to death those four servants +of God, whom they hung for being Quakers only, as they had nicknamed +them?” He confessed he had. I then asked him and the rest of his +associates that were present, “Whether they would acknowledge +themselves to be subject to the laws of England; and if they did, by +what laws they had put our Friends to death?” They said, “They were +subject to the laws of England; and had put our Friends to death by +the same law that the Jesuits were put to death in England.” I asked +them then, “Whether they believed those Friends of ours, whom they +had put to death, were Jesuits or jesuitically affected?” They said, +nay. “Then,” said I, “ye have murdered them, if ye have put them to +death by the law that Jesuits are put to death here in England, and +yet confess they were no Jesuits. By this it plainly appears ye have +put them to death in your own wills, without any law.” Then Simon +Broadstreet, finding himself and his company ensnared by their own +words, asked, “Did we come to catch them?” I told them, they had +caught themselves, and they might justly be questioned for their +lives; and if the father of William Robinson, one of them that were +put to death, were in town, it was probable he would question them, +and bring their lives into jeopardy. Here they began to excuse +themselves, saying, “There was no persecution now amongst them:” but +next morning we had letters from New England, giving us account that +our Friends were persecuted there afresh. We went again, and showed +them our letters, which put them both to silence and to shame; and +in great fear they seemed to be, lest someone should call them to +account, and prosecute them for their lives, especially Simon +Broadstreet; for he had at first, before so many witnesses, +confessed he had a hand in putting our Friends to death, that he +could not get off from it; though he afterwards through fear +shuffled, and would have unsaid it again. After this, he and the +rest soon returned to New England again. + +I went also to Governor Winthrop, and discoursed with him on these +matters; he assured me, “He had no hand in putting our Friends to +death, or in any way persecuting them; but was one of them that +protested against it.” These stingy persecutors of New England were +a people that fled thither out of Old England, from the persecution +of the bishops here; but when they had got power into their own +hands, they so far exceeded the bishops in severity and cruelty, +that whereas the bishops had made them pay twelve pence a Sunday (so +called) for not coming to their worship here, they imposed a fine of +five shillings a-day upon such as should not conform to their +will-worship there; and spoiled the goods of Friends that could not +(for conscience’ sake) pay it. Besides, many they imprisoned, divers +they whipped, and that most cruelly; of some they cut off the ears, +and some they hanged; as the books of Friends’ sufferings in New +England largely show, particularly that written by George Bishop, of +Bristol, entitled, _New England Judged_. Some of the old royalists +were earnest with Friends to prosecute them, but we told them, we +left them to the Lord, to whom vengeance belongeth, and he would +repay it. And the judgments of God have since fallen heavy on them; +for the Indians have been raised up against them, and have cut off +many of them. + +About this time I lost a very good book, being taken in the +printer’s hands; it was a useful teaching work, containing the +signification and explanation of names, parables, types, and figures +in the Scriptures. They who took it were so affected with it, that +they were loth to destroy it; but thinking to make a great advantage +of it, they would have let us have it again, if we would have given +them a great sum of money for it; which we were not free to do. + +Before this, while I was a prisoner in Lancaster castle, the book +called _The Battledore_ was published, which was written to show, +that in all languages Thou and Thee is the proper and usual form of +speech to a single person; and You to more than one. This was set +forth in examples or instances taken from the Scriptures, and books +of teaching, in about thirty languages. J. Stubbs and Benjamin Furly +took great pains in compiling it, which I set them upon; and some +things I added to it. When it was finished, copies were presented to +the king and his council, to the bishops of Canterbury and London, +and to the two universities one each; and many purchased them. The +king said, it was the proper language of all nations; and the bishop +of Canterbury, being asked what he thought of it, was at a stand, +and could not tell what to say to it. For it did so inform and +convince people, that few afterwards were so rugged toward us, for +saying Thou and Thee to a single person, for which before they were +exceedingly fierce against us. Thou and Thee was a sore cut to proud +flesh, and them that sought self-honour, who, though they would say +it to God and Christ, could not endure to have it said to +themselves. So that we were often beaten and abused, and sometimes +in danger of our lives, for using those words to some proud men, who +would say, “What! you ill-bred clown, do you Thou me?” as though +Christian breeding consisted in saying You to one; which is contrary +to all their grammars and teaching books, by which they instruct +their youth. + +Now the bishops and priests being busy and eager to set up their +form of worship, and compel all to come to it, I was moved to give +forth the following paper, to open _the nature of the true worship_, +which Christ set up, and which God accepts:— + + “Christ’s worship is free in the Spirit to all men; and such as + worship in Spirit and in truth, are they whom God seeks to worship + him; for he is the God of truth, and is a Spirit, and the God of + the spirits of all flesh. He hath given to all nations of men and + women breath and life, to live, and move, and have their being in + him: and hath put into them an immortal soul. So all are to be + temples for him to dwell in; and they that defile his temple will + he destroy. Now as the outward Jews, while they had their outward + temple at Jerusalem, were to go up thither to worship (which + temple God hath long since thrown down, and destroyed that + Jerusalem, the vision of peace; and cast off the Jews and their + worship; and instead thereof hath set up his gospel-worship in the + Spirit and in the truth), so now all are to worship in Spirit and + in truth. This is a free worship; for where the Spirit of the Lord + is, and ruleth, there is liberty; the fruits of the Spirit are + seen, and will manifest themselves; and the Spirit is not to be + limited, but lived and walked in, that its fruits may appear. The + tares are such as hang upon the wheat, and thereby draw it down to + the earth; yet the tares and the wheat must grow together, till + the harvest, lest they that take upon them to pluck up the tares, + should pluck up the wheat with the tares. The tares are such as + worship not God in Spirit and in truth; but grieve the Spirit, vex + and quench it in themselves, and walk not in the truth; yet will + hang about the wheat, the true worshippers in the Spirit and in + the truth. + + “Christ’s church was never established by blood, nor held up by + prisons: neither was the foundation of it laid by carnal-weaponed + men, nor is it preserved by such. But when men departed from the + Spirit and truth, they took up carnal weapons to maintain their + outward forms, and yet they cannot preserve them with their carnal + weapons; for one plucketh down another’s form with his outward + weapons. And this work hath been among nominal Christians, since + they lost the Spirit, and spiritual weapons, and the true worship + which Christ set up, that is in Spirit and in truth, which they + that worship in, are over all the tares. All that would be + plucking up the tares are forbidden by Christ, who hath all power + in heaven and earth given to him; for the tares and the wheat must + grow together till the harvest, as Christ hath commanded. The + stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the + whole earth; now, if the stone fill the whole earth, all nations + must be temples for the stone. All that say they travail for the + seed, and yet bring forth nothing but a birth of strife, + contention, and confusion, their fruit shows their travail to be + wrong; for by the fruit, the end of every one’s work is seen, of + what sort it is.” + + G. F. + +About this time many Papists and Jesuits began to fawn upon Friends, +and talked where they came, that of all sects the Quakers were the +best and most self-denying people; and said, “It was a great pity +they did not return to the holy mother church.” Thus they made a +buzz among the people, and said, “They would willingly discourse +with Friends.” But Friends were loth to meddle with them, because +they were Jesuits, looking upon it to be both dangerous and +scandalous. But when I understood it, I said to Friends, “Let us +discourse with them, be they what they will.” So a time being +appointed at Gerrard Roberts’s house, there came two of them like +courtiers. When we were met together, they asked our names, which we +told them; but we did not ask their names, for we understood they +were called Papists, and they knew we were called Quakers. I asked +them the same question that I had formerly asked a Jesuit, namely, +“Whether the church of Rome was not degenerated from the primitive +church, from the Spirit, power, and practice, of the apostles’ +times?” He to whom I put this question being subtle, said, “He would +not answer it.” I asked him, “Why?” But he would show no reason. His +companion said, he would answer me; and said, “They were not +degenerated from the primitive church times.” I asked the other, +whether he was of the same mind? He said, “Yes.” Then I told them +that for better understanding one another, and that there might be +no mistake, I would repeat my question over again after this manner, +“Whether the church of Rome now was in the same purity, practice, +power, and Spirit, that the church in the apostles’ time was in?” +When they saw we would be exact with them, they flew off, and denied +that, saying, “It was presumption in any to say, they had the same +power and spirit that the apostles had.” “But I told them, it was +presumption in them to meddle with the words of Christ and his +apostles, and make people believe they succeeded the apostles, and +yet be forced to confess they were not in the same power and Spirit +the apostles were in. This,” said I, “is a spirit of presumption, +and rebuked by the apostles’ Spirit.” I showed them how different +their fruits and practices were from those of the apostles. + +Then one of them said, “Ye are a company of dreamers.” “Nay,” said I, +“ye are the filthy dreamers, who dream ye are the apostles successors; +and yet confess ye have not the same power and Spirit they were in. And +are not they defilers of the flesh, who say, ‘It is presumption in any +to say, they have the same power and Spirit the apostles had?’ Now,” +said I, “if ye have not the same power and Spirit the apostles had, +then it is manifest that ye are led by another power and spirit than +the apostles and primitive church were led by.” Then I began to tell +them how that evil spirit, which they were led by, had led them to pray +by beads and to images; to set up nunneries, friaries, and monasteries, +and to put people to death for religion; and this practice of theirs, I +showed them, was below the law, and far short of the gospel, in which +is liberty. They were soon weary of this discourse, went away, and gave +a charge, as we heard, to the Papists, “That they should not dispute +with us, or read any of our books;” so we were rid of them. But we had +reasonings with all the other sects as Presbyterians, Independents, +Seekers, Baptists, Episcopalians, Socinians, Brownists, Lutherans, +Calvinists, Arminians, Fifth-monarchy-men, Familists, Muggletonians and +Ranters; none of which would affirm they had the same power and Spirit +the apostles had, and were in; so in that power and Spirit the Lord +gave us dominion over them all. + +As for the Fifth-monarchy men, I was moved to give forth a paper, to +manifest their error to them; for they looked for Christ’s personal +coming in an outward form and manner, and fixed the time to the year +1666; at which time some of them prepared themselves when it +thundered and rained, thinking Christ was then come to set up his +kingdom; and they imagined they were to kill the whore without them. +But I told them the whore was alive in them, and was not burned with +God’s fire, nor judged in them with the same power and Spirit the +apostles were in. And their looking for Christ’s coming outwardly to +set up his kingdom, was like the Pharisees’ “Lo here” and “Lo +there.” But Christ was come, and had set up his kingdom above +sixteen hundred years ago (according to Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and +Daniel’s prophecy), and he had dashed to pieces the four monarchies, +the great image, with its head of gold, breast and arms of silver, +belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron, and feet part of iron and +part of clay; and they were all blown away with God’s wind, as the +chaff in the summer thrashing-floor. And when Christ was on earth, +he said, “His kingdom was not of this world:” if it had been, his +servants would have fought, but it was not; therefore his servants +did not fight. Therefore all the Fifth-monarchy-men, that are +fighters with carnal weapons, are none of Christ’s servants, but the +beast’s and the whore’s. Christ said, “All power in heaven and in +earth is given to me:” so then his kingdom was set up above sixteen +hundred years ago, and he reigns. “And we see Jesus Christ reign,” +said the apostle; and he shall reign till all things be put under +his feet; though all things are not yet put under his feet, nor +subdued. + +This year several Friends were moved to go beyond the seas, to +publish Truth in foreign countries. John Stubbs, and Henry Fell, and +Richard Costrop were moved to go towards China and Prester John’s +country; but no masters of ships would carry them. With much ado +they got a warrant from the king; but the East India Company found +ways to avoid it, and masters of their ships would not carry them. +Then they went into Holland, hoping to get passage there, but none +could they get there either. Then John Stubbs and Henry Fell took +shipping for Alexandria in Egypt, intending to go by the caravans +from thence. Meanwhile Daniel Baker being to go to Smyrna, drew +Richard Costrop,[71] contrary to his own freedom, to go along with +him, and in the passage Richard falling sick, Daniel Baker left him +so in the ship, where he died: but that hard-hearted man afterwards +lost his own condition. + +Footnote 71: + + This Richard Costrop (or Scostrop) was born in 1628. He was + originally a sore persecutor of Friends, but becoming convinced of + the soundness of their principles, he at length joined the + Society, and preached the faith which once he destroyed, + travelling for this object into various parts of Europe. he seems + to have been chiefly instrumental in establishing the meeting at + Scalehouse. He appears to have been a man of some estate, but left + all, and spent his days in the service of the gospel. In a + document issued by Friends of Settle Monthly Meeting in 1704, it + is said of him, “his memory is sweet this day among the brethren.” + See _Life, &c., of William and Alice Ellis_, by James Backhouse, + pp. 278, 279, &c. + +John Stubbs and Henry Fell reached Alexandria; but they had not been +there long before the English consul banished them: yet before they +came away, they dispersed many books and papers, for opening the +principles and way of truth to the Turks and Grecians. They gave the +book called, _The Pope’s Strength Broken_, to an old friar, for him +to give or send to the Pope; which when the friar had perused, he +placed his hand on his breast, and confessed, “What was written +therein was truth; but” said he, “if I should confess it openly, +they would burn me.” John Stubbs and Henry Fell, not being suffered +to go further, returned to England, and came to London again. John +had a vision that the English and Dutch, who had joined together not +to carry them, would fall out one with the other; and so it came to +pass. + +Having now stayed in London some time, I felt drawings to visit +Friends in Essex. So I went down to COLCHESTER, where I had very +large meetings; and thence to COGGESHALL; not far from which a +priest was convinced, and I had a meeting at his house. Travelling a +little up and down in those parts, and visiting Friends in their +meetings, I returned pretty quickly to LONDON, where I found great +service for the Lord; for a large door was opened, many flocked in +to our meetings, and the Lord’s truth spread mightily this year. + +Yet Friends had great travail and sore labour, the rude people +having been so heightened by the Monarchy-men’s rising a little +before. But the Lord’s power was over all, and in it Friends had +dominion; though we had not only those sufferings without, but +sufferings within also, by John Perrot and his company; who, giving +heed to a spirit of delusion, sought to introduce among Friends that +evil and uncomely practice of “keeping on the hat in time of public +prayers.” Friends had spoken to him and many of his followers about +it, and I had written to them concerning it; but he and some others +rather strengthened themselves against us.[72] Wherefore feeling the +judgment of truth rise against it, I gave forth the following as a +warning to all that were concerned therein:— + + “Whosoever is tainted with this spirit of John Perrot, it will + perish. Mark his and their end, who are turned into those outward + things and janglings about them, and that which is not savoury; + all which is for perpetual judgment—is to be swept and cleansed + out of the camp of God’s elect. This is to that spirit, that is + gone into jangling about that which is below (the rotten principle + of the old Ranters)—gone from the invisible power of God, in which + is the everlasting fellowship; and thus many who now clamour and + speak against them that are in the power of God, are become like + the untimely figs, and like the corn on the house-top. O! + consider! the light and power of God goes over you all, and leaves + you in the fretting nature, out of the unity which is in the + everlasting light, life, and power of God. Consider this, before + the day be gone from you; and take heed, that your memorial be not + rooted out from among the righteous.” + + G. F. + +Footnote 72: + + John Perrot was one who at this time caused great distress and + trouble to the faithful members of the Society, from giving way to + self-importance and extravagant notions. For particulars, the + reader is referred to Sewell’s _History_; and to Hodgson’s + _Historical Memoirs_. + + Whilst the Society kept steadily pursuing its path, and increasing + in numbers, notwithstanding the persecutions to which its members + were everywhere subjected, it was not to be expected that every + individual who was found within its precincts should have been + rightly prepared for the station which he might have assumed. It + would have been indeed remarkable, if, in the multitude of those + who went forth in that day of zeal, in the service of the + ministry, there had not been instances of men who had taken upon + them (perhaps mistakenly) the office of a gospel minister, without + waiting for the preparation and the call. And it would have been + still more surprising if such forward spirits had proved firm in + the day of outward trial, or of inward fascinations and snares of + the enemy. + +Among the exercises and troubles Friends had from without, one was +regarding Friends’ marriages, which sometimes were called in +question. This year there was a cause tried at the assize at +Nottingham concerning one. The case was thus. Some years before, two +Friends were joined together in marriage amongst Friends, and lived +together as man and wife about two years. Then the man died, leaving +his wife with child, and an estate in lands of copyhold. When the +woman was delivered, the jury presented the child heir to its +father’s lands, and accordingly the child was admitted; afterwards +another Friend married the widow. After that, a man that was near of +kin to her former husband, brought his action against the Friend +that had last married her, endeavouring to dispossess them, and +deprive the child of the inheritance, and to possess himself thereof +as next heir to the woman’s first husband. To effect this, he +endeavoured to prove the child illegitimate, alleging, “the marriage +was not according to law.” In opening the cause, the plaintiff’s +counsel used unseemly words concerning Friends, saying, “That they +went together like brute beasts,” with other ill expressions. After +the counsels on both sides had pleaded, the judge (viz., Judge +Archer) took the matter in hand, and opened it to the jury, telling +them, that “There was a marriage in Paradise when Adam took Eve, and +Eve took Adam; and that it was the consent of the parties that made +a marriage. As for the Quakers,” he said, “he did not know their +opinions, but he did not believe they went together as brute beasts, +as had been said of them, but as Christians and therefore he +believed the marriage was lawful, and the child lawful heir.” And +the better to satisfy the jury, he brought them a case to this +purpose:—“A man that was weak of body, and kept his bed, had a +desire in that condition to marry, and declared before witnesses +that he took such a woman to be his wife, and the woman declared +that she took that man to be her husband. This marriage was +afterwards called in question; and (as the judge said) all the +bishops at that time concluded it to be a lawful marriage.” Hereupon +the jury gave in their verdict for the Friend’s child, against the +man that would have deprived it of its inheritance. + +About this time the oaths of allegiance and supremacy were tendered +to Friends, as a snare, because it was known we could not swear, and +thereupon many were imprisoned, and divers premunired. Upon that +occasion Friends published in print “_The grounds and reasons why +they refused to swear_;” besides which I was moved to issue these +few lines, to be given to the magistrates:— + + “The world saith, ‘Kiss the book;’ but the book saith, ‘Kiss the + Son, lest he be angry.’ And the Son saith, ‘Swear not at all,’ but + keep to Yea and Nay in all your communications; for whatsoever is + more than this cometh of evil. Again, the world saith, ‘Lay your + hand on the book,’ but the book saith, ‘Handle the word;’ and the + word saith, ‘Handle not the traditions,’ nor the inventions, nor + the rudiments of the world. And God saith, ‘This is my beloved + Son, hear Him,’ who is the life, the truth, the light, and the way + to God.” + + G. F. + +Now their being very many Friends in prison in the nation, Richard +Hubberthorn and I drew up paper concerning them,[73] and got it +delivered to the king, that he might understand how we were dealt +with by his officers. It was directed thus:— + + “_For the King._ + + “FRIEND, + + “Who art the chief ruler of these dominions, here is a list of + some of the sufferings of the people of God, in scorn called + Quakers, that have suffered under the changeable powers before + thee, by whom there have been imprisoned, and under whom there + have suffered for good conscience’ sake, and for bearing testimony + to the truth as it is in Jesus, ‘three thousand one hundred and + seventy-three persons,’ and there lie yet in prison in the name of + the Commonwealth ‘seventy-three persons,’ that we know of. And + there died in prison in the time of the Commonwealth, and of + Oliver and Richard, the protectors, through cruel and hard + imprisonments, upon nasty straw, and in dungeons, ‘thirty-two + persons.’ There have been also imprisoned in thy name, since thy + arrival, by such as thought to ingratiate themselves thereby with + thee, ‘three thousand, sixty and eight persons.’ Besides this, our + meetings are daily broken up by men with clubs and arms, though we + meet peaceably, according to the practice of God’s people in the + primitive times, and our Friends are thrown into waters, and trod + upon, till the very blood gushes out of them; the number of which + abuses can hardly be uttered. + + “Now this we would have of thee, to set them at liberty that lie + in prison in the names of the Commonwealth, and of the two + Protectors, and them that lie in thy own name, for speaking the + truth, and for good conscience’ sake, who have not lifted up a + hand against thee or any man; and that the meetings of our + Friends, who meet peaceably together in the fear of God, to + worship him, may not be broken up by rude people, with their + clubs, swords, and staves. One of the greatest things that we have + suffered for formerly, was, because we could not swear to the + Protectors and all the changeable governments; and now we are + imprisoned because we cannot take the oath of allegiance. Now, if + our yea be not yea, and nay, nay, to thee, and to all men upon the + earth, let us suffer as much for breaking that, as others do for + breaking an oath. We have suffered these many years, both in lives + and estates, under these changeable governments, because we cannot + swear, but obey Christ’s doctrine, who commands, ‘we should not + swear at all’ (Matt. v. James v.), and this we seal with our lives + and estates, with our yea and nay, according to the doctrine of + Christ. Hearken to these things, and so consider them in the + wisdom of God, that by it such actions may be stopped; thou that + hast the government and mayest do it. We desire that all that are + in prison may be set at liberty, and that for the time to come + they may not be imprisoned for conscience and for truth’s sake; + and if thou question the innocency of their sufferings, let them + and their accusers be brought up before thee, and we shall produce + a more particular and full account of their sufferings if + required.” + + G.F. and R.H. + +Footnote 73: + + About this time persecution was very hot, and from estimates + deduced from documents of the period, it is probable that, in 1661 + or 1662, there were no less than 4,500 Friends in prison, in + England and Wales, at one time, for meeting to worship God, + refusing to swear, &c. And in such prisons too! They who would + know what the miseries of prisoners have been in England, let them + read Sewell’s _History_, which exhibits such a scene of savage + persecution on the one hand, and firmness and patience in + suffering on the other, as is not easily paralleled. Little known + as these things are, it will hardly be credited now, that to such + a length was hatred carried against the Quakers, that few of them, + except those below the cognizance of the magistrates, were not in + prison, at one time or other, for their religious faith. + + The interruption of family ties, the breaking up of households, + the loss to many of all means of support, were hard and cruel + sufferings for conscience’ sake, but they were grievously + aggravated at this period by the damp and filthy condition of the + prisons, holes, and dungeons in which the sufferers were confined, + as well as by their very crowded condition. And to all these + circumstances of trial, must be added those of personal abuse, + fines, distraints, and, it may strictly be said, of wholesale + robberies they endured. Some died of the beatings which they + received in the breaking up of their meetings, and many from the + filthy and close state of the prisons, in some of which they were + so closely packed that they had to take it by turns to stand up, + whilst others sat or lay down. They were also often overrun with + lice and other vermin. + +I mentioned before, that in the year 1650, I was kept prisoner six +months in the house of correction at Derby, and that the keeper of +the prison, a cruel man, and one that had dealt very wickedly +towards me, was smitten in himself, the plagues and terrors of the +Lord falling upon him because thereof (p. 57.). This man, being +afterwards convinced of truth, wrote me the following letter:— + + “DEAR FRIEND, + + “Having such a convenient messenger, I could do no less than give + thee an account of my present condition, remembering, that in the + first awakening of me to a sense of life, and of the inward + principle, God was pleased to make use of thee as an instrument. + So that sometimes I am taken with admiration that it should come + by such a means as it did; that is to say, that providence should + order thee to be my prisoner, to give me my first real sight of + the truth. It makes me many times think of the jailer’s conversion + by the apostles. O happy George Fox! that first breathed that + breath of life within the walls of my habitation! Notwithstanding + my outward losses are since that time such, that I am become + nothing in the world, yet I hope I shall find that all these light + afflictions, which are but for a moment, will work for me a far + more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. They have taken all + from me, and now, instead of keeping a prison, I am rather waiting + the time when I shall become a prisoner myself. Pray for me, that + my faith fail not, but that I may hold out unto death, that I may + receive a crown of life. I earnestly desire to hear from thee, and + of thy condition, which would very much rejoice me. Not having + else at present but my kind love unto thee, and all Christian + Friends with thee, in haste, I rest, thine, in Christ Jesus, + + THOMAS SHARMAN.” + + Derby, 22nd of 4th Month, 1662. + +There were two of our friends in prison in the Inquisition at Malta, +both women; Katherine Evans and Sarah Chevers.[74] I was told that +one called the Lord D’Aubigny [a Roman Catholic priest], could +procure their liberty, so I went to him; and having informed him +concerning their imprisonment, desired him to write to the +magistrates there for their release. He readily promised he would; +and, “if I would come again within a month, he would tell me of +their discharge.” I went again about that time, and he said, “he +thought his letters had miscarried, because he had received no +answer.” But he promised he would write again, and he did so; and +they were both set at liberty. + +----- + +Footnote 74: + + Katherine Evans and Sarah Chevers suffered a dreadful confinement + for about four years in the Inquisition at Malta, of which a full + account has been published. A more condensed one may be seen in + _Select Miscellanies_, v. p. 50-68. + + “——These ministers of Christ did leave + Their homes in England, faithfully to bear + The Saviour’s message into Eastern lands; + And here, at Malta, they were seized upon + By bigoted intolerance, and shut + Within this fearful engine of the Pope. + Priests and inquisitors assail them there, + And urge the claims of Popery. The rack + And cruel deaths are threatened; and again + Sweet liberty is offered, as the price + Of their apostacy. All, all in vain! + For years these tender women have been thus + Victims of cruelty. At times apart, + Confined in gloomy, solitary cells. + But all these efforts to convert them failed; + The inquisition had not power enough + To shake their faith and confidence in Him, + Whose holy presence anciently was seen + To save his children from devouring flames; + He from this furnace of affliction brought + These persecuted women, who came forth + Out of the burning, with no smell of fire + Upon their garments, and again they trod + Their native land, rejoicing.” + + Some idea of the sufferings of these poor creatures may be formed + from the fact of their _often lying down before the crevice of + their prison-door, to inhale what air could be obtained from it_. + In this state their skin was parched, the hair fell off their + heads, and, they frequently fainted; and, in moments when the + strength and glory of the Divine presence was not so feelingly + experienced as at others, it cannot occasion surprise that, + through human weakness, they wished for death; their distress + sometimes being such, that when it was day they longed for night, + and yet when night came it was only to prompt the constant sigh + for returning light. Yet the heavenly content which, on the whole, + was the portion of these sufferers for Christ’s sake, in this dark + and cloudy day, was remarkable. One of them, in writing to her + relatives in England, says, “We are witnesses that the Lord can + provide a table in the wilderness, both spiritual and temporal. In + all our afflictions and miseries, the Lord remembered mercy, and + did not leave nor forsake us, nor suffer his faithfulness to fail; + but caused the sweet drops of his mercy to distil upon us, and the + brightness of his glorious countenance to shine into our hearts.” + + The other of these suffering captives writes that she could not, + by pen and paper, set forth the extent of the love of God to her + soul, in fulfilling his gracious promises to her in the + wilderness. They were indeed enabled to “sing the Lord’s song in a + strange land;” and in the midst of heaviness, “their mouths were + often filled with laughter, and their tongues with joy,” being + strong in the faith, giving praises and glory to God. + + The following, composed by them in the Inquisition, affords a view + of the motives and abilities of these devoted women:— + + “In prisons strong, and dungeons deep, + To God alone we cry and weep; + Our sorrows none can learn nor read, + But those that in our path do tread. + But he whose beauty shineth bright, + Who turneth darkness into light, + Makes cedars bow, and oaks to bend, + To him that’s sent to the same end; + He is a fountain pure and clear, + His crystal streams run far and near + To cleanse all those that come to him + For to be healed of their sin: + All them that patiently abide, + And never swerve nor go aside, + The Lord will free them out of all + Bondage, captivity, and thrall.” + + It was not in the Inquisition only that these women suffered, but + much also in England. In 1657, Katherine Evans was stripped, and + tied to a whipping-post in the market-place at Salisbury, and + there whipped, for exhorting the people to repentance. Her + husband, a man of property, also suffered several imprisonments, + and at last died in prison for obeying our Saviour’s command, + “Swear not at all.” + +----- + +With this great man I had much reasoning about religion, and he +confessed that “Christ hath enlightened every man that cometh into +the world, with his spiritual light; that he tasted death for every +man; that the grace of God, which brings salvation, hath appeared to +all men, and that it would teach them and bring their salvation, if +they obeyed it.” Then I asked him, “what would they (the Papists) do +with all their relics and images, if they should own and believe in +this light, and receive the grace to teach and bring their +salvation?” He said, “those things were but policies, to keep people +in subjection.” He was very free in discourse; I never heard a +Papist confess so much as he did. + +Though several about the court began to grow loving to Friends, yet +persecution was very hot, and several Friends died in prison. +Whereupon I gave forth a little paper _concerning the grounds and +rise of persecution_; which was thus:— + + “All the sufferings of the people of God in all ages were, because + they could not join in the national religions and worships, which + men had made and set up; and because they would not forsake God’s + religion and his worship, which he had set up. You may see through + all chronicles and histories, that the priests joined with the + powers of the nation; the magistrates, soothsayers, and + fortune-tellers, all united against the people of God, and + imagined vain things against them in their councils. When the Jews + did wickedly, they turned against Moses; and when the Jewish kings + transgressed the law of God, they persecuted the prophets, as may + be seen in the prophets’ writings. When Christ, the substance, + came, the Jews persecuted Christ, his apostles, and disciples. And + when the Jews had not power enough of themselves to persecute + answerably to their wills, they got the heathen Gentiles to help + them against Christ, and against his apostles and disciples, who + were in the Spirit and power of Christ.” + + G. F. + +After I had made some stay in London, and had cleared myself of +those services that at that time lay upon me there, I went into the +country, having with me Alexander Parker and John Stubbs. We +travelled through the country, visiting Friends’ meetings, till we +came to BRISTOL. There we understood the officers were likely to +come and break up the meeting. Yet on First-day we went to the +meeting at Broadmead, and Alexander Parker standing up first, while +he was speaking the officers came and took him away. After he was +gone, I stood up, and declared the everlasting truth of the Lord God +in his eternal power, which came over all; the meeting was quiet the +rest of the time, and broke up peaceably. I tarried till the +First-day following, visiting Friends, and being visited by them. + +On First-day morning several Friends came to Edward Pyot’s house +(where I lay the night before,) and used great endeavours to +persuade me not to go to the meeting that day, for the magistrates, +they said, had threatened to take me, and had raised the trained +bands. I wished them to go to the meeting, not telling them what I +intended to do; but I told Edward Pyot I intended to go, and he sent +his son to show me the way from his house by the fields. As I went I +met divers Friends who were coming to me to prevent my going, and +did what they could to stop me. “What!” said one, “wilt thou go into +the mouth of the beast?” “Wilt thou go into the mouth of the +dragon?” said another. I put them by and went on. When I came to the +meeting, Margaret Thomas was speaking; and when she had done, I +stood up. I saw a concern and fear upon Friends for me; but the +power of the Lord, in which I declared, soon struck the fear out of +them; life sprang, and a glorious heavenly meeting we had. After I +had cleared myself of what was upon me from the Lord to the meeting, +I was moved to pray; and after that to stand up again, and tell +Friends, “Now they might see there was a God in Israel that could +deliver.” A very large meeting this was, and very hot; but truth was +over all, the life was exalted, which carried through all, and the +meeting broke up in peace. The officers and soldiers had been +breaking up another meeting, which had taken up their time, so that +our meeting was ended before they came. But I understood afterwards +they were in a great rage, because they had missed me; for they were +heard to say one to another before, “I’ll warrant we shall have +him;” but the Lord prevented them. + +I went from the meeting to Joan Hily’s, where many Friends came to +see me, rejoicing and blessing God for our deliverance. In the +evening I had a fine fresh meeting among Friends at a Friend’s house +over the water, where we were much refreshed in the Lord. After this +I stayed most part of that week in Bristol, and at Edward Pyot’s. +Edward was brought so low and weak with an ague, that when I first +came, he was looked upon as a dying man; but it pleased the Lord to +raise him up again, so that before I went away, his ague left him, +and he was finely well. + +Having been two First-days together at the meeting at Broadmead, and +feeling my spirit clear of Bristol, I went next First-day to a +meeting in the country not far distant. And after the meeting, some +Friends from Bristol told me, that the soldiers that day had beset +the meeting house round at Bristol, and then went up, saying, “they +would be sure to have me now;” but when they came, and found me not +there, they were in a great rage, and kept the Friends in the +meeting-house most part of the day, before they would let them go +home; and queried of them, which way I was gone, and how they might +send after me; “for the mayor,” they said, “would fain have spoken +with me.” I had a vision of a great mastiff dog, that would have +bitten me, but I put one hand above his jaws, and the other hand +below, and tore his jaws in pieces. So the Lord by his power tore +their power to pieces, and made way for me to escape them. + +Then I passed through the country, visiting Friends in WILTSHIRE and +BERKSHIRE, till I came to LONDON, having great meetings amongst +Friends as I went. The Lord’s power was over all, and a blessed time +it was for the spreading of his glorious truth. It was indeed his +immediate hand and power that preserved me out of their hands at +Bristol, and over the heads of all our persecutors; and the Lord +alone is worthy of all the glory, who did uphold and preserve for +his name and truth’s sake. + +At London I did not stay long, being drawn in spirit to visit +Friends northward, as far as LEICESTERSHIRE, John Stubbs being with +me. So we travelled, having meetings amongst Friends as we went; at +SKEGBY we had a great one. Thence passing on, we came to a place +called BARNET-HILLS, where lived Captain Brown, a Baptist, whose +wife was convinced of truth. This Captain Brown, after the act for +breaking up meetings came forth, being afraid lest his wife should +go to meetings, and be cast into prison, left his house at Barrow, +and took one on these hills, saying, “his wife should not go to +prison.” And this being a free place, many, both priests and others, +got thither as well as he, But he who would neither stand to truth +himself, nor suffer his wife, was, in this place where he thought to +be safe, found out by the Lord, whose hand fell heavy upon him for +his unfaithfulness; so that he was sorely plagued, and grievously +judged in himself for flying, and drawing his wife into that private +place. We went to see his wife, and being come into the house, I +asked him, “how he did?” “How do I?” said he, “the plagues and +vengeance of God are upon me, a runagate, a Cain as I am. God may +look for a witness for me, and such as me; for if all were not more +faithful than I, God would have no witness left in the earth.” In +this condition he lived on bread and water, and thought it was too +good for him. At length he returned again with his wife to his own +house at Barrow, where he afterwards came to be convinced of God’s +eternal truth, and died in it. A little before his death he said, +“though he had not borne a testimony for truth in his life, he would +bear a testimony in his death, and would be buried in his orchard;” +and he was so. He was an example to all the flying Baptists in the +time of persecution, who could not bear persecution themselves, yet +persecuted us when they had power. + +From Barnet-Hills we came to SWANNINGTON in LEICESTERSHIRE, where +William Smith and some other Friends came to me; but they went away +towards night, leaving me at a Friend’s house in Swannington. At +night, as I was sitting in the hall, speaking to a widow woman and +her daughter, there came one called Lord Beaumont with a company of +soldiers, who, slapping their swords on the door, rushed into the +house with swords and pistols in their hands, crying, “Put out the +candles, and make fast the doors.” Then they seized upon the friends +in the house, and asked, “if there were no more about the house?” +The Friends told them, there was one man more in the hall. There +were some Friends out of Derbyshire, one of whom was named Thomas +Fauks; and this Lord Beaumont, after he had asked all their names, +bid his man set down that man’s name Thomas Fox; but the Friend +said, his name was not Fox, but Fauks. In the meantime some of the +soldiers came, and brought me out of the hall to him. He asked me my +name; I told him, my name was George Fox, and that I was well known +by that name. “Ay,” said he, “you are known all the world over.” I +said, “I was known for no hurt, but for good.” Then he put his hand +into my pockets to search them, and pulled out my comb-case, and +afterwards commanded one of his officers to search further for +letters, as he pretended. I told him, I was no letter-carrier, and +asked him, Why he came amongst a peaceable people with swords and +pistols, without a constable, contrary to the king’s proclamation, +and to the late act? For he could not say there was a meeting, I +being only talking with a poor widow woman and her daughter. By +reasoning thus with them, he came somewhat down; yet sending for the +constables, he gave them charge of us, and to bring us before him +next morning. Accordingly the constables set a watch of the +town’s-people upon us that night, and had us next morning to his +house, about a mile from Swannington. + +When we came before him, he told us “we met contrary to the act.” I +desired him to show us the act. “Why,” says he, “you have it in your +pocket.” I told him, he did not find us in a meeting. Then he asked +us, “whether we would take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy?” I +told him, I never took any oath in my life, nor engagement, nor +covenant. Yet still he would force the oath upon us. I desired him +to show us the oath, that we might see whether we were the persons +it was to be tendered to, and whether it was not for the discovery +of Popish recusants. At length he brought a little book; but we +called for the statute-book. He would not show us that, but caused a +mittimus to be made, which mentioned, “that we were to have had a +meeting.” With this he delivered us to the constables to convey us +to Leicester jail. But when they had brought us back to Swannington, +being harvest time, it was hard to get anybody to go with us; for +the people were loath to go with their neighbours to prison, +especially in such a busy time. They would have given us our +mittimus, to carry it ourselves to the jail; for it had been usual +for constables to give Friends their own mittimuses (for they durst +trust Friends,) and they have gone themselves with them to the +jailer. But we told them, though our Friends had sometimes done so, +yet we would not take this mittimus, but some of them should go with +us to the jail. At last they hired a poor labouring man to go with +us, who was loath to go, though hired. So we rode to LEICESTER, +being five in number; some carried their Bibles open in their hands, +declaring the truth to the people, as we rode, in the fields, and +through the towns, and telling them, “we were prisoners of the Lord +Jesus Christ, going to suffer bonds for his name and truth’s sake.” +One woman Friend carried her wheel on her lap to spin on in prison; +and the people were mightily affected. + +At Leicester we went to an inn. The master of the house seemed +troubled that we should go to the prison; and being himself in +commission, he sent for lawyers in the town to advise with, and +would have taken up the mittimus, and kept us in his own house, and +not have let us go into the jail. But I told Friends, it would be a +great charge to lie at an inn; and many Friends and people would be +coming to visit us, and it might he hard for him to bear our having +meetings in his house besides, we had many Friends in the prison +already, and we had rather be with them. So we let the man know that +we were sensible of his kindness, and to prison we went: the poor +man that brought us thither, delivering both the mittimus and us to +the jailer. This jailer had been a very wicked, cruel man. Six or +seven Friends being in prison before we came, he had taken some +occasion to quarrel with them, and thrust them into the dungeon +amongst the felons, where there was hardly room for them to lie +down. We stayed all that day in the prison-yard, and desired the +jailer to let us have some straw. He surlily answered, “you do not +look like men that would lie on straw.” After a while, William +Smith, a Friend, came to me, and he being acquainted in the house, I +asked him, “what rooms there were in it, and what rooms Friends had +usually been put into, before they were put into the dungeon?” I +asked him also, Whether the jailer or his wife was master? He said, +The wife was master; and though she was lame, and sat mostly in her +chair, being only able to go on crutches, yet she would beat her +husband when he came within her reach, if he did not do as she would +have him. I considered, probably, many Friends might come to visit +us, and that if we had a room to ourselves, it would be better for +them to speak to me, and me to them, as there should be occasion. +Wherefore I desired William Smith to go speak with the woman, and +acquaint her, if she would let us have a room, suffer our Friends to +come out of the dungeon, and leave it to us to give her what we +would, it might be better for her. He went, and after some reasoning +with her, she consented; and we were had into a room. Then we were +told, that the jailer would not suffer us to have any drink out of +the town into the prison, but that what beer we drank, we must take +of him. I told them I would remedy that, for we would get a pail of +water and a little wormwood once a day, and that might serve us; so +we should have none of his beer, and the water he could not deny us. + +Before we came, when the few Friends that were prisoners there, met +together on First-days, if any of them was moved to pray to the +Lord, the jailer would come up with his quarter-staff in his hand, +and his mastiff dog at his heels, and pluck them down by the hair of +the head, and strike them with his staff; but when he struck +Friends, the mastiff dog, instead of falling upon them, would take +the staff out of his hand. When the First-day came, I spoke to one +of my fellow prisoners, to carry a stool and set it in the yard, and +give notice to the debtors and felons, that there would be a meeting +in the yard, and they that would hear the word of the Lord declared +might come thither. So the debtors and prisoners gathered in the +yard, and we went down, and had a very precious meeting, the jailer +not meddling. Thus every First-day we had a meeting as long as we +stayed in prison; and several came in out of the town and country. +Many were convinced, and some received the Lord’s truth there, who +have stood faithful witnesses for it ever since. + +When the sessions came, we were brought before the justices, with +many more Friends sent to prison whilst we were there, to the number +of about twenty. Being brought into the court, the jailer put us +into the place where the thieves were put, and then some of the +justices began to tender the oaths of allegiance and supremacy to +us. I told them, I never took any oath in my life, and they knew we +could not swear, because Christ and his apostle forbade it; +therefore they put it but as a snare to us. We told them, if they +could prove, that after Christ and the apostle had forbid swearing, +they did ever command Christians to swear, then we would take these +oaths; otherwise we were resolved to obey Christ’s command and the +apostle’s exhortation. They said, “we must take the oath, that we +might manifest our allegiance to the king.” I told them, I had been +formerly sent up a prisoner by Colonel Hacker, from that town to +London, under pretence that I held meetings to plot to bring in King +Charles. I also desired them to read our mittimus, which set forth +the cause of our commitment to be, that “we were to have had a +meeting;” and I said, Lord Beaumont could not by that act send us to +jail, unless we had been taken at a meeting, and found to be such +persons as the act speaks of; therefore we desired they would read +the mittimus, and see how wrongfully we were imprisoned. They would +not take notice of the mittimus, but called a jury, and indicted us +for refusing to take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy. When the +jury was sworn and instructed, as they were going out, one that had +been an alderman of the city, spoke to them, and bid them, “have a +good conscience;” and one of the jury, being a peevish man, told the +justices, there was one affronted the jury; whereupon they called +him up, and tendered him the oath also, and he took it. + +While we were standing where the thieves used to stand, a cut-purse +had his hand in several Friends’ pockets. Friends declared it to the +justices, and showed them the man. They called him up before them, +and upon examination he could not deny it; yet they set him at +liberty.[75] + +Footnote 75: + + Cases similar to the above are not rare in the early history of + the Society; even thieves being allowed to escape, whilst the + party robbed, being unwilling to swear to the known fact, have + been made to suffer. In 1660, the following occurrence took place + at Reading assizes:—Henry Hodges, a poor smith, lost three cows, + which were found in the possession of the thief who stole them, he + was brought to trial, and Hodges appeared to claim his cows. The + judge told him they must be proved on oath before he could have + them again. He replied that he could not swear for conscience + sake. The judge said if any of his neighbours would swear they + were his, they should be returned to him; upon which one of his + neighbours took his oath, and the judge promised that they should + be returned. Thus far, the proceedings appeared just and equal, + but many thought the judge too rigorous, when, having observed the + sincerity and tenderness of the poor man’s conscience, who could + not swear in a case of his own property, he caused the oath of + allegiance to be tendered him in court; and, for his refusing to + take it, sent him to jail.—(Besse.) + +It was not long before the jury returned, and brought us in guilty; +and then, after some words the justices whispered together, and bid +the jailer take us down to prison again; but the Lord’s power was +over them and his everlasting truth, which we declared boldly +amongst them. There being a great concourse of people, most of them +followed us; so that the cryer and bailiffs were fain to call the +people back again to the court. We declared the truth as we went +down the streets all along till we came to the jail, the streets +being full of people. When we were in our chamber again, after some +time the jailer came to us, and desired all to go forth that were +not prisoners. When they were gone, he said, “Gentlemen, it is the +court’s pleasure that ye all should be set at liberty, except those +that are in for tithes; and you know, there are fees due to me; but +I shall leave it to you to give to me what you will.” + +Thus we were all set at liberty suddenly, and passed everyone into +his service. Leonard Fell stayed with me, and we two went again to +SWANNINGTON. I had a letter from Lord Hastings, who hearing of my +imprisonment, had written from London to the justices of the +sessions to set me at liberty. I had not delivered this letter to +the justices, but whether they had any knowledge of his mind from +any other hand, which made them discharge us so suddenly, I know +not. But this letter I carried to Lord Beaumont who had sent us to +prison; and when he had broken it open and read it, he seemed much +troubled; but at last came a little lower; yet threatened us, if we +had any more meetings at Swannington, he would break them up and +send us to prison again. But notwithstanding his threats we went to +Swannington, and had a meeting with Friends there, and he neither +came, nor sent to break it up. + +From Swannington we went to TWY-CROSS, where that great man formerly +mentioned, whom the Lord God raised up from his sickness, in the +year 1649 (and whose serving-man came at me with a drawn sword to do +me a mischief,) and his wife came to see me. Thence we travelled +through WARWICKSHIRE, where we had brave meetings; and into +NORTHAMPTONSHIRE and BEDFORDSHIRE, visiting Friends till we came to +LONDON. + +I stayed not long in London, but went into ESSEX, and so into +NORFOLK, having great meetings. At NORWICH, when I came to Captain +Lawrence’s,[76] there was a great threatening of disturbance; but +the meeting was quiet. Passing thence to SUTTON, and so into +CAMBRIDGESHIRE, I heard of Edward Burrough’s decease. And being +sensible how great a grief and exercise it would be to Friends to +part with him, I wrote the following lines for the staying and +settling of their minds;— + + “FRIENDS, + + “Be still and quiet in your own conditions, and settle in the Seed + of God that doth not change, that in that ye may feel dear E.B. + among you in the Seed, in which and by which he begat you to God, + with whom he is; and that in the Seed ye may all see and feel him, + in which is the unity with him in the life: and so enjoy him in + the life that doth not change, which is invisible.” + + G.F. + +Footnote 76: + + This Captain Lawrence, who has been mentioned before, was a man of + some note in the days of the Commonwealth. After he joined + Friends, he became a faithful sufferer for Christ. In 1660, with + his brother, Joseph Lawrence, and George Whitehead, he was + imprisoned in Norwich castle, in a small narrow cell called the + Vice, where they endured much hardship. In speaking of this + imprisonment, George Whitehead says, “I remember one morning, + Joseph Lawrence, after his pleasant manner, said to his brother + John, ‘O, Captain Lawrence, I have seen the day thou wouldst not + have lain there!’” + +Thence I passed to LITTLE PORT and the ISLE OF ELY; where the +ex-mayor with his wife, and the wife of the then mayor of +Cambridge, came to the meeting. Travelling into LINCOLNSHIRE and +HUNTINGDONSHIRE, I came to Thomas Parnell’s, where the mayor of +Huntingdon came to see me, and was very loving. Thence I came into +the FEN-COUNTY, where we had large and quiet meetings. While I was +in that country, there came so great a flood that it was dangerous +to go out, yet we did get out, and went to LYNN, where we had a +blessed meeting. + +Next morning I went to visit some prisoners there; and then back to +the inn, and took horse. As I was riding out of the yard, the +officers came to search the inn for me. I knew nothing of it then, +only I felt a great burden come upon me as I rode out of the town, +till without the gates. When some Friends that came after, overtook +me, they told me, that the officers had been searching for me in the +inn, as soon as I was gone out of the yard. So by the good hand of +the Lord, I escaped their cruel hands. After this we passed through +the countries, visiting Friends in their meetings. + +The Lord’s power carried us over persecuting spirits, and through +many dangers; his truth spread and grew, and Friends were +established therein; praises and glory to his name for ever. + + END OF VOL. I. + + + + + + + + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + HEADLEY BROTHERS, PRINTERS, LONDON AND ASHFORD, KENT. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + Transcriber’s Note + +The handling of hyphenation of compound words across line breaks is +governed by the frequency with which they are hyphenated midline. + +‘Steeple-house’ is nearly always hyphenated in midline, and the few +outliers that were not have been corrected. The exceptions are where +‘steeplehouse’ occurs in the editorial apparatus. See footnote 6, +and (arguably) in the parenthetical phrase at 25.28. + +As one can see from the list below, the printer was not consistent +in the use of the opening quote mark in long, multi-paragraph +passages. There were also a number of occasions where a closing +quote mark either was missing or illogically added. On rarer +occasions, a single quote was employed matching a double quote (and +vice versa). These have been added where missing, emoved where they +were deemed spurious, and corrected where appropriate: + +61.15 [“]The (added); 63.3 saved,[’] (added); 75.1 wise.[’] (added); +142.5 [“]There (added); 150.20 [‘/“]Consider (added); 198.33 +him,[’](added); 208.9 order.[”](added); 210.14 [“]But (added); 217.8 +me.[’] (added); 217.47 [“]The (added); 218.41 [“]Sing (added); +219.48 [“]Where (added); 220.36 [“]Now (added); 221.11 [“]But +(added); 224.13 [“]Christ (added); 224.35 [“]There (added); 232.29 +inn;[”] (added); 281.8 [“]doth (added); 288.21 land.[”/’] +(replaced); 297.2 therein;[’] (added) 298.2 [“]O! abominable +(added); 305.13 [“]Noah, (added); 305.44 [“]You say (added); 307.21 +[“]Beware,(added); 307.38 [“]Therefore (added); 309.19 [“]Now +(added); 379.24 God.[”] (added); 336.30 church;[’] (removed); 353.6 +world,[’] (added); 367.28 peace.[”/’](replaced); 368.43 many.[”] +(added); 374.10 town.[’] (added); 405.5 [“]I will (added); 411.6 +would.[”] (added); 416.14 could.[”] (added); 430.8 [“/‘]remembrance +(replaced); 486.21 myself?[”] (removed); 507.1 them.[”] (added); +522.11 [“/‘]three (replaced); 522.17 persons.[”/’] (replaced); +526.10 it.[”] (added). + +The word ‘chace’ at 4.8, is likely an obsolete spelling of ‘chase’, +which refers to a large wooded estate. + +A quotation beginning at line 114.1 (“amongst whom I declared...) +has no closing mark. The voice seems to shift on line 114.15 (..to +dwell in.”). and the closing mark was added there. + +A quoted passage ending on p. 122 most likely should have been +opened at 121.32 (“was their first step to peace...), and an opening +quote was added. + +A sentence beginning at 208.22 (“Whereupon I kneeled...)and ending +at 208.26, (...what I had said to him.”) seems an error. It does not +seem to be part of the dialogue and the surrounding quote marks have +been removed. + +A lonely closing quote appears at 421.12 (...fellowships in the +world.”) A logical point for this quote to open is on the previous +page at 420.19 ([“]The promise of God...). Judging by the context, +the paragraph is a continuation of the previous quoted passage. + +The word ‘throughly’ (xxv.2) is likely an obsolete spelling of +‘thoroughly’. + +Other errors, deemed most likely to be the printer’s, have been +corrected, and are noted here. The references are to the page and +line in the original. + + xviii.13 to Charles II.[./,] exhorting him Replaced. + xx.22 and instructed Noah to salvation[.] Added. + xxvii.3 their exceeding great co[m/n]firmation Replaced. + 25.17 steeple[-]house Inserted. + 56.37 Doth it [d/p]urify you Inverted. + 93.5 to preach in the steeple-house[.] Added. + 142.21 in all things may [h/b]e his praise. Replaced. + 142.44 plotted tog[e]ther to draw Inserted. + 147.30 who had raised pers[e]cution before Inserted. + 151.28 Matt, xxiii.[,]; Removed. + 164.28 with the Lord’s truth[,/.] Replaced. + 176.13 ye would[ would] fear and tremble Removed. + 178.25 who are contemned and dispised _Sic._ + 179.40 in great pea[e/c]e in 1686 Replaced. + 210.25 could not but declare[t] agains[t] Deleted/Added. + 222.43 and unrighteou[s]ness of men Inserted. + 258.1 SWANINGTON an[d] HIGHAM Added. + 261.28 On[e] one occasion Removed. + 283.39 and the corr[r]uption Removed. + 287.8 against me[,]; Removed. + 352.16 given to every man to profit withal[,/.]’ Replaced. + 407.34 pp. 62[–]68. Added. + 490.8 steeple[-]house Inserted. + 412.17 brings fo[r]th heavenly and spiritual fruit Inserted. + 480.30 continued in prison[.] Added. + 508.25 childhood’s guileless tears[.] Added. + 535.28 yet threaten[en]ed us Removed. + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75559 *** |