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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.
vNOTICE 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.
vi
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.
vii
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,
viiibe 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
ixpower 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.
xi
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.
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.
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.
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.
xiiiChapter 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.
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.
xivChapter 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.
xvChapter 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.
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.
xviChapter 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.
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.
xviiChapter 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.
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.
xviiiChapter 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.,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.
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.
THE PREFACE; BEING A SUMMARY ACCOUNT OF THE DIVERS DISPENSATIONS OF GOD TO MEN,
xix
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
xxhim, 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.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;
xxibringing 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
xxiiclouds, 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
xxiiiof 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,
xxivdevout 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,
xxvwhich was his baptism, who came with a “fan in his hand that he
might thoroughlythoroughly (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
xxvilove, 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
xxviithat 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 confirmationconfirmation 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.
xxviiiAnd 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
xxixfrom 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
xxxsome 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
xxxiwhere 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;
xxxiibut 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;
xxxiiiand 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
xxxivthey 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.
xxxvAnd 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
xxxvidaily 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.
xxxviiLet 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
xxxviiifeel 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
xxxixChristians 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
xlcharacter 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
xlichurch. 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.
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.
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
xliimanner 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
xliiiprofession, 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
xlivam 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
xlvthe 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.
xlviAnd 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
xlviiconversion 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
xlviiimust 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.
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
xlixturned 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
lexpressed 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
liby 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
liiwhen 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.
liiiI 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
livunto 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
lvof 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?
lviSearch 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.
lviiO 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
lviiiincorruptible 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
lixof 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.
lxTherefore 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
lximust 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,
lxiiSays 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.]
1JOURNAL 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.
2In 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
3me. 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
4notice and sought to be acquainted with me; but I was afraid
of them, for I was sensible they did not possess what they
professed.
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 chacechace, 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
5would 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
6condition; 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
7poor 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:
8what 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
9my 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
10my 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.
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;
11thou 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.
12My 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
13had 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
14opposing 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;
15all 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
16how 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
17had 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
18they 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,
19by 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
20of 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.
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
21a 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
22silence, 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.
23
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
24he 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
25teaching 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-housesteeple-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-housesteeple-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.”
26This 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
27found 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
28had 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.
29Great 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
30bow 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
31birth, 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
32themselves, 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
33shadows 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
34and 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
35then 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
36by 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
37the 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
38since 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.
39O! 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
40others 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
41by 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.
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.
42
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
43a 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
44the 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;
45wherefore 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
46I 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,
47who 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
48to 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
49were 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
50God, 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
51I 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
52was 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
53free. 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
54sit 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.
55Having 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
56of 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
purifypurify you, as he is pure? But they could not abide to hear
of being made pure here. Then I bid them forbear talking
57of 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
58them, “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]
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.
59Therefore 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.
60“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
61and 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“TheLord 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.”
62While 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
63take 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,’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:—
64
“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
65God 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
66righteousness. 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.
67
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
68much 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
69wars. 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.
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
70could 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
71forth; 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
72she 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
73dead 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
74outwardly 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
75wise.’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
76is 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
77sin, 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
78whither 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
79channel 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.
80From 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
81might 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
82Pursloe 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
83with 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
84quickly,” 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
85formerly 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
86travelling; 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,
87was 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.
88After 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:
89the 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.
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,
90he 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
91of 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
92steeple-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.
93From 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.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
94God’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
95them 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.
96From 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
97ditch, 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
98of 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
99him. 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.
100
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
101innocent 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
102much 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;
103yet 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
104clods 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.
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
105mighty 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
106priests 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.
107From 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
108Lord 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
109people. 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
110but little for several days before.[15]
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
111they 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.
112The 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
113were 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
114above 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.” 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.
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
115stood, 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
116might 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
117people, 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.
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
118preach; 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
119reasoning; 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
120is 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.
121I 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
122light 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.
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
123thoroughly 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
124well 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
125God. 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
126stars, 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
127go 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,
128as the generality of people then did, “that they were sent
from God.”
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]129Miles 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,
130and 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.
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
131to 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
132I 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
133sprang 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
134along 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]
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.
135Next 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,
136hands, 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
137their 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,
138declared 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
139in 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
140streets; 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]
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
141Judge 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,
142as 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“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 bebe 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 togethertogether to draw
143me 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
144enabled 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.
145
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;
146who, 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,
147Richard 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 persecutionpersecution 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
148the 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
149his 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
150not, 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“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
151into 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.;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
152wantonness, 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
153not 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
154hypocrite, 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
155horrible 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
156Westmorland. 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
157Christ 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
158Lord’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
159him, 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.
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
160beat 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.
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
161was 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,
162but 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
163shepherd, 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;”
164which 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.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
165God 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
166people, 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
167up 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.”
168On 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
169void 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.
170Anthony 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.
171Notwithstanding 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
172in 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.
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
173body 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.”
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
174by 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
175teachers 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.
176Persecution 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 wouldwould 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
177appear 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
178hath 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 dispiseddispised
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
179what 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.
Now I went into the country, and had mighty great
180meetings. 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.
181A 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
182of 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
183glorious 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.
184
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
185law 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
186words 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
187in 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
188of 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
189priests 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
190and other officers; and there was a general convincement;
for the Lord’s power and truth was over all, and there was
no opposition.
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;
191and 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,
192heirs 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,
193that 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
194time 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.
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
195prophecies 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
196being 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
197accustomed 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
198were 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,’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
199author 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
200them, 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,
201Christ; 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
202priests 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
203them 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
204their 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
205as 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
206people 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
207of 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,
208this 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.”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.”
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.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
209him 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
210Cromwell, 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,”“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 againstdeclare 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
211wished 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
212came 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
213me 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
214priest 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;
215and 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.
216
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,
217in 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.’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“The same power now is made manifest, and doth
218overturn 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“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
219it 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“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
220lifted 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,“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?
221Let 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,“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
222and 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 unrighteousnessunrighteousness 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
223shall 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
224us, 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“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“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
225Lincoln 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
226truth. 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
227the power of the Lord; yet he was discharged from being
a justice.
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
228reputed 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
229his companion John Stubbs, out of their Inquisitions.[37]
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]
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
230neighbourhood; 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]
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
231glorious 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.
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.
232On 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;”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.”
233We 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
234for 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;
235and 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
236teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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
237supper.” “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.
238Amongst 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
239they 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
240Zion, 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
241gain: 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
242that 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,
243where 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
244never 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
245have 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,
246haters 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
247will 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
248and 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
249rest 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.
250
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
251priests, 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
252large 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.
253But 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.
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
254in 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
255Stoddart, 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.
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
256again, 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
257Ireland, 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.
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.
258From Baddesley we passed to SwaningtonandandHigham, 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]
259From 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
260eyes 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.
261From 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.
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
262Bibles 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
263meeting 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
264inn; 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
265meeting 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;
266and 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,
267and 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
268to 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
269First-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
270broken 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
271which 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,
272and 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 jerk273him.” 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
274is 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,
275to 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
276which 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
277fellow-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
278been 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
279never 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
280Ceely 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]
281There 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“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.
282He 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
283having 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.
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
284been 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
285steeple-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.
286One 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
287there 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;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
288meekness 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.’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
289become 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
290any 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
291not 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
292neither 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
293stood 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
294looking 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
295against 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
296down 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
297brought in their verdict, ‘guilty of the trespasses and contempts
mentioned therein;’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
298sufficient to make out.’
“O!“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.’
299“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
300hast 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
301publishing 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
302Pollexfen 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
303wanted 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
304warned 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
305together 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,“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“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
306practice 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
307that 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,“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“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
308shows 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
309professors 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“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,
310as 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
311day 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
312out 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
313read 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
314truth, 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
315of 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.
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.
316“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
317long 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
318cheese, 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
319fundamental; 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
320do, 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
321him, 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
Month, 1656.”
And the rest who are sufferers for
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
322liberty 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.
323
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:—
324“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
325lusts 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
326Spirit 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]
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
327civil 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.
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
328prisoners, 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.
329On 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.
330The 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
331were 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
332was 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,
333and 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
334Wrey, 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
335shamed 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
336of 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;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
337ravening 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,
338which 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
339priests, 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
340were 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
341I 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
342with 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
343nothing 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
344therefore 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
345judging 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
346and 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
347patience, 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
348to 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
349hath 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,
350without 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
351he 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
352said 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.’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
353and 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,’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
354account, 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
355which 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;
356but 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
357meetings 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
358we 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
359town, 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
360Plymouth, 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.
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
361Lord’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
362design, 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
363over 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
364on 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
365cry, 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
366to 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
367the 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.’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
368people 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
369bowed 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.
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.”
370When 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
371will 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
372meeting. 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
373the 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
374names, 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.’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
375not 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
376in 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
377others 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
378salvation 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.
379Soon 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.”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,
380John 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
381travelled 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
382they 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
383I 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.
384
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
385food 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
386Seed 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,
387are 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
388the 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
389Friends, 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
390prophets, 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
391in 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.
392From 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
393not 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.
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
394friendly, 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
395Cain, “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.
396But 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;
397and let all the people say, Amen.”[55]
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
398one 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
399died 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
400apart; 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
401the 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
402“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
403of 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.
404When 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
405under 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“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
406them. 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
407in 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,
408the 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.”
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
409were 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.
410When 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
411next 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.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
412to 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 forthforth heavenly
and spiritual fruit to his glory. But the husbandman is to
wait in patience.
CHAPTER XII.
413
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
414their 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
415Jews, 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 Hull416and 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.”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
417come 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,
418where 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.
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,
419who 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,
420his 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“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’
421days. 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,
422settles 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
423cool 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
424part 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
425God 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
426that 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
427Lamb’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,
428after 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.
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
429these 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
430of 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‘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
431matter 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
432sufferings 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,
433God 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
434will 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.
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
435divers 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.
436“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
437the 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,
438which 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;
439for 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:
440my 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
441Lord’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
442apostles 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
443besmeared 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
444upon 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.
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
445bad 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
446stroke 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.”
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.
447And 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
448before 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;
449for 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
450no 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
451know, 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,
452stood 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
453him 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
454a 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
455death 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.
456
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.
457At 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
458God’s people, was mischiefed himself; and well would it
be, if such apparent examples of Divine vengeance, would
teach others to beware.[62]
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]
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
459Paul, 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?
460“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.
461“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,
462till 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.
463Next 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
464inventions 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
465them 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:—
466
“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
467sufferings 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
468met 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
469captain 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;
470for it was about business relating to the church, both in this
nation and beyond the seas.
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
471power 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
472to 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,
473leading 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
474and 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
475there 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
476I 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
477the 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
478to 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
479came 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
480Fell 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.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
481was 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
482and 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
483work 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
484charges; 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
485a 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
486o’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?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,
487I 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
488by 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.
489
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
490light 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-housesteeple-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.
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;
491for 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.
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,
492held 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
493hands 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.
494In 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
495and 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
496sword), 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
497most 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
498into 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.
499“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.
500This 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]
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,
501as 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
502upon 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,
503to 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.
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;
504and so squeezed his body therein, that not long after he
died.[69]
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.”
505Others 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
506eye, 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
507sentence being executed upon them.”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.
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.
508Call,” 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
509Samuel 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
510Friends, 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
511officers 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
512Friends 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
513the 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
514nature 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
515for 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
516had.” “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,
517and 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
518Stubbs 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.
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
519pretty 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
520fellowship; 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.
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
521child 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
522understand 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‘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.’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
523up 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.
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
524find 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
525[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
526their 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.
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.”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
527myself 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
528the 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
529power 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
530orchard;” 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.
531Accordingly 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.
532At 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.
533He 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
534they 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]
535It 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 threatenedthreatened 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,
536nor 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.
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
537Parnell’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.
1. At present (1891), there are eleven Yearly Meetings on the American
continent also, in association with each other, and with that of London.
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.
3. Called the Meeting for Sufferings, and now held monthly, except exigencies
require more frequent sittings.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
15. The spring here alluded to is called George Fox’s Well to this day.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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 peacepeace
in 1686, aged sixty-eight years.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.”
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.
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.
41. Joseph Fuce was one of those faithful ministers who died in
White Lion prison, Southwark, in 1665, during the time of the plague.
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.”
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.
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?”
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.”
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. OnOn 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.
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.
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 corruptioncorruption
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.
49. Thomas Lower was son-in-law to Judge Fell, having married his
daughter Mary.
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.
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.)
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.”
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.”many.”
54. This was not the same John Wilkinson who joined with Storey in
creating a schism in the Society.
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.”
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. 62–68.62–68.) 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.”
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.
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.”
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.
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.”
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.)
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!’”
Transcriber’s Note
Where particularly ambiguous errors occur, a link has been added
to direct the reader to the relevant transcriber 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:
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.
