Gospel-Order established amongst us is not of Man nor by Man but of and by Jesus Christ in and through the Holy Ghost And this Order of the Gospel which is not of Man nor by Man but from Christ the Heavenly Man is above all the Orders of Men in the Fall whether Jews Gentiles or Apostatized Christians and will be when they are gone For the Power of God which is the Everlasting Gospel was before the Devil was and will be and remain for ever And as the Everlasting Gospel was Preached in the Apostles days to all Nations that all Nations might come into the Order of it through the Divine Power which brings Life and Immortality to Light that they who were Heirs of it might inherit the Power and Authority of it So now since all Nations have drunk the Whore's Cup and all the World hath Worshipped the Beast but they whose Names are written in the Book of Life from the Foundation of the World who have worshipped God in Spirit and Truth as Christ commanded the Everlasting Gospel is to be and is preached again as John the Divine foresaw it should to all Nations Kindreds Tongues and People And this Everlasting Gospel torments the Whore and makes her and the Beast to rage even the Beast that hath Power over the Tongues which are called the Original to order them by which they make Divines as they call them But all that receive the Gospel the Power of God which brings Life and Immortality to Light they come to see over the Beast Devil Whore and False Prophet that hath darkned them and all their Worships and Orders and come to be Heirs of the Gospel the Power of God which was before the Beast Whore False Prophet and Devil were and will be when they are all gone and cast into the Lake of Fire And they that be Heirs of this Power and of this Gospel they inherit the Power which is the Authority of this Order and of our Meetings Every Man and Woman that be Heirs of the Gospel are Heirs of this Authority and of the Power of God which was before the Devil was and which is not of Man nor by Man These come to inherit and possess the joyful Order of the joyful Gospel the comfortable Order of the comfortable Gospel the glorious Order of the glorious Gospel and the everlasting Order of the everlasting Gospel the Power of God which will last for ever and will out-last all the Orders of the Devil and that which is of Men or by Men. And these shall see the Government of Christ who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him and of the Increase of his glorious righteous holy just Government there is no end but his Government and his Order will remain for he who is the Author of it is the First and the Last the Beginning and Ending the Foundation of God which over all stands sure Christ Jesus the Amen After I had travelled amongst Friends through most parts of the Nation and the Monthly-Meetings were settled being returned to London London I stay'd some time there visiting Friends Meetings in and about the City While I was in London I went one day to Visit him that was called Esq Marsh who had shewed much Kindness both to me and to Friends and I happened to go when he was at Dinner He no sooner heard my Name but he sent for me up and would have had me sit down with him to Dinner 1668. London but I had not freedom to do so There were several Great Persons at Dinner with him and he said to one of them who was a great Papist Here is a Quaker which you have not seen before The Papist askt me Whether I did own the Christening of Children I told him There was no Scripture for any such Practice What! said he Not for Christening Children I said Nay I told him the one Baptism by the one Spirit into one Body we owned but to throw a little Water on a Child's Face and say that was Baptizing and Christening it there was no Scripture for that Then he asked me Whether I did own the Catholick Faith I said Yes but added That neither the Pope nor the Papists were in that Catholick Faith for the true Faith works by Love and purifies the Heart and if they were in that Faith that gives Victory by which they might have Access to God they would not tell the People of a Purgatory after they were dead So I undertook to prove That neither Pope nor Papists that held a Purgatory hereafter were in the true Faith For the true precious Divine Faith which Christ is the Author of gives Victory over the Devil and Sin that had separated Man and Woman from God And if they the Papists were in the true Faith they would never use Racks Prisons and Fines to persecute and force others to their Religion that were not of their Faith For this was not the Practice of the Apostles and Primitive Christians who witnessed and enjoyed the true Faith of Christ but it was the Practice of the Faithless Jews and Heathens so to do But said I to him seeing thou art a great and leading Man among the Papists and hast been taught and bred up under the Pope and seeing thou say'st There is no Salvation but in your Church I desire to know of thee What it is that doth bring Salvation in your Church He answered A Good Life And nothing else said I Yes said he Good Works And is this it that brings Salvation in your Church a good Life and good Works Is this your Doctrine and Principle said I Yes said he Then said I neither Thou nor the Pope nor any of the Papists know what it is that brings Salvation Then he askt me What brought Salvation in our Church I told him That which brought Salvation to the Church in the Apostles Days the same brought Salvation to us and not another Namely The Grace of God which the Scripture says brings Salvation and hath appeared to all men which taught the Saints then and teaches us now and this Grace which brings Salvation teaches To deny Vngodliness and worldly Lusts and to live godly righteously and soberly So it is not the good Works nor the good Life that brings the Salvation but the Grace What! said the Papist Doth this Grace that brings Salvation appear unto all men Yes said I. Then said he I deny that But I said All that deny that are Sect-makers and are not in the Universal Faith Grace and Truth which the Apostles were in Then he spake to me about the Mother-Church and I told him The several sorts of Sects in Christendom had accused us and said We forsook our Mother-Church The Papists charged us with forsaking their Church and they said Rome was the only Mother-Church The Episcopalians taxed us with forsaking the old Protestant Religion and they said Theirs was the Reformed Mother-Church The Presbyterians and Independents
upon his Breast and confess'd What was written therein was Truth but said he if I should confess to it openly they would burn me So John Stubs and Henry Fell not being suffered to go farther returned to England and came to London again And 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 stay'd in London some time I felt drawings to visit Friends in Essex Essex Colchester Cogshall So I went down to Colchester where I had very large Meetings and from thence to Cogshall not far from which there was a Priest Convinced and I had a Meeting at his House And so travelling a little up and down in those Parts and visiting Friends in their Meetings there-aways London I returned pretty quickly to London where I found great Service for the Lord For a large Door was opened and many flocked in to our Meetings and the Lord's Truth spread mightily this Year Yet Friends had great Travels and sore Labours the rude People having been so heightned 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 and set up among Friends that evil and uncomely Practice of keeping on the Hat in time of publick Prayers Now Friends had spoken to him and divers of his Followers about it and I had written to them concerning it but He and some others rather strengthened themselves against Friends therein Wherefore feeling the Judgment of Truth rise against it I gave forth the following Lines as a Warning to all that were concerned therein WHosoever is tainted with this Spirit of John Perrot it will perish Mark theirs and his End that are turned into those outward things and Janglings about them and that which is not savoury all which is for perpetual Judgment and 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 and gone from the Invisible Power of God in which is the Everlasting Fellowship and so many are become like the Corn on the House-top and like the untimely Figs and now clamour and speak against them that be in the Power of God 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 that Friends had from without one was concerning Friends Marriages which sometimes were â—â—lled in question And in this Year there happened to be a Cause Tryed at the Assize at Nottingham concerning a Friend's Marriage 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 leaving an Estate in Lands of Copy-hold 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 And 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 And to effect this he endeavoured to prove the Child Illegitimate alledging The Marriage was not according to Law In opening the Cause the Plaintiff's Counsel did use 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 And 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 did believe the Marriage was lawful and the Child lawful Heir And the better to satisfie 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 did declare before Witnesses that he did take 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 did at that time conclude it to be a Lawful Marriage Hereupon the Jury gave in their Verdict for the Friend's Child and against the Man that would have deprived it of its Inheritance About this time the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy were tendred unto 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 give forth these few Lines following 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 and the Truth and the Light and the Way to God G. F. Now there being very many Frionds in Prison in the Nation Richard Hubberthorn and I drew up a Paper concerning them and got it delivered to the King that he might understand how we were dealt with by his Officers It was directed thus For the KING FRiend who art the Chief Ruler of these Dominions here is a List of some of the Sufferings of the People of God in scorn called Quakers that have suffered under the Changeable Powers before thee by whom there have been Imprisoned and under whom there have suffered for good Conscience-sake and for bearing Testimony to the Truth as it is in Jesus Three Thousand One Hundred Seventy Three Persons And there lie yet in Prison in the Name of the Commonwealth Seventy Three Persons that we know of And there have died in Prison
naturally led into So that what is an evil to One is so to All and what is Vertuous Honest and of good Report to One is so to All from the Sense and Savour of the one Vniversal Principle which is common to all and which the disaffected 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 prest 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 Obstinancy even to a Prejudice yet blessed be God the Generality have returned to their First Love and seen the Work of the Enemy that looses no Opportunity or Advantage by which he may check or hinder the Work of God and 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 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 and see the Subtilty of the Enemy to Rend and Devide and return into their First Love that thought no Ill. And truly I must say that though God had visibly cloathed him with a Divine Preference and Authority and indeed his very Presence exprest a Religious Majesty yet he never abused it but held his Place in the Church of God with great Meakness 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 Countrys 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 cherisht it every where 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 Triumpht over Death and so even to the last as if Death were hardly worth Notice or a Mention Recommending to some with him the Dispatch 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 enquired 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 H. Goldney in the same Court. In a good Old Age he went after having lived to see his Childrens 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 Fellowships of the Spirits of the Just His Works praise him because they are to the Praise of him that worked by him for which his Memorial is and shall be Blessed I have done as to this part of my Preface when I have left this short Epitaph to his Name Many Sons have done virtuously in this Day but Dear George thou Excellest them All. And now Friends you that profess to walk in the way this Blessed Man was sent of God to turn us into suffer I beseech you the word of Exhortation as well Fathers as Children and Elders as Young Men. The Glory of this Day and Foundation of the Hope that has not made us ashamed since we were a People you know is that Blessed Principle of Light and Life of Christ which we Profess and Direct all People to as the great Instrument and Agent of Man's Conversion to God It was by this we were first Touched and effectually enlightned 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 our selves and others yea towards God our Maker For being quickned 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 Religion 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 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 open'd our Mouths in Ministry And in our Beginning and Ending with this stood our Comfort Service and Edification And as we run faster or fell short we made Burthens for our selves to bear our Services finding in our selves a Rebuke instead of an Acceptance and in lieu of Well done who has 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 our selves especially the Young Convinced Often had we the Burthen of the Word of the Lord to our Neighbours Relations and Acquaintance and sometimes Strangers also We were in Travail for one anothers 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 our selves 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 They were bowed and brought into Subjection in so much that it was visible to them that knew us we did not think our selves at our own Dispose to go where we List or say or do what we List or when we List Our Liberty stood in the Liberty of the Spirit of Truth and no Pleasure no Profit no Fear no Favour could draw us from this retired strict and watchful Frame We were so far from seeking occasions of Company that we avoided them what we could persuing our own Business with Moderation instead of medling with other Peoples Vnnecessarily 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 by 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 Chast Zeal of that Day Oh! how Constant at Meetings how Retired in them how firm to Truth 's Life as well as Truth 's Principles and how Entire and Vnited 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 the Ministry Let Life be your Commission your Well-spring and Treasury in all such Occasions else you well 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 Ministrys by the few that are turned from the Evil of their Ways It is not our Parts or Memory the repetition of former Openings in our own will and time that will do God's Work A dry Doctrinal Ministry however sound in Words can reach but the Ear and is but a Dream at the Best There is another Soundness that is soundest of all viz. Christ the power of God This is the Key of David that Opens and none Shuts and Shuts and none can Open as the Oil to the Lamp and the Soul to the Body so is that to the best of Words Which made Christ to say My Words they are Spirit and they are Life that is they are from Life and therefore they make you alive that receive them If the Disciples that had lived with Jesus were to stay at Jerusalem till they received it so must we wait to receive before we Minister if we will turn People from Darkness to Light and from Satan's power to God I fervently bow my Knees to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that you may always be like minded that you may ever wait Reverently for the coming and opening of the Word of Life and tend 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 never 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 selves 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 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 loose 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
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 at me that I would not go with them to hear the Priest For I would get into the Orchard or the Fields with my Bible by my self And I told 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 would be grieved because I could not be subject in this Matter to go to hear the Priest with them For I saw that 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 qualifie or fit a Man to be a Minister of Christ and what then should I follow such for So neither them 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 the first seemed a strange Word because both Priests and People use to call their Temples or Churches dreadful Places and Holy Ground and the Temples of God But the Lord shewed me so that I did see 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 And when I came there they told me That Nath Stevens the Priest had been there and told them He was afraid of me for going after New Lights And I smiled in my self 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 And I had great Openings concerning the Things written in the Revelations and when I spake of them the Priests and Professors would say That was a sealed up Book and would have kept me out of it But I told them Christ could open the Seals and that they were the nearest things to us For the Epistles were written to the Saints that lived in former Ages but the Revelations were written of things to come After this I met with a sort of People that held Women have no Souls adding in a light manner no more than a Goose But I reproved them and told them that was not right For Mary said My Soul doth magnify the Lord and my Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour And removing again to another Place I came among a People that relied much on Dreams And I told them Except they could distinguish between Dream and Dream they would mash or confound altogether For there were Three sorts of Dreams for 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 sheweth Knowledge And 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 anothâ—â— About the beginning of the Year 1647. I was moved of the Lord to go into Darbyshire Darbyshire 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 Peak-Country Leicesterâ—â—ire Nottinghamshire and with some in empty high Notions And travelling on through some Parts of Leicestershire and into Nottinghamshire there I met with a tender People and a very Tender Woman whose Name was Eâ—â—â—beth Hootton and with these I had some Meetings and Discourses Bâ—â— my Troubles continued and I was often under great Temptations and I fasted much and walked abroad in solitary Places many Days and often took my Bible and went and sate in hollow Trees and lonesome Places till Night came on and frequently in the Night walked mournfully about by my self For I was a Man of Sorrows in the Times of the first Workings of the Lord in me Now during all this Time I was never joined in Profession of Religion with any but gave up my self 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 my self in Town where I came and tarrying sometimes a Month sometimes more sometimes 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 my self 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 And 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 an 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 upon me so neither can I set forth the Mercies of God unto me in all my Misery Oh! 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 exceeding great Thou Lord makest a fruitful Field a barren Wilderness and a barren Wilderness a fruitful Field thou bringest down and settest up Thou killest and makest alive all Honour and Glory be to thee O Lord of Glory The Knowledge of thee in the Spirit is Life But that Knowledge which is fleshly works Death And while there is this Knowledge in the Flesh Deceit and Self will conform to any thing and will say Yes yes to that it doth not know The Knowledge which
old so that they were able to confound a Priest that might come to the Grates to dispute But the Jailer was very Cruel and the Vnder-Jailer very abusive both 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 fell a beating me with his 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 Now while he struck me I was made to sing in the Lord's Power and that made him Rage the more Then he went and fetched a Fiddler and brought him in where I was and set him to play thinking to vex me thereby But while he played I was moved in the everlasting Power of the Lord God to sing and my Voice drowned the Noise of the Fiddle and struck and confounded them and made them give over Fiddling and go their ways Justice Benson's Wife was moved of the Lord to come to visit me and to Eat no Meat but what she Eat 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 one James Parnel 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 Foot too short he was fain to climb from the Ladder to the Hole by a Rope that was fastned above And when Friends would have given him a Cord and a Basket to have drawn 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 benummed 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 catched at the Rope with the other he missed the Rope and fell down from a very great height upon the Stones by which Fall he was exceedingly wounded in his Head and Arms and his Body much bruised and he died in a short Time after And when he was dead the wicked Professors to cover their own Cruelty writ a Book of him and said He fasted himself to Death Which was an abominable Falshood 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 like to be brought forth to a publick 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 forth the following Paper as a publick Challenge to all those that did belie the Truth and me behind my Back to come forth and make good their Charge IF any in Westmorland or Cumberland or elswhere 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 the Deceit is this given forth To that of God in your Consciences I speak declare or write your Dissatisfactions to any of them whom you call Quakers that Truth may be exalted and All may come to the Light with which Christ hath enlightned every one that cometh into the World that nothing may be hid in Darkness in Prisons Holes or Corners but that all things may be brought to the Light of Christ and by the Light of Christ may be tried This am I moved of the Lord to write and send forth to be set upon the Market-Crosses in Westmorland and elswhere 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 that was raised at the time of the Assize That I should be put to Death was gone out 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 down to the Sheriff and Magistrates concerning me And much about the same Time I writ 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 Havock and Spoiling 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 and 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
Ye would have Honour before ye have Humility Did not all the Persecutors that ever were upon the Earth want this Humility And so they wanted the Honour and yet would have the Honour before they had the Humility and had learned that And so ye that be out of the Humility be 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 shall not one carry a Letter to a Friend nor Men visit their Friends nor visit Prisoners nor carry a Book about them either for their own Use or for their Friends and yet ye pretend Liberty of Conscience Men shall not see their Friends but Watches are set up against them 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 Hâ—nds who are in scorn called Quakers And yet â—mâ—ng 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 be out of the Light call Heresy Now these who set up the Watches against them whom they in scorn call Quakers it is 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 the 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 Hâ—m by whom the World was made who was glorified with the Father before the VVorld began For them whom they in scorn call Quakers have they set up their VVatches Able Men well-Armed to take up these that bear this Testimony either in VVords Books or Letters So that is the Light you hate that doth Enlighten every man that cometh into the VVorld and these that witness to this Light are they that you put in Prison And after you have Imprisoned them you set up your VVatches to take up all that go to Visit them and to Imprison them also So that by setting up your VVatches ye would stop all Relief from coming to Prisoners Therefore this is the VVord of the Lord God to you and a Charge to you all in the presence of the living Goâ— of Heaven and Earth Every Man of you being enlightned with a Light that cometh from Christ the Saviour of People's Souls from whom the Light cometh that enlightens you To the Light all take heed that with it you may all see Christ from whom the Light cometh you may all see him to be your Saviour by whom the VVorld was made who saith Learn of me But if ye hate this Light which Christ hath enlightned you withal ye hate Christ who doth Enlighten you all that you all through him who is the Light might believe But not believing in the Light nor bringing your Deeds to the Light which will make them manifest and reprove them this is your Condemnation even the Light Remember you are warned in your Life-time for this is your VVay to Salvation the Light if you walk in it And this is your Condemnation the Light if you reject and hate it And you can never come to Christ the Second Priest unless you come to the Light which the Second Priest hath enlightned you withal So ye that come not to the Light ye go to the Priests that take Tithes as did the First Priesthood and so 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 ever did such a Generation of Men appear as doth now in this Age who are so full of Madness Envy and Persecution that they stand up in VVatches with Bills and VVeapons 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 be out of the Truth and set up their VVatches against it G. F. Besides this General VVarning there coming to my Hand a Copy of a VVarrant Issued out from the Sessions of Exon in express Terms For the apprehending of all Quakers wherein Truth and Friends were reproached and vilified I was moved to write an Answer thereunto and send it abroad for the Clearing of Truth and Friends from the Slanders therein cast upon them and to manifest the wickedness of that persecuting Spirit from whence it proceeded And that which I writ was after this manner WHereas there was a VVarrant granted forth the last Sessions holden at Exon on the Eighteenth Day of the Fifth Month 1656. which VVarrant is For the 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 VVatches able Men with Bills to take up all such Quakers as aforesaid And whereas in your said VVarrant 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 VVays And so ye have numbred them who are honest Men Godly Men holy Men Men that fear God among Beggars Rogues and Vagabonds Thus putting no Difference between the Precious and the Vile you are not fit to judge who have set up your Bills and armed your Men to stand up together in Battel against the Innocent People the Lambs of Christ which have not lifted up an 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 this consider with your selves you would find something to turn the Sword against and not against the Lambs of Christ and not make a Mock upon the Innocent that stand a Witness against all Sin and Vnrighteousness in your Towns and Steeple-houses Noah the Eighth Person a Preacher of Righteousness was grieved with the filthy Conversation of the Wicked So are we now So likewise Just Lot was grieved with their unmerciful Deeds and the filthy Conversation of Sodom And were not these hated of the World and of them that lived in Filthiness And whereas you speak of those whom you in scorn call Quakers that they are a Grief to those whom you call Pious and Religious People and their
were a People that fled out of Old England thither from the Persecution of the Bishops here But when they had got Power into their 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 pay it Besides many they Imprisoned divers they Whipt and that most Cruelly of some they Cut off Ears and some they Hanged as the Books of Friends Sufferings in New-England largely shew particularly A Book written by Geo. Bishop of Bristol Entituled New-England judged In Two Parts Some of the old Royalists were earnest with Friends to have prosecuted them but we told them we left them to the Lord to whom Vengeance belonged 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 Book containing the Signification and Explanation of Names Parables Types and Figures in the Scriptures They who took it were so affected with it that they were loth to have destroyed it but thinking to have made a great Advantage of it they would have let us have had it again if we would have given them a great Sum of Money for it which we were not free to do And some time before this while I was Prisoner in Lancaster-Castle the Book called the Battledoor came forth which was written to shew 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 out of the Scriptures and out of Books of Teaching in about Thirty Languages John Stubbs and Benjamin Furly took great Pains in the Compiling of it which I put them upon and some things I added to it When it was finished some of them were presented to the King and his Council to the Bishops of Canterbury and London and to the Two Vniversities one a piece and many bought of 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 so at a stand that he could not tell what to say to it For it did so Inform and Convince Pâ—ople that few afterward were so Rugged towards us for saying Thou and Thee to a single Person which before they were exceeding fierce against us for For this 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 would 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 there lay Breeding in saying You to one which was contrary to all their Grammars and Teaching-Books by which they had taught and instructed their Youth Now the Bishops and Priests being busie and eager to settle and 〈◊〉 up their Form of Worship and Compel all to come to it I was mâ—â—â—d to give forth the following Paper to open unto People the Nature of the True Worship which Christ set up and which God accepts Thus CHrist's Worship is free in the Spirit to all Men and such as Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth are they that 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 And he hath given to all the 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 the Nations of Men and Women are to be Temples for him to dwell in and they that defile his Temple them will he destroy Now as the outward Jews while they had their outward Temple at outward 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 in the room thereof hath set up his Gospel-Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth so now all are to Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth And this is a free Worship for where the Spirit of the Lord is and ruleth there is Liberty and the Fruits of the Spirit are seen and will manifest themselves and the Spirit is not to be limited but to be lived and walked in that the Fruits of it may appear The Tares are such as hang upon the Wheat to weigh it down and thereby to 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 the Spirit and in the Truth but do grieve the Spirit and vex it and quench it in themselves and walk not in the Truth yet will scraul and 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 went from the Spirit and Truth then they took up Carnal Weapons to maintain their outward Forms and yet cannot preserve them with their Carnal Weapons For one plucketh down another's Form with his outward Weapons And this Work and Doing hath been among the Christians in Name since they lost the Spirit and Spiritual Weapons and the true Worship which Christ set up that is in the Spirit and in the Truth which Spirit and Truth 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 do fill the whole Earth all Nations must be Temples for the Stone And all that say they do travel for the Seed and yet bring forth nothing but a Birth of Strife and Contention and Confusion their Fruit shews their Travel 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 talk'd up and down where they came that of all the Sects the Quakers were the best and most self-denying
me that Question and I told them No for all that God made was good and was blest so was not the Devil And he was called a Serpent before he was called a Devil and an Adversary and then he had the Title of Devil given to him And afterward he was called a Dragon because he was a Destroyer The Devil abode not iâ— the Truth and by departing from the Truth he became a Devil and so the Jews when they went out of the Truth were said to be of the Devil and were called Serpents Now there is no Promise of God to the Devil that ever he shall return into Truth again but to Man and Woman who have been deceived by him the Promise of God is that The Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpent's Head shall break his Power and Strength to pieces Now when these things were opened more at large to the satisfaction of Friends those Two who had let up the Spirit of that Ranting Woman were judged by the Truth and one of them viz. Joseph Hellen run quite out from Truth and was denied by Friends But George Bewly was recovered and came afterwards to be serviceable to Truth We passed from Loveday Hambley's to Francis Hodges Falmouth Penryn Helstone near Falmouth and Penryn where we had a large Meeting and from thence we went to Helstone that Night where some Friends came to visit us and the next day we passed to Thomas Teage's where we had another large Meeting at which many were Convinced for I was led to open the state of the Church in the Primitive Times and the state of the Church in the Wilderness and the state of the False Church that was got up since and to shew that now the Everlasting Gospel was preached again over the Head of the Whore Beast and false Prophets and Antichrists which had got up since the Apostles days and now the Everlasting Gospel was received and receiving which brought Life and Immortality to Light that they might see over the Devil that had darkned them And the People received the Gospel and the Word of Life gladly and a glorious blessed Meeting we had for the exalting the Lord's everlasting Truth and his Name After the Meeting was done I walked out and as I was coming in again I heard a Noise in the Court and coming nearer I found the Man of the House speaking to the Tinners and others of the World's People and telling them It was the Everlasting Truth that had been declared there that day and the People generally confessed to it From thence we passed to the Land's End to John Ellis's house Lands End where we had a precious Meeting and there was a Fisherman one Nicholas Jose that was Convinced and he spake in Meetings and declared the Truth amongst the People and the Lord's Power was over all I was glad that the Lord had raised up his Standard in those dark parts of the Nation where since there is a fine Meeting of honest-hearted Friends and many there are come to sit under Christ's Teaching and a great People the Lord will have in that Country From thence we returned to Redruth and the next day to Truro Redruth Truro where we had a Meeting Next Morning some of the Chief of the Town desired to speak with me and I went to them amongst whom was Col. Rouse 1663. Truro A great deal of Discourse I had with them concerning the things of God and in their Reasoning they said The Gospel was the Four Books of Matthew Mark Luke and John and they called it Natural But I told them the Gospel was the Power of God which was preached before Matthew Mark Luke and John or any of them were printed or written And it was preached to Every Creature of which a great part might never see nor hear of those Four Books so that Every Creature was to obey the Power of God for Christ the Spiritual Man would Judge the World according to the Gospel that is according to his Invisible Power When they heard this they could not gain-say for the Truth came over them So I directed them to their Teacher the Grace of God and shewed them the Sufficiency of it which would teach them how to live and what to deny and being obeyed would bring them their Salvation And so to that Grace I recommended them and left them Then returned we through the Country visiting Friends and had Meetings at Humphrey Lower's again and at Thomas Mount's And afterwards at George Hawkins at Stoke we had a large Meeting Stoke to which Friends came from Lanceston and several other places and a living precious Meeting it was in which the Lord's Presence and Power was richly manifested amongst us and I left Friends there under the Lord Jesus Christ's Teaching Example In Cornwall I was Informed that there was one Col. Robinson a very wicked Man who after the King came in was made a Justice of the Peace and became a Cruel Persecutor of our Friends of whom he sent many to Prison And hearing that they had some little Liberty through the Favour of the Jailer to come home sometimes to visit their Wives and Children he made a great Complaint thereof to the Judge at the Assize against the Jailer Whereupon the Jailer was fined an Hundred Marks and Friends were kept very strictly up for a while After he was come home from the Assize he sent to a Neighbouring Justice to desire them to go a Fanatick-hunting with him So on the Day that he intended and was prepared to go a Fanatick-hunting he sent his Man about with his Horses and walked himself on Foot from his Dwelling-House to a Tenement that he had where his Cows and Dairy were kept and where his Servants were then milking When he came there he asked for his Bull and the Maid-Servants said They had shut him into the Field because he was Vnruly amongst the Kine and hindred their Milking Then went he into the Field to his Bull and having formerly accustomed himself to play with the Bull he began to fence at him with his Staff as he used to do But the Bull snufft at him and passed a little back and then turning upon him again ran fiercely at him and struck his Horn into his Thigh and heaving him upon his Horn threw him over his Back and so tore up his Thigh to his Belly And when he came to the Ground again he gored him with his Horns and would run them into the Ground in his Rage and Violence and roared and licked up his Master's Blood The Maid-Servant hearing her Master Cry out came running into the Field and came to the Bull and took him by the Horns to pull him off from her Master The Bull without hurting her put her gently by with his Horns but still fell to goring of him 1663. Cornwal and licking up his Blood Then she ran and got some Work-men that were at Work not
whom she went but could not obtain what she desired for he said The King could not Release me otherwise than by a Pardon And I was not free to receive a Pardon knowing I had not done Evil. And if I would have been freed by a Pardon I needed not have lain so long for the King was willing to have given me a Pardon long before and told Thomas Moore that I need not scruple being Released by a Pardon for many a Man that was as Innocent as a Child had had a Pardon granted him Yet I could not Consent to have one For I had rather have lain in Prison all my Days than have come out in any way dishonourable to Truth Wherefore I chose to have the Validity of my Indictment Tried before the Judges And thereupon having first had the Opinion of a Counsellor upon it one Thomas Corbet of London whom Richard Davis of Welchpool was well acquainted with and recommended to me an Habeas Corpus was sent down to Worcester to bring me up once more to the King's-Bench-Bar for the Trial of the Errors in my Indictment The Vnder-Sheriff set forward with me on the Fourth Day of the Twelfth Month there being with us in the Coach the Clerk of the Peace and some others The Clerk had been my Enemy all along and now sought to Ensnare me in Discourse but I saw and shunned him He asked me What I would do with the Errors in the Indictment I told him They should be Tried and every Action should Crown it self He quarrelled with me for calling their Ministers Priests I asked him ' If the Law did not call them so Then he asked me What I thought of the Church of England Was there no Christians among them I said They are all called so and there are many tender People amongst them London We came to London on the Eighth of the Twelfth Month and on the Eleventh I was brought before the Four Judges at the King's-Bench King's-Bench-Bar where Counsellor Corbet pleaded my Cause He started a New Plea for he told the Judges That they could not Imprison any Man upon a Premunire Whereupon the Chief Justice Hales said Mr. Corbet You should have come sooner at the beginning of the Term with this Plea He Answered We could not get a Copy of the Return and of the Indictment The Judge replied You should have told us and we would have forced them to have made a Return sooner Then said Judge Wild Mr. Corbet you go upon General Terms and if it be so as you say we have Committed many Errors at the Old Baily and in other Courts Corbet was positive that by Law they could not Imprison upon a Premunire The Judge said There is Summons in the Statute Yes said Corbet but Summons is not Imprisonment for Summons is in Order to a Trial. Well said the Judge We must have time to look in our Books and consult the Statutes So the Hearing was put off till the next Day The next Day they chose rather to let this Plea fall and begin with the Errors of the Indictment and when they came to be opened they were so many and gross that the Judges were all of Opinion That the Indictment was quash'd and void and that I ought to have my Liberty There were that Day several Great Men Lords and others who had the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy tendered unto them in open Court just before my Trial came on and some of my Adversaries moved the Judges that the Oaths might be Tendered again to me telling them I was a dangerous Man to be at Liberty But Judge Hales who was then Chief-Justice of England 1674. King's-Bench-Bar said He had indeed heard some such Reports of me but he had also heard many more good Reports of me and so he and the rest of the Judges ordered me to be freed by Proclamation Thus after I had suffered Imprisonment a Year and almost Two Months for nothing I was fairly set at Liberty upon a Trial of the Errors in my Indictment without receiving any Pardon or coming under any Obligation or Engagement at all and the Lord 's Everlasting Power went over all to his Glory and Praise and to the magnifying of his Name for ever Amen Counsellor Corbet who pleaded for me got great Fame by it for many of the Lawyers came to him and told him He had brought that to Light which had not been known before as to the not Imprisoning upon a Premunire And after the Trial a Judge said to them You have attained a great deal of Honour by Pleading George Fox 's Cause so in Court During the time of my Imprisonment in Worcester notwithstanding my Ilness and Want of Health and my being so often hurried to and fro to London and back again I writ several Books for the Press one whereof was called A Warning to England Another was To the Jews proving by the Prophets that the Messiah is come Another Concerning Inspiration Revelation and Prophecy Another Against all vain Disputes Another For all Bishops and Ministers to trie themselves by the Scriptures Another To such as say We love none but our selves Another Entituled Our Testimony concerning Christ. And another little Book concerning Swearing being the first of those Two that were given to the Parliament Besides these I writ many Papers and Epistles to Friends to Encourage and strengthen them in their Services for God which some who had made Profession of Truth but had given way to a Seducing Spirit and were departed from the Vnity and Fellowship of the Gospel in which Friends stand endeavoured to Discourage them from especially in their diligent and watchful Care for the well-ordering and managing the Affairs of the Church of Christ Which may be read amongst the rest of my Epistles London Now after I was set at Liberty I visited the Friends in London and having for some time been very Weak and not yet well recovered I went down to Kingston for a little Season Kingston But I did not stay long there London but having visited the Friends there I returned to London again and writ a Paper to the Parliament and sent several Books to them And a great Book against Swearing had been delivered to them a little before the Reasonableness whereof had so much Influence upon many of them that it was thought they would have done something towards our Relief therein if they had sate longer I staid in and near London London-Yearly-Meeting until the Yearly Meeting came on to which Friends came up from most Parts of the Nation and some from beyond the Seas and a glorious Meeting we had in the Everlasting Power of God After this Meeting was over the Parliament being also risen who had done nothing for nor against Friends I was Clear of my Service for the Lord at London And having taken my Leave of Friends there and had a Glorious Meeting with some of them
Gospel-Order and it belongs to them Then take your Possessions and Practise in it and be not Talkers only but Live and Walk in the Gospel the Power of God which is the Authority of your Meetings Swarthmore the 28th of the Third Month 1676. G. F. Read at the Yearly Meeting in London the 17th of the Third Month 1676. During this time also I Collected together as many as I could of the Epistles I had written in former Years to Friends I made a Collection too of the several Papers that I had written to O. Cromwel and his Son Richard in the time of their Protectorships and to the Parliaments and Magistrates that were in their times And after I had gathered them together I Collected also the Papers I had written to King Charles the Second since his Return and to his Council and Parliaments and the Justices or other Magistrates under him I made also another Collection of Certificates which I had received from divers Governours of Places Judges Justices Parliament-Men and others for the Clearing of me from many Slanders which the Envious Priests and Professors both here and beyond the Seas had cast upon me And this I did for the Truth's-sake as knowing that their Design in Slandering me was to defame the Truth published by me and hinder thereby if they could the Spreading thereof amongst the People Besides these I made Two Books of Collections the one was A List or Catalogue of the Names of those Friends who went first forth out of the North of England when Truth first brake forth there to proclaim the Day of the Lord through this Nation The other was of the Names of those Friends that went first forth to Preach the Gospel in other Nations Countries and Places and in what Years and to what Parts they went I made also another Collection in Two Books one of Epistles and Letters from Friends and others on several Occasions to me The other of Letters of mine to Friends and others I writ also a Book of the Types and Figures of Christ with their Significations and many other things which will be of Service to Truth and Friends in times to come I took notice also of those who had run out from Truth and drawn others out after them and turned against Truth and Friends at several times since the First Breaking forth of Truth in this latter Age and what became of them noting particularly the Repentance and Return of such of them as came back to Truth again But some ran quite out and never returned again but were Cut off in their Gainsaying and Rebellion for the Word and Power of God hath blasted and is blasting them and the Holy Seed hath ground and is grinding them to pieces And this I have observed that they who have been Convinced and have not lived and walked in the Truth have been the Worst Enemies to the Truth and done most Hurt amongst Friends in the Truth and to others And in these I have seen fulfilled what the Lord did long since shew me That such should be greater Deceivers than all the Priests and Professors For such as came as far as Cain and Balaam and Corah and Dathan and could preach Christ and say They had preached in his Name and such as came to be Apostles and had tasted of the Power of Christ and then turned from it such could yet speak their Old Experiences and have the good Words like Corah and Balaam but not keeping in the Life and Truth such Deceived the Hearts of the Simple both then and now and such come to be of the Devil who abode not in the Truth as Cain and and all the Jews that abode not in the Truth were For though Cain did Sacrifice to God and did talk with God and the Jews could talk of Abraham Moses and the Prophets yet Christ told them They were of their Father the Devil In like manner though they who are called Christians can talk of Christ and use his and his Apostles and Disciples Words yet not abiding in the Truth and Power and Spirit that the Apostles were in they are of the Devil out of Truth and do his Work And so are all these that have been Convinced of God's Eternal Truth since it sprang up in this Nation that have not abode in the Light and in the Spirit and Power of Christ Jesus but have turned against the Power and have opposed the Work thereof though they may retain their former Experiences and be able to speak many good Words yet not living in the Life and Power that gave them those Experiences they live in the Power of Darkness which is of the Devil and by the Light and Truth both he and they are Condemned and must own their Condemnations if ever they come to Truth again For to Resist the Heavenly Power and to oppose the Workings and Divine Manifestations thereof through any is not a light Matter And as I had been moved of the Lord to travel in his Power round about this Nation and in other Parts to preach the Everlasting Gospel and to declare the Word of Life which was in the Beginning through many Imprisonments Hardships Sufferings and Trials so I was afterwards moved to Travel in the same Heavenly Power about the Nation again and to write to such Places where I came not to recommend unto Friends the setting up of the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings in all Counties for the looking after the Poor and taking Care for Orderly Proceedings in Marriages and other matters relating to the Church of Christ Though some Meetings for this end were settled in the North of England in the Year 1653. And after this also Truth still spreading further over the Nation and Friends encreasing in number I was moved by the same Eternal Power to recommend the setting up the Womens-Meetings also that all both Male and Female that had received the Gospel the Word of Eternal Life might come into the Order of the Gospel brought forth by the Power of God and might act for God in the Power and therein do Business and Service for him in his Church All the Faithful must labour in God's Vineyard they being his Hired Servants and he having given them the Earnest of his Spirit For a Master that hires a Servant and gives him the Earnest of his Hire expects he should do his Work after he knows his Will in the outward Creation So all God's Prople that be of the new Creation and have received the Earnest of his Spirit ought to labour with by and in his Spirit Power and Grace and Faith in the Light in God's Vineyard that they may have their Wages every one Male and Female when they have done God's Work and Business in his Day which is Eternal Life But none can labour in his Vineyard and do his Work and Will but as they walk in the Heavenly Divine Light Grace and Spirit of Christ which is hath been and is my Travel and
after the Meeting returning to our other Company on the Road went on with them to William Penn's that Night which is Forty Miles from London Worminghurst I stay'd at Worminghurst about Three Weeks in which time John Burnyeat and I at such times as we were not amongst Friends in Meetings Answered a very envious and wicked Book which one Roger Williams a Priest of New-England or some Colony thereabouts had written against Truth and Friends When we had finished that Service we went with Stephen Smith who was there with us to his house at Warpledon in Surrey Surrey Warpledon where we had a large Meeting Friends thereaway had been exceedingly plundered about Two Months before on the Priest's account for they took from Stephen Smith Five Kine being all he had for about Fifty shillings Tithes From thence we went to Kingston Kingston London and so to London where I stay'd not long for it was upon me from the Lord to go into Holland to Visit Friends there and to preach the Gospel there and in some parts of Germany Wherefore setting things in Order for my Journey as fast as I could I took leave of Friends at London Essex Colchester and with several other Friends went down to Colchester in Essex in order to my Passage for Holland Next day being the First day of the Week I was at the publick Meeting of Friends there which was very large and peaceable and in the Evening I had another large Meeting but not so publick at John Furly's house where I lodged The day following was the Womens-Meeting there which also was very large and I was at that too Harwich From thence next day we passed to Harwich where Robert Duncon and several other Friends out of the Country came to see us and some from London came to us there that intended to go over with me The Packet-Boat in which we were to go not being ready we went to the Meeting in the Town and a precious Opportunity we had together for the Lord according to his wonted goodness by his over-coming refreshing Power opened many Mouths to declare his Everlasting Truth and to praise and glorifie him After the Meeting we returned to John Vandewall's where I had lodged and when the Boat was ready taking Leave of those Friends that had accompanied us thither and that met us there we that were bound for Holland went on Board about the 9th hour in the Evening on the 25th day of the 5th Month 1677. The Friends that then went over with me 1677. Harwich were William Penn Robert Barclay George Keith and his Wife John Furly and his Brother William Tailcoat George Watts and Isabel Yeomans who is one of my Wife's Daughters About the First hour in the Morning we weighed Anchor having a fair brisk Wind which by the next Morning brought us within sight of Holland Holland But that day proving very clear and calm we got forward but little till about the Fourth hour in the Afternoon when a fresh Gale arose which carried us within a League of Land Then being becalmed again we cast Anchor for that Night it being between the hours of Nine and Ten in the Evening But William Penn and Robert Barclay understanding that Benjamin Furly was come from Rotterdam to the Briel to meet us got two of the Boat-men to let down a small Boat that belonged to the Packet-Boat and Row them to shore but before they could get to shore the Gates were shut and there being no house without the Gate they were fain to lie in a Fisher's Boat all Night As soon as the Gates were opened in the Morning they went in and found Benjamin Furly with other Friends of Rotterdam that were come thither to receive us and they sent a Boat with three Young-men in it that lived with Benjamin Furly who brought us to the Briel Briel where the Friends received us with great Gladness We stay'd about Two hours at the Briel to refresh our selves and then took Boat with the Holland-Friends for Rotterdam Rotterdam where we arrived about the Eleventh hour that day which was the 28th of the Fifth Month 1677. I was very well this Voyage but some of the Friends were Sea-sick Yet a fine Passage we had and all came safe and well to Land blessed and praised be the Name of the Lord for ever The next day being the First day of the Week we had Two Meetings at Benjamin Furly's where many of the Towns People and some Officers came in and all were civil Benjamin Furly or John Claus a Friend of Amsterdam interpreted when any Friend declared I spent the next day in Visiting Friends there and the day following William Penn and I and some other of the Friends went towards Amsterdam Amsterdam with some Friends of that City who came to Rotterdam to Conduct us thither We took Boat in the Afternoon Ouerkirk Delft and passing by a Town called Ouerkirk we came to Delft through which we walked on foot and then took Boat again to Leyden Leyden where we lodged that Night at an Inn. This is counted six Dutch Miles from Rotterdam which are eighteen English Miles and five hours sail or Travel for our Boat was drawn by an Horse that went on the shore Next day taking Boat again we went to Harlem Harlem fourteen Miles from Leyden where we had appointed a Meeting which proved very large for many of the Town 's People came in and Two of their Preachers and the Lord gave us a blessed Opportunity not only with respect to Friends but to other sober People Baptists and other Professors that were there and the Meeting ended peaceably and well After Meeting we passed to Amsterdam 1677. Amsterdam accompanied by several Friends of that City and of Alkmaer some by Wagon some by Boat Next day was the Quarterly Meeting at Amsterdam to which came Friends from Harlem and Rotterdam and with them those Friends of our Company whom we had left behind at Rotterdam viz. Robert Barclay George Keith and his Wife c. The Meeting was at Gertrude Dirick Nieson's house and a very large and serviceable Meeting it was for both William Penn and I were drawn forth to open many things concerning the Order of the Gospel and to shew the benefit and service of Yearly Quarterly and Monthly Meetings of Men and Women We had another Meeting at Gertrude's the next day more publick and very large at which were Professors of several sorts unto whom the Way of Life and Salvation was largely and livingly opened which they hearkned very attentively to none making any Objection to what was declared In the Afternoon we had another Meeting in the same place but less and more private The day following we had a Meeting of Friends only wherein by Joint Agreement of Friends were settled several Meetings to wit Monthly Quarterly and a Yearly Meeting to be held at Amsterdam for
Crown of every one of you that nothing may be between you and the Lord God And be not deceived with vain Words or fained Words or rough for Satan is transforming himself as an Angel of Light to deceive but God's Foundation standeth sure and God knoweth who are his and will preserve his upon the Rock and Foundation of Life in his peaceable Truth and Habitation that in the same they may grow And so keep out of Strife and Contention with it after that ye have born your Testimony in the Lord's Power and Truth against it and then keep in the Truth for it hath a life in scribling strife and jangling because it would enlarge its Hell and bring others into its Misery with the airy Power and would get Power over the Good and disjoin People from it and so to make Rapes upon the Simplicity by its Subtilty But I do believe the Lord will defend his People though he may try them and exercise them with this Spirit for a time as he hath done by it in days past in other Vessels it hath made use of as it doth of these now who have a more seeming fair Outside but foul and rough and rugged enough within against the Seed Christ as ever were the Pharisees to destroy it And they under a pretence of Preaching Christ are the men that are the Destroyers and Crucifiers of him and Killers of the Just not only in themselves but endeavouring with all their might to destroy it in others where it is born Pharaoh and Herod to slay the young Jews in the Spirit as the Old did I do feel it Worrying of them and it is got up to be King which knew not suffering Joseph But God will plague him and the Seed will have more rest and be better entertained in Egypt than under Herod into whom Old Pharaoh's Spirit is entred He that hath an Ear to hear let him hear and an Eye to see let him see how this Spirit hath Transformed in all Ages against the Just and Righteous but mark what hath been its end But the Seed reigneth Glory to the Lord God over all for ever and his Truth spreadeth and Friends here are in Unity and Peace and of good Report answering the good or that of God in People And so my desires are that all God's People may do the same in all places where-ever they be so that the Lord may be glorified in their bringing forth much Fruit that is heavenly and spiritual Amen Amsterdam the 25 of the 7th Month 1677. G. F. After I had given forth the fore-going Epistle whereby my Spirit was in some measure eased of the Weight that lay upon it I went in the Afternoon to the Monthly Meeting of Friends at Amsterdam where the Lord was present with us and refreshed our Spirits together in himself I thought to have gone next day to Harlem but there being a Fast appointed to be kept that day I was stopped in my Spirit and moved to stay at Friends Meeting that day at Amsterdam We had a very large Meeting a great Concourse of People coming to it and amongst them many great Persons The Lord's Power was over the Meeting and in the Openings thereof I was moved to declare to the People That no man by all his wit and study nor by reading History in his own Will could declare or know the Generation of Christ who was not begotten by the Will of Man but by the Will of God After I had largely opened this unto them I shewed them the Difference between the true Fast and the false manifesting unto them that the profest Christians Jews and Turks were out of the true Fast and fasted for strife and debate being under the Band and Fists of Iniquity and Oppression wherewith they were smiting one another but the pure hands were not lifted up to God And though they did all appear to men to Fast and did hang down their Heads for a day like a Bulrush yet that was not the Fast which God did accept but in that state all their Bones were dry and when they called upon the Lord he did not Answer them neither did their Health grow for they kept their own Fast and not the Lord 's And there I exhorted them to come and keep the Lord's Fast which was to fast from Sin and Iniquity from Strife and Debate from Violence and Oppression and to abstain from every Appearance of Evil. These things were opened to the astonishment of the Fasters and the Meeting ended peaceably and well I went to Harlem the day following Harlem having before appointed a Meeting to be there that day Peter Hendricks and Gertrude Dirick Nieson went with me and a blessed Meeting we had There were at the Meeting Professors of several sorts and a Priest of the Lutherans who sate very Attentive for several hours while I declared the Truth amongst them Gertrude Interpreting When the Meeting was done the Priest said That he had heard nothing but what was according to the Word of God and desired That the Blessing of the Lord might rest upon us and our Assemblies Others also confessed to the Truth saying They had never heard things so plainly opened to their understandings before We stayed that night at Harlem at a Friend's house whose name was Dirick Klassen and returning next day to Amsterdam went to Gertrude's house where we had not been long come in before there came a Priest of great note who had formerly belonged to the Emperor of Germany and with him another German Priest desiring to have some Conference with me So I took the Opportunity to declare the Way of Truth unto them opening unto them how they might come to know God and Christ and his Law and Gospel and shewing them that they could never know it by study nor by Philosophy but by Divine Revelation through the Spirit of God opening unto them in the stilness of their Minds The men were tender and went away well satisfied On the First-day of the Week following I was at Friends Meeting at Amsterdam where amongst the several sorts of Professors that were present there was a Doctor of Poland who for his Religion was banished from the place he lived in and he being affected with the Testimony of Truth that was born in the Meeting came after the Meeting to have some Discourse with me and after we had been some time together and I had opened things further to him he went away very Tender and Loving Now while I was at Amsterdam I spent most of my time except it were when I was at Friends Meetings or when People came to speak with me in Writing Books Papers or Epistles on Truth 's behalf For I writ several Epistles from Amsterdam to Friends in England and elsewhere on several Occasions as the Lord moved me by his Spirit thereunto I writ also from thence A Warning to the Inhabitants of the City Oldenburgh which was lately burnt down Also A Warning to
the Inhabitants of the City of Hamborough I writ also an Epistle to the Ambassadors that were treating a Peace at Nimmeguen To the Magistrates and Priests of Embden I writ a Book shewing them their Vnchristian Practices in persecuting Friends And several other Books I writ there in Answer to Priests and others of Hamborough Dantzick and other places to Clear the Truth and Friends from their false Charges and Slanders After some time George Keith and William Penn came back from Germany to Amsterdam and had a Dispute with one Galenus Abrahams one of the most noted Baptists in Holland at which many Professors were present But not having time to finish the Dispute then they met again two days after and the Baptist was much Confounded and Truth gained ground Between these Two Disputes we had a very great Meeting at Friends Meeting-Place at which many hundreds of the World's People were and some of high Rank in the World's Account for there was an Earl and a Lord and divers other Eminent Persons who all behaved themselves very Civilly But when the Meeting was ended some Priests began to make some Opposition which when William Penn understood he stood up again and answered them to the great satisfaction of the People who were much affected with the several Testimonies that they had heard declared And after the Meeting several of them came to Gertrude's where we were with whom George Keith had much Discourse in Latin Having now finished our Service at Amsterdam we took Leave of the Friends there and passed by Wagon to Leyden Leyden which is about 25 Miles where we stayed a day or two seeking out and visiting some tender People that we heard of there We met there with a German who was partly Convinced and he Informed us of an Eminent Man that was inquiring after Truth Some sought him out and visited him and found him a Serious Man and I spake to him and he owned the Truth William Penn and Benjamin Furly went to visit another Great Man that lived a little out of Leyden who they said had been General to the King of Denmark's Forces and he and his wife were very loving to them and heard the Truth with Joy From Leyden we went to the Hague Hague where the Prince of Orange then kept his Court and we visited one of the Judges of Holland with whom we had pretty much Discourse He was a Wise Tender man and put many Objections and Queries to us which when we had answered he was satisfied and parted with us in much Love Then leaving the Hague we went to Delft and from thence that night to Rotterdam Delft Rotterdam where we stay'd several days and had several Meetings there While I was here I gave forth a Book for the Jews with whom when I was at Amsterdam I had a desire to have had some Discourse but they would not Here also I reviewed several other Books and Papers which I had given forth before and were now Transcribed And now finding our Spirits Clear of the Service which the Lord had given us to do in Holland we took Leave of Friends of Rotterdam and passed by Boat to the Briel in order to take Passage that day in the Packet-Boat for England several Friends of Rotterdam accompanying us and some of Amsterdam who were come to see us again before we left Holland But the Packet-Boat not coming in till night we were fain to lodge that night at the Briel and next day being the One and twentieth of the Eighth Month and the First-day of the Week we went on Board and set Sail about the Tenth hour viz. William Penn George Keith and I and Gertrude Dirick Nieson with her Children We were in all about sixty Passengers and had a long and hazardous Passage for the Winds were contrary to us and the Weather stormy the Boat also very leaky insomuch that we were fain to have two Plumps continually going both day and night so that it was thought there was twice as much Water plumped out as the Vessel would have held But the Lord who is able to make the stormy Winds to cease and the Raging Waves of the Sea to be calm yea to raise them and stop them at his pleasure he alone did preserve us praised be his Name for ever Though our Passage was hard yet we had a fine time and good Service for Truth on Board among the Passengers some of whom were a sort of great Folks and they were very kind and loving 1677. Harwich We arrived at Harwich on the 23th of the 8th Month at night having been Two Nights and almost Three Days at Sea Next Morning William Penn and George Keith took Horse for Colchester but I stay'd and had a Meeting at Harwich and there being no Colchester-Coach there and the Post-masters Wife being Unreasonable in her Demands for a Coach and deceiving us of it also after we had hired it we went to a Friend's House about a mile and an half off in the Country and hired his Wagon which we bedded well with Straw and rode in it to Colchester Colchester I stay'd in Colchester till the First-day of the Week having a desire to be at Friends Meeting there that day and a very large and weighty Meeting it was for Friends hearing of my Return from Holland flocked in thither from several parts of the Country and many of the Towns People coming in also it was thought there were about a Thousand People at the Meeting and all was peaceable Then having stay'd a day or two longer at Colchester having Service amongst the Friends there I travelled through Essex Essex Halsted Braintree Felsted Saling â—helmsford London visiting Friends at Halsted Braintree Felsted and Saling and having Meetings with them At Chelmsford I had a Meeting in the Evening and there being many Friends Prisoners they got liberty and came to the Meeting and we were well refreshed together in the Lord. Next day being the 9th of the 9th Month I got to London where Friends received me with great Joy and on the First-day following went to Gracious-street Meeting where the Lord visited us with his refreshing Presence and the Glory of the Lord surrounded the Meeting praised be the Lord After I had been a little while in London I writ the following Letter to my Wife whom though I had written to her several times out of Holland I had not written to since I came into England Dear Heart TO whom is my Love and to the Children and to all the rest of Friends in the Lord's Truth Power and Seed that is over all Glory to the Lord and blessed be his Name for ever beyond all words who hath carried me through and over many Trials and Dangers in his Eternal Power I have been Twice at Gracious-street-Meeting and though the opposite Spirits were there yet all was quiet and the Dew of Heaven fell upon the People and the Glory of the Lord
purifies our hearts and brings us to have Access to God without which we cannot please him by which Faith all the Just lives as the Scripture declares And so that which we desire of Thee O King is that we may have the Liberty of our Consciences to serve and worship God and to pray unto him in our Meetings together in the Name of Jesus as he Commands with a promise that he will be in the midst of them The King we do hope cannot but say that this Duty and Service is due to God and Christ and we give Caesar his due and pay our Tribute and Custom equal with our Neighbour according to our proportion And we never read in all the Scriptures of the New Testament That ever Christ or his Disciples did Banish or Imprison any that were not of their Faith or Religion and would not hear them or gave any such Command but on the Contrary Let the Tares and the Wheat grow together till the harvest and the harvest is the end of the World And then Christ will send his Angels to sever the Wheat from the Tares c. And also he Rebuked such that would have had fire to come down from Heaven to consume such that would not receive Christ and told them That they did not know what Spirit they were of he came not to destroy mens lives but to save them And therefore we desire the King to consider how much Persecution has been in Christendom since the Apostles days concerning Religion And Christ said They should go into Everlasting punishment that did not visit him in Prison then what will become of them that Imprison him in his Members where he is Manifest And now none can say that the World is ended And therefore how will all Christendom answer the dreadful and terrible God at his Day of Judgment that have persecuted one another about Religion before the end of the World under a pretence of plucking up Tares which is not their Work but the Angels at the end of the World And Christ Commands men to Love one another and to Love Enemies and by this they should be known to be his Disciples And therefore Oh! 1677. London that all Christendom had lived in Peace andVnity that they might by their Moderation have Judged both Turks and Jews and let all have their Liberty that do own God and Jesus and Walk as becomes the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ And so our desires are that the Lord God of Heaven may soften the King 's heart to all tender Consciences that do fear the Lord and are afraid of disobeying him And now we intreat the King to read over some of the Noble Expressions of several Kings and others concerning Liberty of Conscience and especially Stephanus King of Poland his sayings viz. It belongeth not to me to Reform the Consciences I have always gladly given that over to God which belongeth to him and so shall I do now and also for the future I will suffer the Weeds to grow till the time of harvest for I know that the Number of Believers are but small Therefore said he when some were proceeding in Persecution I am King of the People not of their Consciences He also affirmed that Religion was not to be planted with Fire and Sword Chron. Liberty of Religion Part. 2. Also a Book wrote in French by W. M. Anno 1576. hath this Sentence viz. Those Princes that have ruled by Gentleness and Clemency added to Justice and have exercised Moderation and Meekness towards their Subjects always prospered and reigned long but on the Contrary those Princes that have been Cruel Unjust Prejudiced and Oppressors of their Subjects have soon fall'n they and their Estates into danger or total ruin Veritus saith Seeing Christ is a Lamb whom you profess to be your Head and Captain then it behoveth you to be Sheep and to use the same Weapons which he made use of for he will not be a Shepherd of Wolves and Wild-beasts but only of Sheep Wherefore if you lose the Nature of Sheep said he and be changed into Wolves and Wild-beasts and use fleshly Weapons then will you exclude your selves out of his Calling and forsake his Banner and then will he not be your Captain c. And also we find it asserted by King James in his Speech to the Parliament in the Year 1609. That it is a pure Rule in Divinity that God never planted his Church with Violence of Blood And furthermore he said It was usually the Condition of Christians to be persecuted but not to persecute And also King Charles in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 61. said in his Prayer to God Thou seest how much Cruelty amongst Christians is acted under the Colour of Religion as if we could not be Christians unless we crucified one another And pag. 28. Make them at length seriously to Consider that nothing violent nor injurious can be Religious Pag. 70. Nor is it so proper to hew out Religious Reformation by the Sword as to polish them by fair and equal Disputations among those that are most Concerned in the Differences whom not force but reason must Convince And pag. 66. Take heed that outward Circumstances and Formalities in Religion devour not all And pag. 91 92. 1678. London In point of true Conscientious tenderness I have so often declared how little I desire my Laws and Scepter should intrench on God's Soverainity who is the only King of Conscience Pag. 123. Nor do I desire any man should be further subject unto me then all of us may be subject unto God Pag. 200. O thou Soveraign of our Souls the only Commander of our Consciences Pag. 346. In his Meditations on Death It is indeed a sad state to have his Enemies to be his Accusers Parties and Judges The Prince of Orange testified Anno 1579. That it was impossible the Land should be kept in Peace except there was a free Toleration in the Exercise of Religion And further Where hast thou read in thy day said Menno in the Writing of the Apostles that Christ or the Apostles ever cried out to the Magistrate for their power against them that would not hear their Doctrine nor obey their Words I know certainly said he that where a Magistrate shall banish with the Sword there is not the right Knowledge Spiritual Word nor Church of Christ it is Invocare Brachium Seculare to Invoke the Secular Arm. It is not Christian-like but Tyrannical said D. Philipson to banish and persecute People about Faith and Religion and they that so do are certainly of the Pharisaical Generation who resisted the Holy Ghost Erasmus said That though they take our Monies and Goods they cannot therefore hurt our Salvation they afflict us much with Prisons but they do not thereby separate us from God In de Krydges wrede fol. 63. Lucernus said He that Commandeth any thing wherewith he bindeth the Conscience this is an Antichrist In
that and that Liberty answers the Grace the Truth the Light the Spirit the Faith the Gospel of Christ in every Man and Woman and is the Yoke to the Contrary in every Man and Woman And that makes it rage and swell and puff up for that is restless and unruly and out of patience and is ready to curse his God and that which reigns over him because it hath not its Will And it works with all Subtilty and Evasion with its restless Spirit to get in and defile the minds of the Simple and to make Rapes upon the Virgin Minds But as they receive the heavenly Wisdom by which all things were made which Wisdom is above that Spirit through this Wisdom they will be preserved over that Spirit And Christ hath given Judgment to his Saints in his Church though he be Judge of all and the Saints in the Power and Spirit of God had and have Power to Judge of Words and Manners of Lives and Conversations and Growths and States from a Child to a Father in the Truth and to whom they are a Savour of Death and to whom they are a Savour of Life And who serve the Lord Jesus Christ and preach him and who preach themselves and serve themselves And who Talk of the Light and of Faith and of the Gospel and of Hope and of Grace and preach such things and in their Works and Lives deny them all and God and Christ and preach up Liberty from that in themselves to that in Others which should be under the Yoke and Cross of Christ the Power of God And so the Saints in the Power and Spirit of Christ can discern and distinguish who serves God and Christ and who serves him not and so can put a distinction between the Prophane and the Holy But such as have lost their Eye-salve and their Sight is grown dim lose this Judgment Discerning and Distinction in the Church of Christ and such come to be spewed out of Christ's mouth except they Repent and if not they come to Corrupt the Earth and burden it that it Vomits them out of it And therefore all are Exhorted to keep in the Power and Spirit of Christ Jesus and in the Word of Life and the Wisdom of God which is above that that is below in which they may keep their heavenly Understandings and heavenly Discernings and so set the heavenly Spiritual Judgment over that which is for Judgment which dishonours God which leads into loose and false Liberty out of the Unity which stands in the heavenly Spirit which brings into Conformity and to be Conformable to the Image of the Son of God and his Gospel the Power of God which was before the Devil was and his Truth which the Devil is out of in which all are of one Mind Heart and Soul and come to drink into one Spirit being baptized into one Spirit and so into one Body which Christ is the Head of and so keep one Fellowship in the Spirit and Unity in the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace the Prince of Princes Peace And they that Cry so much against Judging and are afraid of Judgment whether they be Apostates Professors or Prophane they are the Most-judging with their censorious false Spirits and Judgment and yet cannot bear the true Judgment of the Spirit of God nor stand in his Judgment This hath been manifest from the beginning they having the false Measures and the false Weights for none have the true Measure and the true Weight but who keep in the Light Power and Spirit of Christ And now there is a loose Spirit that cries for Liberty and against Prescriptions and yet is prescribing ways both by Words and Writings And the same Spirit cries against Judging and would not be Judged and yet is Judging with a wrong Spirit And this is given forth in Reproof to that Spirit London the 9th of the 4th Month 1678. G. F. When I had finished what Service I had for the Lord at this time here I left London and went towards Hartford visiting Friends and having several Meetings in the way At Hartford I stay'd several days having much Service for the Lord there both amongst Friends in their Meetings and in Conferences with such as having let in evil surmisings and jealousies concerning Friends stood in Opposition to the Order of Truth And in Answering some Books that had been written against Truth and Friends And while I was here it came upon me to write a few Lines and send them abroad amongst Friends as followeth Dear Friends LET the holy Seed of Life reign over Death and the unholy Seed in you all that in the holy Seed of the Kingdom ye may all feel the everlasting holy Peace with God through Christ Jesus your Saviour and sit down in him your Life and glorious Rest the holy Rock and Foundation that standeth sure over all from Everlasting to Everlasting in whom all the fulness of Blessedness is so that ye may glory in him that liveth for evermore Amen! Who is your Eternal Joy Life and Happiness through whom you have Peace with God 1678. Hartford Which holy Seed bruiseth the Head of the Serpent and will out-live all his Wrath and Rage Malice and Envy who was before He and It was and remains when He and It is gone into the fire that burns with brimstone The Seed Christ will reign and so will ye as ye do live and walk in him and sit down in Christ and build up one another in the Love of God Hartford the 10 of the 5th Month 1678. G. F. Next day a fresh Exercise came upon me with respect to those unruly and disorderly Spirits which were gone out from us and were labouring to draw others after them into a false Liberty And in the sense I had of the hurt and mischief these might do where they were given way to I was moved to write a few Lines to Warn Friends of them as followeth All Friends KEep in the tender Life of the Lamb over that unruly puffed up and swelling Spirit whose work is for Strife Contention and Division drawing into Loosness and false Liberty under a pretence of Conscience and dangerous to the Spoiling of Youth They that do encourage them will be guilty of their Destruction and set up a sturdy Will instead of Conscience in their Rage and Passion which will quench the universal Spirit in themselves and in every Man and Woman and so that Spirit shall not have the Liberty in themselves nor in Others and so shut up the Kingdom of Heaven in themselves and also in Others And so a loose Spirit getting up under a pretence of Liberty of Conscience or a stubborn Will making a Profession of the Words of Truth in a Form without Power all Loosness and Vileness will be sheltered and covered under this pretence which is for Eternal Judgment for that doth dishonour God Therefore keep to the tender Spirit of God in all humility that
the Lord laid it upon me to write to both the great Turk and the King of Algier severally to Warn them both and the People under them to turn from their wickedness and fear the Lord and do justly lest the Judgments of God came upon them and destroyed them without Remedy But to the Algerines I writ more particularly concerning the Cruelty they exercised towards Friends and others whom they held Captives in Algiers Now when I had finished that Service and visited Friends in their Meetings at Kingston I went on further into the County and had Meetings amongst Friends in many places Worplesdon Guildford Eshing Capell Patchgate Worminghurst Bletchington Horsham Ifield Rygate Gaton c Kingston Hammersmith Battersea Wansworth Kensington Hendon London Edmunton Hartford as at Worplesdon Guildford Eshing Capell Patchgate Worminghurst Bletchington Horsham Ifield Rygate Gaton c. and so came back to Kingston again and from thence to Hammersmith And having spent some days in the Service of Truth amongst Friends at Hammersmith Battersea Wansworth and thereabouts I crossed over by Kensington to Hendon where I had a very good Meeting on the First-day of the Week And having spent about two Months time in this Journey went from thence to London When I had been about Ten days in London I was drawn forth again to visit Friends in the Country and went down to Edmunton to Christopher Taylor 's who kept a School in his House for the educating of Friends Children I had some Service here amongst the Youths and then went on towards Hartford visiting several Friends in the way At Hartford I met with John Story and some others of his Party but the Testimony of Truth went over them and kept them down so that the Meeting was quiet It was on a First-day of the week and the next day being the Mens and Womens Meeting for business I visited them also and the rather because some in that place had let in a Dis-esteem of them Wherefore I was moved to open the Service of those Meetings and the Usefulness and Benefit thereof to the Church of Christ as the Lord opened the thing in me and it was of good Service to Friends 1680. Hartford I had a Meeting also with some of them there that were gone into Strife and Contention to shew them wherein they were wrong and having cleared my self of them I left them to the Lord. Then after I had had another publick Meeting in the Town Waltham-Abby I returned towards London by Waltham-Abby where I had a publick Meeting on the First-day following and another with Friends in the Evening Next day I went to Christopher Taylor 's at Edmunton and stay'd there a day or two Edmunton having some things upon me to write which were for the Service of Truth When I had finished that Service Schacklewell I went to London by Shacklewell where was a School kept by Friends for the breeding up Young Maidens that were Friends Daughters I abode at London most part of this Winter London having much Service for the Lord there both in Meetings and out For as it was a time of great Sufferings upon Friends I was drawn forth in Spirit to visit Friends Meetings more frequently to encourage and strengthen them both by Exhortation and Example The Parliament also was sitting and Friends were diligent to wait upon them to lay their Grievances before them of which we received fresh Accounts almost every day of the sad Sufferings Friends underwent in many parts of the Nation In this Service of seeking Relief for my suffering Brethren I spent much time together with other Friends who were freely given up to that Service attending at the Parliament-House day by day for many days together and watching all Opportunities to speak with such Members of either House as would hear our just Complaints And indeed some of the Members of each House were very Courteous to us and appeared willing to help us if they could But the Parliament being then earnest in Examining the Popish Plot and contriving ways to discover such as were Popishly Affected our Adversaries took advantages against us because they knew we could not Swear nor Fight to Expose us to those Penalties that were made against Papists though they knew in their Consciences that we were no Papists and had had Experience of us that we were no Plotters Wherefore to clear our Innocency in those Cases and to stop the Mouths of our Adversaries I drew up a short Paper to be delivered to the Parliament which was as followeth IT is our Principle and Testimony to deny and renounce all Plots and Plotters against the King or any of his Subjects for we have the Spirit of Christ by which the have the Mind of Christ who came to save mens lives and not to destroy them and we would have the King and all his Subjects to be safe Wherefore we do declare that we will endeavour to our power to save and defend him and them by discovering all Plots and Plotters which shall come to our knowledge that would destroy the King or his Subjects This we do sincerely offer unto you But as to Swearing and Fighting which in tenderness of Conscience we cannot do ye know that we have suffered these many years for our Consciencious Refusal thereof 1680. London And now that the Lord hath brought you together we desire you to Relieve us and free us from those Sufferings and that ye will not put upon us to do those things which we have suffered so much and so long already for not doing for if you do ye will make our Sufferings and Bonds stronger instead of Relieving us G. F. About this time I received Two very envious Books written against Truth and Friends one of them by a Doctor so called of Bremen in Germany the other by a Priest of Dantzick in Poland They were both full of gross Falshoods and â—ad in them many reproachful Slanders I found it upon me to Answer them both and that I might not be over-much interrupted therein by other Business and Company I got out of London for a little while Kingston upon Thames and went down to Kingston upon Thames were I writ an Answer to each of them And also an Answer to some other Scandalous Papers which had been printed and scattered about to mis-represent Friends by While I was there I writ also the following Paper to perswade the Magistrates to Moderation towards Dissenters and take off their Edge to Persecution And because it should have its full Service I directed it To all the Rulers Magistrates and them that are in Authority and Law-makers in England Scotland and Ireland from the Highest to the Lowest and to all other Magistrates every where in that which is called Christendom Desiring their Health and Peace and Tranquillity and Life and Salvation in Christ Jesus the Lord of Glory and Lamb of God that takes away the Sins of the
the Lambs but they are in the hand of the Lord which is his Power that is over all And such do good in his Power unto all for they have the Mind of Christ who would have all to come to the knowledge of the Truth and be saved And they that do good unto all do hurt unto none for that Spirit that doth hurt unto any is not of God but that Spirit which doth good unto all and especially to the Houshold of Faith is of God Christ came not to destroy mens Lives but to save them And it is the Devil that is the Destroyer of mens Lives about Religion and that blinds and corrupts Men and Women and makes them deaf and blind to the things of God and to halt out of God's way They that obey the Evil one and forsake the Lord such the Destroyer doth destroy But Christ doth destroy that Destroyer and in Christ all have Life G. F. I writ another Paper also concerning Meditation Delight Exercise and Study shewing from the Scriptures of Truth what the true Christians ought to Meditate upon and to Exercise their minds in and what they should take Delight in and what they should study to do For in these things not the prophane and loose People only but even the great Professors of Religion are very much mistaken taking Delight in earthly fading perishing things whereas they ought to Meditate on heavenly things and to delight in the Law of God after the inward man and exercise themselves to have always a Conscience void of Offence towards God and towards Men as the Apostle Paul did And inasmuch as Sufferings continued very sore and heavy up on Friends not only in the City but in most parts of the Nation I drew up a Paper to be presented to the King setting forth our Grievances therein and desiring Redress from him in those Particular Cases which I understood were in his power But not having Relief from him it came upon me to write an Epistle to Friends to Encourage them in their Sufferings that they might bear with patience the many Exercises that were brought upon them both from the outward Magistrates and by false Brethren and Apostates whose wicked Books and filthy Slanders did grieve the upright-hearted This Epistle I writ at Dolston Dolston whither I went to visit an ancient Friend that lay sick FRiends and Brethren in Christ Jesus whom the Lord hath called and gathered into him In him abide for without him to wit Christ ye can do nothing and through him ye can do all things who is your strength and support in all your Trials Temptations Imprisonments and Sufferings who for Christ's sake are accounted as Sheep for the slaughter and in all these things we are more than Conquerours through Christ who hath loved us And therefore Friends though ye do suffer by the Outward Powers ye know that the Prophets Christ and the Apostles suffered by the Unconverted And though ye do suffer by false Brethren and false Apostates for a time and by their filthy Books and Tongues whose Tongues indeed are become no Slander let them speak write or print what they will for the sober People even of the World hardly regard it And it is well they have manifested themselves to the World that their folly may proceed no farther though to the utmost of their power they have shewed their Wicked Intent to stir up the Magistrates Professors and Prophane against us and to speak evil of the way of Truth But God's Judgments will overtake them and come upon them as sure as they have come upon those that are gone before them Let their pretence be never so high mark their End for they will fall like untimely Figs and wither like the Grass on the top of the House Though they may seem to flourish and make a Boast and a Noise for a time yet the Seed is on the head of such which will grind them to powder which Seed bruises the Serpent's head Therefore in this Seed Christ who is your sanctuary rest peace and quiet habitation who is the First and Last and over all in him walk for the Lord taketh pleasure in his People that are faithful and that serve and worship him And therefore let the Saints be Joyful in Glory and the God of Peace the God of all Grace who hath called us into his Eternal Glory by Jesus Christ after that ye have suffered a while make you perfect stablish strengthen and settle you casting all your Care upon the Lord for he careth for you And Dearly Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery Trial 1682. Dolfon which is to Try you s though some strange thing had hap'ned unto you for it is â—etter if the Will of God be so that ye suffer for Well-doing than for Evil-doing and Rejoice inasmuch as ye are made Partakers of Christ's Sufferings Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator for unto you is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe in him but also to suffer for his sake So it is given or is a gift from Christ to suffer for his Name and therefore as I said before Rejoice inasmuch as ye are made Partakers of Christ's sufferings And if ye be Reproached or evil spoken of for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you On their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified And therefore if any suffer as Christians let them not be ashamed but let them glorifie God on this behalf Though now for a season ye are in Sufferings and Trials and Temptations that the Trial of your Faith being much more precious than that of Gold which perishes though it be tried with Fire may be found unto praise honour and glory who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation Therefore mind your Keeper where-ever ye are or what sufferings soever ye be in and mind the Example of the Apostle how he suffered trouble as an Evil-doer unto Bonds But the Word of God is not bound which is Everlasting and endures for ever And they who are in that which is not Everlasting and doth not endure for ever cannot bind the Word And the Apostle said I endure all things for the Elects sake that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with Eternal Glory mark with Eternal Glory And if we suffer with Christ we shall reign with Christ who abide faithful Therefore strive not about words to no profit but shun prophane and vain Babblings for they will encrease unto more ungodliness So that ye may be Vessels of Honour sanctified and meet for Christ your Master's use and prepared unto every good work Follow after Righteousness Godliness Faith Love Patience and Meekness and fight the good Fight of Faith with your heavenly
the praise and glory of God and by the word of his Grace your words may be gracious and in your Lives and Conversations ye may shew forth Righteousness Holiness and Godliness That so God Almighty may be glorified in you all and through you all who is above all blessed and praised for ever Amen London the 11th of the 4th Month 1685. G. F. Several other Letters also I writ at this time to Friends in divers Forreign Countries from whom I had received Letters about the Affairs of Truth Which when I had dispatched the Yearly-Meeting being over and the Country-Friends for the most part gone out of Town I got a little way out of Town also being much spent with the Heat of the Weather South-street Throngs in Meetings and continual Business I went at first but to South-street where I abode some days And among other Services that I had there a great sense entred me of the Growth and Increase of Pride Vanity and Excess in Apparel and that not only amongst the People of the World but too much also amongst some that came among us and seem'd to make a Profession of the Truth And in the sense I had of the Evil thereof it came upon me to give forth the following Paper as a Reproof and Check thereunto THE Apostle Peter saith in 1 Pet. 3. of the Womens Adorning Let it not be mark Let it not be this is a positive Prohibition that outward adorning of plaiting the Hair and of wearing of Gold or of putting on of Apparel But let it be the hidden Man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of a great price for after this manner in the old time the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves Here ye may see what is the Ornament of the holy Women 1685. South-street which was in the sight of God of a great price and which the holy Women who trusted in God adorned themselves with But the unholy Women that trust not in God their Ornament is not a meek and a quiet Spirit They adorn themselves with plaiting the Hair and putting on of Apparel and wearing of Gold which is forbidden by the Apostle in his general Epistle to the Church of Christ the true Christians And the Apostle Paul saith 1 Tim. 2.9 10. In like manner also that Women adorn themselves in modest Apparel with shamefacedness and sobriety not with broidered Hair or Gold or Pearls or costly Array but which becometh Women professing Godliness with good Works Now here ye may see what the Women were not to Adorn themselves with who professed Godliness They were not to adorn themselves with broidered Hair nor Gold nor Pearls nor costly Array for this was not looked upon to be modest Apparel for holy Women that profest Godliness and good Works But this Adorning or Apparel is for the immodest and unshamefaced and unsober Women that profess not Godliness neither follow those good Works that God commands And therefore it doth not become Men and Women who profess true Christianity and Godliness to be adorned with Gold or Chains or Pearls or costly Array with broidered Hair for these things are for the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and Pride of Life which is not of the Father And therefore all the holy Men and Women are to mind that which is more precious than Gold who are Redeemed not with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from your vain Conversation but with the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot Therefore as obedient Children to God not fashioning your selves according to your former Lusts in your Ignorance but as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of Conversation 1 Pet. 1.14 15. Christ saith The Life is more than Meat and the Body is more than Raiment Luke 12.23 I read of a Moral-wise Philosopher who meeting a Woman with her Neck and Breast bare laid his hand upon her and said Woman wilt thou sell this Flesh and she replying No. Then pray said he shut up your Shop meaning her bare Breasts and Neck So they were looked upon as Harlots that went with their Necks Breasts and Backs bare and not Civil People even among the Moral Heathens Therefore they that profess the Knowledge of true Christianity should be ashamed of such things You may see a Book written by the very Papists and another by Baxter the Presbyterian against bare Breasts and bare Backs and them that shewed their Flesh Vncovered They that were but in an outward Profession did declare against such things and therefore they which are in the Possession of Truth and true Christianity should be ashamed of such things Read I pray you the Third of Isaiah and there you may see how that holy Prophet was grieved with the foolish Womens vain Attire and how he was sent by the Lord to reprove them And envious persecuting Jezabel her Attired Head and Bravery like a painted Harlot out of the Truth did not keep her from the Judgments of God when the Lord stirred up Jehu against her Doth not Pride go before a Fall and a haughty Mind before Destruction And God resisteth the Proud and giveth Grace to the Humble And Solomon saith The Lord will destroy the House of the Proud Prov. 15.25 For the Day of the Lord shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty c. and he shall be brought low Isa 2.12 and Mal. 4. Therefore take heed of calling the Proud happy for The Lord will scatter the Proud in the Imaginations of their own hearts and exalt them of low degree And you may read in the Revelations Chap. 17.4 and 18.16 of the false Church how she was outwardly decked but full of Abomination and came to a Downfal at last And therefore it is good for all that profess the Truth to use this World as not abusing it for the fashion of this World passeth away but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever The Lord taketh pleasure in his People he will beautifie the Meek with Salvation Psal 149.4 Therefore all that know the Truth as it is in Jesus are to be beautified and cloathed with this Salvation which Salvation is a strong Wall or a Bulwark against that Spirit that would lead you down into the Fall from God or into those things which the fallen Man and Woman delight in and beautifie or adorn themselves with And therefore all that profess the Truth be circumspect sincere and fervent following the Lord Jesus Christ who is not of this World in whom ye have Life and Peace with God South-street the 24th of the 4th Month 1685. G. F. After I had been some weeks in the Country at Southstreet and at and about Enfield in which time I had several Meetings with Friends I returned to London Enfield London And
Richard Esq 129 John and their Wives 224* Y. YArrow William Maryland 375 Yeomans William 318 Isabella 334. 433. 444. 446 York Duke 230 Young Peter 314 THE THIRD TABLE CONTAINING Some of the Subject Matters and Things occurring in this Volume A. ABuses done to G.F. 70. 85 86 by Professors c. 103 104. 118. 132 133. 169. 244* Friends abused 118. 197. 216. 257. 313. at Meetings 197 c. Action in the Fields near London where Friends had been much abused G. F. had a Meeting 197 Adam the First and Second compared 561 Affections Lusts and Desires mortified 261* 262* 285* Aged Friend of 100 years old 58. one of 122 years old 269 Allegiance to the King 277. 279. 300. 325. and Supremacy 399. see Oath America G. F's c. Travels there from Maryland to New-England c. through the Woods and Wilderness over Bogs and great Rivers not without great Danger of some of their Lives and lying a-nights in the Woods by a Fire in a very cold Season the Wolves howling about them 364-380 Truth 's prosperity there 458. G. F's Epistle to those places 601 602 Anointing within teacheth the Believers 5 6. 436 Anti-Christs see False Prophets Apostasy entred since the days of the Apostles 227* 282** Apostates back-sliders and false Brethren are got into the Temple of God 533 534. 556. 597 598 Apostles were Trades-men 591-593 Apparel for Pride judged 530-532 Apparition of the Death of O. C. seen by G. F. 195 Appeals of London-Friends Tried 548 Apprentices put forth by Monthly Meetings 335 Arminians strangers to the Spirit of the Apostles 147 Assizes of G. F's Trials at Carlisle 110 111. Lancaster 92. 276-278 288-295 Lanceston 179 180. Nottingham 249 250. Worcester 396. See Sessions Astrologers see Stargazers B. BAcksliders warned 535-538 see Apostates Banishment of G. F's in Scotl. 274* 275* 277* Banishing and Imprisoning for Religion is not Christ's Doctrine 459 460. 594-396 Friends Banished in England 304. at Dantzick 595 Baptism 172. 229* 237* Baptist-Meetings 13. 109 139. Baptists discoursed by G. F. 28 29. 108 109. 149. a Teacher convinc'd 118. 150. 167. Baptists in Warwick 169. in Nottinghamshire 16 17. Baptists and Fifth-Monarchy-men Prophesied of Christ to come that Year to reign 211. A Baptist-Woman restored 170 171. Baptists deny G. F. their Meeting-house 172. Particular Baptists 173. Battledore the Author's Account thereof 245. 272 Believers are born of God 5 Bible given to G. F. to swear upon which forbids Swearing 291 292. and teaches the plain Language 301 Blacks or Negro's to be trained up in the fear of God 352. 359 361. 377 Bond for Appearance refused 260. for good behaviour 395 Book see Bible Books writ and answer'd by G.F. 295. 308. 406. 408 Bowling and foolish Exercises denied 218* 219* Bread and Wine see Papists Brown's Prophecy of G. F. 13 Brownists 247. 435 Butchers and rude People bind themselves with an Oath to kill G. F. 128 129 C. CAlvinists 247. 483 Cambridge-Scholars rudeness 155 Captain much given to laughter Convinc'd 173. A Captain 's in Scotland impious saying 214 Carlisle in an uproar 109. G. F. in Carlisle-Dungeon 111-117 Cartmeil Wapentake-Court 487 Certificates to be brought by Friends proceeding to Marriage 315 316. 347 A Cheat discovered by G. F. 318 Christ the Teacher of his People 107. 628 629. the Rest 527-530 Sun of Righteousness 554 555. a quickning Spirit 557 558. who can speak to Mens Conditions 8. 10. 13. 175. and is known by Revelation 8. c. Church the true and the false 283* the Church of Christ clothed with the Sun 553-556 Church of Rome degenerated 246 247. 286. persecuting 288* Church of England's Faith 196 Climates sudden change and variety in America 378-380 Cloisters Monasteries c. there is no Scripture for them 286* 287* Coldbeck-Steeple-house Robert Widders going thither c. was almost killed by the People 118 Colledges cannot make Ministers of Christ 281* Collegians 435. 439 Committee of Safety c. their Proclaiming Fasts is like Jezabel's 194 Conjurer so reputed reproved by G. F. in Jail 48 Conscience a Witness to Truth 192-194 is not to be forced 539-541 must be void of Offence 549 Contentions not to be in Meetings 469 470 Conventicle-Act is not To do as they would be done by 337-340 Convincements in the Nation in the beginning 12. 15 16 c. 118. 120. 123. 129. 135. London 140. In O. C's House and Family 141. 147 c. Cromwel Oliver his Discourse with G. F. 137 138. 169. A Friend offers himself to O. C. to lie in Doomsdale for G.F. 214 The Cross the Power of God 10. 12. 282* 285* Covetousness of Wracks reproved 207 208. 611 A Cutpurse at Sessions searching Friends Pockets is set at liberty 258 D. DAngers and Perils of G. F. 24. 30. 258. 71. 73. 81. 86-88 92-94 101. 105. 110-113 128. 130. 139. 177-179 184. 188 189. 224* 225* 246* 256* 267* 286* 210. 213-215 259. 266 267. 269 307 308. 313. 318. 329. At Sea 350 c. by Knives Rapiers rude Multitudes Beatings Bruisings and binding themselves with an Oath to kill him c. Day of Judgment coming upon Persecutors 346. the Day of the Lord's Wrath is kindling upon them 146 Deceivers beyond the Priests that stand in Deceit described 19 Declaration of G. F's offer'd by him to the Court instead of the Oath 399 400 Devil he was not made of God 152. 263 Differences about outward things to be shunned 597 Disputes at Leicester 15 16. with the Priest of Grarigg c. 102. at Drayton 131 132. G.F. with Priest Wilkinson 120 A Dispute of James Naylor with 8 Priests 167. A vain Disputer answered 272* Vain Janglings to be shunned 414 Dogs did not move their Tongues against them 377 Do unto others as you would c. 25. 275* 208 209. 539-541 595 596. 600 Dreams relied upon by a People 6 Drought was great in England 247* Drunkenness testified against by G.F. at Inns in his Travels 174. 225* 313. Great Drunkenness at the Choosing of Parliament-men 213 Dwarfs not to come nigh the Altar of God 581. 585. 610. Out of Christ all Mankind are Imperfect and Deformed 563 E. EGyptians afflict Israel till the Lord overthrows them 207* Election and Reprobation 62. 108. 173. 254* 269* 270* 330 331 Embassador with Irish-men came to disturb the Meeting 240 241 Embassadors at Nimmeguen G. F. his Epistle to them 630-632 Enemies who are the worst to Truth 418 Episcopal-mea cannot affirm they have the same Spirit the Apostles had 247 Errors pleaded in Margaret Fell's Indictment 289 290 Errors in G. F's Indictment pleaded by himself 290 291. and the second Indictment quasht by Errors 294 Examples see Judgments Excise-man warned 30 Excommunicated Friends in Scotland none was to buy or sell with them 276* in England 301 302 Experiences formerly had or other mens spoken and preached from 83. 411. 418 419 F. FAith gives Victory over Sin 271* Christ is the Author of 196. Faith stands in the Power of
Vision before its Destruction 559 Voice coming to G. F. 8 9. see Openings the Voice of the Lord to a Trooper 45 Voyages of G. F.'s to Ireland 327. for England 332. to Barbadoes 349-351 c. W WAiting upon God 203 204 Wales The Governor of Tenby must yield to Truth 253* 254* and Magistrates in other Places 255* 256* the Moderation of a Town in Wales 257* 258* A Lady and her Preacher send for G. F. 259* Wars and Fightings denied by G.F. 3 4. 46. 48 49. They arise from the Lusts in the Fall 200 201. None to go down to Egypt for help 202 203. It is not our Principle 235. but do testifie against it 285-287 and is not becoming Christianity 630-632 being a Work of Darkness 137 Warrants against G. F. 118. 188. 267* 278* 203. 213. 216 217 c. 271. 308. 326. 341. for Tithes 487. Warrant against all Quakers 203* 223* Watches set up in the Streets and Highways in Cornwall c. to stop Friends from Travelling 200*-203* 206* 208* 209* Weakness of G. F.'s Body 310. by long and close Imprisonment 295 296. 407. 564. by continual Travel 430. and spent at Meetings c. 568. his Health being much impaired 586. A great Exercise came upon him 588 Wicked Man cut off 303. another plagued 304 Worship the World's 23 24. Will Worship 213* The Dragon's and the Beast's 227* The Worship in the Spirit 245 246 Wrong see Restitution Y YEA and Nay 2. 121. is more binding than an Oath to many 292 293. 403 404. Z. ZEal against Unrighteousness many will God provoke unto 224 The FOURTH TABLE Being a Catalogue of the Epistles Letters and Papers of G. F.'s and others contained in this Volume THE Appearance of the Lord 's Everlasting Truth c. Testim p. xviij 1650. G. F. his Mittimus by Bennet and Barton Just 32 To the Priests of Darby 33 To the Magistrates of Darby ibid. To Barton and Bennet Just 34 To Justice Bennet ibid. To Justice Barton 35 To the Mayor of Darby ibid. To the Court at Darby 36 To the Ringers ibid. To Friends and others 38 To the convinced People 40 To the Faithful an Encourage 41 To the Justices of Darby ibid. To the same 42 To the same ibid. To the Priests of Darby 43 To the Justices of Darby ibid. To Col. Barton Justice 44 1651. To the Judges 47 To the same ibid. To Justice Barton and Bennet 49 To the convinc'd and tender People 50 To the Magistrates of Darby 51 A Lamentation over Darby 52 1652. J. Naylor's Account of Lancaster Sessions 90 To Justice Sawrey 94 To William Lampit 96 To the People of Vlverstone ibid. To the Followers of P. Lampit 98 To Adam Sands 100 1653. A. P. To the Judges of Assize 111 G. F.'s Challenge to Professors 113 To T. Craston and C. Studholm 114 G.B. To the Mag. at Carlisle 116 1654. To Friends in the Ministry 124 To all Professors of Christ 141 To such as follow the World's Fashions 144 To the Just Trying Ministers 147 1655. To those that Scorn at Trembling and Quaking 156 To the Churches in outward Forms 161 To Friends to offer themselves for their Brother c. 165 An Encouragement to Friends 166 To Fr. in the N. of Ireland 170 To the 7 Parishes at Landsend 175 1656 Concerning Swearing 180 Peter Ceely's Mittimus 183 E. Pyot to J. Glyn C. Just 189* To Magistrates of Watches 201* Answer to Exon-Warrant 203* To Priests and Professors 207* To Friends in the Ministry 212* E.P. To M. Gen. Desborow 215* G. F. To the same 216* Concerning Pleasures 218* To the Bowlers ibid. To all the Elect 232* To Fr. to keep up Meetings ibid. Judging any in Meetings 233* An Answer to a Professor 235* Profes Priests c. Darkness 238* 1657 The true Fast and false 248* Of Lusts Affections Desires 261* To try all things c. 263* Be valiant for the Truth 265* Order of Council in Scotl. 273* To the Council of Edenburg 274* 1658 Bedfordshire yearly Meeting 283* To the Lady Claypool 189 Concerning Fasting 191 To the Parliament of Profes 195 To Friends to go on faithfully 197 About the Image of O. C. 200 1659 To keep from Plots c. ibid. To keep out of Powers c. 202 Of the day of Recompence 204 Concerning Shipwracks 207 1660 G. Monk's Order 212 G. F's Ans to his Mittimus 219 M. Fell to all Magistrates 221 Concerning true Religion 223 Against Persecution 224 Concerning Change of Gov. ibid. To K. Charles the Second 225 The Sheriff of Lancast Return 228 The K.'s Order for G. F.'s Rel. ibid Judge Mallet's Warrant 239 To Friends to send up Suffr 232 A Declar. against Plotters 233 The K.'s Mandamus to N. E. 243 1661. Of the true Worship 245 Keeping on Hat in Prayer 249 The World saith Kiss the Book 250 1662. To the K. Friends Sufferings ibid. T. Sharman's Letter to G.F. 251 The Grounds of Persecution 252 Conc. E. Burrough's Decease 259 1663. Of Ol. Atherton's Death 276 Lanc. Prisoners to J. Flem. 278 1664. G. F. To Dan. Flemming 281 To Judges giving Nicknames 282 A Testimony against Plotting 285 A day of Trial and Exercise 287 To keep out of J. P.'s Spint ibid. 1665. Concerning Tithes 295 1666. G. F.'s Discharge and Pasport 305 1668. Against the Dark Spirits 318 1669. Is Lindley's Letter to G. F. 326 Sound sound abroad you faithful Servants of the Lord 329 Of putting Children to Trades 335 1670. To Margaret Fox 336 Conc. the Act against Meet 337 Friends to stand to their Test 338 Encouragement under Suffr 344 Visitations abused c. 346 All Friends that do Marry 347 1671. G. F.'s Prayer to the Lord 348 From Barb. to Fr. in Engl. 353 Another Epist to Fr. in Engl. 355 For the Governor of Barbados 359 To Margaret Fox 361. 362 1673. To the same 384 G. F.'s Mittimus to Worc. Pris 389 To Margaret Fox ibid. To the L. Windsor G. F.'s Case ibid. G. F.'s Habeas Corpus 394 G. F.'s Allegiance and Suprem 399 1674. To the K. the Qu.'s Principle 402 H. Parker to the Gaoler 404 1675. To Friends in Westmorland 408 1676. To Friends at Yearly Meet 409 Spirit of Opposers and Work 402 1677. To Margaret Fox 428 A Testimony against Tithes 431 The Spirit of Separation 434 To Princess Eliz. Herwerden 435 The Princess her Ans to G.F. 438 Fasting Prayer c. 620 Getting the Affections of Peo 446 To Friends at Dantzick 447 To Mag. and Peo of Oldenb 617 To Magist Priests c. Hamb 627 To the Embas at Nimeguen 630 The Spirit of Separation 449 To Margaret Fox 454 1678. To the same 458 To John III. King of Poland 459 To Friends in Amsterdam 463 Concerning Prescriptions 464 Let Life reign over Death 467 The hurt of Disorderly Spirits 468 To Qu. and Monthly Meetings 469 To the Churches of Christ 471 To Friends in Prison 472 1679. To Fr. of the yearly Meeting 473 Be Valiant for the Truth 477 To dwell in Humility 478 1680. To the Parliam against Plots 481 To Magist to be moderate 482 1681. To the Quarterly Meetings 486 Spirit of Strife and Division 489 1682. Informers convicting Friends 491 To the Sheriffs to be chosen 492 To the Pople that chuse them 493 To distinguish Truth and Err. 496 Exercises from Mag. and Apo. 497 Feel the power of God in you all 500 Be Valiant for Truth 501 1683. To the Yearly Meet in Lond. 505 To Friends a Salutation 506 My Love is to you all 510 Fruits of Peace and Quietness 512 To all the Elect c. 516 1684. To the Duke of Holstein 523 To Friends an Epistle 527 1685. Keep out of the World's Spirit 528 Excess in Apparel 530 To Friends who are called 533 Among all Societies c. 534 Here you may see when 536 To John III. King of Poland 539 Concerning Judging 541 1686. Antient Pris at the Y. Meet 548 The King opening Prisons 550 In Christ is no Separation 551 Men and Women Q. Meet 552 Church clothed with the Sun 553 The Falling away c. 556 Noah and his family were call'd 558 The First and Second Adam 561 1687. Concerning the two Seeds ibid. Concerning Prayer 564 True and false Offering 565 Caution in time of Liberty 567 God's Goodness to Mankind 569 Repentance before Baptism 570 God's People to be like him 571 The right Way to Christ ibid. Except a man be born again 572 The Jews Rebel their Loss 576 God so loved the World that he 578 The stone became a mountain 579 Regeneration and Sanctifica 58â— 1688. All you Believers in the Light 584 An approaching Storm 587 Moses and Christ's House 588 Thrones on Earth contended 590 The World 's Empty Teachers ibid. Not to remove the Landmark ibid. Apostles Husbandmen c. 59â— 1689. Hearing and telling News 593 To P. H. and Fr. at Dantzick 594 To the Magist of Dantzick 595 Great Shakings in the World 597 To keep in Love and Unity 598 To Friends in Barbados 599 To Q. and Y. Meet in America 60â— 1690. Against Fashions c. 602 Christ the Ensign c. 603 Stand still and see Salvation 606 To Friends in the Ministry 609 To Fr. in the Minist in Amer. 610 To suffering Friends in Irel. 612 G. F.'s Death and Burial 613 His Epistle left sealed up c. 615 OMitted p. 356. line 41. viz. Paul Gwin came into the Meeting and began to Babble and asked me How I spelt Cain And whether I had the same Spirit as the Apostles had And I told him Yes And he had the Judge take Notice of it And I told him He that had not a measure of the same Holy Ghost as the Apostles had was possest with an unclean Ghost And then he went his ways See p. 221* 222* The Letter against Plotting is printed p. 200. and the same over again p. 267. by a mistake
People And said It was great pity that they did not return to the Holy Mother Church Thus they made a Busz 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 his House there came two of them like Courtiers When we were come 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 Church in the Primitive Times from the Spirit and Power and Practice that they were in in the Apostles times He to whom I put this Question being subtile said He would not Answer it I ask'd him Why But he would shew no Reason His Companion said he would answer me and he said They were not degenerated from the Church in the Primitive times I asked the other Whether he was of the same Mind And he said Yes Then I told them that for the 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 Apostle's 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 which the Apostles had But I told them It was Presumption in them to meddle with the Words of Christ and his Apostles and make People believe they succeeded the Apostles and yet be forced to Confess They were not in the same Power and Spirit that the Apostles were in This said I is a Spirit of Presumption and rebuked by the Apostles Spirit Then I shewed them how different their Fruits and Practices were from the Fruits and Practices of the Apostles Then got up one of them and 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 which the Apostles were in And are not they Defilers of the Flesh who say It is Presumption for any to say they have the same Power and Spirit which the Apostles had Now said I if ye have not the same Power and Spirit which the Apostles had then it is manifest that ye are led by another Power and Spirit than the Apostles and Church in the Primitive times 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 and to set up Nunneries and Frieries and Monasteries and to put People to Death for Religion and this Practice of theirs I shewed them was below the Law and far short of the Gospel in which is Liberty They were soon weary of this Discourse and went their way and gave a Charge as we heard to the Papists That they should not dispute with us nor 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 Episcopal-men Socinians Brownists Lutherans Calvinists Arminians Fifth-Monarchy-Men Familists Muggletonians and Ranters none of which would Affirm they had the same Power and Spirit that 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 them to manifest their Error to them For they looked for Christ's Personal Coming in an outward Form and Manner and they fixed the time of it to the Year 1666 at which time some of them did prepare themselves when it Thundered and Rained thinking Christ was then come to set up his Kingdom and then they imagined they were to kill the Whore without them But I told them the Whore was alive in them and was not burnt 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 dash'd 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 part of Clay and they were all blown away with God's Wind as the Chaff in the Summer-threshing-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 And therefore all the Fifth-Monarchy-Men that be 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 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 Forreign 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 the Masters of their Ships would not carry them Then they went into Holland hoping to have got Passage there but no Passage could they get there neither Then John Stubs and Henry Fell took Shipping to go to Alexandria in Egypt intending to go by the Carravans from thence Mean while Daniel Baker being to go to Smirna he drew Richard Costrop contrary to his own Freedom to go along with him And in the passage Richard falling sick D. Baker left him sick in the Ship where he died But that hard-hearted Man afterwards lost his own Condition John Stubbs and Henry Fell got to Alexandria in Egypt but they had not been long there before the English Consul banished them from thence Yet before they came away they dispersed many Books and Papers there for the opening the Principles and Way of Truth to the Turks and Grecians They gave the Book called The Popes Strength broken to an Old Frier for him to give or send to the Pope which Book when the Frier had perused he clapped his Hand
I had not been long at Swarthmore e're a Concern came upon me to visit the Churches of Christ in London and elsewhere by an Epistle which was as followeth Dear Friends TO whom is my Love in the heavenly Seed in whom all Nations are blessed Oh keep all in this Seed in which ye are blessed and in which Abraham and all the Faithful were blessed without the Deeds of the Law for the Promise was and is to and with the Seed and not with the Law of the First Covenant In this Seed all Nations and ye are blessed which bruiseth the Head of the Seed that brought the Curse and separated between Man and God This is the Seed which reconciles you to God and this is the Seed in which ye are blessed both in Temporals and Spirituals through which ye have an Inheritance among the Sanctified that cannot be defiled neither can any defiled thing enter into its Possession for all defilements are out of this Seed This is that which leavens up into a New Lump and bruiseth the Head of the Wicked Seed that leavens into the Old Lump upon whom the Sun of Righteousness goes down and sets but never goes down and sets to them that walk in the Seed in which all Nations are blessed by which Seed they are brought up to God which puts down that Seed which separated betwixt them and God so that there comes to be nothing betwixt them and God Now all my Dear Friends my desires are that ye may all be Valiant in this heavenly Seed for God and his Truth upon the Earth and spread it abroad answering that of God in all that with it the Minds of People may be turned towards the Lord that he may come to be known and served and worshipped and that ye may all be the Salt of the Earth to make the unseasoned savoury And in the Name of Jesus keep your Meetings who are gathered into it in whose Name ye have Salvation he being in the midst of you whose Name is above every Name under the whole Heaven And so ye have a Prophet and Bishop Shepherd Priest and Counsellor above all the Counsellors and Priests Bishops Prophets and Shepherds under the whole Heaven to exercise his Offices among you in your Meetings that are gathered in his Name For Christ's Meeting and Gathering is above all the Meetings and Gatherings under the whole Heaven And his Body his Church and he the Head of it is above all the Bodies and Churches and Heads under the whole Heaven And the Faith that Christ is the Author of and the Worship that he hath set up and his Fellowship in the Gospel is above all Historical Faiths and the Faith 's that Man hath made together with their Worships and Fellowships under the whole Heaven And now Dear Friends keep your Men and Womens-Meetings in the Power of God the Gospel the Authority of them which brings Life and Immortality to Light in you and this Gospel the Power of God will preserve you in Life and in Immortality which hath brought it to Light in you that ye may see over him that hath darkned and kept from the knowledge of the things of God for it is he and his Instruments which hath darkned you from Life and Immortality that would throw down your Men and Womens-Meetings which were set up in the Power of God the Gospel and would darken you again from this Life and Immortality which the Gospel hath brought to Light and will preserve you in as your Faith stands in this Power of God the Gospel in which every one sees your Work and Service for God And every Heir in the Power of God the Gospel hath right to this Authority which is not of Man nor by Man which Gospel the Power of God is everlasting an everlasting Order an everlasting Fellowship and in the Gospel is everlasting Joy Comfort and Peace which will out-last all those Joys Comforts and Peaces that will have an end and that Spirit also that opposes its Order and the glorious Fellowship Peace and Comfort in it And My Dear Friends my desire is that ye may keep in the Unity of the Spirit that baptizes you all into one Body which Christ is the heavenly and spiritual Head of so that ye may see and bear witness to your heavenly and spiritual Head and so all drink into the One Spirit Which all People upon the Earth are not like to do while they grieve quench and rebel against it nor to be baptized into one Body and to keep the Unity of the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace yea the King of Kings and Lord of Lords his Peace which it is the duty of all true Christians to keep who are inwardly united to Christ So with my Love to you all in the everlasting Seed Swarthmore the 26th of the 7th Month 1678. G. F. There were about this time several Friends in Prison for bearing Testimony to the Truth To whom I was moved to write a few Lines to comfort strengthen and encourage them in their Sufferings having a true sense of their Sufferings upon my spirit and a sympathizing with them therein And that which I writ was after this manner My Dear Friends WHO are Sufferers for the Lord Jesus sake and for the Testimony of his Truth the Lord God Almighty with his Power uphold you and support you in all your Trials and Sufferings and give you Patience and Content in his Will that yâ— may stand valiant for Christ and his Truth upon the Earth over the persecuting and destroying Spirit which makes to suffer in Christ who bruises his Head in whom ye have both Election and Salvation And for God's Elect sake the Lord hath done much from the Foundation of the World as may be seen throughout the Scriptures of Truth and they that touch them touch the Apple of God's Eye they are so tender to him And therefore it is good for all God's suffering Children to trust in the Lord and to wait upon him for they shall be as Mount Sion that cannot be removed from Christ their Rock and Salvation who is the Foundation of all the Elect of God of the Prophets and the Apostles and of God's People now and to the End Glory to the Lord and the Lamb over all Remember my dear Love to all Friends and do not think the time long for all Time is in the Father's hand his Power And therefore keep the Word of Patience and exercise that Gift and the Lord strengthen you in your Sufferings in his holy Spirit of Faith Amen Swarthmore the 5th of the 12th Month 1678. G. F. I abode in the North at this time above a year having Service for the Lord amongst Friends there and being much taken up in writing Books and Papers some in Defence of Truth in Answer to Books published by Adversaries and some for the opening the Principles and Doctrines of Truth to the World that they might come to have a
right understanding thereof and be gathered thereunto Several Epistles also to Friends I writ in this time on divers Occasions and Subjects whereof one was to the Friends of the Yearly Meeting which was held in London this year 1679. a Copy of which here follows My Dear Friends and Brethren WHO are Assembled together in the Name and Power of the Lord Jesus Christ Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ fill all your hearts and establish you in his Grace Mercy and Peace upon Christ the holy living Rock and Foundation who is the First and Last and over all the Foundations and Rocks in the whole world a Rock and Foundation of Life for all the Living to build upon which stands sure in his heavenly divine Light which is the Life in him by whom all things were made who is the precious Stone laid in Sion and not in the World which all the Wise Master-Builders rejected who pretended to build People up to Heaven with the Words of the Prophets and the Law from Mount Sinai but out of the Life of both and therefore such Builders could not receive the Law of Life from Christ the precious Stone laid in Sion nor the Word from heavenly Jerusalem But you My Dear Friends that have received this Law from heavenly Sion and the Word from heavenly Jerusalem in the New Covenant where the Life and Substance is enjoyed you do see the end and abolishing of the Jews Law and Ceremonies from Mount Sinai And therefore my desire is that you all may keep in the Law of Life and Love 1679. Swarthmore which ye have in Christ Jesus by which Love the Body is edified and knit and united together to Christ Jesus the Head Which Love doth bear all things and fulfils the Law and will preserve all in Humility and in it to be of one mind heart and soul so that all may come to drink into that One Spirit that doth Baptize them and Circumcise them Plunging down and Cutting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh that is gotten up in Man and Woman by their transgressing of God's Commands So that in this holy pure Spirit all may serve and worship the pure God in Spirit and in Truth which is over all the Worships that are out of God's Spirit and his Truth And in this Spirit ye will all have a Spiritual Unity and Fellowship over all the Fellowships of the Unclean Spirits which be out of Truth in the World And so by this holy Spirit all your hearts minds and souls may be knit together to Christ from whence it comes and by the Grace and Truth which is come by Jesus Christ which all should be under the Teachings of in the New Covenant and not under the Law as the outward Jews were in the Old Covenant So that by this Grace and Truth in the New Covenant all may be made God's free Men and Women to serve God in the new Life and in the new and living Way shewing forth the Fruits of the new heart and new spirit in the New Covenant over death and darkness and before it was Glory be unto the Lord for ever And now Friends in this Grace and Truth is your heavenly gracious and true Liberty to every Spiritual Mind that makes you free from him that is out of Truth where your bondage was Also your Liberty in the holy divine and precious Faith which gives you Victory over that that hath separated you from God and Christ and through which Faith ye have Access to God again through Jesus Christ So in this divine and holy Faith ye have divine holy and precious Liberty yea and Victory over him that separated you from God and this Faith is held in a pure Conscience So the Liberty in the Spirit of God is in that which baptizes and plunges down Sin and Iniquity and puts off the Body of Death and Sins of the Flesh that is gotten up by transgressing of God's Command as I said before And also the Liberty of the Gospel which is sent from Heaven by the Holy Ghost which is the Power of God which was and is again to be preached to all Nations In this Gospel the Power of God which is over the Power of Satan is the true Liberty and the Gospel-Fellowship and Order So that the Evil Spirit or Conscience or false dead Faith and that which is ungracious and out of Truth and not in the Spirit of God nor in his Gospel nor in the divine Faith its Liberty is in the Darkness For all the true Liberty is in the Gospel and in the Truth that makes free and in the Faith and in the Grace and in Christ Jesus who destroys the Devil and his Works that hath brought all Mankind into Bondage So in this heavenly peaceable Spirit and Truth and Faith which works by Love and in the Gospel of Peace and in Christ Jesus is all the Saints Peace and pure true and holy Liberty in which they have Salt and Sense and Feeling Discerning and Savour yea and Unity and Fellowship one with another yea and with the Son and the Father that heavenly eternal Fellowship So all being subject to the Grace and Truth and to the Faith and Gospel the Power of God and to his good Spirit in this they distinguish all true pure and holy Liberty from that which is false And this will bring all to sit low for Patience runs the Race and the Lamb must have the Victory and not the rough unruly and vain Talkers unbaptized uncircumcised and unsanctified For such travel not in the way of Regeneration but in the way of unregeneration Neither go they down into the Death with Christ by Baptism and therefore such are not like to Reign with him in his Resurrection who are not buried with him in Baptism Therefore all must go downward into the Death of Christ and be crucified with him if they will Arise and follow him in the Regeneration before they come to Reign with him And Friends Many may have precious Openings but I desire all may be comprehended in that thing which doth open to them And that they may all keep in the daily Cross then they keep in the Power that doth kill and crucifie that which would lead them amongst the Beasts and Goats to leaven them into their rough unruly spirit But that through the Cross the Power of God That may be crucified and they in the Power might follow the Lamb. For the Power of God keeps all in Order and in Subjection and in Humility in that which is lovely and vertuous decent comely temperate and moderate that their Moderation comes to appear to all men So my desire is that all your Lights may shine as from a City set upon a Hill that cannot be hid And that ye may be the Salt of the Earth to salt and season it and make it savoury to God and you all seasoned with it Then