from men and to receive the Gospel from him and their Vnction from him the Word and as they receive him they declare him freely as his Command was to his Disciples and is so still to the Learners and Receivers of him For he Lord God and his Son Jesus Christ is come to teach his People and to bring them from all the Worlds Ways to Christ the Way the Truth and the Life who is the Way to the Father and from all the Worlds Teachers and Speakers to him the Speaker and Teacher as Hebr. 1.1 and from all the Worlds Worshippers to worship God in the Spirit and in the Truth which the Devil the Destroyer is out of which Worship Christ set up above Sixteen hundred years ago when he put down the Jews Worship at the Temple at Jerusalem and the Worship at the Mountain where Jacob's Well was and to bring People from all the World's Religions which they have made since the Apostles days to the Religion that was set up by Christ and his Apostles which is Pure and Undefiled before God and keeps from the Spots of the World And to bring them out of all the Worlds Churches and Fellowships that they have made and set up since the Apostles days to the Church that is in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Thess 1.1 and to bring to the Unity and Fellowship in the holy Spirit that doth mortifie and circumcise and baptise to plunge down Sin and Corruption that has got up in Man and Woman by Transgression and in this holy Spirit there is a holy Fellowship and Unity yea it is the Bond of the Prince of Princes and King of Kings and Lord of Lords Peace which heavenly Peace all the true Christians are to maintain with Spiritual Weapons not with Carnal And now my Friend the holy Men of God did speak forth the Scriptures as they were moved by the holy Ghost and all Christendom are on heaps about those Scriptures because they are not led by the same holy Ghost as they were that gave forth the Scriptures which holy Ghost they must come to in themselves and be led by if they come into All the Truth of them and to have the Comfort of God and Christ and Them For none can call Jesus Lord but by the holy Ghost and all they that do call Christ Lord without the holy Ghost take his Name in vain And likewise all that name his Name are to depart from Iniquity then they name his Name with Reverence in Truth and Righteousness And O therefore feel the Grace and Truth in thy heart that is come by Jesus Christ which is a Teacher that will teach thee how to live and what to deny and it will establish thy heart and season thy words and bring thy Salvation and will be a Teacher unto thee at all times and by it thou may'st Receive Christ from whence it comes and as many as Receive him to them he gives power not only to stand against sin and evil but to become the Sons of God if Sons then Heirs of a Life and a World and Kingdom that is Everlasting without end and of the Eternal Riches and Treasures thereof So in haste with my Love in the Lord Jesus Christ that has tasted death for every man and bruises the Serpents head that has been betwixt Man and God that through Christ Man may come to God again and so can praise God through Jesus Christ the Amen who is the spiritual and heavenly Rock and Foundation for all God's People to build upon to the praise and glory of God who is over all blessed for Evermore Amsterdam the 7th of 6th Month 1677. George Fox POSTSCRIPT THE Bearer hereof is a Daughter-in-law of mine that comes with Gertrude Dirick Nieson and George Keith's Wife to give thee a Visit G. F. The Princess Elizabeth her Answer to the aforesaid LETTER Dear Friend I Cannot but have a tender Love to those that love the Lord Jesus Christ and to whom it is given not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him Therefore your Letter and your Friends Visit have been both very welcome to me I shall follow their and your Counsel as far as God will afford me Light and Unction Remaining still Hertfort the 30th of August 1677. Your loving Friend ELIZABETH Buyckslote Purmerent Next day John Claus and I took Boat and passed to Buyckslote and thence to Purmerent where having stayed awhile and refreshed our selves at an Inn we went by Wagon through the Country to Alcmaer Alcmaer about Thirty Miles from Amsterdam We went to a Friend's house there whose name was Willem Willems where I had a Meeting that night I had also another Meeting there next day which was larger for several Professors came to the Meeting and all was quiet and well When the Meeting was done I went and visited some Friends and then taking Boat Hoorn North-Holland passed-by several places to Hoorn which is counted the chief City in North-Holland We lodged at an Inn there that night and taking Wagon again early next Morning we passed through the Country to Enckhuysen Enckhuysen Friezland Workum where we took Ship for Friezland and landing in the Afternoon at Workum took Wagon there again and rode along upon the high Bank of the Friezen Seas till we met Two Friends coming with a Wagon to meet us Mackum with whom discharging our Wagon at Mackum a Village hard by we went Harlingen in their Wagon to Harlingen the chief Sea-port-Town in Friezland We went to a Friend's house whose Name was Hessel Jacobs whither several Friends came to Visit us that night Next day we went among the Friends of the place and Visited them and I wrote a Paper directed To all them that persecute Friends for not observing their Fast-day The day following was the First-day of the Week and Friends had a Meeting there to which we went and many Professors came to it I declared the Everlasting Gospel amongst them John Claus interpreting and they were all very Civil and heard attentively and when the Meeting was done departed peaceably without making any Opposition After Meeting I went to Hessel Jacobs his house again whither after a while came a Calvinist to ask me some Questions which I answered to his satisfaction and he departed friendly Soon after he was gone a Preacher of the Collegians came to discourse with me 1677. Harlingen and he seemed well satisfied also and we parted lovingly That Evening I had another Meeting with the Friends there and next Morning when we had taken our Leave of them we passed to Leuwarden the chief City in Friezland Leuwarden and lodged that night at a Friend's house there whose Name was Sybrand Dowes Next Morning early taking Boat we passed to Dockum Dockum Strobus and walking through the City took Boat again to Strobus which is the utmost part of Friezland There we baited at a
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
the same For the Power of the Lord God hath been abused by some and the worth of Truth hath not been minded there hath been a Trampling on and Marring with the Feet and that abuseth the Power But now every Friend is to keep in the Power and to take heed to that for that must be kept down which would trample and marr with the Feet and the pure Life and Power of God is to be lived in over that that none with the Feet might foul or marr but every one may be kept in the pure Power and Life of the Lord Then the water of Life cometh in then he that Ministreth drinketh himself and giveth others to drink Now when any shall be moved to go to speak in a Steeple-house or Market turn in to that which moves and be Obedient to it that that which would not go may be kept down for that which would not go will be apt to get up And take heed on the other Hand that the lavishing Part do not get up for it is a bad Savour therefore that must be kept down and be kept subject So wait in the Light of the Lord God that ye may be all kept in the wisdom of God For when the Seed is up in every particular then there is no Danger But when there is an Opening and Prophecy and the Power stirs before the Seed comes up then there is something that will be apt to run out rashly there 's the Danger and there must be the Patience in the Fears For it is a weighty Thing to be in the work of the Ministry of the Lord God and to go forth in that It is not as a customary Preaching but it is to bring People to the End of all outward Preaching For when ye have declared the Truth to People and they have received it and are come into that which ye spake of the uttering of many Words and long Declarations out of the Life may beget them into a Form And if any should run on rashly into Words again without the savour of Life then they that are come into the Thing that he spake of will judge him whereby he may hurt again that which he had raised up before So Friends ye must all come into the Thing that is spoken in the Openings of the heavenly Life among you and walk in the Love of God that ye may answer the Thing spoken to And take heed all of running into Inordinate Affections For when People come to own you then there is Danger of the wrong Part to get up There was a Strife among the Disciples of Christ who should be the Greatest Christ told them The Heathen exercise Lordship and have Dominion over one another but it shall not be so among you For Christ the Seed was to come up in every one of them so then where is the Greatest For that part in the Disciples which looked to be Greatest was the same that was in the Gentiles But who comes here to liue in the Word that sanctified him having the Heart sanctified the Tongue and Lips sanctified living in the Word of Wisdom that makes clean the Heart and reconciles to God all things being upheld by the Word and Power as there is an abiâ—ing in the Word of God that upholds Times and Seasons and gives all things Increase here dwelling in the Word of Wisdom if there be but Two or Three agreed in this on Earth it shall be done for them in Heaven So in this must all things be ordered by the Word of Wisdom and Power that upholds all things the Times and the Seasons that are in the Father's Hand to the glory of God whereby his Blessing may be felt among you and this brings to the Beginning So this is the Word of the Lord God to you all Keep down Keep low that nothing may rule nor reign in you but Life it self Now the Power being lived in the Cross is lived in and where-ever Friends come in this they draw the Power and the Life over and they leave a Witness behind them answering the Witness of God in others And where this is lived in there is no want of Wisdom no want of Power no want of Knowledge but he that Ministreth in this seeth with the Eye which the Lord openeth in him what is for the Fire and what is for the Sword and what must be fed with Judgment and what must be nourished This brings all down and to be Low every one keeping to the Power for let a Man get up never so high yet he must come down again to the Power where he left and what he went from he must come down again to that So new before all these wicked Spirits be got down which are rambling abroad Friends must have patience and must wait in the Patience and in the cool Life and who is in this doing the work of the Lord he hath the Tasting and the Feeling of the Lamb's Power and Authority Therefore all Friends keep cool and quiet in the power of the Lord God and all that is contrary will be subjected the Lamb hath the victory in the Seed through the Patience If any have been moved to speak and have quenched that which moved them let none such go forth afterward into Words until they feel the Power to arise and move them thereto again for after the first Motion is quenched the other part will be apt to get up and if any go forth in that he goeth forth in his own and the Betrayer will come into that And all Friends be Careful not to meddle with the Powers of the Earth but keep out of all such things and as ye keep in the Lamb's Authority ye will answer That of God in them and bring them to do Justice which is the End of the Law And keep out of all Jangling for all that be in the Transgression they be out from the Law of Love but all that be in the Law of Love come to the Lamb's Power in the Lamb's Authority who is the End of the Law outward For the Law being added because of Transgression Christ who was glorified with the Father before the world began is the End of the Law bringing them that live in the Law of Life to live over all Transgression which every Particular must feel in himself More was then spoken to many of these Particulars which were not taken at large as they were delivered After this Meeting was over and most of the Friends gone away as I was walking in John Crook's Garden there came a Party of Horse with a Constable to seize on me I heard them ask Who was in the House And some-body made them Answer I was there They said I was the Man they looked for and went forthwith into the House where they had many Words with John Crook and some few Friends that were with him But the Lord's Power so confounded them that they never came into the Garden to look for
Thus they apparently brake their Promise in the face of the Country for they promised I should have free Liberty to speak but now they would not give it me and they promised they would not ensnare us yet now they tendred me the Oaths on purpose to ensnare me Worcester Jail After I was had away Thomas Lower was stayed behind in the Court and they told him He was at Liberty Then he would have reasoned with them asking them Why I might not be set at Liberty as well as he seeing we were both taken together and our Case was alike But they told him They would not hear him saying You may be gone about your business for we have nothing more to say to you seeing you are discharged And this was all he could get from them Wherefore after the Court was risen he went to speak with them at their Chamber desiring to know What Cause they had to detain his Father seeing they had discharged him and wishing them to consider whether this was not Partiality and would be a Blemish to them Whereupon Simpson threatned him saying If you be not Content we will tender you the Oaths also and send you to your Father To which he replied They might do that if they thought fit But whether they sent him or no he intended to go and wait upon his Father in Prison for that was now his business in that Country Then said Justice Parker to him Do you think Mr. Lower 1673. Worcester-Jail that I had not Cause to send your Father and you to Prison when you had such a great Meeting insomuch that the Parson of the Parish Complained to me that he hath lost the greatest part of his Parishioners so that when he comes amongst them he hath scarce any Auditors left I have heard replied Thomas Lower that the Priest of that Parish comes so seldom to visit his Flock but once it may be or twice in a Year to gather up his Tithes that it was but Charity in my Father to visit such a forlorn and forsaken Flock And therefore thou had'st no Cause to send my Father to Prison for visiting them or for Teaching Instructing and Directing them to Christ their true Teacher who had so little Comfort or Benefit from their pretended Pastor who comes amongst them only to seek for his Gain from his Quarter Upon this the Justices fell a laughing for it seems Dr. Crowder who was the Priest they spake of was then in the Room sitting among them though Thomas Lower did not know him and he had the Wit to hold his Tongue and not undertake to Vindicate himself in a matter so notoriously known to be true But when Thomas Lower was come from them the Justices did so play upon Dr. Crowder that he was pitifully ashamed and so nettled with it that he threatned to Sue Thomas Lower in the Bishop's Court upon an Action of Defamation Which when Thomas Lower heard of he sent him Word that he would Answer his Sute let him begin it when he would and would bring his whole Parish in Evidence against him And this cool'd the Doctor Yet some time after he came to the Prison pretending that he had a mind to Dispute with me and to talk with Tho. Lower about that business and he brought another with him he himself being then a Prebend at Worcester When he came in he asked me What I was in Prison for ' Dost not thou know that said I Wast not thou upon the Bench when Justice Simpson and Parker tendred the Oath to me And had'st not thou an hand in it Then he said It is lawful to Swear and Christ did not forbid Swearing before a Magistrate but Swearing by the Sun and the like I bid him ' Prove that by the Scriptures but he could not Then he brought that Saying of Paul's All things are lawful unto me 1 Cor. 6.12 And if said he all things were lawful unto him then Swearing was lawful unto him By this Argument said I thou may'st also affirm that Drunkenness Adultery and all manner of Sin and Wickedness is lawful also as well as Swearing Why said Dr. Crowder Do you hold that Adultery is unlawful Yes said I that I do Why Then said he this Contradicts the Saying of St. Paul Thereupon I called to the Prisoners and the Jailer to hear what Doctrine Dr. Crowder had laid down for Orthodox viz. That Drunkenness Swearing Adultery and such like things were lawful Then he said He would give it under his Hand and took a Pen but writ another thing than he had spoken Then turning to Thomas Lower he asked him Whether he would Answer what he had there written Who undertook it Whereupon when he had threatned Tho. Lower to Sue him in the Bishop's Court for speaking so Abusively as he called it of him before the Justices and Thomas had bid him Begin when he pleased for he would Answer him and bring his Parishioners in Evidence against him he went away in a great Fret grumbling to himself as he went A few days after Tho. Lower sent him an Answer to the Paper he had writ and left with him which Answer a Friend of Worcester carried to him and he read it and said He would Reply to it but never did though he often sent him word He would do it Soon after the Sessions were over the Term coming on an Habeas Corpus was sent down to Worcester for the Sheriff to bring me up to the King's-Bench-Bar Whereupon the Vnder-Sheriff having made Tho. Lower his Deputy to Convey me to London we set forth out of Worcester on the Twenty Ninth of the Eleventh Month 1673 and came to London London the Second Day of the Twelfth Month the Ways being very deep and the Waters out Next day Notice being given that I was brought up the Sheriff was Ordered to bring me into Court I went accordingly King's-Bench-Bar and did Appear in Court before Judge Wild and both he and the Lawyers were pretty fair so that I had time to speak to clear my Innocency and shew my wrong Imprisonment After the Return of the Writ was entred I was Ordered to be brought into Court again next Day the Order of Court being as followeth Worcester The King against George Fox Thursday next after the Morrow of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the 26th Year of King Charles the Second THe Defendant being brought here into Court upon a Writ of Habeas Corpus ad Subjiciend ' c. under the Custody of the Sheriff of the County aforesaid it is Ordered That the Return unto the Habeas Corpus he Filed and the Defendant is Committed unto the Marshal of this Court to be safely kept until c. By Motion of Mr. G. Stroude By the Court. Accordingly I went in the Morning and walked in the Hall till the Sheriff came to me for he trusted me to go whither I would and it being Early we went
at John Elson's in the Morning before I came away I set forward from thence with my Wife and her Daughter Susan by Coach for I was not able to travel on Horse-back towards the North 1675. Highgate Dunstable Newport-Pagnel Northampton Cossel many Friends accompanying us as far as High-Gate and some to Dunstable where we lodged that Night Afterwards travelling on we visited Friends and were visited by them at Newport-Pagnell Northampton and Cossel where amongst other Friends that came to see us there came a Woman and brought her Daughter for me to see how Well she was putting me in mind That when I was there before she had brought her to me much troubled with the Disease called the King 's Evil and had then desired me to Pray for her Which I did and she grew Well upon it praised be the Lord From Cossel we went on by John Simcock's and William Gandy's to Warrington and Preston and so to Lancaster Warrington Preston Friends visiting us and we them as we went I had not been at Lancaster Lancaster since I was carried Prisoner from thence by the Vnder-Sheriff and Jailer towards Scarborough-Castle in Yorkshire and now I found the Town full of People for it was both the Fair-time there and the Trained-Bands were met there also upon a General Muster There were also many Friends in Town from several parts of the County because the Quarterly Meeting for the County was to be there the next Day I staid Two Nights and a Day at Lancaster and visited Friends both at their Mens and Womens-Meetings which were very full large and peaceable for the Lord's Power was over all and none meddled with us Here met us Thomas Lower and his Wife with Sarah Fell James Lancaster and Leonard Fell and the next Day after the Meeting being the Twenty Fifth of the Fourth Month we went over the Sands with several other Friendâ— Over the Sands and came safe to Swarthmore After I had been a while at Swarthmore Swarthmore several Friends from divers places and parts of the Nation came to visit me and some out of Scotland by whom I understood that there were Four young Students of Aberdeen Convinced there this Year at a Dispute held there by Robert Barclay and George Keith with some of the Scholars of that Vniversity Among others of the Neighbourhood that came to Visit me Col. Kirby was one who had been one of my great Persecutors but now he said he came to bid me Welcome into the Country and carried himself at this time in Appearance very lovingly Yet before I went from Swarthmore he sent for the Constables of Vlverstone and ordered them to come up to me and to tell me That we must have no more Meetings at Swarthmore for if we had they were commanded by him to break them up and they were to come the next First-Day after That Day we had a very precious Meeting there and the Lord's Presence was wonderful amongst us and the Constables did not come to disturb us but the Meetings have been quiet since and have encreased The Ilness I got in my Imprisonment at Worcester had so much weakned me that it was long before I recovered my Natural Strength again For which Reason and for that I had many things lay upon me to Write both for publick and private Service I did not stir much abroad during the Time that I now staid in the North but when Friends were not with me spent pretty much time in writing Books and Papers for Truth 's Service For while I was at Swarthmore I gave forth several Books to be Printed viz. 1675. Swarthmore One Concerning Swearing Another shewing That none are Successors to the Prophets and Apostles but who succeed them in the same Power and Holy Ghost that they were in Another shewing That Possession is above Profession and how the Professors now do persecute Christ in Spirit as the professing Jews did persecute him outwardly in the Days of his Flesh Another little Book To the Magistrates of Dantzick Another called Cain against Abel or An Answer to the New-England mens Laws Another To Friends at Mevis concerning Watching Another A General Epistle to all Friends in Amâ—rica Another Concerning Caesar 's Due and God 's Due c. Another Concerning Ordering of Families Another Entituled The Spiritual Man judgeth all things Another Concerning the Higher Power Besides these I writ several Epistles to Friends both here in England and beyond the Seas and Answers to divers Papers concerning the Running out of some who opposed the Order of the Gospel and had stirred up a great deal of Strife and Contention in Westmorland Wherefore I was moved to write a few Lines particularly to Friends there directed thus This is for Friends in Westmorland ALL live in the Power of God and in his Light and Spirit which did first Convince you that in it ye may keep in the ancient Vnity and in the Humility and in the Fear of the Lord and his gentle and peaceable Wisdom which is Easie to be intreated That in the same Power Light and Spirit of God ye may all be serviceable in your Mens and Womens-Meetings in the Possession of the Gospel-Order which Gospel the Power of God hath brought Life and Immortality to light that in this ye may see over him that hath darkned you And in this Power the Glorious Gospel no Apostates can come for the Power of God was before the Apostates were or the Fall of Man and Woman was or the Devil either and will be when he is gone Therefore praise God in his Glorious Gospel in which you have an Eternal Fellowship in the Everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ which is not of Man nor by Man And therefore all Friends in Westmorland keep in the Power of God which will and must preserve and cover you if ye be preserved Therefore let your Faith stand in the Power of God and not in the Wisdom of Mens Words lest ye fall for in God's Power ye have Peace Life and Vnity and for want of keeping in God's Power and in his Righteousness and Holy Ghost is all this Strife come among you G F. I also writ the following General Epistle to Friends at the Yearly Meeting in London 1676. Swarthmore My Dear Friends and Brethren WHom the Lord hath preserved by his Eternal Power to this Day over and through many Troubles Storms and Tempests and Prisons and therefore let every one's Faith stand in the Power of God which is over the Devil and before he was So your Faith standing in the Invisible Power of God it stands in that which does not change and the Faith that Christ Jesus the Power of God is the Author of it must stand in the Power of God So then it stands in that which is over all in which they are established And this the Apostle brought the Church and the true Christians to And so ought all the true Christians Faith
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
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
that they did not take me Yet understanding that there was a Warrant out against me as soon as the Yearly Meeting was well over I took William Mead with me and went to several of the Judges Chambers to speak with them about it and to let them understand both the state of the Case and the ground and reason of our Refusing to pay Tithes The first that I went to was Judge Gregory to whom I tendred mine and my Wife's Answer to the Plaintiff's Bill in which was set forth That my Wife had lived Three and forty years at Swarthmore and in all that time there had been no Tithe paid nor demanded and an old Man who had long been a Tithe-Gatherer had made Affidavit that he never gathered Tithe at Swarthmore-hall in Judge Fell's time nor since There were many Particulars in our Answer but it would not be accepted without an Oath I told the Judge that both Tithe and Swearing among Christians came from the Pope and it was matter of Conscience to us not to pay Tithes nor to swear for Christ bid his Disciples who had freely received give freely and he commanded them Not to swear at all The Judge said There was Tithe paid in England before Popery was I asked him by what Law or Statute they were paid then but he was silent Then I told him there were Eight poor men brought up to London out of the North about Two hundred Miles for small Tithes and one of them had no Family but himself and his Wife and kept no living Creature but a Cat. I asked him also Whether they could take a Man and his Wife and Imprison them both for small Tithes and so destroy a Family and if they could I desired to know by what Law He did not Answer me but only said That was an hard Case So when I found there was no help to be had there we left him and went to Judge Mountague's Chamber and with him I had a great deal of Discourse concerning Tithes Whereupon he sent for our Adversary's Atturney and when he came I offered him our Answer He said If we would pay the Charges of the Court and be bound to stand Trial and abide the Judgment of the Court we should not have the Oath tendred to us I told him that they had brought those Charges upon us by requiring us to put in our Answer upon Oath which they knew before we could not do for Conscience sake And as we could not pay any Tithe nor swear so neither should we pay any of their Charges Upon this he would not receive our Answer So we went from thence to Judge Atkyns his Chamber and he being busie we gave our Answers and our Reasons against Tithes and Swearing to his Clerk But neither could we find any Encouragement from him to expect Redress there Wherefore leaving him we went to one of the most noted Counsellors and shewed him the state of our Case and our Answers He was very Civil to us and said This way of proceeding against us was somewhat like an Inquisition A few days after those Eight poor Friends that were brought up so far out of the North appeared before the Judges and the Lord was with them and his Power was over the Court so that the Friends were not Committed to the Fleet. Our Cause was put off till the next Term called Michaelmass Term and then it was brought before the Four Judges again Then William Mead told the Judges that I had engaged my self never to meddle with my Wife's Estate The Judges could hardly believe that any Man would do so Whereupon he shewed them the Writing under my Hand and Seal at which they wondred Then Two of the Judges and some of the Lawyers stood up and pleaded for me that I was not liable to the Tithes But the other two Judges and divers other Lawyers pressed earnestly to have me sequestred alledging that I was a publick Man At length they prevailed with one of the other Two Judges to Join with them and then they granted a Sequestration against me and my Wife together Thereupon by Advice of Counsel we moved for a Limitation which was granted and that much defeated our Adversary's design in suing out the Sequestration for this limited the Plaintiff from taking no more than was proved One of the Judges who was called Baron Weston was very bitter against me and brake forth in a great Rage against me in the open Court but in a little time after he died After the Yearly Meeting was over I tarried about a Month in London Sussex London and then went into Sussex to visit Friends there amongst whom I had many large and very precious Meetings in divers parts of that County Yet I spent not much time now in Sussex but returned pretty soon to London whether I felt drawings in Spirit and had very good Service for the Lord there both in publick Meetings and amongst Friends And when I had tarried some time in London Edmunton Bucks I went down to Edmunton and from thence into Buckinghamshire where I visited Friends at several Meetings in the upper-side of that County and then went by Henly to Reading where I tarried several Meetings 1681. Henly Reading O e. Oxfordshire Warborow I went no farther Westward at this time than to Ore where I had a very large Meeting After which striking off through the Edg of Oxfordshire I had a large and very precious Meeting at Warborow in which the Glory of the Lord shined over all Many Friends came to this Meeting some out of Barkshire some out of Buckinghamshire and some out of Hampshire Ilmore in the Vale of Bucks From thence I passed to Ilmore which is in the Vale of Buckinghamshire where we had a glorious Meeting And the day following I returned to Mary Pennington's From whence I visited the Mens and Womens Monthly Meetings at Hunger-hill Hunger-hill Watford and some other Meetings thereabouts and then passed to Watford where was a Marriage of Two Friends at which I was present A very large Meeting we had on that Occasion and the Lord's Power was over all I went from Watford to Longford in Middlesex Middlesex Uxbridge Longford visiting Friends at Uxbridge in the way At Longford we had a large Meeting it being on the First-day of the Week and the presence of the Lord was preciously felt amongst us blessed be his Name I passed from Longford to Kingston visiting Friends as I went at Stains and Sunbury Stains Sunbury Kingston At Kingston I abode with Friends two Meetings wherein we were sweetly refreshed together in the Lord. And passing on from thence towards London I had a very precious Meeting at Wansworth Wansworth Hammersmith Then crossing over to Hammersmith I had a good Meeting there which was the larger by reason of a Burial that was there that time and there being a pretty Openness in the People on that Occasion I had a
Eastern-shore 364. Western-shore 374 Membury 319 Mendle 457 Mendlesham 153 Menhenniot Cornw. 174 Merioneâ—â—hshire 312 Mevis Amer. 356 357. 408. 453 Middlesex 341. 387 388. 430. 479. 489. 596 Middletown E. Jers 365. 371 Middletown-Harbour 370 371 Mildum 423 Mile-end 241 Miles-River Maryl 363. 369. 372 Milford Haven 379 Mims 479 Minehead 318 Moniâ—sh 470 Monmouthshire 314 Montgomeryshire 251* 312 Moors 63 Morpeth 281* Mumbles 317 N. NAilsworth 212. 457 Nancemum Amer. 375 Narraganset Amer. 368 Natton-Island Amer. 370 Nevis see Mevis Newbury 223* New-Castle 281* New-Castle Amer. alias New-Amsterdam 365. 371 372 New-England 364. 367-379 241 242. 244. 408 New-Garden Irel. 328 New-Jersey 379 Newick 261 Newport-Pagnel 3. 317. 407 Newton in Cartmel 77 New-York 36â— 370 Nimmâ—guen 630. 632 Non-Eaton 167 226 Norfolk 153 154. 203 204. 259. 311 Northallerton 423 Northampton 3. 137. 407. 430 Northamptonshire 166. 170. 224* 282* 259. 310. 469. 479 North-Country 121. 128 North-Holland 438 North-Newton 316. 457 Northumberland 118 119. 281* 269. 312 Norwich 153. 203 204. 259 Nottingham 18. 26 27. 281* 282* 309. 325 326. 249. 429 Nottinghamshire 7. 13 14. 16 17 54. 67. 130. 167. 224 281* 213. 215. 254. 309. 311. 479 Nottingley 429 O. Olsterbay Long Island 365. 370 Okington 220* Oldenborg Westph 617 440. 443 444 Oldeston 212. 318. 334 Olâ—ey 430 Oram 64. 307 Orchard 457 Ore 387. 489 Ormskirk 275 Osan-Overton Holl. 522 Overdelent ob Nielant 440 Ouerkirk Holl. 433 Oxford 225* Oxfordshire 310. 316. 335. 341. 387 388. 456 457. 479. 489 P. PAgan-Creek in Amer. 375 Pardsey-Crag 268* 270 Pardihaw 457 Pashur 312 Patch-gate 480 Patrington 64-67 Peak-Country 7. 130. 267 Peak-Hills 311 Pell-mell 2â—0 Pembroke 254* Pembrokeshire 254* Pendle-hill 72 Penryn 175 263 Pickering 62 Piscattaway Amer. 369 The Pit at Sea near the Briel 522 Plimouth 174. 207-209 262. 304. 319 Point Judah Amer. 369 Poland 595 Pomfret 281* Pontamile 247* Pool 172. 244* 206 Posset 318 Portsmoutk 172. 244* Potomack River Amer. 379 Pottuxon Maryl 375. 380. 382 Pottuxon River in Maryl 375. 379 Powbank 423 Prester John's Country 248 Preston 261* 226. 276. 407 Preston-Patrick-Chappel 75 Providence Amer. 368 Puddimore 221* 266. 319 Pulner 261 Purgatory Amer. 370 Purmerent Holl. 438 R. RAbley-heath 469 Radnorshire 251* 252* 267. 313 Radway 479 Ragley 457 Ramside 78 Ranzenny's Monument Denm 441 Raphahannock River Amer. 379 Reading 151 152. 223* 198 199 200. 310. 341. 387. 456. 489 Reconow Creek Amer. 382 Redruth 177. 263. 266 Rexham 259 Rickmansworth 388 Ringwood 172. 244* 206. 261 Road-Island 366-369 379 Roan-Oke Amer. 369. 376 Rochester 150. 342 Rome 241 Ross 315 Rotterdam Holl. 433. 453. 520 Rumney 150 151 Rye in N. E. 150. 370 Rygate 171. 480 S. SAddington 469 Saling 454 The Sands Lanc. 407 Sandside 261* Sardam Holl. 522 Saxifrax-River Maryl 365. 372 Scale-house 281* Scarborough 60. 267. 298-307 326 Scar-house 423. 428 Scotland 140 141 268*-281* 312. 407 At Sea from Ireland 332. to Barbados 350. 351. for Jamaica 361. for Maryland 362 363. for Long-Island 369 370. for Virginia 375. for England 383. Sedber Sedberg Sedbur 73 74. 269. 423 Selby Yorksh 54 Severn Amer. 374 Shacklewell 347. 481 Shearhampton 383 Shelter-Island Amer. 368 369 Isle of Sheppey Kent 342 Shrowsbury 247* 312 313. in Amer. 370 371 Shropshire 267. 312 Sibbard 457 Silebie Leicest 167. 310. 429. 469 Skegby 130. 215. 254. 309. 429 Skypton 215. 317 Slattenford 222. 266. 386. 387 Slone 245* Smirna 248 Somersetshire 209. 266. 318 319 Sommerton Amer. 375. 377 The Sound in Amer. 369 370 Southgate 594-596 Southam 479 Southampton 172. 261. 320 Southmims 430. 457 Southstreet 528. 530-532-568 586 Staffordshire 225* 226. 267. 311. 327. 469. 470 Stains 489 Stainsby 429 Stainmoor 269 Starling Scotl. 276* Stath 58-60 Stenning 151 Stevenage 469 Stickhusen East-Friezl 439 Stoke 264. 457 Stony-stratford 479 Stratford 342 343. 457 Stratton 319 Street 266 Strickland-head 267* 268* 118. 269 Strobus Friezl 439. 444 Sudbury 456 Suffolk 153. 203. 259. 311 Sunbury 489 Sunderhill-green 124. 128. 213. 267. 308 Surrey 171. 243* 206. 320. 325. 342. 387. 432. 480. 503 Sussex 150 151. 243* 206. 261. 320 321. 325. 342. 432. 480. 488. 503 Sutton 155. 259 Swanington Leicest 131. 170. 213. 255. 256. 258. 429. 469 Swan-Island Maryl 373 Swanzey Wales 254* 317 Swarthmore 77-80 82 83. 86. 88. 94-101 103 104. 118. 124. 261*-264* 281* 216. 226. 269-271 273. 407-423 470-478 Syleby see Silebie T. TAmworth 4 Taunton 221* 266 Tedbury 457 Tenby 253* 254* Tenterden 259-261 Tewksbury 168 169. 213. 457 Theobald's 139 Tickhill 69 Tiverton 265 Todcaster 429 Topsham 173 174. 262. 319 Totness 174. 262 Tottenham 608. 611 Tottenham-High-Cross 601 Tredington 398. 400 Tredington Parish 388 Tredhaven Creek Maryl 364. 373 382 Tregangeeves 319 Trent 67 311 Truro 263 264. 319 Turry 430 Turvil-heath 455 Twitnam Twytham 197 198 Twycross 30. 131. 213. 258 V. VAle of Beavor 16. 18-26 Virginia 375. 377 378. 364. 369. 375. 382 Capes of Virginia 383 Ulverston 77 78. 84-86 216 217. 407. 422 Underbarrow 76. 81 82. 269 Upper-Dinidock Amer. 371 Uxbridge 489 W. WAkefield 54. 70 Wales 245* 255* 256. 267. 312 Walney-Island 79. 87 Walthan -Abbey 139. 316. 481. 485. 528. 569. 584. 586. 601. 608 Wansted 570 Wansworth 480. 489 Wapping 349 Warborough 489 Ware 608 Warrington 312. 327. 407 Warwick 169. 225* 310. 325. 479 Warwickshire 4. 15. 131. 167. 170. 282* 225* 226. 258. 267. 310 311. 336. 388 389 429 430. 457. 469. 479 Waterland Holl. 448. 522 Watford 457 Wellingborough 166 Wellington 265 Wensdale 423 Wentzerdale 72 73 Westchester 259* 240 West-Friezland 521 West-Jersey Amer. 365 Westmorland 74. 80 81. 83 84. 101. 118. 267* 269 270. 312. 408. 423. 470. 478 Weston 316. 457 West-Riding 69 70 Weymouth 173. 244* Whetston 136 137. 166 167 Whispool Friezl 444 Whitby 60. 267. 307. 326 Whâ—tehall 137 138. 140-149 223* 225* 230 Whitehaugh 267 Whittington Warw. 429 Wickham 455 456 Wicocomako-River Amer. 381 Wighton 118. 270 Wigston 469 Willoughby-Point Amer. 378 Wiltshire 222* 223* 254. 262. 266. 1â— 315. 335. 386. 456 Winchmore-hill 485. 568. 586. 608 Winterburn 456 Witham 523 Worcester 168. 213. 312. 388 389. 395. 457 Worcestershire 167. 225* 312. 388 Workum Friezl 438 Worminghurst 432. 480. 503 504 Worplesdon 432. 480 The Woulds 60. 326 Wye Amer. 382 Wye-River Amer. 364 Wymes-would 429 Y. YArmouth 153 Yelland 88. 216 York 57. 267-269 297. 298. 308. 32â— 428. 479 Yorkshire 54. 56. 61. 63. 66. 68 69. 72. 128. 225* 281* 213. 269. 297. 423. 429. 470. 478 479 THE SECOND TABLE CONTAINING The Names of Friends and others mentioned in this Volume with their respective Pages A. ABrahams Galenus 452. 521 522 Aldam Thomas 68-70 130 140. 199 Andries Cornelis Friezl 444 Anglesey Earl 296 Archer Judge 249 250. 318 319 Ashfield Col. 276* Ashley John 401 Askburnham Constable 216. his Wife 306 Atherton Oliver 275 276 Godfrey ibid. Atkins Christopher 153 Atkins Judge 488 Atkinson Thomas 271 d'Aubenny Lord 252 Audland John 74 75. 80. 84. 124. 131.
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