against another we say these are of the World and have their Foundation from this Unrighteous World from the Foundation of which the Lamb hath been slain which Lamb hath redeemed us from this unrighteous World and we are not of it but are Heirs of a World in which there is no End and of a Kingdom where no corruptible thing enters And our Weapons are Spiritual and not Carnal yet Mighty through God to the pulling down of the Strong Holds of Sin and Satan who is Author of Wars Fighting Murder and Plots and our Swords are broken into Plow shares and Spears into Pruning-hooks as Prophesied of in Micah 4. Therefore we cannot learn War any more neither rise up against Nation or Kingdom with outward Weapons tho' you have numbred us amongst the Transgressors and Plotters the Lord knows our Innocency herein and will plead our Cause with all Men and People upon Earth at the day of their Judgment when all Men shall have a Reward according to their Works Therefore in love we warn you for your Souls good not to wrong the Innocent nor the Babes of Christ which he hath in his Hand which he tenders as the Apple of his Eye neither seek to destroy the Heritage of God neither turn your Swords backward upon such as the Law was not made for i. e. the Righteous but for the Sinners and Transgressors to keep them down For those are not the Peace-makers neither the Lovers of Enemies neither can they overcome Evil with Good who wrong them that be Friends to You and All Men and wish Your Good and the good of all People on the Earth If you oppress us as they did the Children of Israel in Egypt and if you oppress us as they did when Christ was Born and as they did the Christians in the Primitive Times we can say The Lord forgive you and leave the Lord to deal with you and not revenge our selves And if you say as the Council said to Peter and John You must speak no more in that Name and if you serve us as they served the Three Children spoken of in Daniel God is the same as ever he was that lives for Ever and Ever who hath the Innocent in his Arms. Oh Friends Offend not the Lord and his Little Ones neither afflict his People but consider and be moderate And do not run hastily into things but mind and consider Mercy Justice and Judgment that is the way for you to prosper and get the Favour of the Lord. Our Meetings were stopped and broken up in the days of Oliver in pretence of Plotting against him and in the days of the Committee of Safety we were looked upon as Plotters to bring in KING CHARLES and now our Peaceable Meetings are termed Seditious Oh that Men should lose their Reason and go contrary to their own Conscience knowing that we have suffered all things and have been accounted Plotters all along though we have declared against them both by Word of Mouth and Printing and are clear from any such thing Though we have suffered all along because we would not take up Carnal Weapons to fight withal against any and are thus made a Prey upon because we are the Innocent Lambs of Christ and cannot avenge our selves These things are left upon your Hearts to consider But we are out of all those things in the Patience of the Saints and we know that as Christ said He that takes the Sword shall perish with the Sword Mat 26.52 Rev. 13.10 This is given forth from the People called Quakers to satisfie the King and his Council and all those that have any Jealousie concerning Vs that all occasion of Suspicion may be taken away and our Innocency cleared Given forth on the behalf of the whole Body of the Elect People of God who were called Quakers in the Year 1660. POSTSCRIPT THough we are numbred amongst Transgressors and so have been given up to all Rude Merciless Men by which our Meetings are broken up in which we Edified one another in our Holy Faith and prayed together to the Lord that lives for ever yet he is our Pleader for us in this Day The Lord saith They that feared his Name spake often together as in Malachy which were as his Jewels And for this Cause and no Evil-doing are we cast into Holes Dungeons Houses of Correction Prisons they sparing neither Old nor Young Men nor Women and made a Prey on in the sight of all Nations under pretence of being Seditious c. so that all rude People run upon us to take Possession For which we say The Lord forgive them that have thus done to us who doth and will enable us to suffer and never shall we lift up hand against any Man that doth thus use us But that the Lord may have mercy upon them that they may consider what they have done For how is it possible for them to requite us for the Wrong they have done to us Who to all Nations have sounded us abroad as Seditious or Plotters who were never found Plotters against any Power or Man upon the Earth since we knew the Life and Power of Jesus Christ manifested in us who hath redeemed us from the World and all Works of Darkness and Plotters that be in it by which we know our Election before the World began So we say The Lord have Mercy upon our Enemies and forgive them for that they have done unto us Oh! do as you would be done by and do unto all Men as you would have them do unto you for this is but the Law and the Prophets And all Plots Insurrections and Riotous Meetings we do deny knowing them to be of the Devil the Murtherer which we in Christ who was before they were Triumph over them And all Wars and Fightings with Carnal Weapons we do deny who have the Sword of the Spirit and all that wrong us we leave them to the Lord. And this is to clear our Innocency from that Aspersion cast upon us That we are Seditious or Plotters Added in the Reprinting Courteous Reader THis was our Testimony above Twenty Years ago and since then we have not been found Acting contrary to it nor ever shall For the Truth that is our Guide is unchangeable And this is now Reprinted to the Men of this Age many of whom were then Children and doth stand as our certain Testimony against all Plotting and Fighting with Carnal Weapons And if any by departing from the Truth should do so this is our Testimony in the Truth against them and will stand over them and the Truth will be clear of them This Declaration did somewhat clear the Dark Air that was over the City and Country And soon after the King gave forth a Proclamation That no Soldiers should go to search any House but with a Constable But the Jails were still full many Thousands of Friends being in Prison in the Nation Which Mischief was occasioned by that wicked Rising of
Gain Yet how can we avoid being deeply affected with Sadness of Spirit and brokenness of Heart under the sense and consideration of such Loss and Revolutions which we have cause to believe are Ominous of Calamities to the wicked World though of good to the Righteous Did the Death of plain upright Jacob Gen. 50. namely Israel who was as a Prince of God so deeply affect both his own Children and Kindred as that they made a great and exceeding sore Lamentation for him and even the Egyptians also that they bewailed him seventy days And the Death of Moses so deeply affect the Children of Israel Deut. 34. as that they did weep and mourn for him in the Plain of Moab thirty Days And the Death of Stephen that faithful Martyr of Jesus so deeply affect certain Men fearing God Acts 7. as that they made great Lamentation for him And the Apostle Paul when taking his leave of the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Acts 20. and telling them They should see his Face no more If this did so deeply affect them that they wept all abundantly sorrowing most of all for these Words That they should see his face no more with many more of this kind How then can we otherwise chuse but be deeply affected with Sorrow and Sadness of Heart though not as those which have no hope when so many of our Ancient Dear and Faithful Brethren with whom we have had much sweet Society are removed from us one after another We pray God raise up and increase more such Yet must we all contentedly submit to the good Pleasure and Wisdom of the Lord our God in all these things who taketh away and none can hinder him nor may any say unto him What dost thou Yet we have cause to bless the Lord that he hath of late raised and is raising up more to publish his Name in the Earth And we that yet remain have but a short Time to stay after them that are gone but we shall be gone to them also The Lord God of Life keep us all Faithful in his holy Truth Love Vnity and Life to the End He hath a great Work still to bring forth in the Earth and great things to bring to pass in order to make way for Truth and Righteousness to take place therein and that his Seed may come forth and be gathered and the Power and Kingdom of our God and of his Christ made known and exalted in the Earth unto the Ends thereof Dear Friends and Brethren Be faithful till Death that a Crown of Life you may obtain All dwell in the Love of God in Christ Jesus in Vnion and Peace in him To whom we tenderly Commit you to keep and strengthen you bless and preserve you to the End of your Days In whose dear and tender Love we remain Your Dear Friends and Brethren Stephen Crisp Geo. Whitehead Fra. Camfield James Park John Elson Peter Price John Field John Edridge Nicholas Gates Francis Stamper John Vaughton Gilbert Latey Charles Marshal Rich. Needham James Martin Daniel Monro John Heywood George Bowles William Robinson William Bingley John Butcher Benjamin Antrobus These Names are since added at the desire of the Persons following Sam. Goodaker Amb. Rigg William Fallowfield POSTSCRIPT BEfore his Death he writ a little Paper desiring all Friends every where that use to write to him about the Sufferings and Affairs of Friends in their several Countries should henceforth write to their several Correspondents in London to be Communicated to the Second-Days Meeting to take Care that they be answered Thomas Ellwood's Account of that Eminent and Honourable Servant of the Lord George Fox THis Holy Man was raised up by God in an Extraordinary Manner for an Extraordinary Work even to Awaken the sleeping World by proclaiming the Mighty Day of the Lord to the Nations and publishing again the Everlasting Gospel to the Inhabitants of the Earth after the long and dismal Night of Apostacy and Darkness For this Work the Lord began to prepare him by many and various Trials and Exercises from his very Childhood And having fitted and furnished him for it he called him into it very Young and made him Instrumental by the effectual Working of the Holy Ghost through his Ministry to call many Others into the same Work and to turn many Thousands from Darkness to the Light of Christ and from the Power of Satan unto God I knew him not till the Year 1660 from that Time to the Time of his Death I knew him well Conversed with him often Observed him much Loved him dearly and Honoured him truly and upon good Experience can say He was indeed an Heavenly-minded Man zealous for the Name of the Lord and preferr'd the Honour of God before all things He was Valiant for the Truth Bold in Asserting it Patient in Suffering for it Unwearied in Labouring in it Steady in his Testimony to it Immoveable as a Rock Deep he was in Divine Knowledge Clear in opening heavenly Mysteries Plain and Powerful in Preaching Fervent in Prayer He was richly endued with heavenly Wisdom Quick in Discerning Sound in Judgment Able and ready in Giving Discreet in Keeping Counsel A Lover of Righteousness an Encourager of Vertue Justice Temperance Meekness Purity Chastity Modesty Humility Charity and Self-Denial in all both by Word and Example Graceful he was in Countenance Manly in Personage Grave in Gesture Courteous in Conversation Weighty in Communication Instructive in Discourse Free from Affectation in Speech or Carriage A severe Reprover of hard and obstinate Sinners A mild and gentle Admonisher of such as were tender and sensible of their Failings Not apt to resent personal Wrongs Easie to forgive Injuries But zealously Earnest where the Honour of God the Prosperity of Truth the Peace of the Church were concerned Very Tender Compassionate and Pitiful he was to all that were under any sort of Affliction full of Brotherly Love full of Fatherly Care For indeed the Care of the Churches of Christ was daily upon him the Prosperity and Peace whereof he studiously sought Beloved he was of God Beloved of God's People and which was not the least part of his Honour the Common Butt of all Apostates Envy whose Good notwithstanding he earnestly sought He lived to see the Desire of his Soul The Spreading of that Blessed Principle of Divine Light through many of the European Nations and not a few of the American Islands and Provinces and the Gathering many Thousands into an Establishment therein which the Lord vouchsafed him the Honour to be the First Effectual Publisher of in this latter Age of the World And having fought a good Fight finished his Course and kept the Faith his righteous Soul freed from the Earthly Tabernacle in which he had led an Exemplary Life of Holiness was translated into those Heavenly Mansions where Christ our Lord went to prepare a Place for His there to possess that Glorious Crown of Righteousness which is laid up
from the highest Bishop to the lowest Priest What one Trade else in the World is Comparable to it Notwithstanding that the Scriptures were given forth freely and Christ commanded his Ministers to Preach freely and the Prophets and Apostles denounced Judgment against all Covetous Hirelings and Diviners for Money But in this free Spirit of the Lord Jesus was I sent forth to declare the Word of Life and Reconciliation freely that all might come up to Christ who gives freely and who renews up into the Image of God which Man and Woman were in before they fell that they might sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus Nottingham Now as I went towards Nottingham on a First-day in the Morning with Friends to a Meeting there when I came on top of a Hill in sight of the Town I espied the great Steeple-house and the Lord said unto me Thou must go cry against yonder great Idol and against the Worshippers therein So I said nothing of this to the Friends that were with me but went on with them to the Meeting where the mighty Power of the Lord God was amongst us In which I left Friends sitting in the Meeting and I went away to the Steeple-house And when I came there all the People looked like Fallow Ground and the Priest like a great Lump of Earth stood in his Pulpit above And he took for his Text these Words of Peter We have also a more sure Word of Prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark Place until the day dawn and the Day-star arise in your Hearts And he told the People that this was the Scriptures by which they were to Try all Doctrines Religions and Opinions Now the Lord's Power was so mighty upon me and so strong in me that I could not hold but was made to cry out and say Oh no It is not the Scriptures But I told them what it was namely the Holy Spirit by which the Holy Men of God gave forth the Scriptures whereby Opinions Religions and Judgments were to be tried For it led into all Truth and so gave the knowledge of all Truth For the Jews had the Scriptures and yet resisted the Holy Ghost and rejected Christ the bright Morning-Star and persecuted Christ and his Apostles and took upon them to Try their Doctrines by the Scriptures but erred in Judgment and did not try them a-right because they tried without the Holy Ghost Now as I spake thus amongst them the Officers came and took me away and put me into a nasty stinking Prison the smell whereof got so into my Nose and Throat that it very much annoyed me But that day the Lord's Power sounded so in their Ears that they were amazed at the Voice and could not get it out of their Ears for some time after they were so reached by the Lord's Power in the Steeple-house At Night they took me out of Prison and had me before the Major Aldermen and Sheriffs of the Town And when I was brought before them the Major was in a peevish fretful Temper but the Lord's Power allay'd him Then they examined me at large and I told them how the Lord had moved me to come Then after some Discourse had passed between them and me they sent me back to Prison again But sometime after 1649. Nottingham the Head-Sheriff whole Name was John Reckless sent for me to his House And when I came in his Wife met me in the Hall and said Salvation is come to our House ☜ And she took me by the Hand and was much wrought upon by the Power of the Lord God And her Husband and Children and Servants were much changed for the Power of the Lord wrought upon them And I lodged at the Sheriff's House and great Meetings we had in his House and some Persons of considerable Condition in the World came to them and the Lord's Power appeared eminently amongst them And this Sheriff sent for the other Sheriff and for a Woman they had had Dealings with in way of Trade and he told her before the other Sheriff that they had wronged her in their Dealings with her for the other Sheriff and he were Partners and that they ought to make her Restitution This he spake chearfully But the other Sheriff denied it and the Woman said She knew nothing of it But the friendly Sheriff said it was so and that the other knew it well enough And then having discovered the Matter and acknowledged the Wrong done by them he made Restitution to the Woman and exhorted the other Sheriff to do the like And the Lord's Power was with this Friendly Sheriff and wrought a mighty Change in him and great Openings he had And on the next Market-day following as he was walking with me in the Chamber in his Slippers he said I must go into the Market and preach Repentance to the People And accordingly he went in his Slippers into the Market and into several Streets and preached Repentance to the People Several others also in the Town were moved to speak to the Major and Magistrates and to the People exhorting them to Repent Hereupon the Magistrates grew very Angry and sent for me from the Sheriff's House and Committed me to the Common Prison Nottingham Prison When the Assize came on there was one moved to come and offer up himself for me Body for Body yea Life also But when I should have been brought before the Judge the Sheriff's Man being somewhat long in fetching me to the Sessions-house the Judge was risen before I came At which I understood the Judge was somewhat offended and said He would have admonished the Youth if he had been brought before him For I was then Imprisoned by the Name of A YOVTH So I was returned to Prison again and put into the Common Goal And the Lord's Power was great among Friends but the People began to be very Rude Wherefore the Governour of the Castle sent down Souldiers and dispersed them and after that they were quiet But both Priests and People were astonished at the wonderful Power that brake forth And several of the Priests were made tender and some did Confess to the Power of the Lord. Now after I was set at Liberty from Nottingham-Goal where I had been kept Prisoner a pretty long time I traveled as before in the Work of the Lord. And coming to Mansfield-Woodhouse Mansfield Wood-house there was a distracted Woman under a Doctor 's Hand with her Hair loose all about her Ears and he was about to let her Blood she being first bound and many People being about her holding her by Violence But he could get no Blood from her And I desired them to unbind her 1649. Mansfield Woodhouse and let her alone for they could not touch the Spirit in her by which she was tormented So they did unbind her And I was moved to speak to her and in the
there a while 1651. Darby-Prison and then I was taken down again Then after a while the Constables fetched me up again and then I was brought before the Commissioners and they said I should go for a Souldier But I told them I was dead to it They said I was Alive I told them where Envy and Hatred is there is Confusion They proffered me Money twice but I would not take it Then they were Wroth and I was Committed Close Prisoner without Bail or Mainprize Whereupon I writ to them again directing my Letter to Colonel Barton who was a Preacher and the rest that were concerned in my Commitment And I writ thus YOU who are without Christ and yet use the Words which he and his Saints have spoken Consider neither he nor his Apostles did ever Imprison any but my Saviour is Merciful even to the Vnmerciful and Rebellious He doth bring out of Prison and Bondage But Men while the carnal Mind doth rule do Oppress and Imprison My Saviour saith Love your Enemies and do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you For the Love of God doth not persecute any but loveth all where it dwelleth He that hateth his Brother is a Murderer You profess to be Christians and one of you a Minister of Jesus Christ yet you have Imprisoned me who am a Servant of Jesus Christ The Apostles never Imprisoned any but were Imprisoned themselves Take heed of speaking of Christ in Words and denying him in Life and Power O Friends the Imprisoning my Body is to satisfy your Wills but take heed of giving way to your Wills for that will hurt you If the Love of God had broken your Hearts ye would not have Imprisoned me but my Love is to you as to all my Fellow-Creatures and that you may Weigh your selves and see how you stand is this written About this Time I was moved to give forth the following Lines to go amongst the Convinced and Tender People to manifest the Deceits of the World and how the Priests have deceived the People To all you that love the Lord Jesus Christ with a pure and naked Heart amd the Generation of the Righteous CHRIST was ever hated and the Righteous for his sake Mind who they were that did ever hate them He that was born after the Flesh did persecute him that was born after the Spirit and so it is now And mind who were the Chiefest against Christ even the great Learned Men the Heads of the People Rulers and Teachers that did profess the Law and the Prophets and looked for Christ. They looked for an outwardly-Glorious Christ to hold up their outward Glory But Christ spake against the Works of the World and against the Priests and Scribes and Pharisees and their hypocritical Profession He that is a Stranger to Christ is an Hireling but the Servants of Jesus Christ are Freemen The false Teachers always laid Burdens upon the People and the true Servants of the Lord did speak against them Jeremiah did speak against Hirelings and said It was an horrible thing and said What will ye do in the End for the People and Priests were given to Covetousness Paul did speak against such as did make Gain upon the People and exhorted the Saints to turn away from such as were Covetous Men and Proud Men such as did love Pleasures more than God such as had a Form of Godliness but denied the Power thereof For of this sort said he are they that Creep into Houses and lead Captive silly Women who are ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth Men of corrupt Minds Reprobate concerning the Faith and as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so said he do these Resist the Truth but they shall proceed no further for their folly shall be made manifest unto all Men. Moses forsook Honours and Pleasures which he might have enjoyed The Apostle in his time saw this Corruption entring which now is spread over the World of having a Form of Godliness but denying the Power Ask any of your Teachers whether you may ever Overcome your Corruptions or Sins None of them doth believe that but as long as Man is here he must they say carry about with him the Body of Sin Thus Pride is kept up and that Honour and Master-ship which Christ denied and all Unrighteousness Yet Multitudes of Teachers Heaps of Teachers the Golden Cup full of Abominations Paul did not preach for Wages but laboured with his Hands that he might be an Example to all them that follow him O People see who follow Paul The Prophet Jeremiah said The Prophets prophesie falsly and the Priests bear rule by their means but now the Priests bear Rule by the Means they get from the People take away their Means and they will bear Rule over you no longer They are such as the Apostle said Intruded into those things which they never saw being vainly puffed up with a fleshly Mind and as the Scriptures declare of some of old They go in the way of Cain who was a Murderer and in the way of Balaam who coveted the Wages of Vnrighteousness The Prophet Micah also cried against the Judges that Judged for Reward and the Priests that taught for Hire and the Prophets that prophesied for Money and yet leaned on the Lord saying Is not the Lord amongst us Gifts do blind the Eyes of the Wise And the Gift of God was never purchased with Money All the holy Servants of God did ever cry against Deceit and where the Lord hath manifested his Love they do loath it and that Nature which holdeth it up Again a Concern came upon me to write unto the Magistrates of Darby which I did as followeth Friends I desire you to consider in time whom ye do Imprison for the Magistrate is set for the punishment of Evil-Doers and for the Praise of them that do well But when the Lord doth send his Messengers unto you to warn you of the Woes that will come upon you except you Repent then you persecute them and put them into Prison and say We have a Law and by our Law we may do it For you indeed Justifie your selves before Men but God knoweth your Hearts He will not be worshipped with your Forms and Professions and Shews of Religion Therefore Consider ye that talk of God how ye are subject to him for they are his Children that do his Will What doth the Lord require of you but To do Justice to love and shew Mercy to walk humbly with him and to help the Widows and Fatherless to their Right But instead thereof ye Oppress the Poor Do not your Judges Judge for Rewards and your Priests Teach for Hire The time is coming that he who seeth all things will discover all your Secrets And know this assuredly The Lord will deliver his Servants out of your Hands and he will recompence all your unjust Dealings towards
unstopped the deaf Ears hath let the Oppressed go free and hath raised up the Dead out of the Graves Christ is now preached in and among the Saints the same that ever he was and because his heavenly Image is born up in this his faithful Servant therefore doth fallen Man Rulers Priests and Peopleâ— persecute him because he lives up out of the Fall and testifies against the Works of the VVorld that the Deeds thereof are Evil he suffers by you Magistrates not as an Evil-Doer For thus it was ever where the Seed of God was kept in Prison under the cursed Nature that Nature sought to imprison them in whom it was raised The Lord will make him to you as a burdensom Stone for the Sword of the Spirit of the Almighty is put into the Hands of the Saints which shall wound all the Wicked and shall not be put up till it hath cut down all corrupt Judges Justices Magistrates Priests and Professors till he hath brought his wonderful thing to pass in the Earth which is to make New Heavens and a New Earth wherein shall dwell Righteousness which now he is about to do Therefore fear the Lord God Almighty ye Judges Justices Commanders Priests and People ye that forget God suddenly will the Lord come and destroy you with an utter Destruction and will sweep your Names out of the Earth and will restore his People Judges as at the First and Counsellors as at the Beginning And all Persecutors shall partake of the Plagues of the VVhore who hath made the Kings of the Earth and the great Men drunk with the VVine of her Fornications and hath drunk the Blood of the Saints and therefore shall you be Partakers of her Plagues We are not suffered to go see our Friend in Prison whom we witness to be a Messenger of the Living God Now all People mind Whether this be according to Law oâ— from the wicked perverse envious Will of the envious Rulers and Magistrates who are of the same Generation that persecuted Jesus Christ for said he as they have done to me so will they do to you And as he took the love the kindness and service that was shewed and performed to any of his Afflicted Ones in their Sufferings and Distress as done unto himself so the Injuries and Wrongs that were done by any to any of his Little Ones he resented as done unto himself also Therefore you who are so far from visiting him your selves in his suffering Servant that ye will not suffer his Brethren to visit him ye must depart ye Workers of Iniquity into the Lake that burns with Fire The Lord is coming to thresh the Mountains and will beat them to Dust And all corrupt Rulers corrupt Officers and corrupt Laws the Lord will take Vengeance on by which the tender Consciences of his People are oppressed And he will give his People his Law and will judge his People himself not according to the sight of the Eye and hearing of the Ear but with Righteousness and with Equity Now are your Hearts made manifest to be full of Envy against the living Truth of God which is made manifest in his People who are contemned and despised of the World and scornfully called Quakers You are worse than the Heathens that put Paul in Prison for none of his Friends or Acquaintance were hindred to come to him by them therefore they shall be Witnesses against you Ye are made manifest to the Saints to be of the same Generation that put Christ to death and that put the Apostles in Prison on the same pretence as you act under in calling Truth Error and the Ministers of God Blasphemers as they did But the day is dreadful and terrible that shall come upon you ye Evil Magistrates Priests and People who profess the Truth in Words outwardly and yet persecute the Power of Truth and them that stand in and for the Truth While ye have Time prize it and remember what is written Isa 54.17 George Benson Anthony Pearson Not long after this the Lord's Power came over the Justices and they were made to set me at Liberty But sometime before I was set at Liberty the Governour and the said Anthony Pearson came down into the Dungeon to see the Place where I was kept and understand what Vsage I had And when they were come down to me they found the place so bad and the savour so ill that they cried shame of the Magistrates for suffering the Jailer to do such things And they called for the Jailers into the Dungeon and required them to find Sureties for their good Behaviour and the Vnder-Jailer who had been such a Cruel Fellow they put into the Dungeon with me amongst the Moss-Troopers 1653. Cumberland At T. B's Now after I was set at Liberty I went to Thomas Bewley's where there came a Baptist-Teacher to Oppose me and he was Convinced And Robert Widders being with me was moved to go to Coldbeck-Steeple-house and the Baptist-Teacher went along with him the same day And the People fell upon them and almost killed Robert Widders and took the Baptist's Sword from him and beat him sorely This Baptist had the Inheritance of an Impropriation of Tithes and he went home and gave it up freely Robert VVidders was sent to Carlisle-Jail where having lain a while he was set at Liberty again VVilliam Dewsberry also went to another Steeple-house hard by and the People almost killed him they beat him so but the Lord's Power was over all and healed them again At that day many Friends went to the Steeple-houses to declare the Truth to the Priests and People and great Sufferings they underwent but the Lord's Power sustained them Now I went into the Country and had mighty great Meetings and the Everlasting Gospel and VVord of Life flourished and Thousands were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ and to his Teaching And several that took Tithes as Impropriators denied the receiving of them any longer Westmorland and delivered them up freely to the Parishioners Then passing on into VVestmorland I had many great Meetings and at Strickland-Head I had a large Meeting Strickland head where a Justice of Peace out of Bishoprick whose Name was Henry Draper came up and many Contenders were there The Priests and Magistrates were in a great Rage against me in Westmorland and had a VVarrant to apprehend me which they renewed from time to time for a long time Yet the Lord did not suffer them to serve it upon me So I traveled on amongst Friends visiting the Meetings till I came to Swarthmore Swarthmore where I heard that the Baptists and Professors in Scotland had sent to me to have a Dispute with me Whereupon I sent them word Cumberland that I would meet them in Cumberland at Thomas Bewley's House whither accordingly I went but none of them came Some dangers at this time I underwent in my Travels to and fro Wighton for at one time as
of the Synagogues when they came to speak Judge your selves what an Antichristian Spirit you have Never talk of defending Truth with that which is against Truth For are you not setting up the Rabble of the World against it Do they not Join with you with Swords and Staves against it And is this the Life of Christians Is not this the Life of Error and of the Evil Seeds-man Surely ye would find Work enough if ye were in the Fear of the Lord to turn your Swords against the Prophaneness the Oaths and Wickedness that is in your Streets and High-ways How do they ring like Sodom and give a sound like Gomorrah But they are become a Prey in this your Age that Reprove in your Gate Sin Wickedness and Prophaneness They are become your By-word Against them your Councils are gathered and them you cast into Prison and hale them out of your Synagogues and cast them likewise into Prison that write against it and speak against it and set your Guards to stop and hinder any from Visiting them whom you cast into Prison and give them the Names of Vagabonds and Wanderers Was ever the like heard in the days of the Heathen against the Apostles who witnessed the Gospel Did they set Guards and Watches in every Town in every City to take the Disciples the Brethren the Believers that heard that the Apostles were cast into Prison and came to see what they wanted Shew ye not as much Rage and Fury now in your Age as was in those that were in that Age And how can you talk of the Gospel and of defending the Gospel when you are setting Guards and Watches against it and are defending that which stands against it and the Lambs of Christ are almost torn to pieces amongst you who are like Wolves for the Lord hath now sent his Lambs amongst Wolves And have not you profest the words of Christ and of the Prophets and Apostles as the Jews had long profest the Scriptures the words of Moses and of the Prophets that prophesied of Christ that was to come and stood against him when he was come as you do in this Day of his Reign and in this Day of his glorious Gospel who are persecuting the Messengers of it imprisoning them persecuting them in your Streets and High-ways and now setting up your VVatches against them who bring you the glad Tidings of Peace to your Souls whose Feet are beautiful a Top of the Mountains Mark a Top of the Mountains that against which the Mountains rage and swell but God will make them to melt the Sun is risen which will make them to melt And God will cleave the Rocks and Mountains asunder and make the Hills to bow perpetually for his Son he will exalt and his Glory he will give to him and not to another Therefore be awakened ye Rulers of the Earth and take Counsel of the Lord and take not Counsel together against him Make not your Bonds strong and set not your selves in Battel against him for ye will be found but as Briers and Thorns before him which the Fire shall consume Therefore be awakened all ye that be Talkers of the Scripture and that gather your selves together by your Multitudes and Meetings and have had your Teachers but not having the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures the Lord God of Glory the Father of Spirits will scatter you all your Bonds will not hold you together who are out of the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace The Threshing Instrument is gone forth which will beat the Hills to pieces Sion is risen to Thresh out of the holy Mountain is the Trumpet sounded Stand not up against the Lord for all Nations are with the Lord as the Drop of a Bucket He that measures the VVaters in the hollow of his Hand and weighs the Earth in Scales the Lord of Hosts is his Name who is now risen and rising to plead the Cause of the Innocent who is exalting his Son and bringing his Sheep to him Now are they seen and known that feed upon wind that are lifted up given up to believe Lies who report and say Report and we will report it Now are they seen who have a Form of Godliness but the Power is denied by them so Christ is denied the Power it self is denied for Christ is the Power of God And the Power being denied by you that have a Form of Godliness that have the words of the Scriptures the Gospel is denied for the Gospel is the Power of God And thus it is among you that have the Knowledge and VVisdom that is sensual earthly and devilish Doth it not appear so Let your Gaols and VVatches witness your Fruits in every Town Your VVisdom is earthly sensual and Devillish so you have a Knowledge and VVisdom but not that which is from above for that is pure and gentle and so is not your knowledge But to know Christ is Life Eternal Now your Fruits have manifested that you are not of this and so out of the Power of God which is the Cross of Christ For you are found in the VVorld out of the Power of God out of the Cross of Christ persecuting So that which doth persecute and send forth VVritings and Decrees to stop all and take up all and set VVatches and prepare Bonds to stint the Lord to Imprison and persecute and suffer none to go to visit them This shews you are not Christians but stand against a Christian's Life which is to love your Enemies Where is your Heaping up Coles of Fire your Love to your Enemies who are thus persecuting your Friends He came to his own and his own received him not Here is a turning the Sword against the Just. Do you shew here a Christian's Life or your selves Christians who are filling your Gaols with the Christians in the Spirit you that be in the Letter in Shadows as the Jews in the Letter did put the Jews in the Spirit into Prison Is not this the Fruit in our Days of the Christians in the Letter to put the Christians in the Spirit into Prison And doth not this shew that your Decrees which you have sent forth proceed from Death who thus Act against the Life and them that be in it which the Scriptures were given forth from Is it not here as it was with Saul when he went to persecute to hale to Prison and bind all that he could find calling upon that Name who were Christians in the Life the Spirit such as now you are persecuting because they are in the Life though you profess their Words Are not your Decrees gone forth from the same Spirit of Envy against the same Spirit of Christ they were in Is it not manifest to all that fear God and to the sober-minded and honest-hearted People that see your Practices your Decrees your Letters to stop to molest to hinder to Imprison them that are moved of the Lord to do his Will or to go to
let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all Wisdom teaching and admonishing one another c. Col. 3. And whatsoever ye do in Word or Deed do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ giving thanks to God and the Father by him And above all things put on Charity which is the Bond of Perfectness And the Apostle saith to Timothy Be not thou ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord nor of me his Prisoner but be thou Partaker of the Afflictions of the Gospel according to the Power of God who hath saved us and called us with an holy Calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began 2 Tim. 1.8 9. So here it concerns every one not to be ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord who hath called them by his Grace and not to be ashamed of any of Christ's Prisoners and afflicted Ones for Christ's and his Gospels sake who abolishes Death and brings Life and Immortality to Light through his Gospel You that believe in the Light know it And Peter saith in his General Epistle to the Church of Christ As every man mark every man hath received the Gift so minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God If any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God so not of Men If any man minister let him do it as of the Ability which God gives so not of the Ability of mens Arts and Sciences that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ c. For these Gifts and Grace come from Jesus into the hearts of the Members of his Church whom he is in the midst of And if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God c. And every true Christian hath the presence of Christ who hath all power in Heaven and in Earth given him to support them with his power light and life And Christ saith to his Believers Beware of men for they will deliver you up to the Councils and they will scourge you in the Synagogues and you shall be brought before Governours and Kings for my Names sake for a Testimony against them and the Gentiles But when they deliver you up take no thought how or what ye shall speak for it shall be given you in the same hour what ye shall speak for it is not you that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you And ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake but he that endureth to the end shall be saved The Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord It is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord for if they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub what will they do to his Servant Fear not them which kill the Body but are not able to kill the Soul c. A Sparrow shall not fall to the ground without your heavenly Father c. The hairs of your head are all numbred ye are of more value than many Sparrows Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven But whosoever shall deny me before Men him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven And whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed c. Matth. 10. And again Christ saith Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful Generation of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in the Glory of his Father with his holy Angels Mark 8.38 And Christ saith to his Disciples He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophet's reward And he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a Cup of cold water only in the name of a Disciple verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward Matth. 10.40 41 42. Here ye may see how Christ encourages his Disciples and them that receive them And John saith Among the chief Rulers of the Jews many believed in Christ but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue John 12.42 Too many such Believers are now a-days who dare not Confess Christ lest they should lose the favour of men But Christ encourages the faithful Disciples and told them They would put them out of their Synagogues yea that the time should come that whosoever killed them would think they did God service And these things said he will they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me But these things have I told you that when the time shall come ye may remember that I told you of them John 16.2 3 4. Here ye may see what Christ told his Disciples should come to pass to them And Saul before he was Converted did Compel the Christians to blaspheme and made havock of the Church of Christ Acts 8. and chap. 22. and 26. And did not the Beast in the Revelations Compel both small and great to worship him and his Image And did not all worship it but they who had their Names written in the Lamb's Book of Life before the Foundation of the World And did not Nebuchadnezzar set up an Image sixty Cubits high and six Cubits broad And then did not he cause an Herauld to cry aloud It is commanded that all People and Nations and Languages fall down and worship the golden Image that Nebuchadnezzar hath set up And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of the fiery Furnace And were not Shadrach Meshach and Abednego cast into the Furnace Dan. 3. But God delivered them Therefore it is good to be faithful to God and his Worship in Spirit and Truth And the Jews had agreed that if any man should Confess Christ he should be put out of their Synagogue John 9.22 So it was for Christ's sake they were Excommunicated out of their Synagogues But as it is written Behold I lay in Sion a Stumbling-stone and a Rock of Offence and who so believes on him shall not be ashamed So Christ is a Stumbling-stone and a Rock of Offence to all the Unbelievers in the Light which is the Life in Christ whether they be Jews Christians or Gentiles The Jews did believe a Christ was To come from the Scriptures And the Christians believe He is come by the Scriptures but do not believe in the Light which is the Life in Christ as Christ commands and so do not become the
him ye are happy and his Blessings will rest upon you God Almighty keep and preserve you all his true Believers in Christ your Rest and Peace this day Amen London the 18th of the 12th Month 1684 5. G. F. About a Month after this I got a little out of London visiting Friends first at South-street then at Ford-Green and Enfield where I had Meetings South-street Ford-green Enfield Waltham-Abbey Enfield Edmunton side and afterwards I went to Waltham-Abbey and was at the Meeting there on a First-day which was very large and peaceable Then returning through Friends at Enfield and about Edmunton-side I came back to London in the Third Month to Advise with and Assist Friends in laying Friends Sufferings before the Parliament then sitting and we drew up a short Account of our Sufferings which we caused to be printed and spread amongst the Parliament-men London Yearly-Meeting The Yearly-Meeting now coming on I was much concerned for the Friends that came up to it out of the Countries lest they should meet with any Trouble or Disturbance in their Passages up or down and the rather for that about this time there began to be great bustles in the Nation upon the Duke of Monmouth's landing in the West But the Lord according to his wonted goodness was graciously pleased to preserve and keep Friends in safety and gave us a blessed Opportunity to Meet together in peace and quietness and accompanied our Meeting with his living refreshing Presence blessed for ever be his holy Name Now considering the Hurries and Bustles that were in the Nation it came upon me at the Close of this Meeting to write a few Lines to Friends to Caution all to keep out of the Spirit of the World in which the Trouble is and to dwell in the peaceable Truth Wherefore I writ as followeth Dear Friends and Brethren WHom the Lord hath called and chosen in Christ Jesus your Life and Salvation in whom ye have all rest and peace with God The Lord God by his mighty Power which is over all hath preserved you and supported you to this day to be a peculiar holy People to himself so that by his Eternal Spirit and Power ye might be all preserved and kept out of the World for in the World is the Trouble And now in this great Day of the Lord God Almighty he is shaking the Heavens and the Earth of outward Professions and their Elements are in a heat and their Sun and their Moon are darkened and the Stars falling and the Mountains and Hills shaking and tottering as it was among the Jews in the Day of Christ's appearing And therefore all Dear Friends and Brethren dwell in the Seed Christ Jesus who is the Rock and Foundation 1685. London that cannot be shaken that ye may see with the Light and Spirit of Christ that ye are the fixed Stars in the â—irmament of God's Power and in this his Power and Light you 'l see over all the wandring Stars and Clouds without water and Trees without fruit And that which may be shaken will be shaken as will all they that are wandred from the Firmament of God's Power Now Dear Friends and Brethren you that are redeemed from the Death and Fall of Adam by Christ the second Adam in him ye have Life Rest and Peace for Christ saith In me ye shall have Peace but in the World Trouble And the Apostle saith They that believe are entred into their Rest namely Christ who hath overcome the World who bruiseth the Serpent's Head and destroys the Devil and his Works and fulfils the Types Figures and Shadows of the Old Testament and the Prophets In whom the Promises are Yea and Amen who is the First and Last Beginning and Ending Yea and Amen who is the eternal Rest So keep and walk in Christ your Rest every one that have received him your Eternal Rest And now Dear Friends and Brethren whatever Bustlings and Trouble or Tumults or Outrages Quarrels and Strife should arise and be in the World keep out of them all and concern not your selves with them but keep in the Lord's Power and peaceable Truth that is over all such things in which Power ye seek the peace and good of all men And live in the Love which God hath shed abroad in your hearts through Christ Jesus in which Love nothing is able to separate you from God and Christ neither outward Sufferings Persecutions nor any outward thing that is below and without nor to hinder or break your heavenly Fellowship in the Light and Gospel and Spirit of Christ nor your holy Communion in the Holy Ghost that proceeds from the Father and the Son which leads you into all Truth And in this Holy Ghost in which is your holy Communion that proceeds from the Father and the Son you have fellowship with the Father and the Son and communion and fellowship one with another And this is it which links and joins Christ's Church or Body together to him the heavenly and spiritual Head and in Unity in his Spirit which is the Bond of Peace of all his Church and living Members in whom they have Eternal and Everlasting Rest and Peace in Christ and with God everlasting who is to be blessed and praised for ever Amen Now Dear Friends forsake not the Assembling of your selves together who are gathered in the Name of Jesus who is your Prophet that God has raised up in the New Testament to be heard in all things who opens to you and no man can shut and shuts and no man can open Who is your Priest made higher than the Heavens by the Power of an endless Life by him you are made a Royal Priesthood to offer up to God spiritual Sacrifice Who is the Bishop of your Souls to oversee you that ye do not go astray from God Who is the good Shepherd that hath laid down his Life for his Sheep and they hear his voice and follow him and he gives to them eternal Life And now Dear Friends and Brethren abide in Christ the Vine that ye may bring forth fruit to the glory of God And as every one hath received Christ walk in him who is not of the World that lies in wickedness so that ye may be preserved out of the Vain Fashions and Customs of the World which satisfie the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and the Pride of Life which are not of the Father but are of the World that passes away And who joins to that which is not of the Father or encourages it draws the mind from God the Fathâ—r and the Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore Let Christ rule in your hearts that your Minds Souls and Spirits may be kept and preserved out of the Vanities of the World both in their words ways and actions so that ye may be a peculiar People zealous of good works serving the Lord God through Jesus Christ in whom is life and may be a peculiar People to
A JOURNAL OR Historical Account OF THE Life Travels Sufferings Christian Experiences and Labour of Love in the Work of the Ministry OF THAT Ancient Eminent and Faithful Servant of JESUS CHRIST George Fox Who departed this Life in great Peace with the LORD the 13th of the 11th Month 1690. The First Volume Dan. 12.3 And they that turn many to Righteousness shall shine as the Stars for ever and ever Verse 4. Many shall run to and fro and Knowledge shall be Encreased 2 Tim. 2.12 If we suffer we shall also reign with him i. e. with Christ LONDON Printed for Thomas Northcott in George-Yard in Lombard-Street MDCXCIV THE TESTIMONY OF Margaret Fox Concerning her Late Husband GEORGE FOX TOGETHER With a brief Account of some of his Travels Sufferings and Hardships endured for the Truth 's sake IT having pleased Almighty God to take away my Dear Husband out of this Evil Troublesome World who was not a Man thereof being Chosen out of it and had his Life and Being in another Region and his Testimony was against the World that the Deeds thereof were evil and therefore the World hated him So I am now to give in my Account and Testimony for my Dear Husband whom the Lord hath taken unto his blessed Kingdom and Glory And it is before me from the Lord and in my View to give a Relation and leave upon Record the Dealings of the Lord with us from the Beginning He was the Instrument in the Hand of the Lord in this present Age which he made use of to send forth into the World to preach the Everlasting Gospel which had been hid from many Ages and Generations the Lord Revealed it unto him and made him open that New and Living Way that Leads to Life Eternal when he was but a Youth and a Stripling And when he Declared it in his own Country of Leicestershire and in Darbyshire Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire and his Declaration being against the Hireling-Priests and their Practices it raised a Great Fury and Opposition amongst the Priests and People against him yet there was always some that owned him in several places but very few that stood firm to him when Persecution came on him There was he and one other put in Prison at Darby His first Imprisonment but the other declined and left him in Prison there where he continued almost a whole Year and then he was Released out of Prison And went on with his Testimony abroad Second Imprisonment and was put in Prison again at Nottingham and there he continued a while and after was Released again And then he Travelled on into Yorkshire and passed up and down that Great County and several received him as William Dewsbury Richard Farnsworth Thomas Aldam and others who all came to be faithful Ministers of the Spirit for the Lord. And he continued in that Country and Travelled thorow Holderness and the Wowlds and abundance were Convinced and several were brought to Prison at York for their Testimony to the Truth both Men and Women So that we heard of such a People that were Risen and we did very much inquire after them And after a while he Travelled up farther towards the Dales in Yorkshire as Wensdale and Sedbur and amongst the Hills Dales and Mountains he came on and Convinced many of the Eternal Truth And in the Year 1652. it pleased the Lord to draw him towards us so he came on from Sedbur and so to Westmorland as Firbank-Chappel where John Blaykling came with him and so on to Preston and to Grarig and Kendal and Vnder-barrow and Poobank and Cartmel and Staveley and so on to Swarthmore my Dwelling-House whither he brought the blessed Tideings of the Everlasting Gospel which I and many Hundreds in these parts have cause to praise the Lord for My then Husband Thomas Fell was not at home at that time but gone the Welch Circuit being one of the Judges of Assize And our House being a Place open to entertain Ministers and Religious People at one of George Fox his Friends brought him hither where he stayed all Night And the next day being a Lecture or a Fast-day he went to Ulverston-Steeple-house but came not in till People were gathered I and my Children had been a long time there before And when they were singing before the Sermon he came in and when they had done singing he stood up upon a Seat or Form and desired That he might have liberty to speak And he that was in the Pulpit said he might And the first words that he spoke were as followeth He is not a Jew that is one outward neither is that Circumcision which is outward But he is a Jew that is one inward and that is Circumcision which is of the heart And so he went on and said How that Christ was the Light of the World and ligheth every Man that cometh into the World and that by this Light they might be gathered to God c. And I stood up in my Pew and I wondered at his Doctrine for I had never heard such before And then he went on and opened the Scriptures and said The Scriptures were the Prophets words and Christ 's and the Apostle 's words and what as they spoke they enjoyed and possessed and had it from the Lord And said Then what had any to do with the Scriptures but as they came to the Spirit that gave them forth You will say Christ saith this and the Apostles say this but what canst thou say Art thou a Child of Light and hast walked in the Light and what thou speakest is it inwardly from God c. This opened me so that it cut me to the Heart and then I saw clearly we were all wrong So I sat me down in my Pew again and cried bitterly And I cried in my Spirit to the Lord We are all Thieves we are all Thieves we have taken the Scriptures in Words and know nothing of them in our selves So that served me that I cannot well tell what he spake afterwards but he went on in declaring against the false Prophets and Priests and Deceivers of the People And there was one John Sawrey a Justice of Peace and a Professor that bid the Churchwarden Take him away And he laid his hands on him several times and took them off again and let him alone and then after a while he gave over and came to our House again that night And he spoke in the Family amongst the Servants and they were all generally Convinced as William Caton Thomas Salthouse Mary Askew Anne Clayton and several other Servants And I was stricken into such a sadness I knew not what to do my Husband being from home I saw it was the Truth and I could not deny it and I did as the Apostle saith I Received the Truth in the Love of it And it was opened to me so clear that I had never a Tittle in my Heart against it but I desired the Lord that
Day of this instant 11th Month 1690 After which he said I am glad I was here now I am clear I am fully clear Then he was the same Day taken with some Illness or Indisposition of Body more than usual and continued weak in Body for two days after at our Friend Henry Goldney's House in the same Court close by the Meeting-House in much Contentment and Peace and very sensible to the last In which time he mentioned divers Friends and sent for some in particular to whom he exprest his Mind for the spreading Friends Books and Truth in the World and through the Nations thereof as his Spirit in the Lord's Love and Power was universally set and bent for Truth and Righteousness and the making known the Way thereof to the Nations and People afar off signifying also to some Friends That all is well and the Seed of God reigns over all and over Death it self That though he was weak in Body yet that the Power of God is over all and the Seed reigns over all disorderly Spirits which were his wonted sensible Expressions being in the living Faith and Sense thereof which he kept to the End And the Thirteenth Instant between the Ninth and Tenth Hour in the Night he quietly departed this Life in Peace being two days after the Lord enabled him to Publish and Preach the Blessed Truth in the Meeting as aforesaid So that he clearly and evidently ended his days in his faithful Testimony in perfect Love and Unity with his Brethren and Peace and Good-will to all Men being about Sixty and six Years of Age as we understand when he departed this Life And on the Sixteenth of this Instant being the day appointed for his Funeral a very great Concourse of Friends and People assembled at our Meeting-House in White-Hart-Court aforesaid about the Mid-day in order to attend his Body to our Burying-place near Bunhill-Fields to be Interred as Friends last Office of Love and Respect due on that Account The Meeting was held about two Hours with great and heavenly Solemnity manifestly attended with the Lord's Blessed Power and Presence and divers living Testimonies given from a lively Remembrance and Sense of this his Dear Ancient Servant his Blessed Ministry and Testimony of the breaking forth of this Gospel-day his Innocent Life long and great Travels and Labours of Love in the Everlasting Gospel for the turning and gathering many Thousands from Darkness to the Light of Christ Jesus the Foundation of true Faith also of his manifold Sufferings Afflictions and Oppositions which he met withal for his faithful Testimony both from his open Adversaries and false Brethren and his Preservations Dominion and Deliverances out of them all by the Power of God To whom the Glory and Honour was and is ascribed in raising up and preserving this his faithful Witness and Minister to the End of his Days whose blessed Memorial will Everlastingly remain He loved Truth and Righteousness and bore faithful Testimony against Deceit and Falshood and the Mystery of Iniquity and often of late time especially warned Friends against Covetousness Earthly-mindedness against getting into the Earth and into a brittle Spirit and the younger sort against Loosness and Pride of Life c. A few days before he died he had a great Concern upon his Mind concerning some in whom the Lord's Power was working to lead them into a Ministry and Testimony to his Truth who through their too much entangling themselves in the things of this World did make themselves unready to answer the Call and Leadings of the Power of God and hurt the Gift that was bestowed upon them and did not take that regard to their Service and Ministry as they ought And mentioned the Apostle's Exhortation to Timothy To take heed to his Ministry and to shew himself approved c. And exprest his Grief concerning such as preferred their own Business before the Lord's Business and sought the advancing worldly Concerns before the Concerns of Truth And concluded with a tender and fatherly Exhortation to all to whom God had imparted of his Heavenly Treasure that they would improve it faithfully and be diligent in the Lord's Work that the Earth might be sown with the Seed of the Kingdom and God's Harvest might be minded by those whom he had called and enabled to labour therein and that such would commit the Care of their outward Concerns to the Lord who would care for them and give a Blessing to them However this is not mentioned to encourage any to run unsent or without being called of God Many are living Witnesses that the Lord raised him up by his Power to proclaim his mighry Day to the Nations and made him an Effectual Instrument in our Day to turn many from Darkness to Light and from Satan's Power to God and freely to suffer and bear all Reproaches and the manifold Persecutions Buffetings Halings Stonings Imprisonments and Cruelties that were in the Beginning and for some time inflicted on him and others for the Name of Christ Jesus He was in his Testimony as a fixed Star in the Firmament of God's Power where all that be truly wise and that turn many to Righteousness shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and as the Stars for ever and ever He knew and Preached the Mystery of Christ Revealed the Life and Substance and the Power of Godliness above all Shadows and Forms The Lord endued him with a hidden Wisdom and Life He loved Peace and earnestly laboured for universal Love Unity Peace and good Order in the Churches of Christ And wherever he met with the contrary it was his great Grief and Burthen He was greatly for the Encouragement of faithful Labourers in the Lord's Work and it was a great Offence and Grief to him to have their Testimony weakned or Labours slighted through Prejudice in any professing Truth And inasmuch as the Lord suffered him not to be delivered up to the Will of his Enemies and Persecutors who often heretofore breathed out Cruelty against him and designed his Destruction but in his good Pleasure so fairly and quietly took him away in his own time when his Testimony was so blessedly finished and his Work accomplished This is all remarkable and worthy of serious and due Observation as being by a special and Divine Providence and Wisdom of God to whom we ascribe the Glory of all and not unto Man or Creatures Though we must needs allow and own that good Report and due Esteem which faithful Elders Ministers and Servants of God and Christ have by Faith obtained to the Praise of that blessed Power that upheld them in every Age in their day many whereof are even of late taken away from the Evil to come and are at Rest in the Lord out of the Reach of all Envy and Persecution where the Wicked cannot trouble them any more And we must patiently bear our Parting with them and our Loss and Sorrow on that Account with respect to their unspeakable
for and shall be given by the Lord the Righteous Judge to all them that love his Appearance Ages to come and Peoples yet unborn shall call him Blessed and bless the Lord for raising of him up And Blessed shall we also be if we so walk as we had him for an Example for whom this Testimony lives in my Heart He liv'd and died the SERVANT of the LORD T. E. Advertisement FOrasmuch as many other Testimonies from divers Counties and Friends concerning George Fox and his Great Service for the Truth are sent up to London which cannot conveniently be printed with the Journal lest they should swell it too Bigg and many of them being of the same Import Therefore they are reserved for further Consideration to be disposed of as a future Service may be seen in the Wisdom of God for them when Way is made for his Epistles or any of his other Works to be published The Appearance of the Lord 's Everlasting Truth and Breaking forth again in his Eternal Power in this our Day and Age in ENGLAND WHerein the Lord 's mighty Power and Word of Life hath been Richly and Freely preached to the Gathering of many into Reconciliation with God by it to the Exaltation and Glory of the great God through the bringing forth of the Heavenly and Spiritual Fruits from such as have been Gathered by his Eternal Light Power and Spirit unto himself And by the Sowing to the Spirit in the hearts of People Life Eternal hath been Reaped That the Flocks have been Gathered which have the Milk of the Word plenteously That the Riches of the Word have flourished and mightily abounded and God's Heavenly Plow with his Spiritual Men hath gone on chearfully to the Overturning the Fallow Ground of the Hearts that had not borne Heavenly Fruit to God And God's Heavenly Threshers with his Heavenly Flail have with Joy and Delight Thresht out the Chaff and the Corruptions that have been a-Top of God's Seed and Wheat in Man and Woman And thus have they Thresht in Hope and are made Partakers of their Hope through which God's Seed is come into his Garner Oh! the Unutterable Glory and the Unexpressible Excellency of the Everlasting Glorious Truth Gospel and Word of Life that the Infinite Invisible and Wise God who is over all hath Revealed and Manifested And how have the Professors Priests and Powers risen up in Opposition against his Children that are born of the Immortal Seed by the Word of God! And Oh! how great have the Persecutions and Reproaches and Spoiling of Goods been that have been Executed upon them But they that have Touched them and Touches them which are as Dear to God as the Apple of his Eye how hath the Lord Manifested himself to stand by them in Overthrowing Powers Priests and States What Changes have there been since 1644 and 1650 and 1652 How have the Gaols been filled since then in this Nation with the Heirs of Life God's Chosen Ones who had no Helper in the Earth but the Lord and his Christ So that Truth 's Faithful Witnesses were scarcely to be found but in Gaols and Prisons where the Righteous were Numbred among the Transgressors who had neither Staff nor Bag from Man but the Staff the Bread of Life and the Bag that holds the Treasure that waxes not old But the Lord Jesus Christ that sent them forth was their Exceeding great Supporter and Upholder by his Eternal Power and Spirit both then and now G. F. THE PREFACE BEING A SUMMARY ACCOUNT Of the DIVERS Dispensations of God TO MEN FROM The Beginning of the World to That of our present Age by the Ministry and Testimony of his Faithful Servant George Fox as an Introduction to the ensuing Iournal DIVERS have been the Dispensations of God since the Creation of the World unto the Sons of Men But the Great End of all of them has been the Renown of his own Excellent Name in the Creation and Restauration of Man Man the Emblem of himself as a God on Earth and the Glory of all his Works The World began with Innocency All was then good that the good God had made And as he blessed the Works of his hands so their Natures and Harmony magnified him their Creator Then the Morning Stars Sang together for Joy and all parts of his Works said Amen to his Law Not a Jarr in the whole Frame but Man in Paradise the Beasts in the Field the Fowl in the Air the Fish in the Sea the Lights in the Heavens the Fruits of the Earth yea the Air the Earth the Water and Fire Worshipped praised and exalted his Power Wisdom and Goodness O Holy Sabbath O Holy Day to the Lord But this Happy State lasted not long For Man the Crown and Glory of the Whole being tempted to aspire above his place unhappily yielded against Command and Duty as well as Interest and Felicity and so fell below it lost the Divine Image the Wisdom Power and Purity he was made in By which being no longer fit for Paradise he was expelled that Garden of God his proper Dwelling and Residence and was driven out as a poor Vagabond from the presence of the Lord to wander in the Earth the Habitation of Beasts Yet God that made him had pitty on him for He seeing he was deceived and that it was not of Malice or an Original Presumption in him but through the Subtilty of the Serpent that had first fallen from his own State and by the Mediation of the Woman man 's own Nature and Companion whom the Serpent had first deluded in his infinite Goodness and Wisdom found out a way to Repair the Breach Recover the Loss and Restore fallen Man again by a Nobler and more Excellent Adam promised to be born of a Woman that as by means of a Woman the evil one had prevailed upon Man by a Woman also He should come into the World who would prevail against him and bruise his Head and deliver Man from his Power And which in a signal manner by the Dispensation of the Son of God in the Flesh in the fullness of Time was personally and fully accomplished by him and in him as Man's Saviour and Redeemer But his Power was not limitted in the Manifestation of it to that time for both before and since his blessed Manifestation in the Flesh He has been the Light and Life the Rock and Strength of all that ever feared God Present with them in their Temptations followed them in their Travels and Afflictions and supported and carried them through and over the Difficulties that have attended them in their Earthly Pilgrimage By this Abel's heart excelled Cains and Seth obtained the preheminence and Enoch walked with God It was this that strove with the Old World and which they rebelled against and which sanctified and instructed Noah to Salvation But the outward Dispensation that followed the benighted State of Man after his Fall especially among the Patriarcks was generally
in Wisdom and Glory in this Life or from Natural Infirmities or Death as some have with a weak or ill mind imagined and insinuated against them This they called a Redeemed State Regeneration or the New-Birth Teaching every where according to their Foundation that without this Work were known there was no inheriting the Kingdom of God Third To an acknowledgment of Eternal Rewards and Punishment as they have good Reason for else of all People certainly they must be the most Miserable Who for about Forty Years have been exceeding great Sufferers for their Profession and in some Cases treated worse then the worst of Men yea as the Refuge and Off-scowering of all things This was the Purport of their Doctrine and Ministry which for the most part is what other Professors of Christianity pretend to hold in Words and Forms but not in the Power of Godliness that has been long lost by Mens departing from that Principle and Seed of Life that is in Man and which Man has not regarded but lost the Sense of and in and by which he can only be quickned in his Mind to serve the living God in Newness of Life For as the Life of Religion was lost and the generality lived and Worshipped God after their own Wills and not after the Will of God nor the mind of Christ which stood in the Works and Fruits of the Holy Spirit so that which they prest was not Notion but Experience no Formality but Godliness as being sensible in themselves through the Work of God's Righteous Judgments that without Holiness no Man should ever see the Lord with Comfort Besides these Doctrines and out of them as the larger Branches there sprang forth several particular Doctrines that did exemplifie and further explain the Truth and Efficacy of the General Doctrine before observed in their Lives and Examples As I. Communion and loving one another This is a noted Mark in the Mouth of all sorts of People concerning them They will meet They will help and stick one to another Whence it is common to hear some say Look how the Quakers love and take care of one another Others less Moderate will say The Quakers love none but themselves and if loving one another and having an Intimate Communion in Religion and constant care to meet to Worship God and help one another be any Mark of Primitive Christianity they had it Blessed be the Lord in an ample manner II. To love Enemies This they both Taught and Practised For they did not only refuse to be revenged for Injuries done them and condemned it as of an Vnchristian Spirit but they did freely Forgive yea Help and Relieve those that had been Cruel to them when it was in their Power to have been even with them of which many and singular Instances might be given Endeavouring through Patience to overcome all Injustice and Oppression and Preaching this Doctrine as Christian for others to follow III. The Sufficiency of Truth speaking according to Christ's own form of Words of Yea Yea and Nay Nay among Christians without Swearing both from Christ's express Prohibition to Swear at all Mat. 5. And for that they being under the Tye and Bond of Truth in themselves there was both no Necessity for an Oath and it would be a Reproach to their Christian Veracity to Assure their Truth by such an Extraordinary way of Speaking But offering at the same time to be punnisht to the full for false Speaking as others for Perjury if ever guilty of it and hereby they exclude with all True all False and Prophane Swearing for which the Land did and doth Mourn and the great God was and is not a little offended with it IV. Not Fighting but Suffering is another Testimony peculiar to this People They affirm that Christianity teacheth People To beat their Swords into Plough Shears and their Spears into Pruning Hooks and to learn War no more that so the Wolf may lie down with the Lamb and the Lyon with the Calf and nothing that destroys be entertained in the Hearts of People exhorting them to employ their Zeal against Sin and turn their Anger against Satan and no longer War one against another because all Wars and Fightings come of Mens own Hearts Lusts according to the Apostle James and not of the Meek Spirit of Christ Jesus who is Captain of another Warfare and which is carried on with other Weapons Thus as Truth speaking succeeded Swearing so Faith and Truth succeeded Fighting in the Doctrine and Practise of this People Nor ought they for this to be Obnoxious to Civil Government since if they cannot Fight for it neither can they Fight against it which is no mean security to the State Nor is it reasonable that People should be blamed for not doing more for others than they can do for themselves And Christianity set aside if the Costs and Fruits of War were well considered Peace with its Inconveniencies is generally Preferable But though they were not for Fighting they were for submitting to Government and that not only for Fear but for Conscience Sake where Government doth not interfere with Conscience Believing it to be an Ordinance of God and where it is justly administred a great Benefit to Minkind Tho' it has been their Lot through blind Zeal in some and Interest in others to have felt the Strokes of it with greater Weight and Rigour than any other Perswasion in this Age whilst they of all others Religion set aside have given the Civil Magistrate the least occasion of Trouble in the Discharge of his Office V. Another part of the Character of this People is They refuse to pay Tythes or Maintenance to a National Ministry and that for two Reasons The one is that they believe all compelled Maintenance even to Gospel Ministers to be Vnlawful because expresly contrary to Christ's Command who said Freely you have received freely give At least that the Maintenance of Gospel Ministers should be free and not forced The other Reason of their Refusal is Because those Ministers are not Gospel ones in that the Holy Ghost is not their Foundation but Humane Arts and Parts So that it is not matter of Humor or Sullenness but pure Conscience towards God that they cannot help to support National Ministers where they dwell which are but too much and too visibly become ways of Worldly Advantage and Preferment VI. Not to respect Persons was another of their Doctrines and Practices for which they were often Buffeted and Abused They Affirmed it to be sinful to give Flattering Titles or to use Vain Gestures and Complements of Respect tho' to Virtue and Authority they ever made a Difference but after their Plain and Homely Manner yet sincere and substantial way well remembering the Example of Mordecai and Elihu but more especially the Command of their Lord and Master Jesus Christ who forbad his Followers to call Men Rabby which implies Lord and Master also the fashionable Greetings and Salutations of those
which the word begets them again to God which is the Regeneration and New Birth without which there is no coming unto the Kingdom of God and which whoever comes to is greater than John that is than John's Dispensation which was not that of the Kingdom but the Consummation of the Legal and Forerunning of the Gospel Times Accordingly several Meetings were gathered in those Parts and thus his Time was employed for some Years In 1652. He being in his usual Retirement to the Lord upon a very High Mountain in some of the hither parts of Yorkshire as I take it his Mind exercised towards the Lord he had a Vision of the great Work of God in the Earth and of the way that he was to go forth to begin it He saw People as thick as Motes in the Sun that should in time be brought Home to the Lord that there might be but one Shepherd and one Sheepfold in all the Earth There his Eye was directed Northward beholding a great People that should receive him and his Message in those Parts Upon this Mountain he was moved of the Lord to sound out his Great and notable Day as if he had been in a great Auditory and from thence went North as the Lord had shown him and in every place where he came if not before he came to it he had his particular Exercise and Service shown to him so that the Lord was his Leader indeed for it was not in vain that he Travailled God in most places sealing his Commission with the Convincement of some of all sorts as well Publicans as sober Professors of Religion Some of the first and most Eminent of them which are at Rest were Richard Farnsworth James Nayler William Dewsberry Francis Howgil Edward Burroughs John Camm John Audland Richard Hubberthorn T. Taylor John Aldam T. Holmes Alexander Parker William Simpson William Caton John Stubbs Robert Widders John Burnyeat Robert Lodge Thomas Salthouse and many more Worthies that cannot be well here Named together with divers yet living of the first and great Convincement who after the knowledge of God's purging Judgments in themselves and some time of waiting in silence upon him to feel and receive Power from on High to speak in his Name which none else rightly can though they may use the same Words They felt the Divine Motions and were frequently drawn forth especially to visit the Publick Assemblies to reprove inform and exhort them sometimes in Markets Fairs Streets and by the High-way-side calling People to Repentance and to turn to the Lord with their Hearts as well as their Mouths directing them to the Light of Christ within them to see and examine and consider their ways by and to eschew the Evil and do the Good and Acceptable Will of God And they suffered great Hardships for this their Love and Good-will being often Stockt Stoned Beaten Whipt and Imprisoned though Honest Men and of Good Report where they lived that had left Wives and Children and Houses and Lands to visit them with a living Call to Repentance And though the Priests generally set themselves to oppose them and write against them and insinuated most False and Scandalous Stories to Defame them stirring up the Magistrates to suppress them especially in those Northern Parts yet God was pleased so to fill them with his living Power and give them such an open Door of utterance in his Service that there was a mighty Convincement over those Parts And through the tender and singular Indulgence of Judge Bradshaw and Judge Fell who were wont to go that Circuit in the Infancy of things the Priests were never able to gain the point they laboured for which was to have proceeded to Blood and if possible Herod like by a Cruel exercise of the Civil Power to have cut them off and rooted them out of the Country Especially Judge Fell who was not only a Check to their Rage in the Course of Legal Proceedings but otherwise upon occasion and finally countenanced this People for his Wife receiving the Truth with the First it had that Influence upon his Spirit being a Just and Wise Man and seeing in his own Wife and Family a full Confutation to all the popular Clamours against the Way of Truth that he covered them what he could and freely opened his Doors and gave up his House to his Wife and her Friends not valuing the Reproach of Ignorant or Evil Minded People which I here mention to His and her Honour and which will be I believe an Honour and a Blessing to such of their Name and Family as shall be found in that Tenderness Humility Love and Zeal for the Truth and People of the Lord. That House was for some Years at first till the Truth had opened its way in the Southern parts of this Island an Eminent Receptacle of this People Others of good Note and Substance in those Northern Countrys had also opened their Houses with their Hearts to the many Publishers that in a short time the Lord had raised to declare his Salvation to the People and where Meetings of the Lord's Messengers were frequently held to communicate their Services and Exercises and Comfort and Edify one another in their Blessed Ministry But least this may be thought a Digression having touched upon this before I return to this Excellent Man And for his Personal Qualities both Natural Moral and Divine as they appeared in his Converse with Brethren and in the Church of God take as follows I. He was a Man that God endued with a Clear and Wonderful Depth a discerner of others Spirits and very much a Master of his own And though the side of his Vnderstanding which lay next to the World and especially the Expression of it might sound Vncouth and Vnfashionable to Nice Ears his matter was nevertheless very profound and would not only bear to be often considered but the more it was so the more Weighty and Instructing it appeared And as abruptly and brokenly as sometimes his Sentences would fall from him about Divine Things it is well known they were often as Texts to many fairer Declarations And indeed it showed beyond all Contradiction that God sent him that no Arts or Parts had any share in his matter or manner of his Ministry and that so many Great Excellent and Necessary Truths as he came forth to Preach to Mankind had therefore nothing of Man's Wit or Wisdom to recommend them So that as to Man he was an Original being no Man's Copy And his Ministry and Writings show they are from one that was not Taught of Man nor had Learned what he said by Study Nor were they Notional or Speculative but sensible and Practical Truths tending to Conversion and Regeneration and the setting up the Kingdom of God in the Hearts of Men and the way of it was his Work So that I have many times been overcome in my self and been made to say with my Lord and Master upon the like Occasion I thank
thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent of this World and revealed them to Babes For many times hath my Soul bowed in an Humble Thankfulness to the Lord that he did not choose any of the Wise and Learned of this World to be the first Messenger in our Age of his blessed Truth to Men but that he took one that was not of High Degree or Elegant Speech or learned after the way of this World that his Message and Work he sent him to do might come with less Suspicion or Jealousie of Humane Wisdom and Interest and with more Force and Clearness upon the Consciences of those that sincerely Sought the way of Truth in the Love of it I say beholding with the Eye of my mind which the God of Heaven had opened in me the Marks of God's Finger and Hand visibly in this Testimony from the Clearness of the Principle the Power and Efficacy of it in the Exemplary Sobriety Plainness Zeal Steadiness Humility Gravity Punctuality Charity and Circumspect care in the Government of Church Affairs which shined in his and their Life and Testimony that God employed in this Work it greatly confirmed me that it was of God and engaged my Soul in a Deep Love Fear Reverence and Thankfulness for his Love and Mercy therein to Mankind in which Mind I remain and shall I hope to the end of my Daies II. In his Testimony or Ministry he much laboured to open Truth to the Peoples Vnderstandings and to bottom them upon the Principle and Principal Christ Jesus the Light of the World that by bringing them to something that was of God in themselves they might the better know and judge of him and themselves He had an Extraordinary Gift in opening the Scriptures He would go to the Marrow of things and show the Mind Harmony and Fullfilling of them with much Plainness and to great Comfort and Edification The Mistery of the first and second Adam of the Fall and Restoration of the Law and Gospel of Shadows and Substance of the Servant and Sons State and the fullfiling of the Scriptures in Christ and by Christ the True Light in all that are his through the Obedience of Faith were much of the Substance and Drift of his Testimonies In all which he was witnessed to be of God being sensibly felt to speak that which he had received of Christ and was his own Experience in that which never Ers nor Fails But above all he excelled in Prayer The Inwardness and Weight of his Spirit the Reverence and Solemnity of his Address and Behaviour and the Fewness and Fulness of his Words have often struck even Strangers with Admiration as they used to reach others with Consolation The most Awfull Living Reverent Frame I ever Felt or Beheld I must say was his in Prayer And truly it was a Testimony he knew and lived neerer to the Lord than other Men for they that know him most will see most reason to approach him with Reverence and Fear He was of an Innocent Life no Busie Body nor Self Seeker neither Touchy nor Critical What fell from him was very Inoffensive if not very Edifying So Meek Contented Modest Easie Steady Tender it was a pleasure to be in his Company He exercised no Authority but over Evil and that every where and in all but with Love Compassion and Long Suffering A most Merciful Man as ready to Forgive as unapt to take or give an Offence Thousands can truly say he was of an Excellent Spirit and Savour among them and because thereof the most Excellent Spirits loved him with an unfained and unfading Love He was an Incessant Labourer for in his Younger time before his many great and deep Sufferings and Travels had enfeebled his Body for Itinerant Services he laboured much in the Word and Doctrine and Discipline in England Scotland and Ireland turning many to God and confirming those that were convinced of the Truth and setling Good Order as to Church Affairs among them And towards the Conclusion of his Travelling Services between the Years Seventy One and Seventy Seven he Visited the Churches of Christ in the Plantations in America and in the Vnited Provinces and Germany as his following Journal Relates to the Convincement and Consolation of many After that time he chiefly resided in and about the City of London and besides the Services of his Ministry which were Frequent and Serviceable he writ much both to them that are within and those that are without the Communion But the care he took of the Affairs of the Church in General was very great He was often where the Records of the Affairs of the Church are kept and the Letters from the many Meetings of God's People over all the World where settled come upon Occasions which Letters he had read to him and Communicated them to the Meeting that is Weekly held there for such Services he would be sure to stir them up to discharge them especially in Suffering Cases Showing great Sympathy and Compassion upon all such Occasions carefully looking into the Respective Cases and endeavouring Speedy Relief according to the Nature of them So that the Churches and any of the Suffering Members thereof were sure not to be forgotten or delayed in their Desires if he were there As he was Vnwearied so he was Vndaunted in his Services for God and his People he was no more to be moved to Fear than to Wrath. His Behaviour at Darby Litchfield Appleby before Oliver Cromwell at Launston Scarborough Worcester and Westminster-Hall with many other Places and Exercises did abundantly evidence it to his Enemies as well as his Friends But as in the Primitive Times some rise up against the blessed Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ even from among those that they had turned to the Hope of the Gospel and who became their greatest Trouble so this Man of God had his share of Suffering from some that were convinced by him who through prejudice or mistake run against him as one that sought Dominion over Conscience because he prest by his Presence or Epistles a ready and zealous compliance with such good and wholesome things as tended to an Orderly Conversation about the Affairs of the Church and in their walking before Men. That which contributed much to this ill Work was in some a begrudging of this Meek Man the love and esteem he had and deserved in the Hearts of the People and weakness in others that were taken with their groundless Suggestions of Imposition and blind Obedience They would have had every Man Independent that as he had the Principle in himself he should only stand and fall to that and no Body else not considering that the Principle is One in all and though the Measure of Light or Grace might differ yet the Nature of it was the same and being so they struck at the Spiritual Vnity which a People guided by the same Principle are
to go to Meetings and Exercise an ordinary Charity in the Church and an honest Behaviour in the World and limit your selves within those Bounds feeling little or no concern upon your Spirits for the Glory of the Lord in the prospirity of his Truth in the Earth more than to be glad that others succeed in such Service Arise ye in the Name and Power of the Lord Jesus Behold how white the Fields are unto Harvest in this and other Nations and how few Able and Faithful Labourers there are to work therein Your Country Folks Neighbours and Kindred want to know the Lord and his Truth and to Walk in it Does nothing lie at your Door upon their Account Search and see and loose no time I beseech you for the Lord is at Hand I do not Judge you there is one that Judgeth all Men and his Judgment is true You have mightily increased in your outward Substance may you equally increase in your inward Riches and do good with both while you have a day to do Good Your Enemies would once have taken what you had from you for his Names Sake in whom you have believed wherefore he has given you much of the World in the Face of your Enemies But Oh let it be your Servant and not your Master your Diversion rather than your Business Let the Lord be chiefly in your Eye and ponder your Ways and see if God has nothing more for you to do and if you find your selves short in your Account with him then wait for his Preparation and be ready to receive the word of Command and be not weary of well doing when you have put your Hand to the Plow and assuredly you shall Reap if you faint not the Fruit of your Heavenly Labour in God's Everlasting Kingdom And you Young Convinced Ones be you Entreated and Exhorted to a Diligent and Chast waiting upon God in the way of his Blessed Manifestation and appearance of himself to you Look not out but within Let not anothers Liberty be your Snare Neither Act by Imitation but Sense and Feeling of God's Power in your selves Crush not the tender Buddings of it in your Souls nor over run in your desires and your warmness of Affections the Holy and Gentle Motions of It. Remember it is a still Voice that Speaks to us in this Day and that it is not to be heard in the Noises and Hurries of the Mind but is distinctly understood in a retired Frame Jesus loved and chose out Solitudes often going to Mountains to Gardens and Sea-sides to avoid Crowds and Hurries to shew his Disciples it was good to be Solitary and sit loose to the World Two Enemies lie near your States Imagination and Liberty but the plain practical Living Holy Truth that has convinced you will preserve you if you mind it in your selves and bring all Thoughts Imaginations and Affections to the Test of it to see if they are wrought in God or of the Enemy or your own selves So will a true Tast Discerning and Judgment be preserved to you of what you should do and leave undone And in your diligence and Faithfulness in this way you will come to inherit Substance and Christ the Eternal Wisdom will fill your Treasury And when you are Converted as well as Convinced then confirm your Brethren and be ready to every good Word and Work that the Lord shall call you to that you may be to his Praise who has chosen you to be partakers with the Saints in Light of a Kingdom that cannot be shaken an Inheritance incorruptible in Eternal Habitations And now as for you that are the Children of God's People a Great Concern is upon my Spirit for your good and often are my Knees Bowed to the God of your Fathers for you that you may come to be partakers of the same Divine Life and Power that has been the Glory of this Day that a Generation you may be to God an Holy Nation and a Peculiar People Zealous of Good Works when all our Heads are laid in the Dust Oh you Young Men and Women let it not suffice you that you are the Children of the People of the Lord you must also be born again if you will inherit the Kingdom of God Your Fathers are but such after the Flesh and could but beget you into the likeness of the first Adam but you must be begotten into the likeness of the second Adam by a Spiritual Generation And therefore look carefully about you Oh ye Children of the Children of God Consider your Standing and see what you are in Relation to this Divine Kindred Family and Birth Have you obeyed the Light and received and walked in the Spirit that is the incorruptible Seed of the Word and Kingdom of God of which you must be born again God is no respecter of Persons The Father cannot save or answer for the Child the Child for the Father but in the Sin thou Sinnest thou shalt die and in the Righteousness thou doest through Christ Jesus thou shalt live for it is the Willing and Obedient that shall eat the Good of the Land Be not deceived God is not mocked such as all Nations and People Sow such they shall reap at the hand of the just God And then your many and great Priviledges above the Children of other People will add weight in the scale against you if you choose not the way of the Lord. For you have had Line upon Line and Precept upon Precept and not only good Doctrine but good Example and which is more you have been turned to and acquainted with a Principle in your selves which others have been ignorant of and you know you may be as Good as you please without the Fear of Frowns and Blows or being turned out of doors and forsaken of Father and Mother for God's Sake and his Holy Religion as has been the Case of some of your Fathers in the day they first entred into this Holy Path And if you after hearing and seeing the Wonders that God has wrought in the deliverance and perservation of them through a Sea of Troubles and the manifold Temporal as well as spiritual Blessings that he has filled them with in the sight of their Enemies you should neglect and turn your backs upon so great and so near a Salvation you would not only be most ungreatful Children to God and them but must expect that God will call the Children of those that knew him not to take the Crown out of your Hands and that your lot will be a dreadful Judgment at the hand of the Lord. But Oh that it may never be so with any of you The Lord forbid saith my Soul Wherefore Oh ye Young Men and Women look to the Rock of your Fathers chuse the God of your Fathers There is no other God but him no other Light but his no other Grace but his nor Spirit but his to Convince you Quicken and Comfort you to Lead Guide and
Notion as that you are in Christ whilst in your old fallen Nature For what Communion hath Light with Darkness or Christ with Belial Hear what the beloved Disciple tells you If we say we have fellowship with God and walk in Darkness we lie and do not the Truth That is if we go on in a sinful way are Captivated by our Carnal Affections and are not Converted to God we walk in Darkness and cannot possibly have any fellowship with God Christ Cloths them with his Righteousness that receive his Grace in their Hearts and deny themselves and take up his Cross daily and follow him Christ's Righteousness makes Men inwardly Holy of Holy Minds Wills and Practices It is nevertheless Christs because we have it for it is ours not by Nature but by Faith and Adoption It is the Gift of God But still tho' not ours as of or from our selves for in that Sense it is Christ's for it is of and from him yet it is ours and must be ours in Possession Efficacy and Enjoyment to do us any Good or Christ's Righteousness will profit us nothing It was after this manner That he was made to the primitive Christians Righteousness Sanctification Justification and Redemption and if ever you will have the Comfort Kernel and Marrow of the Christian Religion thus you must come to learn and obtain it Now my Friends by what you have Read and will Read in what Follows you may perceive that God has visited a Poor People among you with this saving Knowledge and Testimony whom he has upheld and encreased to this Day notwithstanding the fierce opposition they have met withal Despise not the meanness of this Appearance It was and yet is we know a day of small things and of small Account with too many and many hard and ill Names are given to it but it is of God it came from him because it leads to him This we know but we cannot make another know it as we know it unless he will take the same way to know it that we took The World talks of God but what do they do They pray for Power but reject the Principle in which it is If you would know God and Worship and serve God as you should do you must come to the means he has ordained and given for that purpose Some seek it in Books some in Learned Men but what they look for is in themselves but they overlook it The Voice is too still the Seed too small and the Light shineth in Darkness They are abroad and so cannot divide the Spoil but the Woman that lost her Silver found it at Home after she had light her Candle and swept her House Do you so too and you shall find what Pilate wanted to know viz. Truth The light of Christ within who is the Light of the World and so a Light to you that tells you the Truth of your Condition leads all that take heed unto it out of Darkness into God's marvellous Light for Light grows upon the Obedient It is sown for the Righteous and their way is a shining Light that shines forth more and more to the perfect day Wherefore O Friends Turn in Turn in I beseech you Where is the Poison there is the Antidote There you want Christ and there you must find him and blessed be God there you may find him Seek and you shall find I testifie for God But then you must seek aright with your whole Heart as Men that seek for their Lives yea for their Eternal Lives Diligently Humbly Patiently as those that can taste no Pleasure Comfort or Satisfaction in any thing else unless you find him whom your Souls want and desire to know and love above all O it is a Travail a Spiritual Travail Let the Carnal Profane World think and say as it will And through this Path you must walk to the City of God that has Eternal Foundations if ever you will come there Well! And what does this blessed Light do for you Why 1. it sets all your sins in order before you It detects the Spirit of this World in all its Bates and Allurements and shews how Man came to fall from God and the fallen Estate he is in 2. It begets a Sense and Sorrow in such as believe in it for this fearful Laps You will then see him Distinctly whom you have Pierced him and all the Blows and Wounds you have given him by your Disobedience and how you have made him to serve with your Sins and you will Weep and Mourn for it and your Sorrow will be a Godly Sorrow 3. After this it will bring you to the Holy Watch to take Care that you do so no more that the Enemy surprise you not again Then Thoughts as well as Words and Works will come to Judgment which is the way of Holiness in which the Redeemed of the Lord do Walk Here you will come to love God above all and your Neighbours as your selves Nothing Hurts Noâ—hing Harms Nothing makes Afraid on this Holy Mountain Now you come to be Christ's indeed for you are his in Nature and Spirit and not your own And when you are thus Christ's then Christ is yours and not before And here Communion with the Father and with the Son you will know and the Efficacy of the Blood of Cleansing even the Blood of Jesus Christ that Immaculate Lamb which speaketh better things than the Blood of Abel and which cleanseth from all Sin the Consciences of those that through the living Faith come to be sprinkled with it from dead Works to serve the living God To Conclude Behold the Testimony and Doctrine of the People called Quakers Behold their Practice and Discipline And behold the blessed Man and Men that were sent of God in this Excellent Work and Service All which will be more particularly expressed in the Ensuing Annals of the Man of God which I do heartily recommend to my Readers most serious Perusal and beseech Almighty God that his Blessing may go along with it to the Convincing of many as yet Strangers to this Holy Dispensation and also to the Edification of the Church of God in General Who for his manifold and repeated Mercies and Blessings to his People in this day of his great Love is worthy ever to have the Glory Honour Thanksgiving and Renown and be it rendred and ascribed with Fear and Reverence through him in whom he is well pleased his bloved Son and Lamb our Light and Life that fits with him upon the Throne World without End Amen Says One that God has long since Mercifully favoured with his Fatherly Visitation and who was not Disobedient to the Heavenly Vision and Call to whom the Way of Truth is more Lovely and Precious than ever and that knowing the Beauty and Benefit of it above all Worldly Treasure has chosen it for his Chiefest Joy and therefore recommends it to thy Love and Choice because he is with great Sincerity and Affection thy
Souls Friend William Penn. London Printed and Sold by T. Sowle at the Crooked Billet in Holly-well-lane Shoreditch and near the Meeting-House in White-hart-court in Grace-church-street 1694. A JOURNAL OR Historical Account OF THE Life Travels Sufferings And CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCES c. OF GEORGE FOX THAT all may know the Dealings of the Lord with me and the various Exercises Trials and Troubles through which he led me in order to prepare and fit me for the Work unto which he had appointed me and may thereby be drawn to admire and glorify his Infinite Wisdom and Goodness I think fit before I proceed to set forth my Publick Travels in the Service of Truth briefly to mention how it was with me in my Youth and how the Work of the Lord was begun and gradually carried on in me even from my Childhood I was born in the Month called July in the Year 1624. Drayton in Leicestershire the Place of G. F's Birth at Drayton in the Clay in Leicestershire My Father's Name was Christopher Fox He was by Profession a Weaver an honest Man and there the was a Seed of God in him The Neighbours called him Righteous Christer My Mother was an upright Woman her Maiden-name was Mary Lago of the Family of the Lago's and of the Stock of the Martyrs In my very Young Years I had a Gravity and stayedness of Mind and Spirit not usual in Children insomuch that when I have seen Old Men carry themselves lightly and wantonly towards each other I have had a Dislike thereof risen in my Heart and have said within my self If ever I come to be a Man surely I should not do so nor be so wanton When I came to Eleven Years of Age I knew Pureness and Righteousness For while I was a Child I was taught how to walk to be kept pure The Lord taught me to be faithful in all Things and to act faithfully two ways viz. Inwardly to God and Outwardly to Man and to keep to Yea and Nay in all Things For the Lord shewed me that though the People of the World have Mouths full of Deceit and changeable Words yet I was to keep to Yea and Nay in all Things and that my Words should be few and savory seasoned with Grace And that I might not Eat and Drink to make my self Wanton but for Health using the Creatures in their Service as Servants in their Places to the Glory of him that harh created them they being in their Covenant and I being brought up into the Covenant as sanctified by the Word which was in the Beginning by which all things are upheld wherein is Vnity with the Creation But People being Strangers to the Covenant of Life with God they Eat and Drink to make themselves wanton with the Creatures devouring them upon their own Lusts and living in all Filthiness loving foul ways and devouring the Creation and all this in the World in the Pollutions thereof without God And therefore I was to shun all such Afterwards as I grew up my Relations thought to have made me a Priest but others perswaded to the Contrary Whereupon I was put to a Man that was a Shoo-maker by Trade and that dealt in Wooll and used Grazing and sold Cattel and a great deal went through my Hands While I was with him he was blest But after I left him he broke and came to nothing I never wronged Man or Woman in all that Time For the Lord's Power was with me and over me to preserve me While I was in that Service I used in my Dealings the Word Verily and it was a common Saying among People that knew me If George says verily there is no altering him When Boys and rude People would laugh at me I let them alone and went my Way But People had generally a Love to me for my Innocency and Honesty When I came towards Nineteen Years of Age I being upon Business at a Fair one of my Cousins whose Name was Bradford being a Professor and having another Professor with him came to me and asked me to drink part of a Jug of Beer with them and I being Thirsty went in with them For I loved any that had a Sense of Good or that did seek after the Lord. And when we had drunk a Glass a piece they began to drink Healths and called for more Drink agreeing together That he that would not drink should pay all I was grieved that any that made Profession of Religion should offer to do so They grieved me very much having never had such a thing put to me before by any sort of People Wherefore I rose up to be gone and putting my Hand into my Pocket I took out a Groat and laid it down upon the Table before them and said If it be so I 'll leave you So I went away And when I had done what Business I had to do I returned home But did not go to Bed that Night nor could not Sleep but sometimes walked up and down and sometimes prayed and cryed to the Lord who said unto me Thou seest ☜ how Young People go together into Vanity and Old People into the Earth and thou must forsake all both Young and Old and keep out of all and be as a Stranger unto all Then at the Command of God on the Ninth Day of the Seventh Month 1643. I left my Relations Lutterworth Northampton Newport-pagnel in Bucks Barnet and brake off all Familiarity or Fellowship with Young or Old And I passed to Lutterworth where I stay'd some Time And from thence I went to Northampton where also I made some stay Then passed from thence to Newport-Pagnel in Buckinghamshire where after I had stay'd a while I went unto Barnet and came thither in the Fourth Month called June in the Year 1644. And as I thus travelled through the Countries Professors took notice of me and sought to be acquainted with me but I was afraid of them For I was sensible they did not Possess what they Profess'd Now during the time that I was at Barnet a strong Temptation to Despair came upon me and then I saw how Christ was Tempted and mighty Troubles I was in And sometimes I kept my self retired in my Chamber and often walked solitary in the Chace there to Wait upon the Lord. And I wondered why these Things should come to me and I looked upon my self and said Was I ever so before Then I thought because I had forsaken my Relations I had done amiss against them So I was brought to call to Mind all my Time that I had spent and to consider whether I had wrong'd any But Temptations grew more and more and I was tempted almost to Despair And when Satan could not effect his Design upon me that way then he laid Snares for me and Baits to draw me to commit some Sin whereby he might take advantage to bring me to Despair I was about Twenty Years of Age when these Exercises came upon me
And how I in the Seed came forth and what the Promise was to Yet it was so with me that there seemed to be Two Pleading in me and Questionings arose in my Mind about Gifts and Prophecies and I was tempted again to Despair as if I had sinned against the Holy Ghost And I was in great Perplexity and Trouble for many Days Yet I gave up my self to the Lord still And one day when I had been walking solitarily abroad and was come home I was taken up in the Love of God so that I could not but admire the greatness of his Love And while I was in that Condition it was opened unto me by the Eternal Light and Power and I therein clearly saw That all was done and to be done in and by Christ and how he conquers and destroys this Tempter the Devil and all his Works and is a top of him And that all these Troubles were good for me and Temptations for the Trial of my Faith which Christ had given me And the Lord opened me that I saw through all these Troubles and Temptations My living Faith was raised that I saw All was done by Christ the Life and my Belief was in him And when at any time my Condition was vailed my secret Belief was stayed firm and Hope underneath held me as an Anchor in the bottom of the Sea and Anchored my Immortal Soul to its Bishop causing it to swim above the Sea the World where all the raging Waves foul Weather Tempests and Temptations are But oh then did I see my Troubles Trials and Temptations more than ever I had done As the Light appeared all appeared that is out of the Light Darkness Death Temptations the Vnrighteous the Vngodly all was manifest and seen in the Light Then after this there did a pure Fire appear in me Then I saw how he sate as a Refiner's Fire and as the Fuller's Sope. And then the Spiritual Discerning came into me by which I did discern my own Thoughts Groans and Sighs and what it was that did vail me and what it was that did open me And that which could not abide in the Patience nor endure the Fire in the Light I found to be the Groans of the Flesh that could not give up to the Will of God which had vailed me and that could not be patient in all Trials Troubles and Anguishes and Perplexities and could not give up Self to die by the Cross the Power of God that the Living and Quickned might follow him and that that which would cloud and vail from the Presence of Christ that which the Sword of the Spirit cuts down and which must die might not be kept alive And I discern'd the Groans of the Spirit which did open me and made Intercession to God In which Spirit is the true Waiting upon God for the Redemption of the Body and of the whole Creation And by this true Spirit in which the true Sighing is I saw over the false Sighings and Groanings And by this Invisible Spirit I discerned all the false Hearing and the false Seeing and the false Smelling which was a top above the Spirit quenching and grieving it and that all they that were there were in Confusion and Deceit where the false Asking and Praying is in Deceit and a top in that Nature and Tongue that takes Gods holy Name in vain and wallows in the Egyptian Sea and asketh but hath not for they hate his Light and resist the Holy Ghost and turn the Grace into Wantonness and rebel against the Spirit and are erred from the Faith they should ask in and from the Spirit they should pray by He that knoweth these things in the true Spirit can witness them The divine Light of Christ manifesteth all things and the spiritual Fire tryeth all things and severeth all things Several things did I then see as the Lord opened them to me For he shewed me that which can live in his holy Refining Fire and that can live to God under his Law And he made me sensible how the Law and the Prophets were until John and how the least in the Everlasting Kingdom of God is greater than John The pure and perfect Law of God is over the Flesh to keep it and its Works which are not perfect under by the perfect Law And the Law of God that is perfect answers the perfect Principle of God in every one And this Law the Jews and the Prophets and John were to perform and do None knows the Giver of this Law but by the Spirit of God neither can any truly read it or hear its Voice but by the Spirit of God He that can receive it let him John who was the greatest Prophet that was born of a Woman did bear Witness to the Light which Christ the Great heavenly Prophet hath Enlightned every Man that cometh into the World withal that they might believe in it and become the Children of Light and so have the Light of Life and not come into Condemnation For the true Belief stands in the Light that condemns all Evil and the Devil who is the Prince of Darkness who would draw out of the Light into Condemnation And they that walk in this Light come to the Mountain of the House of God established above all Mountains and to God's Teaching who will teach them his ways These things were opened to me in the Light And I saw the Mountains burning up and the Rubbish and the rough and crooked Ways and Places made smooth and plain that the Lord might come into his Tabernacle These things are to be found in Man's Heart But to speak of these things being within seemed strange to the rough and crooked and mountainous Ones Yet the Lord saith O Earth hear the Word of the Lord The Law of the Spirit crosseth the fleshly Mind Spirit and Will which lives in Disobedience and doth not keep within the Law of the Spirit And I saw this Law was the pure Love of God which was upon me and which I must go through though I was troubled while I was under it For I could not be dead to the Law but through the Law which did judge and condemn that which is to be condemned I saw many talked of the Law who had never known the Law to be their School-master And many talked of the Gospel of Christ who had never known Life and Immortality brought to Light in them by it You that have been under that School-master and the Condemnation of it know these things for tho' the Lord in that day opened these things unto me in secret they have since been published by his Eternal Spirit as on the House top And as you are brought into the Law and through the Law to be dead to it and witness the Righteousness of the Law fulfilled in you ye will afterwards come to know what it is to be brought into the Faith and through Faith from under the Law And abiding in the Faith which Christ
I was made to speak and open things to them There was one Brown who had great Prophecies and Sights upon his Death-bed of me And he spake openly of what I should be made Instrumental by the Lord to bring forth And of others he spake that they should come to nothing Which was fulfilled on some that then were something in shew And when this Man was buried a great Work of the Lord fell upon me to the admiration of many who thought I had been Dead And many came to see me for about fourteen Days time for I was very much altered in Countenance and Person as if my Body had been New-moulded or changed And while I was in that Condition I had a sense and discerning given me by the Lord 1647. Nottinghamshire through which I saw plainly that when many People talked of God and of Christ c. the Serpent spake in them But this was hard to be born Yet the Work of the Lord went on in some and my Sorrows and Troubles began to wear off and Tears of Joy dropped from me so that I could have wept Night and Day with Tears of Joy to the Lord in Humility and Brokenness of Heart And I saw into that which was without End and things which cannot be uttered and of the Greatness and Infinitness of the Love of God which cannot be exprest by Words For I had been brought through the very Ocean of Darkness and Death and through the Power and over the Power of Satan by the Eternal Glorious Power of Christ even through that Darkness was I brought which covered-over all the Word and which chained down all and shut up all in the Death And the same Eternal Power of God which brought me through these Things was that which afterwards shook the Nations Priests Professors and People Then could I say I had been in Spiritual Babylon Sodom Egypt and the Grave but by the Eternal Power of God I was come out of it and was brought over it and the Power of it into the Power of Christ And I saw the Harvest WHITE and the Seed of God lying thick in the Ground as ever did Wheat that was sown outwardly and none to gather it And for this I mourned with Tears And a Report went abroad of me That I was a Young Man that had a discerning Spirit Whereupon many came to me from far and near Professors Priests and People and the Lord's Power brake forth And I had great Openings and Prophecies and spake unto them of the Things of God and they heard with Attention and Silence and went away and spread the Fame thereof Then came the Tempter and set upon me again charging me That I had sinned against the Holy Ghost But I could not tell in what And then Paul's Condition came before me how after he had been taken up into the Third Heavens and seen things not lawful to be uttered a Messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him again Thus by the Power of Christ I got over that Temptation also In the Year 1648 as I was sitting in a Friend's House in Nottinghamshire for by this time the Power of God had opened the Hearts of some to receive the Word of Life and Reconciliation I saw there was a great Crack to go throughout the Earth and a great Smoke to go as the Crack went and that after the Crack there should be a great Shaking This was the Earth in People's Hearts which was to be shaken before the Seed of God was raised out of the Earth And it was so for the Lord's Power began to shake them and great Meetings we began to have and a mighty Power and Work of God there was amongst People to the Astonishment of both People and Priests And there was a Meeting of Priests and Professors at a Justice's House and I went among them And there they discoursed how Paul said He had not known Sin but by the Law which said Thou shalt not lust And they held that to be spoken of the outward Law But I told them Paul spake that after he was Convinced For he had the outward Law before and was bred up in it when he was in the Lust of Persecution but this was the Law of God in his Mind which he served and which the Law in his Members warred against For that which he thought had been Life to him proved Death So the more sober of the Priests and Professors yielded and consented that it was not the Outward Law but the Inward which shewed the Inward Lust which Paul spake of after he was Convinced For the outward Law took hold upon the outward Action but the Inward Law upon the Inward Lust After this I went again to Mansfield Mansfield where was a great Meeting of Professors and People And I was moved to Pray And the Lord's Power was so great that the House seemed to be shaken And when I had done some of the Professors said It was now as in the Days of the Apostles when the House was shaken where they were After I had prayed one of the Professors would pray which brought Deadness and a Vail over them And others of the Professors were grieved at him and told him It was a Temptation upon him Then he came to me and desired that I would pray again But I could not pray in Man's Will Soon after there was another great Meeting of Professors and a Captain whose Name was Amor Stoddard came in And they were discoursing of the Blood of Christ And as they were discoursing of it I saw through the immediate Opening of the Invisible Spirit the Blood of Christ And I cryed out among them and said Do ye not see the Blood of Christ See it in your Hearts to sprinkle your Hearts and Consciences from Dead Works to serve the Living God For I saw it the Blood of the New Covenant how it came into the Heart This startled the Professors who would have the Blood only without them and not in them But Captain Stoddard was reached and said Let the Youth speak hear the Youth speak when he saw they endeavoured to bear me down with many Words There were also a Company of Priests that were looked upon to be tender one of their Names was Kellet and several People that were tender went to hear them And I was moved to go after them and bid them Mind the Lord's Teaching in their inward Parts That Priest Kellet was against Parsonages then but afterwards he got a great One and turned a Persecutor Now after I had had some Service in these Parts Derbyshire Leicestershire I went through Derbyshire into my own Country Leicestershire again and several tender People were Convinced And passing thence I met with a great Company of Professors in Warwickshire who were Praying Warwickshire and Expounding the Scriptures in the Fields and they gave the Bible to me and I opened it on the Fifth of Matthew where Christ expounded
the Law And I opened the Inward State to them and the Outward State and they fell into a feirce Contention and so parted But the Lord's Power got Ground Then I heard of a great Meeting to be at Leicester for a Dispute Leicester wherein both Presbyterians Independents Baptists and Common-Prayer-Men were said to be all concerned The Meeting was in a Steeple-house and thither I was moved by the Lord God to go and be amongst them 1648. Leicester And I heard their Discourse and Reasonings some being in Pews and the Priest in the Pulpit abundance of People being gathered together At last one Woman asked a Question out of Peter What that Birth was viz. A being born again of Incorruptible Seed by the Word of God that liveth and abideth for ever And the Priest said to her I permit not a Woman to speak in the Church though he had before given liberty for any to speak Whereupon I was wrapt up as in a Rapture in the Lord's Power and I stepped up in a Place and asked the Priest Dost thou call this Place the Steeple-house a Church Or dost thou call this mixt Multitude a Church For the Woman asking a Question he ought to have answered it having given liberty for any to speak But he did not answer me neither but asked me What a Church was I told him The Church was the Pillar and Ground of Truth made up of living Stones living Members a spiritual Houshold which Christ was the Head of But he was not the Head of a mixt Multitude or of an old House made up of Lime Stones and Wood This set them all on Fire The Priest came down out of his Pulpit and others out of their Pews and the Dispute there was marr'd But I went to a great Inn and there disputed the thing with the Priests and Professors of all sorts and they were all on a Fire But I maintained the true Church and the true Head thereof over the Heads of them all till they all gave out and fled away And there was one Man that seemed loving and appeared for a while to join with me but he soon turned against me and joined with a Priest in pleading for Infant 's Baptism tho' he himself had been a Baptist before And so left me alone Howbeit there were several Convinced that day and the Woman that asked the Question aforesaid was Convinced and her Family And the Lord's Power and Glory shined over all Nottingham-shire After this I returned into Nottingham-shire again and went into the Vale of Beavor And as I went I preached Repentance to the People Vale of Beavor And there were many Convinced in the Vale of Beavor in many Towns for I stayed some Weeks amongst them And one Morning as I was sitting by the Fire a great Cloud came over me and a Temptation beset me And I sate still And it was said All things come by Nature And the Elements and Stars came over me so that I was in a manner quite clouded with it But inasmuch as I sate still and said nothing the People of the House perceived nothing And as I sate still under it and let it alone a living Hope arose in me and a true Voice arose in me which said There is a living God who made all things And immediately the Cloud and Temptation vanished away and Life rose over it all and my Heart was glad and I praised the living God And after some time I met with some People that had such a Notion That there was no God but that all things came by Nature And I had great Dispute with them and overturned them and made some of them Confess that there was a Living God Then I saw that it was good that I had gone through that Exercise And we had great Meetings in those Parts Nottingham-shire for the Power of the Lord broke through in that side of the Country And returning into Nottingham-shire I found there a Company of shattered Baptists and Others 1648. Nottingham-shire Mansfield Darbyshire Eton. and the Lord's Power wrought mightily and gathered many of them Then afterwards I went to Mansfield and there-a-way where the Lord's Power was wonderfully manifested both at Mansfield and other Towns thereabouts And in Darby-shire the mighty Power of God wrought in a wonderful manner At Eton a Town near Darby there was a Meeting of Friends where there was such a mighty Power of God that they were greatly Shaken and many Mouths were opened in the Power of the Lord God And many were moved by the Lord to go to Steeple-houses to the Priests and to the People to declare the Everlasting Truth unto them And at a certain time when I was at Mansfield Mansfield there was a Sitting of the Justices about hiring of Servants and it was upon me from the Lord to go and speak to the Justices That they should not oppress the Servants in their Wages So I walked towards the Inn where they sate but finding a Company of Fidlers there I did not go in but thought to come in the Morning when I might have a more serious Opportunity to discourse them not thinking that a seasonable time But when I came again in the Morning they were gone and I was struck even blind that I could not see And I inquired of the Inn-keeper where the Justices were to sit that day And he told me At a Town eight Miles off And my Sight began to come to me again and I went and Ran thitherward as fast as I could And when I was come to the House where they were and many Servants with them I exhorted the Justices Not to oppress the Servants in their Wages but to do that which was Right and Just to them And I exhorted the Servants To do their Duties and serve honestly c. And they all received my Exhortation kindly for I was moved of the Lord therein Moreover I was moved to go to several Courts and Steeple-houses at Mansfield and other Places to warn them to leave off Oppression and Oaths and to turn from Deceit and to turn to the Lord and do justly Particularly at Mansfield after I had been at a Court there I was moved to go and speak to one of the Wicked'st Men in the Country one who was a Common Drunkard a noted Whore-master and a Rime-maker And I reproved him in the dread of the Mighty God for his evil Courses And when I had done Speaking and left him he came after me and told me That he was so smitten when I spake to him that he had scarce any Strength left in him So this Man was Convinced and turned from his Wickedness and remained an honest sober Man to the Astonishment of the People who had known him before Thus the Work of the Lord went forward and many were turned from the Darkness to the Light within the compass of these three Years 1646 1647 and 1648. And divers Meetings of
Friends in several Places were then gathered to Gods Teaching by his Light Spirit and Power For the Lord's Power brake forth daily more and more wonderfullly Now was I come up in Spirit through the flaming Sword into the Paradise of God All things were New and all the Creation gave another Smell unto me than before beyond what Words can utter I knew nothing 1648. Mansfield but Pureness and Innocency and Righteousness being renewed up into the Image of God by Christ Jesus so that I say I was come up to the State of Adam which he was in before he fell The Creation was opened to me And it was shewed me how all things had their Names given them according to their Nature and Vertue And I was at a stand in my Mind whether I should practise Physick for the good of Mankind seeing the Nature and Vertues of the Creatures were so opened to me by the Lord. But I was immediately taken up in Spirit to see into another or more stedfast State than Adam's in Innocency even into a State in Christ Jesus that should never fall And the Lord shewed me that such as were faithful to him in the Power and Light of Christ should come up into that State in which Adam was before he fell In which the admirable Works of the Creation and the Vertues thereof may be known through the Openings of that divine Word of Wisdom and Power by which they were made Great things did the Lord lead me into and wonderful Depths were opened unto me beyond what can by Words be declared But as People come into subjection to the Spirit of God and grow up in the Image and Power of the Almighty they may receive the Word of Wisdom that opens all things and come to know the hidden Vnity in the Eternal Being Thus traveled I on in the Lord's Service as the Lord led me And when I came to Nottingham Notingham Leicestershire Clauson Vale of Beavor the mighty Power of God was there among Friends From thence I went to Clauson in Leicestershire in the Vale of Beavor and the mighty Power of God was there also in several Towns and Villages where Friends were gathered While I was there the Lord opened to me Three Things relating to those Three great Professions in the World Physick Divinity so called and Law And he shewed me that the Physicians and Doctors of Physick were out of the Wisdom of God by which the Creatures were made and so knew not the Vertues of the Creatures because they were out of the Word of Wisdom by which they were made And he shewed me that the Priests were out of the true Faith which Christ is the Author of the Faith which purifies and gives Victory and brings People to have Access to God by which they please God Which Mystery of Faith is held in a pure Conscience He shewed me also that the Lawyers were out of the Equity and out of the true Justice and out of the Law of God which went over the first Transgression and over all Sin and answered the Spirit of God that was grieved and transgressed in Man And that these three the Physicians the Priests and the Lawyers ruled the World out of the Wisdom out of the Faith and out of the Equity and Law of God the one pretending the Cure of the Body the other the Cure of the Soul and the third the Property of the People But I saw they were all out out of the Wisdom out of the Faith out of the Equity and perfect Law of God And as the Lord opened these things unto me I felt his Power went forth over all by which all might be Reformed if they would receive and bow unto it The Priests might be Reformed and brought into the true Faith which was the Gift of God The Lawyers might be Reformed and brought into the Law of God 1648. Vale of Beavor which answers that of God that is transgressed in every one and brings to love one's Neighbour as himself This lets Man see If he wrongs his Neighbour he wrongs himself and this teaches him To do unto others as he would they should do unto him The Physicians might be Reformed and brought into the Wisdom of God by whick all things were made and Created that they might receive a right Knowledge of the Creatures and understand the Virtues of them which the Word of Wisdom by which they were made and are upheld hath given them Abundance was opened concerning these things how all lay out of the Wisdom of God and out of the Righteousness and Holiness that Man at the first was made in But as all believe in the Light and walk in the Light which Christ hath enlightned every Man that cometh into the World withal and so become Children of the Light and of the Day of Christ in his Day all things are seen Visible and Invisible by the Divine Light of Christ the Spiritual Heavenly Man by whom all things were made and Created Then I saw concerning the Priests that although they stood in the Deceit and acted by the dark Power which both they and their People were kept under yet they were not the greatest Deceivers spoken of in the Scriptures For these were not come so far as many of them had come But the Lord opened to me who the greatest Deceivers were and how far they might come even such as came as far as Cain to hear the Voice of God and such as came out of Egypt and through the Red Sea and to praise God on the Banks of the Sea-shore such as could speak by Experience of God's Miracles and Wonders such as were come as far as Corah and Dathan and their Company such as came as far as Balaam who could speak the Word of the Lord who heard his Voice and knew it and knew his Spirit and could see the Star of Jacob and the goodliness of Israel's Tent the Second Birth which no Enchantment could prevail against These that could speak so much of their Experiences of God and yet turned from the Spirit and the Word and went into the Gainsaying These were and would be the great Deceivers far beyond the Priests Likewise among the Christians such as should preach in Christ's Name and should work Miracles cast out Devils and go as far as a Cain a Core and a Balaam in the Gospel-times These were and would be the great Deceivers they that could speak some Experiences of Christ and God but lived not in the Life These were they that led the World after them who got the Form of Godliness but denyed the Power who inwardly ravened from the Spirit and brought People into the Form but persecuted them that were in the Power as Cain did and ran greedily after the Error of Balaam through Covetousness loving the Wages of Unrighteousness as Balaam did These Followers of Cain Core and Balaam have brought the World since the Apostles Days to be like a Sea
Name of the Lord to bid her Be quiet and still And she was so And the Lord's Power setled her Mind and she mended and afterwards Received the Truth and Continued in it to her Death And the Lord's Name was honoured To whom the Glory of all his Works belongs Many great and wonderful Things were wrought by the heavenly Power in those Days For the Lord made bare his Omnipotent Arm and manifested his Power to the Astonishment of many by the healing Vertue whereof many have been delivered from great Infirmities and the Devils were made subject through his Name Of which particular Instances might be given beyond what this unbelieving Age is able to receive or bear But blessed for ever be the Name of the Lord and everlastingly Honoured and over all Exalted and Magnified be the Arm of his Glorious Power by which he hath wrought gloriously and let the Honour and Praise of all his Works be ascribed to him alone Now while I was at Mansfield-Woodhouse I was moved to go to to the Steeple-house there and declare the Truth to the Priest and People But the People fell upon me in great Rage and struck me down and almost stifled and smothered me and I was cruelly beaten and bruised by them with their Hands Bibles and Sticks Then they haled me out though I was hardly able to stand and put me into the Stocks where I sate some Hours and they brought Dog-whips and Horse-whips threatning to Whip me And after some time they had me before the Magistrate at a Knight's House where were many great Persons who seeing how evilly I had been used after much Threatning set me at Liberty But the rude People stoned me out of the Town for Preaching the Word of Life to them And I was scarce able to go or well to stand by reason of the Ill Vsage I had received Yet with much ado I got about a Mile from the Town and then I met with some People that gave me something to Comfort me because I was inwardly bruised But the Lord's Power soon healed me again And that day some People were Convinced of the Lord's Truth and turned to his Teaching at which I rejoiced Leicester-shire Then went I out of Nottingham-shire into Leicester-shire several Friends accompanying me And there were some Baptists in that Country whom I desired to see and speak with because they were separated from the publick Worship So one Oats who was one of their Chief Teachers and others of the Heads of them with several others of their Company Barrow came to Meet us at Barrow and there we discoursed with them One of them said What was not of Faith was Sin Whereupon I asked them What Faith was And how it was wrought in Man But they turned off from that and spake of their Baptism in Water Then I asked them Whether their Mountain of Sin was brought down and laid low in them And their rough and crooked Ways made smooth and strait in them For they looked upon the Scriptures as meaning Outward Mountains and Ways But I told them they must find them in their own Hearts Which they seemed to wonder at And we asked them Who baptized John the Baptist and who baptized Peter 1649. Barrow John and the rest of the Apostles and put them to prove by Scripture that these were baptized in Water But they were silent Then I asked them Seeing 〈◊〉 who betrayed Christ and was called the Son of Perdition had Hâ—â—ged himself what Son of Perdition was that which Paul spake of that sâ—te in the Temple of God exalted above all that is called God And â—hat Temple of God that was in which this Son of Perdition sate And whether he that betrays Christ within in himself be not one in Nature with that Judas that betrayed Christ without But they could not tell what to make of this nor what to say to it So after we had had some Discourse together we parted and some of them were loving to us On the First Day of the Week following we came to Bagworth Bagworth and went to a Steeple-House where some Friends were got in and the People locked them in and themselves too with the Priest But after the Priest had done they opened the Door and we went in also and had a Service for the Lord amongst them Afterwards we had a Meeting in the Town amongst several People that were in high Notions Then passing from thence I heard of a People that were in Prison in Coventry for Religion Coventry And as I walked towards the Jail the Word of the Lord came to me saying ☜ MY LOVE WAS ALWAYS TO THEE AND THOV ART IN MY LOVE And I was ravished with the Sense of the Love of God and greatly strengthned in my Inward Man But when I came into the Jail where those Prisoners were a great Power of Darkness struck at me and I sate still having my Spirit gathered into the Love of God At last these Prisoners began to Rant and Vapour and Blaspheme at which my Soul was greatly grieved They said They were GOD But another of them said We could not bear such Things So when they were calm I stood up and asked them Whether they did such things by Motion or from Scripture and they said from Scripture Then a Bible lying by I asked them for that Scripture and they shewed me that Place where the Sheet was let down to Peter and it was said to him What was sanctified he should not call Common or Vnclean Now when I had shewed them That that Scripture made nothing for their purpose they brought another Scripture which spake of God's Reconciling all Things to himself Things in Heaven and Things in Earth I told them I owned that Scripture also but shewed them that that was nothing to their purpose neither Then seeing they said They were GOD I asked them If they knew whether it would Rain to Morrow They said They could not tell I told them God could tell Again I asked them If they thought they should be always in that Condition or should change And they answered They could not tell Then said I unto them God can tell and God doth not change You say you are God and yet you cannot tell whether you shall Change or no. So they were Confounded and quite brought â—own for the time Then after I had Reproved them for their blasphemous Expressions I went away For I perceived they were Ranters and I had met with none before And I admired the Goodness of the Lord in appearing so unto me before I went amongst them Not long after this 1649. Coventry one of these Ranters whose Name was Joseph Salmon put forth a Paper or Book of Recantation upon which they were set at Liberty Atherstone From Coventry I went to a Place called Atherstone and it being their Lecture-day I was moved to go to their Chappel to speak to the Priests and People
Six Months without Bail or Mainprize or until they shall find sufficient Security to he of the good Behaviour or be thence delivered by Order from our Selves Hereof you are not to fail Given under our Hands and Seals this 30th Day of October 1650. Ger. Bennet Nath. Barton Now did the Priests bestir themselves in their Pulpits to preach up Sin for term of Life and much of their Work was to plead for it So that People said Never was the like heard Then after some time he that was Committed with me not standing faithful in his Testimony got in with the Jailer and by him made way to the Justice to have leave to go see his Mother and so got his Liberty And then they reported that he should say I had bewitched and deceived him But my Spirit was strengthned when he was gone Now the Priests and Professors the Justices and the Jailer were all in a great Rage against me The Jailer watched my Words and Actions and would often ask me Questions to ensnare me and sometimes he would ask me such silly Questions as Whether the Door was latched or not Thinking to draw some suddain unadvised Answer from me from whence he might take Advantage to charge Sin upon me But I was kept watchful and chast so that they could get no advantage of me and they admired at it Not long after my Commitment I was moved to write both to the Priests and Magistrates of Darby And first I directed these following Lines to the Priests O Friends I was sent unto you to tell you That if you had received the Gospel freely 1650. Darby-Prison you would Minister it freely without Money or Price But you make a Trade and Sale of what the Prophets and the Apostles have spoken and so you corrupt the Truth And you are the Men that lead silly Women Captive who are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth you have a Form of Godliness but you deny the Power Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do you resist the Truth being Men of corrupt Minds reprobate concerning the Faith But you shall proceed no further for your Folly shall be made manifest to all Men as theirs was More-over the Lord sent me to tell you that he doth look for Fruits You asked me if the Scripture was my Rule but it is not your Rule to rule your Lives by but to talk of in Words You are the Men that live in Pleasures Pride and Wantonness in Fulness of Bread and abundance of Idleness See if this be not the Sin of Sodom Lot received the Angels but Sodom was envious You shew forth the vain Nature You stand in the Steps of them that crucified MY SAVIOVR and mocked him You are their Children you shew forth their Fruit. They had the Chief Place in the Assemblies and so have you They loved to be called Rabbi and so do you G. F. That which I writ to the Magistrates who committed me to Prison was to this effect Friends I Am forced in tender Love unto your Souls to write unto you and to beseech you to Consider what you do and what the Commands of God call for He doth require Justice and Mercy to break every Yoke and to let the Oppressed go free But who calleth for Justice or loveth Mercy or contendeth for the Truth Is not Judgment turned backward and doth not Justice stand afar off Is not Truth silenced in the Streets or can Equity enter And do not they that depart from Evil make themselves a Prey Oh! Consider what ye do in Time and take heed whom ye do Imprison For the Magistrate is set for the Punishment of Evil-doers and for the Praise of them that do well Now I intreat you in Time take heed what you do For surely the Lord will come and will make manifest both the Builders and the Work And if it be of Man it will fail but if it be of God nothing will overthrow it Therefore I desire and pray that you would take heed and beware what you do lest ye be found Fighters against God G. F. Now after I had thus far cleared my Conscience to them I waited in the holy Patience leaving the Event to God in whose Will I stood And after some Time I was moved to write again to the Justices that had Committed me to Prison to lay their Evils before them that they might Repent One of them that signed the Mittimus to wit Nathaniel Barton was both a Colonel a Justice and a Preacher So I writ to them as followeth Friends YOU did speak of the Good old Way which the Prophet spake of but the Prophet cryed against the Abominations which you hold up Had you the Power of God ye would not persecute the Good Way He that spake of the Good Way was set in the Stocks The People Cryed Away with him to the Stocks for speaking the Truth Ah! foolish People which have Eyes and see not Ears and hear not without Understanding Fear ye not me saith the Lord and will ye not tremble at my Presence O your Pride and Abominations are odious in the Eyes of God! You that are Preachers have the chiefest Place in the Assemblies and are called of Men Master and such were and are against my Saviour and Maker And they shut up the Kingdom of Heaven from Men neither go in themselves nor suffer others Therefore ye shall receive the greater Damnation who have their Places and walk in their Steps You may say If you had been in the Days of the Prophets or Christ ye would not have persecuted them Wherefore be ye Witnesses against your selves that ye are the Children of them seeing ye now persecute the way of Truth O consider There is a true Judge that will give every one of you a Reward according to your Works O mind where you are you that hold up the Abominations which the true Prophet cried against O come down and sit in the Dust The Lord is coming with Power and lie will throw down every one that is Exalted that he alone may be Exalted And as I had thus written unto them jointly so after some respite of Time I writ to each of them by himself To Justice Bennet thus Friend THou that dost profess God and Christ in Words see how thou dost follow him To take off Burdens and to visit them that be in Prison and shew Mercy and cloath thy own Flesh and deal thy Bread to the Hungry these are God's Commandments To relieve the Fatherless and to visit the Widows in their Afflictions and to keep thy self unspotted of the World this is pure Religion before God But if thou dost profess Christ and followest Covetousness and Greediness and Earthly-mindedness thou deniest him in Life and deceivest thy self and others and takest him for a Cloke Wo be to you Greedy Men and Rich Men weep and houl for your Misery that shall come Take heed of
his People I desire you to Consider of these things and search the Scriptures and see whether any of the People of God did ever Imprison any for Religion but were themselves Imprisoned I desire you to Consider how it is written that when the Church is met together they may all Prophesy one by one that all may hear and all may learn and all may be comforted And then If any thing be Revealed to him that sitteth by let the first hold his Peace Thus it was in the true Church and thus it ought now to be But it is not so in your Assemblies but he that Teaches for Hire may speak and none may Contradict him Again Consider the Liberty that was given to the Apostles even among the unbelieving Jews when after the reading of the Law and the Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogue said unto them Ye Men and Brethren if ye have any Word of Exhortation for the People say on I desire you to Consider in Stilness and strive not against the Lord for he is stronger than you Though ye hold his People fast for a time yet when he cometh he will make known who are his for his Coming is like the Refiner's Fire and like Fuller's Sope. Then the Stone that is set at nought of you Builders shall be the Head-Stone of the Corner O Friends lay these things to Heaâ—t and let them nor seem light things to you I wrote unto you in Love to mind the Laws of God and your own Souls and do as the Holy Men of God did Great was the Exercise and Travel in Spirit that I went under during my Imprisonment here because of the Wickedness that was in this Town for though there were some Convinced there yet for the generality they were an hardened People And I saw the Visitation of God's Love pass away from them and I mourned over them And it came upon me to give forth the following Lines as a Lamentation for them O Darby As the Waters run away when the Flood-Gates are up so doth the Visitation of God's Love pass away from thee O Darby Therefore look where thou art and how thou art grounded and Consider before thou art utterly forsaken The Lord moved me Twice before I came to Cry against the Deceits and Vanities that are in thee and to warn all to look at the Lord and not at Man The Wo is against the Crown of Pride and the Wo is against Drunkenness and vain Pleasures and against them that make a Profession of Religion in Words and are high and lofty in Mind and live in Oppression and Envy O Darby thy Profession and Preaching stinks before the Lord. Ye do profess a Sabbath in Words and Meet together dressing your selves in fine Apparel and you uphold Pride Thy Women go with stretched-forth Necks and wanton Eyes c. which the true Prophet of old Cryed against Your Assemblies are odious and an Abomination to the Lord Pride is set up and bowed down to Covetousness abounds and he that doth wickedly is honoured So Deceit doth bear with Deceit and yet they profess Christ in Words O the Deceit that is within thee It doth even break my Heart to see how God is dishonoured in thee O Darby Now after that I had seen the Visitation of God's Love pass away from this Place I knew that my Imprisonment here would not continue long But I saw that when the Lord should bring me forth it would be as the letting of a Lion out of a Den amongst the Wild Beasts of the Forrest For all Professions stood in a Beastly Spirit and Nature pleading for Sin and for the Body of Sin and Imperfection as long as they lived And they all kick'd and yelled and roar'd and raged and ran against the Life and Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures which they professed in words And so it was as will appear hereafter There was a great Judgment upon the Town and the Magistrates were uneasie about me and could not agree what to do with me One while they would have sent me up to the Parliament another while they would have Banished me to Ireland At first they called me a Deceiver and a Seducer and a Blasphemer afterwards when God had brought his Plagues upon them then they said I was an Honest Vertuous Man But their good Report and bad Report their well-speaking or their ill-speaking was nothing to me for the one did not lift me up nor the other cast me down Praised be the Lord At length they were made to turn me out of Jail about the beginning of Winter in the Year 1651 after I had been a Prisoner in Darby almost a Year whereof Six Months in the House of Correction and the rest of the Time in the Common Jail and Dungeon Thus being set at Liberty again I went on as before in the Work of the Lord passing through the Country first into my own Country of Leicestershire and had Meetings as I went Leicestershire and the Lord's Spirit and Power accompanied me Afterwards I went near to Burton upon Trent where some were Convinced Burton upon Trent Bushel-House and so to Bushel-House where I had a Meeting And I went up into the Country where there were friendly People But there was an outragious wicked Professor who had an intent to have done me a Mischief but the Lord prevented him Blessed be the Lord And as I was walking along with several Friends I lifted up my Head and saw Three Steeple-house-Spires and they struck at my Life And I asked Friends What Place that was and they said Lichfield Lichfield Immediately the Word of the Lord came to me that I must go thither So being come to the House we were going to I wish'd Friends that were with me to walk into the House saying nothing to them whither I was to go And as soon as they were gone I stept away and went by my Eye over Hedge and Ditch till I came within a Mile of Lichfield where in a great Field there were Shepherds keeping their Sheep Then was I commanded by the Lord to pull off my Shoos And I stood still for it was Winter And the Word of the Lord was like a Fire in me So I put off my Shoos and left them with the Shepherds and the poor Shepherds trembled and were astonished Then I walked on about a Mile till I came into the City and as soon as I was got within the City the Word of the Lord came to me again saying Cry Wo unto the bloody City of Lichfield So I went up and down the Streets Crying with a loud Voice WO TO THE BLOODY CITY OF LICHFIELD And it being Market-Day I went into the Market-Place and to and fro in the several Parts of it and made stands Crying as before WO TO THE BLOODY CITY OF LICHFIELD And no one laid Hands on me But as I went thus Crying through the Streets there seemed to me to be a Channel
both Priest and People and declared to them the Word of Life and Truth and directed them where they might find their Teacher the Lord Jesus Christ Some of the People were Convinced there that Day and received the Truth and stand fast in it and have a fine Meeting there-a-ways to this Day In the Afternoon I went to another Steeple-house about Three Miles off where preached a great High-Priest called a Doctor being one of them whom Justice Hotham would have sent for to have spoken with me So I went into the Steeple-house and stayed till the Priest had done Now the Words which he took for his Text were these Ho every One that Thirsteth come ye to the Waters and he that hath no Money come ye buy and eat yea come buy Wine and Milk without Money and without Price Then was I moved of the Lord God to say unto him Come down thou deceiver Dost thou bid People Come freely and take of the Water of Life freely and yet thou takest Three hundred Pounds a Year of them for preaching the Scriptures to them Mayest not thou blush for shame Did the Prophet Isaiah and Christ do so who spake the Words and gave them forth freely Did not Christ say to his Ministers whom he sent to preach Freely ye have received freely give So the Priest like a Man amazed hastned away And after he was gone and had left his Flock I had as much Time as I could desire to speak to the People And I directed them from the Darkness to the Light and to the Grace of God that would Teach them and bring them Salvation and to the Spirit of God in their Inward Parts which would be a free Teacher unto them Then having Cleared my self amongst that People I returned to Justice Hotham's House that Night who when I came in took me in his Arms and said His House was my House for he was exceeding glad at the work of the Lord and that his Power was Revealed Then he told me Why he went not with me to the Steeple-house in the Morning and what Reasonings he had in himself about it for he thought if he had gone with me to the Steeple-house the Officers would have put me to him and then he should have been so put to it that he should not have known what to have done But he was glad he said when Captain Pursloe came up to go with me Yet neither of them was drest nor had their Bands about their Necks And it was a strange thing then to see a Man come into a Steeple-house without a Band Yet Captain Pursloe went in with me without his Band the Lord's Power and Truth had so affected him that he minded it not From hence I passed on through the Country and came at Night to an Inn where was a Company of rude People and I bid the Woman of the House if she had any Meat to bring me some But because I said Thee and Thou to her she looked strangely on me Then I asked her if she had any Milk and she said No. I was sensible she spake falsly And seeing a Churn standing in the Room and being willing to try her further I asked her If she had any Cream she denied that she had any Now there stood a Churn in the Room and a little Boy playing about it put his Hands into it and pulled it down and threw all the Cream on the Floor before my Eyes Thus was the Woman manifested to be a Liar The Woman was amazed and blest her self and took up the Child and whipt it sorely But I reproved her for her Lying and Deceit After the Lord had thus discovered her Deceit and Perversness I walked out of the House and went away till I came to a Stack of Hay and lay in the Hay-Stack that Night in Rain and Snow 1651. York it being but Three Days before the Time called Christmas The next day I came into York where were several People that were very tender And upon the First-Day of the Week following I was Commanded of the Lord to go to the great Minster and speak to Priest Bowles and his Hearers in their great Cathedral Accordingly I went and when the Priest had done I told them I had something from the Lord God to speak to the Priest and People Then say on quickly said a Professor that was among them for it was Frost and Snow and very Cold Weather Then I told them This was the Word of the Lord God unto them that they lived in Words but God Almightly looked for Fruits amongst them As soon as the Words were out of my Mouth they hurried me out and threw me down the Steps but I got up again without hurt and went to my Lodging again and several were Convinced there For the very Groans that arose from the Weight and Oppression that was upon the Spirit of God in me would open People and strike them and make them Confess That the Groans which brake forth through me did reach them For my Life was burthened with their Profession without Possession and Words without Fruit. Now after I had done my present Service in York and that several were Convinced there and received the Truth of God and were turned to his Teaching I passed out of York and looked towards Cleaveland And I saw there was a People that had tasted of the Power of God and I saw then there was a Seed in that Country and that God had an humble People there So I passed onwards that Night and a Papist overtook me and talked to me of his Religion and of their Meetings and I let him speak all that was in his Mind That Night I stayed at an Ale-house and the next Morning I was moved of the Lord to speak the Word of the Lord to this Papist So I went to his House and declared against his Religion and all their Superstitious Ways and told him that God was come to teach his People himself This put the Papist into such a Rage that he could not then endure to stay in his own House The next day I came to Burraby where there was a Priest Burraby and several Friendly People Met together Many of the People were Convinced and have continued faithful ever since and there is a great Meeting of Friends in that Town The Priest also was forced to Confess to Truth though he Came not into it The day following I passed to Cleaveland amongst those People Cleaveland that had tasted of the Power of God They had formerly had great Meetings but were then all shattered to pieces and the Heads of them turned Ranters I told them That after they had had such Meetings they did not Wait upon God to feel his Power to gather their Minds Inward that they might feel his Presence and Power amongst them in their Meetings to sit down therein and Wait upon him for they had spoken themselves dry they had spent their Portions
they do come to be renewed again into the Image of God they come out of the Natures of these things and so out of the Names thereof Many more such things were declared to them and they were turned to the Light of Christ by which they might come to know Christ and to receive him and might witness him to be their Substance and their Way their Salvation and true Teacher And many were Convinced at that Time Now after I had travelled up and down in those Countries and had had great Meetings Swarthmore Ulverston I came to Swarthmore again And when I had visited Friends a while in those Parts I heard of a great Meeting the Priests were to have at Vlverstone on a Lecture-Day Whereupon I went down to it and went into the Steeple-house in the Dread and Power of the Lord And when the Priest had done I spake among them the Word of the Lord which was as an Hammer and as a Fire amongst them And though Lampit the Priest of the Place had been at variance with most of the Priests before yet against the Truth he and they all joined together But the mighty Power of the Lord was over all and so wonderful was the Appearance thereof that Priest Bennet said The Church shook Insomuch that he was afraid and trembled and after he had spoken a few Confused Words he hastened out for fear the Steeple-house would fall on his Head There were many Priests got together there yet they had no Power as yet to Persecute When I had cleared my Conscience amongst them I went up to Swarthmore again whither came up four or five of the Priests 1652. Swarthmore And coming to discourse I asked them Whether any one of them could say he ever had the Word of the Lord to go and speak to such or such a People None of them durst say He had But one of them burst out into a Passion and said He could speak his Experiences as well as I. I told him Experience was one thing but to receive and go with a Message and to have a Word from the Lord as the Prophets and Apostles had and did and as I had done to them this was another thing And therefore I put it to them again Could any of them say he had ever had a Command or Word from the Lord immediately at any time but none of them could say so Then I told them The false Prophets and false Apostles and Antichrists could use the Words of the true Prophets and true Apostles and of Christ and would speak of other Mens Experiences though they themselves never knew nor heard the Voice of God and Christ and such as They might get the good Words and Experiences of others This puzzled them much and laid them open For at another time when I was discoursing with several Priests at Judge Fell's House and he was by I asked them the same Question Whether any of them ever heard the Voice of God or Christ to bid him go to such or such a People to declare his Word or Message unto them for any one I told them any that could but read might declare the Experiences of the Prophets and Apostles which were recorded in the Scriptures Hereupon one of them whose Name was Thomas Taylor an ancient Priest did ingenuously Confess before Judge Fell That he had never heard the Voice of God nor of Christ to send him to any People but he spake his Experiences and the Experiences of the Saints in former Ages and That he preached This very much Confirmed Judge Fell in the Perswasion he had That the Priests were wrong for he had thought formerly as the generality of People then did That they were sent from God This Thomas Taylor was Convinced at this time Westmorland Cross-land and traveled with me into Westmorland And coming to Crossland-Steeple-house we found the People gathered together there And the Lord opened Thomas Taylor 's Mouth amongst the People though he was Convinced but the day before so that he declared amongst them How he had been before he was Convinced and like the good Scribe that was Converted to the Kingdom he brought forth things new and old to the People and shewed them how the Priests were out of the Way Which did torment the Priests Some little discourse I had with them but they sled away and a precious Meeting there was wherein the Lord's Power was over all and the People were directed to the Spirit of God by which they might come to know God and Christ and to understand the Scriptures aright After this I passed on visiting Friends and had very large Meetings in Westmorland Now began the Priests to Rage more and more and as much as they could to stir up Persecution Whereupon James Naylor and Francis Howgill were cast into Prison in Appleby-Jail at the instigation of the malicious Priests some of whom prophesied That within a Month we should be all scattered again and come to nothing But blessed for ever be the Worthy Name of the Lord the Work of the Lord went on and prospered 1652. Westmorland For about this time John Audland and Francis Howgill and John Camm and Edward Burrough and Richard Hubberthorn and Miles Hubbersty and Miles Halhead with several others being endued with Power from on high came forth into the Work of the Ministry and approved themselves faithful Labourers therein traveling up and down and preaching the Gospel freely by means whereof Multitudes were Convinced and many effectually turned to the Lord. Amongst these Christopher Taylor was one who was Brother to Thomas Taylor before-mentioned and had been a Preacher to a People as well as his Brother But after they had received the knowledge of the Truth they soon came into Obedience thereunto and left their Preaching for Hire or Rewards And having received a part of the Ministry of the Gospel they preached Christ freely being often sent by the Lord to declare his Word in Steeple-houses and in Markets and great Sufferers they were Lancashire Ulverstone After I had visited Friends in Westmorland I returned into Lancashire and went to Vlverstone where Lampitt was Priest who though he had preached of a People that did own the Teachings of God and had said That Men and Women should come to declare the Gospel yet afterwards when it came to be fulfilled he persecuted both it and them To this Priest's House I went where abundance of Priests and Professors â—ere got together after their Lecture with whom I had great Disputings concerning Christ and the Scriptures for they were loth to let their Trade go down which they made of preaching Christ's and the Apostles and Prophets Words But the Lord's Power went over the Heads of them all and his Word of Life was held forth amongst them though many of them were exceeding Envious and Devillish Yet after this many Priests and Professors came to me from far and near of whom they that were
dear Love unto you all desiring you may be kept stedfast in the Lord Jesus Christ and in the power of his Love boldly to witness forth the Truth as it is revealed in you by the mighty working of the Father To him alone be everlasting Praise and Honour for evermore Dear Friends the Lord doth much manifest his Love and Power in these Parts Upon the second day of the last Week my Brother George and I were at Lancaster There were abundance of Friends from all parts and a great sort which sided with the Priests giving out They now hoped to see a stop put to that great Work which had gone on so fast and with such Power that their Kingdom is much shaken We were called before Judge Fell Colonel West Justice Sawrey c. to Answer what was charged against George There were Three Witnesses to Eight Particulars but they were much Confused in themselves which gave much Light to the Truth whereby the Justices did plainly see that it was Envy and they divers times told them so One of the Witnesses was a young Priest who Confessed He had not meddled had not another Priest sent for him and set him on Work The other VVitnesses were two Priests Sons It was proved there by many that heard one of them say If he had power he would make George deny his Profession and that he would take away his Life This was a single VVitness to one of the greatest Vntruths that was charged against George And the Justices told him That they saw because he could not take away his Life he went about to take away his Liberty There was one Priest chosen out of the whole number as an Orator to plead against us who spared no pains to shew forth his Envy against the Truth And when he could not prevail he went down in a Rage and there came up a Pack of them into the Room among whom was one Jacus George was then speaking in the Room one of the Justices having wished him if he had any thing to say he would speak at which the said Priest Jacus was in such a Rage that he brake forth into many high Expressions against the Truth spoken by my dear Brother George amongst which this was one That the Letter and the Spirit were inseparable Hereupon the Justices stood up and bid him prove that before he went any further Then he seeing himself caught would have denied it and when he could not get off so the rest of the Priests would have helped him to a Meaning for his VVords But the Justices would admit no other Meaning than the plain sense of the VVords but told him He had laid down a Position and it was fit he should prove it pressing the Matter close upon him Whereupon the Priests being put to silence went down in a greater Rage than before and some of them after they were gone down being asked what they had done Lyed and said They could not get into the Room thereby to hide their Shame and keep the People in blindness The Justices Judge Fell and Colonel VVest were much Convinced of the Truth and did set up Justice and Equity and have much silenced the Rage of the People Many bitter Spirits were at Lancaster to see the Event but went home and cried The Priests had lost the day Everlasting Praises be to him who fought the Batttel for us who is our King for ever There were Others called who the VVitnesses confessed were in the Room when the things charged on George were said to have been spoken but they all as one Man denied that any such Words were spoken Which gave much Light to the Justices and they durst trust what they witnessed for they said they knew many of them to be honest Men. There was a VVarrant granted out against us at Appleby but Justice Benson told them It was not according to Law and so it ceased As I hear he is a faithful Man to the Truth The Priests began to preach against the Justices and said They were not to meddle in these things but to end Controversy betwixt Neighbour and Neighbour They are not pleased with the Law because it is not in the Statute to Imprison us as the Priest that pleaded against us said The Justices bid him Go put it into the Statute if he could he said It should want no will of his They are much afraid that they shall loose all They are much discontented in these parts and some of them cry All is gone Dear Friends dwell in Patience and wait upon the Lord who will do his own VVork Look not at Man in the VVork nor at Man who opposeth the VVork but rest in the Will of the Lord that so ye may be furnished with Patience both to do and to suffer what ye shall be called unto that your End in all things may be his Praise And take up his Cross freely which keeps low the fleshly Man that Christ may be set up and honoured in all things and so the Light advanced in you and the Judgment set up which must give Sentence against all that opposeth the Truth That the Captivity may be led Captive and the Prisoner set free to seek the Lord that Righteousness may rule in you and Peace and Joy may dwell in you wherein consisteth the Kingdom of the Father to whom be all Praise for ever Dear Friends Meet often together and take heed of what Exalteth it self above its Brother but keep low and serve one another in Love for the Lord's sake Let all Friends know how it is with us that God may have the Praise of all Written from Kellet the 30th Day of the 8th Month 1652. J. N. At this Time I was in a Fast and was not to Eat until this Work of God which then lay weighty upon me was accomplished But the Lord's Power was wonderfully set over all and gave Truth and Friends Dominion therein over all to his Glory And his Gospel was freely preached that Day over the Heads of about Forty Hireling-Priests I stayed Two or Three Days afterwards in Lancaster and had some Meetings there And the rude and baser sort of People plotted together to have drawn me out of the House and to have thrown me over Lancaster-Bridge but the Lord prevented them Then they invented another Mischief which was this After a Meeting at Lancaster they brought down a distracted Man and another with him with Bundles of Birchen-Rods bound together like Besoms with which they should have whipped me But I was moved to speak to them iâ— the Lord 's mighty Power which chained down the distracted Man and the other also and made them calm and quiet Then I biâ— him throw his Rods into the Fire and burn them and he did so Thus the Lord's Power being over them they departed quietly But the Priests fretting to see themselves overthrown at the Sessions at Lancaster got some of the Envious Justices to join with them and at the
Religion to the Simple and Babes and brought thy Deeds to Light How is thy Habitation fallen and become the Habitation of Devils How is thy Beauty lost and thy Glory withered How hast thou shewed thy End that thou hast served God but with thy Lips and thy Heart far from him and thou in the Hypocrisy How hath the Form of thy Teaching declared it self to be the Mark of the false Prophets whose Fruit declares it self for by their Fruits they are known How are the Wise Men turned backward View thy Ways and take notice with whom thou hast taken part That of God in thy Conscience will tell thee 1652. Swarthmore The Ancient of Days will reprove thee How hath thy Zeal appeared to be the Blind Zeal a Persecutor which Christ and his Apostles forbad Christians to follow How hast thou strengthened the Hands of Evil-doers and been a Praise to them and not to them that do well How like a Mad-man and a Blind-man didst thou turn thy Sword backward against the Saints against whom there is no Law How wilt thou be gnawed and burned one Day when thou shalt feel the Flame and have the Plagues of God poured upon thee and thou begin to gnaw thy Tongue for Pain because of the Plagues Thou shalt have thy Reward according to thy Works Thou canst not escape the Lord 's righteous Judgment will find thee out and the Witness of God in thy Conscience shall answer it How hast thou caused the Heathen to Blaspheme and gone on with the Multitude to do Evil and joined hand in hand with the wicked How is thy latter End worse than thy Beginning who art come with the Dog to bite and art turned as a Wolf to devour the Lambs How hast thou discovered thy self to be a Man more fit to be kept in a place to be nurtured than to be set in a Place to nurture How wast thou exalted and puffed up with Pride And now art thou fallen down with Shame that thou comest to be covered with that which thou stirredst up and broughtest forth Let not John Sawrey take the VVords of God into his Mouth till he be Reformed Let him not take his Name into his Mouth till he depart from Iniquity Let not him and his Teacher make a Profession of the Saints VVords except they intend to proclaim themselves Hypocrites whose Lives are so contrary to the Lives of the Saints whose Church hath made it self manifest to be a Cage of Vnclean Birds You having a Form of Godliness but not the Power have made them that be in the Power your Derision your By-word and your Talk at your Feasts Thy ill Savour John Sawrey the Country about have smelled and of thy unchristian Carriage all that fear God have been ashamed and to them thou hast been a Grief In the Day of Account thou shalt know it even in the Day of thy Condemnation Thou wast mounted up and hadst set thy Nest on high but never gottest higher than the Fowls of the Air But now thou art run amongst the Beasts of Prey and art fallen into the Earth so that Earthliness and Covetousness hath swallowed thee up and thy Conceitedness would not carry thee through in whom was found the selfish Principle which hath blinded thy Eye Thy Back must be bowed down always for thy Table is already become thy Snare G. F. This Justice Sawrey who was the first Persecutor in that Country was afterward drowned I writ also to VVilliam Lampit who was the Priest of Vlverston and thus it was upon me to write unto him THE Word of the Lord to thee O Lampitt who art a Deceiver surfetted and drunk with the Earthly Spirit rambling up and down in the Scriptures and blending thy Spirit amongst the Saints Conditions who hadst a Prophecy as thy Father Balaam had but art erred from it as thy Father did One whose Fruit hath withered of which I am a Witness and many who have known thy Fruit have seen the End of it that it is withered and do see where thou art in the blind World a blind Leader of the Blind a Beast wallowing and tumbling in the Earth and in the Lust one that is erred from the Spirit of the Lord who art of old ordained for Condemnation Who art in the Seat of the Pharisees art called of Men Master standest Praying in the Synagogues and hast the Chief Seat in the Assemblies a right Hypocrite in the steps of the Pharisees and in the way of thy Fathers the Hypocrites which our Lord Jesus Christ cried Wo against Such with the Light thou art seen to be and by the Light art Comprehended which is thy Condemnation who hatest it and will be so Eternally except thou Repent To thee this is the Word of God for in Christ's Way thou art not but in the Pharisees as thou may stread Mat. 23. and all that own Christ's Words may see thee there Christ who died at Jerusalem cried Wo against such as thou art and Christ is the same yesterday to day and for ever The Wo remains upon thee and from under it thou canst never come but through Judgment Condemnation and true Repentance To thee this is the VVord of God To that of God in thy Conscience I do speak which will witness the Truth of what I write and will Condemn thee And when thou art in thy Torment though now thou swellest in thy Vanity and livest in Wickedness remember thou wast warned in thy Life-time when the Eternal Condemnation is stretched over thee thou shalt witness this to be the VVord of the Lord God unto thee And if ever thy Eye should see Repentance thou would'st witness me to have been a Friend of thy Soul G. F. Having thus cleared my Conscience to the Justice and to the Priest of Vlverstone who had raised the first Persecution in that Country it was upon me to send this VVarning in Writing to the People of Vlverstone in general COnsider O People who be within the Parish of Vlverston I was moved of the Lord to come into your Publick Places to speak among you being sent of God to direct your Minds to God that you might know where you might find your Teacher that your Minds might be stayed alone upon God and you might not gad abroad without you for a Teacher for the Lord God alone will Teach his People and he is coming to Teach them and to gather his People from Idols-Temples and from the customary Worships which all the World is trained up in And God hath given to every one of you a Measure of his Spirit according to your Capacity Liars Drunkards Whoremongers and Thieves and who follow filthy Pleasures you all have this Measure in you And this is the Measure of the Spirit of God that shews you Sin and shews you Evil and shews you Deceit which lets you see Lying is Sin Theft Drunkenness and Vncleanness all these to be the Works of Darkness Therefore mind your Measure for
Debate Did your Hearts never burn within you Did you never come to question your Conditions Are you wholly given up to do the Devil's Lusts to Persecute Where is your Loving Enemies Where is your Entertaining Strangers Where is your Overcoming Evil with Good Where are your Teachers that can stop the Mouths of Gain-sayers and can convince Gain-sayers and such as oppose themselves Have you no Ministers of the Spirit no Soldiers with Spiritual Weapons displaying Christ's Colours But all the Dragon 's the Murderer's the Persecutor's Arm of Flesh Cain's Weapons Chief Priests taking Counsel Judas and the Multitude with Swords and Staves Sodom's Company raging about Lot's House like the Priests and Princes against Jeremiah like the Dragon Beast and great Whore and the false Church which John saw should cast into Prison and Kill and Persecute Whose Weapons are you bearing doth not the false Church the VVhore make Merchandize of Cattel Corn VVine and Oil even to the very Souls of Men And hath not all this been since the true Church went into the Wilderness Read Revelations the 12th with the 18th Do you not read and see what a Spirit you are of and what a bottomless Pit you are in And have not you dishonoured the Place of Justice and Authority What! turned your Sword backward like Mad-Men who are a Praise to the Evil-Doer and would be a Terror to the Good with all Force and Might to stop the way of Justice Doth not the Lord think you behold your Actions How many have you wronged how many have you Imprisoned and Persecuted and put out of your Synagogues Are you they that must fulfil the Prophecy of Christ Matth 23. John 16. Read the Scriptures and see how unlike you are to the Prophets Christ and his Apostles and what a Visage you have like unto them that persecuted the Prophets Christ and the Apostles You are found in their Steps wrestling with Flesh and Blood and not with Principalities and Powers and Spiritual Wickedness And your Teachers imprisoning and persecuting for outward things you being their Executioners the like whereof hath not been in all the Nations The Havock that hath been made the spoiling of the Goods of People taking away their Oxen and fatted Beeves their Sheep Corn Wool and Houshold-Goods and giving them to the Priests that have done no Work for them More like Moss-Troopers than Ministers of the Gospel they take them from Friends suing them in your Courts and fining them because they will not break the Commands of Christ that is because they will not Swear And thus you Act against them that do not lift up an Hand against you and as much as you turn against them you turn against Christ But he is risen that will plead their Cause and you cannot be hid for your Works are come to Light and the End of your Ministry is seen what it is for for Means And ye have dishonoured the Truth the Gospel and are they that make it Chargeable You have lost your Glory you have dishonoured your selves Persecution was ever blind and mad Read the Apostle what he saith of himself when he was in your Nature Exaltation and Pride and your lifting up your selves hath brought you to this not being humble and not doing Justice and not loving Mercy And when such as have beaten been and bruised by your Rude Company to whom you are a Praise and Encouragement have come and laid things before you that you might have done Justice preserved and kept Peace you as knowing they could not swear have put an Oath to them And this hath been your Trick and Cover that ye might not do Justice to the Just but by this means have gone on still further to Encourage the Evil-Doer But the Lord sees your Hearts If ye were not Men past feeling ye would fear and tremble before him the God of the whole Earth who is risen and will stain your Glory and marr your Pride and deface your Beauty and lay it in the dust Though for a Time you may swell in your Pride and glory in your Shame and make a mock of God's Messengers who for Reproving Sin in the Gate are become your Prey you will feel the heavy hand of God and his Judgments at the last This is from a Lover of the Truth and of Righteousness and of your Souls but a Witness against all such as make a Trade of the Prophets Christ's and the Apostles Words and are found in the Steps of them that persecuted the Prophets Christ's and the Apostles Life who will persecute them that will not hold you up and put into your Mouths and give you Means Tithes were before the Law and Tithes were in the Law but Tithes since the Days of the Apostles have been only since the false Church got up Now Christ who is come to end the Law and to end War Redeems Men out of the Tenths and out of the Nines also The Redeemed of the Lord shall reign upon the Earth and know the Election which was before the World began Since the days of the Apostles Tithes have been set up by the Papists and by them that went forth from the Apostles into the World so set up by the false Church that made Merchandize of People since the true Church went into the Wilderness But now is the Judgment of the great Whore come and the Beast and false Prophet the Old Dragon shall be taken and cast into the Fire and the Lamb and his Saints shall have the Victory And now is Christ come who will make War in Righteousness and destroy with the Sword of his Mouth all these Inventers and Inventions that have got up and been set up since the Days of the Apostles and since the true Church went into the Wilderness And the everlasting Gospel which is the Power of God shall be preached again to all Nations and Kindreds and Tongues in this the Lamb's Day before whom you shall appear to Judgment and you have no way to Escape For he hath appeared who is the First and the Last the Beginning and the Ending the Alpha and the Omega He that was Dead is alive again and lives for evermore I mentioned before That Gervase Benson and Anthony Pearson though they had been Justices of the Peace were not permitted to come to me in the Prison whereupon they jointly wrote a Letter to the Magistrates Priests and People at Carlisle concerning my Imprisonment And thus it was HIM who is called George Fox who is persecuted by Rulers and Magistrates by Justices by Priests and by People and who suffers Imprisonment of his Body at this present as a Blasphemer and an Heretick and a Seducer him do we witness who in measure are made Partakers of the same Life which lives in him to be a Minister of the Eternal Word of God by whom the everlasting Gospel is preached by the powerful Preaching whereof the Eternal Father of the Saints hath opened the Blind Eyes hath
Rejoyce in Iniquity but leads to Repent of it So this is the WORD OF THE LORD GOD to you all Friends every where abroad scattered Know the Power of God in one another and in that Rejoyce for then you Rejoyce in the Cross of Christ who is not of the World which Cross is the Power of God to all them that are saved So you that know the Power and feel the Power you feel the Cross of Christ you feel the Gospel which is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth Now he that believes in the Light believes in the Everlasting Covenant in the one Offering comes to the Life of the Prophets and Moses comes to see Christ the Hope the Mystery which Hope perisheth not but lets you see the Hope that perisheth which is not that Mystery and the Expectation in that perishing Hope fades And where this never-failing Hope is witnessed the Lord comes to be sanctified in the Heart and you come to the Beginning to Christ the Hope which perisheth not but the other Hope and the other Expectation that perisheth So all of you know the perishing of the Other and the failing of the Expectation therein and know that which perisheth not that you may be ready to give a Reason of this Hope with Meekness and Fear to every Man that asketh you Christ the Hope the Mystery that perisheth not the End of all perishing things the End of all changeable things the End of the decaying Covenant the End of that which waxeth old and doth decay the End of the first Covenant of Moses and of the Prophets the Righteousness of God Christ Jesus the Son his Throne ye will know Heirs with him ye will be who makes his Children Kings and Priests to him and brings them to know his Throne and his Power There is no Justification out of the Light out of Christ Justification is in the Light in Christ Here is the Doer of the Will of God here 's the Entring into the Kingdom He that believes in the Light becomes a Child of Light and here the Wisdom is received that is justified of her Children Here believing in the Light you shall not abide in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life and come every one to witness the Light that shines in your Hearts which Light will give you the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ With which Light you will see him reign who is the Prince of Life and of Peace which Light turns from him that is out of the Truth and abode not in it where the true Peace is not Friends Be not hasty For he that believes in the Light makes not Haste Here the Grace is received by which you come to be saved the Election is known which obtains the Promise The Will is seen that wills the Mind is known that runs which obtains not but stops and dulls Now that with the Light being seen and judged and stopt the Patience is here known which obtains the Crown and the Immortality is come to Light So all they now that act contrary to the Light and do not believe in it they do not come to Justification And all Friends if you go from the Light from wanting to have the Promise of God fulfilled to the Seed whereby you may know Christ Reign you thereby bring on your selves Changable Garments and come to wear the Changable Garments and the strange Flesh which leads to Adultery which the Law goes upon which shuts out of the Kingdom And out of this Will doth proceed the Work or Building that is for the Fire whereby you may come to suffer Less Therefore the Light love which doth that Condemn and receive the Power from the Lord with which you stand over that and do it Condemn feeling and seeing that which gives you the Victory over the World and to see out of Time to before Time And again Friends Know Abraham that must obey the Voice of Sarah that bears Seed which casts forth the Bond-woman and her Son Do not go forth there will the Wildness lodge Know that which bears the Wild Son and its Mother who is not Sarah for the Promise is to the Seed not of many but one which Seed is Christ And this Seed now you come to witness stand on the Top of all yea on the Head of the Serpent And so all as I said before who this come to feel and witness ceme to the Beginning and this to all the Seed of God the Church that it you all may come to know where there is no blemish nor spot nor Wrinkle nor any such thing which is that which is purchased by the Blood of Jesus and to the Father presented out of all that does defile which is the Pillar and Ground of Truth And none comes to this but such who come to the Light which doth come from Christ who purchased this Church They who go from the Light are shut out and condemned though they profess all the Scriptures declared forth from it Therefore walk in the Light that you may have Fellowship with the Son and with the Father and come all to witness his Image and his Power and his Law which is his Light which hath converted your Souls and brought them to submit to the higher Power above that which is out of the Truth that you may know here the Mercy and Truth and the Faith that works by Love which Christ is the Author of who lighteth every one of you which Faith gives the Victory Now that which gives the Victory is perfect and that which the Ministers of God received from God is that which is perfect and that which they are to Minister is for the perfecting of the Saints till they all come in the Unity of the Faith unto a Perfect Man So this is the Word of the Lord God to you all every one in the Measure of Life Wait that with it all your Minds may be guided up to the Father of Life the Father of Spirits all to receive Power from him and Wisdom that with it you may be ordered to his Glory to whom be all Glory for ever All keep in the Light and Life that judgeth down that which is contrary to the Light and Life So the Lord God Almighty be with you all And keep your Meetings every where being guided by that of God by that you may see the Lord God among you even him who lighteth every Man that cometh into the World by whom the World was made that Men that be come into the World might believe He that believeth not the Light condemns him He that believeth cometh out of Condemnation So this Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World which they that hate it stumble at this is the Light of Men. All Friends that speak abroad see that it be in the Life of God for that begets to God the Fruits of that shall never
Company went their way to Hallifax The People asked them Why they did not kill me according to the Oath they had sworn And they maliciously Answered That I had so bewitched them that they could not do it Thus was the Devil chained at that time Friends told me that they used to come at other times and be very rude and unruly and sometimes break their Stools and Seats and make fearful work amongst them But the Lord's Power had now bound them Shortly after this that Butcher that had been accused of killing a Man and a Woman before and who was one of them that had then bound himself by an Oath to kill me killed another Man and was thereupon sent to York-Jail Example Another of those rude Butchers who had also sworn to kill me having accustomed himself to Thrust his Tongue out of his Mouth in derision of Friends when they passed by him had his Tongue so swollen out of his Mouth that he could never draw it in again but died so Several strange and sudden Judgments came upon many of these Conspirators against me which would be too large here to declare God's Vengeance from Heaven came upon the Blood-thirsty who sought after Blood for all such Spirits I laid before the Lord and left them to him to deal with them who is stronger than them all in whose Power I was preserved and carried on to do his Work The Lord hath raised a fine People in those Parts whom he hath drawn to Christ and gathered in his Name who feel Christ amongst them and sit under his Teaching After this I passed through the Countries till I came to Balby Balby Lincolnshire from whence several Friends went with me into Lincolnshire where I had formerly been of whom some went to the Steeple-houses and some to private Meetings There came to the Meeting where I was the Sheriff of Lincoln and several with him who made a great Contention and Jangling for a time But at length the Lord's Power struck him that he was Convinced of the Truth and received the Word of Life as did several others also that did Oppose and continued among Friends till they died Great Meetings there were and a large Convincement in those Parts Many were turned to the Lord Jesus and came to sit under his Teaching leaving their Priests and their superstitious Ways and the Day of the Lord flourished over all Amongst them that came to our Meetings in that Country there was one called Sir Richard Wrey and he was Convinced as was also his Brother and his Brother's Wife who abode in the Truth and died therein though he afterwards Run out Having visited those Countries I came into Darbyshire Darbyshire and the Sheriff of Lincoln who was lately Convinced came with me In one Meeting we had some Opposition 1654. Derbyshire but the Lord 's glorious Power gave dominion over all At Night there came a Company of Bayliffs and Serving-men and called me out so I went out to them having some Friends with me When I was come out they were exceeding Rude and Violent for they had it seems Complotted together and intended To have Carried me away with them in the dark of the Evening by force and then to have done me a Mischief But the Lord's Power went over them and chained them so that they could not effect their Design and at last they went away The next day Thomas Aldam understanding that the Serving-men belonged to one called a Knight who lived not far off went to his House and laid before him the bad Carriage of his Servants And the Knight seemed to Rebuke them and did not allow of their Evil Carriage towards us Nottingham-shire Skegby After this we came into Nottinghamshire to Skegby where we had a great Meeting of all sorts of People and the Lord's Power went over them and all was quiet and the People were turned to the Spirit of God by which many came to receive his Power and to sit under the Teaching of Christ their Saviour A great People the Lord hath that a ways Kidsley-Park Then I passed towards Kidsley-park where there came many Ranters but the Lord's Power checkt them From thence I went up into the Peak-Country Peak Country towards Thomas Hammersly's where there came the Ranters of that Country and many high Professors The Ranters opposed me and fell a Swearing And when I reproved them for Swearing they would bring Scripture for it and said Abraham and Jacob and Joseph swore and the Priests and Moses and the Prophets swore and the Angels swore Then I told them I did confess all these did so as the Scripture records but said I Christ who said Before Abraham was I am saith Swear not at all And Christ ends the Prophets and the Old Priesthood and the Dispensation of Moses and reigns over the House of Jacob and of Joseph and he says Swear not at all And God when he bringeth in the First-begotten into the World saith Let all the Angels of God worship him to wit Christ Jesus who saith Swear not at all And as for the Plea that Men make for Swearing to end their Strife Christ who says Swear not at all destroys the Devil and his Works who is the Author of Strife for that is one of his Works And God said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him So the Son is to be heard who forbids Swearing And the Apostle James who did hear the Son of God and followed him and preached him forbids all Oaths Jam. 5.12 So the Lord's Power went over them and his Son and his Doctrine was set over them and the Word of Life was fully and richly preached and many were Convinced that day This Thomas Hammersly being summoned to serve upon a Jury was admitted to serve without an Oath and he being Fore-man of the Jury when he brought in the Verdict the Judge did declare That he had been a Judge so many Years but never heard a more upright Verdict than that Quaker had then brought in Much might be written of things of this nature which time would fail to declare But the Lord's blessed Power and Truth was exalted over all who is worthy of all Praise and Glory for ever Thus travelling through Darbyshire I visited Friends Leicestershire Swanington till I came to Swanington in Leicestershire where there was a General Meeting to which many Ranters came and Baptists and other Professors for great Contests there had been with them and with the Priests in that Town To this Meeting several Friends came from several Parts as John Audland and Francis Howgil and Edward Pyot from Bristol and Edward Burrough from London and several were Convinced in those Parts The Ranters that came to the Meeting made a disturbance and were very rude but at last the Lord's Power came over them and they were Confounded The next Day Jacob Bottomley a great Ranter came from
have my Liberty he said if I would not go to nor keep Meetings I told him I could not promise any such thing Several times upon the Road did he ask and try me after the sâ—me manner and still I gave him the same Answers So he brought me to London London Charing-Cross and lodged me at the Mermaid over against the Mews at Charing-Cross And on the way as we traveled I was moved of the Lord to Warn People at the Inns and Places where I came of the day of the Lord that was coming upon them And William Dewsberry and Marmaduke Stor being in Prison at Northampton he let me go and visit them After Captain Drury had lodged me at the Mermaid he left me there and went to give the Protector an Account of me And when he came to me again he told me The Protector did require that I should promise not to take up a carnal Sword or Weapon against him or the Government as it then was and that I should write it in what words I saw good and set my Hand to it I said little in Reply to Captain Drury But the next Morning I was moved of the Lord to write a Paper To the Protector by the name of Oliver Cromwel wherein I did in the presence of the Lord God declare that I did deny the wearing or drawing of a carnal Sword or any other outward Weapon against him or any Man And that I was sent of God to stand a Witness against all Violence and against the Works of Darkness and to turn People from the Darkness to the Light and to bring them from the Occasion of War and Fighting to the peaceable Gospel and from being Evil-Doers which the Magistrates Sword should be a Terror to When I had written what the Lord had given me to write I set my Name to it and gave it to Captain Drury to give to O. Cromwel which he did Then after some time Captain Drury brought me before the Protector himself at Whitehall Whitehall It was in a Morning before he was dressed and one Harvey that had come a little among Friends but was disobedient waited upon him When I came in I was moved to say Peace be in this House and I bid him Keep in the Fear of God that he might receive Wisdom from him that by it he might be ordered and with it might order all things under his Hand to God's Glory I spake much to him of Truth and a great deal of Discourse I had with him about Reliâ—ion wherein he carried himself very moderately But he said We quarrelled with the Priests whom he called Ministers I told him I did not quarrel with them but they quarrelled with me and my Friends But said I If we own the Prophets Christ and the Apostles we cannot hold up such Teachers Prophets and Shepherds 1654. Whitehall as the Prophets Christ and the Apostles declared against but we must declare against them by the same Power and Spirit Then I shewed him That the Prophets Christ and the Apostles declared freely and declared against them that did not declare freely such as preached for filthy Lucre and divined for Money and preached for Hire and were covetous and greedy like the dumb Dogs that could never have enough And that they that have the same Spirit that Christ and the Prophets and the Apostles had could not but declare against all such now as they did then As I spake he would several times say It was very good and it was Truth I told him That all Christendom so called had the Scriptures but they wanted the Power and Spirit that they had who gave forth the Scriptures and that was the reason they were not in Fellowship with the Son nor with the Father nor with the Scriptures nor one with another Many more words I had with him but People coming in I drew a little back And as I was turning he catched me by the Hand and with Tears in his Eyes said Come again to my House for if thou and I were but an hour of a day together we should be nearer one to the other adding That he wisht me no more Ill than he did to his own Soul I told him If he did he wronged his own Soul And I bid him hearken to God's Voice that he might stand in his Counsel and obey it and if he did so that would keep him from hardness of Heart but if he did not hear God's Voice his Heart would be hardened And he said It was true Then went I out G. F. set at Liberty And when Capt. Drury came out after me he told me His Lord Protector said I was at Liberty and might go whither I would Then I was brought into a great Hall where the Protector 's Gentlemen were to dine and I asked them What they did bring me thither for They said It was by the Protector 's Order that I might dine with them I bid them Let the Protector know I would not eat a bit of his Bread nor drink a sup of his Drink When he heard this he said Now I see there is a People risen and come up that I cannot win either with Gifts Honours Offices or Places but all other Sects and People I can But it was told him again That we had forsook our own and were not like to look for such things from him Now I being set at Liberty went up to the Inn again where Capt. Drury had at first lodged me This Capt. Drury though he sometimes carried fairly was an Enemy to me and to Truth and opposed it and when Professors came to me while I was under his Custody and he was by he would scoff at Trembling and call us Quakers as the Independents and Presbyterians had Nick-named us before But afterwards he came on a time to me and told me That as he was lying on his Bed to rest himself in the day-time a sudden Trembling seized on him that his Joints knocked together and his Body shook so that he could not rise from his Bed he was so shaken that he had not strength enough left to rise But he felt the Power of the Lord was upon him and he tumbled off his Bed and cried to the Lord and said He would never speak against the Quakers more such as Trembled at the Word of God During the Time that I was Prisoner at Charing-Cross 1654. Charing-Cross there came abundaâ—ce to see me People almost of all Sorts Priests Professors Officers of the Army c. And one Time a Company of Officers being with me desired me to pray with them I sate still with my Mind retired to the Lord. At last I felt the Power and Spirit of God move in me and the Lord's Power did so shake and shatter them that they wondred though they did not live in it Among those that came thither to see me there was one Colonel Packer with several of his Officers and while they
the Rider hath on his own who perhaps hath a Ring in his Ear too and so go to Horse-racing to spoil the Creatures Oh these are Gentlemen indeed these are bred up Gentlemen these are brave Fellows and they must take their Recreation for Pleasures are lawful And these in their Sports set up their Shouts like unto the wild Asses they are like unto the Kine or Beasts when they are put to Grass Lowing when they are full And here is the Glorying of them before-mentioned but it is in the Flesh not in the Lord These are bad Christians and shew that they are gluttoned with the Creatures and then the Flesh rejoiceth And here is bad breeding of Youth and young Women who are carried away with the Vanities of the Mind in their own Inventions Pride Arrogancy Lust Gluttony Vncleanness so Eat and Drink and rise up to Play This is the Generation which God is not well pleased withall but their Eyes are full of Adultery who cannot cease from Evil. These be they that live in Pleasures upon Earth These be they who are dead while they live who glory not in the Lord but in the Flesh These be they that be from the Life that the Scriptures were given forth from who live in the Fashions and Vanities of the World out of Truth 's Adorning in the Devil 's Adorning who is out of the Truth and not in the Adorning of the Lord which is a meek and quiet Spirit which is with the Lord of great price But this Ornament and this Adorning is not put on by them that be adorned and have the Ornament of him that is out of the Truth and that is not accepted with the Lord which is accepted in their Eye G. F. Moreover it came upon me about this time from the Lord to write a short Paper and send forth as An Exhortation and Warning to the Pope and all Kings and Rulers in Europe a Copy of which here follows Friends YE Heads and Rulers and Kings and Nobles of all sorts Be not bitter nor hasty in persecuting the Lambs of Christ neither turn your selves against the Visitation of God and his tender Love and Mercies from on high who sent to visit you lest the Lord's Hand Arm and Power take hold swiftly upon you which is now stretched over the World that is turned against Kings and shall turn Wise Men backward and will bring off their Crowns to the Dust and lay them low and level with the Earth God and Christ will be King who gives Crowns to whomsoever obey his Will and this is the Age wherein the Lord God of Heaven and Earth is staining the Pride of Man and defacing his Glory So you that profess Christ and do not love your Enemies but on the contrary do shut up and Imprison them who are his Friends these be Marks that you be out of his Life and do not love Christ who do not the things he commands The day of the Lord's Wrath is kindling and his Fire is going forth to burn up the Wicked which will leave neither Root nor Branch They that have lost their Habitation with God be out of the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures and from the Light that Jesus Christ hath enlightned them withall and so from the true Foundation Therefore be swift to hear and slow to speak and slower to persecute For the Lord is bringing his People to himself from off all the World's Ways to Christ the Way and from off all the World's Churches to the Church which is in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and from off all the World's Teachers to teach his People himself by his Spirit and from off all the World's Images into the Image of himself and from their Likenesses into his own Likeness and from off all the World's Crosses of Stone or Wood into his Power which is the Cross of Christ For all these Images and Crosses and Likenesses are among them that are Apostatized from the Image of God the Power of God which is the Cross of Christ which now fathoms the World and is throwing down that which is contrary to it which Power of God never changes Let this go to the Kings of France and of Spain and to the Pope for them to prove all things and to hold that which is good And first to prove that they have not quenched the Spirit for the mighty Day of the Lord is come and coming upon all Wickedness and Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of Men who will plead with all Flesh by Fire and by Sword And the Truth and the Crown of Glory and the Scepter of Righteousness over all shall be exalted which shall Answer that of God in every one upon the Earth tho' they be from it Christ is come a Light into the World and doth enlighten every one that cometh into the World that all through him might believe He that feeleth the Light that Christ hath enlightened him withal he feeleth Christ in his Mind and the Cross of Christ which is the Power of God and he shall not need to have a Cross of Wood or Stone to put him in mind of Christ or of his Cross which is the Power of God manifest in the inward Parts G. F. Besides this I was moved to write a Letter to the Protector so called To warn him of the mighty Work the Lord hath to do in the Nations and shaking of them and to beware of his own Wit Craft Subtilty and Policy or seeking any By-Ends to himself There was about this time an Order for the Trying of Ministers so called and for Approving or Ejecting them out of their Places or Benefices whereupon I writ a Paper To the Justices and other Commissioners who were appointed to that Work Of which Paper the Copy here follows Friends YOU that be Justices and in Commission to Try Ministers who have so long been in the Vine-yard of God now see whether they be such as are mentioned in the Scriptures whom the Prophets Christ and the Apostles did Dis-approve of And if they be such as they Dis-approved then see how ye can stand Approved in the sight of God to let such go into his Vine-yard and Approve of them who will admire your Persons because of Advantage and if you do not give them advantage they will not admire your Persons Such Jude speaks of See if they be not such as teach for filthy Lucre for the love of Money Covetous such as love themselves who have a Form of Godliness but deny the Power from such the Apostle bids Turn away The Apostle said Their Mouths should be stopped who served not the Lord Jesus but their own Bellies being Evil Beasts slow Bellies who mind Earthly Things Paul gave Timothy an Order to Try Ministers by He said They must not be Covetous nor given to Wine nor filthy Lucre nor a Novice lest being lifted up into Pride they fall into the Condemnation of the Devil These he was to
could not make good by Scripture that which he had said So he was shamed and fled out of the House and his People were generally Convinced for his Spirit was discovered and he came no more amongst them And when his People were Convinced and settled in God's Truth they gave forth a Book against him and denied his Spirit and his false Discoveries Many were turned to Christ Jesus that day and came to sit under his Teaching insomuch that the Judges were in a great Rage and many of the Magistrates in Bedford-shire because there were so many turned from the Hireling-Priests to the Lord Jesus Christ's free Teaching But John Crook was kept by the Power of the Lord Yet he was turned out from being a Justice After some time I turned up through the Country to London again where Friends were finely established in the Truth and great Comings in there were And about this time several Friends went beyond the Seas to declare the everlasting Truth of God Now when I had stay'd a while in the City Kent Rochester I went into Kent And when I came to Rochester there was a Guard kept to examin Passengers Cranbrook but we passed by and were not stopped So I went to Cranbrook where there was a great Meeting and several Souldiers were at it and many were turned to the Lord that day After the Meeting some of the Souldiers were somewhat Rude but the Lord's Power came over them One Thomas Howsigoe an Independent-Preacher who lived not far from Cranbrook was Convinced and became a faithful Minister for the Lord Jesus Some Friends had traveled into Kent before as John Stubbs and William Caton and the Priests and Professors had stirred up the Magistrates at Maidstone to Whip them for declaring God's Truth unto them as may be seen at large in the Journal of William Caton's Life There was also one Captain Dunk Convinced in Kent Sussex Ry. and he went with me to Ry where we had a Meeting to which the Mayor and Officers and several Captains came and they took what I said in Writing which I was well pleased with All was quiet and the People affected with the Truth Rumney From Ry I went to Rumney where the People having had notice of my Coming some time before there was a very large Meeting Thither came Samuel Fisher who was an Eminent Preacher among the Baptists and had had a Parsonage reputed worth about Two hundred Pounds a Year which for Conscience-sake he had given up And there was also the Pastor of the Baptists and abundance of their People And the Power of the Lord was so mightily over the Meeting that many were reached by the Power of God and one greatly shaken and the Life sprang up in divers One of the Pastors of the Baptists being amazed at the Work of the Lord's Power bid one of our Friends that was so wrought upon Have a good Conscience Whereupon I was moved of the Lord to bid him Take heed of Hypocrisy and Deceit and he was silent A great Convincement there was that day and many were turned from the Darkness to the divine Light of Christ and came to see their Teachers Errors and to sit under the Lord Jesus Christ's Teaching and to know him their Way and the Covenant of Light which God had given to be their Salvation And they were brought to the One Baptism and to the One Baptizer Christ Jesus When the Meeting was done Samuel Fisher's Wife said Now we may discern this day betwixt Flesh and Spirit and distinguish Spiritual Teaching from Fleshly The People were generally well satisfied with what had been declared but the Two Baptist-Teachers and their Company when they were gone from the Meeting fell to Reasoning amongst the People Samuel Fisher with divers others reasoned for the Word of Life which had been declared that day and the other Pastor and his Party reasoned against it So it divided them asunder and cut them in the midst A Friend came and told me that the Baptists were disputing one with another 1655. Rumney and desired me to go up to them but I said Let them alone the Lord will divide them and they that Reason for Truth will be too hard for the other And so it was This Samuel Fisher received the Truth in the Love of it and became a faithful Minister of it and preached Christ freely and laboured much in the Work and Service of the Lord being moved of the Lord to go and declare the word of Life at Dunkirk and in Holland and in divers parts of Italy as Leghorn and Rome it self And yet the Lord preserved him and his Companion John Stubbs out of their Inquisitions From Rumney I passed to Dover and had a Meeting there Dover where several were Convinced And near unto Dover there was a Governour and his Wife Convinced who had been Baptists and the Baptists thereabouts were much offended and grew very envious but the Lord's Power came over all Luke Howard of Dover was Convinced sometime before and became a faithful Minister of Christ Returning from Dover I went to Canterbury Canterbury where there were a few honest-hearted People turned to the Lord who sate down under Christ's Teaching Thence I passed to Cranbrook again Cranbrook where I had a great Meeting A Friend that was with me went to the Steeple-house and was cast into Prison But the Lord's Power was manifested and his Truth spread From thence I passed into Sussex and lodged near Horsham Sussex Horsham where there was a great Meeting and many were Convinced Also at Stenning we had a great Meeting in the Market-House Stenning and several were Convinced there and thereaways for the Lord's Power was with us Several Meetings I had thereabouts and among the rest there was a Meeting appointed at a Great Man's House and he and his Son went to fetch several Priests that had threatned to come and dispute But when the time came none of them came for the Lord's Power was mighty in us A glorious Meeting we had and the Man of the House and his Son were vext because none of the Priests would come So the Hearts of People were opened by the Spirit of God and they were turned from the Hirelings to Christ Jesus their Shepherd who had purchased them without Money and would feed them without Money or Price Many that came expecting to hear a Dispute were Convinced that day amongst which Nicholas Beard was one Thus the Lord's Power came over all and his Day many came to see There were abundance of Ranters in those parts and Professors that had been so Loose in their Lives that they began to be Weary of it and had thought to have gone into Scotland to have lived privately But the Lord's Net catched them and their Understandings were opened by his Light Spirit and Power through which they came to receive the Truth and to be settled upon the Lord and so
have not considered the handy-works of the Lord but have destroyed them nor have regarded the way of the Lord but have had plenty of the Creatures and have therewith fatted up your selves and forgot the Lord and his way O let Shame cover your Faces here upon Earth Come ye that are given to Pleasures and spend your Time and Days in Sports and Idleness and Fulness your Fruits declare the Sins of Sodom yet you will make a Talk of my Name and of my Saints Words But I behold you afar off saith the Lord you are Proud and Lofty you are bad Patterns and bad Examples that be full and rich and Idle who say Others are Idle that cannot maintain your Lusts Oh! the unrighteous Ballances that are among People Oh the Iniquity in Measuring Oh the Oppression in Ruling and Governing Therefore because of these things my Hand shall come upon you saith the Lord. For the Oppression is entred into the Ears of the Lord who gives Rest to the wearied to the burdened to the oppressed who feeds the Hungry and cloaths the Naked who brings the Mighty from their Seats and beats the Lofty to Ground and makes the Haughty to bend Come saith the Lord ye Mockers and Scorners and Rebellious ones light and wild People vain and heady you have had your Day of Joy you have Scoffed you have Mocked and derided my Messengers and my Ambassadors who have preached in your Streets and cried in your Synagogues and Temples a Day of Trembling and Lamentation shall on you come when you are not aware I 'le take away your Pride and your Height I 'le shake you as a Leaf and bring you to be as Men distracted I 'le distract you and make you that you shall not trust one another in the Earth who have joined hand in hand against my Servants in the Truth I 'le smite you with Terrors and bring Frets and Fears upon you the Cup of my Indignation and Fury shall you drink Where will you appear when Repentance is hid from your Eyes when prophane Esau your Father it set before you and Ishmael and Cain wild and envious whose Fruits declare the Stock Come ye proud Priests who have eaten up the Fat of the Nation who by Violence have taken other Men's Goods whose Envy hath slain many whose Wickedness and Darkness hath abounded and whose Vnrighteousness daily appears Your Fruits every day declare it in summoning up by Writs and Subpoena's from most parts of the Nation for Wages and Tithes such as you do no work for Oh the Abominable Vnrighteousness how is the State of Man lost that these things they do not take to Heart to feel them What havock is made in most parts of the Nation with such And all ye Priests and Teachers who are railing and brawling in the Pulpit setting People at variance one against another Haters and Hateful provoking People to Hate one another here is the Seed of Enmity seen which you have sown and are sowing whose Seed must be bruised by the Seed of the Woman which a top of your Heads is set G. F. This Year came out the Oath of Abjuration by which many Friends suffered and several Friends went to speak with the Protector about it but he began to harden And Sufferings increasing upon Friends by reason that envious Magistrates made use of that Oath as a Snare to catch Friends in who they knew could not swear at all I was moved to write to the Protector about it and other suffering Friends as followeth THE Magistrate is not to bear the Sword in vain which ought to be a Terror to the Evil-doers but the Magistrate that doth bear the Sword in vain as he is not a Terror to the Evil-doers so he is not a Praise to them that do well Now hath God raised up a People by his Power whom People Priests and Magistrates who are out of the Fear of God scornfully call Quakers who do cry against Drunkenness for Drunkards destroy God's Creatures and do cry against Oaths for because of Oaths the Land mourns and they Drunkards and Swearers to whom the Magistrate's Sword should be a Terror are we see at liberty but for crying against such many are cast into Prison and for crying against their Pride and Filthiness their deceitful Merchandize in Markets their Cozening and their Cheating their Excess and Naughtiness their playing at Bouls and Shovel-boards at Cards and at Dice and their other vain and wanton Pleasures for who live in Pleasures are dead while they live and who live in Wantonness kill the Just This we know by the Spirit of God which gave forth the Scriptures which God the Father hath given to us and hath placed his Righteous Law in our Hearts which Law is a Terror to Evil-doers and answers that which is of God in every Man's Conscience They which act contrary to the Measure of God's Spirit in every Man's Conscience cast the Law of God behind their Backs and walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace The Magistrate's Sword we see is born in vain whilst the Evil-doers are at Liberty to do Evil and they that cry against such are for so doing punished by the Magistrate who hath turned his Sword backward against the Lord. And now the Wicked one fenceth himself and persecutes the Innocent as Vagabonds and Wanderers for crying against Sin and against Vnrighteousness and Vngodliness openly in the Markets and in the High-ways or as Railers because they tell them what Judgment will follow them that follow such Practices And here they that depart from Iniquity are become a Prey and few lay it to heart But God will thresh the Mountains and beat the Hills and cleave the Rocks and cast into his Press which is trodden without the City and will bathe his Sword in the Blood of the Wicked and Vnrighteous So they that have drunk the Cup of Abominations an hard Cup have you to drink you who are the Enemies of God and of you he will be avenged who be his Enemies Now ye in whom something of God is remaining consider If the Sword was not born in vain but turned against the Evil-doers then the Righteous would not suffer and be cast into Holes Dungeons Corners and Prisons and Houses of Correction as Peace-Breakers for crying against Sin openly as they are commanded of the Lord and for crying against the Covetousness of the Priests and their false Worships who exact Money now of poor People whom they do no work for Oh! where will you appear in the Day of the Lord or how will you stand in the Day of his righteous Judgment How many Jails and Houses of Correction are now made Places to put the Lambs of Christ in for following him and obeying his Commands which are too many to mention The Royal Law of Christ To do as ye would be done by is trodden down under foot So that Men can profess him in Words and Talk but Crucify him wheresoever he appears
and cast him into Prison as the Talkers of him always did in the Generations and Ages past And the Labourers which God the Master of the Harvest hath sent into his Vine-yard do the Chief of the Priests and the Rulers now take Counsel together against to cast them into Prison And here is the Fruits of Priests and People and Rulers without the Fear of God The Day is come and coming that every Man's Work doth appear and shall appear glory be to the Lord God for ever So see and consider the Days you have spent and the Days you do spend for this is your Day of Visitation Many have suffered great Fines of Money because they could not Swear but do abide in Christ's Doctrine who saith Swear not at all and by that means are they made a Prey upon for abiding in the Command of Christ And now many are cast into Prison and are made a Prey upon because they cannot take the Oath of Abjuration though they denied all that is contained in it and by that means many of the Messengers and Ministers of the Lord Jesus Christ are cast into Prison because they will not Swear nor go out of Christ's Command Therefore O Man Consider to the Measure of the Life of God in thee I speak Many also lie in Jails because they cannot pay the Priests Tithes and many have their Goods spoiled and treble Dammages taken of them and many are whipt and beaten in the Houses of Correction without Breach of any Law And these things are done in thy Name to Protect them in these Actions If Men fearing God did bear the Sword and Covetousness were hated and Men of Courage for God were set up then they would be a Terror to Evil-doers and a Praise to them that do well and not cause them to suffer Here Equity would be heard in our Land and Righteousness would stand up and take Place which giveth not place to the Vnrighteous but judgeth it To the measure of God's Spirit in thee I speak that thou may'st consider and come to Rule for God That thou may'st answer that which is of God in every Man's Conscience For that is that which bringeth to Honour all Men in the Lord. Therefore consider for whom thou dost Rule that thou may'st come to receive Power from God to Rule for him and all that is contrary to God may by his Light be Condemned From a Lover of thy Soul who desires thy Eternal Good G. F. But Sufferings and Imprisonments Continuing and Increasing and the Protector under whose Name they were Inflicted hardening himself against the Complaints that were made unto him I was moved to give forth the following Lines amongst Friends to bring the Weight of their Sufferings more heavy upon the Heads of the Persecutors WHO is moved by the Power of the Lord to offer himself to the Justice for his Brother or Sister that lies in Prison and to go lie in Prison in their stead that his Brother or Sister may come forth of Prison and so to lay down his Life for his Brother or Sister And who lies in Prison for Tithes witnessing the Priesthood changed that took Tithes and the unchangeable Priesthood come If any Brother in the Light who witnesseth a Change of the Old Priesthood that took Tithes and a disannulling of the Commandment for Tithes be moved of the Lord to go to the Priest or Impropriator to offer himself to lie in Prison for his Brother and to lay down his Life that he may come forth he may chearfully do it and heap Coals of Fire upon the Head of the Adversary of God Likewise where any suffer for the Truth by them who be in the Vntruth If any Brother be moved of the Lord to go to the Magistrate Judge General or Protector and offer up themselves to the Prison to Lay down their Lives for the Brethren as Christ hath laid down his Life for you so lay down your Lives one for another here you may go over the Heads of the Persecutors and reach the Witness of God in them all And this shall lie a Judgment upon them all for ever and be witnessed to by that which is of God in their Consciences Given forth from the Spirit of the Lord through G. F. Besides this I writ also a short Epistle to Friends as An Encouragement to them in their several Exercises which was as followeth My dear Friends IN the Power of the Everlasting God which comprehends the Power of Darkness and all the Temptations and that which comes out of it In that Power of God dwell which will bring and keep you to the Word in the Beginning which will keep you up to the Life and to feed upon the same in which you are over the Power of Darkness in that you will find and feel Dominion and Life And that will let you see before the Tempter was and over him and in that the Tempter cannot come for the Power and Truth he is out of Therefore in that Life dwell in which you will know Dominion and let your Faith be in the Power and over the Weakness and Temptations and look not at them but in the Light and Power of God look at the Lord's Strength which will be made perfect in your Weakest State So in all Temptations look at the Grace of God to bring your Salvation which is your Teacher to teach you for when you do look or hearken to the Temptations you do go from your Teacher the Grace of God and so are darkened in going from that Teacher which should bring your Salvation the Grace of God which is sufficient in all Temptations to lead out of them and to keep over them G. F. After I had cleared my self of those Services for the Lord which lay upon me in the City of London I passed down through the Countries into Bedfordshire Bedfordshire Northampton-shire Wellingborough and Northamptonshire And at Wellingborough in Northamptonshire I had a great Meeting in which the Lord 's Everlasting Power and Truth was over all and many in that Country were turned to the Lord. A great Rage was amongst the Professors for the wicked Priests Presbyterians and Independents raised Lies upon us as That we carried Bottles about with us which we gave People to drink of which made them to follow us But the Power and Spirit and Truth of God kept Friends over the Rage of the People Great Spoiling also there was of Friends Goods for Tithes by the Independent and Presbyterian Priests and some Baptist-Priests that had gotten into the Steeple-houses as Books of Friend's Sufferings do at large declare Leicestershire From Wellingborrough I went into Leicestershire where Coll. Hacker had threatned That if I came there he would Imprison me again although the Protector had set me at liberty But when I was come to Whetston the Meeting Whetston from which he took me before all was quiet there And thither came Coll. Hacker's Wife
one of you a Reward according to your Works you which have the Letter which speaks of Christ but now ye are persecuting that which the Scripture speaks of so your Fruits make you manifest Therefore every one Sheriff Justices Constables c. see what ye do possess Consider what ye do possess and what a Profession ye are now in that all these Carnal Weapons are now set up against the Innocent yea against the Truth Which shews that ye have not the Spiritual Weapons that they are not among you and that ye want the Counsel of Gamaliel yea ye want the Counsel of such a Man among you who said Let the Apostles alone If it be of God it will stand if it be not it will come to nought But ye may see your selves on the Contrary in the Spirit of them that came with Judas with Swords and Staves from the Chief-Priests against Christ still it is against Christ where he is made manifest Paul while Saul went against him though he professed a Christ that was to come and the Jews professed a Christ that was to come Yet Paul persecuted him where he was manifested in his Saints So ye profess a Christ that is come but persecute him where he is manifest You that have the Letter the High-Places the Synagogues you persecute him where he is made manifest in his Saints as the Jews did They who were in the Letter out of the Life persecuted them that were in the Life of that which they profess in the Letter So now do you persecute them that are in the Life and are your selves Strangers to it as your Fruits make appear You have numbred the People of God amongst Transgressors but have you prisoned any of the Rogues and Transgressors you speak of you have prisoned the Innocent and let the others go free G. F. When I had sent abroad the fore-going Papers concerning the Watches that were then set up to Intercept and Stop Friends in their Travels in the Work of tho Lord so great a sense came upon me of the Darkness and Vail that was over the Priests and Professors of Christianity that I was moved to give forth the following Paper as An Awakening Warning to them BLindness hath happened to the professed Christians of the Letter now a days as Blindness happened to the Jews who professed the Letter but owned not the Life which the Letter speaks of As the Christians now to whom this Blindness hath hap'ned who profess the Scripture but own not the Life which the Scripture speaks of For against the Life the Jews stood who profest the Letter of the Scripture but they were Blind they gathered Counsel against the Life they were in an Vproar when the Babe was born in Bethlehem Herod and all the Chief Priests And Herod sought to destroy all the young Children in Bethlehem yet missed the Babe Herod that Fox though he slew John and put him to death And you may here see how the Literal Professors did stand up not for the Truth but quite against it Furthermore the Chief-Priests consulted together how they might take Jesus by Subtilty and put him to death mark by their Subtilty The Professors of a Christ that was to come they preached of a Messias of a Christ of a Saviour but denied the Life when he was made manifest The Chief-Priests and the Council gathered together they profest his words and the Chief-Priests who were gathered together with the Council said That his Disciples had stolen him away by Night and gave large Monies to the Souldiers to declare this Likewise in the day when the Children of Israel were in Egypt and they with their Children began to spread and multiply Come said the Egyptians Let us deal wisely with them to Afflict them and tax them Which held until the Lord overthrew their Oppressors and brought out his Seed by his mighty Power from under the Oppressor and exalted his Son above all though the Heathen raged and the People imagined vain things and he made his Power known that all might see that there was no God upon the Earth but himself This Power now hath brought forth the Work of the Lord Many who be turned to the Light Christ have received the Power of God and are thereby become the Sons of God Now this Birth that is born of God are all the Powers of the World joined together to Crucify to put to Death those Jews in the Spirit as they did put Christ to Death in the Flesh formerly This is the Birth that all the Wicked World is enraged against and mad at Against this they set their Watches this Birth brought forth by the Mighty God of Jacob who rides upon the High-places of the Earth This is the Birth that the profest Christians without the Life in our Days and Age rage against and lay out all their Wisdom about Are not the Chief-Priests and Wise Men of the Earth consulting together how they might destroy this Birth Is not this the Birth that is banished out of your Hearts you that profess the Scripture and are Talkers of it but do not own the Light and Life which the Scripture speaks of as the Jews would not and so will not have Christ to Reign over you as they would not Do you not hale out of your Synagogues and before Magistrates Do you not herein fulfil Christ's Words who said to his Disciples They should be haled out of the Synagogues and before Rulers Do you not Persecute them from City to City Do you not almost fill your Prisons with them And now set your Watches that none should go to Visit them whom ye have put into Prison Is not this an Vnchristian Spirit How can you for shame say You are Vpholders of Truth Or how can you for shame say that Truth hath been profest among you Yet we say We Grant that you have talked of it And how can you for shame say The Gospel shines among you when you will not own it the Life of it when you call it Error and the evil Seed Yea the very Truth yea the very Life of Truth ye have blasphemed against now as the Jews did against Christ calling him a Devil you now call it Error and the Evil Seed and stand up against it and turn the Sword against it As it was in the days of the Jews who turned the Sword against Christ so it is in these days of the Professed Christians of the Scripture but out of the Life that gave it forth as it was with the Jews outward in the Flesh who were not the Jews in the Spirit And is it not a shame to all the Ministers of the Gospel as they are called that they can find no better Way to maintain that which they call the Truth and their Gospel than by Carnal Weapons Stocks and Prisons and Whips Watches and Wards and Powers of the Earth Were these the Apostles Weapons Carnal Watches and Wards Stocks and Prisons and haling out
Visit Prisoners whom you have Imprisoned Doth this shew you to have a Spirit like Paul yea or nay or are you not quite contrary like to them that persecuted Paul The Day hath declared it To that of God in you all I speak which shall witness it at the Last Day in the Day of Judgment Persecution was blind in all Ages and Madness and Folly led it Yet Persecution got always a Form or Presence of Godliness or to talk of Religion as in the Days of Moses in the Days of Jeremy in the Days of Christ and of the Apostles Come saith the Council Let us crush them while they are Young they have almost over-spread the Nation in every Corner This is as much as to say Let us put this Birth to Death as Pharaoh and Herod did the Children But the Lord caused his Truth the more to spread For you may read what Numbers came out of Egypt and what Multitudes followed Christ Therefore with Consideration read these Lines and not with Fury and let not Foolishness appear But consider in Humility your Ways you act in and your Paths you go in and what Spirit you are of and what the End of your Conversation is now see For in Love to your Souls I write that in the Day of your Visitation you may consider it From him who loveth Righteousness and the establishing of it and Truth and Peace and Faith which is by Christ Jesus Mercy and Peace be multiplied among such But a Witness against all Hypocrites and all who have a Profession but live out of the Possession who are in an Hypocritical Religion in the Lusts and Fashions of the World having a Form of Godliness but standing against the Power with might and main Sword and Staff Which things declare your Conversation and Practices to be out of Christ 's Life against the Gospel-practice and contrary to the Manner and Order of the Saints G. F We were continued in Prison till the next Assize 1656. Lanceston Assize before which time divers Friends both Men and Women were sent to Prison that had been taken up by the Watches When the Assize was come several of these were called before the Judge and Indicted and tho' the Jailer brought them into Court yet they Indicted them that they came in by Force of Arms and in an hostile manner And the Judge fined them because they would not put off their Hats But we were not called before the Judges any more but they let us alone Great Work we had and Service for the Lord both between the Assizes and after amongst the Professors and People of all sorts for many came to see us and to reason with us And Elizabeth Trelawny of Plimouth who was the Daughter of one called a Baronet being Convinced as was formerly mentioned the Priests and Professors and some great Persons of her Kindred were in a great Rage concerning her and writ Letters to her And she being a Wise and Tender Woman and fearing to give them any Advantage sent their Letters to me and I answered them and returned them to her again for her to send the Answers to them Which she did till growing in the Power and Spirit and Wisdom of God she came her self to be able to Answer the wisest Priest and Professor of them all and had a Dominion over them all in the Truth through the Power of the Lord by which she was kept faithful to her Death Now while I was in Prison here Lanceston Gaol the Baptists and Fifth-Monarchy-Men prophesied That this Year Christ should come and Reign upon Earth a Thousand Years And they looked upon this Reign to be Outward When as he was come inwardly in the Hearts of his People to Reign and Rule there and these Professors would not Receive him there So they failed in their Prophecy and Expectation and had not the Possession of him But Christ is come and doth dwell in the Hearts of his People and Reigns there And Thousands at the Door of whose Hearts he hath been knocking have opened to him and he is come in and doth Sup with them and they with him the heavenly Supper with the heavenly and spiritual Man So many of these Baptists and Monarchy-People turned the greatest Enemies to the Possessors of Christ But he Reigns in the Hearts of his Saints over all their Envy At the Assize divers Justices came to us and were pretty Civil and Reasoned of the things of God pretty soberly expressing a Pity to us There came also Capt. Fox who was Governour of Pendennis-Castle and lookt me in the Face and said never a word but went his ways to his Company and told them He never saw a simpler Man in his Life I called after him and said Stay Man we will see who is the simpler Man But he went his way A light Chaffy Man There came also at the Assize one Thomas Lower to Visit us and he offered to give us Money which we refused accepting nevertheless of his Love He asked us many Questions concerning our denying the Scriptures to be the Word of God and concerning the Sacraments and such like To all which he received Satisfaction And I spake unto him and he afterwards said 1656. Lanceston Gaol My Words were as a flash of Lightning they ran so through him And he said He never met with such wise Men in his Life for they knew the Thoughts of his Heart and were as the wise Master-Builders of the Assemblies that fastned their Words like Nails He came to be Convinced of the Truth and remains a Friend to this Day When he came home to his Aunt Hambley's where he then lived and made Report to her concerning us She with her Sister Grace Billing hearing the sound of Truth came afterwards to Visit us in Prison and was Convinced also And great Sufferings and Spoilings of Goods both he and his Aunt have undergone for the Truth 's sake About this time I was moved to give forth the following Paper to Friends in the Ministry Friends IN the Power of life and wisdom and dread of the Lord God of life and Heaven and Earth dwell that in the wisdom of God over all ye may be preserved and be a Terror to all the Adversaries of God and a Dread answering that of God in them all spreading the Truth abroad awakening the VVitness confounding the Deceit gathering up out of Transgression into the Life the Covenant of Light and Peace with God Let all Nations hear the sound by Word or Writing Spare no Place spare no Tongue nor Pen but be obedient to the Lord God go through the VVork and be valiant for the Truth upon Earth tread and trample all that is Contrary under Ye have the Power do not Abuse it and Strength and Presence of the Lord eye it and the VVisdom that with it you may all be ordered to the Glory of the Lord God Keep in the Dominion keep in the Power over all Deceit
tread over them in that which lets you see to the VVorlds End and the utmost Parts of the Earth Reign and Rule with Christ whose Scepter and Throne is now set up whose Dominion is over all to the Ends of the Earth whose Dominion is an everlasting Dominion Throne an everlasting Throne Kingdom an everlasting Kingdom Power above all Powers Therefore this is the Word of the Lord God to you all Keep in the wisdom of God that spreads over all the Earth the wisdom of the Creation that is Pure from Above not destructive For now shall Salvation go out of Zion to Judge the Mount of Esau and now shall the Law go forth from Jerusalem to Answer the Principle of God in all to hew down all Inventors and Inventions For all the Princes of the Earth is but as Air to the Power of the Lord God which you are in and have tasted of Therefore Live in it that is the Word of the Lord God to you all and do not Abuse it And keep down and Low and take heed of false Joys that will Change Bring all into the Worship of God Plow up the fallow Ground thresh and get out the Corn that the Seed the Wheat may be gathered into the Barn that to the Beginning all People may come to Christ that was before the VVorld was made For the Chaff is come upon the VVheat by Transgression he that treadeth it out is out of Transgression and fathoms Transgression and puts a difference between the precious and the vile and can pick out the Wheat from the Tares and gather into the Garner so brings to the lively Hope the Immortal Soul into God out of which it came And none worships God but who comes to the Principle of God which they have transgressed and none are plowed up but who comes to the Principle of God in him that he hath transgressed then he doth service to God then is the planting and the watering and the Increase from God cometh So the Ministers of the Spirit must minister to the Spirit that is in Prison which hath been in Captivity in every one that with the Spirit of Christ People may be led out of Captivity up to God the Father of Spirits and do service to him and to have Vnity with him with the Scriptures and one with another And this is the Word of the Lord God to you all and a Charge to you all in the presence of the living God Be Patterns be Examples in all Countries Places Islands Nations where-ever you come that your Carriage and Life may preach among all sorts of People and to them then you will come to walk Chearfully over the World Answering that of God in every one whereby in them ye may be a Blessing and make the Witness of God in them to bless you Then to the Lord God you will be a sweet Savour and a Blessing Spare no Deceit lay the Sword upon it go over it Keep your selves clear of the Bloods of all Men either by Word or Writing or Speaking and keep your selves clean that you may stand in your Throne and every one have his Lot and stand in the Lot in the Ancient of Days And so the Blessing of the Lord be with you and keep you over all the Idolatrous Worships and Worshippers let them know the Living God for Teachings Churches Worships must be thrown down with the power of the Lord God set up by Man's earthy Vnderstanding Knowledge and Wills For this all must be thrown down with that which gave forth Scripture and who be in that Reigns over it all That is the Word of the Lord God to you all In that is God Worshipped that brings to declare his Will and brings to the Church in God the Ground and Pillar of Truth for now is the mighty Day of the Lord appeared and the Arrows of the Almighty gone forth which shall stick in the Hearts of the Wicked Now will I Arise saith the Lord God Almighty to trample and Thunder down Deceit which hath long reigned and stained the Earth Now will I have my Glory out of every one The Lord God Almighty over all in his Strength and Power you keep to his Glory that you may come to Answer that of God in every one in the World Proclaim the mighty Day of the Lord of Fire and Sword who will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth and keep in the Life and Power of the Lord God that the Inhabitants of the Earth may tremble before you That the Lord God's Power and Majesty may be Admired among the Hypocrites and Heathens and ye in the Wisdom Dread Life Terror and Dominion Preserved to his Glory that nothing may Rule or Reign but Power and Life it self and in the Wisdom of God ye may be preserved in it And this is the Word of the Lord God to you all and the Call is now Out of Transgression the Spirit bids Come and the Call is now from all false Worships and Gods and from all Inventions and dead Works to serve the living God and the Call to Repentance to the Amendment of Life whereby Righteousness may be brought forth which shall go throughout the Earth Therefore ye that be Chosen and Faithful which are with the Lamb go through your Work faithfully and in the Strength and Power of the Lord and be obedient to the Power for that will save you out of the Hands of unreasonable Men and preserve you over the World to himself hereby you may live in the Kingdom that stands in Power which hath no end where glory and life is For Tho. Mounts G. F. After the Assize the Sheriff with some Souldiers came to guard a Woman to Execution that was sentenced to die and we had a great deal of Discourse with them One of them wickedly said That Christ was as passionate a Man as any that lived upon the Earth for which wicked Saying we rebuked him Another time we asked the Jailer what Doings there were at the Sessions and he said Small Matters only about Thirty for Bastardy We thought it very strange that they who professed themselves Christians should make small Matters of such things But this Jailer was very bad himself and I often admonished him to Sobriety but he would Abuse People that came to Visit us Edward Pyot had a Cheese sent him from Bristol from his Wife and the Jailer took the Cheese from him and carried it to the Mayor to search it for Treasonable Letters as he said And though they found no Treason in the Cheese they kept it from us This Gaoler might have been made Rich if he had carried himself Civilly but he sought his own Ruin Which soon after came upon him For the next Year he was turned out of his Place and for some wickedness was cast into the Jail himself and there begged of our Friends And for some Vnruliness in his Carriage he was by the succeeding Jailer put into Doomsdale and
Seeds-man him that sows to this flesh of which nothing but Corruption is reaped as the Countries Towns Cities and Villages make manifest But the Ministers of the Spirit who sow to the Spirit come to reap Life Eternal These discern the other Seeds-man who sows to the flesh and of the flesh reaps Corruption For the Day hath manifested each Seeds-man and what is reaped from each is seen Glory be to the Lord God for ever The Ministers of the Spirit which be born of the Spirit Sons and Daughters which have the Spirit poured forth upon them and witness the promise of God fulfilled in them by the Spirit of God preach and minister to the Spirit in Prison in every one in the sight of God the Father of Spirits God's Hand is turned against you all that have destroyed God's Creatures upon your Lust And God's Hand is turned against you that have wronged by unjust Dealing and defrauded and have oppressed the Poor and have respected the Persons of the Proud such as be in gay Apparel and lend not your Ear to the Cry of the Poor The Lord's Hand and Arm against you all is turned and his righteous Judgment and Justice upon you all will be accomplished and repayed who shall have a Reward every one according to your Works Oh the Abomination and hypocritical Profession that is upon the Earth where God and Christ Faith Hope the holy Spirit and Truth is professed but the fear of God and the Faith that purifies and gives Victory over the World not lived in Doth it not appear that the Wisdom that rules in all those whom the Seeds-man that sows to the flesh sows for and who are born of the Flesh is from below earthly sensual and devillish and their Understanding brutish and their knowledge natural as the brute Beasts For Men and Women in that state have not patience to speak one to the other of the Scriptures without much Corruption and Flesh appearing yet they have a feigned Humility a Will-worship and Righteousness of Self but they own not the Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World Christ Jesus the Righteousness of God Which Light being owned Self and the Righteousness of Self comes to be denied Here is the Humility that is contrary to the Light and that is below and feigned Here is the Wisdom that is from below earthly sensual and devillish for People can scarce speak one to another without destroying one another prisoning and persecuting one another when they speak of the Scriptures Now this is the Devillish Wisdom murdering and destroying This is not the Wisdom that is from above which is pure and peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated full of Mercy and good Fruits Here all may read each Seeds-man which hath each Wisdom He that sows to the Flesh and is born of that hath the wisdom that is earthly sensual and devillish He that sows to the Spirit a Minister of the Spirit hath the Wisdom from above which is pure which is peaceable which is gentle which is easie to be intreated the Wisdom by which all things were made and created Now is each Wisdom discovered and each Seeds-man the Day which is the Light hath discovered them G. F. As the fore-going Paper was sent forth amongst the World's People to let them see from whence their Imprisoning and Persecuting Cruelty and violent Dealing sprang so I was also moved to give forth the following Epistle to Friends to stir them up to be bold and valiant for the Truth and to encourage them in their Sufferings for it ALL Friends and Brethren every where Now is the Day of your Trial and now is the Time for you to be Valiant and to 〈◊〉 that the Testimony of the Lord doth not fall For now is the Day of Exercise of your Gifts of your Patience and of your Faith Now is the Time to be armed with Patience with the Light and with Righteousness and with the Helmet of Salvation And now is the Trial of the Slothful Servant who hides his Talent and will judge Christ hard Now happy are they that can say The Earth is the Lord's and the Fulness thereof and he gives the Increase And therefore who takes it from you Is it not the Lord still that suffers it For the Lord can trie you as he did Job whom he made Rich whom he made Poor and whom he made Rich again who still kept his Integrity in all Conditions So learn Paul's Lesson In all Stateâ— to be content And have his Faith That nothing is able to separate us from the Love of God which we have in Christ Jesus Therefore be Rich in Life and in Grace which will endure ye who are Heirs of Life and born of the Womb of Eternity that Noble Birth that cannot stoop to that that is born in Sin and conceived in Iniquity who are better bred and born whose Religion is from God above all the Religions that are from below and who walk by Faith by that which God hath given you and not by that which Men make who walk by Sight from the Mass-book to the Directory Such are subject to stumble and fall who walk by Sight and not by Faith Therefore mind him that destroys the Original of Sin the Devil and his Works and cuts off the Entail of Satan viz. Sin who would have by Entail an Inheritance of Sin in Men and Women from Generation to Generation and pleads for it by all his Lawyers and Counsellors For though the Law did not cut it off which made nothing perfect yet Christ being come destroys the Devil and his Works and cuts off the Entail of Sin This angers all the Devil's Lawâ—ers and Counsellors that Satan shall not hold Sin by Entail in thy Garden in thy Field in thy Temple thy Tabernacle So keep your Tabernacles that there ye may see the Glory of the Lord appear at the Doors thereof And be faithful for ye see what the Worthies and Valiants of the Lord did attain unto by Faith Enoch by Faith was translated Noah by Faith was preserved over the Waters in his Ark Abraham by Faith forsook his Father's House and Religion and all the Religions of the World Isaac and Jacob by Faith followed his Steps And see how Samuel and other of the Lord's Prophets with David by Faith were preserved to God over God's Enemies And Daniel and the Three Children by Faith escaped the Lions and the Fire and preserved their Worship clean and by it were kept over the Worships of the World And the Apostles by Faith travelled up and down the World and were preserved from all the Religions of the World and hâ—ld forth the pure Religion to the dark World which they had received from above from God for the Way they walked in and the Worship they performed and taught was received from above from God and from Christ Jesus and likewise their Fellowship was received from above which is in the Gospel that is
own Spirit and gives it forth as he is moved but to the Harlots Judgment So Friends this is the Word of the Lord to you all be Watchful and Careful in all Meetings ye come into for where Friends are sitting together in silence they are many times gathered into their own measures Now when a Man is come newly out of the World from ministring to the World's People he cometh out of the Dirt and then he had need take heed that he be not Rash For now when he comes into a Silent Meeting that is another State then he must come and feel his own Spirit how it is when he comes to them that sit silent for if he be Rash they will judge him that having been in the World and amongst the World the Heat is not yet off him For he may come in the Heat of his Spirit out of the World whereas the others are still and cool and his Condition in that not being agreeable to theirs he may rather do them Hurt by begetting them out of the Cool State into the Heating State if he be not in that which commands his own Spirit and gives him to know it There is a great Danger too in Travelling abroad in the World The same Power that moves any to go forth is that which must keep them For it is the greatest Danger to go abroad except a Man be moved of the Lord and go in the Power of the Lord for then he keeping in the Power is kept by it in his Journey and in his Work and it will enable him to answer the Transgressed and keep above the Transgressor And every one feeling the Danger to his own particular in Travelling abroad there the pure Fear of the Lord will be placed and kept in For now though they that Travel may have Openings when thâ—y are abroad to Minister to others yet as for their own particular Growth they must dwell in the Life which doth open and that will keep down that which would boast For the Minister comes into the Death to that which is in the Death and in Prison and so returns up again into the Life and into the Power and into the Wisdom to preserve him clean So this is the Word of the Lord God to you all Feel that ye stand in the Presence of the Lord for every Man's Word shall be his Burden but the Word of the Lord is pure and answers the pure in every one The word of the Lord is that which was in the Beginning and brings to the Beginning It is an Hammer to beat down the Transgressor not the Transgressed and as a Fire to burn up that which is contrary to it So Friends come into that which is over all the Spirits of the world and fathoms all the Spirits of the world and stands in the Patience with that ye may see where others stand and reach that which is of God in every one So here is no Strife no Contention out of Transgression for he that goeth into the Strife and into the Contention he is from the ' pure Spirit For where any goeth into the Contention if any thing hath been begotten by him before then that contentious Nature doth get a top and spoil that which was begotten and qâ—encheth his own Prophesying So if that be not subjected by the Power in the Particular which would arise into the Strife that is dangerous Now if any one have a Moving to any Place and have spoken what they were moved of the Lord let them return to their Habitation again and live in the pure Life of God and in the Fear of the Lord and so will ye in the Life and in the solid and seasoned Spirit be kept and preach as well in Life as with Words for none must be light or wild For the Seed of God is weighty and brings to be solid and leads into the Wisdom of God by which the Wisdom of the Creation is known But if that Part be up which runs into the Imaginations and that Part be standing in which the Imaginations come up and the pure Spirit be not throughly come up to rule and reign then that will run out and that will glory and will boast and vapor and so will such an one spoil that which opened to him And this is for Condemnation So every one mind that which feels through and commands his Spirit whereby every one may know what Spirit he is of for he should first Trie his own Spirit and then he may Trie others and he should first know his own Spirit and then he may know others Therefore that which doth command all these Spirits where the Heats and Burnings come in and get up in that wait which chains them down and cools That is the Elect the Heir of the Promise of God For no hasty rash brittle Spirits though they have Prophecies have held our and gone through they not being subjected in the Prophecy The Earthly will not abide for it is brittle and in that State the Ministry was another's not the Son 's for the Son hath Life in himself and the Son hath the Power which Man being obedient to he may be serviceable but if he go from the pure Power then he falls and abuseth it Therefore let your Faith stand in the pure Power of the Lord God and do not abuse it but let that search through and work through and let every one stand in the Power of the Lord God which reacheth the Seed of God which is the Heir of the Promise of Life without End And let none be hasty to speak for ye have Time enough and with an Eye ye may reach the witness Neither let any be backward when ye are moved for that brings Destruction Now Truth hath an Honour in the Hearts of People which are not Friends so that all Friends being kept in the Truth they are kept in the Honour they are honourable and that will honour them but if any lose the Power they lose the Life they lose their Crown they lose their Honour they lose the Cross which should crucify them and they crucify the Just and by losing the Power the Lamb comes to be slain And as it is here so will it be in other Nations for all Friends here and there are as one Family the Seed the Plants they are as a Family Now all being kept in that which subjects all and keeps all under to wit the Seed it self the Life it self that is the Heir of the Promise and that is the Bond of Peace for there is the Vnity in the Spirit with God and with one another For he that in the Life is kept hears God and sees Man's Condition and with that he answers the Life in others that hear God also Thus one Friend that is come into that comprehends the world But that which Friends do speak they must live in so may they look that others may come into that which they speak to live in
the same For the Power of the Lord God hath been abused by some and the worth of Truth hath not been minded there hath been a Trampling on and Marring with the Feet and that abuseth the Power But now every Friend is to keep in the Power and to take heed to 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
were of do these who have persecuted about Church and Religion since the Apostles days who would Compel Mens Bodies Goods Lives Souls and Estates into their hands by a Law or make them suffer else Those that destroy Mens Lives are not the Ministers of Christ the Saviour And seeing they know not what Spirit they be of the Lives Bodies and Souls of Men are not to be trusted in their hands And ye that do persecute shall have no Resurrection to Life with God except ye repent But they that do know what Spirit they are of themselves they are in the unrebukable Zeal and by the Spirit of God they offer up their Spirits Souls and Bodies to the Lord which are his to keep them G. F. While yet I was kept in Lancaster-Jail I was moved to give forth the following Paper For the Staying the Minds of any such as might be burried or troubled about the Change of Government ALL Friends Let the Dread and Majesty of God fill you And as concerning the Changing of Times and Governments let not that trouble any of you for God hath a mighty Work and Hand therein And he will yet Change again until that come up which must Reign and in vain shall Powers and Armies withstand the Lord for his determined Work shall come to pass But what is now come up it is just with the Lord that it should be so and he will be served by it Therefore let none murmur nor distrust God for God will provoke many to Zeal against Vnrighteousness and for Righteousness through things which are suffered now to work for a Season yea many whose Zeal was even dead shall revive again and they shall see their Backslidings and bewail them bitterly For God shall thunder down from Heaven and break forth in a mighty Noise and his Enemies shall be astonished and the Workers of Iniquity confounded and all that have not on the Garment of Righteousness shall be amazed at the mighty and strange Work of the Lord which shall be certainly brought to pass But my Babes look ye not out but be still in the Light of the Lamb and he shall fight for you So the Almighty Hand which must break and split and divide your Enemies and take away Peace from them preserve and keep you whole and in Vnity and Peace with itself and one with another Amen G. F. I was moved also to write To the King both to Exhort him to exercise Mercy and Forgiveness towards his Enemies and to warn him to Restrain the Prophaneness and Looseness that was gotten up in the Nation upon his Return It was thus To the KING King Charles THou camest not into this Nation by Sword nor by Victory of War but by the Power of the Lord Now if thou dost not live in it thou wilt not prosper And if the Lord hath shewed thee Mercy and forgiven thee and thou dost not shew Mercy and forgive the Lord God will not hear thy Prayers nor them that pray for thee And if thou do not stop Persecution and Persecutors and take away all Laws that do hold up Persecution about Religion but if thou do persist in them and uphold Persecution that will make thee as blind as them that have gone before thee For Persecution hath always blinded those that have gone into it And such God by his Power overthrows and doth his Valiant Acts upon and bringeth Salvation to his Oppressed ones And if thou dost bear the Sword in vain and let Drunkenness Oaths Plays May-games with Fidlers Drums Trumpets to play at them with such like Abominations and Vanities be encouraged or go unpunished as setting up of May-poles with the Image of the Crown a top of them c. the Nations will quickly turn like Sodom and Gomorrah and be as bad as the Old World who grieved the Lord till he overthrew them And so he will you if these things be not suddenly prevented Hardly was there so much Wickedness at Liberty before now as there is now at this day as though there was no Terror nor Sword of Magistracy which doth not grace a Government nor is a Praise to them that do well Our Prayers are for them that are in Authority that under them we may live a Godly Life in which we have Peace and that we may not be brought into Ungodliness by them So hear and consider and do good in thy time whilst thou hast Power and be Merciful and forgive that is the way to Overcome and obtain the Kingdom of Christ G. F. It was long before the Sheriff would yield to Remove me to London unless I would Seal a Bond to him and bear their Charges which I still refused to do Then they Consulted how to convey me up and at first concluded to send up a Party of Horse with me And I told them If I were such a Man as they had represented me to be they had need send a Troop or two of Horse to Guard me When they considered what a Charge it would be to them to send up a Party of Horse with me they alter'd their purpose and concluded to send me up guarded only by the Jailer and some Bayliffs But upon further Consideration they found that would be a great Charge to them also and thereupon sent for me down from the Prison into the Jailer's House and told me If I would put in Bail that I would be in London such a Day of the Term I should have leave to go up with some of my own Friends I told them I would neither put in any Bail nor give one piece of Silver to the Jailer for I was an Innocent Man and they had Imprisoned me wrongfully and laid a false Charge upon me Nevertheless I said If they would let me go up with one or two of my Friends to bear me Company I might go up and be in London such a Day if the Lord did permit and if they desired it I or any of my Friends that went with me would carry up their Charge against my self So at last when they saw they could do no otherwise with me the Sheriff yielded and came under consenting that I should come up with some of my Friends without any other Engagement than my Word as aforesaid to appear before the Judges at London such a day of the Term if the Lord did permit Swarthmore Whereupon I was set out of Prison and went to Swarthmore where I stay'd two or three days and from thence went to Lancaster again Lancaster Preston Cheshire and so to Preston having Meetings amongst Friends in the way till I came into Cheshire to William Gandy's where was a large Meeting without Doors the House not being sufficient to contain it That Day the Lord's everlasting Seed was set over all and Friends were turned to it who is the Heir of the Promise Thence passing on Staffordshire Warwickshire Non-Eaton I came into Staffordshire and Warwickshire till I came to Anthony
your Principle and then you will sell your Coat and buy a Sword and Fight for the Kingdom of Christ Answ As for this we say to you that Christ said to Peter Put up thy Sword in his place though he had said before he that had no Sword might sell his Coat and buy one to the fulfilling of the Law and Scripture yet after when he had bid him put it up he said He that taketh the Sword shall perish with the Sword And further Christ said to Pilate Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father and he shall presently give me more than twelve Legions of Angels And this might satisfie Peter Luke 22.36 after he had put up his Sword when he said to him He that took it should perish by it which satisfieth us Mat. 26.51 52 53. And in the Revelation it 's said He that kills with the Sword shall perish with the Sword and here is the Faith and the Patience of the Saints And so Christ's Kingdom is not of this World therefore do not his Servants Fight as he told Pilate the Magistrate who Crucified him and did they not look upon Christ as a Raiser of Sedition and did not he say Forgive them But thus it is that we are numbred amongst Transgressors and numbred amongst Fighters 1660. London that the Scriptures might be fulfilled That Spirit of Christ by which we are guided is not changeable so as once to command us from a thing as Evil and again to move unto it and we do certainly know and so testifie to the World That the Spirit of Christ which leads us into all Truth will never move us to Fight and War against any Man with outward Weapons neither for the Kingdom of Christ nor for the Kingdoms of this World First Because the Kingdom of Christ God will exalt according to his Promise and cause it to grow and flourish in Righteousness Not by Might nor by Power of outward Sword but by my Spirit saith the Lord Zech. 4.6 So those that use any Weapon to Fight for Christ or for the establishing of his Kingdom or Government both the Spirit Principle and Practice in that we deny Secondly We do earnestly desire and wait That by the Word of God's Power and its effectual Operation in the Hearts of Men the Kingdoms of this World may become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ that he might Rule and Reign in Men by his Spirit and Truth that thereby all People out of all different Judgments and Professions might be brought into Love and Vnity with God and one with another and that they might all come to witness the Prophets Words who said Nation shall not lift up Sword against Nation neither shall they learn War any more Isa 2.4 Mich. 4.3 So we whom the Lord hath called into the Obedience of his Truth have denied Wars and Fightings and cannot again any more learn it And this is a certain Testimony unto all the World of the Truth of our Hearts in this particular that as God perswadeth every Man's Heart to believe so they may receive it For we have not as some others gone about cunningly with devised Fables nor have we ever denied in Practice what we have professed in Principle but in Sincerity and Truth and by the Word of God have we laboured to be made manifest unto all Men that both we and our ways might be witnessed in the Hearts of all People And whereas all manner of Evil hath been falsly spoken of us we hereby speak forth the plain Truth of our Hearts to take away the occasion of that Offence that so we being Innocent may not suffer for other Men's Offences nor be made a Prey upon by the Wills of Men for that of which we were never Guilty but in the Uprightness of our Hearts we may under the Power ordained of God for the Punishment of Evil-doers and for the Praise of them that do well live a peaceable and godly Life in all Godliness and Honesty For although we have always suffered and do now more abundantly suffer yet we know that it 's for Righteousness sake For our rejoycing is this the Testimony of our Consciences that in Simplicity and godly Sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World 2 Cor. 1.12 Which for us is a Witness for the convincing of our Enemies For this we can say to all the World we have wronged no Man's Persons or Possessions we have used no Force nor Violence against any Man we have been found in no Plots nor guilty of Sedition when we have been wronged we have not sought to revenge our selves we have not made resistance against Authority but wherein we could not obey for Conscience-sake we have suffered even the most of any People in the Nation We have been counted as Sheep for the Slaughter Persecuted and Despised Beaten Stoned Wounded Stocked Whipped Imprisoned Haled out of Synagogues cast into Dungeons and Noisom Vaults where many have died in Bonds shut up from our Friends denied needful Sustenance for many days together with other the like Cruelties And the Cause of all these our Sufferings is not for any Evil but for things relating to the Worship of our God and in obedience to his Requirings of us For which Cause we shall freely give up our Bodies a Sacrifice rather than disobey the Lord For we know as the Lord hath kept us Innocent so he will plead our Cause when there is none in the Earth to plead it So we in Obedience unto his Truth do not love our Lives unto Death that we may do his Will and wrong no Man in our Generation but seek the Good and Peace of all Men. And he that hath commanded us That we shall not Swear at all Matth. 5.34 hath also commanded us That we shall not Kill Matth. 5. So that we can neither Kill Men nor Swear for nor against them And this is both our Principle and Practice and hath been from the Beginning so that if we suffer as suspected to take up Arms or make War against any it is without any Ground from us For it neither is noâ— ever was in our Hearts since we owned the Truth of God neither shall we ever do it because it is contrary to the Spirit of Christ his Doctrine and the Practices of his Apostles even contrary to him for whom we suffer all things and endure all things And whereas Men come against us with Clubs Staves Drawn Swords Pistols cock't and do beat cut and abuse us yet we never resisted them but to them our Hair Backs and Cheeks have been ready But it is not an Honour to Manhoood or Nobility to run upon harmless People who lift not up an Hand against them with Arms and Weapons Therefore consider these things ye Men of Understanding For Plotters Raisers of Insurrections Tumultuous Ones and Fighters running with Swords Clubs Staves and Pistols one
out of his Teeth But Oh! measure thy Life and his and take heed of the day of God's Eternal Judgment which will come and the Sentence and Decree from Christ when every Man must give an Account and receive a Reward according to his Deeds and then it will be said Oh where are the Months that are past Again Justice Fleming consider when John Stubbs was brought before thee having a Wife and four small Children and little to live on but what they honestly got by their own Diligence as soon as he appeared thou cried'st out Put the Oath to that Man And when he confessed he was but a poor Man yet then thou hadst no regard but cast away Pity not hearing what he would say And now he is kept up in Prison because he could not Swear and break the Command of Christ and the Apostle It is to be hoped thou wilt take Care for his Family that his Children do not starve and see that they do not want Bread Can this be Allegiance to the King to do that which Christ and his Apostle say is Evil and brings into Condemnation And would not you have cast Christ and the Apostle into Prison who command not to Swear if they had been in your days Consider also thy poor Neighbour William Wilson who was known to all the Parish and Neighbours to be an Industrious Man and careful to maintain his Wife and Children but had little but what he got with his Hands in Diligence and Travels to supply himself How should his Wife maintain her Children when thou hast cast her Husband into Prison and thereby made him uncapable of working for them Therefore it may be expected thou wilt have a care of his Wife and Children and see they do not want for how should they live having no other way to be sustained but by the little that he got Surely the noise of this is in the very Markets and the Death of thy two Neighbours and the Cry of the Widows and the Cry of the Fatherless is heard And all those Fatherless and those Widows are made so for Righteousness sake For might not John Stubbs and William Wilson have had their Liberty still if they would have Sworn though they had been such as go after Mountebanks and Stage-Plays or run a hunting O consider for the Lord's Mind is otherwise for he is tender And the King hath declared his Mind to be that there should be no Cruelty inflicted upon his peaceable Subjects Besides several poor honest People were Fined who had need to have something given them And it had been more honourable to have given them something than to Fine them and send them to Prison some of whom live upon the Charity of other People Now what Honour or Grace can it be to thee to cast thy poor Neighbours into Prison who be peaceable seeing thou knowest these People cannot do that which thou requirest of them if it were to save their Lives or all that they have because in tenderness they cannot take any Oath Thou makest that a Snare to them What thinkest thou do the People say concerning this We know say they the Quakers Principle that keep to Yea and Nay but we see others Swear and Forswear For many of you have Sworn first one way and then another So we leave it to the Spirit of God in thy Conscience Justice Fleming who was 't so eager for the taking of George Fox and so offended with them that had not taken him and now hast fallen upon thy poor Neighbours But Oh! where 's thy Pity for their poor Fatherless Children and Motherless Infants O take heed of Herod's Hard-heartedness and casting away all Pity Esau did so not Jacob. Here is also Thomas Walters of Boulton cast into Prison and the Oath Imposed on him through Thee and for denying to Swear at all in Obedience to Christ's Command he is continued in Prison who hath Five small Children and his Wife near down-lying Surely thou should take Care for them also and see that his Wife and small Children do not want who are as Fatherless and she as a Widow through Thee Dost thou not hear in thy Ears the Cry of the Fatherless and the Cry of the Widows and the Blood of the Innocent speak who through thee have been persecuted to Prison and now dead Oh! heavy Sentence at the Day of Judgment How wilt thou Answer when Thou and thy Works come to be Judged when thou shalt be brought before the Judgment-Seat and Bar of the Almighty who in thy Prosperity hast made Widows and Fatherless for Righteousness sake and for Tenderness of Conscience towards God The Lord knows and sees it O Man Consider in thy Life-time how thou hast stained thy self with the Blood of the Innocent When thou had'st Power and might'st have done Good amongst thy peaceable Neighbours thou wouldest not but used'st thy Power not to a good Intent but contrary to the Lord's Mind and to the King 's The King's Favour and his Mercy and Clemency to sober People and to tender Consciences hath been manifested by Declarations and Proclamations which thou hast abused and slighted by persecuting his peaceable Subjects For at London and in other parts the Quakers Meetings are peaceable and if thou look but as far as Yorkshire where the Plot hath been Friends Innocency hath cleared it self in the Hearts of sober Justices and for you here to fall upon your peaceable Neighbours and People and to be rigorous and violent against them that are tender godly and righteous it is no Honour to you How many Drunkards and Swearers and Fighters and such as are subject to Vice have you caused to be brought before you to your Courts It were more honourable for you to look after such for the Law was not made for the Righteous but for Sinners and Transgressors Therefore Consider and be humbled for these things for the Lord may do to thee as thou hast done to others and thou dost not know how soon there may be a Cry in thy own Family as the Cry is amongst thy Neighbours of the Fatherless and Widows that are made so through thee But the Quakers can and do say The Lord forgive thee and lay not these things to thy Charge if it be his Will Besides this which went in the Name of Many I sent him also a Line or two subscribed by my self only and directed To Daniel Fleming 1664. Lancaster-Prison Friend THou hast Imprisoned the Servants of the Lord without the Breach of any Law Therefore take heed what thou dost for in the Light of the Lord God thou art seen lest the Hand of the Lord be turned against thee G. F. It was not long after this e're Fleming's Wife died and lest him Thirteen or Fourteen Motherless Children When I was Prisoner at Lancaster there was Prisoner also one Major Wiggan a Baptist-Preacher He boasted much before-hand what he would say at the Assize if the Oath should
large and blessed Meetings And in many places we were threatned by the Officers but through the Power of the Lord we escaped their hands So leaving things well settled in Darbyshire we travelled over the Peak-Hills which were very cold Peak-Hills Staffordshire for it was then Frost and Snow and so came into Staffordshire and at Thomas Hammersley's we had a General Mens-Meeting where things were well settled in the Gospel-Order and the Monthly Meetings were established there also But I was so exceeding weak I was hardly able to get on or off my Horse's Back But my Spirit being earnestly engaged in the Work the Lord had concerned me in and sent me forth about I travelled on therein notwithstanding the Weakness of my Body having Confidence in the Lord that he would carry me through as he did by his Power So we came into Cheshire 1667. Cheshire where we had several blessed Meetings and a General Mens Meeting wherein all the Monthly Meetings for that County were settled according to the Gospel-Order in and by the Power of God And after the Meeting was done I passed away But when the Justices heard of it they were very much troubled that they had not come and broken it up and taken me but the Lord prevented them So after I had cleared my self there in the Lord's Service I passed into Lancashire Lancashire Near Warrington to William Barnes's near Warrington where met some of most of the Meetings in that County and there all the Monthly Meetings were established in the Gospel-Order also From thence I sent Papers into Westmorland by Leonard Fell and Robert Widders Westmorland Bishoprick of Durham Cleaveland Northumberland Cumberland SCOTLAND and also into Bishoprick Cleaveland and Northumberland and into Cumberland and Scotland to exhort Friends to settle the Monthly Meetings in the Lord's Power in those places which they did And so the Lord's Power came over all and the Heirs of it came to inherit it For the Authority of our Meetings is the Power of God the Gospel which brings Life and Immortality to Light that they may see over the Devil that hath darkned them and that all the Heirs of the Gospel might walk according to the Gospel and glorifie God with their Bodies Souls ond Spirits which are the Lord's For the Order of the Glorious Gospel is not of Man nor by Man To this Meeting in Lancashire Margaret Fell Warrington Cheshire being a Prisoner got liberty to come and went with me from thence to Jane Milners in Cheshire where we parted Shropshire And I passed out of Cheshire into Shropshire and from thence into Wales WALES and had a large General Mens-Meeting at Charles Floid's where some Opposers came in but the Lord's Power brought them down Denbyshire Montgomeryshire Meriâ—â—â—â—â—shâ—â—â— Having gone through Denbyshire and Montgomeryshire we passed into Merionethshire where we had several blessed Meetings and then went to the Sea side where also we had a precious Meeting And having passed through several Countries and Friends there being established upon Christ their Foundation we left Wales the Monthly Meetings being settled there in the Power of God and returned into Shropshire Shropshire where the Friends of the Country gathering together the Monthly Meetings were established there also Then coming into Worcestershire Worcestershire after we had had many Meetings up and down amongst Friends in that Country we had a General Mens-Meeting at Henry Gibs's House at Pashur Pashur where also the Monthly Meetings were settled in the Gospel-Order The Sessions were held that day in that Town and some Friends were pretty much concerned lest they should send some Officers to break up our Meeting but the Lord's Power restrained them so that our Meeting was quiet through which Power we had Dominion After the Meeting I passed away and had several Meetings amongst Friends in that Country Worcester till I came to Worcester and it being the Fair-time we had a precious Meeting there There was then in Worcester one Major Wild a persecuting Man and after I was gone out of Town some of his Souldiers inquired after me but I having left the Friends there settled in good Order Draitwich was passed away to Draitwich From thence we passed to Shrewsbury 1667. Shrewsbury where also we had a very precious Meeting But the Mayor hearing that I was in Town got the rest of the Officers together to Consult what to do against me For they said The Great Quaker of England was come to Town But when they were come together the Lord Confounded their Counsels so that when some were for Imprisoning me others of them opposed it and so being divided amongst themselves I escaped their hands We went also into Radnorshire Radnorshire where we had many precious Meetings and the Monthly Meetings were settled in the Lord's Power As we came forth of that Country staying a little at a Market Town a Justice's Clerk and some other Rude Fellows combined together to do us a Mischief upon the Road. Accordingly they followed us out of Town and soon overtook us but there being many Market-People on the way they were some-what hindred from doing what they intended Yet observing that Two of our Company rid at some distance behind they set upon them Two and one of them drew his Sword and cut one of those two Friends whose Name was Richard Moor the Chirurgeon of Shrewsbury Mean while another of these Rude Fellows came galloping after me and the other Friend that was with me and we being to pass over a Bridge that was somewhat of the narrowest for him to pass by us he in his Eagerness to get before us rid into the Brook and plunged his Horse into a deep Hole in the Water I saw the Design and stopt and desired Friends to be patient and give them no occasion and in this time came Richard Moor up to us with the other Friend that was with him who knew the Men and their Names Then we rid on the Road again and a little further we met another Man on foot who was Drunk and had a naked Sword in his hand And not far beyond him in a Bottom we met Two Men and Two Women one of which Men had his Thumb cut off by this Drunken Man that had the Naked Sword for he being in Drink would have Ravished one of the Women and this Man withstanding him and rescuing the Young-Woman from him he whipt out his Sword and cut off the Man's Thumb Now though this Drunken Man was then on foot having alighted to do his Wickedness yet he had a Horse that being loose followed him a pretty way behind Wherefore I rid after the Horse and having caught him I brought him to the Man that had his Thumb cut off and bid him Take the Horse to the next Justice of Peace and by that means they might find out and pursue the Man that had wounded
And when all things were found clear they being free from all others and their Relations satisfied then they might appoint a Meeting on purpose for the taking of each other in the Presence of at least Twelve Faithful Witnesses Yet these Directions not being observed and Truth being now more spread over the Nation it was therefore Ordered by the same Power and Spirit of God That Marriages should be laid before the Mens Monthly and Quarterly Meetings or as the Meetings were then established that Friends might see that the Relations of those that proceeded to Marriage were satisfied and that the Parties were clear from all others 1667. London and that Widows had made Provision for their First Husband's Children before they Married again and what else was needful to be inquired into that so all things might be kept clean and pure and done in Righteousness to the Glory of God And afterwards it was Ordered in the same Wisdom of God That if either of the Parties that intended to Marry came out of another Nation County or Monthly-Meeting they should bring a Certificate from the Monthly Meeting to which they belong'd for satisfaction of the Monthly-Meeting before which they came to lay their Intentions of Marriage Now after these things with many other Services for God were set in Order and settled in the Churches in the City I passed out of London in the Leadings of the Lord's Power into the Country again and going into Hartfordshire Hertfordshire after I had visited Friends there and the Mens-Monthly-Meetings were settled there I passed on as far as Baldock Baldock where I had a great Meeting of many sorts of People Then returning towards London by Waltham Waltham I advised the setting up of a School there for Teaching Boys and also a Womens-School to be set up at Shacklewel for instructing Girls and Young Maidens Shacklewell in whatsoever things were Civil and Vseful in the Creation Thus after I had had several precious Meetings in the Country I came to London again London where I staid a while in the Work and Service of the Lord Buckinghamshire Weston and then went down into Buckinghamshire where I had many precious Meetings And at John Brown's of Weston near Aylsbury some of the Men-Friends of each Meeting being gathered together the Mens-Monthly-Meetings for that County were established amongst them also in the Order of the Gospel the Power of God and the Power of the Lord confirmed it in all that felt it and they came thereby to see and feel that the Power of God was the Authority of their Meetings Then after the Monthly-Meetings were settled there in the Order of the Gospel Oxfordshire North-Newton near Banbury and upon the Foundation Christ Jesus I passed on into Oxfordshire and went to Nathaniel Ball 's at North-Newton near Banbury who was a Friend in the Ministry And there being a General Meeting where some of all the Meetings were present the Monthly-Meetings for that County were then settled in the Power of God and Friends were very glad of them for they came into their Services in the Church and to take Care for God's Glory After this Meeting we passed through the Country Gloucestershire visiting Friends till we came into Gloucestershire and visiting Friends through that County also we travelled on Monmouthshire till we came into Monmouthshire to one Richard Hambery's where meeting with some of all the Meetings of that County the Monthly Meetings were settled there also in the Lord's Power that all in it might take Care of God's Glory and Admonish and Exhort such as did not walk as became the Gospel And indeed these Meetings did make a great Reformation amongst People insomuch as the very Justices took notice of the Vsefulness and Service thereof When we went from Rich. Humbery's he and his Wife accompanied us a Day 's Journy through the Country visiting Friends till we came to a Widow-Woman's where we lay that Night and from thence passed over the Hills next day Over the Hills visiting Friends and declaring the Truth to People till we came to another Widow Woman's House where we had a Meeting The Woman of the House could not speak English yet she praised the Lord for sending us over those Hills to come and visit them We travelled on through the Country till we came to Swanzey Swanzey where on the First Day we had a large and precious Meeting the Lord's Presence being eminently amongst us Beyond Swanzey On a Week-Day afterwards we had a General Meeting beyond Swanzey of Men-Friends that came from Swanzey Tenby Haverford-West and other Places and there the Monthly-Meetings were settled in the Gospel-Order and received by Friends in the Power of the Lord and the Lord's Truth was over all From hence we endeavoured to have got over the Water into Cornwall and in order thereunto went back to Swanzey Swanzey Mumbles and so to Mumbles thinking to have got Passage there but the Master deceived us For though he had promised to carry us yet when we came he would not Thereupon we turned from thence and went to another place where there was a Passage-Boat into which we got our Horses but there being some Rude Men in the Boat though called Gentlemen that threatned to Pistol the Master if he took us in he being afraid of them turned our Horses out again which put us out of hopes of getting over that way Wherefore turning back again into the Country we stay'd up all Night and about the Second Hour in the Morning took Horse and travelled through the Country Near Cardiff till we came near Cardiff where we staid one Night And the next Day came to a place called Newport and it being Market-day there Newport several Friends came to us with whom we sate together a while and after we had had a fine refreshing Season together we parted from them and went on our way When we were gone beyond this Market-Town we overtook a Man who lingred on the Way as if he stay'd for some body but when we came up to him he rid along with us and asked us many Questions At length meeting with Two others who seemed to be Pages to some great Persons he took Acquaintance with them and I heard him tell them he would stop us and take us up We rid on being in our way and when he came to us and would have stopped us I told him None ought to stop us on the King 's High-way for it was as free for us as for them and I was moved to exhort him to Fear the Lord. Then galloped he away before us and I perceived his Intent was to stop us at Shipton in Wales which was a Garrison-Town through which we were to pass in our way When we were come to Shipton John-ap-John being with me Shipton we walked down the Hill into the Town leading our Horses And it being
another New-Garden We went on to a place called New Garden where was a great Meeting And from thence we travelled on among Friends till we came to Bandon-Bridge and the Lands-End Bandon-Bridge Lands-end having many Meetings as we went in which the mighty Power of the Lord was manifested through which Friends were well refreshed and many People were affected with the Truth Bandon At Bandon the Mayor's Wife being her self Convinced desired her Husband to come to the Meeting but he bid her for her Life she should not make known that I was at a Meeting there He that was then Mayor of Cork was very envious against Truth and Friends and had many Friends in Prison And knowing that I was in the Country he had sent forth Four Warrants to take me wherefore Friends were desirous that I might not ride through Cork But being at Bandon there appeared unto me in a Vision A very ugly-visag'd Man of a black and dark Look My Spirit struck at him in the Power of God and it seemed to me that I rid over him with my Horse and my Horse set his Foot on the side of his Face When I came down in the Morning I told a Friend that was with me that the Command of the Lord was to me to ride through Cork but bad him Tell no Man So we took Horse many Friends being with me Cork And when we came near the Town the Friends would have shewed me a way on the backside of the Town but I told them My way was through the Streets Wherefore taking one of them along with me whose Name was Paul Morrice to guide me through the Town I rode on and as we rode through the Market-place and by the Mayor's Door the Mayor seeing me ride by said There goes George Fox but he had not power to stop me When we had passed through the Centinels and were come over the Bridge we went to a Friend's House and alighted And there the Friends told me what a Rage was in the Town and how many Warrants were granted forth to take me While I was sitting there with Friends I felt the Evil Spirit at Work in the Town stirring up Mischief against me and I felt the Power of the Lord strike at that Evil Spirit By and by some other Friends coming in told me That it was over the Town and amongst the Magistrates that I was in the Town I said Let the Devil do his worst So after a while that Friends were refreshed one in another and we who were Travellers had refreshed our selves I called for my Horse and having a Friend to Guide me we went on our way But great was the Rage that the Mayor and others of Cork were in that they had missed me and great pains they afterwards took to have taken me having their Scouts abroad upon the Roads as I understood to observe which way I went And afterwards there was scarce a Publick Meeting I came to but there came Spies to watch if I were there And the Envious Magistrates and Priests sent Informations one to another concerning me describing me by my Hair Hat Cloaths and Horse so that when I was come near an Hundred Miles from Cork they had an Account concerning me and Description of me before I came amongst them There was one very Envious Magistrate who was both a Priest and a Justice and he got a Warrant from the Judge of Assize to apprehend me which Warrant was to go over all his Circuit which reached near an Hundred Miles Yet the Lord disappointed all their Counsels and defeated all their Designs against me and by his good hand of Providence preserved me out of all their Snares and gave us many sweet and blessed Opportunities to visit Friends and spread Truth through that Nation For Meetings were very large Friends coming to them far and near and the World's People flocking in And the powerful Presence of the Lord was preciously felt with and amongst us whereby many of the World were reached and Convinced and gathered to the Truth and the Lord's Flock was increased And Friends were greatly refreshed and comforted in feeling the Love of God Oh the Brokenness that was amongst them in the flowings of Life So that in the Power and Spirit of the Lord many together have broken out into Singing even with Audible Voices making Melody in their Hearts At which time I was moved to declare to Friends there in the Ministry as followeth SOund Sound abroad you faithful Servants of the Lord and Witnesses in his Name and faithful Servants and Prophets of the Highest and Angels of the Lord Sound ye all abroad in the World to the awakening and raising of the Dead that they may be awakened and raised up out of the Grave to hear the Voice that is living For the Dead have long heard the Dead and the Blind have long wandered among the Blind and the Deaf amongst the Deaf Therefore Sound Sound ye Servants and Prophets and Angels of the Lord ye Trumpets of the Lord that you may awaken the Dead and awaken them that be asleep in their Graves of Sin Death and Hell and Sepulchres and Sea and Earth and who lie in the Tombs Sound Sound abroad ye Trumpets and raise up the Dead that the Dead may hear the Voice of the Son of God the Voice of the Second Adam that never fell the Voice of the Light and the Voice of the Life the Voice of the Power and the Voice of the Truth the Voice of the Righteous and the Voice of the Just. Sound Sound the pleasant and melodious Sound Sound Sound ye the Trumpets the melodious Sound abroad that all the deaf Ears may be opened to hear the pleasant Sound of the Trumpet to Judgment and Life to Condemnation and Light Sound Sound your Trumpets all abroad you Angels of the Lord Sons and Daughters Prophets of the Highest that all that are dead and asleep in the Graves and been long dreaming and slumbering may be awakened and hear the Voice of the Lamb who have long heard the Voice of the Beast that now they may hear the Voice of the Bridegroom now they may hear the Voice of the Bride now they may hear the Voice of the Great Prophet now they may hear the Voice of the great King now they may hear the Voice of the great Shepherd and the great Bishop of their Souls Sound Sound it all abroad ye Trumpets among the Dead in Adam for Christ is come the Second Adam that they might have Life yea have it abundantly Awaken the Dead Awaken the Slumberers Awaken the Dreamers Awaken them that be asleep Awaken them out of their Graves out of their Tombs out of their Sepulchres out of the Seas Sound Sound abroad you Trumpets you Trumpets that awaken the Dead that they may all hear the Sound of it in the Graves and they that hear may live and come to the Life that is the Son of God He is
risen from the Dead the Grave could not hold nor contain him neither could all the Watchers of the Earth with all their Guards keep him therein Sound Sound ye Trumpets of the Lord to all the Seekers of the Living among the Dead that he is risen from the Dead to all the Seekers of the Living among the Dead and in the Graves that the Watchers keeps he is not in the Grave but he is Risen and there is that under the Grave of the Watchers of the outward Grave which must be awakened and come to hear his Voice which is risen from the Dead that they might come to live Therefore Sound abroad you Trumpets of the Lord that the Grave might give up her Dead and Hell and the Sea might give up their Dead and all might come forth to Judgment to the Judgment of the Lord before his Throne and to have their Sentence and Reward according to their Works G. F. And Sound Sound all ye Angels and Faithful Servants of the Most-High you Trumpets of the Lord amongst all the Night watchers and Watchers of the Graves Sepulchres and Tombs and Overseers of those Watchers of the Seas Graves and Sepulchres Sound the Trumpet amongst them and over them all Make the Sound to be heard that the Dead may arise at the Sound of the Trumpet that they may come out of their Graves and live and praise the Lord That all the Dead in the Seas and all the Dead in the Tombs and Sepulchres may hear the Sound of the Trumpet and come to Judgment and come to hear the Voice of the Son of God and live in whom there is Life Away with all the Chaff and the Husks and Contentions and Strife that the Swine feed upon in the Mire and in the Fall and the Keepers of them of Adam and Eve's House in the Fall that lies in the Mire out of Light and Life G. F. At James Hutchinson's in Ireland there came many Great Persons desiring to discourse with me about Election and Reprobation I told them Though they judged our Principle foolish it was too High for them and they could not with their Wisdom comprehend it Therefore I would discourse with them according to their Capacities You say said I that God hath Ordained the greatest part of Men for Hell and that they were Ordained so before the World began For which your Proof is in Jude And you say Esau was Reprobated and the Egyptians and the Stock of Ham But Christ saith to his Disciples Go teach all Nations and Go into all Nations and preach the Gospel of Life and Salvation Now if they were to go to all Nations were they not to go to Ham's Stock and Esau's Stock Did not Christ die for all then for the Stock of Ham and of Esau and the Egyptians Doth not the Scripture say God would have all men to be saved Mark All Men then the Stock of Esau and of Ham also And doth not God say Egypt my People and that he would have an Altar in Egypt Isa 19. Were there not many Christians formerly in Egypt And doth not History say that the Bishop of Alexandria would formerly have been Pope And had not God a Church in Babylon I confess The Word came to Jacob ☜ and the Statutes to Israel the like was not to other Nations For the Law of God was given to Israel but the Gospel was to be preached to all Nations and is to be preacht The Gospel of Peace and glad Tidings to all Nations He that believes is Saved but he that doth not believe is Condemned already So the Condemnation comes through Vnbelief And whereas Jude speaks of some that were of Old Ordained or written of before to Condemnation he doth not say before the World began but Written of Old may be referr'd to Moses his Writings who writ of those whom Jude mentions namely Cain Corah Balaam and the Angels that kept not their first Estate And such Christians as followed them in their way and Apostatized from the first state of Christianity such were and are Ordained for Condemnation by the Light and Truth which they are gone from And though the Apostle speaks of God's loving Jacob and hating Esau yet he tells the Believers We all were by nature Children of Wrath as well as others This includes the Stock of Jacob of which the Apostle himself was and all believing Jews were And thus both Jews and Gentiles were all concluded under Sin and so under Condemnation that God might have Mercy upon all through Jesus Christ. So the Election and Choice stands in Christ and he that believes is saved and he that believes not is condemned already And Jacob is the Second Birth which God loved and both Jews and Gentiles must be born again before they can enter the Kingdom of God And when you are born again ye will know Election and Reprobation for the Election stands in Christ the Seed before the World began but the Reprobation lies in the Evil Seed since the World began After this manner but somewhat more largely I discoursed with those Great Persons about this matter and they confest they had never heard so much before Now after I had travelled over that Nation of Ireland and had visited Friends in their Meetings as well for Business as for Worship and had Answered several Papers and Writings from Monks Friers and Protestant Priests for they all were in a Rage against us and endeavoured to stop the Work of the Lord and some Jesuits sware in some of our hearing that we came to spread our Principles in that Nation but we should not do it I returned to Dublin Dublin in order to take Passage there for England And when I had staid the First-Day's Meeting there which was very large and precious there being a Ship ready and the Wind serving we took our Leave of Friends parting in much Tenderness and Brokenness in the Sense of the Heavenly Life and Power that was manifested amongst us 1669. Dublin So having put our Horses and Necessaries on Board in the Morning we went our selves in the Afternoon many Friends accompanying us to the Ship and divers both Friends and friendly People coming after us in Boats when we were near a League at Sea At Sea their Love drawing them though not without Danger A good weighty and true People there is in that Nation sensible of the Power of the Lord God and tender of his Truth and very good Order they have in their Meetings for they stand up for Righteousness and Holiness which dams up the way of Wickedness A precious Visitation they had and there is an Excellent Spirit in them worthy to be visited Many things more I could write of that Nation and of my Travels in it which would be large to mention particularly but thus much I thought good to signifie that the Righteous may Rejoice in the Prosperity of Truth James Lancaster Robert Lodge and Thomas Briggs came
back with me John Stubbs having further Service there stayed behind We were Two Nights at Sea In one of which a mighty Storm arose that put the Vessel in great Danger it rained and blew so hard But I saw the Power of God went over the Winds and Storms he had them in his hand and his Power bound them And the same Power of the Lord God which carried us over brought us back again and in his Life gave us Dominion over all the Evil Spirits that opposed us there Liverpool We landed at Liverpool and went to the Mayor's House it being an Inn. And after we had staid about a Quarter of an Hour in the House we went to a Friend's House about a Mile out of the Town where we staid a while and then went to Richard Johnson's Whence departing the next day Lancashire Cheshire we passed to William Barnes his House and so to William Gandy's visiting Friends and having many precious Meetings in Lancashire and Cheshire We bore towards Bristol and when we came into Gloucestershire Gloucestershire Nailsworth we met with a Report at Nailsworth which was spread about that Country That George Fox was turned Presbyterian and that they had prepared a Pulpit for him and set it in a Yard and that there would be a Thousand People there the next day to hear him I thought it strange that such a Report should be raised of me yet as we went further on from one Friend's House to another we met with the same We went by the Yard where the Pulpit was set up and saw it and went on to the Place where Friends Meeting was to be next day and there we stay'd that Night Next day being the First-day of the Week we had a very large Meeting and the Lord's Power and Presence was amongst us Now the occasion of this strange Report according as I was informed was this There was one John Fox a Presbyterian Priest who used to go about Preaching and some changing his Name as was reported from John to George gave out that George Fox had changed his Religion and was turned from a Quaker to be a Presbyterian and would Preach at such a Place such a day This begat so great a Curiosity in the People that many went thither to hear this Quaker turned Presbyterian who would not have gone to have heard John Fox himself By this means it was Reported they had got together above a Thousand People But when they came there and perceived they had a Trick put upon them 1669. Gloucestershire and that that was but a Counterfeit George Fox and understood withal that the real George Fox was hard by at Friends Meeting there came several Hundreds of them to our Meeting and were Sober and Attentive I directed them to the Grace of God in themselves which would Teach them and bring them Salvation And when the Meeting was done some of the People said They liked George Fox the Quaker's Preaching better than George Fox the Presbyterian's Thus by my providential Coming into those parts at that time was this False Report discovered and Shame come over them that were the Contrivers of it It was not long after this that this same John Fox was complained of in the House of Commons for having a Tumultuous Meeting in which Treasonable words were spoken Which according to the best Information I could get of it was thus This John Fox had formerly been Priest of Mansfield in Wiltshire and being put out of that place was afterward permitted by a Common-Prayer-Priest to preach sometimes in his Steeple-House At length this Presbyterian-Priest presuming too far upon the Parish Priest's former Grant began to be more bold than welcom and would have preached there whether the Parish-Priest would or no. This caused a great Bustle and Contest in the Steeple-house between the Two Priests and their Hearers on either side in which Contest the Common-Prayer-Book was Cut to pieces and as it was said some Treasonable Words were then spoken by some of the Followers of this John Fox the Presbyterian-Priest This was quickly put in the News-Book and some malicious Presbyterians caused it to be so worded as if it had proceeded from George Fox the Quaker whenas I was above Two hundred Miles from the place when this Bustle happened But when I heard it I soon procured Certificates from some of the Members of the House of Commons who knew this John Fox and gave it under their Hands that it was John Fox who had formerly been Parson of Mansfield in Wiltshire that was complained of to the House of Commons to be the Chief Ring-leader in that Vnlawful Assembly And indeed this John Fox was an Ill Man for when some that had been Followers and Hearers of him came to be Convinced of Truth and received the Truth in their Inward Parts and thereupon left following him he coming to some of their Houses to talk with them about it and they telling him He was in the Steps of the False Prophets preaching for Hire and Filthy Lucre and was like them whom Christ cried Wo against and the Apostles declared against such as served not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own Bellies and telling him Christ said Freely ye have received freely give and therefore he should not take Money of People for Preaching especially now times were so hard He Replied God bless Preaching for that brings in Money let times go how they will And fill my Belly with good Victuals and then call me false Prophet or what you will and kick me about the House when ye have done if ye will This Relation I had from a Man and his Wife who had been formerly his Hearers whom this John Fox with others caused deeply to suffer For he and some other Presbyterian Priests using to resort to a Widow-Woman's House who had the Impropriation and took the Tithes of the Parish she told them There was a Quaker in that Parish that would not pay her Tithes and asked Counsel of them what she should do with him They advised her To send Workmen and cut down and carry away his Corn which according to their Counsel she did and thereby Impoverished the Man But to proceed After this Meeting in Gloucestershire was over we travelled through that County Bristol till we came to Bristol where I met with Margaret Fell who was come to visit her Daughter Yeomans there I had seen from the Lord a considerable time before that I should take Margaret Fell to be my Wife And when I first mentioned it to her she felt the Answer of Life from God thereunto But though the Lord had opened this thing unto me yet I had not received a Command from the Lord for the accomplishing of it then Wherefore I let the thing rest and went on in the Work and Service of the Lord as before according as the Lord led me travelling up and down in this Nation and through the Nation
of Ireland But now after I was come back from Ireland and was come to Bristol and found Margaret Fell there it opened in me from the Lord that the thing should be now Accomplished And after we had discoursed the thing together I told her ' If she also was satisfied with the Accomplishing of it now she should first send for her Children ' which she did And when the rest of her Daughters were come I asked both them and her Sons in Law If they had any thing against it or for it desiring them to speak and they all severally expressed their Satisfaction therein Then I asked Margaret ' If she had fulfilled and performed her Husband's Will to her Children She replied The Children knew that Whereupon I asked them Whether if their Mother Married they should not lose by it And I asked Margaret Whether she had done any thing in lieu of it which might Answer it to the Children The Children said She had answered it to them and desired me to speak no more of that I told them I was plain and would have all things done plainly for I sought not any outward Advantage to my self So after I had Acquainted the Children with it our Intention of Marriage was laid before Friends both privately and publickly to the full Satisfaction of Friends many of whom gave Testimony thereunto that it was of God Afterwards a Meeting being appointed on purpose for the Accomplishing thereof in the Publick Meeting-House at Broad-Mead in Bristol we took each other in Marriage the Lord Joining us together in the Honourable Marriage in the Everlasting Covenant and Immortal Seed of Life In the Sense whereof living and weighty Testimonies were born thereunto by Friends in the Movings of the Heavenly Power which united us together Then was a Certificate relating both the Proceedings and the Marriage openly read and Signed by the Relations and by most of the Ancient Friends of that City besides many other Friends from divers parts of the Nation After we were Married we stay'd about a Week in Bristol and then went into the Country together to Oldstone Oldstone where taking our Leaves of each other in the Lord we parted betaking our selves each to our several Service Margaret returning homewards to the North and I passing on into the Countries in the Work of the Lord as before I travelled through Wiltshire Berkshire 1669. Wiltshire Berkshire Oxfordshire Buckinghamshire London Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire and so to London visiting Friends In all which Counties I had many large and precious Meetings Being in London it came upon me to write to Friends throughout the Nation about Putting out poor Children to Trades Wherefore I sent the following Epistle to the Quarterly Meetings of Friends in all Counties My Dear Friends LET every Quarterly Meeting make Inquiry through all the Monthly Meetings and other Meetings to know all Friends that be poor Widows or others that have Children fit to set forth to Apprenticeships so that once a Quarter you may set forth an Apprentice from your Quarterly Meeting and so you may set forth four in a Year in each County as need may be or more if there be occasion And this Apprentice when he comes out of his Time may help his Mother or Father and rear up the Family that is decayed and in so doing all may come to live comfortably as Men. For being done in your Quarterly Meetings ye will have knowledge through all the County in all the Monthly and particular Meetings of Masters that be fit for them and of such Trades as their Parents desire or you desire or the Children are most Inclinable too and so being placed forth as you shall order from your Quarterly Meetings to Friends they may be trained up in Truth and by this means in the Wisdom of God you may preserve Friends Children in the Truth and enable them to rear up their decayed Families and be a Strength and Help to them and Nursers and Preservers of their Relations in their ancient days And thus also things being ordered in the Wisdom of God you will take off a continual Maintenance and free your selves from much Cumber For in the Country ye know ye may set forth an Apprentice for a little to several Trades as Bricklayers or Masons Carpenters Wheel-rights Plough-rights Taylors Tanners Curriers Black-smiths Shoomakers Naylers Butchers and several other Trades that might be named as Weavers of Linnen and Woollen Stuffs and Serges And you may do well to have a Stock in your Quarterly-Meetings for that purpose and all that is given by any Friends at their Decease except it be given to some particular Vse Person or Meeting may be brought to the Publick Stock for that same purpose This will be a way for the preserving of many that are poor among you and it will be a way of making up poor Families In several Counties the same is practised already and some Quarterly Meetings do set forth Two Apprentices and sometimes they set forth Children of the World that are laid on the Parish You may bind them for fewer or more Years according to their Capacities In all which things the Wisdom of God will teach you by which ye may come to help the Children of poor Friends that they may come to rear up their Families and preserve them in the Fear of God So no more but my Love in the everlasting Seed by which ye will have Wisdom to order all things to the Glory of God London the first of the 11th Month 1669. G. F. 1669. Essex Hertfordshire I stay'd not long in London but having visited Friends and finding things there quiet and well the Lord's Power being over all I passed down into Essex and so into Hertfordshire where I had many precious Meetings But before I went out of London intending to go down as far as Leicestershire I writ a Letter to my Wife to acquaint her therewith that if she found it Convenient to her she might meet me there Cambridgeshire Huntingtonshire Leicestershire From Hertfordshire I turned into Cambridgeshire thence into Huntingtonshire and so into Leicestershire where instead of Meeting with my Wife I heard that she was Haled out of her House and carried to Lancaster-Prison again by an Order gotten from the King and Council to fetch her back to Prison upon the Old Premunire 1670. though she had been discharged from that Imprisonment by an Order from the King and Council the Year before Wherefore having visited Friends Derbyshire Warwickshire London as far as Leicestershire I returned by Derbyshire into Warwickshire and so through the Countries that way to London again having had many large and blessed Meetings in the several Counties I passed through and had been sweetly refreshed with and amongst Friends in my Travels As soon as I was got to London I hast'ned Mary Lower and Sarah Fell two of my Wife's Daughters to the King to acquaint him how their Mother was dealt with
the Lord God that he hath a People in this Nation that seeks the Good of all Men upon the Face of the Earth For we have the Mind of the Lord Jesus Christ that desires not the Death of a Sinner but the Salvation and Good of all Blessed be the Name of the Lord our God for ever G. F. While I continued at Enfield a sense came upon me of an Hurt that sometimes hap'ned by Persons coming under the Profession of Truth out of one Country into another to take an Husband or Wife amongst Friends where they were Strangers and it was not known whether they were Clear and Orderly or no. And it Opened in me to recommend the following Method unto Friends for preventing such Inconveniences Whereupon I writ the following Lines ALL Friends that do Marry whether they be Men or Women if they come out of another Nation Island Plantation or County let them bring a Certificate from the Men's-Meeting of that County Nation Island or Plantation from which they come to the Men's Meeting where they do propound their Intention of Marriage for the Men's-Meeting being made up of the Faithful this will stop all bad and raw Spirits from Roving up and down And then when any come with a Certificate or Letter of Recommendation from one Men's-Meeting to another one is refreshed by another and can set their Hands and Hearts to the thing and this will take away a great deal of Trouble And then what ye have to say to them in the Power of God in Admonishing and Instructing them ye are left to the Power and Spirit of God to do it and to let them know the Duty of Marriage and what it is that there may be an Vnity and a Concord in the Spirit and Power and Light and Wisdom of God throughout all the Men's-Meetings in the whole World in One in the Life Let Copies of this be sent to every County and Nation and Island where Friends are that so all things may be kept holy and pure and righteous in Vnity and Peace and God over all may be glorified among you his Lot his People and Inheritance who are his Adopted Sons and Daughters and Heirs of his Life So no more but my Love in that which changeth not The 14th of the First Month 1670 1. G. F. When I had recovered so much Strength that I could Walk a little up and down I went from Enfield to Gerrard Roberts's again and from thence to the Womens School at Shacklewell and so to London Shacklewell London Grac. Meet to the Meeting at Gracious-Street where though I was yet but Weak yet the Lord's Power upheld and enabled me to Declare his Eternal Word of Life And about this time I was moved to pray to the Lord as followeth O Lord God Almighty 1670. London Prosper Truth and Preserve Justice and Equity in the Land and bring down all Injustice and Iniquity Oppression and Falshood and Cruelty and Vnmercifulness in the Land and that Mercy and Righteousness may flourish And O Lord God! Establish and set up Verity and Preserve it in the Land And bring down in the Land all Debauchery and Vice and Whoredoms and Fornication and this Raping Spirit which causeth and leadeth People to have no Esteem of Thee O God! nor their own Souls or Bodies nor of Christianity Modesty or Humanity And O Lord Put it in the Magistrates Hearts to bring down all this Vngodliness and Violence and Cruelty Prophaness Cursing and Swearing and to put down all these Whore-houses and Play-houses which do Corrupt Youth and People and lead them from the Kingdom of God where no Vnclean Thing can Enter neither shall come but such Works lead People to Hell And the Lord in Mercy bring down all these things in the Nation to stop thy Wrath O God! from coming on the Land This Prayer was writ the 17th Day at Night of the 2d Month 1671. G. F. I mentioned before that upon the Notice I received of my Wife 's being had to Prison again I sent two of her Daughters to the King and they procured his Order to the Sheriff of Lancashire for her Discharge But though I expected she would have been set at Liberty thereby 1671. London yet this Violent Storm of Persecution coming suddenly on upon it the Persecutors there did not Release her but found means to hold her still in Prison But now the Persecution a little ceasing I was moved to speak to Martha Fisher and another Woman-Friend to go to the King about her Liberty They went in the Faith and in the Lord's Power and the Lord gave them Favour with the King so that he granted a Discharge under the Broad-Seal to Clear both her and her Estate after she had been Ten Years a Prisoner and Premunired The like whereof was scarce to be heard in England I sent down the Discharge forthwith by a Friend by whom also I writ to her both to Inform her how to get it delivered to the Justices and also to Acquaint her that it was upon me from the Lord to go beyond the Seas to visit the Plantations in America and therefore desired her to hasten up to London as soon as she could conveniently after she had obtained her Liberty because the Ship was then fitting for the Voyage In the mean time I got down to Kingston Kingston and staid at John Rous his House till my Wife came up and then I began to prepare for the Voyage But the Yearly Meeting being near at hand London-Yea Meet I tarried till that was over A very large Meeting it was for many Friends came up to it from all parts of the Nation and a very precious Meeting it was for the Lord's Power was over all and his glorious everlastingly-renowned Seed of Life was exalted above all Now after this Meeting was over and I had finished my Services for the Lord here in England the Ship also and the Friends that intended to go with me being ready I went down to Graves-end on the 12th day of the Sixth Month my Wife and several Friends accompanying me to the Downs We went from Wapping in a Barge to the Ship Wapping which lay a little below Graves-end and there we found the Friends Gravesend that were bound for the Voyage with me who went down to the Ship the Night before Their Names were Thomas Brigges William Edmundson John Rouse John Stubbs Solomon Eccles James Lancaster John Cartwright Robert Widders George Pattison John Hull Elizabeth Hooton and Eliz. Miers The Vessel we were to go in was a Yatch and it was called The Industry the Master's Name was Thomas Forster and the number of Passengers about Fifty I lay that Night on Board but most of the Friends lay at Graves end Early next morning the Passengers and those Friends that intended to accompany us to the Downs being come on Board we took our Leave in great Tenderness of those Friends that came with
got a little Cheary and over it Many Friends and some considerable Persons of the World have been with me I tired out my Body much when amongst you in England it is the Lord's Power that helps me Therefore I desire you all to prize the Power of the Lord and his Truth I was but a Weak Man in Body when I came away from you after I had been in my great Travel amongst you but after that it struck all back again into my Body which was not well settled after so sore Travels in England And then was I so tired at Sea that I could not rest and have had little or no Stomach a long time Since I came into this Island my Life hath been very much burdened But I hope if the Lord give me Strength to manage his Work I shall work throughly and bring things that have been out of Course into better Order So Dear Friends live all in the peaceable Truth and in the Love of it serving the Lord in Newness of Life For glorious Things and precious Truths have been manifested among you plentifully and to you the Riches of the Kingdom have been reached I have been almost a Month in this Island but have not been able to go abroad or ride out only very lately I rid out twice a Quarter of a Mile at a time which wearied me much and almost tired me My Love in the Truth is to you all G. F. Now because I was not yet well able to Travel the Friends of the Island concluded to have their Men's-Meeting and their Womens-Meeting for the Service of the Church at Thomas Rous's where I lay by which means I was present amongst them at each of their Meetings and had very good Service for the Lord in both For they had need of Information in many things and divers Disorders were crept in for want of Care and Watchfulness Wherefore I exhorted them more especially at the Mens-Meeting to be watchful and careful with respect to Marriages to prevent Friends Marrying in near Kindreds and also to prevent over-hasty proceedings toward Second Marriages after the Death of a former Husband or Wife advising that a decent Regard were had in such Cases to the Memory of the Deceased Husband or Wife And as to Friends Children marrying too young as at Thirteen or Fourteen Years of Age I shewed them the Unfitness thereof and the Inconveniences and Hurts that attend such Childish Marriages And I admonished them all to purge the Floor throughly and to sweep their Houses very clean that nothing might remain that would defile And that all should take care that nothing be spoken out of their Meetings to the blemishing or defaming one of another Likewise concerning Registring of Marriages Births and Burials I advised them to keep Exact Records of each in distinct Books for that only use and also to Record in a Book for that purpose the Condemnations of such as went out from Truth into Disorderly Practices and the Repentance and Restoration of such of them as returned again Also I recommended to their Care the providing of convenient Burying Places for Friends which in some parts were yet wanting Some Directions also I gave them concerning Wills and the Ordering of Legacies left by Friends for publick Vses and other things relating to the Affairs of the Church Then as to their Blacks or Negro's I desired them to endeavour to train them up in the Fear of God as well them that were bought with their Money as them that were born in their Families that all might come to the Knowledge of the Lord that so with Joshua they might every Master of a Family say As for me and my House we will serve the Lord. I desired them also that they would cause their Overseers to deal mildly and gently with their Negro's and not use Cruelty towards them as the manner of some hath been and is And that after certain Years of Servitude they would make them free Many sweet and precious things were opened in these Meetings by the Spirit and in the Power of the Lord to the edifying confirming and building up of Friends both in the Faith and holy Order of the Gospel After these Meetings were over the Vessel that was bound for England not being yet gone I was moved to write another Epistle to Friends there the Copy whereof here follows DEar Friends and Brethren to whom is my Love in that which never changeth but remains in Glory which is over all the Top and Corner-stone In this all have Peace and Life as ye dwell in the blessed Seed wherein all is blest over that which brought the Curse where all Shortness and Narrowness of Spirit is and Brittleness and Peevishness is Therefore keep the Holy Order of the Gospel and keep in this blessed Seed where all may be kept in Temperance in Patience in Love in Meekness in Righteousness and Holiness and in Peace in which the Lord may be seen amongst you and no ways dishonoured but glorified by you all And so in all your Meetings in Cities Towns and Countries Mens-Meetings Womens-Meetings and others let Righteousness slow among you and the Holy Truth be uppermost and the pure Spirit your Guide and Leader and the holy Wisdom your Orderer that is pure and gentle and from above and easie to be entreated So keep in the Religion that keeps from the Spots of the World which is pure and undefiled in God's Sight And keep in the pure and holy Worship in which the pure and holy God is worshipped to wit in the Spirit and in the Truth which the Devil is out of who is the Author of all Vnholiness and of dishonouring of God So be all tender of God's Glory and tender of his Honour and of his blessed and holy Name in which ye are gathered And all who do profess the Truth see that ye Walk in it and in Righteousness and Godliness and Holiness For Holiness becomes the House of God the Houshold of Faith And that which becomes God's House God loves for he loves Righteousness and that is the Ornament which becomes his House and all his Family Therefore see that Righteousness do run down in all your Assemblies and that it flow to drive away all the Vnrighteousness This preserves your Peace with God for in Righteousness ye have all Peace with the righteous God of Peace and one with another And so every one that bears the Name of the Anointed that high Title of being a Christian named after the Heavenly Man see that ye be in the Divine Nature and made conformable unto his Image even the Image of the Heavenly Divine Man who was before that Image which Adam and Eve got in the Fall from the Devil So that in none of you that fallen Image may appear or be seen but his Image and you made Conformable unto him Here Translation is shewed forth in Life and Conversation not in Words only yea and Conversion and Repentance which
abroad through the Island Whereupon I with some other Friends drew up a Paper to go forth in the Name of the People called Quakers for the clearing Truth and Friends from those false Reports It was directed thus For the Governour of Barbados with his Council and Assembly and all others in Power both Civil and Military in this Island from the People called Quakers WHereas many scandalous Lies and Slanders have been cast upon us to render us odious as that We do deny God and Christ Jesus and the Scriptures of Truth c. This is to Inform you that all our Books and Declarations which for these many Years have been published to the World do clearly testifie the contrary Yet notwithstanding for your Satisfaction we do now plainly and sincerely declare That we do Own and Believe in God the only-Wise Omnipotent and Everlasting God who is the Creator of all things both in Heaven and in the Earth and the Preserver of all that he hath made who is God over all blessed for ever To whom be all Honour and Glory Dominion Praise and Thanksgiving both now and for evermore And we do Own and Believe in Jesus Christ his beloved and only begotten Son in whom he is well-pleased Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary in whom we have Redemption through his Blood even the Forgiveness of Sins Who is the Express Image of the Invisible God the First-born of every Creature by whom were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers All things were created by him And we do Own and Believe that he was made a Sacrifice for Sin who knew no Sin neither was Guile found in his Mouth And that he was Crucified for us in the Flesh without the Gates of Jerusalem and that he was Buried and Rose again the Third Day by the Power of his Father for our Justification And we do Believe that he Ascended up into Heaven and now sitteth at the Right Hand of God This Jesus who was the Foundation of the Holy Prophets and Apostles is our Foundation and we do believe that there is no other Foundation to be laid but that which is laid even Christ Jesus who we believe tasted Death for every Man and shed his Blood for all Men and is the Propitiation for our Sins and not for ours only but also for the Sins of the whole World According as John the Baptist testified of him when he said Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World Joh. 1.29 We believe that he alone is our Redeemer and Saviour even the Captain of our Salvation who saves us from Sin as well as from Hell and the Wrath to come and destroys the Devil and his Works who is the Seed of the Woman that bruises the Serpent's Head to wit Christ Jesus the Alpha and Omega the First and the Last That he is as the Scriptures of Truth say of him our Wisdom and Righteousness Justification and Redemption neither is there Salvation in any other for there is no other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we may be saved It is he alone who is the Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls He it is who is our Prophet whom Moses long since testified of saying A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you And it shall come to pass that every Soul that will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the People Acts 2.22 23. He it is that is now Come and hath given us an Vnderstanding that we may know him that is true and he rules in our Hearts by his Law of Love and of Life and makes us free from the Law of Sin and Death and we have no Life but by him for he is the quickning Spirit the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven by whose Blood we are cleansed and our Consciences sprinkled from Dead Works to serve the Living God And he is our Mediator that makes Peace and Reconciliation between God offended and us offending he being the Oath of God the New Covenant of Light Life Grace and Peace the Author and Finisher of our Faith Now this Lord Jesus Christ the Heavenly Man the Emanuel God with us we all own and believe in him whom the High-Priest raged against and said he had spoken Blasphemy whom the Priests and the Elders of the Jews took Counsel together against and put to Death the same whom Judas betrayed for Thirty Pieces of Silver which the Priests gave him as a Reward for his Treason who also gave large Money to the Souldiers to broach an Horrible Lie namely That his Disciples came and stole him away by Night whilst they slept And after he was Risen from the Dead the History of the Acts of the Apostles sets forth how the Chief-Priests and Elders persecuted the Disciples of this Jesus for Preaching Christ and his Resurrection This we say is that Lord Jesus Christ whom we own to be our Life and Salvation And as concerning the Holy Scriptures we do believe That they were given forth by the Holy Spirit of God through the Holy Men of God who as the Scripture it self declares 2 Pet. 1.21 spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost We believe they are to be Read Believed and Fulfilled He that fulfils them is Christ and they are profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction and for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good Works 2 Tim. 3.16 and are able to make wise unto Salvation through Faith in Christ Jesus And we do believe that the Holy Scriptures are the Words of God for it s said in Exod. 20.1 God spake all these Words saying c. meaning the Ten Commandments given forth upon Mount Sinai And in Rev. 22.18 saith John I testifie to every man that heareth the Words of the Prophecy of this Book If any man addeth unto these and if any Man shall take away from the Words of the Book of this Prophecy not the Word c. So in Luke 1.20 Because thou believest not my Words And so in John 5.47 and John 15.7 John 14.23 John 12.47 So that we call the Holy Scriptures as Christ and the Apostles called them and Holy Men of God called them viz. the Words of God Another Slander and Lye they have cast upon us namely That we should teach the Negroes to Rebell A thing we utterly abhor and detest in our Hearts the Lord knows it who is the Searcher of all Hearts and knows all things and so can witness and testifie for us that this is a most Abominable Vntruth For that which we have spoken and declared to them is To exhort and admonish them to be sober and to fear God and
where Friends had never had any Meeting before And the Meeting was very large for the Country generally came in and People came also from Connecticut and other parts round about There were amongst them four Justices of the Peace and most of these People were such as had never heard Friends before but they were mightily affected with the Meeting and a great Desire there is after the Truth amongst that People So that our Meeting was of very good Service blessed be the Lord for ever The Justice at whose House the Meeting was and another Justice of that Country invited me to come again but I was then clear of those parts and was going off towards Shelter-Island But John Burnyeate and John Cartwright being come back out of New-England into Road-Island before I was gone I laid this place before them and they felt Drawings thither and went to visit them At another place I heard some of the Magistrates should say among themselves If they had Money enough they would hire me to be their Minister This was where they did not well understand Vs and our Principles But when I heard of it I said It was time for me to be gone for if their Eye was so much to Me or any of Vs they would not come to their own Teacher For this thing of hiring Ministers had spoiled many by hindring them from improving their own Talents whereas our Labour is to bring every one to their own Teacher in themselves Now after we had had very good Service for the Lord in Road-Island and the Parts adjacent and that John Burneyate with the other Friends that went from the General Meeting here into New-England were returned hither again I went off from hence to Shelter-Island having with me Robert Widders James Lancaster George Pattison and one John Jay a Planter in Barbados and leaving John Stubbs and John Burneyate in Road-Island to Water 1672. Road-Island what had been Planted by the Lord there and there-aways who expected John Cartwright whom they had left at Piscataway to come and join shortly with them in the same Service We that were for Shelter-Island went off in a Sloop and passing by Point-Juda and Block-Island Point Juda Block Island Fisher's Island came to Fishers Island where at Night we went on Shore but were not able to stay for the Muschetos a sort of Gnats or little Flies which abound there and are very troublesom Wherefore we went into our Sloop again and put off from the Shore and cast Anchor and so lay in our Sloop that Night Next day we went into the Sound The Sound but finding our Sloop was not able to live in that Water we turned in again for we could not pass that way and so came to Anchor again before Fisher's-Island where we lay in our Sloop that Night also There fell abundance of Rain that Night and our Sloop being open we were exceeding wet The Two Horse-Races Garner's Island Gull 's Island Shelter Island Next day we passed over the Waters called the two Horse Races and then by Garner's Island after which we passed by the Gull's-Island and so got at length to Shelter-Island which though it was but about Twenty seven Leagues from Road-Island yet through the Difficulty of Passage we were three Days in getting thither The Day after we came thither being the First Day of the Week we had a Meeting there Afterwards in the same Week I had a Meeting among the Indians there at which were their King with his Council and about an hundred Indians more They sate down like Friends and heard very attentively while I spake to them by an Interpreter an Indian that could speak English well After the Meeting they appeared very loving and confessed that what was said to them was Truth On the next First-Day we had a great Meeting on the Island to which came many of the World's People that had never heard Friends before They were very well satisfied with the Meeting and would not go away when the Meeting was done till they had spoken with me Wherefore I went amongst them and found they were much taken with the Truth and good Desires were raised in them and a great Love Blessed be the Lord his Name spreads and will be great among the Nations and Dreadful among the Heathen While we were in Shelter-Island William Edmundson came to us who had been labouring in the Work of the Lord in Virginia From whence he travelled through the Desert-Country through Difficulties and many Trials till he came to Roan-Oak where he met with a tender People And after Seven Weeks Service in those parts sailing over to Mary-land and so to New-York he came from thence to Long-Island and so to Shelter-Island where we met with him and were very glad to hear from him the good Service he had had for the Lord in the several Countries and Places wherein he had travelled since he parted from us We staid not long in Shelter-Island but entring our Sloop again At Sea put forth to Sea for Long-Island We had a very rough Passage for the Tide did run so strong for several Hours that I have not seen the like and being against us we could hardly get forwards though we had a Gale We were upon the Water all that Day and the Night following but found our selves next Day driven back near unto Fisher's-Island For there was a great Fog and towards Day it was very dark 1672. New-England so that we could not see what way we made and besides it rained much in the Night which in our open Sloop made us very wet Next day a great Storm arose so that we were fain to go over the Sound and did get over with much ado When we had gotten from Fisher's-Island Faulcon Island we passed by Faulcon-Island and came to the Main where we cast Anchor till the Storm was over Sound and then we came over the Sound being all very wet and much difficulty we had to get to Land the Wind being strong against us But blessed be the Lord God of Heaven and Earth and of the Seas and Waters Long Island Oister-bay all was well and we got safe to Oister-Bay in Long-Island on the Seventh Day of the Sixth Month very early in the Morning which they say is about two hundred Miles from Road-Island At Oister-Bay we had a very large Meeting and the same day James Lancaster and Christopher Holder went over the Bay to Rye on the Continent in Governour Winthrop's Government and had a Meeting there Flushing From Oister-Bay we passed about Thirty Miles to Flushing where we had a very large Meeting many Hundreds of the People of the World being there some or whom came about Thirty Miles to it A glorious and heavenly Meeting it was praised be the Lord God! and the People were much satisfied Mean while Christopher Holder and some other Friends went to a Town in Long-Island called
chained all down and brought a Reverence upon the Peoples Minds Among the Officers that were there there was a Major that was Kinsman to the Priest and he told me The Priest threatned to come and Oppose us But the Lord's Power was too strong for him and stopt him and we were quiet and peaceable and the People were wonderfully affected with the Testimony of Truth blessed be the Lord for ever Another very good Meeting we had at a place called Crickatrough Crickatrough at which many Considerable People were many of whom had never heard a Friend before and they were greatly satisfied with the Meeting praised be the Lord We had also a very good and serviceable Meeting at John Porter 's which consisted mostly of the World's People in which the Power of the Lord was gloriously seen and felt and it brought the Truth over all the bad Walkers and Talkers blessed be the Lord Divers other Meetings we had and many Opportunities of doing Service for the Lord amongst the People where we came And the last Week that we stay'd we spent some Time and Pains among Friends sweeping away that which was to be swept out and working down a bad Spirit that was got up in some And blessed for ever be the Name of the Lord he it is that gives Victory over all Now having finished what Service lay upon us at Virginia on the Thirtieth Day of the Tenth Month we set Sail in an open Sloop for Maryland MARY-LAND But having a very great Storm that day and being much wetted we were glad to get to Shore before Night And walking to an House at Willoughby-Point Willoughby Point we got Lodging there that Night The Woman of the House was a Widow and a very tender Woman She had never received Friends before but she received us very kindly and with Tears in her Eyes We returned to our Boat in the Morning and hoised up our Sail getting forward as fast and as far as we could but towards Evening a Storm rising and the Wind being high we had much ado to get to the Shore and our Boat being open the Water slashed often in and sometimes over us so that we were sufficiently wetted Being got to Land we made us a Fire in the Woods to warm and dry us and there we lay all that Night the Wolves howling about us On the First of the Eleventh Month we sailed again but the Wind being against us and sometimes driving us backwards we made but little Way and were fain to get to Shore at Point-Comfort where yet we found but small Comfort 1672. Mary-land for the Weather was so Cold that though we made us a good Fire in the Woods to lie by yet our Water that we had got for our Use was frozen near the Fire-side We made to Sea again next Day Point-Comfort but the Wind being strong and against us we advanced but little but were glad to get to Land again and travel about to find some House where we might buy some Provisions for our Store was spent That Night also we lay in the Woods and so extream Cold was the Weather the Wind blowing high and the Frost and Snow being great that it was hard for some to abide it On the Third of the Eleventh Month the Wind sitting pretty fair we fetched it up by Sailing and Rowing and got that Night to Milford-Haven Milford Haven Raphahannock River where we lay at Richard Long 's near Quinces-Island Next Day we passed by Raphahannock-River where dwell much People and Friends had a Meeting there-aways at a Justice's House that had formerly been at a Meeting where I was We passed over Potomack-River also the Winds being high Potomack River the Water very rough our Sloop open and the Weather extream Cold and having a Meeting there-aways also some People of the World that came to it were Convinced and when we parted thence some of our Company went amongst them Potuxon River We steered our Course for Pottuxon-River and I sate at Helm most part of the Day and some of the Night About the First Hour in the Morning we reached James Preston's House in Pottuxon-River which is accounted about Two hundred Miles from Nancemum in Virginia We were very weary yet the next Day being the First of the Week and Fifth of the Month we went to the Meeting not far from thence and the same Week we went to an Indian-King's-Cabbin where several of the Indians were Indian-King's Cabbin with whom we had a pretty Opportunity to discourse and they carried themselves very lovingly We went also that Week to a General Meeting from which we went about Eighteen Miles further to John Gearies where we had a very precious Meeting praised be the Lord God for ever But after this the Cold grew so exceeding sharp such extream Frost and snowy Weather beyond what was usual in that Country so that we could hardly endure to be in it Neither was it easie or safe to stir abroad yet we got with some Difficulty six Miles through the Snow to John Mayer's where we met with some Friends that were come from New-England whom we had left there when we came away and glad we were to see each other after so long and tedious Travels By these Friends we understood that William Edmundson having been at Road-Island and New-England was gone from thence for Ireland that Solomon Eccles coming from Jamaica and landing at Boston in New-England was taken at a Meeting there and banished to Barbados that John Stubbs and another Friend were gone into New-Jersey and several other Friends to Barbados Jamaica and the Leeward-Islands It was Matter of Joy to us to understand that the Work of the Lord went on and prospered and that Friends were unwearied and diligent in the Service On the Twenty Seventh of the Eleventh Month we had a very precious Meeting in a Tobacco-House and on the next Day we returned to James Preston's about Eighteen Miles distant J. Preston ' s. But when we came there we found his House was burnt down to the Ground the Night before 1672. Mary-land J. Preston ' s. through the Carelesness of a Maid-servant So we lay three Nights on the Ground by the Fire the Weather being very Cold. We made an Observation which was somewhat strange but certainly true that one Day in the midst of this Cold Weather the Wind turning into the South it grew so hot that we could hardly bear the Heat and the next Day and Night the Wind chopping back into the North we could hardly endure the Cold. Pottuxon On the Second of the Twelfth Month we had a glorious Meeting at Pottuxon and after it went to John Gearie's again where we waited for a Boat Clifts to carry us to the Monthly-Meeting at the Clifts to which we went and a living Meeting it was praised be the Lord This was on the Sixth of the Twelfth Month. And
and the High-Sheriff with their Wives and several others And of Indians there was he who was called their Emperor and one of the Indian Kings and their Speaker who all sate very attentive and carried themselves very lovingly and an establishing settling Meeting it was This was on the Twenty third of the First Month. And on the Twenty fourth we went by Water ten Miles to the Indian Town where this same Emperor dwelt whom I had acquainted before with my Coming and desired him to get their Kings and Councils together In the Morning the Emperor came himself and had me to the Town and they were generally come together and had their Speaker and other Officers with them and the Old Empress sate among them And to give them their due they sate very grave and sober and were all very Attentive beyond many that are called Christians I had some with me that could interpret to them and we had a very good Meeting with them and of very good Service it was for it gave them a good Esteem of Truth and Friends blessed be the Lord After this we had many Meetings in several parts of that Country one at William Stephens's which was a general Meeting once a Month another at Tredhaven-Creek another at Wye another at Reconow-Creek and another at Thomas Taylor 's in the Island of Kent Most of these Meetings were large there being many of the World's People at them and divers of them of the most Considerable in the World's Account And the Lord's Power and living Presence was with us and plenteously manifested amongst the People by which their Hearts were tendred and opened to receive the Truth which had a good Savour amongst them blessed be the Lord God over all for ever Then being clear of that side we passed over the Bay about Fourteen Miles to a Friend's House where we met with several Friends and I sent for Thomas Thurston thither and had a Meeting with him to bring the Truth over his bad Actions Now having travelled through most parts of that Country and visited most of the Plantations thereabouts and had very good Service for the Lord in America having alarm'd the People of all sorts where we came and proclaimed the Day of God's Salvation amongst them we found our Spirits began to be clear of those parts of the World and to draw towards Old England again Yet we were desirous and felt Freedom from the Lord to stay till the General Meeting for that Province of Mary-land was over which drew nigh that we might see Friends generally together before we departed Wherefore spending our time in the interim partly in visiting Friends and Friendly People Clifts Pottuxon and in having Meetings about the Clifts and Pottuxon and partly in writing Answers to some Cavilling Objections which some of Truth 's Adversaries had raised and spread abroad to hinder People from receiving the Truth we were not idle but laboured in the Work of the Lord until that General Provincial Meeting came on which began on the Seventeenth Day of the Third Month The General Provincial Meeting and lasted four Days On the First of these days the Men and Women had their Meetings for Business wherein the Affairs of the Church of God were taken Care of and many things relating thereunto were opened unto them to their Edification and Comfort The other Three Days were spent in Publick Meetings for the Worship of God at which divers of considerable Account in the Government and many others of the World's People were present who were generally satisfied and many of them reached for it was a wonderful glorious Meeting and the mighty Presence of the Lord was seen and felt over all blessed and praâ—â—ed be his Holy Name for ever who over all giveth Dominion After this Meeting we took our Leave of Friends parting in great Tenderness in the sense of the Heavenly Life and vertuous Power of the Lord that was livingly felt amongst us and went by Water to the place where we were to take Shipping many Friends accompanying us thither and tarrying with us that Night Next Day which was the Twenty first of the Third Month 1673 and the Day following we set Sail for England At Sea The same Day Richard Covell came on Board our Ship having had his own taken from him by the Dutch We had foul Weather and contrary Winds which caused us to cast Anchor often so that we were till the Thirty first of the Third Month e'er we could get past the Capes of Virginia and come out into the main Sea But after this we made good Speed ENGLAND King's-Road and on the Twenty eighth of the Fourth Month cast Anchor at Kings-road which is the Harbour for Bristol We had in our Passage very high Winds and Tempestuous Weather which made the Sea exceeding rough the Waves rising like Mountains so that the Masters and Sailers wondred at it and said They never saw the like before But though the Wind was strong it sate for the most part with us so that we sailed away before it and the Great God who commands the Winds who is Lord of Heaven of Earth and the Seas and whose Wonders are seen in the Deep he steered our Course and preserved us from many imminent Dangers The same good Hand of Providence that went with us and carried us safely over watched over us in our Return and brought us safely back again Thanksgivings and Praises be to his holy Name for ever Many sweet and precious Meetings we had on Board the Ship during this Voyage commonly two a Week wherein the blessed Presence of the Lord did greatly refresh us and did often break in upon and tender the Company Bristol Harbour And when we came into Bristol Harbour there lay a Man of War and the Press-master came on Board us to press our men We had a Meeting at that time in the Ship with the Sea-men before we went to Shore and the Press-master sate down with us and staid the Meeting and was very well satisfied with it After the Meeting I spake to him to leave two of the Men he had Pressed in our Ship for he had pressed four one of which was a lame Man and he said At my Request he would We went on Shore that Afternoon and got to Shear-hampton Shear-hampton where we got Horses and rode to Bristol that Night where Friends received us with great Joy 1673. Bristol In the Evening I writ a Letter to my Wife to give her Notice of my Landing as followeth Dear Heart THis Day we came into Bristol near Night from the Seas Glory to the Lord God over all for ever who was our Convoy and steered our Course who is the God of the whole Earth and of the Seas and Winds and made the Clouds his Chariots beyond all Words blessed be his Name for ever Who is over all in his great Power and Wisdom Amen Robert Widders and James Lancaster
punishing Sin in the Kingdom neither then need Kings or Princes fear any of their Subjects if they all walked in the Spirit of Christ For the Fruits of the Spirit are Love Righteousness Goodness Temperance c. And if all that profess themselves Christians did walk in the Spirit of Christ and by it did mortifie Sin and Evil it would be a great Ease to the Magistrates and Rulers and would free them from a great deal of Trouble For it would lead all Men and Women To do unto all others as they would have others do unto them and so the Royal Law of Liberty would be fulfilled For if all that are called Christians did walk in the Spirit of Christ by it to have the Evil Spirit and its Fruits mortified and cut down in them then not being led by the Evil Spirit but by the good Spirit of Christ the Fruits of the good Spirit would appear in all Men and Women for as People are led by the good Spirit of Christ it leads them out of Sin and Evil which the Magistrate's Sword takes hold upon and so would be an Ease to the Magistrates But as People err from this good Spirit of Christ and follow the Evil Spirit which leads them into Sin and Evil that Spirit brings the Magistrate into a great deal of Trouble to Execute the Law upon the Sinners and Transgressors of the good Spirit That Spirit that leads People from all manner of Sin and Evil is one with the Magistrate's Power and with the righteous Law for the Law being added because of Transgression that Spirit that leads out of Transgression must needs be One with that Law that is against Transgressors So that Spirit that leads out of Transgression is the good Spirit of Christ and is One with the Magistrates in the Higher Power and owns it and them But that Spirit that leads into Transgression is the bad Spirit and is against the Law and against the Magistrates and makes them a great deal of Troublesome Work Now the Manifestation of the good Spirit is given to every Man to profit withall and no Man can profit in the Things of God but by the Spirit of God which brings to deny all Sin and Evil. It is said of Israel Nehem. 9. The Lord gave them his good Spirit to instruct them yet they rebelled against it But if all People did mind this Manifestation of the Spirit which God hath given to instruct them it would lead them to forsake all manner of Sin and Evil Enmity Hatred Malice and all manner of Vnrighteousness and Vngodliness and to mortifie it And then in the Spirit of Christ they would have Fellowship and Vnity which is the Bond of Peace and then would Love and Peace which are the Fruits of the good Spirit flow among all them that are called Christians Now we are a People who in Tenderness of Conscience to the Command of Christ and of his Apostle cannot Swear for we are commanded in Matth. 5. and James 5. to keep to Yea and Nay and not to Swear at all not by Heaven nor by Earth nor by any other Oath lest we go into Evil and fall into Condemnation The Words of Christ are these Ye have heard that it hath been said by or to them of old time Thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt perform unto the Lord thine Oaths These were true and solemn Oaths which they who made ought to perform in Old Time But these Christ and his Apostle forbids in the Gospel-times as well as false and vain Oaths Now if we could take any Oath at all we could take the Oath of Allegiance as knowing that King Charles was by the Power of God brought into England and set up King of England c. over the Heads of our Old Persecutors And as for the Pope's Supremacy we do utterly deny it But Christ and the Apostle having commanded us Not to Swear but to keep to Yea and Nay we dare not break their Commands and therefore many have put the Oaths to us as a Snare that they might make a Prey of us So our denying to Swear is not in Wilfulness Stubbornness or Contempt but only in Obedience to the Command of Christ and his Apostle And we are content if we break our Yea and Nay to suffer the same Penalty as they should that break their Oaths We desire therefore that the King would take this into his Consideration and how long we have Suffered in this Case This is from one who desires the Eternal Good and Prosperity of the King and of all his Subjects in the Lord Jesus Christ. G. F. About this time I had a fit of Sickness which brought me very low and weak in my Body and I continued so a pretty while insomuch that some Friends began to doubt of my Recovery and I seemed to my self to be amongst the Graves and dead Corpses Yet the Invisible Power did secretly support me and conveyed refreshing Strength into me even when I was so Weak that I was almost Speechless And one Night as I was lying awake upon my Bed in the Glory of the Lord which was over all it was said unto me That the Lord had a great Deal more Work for me to do for him before he took me to himself Endeavours were used to get me Released at least for a Time till I was grown stronger but the Way of Effecting it proving difficult and tedious for the King was not willing to Release me by any other way than a Pardon being told he could not Legally do it and I was not willing 〈◊〉 be Released by a Pardon which he would readily have given me because I did not look upon that way as agreeable with the Innocency of my Cause a Friend one Edward Pitway having Occasion to speak with Justice Parker upon some other Business desired him to give Order to the Jailer That in regard of my Weakness I might have Liberty to go out of the Jail into the City Whereupon Justice Parker wrote the following Letter to the Jailer and sent it to the Friend to deliver Mr. Harris I Have beeen much importuned by some Friends to George Fox to write to you I am informed by them that he is in a very weak Condition and very much Indisposed What lawful Favour you can do for the Benefit of the Air for his Health pray shew him I suppose the next Term they will make Application to the King I am Sir Your loving Friend HENRY PARKER Evesham the 8th of Octob. 1674. After this my Wife went to London and spake with the King laying before him my long and unjust Imprisonment with the Manner of my being taken and the Justices Proceedings against me in tendring me the Oath as a Snare whereby they had Premunired me so that I being now his Prisoner it was in his Power and at his Pleasure to Release which she desired The King spake kindly to her and referr'd her to the Lord-Keeper to
and made them appear at the Sessions where he asked them many ensnaring Questions for he knew not how to Convict them because he had no Proof against them When he saw his Questions did not Catch them 1677. â—urrowby he told them He had heard that George Fox was at a large Meeting with them and they all sate Silent and none spake in the Meeting This false Story he cunningly feigned thinking thereby to have drawn out some of the Friends to have contradicted him and have said That I had spoken in the Meeting that so he mâ—ght have Convicted them upon their own Confession and have Fined them But Friends standing in the Wisdom of God did not Answer him according to his Desire and so escaped his Snare But two other Friends that came out of Ireland and were at this Meeting having a Meeting that Evening about three Miles off this Evil-minded Justice got Information thereof and Fined Friends and plundered them very sorely for it I went from Burrowby to Isaac Lindley's calling upon Friends on the Way as I went And having Robert Lodge and some other Friends with me York from thence next Day we passed to York and the Day following being the First Day of the Week I was at Friends Meeting in York which was large and peaceable The Second day also I staid in York and had two Meetings with Friends at John Taylor 's from whence I writ unto my Wife to let her know how it was with me as followeth Dear Heart TO whom is my Love and to thy Daughters and to all Friends that enquire after me My Desires are that ye all may be preserved in the Lord 's Everlasting Seed in whom ye all will have Life and Peace and Dominion and Settlement in the Everlasting Home or Dwelling in the House built upon the Foundation of God In the Power of the Lord I am brought to York having had many Meetings in the Way The Way was many times deep and bad with Snow that our Horses sometimes were down and we were not able to ride and sometimes we had great Storms and Rain but by the Power of the Lord I went through all At Scarhouse there was a very large Meeting and another at Burrowby to which Friends came out of Cleaveland and Bishoprick and many other Meetings we have had At York Yesterday we had a very large Meeting exceeding thronged Friends being at it from many parts and all quiet and Friends well satisfied Oh! the Glory of the Lord shined over all And this Day we had a large Mens and Womens-Meeting many Friends both Men and Women being come out of the Country and all was quiet And this Evening we are to have the Mens and Womens-Meeting of the Friends of the City John Whitehead is here with Robert Lodge and others Friends are mighty glad above Measure So I am in my Holy Element and holy Work in the Lord Glory to his Name for ever To Morrow I intend to go out of the City towards Todcaster though I cannot Ride as in days past yet praised be the Lord that I can Travel so well as I do So with my Love in the Fountain of Life in which as ye all abide ye will have Refreshment of Life that by it ye may grow and gather Eternal Strength to serve the Lord and be satisfied So to the God of all Power who is All-sufficient to preserve you I commit you all to his Ordering York the 16th of the Second Month 1677. G. F. Leaving York I travelled on through Yorkshire 1677. Yorkshire Todcaster Nottingly Doncaster Balby Ballowfield visiting Friends at Todcaster Nottingly Doncaster and so on to Balby having Meetings as I went At Balby I stayed the First-day-Meeting and went next day to Thomas Stacy's at Ballowfield where in the Evening I had a Meeting to compose some difference that had happened between some that professed Truth and they were Reconciled From thence next day I came to Stainsby in Derbyshire Darbyshire Stainsby in which County I had formerly lived some time about the first breaking forth of Truth Here I had a good Meeting with Friends and afterward passed to Skegby in Nottinghamshire and from thence to Nottingham Nottinghamshire Skegby Nottingham to John Reckless his house who being one of the Sheriffs of Nottingham when I first declared Truth in that Town and was Imprisoned for it took me out of Prison into his own house and kept me there till the Mayor and the rest of the Magistrates of the Town took me away from him and sent me to the Prison again At which time this John Reckless was Convinced and abode in the Truth ever after Now I had a Meeting with Friends at his house that Evening after I came thither and another the next day in Friends publick Meeting-house which was peaceable and well I went from thence the day following to John Fox's at Wymes-would in Leicestershire where I had a Meeting that Evening Leicestershire Wymes would Sileby and went next day to William Smith's at Sileby where it being the First-day of the Week we had a very large Meeting for besides Friends that came from several places the Town 's People hearing that I was there came many of them to the Meeting Leicester and heard the Truth declared gladly Next day I went to Leicester where finding many Friends come out of the Country to be at the Horse-fair there next day I had a very good Meeting with them that Night and had another Meeting next Evening after the Fair was over at William Wells his house at Knighton Knighton Swanington about a Mile from Leicester from whence next day I passed to Swanington where I had formerly been taken Prisoner and had a Meeting there from thence went to Samuel Fretwell's at Hartshorn in Derbyshire where I had a Meeting also Derbyshire Hartshorn Warwickshire Badgely And then went through the Country to Henry Sidon's at Badgely in Warwickshire and stayed the Meeting there which it being the First-day of the Week was very large and peaceable notwithstanding that a Justice who lived not far off had threatned that he would come and break it up After Meeting having stay'd a while with Friends I went in the Evening to Richard Baal's of Whittington where several Friends came to visit me Whittington Hartshill Next day I went to Nathaniel Newton's at Hartshill where several Friends met me with whom I had good Service After this I passed on visiting Friends in divers places till I came to Dingley Dingley where a Meeting was appointed before which was very large and Truth was largely opened to the People The Meeting was peaceable and quiet and the People generally Sober saving that while I was declaring and shewing how that Christendom so called was gone from the pure Religion that is undefiled c. One Man rushed out in a furious manner and said I deny that 1677. Warwickshire Adingworth
Friends in all the United Provinces of Holland and in Embden the Palatinat Hamborough Frederick-stadt Dantzick and other places in and about Germany which Friends were very glad of and it hath been of great service to Truth Next day an Exercise came upon me concerning that deceitful Spirit which wrought in some amongst Friends to make Divisions in the Church and the Care of the Churches being upon me I was moved to Write a few Lines to warn Friends of it as followeth ALL Friends keep over that Spirit of Separation and Division in the peaceable Truth and in the Seed of Life which will wear it all out and out-last it For the Lamb will have the Victory over all the Spirits of Strife as it hath had since the beginning and they will Wither as others have done but all that do keep in the Seed which is always green shall never Wither as Friends have been to this day kept And if any have gone out and backslidden and thrown off the Cross and are grown loose and full and are gone into Strife and Contention with their Earthly Spirits and therein plead for a liberty this Spirit taketh with loose earthly Spirits and cries Imposition to such as do admonish them to come to the Life Light and Spirit and Power of God that they may be alive and may live again with the Living And then upon this Admonishment their Spirits do arise into Contention and Strife and a Separation turning against the Living in their loose earthly Spirits which would have the Name of Truth but is not in the Nature of it but is for Eternal Judgment of the living Seed And this is it which doth deceive but it is judged by that which doth undeceive and save Amsterdam in Holland the 5th of the 6th Month 1677. G. F. This being the First-day of the Week we had a very large Meeting again there coming to it a great Concourse of People of several Opinions as Baptists Seekers Socinians Brownists and some of the Collegians Robert Barclay George Keith William Pen and I did all severally declare the Everlasting Truth among them opening the Estate of Man in the Fall and shewing by what way Man and Woman may come into the Restoration by Christ Jesus And indeed the Mystery of Iniquity and the Mystery of Godliness were very plainly laid open and the Meeting ended quietly and well The day following George Keith Robert Barclay and William Penn leaving me and some other Friends at Amsterdam set forward on their Journey towards Germany where they Travelled many hundred Miles and had good Service for the Lord Benjamin Furly going with them and Interpreting That day and the next I stayed at Amsterdam visiting the Friends and assisting them in some businesses concerning their Meetings And there came Three Baptists to discourse with me unto whom I opened things to their satisfaction and they parted from me in kindness I writ a Letter also to the Princess Elizabeth which Isabel Yeomans delivered to her when George Keith's Wife and she went to visit her Princess Elizabeth I Have heard of thy Tenderness towards the Lord and his holy Truth by some Friends that have visited thee and also by some of thy Letters which I have seen which indeed is a great thing for a Person of thy quality to have such a tender mind after the Lord and his precious Truth seeing so many are swallowed up with Voluptuousness and the Pleasures of this World and yet all make an outward Profession of God and Christ one way or other but without any deep Inward sense and feeling of him For it is not many mighty nor wise of the World that can become fools for Christ's sake or can become low in the humility of Christ Jesus from their mighty state through which they might Receive a mightier Estate and a mightier Kingdom through the Inward holy Spirit and the Divine Light and Power of God and a mightier Wisdom which is from above pure and peaceable which Wisdom is above that which is below that is earthly sensual and devillish by which men destroy one another yea about their Religions Ways and Worships and Churches but this they have not from God nor Christ But the Wisdom which is from above by which all things was made and created which the holy fear of God in the heart is the beginning of that keeps the heart clean And by and with this Wisdom are all God's Children to be ordered and with it come to order all things to God's glory So this is the Wisdom that is Justified of her Children And in this fear of God and Wisdom my desire is that thou may be preserved to God's glory For the Lord is come to teach his People himself and to set up his Ensign that the Nations may flow unto it And there hath been an Apostacy since the Apostles days from the Divine Light of Christ which should have given them the Light of the Knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and likewise from the holy Spirit which would have Lead them into all Truth and therefore have People set up so many Leaders without them to give them Knowledge and also from the holy and precious Faith which Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of which Faith purifies the heart and gives victory over that which separates from God through which Faith they have access to God and in which Faith they please God the Mystery of which Faith is held in a pure Conscience And also from the Gospel which was preached in the Apostle's days which Gospel is the Power of God which brings Life and Immortality to Light in Man and Woman by which People should have seen over the Devil that has darkned them and before he was which Gospel will preserve all them that receive it in Life and in Immortality For the Eyes of People have been after Men and not after the Lord who doth write his Law in the hearts and puts it into the minds of all the Children of the New Covenant of Light Life and Grace through which they all come to know the Lord from the Least to the Greatest So that the Knowledge of the Lord may cover the Earth as the Waters doth the Sea And this Work of the Lord is a beginning again as it was in the Apostles days that People shall come to receive an Vnction in them again from the holy One by which they shall know all things and shall not need any man to teach them but as the Anointing doth teach them and also to know what the Righteousness of faith speaks the Word nigh in the heart and mouth to obey it and to do it which was the Word of Faith the Apostles preached Which is now received and preached again which is the duty of all true Christians to receive And so now People are coming out of the Apostacy to the Light of Christ and his Spirit and to receive Faith from him and not
that belong to the King of Poland and where they do live and how ye may send Books or Epistles to them and keep a Correspondence with them and also the Name of the Bishop or Cardinal that I heard was with you And if ye can get any of them that belong to the King that are his Attendants to come and visit the Prisoners that they may Inform the King of their Cruel Sufferings Also I desire you to get as many Books of mine as you can dispose of that set forth your Sufferings and the Cruelty of the Magistrates of Dantzick and give them to the King and his Council and Attendants and his Bishops And some of the Women may speak to the Queen if they can that she may signifie to the King their Cruel Sufferings and especially some of the Sufferers Wives if there be any of a Capacity to do it You may likewise give his Attendants any other Friends Books and what Books ye lack send for them to Amsterdam where ye may be furnished with them to Answer every tender Desirer and Inquiring mind after the Lord. So let all your Minds be bended with the Lord's Power to spread his Truth abroad and where ye hear of any or have any Correspondence in outward Trading with any sober People far or near send them Books that their Understandings may be opened after the Lord. So the Lord God Almighty preserve you and to his Protection in his Eternal Power do I Commend you all in Bonds or at Liberty with my Love to you in the Everlasting Seed of God Christ Jesus who bruises the Head of the Serpent that make you to suffer But Christ is over him and will be when he is gone who is First and Last over all from Everlasting to Everlasting in whom ye have both Life Knowledge Wisdom and Salvation and through him live to the Praise and Glory of God who is blessed for evermore Amen Amsterdam the 18th of the 7th Month 1677. English stile G. F. The next day being the Fourth day of the Week and 19th of the Month I had a large Meeting at Amsterdam many Professors being at it and Truth was largely opened to them in the demonstration of the heavenly Power The day following I went by Boat from Amsterdam Waterland Landsmeer many Friends going with me to Landsmeer in Waterland a Town in which they say there are above an hundred Bridges where I had a very good Meeting to which several Professors came And after the Meeting I returned with Friends to Amsterdam again Amsterdam where I stay'd with Friends till the First-day following and went to their Meeting which was large for many Professors of several sorts were at it and heard the Truth declared with great Attention I tarried amongst Friends there next day and in the night following had a great Exercise upon my Spirit concerning that loose Spirit that was run out into Strife and Contention among Friends and had drawn some after it into Division and Separation the way work and end whereof the Lord opened to me wherefore feeling the Motion of Life upon me I got up in the Morning and wrote the following Epistle to Friends My Dear Friends KEep your First Love in the Truth and Power and Seed of Life in Christ Jesus for this last night as I was lying in my Bed at Amsterdam I had a great Travel in the holy Seed of Life and Peace and my Spirit was troubled with that Spirit of Strife and Separation I saw it was a Destroying Spirit and did seek not only to get over the Seed but to destroy it and to Eat out the minds of People from it by Strife and Contention and under pretence of standing for the Antient Truth its work is to root it out and destroy the Appearance of it to set up it self And it is a Creeping Spirit seeking whom it can get into and what it cannot do it self it stirreth up others to do and setteth up their Spirits on float with the dark Wisdom to destroy the Simple And this Spirit is managed by the Prince of the Air and leadeth some to do such things which they would have been ashamed to have done as men which doth Unman them and they would not have suffered them if they had kept to the tender Principle of God which leadeth to Peace And it is a despising backbiting and a secret-whispering Spirit and a Sower of Dissension and a taker of advantage of all prejudiced Spirits that are disobedient to their first Principle and Love of Truth and begetteth into hatred so it begetteth all into that Spirit whose work is to destroy both the Good within and the good Order without Nay it would if it could destroy the Government of Christ and the Order of the Gospel to set up its own Will and Spirit which is not of God and under pretence of crying down Man are setting up Man and are gathering into a Separation of disobedient Men who float above their Conditions And this Spirit which neither liveth in the Truth nor its Order but opposeth them that do I cannot express it as I do see it and its work whose end will be accordingly And therefore Friends I am to warn you all that have not lost your Simplicity not to touch it nor to have any Vnity with it lest you be defiled and lose your Conditions of your Eternal Estate and your Everlasting Portion and that your Inward man which is after God may be preserved and Christ may reign in all your hearts And they that are joined with them it will be very hard for them ever to come down to Truth in themselves and to see their own Conditions and to have that Spirit of Strife and Contention which eateth as a Canker to be brought down in them which is carnal and slayeth the tender Babe which was once begotten in themselves and the Philistine is got up in them that stoppeth the Wells and Springs and maketh a great Busle and are crying up Men and pleading for them instead of Christ And so Friends strive not with them but let them take them that cry them up and keep you to the Lord Jesus Christ with his Light that cometh from him that he may be your Lord and ye in him may be all in Vnity in one Light Life Power and Dominion in Christ your Head And so the God of Peace and Power preserve you all in Christ Jesus your Saviour and out of and from that mischievous Spirit which is idle and slothful as to the Work of the Power and Spirit and Light of God and Christ and its very Act is that which worketh strife and disturbance against the Peace of the Church of Christ and thinks in its wilfulness and stubbornness and unruliness to set up it self and in that to have peace but Destruction will be the end of it and it is sealed for the Fire and Eternal Judgment And therefore let Christ the Seed be the Head and
in it you may know that ye are all Members of one another and all have an Office in the Church of Christ and all these living Members know one another in the Spirit and not in the Flesh So here is no Man ruling over the Woman as Adam did over Eve in the Fall but Christ the Spiritual Man among and over his Spiritual Members which are edified in the heavenly Love that is shed in their heart from God where all strife ceases Hartford the 11th of the 5th Month 1678. G. F. I went from Hartford to a Meeting at Rabley-Heath about six miles from thence 1678. Rabley-Heath Stevenage Bâ—ldock Hi chin Ashwel Bedfordshire Huntington Ives and after the Meeting to Edward Crouch's of Stevenage from whence next day I went to Baldock where I had a Meeting that Evening and after that had Meetings at Hitchin and Ashwell Then passing through some part of Bedfordshire where I had a Meeting or two I went on to Huntington in which County I stayed several days having many Meetings and much Service amongst Friends labouring to Convince Gain-sayers and to Confirm and Strengthen Friends in the Way and Work of the Lord. At Ives in Huntingtonshire George Whitehead came to me and travelled with me in the Work of the Lord for five or six days in that County and in some part of Northamptonshire Northamptonshire Leicestershire Great Bowden Sâ—dâ—ington Wigston Knighton Leicester Sileby Swannington c. Leicester and leaving me in Great Bowden in Leicestershire he went on towards Westmorland whither he was travelling I stay'd longer in Leicestershire visiting Friends at Saddington Wigston Knighton Leicester Sileby Swannington and divers other places where I had very precious Meetings and very good Service amongst Friends and other People for there was great Openness and many weighty and excellent Truths did the Lord give me to open amongst them At Leicester I went to the Jail to visit the Friends that were in Prison there for the Testimony of Jesus with whom I spent some time encouraging them in the Lord to persevere stedfastly and faithfully in their Testimony and not to be Weary of Suffering for his sake And when I had taken my leave of the Friends I spake with the Jailer desiring him to be kind to them and let them have what Liberty he could to visit their Families sometimes After I had been in Leicestershire I had a Meeting or two in Warwickshire and then went into Staffordshire Warwickshire Staffordshire where I had several sweet and opening Meetings both for gathering into Truth and establishing therein And while I was in Staffordshire I was moved to give forth the following Paper DEar Friends of the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings every where My desire is that ye may all strive to be of one Mind in the Lord's Power and Truth which is peaceable into which Strife and Enmity cannot come and also in the Wisdom of God which is pure peaceable and easie to be intreated which is above that that is below that is Earthly Devilish and Sensual and that with and in this heavenly Wisdom that is peaceable and easie to be entreated you may be all ordered and do what ye do to God's Glory And Dear friends if there should happen at any time any thing that tends to strife dispute or contention in your Monthly or Quarterly Meetings let it be Referr'd to half a dozen or such alike number to debate and end out of your Meeting as it was at first so that all your Monthly and Quarterly Meetings may be kept peaceable And then they may Inform the Meeting what they have done so that the Weak and Youth amongst you may not be hurt through hearing of Strife or Contention in your Meetings 1678. Staffordshire where no Strife or Contention ought to be but all to go on and determine things in one Mind in the Power of God the Gospel-Order in which Gospel of Peace ye will preserve the Peace of all your Meetings And if any Man or Woman have any thing against any one let them speak to one another and end it betwixt themselves and if they cannot so end it let them take two or three to end it And in case they determin it not let it be laid before the Church and then let half a dozen or such a number out of your Monthly or Quarterly Meeting hear it and finally end it without Respect of Persons And let all Prejudice be laid aside and buried and also all Shortness one towards another and let Love which is not puffed up and envies not and seeks not her own but bears all things rule sway and have the Dominion in all your Meetings for that doth edifie the Body which Christ is the Head of and this will sway all sounding Brass and tinkling Cymbals Now this Love will suffer long and is kind and will keep down that which will vaunt it self or be puffed up or behave it self unseemly or is easily provoked It hath a sway over all such Fruits which are not of the Spirit the Fruit of which is Love c. And that with this holy Spirit ye may all be baptized into one Body and so be made all to drink into one Spirit in which Spirit ye will have Unity in which is the Bond of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords his Peace And they that dwell in Love they dwell in God for God is Love Therefore let every one keep his Dwelling-place and his Habitation So with my Love to you in Christ Jesus the everlasting Seed which is over all Staffordshire the 20th of the 6th Month 1678. G. F. Darbyshire Moniash Yorkshire Hill Out of Staffordshire I went to visit John Gratton at Moniash in Darbyshire with whom I tarried one night and went next day to William Shaws of the Hill in Yorkshire where I appointed a Meeting to be on the First-day of the Week following Many Friends out of Darbyshire and from several Meetings in Yorkshire came to this Meeting and a precious comfortable opening Meeting it was wherein was opened the blessed Estate that Man was in before he fell the Means by which he fell the miserable Condition into which he fell and the right Way of coming out of it into a happy State again by Christ the promised Seed After this I spent about two Weeks in Yorkshire travelling from place to place amongst Friends in the Lord's Service and many heavenly Meetings I had in that County Then visiting Robert Widders at Kellet in Lancashire Lancashire Kellet Westmorland Arnside Swarthmore I passed to Arnside in Westmorland where I had a precious living Meeting in the Lord's blessed Power to the great Satisfaction and Comfort of Friends who came from divers parts to it The next day I went to Swarthmore and it being the Meeting-day there I had a sweet opportunity with Friends our hearts being opened in the Love of God 1678. Swarthmore and his blessed Life flowing amongst us
that none should abuse the Power of the Lord God but in all things their Faith was to stand in the power of the Lord God so that they all might be comprehended into the Truth which they did speak to others that they might not be Preachers to others and themselves Cast-aways Therefore it doth concern you to be comprehended into that which ye do preach to Others and to keep low in it And then the God of Truth will exalt the humble in his Truth Light Grace Power and Spirit and in his Wisdom to his Glory So here all are kept in their Measures of Grace Light Faith and the Spirit of Christ the heavenly and spiritual Man So let none quench the Spirit nor its Motions nor grieve it nor err from it but be led by it which keeps every one in their Tents Which holy Spirit of God giveth them an understanding how to serve and worship and please the holy pure God their Maker and Creator in Christ Jesus and how to wait and how to speak and so to answer the Spirit of God in his People in which holy Spirit is the holy Vnity and Fellowship And the holy Spirit teacheth the holy gentle meek and quiet lowly mind to answer the Seed that Christ hath sown upon all grounds and to answer the Light and Grace and Spirit and the Gospel in every Creature though they are gone from the Spirit Grace Light and Gospel in the heart so that by holy Walking all may come to do it as well as by holy Preaching that so God in all things may be glorified by you and that ye may bring forth Fruits to his praise Amen Swarthmore the 30th of the 10th Month 1679. G. F. About the latter end of this Year I was moved of the Lord to travel up into the South again Wherefore after I had taken my leave of my Wife and the Family and of the Neighbouring Friends I set forward on my Journey in the beginning of the First Month 1679 80 Westmorland Lancashire Yorkshire and passing through some parts of Westmorland and Lancashire I visited Friends at several Meetings and so came into Yorkshire Divers large and weighty Meetings I had in Yorkshire before I came to York-City and when I came there it was the Assize-time and there being many Friends in Prison for Truth 's sake I put Friends that were at liberty upon drawing up the Sufferings of the Friends that were in Prison 1680. York that they might be laid before the Judges and I assisted them therein There were then in York many Friends from several parts of the County for the Quarterly Meeting of Friends was at that time so that I had a brave opportunity among Friends and many weighty and serviceable things did the Lord open through me to the Meeting relating to both the inward state of Man how Man by faith in Christ comes to be grafted into him and made a Member of his Spiritual Body and also the outward state of the Church how each Member ought to walk and act according to its place in the Body I spent several days in York amongst Friends having divers Meetings amongst them and all was peaceable and well I went also to the Castle to visit the Friends that were Prisoners there with whom I spent some time encouraging them and strengtnening them in their Testimony Then leaving York I travelled on Southward through Yorkshire having Meetings in many places amongst Friends Yorkshire Lincolnshire Burton till I came to Burton in Lincolnshire where on the First-day of the Week I had a large and precious Meeting Then turning into Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire I travelled among Friends through a good part of that County in which I had several very good Meetings and then passed into Darbyshire and through Leicestershire Darbyshire Leicestershire Warwickshire Warwick Southam Radway Oxfordshire North-Newton Banbury Oxfordshire Gloucestershire Northamptonshire Buckinghamshire Biddlesden Lillingstone Lovel Bugbrook Stonystratford Bedfordshire Dunstable Market-street Albans Mims Barnet Middlesex Gutters-hedge in Hendon London Yearly-Meeting and so into Warwickshire having Meetings all along as I went till I came to Warwick There William Dewsberry came to me and several other Friends and we had a little Meeting in than Town Then passing through Southam and Radway at each of which places I had a very good Meeting I came to Nathaniel Ball 's of North-Newton in Oxfordshire and so went to Banbury to a Monthly Meeting there And after I had visited Friends at their Meetings in the bordering parts both of Oxfordshire Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire I passed to Richard Baker's of Bidlesden in Buckinghamshire and the next day being the First-day of the Week I had a very large Meeting in Biddlesden at an old Abbeyhouse which a Friend Rented and dwelt in Many Friends and People came to this Meeting out of Oxfordshire Northamptonshire and the parts adjacent and of good Service it was After this Meeting I visited Friends in those parts having Meetings at Lillingstone Lovel and Bugbrook and then going to Stony-stratford I went from thence into some parts of Bedfordshire till I came to Edward Chester's of Dunstable From whence passing on by Market-street I had a Meeting at Albans and so calling on Friends at Mims and Barnet I came to the Widow Hayly's at Gutters-hedge in Hendon in Middlesex on a Seventh-day night and had a very large and good Meeting there the day following I passed from thence to London on the Third-day following and went directly to the Peel-Meeting at John Elsons and next morning to the Meeting at Gracious-street which was very large and quiet and Friends rejoyced in the Lord to see me The Yearly-Meeting was in the week following to which many Friends came up out of most parts of the Nation and a blessed Opportunity the Lord gave us together wherein the ancient Love was sweetly felt 1680. London and the heavenly Life flowed abundantly over all After the Yearly-Meeting was over and the Friends that came out of the Counties to it for the most part return'd homewards I continued about a Month or five weeks longer in and about London labouring in the Work of the Lord both in Meetings and out for besides the publick Testimony which the Lord gave me to bear both to Friends and to the World in Meetings I had much Service lay upon me with respect to Friends Sufferings in seeking to get Ease and Liberty for them in this and other Nations And much pains and time I spent while I was now at London in writing Letters to Friends in divers parts of England and in Scotland Holland Barbados and several other parts of America After I had spent about six weeks time in the Service of Truth in and about London I was moved of the Lord to go visit Friends in some parts of Surrey and Sussex Surrey Sussex Kingston I went down to Kingston by water and tarried there certain days for while I was there
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
in Saul's nature let them be of what Name or Profession soever they be that are Persecutors and unconverted into Paul's Life of Christianity He said the Life that he did live after he was Converted was by the Faith in the Son of God And that He lived yet not He but Christ lived in him who came to save mens Lives and not to destroy them Which Life should be the Life of all Christians now which Paul in his converted state lived in And the Apostle saith The Law is good if a man use it lawfully knowing this that the Law is not made for a righteous man but for the Lawless and for the Ungodly and Sinners and for Unholy and Prophane and for Murtherers of Fathers and Mothers and for Manslayers for Whoremongers and for them that defile themselves with Mankind for Menstealers Liars and Perjured Persons 1 Tim. 1. So the Law in its place is good against such Again the Apostle says The Law was added because of Transgression Gal. 3.19 Now here all Magistrates may see what the Law in its place is good against and what it was made for and against and what Evils the Apostle says it takes hold upon He does not say the Law should be laid upon Men that differed from them in their Religion and Judgment nor upon the Righteous men And so you may see in what condition the Law is good and what it was made against not against Righteous men against whom they have nothing in their Lives and Conversations only because they differ from them in Matters of Religion and let Manslayers Whoremongers Perjured Persons Vngodly Prophane Persons Liars c. go unpunished Such do not use nor execute the Law lawfully as the Apostle says The Law is good if a man use it lawfully Therefore it ought to be used lawfully which Law the Apostle says is for the punishment of the Evil-Doers and a praise for them that do well as may be seen Rom. 13. And so as the Apostle said We do not break the Law nor make it void but we establish the Law Rom. 3.31 Kingston upon Thames the 4th of the first Month 1680 1. This is from him who desires the Eternal Good and Salvation of you all in Christ Jesus Amen G. F. After I had finished these Services there I returned to London where I stay'd about a Month London labouring amongst Friends in the Work of the Lord both in publick Meetings for Worship and in the Meetings relating to the outward Affairs of the Church Waltham-Abbey Flamsteadend Edmunton Enfield Winchmore-hill Then feeling my Spirit drawn to visit Friends about Enfield-side I went down to Waltham-Abbey where I had a very precious Meeting and another at Flamstead-Heath not far from thence And having spent some time amongst Friends there and thereabouts and had divers good Meetings at Edmunton Enfield Winchmore Hill 1681. London Yearly Meeting and other places there aways I came back to London a little before the Yearly Meeting which was in the Third Month 1681 it was a very precious Meeting in which the Glorious Presence and Power of the Lord was eminently felt and enjoyed Some time after the Yearly Meeting was over it came upon me to write the following Epistle which I directed To the Quarterly Mens and Womens Meetings that are gathered in the Name and Power of Jesus CHrist the second Adam who is both Head and Husband of his Church and Redeemer and Purchaser and Saviour and Sanctifier and Reconciler of his Sons and Daughters his Church to God I say his Presence to wit Christ's feel among you to exercise his Prophetical Office in opening of you with his Light Grace Truth Power and Spirit and to exercise his Office as he is a Bishop to Oversee you with his Light Grace Power and Spirit that ye do not go astray from God And as Christ is a Shepherd feel see and hear him exercising that Office who has laid down his Life for his Sheep and is feeding them in his living Pastures of Life and makes them to drink of his living Eternal Springs And let him rule and govern in your Hearts as he is King that his heavenly and spiritual Government all may live under as true Subjects of his righteous peaceable Kingdom which stands in Righteousness and Power and Joy in the Holy Ghost over Satan and his Power and the unclean unholy Ghost and all unrighteousness So all ye Subjects to Christ's Kingdom of Peace if ye want Wisdom or Knowledge or Life or Salvation Christ is the Treasure feel him the Treasure among you And every one among you as ye have received Christ walk in him in whom ye have all Peace who bruises the Head of the Serpent that is the Author of all Strife Distraction and Confusion yea you have Peace with God and one with another though the Trouble be from the World and the World's Spirit And therefore My dear Friends Brethren and Sisters Love one another with the Love that is of God shed in your hearts that ye may bear the Maâ—ks of Christ's Disciples and it may appear that Christ is in you and ye in him so that God Almighty may be glorified among you And whatever ye do let it be done in the Name of Jesus to the praise of God the Father keeping in Vnity in the Holy Spirit of God which was before the unholy Spirit was Which holy Spirit is your Bond of Peace yea the holy King of Kings and Lord of Lords his peace And in this holy pure Spirit is your eternal Vnity and Fellowship in which Spirit of Truth ye do serve and worship the God of Truth who is God over all blessed for ever Amen So the Lord guide you all with his Word of Patience Word of Life Power and Wisdom in all your Actions Lives Conversations and Meetings to God's glory 1681. London My Love to you all in the Lord Jesus Christ by whom all things were made and who is over all the First and the Last London the 9th of the 4th Month 1681. G. F. About this time I had occasion to go to several of the Judges Chambers upon a Suit about Tithes For both I and my Wife and several other Friends were sued in Cartmel-Wapentake-Court in Lancashire for small Tithes and we had demurred to the Jurisdiction of that Court. Whereupon the Plaintiff prosecuted us into the Exchequer-Court at Westminster where they run us up to a Writ of Rebellion for not Answering the Bill upon Oath and got an Order of Court to the Sergeant to take me and my Wife into Custody This was a little before the Yearly Meeting at which time it was thought they would have taken me up and according to outward appearance it was likely indeed that he would and very easie for him to have done it I lodging at the same places where I used to lodge and being very publick in Meetings But the Lord's Power was over them and restrained them so
fine Opportunity to open the Way of Truth amongst them After I was come to London London I was moved to write the following Paper concerning that Spirit which had led some who profest Truth into Strife and Division and to oppose the Way and Work of the Lord. Friends YOU that do keep your habitations in the Truth that is over all do see that it is the same Spirit that doth lead the Backsliders and Apostates now from the Spiritual Fellowship and Unity of God's People and the Church of Christ that led out Adam and Eve from God and the Jews from God and his Law to Rebel against his Spirit and so to turn against God and his Prophets And this Spirit was the same that was in the World which was got into the Jews when they were gone from the Spirit of God and then they turned against God and his Prophets and against Christ and his Apostles And that Spirit led them to be as bad as Pilate or worse The Enmity or Adversary was got within them against the Truth and them that walked in it and the Spirit of the Lord so that they killed and destroyed the Just. And this was the Spirit of the Devil the Destroyer who would seek not only to destroy the Truth but the Order of it and them that walk in it when true Christianity was planted among the Possessors of the Light 1681. London Grace and Truth and the Gospel-holy Faith and Spirit and they did enjoy Christ in their hearts But when some did begin to Err from the Spirit and Faith and hate the Light and disobey the Gospel and to turn the Grace of God into Wantonness and walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace and turn from the Truth and Crucifie to themselves Christ afresh and put him to open shame These were they that let in the Spirit of the World who held the Form of Godliness but denied the Power thereof which troubled the Churches in the Apostles days And when the Spirit of Satan had got into such they were more troublesome to the Church than the open Persecutors that were without And these got into the Assemblies to deceive the hearts of the Simple having the good Words and fair Speeches and Sheep's-Cloathing Paul Peter John Jude and James had much to do with such and to keep them from troubling the Church of Christ For they are out of the Light Power and Spirit and therefore the Apostles of Christ did exhort the Saints to keep to the Word of Life within and to the Anointing and to the Grace and Truth and holy Spirit in their hearts This foul Spirit will profess all the Scriptures in words but by the Spirit of God which is holy that Spirit is tried and its fruits And so the Apostates went from the Power and Spirit of God and turned against the Prophets and the Martyrs of Jesus and became the Whore whose Cup all Nations drunk of And the Dragon with his Tail threw down many of the Stars and would have devoured the Woman with his Flood but the Woman the true Church was preserved and the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against her And then the Dragon made war with her Seed So the Dragon and the Whore and Beast and false Prophets all made war against the Lamb and the Saints but the Lamb and the Saints will overcome them all and will have the Victory And now the Everlasting Gospel is preached again to all Nations Tongues and Peoples and many are gathered into the Gospel the Power of God and are turned to the Light which is the Life in Christ and are grafted into him and are come to walk in the Order of the New Covenant of Light and Life in the Gospel of Peace and Salvation The same Spirit that opposed the Apostles and the Churches in their days opposes now yea it is the same that opposed Christ and disdained him that disdaineth God's Servants now And the same that did oppose the Prophets and rebelled against Moses opposes and rebels against God's Servants and People now And it is the same dark blind and disobedient faithless wilful jealous Spirit that doth persecute some with the Hands and others with the Tongue And it is the same Spirit of Enmity the Adversary and Destroyer that tempted Adam and Eve to disobey God and did deceive them which deceived the Jews and tempted them and deceived all those that went from the Church in the Apostles days And it is the same Spirit that is now going about sometimes like a roaring Lion sometimes like a twisting Serpent to tempt and to deceive 1682. London and to devour having the fair Speeches and good Words and Sheeps-Cloathing in a Form of Godliness and in pretence of the Light and Liberty but denies the Power thereof and inwardly are ravening Wolves and if it were possible they would deceive the very Elect. But the Elect are in the Covenant of Light and Life and in the Power of God over them and in Christ who will grind them to pieces and will slay all his Enemies with his spiritual Sword who will not have him to rule over or in them In Christ all his People have Rest and Peace who is their Sanctuary over all Storms and Tempests And in Christ the Sanctuary no Deceiver nor Destroyer can come for he is a place of sweet Rest and Safety Hallelujah Praise the Lord for his Sanctuary Amen G. F. Sufferings continuing still hard upon Friends at London I found my Service lay mostly here Wherefore I went but a little out of Town and not far being frequent at the most publick Meetings to encourage Friends both by Word and Example to stand fast in the Testimony to which God had called them And at other times I went about from house to house visiting those Friends that had their Goods taken away for their Testimony to Truth And because the wicked Informers were grown very audacious by reason that they had too much Countenance and Encouragement from some Justices who trusting wholly to their Information proceeded against Friends without hearing them whereby many Friends were made to suffer not only contrary to Right but even contrary to Law also I advised with some Friends about it and we drew up a Paper which was afterwards delivered to most of the Magistrates in and about the City which was as followeth WHereas some Informers have obtained Warrants of some Justices of Peace and have Convicted many of us without hearing us or once Summoning us to Appear before them by which proceedings many have had their Goods seized and taken away being generally fined Ten Pounds a piece for an unknown Speaker and some of those Persons so fined have not been that day at the Meetings they were fined for and the Speaker notwithstanding hath himself been fined for the same Meeting the same day the others were fined for the unknown Speaker By which the Justices may see the Wickedness of these Informers by whose false
were many loose Spirits there yet they were bound down by the Power and Spirit of the Lord that they could not get up to make disturbance About this time I was moved to write the following Epistle Friends and Brethren WHO have received the peaceable Truth let the fruits of its peaceableness and of your quiet Spirit appear in all your Meetings and in all your Words and Actions for he that inhabits Eternity dwells with an humble heart and he gives Grace to the humble and resisteth the proud Heaven is his Throne and the Earth ye walk upon is his Foot-stool happy are ye that see and know him that is Invisible And now Friends ☞ Let all things be done in your Meetings and otherways in Love without strife or vain-glory For Love fulfils the Law and Love overcomes and edifies the Body of Christ and builds it up and there is neither Self nor Envy in Love neither is it pufft up but abides and bears all things So see that this Love of God have the sway in you all and over you all Christ saith Blessed are the Poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Blessed are the Meek for they shall inherit the Earth Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain Mercy Blessed are the Pure in heart for they shall see God Blessed are the Peace makers for they shall be called the Children of God Blessed are they that are Persecuted for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven For so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you Now Friends here is a great deal in these words And all must be in these States and Conditions if they have these Blessings And the Children of God are Peace-makers and strive to make Peace in the Truth and to live in Peace with all men if it be possible So live in the Peace and the Good-will to all men which Good-will is both for their Sanctification and Salvation And Friends consider The Wisdom of God which is from above is pure peaceable and gentle and easie to be entreated full of mercy and good fruits without Partiality and without Hypocrisie And now Dear Friends let this pure peaceable gentle Wisdom that is from above that is easie to be entreated 1683. London and is full of mercy and good fruits be exercised and practised in all the true Churches of Christ so that Wisdom may be justified of her Children For the Works of the Flesh or fleshly Spirit are Hatred Variance Wrath Strife Envyings Drunkenness Revilings Adultery Fornication Lasciviousness Uncleanness c. and they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God But the Fruits of the Spirit of God are Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance c. And so Dear Friends and Brethren strive to exceed one another and all People upon the Earth in Humility in Meekness in Gentleness in Temperance in Love and in Patience in Pureness and in Mercy and then ye will shew forth the Fruits of the Spirit of God and of his heavenly Wisdom that is from above And in this Wisdom will be justified of her Children and ye will be the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World set on an Hill that cannot be hid and your Moderation will appear to all men And be ye just and righteous and faithful and true in all your Words Dealings and Conversations so that ye may answer the Truth in all People For Christ saith his Father is glorified by such as bring forth Fruits when men do see their good Works for he that doth Righteousness is accepted with God And he that dwells in Love dwells in God for Love is his Habitation And let that be the Habitation of every one that hath received the Truth for if it be not such do not dwell in God let them profess what they will And therefore my desire is that all you who have received Christ the Seed which bruises the Serpent's head may walk in him your Sanctuary Life and Salvation your Rest and Peace Amen London the 14th of the 6th Month 1683. G. F. I continued yet at London labouring in the Work and Service of the Lord both in Meetings and out sometimes visiting the Friends that were in Prison for the Testimony of Jesus encouraging them in their Sufferings and exhorting them to stand faithful and stedfast in the Testimony which the Lord had committed to them to bear sometimes also visiting those that were sick and weak in Body or troubled in Mind helping to bear their Spirits up from sinking under their Infirmities Sometimes our Meetings were quiet and peaceable sometimes they were disturbed and broken up by the Officers One First-day it was upon me to go to the Meeting at the Savoy Sav. Meet and it was a large Meeting for many Professors and sober People were there And the Lord opened many precious weighty things in me to the People which I declared amongst them and directed them to the Spirit of God in themselves which the Lord had given them a measure of that all by the Spirit might understand the Scriptures which were given forth from the Spirit of God And that by the Spirit of God they might know God and Christ whom God hath sent whom to know was Eternal Life And that by the Spirit they might all come into Christ and know him to be their Sanctuary who destroys the Devil the Destroyer and his works and bruises the Serpent's head For Christ was a Sanctuary to them to whom he was a Saviour whom he saved from the Destroyer And Christ did baptize them with the holy Ghost and with Fire and did thorowly purge his floor and burn up their Chaff with unquenchable fire that is Sin and Corruption which is got into Man and Woman by their Transgression But Christ gathereth his Wheat into his Garner So all that are baptized with Christ's Baptism their Wheat is in God's Garner and no Spoiler can get into God's Garner to meddle with the Wheat there though they may be permitted to meddle with the outward Goods c. Now as I was speaking in the power of the Lord and the People were greatly affected therewith on a sudden the Constables with the rude People came in like a Sea and one of the Constables said to me Come down and he laid hands on me I asked him Art thou a Christian We are Christians He had hold on my hand and was very fierce to pluck me down but I stood still and spake a few words to the People desiring of the Lord that the Blessings of God might rest upon them all
The Constable still called upon me to Come down and at length pluckt me down and bid another Man with a Staff Take me and carry me to Prison That Man had me to another Officer's house who was more Civil and after a while they brought in Four Friends more whom they had taken I was very Weary and in a great Sweat and several Friends hearing where I was came to me in the Constable's house but I bid them all go their ways lest the Constables and Informers should stop them After a while the Constables had us almost a Mile to a Justice who was a fierce passionate Man who after he had asked me my Name and his Clerk had taken it down in writing upon the Constable's informing him That I preached in the Meeting said in an angry manner Do not you know that it is contrary to the King 's Laws to preach in such Conventicles contrary to the Liturgy of the Church of England There was present one Shad a wicked Informer who was said to have broken Gaol at Coventry and to have been burnt in the hand at London who hearing the Justice speak so to me stept up to him and told him That he had Convicted them on the Act of the 22d of King Charles the Second What! You Convict them said the Justice Yes said Shad I have Convicted them and you must Convict them too upon that Act. With that the Justice was Angry with him and said You Teach me What are you I 'le Convict them of a Riot The Informer hearing that and seeing the Justice Angry went away in a Fret and so he was disappointed of his purpose I thought he would have sworn some body against me whereupon I said Let no man swear against me for it is my Principle Not to swear and therefore I would not have any man Swear against me The Justice thereupon asked me If I did not preach in the Meeting I told him I did Confess what God and Christ had done for my Soul and did praise God and I thought I might have done that in the Streets and in all Places viz. Praise God and Confess Christ Jesus and this I was not ashamed to Confess Neither was this contrary to the Liturgy of the Church of England The Justice said The Laws were against such Meetings as were contrary to the Liturgy of the Church of England I said I knew no such Laws against our Meetings but if he did mean that Act that was made against such as did Meet to Plot and Contrive and raise Insurrections against the King we were no such People but did abhor all such Actions and did bear true Love and Good-will to the King and to all Men upon the Earth The Justice then asked me If I had been in Orders I told him No. Then he took his Law-books and searched for Laws against us bidding his Clerk take the Names of the rest the mean time But when he could find no other Law against us the Clerk sware the Constable against us Some of the Friends bid the Constable Take heed what he swore lest he were perjured for he took them in the Entry and not in the Meeting Yet the Constable being an Ill Man swore That they were in the Meeting However the Justice said Seeing there was but one Witness he would discharge the rest but he would send me to Newgate and I might preach there he said I asked him If it stood with his Conscience to send me to Newgate for praising God and for Confessing Christ Jesus He cried Conscience Conscience but I felt my words toucht his Conscience He bid the Constable Take me away and he would make a Mittimus to send me to Prison when he had dined I told him I desired his peace and the good of his Family and that they might be kept in the fear of the Lord So I passed away And as we went the Constable took some Friends word that I should come to his house the next Morning by the ' eighth hour Accordingly I did go with those Friends and then the Constable told us That he went to the Justice for the Mittimus after he had dined and the Justice bid him Come again after the Evening-Service which he did and then the Justice told him He might let me go So said the Constable you are discharged I blamed the Constable for turning Informer and swearing against us and he said He would do so no more Next day the Justice meeting with Gilbert Laty asked him If he would pay Twenty pounds for George Fox 's Fine He said No. Then said the Justice I am disappointed for being but a Lodger I cannot come by his Fine and he having been brought before me and being of ability himself I cannot lay his Fine on any other After I was discharged I went up into the City And the same Week the Sessions coming on where many Friends were concerned some as Prisoners and some on Trials of Appeals upon the Conventicle-Act I went to a Friend's house not far off that I might be in readiness to Assist those Friends with Counsel or otherwise as occasion should offer and I found Service in it But as my Spirit was concerned on behalf of Friends with respect to their outward Sufferings by the Persecutors without so an Exercise also came weightily upon me at this time in the sense I had of the Mischievous Working of that Adulterated Spiritâ— which being gone out from the heavenly Vnity and having drawn out some that profest Truth into Enmity and Opposition against Friends endeavoured to trouble the Church of Christ with their janglings and contention And as a further discovery of the working of that seducing Spirit and a Warning to all Friends to beware of it I was moved to write the following Epistle directed thus To all the Elect Faithful Called and Chosen of God who are the Flock and Heritage of God who have been acquainted with the Dealings of the Lord and have kept your habitations in his Life Power and Truth being built upon the holy and heavenly Rock and Foundation Christ Jesus who was the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles which Foundation stands sure MAny Foundations have been laid since the Apostles days by such as have gone from Christ the true and sure Foundation and their Foundations have proved rotten and come to nought and they themselves have come to Loss And many since the day of Christ and the Truth hath appeared in this Nation have come out and have had some Openings and Sights and come among us for a time and then gone out from us again who have been the Comers and Goers like such as were in the Apostles days Such have had an outward Profession of the Truth and such have gone from the true Foundation Christ Jesus and so from the heavenly Society and Unity of the Saints in Light And then they set up Foundations of their own and having a Form of Godliness but out of the
Power thereof out of the Order thereof such have turned to Janglings and vain Disputings This sort of Spirit you have been acquainted with who have kept your habitations in Christ Jesus the First and the Last And you are not unsensible of the scurrilous and filthy Books of Lies and Defamations which have been spread abroad in this Nation and beyond the Seas against the Faithful And it is very well that the Lord hath suffered them to publish their own shame in print that Truth 's Enemies may be discovered that their Fruits and Spirits have appeared and manifested themselves both in print and otherwise And I do believe that the Lord will yet suffer this Spirit that it shall so publish forth its Fruits to its publick Shame and Nakedness to Professor and Prophane and to all sober moderate and innocent People that its Shame and Nakedness shall more fully appear And though for a time it hath been hid and covered with the Fig-leaves and an Outward Profession and sometimes with fawning and flattering words as at other times it hath discovered it self by rough lying and defaming words yet the Lord God will blast all such vain Talkers that do not walk in the Order of Life Truth and the Gospel And therefore ye that are Faithful stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free in his Government It is upon his Shoulders he bears it up Of the Increase of it and of its peace there is no end For all the Quarrellers against his Order and Government are without him and without his heavenly spiritual Government and Peace And therefore ye Faithful Ones who have had the Trial through many Persecutions Imprisonments Spoilings of Goods you know that there is a Crown of Glory laid up for you and you that Suffer with Christ shall Reign with him in his Kingdom of Glory and ye that die with Christ shall live with Christ in the Eternal Life in the World that hath no End Who have gone through the Sufferings without and within by false Brethren by Comers and Goers that have caused the Way of Truth to be evil spoken of and have been the Persecuters of the Faithful with their Tongues though they have not had power to do it with their Hands And by printing and publishing their lying defaming Books against the Faithful they have stirred up the Magistrates and Priests who were willing to get any occasion to speak evil of the right Way and precious Truth of Christ by which his People are made free Such had better they had never been born But God hath brought them to light and their Fruits and ravenous Spirit is seen savoured and known who are become Judases and Sons of Perdition to betray Christ now within where he is made manifest to the Priests Magistrates and Prophane as Judas did betray Christ without to the Priests and Pilate Though some of the Magistrates and sober People do see their Envy and Folly and that they have more Malice than Matter against the Faithful But the Lord will consume this Judas or Son of Perdition The Lord will consume him with the Spirit of his Mouth and shall destroy him with the brightness of his Coming And so let all the Faithful look unto the Lord. And let that wicked Son of Perdition know though he may be got as high as Judas without who was partaker of the Ministry with the Apostles The Lord will consume him with the Spirit of his Mouth and destroy him with the brightness of his Coming That is his portion So the brightness of the Lord will destroy him and the Spirit of his Mouth will consume him And when he is destroyed and consumed there will not be a Son of Perdition to betray Christ in his People and his People that live and walk in Christ who hath all power in Heaven mark in Heaven and in Earth given to him and with his holy and glorious Power he limits and orders so that nothing shall be done against his People but what is suffered for their Trial and for their Good neither by Apostates Persecutors with the Tongue Judases Sons of Perdition to betray or the outward Powers to Imprison or spoil Goods All these are limited by Christ's Power who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him And every ones Faith is to stand in him and his power and rejoice in his power and see the increase of his righteous holy heavenly spiritual peaceable Government in which the glorious holy order of life is lived and walked in by all his Sons and Daughters And in his Spirit is the holy Unity and Bond of Peace Though ye be absent in the Body or Flesh one from another yet all joying and rejoicing being present in his Spirit and beholding in the same Spirit your spiritual Order Unity and Fellowship and the steadfastness of your Faith in Christ Jesus who is steadfast for ever the First and the Last whose Presence is among his People and who is their Head Here is heavenly Sion known and heavenly Jerusalem and the innumerable Company of Angels which are Spirits and the Spirits of the just men made perfect Here is the general Assembly or general Meeting and a general heavenly holy and spiritual joy and rejoicing lauding and praising the Lord the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb that lives for evermore Amen London the 14th of the 8th Month 1683. G. F. Read this in your Assemblies amongst the Faithful I tarried yet a little while in London visiting Friends and Meetings and labouring in the Work of the Lord there And being on a First-day at the Bull and Mouth Bull and M. Meeting where the Meeting had long been kept out but was that day in the House peaceable and large the People were so affected with the Truth and refreshed with the powerful Presence of the Lord that when the Meeting was ended they were loth to go away After some time having several things upon me to write I went to Kingston Kingston that I might be free from Interruptions And when I came there I understood the Officers had been very Rude at the Meeting there nipping and abusing Friends and had driven them out of the Meeting-Place and very abusive they continued to be for some time Among other things that I writ whilst I was there one was a little Book printed soon after the Title whereof was The Saints heavenly and spiritual Worship Vnity and Communion c. wherein is set forth what the true Gospel-worship is and in what the true Vnity and Communion of the Saints stands with a discovery of those that were gone from this holy Unity and Communion and were turned against the Saints that abode therein When I had finished the Services for which I went thither and had visited the Friends there I returned to London and visited most of the Meetings in and about the City Essex Dolston Afterwards I went to visit a Friend in Essex and returning by
Dolston I made some stay at the Widow Stots and there I writ an Epistle to Friends 1683. Dolston declaring the Word of the Lord unto them which Epistle being then printed may be read amongst my other printed Books I came from Dolston to London London and the next day was sent for in haste to my Son Rouse's at Kingston Kingston whose daughter Margaret lay very sick and had a desire to see me I tarried now at Kingston about a week and then returned to London London where I continued for the most part of the Winter and the Spring following until the General Meeting in the Year 1684. save that I went once as far as Enfield to visit Friends thereabouts And in this time I ceased not to labour in the Work of the Lord being frequent at Meetings and visiting Friends that were Prisoners or that were sick and in writing Books for the spreading of Truth and opening the Understandings of People to receive it The Yearly-Meeting was in the Third Month and a blessed weighty Meeting it was wherein Friends were sweetly refreshed together for the Lord was with us Yearly Meeting and opened his heavenly Treasures amongst us And though it was a time of great difficulty and danger by reason of Informers and persecuting Magistrates yet the Lord was a Defence and Place of Safety to his People Now had I drawings in Spirit to go into Holland to visit the Seed of God in those Provinces And as soon as the Yearly Meeting was over and most of the Country-Friends gone out of Town I prepared for my Journey There went with me from London Alexander Parker George Watts and Nathaniel Brassey who also had drawings into that Country We took Coach on the 31th of the Third Month 84. and got to Colchester that night Colchester The next day being the First-day of the Week we went to the Meeting there and though there was no notice given of my coming thither yet our being there was presently spread over the Town and in several places in the Country at seven and ten Miles distance so that abundance of Friends came in double-horsed which made the Meeting very Large I had a Concern and Travel in my mind lest this great Gathering should have stirred up the Town and been more than the Magistrates could well bear but it was very quiet and peaceable and a glorious Meeting we had to the settling and stablishing of Friends both in Town and Country for the Lord's Power was over all blessed be his Name for ever Truly the Lord's Power and Presence was beyond words for I was but Weak to go into a Meeting and my Face by reason of a Cold I had taken was sore but God was strong and manifested his strength in us and with us and all was well the Lord have the Glory for evermore for his supporting Power After the Meeting there came I think above an hundred Friends of the Town and Country to see me at John Furley's and very glad we were to see one another and greatly refreshed we were together being filled with the Love and Riches of the Lord blessed be his Name for ever 1684. Colchester We tarried at Colchester two days more which we spent in visiting Friends there both at their Meetings for Business and at their Houses Then early in the Morning on the Fourth-day of the Week Harwich we took Coach for Harwich where we met with William Bingley and Samuel Waldenfield who also went over with us About the eighth hour at night we went on board the Pacquet-Boat of which one Richard Gray was Master but by reason of Contrary Winds it was the first hour in the morning before we sailed We had a very good Passage and about the fifth hour in the Afternoon next day we landed at the Briel in Holland HOLLAND Briel and there we stay'd that night Early next morning we went to Rotterdam Rotterdam where we abode some days The next day after we came to Rotterdam one Wilbert Frouzen a Burgomaster and Kinsman of Aarent Sunneman's hearing that I was there Invited me to his Country-house having a desire to speak with me about some business relating to Aarent Sunneman's Daughters I took George Watts with me and a Brother of Aarent Sunneman's had us thither The Burgomaster received us very kindly and was very glad to see me and entring into discourse about his Kinsman's Daughters I found he was apprehensive that their Father being dead and having left them considerable Portions they might be stollen and married to their disadvantage Wherefore I told him That it was our Principle and Practice that none should Marry amongst us unless they had a Certificate of the Consent of their Relations or Guardians for it was our Christian Care to watch over and look after all young People that came among us especially those whose natural Relations were dead And as for his Kinsman's Daughters we should take care that nothing should be offered to them but what should be agreeable to Truth and Righteousness and that they might be preserved in the Fear of God according to their Father's Mind This seem'd to give him great satisfaction While I was with him there came many great People to me and I exhorted them all to keep in the Fear of God and to mind his good Spirit in them to keep their Minds to the Lord. After I had stay'd two or three hours and had had discourse with him of several things I took my leave of him and he very friendly set me to Rotterdam in his Chariot The next day being the First-day of the Week we were at the Meeting at Rotterdam which was pretty large and we de-declared to the People by an Interpreter The day following one Alderman Gaul came to speak with me and with him I and the other Friends had much discourse about Religious Matters wherewith he seemed to be well satisfied and was very Tender Several other Persons of Account intended to have come to speak with me that day but being hindred by extraordinary business as I understood they came not Amsterdam We went next day from Rotterdam to Amsterdam where we had a large and very precious Meeting And in the Afternoon I was at another Meeting with the Friends there about Business There is a Yearly-Meeting at Amsterdam for the Friends of Holland and Germany c. 1684. Amsterdam which begun now on the Eighth day of the Fourth Month and ended on the Twelfth Here we had a fine Opportunity of seeing Friends from divers parts and of being refreshed together in the Love of God And after this Meeting before the Friends that came out of the several Provinces were gone we had a Meeting with some particular Friends about the Places and Countries into which we who came out of England in the Work of the Ministry were to travel and to understand who among them were suitable Persons to go along
amongst other Services that I found there one was to assist Friends in drawing up Testimony to Clear our Friends from being concerned in the late Rebellion in the West and from all Plots against the Government Which accordingly we did and delivered them to the Chief-Justice who was then to go down into the West with Commission to Try Prisoners I tarried some time in London visiting Meetings and labouring among Friends in the Service of Truth But finding my Health much impaired for want of fresh Air I went a little way out of Town to Charles Bathurst's Country-house at Epping-Forrest Epping-Forrest where I stay'd a few days And while I was there it came upon me to write the following Epistle to Friends Dear Friends WHO are called chosen and faithful in this Day of Trial 1685. Epping-Forest and Temptations and Sufferings whom the Lord by his right Hand hath upholden in all your Sufferings and some to Death for the Lord and his Truths sake Christ saith Be of good cheer I have overcome the World In me ye have peace but in the World ye have trouble The Children of the Seed which be Heirs of the Kingdom know this is true And though ye have Trials by false Brethren Judasses and Sons of Perdition that are got into the Temple of God and exalted above all that is called God whom the Lord will destroy with the breath of his Mouth and the brightness of his Coming And though ye be Tried by Powers or Principalities yet there is nothing able to separate you from the Love of God which ye have in Christ Jesus In that Love dwell which bears all things and fulfils the Law in which edifie one another and be courteous and kind and humble for to such God giveth his Grace plentifully and such he teacheth And pray in the Holy Ghost which proceeds from the Father and the Son and in it keep your holy Communion and Unity in the Spirit the Bond of Peace which is the King of Kings heavenly Peace In that you are all bound to good behaviour and keeping Peace among your selves and seeking the Peace of all men and shewing forth the heavenly gentle and peaceable Wisdom to all men in Righteousness and Truth answering the good in all People in all your Lives and Conversations for the Lord is glorified in your bringing forth spiritual fruit that ye may eye and behold the Lord in all your actions that the Blessings of the Lord ye may all feel to rest upon you Whether ye be the Lord's Prisoners for his Name and Truth 's sake or at Liberty in all things labour to be Content for that is a Continual Feast and let no Trouble move you then ye will be as Mount Sion that cannot be removed And in all things exercise the Word of Patience which Word will sanctifie all things to you And study to be Quiet and do the Lord's business that he requires of you and your own in Truth and Righteousness and whatsoever ye do let it be done to the praise and glory of God in the Name of Jesus Christ All they that do make God's People to suffer they make the Seed to suffer in their own particulars and Imprison the Just there And such will not visit the Seed in themselves but cast it into Prison in Others and not visit it in Prison You may read that Christ saith Such must go into Everlasting Punishment That is a sad punishment and prison And all such as are become Apostates and Backsliders that do crucifie to themselves Christ afresh and put him to open shame and trample under feet the blood of the Son of God by which they were cleansed and then come to be Vnclean such grieve vex and quench and rebel against the Spirit of God in themselves and then such rebel against them that walk in the Spirit of God Such are Vnfaithful to God and Man and are Enemies to every good Work and Service of God But their End will be according to their works who are like unto the Earth that hath often received Rain but brings forth Briars and Thorns which are to be rejected and are for the fire Therefore Dear Friends in all your Sufferings feel the Lord's Eternal Arm and Power which hath upheld you and supported you to this day and will to the end as your Faith stands in it and as you are settled upon the Rock and Foundation Christ Jesus that cannot be removed in whom ye have life and peace with God And so the Lord God Almighty in him give you Dominion and preserve and keep you all to his Glory that in all your Sufferings ye may feel his presence and that when ye have finished your Testimony ye may receive the Crown of Glory which God hath laid up for them that fear and serve him Amen The 15th of the 7th Month 1685. G. F. Having spent about a week at this time among Friends in the Country London I returned to London Where I continued about Two Months visiting Friends Meetings and labouring to get Relief for Friends from their Sufferings which yet lay heavy upon them in many parts of the Nation Several Papers also I writ relating to the Service of Truth one of which was concerning Order in the Church of God which some that were gone out of the Unity of Friends did much oppose And that was as followeth AMong all Societies or Families or Nations of People in the World they have among them some sort of Order There was the Order of Aaron in the Old Testament and there was the Order of Melchizedeck before that after whose Order Christ Jesus came and he did not despise that Order So God is a God of Order in his whole Creation and in his Church And all the Believers in the Light the Life in Christ that do pass from death to life they are in the Order of the holy Spirit Power Light Life and Government of Christ Jesus of the Increase whereof there is no End And this is a Mystery to all those disorderly People who have written and printed so much against Orders which the Lord's Power and Spirit hath brought forth among his People And you that cry so much against Orders is it not manifest that you are gone into a Land of Darkness thick as darkness it self and of the shadow of death into disorder and where the Light is as Darkness And is not this your Condition seen by all them that live and walk in the Truth and whose Conversations are according to the Gospel of Life and Salvation The Devil Satan Dragon and the first and second Beast 1685. London and the Whore and false Prophets and their Worshippers and Followers all these are out of the Truth and abode not in it nor in the Order of it And the Truth is over them all In Salem is God's Tabernacle a peaceable Tabernacle and his Tabernacle is in Shiloh And these are far beyond the Tabernacles of Ham Psal
76. and 78. All the Figures and Shadows were and are in Time but Christ the Substance is the Beginning and the Ending And all Trials Troubles Persecutions and Temptations came up in Time but the Lord's Power which is Everlasting is over all such things in which is safety The black World of Darkness lieth in wickedness and by their Wisdom knoweth not God that made the World and all things therein for the God of the World and Prince of the Air ruleth in the hearts of all them that disobey the living God that made them And so the God of this wicked World hath blinded all the Eyes of the Infidels or Heathen so that this Wicked World by their Wisdom doth not know the living God In the Old Testament the Lord said With all thy Offerings thou shalt offer Salt Levit. 2.13 And Christ saith in his New Covenant Every one shall be salted with Fire and every Sacrifice shall be salted with Salt Salt is good but if the Salt have lost its saltness wherewith will you season it Have Salt in your selves and have peace one with another Mark 9.48 49 50. We have received the Earnest of the Spirit which is the Earnest of the Inheritance that fadeth not away For God poureth out of his Spirit upon all flesh So it is God's Spirit which is above our natural Spirit by which alone we do not know God for it is with the Spirit of God that we do know the things of God And the Spirit of God doth witness to our Souls and Spirits that this Spirit of God is the Earnest of an Eternal Inheritance God opens his Peoples Ears to Discipline and commands that they turn from Iniquity If they obey and serve him they shall spend their days in prosperity and their years in pleasure but if they obey him not they shall perish by the sword and they shall die without knowledge Job 36.10 11 12. So the Disobedient that do not turn from their Iniquity have not this prosperity and pleasure but die without the knowledge of God And such their Ears are shut to this Discipline which God opens to his People G. F. When I had been about Two Months in London I was sent for to my Son Rouse's at Kingston to visit a Daughter of his Kingston which at that time lay very sick but recovered Whilst I stay'd there I had several Meetings with Friends Hammersmith and returning by Hammersmith stay'd the First-day-Meeting there which was large and peaceable And having visited Friends thereabouts I came back â—o London again being very intent upon the business of getting Redress for suffering Friends In this and other Services for Friends and Truth I continued at London till the latter end of the Eleventh Month save that I went in this time to visit an Ancient Friend at Bednal-Green Bednal-Green with whom I tarried three or four days While I was there I was much exercised in the sense of the Enemy's Working to draw from the holy way of Truth into a false Liberty and so into the World's ways and worships again And the Example of the backsliding Jews coming before me I was moved to write the following Paper as a Warning to all such HEre you may see when the Jews Rebelled against the good Spirit of God which he gave them to Instruct them they forsook God and his Law Way and Worship and then they went a whoring after Balaam's Ways and became like the wild Ass-Colt snuffing up the wind as in Jer. 2.24 And in Jer. 3. see how Judah played the Harlot under every green Tree and upon every high Mountain And therefore the Lord divorced Judah as he had divorced Israel when she forsook his Ways and followed the Heathens Ways And though the Lord had fed them to the full yet they forsook him and committed Adultery and Assembled themselves together in Harlot's-houses Jer. 5.7 And with their Whoredom they defiled the Land and committed Adultery with Stocks and Stones Jer. 3.9 So here you may see when they forsook the living Eternal God they followed the Religions and Worships of other Nations whose Gods were made of Stocks and Stones which the Jews worshipped and committed Adultery withal When they forsook the living God and his way and worship they forsook the worship at Jerusalem at the Temple and followed the Heathens Worships in the Mountains and Fields and so it was called Adultery and Whoredom to join with other Religions and forsake God as in Jer. 13.27 And now if the Children of New Jerusalem that is above should forsake the Worship that Christ in his New Testament set up which is in Spirit and in Truth and follow the Worships of Nations which men have set up will not they that do so commit Adultery with them in forsaking God's Worship and Christ the new and living Way And in Jer. 44. ye may see how the Children of Judah provoked the Lord against them by worshipping the works of their own hands and following the Gods of the Land of Egypt In this they committed Adultery forsaking the living God their Husband and his Worship and there ye may see God's Judgments pronounced against them to their destruction And what will become of those that forsake the Worship in Spirit and Truth which Christ set up and worship the works of their own hands in spiritual Egypt and follow spiritual Egypt's Will-worship which they invented may not this be called Whoredom in them that forsake Christ the new and living Way and his pure Religion and his Worship that he hath set up And they that do forsake the Lord's way 1685. Bednal-Green and his worship that he set up and follow the Worlds ways and worships that they set up do not they whose Way they follow become at last their Enemies as in Lament 1. See how the Jews forsook the Lord's way and worship and doted on other Lovers the Assyrians c. and with all their Idols they were defiled and how they did not leave the Whoredoms brought from Egypt and how they were polluted with the Babylonians Bed as ye may read in Ezek 23. When they forsook the Lord his Way and Worship and followed the Way and Worship of the Heathen then it was said They went a Whoring after other Lovers and committed Adultery with them And ye may see in Ezek. 16. how the state of the Jews was likened unto that of their Sister Sodom and how that they had played the Harlot with the Assyrians and committed Fornication with the Egyptians and had increased their Whoredoms in following their abominable Idols And therefore the Lord carried away the Two Tribes that forsook him into Babylon as ye may see in Ezek. 17.20 And they that forsake Christ the new and living Way and the Worship of God in Spirit and Truth which Christ set up in his New-Testament they go into Captivity in spiritual Babylon And in Hosea 2. ye may see how he discovers the Whoredoms and
falsly and did not this Hananiah pretend to speak the Word of the Lord to the Priests and People as in Jeremiah the 28th And did not Isaiah judge in Divine Matters when he judged the Watchmen and the Shepherds Isa 56. And did not Micah judge in Divine and Spiritual Matters when he said he was full of the Power by the Spirit of the Lord and of Judgment did not he Judge both of Priests and Prophets and Judges though they would lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord amongst us and no evil can come unto us yet did not he let them see their States and Conditions and divided the precious from the vile Mich. 3. And so the rest of the Prophets you may see here they Judged for God in his Divine Matters who served him and who served him not and who lived in truth and who not and likewise the Apostles And this Divine Spiritual Heavenly Judgment was given of God to his holy Men and Women And they that do Judge in God's Divine Matters must live in his Divine Spirit and Power and Light now as they did then which Spiritual and Divine Judgment Christ has given to his Church that be the living Stones and living Members that makes up his spiritual Houshold to try Jews and to try Apostles and to try Prophets and to try Faith and to try Religions and to try Trees and Fruits and to try Shepherds and Teachers and to try Spirits So the living Members have a living and divine Judgment in the Church of Christ which he is the Head of the Judge of all Nay the Church has a Power given them which is farther then a Judgment for what they bind on Earth is bound in Heaven by the Power of God and what they loose on Earth is loosed in Heaven by the Power of God and this Power has Christ given to his living Members the Church The 20th of the 12th Month 1685 6. G. F. to Friends 1686. London I came back to London in the First Month 1686. and set my self with all diligence to look after Friends sufferings which we had now some hopes of getting Relief for The Sessions came on in the Second Month at Hicks's Hall where many Friends had Appeals to be Tried with whom I was from Day to Day to advise and see that no Opportunity were slipt nor Advantage lost and they generally succeeded well Soon after also the King was pleased upon our often laying our Sufferings before him To give order for the Releasing of all Prisoners that were imprisoned for Conscience sake and which were in his power to discharge Whereby the Prison doors were opened and many hundreds of Friends some of whom had been long in Prison were set at Liberty and some of them who had for many years been restrained in Bonds Yearly Meeting came now up to the Yearly-Meeting which was in the Third Month this Year Which caused great Joy to Friends to see our Ancient Faithful Brethren again at Liberty in the Lord's Work after their long Confinements And indeed a precious Meeting we had the refreshing Presence of the Lord appearing plentifully with us and amongst us After the Meeting I was moved to write a few Lines to be sent abroad amongst Friends the tenor whereof was thus Dear Friends MY Love is to you all in the holy Seed Christ Jesus that bruises the Serpent's head and destroys the Devil and his Works and who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him Let every ones Faith stand in him and in his Power who is the Author and Finisher of your Faith And now ye who have been Partakers of his Power and are sensible of it in this Day of his Power that is over all whose day and power is over darkness and its power And by his Power the hearts of the King and Rulers have been opened by which your outward Prison-doors have been set open for your Liberty And therefore my desires are that all may be preserved in Humility and Thankfulness in the sense of the Mercies of the Lord and live in the peaceable Truth that is over all that ye may answer God's Grace and his Light and Spirit in all in a righteous godly Life and Conversation And let none be lifted up by their outward Liberty nor let none be cast down by Suffering for Christ's sake but all live in the Seed which is as Wheat which is not shaken nor blown away by the Winds and Storms as the Chaff is Which Seed of Life none below can make higher or lower for the Children of the Seed are the Children of the everlasting unchangeable Kingdom of Christ and God So in Christ Jesus whom God hath given you for a Sanctuary God Almighty keep you in whom ye have Life Everlasting and Wisdom which is from above pure peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated full of Mercy and good Fruits 1686. London Yearly Meeting that ye all now may be exercised in it and may practise this Wisdom in your godly holy Lives and Conversations so that this Wisdom may be justified of all her Children and they I say exercised and preserved in it in this day of the Power of Christ in which all his People are made a willing People to serve and worship God in Righteousness and Holiness and in the Spirit and Truth So that none may abuse the Power of the Lord nor grieve his Spirit by which you are sealed and kept to the day of Salvation and Redemption But always exercise your selves to have a good Conscience void of Offence towards God and towards all men being exercised in Holiness Godliness and Righteousness and in the Truth and in the Love of it that ye may all study to be approved unto God in Innocency Vertue Simplicity and Faithfulness and so labouring and studying to be quiet in the Will of God in all Conditions And whatsoever ye do in Word or Deed do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus giving Thanks to God the Father by him That he who is over all may have the Praise for all his Mercies and Blessings with which he doth and hath refreshed his People and by his Eternal Arm and Power hath kept and preserved his People to this day Glory to his Name over all for ever Amen! For Christ hath called you by his Grace into One Body to him the holy Head And therefore live in Charity and in the Love of God which is the Bond of Perfectness in his Body which Love edifies the Body of Christ which Body and all his Members are knit together and increased with the Increase of God from whom they receive Nourishment For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one Body and have been made all to drink into one Spirit in which Spirit the Body and all his Members have Fellowship with Christ the Head and one with another And so the Vnity of this holy Spirit is the Bond of Peace of all the living
Members of Christ Jesus of which he is the Spiritual Head Rock and Foundation And in the midst of his Church of living Members Christ exercises his Spiritual Prophetical Office to open to them the Mysteries of his Kingdom And is a Spiritual Bishop to oversee them that they do not go astray from the living God that made them and a Shepherd that feeds them with Bread and Water of Life from Heaven and none is able to pluck his Sheep out of his hands and he is a Priest that died for them and sanctifieth them and presents them to God who ruleth in their Hearts by the Divine Faith which he is the Author and Finisher of And his living Members do praise God through Jesus Christ in whom they have Life and Salvation who reconciles them to God that they can say they have Peace with God through Jesus Christ and so praise God through him that was dead and is alive again and reigns over all and liveth for evermore blessed for ever Hallelujah Amen! Greet one another with an holy Kiss of Charity and this Kiss of Charity is above all the Kisses of the World for Love and Charity beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things and endures all things It envieth not and Charity vaunteth not it self nor is puffed up nor doth it behave it self unseemly It rejoices not in Iniquity but rejoices in the Truth And Charity is not easily provoked and thinks no Evil but suffereth long and is kind And Charity never faileth I say Greet one another with this holy Kiss of Charity and Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus your Life and Salvation The 30th of the 3d Month 1686. G. F. I remained for the most part of this Year in London save that sometimes I got out to Bednal-Green for a Night or two Bednal-Green Enfield Chiswick and some times went as far as Enfield and thereabouts amongst Friends and once or twice to Chiswick where an Ancient Friend had set up a School for the Educating of Friends Children in all which places I found Service for the Lord. London And when I was at London I spent my time amongst Friends either in Publick Meetings as the Lord drew me or visiting Friends that were not well and in looking after the Sufferings of Friends For though very many Friends were released out of Prisons yet some remained Prisoners still for Tithes c. and Sufferings of several sorts lay heavy yet on Friends in many places Yet inasmuch as many Friends that had been Prisoners were now set at Liberty I felt a Concern upon me that none might look too much at Man but might Eye the Lord therein from whom deliverance comes Wherefore I writ an Epistle to Friends and sent it abroad to be read amongst them as followeth Friends THE Lord by his Eternal Power hath opened the heart of the King to open the Prison-doors by which about Fifteen or Sixteen hundred are set at Liberty and hath given a Check to the Informers so that in many places our Meetings are pretty quiet So my desires are that both Liberty and Sufferings all may be sanctified to his People and Friends may prize the Mercies of the Lord in all things and to him be thankful who stilleth the Raging Waves of the Seas and allayeth the Storms and Tempests and maketh a Calm And therefore it is good to trust in the Lord and cast your Care upon him who careth for you For when ye were in your Gaols and Prisons Then the Lord did by his Eternal Arm and Power uphold you and sanctified them to you and unto some he made them as a Sanctuary and tried his People as in a Furnace of Affliction both in Prisons and spoiling of Goods And in all this the Lord was with his People and taught them to know that The Earth is the Lord's and the Fulness thereof 1686. London and that he was in all places who crowneth the year with his goodness Psal 65. Therefore let all God's People be diligent and careful to keep the Camp of God holy pure and clean and to serve God and Christ and one another in the glorious peaceable Gospel of Life and Salvation which Glory shines over God's Camp and his great Prophet and Bishop and Shepherd is among or in the midst of them exercising his heavenly Offices in them so that you his People may Rejoice in Christ Jesus through whom you have Peace with God For he that destroyeth the Devil and his Work and bruises the Serpent's Head is all God's Peoples heavenly Foundation and Rock to build upon which was the holy Prophets and Apostles Rock in days past and is now a Rock of our Ages which Rock and Foundation of God standeth sure And upon this the Lord God establish all his People Amen London the 25th of the 7th Month 1686. G. F. Divers other Epistles and Papers relating to Friends and Truth I writ this Year whereof one was by way of Exhortation to Friends to keep in Vnity in the Truth in which there is no Division nor Separation And thus it was DEar Friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ in whom ye have all Peace and Life and in him there is no Division nor Schism nor Rent nor Strife nor Separation for Christ is not divided and there can be no Separation in the Truth nor in the Light Grace Faith and Holy Ghost but Unity and Fellowship and Communion For the Devil was the first that went out of the Truth and separated from it and tempted Man and Woman to disobey God and to go from the Truth into a false Liberty to do that which God forbad And so it is the Serpent now that leads Men and Women into a false Liberty even the God of the World from which Man and Woman must be separated by the Truth that Christ the Truth may make them free and then they are free indeed And then they are to stand fast in that Liberty in which Christ hath made them free and in him as I said before there is no Division nor Schism nor Rent nor Separation but Peace and Life and Reconciliation to God and to one another So that in Christ Male and Female are all one for whether they be Male or Female Jew or Gentile Bond or Free they are all one in Christ And there can be no Schism Rent or Division in him nor in the Worship of God in his holy Spirit and Truth nor in the pure and undefiled Religion that keeps from the Spots of the World nor in the Love of God that beareth and endureth all things nor in the Word of God's Grace for it is pure and endureth for ever Many you see have lost the Word of Patience and the Word of Wisdom that is pure and peaceable and gentle and easie to be intreated Then they run into the Wisdom that is below that is earthly sensual and devilish and very uneasie to be intreated And they
go from the Love of God that beareth all things and endureth all things and thinks no Evil and doth not behave it self unseemly then they cannot bear but grow brittle and are easily provoked and run into unseemly things and are in that that vaunteth it self and are puffed up and are rash heady high-minded and fierce and become as sounding Brass or a tinkling Cymbal but this is contrary to the nature of the Love of God which is kind and endureth all things and beareth all things And therefore all Dear Friends and Brethren dwell in the Love of God for they who dwell in Love dwell in God and God in them And keep in the Word of Wisdom that is gentle pure and peaceable and in the Word of Patience that endureth and beareth all things which Word of Patience the Devil and the World and all his Instruments can never wear out It will wear them all out for it was before they were and will be when they are gone the pure holy Word of God by which all God's Children are born again and feed on the Milk thereof and live and grow by it And so my desires are that ye may all be of one Heart Mind Soul and Spirit in Christ Jesus Amen G. F. Soon after this finding those Apostates whom the Enemy had drawn out into Division and Separation from Friends continued their Clamour and Opposition against Friends Meetings both Monthly Quarterly and Yearly it came upon me to write another short Epistle to Friends to put them in mind of the Evidence and Seal they had received in themselves by the Spirit of the Lord that those Meetings were of the Lord and accepted by him that so they might not be shaken by the Adversaries Wherefore I writ as followeth My Dear Friends in the Lord Jesus Christ ALL you that be gathered in his holy Name ye know that all your Meetings for Worship of God and all your Quarterly-Meetings and all your Monthly-Meetings and all your Womens-Meetings and all your Yearly-Meetings are set up by the Power and Spirit of the Lord God and witnessed by his Spirit and Power in your Hearts and by the Spirit and Power of the Lord God they are established to you and in the Power and Spirit of the Lord God you are established in them And the Lord God hath with his Spirit sealed to you that your Meetings are of God's Ordering and Gathering and he hath owned them by honouring you with his blessed Presence in them and you have had great Experience of his furnishing you with his Wisdom Life and Power and heavenly Riches from his Treasure and Fountain by which many Thanks and Praises have been returned in your Meetings to his holy glorious Name And so he hath sealed your Meetings by his Spirit to you and that your Gathering together hath been by the Lord and to Christ his Son and in his Name and not by Man And so the Lord hath the Glory and Praise of them and in them who hath upheld you and them by the Arm of his Power against all the Opposers and Backsliders and their slanderous Books and Tongues For the Lord's Power and Seed doth reign over them all in which lie doth preserve his Sons and Daughters to his Glory by his Eternal Arm and Power in his Work and Service as a willing People in the Day of his Power without being weary or fainting but strong in the Lord and valiant for his glorious Name and precious Truth and his pure Religion that ye may serve the Lord in Christ Jesus your Rock and Foundation in your Age and Generation Amen London the 3d of the 11th Month 1686 7. G. F. A little after the fore-going was given forth it came upon me to write something concerning the state of the true Church and of the true Members thereof which I did as followeth Concerning the Church of Christ being clothed with the Sun and having the Moon under her feet THey are living Members and living Stones which are built up a spiritual Houshold and are the Children of the Promise and of the Seed and Flesh of Christ and as the Apostle saith Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone They are the good Seed and are the Children of the Everlasting Kingdom written in Heaven and have put on the Lord Jesus Christ and they sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus and so are clothed with the Sun of Righteousness Christ Jesus and have the Moon under their feet as Revel 12. So all changeable things that are in the World and all changeable Religions and changeable Worships and changeable Ways and Fellowships and Churches and Teachers in the World are as the Moon For the Moon changes but the Sun doth not change And so the Sun of Righteousness never changeth nor sets or goes down But all the Ways Religions and Worships and Fellowships of the World and the Teachers thereof change like the Moon But the true Church which Christ is the Head of which is in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which Church is called The Pillar and Ground of Truth whose Conversation is in Heaven this Church is clothed with the Sun Christ Jesus her Head who doth not change and hath all changeable things under her feet These are the living Members born again of the Immortal Seed by the Word of God and feed upon the Immortal Milk and live and grow by it And such are the New Creatures in Christ Jesus who makes all things new and sees the old things pass away And his Church and all his Members which are clothed with the Sun their Worship is in the Spirit and in the Truth which doth not change which Truth the Devil the foul unclean Spirit is out of and cannot get into this Worship in Spirit and Truth And likewise the Church of Christ their Religion is pure and undefiled before God that keeps from the Spots of the World c. and their Way is the new and living Way Christ Jesus So the Church of Christ that is clothed with the Sun that hath the Moon and all changeable Religions and Ways under her feet hath an unchangeable Worship Religion and Way and hath an unchangeable Rock and Foundation Christ Jesus and an unchangeable High-Priest and so are Children of the New Testament and in the Everlasting Covenant of Light and Life And now all that profess the Scriptures both of the New and Old Testament and are not in Christ Jesus the Apostle tells them they are Reprobates if Christ be not in them And therefore these that be not in Christ cannot be clothed with Christ the Sun of Righteousness that never changes And they that be not of Christ be under the changeable Moon in the World in the changeable things in the changeable Religions and Ways and Worships and Teachers and Rocks and Foundations But Christ the Son of God and Sun of Righteousness doth not change in whom his People are gathered and sit
this Gospel-day of Christ but Christ will consume them with the Spirit of his Mouth and destroy them with the Brightness of his Coming But God's People whom he hath chosen unto Salvation in Christ from the beginning through the Sanctification of the Spirit and the belief of the Truth stand stedfast in Christ Jesus and are thankful to God by and through his Son their Rock and Salvation who is their Happiness and eternal Inheritance The Apostle saith Ye were as Sheep going astray but are now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls So when People are returned to Christ their Shepherd they do know his Voice and follow him and are returned to the Bishop of their Souls and then they do believe in him 1686. Kingston and receive Wisdom and Vnderstanding from him who is from above heavenly and spiritual Then they do Act like spiritual and holy Men and Women and come to be Members of the Church of Christ and then a spiritual Care cometh upon the Elders in Christ that all the Members do walk in Christ and in his Light Grace Spirit and Truth that they may adorn their Confession and Profession of Christ and see that all do walk in the Order of the holy Spirit and the everlasting Gospel of Peace Life and Salvation And this Order keeps out of Confusion for the Gospel of Peace the Power of God was before Confusion was And all the Heirs of the Gospel are Heirs of its Order and are in this Gospel which brings Life and Immortality to Light in them by which all Men and Women may see their Work and Services in it to look after the Poor Widows and Fatherless and to see that nothing be lacking and that all do honour the Lord in their Lives and Conversations When the whole House of Israel were in their Graves and Sepulchres and were called The scattered dry Bones yet they could speak and say Their Bones were dry their Hope was lost or they were without Hope and they were cut off so that they were Alive outwardly and could speak outwardly So that which is called Christendom may very well be called The scattered dry Bones and they be said to be in their Graves and Sepulchres dead from the heavenly Breath of Life and from the Spirit and Word of Life that gathereth to God Though they can speak and are Alive outwardly yet they remain in the Congregations or Churches of the Dead that want the vertue of Life For the Jews whom God poured his Spirit upon and gave them his Law when they rebelled against the Spirit of God and turned from God and his Law then they came to be dry scattered Bones and were turned into their Graves and Sepulchres And so Christendom that is turned from the Grace and Truth and Light of Christ and the Spirit that God poureth upon all flesh they are become the scattered dry Bones and are in their Graves and Sepulchres and are the Congregations or Churches of the Dead though they can speak and are Alive outwardly Christ saith I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly And he gave his flâ—sh for the life of the World And he saith I am the Resurrection and the Life and I am the Way the Truth and the Life No man cometh unto the Father but by me And Christ is the quickening Spirit All being dead in Adam they are to be quickened and made alive by Christ the second Adam And when they are quickned and made alive by him then they do Meet together in the Name of Jesus Christ their Saviour who died for their Sins and is risen for their Justification and so was dead and is alive again and liveth for evermore And all whom he hath quickened and made alive even all the living do Meet in the Name of Jesus who is alive and he their living Prophet Shepherd and Bishop is in the midst of them and is their living Rock and Foundation and a living Mediator between them and the living God And so the Living do praise the living God through Jesus Christ through whom they have Peace with God And so all the Living have Rest in Christ their Life and he is their Sanctification and their Righteousness and their Treasure of Wisdom Knowledge and Vnderstanding which is spiritual and heavenly And he is the spiritual Tree and Root which all the Believers in the Light the Life in Christ that do pass from the death in Adam to the Life in Christ and overcome the World and are born of God are grafted into even Christ the heavenly Tree which beareth all the spiritual Branches or Grafts So these do Meet in his Name and are gathered in him and do sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus their Life who hath quickened and made them alive And so all the Living do worship the living God in his holy Spirit and Truth in which they Live and Walk And into this Worship the foul unclean Spirit the Devil cannot get for the holy Spirit and Truth is over him and he is out of it This is the standing Worship which Christ set up in his New Covenant And they that are quickened and made alive by Christ are the living Stones and living Members and spiritual Houshold and Church or Congregation of Christ who is the living Head and Husband And they that are quickened and made alive by Christ are a living Church and have a living Head and are come from the Congregations or Churches of the Dead in Adam where Death and Destruction talks of God and of his Prophets and Apostles in their Wisdom that is below and earthly and devilish and in the knowledge that is bruitish and in the understanding that comes to naught For what they know is natural by their natural Tongues and Arts and Sciences in which they corrupt themselves This is the state of the Dead in Adam But the Quickened and they that are made alive by Christ do discern between the Living and the Dead Kingston upon Thames the 12th Month 1686 7. G. F. While I was at Kingston I writ also another Paper shewing That the Lord in all Ages called the Righteous out from amongst the Wicked before he destroyed them Which Paper here follows NOah and his Family were called into the Ark before the Old World was destroyed with the Flood of Water And all the Faithful Generation that lived before were taken away and died in the Faith before that Flood of Destruction came upon the wicked Old World The Lord did call Lot out of Sodom before he did destroy and consume it and the Wicked there Christ said It cannot be that a Prophet perish out of Jerusalem and he said O Jerusalem Jerusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy Children together as a Hen gathereth her Brood under her Wings but ye would not Luke 13.33 34. And Christ said unto
Principality and Power Col. 2.10 for he hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him Matth. 28.18 And so all the Saints are made Perfect and Compleat in Christ Jesus blessed be the Lord God over all for ever through Jesus Christ Amen Amen Kingston the 15th of the 1st Month 1686 7. G. F. Quickly after this I returned to London London and continued there a Month in the Service of the Lord being daily exercised either in publick Meetings or more particular Services relating to the Church of Christ as visiting such as were sick or afflicted and writing Books or Papers for the spreading of Truth or refuting of Error Now as it was a time of general Liberty the Papists appeared more open in their Worship than they were formerly wont to do and many unsettled People going to view them at it a great Talk there was of their Praying to Saints and by Beads c. Whereupon I writ a short Paper concerning Prayer which was as followeth CHrist Jesus 1687. London when he taught his Disciples to pray said unto them When ye do pray say Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name c. Christ doth not say that they should pray to Mary the Mother of Christ nor doth he say that they should pray to Angels or to Saints that were dead Christ did not teach them to pray to the Dead nor for the Dead Neither did Christ or his Apostles teach the Believers to pray by Beads nor to sing by Outward Organs but the Apostle said he would Sing and Pray in the Spirit for the Spirit it self maketh Intercession and the Lord that searcheth the heart knoweth the mind of the spirit To take Counsel of the Dead was forbidden by the Law of God but they were to take Counsel of the Lord And he hath given Christ in the New Covenant in his Gospel-Day to be a Counsellor and a Leader to all his Believers in his Light And Men are not to run to the Dead for the Living for the Law and Testimony of God forbids it Those Jews that refused the running Waters of Shiloh the Floods and Waters of the Assyrians and Babylonians came over them and carried them into Captivity And they that refuse the Waters of Christ they are overflown with the Flood of the World that lieth in Wickedness They that asked Counsel of Stocks and Stones their state was in the Spirit of Error and Whoredom and they were gone a whoring from God Hos 4.12 And they that joined themselves to Baal-Peor and ate the Sacrifices of the Dead provoked the Lord's Anger and brought the Lord's Displeasure upon them Psal 106.28 29. So here ye may see The Sacrifices of the Dead were forbidden The Living know that they shall die but the Dead know not any thing neither have they any more a Reward for the Memory of them is forgotten Eccles 9.5 Wo to the rebellious Children saith the Lord that take Counsel but not of me and that cover with a Covering but not of my Spirit that they may add sin to sin Isa 30.1 G. F. When I had stay'd about a Month in London I got out of Town again For by reason of the many Hardships I had undergone in Imprisonments and other Sufferings for Truth 's sake my Body was grown so Infirm and Weak that I could not bear the Closeness of the City long together but was fain to go a little into the Country where I might have the benefit of the fresh Air. At this time I went with my Son-in-Law William Mead to his Country-House called Gooses in Essex about thirteen miles from London Essex Gooses where I stay'd about Two Weeks and among other Services that I had there I writ the following Paper being A Distinction between the True Offering and Sacrifice 1687. Gooses and the False in the Old and New Covenant THE Lord saith He that sacrificeth to any God save unto the Lord only he shall be utterly destroyed Exod. 22.20 So no God is to minded nor sacrificed to but the Lord God It is death to Sacrifice to any other God save the Lord. The Lord saith also Thou shalt not offer the blood of my Sacrifice with leavened Bread Exod. 23.18 So that sour heavy Leaven must not be offered with the Lord's Sacrifice And again the Lord saith Thou shalt not build an Altar of hewen stone for if thou lift up thy Tool upon it thou hast polluted it Exod. 20.25 Therefore have a care of polluting the Altar with your own Tools you that profess to offer the Spiritual Sacrifice Jonah said He would sacrifice unto the Lord with the voice of Thanksgiving when he was in the Fish's belly and there he prayed unto the Lord Jonah 2. For Jonah in the Whale's belly had no Lambs nor Rams nor outward Sacrifices to offer The Lord forbids his People to Sacrifice with Harlots Hosea 4.14 And the Lord forbids his People to offer Sacrifice of the Blind Lame Sick or that which was deformed or had any blemish as in Mal. 1. and many other places So they that offer Spiritual Sacrifice must not offer the blind lame blemished or deformed Sacrifice to God The Scribe saith unto Christ To love God with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the soul and with all the strength and to love his Neighbour as himself is more than all whole burnt Offerings and Sacrifices Mark 12.33 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly he said unto him Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God v. 34. Now ye may see to Love God and their Neighbour as themselves was more than their whole Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices in the time of the Law And therefore all Offerings and Sacrifices in the time of the Gospel if there be not love to God and to their Neighbour as themselves avails nothing David said Let them sacrifice a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving and declare his Works with rejoycing Psal 107.22 These are the Sacrifices that the Lord requires of his People more than Outward Sacrifices And David said Let my Prayer be set forth before thee as Incense and the lifting up of mine Hands as the Evening Sacrifice Psal 141.2 So here David looks upon his Prayer to the Lord and the lifting up of his Hands to him to be accepted with the Lord as much as the Outward Incense and the Outward Evening Sacrifice Again David says The Sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Psal 51.17 See also Isa 57.15 and chap. 66.2 These be the Sacrifices that David said God would accept and not despise which are beyond the unbroken Spirit and uncontrite heart with Outward Offerings and Sacrifices The Adversaries of the Jews would have joined with them towards the building of the Temple saying unto them Let us build with you for we seek your God as ye do and we do sacrifice unto him But the Jews refused them and
Holy and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven for he is glorified in your bringing forth good Fruits as ye abide in Christ the Vine in this his day of Life Power and Light thas shines over all And therefore all you that believe in the Light walk in the Light as Children of the Light and of Christ's everlasting Day that in the Light ye may have Fellowship with the Father and the Son and one with another keeping in the Unity of his holy Spirit in the Bond of his holy Peace in his Church that he is Head of And my desire is that God's Wisdom every where may be justified of her Children and that it may be shewed forth in Meekness and in the Fear of the Lord in this his Day Amen G. F. By that time the Yearly-Meeting was over I was very much wearied and spent wherefore about a Week after the Meeting I got out of Town to a Friend's House a little beyond Edmunton Edmunton South-street Winchmore-hill Berry-street where and at Southstreet I abode some time and had Meetings amongst Friends there and at Winchmore-hill and Berry-street And having my mind continually exercised in the Things of God the sense of his Infinite Goodness and Mercy to Mankind in visiting them after they had transgressed and rebelled against him and providing a Way and Means for their Return to him again was very much upon me And in the Opening of the Spirit of Truth I writ the following Paper on that Subject GOD who made all Men and Women 1687. Berry-street though they have transgressed his Commands and Laws and rebelled against him and hated his Light and grieved his Spirit and walked despitefully against his Spirit of Grace yet God who is merciful would have all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth And all that come to the Knowledge of the Truth must know it in their inward parts I say the Grace and Truth which comes by Jesus all that do know and find do know and find it in their hearts and inward parts And such do find the hidden Man of the heart and the Pearl and the Leaven and the lost piece of Silver and the Kingdom of Heaven within For until all come to the Light and Truth in their hearts they have been strangers to these things in Adam in the Fall from the Image of God and his Light Power and Spirit and Kingdom But Christ that never fell brings Man and Woman again that follow him to know these things and to know the Truth him the Saviour and brings them into his Image and his everlasting Kingdom The Devil who is out of the Truth tempted Man and Woman to disobey God and so drew them into the Fall from the Truth So it is the Devil that hath stopped Mens Eyes and Ears and Hearts from the Truth who is called The God of the World who hath blinded the Eyes of Infidels or Heathen But Christ who bruises the Serpent's Head and destroys the Devil and his Works doth open Men's Hearts and Eyes and Ears who is their Saviour and Redeemer and giveth Life Eternal to his People that obey him and his Truth Blessed be the Lord for ever through Jesus Christ who hath tasted death for all Men to bring them out of the death of Adam and is a Propitiation for the sins of the whole World and gave himself a Ransome for all to be testified of in due time For as by Adam's transgression and disobedience Death and Condemnation came upon all Men so by Christ's Obedience unto Death Justification of Life is come upon all Men and He that believeth in Christ hath eternal life but he that doth not is condemned already But God would have all Men to be saved and come unto the knowledge of the Truth as it is in Jesus who is their Saviour and in him there is no Condemnation G. F. After I had been a while here I went to a Monthly-Meeting at Enfield and from thence with some Friends to Hartford Enfield Hartford where I stay'd three or four days visiting Friends both at their Publick Meetings on the First-day of the Week and at their Quarterly-Meetings both of Men and Women and good Service for the Lord I had amongst them Then passing from thence to Waltham-Abby I had a very good Meeting with Friends there Waltham-Abbey and the next day went from thence to another place to compose a Difference which for want of a right Understanding of each other had happened between some Friends I returned to Waltham that night 1687. Waltham Essex Gooses Wanstead Barking Gooses and the next day went with some Friends to Gooses which is William Mead's House in Essex Here I stay'd some Weeks yet was not Idle but often visited the Meetings thereabouts as at Wanstead Barking and at John Hardings And betwixt Meeting and Meeting I writ many things for spreading of Truth and for the opening Peoples Understandings to receive it One was a Paper proving from the Scriptures that People must Repent before they can receive the Gospel and the holy Spirit and the Kingdom of God or be baptized And this was it JOhn the Baptist came Preaching in the Wilderness of Judea saying Repent ye for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Matth. 3.2 And when John the Baptist was cast into Prison Mark says That Jesus came into Galilee preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and saying The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand Repent ye and believe the Gospel Mark 1.14 15. Matthew also says From that time Jesus began to preach and to say Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Matth. 4.17 And when Christ sent forth his Twelve Disciples two and two they went out and preached that Men should Repent Mark 6.12 Christ said to the Jews Except ye Repent ye shall all likewise perish Luke 13.3 5. And when the Publicans and Sinners came to hear Christ and the Pharisees and Scribes murmured saying This Man receiveth sinners and eateth with them Luke 15.1 2. Christ reproved them by a Parable and then told them Joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that Repenteth more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no Repentance ver 7. And adds There is Joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that Repenteth ver 10. And Christ after he was Risen said unto his Disciples That Repentance and Remission of sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Luke 24.47 Peter said unto the Jews Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of sins and ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost Acts 2.38 And Paul said The times of this Ignorance God winked at but now commandeth all Men every where to Repent Acts 17.30 Simon Magus was called to Repentance if he had regarded it Acts 8.22 And the Apostle Paul did
were born again that were translated into the Kingdom of Christ and were Fellow-workers unto the Kingdom of God Christ exhorts his Disciples to Love and to do Good that they might be the Children of their Father which is in Heaven Matth. 5.45 And he bids them be perfect even as their Father which is in Heaven is perfect ver 48. And the Apostle saith to the Church at Philippi That ye may be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without Rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation amongst whom ye shine as Lights in the World holding forth the Word of Life c. Phil. 2.15 16. And writing to the Church of the Thessalonians he puts them in mind how he had exhorted them That they would Walk worthy of God who had called them into his Kingdom and Glory 1 Thess 2.12 The Lord had promised by the Prophet Joel that he would Pour out his Spirit upon all Flesh and that Sons and Daughters should Prophesie Old men should dream Dreams and Young-men see Visions Joel 2.28 Now the Cause that Sons and Daughters Hand-maids Servants Young-men and Old men have not these heavenly Visions Dreams and Prophecies is because they are Erred from the Spirit of God which he poureth upon them but as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God John saith Christ was the True Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World John 1.9 And that As many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God ver 12. which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God ver 13. Now the Reason why People do not become the Sons of God is because they do not receive Christ The Jews the great Professors which had the Promises Prophecies Figures and Shadows of him they would not receive him when he came And now the Priests and high Professors of Christ they are so far from receiving the Light of Christ and believing in it that they have hated the Light and scoff at it calling it a Natural Conscience and some have called it Jack in the Lanthorn Such are not like to become the Sons of God nor to see the glorious Kingdom of Christ which stands in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost For the Light that shines in the heart gives the Light of the Knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus And they that do not receive Christ Jesus but hate his Light which is the Life in him and yet profess him in words such neither know the Children of the Light nor true Fellowship in the Light nor the Kingdom of God that stands in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost but by the Light they are condemned And this is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather than Light because their deeds are evil For every one that doth evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his deeds should be reproved John 3.19 20. But the Children of the Light that walk in the Light they come to heavenly Jerusalem and to the City of the living God and to the innumerable Company of Angels and to the general Assembly and Church of the First born that are written in Heaven and can sing Hallelujah Gooses the 2d of the 7th Month 1687. G. F Having now been somewhat more than a quarter of a Year in the Country London I returned to London somewhat better in health than formerly having received much benefit by the Country-Air And it being now a time of General Liberty and great Openness amongst the People I had much Service for the Lord in the City being almost daily at Publick Meetings and frequently taken up in Visiting Friends that were sick and in other Services of the Church I continued at London about Three Months and then finding my strength much spent with continual labouring in the Work of the Lord and my Body much stopped for want of fresh Air Kingston I went down to my Son Rouse's by Kingston where I abode some time and visited Friends at Kingston While I was there it came upon me to write a Paper concerning the Jews shewing How by their Disobedience and Rebellion they lost the holy City and Land By which Example the prosest Christians may see what they are to Expect if they continue to disobey and provoke the Lord. Of that Paper the Copy here followeth THE Lord gave the Jews in the Old Testament the Land of Canaan and they built the Temple at Jerusalem to worship in and it was called The Holy Temple and Jerusalem was called The Holy City and Canaan The Holy Land But when the Jews rebelled against the good Spirit which God gave them to instruct them and rebelled against his Law 1687. Kingston and set up Idols and Images and defiled the Land and the City the Lord sent his Prophets to Cry against them and to bring them back again to his Spirit and to his Law and so to God to serve and worship him that they might not worship Images and Idols the works of their own hands But instead of hearkening to God's Prophets they persecuted them and at last killed his Son Christ Jesus and persecuted his Apostles But Christ told the Jews that both their City and Temple should be laid Waste and they should be scattered over all Nations And it was so when Titus the Roman Emperour came and took Jerusalem and destroyed the City and Temple which was a Day of Vengeance upon the Jews for all their Idolatries and their Wickedness and for the Innocent blood they had shed both in City and Country And they were driven out of their own City and Land and scattered over all Nations And the Jews had never power to get the â—and since nor to build Jerusalem nor the Temple But the Turk hath both the Land of Canaan and that which is called The City Jerusalem Now the Turk neither makes Images nor Worships Images And so it is a just Hand of the Lord that he should be over the persecuting Idolatrous Jews so that they cannot defile the Land of Canaan now with Images and Idols for the Turk hath it who neither makes Images nor Idols nor worships them And the Jews must never hope believe nor expect that ever they shall go again into the Land of Canaan to set up an outward Worship at Jerusalem and there for their Priests to offer outward Sacrifices of Rams Sheep and Heifers c. for Burnt-Offerings for Christ the one Offering hath offered himself once for all and by this one Offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified And Christ hath changed the Priesthood of Aaron that offered Sacrifices which was made after the power of a Carnal Commandment but Christ was made after the power of an endless Life a Priest for ever who was holy and
the Eternal life in Jesus Christ Who is also a quickening Spirit for as in Adam all died even so in Christ shall all be made alive So Christ that Died and Rose again is Lord both of the Living and of the Dead for the Living live to the Lord and die in him and are blessed All Christendom say that they do believe in God and in Christ and that they do believe Moses and the Prophets and preach Christ Moses and the Prophets So their Words and Writings are preached and printed and ye say ye do believe them But now what Life do ye live Are ye through the Law dead to the Law that ye may live unto God And are ye Crucified with Christ and doth Christ live in you And is the Life that ye now live in the flesh by the faith of the Son of God and ye do not live but Christ liveth in you who gave himself for you Is this your present Life for the Just live by the faith which Christ is the Author and Finisher of by which holy divine and precious Faith they have Victory over that which is vile and unholy and is not divine and in this Faith they do please God and have Access to God and his Son who fulfilleth the Law and the Prophets For the Law and the Prophets were until John and since that the Kingdom of God hath been preached and Men do press into it And the Least in the Kingdom of God is Greater than John though he was the greatest Prophet born of a Woman So see whether ye are in the Kingdom that stands in Peace and Righteousness and Joy in the Holy Ghost or not Christ who is the Image of the Invisible God the First-born of every Creature was before any Creature for by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in the Earth visible or invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him and he was before all things and by him all things consist And he is the Head of the Body the Church and is the beginning the First-born from the dead So here ye may see that all things were made by Christ Jesus and all things were created for Christ Jesus and by him all things consist and have their being who is the First-born from the dead and dieth no more And it pleased the Father that in him all Fulness should dwell and by Christ to reconcile all things unto himself whether they be things in Heaven or things in the Earth And in him are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge who is the Head of all Principality and Power for all Power in Heaven and in Earth is given to him the First-born of every Creature and the First-born from the dead who liveth for evermore in his power over all the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World and while the World's Spirit rules in mens hearts they do not know Christ nor the beginning nor ending of the Work of God Christ was outwardly crucified and slain without the Gates of Jerusalem by the disobedient Jews And they that hate the Light of Christ and disobey his Gospel and quench his Spirit and are erred from his Faith do crucifie to themselves Christ afresh So Adam and Eve and their Children that disobeyed God did slay the Lamb and the blind Jews that disobeyed God crucified Christ Jesus and the outward Christians that live and walk not in Christ but in Sin and Evil though they do make an outward Profession of Christ yet they do Crucifie to themselves Christ afresh But as to Christ himself he is Ascended far above all Principalities Thrones Powers and Dominions so that they cannot put him to death or Crucifie him any more as to himself But what the Killers and Crucifiers and Persecutors do now upon the Earth it is against Christ as in themselves and in his Members as Christ said to Saul Why Persecutest thou me Acts 9.4 For what is done to his Members Christ takes as done to himself Matth. 25.40 and 45. And they that did not visit Christ but persecuted him in his Members they persecuted Christ in themselves first The Serpent that Enemy to Man and Woman and Satan that Adversary to Man's prosperity and the Devil the destroyer the God of the World and Prince of the Air that ruleth in the hearts of the Disobedient he got in by disobedience But Christ bruises his head breaketh his power to pieces and destroys the Devil and his Works and through death destroys death and the Devil the power of death And so Christ the Light and Life hath all power in Heaven and Earth and openeth the Prison-doors and the Eyes of the blind and takes Captive him that hath led into Captivity and gives Gifts unto Men. And so Christ bindeth the strong man of sin and spoils his goods for Christ is stronger than the Devil and casts him out Hallelujah For the strong man of sin is the God of the World and his House is the whole World that lieth in Wickedness And the God of the World hath kept his house and his goods have been in peace until a stronger than he comes and binds the Devil and casts him out and then destroys him and his goods And so Christ the Son of God who is stronger than the Devil having destroyed the Devil and his Works setteth up his House and all the Believers in the Light are the Children of Light and are of the Son of God's spiritual House and the Son of God is over his House for evermore Glory to God in the Highest through Jesus Christ Amen God spake by the mouth of all his holy Prophets concerning Christ Jesus his Son the holy One so they were holy men and not unholy that God spake by And therefore all that name the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ are to depart from Iniquity Kingston upon Thames the 11th Month 1687. G. F. I returned to London towards the latter end of the Eleventh Month 1687. Chiswick Hammersmith visiting Friends in the way at Chiswick and at Hammersmith where I had Two Meetings one upon a First-day and the other upon the Occasion of a Marriage there at which were many of the World's People amongst whom I had a very seasonable Opportunity of opening the Way of Truth London Being come to London I visited Friends Meetings in and about the City as the Lord led me in whose Service I continued labouring in the City until the middle of the First Month 1687 8. Enfield Barnet Waltham-Abbey At which time I went down towards Enfield and visited Friends there and thereabouts and at Barnet and Waltham-Abbey and other places where I had many Meetings and very good Service amongst Friends in which I spent several Weeks And then returned to London London Yearly-Meeting where I continued labouring in the work of the Gospel of our Lord until after the
Yearly-Meeting was over which this Year was about the beginning of the Fourth Month. A precious Meeting it was and a very refreshing Season Friends had together the Lord vouchsafing to honour our Assemblies with his living and glorious Presence in a very plentiful manner At the Conclusion of the Meeting I felt a Concern upon my Spirit to give forth the following Paper to be dispersed abroad amongst Friends ALL you Believers in the Light that are become Children of the Light walk as Children of the Light and of the Day of Christ and as a City set on a Hill that cannot be hid and so let your Light shine that People may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven For a good Tree bringeth forth good Fruit and therefore be ye Trees of Righteousness the planting of the Lord having Fruits unto Holiness and then your End will be Everlasting life And such are the Wells and Cisterns that hold the living Water of life which springs up in them to Eternal life so ye may all drink Water out of your own Cisterns and running Water out of your own Wells and eat every one of his own Fig-tree and of his own Vine having Salt every one in your selves to season every one's Sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ and like unto the Wise Virgins that have Oil in their Lamps and follow the Lamb and enter in with the Bridegroom 1688. London Yearly-Meeting And now is the time to Labour while it is day yea the Day of Christ and to stir up every one's pure Mind and the Gift of God that is in them and to improve your Talents that Christ hath given you that ye may profit And to walk every one according to the Measure that Christ hath given you for the Manifestation of the Spirit of God is given to every one to profit withal Now consider what you have profited in spiritual and heavenly things with the heavenly Spirit of God and be not like the wicked and slothful that hid his Talent from whom it was taken and he cast into Utter darkness And a Dwarf or one that had any blemish was not to come nigh to Offer upon God's Altar And therefore mind the Word of Wisdom to keep you out of that which will Corrupt you and Blemish you and that ye may grow in Grace and in Faith and in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and feeding upon the Milk of the Word may grow by it that ye may not be Dwarfs and so to Offer your spiritual Sacrifice upon God's holy Altar For the Field or Vineyard of the slothful grows over with Thorns and Nettles and his Walls go down such are they that are not diligent in the Spirit of God and the Power which is the Wall a sure Fence and the Spirit of God will Weed out all both Thorns and Thistles and Nettles out of the Vineyard of the heart And you that are Keepers of others Vineyards see that you keep your own Vineyard clean with the Spirit and Power of Christ and sanctifie your selves and sanctifie the Lord in your hearts that ye may be a holy People to the Lord who saith Be ye holy for I am holy that ye may be the holy Members of the Church of Christ that is clothed with the Sun and hath the Moon under her feet the changeable World with all her changeable Worships Religions Churches and Teachers And be ye new and heavenly Jerusalem's Children for new and heavenly Jerusalem that is above is the Mother of all the Children of the Light and that are born of the Spirit and these be they that have been persecuted and have suffered by the false Church Mystery Babylon and Mother of Harlots And now all heavenly Jerusalem's and Sion's Children that are from above labour in the Gospel the Power of God and the Seed in which all Nations and all the Families of the Earth are blessed which Seed Christ bruises the Serpent's head and destroys the Devil and his Works and overcomes the Whore the false Church and the Beast and the false Prophet And takes away the Curse and the Vail that is spread over all Nations and over all the Families of the Earth and brings the Blessing upon all Nations and upon all the Families of the Earth if they will receive it saying In thy Seed shall all Nations and all the Families of the Earth be blessed And this is the Gospel of God preached to Abraham before Moses writ his Five Books and was preached in the Apostles days and is now preached again Which Gospel brings Life and Immortality to light and is the Gospel of Peace Life and Salvation to every one that believes it And so all Nations and all the Families of the Earth must be in Christ the Seed if they be blessed and be partakers of the Blessing in the Seed which Gospel God did preach and reveal to Abraham as in Gal. 3.8 And this Gospel was revealed and preached by Christ unto his Apostles who preached it which is not of Man nor from Man And now God and Christ hath Revealed the same Gospel unto me and many others in this Age I say the Gospel and the Seed in which all Nations and Families of the Earth are blessed in which Gospel I have laboured and do labour that all may come into this blessed Seed Christ who bruises the head of the Serpent that in it they might have peace with God And this Everlasting Gospel is preached again to them that dwell upon the Earth and they that believe it and receive it receive the Blessing and the Peace and Joy and Comfort of it and the stability in it and the life and immortality which it brings to light in them and to them And such can praise the Everlasting God in his Everlasting Gospel And Friends all seek the peace and good of all in Christ for Truth makes no Cains Corahs Balaams nor Judasses for they come to be such that go out of the peaceable Truth And therefore walk in the peaceable Truth and speak the Truth in the love of it as it is in Jesus G. F. Sometime after the Yearly-Meeting was over I went to my Son Mead's House Essex Gooses called Gooses in Essex and abode there some Weeks often visiting Friends Meeting near there and sometimes at Barking And after I had been a while there I went to visit Friends at Waltham-Abbey and at Hodsdon Waltham-Abbey Hodsdon Eâ—field South-street Ford-green Winchmore-hill and about Enfield South-street Ford-Green and Winchmore-Hill where I had several very serviceable Meetings amongst Friends the Lord opening many deep and weighty things through me both for the Informing the Understandings of Inquirers and building up those that were gathered into the Truth and establishing them therein It was in the Seventh Month that I returned to London having been near Three Months in the Country for my health's sake which now was very much Impaired so that
I was hardly able to stay in a Meeting the whole Time thereof and often after a Meeting was fain to lye down upon a Bed Yet did not my Weakness of Body take me off from the Service of the Lord but I continued to labour in Meetings and out of Meetings in the work of the Lord as the Lord gave me Opportunity and Ability I had not been long in London before a great Weight came upon me and a sight the Lord gave me of the great Bustles and Troubles Revolution and Change which soon after came to pass In the sense whereof and in the movings of the Spirit of the Lord I writ a few Lines as A general Epistle to Friends to fore-warn them of the approaching Storm 1688. London that they might all retire to the Lord in whom safety is That Epistle was as followeth ALL my Dear Friends and Brethren every where who have received the Lord Jesus Christ and he has given you power to become his Sons and Daughters In him ye have both life and peace and in his Everlasting Kingdom that is a stablished Kingdom and cannot be shaken but is over all the World and stands in his Power and in Righteousness and Joy in the Holy Ghost into which no unrighteousness nor the foul unclean Spirit of the Devil in his Instruments can enter And therefore Dear Friends and Brethren every one in the Faith of Jesus that he is the Author and Finisher of stand in his Power who has all power in Heaven and Earth given to him and will Rule the Nations with his Rod of Iron and dash them to pieces like a Potter's vessel that are not Subject and Obedient to his Power Whose Voice will shake the Heavens and the Earth that that which may be shaken may be Removed and that which cannot be shaken may Appear And stand in him and all things shall work together for good to them that love him And now Dear Friends and Brethren though these Waves and Storms and Tempests be in the World yet you may all appear the harmless and innocent Lambs of Christ walking in his peaceable Truth and keeping in the Word of Power and Wisdom and Patience and this Word will keep you in the Day of Trials and Temptations that will come upon the whole World to Try them that dwell upon the Earth For the Word of God was before the World and all things were made by it It is a Tried Word which gave all God's People in all Ages Wisdom Power and Patience And therefore let your dwelling and walking be in Christ Jesus who is called The Word of God and in his Power which is over all And set your Affections on things that are above where Christ sits at the right hand of God mark on those things which are above where Christ sits and not those things that are below which will change and pass away And blessed be the Lord God who by his Eternal Arm and Power hath gathered a People to himself and by his Eternal Arm and Power hath preserved his Faithful to himself through many Troubles Trials and Temptations His Power and Seed Christ is over all and in him ye have life and peace with God Therefore in him all stand and see your Salvation who is First and Last and the Amen God Almighty preserve and keep you all in him your Ark and Sanctuary for in him you are safe over all Floods Storms and Tempests for he was before they were and will be when they are all gone London the 17th of the 8th Month 1688. G. F. About this time great Exercise and Weights came upon me as hath usually done before great Revolutions and Changes of Government and my strength departed from me so that I reeled and was ready to fall as I went along the Streets And at length I could not go abroad at all I was so Weak for a pretty while till I felt the Power of the Lord to spring over all and had received an Assurance from him that he would preserve his faithful People to himself through all In the time that I kept in I writ a Paper shewing How Moses as a Servant was faithful in all his House in the Old Testament and Christ as a Son is over his House in the New Testament THE House of Israel was called God's Vineyard in Isa 5.7 and all the Israelites were called the House of Israel Israel signifies A Prince with God and a Prevailer with Men Gen. 32.28 And when Peter did preach Christ to the House of Israel he said Let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made the same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ Acts 2.36 So they were all called the House of Israel And it is said Moses was faithful in all his House to wit this House of Israel as a Servant for a Testimony of those things which were to be spoken after But Christ as a Son over his own House which House are we if we hold fast the Confidence and the Rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end Hebr. 3.5 6. Here it is manifest that Moses was faithful in all his house as a Servant viz. in the house of Israel in the Old Testament but Christ Jesus the Son of God is over his house in his New Testament and Covenant and all his true Believers are of his House The Apostle tells the Ephesians who were the Church of Christ They were Fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God Eph. 2.19 And the Saints are called The Houshold of Faith Gal. 6.10 And Peter in his general Epistle tells the Church of Christ They were a Chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood a holy Nation a peculiar People 1 Pet. 2.9 And that as lively Stones they were built up a spiritual House an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ ver 5. And the Apostle saith to the Church of Christ at Corinth If our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 And Christ said to his Disciples Let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me In my Father's house are many Mansions a Mansion is a Dwelling or Abiding-place If it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also John 14.1 2 3. The Psalmist saith Those that be planted in the House of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God They shall bring forth fruit in old Age they shall be fat and flourishing Psal 92.13 14. And again Holiness becomes thine house O Lord for ever Psal 93.5 Isaiah also said by way of Prophecy It shall come to pass in the last days that the Mountain of the Lord's
Amen London the 27th of the 3d Month 1689. G. F. Being much Wearied and Spent with being at many large Meetings 1689. Kingston and in much Business with Friends during the time of the Yearly-Meeting and finding my health much impaired thereby I went out of Town with my Daughter Rouse to their Country-house near Kingston and tarried there most of the remaining part of the Summer In which time I sometimes visited Friends Meetings at Kingston and writ divers things for the Service of Truth and Friends Amongst those things that I writ there one was an Epistle to Friends in Barbados and it was as followeth To all Friends in Barbados that are Convinced of God's Truth MY Desires are that ye may live and walk in his peaceable Truth and shew forth that ye are Children of the Light and of the Truth for the heavenly gentle and peaceable Wisdom is justified of her Children But Debate Strife Wilfulness and laying open one another's Nakedness and Weakness that is not heavenly Wisdom's Children's doing but Ham's nor from the Spirit of Christ nor such as bite and tear one another That 's from a devouring Spirit and not from the Spirit of Jesus which cloaths and covers that which is uncomely and can forgive And now my Friends you profess that Truth which is beyond all the World's ways therefore see that you do Excel them in the heavenly gentle Wisdom that is easie to be intreated for the Wisdom of the World is not easie to be intreated and sometimes will not be intreated at all And now pray see how you do excel the World in Wisdom in Vertue in Kindness in Love that is over hatred in Meekness and Lowliness and Humility and in Sobriety Civility and Modesty and in Temperance and Patience and in all that which is called Morality and Humanity which will not act any thing below Men or unmanly and to shew forth true Christianity and that ye are the Converted and Translated Believers in Christ dwelling in the Love of God that beareth all things and endureth all things and is not puffed up and envies not For they that be out of this Love of God and Christian Charity are nothing but as a tinkling Cymbal and a sounding Brass and are discontented Murmurers and Complainers full of Doubts Questions and false Jealousies Keep that Spirit out of the Camp of God for do not you read in the Scriptures both of the New and Old Testament that the End of such was Misery Therefore in the Love of God build up one another for Love edifies the Body of Christ and he commands his Believers to love Enemies and to love one another By this they are known to be the Disciples of Christ But to live in Envy Strife and Hatred is a Mark they are no Disciples of Christ For he that loveth not his Brother abides in Death and whosoever hates his Brother is a Murderer and ye know that no Murderer hath eternal life abiding in him But they that do love the Brethren are passed from death to life 1 John 3.14 15. And If a Man say I love God and hateth his Brother he is a liar for he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen And this Commandment have we from God that he who loveth God loveth his Brother also Chap. 4.20 21. Therefore love one another for Love is of God and Hatred is of the Devil and every one that loveth is born of God and knows God Now all are Children of God by Creation and therefore in that state they are to love their Neigbours as themselves and to do unto all Men as they would have them do unto them Secondly God pouring his Spirit upon all Flesh or all Men and Women all that are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God and Heirs of God and Joint-heirs with Christ and so are in Fellowship in the Everlasting Gospel and so are in Vnity in the Spirit the Bond of Peace And they that go out of this Unity and out of the Bond of Peace and do not keep it they break the King of Kings Peace but they that keep in the Unity and Fellowship in the Spirit and walk in the Light have Fellowship one with another and with the Father and the Son So it is not every one that talks of the Light and talks of the Word and of Righteousness and talks of Christ and of God but he that Doth the will of God And therefore My Friends all strive to excel one another in Love and in Vertue and in good Life and Conversation and strive all to be of one Mind Heart and Judgment in the Spirit of God for in Christ all are one and are in peace in him The Lord God Almighty preserve you in him who is your holy Rock and Foundation that is heavenly and stands sure that ye may all be Valiant for the Truth upon the Earth and for the Lord and his glorious Name so that ye may all come to serve him in your Generation and in his New Creation in Christ Jesus Amen And now that you are come into so much Favour with the Magistrates and Powers that they let you serve the Office of a Constable c. without swearing or taking any Oaths hereby Christ's Doctrine and Command and his Apostle's is set up And therefore I desire that you may double your diligence in your Offices in doing that which is just and true and righteous so that ye may excel and exceed all them that are tied shack'led or bound by Swearing or Oaths to perform their Offices and you can do it at Yea and Nay so say and so do according to Christ's Doctrine and Command For Adam and Eve by disobeying the Command of God fell under Condemnation and they that disobey the Command of Christ in taking Oaths and Swearing go into Evil and fall into Condemnation Matth. 5. and Jam. 5. So my Love in the Lord is to you all Kingston upon Thames the 10th of the 5th Month 1689. G. F. I stay'd at Kingston till the beginning of the Seventh Month where not only many Friends came to visit me but some Considerable People of the World with whom I discoursed about the Things of God Then leaving Kingston I went to London by Water visiting Friends as I went Hammersmith and taking Hammersmith-Meeting in my way And having recovered some strength by being in the Country when I was come to London London I went from Meeting to Meeting labouring diligently in the work of the Lord and opening the Divine Mysteries of the heavenly things as God by his Spirit opened them in me But I found my Body would not long bear the City wherefore when I had travelled amongst Friends there about a Month Tottenham-High-Cross Winchmore-hill Enfield I went to Tottenham-High-Cross and from thence to Edward Man's Country-house near Winchmore-hill and to Enfield spending a matter of Three Weeks
Thistles and sharp Rocks and Mountains and never be hurt nor never wear out their Shooes but their Feet are always beautiful upon the Mountains Moses a Captain the Servant of the Lord said unto the People of Israel I have led you forty years in the Wilderness your Cloths are not waxen old upon you and thy Shooe is not waxen old upon thy foot Deut. 29.5 Here ye may see the Jews in the Old Testament their Cloths and their Shooes did not wax old But they who are Christ's followers whom he shooeth with his Everlasting Gospel of Peace and Cloatheth with his fine Linnen his Righteousness and Arms with his Arms and Armour they are cloathed shod and armed with that which will never decay nor wax old nor canker nor rust nor corrupt nor grow blunt Now all whether Christians or Jews or Gentiles that hate the Light of Christ and close their Eyes and stop their Ears to it are not like to see Christ their Ensign and Captain of their Salvation but are blind And as there is no outward Captain would List a Company of blind and deaf men and cloath and arm them with outward Armour so such as are blind and deaf whose Eyes are closed and Ears stopped to the heavenly Light of Christ he is not like to cloath them with his fine Linnen and arm them with his heavenly and spiritual Armour nor are they like to be spiritually and heavenly disciplined and to see and know his holy and spiritual living Camp nor to follow him while they are deaf and blind and hate his Light which is the Life in Christ the heavenly Ensign and Captain of their Salvation For it is the Light that shines in the heart which gives the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus who is the Ensign and Captain of Mens Salvations and who hath brought and doth bring many Sons unto glory Praises Honour and Glory be unto the Lord over all who liveth for ever Amen Gooses the 14th of the 2d Month 1690. G. F. London A Week after this I return'd to London and after a little stay there Kingston went down to visit Friends at Kingston where I stay'd not long London but came back to London and remained there in the Lord's work Yearly-Meeting till after the Yearly-Meeting which was in the Fourth Month this Year in which the wonted Goodness of the Lord was witnessed and his blessed Presence enjoyed and his heavenly Power livingly felt opening the hearts of his People unto him and his Divine Treasures of Life and Wisdom in and unto them whereby many useful and necessary things relating to the safety of Friends and to the honour and prosperity of Truth were weightily treated of and unanimously concluded After the Meeting was over I writ the following Paper to Friends to be added to the Epistle which from the Yearly-Meeting was sent into the several Counties ALL Friends every where that are alive to God through Jesus Christ and are living Members of Christ the holy Head Be still and stand still in the Lord's Camp of Holiness and Righteousness and therein see the Salvation of God and your Eternal Life Rest and Peace and in it you may feel and see the Lord's Power is over all and how the Lord is at work in his Power and ruling the Nations with his Rod of Iron and is breaking in the Nations the old leaky Vessels and Cisterns to pieces like the Potter's Vessels that will not hold his living Water of Life who are erred from the Spirit But blessed be the Lord God of Heaven and Earth 1690. London Yearly Meeting who by his Eternal Arm and Power hath settled all his People upon the living holy Rock and Foundation that stands sure whom he hath drawn by his Spirit to his Son and gathered them into the Name of Jesus Christ his only begotten Son full of Grace and Truth who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him Whose Name is above every Name under the whole Heaven and all his living Members know there is no Salvation given by any other Name under the whole Heaven but by the Name of Jesus and he their Salvation and their living Head is felt in the midst of them in his Light Life Spirit Grace and Truth and his Word of Patience Wisdom and Power who is his People's Prophet that God hath raised up in his New Testament and Covenant to open to them and their living Shepherd that hath purchased redeemed and bought them with his precious Blood And Christ the living One feeds his living Sheep in his living Pastures of Life and his living Sheep know their living Shepherd's voice with his living Bread and Water and follow him and will not follow any of the World's Hirelings nor Thieves nor Robbers nor Climbers that are without Christ the Door And likewise Christ's living Children know Christ the Bishop of their Souls to oversee them with his heavenly and spiritual Eye that they may be preserved in his Fold of Life and go no more forth And also they know Christ their holy Priest that by the Grace of God tasted Death for them and for every Man and is a Propitiation for their Sins and not for their Sins only but for the Sins of the whole World and by the one Offering up of himself he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified And such an High-Priest becomes Christ's Sheep in his New Covenant and Testament who is holy and harmless and separate from sinners and is made higher than the Heavens who is not made a Priest after the Order of Aaron with his Tithes Offerings c. but he makes an end of all those things and hath abolished them and is made an High-Priest after the Power of an endless life who ever liveth to make Intercession for his People and is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God through him Who is the one holy Mediator betwixt God and Man and who sanctifies his People his Church that he is Head of and presents them to God without spot or wrinkle or blemish or any such thing and makes them an holy royal Priesthood to offer up spiritual holy Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ who is King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords in the Earth So an holy heavenly King who hath â—all power in Heaven and Earth given to him and rules in all the hearts of his Sheep and Lambs by his holy divine precious Faith that is held in all the pure Consciences of his People which holy Faith Christ the holy One is the Author and Finisher of By which holy Faith all the Just live and in which holy divine and precious Faith all the Just and holy Ones have Unity and by it they do quench all the fiery Darts of Satan and by this holy divine and precious Faith they have access to the pure God in which they do please him And Christ
who is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens in his New Testament and New Covenant is a Minister of the Sanctuary and true Tabernacle which the Lord hath pitcht and not Man And therefore all the Lambs and Sheep of Christ must feel this holy Minister in their Temple and Sanctuary who ministers spiritual holy and heavenly things to them in their Sanctuary and Tabernacle For all the Tabernacles and Sanctuaries that are built or pitcht by Man Men make Ministers for them and such Ministers are of Men and by Men with their worldly Sanctuaries and Tabernacles of Mens pitching by Mens hands And now all Dear Friends and Brethren every where that are the Flock of Christ Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us Therefore let us all keep this heavenly Feast of our Passover in his New Testament and Covenant not with Old Leaven neither of Malice nor Wickedness but let all that be purged out with the sour old leavened Bread that all may become a new Lump and so keep this heavenly Feast of Christ our heavenly Passover with the unleavened Bread mark with the unleavened Bread of Sincerity and Truth My desires are that all the Flock of Christ every where may keep this heavenly Feast of Christ our heavenly Passover with his heavenly unleavened Bread of Sincerity and Truth Amen G. F. I stay'd in Town between Three Weeks and a Month after the Yearly-Meeting was over and then went into the Country first to Tottenham-High-Cross Tottenham-High-Cross Ford-green Enfield where was a Meeting on the First-day of the Week which I was at and then went to Edward Man's House at Ford-Green near Winchmore-Hill and on the First-day following went from thence to the Meeting at Enfield where the Lord gave me many precious Openings to declare to the People Afterwards moving to and fro amongst Friends thereabouts I visited the Meetings at Chess-hunt Chess-hunt Waltham-Abbey Enfield Tottenham Winchmore-hill Hartford Waltham-Abbey Enfield Tottenham and Winchmore-hill frequently the Lord being with me and opening many deep and weighty Truths divine and heavenly Mysteries to his People through me to their great Refreshment and my Joy After some time I went to Hartford to visit the Friends there and was at their Meeting on a First-day And having something more particular upon me to the Ancient Friends of that place I had a Meeting with some of them the next day and imparted to them what the Lord had given me for them Ware Then passing thence to Ware I made a little stay amongst Friends there and was at their Meeting After which returning Edmunton Tottenham London amongst Friends about Edmunton-side and Tottenham and taking Meetings as I went I came back to London in the end of the Seventh Month. I remained now at London 1690. London till the beginning of the Ninth Month being continually exercised in the Work of the Lord either in Publick Meetings opening the Way of Truth to People and building up and establishing Friends therein or in other Services relating to the Church of God For the Parliament now sitting and having a Bill before them concerning Oaths and another concerning Clandestine Marriages several Friends did attend the House to see to get those Bills so worded that they might not be hurtful to Friends In this Service I also assisted attending on the Parliament and discoursing the Matter with several of the Members Having stay'd more than a Month in London and much spent my self in these Services I went out of Town to Tottenham Tottenham Ford-Green and sometime after to Ford-Green near London at which Places I continued several Weeks visiting Friends Meetings round about there at Tottenham Enfield and Winchmore-Hill Tottenham Enfield Winchmore-hill In this time several things came upon me to Write whereof One was an Epistle to Friends in the Ministry and was as followeth ALL Friends in the Ministry every where Ford-Green to whom God hath given a Gift of the Ministry and who use to Travel up and down in the Gift of the Ministry Do not hide your Talent nor put your Light under a Bushel Nor Cumber your selves nor entangle your selves with the Affairs of this World For the natural Soldiers are not to Cumber themselves with the World much less the Soldiers of Christ who are not of this World but are to mind the Riches and Glory of the World that is Everlasting And therefore stir up the Gift of God in you and Improve it and do not sit down Demas-like and embrace this present World that will have an end lest ye become Idolaters But be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth and spread it abroad in the Day-light of Christ you who have sought the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and have received it and preached it which stands in Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost As Able Ministers of the Spirit sow to the Spirit that of the Spirit ye may reap Life Everlasting And go on in the Spirit plowing with it in the purifying Hope and threshing with the Power and Spirit of God the Wheat out of the Chaff of Corruption in the same Hope For he that looks back from the spiritual Plow into the World is not fit for the Spiritual and Everlasting Kingdom of God and then he is not like to press into it as the Faithful do Therefore you that are awakened and are come to Righteousness and to the Knowledge of the Truth keep your selves awakened in it then the Enemy cannot sow his Tares in your Field for Truth and Righteousness is over him and before he was So my desires are that all may fulfil their Ministry that the Lord Jesus Christ hath committed to them and then by the Blood or Life and Testimony of Jesus you will overcome the Enemy that opposes it within and without And all you that do preach the Truth do it as it is in Jesus in Love And all that are Believers in Jesus 1690. Ford-Green and receivers of him he gives them Power to become the Sons of God and so Joint-heirs with Christ whom he calleth Brethren and he gives them the Water of Life which shall be a Well in them springing as a River up to Eternal Life that they may water the spiritual Plants of the living God So that all may be spiritual Planters and spiritual Waterers and may see with the spiritual Eye the Everlasting Eternal God over all to give the Increase who is the Infinite Fountain So my desires are that you may be kept our of all the beggarly Elements of the World which is below the spiritual Region to Christ the Head and may hold him who bruiseth the Head of Enmity and was before it was So that ye may all be united together in love in your Head Christ and be ordered by his heavenly gentle peaceable Wisdom to the Glory of God For all that be in Christ are in love peace
and Vnity and in him they are strong and in a full Perswasion and in him who is the First and Last they are in a heavenly Resolution and Confidence for God's Everlasting Honour and Glory Amen From him who is Translated into the Kingdom of his Dear Son with all his Saints a heavenly Salutation And salute ye one another with a holy Kiss of Charity that never faileth G. F. Ford Green the 25th of the 9th Month 1690. Another Epistle I writ soon after more particularly to the Friends in the Ministry that were gone into America which was thus DEar Friends and Brethren that are Ministers and Exhorters and Admonishers that are gone into America and the Islands there-aways Stir up the Gift of God in you and the pure Mind and improve your Talents that ye may be the Light of the World a City set upon an Hill that cannot be hid and let your Light shine among the Indians and the Blacks and the Whites that ye may answer the Truth in them and bring them to their Standard and Ensign that God hath set up Christ Jesus For from the Rising of the Sun to the Going down of the same God's Name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every Temple or sanctified Heart Incense shall be offered up to God's Name And have Salt in your selves that ye may be the Salt of the Earth that ye may salt it that it may be preserved from Corruption and Putrefaction so that all Sacrifices offered up to the Lord may be salted and seasoned and be a good Savour to God And all grow in the Faith and Grace of Christ that ye may not be like Dwarfs for a Dwarf shall not come near to Offer upon God's Altar though he may eat of God's Bread that he may grow by it And Friends Be not negligent but keep up your Negroes-Meetings and your Family-Meetings and have Meetings with the Indian Kings 1690. Tottenham and their Councils and Subjects every where and with others and bring them all to the Baptizing and Circumcising Spirit by which they may know God and serve and worship him And all take heed of sitting down in the Earth and having your Minds in the earthly Things Coveting and Striving for the Earth for to be carnally minded brings death and Covetousness is Idolatry There is too much Strife and Contention about that Idol which makes too many go out of the Sense and Fear of God so that some have lost Morality and Humanity and the true Christian Charity O therefore be awakened to Righteousness and keep awakened for the Enemy soweth his Tares while Men and Women sleep in Carelesness and Security Therefore so many slothful Ones go in their filthy Rags and have not the fine Linnen the Righteousness of Christ but are stragling and plowing with their Ox and their Ass in their woollen and linnen Garments mixt Stuff feeding upon Torn food and that dieth of it self and drinking of the dregs of their old Bottle and eating the sour leavened Bread which makes their hearts burn one against another But all are to keep the Feast of Christ our Passover with the unleavened Bread of Sincerity and Truth And this unleavened Bread of Life from Heaven makes all Hearts and Souls glad and joyful and lightsome and cheerful to serve and love God and to love and serve one another in the peaceable Truth and to keep in the Vnity of God's Spirit which is the Bond of the Lord of Lords and the King of all Kings his Peace In this Love and Peace God Almighty keep and preserve all his People and make them valiant for his Truth upon the Earth to spread it abroad both in Doctrine and good Life and Conversation Amen All the Members of Christ have need one of another For the Foot hath need of the Hand and the Hand hath need of the Foot The Ear hath need of the Eye and the Eye of the Ear. So that all the Members are serviceable in the Body which Christ is the Head of and the Head sees their Service Therefore let none despise the least Member And have a Care to keep down that greedy earthly Mind that raveneth and coveteth after the Riches and Things of this World lest ye fall into the low Region like the Gentiles or Heathen and so lose the Kingdom of God that is Everlasting But seek that first and God knows what things ye have need of who takes care for all both in Heaven and in the Earth Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable Gifts both Temporal and Spiritual Tottenham the 11th of the 10th Month 1690. G. F. Not long after this I returned to London and was almost daily with Friends at Meetings 1690. London And when I had been near Two Weeks in Town The sense of the great Hardships and sore Sufferings that Friends had been and were under in Ireland coming with great weight upon me I was moved to write the following Epistle as a Word of Consolation unto them DEar Friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ whom the Lord by his Eternal Arm and Power hath upheld through your great Sufferings Exercises Trials and Hardships more I believe then can be uttered up and down that Nation which I am very sensible of and the rest of the faithful Friends that have been Partakers with you in your Sufferings and cannot but suffer with the Lord's People that suffer And my Confidence hath been in the Lord that he would and will support you in all your Sufferings and that he would preserve all the Faithful in his Wisdom that they would give no just Occasion to one nor other to make them suffer And therefore if that you did suffer wrongfully or unjustly the righteous God would assist you and uphold you and reward them according to their Works that opprest or wronged you And now my desire is unto the Lord that in the same holy and heavenly Wisdom of God ye may all be preserved to the End of your days to the Glory of God minding God Almighty's supporting Hand and Power who is God Al-sufficient to strengthen help and refresh in time of Need. And let none forget the Lord's Mercies and Kindnesses which endure for ever but always live in the sense of them And truly Friends when I consider the thing It is the great Mercy of the Lord that ye have not been all swallowed up seeing with what Spirits ye have been compassed about But the Lord carrieth his Lambs in his Arms and they are as tender to him as the Apple of his Eye And his Power is his Hedge about his Vineyard of heavenly Plants And therefore it is good for all his Children to be given up to the Lord with their Minds and Souls Hearts and Spirits who is a faithful Keeper that never slumbers nor sleeps but is able to preserve and keep you and to save to the utmost and none can hurt so much as an hair of your Heads except he suffer
not Banish him and Persecute him out of your Cities and Corporations And how can you enter into his Kingdom and have a share of his Kingdom though you may profess him in Words And do not they go into Everlasting Punishment that did not visit Christ in Prison Then what will become of you that do Banish and Imprison him where he is manifest in his Members nor suffer them to Meet together to enjoy him amongst them according to his Promise And therefore you that will not let Christ Reign in his People and have his Liberty in them in your Cities and Countries to Exercise his Offices you will not have your Liberty in Heaven and you that will not let Christ Reign in your Hearts nor suffer him to Reign in his People here upon the Earth in this World in your Kingdoms you will not Reign with Christ in Heaven in his Kingdom nor in the World without end And so you that banish the Truth out of your Cities or Countries or his People for its sake you do banish the Truth and Christ out of your hearts from Ruling there and so you your selves are not the Temples of God And then when you have banished Christ and his Truth out of your own hearts then you do banish such in whom he Rules out of your Estates and Country and then see what Judgments the Lord doth bring upon you when you are left to your selves yea Fears and Troubles and one Judgment after another that come upon you you are even filled with them But the Banished and Sufferers for Truth and Christ's sake have a peaceable habitation in the Truth which the Devil is out of and cannot get in which habitation will out-last all the habitations of the Wicked and Persecutors though they be never so full of Words without Life and Truth So the Life and the Truth will out-last all Airy Notions and Christ the Lamb and patient Seed will overcome the Devourer and the unpatient Seed and they that have the Garments the Righteousness of Christ which is the fine Linnen it will out-last all the Rags and Inventions of Men. For Christ saith to his Learners Be of good chear I have overcome the World the persecuting World and so he said unto his Disciples Marvel not if that the World hate you for it hated me before you And therefore let all that profess themselves Christians lay away Persecution about Religion Churches or Worship Fasting or Praying-Days for you have no Command from Christ and his Apostles to Persecute any For Christ who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords when they called him a Deceiver and blasphemed him and said He had a Devil he did not Persecute any of them for it nor force or compel any to hear and believe him nor the Apostles after him but he bad them that would have been plucking up the Tares Let the Tares and the Wheat grow together until the Harvest So you have no Command from Christ or his Apostles to Persecute Imprison or Banish or Spoil the Goods of any for matter of pure Conscience and Religion Worship Faith and Church in the Gospel-times Harlingen in Friezland the 11th of the 6th Month 1677. G. F. A Warning to the Magistrates Priests and People of the City of Hamborough to Humble themselves before the Lord and not to be High-minded Friends YOU have painted and garnished the Inside of your outward Houses and High-places but look within your Hearts with the Light of Christ Amsterdam which he hath enlightned you and every Man that cometh into the World withal and with it you may see To pag. 448 how foul your Hearts and Insides are with Sin and Evil which Christ tells you ye should make clean who told the Pharisees how they painted the Sepulchres of the Righteous and they themselves were full of Rottenness and Corruption Therefore look into your selves 1677. Amsterdam and your own hearts what you are full of to paint out the Sepulchres of the Righteous Apostles and making a Trade and a Profession of their words without the same Holy Ghost and Power and Light and Truth which they were in will not stand at the Day of God's Vengeance And therefore Repent while you have Time and turn to the Lord with your whole hearts and do not think your selves to be secure without his Immediate Almighty Protection For it is not all your Works nor all your own Strength and Power and Defence that can protect you and you to look at them and think your selves secure and to sit down in your Security and in it let your hearts be merry and at rest and ease But then when the Lord brings a Scourge upon you that you are filled with Terrours and Fears remember you were Warned that you were set down but not in the true Rest and then all your own Strength and Force will stand you in no stead and you will acknowledge that it must be God that must protect you And therefore take Warning for your Priests and People are too high and are swallowed up too much in this World and the Vanities of it carry your Minds away from God and your Care is more for the World than for God and more after the Riches of the World than after the Riches of the World that has no end For know you not that all your Heaps of outward Treasure must have an end and that you must Leave them all behind you Therefore I am to Warn and Advice you both High and Low Priests and People to come to the Grace Light and Truth that comes by Jesus Christ and also to come to the Manifestation of the good Spirit of God which is given to you to profit withal that with This Grace and Truth and Light and Spirit of Christ you may turn to Christ Jesus from whence it comes who saith Learn of me and God saith This is my beloved Son hear ye him And so all the Children of the New Covenant that walk in the New and Living Way do hear Christ their Prophet that God has raised up who is their Teacher and Priest whom God hath anointed to Preach And so now God doth speak to his People by his Son as he did in the Apostles Days And so the Lord is come to Teach his People himself by his Grace Light Truth and Spirit and to bring them off all the Worlds Teachers that are made by Men since the Apostles days who have kept People always Learning that they may always be paying of them And is come to bring them off all the Worlds Religions to the Religion that he set up in the Apostles Days in the New Covenant which is pure and undefiled before God in his sight and keeps from the Spots of the World c. And the Lord is come to bring them off all the World's Churches to the Church in God which Christ the heavenly Man is Head of and to bring them off all the World's Worships to
you may have the Blessing For you read that Christians were called the Houshold of Faith the houshold of God a holy Nation a peculiar People and they are commanded to be Zealous for good Works not for bad and Christians are also commanded not to bite and devour one another lest they be consumed one of another And is it not a sad thing for Christians to be biting and consuming one another in the sight of the Turks Tartars Jews and Heathens when they should Love one another and do unto all Men as they would have them do unto them And such Work and Devouring as this will open the Mouths of Jews and Turks Tartars and Heathens to Blaspheme the Name of Christ who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and cause them to speak evil of Christianity for them to see how the Unity of the Spirit is broken among such as profess Christ and Christ's Peace And therefore all Christians are to mind God and Christ's Teaching who teacheth Christians to Love one another yea Enemies and perswade all Kings and Princes to give Liberty to all tender Consciences in Matters of Religion and Worship they living peaceable under every Government so that for the time to come there may be no more Imprisonment and Persecution among the Christians for Matters of tender Consciences about Matters of Faith Worship and Religion that the Jews Turks Tartars and Heathens may not see how Christians are Persecuting one another for Religion And seeing from Christ and the Apostles Christians have no such Command but on the contrary to Love one another and knowing that Christ said to such as would have been plucking up Tares Let the Tares and the Wheat grow together till the Harvest which is the End of the World lest they plucked up the Wheat and at the End of the World Christ would send forth his Angels and they should sever the Wheat from the Tares So Christ tells you that it is the Angels work at the End of the World and not Mens work before the Harvest at the End of the World Hath not all this Persecution Banishing and Imprisoning and putting to Death concerning Religion been the pretence of plucking up Tares and hath not all this been before the Harvest and before the End of the World And therefore have not all these been the Actors against the Express Command of Christ the King of Heaven which all Kings and Rulers especially they that call themselves Christians should obey their Lord and Saviour's Command which he expresly Commands 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 and they shall sever the Wheat from the Tares c. And also Christ told some of his Disciples that would have had Fire to come down from Heaven to destroy such as would not receive him in their Zeal That they did not know what Spirit they were of and rebuked them and said He came not to destroy Mens Lives but to save them And therefore all such that have destroyed Mens Lives concerning Religion and Worship of God have they known what Spirit they have been of Have they not done that they should not do and done that which Christ forbad who saith Lest ye should pluck up the Wheat with the Tares and saith It is the Angels work at the End of the World And hath not God shewed unto Man what is Good and his Duty To Love Mercy and to do Justly and to walk Humbly with his God which Man is to mind And the Apostle exhorts the Christians to Follow Peace with all Men and Holiness without which no Man shall see the Lord Hebr. 12.14 And why should Christians War and Strive one with another seeing they all do own in words one King and Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus whose Command is That they should Love one another which is a Mark that they shall be known by to be Christ's Disciples as I said before And Christ who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords saith As I have Loved you so love one another John 15.12 and John 13. And the Apostle saith Christians ought to be patient towards all Men 1 Thess 5.14 From him who is a Lover of Truth and Righteousness and Peace and desires your Temporal and Eternal Good and desires that in the Wisdom of God that is pure and gentle and peaceable from above with that you may be Ordered and Order all things that God hath Committed to you to his Glory and stop those things among Christians so far as you have power which dishonour God Christ and Christianity Amsterdam the 21th of the 7th Month 1677. G. F. THE FIRST TABLE CONTAINING The Names of the Countries Cities Towns and Places mentioned in the Author's Journal of his Travels and Labours on Truth 's Account in England c. and beyond the Seas Note The Pages with a Star refer to the like Pages with a Star to begin p. 189* 190* 200* 201* c. these Pages being double A. ABbyholm 268* Aberdeen Scotl. 407 Acton 141 Adderbury 388. 457 Addingworth 430 Albans 171. 430. 457. 479 Alborough Castle 522 Aldenham 78 Alexandria in Egypt 248. 253 Alkmaer Holl. 438. 522 America 408 Amersham 455 Amoroca River Amer. 380 Ampthill 430 Amsterdam 433-438 446-451 452. 520-522 594. 617-619 627-632 Anamessy River Amer. 380 Anderigo Friezl 444 Antego 356 357. 458 Apledon 318 319 Appingdalen F. 439 Applebye 91 Apre Denmark 440 Arnside 103. 215 216. 269. 470 Armscot 388 389. 457 Arundel 171 Ashford 259 Ashwell 469 Atherston 30. 132 Aylesbury 388 B. BAdcow Scotl. 269* 271* 276* Badgesley 167. 170. 225* 213. 310. 325. 429 Baghurst 341 Bagworth 29 Balby 54. 67. 69. 129. 213 214. 326. 429 Baldock 170 171. 316. 469 Ballowfield 429 Banbury 316 Bandon Irel. 328 Bandon-Bridge Irel. ibid. Barbados 351-361 379. 382. 599 Barking 570 Barnet 3. 430. 457. 479. 584 Barnet-hills 254 255 Barnstaple 318 Barrow 28. 254 Barton 423 Barton-Abbey 215 Basingstoke 244* Battersea 480 Beavor Vale 16. 18-26 Becliff 79 Bedall 423 Bedfordshire 149. 166. 170. 282* 259. 310 311. 430. 457. 469. 479 Bednalgreen 536-538 550 Bentham 297 Berkshire 254. 335. 342. 456 Berry-street 568 569 Berwick 281* Beverley 54 Beumaris Wales 258* 259* Biddlesden 479 Birmingham 167. 325 Bishopsdale 423 Bishop-starford 156 Black-Rock Chesh 327 Bletchington 480 Block-Island Amer. 369 Bodmin 178 179 Bohemia-River Amer. 365. 372 Bonners-Creek Amer. 376 377 Boston Lincolnsh 225* Boston New Eng. 242. 379 Boulton 280 Bowden mag 469 Bowtell 104 105 Bradforth 71 Braintrie 457 Brecknock 246* 247* Bremen Germ. 440 443 Bremer-Haven Germ. 443 Bridge-Town Barb. 356 Bridport 244 Briell Holl. 433. 453. 520. 522 Brigflats 423 Bristol 221* 222* 245* 210. 212. 253 254. 266. 310. 315. 332. 334. 456 Bristol-Harbour 383-386 Buckinghamshire 3. 224* 196. 310. 316. 341. 387. 430. 455. 457. 479 488 489 Bugbrook 479 Bullocks-Hill 430 Burlington 307 Burnt-Island 276* Burroby 57.
God 409-412 Dead Faiths and Doctrines 587 Fanaticks who and what they are 205. 220 Fashions and Vanities of the world testified against 25. 602 603. see Apparel Fast of G. F's 92. 103. of a Woman in Lancashire 12. Fast proclaimed by O. C. for Rain 147* a Day of Humiliation 190. The true and false Fast 194. 248* 251* Fast and Holy-days so called 387. Fasting and Prayer 621-624 Feastings and Sporting whilst others were G. F. visited the Poor relieving them 5 Fees Marshal's 230 231. 303. G.F. could not pay being Innocent and the Jailer's 217* 258 Fell Judge sends a Warrant against the Abusers of G. F. 88. and grants a Supersedeas of a Warrant against him 90 Margaret shews to the King Friends Sufferings and Innocency 231 Fellowships in outward things will corrupt and wither 288 Fifth-Monarchy-mens Uproar 229 230. 238. They cleared Friends openly at their Execution 240. 247. They look for Christ's Personal Coming 247. are Fighters 248 Fighters are not of Christ's Kingdom 200. Sion needs no such 201. 204. 246. 268. See Wars Fox George his place of Birth Parents and Relations 1-3 30. 41. 135. 213. 310. 390. 396. his Cloths and Wear 60. 173 174. his Marriage 334. A great Weight fell upon his Spirit 342. his Travel and Sufferings at Reading 198 199 200. 213. 229. Offers his Hair and Cheek to the Threatner 240 241 c. and Labours diligently in the Work of the Lord 601. his Persecutors would have hanged him 110. His care for Truth and Friends 613 614. He prays to the Lord 7. 348. and for the Afflicted 30. 503 504. c. See Miracles His weakness of Body 594. 613. His Death and Burial 614. whose Name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life which was before the Foundation of the World 22 His Epistle left sealed up c. 615-617 Mary Mother of G.F. 1. died 369 Frederickstadt-Friends Cause pleaded by G. F. 423 424 Friends much abused by Priest and People 69 86. Their Charity to the Poor 215. going for a Sign see Sign G. GAoler see Jailer God's People to be like unto him 571 572. The Power of God thundred amongst the Magistrates of Darby c. 31. Good Behaviour G. F. Could not consent to be bound to who had committed no Ill Behaviour 41. See Bond. Good morrow good evening c. Vain Customs and Traditions forbidden 24 Goods ill gotten are a Curse to Men 208 Gospel is not the four Evangelists 264. 436. Governments Change God has a mighty Hand therein 224 Governor of Dover Convinced 151 of Tinmouth Castle with others visits G. F. in Prison 300 Grace of God teaches those that turn to it 22 23. 239* 240* 264* which hath appeared to all men 300 Grammar and Accidence distinguish the Singular from the Plural 30â— Groans which brake forth through G. F. did reach to People and strike them 57. 10 H. HAbeas Corpus c. for G. F.'s Removal 222 223. 394. 399. 405. Hacker Coll. his Son Needham's wicked Saying of G. F. 136. Hacker Coll. cut off being hanged at Tyburn 137. His Wife and Marshal convinced of Truth 166. Hagget Judge his Wife visits G.F. c. in Lanceston-Gaol and was convinced 200* Hair worn long of G.F. 176. 221* 259* Hales Judge his Answer to G. F.'s Adversaries in Court 406 Hands not to be laid on any suddenly 283** 597 Hat-honour proud Flesh looks for 24 25. 121. 179 180. 182. 184. 273* 219* A Professor's absurd Proof for it from Scripture pretendedly 188. 192*-196* 202* Professors offended at it 244* 198. Friends fined for it 211. and Imprison'd 254* 197 198. 205. 227. 239. 273 274. 276. 339. The Hat kept on in Prayer by J. Perrot and his Party 310. 394. 624-626 Hebrew Greek and Latin makes no Minister of Christ 281* Hirelings and Diviners for Money get vast Sums of it by selling the Scriptures 26. 133 Honour the true from the false distinguished 24. 202* 284* 274. 308. Hornby-Castle robb'd of the Wainscot and Bucks-horns in Major Poâ—ter's House 222 House-Creepers leading silly Women Captive c. are such as having crept into Temples with Tithes and Offerings keep People always learning under them c. 196 House of Israel the House of God 588 589. Humility goes before Honour 202* 416. 478. 548 549. I. JAiler of Darby watches G. F. for evil being in a rage against him 32. His Vision concerning G. F. 37. Was convinced of Truth G. F. finding him among Friends 213. and afterwards he writ a sensible Letter to G. F. 251 252 Jailers of Carlisle their Cruelty against G.F. 110. 112. so that the Under-Jailer was put into the Dungeon to G. F. for using him so badly 117 Jailer at Lanceston 179. his Wickedness and Rage against G. F. c. 186. who had been a Thief and burnt in the Hand 187. 214* and afterwards was put into Doomsdale himself and died in Prison ibid. Under Jailer at Lancaster a very wicked Man 218. 222. And the Upper-Jailer Hunter was cut off in his Young days for his Wickedness to G. F. 297. 306. Jailer at Leicester was very Cruel to Friends in his Prison before G. F. came there 256 257. Jailer of Durham incensing the Governor and Soldiers of Scarb. Castle against G. F. was cut off in his Wickedness 306 Jeroboam's Calves-houses likened to the Houses called Churches set up in the darkness of Popery 84 Jerusalem which comes down from Heaven its State described 345 346. The Children thereof 616 617 Jesuits two of them fawning upon Friends discoursed by G. F. concerning the degeneracy of the Churcn of Rome 246 247. 286* 287* who are filthy Dreamers dreaming they are the Apostles Successors 247. and are in a Rage against the Work of the Lord 331. and persecute to Death for Religion 288* A Jew discoursed by G. F. concerning the Coming of the Messiah 441. others would not discourse 453. 559 560 Imprisonments for not Swearing 164. 168. for Tithes and going to Steeple-houses c. 231 * 253*-255* 258* 263* 153. G. F. Imprison'd in a nasty stinking Prison at Nottingham 26 27. in Darby-Prison 32-46 49-53 in Darby-Dungeon 46-48 in Lanceston Prison 178 179. 185 186. Doomsdale 186-188 Lanceston Goal 189* 210*-219* at Leicester 256-258 in Lancaster Prison 274-297 in Scarborough-Castle 298-305 Taken at London-Meetings and had before Magistrates 339 340 c. G. F. in Worcester Goal 389 being premunired 405. and pleading the Errors of the Indictment at the K. 's-Bench-Bar was set at Liberty 406 Friends Imprison'd to Death 252. 304. Independent-Woman's prejudice against G.F. 154. Independents 247 Indian King discoursed by G. F. and several Indians at the King's Cabbin 379. their Gravity and Attention 382 Indictment's Errors pleaded by G. F. 289-294 297. 400-402 calls it a bundle of Lyes 398. is quash'd 405 406 Informers hired in Cumberland 270. set at work by Priests 343. a Papist-Informer against G. F. 339. they make spoil 491 492. Hilton 494 495. Sâ—ad 514. Inn-keepers in Wales their Treachery to G. F.'s
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
Labour in the Lord to turn all to But some that professed Truth and had made a great Shew therein being gone from the Simplicity of the Gospel into Jangling Division and a Spirit of Separation endeavoured to discourage Friends especially the Women from their Godly Care and Watchfulness in the Church over one another in the Truth opposing their Meetings which in the Power of the Lord were set up for that End and Service Wherefore I was moved of the Lord to write the following Epistle and send it forth among Friends for the discovering of that Spirit by which those Opposers were acted and its Work and Way in and by which it wrought and to warn Friends of it that they might not be betrayed by it ALL my Dear Friends Live in the Seed of Peace Christ Jesus in whom ye have all Life And that Spirit that comes amongst you to raise up Strife is out of Christ for it is the Spirit that is not easie to be intreated nor gentle so not of the Wisdom of God which is justified of her Children And so they that follow that Spirit are none of Wisdom's Children Now there is a Spirit that hath made a Separation and has been against Men and Womens-Meetings yet has set up one of their own whom they have given Power to and that none shall sit amongst them but whom they give Power to but shall be looked upon as Vsurpers of Authority Now this Spirit and its Work is not of God though it has made some Jumble amongst some and the Path it may travel in is through the earthly Affections or the Vnestablished or Apostates But all that are in the Life and Spirit and Light and Grace and Truth and the Power of God bar it out and such as sit under their own Vine Christ Jesus and are grafted into him have no need of their Exhortation or Counsel for the true Believers are entred into their Rest And therefore all keep in the Gospel of Peace and they that be Heirs of the Kingdom and of it keep in your Possession of it Now some that are of this Spirit have said to me They see no Service in Womens-Meetings My Answer is and hath been to them and such If they be blind and without Sight they should not oppose others for there is none Imposes any thing upon them for God never received the Blind for a Sacrifice neither can his People But Christ has enlightned all and to as many as receive him he gives Power to become the Sons of God And such as be Heirs of his Power and of his Gospel which brings Life and Immortality to Light they can see over him that has darkned them and all such do keep the Order of the Gospel the Power of God and their Meetings in it which preserves them in Life and in Immortality And all these do see the great Service of the Mens and of the Womens-Meetings in the Order of the Gospel which is the Power of God For they are Meet-helps in this Power which is the Authority of their Meetings And now I say to all you that be against Womens-Meetings or the Mens and say You see no Service for the Womens-Meetings and oppose them you are therein out of the Power of God and his Spirit you live not in For God saw a Service for the Assemblies of the Women in the Time of the Law about those things that appertained to his Worship and Service and to the holy things of his Tabernacle and so do they in the same Spirit see now their Service in the Gospel many things in those Meetings being more proper for the Women to see into than the Men and they in the Power and Wisdom of God may inform the Men of such things as are not proper for them and the Men may inform the Women of such things as are not proper for them as Meet helps each unto another For in the Time of the Law by the Law of God the Women were to Offer as well as the Men and so in the Time of the Gospel much more are they to Offer their Spiritual Sacrifices for they are all called both Men and Women a Royal Priesthood and they are of the Houshold of Faith and they are the Living Stones that make up the Spiritual Building which Christ is the Head of and are to be encouraged in their Labour in the Gospel For all things that they do both Men and Women are to be done in the Power of God And all such as see no Service for these Womens-Meetings or the Mens but do oppose them and make Strife amongst Friends are in the same Spirit of the World that is against and forbids our other Meetings and are in the same Spirit of the World that hath been and is against Womens Speaking in Meetings and says They must be silent c. though the same Apostle commands That Men should keep Silence as well as the Women if there were not an Interpreter And therefore all Friends you may see that the Spirit of the World hath entred such Opposers though they come under another Colour for They would not have us to Meet at all And These are against the Womens-Meetings and some of them against the Men's also and say They see no Service for them Then they may hold their Tongues and not oppose them that do see their Service for God in these Meetings Therefore all you that feel the Power of God and your Service for God as aforesaid in them you Men and Women keep your Meetings in the Power of God the Authority of them as they were settled in it and then ye will be preserved both over this Spirit that opposes them and over the Spirit of the World that opposes your other Meetings For it is all one in the Ground and would bring you into Bondage For such are out of the Peaceable Gospel who oppose its Order and out of the Faith that Works by Love and out of the Wisdom that is gentle and easie and peaceable c. and out of the Kingdom that stands in Peace and Joy Therefore keep over that Spirit that sows Discord or Dissension and would draw you from your Habitation and Possession in the Order of the Gospel For it is the same Spirit that deceived Adam and Eve by which they lost their Habitation in the Righteousness and Holiness and their Dominion and so that Spirit got over them and so it would get over you One while it will tell you It sees no Service for your Meetings and another time Oppose you But I say This is the blind Spirit which is out of the Power of God and which the Power of God is over And therefore keep in the Power that ye may stand up for your Liberty in Christ Jesus Males and Females Heirs of him and of his Gospel and his Order and so stand up for your Liberty in the Gospel and in the Faith which Christ Jesus hath been the Author of for