271 273 274. 278. 289. 293. 296. 306. 308. 327. 343. 407 Knipe John 77. 271. 306 L. LAgo Mary 1 Lambert 214 215 Lambol George 152 Lancaster James 87. 105. 277* 327 332. 349. 357. 361. 364. 366-368 370. 384. 407. Wife 87 88 Lawrence Capt. 153 154. 259 Lawson Thomas 78. 87 John 81. 90 Justice 110 Laythes Thomas 270 Ledger Alderman of Newcast 281 * Leek John 54 Lenthal John Marshal 227-229 Leper Thomas 93 Lidcot Col. his Wife 272* Light John 304 Lindley Isaac 326. 428 Line John Constable 262 Lingard Capt. 267 Lodge Robert 327 332. 428 Long Richard 379 Love John 241 Lower Humphry 185. 219* 245* 262. 264 265. 319 Thomas 211* 212* 245* 209. 304. 384. 388 389. 396. 392-395 402. 407 Doctor 390 391 Mary 336. 407 Lyne Col. 357 M. MAcham Priest 5 Mallet Judge 226-229 Man Edward 395 Marcellinus Pope 299 Marsh Esq 226-228 230. 303 304 322-325 Marshal of the K. Bench see Lenthal Maylin Bartholomew 387 Mayor of Huntington and Wife 224* 259 of Bristol 210 of Cambridge 239. 259 Mayor John Amer. 379 Mead William 341. 430. 488. 499 500. 523. 564. 570. 590 Merrick James 315 Middleton Just 216. 271-273 his man Thomas 216 Milner James 103 Monk General 204. 211 Moore Thomas 171. 238. John 326 Richard 313 Morris William 243. Paul 328 Lewis Col. 356 Mounce Thomas 174 175. 214* 219* 220* 262. 264 Mount Constable 216 217. 306 Mountague Lady 128 Musgrave Dep. Gov. 270 Myer Richard 103 104 Myers Elizabeth 349 N. NAylor James 70. 80. 83. 87 88 90. 156. 167. 171. 220* 245* Needham Hacker's Son 136 Newport Earl 286* Newton Nathaniel 429 Nicholas Edward 228 Nicholson Joseph 104 105 O. OAtes a Baptist 28 Oldenburgh Earl 440 Osburn Will. Col. 268* 272* 276* Otway 267* Sir John 336 Overton Col. 66 Owen Dr. 223* P. PAcker Col. 139 Parker Alexander 136. 140. 149. 224* 277*-279 253. 315. 342. 519. 521-523 Henry Just 388 389. 391-393 395 396. 399. 404 Parnel James 112 113. 132. 152 Thomas 259 Patchyn Thomas 171. 231 Pattison George 349. 357. 361 363-365 367 368 Pauls William Fredrickstadt 441 Pawaw an Indian Priest Amer. 377 Pearson Anthony Just 64. 104. 110. 111. 118. 281** 199 William 270 Thomas 423 Penford John 310 Penn William 341. 384. 432-435 445 446. 452-454 493 494. 521 Gulielma Maria 384. 388 Pennington Isaac 196. 341. 457 Mary 489 Pennyman John 357 Perrot John 241. 248 249. 310 Peters Hugh Chaplain of O. C. 187 Peters Timon Holl. 522 Pickering 3 Pittaway Edward 168. 404 Pocock 314 Pollexfen Henry 201* 254* 262 Pool Capt. 277* Pope Blanch 262 Porter John Amer. 378 Porter Just 216 217. 219. 221 222. 229. 306. 262 Preston Thomas Just 271. 278. 306 his Wife 218 James Amer. 375. 379 380 Priest Bennet of Cartmeil 82. 102 Priest Bowles of York 57 Priest Bâ—yes 63 Priest Britland 30 Priest Burton 101 Priest Camelford 77 Priest of Coventry Dr. Cradock 4 Priest of O. Cromwel 140 Priest Crowder 393 Priest of Gilsland 119 Priest of Grarigg 102 Priest Rowland Haines of Honington 388-390 Priest Hewes 240 Priest of Hexham 119 Priest Hull 208 Priest Jaccus 89-91 Priest Keilet 15 Priest Lampit 77 78. 80. 82. 84. 86. 95 96. Died 422 423 Priest Larkham of Cockermouth 106 Priest of Leicester 15 16 Priest Marshal 70. 88 89 Priest Mounce 174. See Mounce Priests of Newcastle 281* Priest of Reading 206 Priest Roger Williams 432 Priest of Scotland 59 60. 307 Priest Stephens 4-6 30. 131. 134-136 Priest of Sutton 155 Priest Tamworth 4 Priest Tatham 100 Priest of Tewksbury 168 169 Priest Tombs 252 * Priest Townsend 203 204 Priest Whitehead 81 Priest Wilkinson 105 106. 120. 268 * Priest at Harlingen 445 446 at Harlem 451 Purfoy Col. 30 Pursloe Capt. 54 55. 64 Pyot Edward 131. 172-177 189*-200* 214. 221*-224* 210-213 253 R. RAwlinson Tho. 201* 278* Just 271. 273 274. 306 Reckless John Sheriff and Wife 27. 309. 429 Reeves Capt. 320 Richardson Richard 216 Ripan Mayor 90 Roberts Gerard 169. 246. 340. 343. 347. 384. 396 Robertson Thomas 296 Robinson Richard Just Yorksh 64. 73. 80. 308. 423 Andrew Scotl. 271* 272* 333 William 244 Col. in Cornw. 264. Geo. 423 Roeloffs John Amsterd 446 463. 594 Roper Lieut. 70 Rouse Col. Just 185. 264 John 342. 349. 352. 361. 384. 389. 535. 556. 576 Margaret 336. 599 Thomas 352. 354. 356. 361 Rush John 430 S. SAle Richard 240 Salisbury Earl's Son 402 Salmon Ranter 30 Sanders Mary 223* Sands Adam Capt. 77. 80. 99 100 Sands Col. 391 Savil Henry 390 Sawrey Just 78. 80. 85. 88-91 94 95 Scaif Scafe Scarf Philip 58 59 Scott Joseph Amer. 376 Sharman Thomas 213. 251 252 Sharp Peter Maryl 374 Shattock Samuel 242 Shaw William 470 Sheriff of Lincoln 129. 311 Sherman William 522 Shipton Richard 307. 326 Shroeder Christian Dantz 595 Sidon Henry 429 Simcock John 407 Smith William 167. 255-257 311. 429. 432 Humphrey 168 Stephen 342. 387. 456 Hugh Amer. 376 377 Snead Richard 456 Speed Thomas 210 Spencer Just 273 Stacy Thomas 128. 429 Stangley John 457 Starling Samuel 341 Stephens Nathaniel see Priest William Amer. 381 382 Stoddard Amor. Capt. 15. 152 153. 155. 169. 124* 343 Stookes Just 223* Stor Marmaduke 137. 307 Story John 480 Stot Widow 519. 523 Street Justice 398-401 402 Stroud George 394 395 Stubbs Thomas 120 John 123. 150. 245. 248. 253 254. 279. 327. 332. 342. 349 361. 366-369 Studholm Cuthbert Just 114 Sunman Aarent 520 a Swede 442 Sympson William 239. Just 391-393 401 T. TAylcoat William 433 Taylor James 77. 270 Thomas 83. 128. 132. 252* 253* 215. 308. 326 Thomas of Amer. 382 Christopher 84. 480 481 John 428 Tennant 73. Widow 423 Thomas Margaret 253 Thompson Just 88 89 Thurston Thomas Amer. 382 Tickel Hugh 270 Toldervey John 171 Trelawney Elizabeth 174. 211* 245 Tripe Nicholas and Wife 174 a Trooper 45 Turner Judge 276-278 288-293 396 Judge's Son ibid. Twisden Judge 227. 276-278 288. 293-295 Twitty Clerk of the Peace 401. 405 V. VAn de Wall John 432 Vane Henry Esq 197 Vnder-Sheriff of Lancaster 296. 306 W. WAldenfield Samuel 520 521 Walters Thomas 280 Ward Capt. 296 Watkins Morgan 251 Watkinson George Just 281** 308 Watts George 433. 519. 221-523 Welch William his Wife 272* Wells William 429 Wennington Miles 104 West Col. 89 90. 92-94 261* 273 Matthew 306 Weston Baron 488 Whitehead George 124. 204. 342. 458. 469 John 267. 304 305. 428 A Wicked man 17 Widders Robert 93. 118. 261 * 268* 276*-279* 215 216. 226 227. 265. 269. 297. 312. 349. 361. 364 365. 367 368. 381. 384. 423. 470 his Wife 423 Widow-woman Maryl 378 Wiggan Major 196 197. 281 282 Wild Major 312 Wild Judge 394. 402. 405 Willems Willem of Alkmaer 438. 522 Williams Capt. 342 Wilkinson William Capt. 303 Wilson William 279 George Amer. 374 Windham Judge 92 Windsore Lord Lieutenant 389-391 Winsmore Dr. Just 381 Winthrop Governour 244 Wittey Dr. 300 Women several 12. 27 28. 48. 55. 381. Wright Widow Amer. 375. 378 Wrey
of their Worship and to carry those persecuting Priests and People a Lanthorn and Candle as a Figure of their Darkness But they cruelly abused him and like dark Professors as they were they put him into their Prison called Little-Ease and so squeezed his Body therein that not long after he Died. Many Warnings of many sorts were Friends moved in the Power of the Lord to give unto that Generation which they not only rejected but abused Friends calling us Giddy-headed Quakers But God brought his Judgments upon those Persecuting Priests and Magistrates For when the King came in most of them were turned out of their Places and Benefices and the Spoilers were Spoiled And then we could ask them Who were the Giddy-heads now Then many did confess we had been True Prophets to the Nation and said Had we cried against some Priests only they should have liked us then but we crying against All that made them dislike us But now they did see that those Priests which then were looked upon to be the best were as bad as the Rest For indeed some of those that were counted the most-Eminent Priests were the bitterest and greatest Stirrers up of the Magistrates to Persecution And it was a Judgment upon them to be denied the Free Liberty of their Consciences when the King came in because when they were uppermost they would not have had Liberty of Conscience been granted unto others For there was one Hewes of Plymouth a Priest of great Note in Oliver's Days who when some Liberty was granted pray'd That God would put it into the Hearts of the Chief Magistrates of the Nation to remove this cursed Toleration And others of them prayed against it by the name of Intolerable Toleration But a while after when the King was come in and Priest Hewes turned out of his great Benefice for not Conforming to the Common-Prayer a Friend of Plymouth meeting with him asked him Whether he would account Toleration Accursed now And Whether he would not now be glad of a Toleration To which the Priest returned no Answer save by the shaking of his Head But as stiff as this sort of Men were then against Toleration it is well known that many of them petitioned the King for Toleration and for Meeting-Places and paid for Licences too But to return to the present Time the latter end of the Year 1660. and beginning of 1661. Although those Friends that had been Imprisoned upon the Rising of those Monarchy-Men were set at Liberty yet Meetings were much disturbed and great Sufferings Friends went under For besides what was done by Officers and Souldiers many wild Fellows and rude People often came in There came one time when I was at Pell-Mell an Embassador with a Company of Irish Men with rude Fellows The Meeting was done before they came and I was gone up into a Chamber where I heard one of them say he would kill all the Quakers So I went down to him and was moved in the Power of the Lord to speak to him and I told him The Law said An Eye for an Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth but thou threatens to kill all the Quakers though they have done thee no hurt But said I here is Gospel for thee Here 's my Hair and here 's my Cheek and here 's my Shoulder turning it to him This came so over him that he and his Companions stood as Men amazed and said If that was our Principle and if we were as we said they never saw the like in their Lives I told them What I was in Words I was the same in Life Then the Embassador came in for he had stood without for he said that Irish Colonel was such a desperate Man that he durst not come in with him for fear he should have done us some Mischief but Truth came over him and he carried himself lovingly towards us and so did the Embassador also for the Lord's Power was over them all At Mile-End Friends were kept out of their Meeting-Place by Souldiers but Friends stood Nobly in the Truth and were Valiant for the Lord's Name and at last the Truth gave them Dominion About this time we had Account that John Love a Friend that was moved to go and bear Testimony against the Idolatry of the Papists was dead in Prison at Rome and it was suspected he was privately put to Death in Prison John Perrot was also Prisoner there and being released came over again But after his Arrival here he with Charles Baily and some others turned aside from the Vnity of Friends and Truth Whereupon I was moved to give forth a Paper declaring how the Lord would blast them all both him and his Followers if they did not Repent and Return and that they should wither like the Grass on the House-top and so many of them did but others of them returned and repented Also before this time we received Account from New-England That the Government there had made a Law to Banish the Quakers out of their Colonies upon pain of Death in case they returned and that several of our Friends having been so banished and returning were thereupon taken and actually Hanged and that divers more were in Prison in danger of the like Sentence to be executed upon them When those were put to Death I was in Prison at Lancaster and had a perfect Sense of their Sufferings as though it had been my self and as though the Halter had been put about my own Neck though we had not at that time heard of it But as soon as we heard of it Edward Burrough went to the King and told him There was a Vein of Innocent Blood opened in his Dominions which if it were not stopt would over-run all To which the King replied But I will stop that Vein Edward Burrough said Then do it speedily for we know not how many may soon be put to Death The King answered As speedily as ye will Call said he to some present the Secretary and I will do it presently So the Secretary being called a Mandamus was forthwith granted A Day or two after Ed. Burrough going again to the King to desire the matter might be expedited the King said He had no Occasion at present to send a Ship thither but if we would send one we might do it as soon as we would Ed. Burrough then asked the King If it would please him to grant his Deputation to one called a Quaker to carry the Mandamus to New-England which is hereafter inserted He said Yes to whom ye will Whereupon E. B. named one Samuel Shattock as I remember who being an Inhabitant of New-England was banished by their Law to be hanged if he came again and to him the Deputation was granted Then we sent for one Ralph Goldsmith an honest Friend who was Master of a good Ship and with him we agreed for Three Hundred Pounds Goods or no Goods to Sail in Ten Days He forthwith prepared to set Sail and with
in the time of the Commonwealth and of Oliver and Richard the Protectors through cruel and hard Imprisonments upon Nasty Straw and in Dungeons Thirty Two Persons There have been also Imprisoned in thy Name since thy Arrival by such as thought to ingratiate themselves thereby to thee Three Thousand Sixty and Eight Persons Besides this our Meetings are daily broken up by Men with Clubs and Arms though we Meet peaceably according to the Practice of God's People in the Primitive times and our Friends are thrown into Waters and trod upon till the very Blood gusheth out of them the number of which Abuses can hardly be uttered Now this we would have of Thee to set them at Liberty that lie in Prison in the Names of the Common-wealth and of the two Protectors and them that lie in Thy own Name for speaking the Truth and for good Conscience sake who have not lifted up an Hand against thee nor any Man and that the Meetings of our Friends who meet peaceably together in the Fear of God to Worship him may not be broken up by rude People with their Clubs and Swords and Staves One of the greatest things that we have suffered for formerly was because we could not Swear to the Protectors and all the changeable Governments and now we are Imprisoned because we cannot take the Oath of Allegiance Now if Yea be not Yea and Nay Nay to thee and to all Men upon the Earth let us suffer as much for breaking of that as others do for breaking an Oath We have suffered these many years both in Lives and Estates under these Changeable Governments because we cannot Swear but obey Christ's Doctrine who commands We should not swear at all Matth. 5. Jam. 5. and this we Seal with our Lives and Estates with our Yea and Nay according to the Doctrine of Christ Hearken to these things and so consider them in the Wisdom of God that by it such Actions may be stopped Thou that hast the Government and may'st do it We desire that all that are in Prison may be set at Liberty and that for the time to come they may not be Imprisoned for Conscience and for the Truth 's sake And if thou question the Innocency of their Sufferings let them and their Accusers be brought up before thee and we shall produce a more particular and full Account of their Sufferings if required G. F. R. H. I mentioned before how that in the Year 1650. I was kept Prisoner Six Months in the House of Correction at Darby and that the Keeper of the Prison being a Cruel Man and one that had dealt very wickedly by me was smitten in himself the Plagues and Terrors of the Lord falling upon him because thereof this Man being afterwards Convinced of Truth wrote me the following Letter Dear Friend HAving such a Convenient Messenger I could do no less than give thee an Account of my present Condition remembring that to the first Awakening of me to a Sense of Life and of the Inward Principle God was pleased to make use of thee as an Instrument So that sometimes I am taken with Admiration that it should come by such a means as it did that is to say That Providence should order thee to be my Prisoner to give me my first real sight of the Truth It makes me many times to think of the Jailer's Conversion by the Apostles O happy George Fox 1662. London that first breathed that Breath of Life within the Walls of my Habitation Notwithstanding my outward Losses are since that time such that I am become nothing in the World yet I hope I shall find that all these light Afflictions which are but for a moment will work for me a far more exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory They have taken all from me and now instead of keeping a Prison I am rather waiting when I shall become a Prisoner my self Pray for me that my Faith fail not but that I may hold out to the Death that I may receive a Crown of Life I earnestly desire to hear from thee and of thy Condition which would very much rejoice me Not having else at present but my kind Love unto thee and all Christian Friends with thee in haste I rest Derby the 22th of the 4th Month 1662. Thine in Christ Jesus Thomas Sharman There were Two of our Friends in Prison in the Inquisition at Malta they were both Women The name of the one was Katharine Evans and of the other Sarah Chevers I was told that One called the Lord D' Aubeny could procure their Liberty wherefore I went to him And having Informed him concerning their Imprisonment desired him to write to the Magistrates there for their Release He readily promised me he would and said If I would come again within a Month he would tell me of their Discharge I went agaâ—n about that time and he said he thought his Letters had Miscarried because he had received no Answer But he promised he would write again and he did so and thereupon they were both set at Liberty With this Great Man I had a great deal of Reasoning about Religion and he did confess that Christ hath enlightned every Man that cometh into the World with his Spiritual Light and that he had tasted Death for every Man and that the Grace of God which brings Salvation hath appeared to all Men and that it would teach them and bring their Salvation if they did obey it Then I asked him What would They the Papists do with all their Relicks and Images if they did own and believe in this Light and receive the Grace to teach them and bring their Salvation And he said Those things were but Policies to keep People in Subjection Very free he was in Discourse and I never heard a Papist Confess so much as he did Now though several about the Court began to grow Loving to Friends yet the Persecution was very hot and several Friends died in Prison Whereupon I gave forth a little Paper concerning the Grounds and Rise of Persecution which was thus ALL the Sufferings of the People of God in all Ages were because they could not Join to the National Religions and Worships which Men had made and set up and because they would not forsake God's Religion and his Worship which he had set up And ye may see through all Chronicles and Histories how that the Priests joined with the Powers of the Nations The Magistrates and Soothsayers and Fortune-tellers all these joined against the People of God and did imagin vain things against them in their Counsels And when the Jews did badly they turned against Moses and when the Jewish Kings transgressed the Law of God then they persecuted the Prophets as may be seen in the Prophets Writings And when Christ the Substance came then the Jews persecuted Christ and his Apostles and Disciples And when the Jews had not Power enough of themselves to persecute answerable to their Wills then
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
is a Change of the Nature of the Mind and of the Heart and of the Spirit and Affections which have been below which come to be set above and so receive the things that are from Above and have the Conversation in Heaven above not that Conversation which is according to the Power of the Prince of the Air that now rules in the Disobedient So all be faithful This is the Word of the Lord God unto you all See that Godliness do flow and Holiness and Righteousness and Truth and Vertue and the Fruits of the Good Spirit over the Bad and its Fruits that ye may answer that which is of God in all for your Heavenly Father is glorified in that you bear and bring forth much Fruit to God Therefore ye who are Plants of his planting and his Trees of Righteousness see that every Tree be full of Fruit. And all keep in the true Humility and in the true Love of God which doth edify his Body that the true Nourishment from the Head the Refreshings and Springs and Rivers of Water and Bread of Life may be plenteously known and felt amongst you that so Praises may ascend to God So all be faithful to the Lord God and just and true in all your Dealings and Doings with end towards Men. And be not negligent in your Men's Meetings to admonish and to exhort and to reprove in the Spirit of Love and of Meekness and to seek that which is lost and to bring back again that which hath been driven away So let all Minds and Spirits and Souls and Hearts be bended down under the Yoke of Christ Jesus the Power of God Much I could write but am Weak and have been very Weak mostly since I left you and Burdens and Travels I have been under and gone through many ways but it is well And the Lord Almighty knows my Work which he hath sent me forth to do by his everlasting Arm and Power which is from Everlasting to Everlasting blessed be his Holy Name which I am in and in which my Love is to you all G. F. After I had recovered so much Strength that I was able to go abroad and had been a little amongst Friends I went to visit the Governour at his House Lewis Morice Thomas Rouse and some other Friends being with me And indeed he received us very Civilly and treated us very kindly making us Dine with him and keeping us most part of the Day before he let us go away Bridge-Town The same Week I went down to the Bridge-Town where I had not been before save as I passed through it when I first came into the Island There was to be a General Meeting of Friends that Week and the Visit I had newly made to the Governour and kind Reception I had with him being generally known to the Officers both Civil and Military there came many of them to this Meeting from most parts of the Island and those not of the meanest Rank divers of them being Judges or Justices Colonels or Captains so that a very great Meeting we had both of Friends and others The Lord 's Blessed Power was plentifully with us in this Meeting And although I was somewhat straitned for Time three other Friends having spoken before me yet the Lord opened things through me to the general and great Satisfaction of them that were present Col. Lewis Morice came to this Meeting and with him a Neighbour of his a Judge in the Country whose Name was Ralph Fretwell who was very well satisfied with the Meeting and received the Truth After the Meeting I went home with Lewis Morice to his House that Night being about Nine or Ten Miles going part of the way by Boat the rest on Horse-back This place where Lewis Morice his Plantation was I thought to be the finest Air of the Island The next day Thomas Briggs and William Edmundson came thither to see me they intending to leave the Island the day following and to go upon the Lord's Service to Antego and Mevis Lewis Morice went with them and at Antego they had several good Meetings to which there was a great Resort of People and many were Convinced there at that time But when they had finished their Service there and went thence to Mevis the Governour of Mevis who was an old Persecutor sent Souldiers on Board the Vessel to stop them from coming on Shore and would not suffer them to Land Wherefore after Friends of the Place had been on Board the Vessel and with them and they had been sweetly Refreshed together in feeling the Lord's Power and Presence amongst them they returned to Antego again Where having staid a while longer they came back again to Barbados Thomas Brigges being very Weak and Ill. Of the other Friends that came over with me from England James Lancaster John Cartwright and Geo. Pattison were gone some time before to Jamaica and others to other places so that few remained in Barbados with me Yet we had many great and precious Meetings both for Worship and for the Affairs of the Church to the former of which many of the World came At one of these Meetings there came amongst others one Col. Lyne a sober Person who was so very well satisfied with what I declared that he afterward said Now I can gainsay such as I have heard speak evil of you who say you do not own Christ nor that he died whereas I perceive you exalt Christ in all his Offices beyond what I have ever heard before This Man observing one to take in Writing the Heads of what I delivered desired him to let him have a Copy of it and afterward staid another day with us before he went away so great a Love was raised in him to the Truth And indeed a very great Convincement there was in most parts of the Island which made the Priests and some Professors fret and rage Our Meetings were very large and full and free from disturbance from the Government though the envious Priests and Professors endeavoured to stir up the Magistrates against us And when they found they could not prevail that way some of them that were Baptists came to the Meeting at the Town which was very large and full of People of several Ranks and Qualities A great Company came also with them and they brought with them a malicious slanderous Paper written by John Pennyman with which they made a great Noise But the Lord gave me Wisdom and Vtterance to Answer their Cavils So that the Auditory generally received Satisfaction and those quarrelsome Professors lost ground by their coming When they had wearied themselves with Clamour they went away but the People staying the Meeting was continued and the things they cavilled about were further opened and cleared and the Life and Power of God came over all But the Rage and Envy in our Adversaries did not cease but they endavoured to defame Friends with many false and scandalous Reports which they spread
are with me and we are well Glory to the Lord for ever who hath carried us through many Perils Perils by Water and in Storms Perils by Pirates and Robbers Perils in the Wilderness and amongst false Professors Praises to him whose Glory is over all for ever Amen Therefore mind the fresh Life and live all to God in it I do intend if the Lord will to stay a while this-away it may be till the Fair. So no more but my Love to all Friends Bristol the 28th Day of the 4th Month 1673. G. F. Between this and the Fair my Wife came out of the North to Bristol to me and her Son-in-Law Thomas Lower with two of her Daughters came with her And her other Son-in-Law John Rouse and W. Penn and his Wife and Gerrard Roberts came down from London and many Friends from several parts of the Nation came to the Fair and glorious powerful Meetings we had there at that time for the Lord 's Infinite Power and Life was over all In the fresh Openings whereof I was moved to declare of Three Estates and Three Teachers viz. That God was the first Teacher of Man and Woman in Paradise And as long as they kept to and under God's Teaching they kept in the Image of God and in his Likeness in Righteousness and Holiness and in Dominion over all that God had made in the blessed State in the Paradise of God But when they heark'ned to the Serpent's false Teaching who was out of Truth and disobeyed God and obeyed the Serpent in feeding upon that which God forbad them then they lost the Image of God the Righteousness and Holiness and came under the Power of Satan and were turned out of Paradise out of the Blessed into the Cursed State And then the Promise of God was That the Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpent's Head and break his Power that Man and Woman were under and destroy his Works So here were Three States and Three Teachers God was the first Teacher in Paradise and whilst Man kept under his Teaching he was happy The Serpent was the Second Teacher and when Man followed his Teaching he came into Misery and into the Fall from the Image of God and Righteousness and Holiness and from the Power that he had over all that God had made and came under the Serpent whom he had Power over before Christ Jesus was the Third Teacher of whom God saith This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him and who himself saith Learn of me This is the true Gospel-Teacher who bruises the Head of the Serpent that is the False Teacher and the Head of all False Teachers and of all False Religions False Ways False Worships and False Churches Now Christ who said Learn of me and of whom the Father said Hear ye him he said I am the Way to God I am the Truth I am the Life and the true Light So as Man and Woman come up again to God and are renewed up into his Image Righteousness and Holiness by Christ thereby they come up into the Paradise of God the State which Man was in before he fell and into an higher State than that to sit down in Christ that never fell Therefore the Son of God is to be heard in all things who is the Saviour and the Redeemer and hath laid down his Life and bought his Sheep with his precious Blood And we can challenge all the World Who hath any thing to say against our Way our Saviour our Redeemer who is our Prophet whom God hath raised up that we may hear and whom we must hear in all things Who hath any thing against our Shepherd Christ Jesus who leads and feeds us and we know his Heavenly Voice And who hath any thing against our Bishop in whose Mouth was never Guile found who doth Oversee us in his Pasture of Life that we do not go astray from God and out of his Fold And who hath any thing against our Priest Christ Jesus made higher than the Heavens who gives us freely and commands us to give freely And who hath any thing to say against our Leader and Counsellor Christ Jesus who never sinned but is holy and harmless and separate from Sinners God hath commanded us to hear him and he saith Learn of me and if we should disobey God's and Christ's Command we should be like our Father Adam and Mother Eve who disobeyed God's Command and hearkned to the Serpent's Teaching Now Man commands and would force us to hear the Hirelings who plead for Sin and the Body of Death to the Grave which Doctrine savours of the Devil 's Teaching not of Christ's But we resolve to hear the Son as both he and the Father command and in hearing the Son we hear the Father also as the Scripture testifies For the Author to the Hebrews says God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son Mark that God hath spoken unto us his Apostles Disciples Church by his Son And whereas some have objected That although Christ did speak both to his Disciples and to the Jews in the days of his Flesh yet since his Resurrection and Ascension he doth not speak now The Answer is That as God did then speak by his Son in the Days of his Flesh so the Son Christ Jesus doth now speak by his Spirit Wherefore John saith in the Revelations He that hath an Ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches Rev. 2. And Christ is said to speak from Heaven Heb. 12.25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on Earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven They that resisted Moses his Law who spake on Earth died for it without Mercy which was a Natural Death but they that refuse him that speaks from Heaven neglect and slight their own Salvation and so die a Spiritual Death through Unbelief and Hardness of Heart Therefore was the Exhortation given of old To day if ye will hear his Voice harden not your Hearts as in the Provocation c. Heb. 3.15 c. So that they who neglect or refuse to hear the Voice of Christ now speaking from Heaven in this his Gospel-Day harden their Hearts Therefore let all mark well thâ—se three States and Teachers The God of Truth was the first Teacher wâ—â—â—e Man was in Paradise and in Innocency The Serpent was the second Teacher the false Teacher who by his false Teaching came to be the God of the World which lies in Wickedneâ—s Christ Jesus that bruises the Serpent's Head is the third Teacher who saith Learn of me and of whom God saith This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Hear ye him and of whom the Testimony of the Saints of Old was That
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
de Bemise Disp fol. 71. Irenaeus affirmed That all forcing of Conscience though it was but a forbidding of the Exercise which is esteemed by one or another to be necessary to Salvation is in no wise right nor fitting He also affirmed That through the diversity of Religions the Kingdom should not be brought into any disturbance Constantius the Emperour said That it was enough that he preserved the Vnity of the Faith that he might be excusable before the Judgment-seat of God and that he would leave every one to his own Vnderstanding according to the Account he will give before the Judgment-seat of Christ Here-to may we stir up People said he not Compel them beseech them to come into the Unity of the Christians but to do Violence to them we will not in any wise Sebast Frank Chron. fol. 127. Augustinus said Some disturbed the Peace of the Church while they went about to root out the Tares before their time and through this Error of Blindness said he are they themselves separated so much the more from being united unto Christ Retnaldus testified That he who with Imprisoning and Persecuting seeketh to spread the Gospel and greaseth his hands with Blood shall much rather be looked upon for a wild Hunter than a Preacher or a Defender of the Christian Religion I have for a long season determined said Henry the IV. K. of France in his Speech to the Parliament 1599. to Reform the Church which without Peace said he I cannot do and it is impossible to Reform or Convert People by Violence I am King as a Shepherd said he and will not shed the Blood of my Sheep but will gather them through the Mildness and Goodness of a King and not through the Power of Tyranny and I will give them that are of the Reformed Religion right Liberty to live and dwell free without being examined perplexed molested or compelled to any thing contrary to their Consciences for they shall have the free Exercise of their Religion c. Vid. Chron. Van de Underg 2. deel p. 1514. Ennius said Wisdom is driven out when the Matter is acted by Force And therefore the best of Men and most glorious of Princes were always ready to give Toleration Euseb in his Second Book of the Life of Constantine reports these words of the Emperour Let them which err with Joy receive the like fruition of Peace and Quietness with the Faithful sith the restoring of Communication and Society may bring them into the right Way of Truth let none give Molestation to any let every one do as he determines in his Mind And indeed there is great reason for Princes to give Toleration to disagreeing Persons whose Opinions cannot by fair means be altered for if the Persons be Confident they will serve God according to their Perswasions and if they be publickly prohibited they will privately Convene and then all those Inconveniencies and Mischiefs which are Arguments against the permission of Conventicles are Arguments for the publick permissions of differing Religions c. they being restrained and made miserable endears the discontented Persons mutually and makes more hearty and dangerous Confederations The like Counsel in the Divisions of Germany at the first Reformation was thought reasonable by the Emperour Ferdinand and his excellent Son Maximilian for they had observed that Violence did exasperate was unblest unsuccessful and unreasonable and therefore they made Decrees of Toleration The Duke of Savoy repenting of his War undertaken for Religion against the Piedmontans promised them Toleration and was as good as his Word Also it is remarkable that till the time of Justinian the Emperour Anno Domini 525. the Catholicks and Novatians had Churches indifferently permitted even in Rome it self And Paul preached the Kingdom of God teaching those things which concerned the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence and no man forbad him and this he did for the space of two years in his own hired house at Rome and received all that came to him NOW O KING seeing these Noble Testimonies concerning Liberty of Conscience of Kings Emperours and others and the Liberty that Paul had at Rome in the days of the Heathen-Emperour our desire is that we may have the same Liberty at Dantzick to Meet together in our own hired Houses which cannot be any prejudice either to the King and the City of Dantzick for us to meet together to wait upon the Lord and pray unto him and to serve and worship him in Spirit and Truth in our own hired Houses seeing our Principle leads us to hurt no Man but to Love our Enemies and to pray for them yea them that do persecute us And therefore O King Consider and the City of Dantzick would you not think it hard for others to force you from your Religion to another contrary to your Consciences And if it be so that you would think it hard to you then do you unto others as you would have them do unto you do not you that unto others which you would not have men do unto you for that is the Royal Law which ought to be obeyed And so in Love to thy Immortal Soul and for thy Eternal Good this is written G. F. POST-SCRIPT BLessed be the Merciful for they shall obtain Mercy And remember O King Justin Martyr's two Apologies to the Roman Emperours in the Defence of the persecuted Christians and that notable Apology which was written by Tertullian upon the same Subject which are not only for the Christian Religion but against all Persecution for Religion Dear Peter Hendricks and John Claus and J. Rawlins and all the rest of Friends in Amsterdam Friezland and Rotterdam to whom is my Love in the Seed of Life that 's over all I Received thy Letter with a Letter from Dantzick I have written something to you to the King of Poland which you may translate into High-Dutch and send it to Friends there to give it to the King or you may print it after it be delivered in Manuscript which may be serviceable to other Princes So in haste with my Love And the Lord God Almighty over all give you dominion in his Eternal Power and in it over all preserve you and keep you to his Glory that you may answer that of God in all People Amen London the 13th of 9th Month 1677. George Fox I continued yet in and about London some Weeks the Parliament sitting again and Friends Attending upon them to get some Redress of our Sufferings which about this time were very great and heavy upon many Friends in divers parts of the Nation they being very unduly prosecuted upon the Statutes made against Popish Recusants Though our Persecutors could not but know that Friends were utterly against Popery having born Testimony against it in Word and Writing and suffered under it But though many of the Members of Parliament in either House were kind to Friends and willing to have done something for their Ease yet having much
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
preach at Damascus and at Jerusalem and throughout all the Coasts of Judea and then to the Gentiles turning them from Darkness to the Light of Christ and from the Power of Satan to God that they should Repent and turn to God and do works meet for Repentance Acts 26.20 Now here ye may see that People must Repent before they do believe and are baptized and before they receive the Holy Ghost and the Kingdom of God And they must Repent of their vain Life and Conversation before they do receive the Gospel and must be turned from Darkness to the Light of Christ and from the power of Satan unto God before they do receive his Holy Spirit and his Gospel of Life and Salvation The Lord doth command all Men every where to Repent and do works meet for Repentance So they must shew forth 1687. Gooses that their Lives and Conversations and Tongues are changed and that they do serve God in the Newness of Life with new Tongues and new Hearts Gooses the 6th Month 1687. G. F. Another short Paper I writ about the same time shewing Wherein God's People should be like unto him It was thus GOD is Righteous and he would have his People to be righteous and to do righteously And God is Holy and he would have his People holy and to do holily And God is Just and he would have his People to be just and to do justly to all God is Light and his Children must walk in his Light And God is an eternal infinite Spirit and his Children must walk in the Spirit God is Merciful and he would have his People to be Merciful God's Sun shines upon the Good and the Bad and he causes the Rain to fall upon the Evil and the Good so should his People do good unto all God is Love and they that dwell in love dwell in God Love worketh no Ill to his Neighbour therefore Love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 And the Apostle saith All the Law is fulfilled in one word even in this Thou shalt love thy Neigbour as thy self Gal. 5.14 As the Father hath loved me so I have loved you continue ye in my love John 15.9 This should be the practice of all God's People Gooses the 6th Month 1687. G. F. And because most People would own and Confess that God's People should be thus but few knew how to come to this state Therefore in the Openings of the Spirit of Truth I writ another short Paper directing to The right Way and Means whereby People might come unto Christ and so be made like unto God That was thus CHrist saith I am the Way the Truth and the Life no Man cometh unto the Father but by me John 14.6 And again No Man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him John 6.44 Now what is the Means by which God doth draw People to his Son but by his holy Spirit who poureth out of his Spirit upon all Flesh that is all Men and Women And by this holy Spirit the holy and righteous God doth draw People from their Unrighteousness and Unholiness to Christ the righteous and holy One the great Prophet in his New Covenant and New Testament whom Moses in the Old Covenant and Testament said God would raise up like unto him and whom People should hear in all things and they that would not hear him should be Cut off Now they that do not hear the Son of God the great Prophet do not mind the drawing of the Father by his holy Spirit to his Son But they that do mind the drawings of the good Spirit of the Father to his Son the Spirit doth give them Understanding to know God and Jesus Christ which is Eternal Life And then they do know that Jesus Christ is the Way the Truth and the Life and that none can come unto God but by and through his Son Jesus Christ who is their Shepherd to feed them at his Pastures and Springs of Life and his Sheep do know his holy Voice in whom there was no sin and in whose mouth there was no guile and an Hireling they will not hear for he careth not for the Sheep for they are not the Hireling's but Christ's who hath laid down his Life for his Sheep And he that robs and steals his Neighbour's Words and climeth up another way and entereth not by the Door he is a Thief and a Robber But Christ is the Door into his Sheepfold for his Sheep to enter in by And so they know that Christ is the Bishop of their Souls to see that they do not go astray from God nor out of his Pastures of Life And they do know that Christ is their Mediator and makes their Peace with God And they do know that Christ is their High-Priest made higher than the Heavens and hath died for their sins and doth cleanse them with his Blood and is risen for their Justification and is able to the utmost to save all that come to God by him Gooses the 6th Month 1687. G. F. Before I left this place I writ another Paper the Scope whereof was to shew by many Instances taken out of the holy Scriptures That the Kingdom of God which most People talk of at a distance and refer altogether to another life is in some measure to be known and entred into in this life but that none can know an Entrance thereinto but such as are Regenerated and Born again Of that Paper the following is a Copy CHrist saith Except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God John 3.3 That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit ver 6. So Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God ver 5. And John writing to the seven Churches in Asia calls himself their Brother and Companion in Tribulation and in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ Rev. 1.9 Here you may see that John was in the Kingdom so he was born again for he did not only see the Kingdom but was in it And John saith Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God therefore the World knoweth us not because it knew him not 1 John 3.1 And Beloved now are we the Sons of God ver 2. And If ye know that he is Righteous ye know that every one that doth Righteousness is born of him Chap. 2.29 And Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his Seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God Ch. 3.9 Again John saith Let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love Ch. 4.7 8. Again Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God Ch. 5.1 And
Power of God and we are Heirs of Christ who have inherited him and his Everlasting Kingdom and do possess the Power of an Endless Life Knowing this our Portion and Inheritance this is to take off all Jealousies out of your Minds and out of the Minds of all People concerning us That all Plots and Conspiracies Plotters and Conspirators against the King and all Aiders or Assisters thereunto we always did and do utterly deny to be any of us or to be of the Fellowship of the Gospel or to be of Christ's Kingdom or to be his Servants For Christ said His Kingdom was not of this World if it were his Servants would fight And therefore he bid Peter Put up his Sword for said he he that taketh the Sword shall perish by the Sword Here is the Faith and Patience of the Saints to bear and suffer all things knowing as we know that Vengeance is the Lord's and he will repay it to them that hurt his People and that do wrong to the Innocent Therefore cannot we avenge but suffer for his Name 's sake And we do know that the Lord will judge the World in Righteousness according to their Deeds and that when every one shall give an Account to him of the Deeds done in the Body then will the Lord give every Man according to his Works whether they be Good or whether they be Evil. Christ saith he came not to destroy Men's Lives And when his Disciples would have had Fire to come down from Heaven to have consumed them that did not receive him he told them They knew not what Spirit they were of that would have Mens Lives destroyed and therefore he rebuked them and told them That he came not to destroy Men's Lives but to save them Now we are of Christ's Mind who is the great Prophet whom all ought to hear in all things who saith to his If they strike thee on one Cheek turn the other and render to no Man Evil for Evil. This Doctrine of his have we learned and do not only confess him in Words but follow his Doctrine and therefore have and do we suffer all manner of Reproaches Scandals and Slanders and spoiling of Goods Buffetings and Whippings Stripes and Imprisonments for these many years and can say The Lord forgive them that have thus served us and lay not these things to their Charge And we know that the Jews outward Sword by which they cut down the Heathen outwardly was a Type of the inward Sword of the Spirit which cuts down the inward Heathen the raging Nature in People And the Blood of Bulls Lambs Rams and other Offerings and that Priesthood that offered them together with other things in the Law were Types of Christ the one Offering and of his Blood who is the Everlasting Priest and Covenant Christ our Life and Way to God and who is the great Prophet and Shepherd that looks to his Flock and the Head of his Church and the great Bishop of our Souls whom we witness come and he doth oversee and keep his Flock For in Adam in the Fall we know the striving quarrelling unpeaceable Spirits are in the Enmity one with another and not in Peace But in Christ Jesus the Second Adam that never fell is Peace Rest and Life And the Doctrine of Christ who never sinned is to love one another and who be in this Doctrine hurt no man in which we are in Christ who is our Life Therefore it is well for you to distinguish betwixt the Precious and the Vile between them that fear God and serve him and them that do not and to put a difference between the Innocent and the Guilty and between him that is Holy and Pure and the Ungodly and Prophane for they that do not so bring Troubles Burdens and Sorrows upon themselves And this we write in Love to your Souls that ye may consider these things for they that hate Enemies and hate one another we cannot say they are of God nor in Christ's Doctrine but are Opposers of it And such as wrestle with Flesh and Blood with Carnal Weapons are gone into the Flesh out of the Spirit They are not in our Fellowship in the Spirit in which is the Bond of Peace neither are they of Vs nor have we Vnity with them in their fleshly state and with their Carnal Weapons For our Unity and Fellowship stands in the Gospel which is the Power of God before the Devil was the Liar and the Murderer the Man-slayer and the Envious Man Now Christ's Mind and his Doctrine being to save Men's Lives we who are of Christ's Mind are out of and above these things And our desire is 1664. Lancaster Castle that in the Fear of the Lord ye may all Live that in that ye may all receive God's Wisdom by which all things were created that by it all may be ordered to God's Glory This is from them that love all your Souls and seek your Eternal Good Being now a Prisoner in Lancaster Castle a deep sense came upon me of a Day of sore Trial and Exercise that was come and coming upon all that had been high in Profession of Religion And I was moved to give forth the following Paper as a Warning unto such NOw is the Day that every one's Faith and Love to God and Christ will be Tried and who are Redeemed out of the Earth and who are in the Earth will be manifested and who is their Master they serve and whether they will run to the Mountains to Cover them Now will it appear who are the Stony Ground who are the Thorny Ground and who are the High-way-Ground in whom the Fowls of the Air take away the Seed and the Thorns and Cares of the World Choke and the Heat of Persecution scorches and burns up your green Blade For the Day trieth all things Therefore let not such as forsake Truth for saving the Earth say that your Brother Priest only serveth not the Lord Jesus Christ but his own Belly and mindeth Earthly things for such themselves also do the same and do hug and embrace Self and not the Lord. Now it will be made manifest who is every ones God and Christ and Saviour and their Love will be manifest whether it be of the World or the Love of God for if it be the Love of the World it is Enmity and the Enmity will manifest it self what it is and the Day will Try every Spirit and his Fruits Therefore all my dear Friends In the Everlasting Seed of God live that is over all the House of Adam and his Works in the Fall and so dwelling in the Seed Christ that never fell in him you all have Vertue and Life and Peace and through him ye will overcome all that is in the Fall G. F. I writ also another Short Epistle to Friends to Warn them to keep out of that Spirit that wrought in John Perrot and his Company against the Truth Dear Friends DWell in
the Love of God and in his Righteousness that will preserve you above all Changeable Spirits that be foul and unclean and that dwell not in the Truth but in Quarrels Avoid such and keep your Habitations in the Truth and dwell in the Truth and in the Word of God by which ye are reconciled to God And keep your Meetings in the Name of Jesus Christ that never fell and then ye will see over all the Gatherings of Adam's Sons and Daughters you being Met in the Life over them all in which is your Vnity and Peace and Fellowship with God and one with another in the Life in which ye may enjoy God's Presence among you So remember me to all Friends in the everlasting Seed of God And all they that are gotten into Fellowship in outward things their Fellowship will corrupt and rot and wither away Therefore live in the Gospel the Power of God which Power of God the Gospel was before the Devil was And this Fellowship in the Gospel the Power of God is a Mystery to all the Fellowships in the World So look over all outward Sufferings and look at the Lord and the Lamb who is the First and Last the Amen in whom farewell G. F. Lancaster Assizes In the Sixth Month the Assizes were held again at Lancaster and the same Judges Twisden and Turner came that Circuit again but Judge Turner then sate on the Crown-Bench and so I was brought before him But before I was called to the Bar I was put among the Murderers and Fellons for about the space of two hours the People the Justices and the Judge also gazing upon me After they had Tried several others they called me to the Bar and impanneled a Jury And then the Judge asked the Justices Whether they had tendered me the Oath at the Sessions And they said They had Then he bid Give them the Book that they might swear they had tendered me the Oath according to the Indictment Some of the Justices refused to be Sworn but the Judge said he would have it done to take away all Occasion of Exception Now when the Jury were sworn and the Justices had sworn That they had tendered me the Oath according to the Indictment then the Judge asked me Whether I had not refused the Oath at the last Assizes I said I never took Oath in my Life and Christ the Saviour and Judge of the World said Swear not at all The Judge seemed not to take notice of my Answer but asked me Whether or no I had not refused to take the Oath at the last Assize I said The Words that I then spake to them were That if they could prove either Judge Justices Priest or Teacher that after Christ and the Apostle had forbidden Swearing they commanded that Christians should Swear I would Swear The Judge said He was not at that time to dispute whether it was lawful to Swear but to Inquire whether I had refused to take the Oath or no. I told him Those things mentioned in the Oath as Plotting against the King and owning the Pope's or any other Forreign Power I utterly deny Well said he You say well in that but did you deny to take the Oath What say you What would'st thou have me to say said I for I have told thee before what I did say Then he asked me If I would have these Men to Swear that I had taken the Oath I asked him ' If he would have those Men to Swear that I had refused the Oath At which the Court burst out into Laughter I was grieved to see so much Lightness in a Court where such Solemn Matters are handled and thereupon asked them If this Court was a Play-house Where is Gravity and Sobriety said I 1664. Lancaster Assizes for this Behaviour doth not become you Then the Clerk read the Indictment and I told the Judge I had something to speak to it for I had Informed my self of the Errors that were in it He told me He would hear me afterward any Reasons that I could alledge why he should not give Judgment Then I spake to the Jury and told them That they could not bring me in Guilty according to that Indictment for the Indictment was wrong laid and had many gross Errors in it The Judge said I must not speak to the Jury but he would speak to them and he told them I had denied to take the Oath at the last Assizes and said he I can tender the Oath to any Man now and Premunire him for not taking it And he said They must bring me in Guilty seeing I refused to take the Oath Then said I what do ye do with a Form Ye may throw away your Form then And I told the Jury it lay upon their Consciences as they would answer it to the Lord God before his Judgment-Seat Then the Judge spake again to the Jury and I bid him do me Justice So the Jury brought me in Guilty Whereupon I told them That both the Justices and they too had forsworn themselves and therefore they had small cause to laugh as they did a little before Oh the Envy and Rage and Malice that was there against me and the Lightness But the Lord confounded them and they were wonderfully stopt So they set me aside and called up Margaret Fell who had a great deal of good Service amongst them and then the Court brake up near the Second Hour In the Afternoon we were brought up again to have Sentence passed upon us And Margaret Fell desired that Sentence might be deferred till the next Morning I desired nothing but Law and Justice at his hands for the Thieves had Mercy Only I desired the Judge to send some to see my Prison which was so bad they would put no Creature they had in it and I told him that Col. Kirby who was then on the Bench said I should be locked up and no Flesh alive should come to me The Judge shook his Head and said When the Sentence was given he would leave me to the favour of the Jailer Now most of the Gentry of the Country were gathered together expecting to hear the Sentence and the Noise among the People was That I should be Transported But they were all crossed at that time for the Sentence being deferred till next Morning I was had back as I came to Prison again Upon my complaining of the badness of my Prison some of the Justices with Col. Kirby went up to see it But when they came to it they durst hardly go into it the Floor was so bad and dangerous and the place so open to Wind and Rain and some that came up said Sure it was a Jakes-house When Col. Kirby saw it and heard what others said of it he excused the matter as well as he could and said I should be removed from that place ere it was long to some more convenient place Next day towards the Eleventh Hour we were called forth