This book, (in which J. Stubbs and B. Furly gave also directions for
learners to read the Hebrew, Oriental, and other languages,) was
liberally disposed of; some of them were presented to the king and
his council, to the archbishop of Canterbury, and to the bishop of
London, and also one to each university. The king confessed that the
distinction between plural and singular, in regard of persons, was the
proper language of all nations; and the archbishop being asked what he
thought of it, was so at a stand, that he could not tell what to say to
it; for it appears he would not commend it, neither could he resolve
to disapprove it. Yet it did so inform and convince people, that many
afterward were not near so much offended at saying Thou and Thee to a
single person, as they were before.
Now many Papists and Jesuits began to fawn upon those called Quakers,
and said publicly, that of all the sects the Quakers were the best,
and most self-denying people; and that it was great pity that they did
not return to the holy mother church: and though they might have been
in hopes thereby to have gained proselytes from the Quakers, yet they
were disappointed. In the meanwhile they did but ill service to the
Quakers thereby; for this gave occasion to their enemies to divulge,
that there was an affinity and collusion between the Quakers and the
Papists. Some Jesuits signifying that they would willingly discourse
with the Quakers, G. Fox consented to it, and in order thereunto, time
and place were appointed: whereupon two of the loyalists came, being
dressed like courtiers, and they asked the names of G. Fox and those
with him. G. Fox then asked them the same question he had once before,
as hath been said already, asked a Jesuit, viz. whether the church
of Rome was not degenerated from the church in the primitive times;
from the spirit, and power, and practice, that they were in, in the
apostles’ time. The Jesuit to whom the question was put, said he would
not answer it. G. Fox asked him, why? but he would give no reason. His
companion then said they were not degenerated from the church in the
primitive times. Then G. Fox asked the other, whether he was of the
same mind; and he said, ‘Yes.’ G. Fox, to give no room to any excuses
of a mistake, repeated his question thus: Whether the church of Rome
now was in the same purity, practice, power, and spirit, that the
church in the apostles’ time was in. The Jesuits seeing how exact G.
Fox would be with them, said it was presumption in any to say, they had
the same power and spirit, which the apostles had. But G. Fox, told
them, it was presumption in them to meddle with the words of Christ
and his apostles, and make people believe they succeeded the apostles,
and yet be forced to confess, they were not in the same power and
spirit, that the apostles were in. ‘This,’ said he, ‘is a spirit of
presumption, and rebuked by the apostles’ spirit.’ Thereupon he showed
them how different their fruits and practices were, from the fruits
and practices of the apostles. This so displeased the Jesuits, that
one of them said, ‘Ye are a company of dreamers.’ ‘Nay,’ said G. Fox,
‘ye are the dreamers, who dream ye are the apostles successors, and
yet confess, ye have not the same power and spirit, which the apostles
were in.’ Then he began to tell them also, how they were led by an evil
spirit; and that this spirit had induced them to pray by beads, and to
images, and to put people to death for religion. He spoke yet more; but
the Jesuits soon grew weary of this discourse, and went away, giving
charge afterwards to those of their persuasion, not to dispute with the
Quakers, nor to read any of their books.
Sometime after G. Fox went to Colchester, where he had very large
meetings. From thence he went to Coggeshall; not far from which there
was a priest convinced of the truth of the doctrine held forth by him
and his friends; and he had a meeting in his house. And after having
visited his friends in their meetings thereabouts, he returned to
London, where he found more work: for John Perrot, of whom mention hath
been made already that he was at Rome, had so far complied with his
vain imaginations, that he thought himself further enlightened than G.
Fox, and his friends; and from this presumption he would not approve,
that when any one prayed in the meeting, others should put off their
hats, calling this a formality, and a common custom of the world,
which ought to be departed from. And since novelties often draw people
after them, so it was in this case, insomuch that he got a pretty many
adherents. But he did not stand here; for as one error proceeds from
another, so he made another extravagant step, and let his beard grow;
in which he was followed by some. In the meanwhile G. Fox laboured
both by word and writing, to stop his progress: and though most of his
friends also bore testimony against it, yet there passed several years
before this strange fire was altogether extinguished: to the quenching
whereof, it contributed not a little that Perrot, who now walked in an
erroneous path, grew worse from time to time, even to that degree, that
being come into America, he fell into manifest sensualities, and works
of the flesh: for he not only wore gaudy apparel, but also a sword; and
being got into some place in the government, he became a severe exactor
of oaths, whereas before he had professed that for conscience-sake he
could not swear. Before I leave Perrot, I will insert here a letter
wrote by him from Rome, when he was released from prison: and though
I believe he was then in a better state than afterward, yet in that
letter some sparks of spiritual pride may be seen, which though then
under some limitation, yet in process of time so broke forth, that it
caused his fall. The letter was thus:
‘O Israel: the host of the most high God; his majesty hath
fulfilled to me the vision of my head, having showed himself to
be the Holy One, and Just: he hath lately delivered me from the
prison of the city of Rome, besides the two lambs with me, whose
faces, through God, are turned to you-wards: for which I beseech
you in the holy spirit of meekness, to bless the name of the Lord
God. Give thanks to him for his power. The God of life promote
you all in the virtue of his mercy and forgiveness, and keep you
in the power of his everlasting love, unto the end.