CHAPTER IV._The journal of George Fox, vol. 2 of 2

1671-1672.—His wife being still detained a prisoner, George Fox puts

two women Friends upon going to the king to procure her

discharge, which he granted under the broad seal, to clear her

person and estate after being a prisoner under premunire ten

years—he sails for the plantations in America with several other

Friends—chased by a Sallee man-of-war—the master in a strait

asks advice of George Fox, who seeks counsel of the Lord, and is

assured of their preservation—the event verifies the

prediction—they land at Barbadoes after a seven weeks’ passage—a

man in the island, who was greatly incensed against George Fox

without just cause, and who had threatened his life, died a few

days before his landing—is laid up for some weeks—writes to

Friends in England—exhorts Friends to care and watchfulness in

regard to marriages, keeping registers and records, providing

burial grounds, &c.—to deal mildly with their negroes, and,

after certain years of servitude, to set them free—writes a

further exhortation to Friends in England—visits the governor,

who is very kind—has many large meetings, and there is a great

convincement; Colonel Lyne testifies how much Friends exalt

Christ in all his offices beyond what he had ever heard—the

priests rage, and try in vain to stir up persecution—there is

much clamour and cavilling against Friends, and many slanders

and false reports are issued, which George Fox answers in a

paper addressed to the governor—the governor visits him—writes

to his wife—sails for Jamaica, where he has many meetings, and

many are convinced—Elizabeth Hooton dies there.

I mentioned before, that, upon the notice I received of my wife’s

being imprisoned 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 be set at liberty

thereby, this violent storm of persecution coming suddenly on, the

persecutors there 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 faith, and in the Lord’s power, who 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 scarcely to

be heard of in England. I sent down the discharge forthwith by a

Friend; by whom also I wrote to her, informing her how to get it

delivered to the justices, and acquainting her that it was upon me

from the Lord to go beyond the seas to visit America; and therefore

desired her to hasten 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 meantime I got to Kingston, and

stayed at John Rous’s till my wife came up, and then I began to

prepare for the voyage. But the Yearly Meeting being near at hand, I

stayed till that was over. Many Friends came up to it from all parts

of the nation, and a very large and precious meeting it was; for the

Lord’s power was over all, and his glorious everlastingly-renowned

Seed of life was exalted above all.

After this meeting was over, and I had finished my services for the

Lord in England, the ship and the Friends that intended to go with

me being ready, I went to GRAVESEND on the 12th of 6th month, my

wife and several Friends accompanying me to the Downs. We went from

Wapping in a barge to the ship, which lay a little below Gravesend,

and there we found the Friends that were bound for the voyage with

me, who had gone down to the ship the night before. Their names were

Thomas Briggs, William Edmundson, John Rous, John Stubbs, Solomon

Eccles, James Lancaster, John Cartwright, Robert Widders, George

Pattison, John Hull, Elizabeth Hooton, and Elizabeth Miers. The

vessel was a yacht, called the _Industry_; the captain’s name Thomas

Forster, and the number of passengers about fifty. I lay that night

on board, but most of the Friends at Gravesend.

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 that came with us to Gravesend only,

and set sail about six in the morning for the DOWNS. Having a fair

wind, we out-sailed all the ships that were outward-bound, and got

thither by evening. Some of us went ashore that night, and lodged at

DEAL; where, we understood, an officer had orders from the governor

to take our names in writing; which he did next morning, though we

told him they had been taken at Gravesend. In the afternoon, the

wind serving, I took leave of my wife and other Friends, and went on

board. Before we could sail, there being two of the king’s frigates

riding in the DOWNS, the captain of one of them sent his

press-master on board us, who took three of our seamen. This would

certainly have delayed, if not wholly prevented, our voyage, had not

the captain of the other frigate, being informed of the leakiness of

our vessel, and the length of our voyage, in compassion and much

civility, spared us two of his own men. Before this was over, a

custom-house officer came on board to peruse packets and get fees;

so that we were kept from sailing till about sunset; during which

delay a very considerable number of merchantmen, outward-bound, were

got several leagues before us. Being clear, we set sail in the

evening, and next morning overtook part of that fleet about the

height of Dover. We soon reached the rest, and in a little time left

them all behind; for our yacht was counted a very swift sailer. But

she was very leaky, so that the seamen and some of the passengers

did, for the most part, pump day and night. One day they observed,

that in two hours’ time she sucked in sixteen inches of water in the

well.

When we had been about three weeks at sea, one afternoon we spied a

vessel about four leagues astern of us. Our master said it was a

Sallee man-of-war, that seemed to give us chase. Our master said,

“Come, let us go to supper, and when it grows dark we shall lose

him.” This he spoke to please and pacify the passengers, some of

whom began to be very apprehensive of the danger. But Friends were

well satisfied in themselves, having faith in God, and no fear upon

their spirits. When the sun was gone down, I saw the ship out of my

cabin making towards us. When it grew dark, we altered our course to

miss her; but she altered also, and gained upon us. At night the

master and others came into my cabin, and asked me, “what they

should do?” I told them, “I was no mariner;” and I asked them, “what

they thought was best to do?” They said, “There were but two ways,

either to outrun him, or to tack about, and hold the same course we

were going before.” I told them, “if he were a thief, they might be

sure he would tack about too; and as for outrunning him, it was to

no purpose to talk of that, for they saw he sailed faster than we.”

They asked me again “what they should do? for,” they said, “if the

mariners had taken Paul’s counsel they had not come to the damage

they did.” I answered, “it was a trial of faith, and therefore the

Lord was to be waited on for counsel.” So retiring in spirit, the

Lord showed me, “that his life and power was placed between us and

the ship that pursued us.” I told this to the master and the rest,

and that our best way was to tack about and steer our right course.

I desired them also to put out all their candles, but the one they

steered by, and to speak to all the passengers to be still and

quiet. About eleven at night, the watch called and said, “they were

just upon us.” That disquieted some of the passengers; whereupon I

sat up in my cabin, and looking through the porthole, the moon being

not quite down, I saw them very near us. I was getting up to go out

of the cabin; but remembering the word of the Lord, “that his life

and power was placed between us and them,” I lay down again. The

master and some of the seamen came again and asked me, “if they

might not steer such a point?” I told them, “they might do as they

would.” By this time the moon was quite down, a fresh gale arose,

and the Lord hid us from them; and we sailed briskly on and saw them

no more. The next day, being the first day of the week, we had a

public meeting in the ship, as we usually had on that day throughout

the voyage, and the Lord’s presence was greatly among us. And I

desired the people “to mind the mercies of the Lord, who had

delivered them; for they might have been all in the Turks’ hands, by

that time had not the Lord’s hand saved them.” About a week after,

the master and some of the seamen endeavoured to persuade the

passengers, that it was not a Turkish pirate that chased us, but a

merchantman going to the Canaries. When I heard of it, I asked them,

“Why then did they speak so to me? why did they trouble the

passengers? and why did they tack about from him and alter their

course?” I told them “they should take heed of slighting the mercies

of God.”

Afterwards, while we were at Barbadoes, there came in a merchant

from Sallee, and told the people, “that one of the Sallee men-of-war

saw a monstrous yacht at sea, the greatest that ever he saw, and had

her in chase, and was just upon her, but that there was a spirit in

her that he could not take.” This confirmed us in the belief that it

was a Sallee-man we saw make after us, and that it was the Lord that

delivered us out of his hands.

I was not sea-sick during the voyage, as many of the Friends and

other passengers were; but the many hurts and bruises I had formerly

received, and the infirmities I had contracted in England by extreme

cold and hardships, that I had undergone in many long and sore

imprisonments, returned upon me at sea; so that I was very ill in my

stomach and full of violent pains in my bones and limbs. This was

after I had been at sea about a month. For about three weeks after I

came first to sea, I perspired abundantly, chiefly my head, and my

body broke out in pimples, and my legs and feet swelled extremely,

so that my stockings and slippers could not be drawn on without

difficulty and great pain. Suddenly the sweating ceased, so that

when I came into the hot climate, where others perspired most

freely, I could not perspire at all; but my flesh was hot, dry, and

burning; and that which broke out in pimples, struck in again to my

stomach and heart, so that I was very ill, and weak beyond

expression. Thus I continued during the rest of the voyage, which

was about a month; for we were above seven weeks at sea.

On the third of the eighth month, early in the morning, we

discovered the Island of BARBADOES, but it was between nine and ten

at night ere we came to anchor in CARLISLE BAY. We got on shore as

soon as we could, and I, with some others, walked to a Friend’s

house, a merchant, whose name was Richard Forstall, above a quarter

of a mile from the bridge. But being very ill and weak, I was so

tired with that little walk, that I was in a manner spent by the

time I got thither. There I abode very ill for several days, and

though they several times gave me things to make me perspire, they

could not effect it. But what they gave me did rather parch and dry

up my body, and made me probably worse than otherwise I might have

been. Thus I continued about three weeks after I landed, having much

pain in my bones, joints, and whole body, so that I could hardly get

any rest; yet I was pretty cheerful, and my spirit kept above it

all. Neither did my illness take me off from the service of truth,

but both while I was at sea, and after I came to Barbadoes, before I

was able to travel about, I gave forth several papers (having a

Friend to write for me), some of which I sent by the first

conveyance for England to be printed.

After I had rested three or four days at Richard Forstall’s, where

many Friends came to visit me, John Rous[23] having borrowed a coach

of Colonel Chamberlain, came to fetch me to his father, Thomas

Rous’s house.[23] But it was late ere we could get thither, and

little or no rest could I take that night. A few days after, Colonel

Chamberlain, who had so kindly lent his coach, paid me a visit, and

was very courteous towards me.

Soon after I came into the island, I was informed of a remarkable

occurrence, wherein the justice of God did eminently appear. It was

thus:—

There was a young man of Barbadoes, whose name was John Drakes, (a

person of some note in the world’s account, but a common swearer and

wicked man,) who, when in London, had a mind to marry a Friend’s

daughter, left by her mother very young, and with a considerable

portion, to the care and government of several Friends, whereof I

was one. He made application to me, that he might have my consent to

marry this young maid. I told him, “I was one of her overseers

appointed by her mother, who was a widow, to take care of her; that

if her mother had intended her for a match to any man of the world,

she would have disposed of her accordingly; but she committed her to

us, that she might be trained up in the fear of the Lord, and

therefore I should betray the trust reposed in me, if I should

consent that he who was out of the fear of God, should marry her;

which I would not do.” When he saw that he could not obtain his

desire, he returned to Barbadoes with great offence of mind against

me, but without just cause. Afterwards, when he heard I was coming

to Barbadoes, he swore desperately, and threatened, that “if he

could possibly procure it, he would have me burned to death when I

came there.” Which a Friend hearing, asked him, “what had I done to

him, that he was so violent against me?” He would not answer, but

said again, “I’ll have him burned.” Whereupon the Friend replied,

“Do not march on too furiously, lest thou come too soon to thy

journey’s end.” About ten days after, he was struck with a violent

burning fever, of which he died; and by which his body was so

scorched, that the people said, “it was as black as a coal.” Three

days before I landed, his body was laid in the dust. This was taken

notice of as a sad example.

While I continued so weak, that I could not go abroad to meetings,

the other Friends that came over with me, bestirred themselves in

the Lord’s work. The day but one after we landed, they had a great

meeting at the bridge, and after that several others in different

parts of the island; which alarmed the people of all sorts, so that

many came to our meetings, and some of the chief rank. For they had

got my name, understanding I was come upon the island, and expected

to see me at those meetings, not knowing that I was unable to go

abroad. And indeed, my weakness continued the longer on me, by

reason that my spirit was much pressed down at first with the filth

and dirt and unrighteousness of the people, which lay as a heavy

weight and load upon me. But after I had been above a month upon the

island, my spirit became somewhat easier, and I began to recover in

some measure my health and strength, and to get abroad among

Friends. In the meantime, having opportunity to send to England, I

wrote to Friends there, to let them know how it was with me, as

follows:—

“DEAR FRIENDS,

“I have been very weak these seven weeks past, and not able to

write myself. My desire is to you and for you all, that ye may

live in the fear of God, and in love one unto another, and be

subject one to another in the fear of God. I have been weaker in

my body than ever I was in my life that I remember, yea, my pains

have been such as I cannot express; yet my heart and spirit is

strong. I have hardly perspired these seven weeks past, though I

am come into a very hot climate, where hardly any but are well

nigh continually perspiring; but as for me, my old bruises, colds,

numbness, and pains, struck inwardly, even to my very heart. So

that I have taken little rest, and the chief things that were

comfortable to my stomach, were a little water and powdered

ginger; but now I begin to drink a little beer as well as water,

and sometimes a little wine and water mixed. Great pains and

travails I have felt, and in measure am under; but it is well, my

life is over all. This island was to me as all on a fire ere I

came to it, but now it is somewhat quenched and abated. I came in

weakness amongst those that are strong, and have so continued; but

now I am got a little cheery, 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 weak in body when I left you,

after I had been in my great travail amongst you; but after that,

it struck all back again into my body, which was not well settled

after so sore travails in England. Then I was 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

burthened; but I hope, if the Lord give me strength to manage his

work, I shall work thoroughly, 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

handed. I have been almost a month in this island, but have not

been able to go abroad or ride out; only very lately I rode out

twice, a quarter of a mile at a time, which wearied me much. My

love in the truth is to you all.”

G. F.

Because I was not well able to travel, the Friends of the island

concluded to have their men’s and women’s meeting for the service of

the church at Thomas Rous’s, where I lay; by which means I was

present at each of their meetings, and had very good service for the

Lord in both. For they had need of information in many things,

divers disorders having crept in for want of care and watchfulness.

I exhorted them, more especially at the men’s meeting, “to be

watchful and careful with respect to marriages, to prevent Friends

marrying in near kindreds, and also to prevent over-hasty

proceedings towards second marriages, after the death of a former

husband or wife; advising that a decent regard might be had in such

cases to the memory of the deceased husband or wife.

“As to Friends’ children marrying too young, as at thirteen or

fourteen years of age, I showed them the unfitness thereof, and the

inconveniences and hurts that attend such childish marriages. I

admonished them to purge the floor thoroughly, to sweep their houses

very clean, that nothing might remain that would defile, and to take

care that nothing be spoken, out of their meetings, to the

blemishing or defaming one of another.

“Concerning the registering 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.

“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 public uses, and other things

relating to the affairs of the church.

“Then as to their blacks or negroes, I desired them to endeavour to

train them up in the fear of God, those that were bought, and those

born in their families, that all might come to the knowledge of the

Lord; that so, with Joshua, every master of a family might 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 negroes, 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.”[24] 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, the vessel bound for England not being gone, I

was moved to write another epistle to Friends there, as 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 blessed, over that which brought the

curse; where all shortness and narrowness of spirit, brittleness

and peevishness are. Therefore keep the holy order of the gospel.

Keep in this blessed Seed, where all may be preserved in

temperance, patience, love, meekness, righteousness, holiness, and

peace, in which the Lord may be seen amongst you, and no ways

dishonoured, but glorified by you all. In all your meetings, in

cities, towns, and countries, let righteousness flow among you,

and the holy truth be uppermost; the pure Spirit your guide and

leader, and the holy wisdom from above your orderer, which is

gentle, and easy to be entreated. Keep in the religion that

preserves from the spots of the world, which is pure and undefiled

in God’s sight. 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

unholiness and of that which dishonours God. Be tender of God’s

glory, of his honour, and of his blessed and holy name, in which

ye are gathered. All who profess the truth, see that ye walk in

it, in righteousness, godliness, and holiness; for ‘holiness

becomes the house of God, the household of faith.’ And that which

becomes God’s house, God loves; for he loves righteousness—the

ornament which becomes his house, and all his family. Therefore

see that righteousness run down in all your assemblies, that it

flow, to drive away all unrighteousness. This preserves your peace

with God; for in righteousness, ye have all peace with the

righteous God of Peace, and one with another.

“Everyone 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, made conformable unto his image, even the image

of the Heavenly Divine Man, who was before that image which Adam

and Eve got from Satan in the fall; 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 showed 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, of the spirit and affections, which have been below, and

come to be set above; and so receive the things that are from

above, and have your conversation in heaven, not that conversation

which is according to the power of the prince of the air, that now

rules in the disobedient. So be faithful; this is the word of the

Lord God unto you all. See that godliness and holiness,

righteousness and truth, virtue, and the fruits of the good

Spirit, flow 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 ye bring forth much fruit. Therefore ye, who are plants of

his planting, and his trees of righteousness, see that every tree

be full of fruit.

“Keep in 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 unto God. Be faithful to the Lord God, and just and true in

all your dealings and doings with men. Be not negligent in your

men’s meetings to admonish, to exhort, and reprove in the spirit

of love and of meekness; to seek that which is lost, and to bring

back again that which hath been driven away. So let all minds and

spirits, 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 mostly so since I

left you. Burthens and travails I have been under, and have gone

through many ways; but it is well. 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 was able to go about, and had been a little amongst Friends,

I went to visit the governor; Lewis Morice, Thomas Rous, and some

other Friends being with me. 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.

The same week I went to BRIDGE-TOWN. There was to be a general

meeting of Friends that week; and the visit I had made to the

governor, and the kind reception I had with him, being generally

known to the officers, civil and military, many came to this meeting

from most parts of the island, and those not of the meanest rank;

several 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; and although I was somewhat

straightened 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. Colonel 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,

and received the truth.

Paul Gwin, a jangling Baptist, came into the meeting, and asked me,

“How I spelt Cain? and whether I had the same spirit as the apostles

had?” I told him, “Yes.” And he bade the judge take notice of it. I

told him, “He that had not a measure of the same Holy Ghost as the

apostles had, was possessed with an unclean spirit.” And then he

went his way.

I went home with Lewis Morice that night, being about nine or ten

miles, going part of the way by boat, the rest on horseback. The

place where his plantation was, I thought to be in the finest air of

the island. The next day Thomas Briggs and William Edmundson came to

see me, intending to leave the island the day following, to go on

the Lord’s service to Antigua and Nevis. Lewis Morice went with

them; at Antigua they had several good meetings, to which there was

a great resort of people; and many were convinced. But when they

went to Nevis, the governor, an old persecutor, sent soldiers on

board the vessel, to stop them, and would not suffer them to land.

Wherefore, after Friends of the place had been on board the vessel

with them, and they had been sweetly refreshed together, feeling the

Lord’s power and presence amongst them, they returned to Antigua;

where having stayed a while longer, they came back again to

Bardadoes, Thomas Briggs being weak and ill.

Of the other Friends that came over with me from England, James

Lancaster, John Cartwright, and George Pattison, were gone some time

before to Jamaica, and others to other places, so that few remained

in Barbadoes with me. We had many great and precious meetings, both

for worship and for the affairs of the church; to the former of

which many other people came. At one of these meetings Colonel Lyne,

a sober person, was so well satisfied with what I declared, that he

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.”[25] This man, observing a person take in writing the heads

of what I delivered, desired to have a copy of it; and stayed

another day with us; so great a love was raised in him to the truth.

Indeed, a very great convincement there was in most parts of the

island; which made the priests and professors rage.

Our meetings were very large, and free from disturbance from the

government, though the envious priests and some professors

endeavoured to stir up the magistrates against us. When they found

they could not prevail that way, some Baptists came to the meeting

at the town, which was full of people of several ranks and

qualities. A great company came with them; and they brought a

slanderous paper, written by John Pennyman, with which they made a

great noise. But the Lord gave me wisdom and utterance to answer

their cavils; so that the auditory generally received satisfaction,

and those quarrelsome professors lost ground. When they had wearied

themselves with clamour, they went away; but the people staying, the

meeting was continued; 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; they endeavoured

to defame Friends with many false and scandalous reports, which they

spread abroad through the island. Whereupon we drew up a paper, to

go forth in the name of the people called Quakers, for the clearing

of truth and Friends from those false reports. It was directed

thus:—

_“For the Governor of Barbadoes, 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 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, clearly testify the contrary. Yet, for

your satisfaction, we now plainly and sincerely declare, ‘that we

do own and believe in God, the only wise, omnipotent, and

everlasting God, the Creator of all things both in heaven and in

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 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, 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; 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 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 believe that there is no other

foundation to be laid than that which is laid, even Christ Jesus;

who tasted death for every man, 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 sin of the world.’ John i. 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; he 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. 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 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 iii. 22, 23.

“He it is that is now come, and hath given us an understanding,

that we may know him that is true. He rules in our hearts by his

law of love and of life, and makes us free from the law of sin and

death. We have no life but by him; for he is the quickening

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. 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. This Lord Jesus Christ, the

heavenly Man, the Emmanuel, 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

soldiers to broach a horrible lie, namely, ‘that his disciples

came and stole him away by night, whilst they slept.’ 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.

“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 itself declares, 2 Pet. i. 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. iii, 15, and are ‘able to make wise unto salvation, through

faith in Christ Jesus.’ We believe that the Holy Scriptures are

the words of God; for it is said, Ex. xx. 1, ‘God spake all these

words, saying,’ &c., meaning the ten commandments given forth upon

Mount Sinai. And in Rev. xxii. 18, saith John, ‘I testify 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

i. 20, ‘Because thou believedst not my words.’ And in John v. 47;

xv. 7; xiv. 23; and xii. 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 which they have cast upon us is, ‘that we teach

the negroes to rebel;’ a thing we utterly abhor in our hearts; the

Lord knows it, who is the searcher of all hearts, and knows all

things, and can testify for us, that this is a most abominable

untruth. For that which we have spoken to them is, ‘to exhort and

admonish them to be sober, and to fear God; to love their masters

and mistresses, and to be faithful and diligent in their masters’

service and business; and then their masters and overseers would

love them, and deal kindly and gently with them; also, that they

should not beat their wives, nor the wives their husbands, neither

should the men have many wives; that they should not steal, or be

drunk,—should not commit adultery, or fornication,—should not

curse, swear, lie, or give bad words to one another, or to any one

else: for there is something in them that tells them, they should

not practise these or any other evils. But if, notwithstanding,

they should do them, then we let them know there are but two ways,

the one that leads to heaven, where the righteous go; and the

other that leads to hell, where the wicked and debauched,

whoremongers and adulterers, murderers and liars go. To the one

the Lord will say, ‘Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the

kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;’ but to

the other he will say, ‘Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire,

prepared for the devil and his angels:’ so ‘the wicked go into

everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.’

Matt. xxv.

“Consider, Friends, it is no transgression for a master of a

family to instruct his family himself, or for some others to do it

in his behalf; but rather it is a very great duty incumbent upon

them. Abraham and Joshua did so: of the first the Lord said, Gen.

xviii. 19, ‘I know that Abraham will command his children and his

household after him; and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to

do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham the

things that he hath spoken of him.’ And the latter said, Josh.

xxiv. 15, ‘Choose ye this day whom ye will serve; but as for me

and my house, we will serve the Lord.’ We declare that we esteem

it a duty incumbent on us to pray with and for those in and

belonging to our families, and to teach, instruct, and admonish

them; this being a command of the Lord, disobedience whereunto

will provoke his displeasure; as may be seen, Jer. x. 25, ‘Pour

out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the

families that call not upon thy name.’ Now Negroes, Tawnies,

Indians, make up a very great part of the families in this island;

for whom an account will be required by him who comes to judge

both quick and dead, at the great day of judgment, when everyone

shall be ‘rewarded according to the deeds done in the body,

whether they be good or whether they be evil:’ at that day, we

say, of the resurrection both of the good and of the bad, of the

just and of the unjust, when ‘the Lord Jesus shall be revealed

from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking

vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of

our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting

destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of

his power, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and

admired in all them that believe in that day.’ 2 Thess. i. 8, &c.