CHAPTER VIII.

1654-1655.—Address to professors of Christianity against persecution—to

such as follow the world’s fashions—to the Pope, and all kings, and

rulers in Europe, against persecution—to the justices appointed for

trying ministers of religion, being a testimony against hireling

ministers—Samuel Fisher and others are convinced at a meeting at

Romney, where the Lord’s power is marvellously displayed—a large

meeting at Coggeshall of about two thousand people, which lasted

several hours—many reproaches are cast upon the truth, and lying

slanderous books published, which are answered, and the truth set

over the gainsayers—to those who scorn trembling and quaking—great

rage is manifested against the truth and Friends, and their

plainness is contemned—to the churches gathered into outward forms,

opening their state and warning of the woes coming upon them—to the

Protector, respecting the imprisonment of Friends for refusing to

take oaths and pay tithes, &c.—to Friends, to offer themselves to

lie in prison for a brother or sister—an encouragement to Friends in

their several exercises.

About this time I was moved to write a paper, and send it among the

professors; as follows:—

“_To all professors of Christianity._

“All they that professed Jesus Christ in words, and yet heard him not

when he was come, said, he was a deceiver and a devil. The chief

priests called him so. The Jews said, ‘He hath a devil, and is mad;

why do ye hear him?’ But others said, ‘These are not the words of him

that hath a devil: can a devil open the eyes of the blind?’ The Jews

then doubted, whether he was the Christ or not; and so all, like the

Jews, in the knowledge, in the notion, that profess Christ without

only, where Christ is risen within, do not own him, but doubt of him;

though Christ is the same now and for ever. Jesus Christ said, ‘I and

my Father are one;’ then the Jews took up stones to stone him. And

where Jesus Christ is now spiritually come and made manifest, such as

are Christians in outward profession only, have the same hard hearts

inwardly now, as the Jews had then; and cast stones at him where he is

risen. Jesus said, ‘For which of these good works do ye stone me?’ The

Jews answered, ‘For thy good works we stone thee not; but for

blasphemy, in that thou being a man, makest thyself God.’ Jesus

answered them, ‘Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

and the Scripture cannot be broken. Say ye of him, whom the Father

hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, because I

said, I am the Son of God?’ The Jews said to him, ‘Say we not well,

that thou hast a devil?’ Jesus answered, ‘I honour my Father, and ye

dishonour me.’ And they that were in the synagogue rose up, and thrust

him out of the city; and took him up to the edge of the hill whereon

their city was built, to cast him down headlong. The pharisees said of

him, ‘He casteth out devils, by the prince of devils.’ Jesus Christ

was called a glutton and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and

sinners; but wisdom is justified of her children. The officers, when

the high-priests and pharisees asked them, ‘Why have ye not brought

him?’ said, ‘Never man spake like this man.’ The Pharisees said, ‘Are

ye also deceived? Do any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believe on

him?’ but this people, which know not the law, are accursed. Nicodemus

(he that came unto Jesus by night), said unto them, ‘Doth our law

judge any man, before it hear him?’ When Stephen confessed Jesus, the

substance of all figures and types, and was brought before the chief

priests to his trial, he told them, ‘The Most High dwelleth not in

temples made with hands:’ and brought the prophets’ words to witness,

and told them they were stiff-necked, and uncircumcised in heart and

ears, and always resisted the Holy Ghost, as their fathers had done.

Stephen was full of the Holy Ghost, and said he saw Jesus, and they

ran upon him and stoned him to death, as he was calling upon the Lord.

When Paul confessed Jesus Christ and his resurrection, Festus said he

was mad. When Paul preached the resurrection, some mocked; the Jews

persuaded the people, and they stoned him, and drew him out of the

city, thinking he had been dead. They stirred up the Gentiles to make

their minds evil-affected towards the brethren. They stirred up the

devout and honourable women, and the chief of the city, and raised

persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their

coasts; and there was an assault made both of the Gentiles and of the

Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully and to stone them. In

like manner all in the nature of those Jews now, whose religion stands

in notions, stir up the rulers, and ignorant people, and incense them

against Jesus Christ, to stone all with one consent, in whom he is

risen. This is, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, and the

blindness of the people discovered.

“The same power now is made manifest, and doth overturn the world, as

did then overturn the world, to the exalting of the Lord, and to the

pulling down of the kingdom of Satan and of this world, and setting up

his own kingdom, to his everlasting praise. The Lord is now exalting

himself, and throwing down man’s self. The proud one’s head is aloft,

fearing he should lose his pride and his crown. The priests incense

the ignorant people, for fear their trade should go down; and the

professors show forth what is in them, being full of rage; which

proves that Jesus Christ, the substance, is not there; but a stony

heart to stone the precious, where it is risen. The carnal mind feeds

upon the outward letter; earth feeds upon earth; and that vineyard is

not dressed, but is full of briars and nettles; and ravenous beasts,

swine and dogs, wolves and lions, and all venomous creatures lodge in

that habitation. That house is foul and is not swept. These are the

persecutors of the just, enemies of the truth, and of Christ;

blasphemers of God and his truth. These call upon God with their lips,

but their hearts are far from him. These feed on lies, priests and

people. These incense the people, and stir up envy; for it begets its

own, one like itself. These are as the waves of the sea, foaming out

their own shame. These have double eyes, whose bodies are full of

darkness. These paint themselves with the prophets’, with Christ’s,

and with the apostles’ words most fair. Whited walls ye are; painted

sepulchres; murderers of the just. Your eyes, your minds, your hearts

are double. Ye flatterers, repent and turn from your carnal ends, who

are full of mischief, pretending God and godliness, taking him for

your cloak; but he will uncover you, and he hath uncovered you to his

children. He will make you bare, discover your secrets, and take off

your crown; he will take away your mantle and your veil, and strip you

of your clothing, that your nakedness may appear, and how you sit

deceiving the nations. Your abomination and your falseness is now made

manifest to them, who are of God; who in his power triumph over you,

rejoice over you, the beast, the dragon, the false prophet, the

seducer, the hypocrite, the mother of all harlots. Now thou must have

thy cup double, give it to her double.

“Sing over her, ye righteous ones, sing over them all ye saints;

triumph in glory, triumph over deceit; sing the song of the Lamb,

triumph over the world; spread the truth abroad. Come ye captive ones

out of prison, and rejoice with one accord, for the joyful days are

coming. Let us be glad and rejoice for ever! singleness of heart is

come, pureness of heart is come, joy and gladness is come. The

glorious God is exalting himself: truth hath been talked of, but now

it is possessed. Christ hath been talked of; but now he is come and is

possessed. The glory hath been talked of; but now it is possessed, and

the glory of man is defacing. The Son of God hath been talked of; but

now he is come, and hath given us understanding. Unity hath been

talked of; but now it is come. Virgins have been talked of; but now

they are come with oil in their lamps. He will be glorified alone.

“Where pride is thrown down, earth and the fleshly will is thrown

down, and the pure is raised up; there alone is the Lord exalted. Let

the heavens bow down to him, and the earth reel to and fro, and

stagger up and down. The Lord is setting up his throne and his crown,

and throwing down the crown of man, and he alone will be glorified; to

whom be all honour and glory, all praises and all thanks! Who gives

his children wisdom and strength, knowledge and virtue, power and

riches, blessings and durable substance; an eye to discern, and an ear

to hear things singly; and brings down the pride of man’s heart, and

turns the wicked out of the kingdom. The righteous inherit

righteousness; the pure, pureness; the holy, holiness. Praises,

praises be to the Lord, whose glory now shines, whose day is broken

forth; which is hid from the world, hid from all worldly-wise ones,

and from all the prudent of this world; hid from the fowls of the air,

hid from all vultures’ eyes, all venomous beasts, all liars, all dogs,

and all swine. But to them that fear his name, the secrets of the Lord

are made manifest, the treasures of wisdom are opened, and the fulness

of knowledge: for thou, O Lord, dost make thyself manifest to thy

children.”

G. F.

My spirit was greatly burdened to see the pride, that existed in the

nation, even among professors; and in the sense thereof I was moved to

give forth the following paper, directed—

“_To such as follow the World’s Fashions._

“What a world is this! how doth the devil garnish himself! and how

obedient are people to do his will and mind! They are altogether so

carried away with fooleries and vanities, both men and women, that

they have lost the hidden man of the heart, and the meek and quiet

spirit; which with the Lord is of great price. They have lost the

adorning of Sarah; they are putting on gold and gay apparel; women

plaiting the hair, men and women powdering it; making their backs look

like bags of meal. They look so strange, that they can scarce look at

one another, they are so lifted up in pride. Pride is flown up into

their head, and hath so lifted them up, that they snuff up, like wild

asses; like Ephraim, they feed upon wind; and are like wild heifers,

who feed upon the mountains. Pride hath puffed up every one of them:

they are out of the fear of God, men and women, young and old; one

puffs up another. They must be in the fashion of the world, else they

are not in esteem; else they shall not be respected, if they have not

gold or silver upon their backs, or if the hair be not powdered. But

if he have store of ribands hanging about his waist, and at his knees,

and in his hat, of divers colours, red, white, black, or yellow, and

his hair be powdered, then he is a brave man; then he is accepted, he

is no Quaker, because he has ribands on his back, and front, and

knees, and his hair powdered. This is the array of the world. But is

not this from the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, or the pride

of life?

“Likewise the women having their gold, their patches on their faces,

noses, cheeks, foreheads; having their rings on their fingers, wearing

gold, having their cuffs double, under and above, like unto a butcher

with his white sleeves; having their ribands tied about their hands,

and three or four gold laces about their clothes; this is no Quaker,

say they. This attire pleaseth the world: and if they cannot get these

things, they are discontented. But this is not the attire of Sarah,

whose adorning was the hidden man of the heart, the ornament of a

quiet and meek spirit. This is the adorning of the heathen, not of the

apostle, nor of the saints, whose adorning was, not wearing of gold,

nor plaiting of hair, but a meek and quiet spirit; which was and is of

great price with the Lord. Here was the sobriety and good ornament,

which was accepted of the Lord. This was Paul’s exhortation and

preaching; but we see, the talkers of Paul’s words live out of Paul’s

command, and out of the example of Sarah; and are found in the steps

of the great heathen, who comes to examine the apostles in his

gorgeous apparel.

“Now, are not these, that have got their ribands hanging about their

arms, hands, back, waists, knees, hats, like unto fiddlers’ boys? This

shows that you are got into the basest and most contemptible life, who

are in the fashion of the fiddler’s boys and stage-players, quite out

of the paths and steps of solid men; and in the very steps and paths

of the wild heads, who give themselves up to every invention and

vanity of the world that appears, and are inventing how to get it upon

their backs, heads, feet, and legs, and say, if it be out of the

fashion it is nothing worth. Are not these the spoilers of the

creation, who have the fat and the best of it, and waste and destroy

it? Do not these cumber God’s earth? Let that of God in all

consciences answer, and those who are in the wisdom, judge. And

further, if one get a pair of trousers like a coat, and hang them

about with points, and up almost to the middle, a pair of double cuffs

upon his hands, and a feather in his cap, here is a gentleman; bow

before him, put off your hats, get a company of fiddlers, a set of

music, and women to dance. This is a brave fellow. Up in the chamber;

up in the chamber without, and up in the chamber within. Are these

your fine Christians? Yea, say they, they are Christians.

“But, say the serious people, they are out of Christ’s life, and out

of the apostles’ command, and out of the saints’ ornament. And to see

such as are before described, as are in the fashions of the world

before-mentioned, a company of them playing at bowls, or at tables, or

at shuffle-board; or each taking his horse, that has bunches of

ribands on his head, as the rider has on his own (who, perhaps, has a

ring in his ear too) and so go to horse-racing, to spoil the

creatures; O, these are gentlemen indeed, these are bred up gentlemen,

these are brave fellows, and they must take their recreation; for

pleasures are lawful. These in their sports set up their shouts, like

wild asses. They are like the kine or beasts, when they are put to

grass, lowing when they are full. Here is the glorying of those before

mentioned; but it is in the flesh, not in the Lord. These are bad

Christians, and show that they are gluttoned with the creatures, and

then the flesh rejoiceth. Here is bad breeding of youth and young

women, who are carried away with the vanities of the mind in their own

inventions, pride, arrogancy, lust, gluttony, uncleanness. They eat

and drink, and rise up to the play. This is the generation which God

is not well-pleased with; for their eyes are full of adultery, and

cannot cease from evil. These be they that live in pleasures upon

earth; these be they who are dead while they live; who glory not in

the Lord, but in the flesh. These be they that are out of the life,

that the Scriptures were given forth from; who live in the fashions

and vanities of the world, out of truth’s adorning, in the devil’s

adorning (who is out of the truth); and not in the adorning of the

Lord, which is a meek and quiet spirit, which is with the Lord of

great price. But this ornament and this adorning is not put on by them

that adorn themselves, and have the ornament of him that is out of the

truth. That is not accepted with the Lord, which is accepted in their

eye.”

G. F.

Moreover it came upon me about this time from the Lord, to write a short

paper and send forth, as an exhortation and warning to the Pope, and all

kings and rulers in EUROPE; as follows:—

“FRIENDS,

“Ye heads, and rulers, kings, and nobles of all sorts, be not bitter,

nor hasty in persecuting the lambs of Christ, neither turn yourself

against the visitation of God, and his tender love and mercies from on

high, who sent to visit you; lest the Lord’s hand, arm, and power,

take hold swiftly upon you; which is now stretched over the world. It

is turned against kings, and shall turn wise men backward, and will

bring their crowns to the dust, and lay them low and level with the

earth. The Lord will be king, who gives crowns to whomsoever obey his

will. This is the age wherein the Lord God of heaven and earth is

staining the pride of man, and defacing his glory. You that profess

Christ, and do not love your enemies, but on the contrary shut up and

imprison those who are his friends; these are marks that you are out

of his life, and do not love Christ, who do not the things he

commands. The day of the Lord’s wrath is kindling, and his fire is

going forth to burn up the wicked; which will leave neither root nor

branch. They that have lost their habitation with God, are out of the

Spirit, that gave forth the Scriptures, and from the light that Jesus

Christ hath enlightened them withal; and so from the true foundation.

Therefore be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slower to persecute:

for the Lord is bringing his people to himself, from all the world’s

ways, to Christ the way; and from all the world’s churches, to the

church which is in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; and from

all the world’s teachers, to teach his people himself by his Spirit;

from all the world’s images, into the image of himself; and from their

likeness into his own likeness; and from all the world’s crosses of

stone or wood, into his power, which is the cross of Christ. For all

these images, crosses, and likenesses are among them, that are

apostatized from the image of God, the power of God, the cross of

Christ, which now fathoms the world, and is throwing down that which

is contrary to it; which power of God never changes.

“Let this go to the kings of France, and of Spain, and to the Pope,

for them to prove all things, and to hold that which is good. And

first to prove, that they have not quenched the Spirit: for the mighty

day of the Lord is come, and coming upon all wickedness, and

ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men, who will plead with all flesh

by fire and by sword. And the truth, the crown of glory, and the

sceptre of righteousness over all shall be exalted; which shall answer

that of God in every one upon the earth, though they be from it.

Christ is come a light into the world, and doth enlighten every one

that cometh into the world; that all through him might believe. He

that feeleth the light that Christ hath enlightened him withal, he

feeleth Christ in his mind, and the cross of Christ, which is the

power of God; he shall not need to have a cross of wood or stone, to

put him in mind of Christ, or of his cross, which is the power of God

manifest in the inward parts.”

G. F.

Besides this I was moved to write a letter to the Protector, to warn him

of the mighty work the Lord hath to do in the nations, and of the

shaking of them; and to beware of his own wit, craft, subtilty, and

policy, or seeking any by-ends to himself.

There was about this time an order for the trying of ministers (so

called), and for approving, or ejecting them out of their places or

benefices; whereupon I wrote a paper to the justices, and other

commissioners, who were appointed to that work, as follows:—

“FRIENDS,

“You that are justices, and in commission to try ministers, who have

so long been in the vineyard of God, see whether they be such as are

mentioned in the Scriptures, whom the prophets, Christ, and the

apostles, disapproved of. And if they be such as they disapproved, see

how ye can stand approved in the sight of God, to let such go into his

vineyard, and approve of them who will admire your persons, because of

advantage, and if you do not give them advantage, they will not admire

your persons. Such Jude speaks of. See if they be not such as teach

for filthy lucre, for the love of money, covetous, such as love

themselves, who have a form of godliness, but deny the power; from

such the apostles bid to ‘turn away.’ The apostle said their mouths

should be stopped, who served not the Lord Jesus, but their own

bellies, being evil, who mind earthly things. Paul gave Timothy a

description to try ministers by; he said, ‘they must not be covetous,

nor given to wine, nor filthy lucre, nor novices; lest being lifted up

into pride, they fall into the condemnation of the devil:’ these he

was to try and prove without partiality. Now take heed of approving

such as he disapproved; for since the apostles’ days such as he

disapproved have had their liberty; and they have told us, the tongues

were their original, and that they were orthodox men; and that the

steeple-house, with a cross on the top of it, was the church (the

Papist’s mass-house, you may look on the top of it, and see the sign).

But the Scriptures tell us, ‘all the earth was of one language before

the building of Babel;’ and when Pilate crucified Christ, he set the

tongues, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, over his head. And John tells us,

that the beast had power over the tongues, kindreds, and nations; and

that the whore sits upon the tongues, of whose cup all nations have

drunk, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her.

John also said the tongues are waters.

“Christ gives marks to his disciples, and to the multitude, how to try

such as these that you are to try. They are called of men, master;

they love the chiefest seat in the assemblies; they are sayers but not

doers; and, said he, they shall put you out of the synagogues. Seven

woes he denounced against them, and so disapproved them. Christ said,

false prophets should come; and John saw they were come; for they went

forth from them, and the world since hath gone after them. But Babylon

must be confounded, the mother of harlots; and the Devil must be

taken; and with him the beast, and the false prophet must be cast into

the lake of fire; for the Lamb and his saints over all must reign, and

have the victory. The Lord God sent his prophets of old, to cry

against the shepherds that sought for the fleece, Ezek. xxxiv., and to

cry against such shepherds as seek for their gain from their quarter,

and never have enough, Isa. v. 6; and to cry against the prophets that

prophesied falsely, and the priests that bore rule by their means;

which was the filthy and horrible thing, Jer. v. And if you would

forbear to give them means, you would see how long they would bear

rule.

“There was in old time a storehouse for the fatherless, strangers, and

widows, to come to and be filled; and they did not prosper then who

did not bring their tithes to the storehouse. But did not Christ put

an end to that priesthood, tithes, temple, and priests? And doth not

the apostle say, that the priesthood is changed, the law is changed,

and the commandment disannulled? Might not they have pleaded the law

of God that gave them tithes? Have ever any of the priests prospered

that take tithes since, by the law of man? Was not the first author of

them, since Christ’s time, the Pope, or some of his church? Did the

apostles cast men into prison for tithes, as your ministers do now? As

instance; Ralph Hollingworth, priest of Phillingham, for petty tithes,

not exceeding six shillings, has cast into Lincoln prison a poor

thatcher, named Thomas Bromby; where he has been about eight and

thirty weeks, and still remains a prisoner. And the priest petitioned

the judge that the poor man might not labour in the city, to get a

little money towards his maintenance in prison. Is this a good savour

amongst you, that are in commission to choose ministers? Is this glad

tidings, to cast into prison a man that is not his hearer, because he

could not put into his mouth? Can such as are in the fear of God, and

in his wisdom, own such things?

“The ministers of Christ are to plant a vineyard, and then eat of the

fruit; to plough, sow, and thrash, and get the corn; and then let them

reap; but not cast them into prison for whom they do no work. Christ,

when he sent forth his ministers, bid them give freely, as they had

received freely; and into what city or town soever they came, inquire

who were worthy and there abide; and what they set before you, said

he, that eat. And when these came back again to Christ, and he asked

them if they wanted anything, they said No. They did not go to a town,

and call the people together, to know how much they might have by the

year, as these that are in the apostacy do now. The apostle said,

‘have I not power to eat and to drink?’ But he did not say, to take

tithes, Easter-reckonings, Midsummer-dues, augmentations, and great

sums of money; but ‘have I not power to eat and to drink?’ Yet he did

not use that power among the Corinthians. But they that are

apostatized from him, will take tithes, great sums of money,

Easter-reckonings, and Midsummer-dues; and cast them into prison that

will not give it them, whom they do no work for. The ox’s mouth must

not be muzzled that treads out the corn; but see if the corn be

trodden out in you, and the wheat be in the garner. This is from a

lover of your souls, and one that desires your eternal good.”

G. F.

After I had made some stay in the city of LONDON, and cleared myself of

what service lay upon me at that time there, I was moved of the Lord to

go down into BEDFORDSHIRE to John Crook’s house, at LUTON, where there

was a great meeting, and people generally convinced of the Lord’s truth.

When I was come thither, John Crook told me that next day several of

those that were called the gentlemen of the country, would come to dine

with him and to discourse with me. They came, and I declared to them

God’s eternal truth. Several Friends went to the steeple-houses that

day. And there was a meeting in the country, which Alexander Parker went

to; and towards the middle of the day it came upon me to go to it,

though it was several miles off. John Crook went with me. When we

arrived, there was one —— Gritton, who had been a Baptist, but was got

higher than they, and called himself a trier of spirits. He told people

their fortunes, and pretended to discover to them when their goods were

stolen or houses broken up, who the persons were that did it; by which

he had got into the affections of many people thereabouts. This man was

in that meeting, speaking, and making a hideous noise over the

young-convinced Friends, when I came in; and he bid Alexander Parker

give a reason of his hope. Alexander Parker told him, Christ was his

hope; but because he did not answer him so soon as he expected, he

boastingly cried, “his mouth is stopped.” Then Gritton directed his

speech to me, for I stood still and heard him express many things, which

were not agreeable to Scripture. I asked him, whether he could make

those things out by Scripture which he had spoken, and he said, Yes,

yes. Then I bid the people take out their Bibles to search the places he

should quote for proof of his assertions; but he could not make good by

Scripture that which he had said. So he was ashamed and fled out of the

house, and his people were generally convinced: for his spirit was

discovered, and he came no more amongst them. When his people were

convinced and settled in God’s truth, they gave forth a book against

him, and denied his spirit and his false discoveries. Many were turned

to Christ Jesus that day, and came to sit under his teaching; insomuch

that the judges were in a great rage, and many of the magistrates in

BEDFORDSHIRE, because there were so many turned from the hireling

priests to the Lord Jesus Christ’s free teaching. But John Crook[36] was

kept by the power of the Lord; yet he was discharged from being a

justice.

Footnote 36:

John Crook was a Justice of the Peace, and a man of note in the county

of Bedford. He became an eminent preacher of the gospel, in which he

laboured extensively, and many were the seals of his ministry. He

suffered many imprisonments, which he bore with patience, as also his

bodily infirmities, often expressing the inward joy and peace he had

with the Lord. He died in 1699, in the eighty-second year of his age,

having been a minister about forty-four years, and his writings were

published in 1701, entitled, _The Design of Christianity testified in

the Books, Epistles, and MSS. of John Crook_.

After some time I returned to LONDON again, where Friends were finely

established in the truth, and great comings-in there were. About this

time several Friends went beyond sea to declare the everlasting truth of

God. When I had stayed a while in the city, I went into KENT. When we

came to ROCHESTER, there was a guard kept to examine passengers, but we

passed by, and were not stopped. So I went to CRANBROOK, where there was

a great meeting; several soldiers were at it, and many were turned to

the Lord that day. After the meeting, some of the soldiers were somewhat

rude, but the Lord’s power came over them. Thomas Howsigoe, an

Independent preacher, who lived near CRANBROOK, was convinced, and

became a faithful minister for the Lord Jesus. Some Friends had

travelled into KENT before, as John Stubbs and William Caton, and the

priests and professors had stirred up the magistrates at MAIDSTONE to

whip them, for declaring God’s truth unto them; as may be seen at large

in the Journal of William Caton’s life. Captain Dunk was also convinced

in KENT. He went with me to RYE, where we had a meeting; to which the

Mayor and officers, and several captains came. They took down what I

said in writing, which I was well pleased with. All was quiet, and the

people affected with the truth.

From RYE I went to ROMNEY, where, the people having had notice of my

coming some time before, there was a very large meeting. Thither came

Samuel Fisher, an eminent preacher among the Baptists, who had had a

parsonage reputed worth about two hundred pounds a year, which for

conscience sake he had given up. There was also the pastor of the

Baptists, and abundance of their people. The power of the Lord was so

mightily over the meeting, that many were reached thereby, and one

greatly shaken, and the life sprung up in many. One of the pastors of

the Baptists, being amazed at the work of the Lord’s power, bid one of

our friends that was so wrought upon, have a good conscience; whereupon

I was moved of the Lord to bid him take heed of hypocrisy and deceit;

and he was silent. A great convincement there was that day; many were

turned from darkness to the divine light of Christ, and came to see

their teachers’ errors, and to sit under the Lord Jesus Christ’s

teaching, to know him their way, and the covenant of light, which God

had given to be their salvation; and they were brought to the one

baptism, and to the one baptizer, Christ Jesus. When the meeting was

over, Samuel Fisher’s wife said, “Now we may discern this day between

flesh and spirit, and distinguish spiritual teaching from fleshly.” The

people were generally well satisfied with what had been declared; but

the two Baptist teachers and their company, when they were gone from the

meeting, fell to reasoning amongst the people. Samuel Fisher, with many

others, reasoned for the word of life, which had been declared that day;

and the other pastor and his party reasoned against it; so it divided

them asunder, and cut them in the midst. A friend came and told me, that

the Baptists were disputing one with another; and desired me to go up to

them; but I said “let them alone, the Lord will divide them; and they

that reason for truth, will be too hard for the other;” and so it was.

Samuel Fisher received the truth in the love of it, became a faithful

minister, preached Christ freely, and laboured much in the service of

the Lord, being moved to go and declare the word of life at Dunkirk and

in Holland, and in divers parts of Italy, as Leghorn, and Rome itself;

yet the Lord preserved him and his companion John Stubbs, out of their

Inquisitions.[37]

Footnote 37:

Sewell states that Samuel Fisher and John Stubbs, when at Rome,

conversed with some of the cardinals, and testified against Popish

superstitions. They also spread books among the friars, some of whom

expressed their contents to be true; but, said they, if we should

acknowledge this publicly, we might expect to be burned for it.

Whiting records the death of Samuel Fisher in 1665. “Other Friends,”

he says, “were transported; and many died in Newgate, and on

shipboard, in order to transportation, to the number of 122, in

London, Westminster, and Southwark; particularly Samuel Fisher, &c.,

faithful ministers and labourers in the work of the Lord, taken at

meetings died in the White Lion prison, Southwark, 1665, in the time

of the pestilence [plague], which began in the time of the persecution

of Friends under the Conventicle Act, as a signal token of the Lord’s

displeasure. It broke out first in a house next to that of the first

man that was banished, who lived to return to London, and died at a

great age.”

From ROMNEY I passed to DOVER, and had a meeting, where several were

convinced. Near DOVER a governor and his wife were convinced, who had

been Baptists; and the Baptists thereabouts were much offended, and grew

very envious; but the Lord’s power came over all. Luke Howard of DOVER

was convinced some time before, and became a faithful minister of

Christ.[38]

Footnote 38:

For some account of Luke Howard, see _Piety Promoted_, Part ix. He was

several times imprisoned; once in Dover Castle, for sixteen months,

for going to meetings. At this time, he employed six men in his trade,

but was obliged to shut up his shop for six months. He obtained the

use of an entry to the prison grate, where meat was drawn up with a

cord, and he worked a little there. He suffered another long

confinement in 1684. Speaking of his imprisonments, he says, “I had

perfect peace, joy, and content in it all; the Lord made it good unto

me, both within and without.”

Returning from DOVER I went to CANTERBURY, where a few honest-hearted

people were turned to the Lord, who sat down under Christ’s teaching.

Thence I passed to CRANBROOK again, where I had a great meeting. A

friend went to the steeple-house, and was cast into prison; but the

Lord’s power was manifested, and his truth spread.

From thence I passed into SUSSEX, and lodged near HORSHAM, where there

was a great meeting, and many were convinced. Also at STEYNING we had a

great meeting in the market house, and several were convinced; for the

Lord’s power was with us. I had several meetings in the neighbourhood;

and among the rest, one was appointed at a great man’s house, and he and

his son went to fetch several priests that had threatened to come and

dispute. But none of them came; for the Lord’s power was mighty in us; a

glorious meeting we had. The man of the house and his son were vexed,

because none of the priests would come. So the hearts of people were

opened by the Spirit of God, and they were turned from the hirelings to

Christ Jesus their shepherd, who had purchased them without money, and

would feed them without money or price. Many that came, expecting to

hear a dispute, were convinced; amongst whom Nicholas Beard was one.[39]

Footnote 39:

Nicholas Beard was an early seeker of the Lord in his youth, and would

often travel many miles to hear the best reputed teachers of the

times. He became a faithful minister of Christ, and a large sufferer

for his sake. For one year’s tithes he had taken from him twelve oxen,

six cows, and one bull, which were sold for £111 5s., but worth more.

For worshipping God, and refusing to swear or bear arms, he was

prosecuted on the statute for £20 a month, and underwent imprisonment

several years, and loss of goods to more than £1,000. Yet it pleased

the Lord to support and bless him and a large family, so that on his

deathbed he was heard to say, “O Lord, my soul blesseth thee, and all

that is within me magnifieth thy holy name!” He often desired to

depart and be with Christ, and died in great peace, in 1702, aged

eighty, a minister about thirty years.

Thus the Lord’s power came over all, and his day many came to see. There

were abundance of Ranters in those parts, and professors that had been

so loose in their lives, that they began to be weary of it and had

thought to go into Scotland to live privately. But the Lord’s net caught

them, and their understandings were opened by his light, Spirit, and

power, through which they came to receive the truth, and to be settled

upon the Lord; and so became very sober men, and good friends in the

truth. Great blessing and praising of the Lord there was amongst them,

and great admiration in the country.

Out of SUSSEX I travelled to READING, where I found a few that were

convinced of the way of the Lord. There I stayed till First-day, and had

a meeting in George Lamboll’s orchard; and a great part of the town came

to it. A glorious meeting it proved; a great convincement there was, and

the people were mightily satisfied. Thither came two of Judge Fell’s

daughters to me, and George Bishop, of BRISTOL, with his sword by his

side, for he was a captain.[40] After the meeting many Baptists and

Ranters came privately, reasoning and discoursing; but the Lord’s power

came over them. The Ranters pleaded, that God made the Devil; I denied

it, and told them, “I was come into the power of God, the seed Christ,

which was before the Devil was, and bruised the head of him; and he

became a Devil by going out of truth, and so became a murderer and a

destroyer. So I showed them that God did not make the Devil; for God is

a God of truth, and he made all things good, and blessed them; but God

did not bless the Devil. And the Devil is bad, and was a liar and a

murderer from the beginning, and spoke of himself and not from God.” And

so the truth stopped them, and bound them, and came over all the highest

notions in the nation, and confounded them. For by the power of the Lord

God I was manifest, and sought to be made manifest to the Spirit of God

in all; that by it (which they vexed, and quenched, and grieved,) they

might be turned to God; as many were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ by

the Holy Spirit, and were come to sit under his teaching.

Footnote 40:

This Captain Bishop, who is mentioned as wearing his sword, soon

discontinued it, being convinced, and joining Friends. He was the

author of _An Account of the Persecution in New England_, and he

issued a prophetic warning to the King and Parliament, in 1664, for

banishing Friends, which was fulfilled. See _Sewell’s History_; Index.

After this meeting at READING I passed up to LONDON, where I stayed a

while, and had large meetings, then into ESSEX, and came to COGGESHALL,

where was a meeting of about two thousand people, as it was supposed,

which lasted several hours, and a glorious meeting it was; for the word

of life was freely declared, and people were turned to the Lord Jesus

Christ, their teacher and their Saviour, the way, the truth, and the

life.

On the sixth day of that week I had a meeting near COLCHESTER, to which

many professors and the Independent teachers came. After I had done

speaking, and was stepped down from the place on which I stood, one of

the Independent teachers began to make a jangling; which Amor Stoddart

perceiving, said to me, Stand up again, George, for I was going away,

and did not at first hear them. But when I heard the jangling

Independent, I stood up again; and after a while the Lord’s power came

over him and his company; and they were confounded, and the Lord’s truth

went over all. A great flock of sheep hath the Lord Jesus Christ in that

country, that feed in his pastures of life. On the First-day following

we had a very large meeting, near COLCHESTER, wherein the Lord’s power

was eminently manifested, and the people were very well satisfied; for

they were turned to Christ’s free teaching, and received it gladly. Many

of these people had been of the stock of the martyrs.

As I passed through COLCHESTER, I went to visit James Parnel in prison,

but the cruel jailer would hardly let us come in, or stay with him. Very

cruel they were to him; the jailer’s wife threatened to have his blood;

and in that jail they destroyed him, as the reader may see in a book

printed soon after his death, giving an account of his life and death;

and also in an epistle printed with his collected books and writings.

From COLCHESTER I went to IPSWICH, where we had a little meeting, and

very rude; but the Lord’s power came over them. After the meeting I

said, “if any had a desire to hear further, they might come to the inn;”

and there came in a company of rude butchers, that had abused Friends;

but the Lord’s power so chained them that they could not do mischief.

Then I wrote a paper, and gave it forth to the town, “warning them of

the day of the Lord, that they might repent of the evils they lived in;

directing them to Christ, their teacher, and way; and exhorting them to

forsake their hireling teachers.”

We passed from IPSWICH to MENDLESHAM, in SUFFOLK, where Robert Duncan

lived. There we had a large quiet meeting, and the Lord’s power was

preciously felt amongst us. Then we passed to a meeting at Captain

Lawrence’s in NORFOLK; where, it was supposed, were above a thousand

people; and all was quiet. Many persons of note were present, and a

great convincement there was; for they were turned to Christ, their way

and their teacher, and many of them received him, and sat down under

him, their vine. Here we parted with Amor Stoddart and some other

Friends, who intended to meet us again in HUNTINGDONSHIRE.

About two in the morning we took horse for NORWICH, where Christopher

Atkins had run out, and brought dishonour upon the blessed truth and

name of the Lord. But he had been denied by Friends; and afterwards he

gave forth a paper of condemnation of his sin and evil. We came to

YARMOUTH, and there stayed a while; where there was a Friend, Thomas

Bond, in prison for the truth of Christ. There we had some service; and

some were turned to the Lord in that town. From thence we rode to

another town, about twenty miles off, where were many tender people; and

I was moved of the Lord to speak to them, as I sat on my horse, in

several places as I passed along.

We went to another town about five miles from thence, and set up our

horses at an inn, Richard Hubberthorn and I having travelled five and

forty miles that day. There were some friendly people in the town; and

we had a tender, broken meeting amongst them, in the Lord’s power, to

his praise. We bid the hostler have our horses ready by three in the

morning; for we intended to ride to LYNN, about three and thirty miles,

next morning. But when we were in bed at our inn, about eleven at night,

the constable and officers came, with a great rabble of people, into the

inn, and said they were come with a hue and cry from a justice of peace,

that lived near the town about five miles off, where I had spoken to the

people in the streets, as I rode along, to search for two horsemen, that

rode upon gray horses, and in gray clothes; a house having been broken

up on the Seventh-day before at night. We told them “we were honest,

innocent men, and abhorred such things;” yet they apprehended us, and

set a guard with halberts and pikes upon us that night; making some of

those friendly people, with others, to watch us. Next morning we were up

betimes, and the constable with his guard carried us before a justice of

peace about five miles off. We took two or three of the sufficient men

of the town with us, who had been with us at the great meeting at

Captain Lawrence’s, and could testify that we lay both the Seventh-day

night, and the First-day night, at Captain Lawrence’s; and it was the

Seventh-day night that they said the house was broken up.

The reader is to be informed, that during the time that I was a prisoner

at the Mermaid at CHARING CROSS, this Captain Lawrence brought several

Independent justices to see me there, with whom I had much discourse;

which they took offence at. For they pleaded for imperfection, and to

sin as long as they lived; but did not like to hear of Christ teaching

his people himself, and making people as clear, whilst here upon the

earth, as Adam and Eve were before they fell. These justices had plotted

together this mischief against me in the country, pretending a house was

broken up; that they might send their hue and cry after me. They were

vexed also, and troubled, to hear of the great meeting at John

Lawrence’s aforesaid; for a colonel was convinced there that day, who

lived and died in the truth. But Providence so ordered, that the

constable carried us to a justice about five miles onward in our way

towards LYNN, who was not an Independent justice, as the rest were.

When we were brought before him, he began to be angry, because we did

not put off our hats to him. I told him, I had been before the

Protector, and he was not offended at my hat; and why should he be

offended at it, who was but one of his servants? Then he read the hue

and cry; and I told him, “that that night, wherein the house was said to

be broken up, we were at Captain Lawrence’s house; and that we had

several men present who could testify the truth thereof.” Thereupon the

justice, having examined us and them said “he believed we were not the

men that had broken the house; but he was sorry,” he said, “that he had

no more against us.” We told him, “he ought not to be sorry for not

having evil against us; but rather to be glad; for to rejoice, when he

got evil against people, as for housebreaking, or the like, was not a

good mind in him.” It was a good while yet, before he could resolve,

whether to let us go, or send us to prison; and the wicked constable

stirred him up against us, telling him, “we had good horses, and that if

it pleased him, he would carry us to NORWICH jail.” But we took hold of

the justice’s confession, that “he believed we were not the men that had

broken the house;” and after we had admonished him to fear the Lord in

his day, the Lord’s power came over him, so that he let us go; so their

snare was broken. A great people were afterwards gathered to the Lord in

that town, where I was moved to speak to them in the street; and from

whence the hue and cry came.

Being set at liberty, we travelled to LYNN; where we arrived about three

in the afternoon. Having set up our horses, we met with Joseph Fuce,[41]

who was an ensign; and we wished him to speak to as many of the people

of the town as he could that feared God; and to the captains and

officers to come together; which he did. We had a very glorious meeting

amongst them, and turned them to the Spirit of God, by which they might

know God and Christ, and understand the Scriptures; and so learn of God

and of Christ, as the prophets and apostles did. Many were convinced

there; and a fine meeting there is, of them that are come off from the

hirelings’ teaching, and sit under the teaching of the Lord Jesus

Christ.

Footnote 41:

Joseph Fuce was one of those faithful ministers who died in White Lion

prison, Southwark, in 1665, during the time of the plague.

LYNN being then a garrison, we desired Joseph Fuce to get us the gate

opened by three next morning, for we had forty miles to ride next day.

By that means getting out early, we came next day by eleven or twelve to

SUTTON, near the Isle of Ely, where Amor Stoddart, and the Friends with

him, met us again. A multitude of people was gathered there, and no less

than four priests. The priest of the town made a great jangle; but the

Lord’s power so confounded him, that he went away: the other three

stayed; and one of them was convinced. One of the other two, whilst I

was speaking, came to lean upon me; but I bid him sit down, seeing he

was so slothful. A great convincement there was that day; and many

hundreds were turned from the darkness to the light, from the power of

Satan unto God, and from the spirit of error to the Spirit of truth, to

be led thereby into all truth. People came to this meeting from

HUNTINGDON, and beyond; and the mayor’s wife of CAMBRIDGE was there

also. A glorious meeting it was, and many were settled under Christ’s

teaching, and knew him, their Shepherd, to feed them; for the word of

life was freely declared, and gladly received by them. The meeting ended

in the power of the Lord, and in peace; and after it I walked out and

went into a garden; where I had not been long, before a Friend came to

me, and told me several justices were come to break up the meeting. But

many of the people were gone away; so they missed of their design: and

after they had stayed a while, they went away also, in a fret.

That evening I passed to CAMBRIDGE. When I came into the town, the

scholars hearing of me, were up, and were exceedingly rude. I kept on my

horse’s back, and rode through them in the Lord’s power; but they

unhorsed Amor Stoddart before he could get to the inn. When we were in

the inn, they were so rude in the courts, and in the streets, that

miners, colliers, and carters could never be ruder. The people of the

house asked us “what we would have for supper.” “Supper!” said I, “were

it not that the Lord’s power is over them, these rude scholars look as

if they would pluck us in pieces, and make a supper of us.” They knew I

was so against the trade of preaching, which they were there as

apprentices to learn, that they raged as much as ever Diana’s craftsmen

did against Paul. At this place John Crook met us. When it was within

night, the mayor of the town, being friendly, came and fetched me to his

house; and as we walked through the streets, there was a bustle in the

town; but they did not know me, it being darkish. They were in a rage,

not only against me, but against the mayor also; so that he was almost

afraid to walk the streets with me, for the tumult. We sent for the

friendly people, and had a fine meeting there in the power of God: and I

stayed there all night. Next morning, having ordered our horses to be

ready by six, we passed peaceably out of town; and the destroyers were

disappointed; for they thought I would have stayed longer, and intended

to do us mischief; but our passing away early in the morning frustrated

their evil purposes against us.

Then we rode to BISHOP-STORTFORD, where some were convinced: and so to

HERTFORD, where also there were some convinced; and where there is now a

large meeting. From thence we returned to LONDON, where Friends received

us gladly; the Lord’s power having carried us through many snares and

dangers. Great service we had for the Lord; for many hundreds were

brought to sit under the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ, their

Saviour, and to praise the Lord through him. James Naylor also was come

up to London; and Richard Hubberthorn and I stayed some time in the

city, visiting Friends and answering gainsayers; for we had great

disputes with professors of all sorts. Many reproaches they cast upon

truth; and lying slanderous books they gave forth against us: but we

answered them all, cleared God’s truth, and set it over them; and the

Lord’s power was over all.

Amongst other services for the Lord, which then lay upon me in the city,

I was moved to give forth a paper which is as follows:—

_To Those that Made a Scorn of Trembling and Quaking._

“The word of the Lord to all you that scorn trembling, and quaking;

who scoff at, scorn, stone, and belch forth oaths against, those who

are trembling and quaking; threatening them, and beating them.

Strangers ye are to all the apostles and prophets; and are of the

generation that stoned them, and mocked them in those ages. Ye are the

scoffers of whom they spoke, that are come in the last times. Be ye

witnesses against yourselves. To the light in all your consciences I

speak, that with it you may see yourselves to be out of the life of

the holy men of God.

“Moses, who was judge over all Israel, trembled, feared, and quaked:

when the Lord said unto him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of

Isaac, and the God of Jacob, then Moses trembled, and durst not

behold.’ This, which makes to tremble now, ye teachers and people

scoff at, and scorn them in your streets who witness the power of the

Lord. Moses forsook the pleasures of the world, which he might have

enjoyed for a season. He might have been called the son of Pharaoh’s

daughter; he refused it, and forsook Pharaoh’s house; yet was no

vagabond. David, a king, trembled; he was mocked; they made songs on

him; they wagged their heads at him. Will you profess David’s words,

and Moses’s words, who are in the generation of your fathers, mockers,

scoffers, wonderers, and despisers, who are to perish? O blush! be

ashamed of all your profession, and be confounded! Job trembled, his

flesh trembled, and they mocked him: so do you now mock them in whom

the same power of God is made manifest; and yet you profess Job’s

words. O deceitful hypocrites! will ye not own Scripture? O shame!

never profess Scripture words, and deny the power, which, according to

Scripture, makes the keepers of the house to tremble, and the strong

man to bow himself. These things both priests, magistrates, and people

scoff at; but with the power ye are judged, and by the power and life

condemned.

“The prophet Jeremiah trembled, he shook, his bones quaked, he reeled

to and fro, like a drunken man, when he saw the deceits of the priests

and prophets, who were turned from the way of God; they were not

ashamed, neither could they blush. Such were gone from the light; and

such were they that ruled over the people. But he was brought to cry,

O foolish people! that had eyes, and could not see; that had ears, and

could not hear; that did not fear the Lord, and tremble at his

presence, who placed the sands for bounds to the sea, by a perpetual

decree, that the waves thereof cannot pass! And he said, ‘A horrible

thing is committed in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, and the

priests bear rule by their means. Shall not I visit for these things,

saith the Lord? Shall not my soul be avenged upon such a nation as

this?’ They were such as did not tremble at the word of the Lord;

therefore he called them a foolish people. Hear all ye the word of the

Lord, ye foolish people, who scorn trembling and quaking. Give over

professing the prophet Jeremiah’s words, and making a trade of them;

for with his words you are judged to be among the scoffers, scorners,

and stockers. For he was stocked by your generation; and you now stock

them that tremble at the word of the Lord, at the power of the mighty

God, which raises up the seed of God, and throws down the earth which

hath kept it down. So, you who are in the fall where death reigneth,

who are enemies of the truth, despising the power of God, as those of

your generation ever did, woe and misery is your portion, except you

speedily repent.

“Isaiah saith, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his

word.’ Again, ‘To this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and

of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.’ Isa. lxv. 2. ‘Your

brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said,

Let the Lord be glorified; but he shall appear to your joy, and they

shall be ashamed.’ Isa. lxvi. 5. Now all ye scoffers and scorners,

that despise trembling, you regard not the word of the Lord; they are

not regarded by you, that tremble at the word; who are regarded by the

Lord: therefore you are contrary to Isaiah’s words. Profess him and

his words no more, for shame, nor make a trade of his words, ye that

seek for your gain from your quarter, ye greedy, dumb dogs, that never

have enough; ye are they that despise trembling; ye are such as Isaiah

cried against, who himself witnessed trembling. Here therefore be ye

witnesses against yourselves, that with the light in your consciences

ye may see ye are out of the prophet Isaiah’s spirit, and are haters

of them that tremble, whom the Lord regards; such you regard not, but

hate and persecute, mock and rail against them. It is manifest that

you walk in the steps of your forefathers, that persecuted the

prophets.

“Habakkuk, the prophet of the Lord, trembled. And Joel, the prophet of

the Lord, said, ‘Blow the trumpet in Zion, and let all the inhabitants

of the earth tremble: the people shall tremble, and all faces shall

gather blackness, and the people shall be much pained.’ And now this

trembling is witnessed by the power of the Lord. This power of the

Lord is come; the trumpet is sounding; the earth is shaking, the

inhabitants of the earth are trembling; the dead are arising, and the

living are praising God; the world is raging, and the scoffers are

scorning; and they that witness trembling and quaking wrought in them

by the power of the Lord, can scarcely pass up and down the streets,

but with stones and blows, fists and sticks, or dogs set at them; or

they are pursued with mockings and reproaches. Thus you vent forth

your malice against them that witness the power of the Lord, as the

prophets did; who are come to the broken heart and contrite spirit,

who tremble at the word of the Lord, and whom the Lord regards: these

you stone and stock, and set your dogs at; these you scoff and scorn,

these you revile and reproach; but these reproaches are our riches;

praised be the Lord who hath given us power over them. If you see one,

as Habakkuk, whose ‘lips quivered,’ whose ‘belly shook,’ who said,

‘rottenness was entered into his bones,’ and who ‘trembled in

himself;’ if you see such a one in this condition now, ye say, he is

bewitched. Here again you show yourselves strangers to that power, to

that life, that was in the prophet: therefore, for shame, never make a

profession of his words, nor a trade of his words; nor of Joel’s, who

witnessed trembling, which ye scorn and scoff at. Ye proud scoffers

and scorners, misery, misery is your end, except you speedily repent.

“Daniel, a servant of the most high God, trembled; his strength and

his breath were gone; he was imprisoned, he was hated, he was

persecuted. They laid baits and snares for him, in whom the Holy

Spirit of God was. Now for shame, you that make a profession of

Daniel’s words, give over your profession; priests and people, who

scorn and scoff at trembling, with the light you are seen to be out of

Daniel’s life, and by the same power you are judged, at which you

scorn and scoff. Here again be ye witnesses against yourselves, that

ye are scorners and scoffers against the truth; and with the Scripture

ye are judged to be contrary to the life of the holy men of God.

“Paul, a minister of God, made, by the will of God, a messenger of the

Lord Jesus, a vessel of the Lord, to carry his name abroad into

several nations, trembled: and when the dark, blind world, having got

some of his words and epistles, you teachers make a trade of them, and

obtain great sums of money by it, and so destroy souls for dishonest

gain: making a trade of his words, and of the rest of the apostles’

and prophets’, and of Christ’s words, but denying the Spirit and life

that they were guided by; and that power which shook the flesh and the

earth, which the apostle witnessed, who said, when he came among the

Corinthians, that ‘he was with them in weakness, and in fear, and in

much trembling,’ that their faith might not stand in the wisdom of

men, but in the power of God; in that power which made him to tremble.

This power it is that the world, and all the scoffing teachers, scoff

at and scorn in your towns, in your villages, in your assemblies, in

your ale-houses. For shame, lay aside all your profession of the

apostle’s words and conditions! Some of them that scoff at this power,

call it the power of the devil. Some persecute, stone and stock,

imprison and whip them, in whom that power is made manifest, and load

them with reproaches, as not worthy to walk on the earth; hated and

persecuted, as the off-scouring of all things. Here you may see you

are in the steps of your forefathers, who persecuted the apostles, and

acted so against them, stocked them, mocked them, imprisoned them,

stoned them, whipped them, haled them out of the synagogues,

reproached them, and shamefully entreated them. Do not you here fulfil

the Scripture, and Christ’s saying, who said, ‘If they kill you, they

will think they do God service?’ Yet you make a profession of Christ’s

words, of the prophets’ and apostles’ words, and call yourselves

churches, and ministers of the gospel. I charge you, in the presence

of the living God, to be silent who act such things! Mind the light in

your consciences, ye scoffers and scorners, which Christ hath

enlightened you withal: that with it ye may see yourselves, what ye

act, and what ye have acted; for they who act such things shall not

inherit the kingdom of God: all such things are by the light

condemned.

“You who have come to witness trembling and quaking, the powers of the

earth to be shaken, the lustful nature to be destroyed, the scorning

and scoffing nature judged by the light; wait in it to receive power

from him who shakes the earth. That power we own, and our faith stands

in it, which all the world scoffs at; the lofty ones, the proud, the

presumptuous, who live in presumption, and yet make a profession of

the Scriptures, as your fathers the Pharisees did, who were painted

sepulchres and serpents; and as the scribes did, who had the chiefest

place in the assemblies, stood praying in the synagogues, and were

called of men masters, which Christ cried woe against. These are not

come so far as the trembling of devils, who believed and trembled. Let

that judge you. The light and life of the Scripture is seen and made

manifest, and with it all you scoffers and scorners, all you

persecutors and railers are seen.

“Take warning, all ye powers of the earth, how ye persecute them whom

the world nickname and call Quakers, who dwell in the eternal power of

God; lest the hand of the Lord be turned against you, and ye be all

cut off. To you this is the word of God. Fear and tremble, and take

warning! for this is the man whom the Lord doth regard, who trembles

at his word; whom you, who are of the world, scoff and scorn, stock,

persecute, and imprison. Here ye may see ye are contrary to God and to

the prophets; and are such as hate what the Lord regards; which we,

whom the world scorns and call Quakers, own. We exalt and honour that

power, that makes the devils tremble, shakes the earth, and throws

down the loftiness and the haughtiness of man; which makes the beasts

of the field to tremble, and the earth to reel to and fro; which

cleaves the earth asunder, and overturneth the world. This power we

own, and honour, and preach; but all scoffers and persecutors, railers

and scorners, stockers and whippers, we deny by that power which

throweth down all that nature; seeing that all who act such things,

without repentance, shall not inherit the kingdom of God, but are for

destruction.

“Rejoice, all ye righteous ones, who are persecuted for righteousness’

sake; for great is your reward in heaven. Rejoice ye that suffer for

well doing; for ye shall not lose your reward. Wait in the light, that

you may grow up in the life that gave forth the Scriptures; that with

it you may see the saints’ conditions, and all that which they

testified against; and there with it ye will see the state of those

that reproached and scoffed at them; that mocked and persecuted them;

that whipped and stocked them, and haled them out of the synagogues

before magistrates. To you, who are in the same light and life, the

same things do they now; that they may fill up the measure of their

fathers. With the light now they are seen, where the light, and life,

and power of God is made manifest; for as they did unto them, so they

will do unto you. Here is our joy; the Scripture is fulfilled, and

fulfilling; and with the light, which was before the world was, which

is now made manifest in the children of light, they see the world, and

comprehend it, and the actions of it; for he that loves the world, and

turns from the light, is an enemy to God; he turneth into wickedness;

for the whole world lieth in wickedness. He who turns from the light,

turns into the works of evil, which the light of Christ testifies

against; and by this light, where it is made manifest, all the works

of the world are seen and made manifest.”

G.F.

This is to go abroad among the scattered

ones, and among the world.

Great was the rage and enmity of professors, as well as profane, against

the truth and people of God at this time; and great the contempt and

disdain they showed of Friends’ plainness. Wherefore I was moved to

write the following, and sent it forth:—

_An Epistle to Churches gathered into outward forms, upon the

earth._

“All ye churches gathered into outward forms upon the earth, the Son

of God is come to reign; he will tread and trample, will shake and

make you quiver, you that are found out of his light, without his life

and power. His day hath appeared; mortar and clay will you be found.

Breaking, shaking, and quaking are coming among you! your high

building is to be laid desolate; your professed liberty shall be your

bondage; the mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it. Tremble, ye

hypocrites, ye notionists! the fenced cities shall be laid desolate,

the fruitful fields shall become a wilderness; your false joy shall

become your heaviness; the time of weeping and desolation draweth

nigh! Come, ye witty ones, see how ye can stand before the Almighty,

who is now come to plead with you; you will fall like leaves, and

wither like weeds! Come, you that have boasted of my name, saith the

Lord, and have gloried in the flesh, ye shall fade like a flower; who

have slain my witness yet boast of my words, which have been as a song

unto you. Come, ye novelists, who love novelties, changeable suits of

apparel, who are in the fashions, outward and inward, putting on one

thing this day, and another the other day. ‘I will strip thee,’ saith

the Lord, ‘I will make thee bare, I will make thee naked, and thou

shalt know that I am the Lord.’

“‘What! hast thou professed the prophets’ words? hast thou professed

the apostles’ words, and my Son’s words; hast thou covered thyself

with their expressions? thinkest thou not that I see thee out of my

life? thinkest thou, thou witty one, to hide thyself where none can

see thee? thinkest thou, if thou fliest to the uttermost parts of the

earth, that I am not there? Is not the earth mine, and the fulness of

it, saith the Lord?’ Come, all ye that have trusted in your own

conceited notions, and knowledge, and wisdom, who were never yet out

of the earth, and the lusts of it; never yet got the load of thick

clay off you; never were out of the drunken spirit, whose imperfection

appears, which must be come upon as a potter’s vessel; broken

cisterns; ye that have been made wise in your own conceit, wise in

your own eyes, in which pride hath lifted you up, and not the

humility; you must be abased. You have run on, every one after his own

invention; every man hath done the thing that was right in his own

eyes, that which pleased himself. This hath been the course of people

upon earth. Ye have run on without a king, without Christ, the light

of the world, which hath enlightened every one that is come into the

world. But now is truth risen, now are your fruits withering.

“And you that are fortified, and have fortified your strong houses,

called your churches, make ye your cords strong, the Lord will break

you asunder, ye that are gathering in, and ye that are gathered. For

the Lord is risen to scatter you; his witness is risen in the hearts

of his people, they will not be fed with dead words, nor with that

which dies of itself; nor will they be satisfied with the husks which

the swine feed upon. All ye priests in the nation, and teachers, that

now stand against the light, your envy shows that ye are in Cain’s

way; your greediness shows that ye are in Balaam’s way; your standing

against the light which hath enlightened every man that cometh into

the world, doth manifest that you are in Korah’s way, that spoke the

great high words of vanity; ye whose consciences are seared as with a

hot iron, whose judgment doth not linger, whose damnation doth not

slumber, who serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but your own bellies;

who are the evil beasts spoken of, which have destroyed many families,

taken away their cattle, their horses, their goods, even their

household goods; destroyed many poor men, even whole families, taking

their whole estates from them whom you do no work for. O! the grievous

actions that are done by you, the ministers of unrighteousness; whose

fruits declare to the whole nation that you are the devil’s

messengers! your actions declare it; your taking tithes,

augmentations, treble damages, Midsummer-dues (as ye call them), of

them ye do no work for, nor minister to.

“All ye powers of the earth, beware of holding such up as are

unrighteous. Let not the words of the unrighteous overcome you, lest

God, the righteous judge of heaven and earth, take hold upon you;

whose judgment is according to that of God in you, which will let you

see when you transgress. Come you proud and lofty ones, who have not

considered the handy-works of the Lord, but have destroyed them; nor

have regarded the way of the Lord, but have had plenty of the

creatures, and have therewith fattened yourselves, and forgotten the

Lord and his way: O let shame cover your faces here upon earth! Come

ye that are given to pleasures, and spend your time in sports, and

idleness, and fulness; your fruits declare the sins of Sodom; yet you

will talk of my name, and of my saints’ words. ‘But I behold you afar

off,’ saith the Lord; you are proud and lofty; you are evil patterns,

bad examples, full, rich, and idle; who say others are idle, that

cannot maintain your lusts. O! the unrighteous balances that are among

people! O! the iniquity in measuring! O! the oppression in ruling and

governing! Because of these things my hand shall come upon you, saith

the Lord. For the oppression is entered into the ears of the Lord, who

gives rest to the wearied, to the burthened, to the oppressed; who

feeds the hungry, and clothes the naked; who brings the mighty from

their seats, beats the lofty to the ground, and makes the haughty

bend.

“Come, saith the Lord, ye mockers, scorners, and rebellious ones,

light and wild people, vain and heady; you have had your day of joy,

you have scoffed, you have mocked and derided my messengers and my

ambassadors, who have preached in your streets, and cried in your

synagogues and temples; a day of trembling and lamentation shall come

upon you, when you are not aware. I will take away your pride and your

height; I will shake you as a leaf, and bring you to be as men

distracted. I will distract you, and make you that you shall not trust

one another in the earth, who have joined hand in hand against my

servants in the truth. I will smite you with terrors, and bring fear

upon you; the cup of my indignation and fury shall you drink. Where

will you appear when repentance is hid from your eyes, when profane

Esau, your father, is set before you, and Ishmael and Cain, wild and

envious, whose fruits declare the stock?

“Come, ye proud priests, who have eaten up the fat of the nation, who

by violence have taken other men’s goods, whose envy hath slain many,

whose wickedness and darkness hath abounded, and whose unrighteousness

daily appears; your fruits every day declare it, in summoning up by

writs and subpœnas from most parts of the nation for wages and

tithes, such as you do no work for. O abominable unrighteousness! how

is the state of man lost, that they do not take these things to heart

to feel them! what havoc is made in most parts of the nation with

such! And all ye priests and teachers, who are railing and brawling in

the pulpit, setting people at variance one against another, haters and

hateful, provoking people to hate one another, here is the seed of

enmity seen, which you have sown and are sowing, whose seed must he

bruised by the seed of the woman, which above your heads is set.”

G. F.

This year came out the oath of abjuration, by which many Friends

suffered; and several went to speak to the Protector about it; but he

began to harden. And sufferings increasing upon Friends, by reason that

envious magistrates made use of that oath as a snare to catch Friends

in, who, they knew, could not swear at all; I was moved to write to the

Protector, as follows:—

“The magistrate is not to bear the sword in vain, who ought to be a

terror to evil-doers; but as the magistrate that doth bear the sword

in vain, is not a terror to evil-doers, so he is not a praise to them

that do well. Now hath God raised up a people by his power, whom

people, priests, and magistrates, who are out of the fear of God,

scornfully call Quakers, who cry against drunkenness (for drunkards

destroy God’s creatures), and against oaths (for because of oaths the

land mourns), and these drunkards and swearers, to whom the

magistrate’s sword should be a terror, are, we see, at liberty; but

for crying against such, many are cast into prison; as also for

testifying against their pride and filthiness, their deceitful

merchandise in markets, their cozening and their cheating, their

excess and naughtiness, their playing at bowls and shuffle boards, at

cards and at dice, and their other vain and wanton pleasures. They who

live in pleasures are dead while they live; and they who live in

wantonness kill the just. This we know by the Spirit of God, which

gave forth the Scriptures, which the Father has given to us, and hath

placed his righteous law in our hearts; which law is a terror to

evil-doers, and answers that which is of God in every man’s

conscience. They who act contrary to the measure of God’s Spirit in

every man’s conscience, cast the law of God behind their backs, and

walk despitefully against the Spirit of grace. The magistrate’s sword,

we see, is borne in vain, whilst the evil-doers are at liberty to do

evil; and they that cry against such, are for so doing punished by the

magistrate, who hath turned his sword backward against the Lord. Now

the wicked one fenceth himself, and persecutes the innocent as

vagabonds and wanderers, for crying against sin, and against

unrighteousness and ungodliness openly, in the markets and in the

highways; or as railers, because they tell them what judgment will

come upon them that follow such practices. Here they that depart from

iniquity are become a prey, and few lay it to heart. But God will

thrash the mountains, beat the hills, cleave the rocks, and cast into

his press, which is trodden without the city, and will bathe his sword

in the blood of the wicked and unrighteous. You that have drunk the

cup of abominations, a hard cup have you had to drink; you are the

enemies of God, and of you he will be avenged.

“Now ye, in whom something of God is remaining, consider; If the sword

was not borne in vain, but turned against the evil-doers, then the

righteous would not suffer, and be cast into holes, dungeons, corners,

prisons, and houses of correction, as peace-breakers, for testifying

against sin openly, as they are commanded of the Lord, and against the

covetousness of the priests, and their false worships; who exact money

of poor people, whom they do no work for. O! where will you appear in

the day of the Lord? or how will you stand in the day of his righteous

judgment? How many jails and houses of correction are now made places

to put the lambs of Christ in, for following him, and obeying his

commands, which are too numerous to mention. The royal law of Christ,

‘to do as ye would be done by,’ is trodden down under foot; so that

men can profess him in words, but crucify him wheresoever he appears,

and cast him into prison, as the talkers of him always did in the

generations and ages past. The labourers, whom God, the master of the

harvest, hath sent into his vineyard, do the chief of the priests, and

the rulers now take counsel together against, to cast them into

prison: and here are the fruits of priests, and people, and rulers,

without the fear of God. The day is come and coming, that every man’s

work doth appear and shall appear; glory be to the Lord God for ever.

So see, and consider the days you have spent, and do spend; for this

is your day of visitation. Many have suffered great fines, because

they could not swear, but obey Christ’s doctrine, who saith, ‘Swear

not at all:’ and are made a prey upon for abiding in the command of

Christ. Many are cast into prison because they cannot take the oath of

abjuration, though they denied all that is abjured in it; and by that

means many of the messengers and ministers of the Lord Jesus Christ

are cast into prison because they will not swear, nor go out of

Christ’s command.

“Therefore, O man, consider; to the measure of the life of God in thee

I speak. Many also lie in jails, because they cannot pay the priest’s

tithes; many have their goods spoiled, and treble damages taken of

them; and many are whipped and beaten in the house of correction,

without breach of any law. These things are done in thy name, in order

to protect them in these actions. If men fearing God bore the sword,

if covetousness were hated, and men of courage for God were set up,

then they would be a terror to evil-doers, and a praise to them that

do well; and not cause them to suffer. Here equity would be heard in

our land, and righteousness would stand up and take place; which

giveth not place to the unrighteous, but judgeth it. To the measure of

God’s Spirit in thee I speak, that thou mayest consider, and come to

rule for God; that thou mayest answer that which is of God in every

man’s conscience; for this is that, which bringeth to honour all men

in the Lord. Therefore consider for whom thou dost rule, that thou

mayest come to receive power from God to rule for him; and all that is

contrary to God may by his light be condemned.

“From a lover of thy soul, who desires thy eternal good.”

G. F.

But sufferings and imprisonments continuing and increasing, and the

Protector (under whose name they were inflicted,) hardening himself

against the complaints that were made to him, I was moved to issue the

following amongst Friends, to bring the weight of their sufferings more

heavy upon the heads of the persecutors:—

“Who is moved by the power of the Lord to offer himself to the justice

for his brother or sister, that lies in prison, and to go lie there in

their stead, that his brother or sister may come out of prison, and so

offer his life for his brother or sister? Where any lie in prison for

tithes, witnessing the priesthood changed, that took tithes, and the

unchangeable priesthood come; if any brother in the light, who

witnesseth a change of the old priesthood that took tithes, and a

disannulling of the commandment for tithes, be moved of the Lord to go

to the priest or impropriator, to offer himself to lie in prison for

his brother, and to lay down his life, that he may come forth, he may

cheerfully do it, and heap up coals of fire upon the head of the

adversary of God. Likewise where any suffer for the truth by them who

are in the untruth, if any Friends be moved of the Lord to go to the

magistrate, judge, general, or protector, and offer up themselves to

lay down their lives for the brethren; as Christ hath laid down his

life for you, so lay down your lives one for another. Here you may go

over the heads of the persecutors, and reach the witness of God in

all. And this shall rest a judgment upon them all for ever, and be

witnessed to by that which is of God in their consciences. Given forth

from the Spirit of the Lord through

G. F.”

Besides this, I wrote also a short epistle to Friends, as an

encouragement to them in their several exercises; which was as follows:—

“MY DEAR FRIENDS,

“In the power of the everlasting God, which comprehends the power of

darkness, and all temptation, and that which comes out of it, in this

power of God dwell. It will bring and keep you to the Word in the

beginning; it will keep you up to the life, to feed thereupon, in

which you are over the power of darkness, and in which you will find

and feel dominion and life. And that will let you see, before the

tempter was, and over him; and into that the tempter cannot come; for

the power and truth he is out of. Therefore in that life dwell, in

which you will know dominion; and let your faith be in the power, and

over the weakness and temptations, and look not at them: but in the

light and power of God look at the Lord’s strength, which will be made

perfect in your weakest state. In all temptations look at the grace of

God to bring your salvation, which is your teacher to teach you: for

when you look or hearken to the temptations, you go from your teacher,

the grace of God; and so are darkened in going from that teacher, the

grace of God, which is sufficient in all temptations, to lead out of

them, and to keep over them.”

G. F.