apostle, Acts ii. 17, 18, ‘It shall come to pass in the last days, I
will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, your sons and your
daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, and your
old men shall dream dreams: and on my servants, and handmaidens, I
will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.’
Look, ye deceivers: here the Lord saith, he will pour out of his
Spirit; mark the word, OF the Lord’s Spirit upon all flesh. What!
young men, old men, sons and daughters, and maidens, all these to have
the Spirit of God poured forth upon them? Here, say they, these deny
the means then: nay, that is the means. And the great and notable day
of the Lord is coming, wherein it shall come to pass, that whosoever
shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. The God of the
spirits of all flesh is known; ‘And,’ saith the apostle, who would not
boast of things beyond his measure, ‘that which may be known of God is
manifest _in_ them; for God hath showed it unto them,’ Rom. i. 19. By
this which was of God manifest in them, they knew covetousness,
maliciousness, murder, deceit, and ungodliness; and knew that the
judgments of God were upon such things; and that they were worthy of
death not only that did the same, but who had pleasure in them that
did them. Therefore said the apostle, ‘the wrath of God is revealed
from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men,’ &c.
Now this of God manifest in them, which God showed unto them, by which
they know unrighteousness, and God’s judgments thereupon, and that
they which commit such things are worthy of death; whether this be a
measure, yea or nay, which is of God, and which he hath showed to
them? What was that in them that ‘did by nature the things contained
in the law, which showed the work of the law written in their heart,’
Rom. ii. 14, 15? Mark, ‘written!’ Shall not this judge them that have
the outward law, but are out of the life of it? The apostle saith,
‘the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit
withal,’ 1 Cor. xii. 7. There are diversities of gifts, but the same
Spirit; but ‘the manifestation of it is given to every man to profit
withal.’ Mark, ‘to one is given by the Spirit, the word of wisdom; to
another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by
the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another
discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another
the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the
self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.’ Mark
that, to every man severally as he will.
“Again, the apostle saith, ‘the grace of God that bringeth salvation,
hath appeared unto all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and
worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this
present world,’ Tit. ii. 11, 12. Now ye, that turn this grace which
bringeth salvation, into lasciviousness, deny it, and say, that which
teacheth the saints, who by grace are saved, hath not appeared to all
men. Jude saith, ‘Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his
saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are
ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds which they have
committed, and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have
spoken against him,’ ver. 15. Here mark again; him that cometh with
ten thousands of his saints, to convince all of their ungodly deeds
and hard speeches; here it is, ALL of their ungodly deeds, and ALL of
their hard speeches; none left out, but ALL to be convinced and
judged, the world reproved by him who comes with ten thousands of his
saints, and will reign, and be king and judge. And have not ye all
something in you, that doth reprove you for your hard speeches, and
your ungodly deeds, the ungodliest of you all, who live in your hard
speeches against him, and his light and spiritual appearance in his
people?
“Again, the apostle, writing to the Gentiles, saith, ‘But unto every
one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the gift of
Christ,’ Eph. iv. 7. Now mark, here is the measure of the gift of
Christ, ‘who lighteth every man that cometh into the world,’ John i.
9, ‘that all men through him might believe. He that believeth on him
is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned, &c. And this
is the condemnation, that light is come into the world,’ &c., John
iii. 18, 19. Now every man that cometh into the world being
enlightened, one loves it, and brings his deeds to the light, that
with the light he may see whether they be wrought in God; the other
hates the light, ‘because his deeds are evil;’ and he will not bring
his deeds to the light, because he knows the light will reprove him.
So he that hates the light, wherewith Christ hath enlightened him,
knows the light will reprove him for his evil deeds; and, therefore,
he will not come to the light.
“Again, the Lord by his prophet said concerning Christ, ‘I will give
him for a light to the Gentiles, that he may be my salvation to the
ends of the earth,’ Isa. xliv. 6. And what is that, which the children
that walk ‘according to the course of this world, according to the
prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the
children of disobedience,’ Eph. ii. 2, are disobedient to? Mark, and
read for yourselves, who being disobedient, walk according to the
course of the world, according to the power of the prince of the air;
mark, I say, what it is that all such are disobedient to? He that hath
an ear, let him hear. The apostle saith to the Colossians, ‘the wrath
of God cometh upon the children of disobedience,’ Col. iii. 6. Come,
ye professors, let us see, is not this something of God that is
disobeyed? Is it not that which is of God manifest in them, which God
hath shown them, which lets them see God’s judgments are upon such,
when they act unrighteously? Is not this the measure of God (mark),
the Spirit that is in prison? and the Spirit of God that is grieved?
“And ye professors, come, let us read the parable of the talents, and
reckon with you, and see who it is that hath hid the Lord’s money in
the earth? Come, ye that have gained, enter ye into your master’s joy.
Go, thou that hast hid the Lord’s money in the earth, into utter
darkness; ‘take it from him, and give it to him that hath;’ every man
shall have his reward. For the Lord hath given ‘to every man according
to his several ability,’ Matt. xxv. 15; mark that, ‘to every man
according to his several ability?’ read this, if you can. Now is the
Lord coming to call every man severally to account, to whom he hath
given severally according to his ability. Now the wicked and slothful
servant, who hid the Lord’s money in the earth, will be found out; and
the Lord’s money will be taken from him, although he hath hidden it.
To him the Lord’s commands have been grievous; but to us they are not,
who love God and keep his commandments. ‘And,’ saith the apostle to
the Romans, ‘I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that
is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to
think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man
the measure of faith,’ Rom. xii. 3. Read and mark, here is a measure
of faith.
“‘And,’ said another apostle, ‘as everyone hath received the gift,
even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the
manifold grace of God,’ 1 Pet. iv. 10, ‘For the grace of God hath
appeared unto all men.’ The good stewards can give their account with
joy; but ye bad stewards, that turn the grace of God into
lasciviousness, now ye will be reckoned withal; now ye shall have your
reward. ‘But,’ say the world, ‘must every one minister as he hath
received the gift?’ ‘Yea,’ say I, ‘but let him speak as the oracles of
God; and let him do it as of the ability which God giveth,’ ver. 11.
John in the Revelation saith, ‘They were judged every man according to
his works,’ Rev. xx. 13. Christ saith, ‘every idle word that men shall
speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment,’ Matt.
xii. 36. So ‘ye, that name the name of Christ depart from iniquity,’ 2
Tim. ii. 19. ‘The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father,
with his angels; and then he shall reward every one according to his
works,’ Matt. xvi. 27. He who is gone into a far country, and hath
given the talents to every one of you, according to your several
ability, ‘will render to every man according to his deeds,’ Rom. ii.
6. ‘And further I say unto you, if any man have not the Spirit of
Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead
because of sin, but the Spirit is life, because of righteousness,’
Rom. viii. 9, 10. So let the light which cometh from Christ examine;
for the Lord is appearing. Ye that have received according to your
ability, smite not your fellow-servant; and think not that the Lord
delayeth the time of his coming. Be not as they that said, ‘Let us eat
and drink, for to-morrow we shall die.’
“The apostle tells the Ephesians, that unto him ‘this grace was
given—to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which
from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all
things by Jesus Christ,’ Eph. iii. 9. Read and understand every one
with the light which comes from Christ, the mystery, which will be
your condemnation, if ye believe not in it. This is to all, who
stumble at the work of the Spirit of God, the manifestation of it,
‘which is given to every man, to profit withal.’ Come, ye professors,
who stumble at it; let us read the parables. ‘A sower went forth to
sow; and some seed fell on the highway ground, and some on stony
ground, and some on thorny ground; the Seed is the Word, the Son of
Man is the seedsman. He that hath an ear, let him hear,’ Matt. xiii.
Now look, all ye professors, what ground ye are? and what ye have
brought forth? and whether the wicked seedsman hath not got his seed
into your ground? ‘He that hath an ear, let him hear.’ And come, read
another parable, of the householder, hiring labourers to go into the
vineyard, and agreeing with every man for a penny, Matt. xx. Every man
is to have his penny, the last that went in, as well as the first; and
the last shall be first, and the first shall be last; for many are
called but few are chosen. He that hath an ear, let him hear.’ There
is a promise spoken to Cain, that if he did well he should be
accepted, Gen. iv. 7. And Esau had a birthright, but despised it. Yet
it is ‘not of him that willeth,’ Rom. ix. 16; ‘but by grace ye are
saved,’ Eph. ii. 8. And stand still, and see your salvation, Exod.
xiv. 13. And ye that are children of light, put on the armour of
light, that ye may come into the ‘unity of the faith, and of the
knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of
the stature of the fulness of Christ; that henceforth ye be no more
children tossed to and fro,’ Eph. iv. 13.
“And the Lord said, he would make a new covenant, by ‘writing his law
in people’s hearts, and putting his Spirit in their inward parts;’
whereby they should all come to know the Lord—Him by whom the world
was made. Now every one of you, mind the law written in your hearts,
and this Spirit put in your inward parts, that it need not be said to
you, ‘know the Lord;’ but that ye may witness the promise of God
fulfilled in you. ‘But,’ say the world, and professors, ‘if every one
must come to witness the law of God written in their hearts, and the
Spirit put in the inward parts, what must we do with all our
teachers?’ As we come to witness that, we need not any man to teach us
to know the Lord, having his law written in our hearts, and his Spirit
put in our inward parts. This is the covenant of life, the everlasting
covenant, which decays not, nor changes; and here is the way to the
Father, without which no man cometh unto the Father.
“And here is the everlasting priesthood, the end of the old
priesthood, whose lips were to preserve knowledge; but now, saith
Christ, ‘Learn of me;’ who is the high-priest of the new priesthood.
‘And,’ saith the apostle, ‘that ye may grow up in the knowledge of
Jesus Christ, in whom are hid the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.’
So we are brought off from the old priesthood that changed, to Christ,
to the new priesthood, that changeth not; and off from the first
covenant, that doth decay, to the everlasting covenant that doth not
decay, Christ Jesus, the covenant of Light, from whom every one of you
have a light, that ye might believe in the covenant of Light. If ye
believe not, ye are condemned; for light is come into the world, and
men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. ‘I
am come a light into the world,’ saith Christ, ‘that whosoever
believeth in me, should not abide in darkness, but have the light of
life,’ John xii., 46. And, ‘believe in the light, that ye may be
children of the light.’ But ye who do not believe in the light, but
hate it, because it manifests your deeds to be evil, ye are they that
are condemned by the light.
“Therefore, while ye have time, prize it; seek the Lord while he may
be found, and call upon him while he is near; lest he say, ‘time is
past;’ for the rich glutton’s time was past. Therefore, while time is
not quite past, consider, search yourselves, and see if ye be not they
that hate the light; and so are builders that stumble at the
corner-stone; for they that hated the light, and did not believe in
the light, did so in ages past. ‘I am the light of the world,’ saith
Christ, ‘who enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world;’ and
he also saith, ‘learn of me;’ and of him God saith, ‘this is my
beloved Son, hear ye him.’ Here is your teacher. But ye that hate the
light, do not learn of Christ, and will not have him to be your king,
to reign over you;—Him, to whom all power in heaven and earth is
given, who bears his government upon his shoulders, who is now come to
reign; who lighteth every man that cometh into the world, and will
give to every man a reward, according to his works, whether they be
good or evil. So every man, with the light that comes from Christ,
will see his deeds, both he that hates it, and he that loves it. And
he that will not bring his deeds to the light, because it will reprove
him, that is his condemnation; and he shall have a reward according to
his deeds. For the Lord is come to reckon with you. He looks for
fruits; now the axe is laid to your root, and every tree of you that
bears not good fruit, must be hewn down, and cast into the fire.”
G. F.
Having stayed some time in LONDON, and visited the meetings of Friends
in and about the city, and cleared myself of what services the Lord had
at that time laid upon me there, I travelled into KENT, SUSSEX, and
SURREY, visiting Friends, amongst whom I had great meetings; and many
times met with opposition from Baptists and other jangling professors;
but the Lord’s power went over them.
We staid one night at FARNHAM, where we had a little meeting, and the
people were exceedingly rude; but at last the Lord’s power came over
them. After it we went to our inn, and gave notice that any that feared
God might come to us: and there came abundance of rude people, the
magistrates of the town also, and some professors. I declared the truth
unto them; and those of the people that behaved rudely, the magistrates
put out of the room. When they were gone there came another rude company
of professors and some of the chief of the town. They called for faggots
and drink, though we forbade them; and were as rude a people as ever I
met with. The Lord’s power chained them that they had not power to do us
any mischief; but when they went away, they left all their faggots and
beer which they had called for into the room, for us to pay for in the
morning. We showed the innkeeper what an unworthy thing it was, but he
told us, “we must pay it,” and we did. Before we left the town I wrote a
paper to the magistrates and heads of the town, and to the priest,
showing them and him how he had taught his people, and laying before
them their rude and uncivil conduct to strangers that sought their good.
Leaving that place we came to BASINGSTOKE, a very rude town; where they
had formerly very much abused Friends. There I had a meeting in the
evening, which was quiet for the Lord’s power chained the unruly. At the
close of it I was moved to put off my hat, and pray to the Lord to open
their understandings; upon which they raised a report, that, “I put off
my hat to them, and bid them good-night,” which was never in my heart.
After the meeting, when we came to our inn, I sent for the innkeeper (as
I used to do,) and he came into the room to us, and showed himself a
very rude man. I admonished him to be sober and fear the Lord; but he
called for faggots and a pint of wine, and drank it off himself; then
called for another, and called up half a dozen men into our chamber.
Thereupon I bid him go out of the chamber, and told him he should not
drink there, for we sent for him up to speak to him concerning his
eternal good. He was exceedingly mad, rude, and drunk. When he continued
his rudeness, and would not be gone, I told him the chamber was mine for
the time I lodged in it, and called for the key. Then he went away in
great rage. In the morning he would not be seen; but I told his wife of
his unchristian and rude behaviour towards us.
After this we came to BRIDPORT, having meetings in the way. We went to
an inn, and sent into the town for such as feared God; and there came a
shopkeeper, a professor, and put off his hat to us, and seeing we did
not the same to him again, but said Thou and Thee to him, he told us,
“he was not of our religion;” and after some discourse with him he went
away. Then he went and stirred up the priest and magistrates against us,
and after a while sent to the inn to desire us to come to his house, for
there were some that would speak with us, he said. Thomas Curtis was
with me, and he went to the man’s house; where, when he came, the man
had laid a snare for him, for he had got the priest and magistrate
thither, and they boasted much that they had caught George Fox, taking
him for me. When they perceived their mistake, they were in great rage;
yet the Lord’s power came over them, so that they let him go again.
Meanwhile I had an opportunity of speaking to some sober people that
came to the inn. When Thomas was come back, and we were passing out of
the town, some of them came to us, and said, “the officers were coming
to fetch me;” but the Lord’s power came over them all, so that they had
not power to touch me. There were some convinced in the town, who were
turned to the Lord, and have stood faithful in their testimony to the
truth ever since, and a fine meeting there is there.
Passing hence we visited PORTSMOUTH and POOLE, where we had glorious
meetings; and many were turned to the Lord. At RINGWOOD we had a large
general meeting, where the Lord’s power was over all. At WEYMOUTH we had
a meeting; and thence came through DORCHESTER to LYME, where the inn we
went to was taken up with mountebanks, so that there was hardly any room
for us or our horses. In the evening we drew up some queries concerning
the ground of all diseases, and the natures and virtues of medicinal
things, and sent them to the mountebanks; letting them know, “if they
would not answer them, we would stick them on the cross next day.” This
brought them down, and made them cool, for they could not answer them;
but in the morning they reasoned a little with us. We left the queries
with some friendly people, that were convinced in the town, to stick
upon the market-cross. The Lord’s power reached some of the sober people
in that place, who were turned by the Light and Spirit of Christ to his
free teaching.
We then travelled to EXETER; and at the sign of the Seven Stars, an inn
at the bridge foot, had a general meeting of Friends out of Cornwall and
Devonshire; to which came Humphrey Lower, Thomas Lower, and John
Ellis[52] from the Land’s End, Henry Pollexfen, and Friends from
Plymouth, Elizabeth Trelawny, and divers other Friends. A blessed
heavenly meeting we had, and the Lord’s everlasting power came over all,
in which I saw and said, “that the Lord’s power had surrounded this
nation round about, as with a wall and bulwark, and his seed reached
from sea to sea.” Friends were established in the everlasting Seed of
life, Christ Jesus, their life, rock, teacher and shepherd.
Footnote 52:
John Ellis, who is only twice mentioned in this journal, was an able
gospel minister, preaching in the authority of divine life, to the
reaching of God’s witness in many hearts. His doctrine was sound,
flowing from the living fountain and divine spring of life and
heavenly wisdom. His preaching was full of reproof and caution, but in
that meekness which made it edifying. Whilst tender of the good in
all, he was terrible against the workers of iniquity. He was a man of
great kindness, a visitor of the widows and fatherless in their
distress, feeding the hungry and clothing the naked, according to his
ability. He laboured greatly in the gospel in several counties, often
saying, “His Father’s business must not be neglected, or done
negligently.” As he was travelling in the service of Truth, he was
taken ill, and died in great peace in 1707 saying, “I am ready, for I
have a sure foundation.”
Next morning Major Blackmore sent soldiers to apprehend me; but I was
gone before they came. As I was riding up the street, I saw the officers
going down; so the Lord crossed them in their design, and Friends passed
away peaceably and quietly. The soldiers examined some Friends after I
was gone, “what they did there;” but when they told them they were in
their inn, and had business in the city, they went away without meddling
any further with them.
From EXETER I took meetings as I went, till I came to BRISTOL, and was
at the meeting there. After which I did not stay in the town, but passed
into Wales, and had a meeting at the Slone. Thence going to CARDIFF, a
justice of the peace sent to me, desiring I would come with half a dozen
of my friends to his house. So I took a friend or two, and went up to
him, and he and his wife received us very civilly. The next day we had a
meeting at Cardiff in the town-hall, and that justice sent about
seventeen of his family to the meeting. There came some disturbers, but
the Lord’s power was over them, and many were turned to the Lord. To
some that had run out with James Naylor, and did not come to meetings, I
sent word, that “the day of their visitation was over,” and they never
prospered after.
We travelled from Cardiff to SWANSEA, where we had a blessed meeting;
and a meeting was settled there in the name of Jesus. In our way thither
we passed over in a boat, with the high-sheriff of the county, and next
day I went to speak with him, but he would not admit me.
We went to another meeting in the country, where the Lord’s presence was
much with us. Thence to a great man’s house, who received us very
lovingly; but next morning he would not be seen; one that in the mean
time had come to him, had so estranged him, that we could not get to
speak with him again.
We still passed on through the countries, having meetings and gathering
people, in the name of Christ, to Him their heavenly teacher, till we
came to BRECKNOCK; where we set up our horses at an inn. There went with
me Thomas Holmes and John-ap-John, who was moved of the Lord to speak in
the streets. I walked out a little into the fields, and when I came in
again, the town was in an uproar. When I came into the chamber in the
inn, it was full of people, and they were speaking in Welsh; I desired
them to speak in English, which they did, and much discourse we had.
After a while they went away; but towards night the magistrates gathered
together in the streets, with a multitude of people, and they bid them
shout, and gathered up the town; so that for about two hours together,
there was such a noise, that the like we had not heard; and the
magistrates set them on to shout again, when they had given over. We
thought it looked like the uproar, which we read was amongst Diana’s
craftsmen. This tumult continued till night; and if the Lord’s power had
not limited them, they seemed likely to have pulled down the house, and
us to pieces.
At night, the woman of the house would have had us go to supper in
another room, but we discerning her plot, refused. Then she would have
had half a dozen men come into the room to us, under pretence of
discoursing with us. We told her, no persons should come into our room
that night, neither would we go to them. Then she said, we should sup in
another room; but we told her we would have no supper, if not in our own
room. At length, when she saw she could not get us out, she brought up
our supper in a great rage. So she and they were crossed in their
design, for they had an intent to do us mischief; but the Lord God
prevented them. Next morning I wrote a paper to the town concerning
their unchristian conduct, showing the fruits of their priests and
magistrates; and as I passed out of the town I spoke to the people, and
told them, they were a shame to Christianity and religion.
From this place we went to a great meeting in a steeple-house yard,
where was a priest, and Walter Jenkin, who had been a justice, and
another justice. A blessed glorious meeting we had. There being many
professors, I was moved of the Lord to open the Scriptures to them, and
to answer their objections (for I knew them very well;) and to turn them
to Christ, who had enlightened them; with which light they might see the
sins and trespasses they had been dead in, and their Saviour, who came
to redeem them out of them, who was to be their way to God, the truth
and the life to them, and their priest made higher than the heavens, so
that they might come to sit under his teaching. A peaceable meeting we
had; many were convinced and settled in the truth that day. After it, I
went with Walter Jenkin to the other justice’s house; and he said to me,
“You have this day given great satisfaction to the people, and answered
all the objections that were in their minds.” For the people had the
Scriptures, but were not turned to the Spirit, which should let them see
that, which gave them forth, the Spirit of God, which is the key to open
them.
From hence we passed to Richard Hamborow’s, at PONTEMOIL, where was a
great meeting; to which came another justice of peace, and several great
people, whose understandings were opened by the Lord’s Spirit and power,
and they were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, from whence it came. A
great convincement there was; a large meeting was gathered in those
parts, and settled in the name of Jesus.
After this we returned to England, and came to SHREWSBURY, where we had
a great meeting, and visited Friends all over the countries in their
meetings, till we came to William Gandy’s, in CHESHIRE, where we had a
meeting of between two and three thousand people, as it was thought; and
the everlasting word of life was held forth, and received that day. A
blessed meeting it was, for Friends were settled by the power of God
upon Christ Jesus, the rock and foundation.
At this time there was a great drought; and after this general meeting
was ended, there fell so great a rain, that Friends said, they thought
we could not travel, the waters would be so risen. But I believed the
rain had not extended so far, as they had come that day to the meeting.
Next day in the afternoon, when we turned back into some parts of Wales
again, the roads were dusty, and no rain had fallen there.
When Oliver Cromwell sent forth a proclamation for a fast throughout the
nation, for rain, when there was a very great drought, it was observed,
that as far as truth had spread in the north, there were pleasant
showers and rain enough, when in the south, in many places, they were
almost spoiled for want of rain. At that time I was moved to write an
answer to the Protector’s proclamation, wherein I told him, “if he had
come to own God’s truth, he should have had rain; and that drought was a
sign unto them of their barrenness, and want of the water of life.”
About the same time was written the following paper, to distinguish
between true and false fasts:—
“_Concerning the true Fast and the false._
“To all you that are keeping fasts, who ‘smite with the fist of
wickedness, and fast for strife and debate;’ against you hath a voice
cried aloud, like a trumpet, that you may come to know the true fast,
which is accepted; and the fast, which is in the strife and the
debate, and smiting with the fists of wickedness; which fast is not
required of the Lord. ‘Behold, in the day of your fast, you find
pleasure, and exact all your labours. Behold (mark, take notice), ye
fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness;
ye shall not fast, as ye do this day, to make your voice heard on
high. Is it such a fast, that I have chosen, saith the Lord, a day for
a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush,
and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a
fast and an acceptable day to the Lord?’
“Consider all you that fast, see, if it be not ‘hanging down the head
for a day, like a bulrush;’ and fasting for ‘strife and debate,’ and
to ‘smite with the fists of wickedness, to make your voice be heard on
high?’ But this fast is not accepted of the Lord: but that which leads
you from strife, from debate, from wickedness; which is not to ‘bow
down the head, as a bulrush for a day,’ and yet live in exacting and
pleasure; this is not accepted of the Lord: but that which separates
from all these before-mentioned. That which separates from
‘wickedness, debate, strife, pleasures, smiting with the fist of
wickedness,’ brings to know the true fast, which ‘breaks the bonds of
iniquity, and deals bread to the hungry; brings the poor that are cast
out to his own house, and when he sees any naked, he covers them, and
hides not himself from his own flesh.’ Here is the true fast, which
separates from them, where the bonds of iniquity are standing, and the
heavy burthens of the oppressed remaining, and the yoke not broken;
who deal not bread to the hungry, and bring not the poor to their own
house; who see the naked, but let him go unclothed, and hide
themselves from their own flesh. Yet such will make their voice to be
heard on high, as Christ speaks of the Pharisees, who ‘sounded a
trumpet before them, and disfigured their faces,’ to appear to men to
fast; but the bonds of iniquity were standing, strife and debate were
standing, striking with the fists of wickedness standing; these made
their voice heard on high, who had their reward.
“But that which brings to the true fast, which appears not to men to
fast, but unto the Father ‘who seeth in secret; the Father that seeth
in secret, shall reward this openly.’ This fast separates from the
Pharisees’ fast, and them that bow the head for a day, like a bulrush.
This is it which brings ‘to deal bread to the hungry, and clothe thine
own flesh when thou seest them naked; to bring the poor to thine
house, and to loose the bonds of wickedness;’ mark, this is the fast;
and ‘to undo every heavy burthen (mark again), and to let the
oppressed go free;’ this is the fast: and ‘to break every yoke.’ When
thou observest this fast, ‘then shall thy light break forth as the
morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily, and thy
righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy
rere-ward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt
cry, and he shall say, Here I am: if thou take away from the midst of
thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
and if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted
soul, then shall thy light arise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as
the noon-day.’ The light brings to know this fast; and walking in it
this fast is kept; and he that believeth in the light, abides not in
darkness. And again; ‘the Lord shall guide thee continually, and
satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones; and thou shalt be
like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail
not,’ Isa. lviii. 11. These are they that are guided by the light
which comes from Christ, where the springs are.
“And again; ‘they that shall be of thee (that keep this fast,) shall
build the old waste places, and thou shalt raise up the foundations of
many generations; and thou shalt be called The repairer of the breach,
The restorer of the paths to dwell in,’ Isa. lviii. 12. Now that which
gives to see the foundations of many generations, is the light which
separates from all, which is out of the light: and they that go out of
the light, though they may pretend a fast, and bow down the head for a
time, yet they are far from this fast, that doth raise up the
foundations of many generations, and is the repairer of the breach,
and restorer of the paths to dwell in. That which doth give to see
these foundations of many generations, and these breaches that are to
be repaired and restored, and paths to dwell in, is the light which
brings to know the true fast; and where this fast is known, which is
from wickedness, debate, strife, pleasures, from exacting, from the
voice that is heard on high, from the speaking of vanity, from the
bonds of iniquity, which breaks every yoke, and lets the oppressed go
free; here the health grows; here the morning is known, and
righteousness goes forth; the glory of the Lord is the rere-ward, and
the light riseth; the soul is drawn out to the hungry, and satisfies
the afflicted soul; and the springs of living water are known and
felt. The waters fail not here; the Lord guides continually, and the
foundations of many generations come to be seen and raised up: The
repairer of breaches is here witnessed, The restorer of paths to dwell
in.
“But all such as are out of the light which the prophets were in, with
which they saw Christ, and such as are in fasts, where was strife,
wickedness, debate, and bowing down the head like a bulrush for a day,
lifting their voice on high, and the bonds of wickedness yet standing,
and the burthens unloosed, and the oppressed not let go free, and the
yoke not broken, the nakedness not clothed, the bread not dealt to the
hungry, and these foundations of many generations not raised up; until
these things before-mentioned, be broken down,—on such the light
breaks not forth as the morning, and the Lord hears them not. Such
have their reward; their iniquities have separated them from their
God, their sins have hid his face from them, that he will not hear:
their hands are defiled with blood, and their fingers with iniquity,
whose lips have spoken lies, and tongues muttered perverseness. ‘None
calleth for justice, nor do any plead for truth; they trust in vanity,
and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. They
hatch cockatrice-eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eateth of
their eggs, dies; and that which is crushed breaks out into a viper:
their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover
themselves with their works.’ Observe; ‘their works are works of
iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands: their feet run to
do evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts
are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths;
the way of peace they know not, and there is no judgment in their
doings. They have made them a crooked path; whosoever goeth therein
shall not know peace:’ mark; such go from the light, therefore is
judgment far off; neither doth justice overtake. Here is obscurity,
walking in darkness; groping like blind men, as though they had no
eyes, and stumbling at noon-day in desolate places, like blind men.
Here is the roaring like bears, and mourning sorely like doves; here
judgment is looked for, but there is none, and salvation is put far
off: for the light is denied, which gives to see it. But here are the
multiplying of transgression, and their sins testifying against them;
the transgression that was within them, and their iniquities, which
they knew in transgressing and lying against the Lord, speaking the
things they should not, when they knew by that of God in them, that
they should not speak it. So departing from the way of God, speaking
oppression, revolting, conceiving and uttering forth from the heart
words of falsehood; here judgment is turned away backward, and justice
stands afar off; truth is fallen in the streets, and equity cannot
enter. Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil makes
himself a prey. The Lord saw it, and it displeased him. These are such
as are in the fast, which God doth not accept; not in the true fast,
whose ‘light breaks forth as the morning:’ but these are such as are
in the false fast, who grope, like blind men.
“That which gives to know the true fast, and the false fast, is the
Light, which gives the eye to see each fast, where the true judgment
is, and the iniquity standeth not, nor the transgressor, nor the
speaker of lies; but that is judged and condemned with the Light,
which makes it manifest. And when they who are in this fast call upon
the Lord, the Lord will answer them, Here am I. Here truth is pleaded
for, and falsehood flies away.
“But they who are out of this fast, in the perverseness, whose tongues
utter perverse things, who are stumbling and groping like blind men,
out of the light, in the iniquity which separates from God, who hides
his face from them that he will not hear;—these going from the light,
go from the Lord and his face. So this is it which must be fasted
from; for it separates from God; and here comes the reward openly,
which condemns all that is contrary to the light; injustice, iniquity,
transgression, vanity, and that which bringeth forth mischief, which
hatcheth the cockatrice-eggs, and weaves the spider’s web: he that
eateth of these eggs dies. Mark, ‘that which is crushed breaks out
into a viper;’ mark again, ‘their webs shall not become garments,
neither shall they cover themselves with their works of vanity; acts
of violence are in their hands.’ This is all out of the light, in the
wickedness. ‘Their feet run to do evil, and they make haste to shed
innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of vanity; wasting and
destruction are in their path.’ This is all far from the light. Again,
‘the way of peace they know not, there is no judgment in their goings;
they have made them crooked paths, whosoever go therein, shall not
know peace.’ Mark; who go in their way, that know not the way of
peace, shall they know peace? ‘Whose path is crooked, where there is
no judgment in their goings;’ take notice, ‘no judgment in their
goings;’ this is all from the light, which manifesteth that which is
to be judged; where the covenant of peace is known, where all that
which is contrary to it is kept out. All who live in those things
contrary to the light, in the false fast, stumbling and groping like
blind men, may mark their path, and behold their reward. They that are
in the true fast, are separated from all these; from their words and
actions, their fruits, and their fast: but of those whose fast breaks
the bonds of iniquity, whom the Lord hears, and to whom righteousness
springs forth, and goes before them, the glory of the Lord is the
rere-ward.”
G. F.
We passed into Wales through MONTGOMERYSHIRE, and so into RADNORSHIRE,
where there was a meeting like a leaguer, for multitudes. I walked a
little aside, whilst the people were gathering; and there came to me
John-ap-John, a Welshman, whom I desired to go to the people; and if he
had anything upon him from the Lord to them, he might speak to them in
Welsh, and thereby gather them more together. Then came Morgan
Watkins[53] to me, who was then become loving to Friends, and said, “the
people lie like a leaguer, and the gentry of the country are come in.” I
bid him go up also, and leave me, for I had a great travail upon me for
the salvation of the people. When they were well gathered, I went into
the meeting, and stood upon a chair about three hours. I stood a while
before I began to speak; after some time I felt the power of the Lord go
over the whole assembly; and his everlasting life and truth shone over
all. The Scriptures were opened to them, and their objections answered.
They were directed to the light of Christ, the heavenly man; that by it
they might all see their sins, and Christ Jesus to be their Saviour,
their Redeemer, their Mediator, and come to feed on him, the bread of
life from heaven. Many were turned to the Lord Jesus, and his free
teaching that day; and all were bowed down under the power of God; so
that though the multitude was so great, that many sat on horseback to
hear, there was no opposition. A priest who sat with his wife on
horseback, heard attentively, and made no objection. The people parted
peaceably and quietly, with great satisfaction; many of them saying they
never heard such a sermon before, or the Scriptures so opened. For the
new covenant was opened, and the old, and the nature and terms of each;
and the parables were explained. The state of the church in the
apostles’ days was set forth, and the apostacy laid open; and the free
teaching of Christ and the apostles was set over the hireling teachers;
and the Lord had the praise of all, for many were turned to him that
day.
Footnote 53:
Morgan Watkins, who is only mentioned in this place, became a sufferer
for the truth. About eight years from the above date, we find him in
the Gatehouse prison, near Westminster abbey, with nineteen others on
the same account, being committed by warrant from the Duke of
Albemarle, “for being at a meeting in St. John’s.” This was during the
time the plague visited London. In Barclay’s _Letters of Early
Friends_, are two from Morgan Watkins, one of them dated from the
Gatehouse prison, in which he says, “Blessed be His name who hath kept
me, and nineteen more in this close place, all in health, above these
five weeks; notwithstanding three have been buried out of this prison
of the sickness.—Good is the hand of the Lord to his own, whose death
is gain.”
In a letter written about three months after the above, he mentions
the release of himself and Friends, and adds, “I have been weak since
I came out into the air, but through the great love of my God, I am
wonderfully preserved, to the praise of his name. But the two
imprisonments in Newgate, and the one at the Gatehouse, have much
weakened my body, in which I have had several battles with death; but
the power of my God arising, gave me dominion over the distemper and
weakness of the flesh. The day was dreadful to all flesh, and few were
able to abide it, and stand in the judgment; but the Lord was very
merciful to the remnant of his people, and his blessed seed is arising
in many.”
I went back thence to LEOMINSTER, where was a great meeting in a field;
many hundreds of people being gathered together. There were about six
congregational preachers and priests among them; and Thomas Taylor, who
had been a priest, but was now become a minister of Christ, was with me.
I stood up, and declared about three hours; and none of the priests were
able to open their mouths in opposition; the Lord’s power and truth so
reached them, and bound them down. At length one priest went off about a
bow-shot from me, drew several of the people after him, and began to
preach to them. So I kept our meeting, and he kept his. After a while
Thomas Taylor was moved to go and speak to him; and he gave over; and
he, and the people he had drawn off, came to us again; and the Lord’s
power went over them all. At last a Baptist, that was convinced, said,
“Where’s priest Tombs? how chance he doth not come out?” This Tombs was
priest of Leominster. Hereupon some went and told the priest; who came
with the bailiffs and other officers of the town. When he was come, they
set him upon a stool over against me. Now I was speaking of the
heavenly, divine light of Christ, with which he “enlightens every one
that cometh into the world, to give them the knowledge of the glory of
God in the face of Christ Jesus their Saviour.” When priest Tombs heard
this, he cried out, “That is a natural light, and a made light.” Then I
desired the people to take out their Bibles; and I asked the priest
whether he affirmed that that was a created, natural, made light, which
John, a man that was sent from God, did bear witness to, and spoke of,
when he said, “In him (to wit, in the Word) was life, and that life was
the light of men,” John i. 4. “Dost thou affirm and mean,” said I, “that
this light here spoken of, was a created, natural, made light?” And he
said, “Yes.” Then I showed by the Scriptures, that the natural, created,
made light, is the outward light in the outward firmament, proceeding
from the sun, moon, and stars. “And dost thou affirm,” said I, “that God
sent John to bear witness to the light of the sun, moon, and stars?”
Then said he, “Did I say so?” I replied, “Didst thou not say it was a
natural, created, made light, that John bore witness unto? If thou dost
not like thy words, take them again and mend them.” Then he said, “That
light which I spoke of, was a natural, created light.” I told him, “he
had not at all mended his cause; for that light which I spoke of, was
the very same that John was sent of God to bear witness to, which was
the life in the Word, by which all the natural lights, as sun, moon, and
stars, were made. ‘In him (to wit, the Word) was life, and that life was
the light of men.’” So I directed the people to turn to the place in
their Bibles, and recited to them the words of John, how that ‘In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God; all things were made by him, and
without him was not anything made, that was made. (So all natural,
created lights were made by Christ the Word.) In him was life, and the
life was the light of men; and that was the true light, which lighteth
every man that cometh into the world.’ And Christ saith of himself, John
viii. 12, “I am the light of the world;” and bids them “believe in the
light,” John xii. 36. And God said of him by the prophet Isaiah, chap.
xlix. 6, “I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou
mayest be my salvation to the ends of the earth.” So Christ in his light
is saving. And the apostle said, “The light which shined in their
hearts, was to give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
in the face of Jesus Christ;” and that was their “treasure in their
earthen vessels,” 2 Cor. iv. 6, 7.
When I had thus opened the matter to the people, the priest cried to the
magistrates, “Take this man away, or else I shall not speak any more.”
“But,” said I, “Priest Tombs, deceive not thyself, thou art not in thy
pulpit now, nor in thy old mass-house; but we are in the fields.” So he
was shuffling to be gone; and Thomas Taylor stood up, and undertook to
make out our principle by Christ’s parable concerning the sower, Matt.
xiii. Then said the priest, “Let that man speak, and not the other.” So
he got into a little jangling for a while; till the Lord’s power stopped
and confounded him. Afterwards a Friend stood up and told him, how he
had sued him for tithe eggs, and other Friends for other tithes; for he
was an Anabaptist preacher, and yet had a parsonage at Leominster, and
had several journeymen under him. He said “he had a wife, and he had a
concubine; and his wife was the baptized people, and his concubine was
the world.” But the Lord’s power came over him and them all, and the
everlasting truth was declared that day; and many were turned by it to
the Lord Jesus Christ their teacher and way to God. Of great service
that meeting was in those parts. Next day Thomas Taylor went to this
priest, and reasoned with him; and overcame him by the power of the
Word.
From this place I travelled on in Wales, having several meetings, till I
came to TENBY; where, as I rode up the street, a justice of peace came
out of his house, desired me to alight, and stay at his house; and I did
so. On First-day the mayor and his wife, and several of the chief of the
town, came in about ten o’clock, and stayed all the time of the meeting.
A glorious one it was. John-ap-John being then with me, left it, and
went to the steeple-house; and the governor cast him into prison. On the
Second-day morning the governor sent one of his officers to the
justice’s house to fetch me; which grieved the mayor and the justice;
for they were both with me in the justice’s house when the officer came.
So the mayor and the justice went up to the governor before me; and a
while after I went up with the officer. When I came in, I said, “Peace
be unto this house.” And before the governor could examine me, I asked
him why he cast my friend into prison. He said, “For standing with his
hat on in the church.” I said, “Had not the priest two caps on his head,
a black one and a white one? Cut off the brims of the hat, and then my
friend would have but one, and the brims of the hat were but to defend
him from weather.” “These are frivolous things,” said the governor. “Why
then,” said I, “dost thou cast my friend into prison for such frivolous
things?” Then he asked me, whether I owned election and reprobation;
“Yes,” said I, “and thou art in the reprobation.” At that he was in a
rage, and said he would send me to prison till I proved it; but I told
him I would prove that quickly, if he would confess truth. Then I asked
him, whether wrath, fury, rage, and persecution, were not marks of
reprobation; for he that was born of the flesh, persecuted him that was
born of the Spirit; but Christ and his disciples never persecuted nor
imprisoned any. Then he fairly confessed that he had too much wrath,
haste and passion in him. I told him Esau was up in him, the first
birth, not Jacob, the second birth. The Lord’s power so reached and came
over him, that he confessed to truth; and the other justice came, and
shook me kindly by the hand.
As I was passing away, I was moved to speak to the governor again, and
he invited me to dine with him, and set my friend at liberty. I went
back to the other justice’s house; and after some time the mayor and his
wife, and the justice and his wife, and divers other Friends of the
town, went about half a mile out of town with us, to the water-side,
when we went away; and there, when we parted from them, I was moved of
the Lord to kneel down with them; and pray to the Lord to preserve them.
So after I had recommended them to the Lord Jesus Christ, their Saviour
and free teacher, we passed away in the Lord’s power, and the Lord had
the glory. A meeting continues in that town to this day.
We travelled to Pembrokeshire, and in PEMBROKE had some service for the
Lord. Thence we passed to HAVERFORD-WEST, where we had a great meeting,
and all was quiet. The Lord’s power came over all, and many were settled
in the new covenant, Christ Jesus, and built upon him, their rock and
foundation; and they stand a precious meeting to this day. Next day,
being their fair-day, we passed through it, and sounded the day of the
Lord, and his everlasting truth amongst them.
After this we came into another county, and at noon came into a great
market-town, and went into several inns, before we could get any meat
for our horses. At last we came to one where we got some. Then
John-ap-John being with me, went and spoke through the town, declaring
the truth to the people; and when he came to me again, he said he
thought all the town were as people asleep. After a while he was moved
to go and declare truth in the streets again; then the town was all in
an uproar, and cast him into prison. Presently after, several of the
chief of the town came, with others, to the inn where I was, and said,
“They have cast your man into prison.” “For what?” said I, “He preached
in our streets,” said they. Then I asked them, “What did he say? had he
reproved some of the drunkards and swearers, and warned them to repent,
and leave off their evil doings, and turn to the Lord?” I asked them,
who cast him into prison? They said, the high-sheriff and justices, and
the mayor. I asked their names, and whether they understood themselves?
and whether that was their conduct to travellers that passed through
their town, and strangers that admonished and exhorted them to fear the
Lord, and reproved sin in their gates? These went back, and told the
officers what I said; and after a while they brought down John-ap-John,
guarded with halberts, in order to put him out of the town. Being at the
inn door, I bid the officers take their hands off him. They said, ‘the
mayor and justices had commanded them to put him out of town.’ I told
them I would talk with their mayor and justices, concerning their
uncivil and unchristian carriage towards him. So I spoke to John to go
look after the horses, and get them ready, and charged the officers not
to touch him. And after I had declared the truth to them, and showed
them the fruits of their priests, and their incivility and
unchristian-like carriage, they left us. They were a kind of
Independents; but a very wicked town, and false. We bid the innkeeper
give our horses a peck of oats; and no sooner had we turned our backs,
than the oats were stolen from our horses. After we had refreshed
ourselves a little, and were ready, we took horse, and rode up to the
inn, where the mayor, sheriff, and justices were. I called to speak with
them, and asked them why they had imprisoned John-ap-John, and kept him
in prison two or three hours? But they would not answer me a word; they
only looked out at the windows upon me. So I showed them how unchristian
their carriage was to strangers and travellers, and manifested the
fruits of their teachers; and I declared the truth unto them, and warned
them of the day of the Lord, that was coming upon all evildoers; and the
Lord’s power came over them, that they looked ashamed; but not a word
could I get from them in answer. So when I had warned them to repent,
and turn to the Lord, we passed away; and at night came to a little inn,
very poor, but very cheap; for our own provision and our two horses,
cost but eightpence; but the horses would not eat their oats. We
declared the truth to the people of the place, and sounded the day of
the Lord through the countries.
Thence, we came to a great town, and went to an inn. Edward Edwards went
into the market, and declared the truth amongst the people; and they
followed him to the inn, and filled the yard, and were exceedingly rude;
yet good service we had for the Lord amongst them; for the life of
Christianity and the power of it tormented their chaffy spirits, and
came over them, so that some were reached and convinced; and the Lord’s
power came over all. The magistrates were bound; they had no power to
meddle with us.
After this we came to another great town on a market-day; and
John-ap-John declared the everlasting truth through the streets, and
proclaimed the day of the Lord amongst them. In the evening many people
gathered about the inn; and some of them, being drunk, would fain have
had us into the street again; but seeing their design, I told them, if
there were any that feared God, and desired to hear the truth, they
might come into our inn; or else we might have a meeting with them next
morning. Some service for the Lord we had amongst them, both over night
and in the morning; and though the people were hard to receive the
truth, yet the seed was sown; and thereabouts the Lord hath a people
gathered to himself. In that inn also I turned but my back to the man
that was giving oats to my horse; and looking round again, I observed he
was filling his pockets with the provender. A wicked, thievish people,
to rob the poor dumb creature of his food. I would rather they had
robbed me.
Leaving this town and travelling on, a great man overtook us on the way,
and he purposed (as he told us afterwards) to take us up at the next
town for highwaymen. But before we came to the town, I was moved of the
Lord to speak to him. What I spoke reached to the witness of God in the
man, who was so affected therewith, that he had us to his house, and
entertained us very civilly. He and his wife desired us to give them
some Scriptures, both for proof of our principles and against the
priests. We were glad of the service, and furnished them with Scriptures
enough; and he wrote them down, and was convinced of the truth, both by
the Spirit of God in his own heart, and by the Scriptures, which were a
confirmation to him. Afterwards he set us on our journey, and as we
travelled we came to a hill, which the people of the country say, is two
or three miles high; from the side of this hill I could see a great way.
And I was moved to set my face several ways, and to sound the day of the
Lord there; and I told John-ap-John (a faithful Welsh minister) in what
places God would raise up a people to himself, to sit under his own
teaching. Those places he took note of, and a great people have since
been raised up there. The like I have been moved to do in many other
rude places; and yet I have been moved to declare the Lord had a seed in
those parts, and afterwards there have been a brave people raised up in
the covenant of God, and gathered in the name of Jesus; where they have
salvation and free teaching.
From this hill we came to DOLGELLY, and went to an inn. John-ap-John
declared through the streets, and the town’s people rose and gathered
about him. There being two Independent priests in the town, they came
out and discoursed with him together. I went up to them, and finding
them speaking in Welsh, I asked them, “what was the subject they spoke
upon, and why they were not more moderate, and spoke not one by one? For
the things of God,” I told them, “were weighty, and they should speak of
them with fear and reverence.” Then I desired them to speak in English,
that I might discourse with them, and they did so. They affirmed, “that
the light which John came to bear witness of, was a created, natural,
made light.” But I took the Bible, and showed them (as I had done to
others before,) “that the natural lights, which were made and created,
were the sun, moon, and stars; but this light, which John bare witness
to, and which he called ‘the true light, that lighteth every man that
cometh into the world,’ is the life in Christ the Word, by which all
things were made and created. The same that is called the life in
Christ, is called the light in man; and this is a heavenly divine light,
which lets men see their evil words and deeds, shows them all their
sins, and, if they would attend unto it, would bring them to Christ,
from whom it comes, that they might know him to save them from their
sin, and to blot it out. This light, I told them, shone in the darkness
of their hearts, and the darkness in them could not comprehend it; but
in those hearts where God had commanded it to shine out of darkness, it
gave unto such the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Christ
Jesus their Saviour. Then I opened the Scriptures largely to them, and
turned them to the Spirit of God in their hearts, which would reveal the
mysteries in the Scriptures to them, and would lead them into all truth
as they became subject thereunto. I directed them to that which would
give everyone of them the knowledge of Christ, who died for them, that
he might be their way to God, and make peace between God and them.”
The people were attentive, and I spoke to John-ap-John to stand up and
speak it in Welsh to them, which he did; and they generally received it,
and with hands lifted up blessed and praised God. The priests’ mouths
were stopped, so that they were quiet all the while, for I had brought
them to be sober at the first, by telling them that, “when they speak of
the things of God and of Christ, they should speak with fear and
reverence.” Thus the meeting broke up in peace in the street, and many
of the people accompanied us to our inn, and rejoiced in the truth that
had been declared unto them; that they were turned to the light and
Spirit in themselves, by which they might see their sin, and know
salvation from it. When we went out of the town, the people were so
affected, that they lifted up their hands, and blessed the Lord for our
coming. A precious seed the Lord hath thereaway, and many people in
those parts are since gathered to the Lord Jesus Christ, to sit down
under his free teaching; and they have suffered much for him.
From hence we passed to CAERNARVON, a city like a castle. When we had
put up our horses at an inn, and refreshed ourselves, John-ap-John went
forth, and spoke through the streets; which were so strait and short,
that one might stand in the midst of the town and see both the gates. I
followed him, and a multitude of people were soon gathered; amongst whom
a very dark priest began to babble; but his mouth was soon stopped. When
John had cleared himself, I declared the word of life amongst the
people; directing them to “the light of Christ in their hearts, that by
it they might see all their own ways, religions, and teachers, and might
come off from them all, to Christ, the true and living way, and the free
teacher.” Some of them were rude, but the greater part were civil, and
told us they had heard how we had been persecuted and abused in many
places, but they would not do so to us there. I commended their
moderation and sobriety, and warned them of “the day of the Lord, that
was coming upon all sin and wickedness;” testifying unto them, “that
Christ was now come to teach his people himself, by his Spirit and by
his power.”
From hence we went to BEAUMARIS; a town wherein John-ap-John had
formerly been preacher. After we had put up our horses at an inn, John
went forth and spoke through the street: and there being a garrison in
the town, they took him and put him into prison. The innkeeper’s wife
came and told me that the governor and magistrates were sending for me
to commit me to prison also. I told her, they had done more than they
could answer already; and had acted contrary to Christianity in
imprisoning him for reproving sin in their streets and for declaring the
truth. Soon after came other friendly people, and told me, if I went out
into the street they would imprison me also; and therefore they desired
me to keep at the inn. Upon this I was moved to go and walk up and down
the streets; and told the people, “what an uncivil and unchristian thing
they had done, in casting my friend into prison.” And, they being high
professors, I asked them, “if this was the entertainment they had for
strangers; if they would willingly be so served themselves; and whether
they, who looked upon the Scriptures to be their rule, had any example
therein from Christ or his apostles, for what they had done?” So after a
while they set John-ap-John at liberty.
Next day, being market-day, we were to cross a great water: and not far
from the place where we were to take boat, many of the market-people
drew to us; amongst whom we had good service for the Lord, “declaring
the word of life and everlasting truth unto them, and proclaiming the
day of the Lord amongst them, which was coming upon all wickedness; and
directing them to the light of Christ, which he, the heavenly man, had
enlightened them with; by which they might see all their sins, and false
ways, religions, worships, and teachers: and by the same light might see
Christ Jesus, who was come to save them, and lead them to God.” After
the Lord’s truth had been declared to them in the power of God, and
Christ the free teacher set over all the hireling teachers, I bid
John-ap-John get his horse into the boat, which was then ready. But
there being a company of wild gentlemen, as they called them, got into
it, whom we found very rude, and far from gentleness, they, with others,
kept his horse out of the boat. I rode to the boat’s side and spoke to
them, showing them “what unmanly and unchristian conduct it was; and
told them they showed an unworthy spirit, below Christianity or
humanity.” As I spoke, I leaped my horse into the boat amongst them,
thinking John’s horse would have followed, when he had seen mine go in
before him; but the water being deep, John could not get his horse into
the boat. Wherefore I leaped out again on horseback into the water, and
stayed with John on that side till the boat returned. There we tarried
from eleven in the forenoon, to two in the afternoon, before the boat
came to fetch us; and then we had forty-two miles to ride that evening:
and when we had paid for our passage, we had but one groat left between
us in money. We rode about sixteen miles, and then got a little hay for
our horses. Setting forward again, we came in the night to a little
ale-house, where we intended to stay and bait; but finding we could have
neither oats nor hay there, we travelled on all night; and about five in
the morning got to a place within six miles of WREXHAM; where that day
we met with many Friends, and had a glorious meeting; and the Lord’s
everlasting power and truth was over all: and a meeting is continued
there to this day. Very weary we were with travelling so hard up and
down in Wales; and in many places we found it difficult to get meat
either for our horses or ourselves.
Next day we passed thence into FLINTSHIRE, sounding the day of the Lord
through the towns; and came into WREXHAM at night. Here many of Floyd’s
people came to us; but very rude, wild, and airy they were, and little
sense of truth they had: yet some were convinced in that town. Next
morning one called a lady sent for me, who kept a preacher in her house.
I went, but found both her and her preacher very light and airy; too
light to receive the weighty things of God. In her lightness she came
and asked me, if she should cut my hair: but I was moved to reprove her,
and bid her cut down the corruptions in herself with the sword of the
Spirit of God. So after I had admonished her to be more grave and sober,
we passed away: and afterwards in her frothy mind, she made her boast
that “she came behind me and cut off the curl of my hair;” but she spoke
falsely.
From Wrexham we came to CHESTER; and being the fair time, we stayed a
while, and visited Friends. For I had travelled through every county in
Wales, preaching the everlasting gospel of Christ; and a brave people
there is now, who have received it, and sit under Christ’s teaching. But
before I left Wales, I wrote to the magistrates of BEAUMARIS concerning
the imprisoning of John-ap-John; letting them see their conditions, and
the fruits of their Christianity, and of their teachers. Afterwards I
met with some of them near LONDON; but oh how ashamed they were of their
action!
From CHESTER we came to LIVERPOOL, where was at that time a fair also.
As I rode through the fair, there stood a Friend upon the cross,
declaring the truth to the people: who seeing me ride by, and knowing I
had appointed a meeting next day upon a hill not far off, gave notice to
the people “that George Fox, the servant of the Lord, would have a
meeting next day upon such hill; and if any feared the Lord, they might
come and hear him declare the word of life to them.” We went that night
to Richard Cubban’s, who himself was convinced, though not his wife; but
at that time she became convinced also.
Next day we went to the meeting on the top of the hill, which was very
large. Some rude people with a priest’s wife came, and made a noise for
a while, but the Lord’s power came over them, the meeting became quiet,
and the truth of God was declared amongst them. Many were that day
settled upon the rock and foundation, Christ Jesus, and under his
teaching; who made peace between God and them.
We had a small meeting with a few Friends and people at MALPAS. Thence
we came to another place, where we had another meeting. There came a
bailiff with a sword, and was rude; but the Lord’s power came over him,
and Friends were established in the truth.
Thence we came to MANCHESTER; and the sessions being there that day,
many rude people were come out of the country. In the meeting they threw
at me coals, clods, stones, and water; yet the Lord’s power bore me up
over them, that they could not strike me down. At last, when they saw
they could not prevail by throwing water, stones, and dirt at me, they
went and informed the justices in the sessions; who thereupon sent
officers to fetch me before them. The officers came in while I was
declaring the word of life to the people, and plucked me down, and haled
me up into their court. When I came there, all the court was in disorder
and noise. Wherefore I asked where were the magistrates that they did
not keep the people civil? Some of the justices said they were
magistrates. I asked them, why then did they not appease the people, and
keep them sober? for one cried, “I’ll swear,” and another cried, “I’ll
swear.” I declared to the justices how we were abused in our meeting by
the rude people who threw stones, and clods, dirt, and water; and how I
was haled out of the meeting, and brought thither, contrary to the
instrument of government, which said, “none shall be molested in their
meetings that professed God, and owned the Lord Jesus Christ;” which I
did. So the truth came over them, that when one of the rude fellows
cried “he would swear,” one of the justices checked him, saying “what
will you swear? hold your tongue.” At last they bid the constable take
me to my lodging; and there be secured till morning, till they sent for
me again. So the constable had me to my lodging; and as we went the
people were exceedingly rude; but I let them see “the fruits of their
teachers, and how they shamed Christianity, and dishonoured the name of
Jesus, which they professed.” At night we went to a justice’s house in
the town, who was pretty moderate; and I had much discourse with him.
Next morning we sent to the constable to know if he had anything more to
say to us. And he sent us word “he had nothing to say to us, but that we
might go whither we would.” The Lord hath since raised up a people to
stand for his name and truth in that town over those chaffy professors.
We passed from Manchester, having many precious meetings in several
places, till we came to PRESTON; between which and Lancaster I had a
general meeting: from which I went to LANCASTER. There at our inn I met
with Colonel West, who was very glad to see me: who meeting with Judge
Fell, told him I was mightily grown in the truth; when indeed he was
come nearer to the truth, and so could better discern it.
We came from Lancaster to Robert Widders’s. On the First-day after I had
a general meeting near SAND-SIDE, of Friends of WESTMORLAND and
LANCASHIRE, when the Lord’s everlasting power was over all; in which the
word of eternal life was declared, and Friends were settled upon the
foundation, Christ Jesus, under his free teaching; and many were
convinced, and turned to the Lord.
Next day I came over the Sands to SWARTHMORE, where Friends were glad to
see me. I stayed there two First-days, visiting Friends in their
meetings thereaways. They rejoiced with me in the goodness of the Lord,
who by his eternal power had carried me through, and over many
difficulties and dangers in his service: to him be the praise for ever!