1657.—Exhortation to Friends to take heed to the Light of Christ—an
expostulation with persecutors—to Friends to be valiant for the
truth—in parts of Cumberland the priests are so forsaken that some
steeple-houses stand empty—John Wilkinson, the priest, is so
deserted, that he sets up a meeting in his own house—then a silent
meeting, and at last joins Friends, and becomes an able
minister—George Fox travels into Scotland with Col. Osborn and
Robert Widders—the latter was a thundering man against the
rottenness of the priests’ hypocrisy and deceit—Lady Hamilton is
convinced—the Scotch priests raise the war-cry, and draw up their
curses, which George Fox answers—they are in a rage and panic when
he comes there, thinking “that all was gone”—some Baptists, with
their logic and syllogisms, are confuted by George Fox’s logic—he is
banished Scotland by the council, but disregards their order—George
Fox and William Osburn are waylaid by thieves, who are admonished by
the former, and overawed by the Lord’s power—the Highlanders run at
them with pitchforks—at Johnstons they are banished the town—on
hearing that the council of Edinburgh had issued warrants against
him, George Fox goes thither, and is not molested.
Having got a little respite from travel, I was moved to write an epistle
to Friends, as follows:—
“All Friends of the Lord everywhere, whose minds are turned in towards
the Lord, take heed to the light within you, which is the light of
Christ; which, as ye love it, will call your minds inward, that are
abroad in the creatures: so your minds may be renewed by it, and
turned to God in this which is pure, to worship the living God, the
Lord of Hosts over all the creatures. That which calls your minds out
of the lusts of the world, will call them out of the affections and
desires, and turn you to set your affections above. That which calls
the mind out of the world, will give judgment upon the world’s
affections and lusts, and is the same that calls out your minds from
the world’s teachers, and the creatures, to have your minds renewed.
There is your obedience known and found; there the image of God is
renewed in you; and ye come to grow up in it. That which calls your
minds out of the earth, turns them towards God, where the pure Babe is
born of the virgin; and the Babe’s food is known, the children’s
bread, which comes from the living God, and nourishes up to eternal
life. These babes and children receive their wisdom from above, from
the pure living God, and not from the earthly one: for that is trodden
under foot with such. All who hate this light, whose minds are abroad
in the creatures, in the earth, and in the image of the devil, get the
words of the saints, that received their wisdom from above, into the
old nature, and their corrupted minds. Such are murderers of the just,
enemies to the cross of Christ, in whom the prince of the air lodgeth:
sons of perdition, betrayers of the just.
“Therefore take heed to that light, which is oppressed with that
nature; which light, as it arises, shall condemn all that cursed
nature, shall turn it out, and shut it out of the house; and so ye
will come to see the candle lighted, and the house sweeping and swept.
Then the pure pearl ariseth; then the eternal God is exalted. The same
light that calls in your minds out of the world, turns them to God,
the Father of lights. Here in the pure mind is the pure God waited
upon for wisdom from above; the pure God is seen night and day; and
the eternal peace, of which there is no end, enjoyed. People may have
openings, and yet their minds go into the lusts of the flesh; but
there the affections are not mortified. Therefore hearken to that, and
take heed to that, which calls your minds out of the affections and
lusts of the world, to have them renewed. The same will turn your
minds to God; the same light will set your affections above, and bring
you to wait for the pure wisdom of God from on high, that it may be
justified in you.
“Wait all in that, which calls in your minds, and turns them to God;
here is the true cross. That mind shall feed upon nothing that is
earthly; but be kept in the pure light of God up to God, to feed upon
the living food, which comes from the living God. The Lord God
Almighty be with you all, dear babes, and keep you all in his strength
and power to his glory, over all the world—you whose minds are called
out of it, and turned to God, to worship the Creator, and serve him,
and not the creature. The light of God, which calls the mind out of
the creatures, and turns it to God, brings into a being of endless joy
and peace. Here is always a seeing God present, which is not known to
the world, whose hearts are in the creatures, whose knowledge is in
the flesh, whose minds are not renewed.
“Therefore all Friends, the Seed of God mind and dwell in, to reign
over the unjust: and the power of the Lord dwell in, to keep you clear
in your understandings, that the Seed of God may reign in you all;—the
Seed of God, which is but one in all, which is Christ in the male and
in the female, which the promise is to. Wait upon the Lord for the
just to reign over the unjust, and for the Seed of God to reign over
the seed of the serpent, and be the head; and that all that is mortal
may die; for out of that will rise presumption. So fare ye well, and
God Almighty bless, and guide, and keep you in his wisdom.”
G. F.
About this time Friends, that were moved of the Lord to go to the
steeple-houses and markets, to reprove sin, and warn people of the day
of the Lord, suffered much hardship from rude people, and also from the
magistrates; being commonly pulled down, buffeted, beaten, and
frequently sent to prison. Wherefore I was moved to give forth the
following expostulation, to be spread amongst people, to show them, how
contrary they acted therein to the apostles’ doctrine and practice, and
to bring them to more moderation. Thus it was:—
“Is it not better for you, that have cast into prison the servants and
children of the Lord God, for speaking as they are moved, in
steeple-houses or markets? Is it not better, I say, for you to try all
things, and hold fast that which is good? Is it not of more honour and
credit, to prove all things, and try all things, than to pluck down in
the steeple-houses, and pull off the hair of their heads, and cast
them into prison? Is this an honour to your truth and gospel you
profess? Doth it not show that ye are out of the truth, and are not
ready to instruct the gainsayers? Hath not the Lord said, ‘He will
pour out of his Spirit upon all flesh, and his sons and his daughters
shall prophesy; old men shall dream dreams, and young men see visions;
and on his handmaids he will pour forth of his Spirit?’ Was not this
prophecy in past ages stood against by the wise learned men in their
own wisdom, and by the synagogue teachers? Were not those haled out of
the synagogues and temple, who witnessed the Spirit poured forth upon
them? Doth not this show, that ye have not the pourings forth of this
Spirit upon you, who fill the jails with so many sons and daughters,
and hold up such teachers as are bred up in learning at Oxford and
Cambridge, and are made by the will of man? Doth not this show, that
ye, who are bred up there, who are made teachers by the will of man,
and who persecute for prophesying, are strangers to the Spirit that is
‘poured forth upon sons and daughters,’ by which Spirit they come to
‘minister to the spirits that are in prison?’ The Lord hath a
controversy with you, who are found prisoning and persecuting such as
the Lord hath poured forth of his Spirit upon. Do not your fruits
show, in all the nation where ye come; in towns, cities, villages, and
countries, that ye are the seedsmen made by the will of man, who sow
to the flesh, of which nothing but corruption is reaped? Ye are looked
upon, and your fruits, and that which may be gathered, is seen by all
that are in the light, as they pass through your countries, towns,
cities, and villages, that ye are all the seedsmen that have sown to
the flesh. Mark, and of this take notice, ye who are of that birth
that is born of the flesh, sow to your own, persecuting him that is
born of the Spirit. Such as sow to the Spirit, and of the Spirit reap
life eternal, ye cast into prison. Do ye not hale out of the
synagogues, persecute and beat in them, and knock down? Are not these
the works of the flesh? Have not many been almost murdered and
smothered in your synagogues? Have not some been haled out of them,
for but looking at the priest, and after cast into prison? Doth not
all this make manifest what spirit ye are of, and your fruits to be of
the flesh? What pleasures and sports in every town are to be seen
among your flocks, that sow to the flesh and are born of it!
“Whereas the ministers of the Spirit cried against such, as ‘sported
in the day-time;’ such as ‘ate and drank, and rose up to play;’ such
as lived wantonly upon earth in pleasures; such as lived in fulness of
bread and idleness; such as defile the flesh: such did God overthrow
and destroy, and set them forth as examples to all them that after
should live ungodly. But are not the fruits of this reaped in every
town? Cannot we hence see, that here is sowing to the flesh? Again,
what scorning and scoffing, what mocking, derision, and strife! What
oaths and drunkenness, uncleanness and cursed speaking! What lust and
pride are seen in the streets! These fruits we see are reaped to the
flesh. So here we see the seedsman, him that sows to this flesh, of
which nothing but corruption is reaped; as the countries, towns,
cities, and villages make manifest. But the ministers of the Spirit,
who sow to the Spirit, come to reap eternal life. These discern the
other seedsman, who sows to the flesh, and of the flesh reaps
corruption. For the day hath manifested each seedsman, and what is
reaped from each is seen; glory be to the Lord God for ever! The
ministers of the Spirit, who are born of the Spirit, sons and
daughters, who have the Spirit poured forth upon them, and witness the
promise of God fulfilled in them, by the Spirit of God preach and
minister to the Spirit in prison in every one, in the sight of God,
the Father of Spirits. God’s hand is turned against you all, that have
destroyed God’s creatures upon your lust. God’s hand is turned against
you that have wronged by unjust dealing, defrauded, and oppressed the
poor, and respected the persons of the proud (such as are in gay
apparel); and lend not your ear to the cry of the poor. The Lord’s
hand is turned against you, and his righteous judgment and justice
upon you will be accomplished and repaid: who shall have a reward,
every one according to his works.
“O! the abomination, the hypocritical profession that is upon the
earth, where God and Christ, faith, hope, the Holy Spirit, and truth
are professed; but the fear of God, and the faith that purifies and
gives victory over the world, are not lived in! Doth it not appear,
that the wisdom that rules in all those, whom the seedsman that sows
to the flesh, sows for, and who are born of the flesh, is from below,
earthly, sensual, and devilish; that their understanding is brutish,
and their knowledge natural, as the brute beasts? For men and women in
that state, have not patience to speak one to the other of the
Scriptures, without much corruption and flesh appearing, yet they have
a feigned humility, a will-worship, and righteousness of self; but
they own not the light, which ‘lighteth every man that cometh into the
world,’ Christ Jesus, the righteousness of God; which being owned,
self, and the righteousness of self, come to be denied. Here is the
humility that is contrary to the light, that is from below and
feigned: here is the wisdom that is earthly, sensual, and devilish;
for people can scarce speak one to another, without destroying one
another, prisoning and persecuting one another, when they speak of the
Scriptures. Now, this is the devilish wisdom, murdering and
destroying: this is not the wisdom that is from above, which is pure
and peaceable; gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good
fruits. Here all may read each seedsman, which hath each wisdom. He
that sows to the flesh, and is born of that, hath the wisdom that is
earthly, sensual, and devilish; he that sows to the Spirit, a minister
of the Spirit, hath the wisdom from above, which is pure, peaceable,
gentle, and easy to be entreated;—the wisdom by which all things were
made and created. Now is each wisdom discovered, and each seedsman;
the day, which is the light, hath discovered them.”
G. F.
I was also moved to give forth the following epistle to Friends, to stir
them up to be bold and valiant for the truth, and to encourage them in
their sufferings for it:—
“All Friends and brethren everywhere, now is the day of your trial,
now is the time for you to be valiant, and to see that the testimony
of the Lord doth not fall. Now is the day for the exercise of your
gifts, of your patience, and of your faith. Now is the time to be
armed with patience, with the light, with righteousness, and with the
helmet of salvation. Now is the trial of the slothful servant, who
hides his talent, and will judge Christ hard. Now, happy are they that
can say, ‘the earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof, and he
gives the increase;’ and therefore, who takes it from you? Is it not
the Lord still that suffers it? For the Lord can try you as he did
Job, whom he made rich, whom he made poor, and whom he made rich
again; who still kept his integrity in all conditions. Learn Paul’s
lesson, ‘in all states to be content;’ and have his faith, that
‘nothing is able to separate us from the love of God, which we have in
Christ Jesus.’ Therefore be rich in life, and in grace, which will
endure, ye who are heirs of life, and born of the womb of eternity,
that noble birth, that cannot stoop to that which is born in sin, and
conceived in iniquity; who are better bred and born; whose religion is
from God, above all the religions that are from below; and who walk by
faith, by that which God hath given you, and not by that which men
make, who walk by sight, from the Mass-Book to the Directory. Such are
subject to stumble and fall, who walk by sight and not by faith.
“Therefore mind him that destroys the original of sin, the devil and
his works, and cuts off the entail of Satan, viz., sin; who would have
by entail an inheritance of sin in men and women from generation to
generation, and pleads for it by all his lawyers and counsellors. For
though the law, which made nothing perfect, did not cut it off; yet
Christ being come destroys the devil and his works, and cuts off the
entail of sin. This angers all the devil’s lawyers and counsellors,
that Satan shall not hold sin by entail in thy garden, in thy field,
in thy temple, thy tabernacle. So keep your tabernacles, that there ye
may see the glory of the Lord appear at the doors thereof. And be
faithful; for ye see, what the worthies and valiants of the Lord
attained unto by faith. Enoch by faith was translated. Noah by faith
was preserved over the waters in his ark. Abraham by faith forsook his
father’s house and religion, and all the religions of the world. Isaac
and Jacob by faith followed his steps. See also how Samuel, with other
of the Lord’s prophets, and David, by faith were preserved to God,
over God’s enemies! Daniel and the three children by faith escaped the
lions and the fire, and preserved their worship clean, and by it were
kept over the worships of the world. The apostles by faith travelled
up and down the world, were preserved from all the religions of the
world, and held forth the pure religion to the dark world, which they
had received from God; and likewise their fellowship was received from
above, which is in the gospel that is everlasting. In this, neither
powers, principalities, nor thrones, dominions nor angels, things
present, nor things to come, nor heights, nor depths, nor death,
mockings, nor spoiling of goods, nor prisons, nor fetters, were able
to separate them from the love of God, which they had in Christ Jesus.
“And Friends, ‘quench not the Spirit, nor despise prophesying,’ where
it moves; neither hinder the babes and sucklings from crying Hosanna;
for out of their mouths will God ordain strength. There were some in
Christ’s day that were against such, whom he reproved; and there were
some in Moses’s day, who would have stopped the prophets in the camp,
whom Moses reproved, and said, by way of encouragement to them, ‘Would
God, that all the Lord’s people were prophets!’ So I say now to you.
Therefore ye, that stop it in yourselves, do not quench it in others,
neither in babe nor suckling; for the Lord hears the cries of the
needy, and the sighs and groans of the poor. Judge not that, nor the
sighs and groans of the Spirit, which cannot be uttered, lest ye judge
prayer; for prayer as well lies in sighs and groans to the Lord as
otherwise. Let not the sons and daughters, nor the hand-maidens be
stopped in their prophesyings, nor the young men in their visions, nor
the old men in their dreams; but let the Lord be glorified in and
through all, who is over all, God blessed for ever! So every one may
improve his talents, every one exercise his gifts, and every one speak
as the Spirit gives him utterance. Thus every one may minister as he
hath received the grace, as a good steward to him that hath given it
him; so that all plants may bud and bring forth fruit to the glory of
God; ‘for the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to
profit withal.’
“See, that every one hath profited in heavenly things: male and
female, look into your own vineyards, and see what fruit ye bear to
God; look into your own houses, see how they are decked and trimmed,
and see what odours, myrrh, and frankincense ye have therein, and what
a smell and savour ye have to ascend to God, that he may be glorified.
Bring all your deeds to the light, which ye are taught to believe in
by Christ, your Head, the heavenly Man; and see how they are wrought
in God. Every male and female, let Christ dwell in your hearts by
faith, and let your mouths be opened to the glory of God the Father,
that he may rule and reign in you. We must not have Christ Jesus, the
Lord of life, put any more in a stable, amongst the horses and asses;
but he must now have the best chamber, the heart, and the rude,
debauched spirit must be turned out. Therefore let Him reign, whose
right it is, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, by which ye call him
Lord, in which ye pray, and have comfort and fellowship with the
Father and with the Son. Therefore know the triumph in it, and in God
and his power (which the devil is out of), and in the seed, which is
first and last, the beginning and ending, the top and cornerstone; in
which is my love to you, and in which I rest—
Your friend, G. F.”
“_Postscript_—And, Friends, be careful how ye set your feet among the
tender plants, that are springing up out of God’s earth; lest ye tread
upon them, hurt, bruise, or crush them in God’s vineyard.”
After I had tarried two First-days at Swarthmore, and had visited
Friends in their meetings thereabouts, I passed into WESTMORLAND, in the
same work, till I came to John Audland’s, where there was a general
meeting. The night before I had a vision of a desperate creature, that
was coming to destroy me, but I got victory over it. And next day in
meeting-time came one Otway, with some rude fellows. He rode round about
the meeting with his sword or rapier, and would fain have got in through
the Friends to me; but the meeting being great, the Friends stood close,
so that he could not easily come at me. When he had rode about several
times raging, and found he could not get in, being limited by the Lord’s
power, he went away. It was a glorious meeting, ended peaceably, and the
Lord’s everlasting power came over all. This wild man went home, became
distracted, and not long after died. I sent a paper to John Blaykling to
read to him, while he lay ill, showing him his wickedness; and he
acknowledged something of it.
From hence, I went through KENDAL, where a warrant had long lain to
apprehend me; and the constables seeing me, ran to fetch their warrant,
as I was riding through the town; but before they could come with it, I
was gone past, and so escaped their hands.
I travelled northwards, visiting Friends’ meetings, till I came to
STRICKLAND-HEAD, where I had a great meeting. Most of the gentry of that
country being gathered to a horse-race, not far from the meeting, I was
moved to go and declare the truth unto them; and a chief-constable, that
was there, also admonished them. Our meeting was quiet, and the Lord was
with us; and by his word and power, Friends were settled in the eternal
truth.
From hence we passed into CUMBERLAND, where we had many precious living
meetings. After we had travelled to GILSLAND, and had a meeting there,
we came to CARLISLE, where they used to put Friends out of the town; but
there came a great flood while we were there, that they could not put us
out; so we had a meeting there on First-day. After which we passed to
ABBEY-HOLM, and had a little meeting there. This is a place, where I
told Friends long before, a great people would come forth to the Lord;
which hath since come to pass, and a large meeting is gathered to the
Lord in those parts.
I passed hence to a general meeting at LANGLANDS in Cumberland, which
was very large; for most of the people had so forsaken the priests, that
the steeple-houses in some places stood empty. And John Wilkinson,[54] a
preacher, I have often named before, who had three steeple-houses, had
so few hearers left, that, giving over preaching in them, he first set
up a meeting in his house, and preached there to them that were left.
Afterwards he set up a silent meeting (like Friends,) to which came a
few; for most of his hearers were come to Friends. Thus he held on till
he had not past half a dozen left; the rest still forsaking him, and
coming to Friends. At last, when he had so very few left, he would come
to Pardshaw Crag (where Friends had a meeting of several hundreds of
people, who were all come to sit under the Lord Jesus Christ’s
teaching,) and he would walk about the meeting on First-days, like a man
that went about the commons to look for sheep. During this time I came
to PARDSHAW CRAG meeting, and he with three or four of his followers,
that were yet left to him, came to the meeting that day, and were all
thoroughly convinced. After the meeting, Wilkinson asked me two or three
questions, which I answered him to his satisfaction; and from that time
he came amongst Friends, became an able minister, preached the gospel
freely, and turned many to Christ’s free teaching. And after he had
continued many years in the free ministry of Jesus, he died in 1675.
Footnote 54:
This was not the same John Wilkinson who joined with Storey in
creating a schism in the Society.
I had for some time felt drawings on my spirit to go into SCOTLAND; and
had sent to Colonel William Osburn of Scotland, desiring him to come and
meet me; and he, with some others, came out of Scotland to this meeting.
After the meeting was over (which, he said, was the most glorious one he
ever saw in his life,) I passed with him and his company into Scotland;
having Robert Widders with me, a thundering man against hypocrisy,
deceit, and the rottenness of the priests.
The first night we came into Scotland we lodged at an inn. The innkeeper
told us, an Earl lived about a quarter of a mile off, who had a desire
to see me; and had left word at his house, that if ever I came into
Scotland, he should send him word. He told us there were three
drawbridges to his house, and that it would be nine o’clock before the
third bridge was drawn. Finding we had time in the evening, we walked to
his house. He received us very lovingly; and said, he would have gone
with us on our journey, but he was previously engaged to go to a
funeral. After we had spent some time with him, we parted very friendly,
and returned to our inn. Next morning we travelled on, and passing
through DUMFRIES came to DOUGLAS, where we met with some Friends; and
thence passed to the HEADS, where we had a blessed meeting in the name
of Jesus, and felt him in the midst.
Leaving Heads, we went to BADCOW, and had a meeting there; to which
abundance of people came, and many were convinced; amongst whom was one,
called a lady. From thence we passed towards the HIGHLANDS to William
Osburn’s house, where we gathered up the sufferings of Friends, and the
principles of the Scotch priests, which may be seen in a book called
_The Scotch Priests’ Principles_.
Afterwards we returned to Heads, Badcow, and GARSHORE, where the said
Lady Margaret Hambleton was convinced; who afterwards went to warn
Oliver Cromwell and Charles Fleetwood of the day of the Lord that was
coming upon them.
On First-day we had a great meeting, and several professors came to it.
Now, the priests had frightened the people with the doctrine of election
and reprobation, telling them “that God had ordained the greatest part
of men and women for hell; and that, let them pray, or preach, or sing,
or do what they could, it was all to no purpose, if they were ordained
for hell;—that God had a certain number elected for heaven, let them do
what they would, as David an adulterer, and Paul a persecutor, yet
elected vessels for heaven. So the fault was not at all in the creature,
less or more, but God had ordained it so.” I was led to open to the
people the falseness and folly of their priests’ doctrines, and showed
how they had abused those Scriptures they brought and quoted to them, as
in Jude, and other places. For whereas they said, there was no fault at
all in the creature, I showed them that they whom Jude speaks of, to
wit, Cain, Korah, and Balaam, who, he says, were ordained of old to
condemnation, the fault was in them. For did not God warn Cain and
Balaam, and put the question to Cain, “If thou doest well, shalt thou
not be accepted?” And did not the Lord bring Korah out of Egypt and his
company? yet did not he gainsay both God and his law, and his prophet
Moses? Here people might see that there was a fault in Cain, Korah, and
Balaam, and so there is in all that go in their ways. For if they who
are called Christians, resist the gospel, as Korah did the law; if they
err from the Spirit of God, as Balaam did, and do evil, as Cain did, is
not here a fault? Which fault is in themselves, and is the cause of
their reprobation, and not God. Doth not Christ say, “Go, preach the
gospel to all nations?” Which is the gospel of salvation. He would not
have sent them into all nations, to preach the doctrine of salvation, if
the greatest part of men had been ordained for hell. Was not Christ a
propitiation for the sins of the whole world, for those that become
reprobates, as well as for the saints? He died for all men, the ungodly,
as well as the godly, as the apostle bears witness, 2 Cor. v. 15; Rom.
v. 6. And he “enlightens every man that cometh into the world,” that
through him they might all believe. And Christ bids them believe in the
light; but all they that hate the light, which Christ bids all believe
in, are reprobated.
Again, “the manifestation of the Spirit of God is given to every man, to
profit withal;” but they that vex, quench and grieve it, are in the
reprobation; and the fault is in them, as it is also in them that hate
his light. The apostle says, “The grace of God, which brings 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 when men and women live ungodly,
and in the lusts of the world, turn this grace of God into wantonness,
and walk despitefully against it, and so deny God, and the Lord Jesus
Christ, that bought them; the fault is in all such as thus turn the
grace of God into wantonness, and walk despitefully against that which
would bring their salvation, and save them out of the reprobation. But
the priests, it seems, can see no fault in such as deny God, and the
Lord Jesus Christ, that hath bought them—such as deny his light, which
they should believe in, and his grace, which should teach them to live
godly, and which should bring them their salvation. Now all that believe
in the light of Christ, as he commands, are in the election, and sit
under the teaching of the grace of God which brings their salvation. But
such as turn this grace into wantonness, are in the reprobation; and
such as hate the light are in the condemnation. Therefore I exhorted all
the people to believe in the light, as Christ commands, and own the
grace of God, their free teacher; and it would assuredly bring them
their salvation; for it is sufficient. Many other Scriptures were
opened, concerning reprobation, and the eyes of the people were opened;
and a spring of life rose up among them.
These things soon came to the priests’ ears; for the people that sat
under their dark teachings, began to see light and to come into the
covenant of light. The noise was spread over Scotland, amongst the
priests, that I was come thither; and a great cry was among them that
all would be spoiled; for they said I had spoiled all the honest men and
women in England already, so according to their account the worst was
left to them. Upon this they gathered great assemblies of priests
together, and drew up a number of curses to be read in their several
steeple-houses, that all the people might say “Amen” to them. Some few
of these I will here set down, the rest may be read in the book before
mentioned, of _The Scotch Priests’ Principles_.
The first was, “Cursed is he that saith, every man hath a light within
him sufficient to lead him to salvation; and let all the people say,
Amen.”
The second, “Cursed is he that saith, faith is without sin; and let
all the people say, Amen.”
The third, “Cursed is he that denieth the Sabbath day; and let all the
people say, Amen.”[55]
Footnote 55:
It is justly observed by a writer, not of the Society of Friends, that
these “place the Presbyterian Christianity of that day in a most
unfavourable light, and show how deeply it was imbued with a sour
persecuting spirit of Popery.”
In this last they make the people curse themselves; for on the Sabbath
day (which is the seventh-day of the week, which the Jews kept by the
command of God to them), they kept markets and fairs, and so brought the
curse upon their own heads.
As to the first, concerning the light, Christ saith, “Believe in the
light, that ye may become children of the light;” and “he that believeth
shall be saved; he that believeth shall have everlasting life; he that
believeth passes from death to life, and is grafted into Christ.” And
“ye do well,” said the apostle, “that ye take heed unto the light that
shines in the dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in
your hearts.” So the light is sufficient to lead unto the day-star.
And as concerning faith, it is the gift of God; and every gift of God is
pure. The faith, which Christ is the author of, is precious, divine, and
without sin. This is the faith which gives victory over sin, and access
to God; in which faith, they please God. But they are reprobates
themselves concerning this faith, and are in their dead faith, who
charge sin upon this faith, under pain of a curse; which faith gives
victory over their curse, and returns it into their own bowels.
A company of Scots near BADCOW, challenged a dispute with some of our
Scotch Friends, for with me they would not dispute; so some of the
Scotch Friends met them at the market-place. The dispute was to be
concerning the Sabbath-day, and some other of their principles
before-mentioned; and I having got their principles and assertions,
showed the Friends where they might easily be overthrown, and a Scotch
Friend, a smith, overthrew them clearly.
There were two Independent churches in Scotland, in one of which many
were convinced; but the pastor of the other was in a great rage against
truth and Friends. They had their elders, who sometimes would exercise
their gifts amongst the church-members, and were sometimes pretty
tender; but their pastor speaking so much against the light and us, the
friends of Christ, he darkened his hearers, so that they grew blind, and
dry, and lost their tenderness. He continued preaching against Friends,
and against the light of Christ Jesus, calling it natural; at last one
day in his preaching, he cursed the light, and fell down, as if dead, in
his pulpit. The people carried him out, and laid him upon a grave-stone,
and poured strong waters into him, which brought him to life again; and
they carried him home, but he was mopish. After a while he stripped off
his clothes, put on a Scotch plaid, and went into the country amongst
the dairy-women. When he had stayed there about two weeks, he came home,
and went into the pulpit again. Whereupon the people expected some great
manifestation or revelation from him; but, instead thereof, he began to
tell them what entertainment he had met with; how one woman gave him
skimmed-milk, another gave him buttermilk, and another gave him good
milk; so the people were fain to take him out of the pulpit again, and
carry him home. He that gave me this account was Andrew Robinson, one of
his chief hearers, who came afterwards to be convinced, and received the
truth. He said he never heard that he recovered his senses again. By
this people may see what came upon him that cursed the light; which
Light is the Life in Christ, the Word; and it may be a warning to all
others, that speak evil against the Light of Christ.
Now were the priests in such a rage, that they posted to Edinburgh to
Oliver Cromwell’s council there, with petitions against me. The noise
was, “that all was gone;” for several Friends were come out of England
and spread over Scotland, sounding the day of the Lord, preaching the
everlasting gospel of salvation, and turning people to Christ Jesus, who
died for them, that they might receive his free teaching. After I had
gathered the principles of the Scotch priests, and the sufferings of
Friends, and had seen the Friends in that part of Scotland settled, by
the Lord’s power, upon Christ their foundation, I went to Edinburgh, and
in the way came to LINLITHGOW; where, lodging at an inn, the innkeeper’s
wife, who was blind, received the word of life, and came under the
teaching of Christ Jesus, her Saviour. At night there came in abundance
of soldiers and some officers, with whom we had much discourse; some
were rude. One of the officers said, “he would obey the Turk’s or
Pilate’s command if they should command him to guard Christ to crucify
him.” So far was he from all tenderness, or sense of the Spirit of
Christ, that he would rather crucify the just, than suffer for or with
the just; whereas many officers and magistrates have lost their places,
before they would turn against the Lord and his Just One.
When I had stayed a while at EDINBURGH, I went to LEITH, where many
officers of the army came in with their wives, and many were convinced.
Among these Edward Billing’s wife was one; she brought a great deal of
coral in her hand, and threw it on the table before me, to see whether I
would speak against it or not. I took no notice of it, but declared the
truth to her, and she was reached. There came in many Baptists, who were
very rude, but the Lord’s power came over them, so that they went away
confounded. Then there came in another sort, and one of them said, “he
would dispute with me; and for argument’s sake, would deny there was a
God.” I told him, “he might be one of those fools that said in his
heart, There is no God, but he should know him in the day of his
judgment.” So he went his way; and a precious time we had afterwards
with several people of account; and the Lord’s power came over all.
William Osburn was with me. Colonel Lidcott’s wife and William Welch’s
wife, and several of the officers themselves, were convinced. Edward
Billing and his wife at that time lived apart; and she being reached by
truth, and become loving to Friends, we sent for her husband, who came;
and the Lord’s power reached unto them both, they joined in it, and
agreed to live together in love and unity, as man and wife.
After this we returned to EDINBURGH, where many thousands were gathered
together, with abundance of priests among them, about burning a witch,
and I was moved to declare the day of the Lord amongst them. When I had
done, I went to our meeting, whither many rude people and Baptists came.
The Baptists began to vaunt with their logic and syllogisms; but I was
moved in the Lord’s power to thrash their chaffy, light minds; and
showed the people that, after that fallacious way of discoursing, they
might make white seem black, and black white; as, that because a cock
had two legs, and each of them had two legs, therefore they were all
cocks. Thus they might turn anything into lightness and vanity; but it
was not the way of Christ or his apostles, to teach, speak, or reason,
after that manner. Hereupon those Baptists went their way, and after
they were gone, we had a blessed meeting in the Lord’s power, which was
over all.
I mentioned before, that many of the Scotch priests, being greatly
disturbed at the spreading of truth, and the loss of their hearers
thereby, were gone to Edinburgh, to petition the council against me.
Now, when I came from the meeting to the inn where I lodged, an officer
belonging to the council brought me the following order:—
“_Thursday, the 8th of October, 1657, at his Highness’s Council in
Scotland._
ORDERED,
That George Fox do appear before the Council on Tuesday, the 13th of
October next, in the forenoon.
E. DOWNING, Clerk of the Council.”
When he had delivered me the order, he asked me, “whether I would appear
or not?” I did not tell him whether I would or not; but asked him “if he
had not forged the order:” he said, “no, it was a real order from the
council, and he was sent, as their messenger, with it.” When the time
came I appeared, and was conducted into a large room, where many great
persons came and looked at me. After a while the door-keeper had me into
the council-chamber; and as I was going in, he took off my hat. I asked
him “why he did so, and who was there, that I might not go in with my
hat on?” for I told him “I had been before the Protector with it on.”
But he hung it up, and had me in before them. When I had stood a while,
and they had said nothing to me, I was moved of the Lord to say, “Peace
be amongst you; wait in the fear of God, that ye may receive his wisdom
from above, by which all things were made and created; that by it ye may
all be ordered, and may order all things unto your hands to God’s
glory.” They asked me, “what was the occasion of my coming into that
nation?” I told them, “I came to visit the seed of God, which had long
lain in bondage under corruption; and the intent of my coming was, that
all in the nation, that professed the Scriptures, the words of Christ,
and of the prophets, and apostles, might come to the light, Spirit, and
power, which they were in, who gave them forth; that so in and by the
Spirit they might understand the Scriptures, know Christ and God aright,
and have fellowship with them, and one with another.” They asked me
“whether I had any outward business there?” I said, “nay.” Then they
asked me how long I intended to stay in the country? I told them “I
should say little to that; my time was not to be long, yet in my freedom
in the Lord, I stood in the will of him that sent me.” Then they bid me
withdraw, and the door-keeper took me by the hand, and led me forth. In
a little time they sent for me again, and told me, “I must depart the
nation of Scotland by that day seventh night.” I asked them, “why, what
had I done? What was my transgression, that they passed such a sentence
upon me to depart out of the nation?” They told me, “they would not
dispute with me.” Then I desired them “to hear what I had to say to
them;” but they said, “they would not hear me.” I told them, Pharaoh
heard Moses and Aaron, and yet he was a heathen and no Christian, and
Herod heard John the Baptist; and they should not be worse than these.
But they cried, “withdraw, withdraw.” Whereupon the door-keeper took me
again by the hand, and led me out. Then I returned to my inn, and
continued still in Edinburgh, visiting Friends there and thereabouts,
and strengthening them in the Lord. After a little time, I wrote a
letter to the council, to lay before them their unchristian dealing in
banishing me, an innocent man, that sought their salvation and eternal
good; a copy of which letter here follows:—
“_To the Council of Edinburgh._
“Ye that sit in council, and bring before your judgment-seat the
innocent, the just, without showing the least cause what evil I have
done, or convicting me of any breach of law; and afterward banish me
out of your nation and country, without telling me why, or what evil I
had done; though I told you, when ye asked me how long I would stay in
the nation, that my time was not long (I spoke it innocently), and yet
ye banish me. Will not all, think ye, that fear God, judge this to be
wickedness? Consider, did not they sit in council about Stephen, when
they stoned him to death? Did not they sit in council about Peter and
John, when they haled them out of the temple, and put them out of
their council for a little season, and took counsel together, and then
brought them in again and threatened them, and charged them to speak
no more in that name? Was not this to stop the truth from spreading in
that time? And had not the priests a hand in these things with the
magistrates? and in examining Stephen, when he was stoned to death?
Was not the council gathered together against Jesus Christ to put him
to death? and had not the chief priests a hand in it? When they go to
persecute the just, and crucify the just, do they not then neglect
judgment, and mercy, and justice, and the weighty matters of the law,
which is just? Was not the apostle Paul tossed up and down by the
priests and the rulers? Was not John the Baptist cast into prison? Are
not ye doing the same work, showing what spirit ye are of? Now do not
ye show the end of your profession, the end of your prayers, the end
of your religion, and the end of your teaching, who are now come to
banish the truth, and him that is come to declare it unto you? Doth
not this show that ye are but in the words, out of the life, of the
prophets, Christ, and his apostles? for they did not use such practice
as to banish any. How do ye receive strangers, which is a command of
God among the prophets, Christ, and the apostles? Some by that means
have entertained angels at unawares; but ye banish one that comes to
visit the Seed of God, and is not chargeable to any of you. Will not
all that fear God, look upon this to be spite and wickedness against
the truth? How are ye like to love enemies, that banish your friend?
How are ye like to do good to them that hate you, when ye do evil to
them that love you? How are ye like to heap coals of fire on their
heads that hate you, and to overcome evil with good, when ye banish
thus? Do ye not manifest to all that are in the truth, that ye have
not the Christian spirit? How did ye do justice to me, when ye could
not convict me of any evil, yet banish me? This shows that truth is
banished out of your hearts, and ye have taken part against the truth
with evil-doers; with the wicked, envious priests, and stoners,
strikers, and mockers in the streets; with these, ye that banish, have
taken part. Whereas ye should have been a terror to these, and a
praise to them that do well, and succourers of them that are in the
truth; then might ye have been a blessing to the nation; ye would not
have banished him that was moved of the Lord to visit the Seed of God,
and thereby have brought your names upon record, and made them to
stink in ages to come, among them that fear God. Were not the
magistrates stirred up in former ages to persecute or banish, by the
corrupt priests? and did not the corrupt priests stir up the rude
multitude against the just in other ages? Therefore are your streets
like Sodom and Gomorrah. Did not the Jews and the priests make the
Gentiles’ minds envious against the apostles? Who were they that would
not have the prophet Amos to prophesy at the king’s chapel; but bid
him fly his way? And when Jeremiah was put in the prison, in the
dungeon, and in the stocks, had not the priests a hand with the
princes in doing it? Now see all that were in this work of banishing,
prisoning, persecuting, whether they were not all out of the life of
Christ, the prophets, and apostles? To the witness of God in you all I
speak. Consider whether they were not always the blind magistrates,
who turned their sword backward, that knew not their friends from
their foes, and so hit their friends? Such magistrates were deceived
by flattery.”
G. F.
When this was delivered, and read amongst them, some of them, I heard,
were troubled at what they had done, being made sensible that they would
not be so served themselves. But it was not long before they that
banished me, were banished themselves, or glad to get away; who would
not do good in the day when they had power, nor suffer others that
would.
After I had spent some time among Friends at Edinburgh, and thereabouts,
I passed to HEADS again, where Friends had been in great sufferings; for
the Presbyterian priests had excommunicated them, and given charge that
none should buy or sell, or eat or drink with them. So they could
neither sell their commodities, nor buy what they wanted; which made it
go very hard with some of them; for if they had bought bread or other
victuals of any of their neighbours, the priests threatened them so with
curses, that they would run and fetch it from them again. But Colonel
Ashfield being a justice of peace in that country, put a stop to the
priests’ proceedings. This Colonel Ashfield was afterwards convinced
himself, had a meeting settled at his house, declared the truth, and
lived and died in it.
After I had visited Friends at Heads and thereaways, and had encouraged
them in the Lord, I went to GLASGOW, where a meeting was appointed; but
not one of the town came to it. As I went into the city, the guard at
the gates took me before the governor, who was a moderate man. Much
discourse I had with him; but he was too light to receive the truth, yet
he set me at liberty; so I passed to the meeting. But seeing none of the
town’s-people came, we declared truth through the town, and so passed
away; and having visited Friends in their meetings thereabouts, returned
towards BADCOW. Several Friends declared truth in their steeple-houses,
and the Lord’s power was with them.
Once as I was going with William Osburn to his house, there lay a
company of rude fellows by the way-side, hid under the hedges and in
bushes. Seeing them, I asked him, “what they were?” “O,” said he, “they
are thieves.” Robert Widders, being moved to go and speak to a priest,
was left behind, intending to come after. So I said to William Osburn,
“I will stay here in this valley, and do thou go look after Robert
Widders;” but he was unwilling to go, being afraid to leave me there
alone, because of those fellows, till I told him, “I feared them not.”
Then I called to them, asking them, “what they lay lurking there for,”
and I bid them come to me; but they were loath to come. I charged them
to come up to me, or else it might be worse with them; then they came
trembling, for the dread of the Lord had struck them. I admonished them
to be honest, and directed them to the light of Christ in their hearts,
that by it they might see what an evil it was to follow after theft and
robbery; and the power of the Lord came over them. I stayed there till
William Osburn and Robert Widders came up, and then we passed on
together. But it is likely that, if we two had gone away before, they
would have robbed Robert Widders when he had come after alone, there
being three or four of them.
We went to William Osburn’s house, where we had a good opportunity to
declare the truth to several people that came in. Then we went among the
Highlanders, who were so devilish they had like to have spoiled us and
our horses; for they ran at us with pitch-forks; but through the Lord’s
goodness we escaped them, being preserved by his power.
Thence we passed to STIRLING, where the soldiers took us up, and had us
to the main-guard. After a few words with the officers, the Lord’s power
coming over them, we were set at liberty: but no meeting could we get
amongst them in the town, they were so closed up in darkness. Next
morning there came a man with a horse that was to run a race, and most
of the town’s-people and officers went to see it. As they came back from
the race, I had a brave opportunity to declare the day of the Lord, and
his word of life amongst them. Some confessed to it, and some opposed;
but the Lord’s truth and power came over them all.
Leaving Stirling, we came to BURNTISLAND, where I had two meetings at
one Captain Pool’s house; one in the morning, the other in the
afternoon. Whilst they went to dine, I walked to the seaside, not having
freedom to eat with them. Both he and his wife were convinced, and
became good Friends afterwards, and several officers of the army came in
and received the truth.
We passed thence through several other places, till we came to
JOHNSTONS, where were several Baptists that were very bitter, and came
in a rage to dispute with us: vain janglers and disputers indeed they
were. When they could not prevail by disputing, they went and informed
the governor against us; and next morning raised a whole company of
foot, and banished me, and Alexander Parker, also James Lancaster, and
Robert Widders out of the town. As they guarded us through the town,
James Lancaster was moved to sing with a melodious sound in the power of
God; and I was moved to proclaim the day of the Lord, and preach the
everlasting gospel to the people. For they generally came forth, so that
the streets were filled with them: and the soldiers were so ashamed that
they said, “they would rather have gone to Jamaica, than have guarded us
so.” But we were put into a boat with our horses, carried over the
water, and there left. The Baptists, who were the cause of our being put
out of this town, were themselves, not long after, turned out of the
army; and he that was then governor was discarded also when the king
came in.
Being thus thrust out of Johnstons, we went to another market-town,
where Edward Billing[56] and many soldiers quartered. We went to an inn,
and desired to have a meeting in the town, that we might preach the
everlasting gospel amongst them. The officers and soldiers said, we
should have it in the town-hall; but the Scotch magistrates in spite
appointed a meeting there that day for the business of the town. When
the officers of the soldiery understood this, and perceived that it was
done in malice, they would have had us to go into the town-hall
nevertheless. But we told them, “by no means, for then the magistrates
might inform the governor against them, and say, they took the town-hall
from them by force, when they were to do their town business therein.”
We told them, “we would go to the market-place;” they said, “it was
market-day;” we replied, “it was so much the better; for we would have
all people to hear truth, and know our principles.” Alexander Parker
went and stood upon the market-cross with a Bible in his hand, and
declared the truth amongst the soldiers and market-people; but the
Scots, being a dark, carnal people, gave little heed, and hardly took
notice of what was said. After a while I was moved of the Lord to stand
up at the cross, and declare with a loud voice the everlasting truth,
and the day of the Lord that was coming upon all sin and wickedness.
Whereupon the people came running out of the town-hall, and they
gathered so together, that at last we had a large meeting; for they sat
in the court only for a pretence, to hinder us from having the hall to
meet in. When the people were come away, the magistrates followed them.
Some walked by, but some stayed and heard; and the Lord’s power came
over all, and kept all quiet. “The people were turned to the Lord Jesus
Christ, who died for them, and had enlightened them, that with his light
they might see their evil deeds, be saved from their sins by him, and
come to know him to be their teacher. But if they would not receive
Christ and own him, it was told them, that this light, which came from
him, would be their condemnation.”
Footnote 56:
Edward Billing was a faithful sufferer for the truth. Henry Fell, in a
letter to Margaret Fell, in 1660, mentions Friends being beat very
sore, and exceedingly abused in the streets. “They pulled me out of
meeting,” he says, “beat me much, knocked me down in the street, and
tore all my coat. Edward Billing and his wife were much abused, he
especially.”
Edward Billing was one of the three Friends, who, in 1659, appeared
before the bar of the House of Commons, to present an address
describing the sufferings of Friends, and signed by 164 of the
Society, wherein they make an offer of their own bodies, person for
person, to lie in prison instead of such of their brethren as were
then under confinement, and might be in danger of their lives through
extreme durance. (See _Letters of Early Friends_, pp. 62–68.) Although
little or no apparent effect appeared to be produced at the time in
the House from the above-mentioned appeal, it appears, from the
journals of the Commons in the month following, a committee was
appointed, “to consider of the imprisonment of such persons who
continue committed for conscience sake, and how, and in what manner
they are, and continue committed, together with the whole cause
thereof, and how they may be discharged; and to report the same to the
Parliament.”
Several of them were made loving to us, especially the English people,
and some came afterwards to be convinced. But there was a soldier that
was very envious against us; he hated both us and the truth, spoke evil
of it, and very despitefully against the light of Christ Jesus, to which
we bore testimony. Mighty zealous he was for the priests and their
hearers. As this man was hearing the priest, holding his hat before his
face, while the priest prayed, one of the priest’s hearers stabbed him
to death; so he who had rejected the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and cried down the servants of the Lord, was murdered amongst them whom
he had so cried up, and by one of them.
We travelled from this town to LEITH, warning and exhorting people, as
we went, to turn to the Lord. At Leith the innkeeper told me, that the
council had granted warrants to apprehend me, “because I was not gone
out of the nation, after the seven days were expired, that they had
ordered me to depart in.” Several friendly people also came and told me
the same; to whom I said, “What do ye tell me of their warrants against
me? if there were a cart-load of them I do not heed them, for the Lord’s
power is over them all.”
I went from Leith to EDINBURGH again, where they said the warrants of
the council were out against me. I went to the inn where I had lodged
before, and no man offered to meddle with me. After I had visited
Friends in the city, I desired those that travelled with me, to get
ready their horses in the morning, and we rode out of town together;
there were with me at that time, Thomas Rawlinson, Alexander Parker, and
Robert Widders. When we were out of town they asked me, “whither I would
go?” I told them it was upon me from the Lord to go back again to
Johnstons (the town out of which we had been lately thrust,) to set the
power of God and his truth over them also. Alexander Parker said, “he
would go along with me;” and I wished the other two to stay at a town,
about three miles from Edinburgh, till we returned. Then Alexander and I
got over the water, about three miles across, and rode through the
country; but in the afternoon, his horse being weak, and not able to
hold up with mine, I put on and got into Johnstons just as they were
drawing up the bridges; the officers and soldiers never questioning me.
I rode up the street to Captain Davenport’s house, from which we had
been banished. There were many officers with him; and when I came
amongst them, they lifted up their hands, wondering that I should come
again; but I told them, “the Lord God had sent me amongst them again;”
so they went their way. The Baptists sent me a letter, by way of
challenge, “to discourse with me next day.” I sent them word, “I would
meet them at such a house, about half a mile out of the town, at such an
hour.” For I considered, if I should stay in town to discourse with
them, they might under pretence of discoursing with me, have raised men
to put me out of the town again as they had done before. At the time
appointed I went to the place, Captain Davenport and his son
accompanying me, where I stayed some hours, but not one of them came.
While I stayed there waiting for them, I saw Alexander Parker coming;
who not being able to reach the town, had lain out the night before; and
I was exceedingly glad that we were met again.
This Captain Davenport was then loving to Friends; but afterwards coming
more into obedience to truth, he was turned out of his place for not
putting off his hat, and for saying Thou and Thee to them.
When we had waited beyond reasonable ground to expect any of them
coming, we departed; and Alexander Parker being moved to go again to the
town, where we had the meeting at the market-cross, I passed alone to
Lieutenant Foster’s quarters, where I found several officers that were
convinced. From thence I went up to the town, where I had left the other
two Friends, and we went back to EDINBURGH together.
When we were come to the city, I bid Robert Widders follow me; and in
the dread and power of the Lord we came up to the first two sentries;
and the Lord’s power came so over them, that we passed by them without
any examination. Then we rode up the street to the marketplace, by the
main-guard out at the gate by the third sentry, and so clear out at the
suburbs, and there came to an inn and set up our horses, it being the
seventh-day of the week. Now I saw and felt that we had rode, as it
were, against the cannon’s mouth, or the sword’s point; but the Lord’s
power and immediate hand carried us over the heads of them all. Next day
I went to the meeting in the city, Friends having notice that I would
attend it. There came many officers and soldiers to it, and a glorious
meeting it was; the everlasting power of God was set over the nation,
and his Son reigned in his glorious power. All was quiet, and no man
offered to meddle with me. When the meeting was ended, and I had visited
Friends, I came out of the city to my inn again; and next day, being the
second day of the week, we set forward towards the borders of England.
As we travelled along the country I spied a steeple-house, and it struck
at my life. I asked “what steeple-house it was,” and was answered that
it was DUNBAR. When I came thither, and had put up at an inn, I walked
to the steeple-house, having a friend or two with me. When we came into
the yard, one of the chief men of the town was walking there. I spoke to
one of the friends that were with me, to go to him and tell him, “that
about nine next morning there would be a meeting there of the people of
God called Quakers; of which we desired he would give notice to the
people of the town.” He sent me word, that they were to have a lecture
there at nine; but that we might have our meeting there at eight, if we
would. We concluded so, and desired him to give notice of it.
Accordingly in the morning both poor and rich came; and there being a
captain of horse quartered in the town, he and his troopers came also,
so that we had a large meeting; and a glorious one it was, the Lord’s
power being over all.
After some time the priest came, and went into the steeple-house; but we
being in the yard, most of the people stayed with us. Friends were so
full, and their voices so high in the power of God, that the priest
could do little in the steeple-house, but came quickly out again, stood
a while, and then went his way. I opened to the people, “where they
might find Christ Jesus, turned them to the light, which he had
enlightened them withal, that in the light they might see Christ, that
died for them, turn to him, and know him to be their Saviour and free
teacher. I let them see, that all the teachers they had hitherto
followed, were hirelings, who made the gospel chargeable; showed them
the wrong ways they had walked in, in the night of apostacy, directed
them to Christ, the new and living way to God; manifested unto them, how
they had lost the religion and worship which Christ set up in spirit and
truth, and had hitherto been in the religions and worships of men’s
making and setting up. After I had turned the people to the Spirit of
God, which led the holy men of God to give forth the Scriptures; and
showed them, that they must also come to receive, and be led by, the
same Spirit in themselves (a measure of which was given unto every one
of them), if ever they came to know God and Christ, and the Scriptures
aright; perceiving the other Friends that were with me to be full of the
power and word of the Lord, I stepped down, giving way for them to
declare what they had from the Lord unto the people.”
Towards the latter end of the meeting some professors began to jangle;
whereupon I stood up again, and answered their questions, so that they
seemed to be satisfied, and our meeting ended in the Lord’s power, quiet
and peaceable. This was the last meeting I had in Scotland; the truth
and the power of God was set over that nation, and many, by the power
and Spirit of God, were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, their Saviour
and teacher, whose blood was shed for them; and there is since a great
increase, and great there will be in Scotland. For when first I set my
horse’s feet upon Scottish ground, I felt the seed of God to sparkle
about me, like innumerable sparks of fire. Not but that there is
abundance of thick, cloddy earth of hypocrisy and falseness above, and a
briery, brambly nature, which is to be burnt up with God’s Word, and
ploughed up with his spiritual plough, before God’s Seed brings forth
heavenly and spiritual fruit to his glory. But the husbandman is to wait
in patience.