“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.’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.”
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.
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.’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.”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!