“To the Heads and Governors of this Nation, who have put forth a declaration for keeping a day of solemn Fasting and Humiliation, for the persecution (as you say) of divers people beyond the seas, professing the Reformed religion, which, ye say, hath been transmitted unto them from their ancestors.
“A profession of the Reformed religion may be transmitted to generations, and so holden by tradition; and in that, wherein the profession and tradition are holden, is the day of humiliation kept; which stands in the will of man. This is not the fast that the Lord requires, ‘to bow down the head like a bulrush for a day,’ and the day following be in the same condition that they were the day before. To the light of Christ Jesus in your consciences do I speak, which testifieth for God every day, and witnesseth against all sin and persecution; which measure of God, if ye be guided by it, doth not limit God to a day, but leads to the fast which the Lord requires, which is, ‘To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to break every yoke, and to let the oppressed go free.’ Isa. lviii. 6, 7. This is the fast that the Lord requires; and this stands not in the transmission of times, nor in the traditions of men; but in that which was before times were, which leads out of time, and shall be when time shall be no more. These that teach for doctrine the commandments of men, are they that ever persecuted the life and power when it came.
“And whereas ye mention a decree or edict that was made against the said persecuted Protestants, all such decrees proceed from the ground of the Pope’s religion and supremacy, and therein stands his tyranny and cruelty, acted in that will, which is in that nature which exerciseth lordship over one another (as ye may read, Mark x. 42; Luke xxii. 25), as all the heathen do, and ever did; and in the heathenish nature is all the tyranny and persecution exercised, by them that are out of the obedience to the light of Christ Jesus, which is the guide and leader of all who are tender of that of God in the conscience. But they who are not led by this, know not what it is to suffer for conscience’ sake. Now, whereas ye take into your consideration the sad persecution, tyranny, and cruelty, exercised upon them, whom ye call your Protestant brethren, and contribute to administer to their wants outwardly; this is good in its place, and we approve it; and see it good to administer to the necessities of others, and to do good to all: and we who are sufferers by a law derived from the Pope, are willing to join and to contribute with you to their outward necessities. For ‘the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof;’ who is good and gracious to all, willing that all should be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth.
“But in the meantime, while ye are doing this, and taking notice of others’ cruelty, tyranny, and persecution, turn your eye upon yourselves, and see what ye are doing at home. To the light of Christ Jesus in all your consciences I speak, which cannot lie, nor err, nor bear false witness; but which bears witness for God, and cries for equity, justice, and righteousness to be executed. See what ye are doing, who profess the Scriptures, which were given forth by the saints in light, who dwelt in the light, and in the life of them. For them who now witness the same light, life, and power, that gave forth the Scriptures, which ye in words profess, ye persecute;—them ye hale out of your synagogues and markets;—beat, stock, and imprison. Now let that of God in your consciences, which is just, righteous, and equal, examine and try, whether ye have any example or precedent to exercise this persecution, which now many in this nation suffer under, who are a people harmless and innocent, walking in obedience towards God and man.
“And though ye account the way of truth they walk in, heresy, yet therein do they exercise themselves, to have always ‘a conscience void of offence towards God and man,’ as ye may read the saints of old did (Acts xxiv. 14, 15, 16); wronging no man, neither giving any just cause of offence; only being obedient to the commands of the Lord, to declare, as they are moved by the Holy Ghost; and standing for the testimony of a good conscience, speaking the truth in Christ, their consciences bearing them witness that they lie not; for this do they suffer under you, who in words profess the same thing for which they suffer. Now see if any age or generation did ever persecute as ye do; for ye profess Christ Jesus, who reveals the Father, and persecute them that witness the revelation of the Father by Christ Jesus unto them. Ye profess Christ Jesus, who is ‘the light of the world, that enlightens every man that cometh into the world;’ yet persecute them that bear witness and give testimony to this light. Ye profess that the Word is become flesh, yet persecute them that witness it so. Ye profess that whosoever confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is an anti-christ; yet persecute them that do confess him come in the flesh, and call them antichrists and deceivers. Ye profess that the kingdom of Christ is come; yet persecute them that witness it come. Ye profess Christ Jesus, the resurrection and the life; yet persecute them that witness him to be so.
“If ye say, ‘How shall we know that these people, who say they witness these things, do so, or not?’ I answer, Turn your minds to the light, which Christ Jesus hath enlightened you withal, which is one in all; and if ye walk in the light, ye shall have the light of life; then ye will know and see what ye have done, who have persecuted the Lord of glory (in his people) in whom is life, and the life is the light of men. To no other touchstone shall we turn you, than into your own consciences; there shall ye find the truth of what we have declared unto you, and of what we bear testimony to, according to the holy Scriptures. When the books of consciences are opened, and all judged out of them, then shall ye witness us to be of God, and our testimony to be true. Though now ye may stop your ears, and harden your hearts, while it is called to-day; but then ye shall know what ye have done, and against whom ye have transgressed;—then ye will see that no persecutors, in any age or generation before you, ever transgressed against that light, and measure of God made manifest, in such manner as ye have done. For though Christ and the apostles were persecuted in their times, the Jews, for the most part, did not know that he was the Christ, when he came, notwithstanding they had the Scriptures, which prophesied of him; neither did they believe that he was risen again, when the apostles preached his resurrection. But ye say, ‘ye believe he is come; ye believe his resurrection;’ yet ye persecute those that witness him come in the flesh, those that are buried with him in baptism, that are conformable to his death, and know the power of his resurrection; these ye persecute, hale before magistrates, and suffer to be beaten in your synagogues; these ye cause to be whipped, and stocked, shamefully entreated, and cast into prison; as many jails in this nation at this day testify to your faces. Therefore honestly consider what ye are doing, while ye are taking notice of others’ cruelties, lest ye overlook your own. There is some difference in many things, between the Popish religion and that which ye call the Protestant, but in this persecution of yours there is no difference; for ye will confess that the foundation of your religion is grounded upon the Scriptures; yet ye are persecuting them that are in the same life which they were in, who gave forth the Scriptures, yourselves being the meanwhile under a profession of the words they spoke; and this ye shall one day witness. So ye have a profession and form, and persecute them that are in the possession, life, and power.
“Therefore know assuredly that ye must come to judgment; for he is made manifest, to whom all judgment is committed. Therefore to the light of Christ Jesus in your own consciences, which searcheth and trieth you, turn your minds; stand still, and wait there to receive the righteous law, which is according to that of God in the conscience, which is now rising, and is bearing witness against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men; and they whom ye persecute are manifest to God, and that of God in all consciences shall bear witness for us, that we are of God; this ye shall one day witness, whether ye will hear or forbear. Our rejoicing is in the testimony of our consciences, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world; not handling the word of God deceitfully, but in the manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God; and if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. For witnessing the holding of the mystery of faith in a pure conscience, do we suffer, and are subject for conscience’ sake.
“This is thankworthy, if a man, for conscience’ sake, endure griefs and sufferings wrongfully. In this is our joy and rejoicing, having a good conscience, that whereas we are evil spoken of, as evil-doers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse our good conversation in Christ; which is not only the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This we witness made manifest (eternal praises to the living God!) and bear testimony to that which spoke it in the apostle in life and power. Therefore do we bear witness and testify against those, who, being in a form and profession of it, persecute the life and power. To the eternal light of Christ Jesus, the searcher and trier of all hearts, turn your minds, and see what ye are doing; lest ye overturn your foundation, whereon ye pretend to stand, while ye are professing the Scriptures, and persecuting the life, light, and power, which they were in who gave them forth. For the stone, cut out of the mountains without hands, is now striking at the feet of the image, the profession, which is set up, and stands in the will of man. Now is that made manifest unto which all must answer; all must appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done in the body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God, and shall be made manifest in all your consciences, which ye shall witness.”
Divers times, both in the time of the Long Parliament, and of the Protector (so called) and of the Committee of Safety, when they proclaimed fasts, I was moved to write to them, and tell them, their fasts were like unto Jezebel’s; for commonly, when they proclaimed fasts, there was some mischief contrived against us. I knew their fasts were for strife and debate, to smite with the fist of wickedness; as the New England professors soon after did, who, before they put our Friends to death, proclaimed a fast also.
Now it was a time of great sufferings; and many Friends being in prisons, many other Friends were moved to go to the parliament, to offer up themselves to lie in the same dungeon, where their friends lay, that they that were in prison might go out, and not perish in the stinking jails. This we did in love to God and our brethren, that they might not die in prison; and in love to those that cast them in, that they might not bring innocent blood upon their own heads; which we knew would cry to the Lord, and bring his wrath, vengeance, and plagues upon them. But little favour could we find from those professing parliaments; instead thereof they would rage, and sometimes threaten those Friends that thus attended them, that they would whip them, and send them home. Then commonly soon after the Lord would turn them out, and send them home; who had not a heart to do good in the day of their power. But they went not off without being forewarned, for I was moved to write to them, in their several turns, as I did to the Long Parliament, unto whom I declared, before they were broken up, that “thick darkness was coming over them all, even a day of darkness that should be felt.”
And because the parliament that now sat was made up mostly of high professors, who, pretending to be more religious than others, were indeed greater persecutors of them that were truly religious, I was moved to send them the following lines, as a reproof of their hypocrisy:—
“O Friends, do not cloak and cover yourselves; there is a God that knoweth your hearts, and that will uncover you. He seeth your way. ‘Woe be to him that covereth, but not with my Spirit, saith the Lord.’ Do ye act contrary to the law, and then put it from you? Mercy and true judgment ye neglect. Look, what was spoken against such: my Saviour spoke against such: ‘I was sick, and ye visited me not; I was hungry, and ye fed me not; I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; I was in prison, and ye visited me not.’ But they said, ‘When saw we thee in prison, and did not come to thee?’ ‘Inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of these little ones, ye did it not unto me.’ Friends, ye imprison them that are in the life and power of truth, and yet profess to be the ministers of Christ. But if Christ had sent you, ye would bring out of prison, and bondage, and receive strangers. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter; ye have condemned, and killed the just, and he doth not resist you.”
After this, as I was going out of town, having two Friends with me, when we were little more than a mile out of the city, there met us two troopers belonging to Colonel Hacker’s regiment, who took me, and the Friends that were with me, and brought us back to the Mews, and there kept us prisoners. But the Lord’s power was so over them, that they did not take us before any officer; but shortly after set us at liberty again.
The same day, taking boat, I went to Kingston, and thence to Hampton Court, to speak with the Protector about the sufferings of Friends. I met him riding into Hampton-Court Park, and before I came to him, as he rode at the head of his life-guard, I saw and felt a waft (or apparition) of death go forth against him; and when I came to him, he looked like a dead man. After I had laid the sufferings of Friends before him, and had warned him, according as I was moved to speak to him, he bid me come to his house. So I returned to Kingston, and next day went to Hampton Court, to speak further with him. But when I came, he was sick, and —— Harvey, who was one that waited on him, told me the doctors were not willing I should speak with him. So I passed away, and never saw him more.
From Kingston I went to Isaac Penington’s, in Buckinghamshire, where I had appointed a meeting, and the Lord’s truth and power were preciously manifested amongst us. After I had visited Friends in those parts, I returned to London, and soon after went into Essex, where I had not been long before I heard that the Protector was dead, and his son Richard made Protector in his room. Whereupon I came up to London again.
Before this time the church-faith (so called) was given forth, which was said to have been made at the Savoy in eleven days’ time. I got a copy before it was published, and wrote an answer to it; and when their book of church-faith was sold in the streets, my answer to it was sold also. This angered some of the parliament-men, so that one of them told me, “they must have me to Smithfield.” I told him, “I was above their fires, and feared them not.” And reasoning with him, I wished him to consider, “Had all people been without a faith these sixteen hundred years, that now the priests must make them one? Did not the apostle say, that Jesus was the author and finisher of their faith? And since Christ Jesus was the author of the apostles’ faith, of the church’s faith in primitive times, and of the martyrs’ faith, should not all people look unto him to be the author and finisher of their faith, and not to the priests?” Much work we had about the priest-made faith; for they called us house-creepers, leading silly women captive, because we met in houses, and would not hold up their priests and temples, which they had made and set up. I told them, that it was they who led silly women captive, and crept into houses, who kept people always learning under them, who were covetous, and had a form of godliness, but denied the power and Spirit which the apostles were in. Such began to creep in the apostles’ days; but now they had got the magistrates on their side, who upheld those houses for them, which they had crept into, their temples, with their tithes: whereas the apostles brought people off even from that temple, and those tithes and offerings, which God had for a time commanded. And the apostles met in several private houses, being to preach the gospel to all nations; which they did freely, as Christ had commanded them. Thus do we, who bring people off from these priests, temples, and tithes which God never commanded, to meet in houses, or on mountains, as the saints of old did, who were gathered in the name of Jesus, Christ being their Prophet, Priest, and Shepherd.
Major Wiggan, a very envious man, was present, yet he bridled himself before the parliament-men, and some others that were there in company. He took upon him to make a speech, and said, “Christ had taken away the guilt of sin, but had left the power of sin remaining in us.” I told him, that was strange doctrine, for Christ came to destroy the devil and his works, and the power of sin, and so to cleanse men from sin.
So Major Wiggan’s mouth was stopped at that time. But next day, desiring to speak with me again, I took a friend or two with me, and went to him. Then he vented much passion and rage, beyond the bounds of a Christian or moral man; whereupon I reproved him; and having brought the Lord’s power over him, and let him see what condition he was in, I left him.
After some time I passed out of London, and had a meeting at Sergeant Birkhead’s at Twickenham, to which many people came, and some of considerable quality in the world. A glorious meeting it was, wherein the Scriptures were largely and clearly opened, and Christ exalted above all, to the great satisfaction of the hearers.
But there was great persecution in many places, both by imprisoning and breaking up of meetings. At a meeting about seven miles from London, the rude people usually came out of several parishes round about, to abuse Friends, and often beat and bruised them exceedingly. One day they abused about eighty Friends, who went to that meeting out of London, tearing their coats and cloaks off their backs, and throwing them into ditches and ponds; and when they had besmeared them with dirt, they said they looked like witches. The next First-day, I was moved of the Lord to go to that meeting, though I was then very weak. When I came there, I bid Friends bring a table, and set it in the field, where they used to meet, to stand upon. According to their wonted course, the rude people came. Having a Bible in my hand, I showed them their and their priests’ and teachers’ fruits: and the people became ashamed, and were quiet. I opened the Scriptures to them, and our principles agreeing therewith; I turned the people from darkness to the light of Christ and his Spirit, by which they might understand the Scriptures, see themselves and their sins, and know Christ Jesus to be their Saviour. So the meeting ended quietly, and the Lord’s power came over all to his glory. But it was a time of great sufferings; for besides the imprisonments (through which many died) our meetings were greatly disturbed. They have thrown rotten eggs and wild-fire into our meetings, and have brought in drums beating, and kettles, to make noises with, that the truth might not be heard; and among these, the priests were as rude as any: as may be seen in the book of the fighting priests, wherein a list is given of some of them that had actually beaten and abused Friends.
Many also of our Friends were brought up to London, prisoners, to be tried before the committee; where Henry Vane,[60] being Chairman, would not suffer Friends to come in, except they would put off their hats: but at last the Lord’s power came over him, so that, through the mediation of others, they were admitted. Many of us having been imprisoned upon contempts (as they called them) for not putting off our hats, it was not a likely thing that Friends, who had suffered so long for it from others, should put off their hats to him. But the Lord’s power came over them all, and wrought so, that several Friends were set at liberty by them. Now inasmuch as sufferings grew very sharp, I was moved of the Lord to write a few lines and send amongst Friends, to encourage them to go on faithfully and boldly, through the exercises of the day; of which a copy here follows:—
“My dear Friends, wherever scattered abroad, in prison or out of prison; fear not, because of the reports of sufferings; let not the evil spies of the good land make you afraid, if they tell you the walls are high, and there are Anakims in the land; for at the blowing of the rams’ horns did the walls of Jericho fall; and they that brought the evil report, perished in the wilderness. But dwell ye in the faith, patience, and hope, having the Word of Life to keep you, which is beyond the law; and having the oath of God, his covenant, Christ Jesus, which divides the waters asunder, and makes them to run all on heaps; in that stand: and ye will see all things work together for good to them that love God. In that triumph, when sufferings come, whatever they may be. Your faith, your shield, your helmet, your armour you have on; ye are ready to skip over a mountain, a wall, or a hill, and to walk through the deep waters, though they be as heaps upon heaps. The evil spies of the good land may preach up hardness; but Caleb, which signifies a heart, and Joshua, a Saviour, triumph over all.”
After a while I went to Reading, where I was under great sufferings and exercises, and in great travail of spirit for about ten weeks. For I saw there was great confusion and distraction amongst the people, and that the powers were plucking each other to pieces. And I saw how many were destroying the simplicity, and betraying the truth. Much hypocrisy, deceit, and strife, was got uppermost in the people, so that they were ready to sheath their swords in one another’s bowels. There had been a tenderness in many of them formerly, when they were low, but when they were got up, had killed and taken possession, they came to be as bad as others; so that we had much to do with them about our hats, and saying Thou and Thee to them. They turned their profession of patience and moderation into rage and madness; and many of them were like distracted men for this hat-honour. For they had hardened themselves by persecuting the innocent, and were at this time crucifying the Seed, Christ, both in themselves and others; till at last they fell to biting and devouring one another, until they were consumed one of another; who had turned against, and judged, that which God had wrought in them, and showed unto them. So shortly after, God overthrew them, and turned them upside down, and brought the king over them, who were often surmising that the Quakers met together to bring in King Charles, whereas, Friends did not concern themselves with the outward powers, or government. But at last the Lord brought him in, and many of them when they saw he would be brought in, voted for bringing him in. So with heart and voice praise the name of the Lord, to whom it doth belong; who over all hath the supremacy, and who will rock the nations, for he is over them.
I had a sight and sense of the king’s return a good while before, and so had some others. I wrote to Oliver several times, and let him know that while he was persecuting God’s people, they whom he accounted his enemies were preparing to come upon him. When some forward spirits that came amongst us, would have bought Somerset-house, that we might have meetings in it, I forbade them to do so; for I then foresaw the king’s coming in again. Besides, there came a woman to me in the Strand, who had a prophecy concerning King Charles’s coming in, three years before he came: and she told me, she must go to him to declare it. I advised her to wait upon the Lord, and keep it to herself; for if it should be known that she went on such a message, they would look upon it to be treason; but she said, she must go, and tell him, that he should be brought into England again. I saw her prophecy was true, and that a great stroke must come upon them in power; for they that had then got possession were so exceeding high, and such great persecution was acted by them, who called themselves saints, that they would take from Friends their copyhold lands, because they could not swear in their courts.
Sometimes when we laid these sufferings before Oliver Cromwell, he would not believe it. Wherefore Thomas Aldam[61] and Anthony Pearson were moved to go through all the jails in England, and to get copies of Friends’ commitments under the jailer’s hands, that they might lay the weight of their sufferings upon Oliver Cromwell. And when he would not give order for the releasing of them, Thomas Aldam was moved to take his cap from off his head, and to rend it in pieces before him, and to say unto him, “So shall thy government be rent from thee and thy house.”
Another Friend also, a woman, was moved to go to the parliament (that was envious against Friends) with a pitcher in her hand, which she broke into pieces before them, and told them, “so should they be broken to pieces:” which came to pass shortly after.
And in my great suffering and travail of spirit for the nation, being grievously burdened with their hypocrisy, treachery, and falsehood, I saw God would bring that over them, which they had been above; and that all must be brought down to that which convinced them, before they could get over that bad spirit within and without: for it is the pure, invisible Spirit, that doth and only can work down all deceit in people.
While I was under that sore travail at Reading, by reason of grief and sorrow of mind, and the great exercise that was upon my spirit, my countenance was altered, and I looked poor and thin; and there came a company of unclean spirits to me, and told me, “the plagues of God were upon me.” I told them, it was the same spirit spoke that in them, that said so of Christ, when he was stricken and smitten; they hid their face from him. But when I had travailed with the witness of God, which they had quenched, and had got through with it, and over all that hypocrisy which the outside professors were run into, and saw how that would be brought down, and turned under, and that life would rise over it, I came to have ease, and the light, power, and Spirit shone over all. And then having recovered, and got through my travails and sufferings, my body and face swelled, when I came abroad into the air; and then the bad spirits said, “I was grown fat,” and they envied at that also. So I saw, that no condition nor state would please that spirit of theirs. But the Lord preserved me by his power and Spirit through and over all, and in his power I came to London again.
Now was there a great pother made about the image or effigy of Oliver Cromwell lying in state; men standing and sounding with trumpets over his image, after he was dead. At this my spirit was greatly grieved, and the Lord, I found, was highly offended. Then did I write the following lines, and sent among them, to reprove their wickedness, and warn them to repent:—
“O friends, what are ye doing! What mean ye to sound before an image! Will not all sober people think ye are like madmen? O, how am I grieved with your abominations! O, how am I wearied! My soul is wearied with you, saith the Lord: will I not be avenged of you, think ye, for your abominations? O, how have ye plucked down and set up! How are your hearts made whole, and not rent! How are ye turned to fooleries! Which things in times past, ye stood over. How have ye left my dread, saith the Lord! Fear therefore, and repent, lest the snare and the pit take you all. The great day of the Lord is come upon all your abominations; the swift hand of the Lord is turned against them. The sober people in these nations stand amazed at your doings, and are ashamed, as if ye would bring in Popery.”
About this time great stirs were in the nation, the minds of people being unsettled. Much plotting and contriving there was by the several factions, to carry on their several interests. And a great care being upon me, lest any young or ignorant people, that might sometimes come amongst us, should be drawn into that snare, I was moved to give forth the following epistle as a warning unto all such:—
“All Friends, everywhere, keep out of plots and bustling, and the arm of flesh; for all these are amongst Adam’s sons in the fall, where they are destroying men’s lives like dogs, beasts, and swine, goring, rending, and biting one another, destroying one another, and wrestling with flesh and blood. Whence arise wars and killing but from the lusts? Now all this is in Adam in the fall, out of Adam that never fell, in whom there is peace and life. Ye are called to peace, therefore follow it; and that peace is in Christ, not in Adam in the fall. All that pretend to fight for Christ, are deceived; for his kingdom is not of this world, therefore his servants do not fight. Fighters are not of Christ’s kingdom, but are without Christ’s kingdom; his kingdom stands in peace and righteousness, but fighters are in the lust; and all that would destroy men’s lives, are not of Christ’s mind, who came to save men’s lives. Christ’s kingdom is not of this world; it is peaceable: and all that are in strife, are not of his kingdom. All that pretend to fight for the Gospel, are deceived; for the gospel is the power of God, which was before the devil, or fall of man was; and the gospel of peace was before fighting was. Therefore they that pretend fighting, are ignorant of the gospel; and all that talk of fighting for Sion, are in darkness; for Sion needs no such helpers. All such as profess themselves to be ministers of Christ, or Christians, and go about to beat down the whore with outward, carnal weapons, the flesh and the whore are got up in themselves, and they are in a blind zeal; for the whore got up by the inward ravening from the Spirit of God; and the beating down thereof, must be by the inward stroke of the sword of the Spirit within. All such as pretend Christ Jesus, and confess him, and yet run into the use of carnal weapons, wrestling with flesh and blood, throw away the spiritual weapons. They that would be wrestlers with flesh and blood, throw away Christ’s doctrine; the flesh is got up in them, and they are weary of their sufferings. Such as would revenge themselves, are out of Christ’s doctrine. Such as being stricken on one cheek, would not turn the other, are out of Christ’s doctrine: and such as do not love one another, nor love enemies, are out of Christ’s doctrine.
“Therefore, ye that are heirs of the blessings of God, which were before the curse and the fall were, come to inherit your portions; and ye that are heirs of the gospel of peace, which was before the devil was, live in the gospel of peace, seeking the peace of all men, and the good of all men; and live in Christ, who came to save men’s lives, out of Adam in the fall, where they destroy men’s lives, and live not in Christ. The Jews’ sword outwardly, by which they cut down the heathen, was a type of the Spirit of God within, which cuts down the heathenish nature within. So live in the peaceable kingdom of Christ Jesus. Live in the peace of God, and not in the lusts, from whence wars arise. Live in Christ the Prince of Peace, the way of God, who is the second Adam, that never fell; but live not in Adam in the fall, in the destruction, where they destroy one another. Therefore come out of Adam in the fall, into the Adam that never fell. Live in love and peace with all men; keep out of all the bustlings in the world; meddle not with the powers of the earth; but mind the kingdom, the way of peace. Ye that are heirs of grace, heirs of the kingdom, heirs of the gospel, heirs of salvation, saints of the Most High, and children of God, whose conversation is in heaven, that is above the combustions of the earth; let your conversation preach to all men, and your innocent lives, that they who speak evil of you, beholding your godly conversation, may glorify your Father which is in heaven.
“All Friends everywhere, this I charge you, which is the word of the Lord God unto you all, ‘Live in peace, in Christ the way of peace,’ and therein seek the peace of all men, and no man’s hurt. In Adam in the fall, is no peace; but in Adam out of the fall, is peace: so, ye being in Adam which never fell, it is love that overcomes, and not hatred with hatred, nor strife with strife. Therefore live all in the peaceable life, doing good to all men, and seeking the good and welfare of all men.”
Not long after this, George Booth rose in arms in Cheshire, and Lambert went against him. At which time some foolish, rash spirits, that came sometimes amongst us, were ready to take up arms; but I was moved of the Lord to warn and forbid them, and they were quiet. In the time of the Committee of Safety (so called), we were invited by them to take up arms, and great places and commands were offered some of us; but we denied them all, and declared against it both by word and writing; testifying that our weapons and armour were not carnal, but spiritual. And lest any that came amongst us, should be drawn into that snare, it came upon me from the Lord, to write a few lines on that occasion, and send them forth, as a caution to all amongst us. Of which this is a copy:
“All Friends everywhere, take heed to keep out of the powers of the earth, that run into wars and fightings, which make not for peace, but destroy it; such will not have the kingdom. And, Friends, take heed of joining with this or the other, or meddling with any, or being busy with other men’s matters; but mind the Lord, his power, and his service. Let Friends keep out of other men’s matters, and keep in that which answers the witness in them all, out of the man’s part, where they must expect wars and dishonour. Friends everywhere, dwell in your own, in the power of the Lord God, to keep your minds up to the Lord God, from falling down to the strength of Egypt, or going thither for strength, after ye are come out of it, like the children of Israel after they were come out of outward Egypt. But dwell in the power of the Lord God, that ye may keep over all the powers of the earth, amongst whom the just hand of God is come; for they have turned against the just, disobeyed the just, in their own particulars, and so gone on in one against the just; therefore the just sets them one against another. Now he that goes to help among them, is astray from the just in himself, in the unstaid state, and doth not know, by the All-seeing Eye (that beholdeth,) him that recompenseth and rewardeth, and lives not in the hand, in the power, that mangles and overturns, which vexeth the transgressors, that come to be blind, and zealous for they do not know what. Therefore keep in peace, and in the love and power of God, and in unity and love one to another, lest any go out, and fall with the uncircumcised: that is, they that are from the Spirit in themselves, and they that go from it, go into the pit together. Therefore stand (it is the word of the Lord God to you all) in the fear and dread of the Lord God, his power, life, light, seed, and wisdom, by which ye may take away the occasion of wars, and so know a kingdom which hath no end, and fight for that with spiritual weapons, which takes away the occasion of the carnal; and there gather men to war, as many as ye can, and set up as many as ye can with these weapons.”
After I had stayed some time in London, and had visited Friends’ meetings there and thereabouts, and the Lord’s power was set over all, I travelled into the counties again, passing through Essex and Suffolk into Norfolk, visiting Friends, till I came to Norwich, where we had a meeting about the time called Christmas. The Mayor of Norwich, having got previous notice of the meeting I intended to have there, granted a warrant to apprehend me. When I was come thither, and heard of the warrant, I sent some friends to the mayor to reason with him about it. His answer was, the soldiers should not meet; and did we think to meet? He would have us to go and meet without the city, for he said, the town’s-people were so rude that he could hardly order them, and he feared that our meeting would make tumults in the town. But our friends told him we were a peaceable people, and that he ought to keep the peace; for we could not but meet to worship God, as our manner was. So he became moderate, and did not send his officers to the meeting. A large one it was, and abundance of rude people came, with an intent to do mischief; but the Lord’s power came over them, so that they were chained by it, though several priests were there, and professors and Ranters.
Among the priests, one whose name was Townsend, stood up and cried, “Error, blasphemy, and an ungodly meeting!” I bid him not burden himself with that which he could not make good; and I asked him what was our error and blasphemy; for I told him, he should make good his words before I had done with him, or be shamed. As for an ungodly meeting, I said, I believed there were many people there that feared God, and therefore it was both unchristian and uncivil in him, to charge civil, godly people with an ungodly meeting. He said, my error and blasphemy was, in that I said, that people must wait upon God by his power and Spirit, and feel his presence when they did not speak words. I asked him then, whether the apostles and holy men of God did not hear God speak to them in their silence, before they spoke forth the Scripture, and before it was written? He replied, Yes, David and the prophets heard God, before they penned the Scriptures, and felt his presence in silence before they spoke them forth. Then said I, All people take notice, he said this was error and blasphemy in me to say these words; and now he hath confessed, it is no more than the holy men of God in former times witnessed. So I showed them that as the holy men of God who gave forth the Scripture as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, heard and learned of God, before they spoke them forth; so must they all hearken and hear what the Spirit saith, which will lead them into all truth, that they may know God and Christ, and may understand the Scriptures. O, said the priest, this is not that George Fox I would speak withal; this is a subtle man, said he. So the Lord’s power came over all, and the rude people were made moderate, and were reached by it; and some professors that were there, called to the priests, saying, “prove the blasphemy and errors which ye have charged them with; ye have spoken much against them behind their backs, but nothing ye can prove now (said they) to their faces.” But the priest began to get away; whereupon I told him, we had many things to charge him withal, therefore let him set a time and place to answer them; which he did and went his way. A glorious day this was, for truth came over all, and people were turned to God by his power and Spirit, and to the Lord Jesus Christ, their free teacher, who was exalted over all. And as we passed away, people’s hearts were generally filled with love towards us; yea, the ruder sort of them desired another meeting, for the evil intentions they had against us were thrown out of their hearts. At night I passed out of town to a Friends’ house, and thence to Colonel Dennis’s, where we had a great meeting; and afterwards travelled on, visiting Friends in Norfolk, Huntingdonshire, and Cambridgeshire. But George Whitehead and Richard Hubberthorn stayed about Norwich to meet the priest, who was soon confounded, the Lord’s power came so over him.
After I had travelled through many counties in the Lord’s service, and many were convinced, notwithstanding the people in some places were very rude, I returned to London, when General Monk was come up thither, and the gates and posts of the city were pulling down. Long before this I had a vision, wherein I saw the city lie in heaps and the gates down; and it was then represented to me, just as I saw it several years after, lying in heaps, when it was burned.
Divers times, both by word and writing, had I forewarned the several powers, both in Oliver’s time and after, of the day of recompense that was coming upon them; but they rejecting counsel, and slighting those visitations of love to them, I was moved now, before they were quite overturned, to lay their backsliding, hypocrisy, and treacherous dealing before them, thus:
“Friends, now are the prophecies fulfilled and fulfilling upon you, which have been spoken to you by the people of God in your courts, steeple-houses, towns, cities, markets, highways, and at your feasts, when ye were in your pleasures, and puffed up, that ye would neither hear God nor man; when ye were in your height of authority, though raised up from a mean state, none might come nigh you without bowing, or the respect of persons, for ye were in the world’s way, compliments, and fashions, which, for conscience’ sake towards God they could not go into, being redeemed therefrom; therefore they were hated by you for that cause. But how are ye brought low, who exalted yourselves above your brethren, and threw the just and harmless from among you, until at last God hath thrown you out; and when ye cast the innocent from among you, then ye fell to biting one another until ye were consumed one of another. And so the day is come upon you, which before was told you, though ye would not believe it. And are not your hearts so hardened, that ye will hardly yet believe, though ready to go into captivity? Was it not told you, when ye spilt the blood of the innocent in your steeple-houses, markets, highways, and cities, yea, and even in your courts also, because they said the word ‘Thou’ to you, and could not put off their hats to you, that if something did not arise up amongst yourselves, to avenge the blood of the innocent, there would come something from beyond the seas, which lay reserved there, which being brought by the arm of God, the arm of flesh and strongest mountain cannot withstand? Yet ye would not consider, regard, or hear; but cried, peace, peace, and feasted yourselves, and sat down in the spoil of your enemies, being treacherous both to God and man; and who will trust you now? Have ye not made covenants and oaths? and broken covenants and oaths between God and man, and made the nations breakers both of covenants and oaths; so that nothing but hypocrisy, rottenness, and falsehood under fair pretence, was amongst you?
“When ye pretended to set up the old cause, it was but yourselves; for which ye long stuck to sober people, who saw ye would do no good. But it was a joy for any of you to get up into authority, that ye might have praise, honour, and respect; and they that were in the self-denial were a derision to you, from amongst whom that was banished. Thus ye became the nation’s masters, and not servants; whereas the greatest of all should be the servants of all. But there ye lost your authority, not considering your estates, from whence ye were, and to what end God had raised you up; but forgot the Lord, and quenched that which was good in yourselves, and persecuted them that lived in it; and so are grown so gross and perverse, that at last ye are fit for neither God nor man. Have not ye called the Quakers the fanatic people, and the giddy heads? But whither now are ye giddying? into Cain’s city Nod, which signifies fugitive, or wandering? Have not ye persecuted and imprisoned to death such as God had respect to, and is now reproving you for their sakes, by them whom ye have hated? Were not many amongst you cut off for your persecution, and yet the rest of you would not take warning? Was there not a book of examples sent out unto you, of what sudden and strange deaths happened to the persecutors of the innocent; and yet ye would not take warning, until the overflowing scourge is now coming upon you. Are not ye they that have killed like Cain, who have killed about your sacrifice, and mingled the blood of the innocent with it? Hath not God now vagabonded you, that ye should become a curse upon the earth, who have persecuted Friends to death? Did not the blood of the righteous cry out of the ground for vengeance? And will not the blood of the righteous be required? Could ye think that the Lord would let you sit always with bloody hands and fists of wickedness? Ah! what is become of all your feasts and your fasts, the prayers and blessings of your priests?”