1677-1680.—George Fox, with other Friends, sails for England, and lands at Harwich, after a hazardous voyage of three days—has a large meeting at Colchester, and proceeds thence to London—writes to his wife—receives further accounts of persecution in New England—travels into Buckinghamshire, and meets with some false brethren, who are unruly and troublesome at meetings—Friends have a special meeting with them afterwards—at Reading meets with opposition to the settlement of a women’s meeting—visits Bristol during the fair, where are many Friends from various parts—the separatists there are very rude and abusive—he aids Friends in drawing up a breviat of their sufferings, to present to the judges at Gloucester assizes—meets with some separatists at Finchcomb—is engaged with other Friends in soliciting Parliament to grant them relief from the statutes made against Popish recusants—attends the Yearly Meeting, which was a glorious and heavenly one—Friends greatly united in testifying against the spirit of separation—not one mouth opened on its behalf—the Truth prospers at home and abroad—George Fox writes to his wife—writes to the king of Poland to dissuade him from persecution—to Friends in Amsterdam—Friends again press their suit for relief from the statutes made against Popish recusants without success—are much exercised with the spirit of separation, which opposes the order and discipline of the church—George Fox writes a paper to open the understandings of the weak, and as a reproof to a censorious judging spirit—has conferences with some of the opposers at Hertford—writes again to Friends to warn them of this spirit of false liberty—visits Friends in prison at Leicester—advises Friends how to end their differences—writes an epistle to Friends in London—writes to Friends in prison to console them under suffering—writes an epistle to the Yearly Meeting—an encouragement to Friends to be valiant for the Truth—also a caution to Friends to keep in humility—travels again towards the South—visits prisoners in York Castle—recommends Friends to lay their sufferings before the judge at the assizes—attends the Yearly Meeting in London—writes to the Great Turk and to the Dey of Algiers—to the latter particularly respecting Friends who are captives there—at Hertford meets with John Story (the schismatic) and some of his party, but the Truth prevails—has a meeting with some of the opposers—solicits the Parliament to grant relief to Friends under suffering—writes a paper against plots and plotters.
Finding our spirits clear of the service which the Lord had given us to do in Holland, we took leave of Friends of Rotterdam, and passed by boat to the Briel, in order to take passage that day for England; several Friends of Rotterdam accompanying us, and some of Amsterdam, who were come to see us again before we left Holland. But the packet not coming in till night, we lodged that night at the Briel; and next day being the 21st of the 8th month, and the First-day of the week, we went on board, and set sail about ten, viz., William Penn, George Keith, and I, and Gertrude Dirick Nieson, with her children. We were in all about sixty passengers, and had a long and hazardous passage; for the winds were contrary, and the weather stormy; the boat also was very leaky, insomuch that we had to have two pumps continually going, day and night; so that it was thought there was quite as much water pumped out as the vessel would have held. But the Lord, who is able to make the stormy winds to cease, and the raging waves of the sea calm, yea, to raise them and stop them at his pleasure, He alone did preserve us: praised be his name for ever! Though our passage was hard, yet we had a fine time, and good service for truth on board among the passengers, some of whom were great folks, and were very kind and loving. We arrived at Harwich on the 23rd, at night, having been two nights, and almost three days at sea. Next morning William Penn and George Keith took horse for Colchester; but I stayed, and had a meeting at Harwich; and there being no Colchester coach there, and the postmaster’s wife being unreasonable in her demands for a coach, and deceiving us of it also after we had hired it, we went to a Friends’ house about a mile and a half in the country, and hired his waggon which we bedded well with straw, and rode in it to Colchester.
I stayed there till First-day, having a desire to be at Friends’ meeting that day; and a very large and weighty one it was; for Friends hearing of my return from Holland, flocked from several parts of the country, and many of the town’s-people coming in also, it was thought there were about a thousand people at it; and all was peaceable. Having stayed a day or two longer at Colchester, I travelled through Essex, visiting Friends at Halstead, Braintree, Felstead, and Saling, and having meetings with them. At Chelmsford I had a meeting in the evening; and there being many Friends prisoners, they got liberty and came to the meeting; and we were all refreshed together in the Lord. Next day, the 9th of the 9th month, I got to London, where Friends received me with great joy; and on the First-day following went to Gracechurch Street meeting, where the Lord visited us with his refreshing presence, and the glory of the Lord surrounded the meeting; praised be the Lord.
After I had been a little while in London, I wrote the following letter to my wife:—
“Dear Heart,
“To whom is my love and to the children, and to all the rest of Friends, in the Lord’s truth, power, and Seed, that is over all; glory to the Lord, and blessed be his name for ever beyond all words! who hath carried me through and over many trials and dangers, in his eternal power! I have been twice at Gracechurch Street meeting; and though the opposite spirits were there, yet all was quiet; the dew of heaven fell upon the people, and the glory of the Lord shone over all. Every day I am fain to be at meetings about business, and sufferings which are great abroad; and now many Friends are concerned with many persons about them: so in haste, with my love to you all.”
London, the 24th of the 9th Month, 1677.
About this time, I received letters from New England, which gave account of the magistrates’ and rulers’ cruel and unchristian-like proceedings against Friends there, whipping and abusing them very shamefully; for they whipped many women Friends. One woman they tied to a cart, and dragged her along the street, stripped above the waist. They whipped some masters of ships that were not Friends,Friends, only for bringing Friends thither. And at that very time, while they were persecuting Friends in this barbarous manner, the Indians slew three-score of their men, took one of their captains, and flayed the skin off his head while he was alive, and carried it away in triumph; so that the sober people said “the judgments of God came upon them, for persecuting the Quakers;” but the blind dark priests said, “It was because they did not persecute them enough.”[48] Great exercise I had in seeking relief here for our poor suffering Friends there, that they might not lie under the rod of the wicked. Upon this and other services for truth, I stayed in London a month or five weeks, visiting meetings, and helping and encouraging Friends to labour for the deliverance of their suffering brethren in other parts.
Afterwards I went down to Kingston, and visited Friends there and thereaway. Having stayed a little among Friends there, looking over a book I had then ready to go to press, I went into Buckinghamshire, visiting Friends, and having several meetings amongst them, as at Amersham, Hunger-Hill, Jordans, Hedgerly, Wycombe, and Turville-Heath. In some of which, they that were gone out from the unity of Friends in truth into strife, opposition, and division, were very unruly and troublesome; particularly at the men’s meeting at Thomas Ellwood’s at Hunger-Hill, where the chief of them came from Wycombe, endeavouring to make disturbance, and to hinder Friends from proceeding in the business of the meeting. When I saw their design I admonished them to be sober and quiet, and not trouble the meeting by interrupting its service; but rather, if they were dissatisfied with Friends’ proceedings, and had anything to object, let a meeting be appointed on purpose some other day. So Friends offered to give them a meeting another day: and at length it was agreed to be at Thomas Ellwood’s[49] the week following. Accordingly Friends met them there, and the meeting was in the barn; for there came so many, that the house could not receive them. After we had sat awhile they began their jangling. Most of their arrows were shot at me; but the Lord was with me, and gave me strength in his power to cast back their darts of envy and falsehood upon themselves. Their objections were answered, and things were opened to the people; a good opportunity it was, and serviceable to the truth; for many that before were weak, were now strengthened and confirmed; some that were doubting and wavering, were satisfied and settled; and faithful Friends were refreshed and comforted in the springings of life amongst us. For the power arose, and life sprung, and in the arisings thereof many living testimonies were borne against that wicked, dividing, rending spirit, which those opposers were joined to, and acted by; and the meeting ended to the satisfaction of Friends. That night I lodged, with other Friends, at Thomas Ellwood’s; and the same week had a meeting again with the opposers at Wycombe, where they again showed their envy, and were made manifest to the upright-hearted.
After I had visited Friends in that upper side of Buckinghamshire, I called upon Friends at Henley in Oxfordshire, and afterwards went by Corsham to Reading, where I was at meeting on First-day, and in the evening had a large meeting with Friends. Next day there being another meeting about settling a women’s meeting, some of them that had let in the spirit of division, fell into jangling, and were disorderly for a while, till the weight of truth brought them down. After this I passed on, visiting Friends, and having meetings in several places, through Berkshire and Wiltshire, till I came to Bristol, which was on the 24th of the 11th Month, just before the fair.
I stayed at Bristol all the time of the fair, and some time after. Many sweet and precious meetings we had; many Friends being there from several parts of the nation, some on account of trade, and some in the service of truth. Great was the love and unity of Friends that abode faithful in the truth, though some who were gone out of the holy unity, and were run into strife, division, and enmity, were rude and abusive, and behaved themselves in a very unchristian manner towards me. But the Lord’s power was over all; by which being preserved in heavenly patience, which can bear injuries for his name’s sake, I felt dominion therein over the rough, rude, and unruly spirits; and left them to the Lord, who knew my innocency, and would plead my cause. The more these laboured to reproach and vilify me, the more did the love of Friends, that were sincere and upright-hearted, abound towards me; and some that had been betrayed by the adversaries, seeing their envy and rude behaviour, broke off from them; who have cause to bless the Lord for their deliverance.
When I left Bristol, I went with Richard Snead to his house in the country, and thence to Hezekiah Coale’s at Winterbourne, in Gloucestershire, whither came several Friends that were under great sufferings for truth’s sake, whom I had invited to meet me there. Stephen Smith[50], Richard Snead, and I, drew up a breviat of their sufferings, setting forth the illegal proceedings against them, which was delivered to the judges at the assizes at Gloucester; and they promised to put a stop to those illegal proceedings. Next day we passed to Sudbury, and had a large meeting in the meeting-house there, which at that time was of very good service. We went next day to Nathaniel Crisp’s at Tedbury, and thence passed on to Nailsworth; where on First-day we had a brave meeting, and large. Thence we went to the quarterly meeting at Finchcomb, where were several of the opposite spirit, who, it was thought, intended to make some disturbance amongst Friends; but the Lord’s power was over, and kept them down, and good service for the Lord we had at that meeting. We returned from Finchcomb to Nailsworth, and had another very precious meeting there, to which Friends came from the several meetings thereabouts; which made it very large also.
We went from Nailsworth the 1st of the 1st Month, 1678, and travelled through the country visiting Friends and having many meetings at Cirencester, Crown-Allins, Cheltenham, Stoke-Orchard, Tewkesbury, &c., so went to Worcester, where I had formerly suffered imprisonment above a year for truth’s sake; and Friends rejoiced greatly to see me there again. Here I stayed several days, and had many very precious meetings in the city, and much service amongst Friends. After which, I had meetings at Pershore and Evesham; and then struck to Ragley in Warwickshire, to visit the Lady Conway,[51] who I understood was very desirous to see me, and whom I found tender and loving, and willing to detain me longer than I had freedom to stay. About two miles hence I had two meetings at a Friend’s house, whose name was John Stanley, whither William Dewsbury came, and stayed with me about half a day. Afterwards I visited Friends in their meetings, at Stratford, Lamcote, and Armscott (whence I was sent prisoner to Worcester in 1673,) and thence passed into Oxfordshire, visiting Friends, and having meetings at Sibford, North-Newton, Banbury, Adderbury, &c. Then visiting Friends through Buckinghamshire, at Long-Crendon, Ilmer, Mendle, Weston, Cholesbury, Chesham, &c., I came to Isaac Penington’s, where I stayed a few days; and then turning into Hertfordshire, visited Friends at Chorleywood, Watford, Hemel-Hempstead, and Market-Street, at which places I had meetings with Friends. From Market-Street I went in the morning to Luton in Bedfordshire, to see John Crook, with whom I spent good part of the day, and went towards evening to Alban’s, where I lay that night at an inn. And visiting Friends at South-Mims, Barnet, and Hendon, where I had meetings, I came to London the 8th of the 3rd Month. It being the fourth day of the week, I went to Gracechurch-Street meeting, which was peaceable and well; and many Friends, not knowing I was come to town, were very joyful to see me there; and the Lord was present with us, refreshing us with his living virtue: blessed be his holy name!
The parliament was sitting when I came to town, and Friends having laid their sufferings before them, were waiting on them for relief against the laws made against Popish recusants, which they knew we were not; though some malicious magistrates took advantages against us, to prosecute us in several parts of the nation upon those statutes. Friends attending on that service when I came, I joined them therein; and there was some probability that something might be obtained towards Friends’ ease and relief in that case, many of the parliament-men being tender and loving towards us, believing we were much misrepresented by our adversaries. But when I went down one morning with George Whitehead to the parliament house, to attend upon them on Friends’ behalf, suddenly they were prorogued, though but for a short time.
About two weeks after I came to London, the Yearly Meeting began, to which Friends came up out of most parts of the nation, and a glorious heavenly meeting we had. O the glory, majesty, love, life, wisdom, and unity, that were amongst us! The power reigned over all, and many testimonies were borne therein against that ungodly spirit, which sought to make rents and divisions amongst the Lord’s people; but not one mouth was opened amongst us in its defence, or on its behalf. Good and comfortable accounts also we had, for the most part, from Friends in other countries; of which I find a brief account in a letter, which soon after I wrote to my wife, the copy whereof here follows;—
“Dear Heart,
“To whom is my love in the everlasting Seed of life that reigns over all. Great meetings here have been, and the Lord’s power hath been stirring through all, the like hath not been. The Lord hath in his power knit Friends wonderfully together, and his glorious presence did appear among them. And now the meetings are over, blessed be the Lord! in quietness and peace. From Holland I hear things are well there: some Friends are gone that way, to be at their Yearly Meeting at Amsterdam. At Embden, Friends that were banished are got into the city again. At Dantzic, Friends are in prison, and the magistrates threatened them with harder imprisonment; but the next day the Lutherans rose, and plucked down (or defaced) the Popish monastery; so they have work enough among themselves. The King of Poland received my letter, and read it himself; and Friends have since printed it in High Dutch. By letters from the half-yearly meeting in Ireland, I hear that they are all in love there. At Barbadoes, Friends are in quietness, and their meetings settled in peace. At Antigua also and Nevis, truth prospers, and Friends have their meetings orderly and well. Likewise in New England and other places, things concerning truth and Friends are well; and in those places the men’s and women’s meetings are settled; blessed be the Lord! So keep in God’s power and Seed, that is over all, in whom ye all have life and salvation; for the Lord reigns over all in his glory, and in his kingdom; glory to his name for ever, Amen. In haste, with my love to you all, and to all Friends.”
London, the 26th of the 3rd Month, 1678.
The letter to the King of Poland mentioned is as follows:—
“O King!
“We desire thy prosperity both in this life and that which is to come. And we desire that we may have our Christian liberty to serve and worship God under thy dominion; for our principle leads us not to do anything prejudicial to the king or his people. We are a people that exercise a good conscience towards God through his Holy Spirit, and in it do serve, worship, and honour him; and towards men in the things that are equal and just, doing to them as we would have them do unto us; looking unto Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith; which faith purifies our hearts, and brings us to have access to God; without which we cannot please him; by which faith all the just live, as the Scripture declares. That which we desire of thee, O king, is, that we may have liberty of conscience to serve and worship God, and to pray unto him in our meetings together in the name of Jesus, as he commands, with a promise that he will be in the midst of them. The king, we hope, cannot but say that this duty and service is due to God and Christ; and we give Cæsar his due, and pay our tribute and custom equal with our neighbour, according to our proportion. We never read in all the Scriptures of the New Testament, that Christ or his disciples banished or imprisoned any that were not of their faith or religion, and would not hear them, or gave them any such command; but, on the contrary, let the tares and the wheat grow together, till the harvest; and the harvest is the end of the world. Then Christ will send his angels to sever the wheat from the tares, &c. He rebuked such as would have had fire from heaven to consume those that would not receive Christ; and told them that they did not know what spirit they were of. He came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.
“We desire the king to consider how much persecution there has been in Christendom, since the apostles’ days, concerning religion. Christ said, they should go into everlasting punishment, that did not visit him in prison; then what will become of them that imprison him in his members, where he is manifest? None can say that the world is ended; and therefore how will Christendom answer the dreadful and terrible God at his day of judgment, that have persecuted one another about religion, before the end of the world, under pretence of plucking up tares; which is not their work, but the angels’,angels’, at the end of the world? Christ commands men to love one another, and to love enemies, and by this they should be known to be his disciples. O! that all Christendom had lived in peace and unity, that they might, by their moderation, have judged both Turks and Jews; and let all have their liberty that do own God and Jesus, and walk as becomes the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our desires are, that the Lord God of heaven may soften the king’s heart to all tender consciences, that fear the Lord, and are afraid of disobeying him.
“We entreat the king to read some of the noble expressions of several kings and others, concerning liberty of conscience; and especially Stephanus, king of Poland’s sayings, viz.: ‘It belongeth not to me to reform the consciences; I have always gladly given that over to God, which belongeth to him; and so shall I do now, and also for the future. I will suffer the weeds to grow till the time of harvest, for I know that the number of believers is but small: therefore,’ said he, when some were proceeding in persecution, ‘I am king of the people not of their consciences.’ He also affirmed, that ‘religion was not to be planted with fire and sword.’ Chron. Liberty of Religion, part 2.
“Also a book written in French by W. M., anno 1576, hath this sentence, viz.: ‘Those princes that have ruled by gentleness and clemency, added to justice, and have exercised moderation and meekness towards their subjects, always prospered and reigned long; but, on the contrary, those princes that have been cruel, unjust, prejudiced, and oppressors of their subjects, have soon fallen, they and their estates, into danger, or total ruin.’
“Veritus saith, ‘Seeing Christ is a Lamb, whom you profess to be your head and captain, then it behoveth you to be sheep, and to use the same weapons that he made use of; for he will not be a shepherd of wolves and wild beasts, but only of sheep. Wherefore, if you lose the nature of sheep,’ said he, ‘and be changed into wolves and wild beasts, and use fleshly weapons, then will you exclude yourselves out of his calling, and forsake his banner; and then will he not be your captain,’ &c.
“Also we find it asserted by King James, in his speech to the parliament, in the year 1609, ‘That it is a pure rule in divinity, that God never planted his church with violence of blood.’ And furthermore he said, ‘it was usually the condition of Christians to be persecuted, but not to persecute.’
“King Charles, in his [Greek: Eikôn Basilikê], page 61, said in his prayer to God, ‘Thou seest how much cruelty amongst Christians is acted under the colour of religion; as if we could not be Christians unless we crucified one another.’
“Page 28, ‘Make them at length seriously to consider, that nothing violent nor injurious can be religious.’
“Page 70, ‘Nor is it so proper to hew out religious reformation by the sword as to polish them by fair and equal disputations among those that are most concerned in the differences; whom not force, but reason, must convince.’
“Page 66, ‘Take heed that outward circumstances and formalities in religion devour not all.’all.’
“Pages 91, 92, ‘In point of true conscientious tenderness I have so often declared, how little I desire my laws and sceptre should entrench on God’s sovereignty, who is the only King of conscience.’
“Page 123, ‘Nor do I desire any man should be further subject unto me, than all of us may be subject unto God.’
“Page 200, ‘O thou Sovereign of our souls, the only Commander of our consciences!’
“Page 346 (In his ‘Meditations on Death’,) ‘It is indeed a sad state to have his enemies to be his accusers, parties, and judges.’
“The Prince of Orange testified, anno 1579, ‘That it was impossible the land should be kept in peace, except there was a free toleration in the exercise of religion.’
“‘Where hast thou read in thy day (said Menno) in the writings of the apostles, that Christ or the apostles ever cried out to the magistrates for their power against them that would not hear their doctrine, nor obey their words? I know certainly,’ said he, ‘that where a magistrate shall banish with the sword, there is not the right knowledge, spiritual word, nor church of Christ; it is, Invocare brachium seculare (to invoke the secular arm.’)
“‘It is not Christian-like, but tyrannical (said D. Philipson,) to banish and persecute people about faith and religion; and they that so do are certainly of the Pharisaical generation, who resisted the Holy Ghost.’
“Erasmus said, ‘That though they take our money and goods, they cannot therefore hurt our salvation; they afflict us much with prisons, but they do not thereby separate us from God.’—In de Krydges wrede, fol. 63.
“Lucernus said, ‘He that commandeth anything, wherewith he bindeth the conscience, this is an antichrist.’—In de Bemise Disp., fol. 71.
“Irenæus affirmed, ‘that all forcing of conscience, though it was but a forbidding of the exercise which is esteemed by one or another to be necessary to salvation, is in no wise right nor fitting.’ He also affirmed, ‘that through the diversity of religions the kingdom should not be brought into any disturbance.’
“Constantius, the emperor, said, ‘That it was enough that he preserved the unity of the faith, that he might be excusable before the judgment-seat of God; and that he would leave every one to his own understanding, according to the account he will give before the judgment-seat of Christ. Hereto may we stir up people (said he,) not compel them; beseech them to come into the unity of the Christians, but to do violence to them we will not in any wise.’—Sebast. Frank, Chron. fol. 127.
“Augustinus said, ‘Some disturbed the peace of the church while they went about to root out the tares before their time; and through this error of blindness (said he) are they themselves separated so much the more from being united unto Christ.’
“Retnaldus testified, ‘That he who, with imprisoning and persecuting, seeketh to spread the gospel, and greaseth his hands with blood, shall much rather be looked upon for a wild hunter than a preacher, or a defender of the Christian religion.’
“‘I have for a long season determined (said Henry IV., king of France, in his speech to the parliament, 1599,) to reform the church, which, without peace, I cannot do: and it is impossible to reform or convert people by violence. I am king, as a shepherd, and will not shed the blood of my sheep, but will gather them through the mildness and goodness of a king, and not through the power of tyranny: and I will give them that are of the reformed religion right liberty to live and dwell free, without being examined, perplexed, molested, or compelled to anything contrary to their consciences; for they shall have the free exercise of their religion, &c.’—[Vid. Chron. Van de Underg. 2. deel, p. 1514.]
“Ennius said, ‘Wisdom is driven out when the matter is acted by force. And therefore the best of men, and most glorious of princes, were always ready to give toleration.’
“Eusebius, in his second book of the life of Constantine, reports these words of the emperor: ‘Let them which err, with joy receive the like fruition of peace and quietness with the faithful; sith the restoring of communication and society may bring them into the right way of truth: let none give molestation to any; let every one do as he determines in his mind. And indeed, there is great reason for princes to give toleration to disagreeing persons, whose opinions cannot by fair means be altered; for if the persons be confident, they will serve God according to their persuasions: and if they be publicly prohibited, they will privately convene: and then all those inconveniences and mischiefs, which are arguments against the permission of conventicles, are arguments for the public permission of differing religions, &c., they being restrained and made miserable, endears the discontented persons mutually, and makes more hearty and dangerous confederations.’
“The like counsel, in the divisions of Germany at the first reformation, was thought reasonable by the Emperor Ferdinand, and his excellent son Maximilian; for they had observed, ‘that violence did exasperate, was unblessed, unsuccessful, and unreasonable; and therefore they made decrees of toleration.’
“The Duke of Savoy, repenting of his war undertaken for religion against the Piedmontese, promised them toleration; and was as good as his word.word.
“It is remarkable, that till the time of Justinian the emperor, Anno Domini 525, the Catholics and Novatians had churches indifferently permitted, even in Rome itself.
“And Paul preached the kingdom of God, teaching those things which concerned the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence; and no man forbade him: and this he did for the space of two years in his own hired house at Rome, and received all that came to him.
“Now, O king, seeing these noble testimonies concerning liberty of conscience from kings, emperors, and others, and the liberty that Paul had at Rome in the days of the heathen emperor, our desire is, that we may have the same liberty at Dantzic to meet together in our own hired houses; which cannot be any prejudice, either to the king or the city, for us to meet together to wait upon the Lord, and pray unto him, and to serve and worship him in Spirit and in truth in our own hired houses; seeing our principle leads us to hurt no man, but to love our enemies, and to pray for them: yea, them that persecute us. Therefore, O king, consider, and the city of Dantzic, would you not think it hard for others to force you from your religion to another, contrary to your consciences? And if it be so, that you would think it hard to you, then ‘do you unto others as you would have them do unto you;’ do not you that unto others, which you would not have them do unto you; for that is the royal law, which ought to be obeyed. And so in love to thy immortal soul, and for thy eternal good, this is written.”
“Postscript.—‘Blessed be the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.’ And remember, O king, Justin Martyr’s two Apologies to the Roman emperors, in the defence of the persecuted Christians; and that notable Apology, which was written by Tertullian, upon the same subject; which are not only for the Christian religion, but against all persecution for religion.”
“Dear Peter Hendricks, John Claus, J. Rawlins, and all the rest of Friends in Amsterdam, Friesland, and Rotterdam, to whom is my love in the Seed of life, that is over all.
“I received your letter with one from Dantzic: I have written something directed to you, to the King of Poland, which you may translate into High Dutch, and send to Friends there to give to the king; or you may print it, after it be delivered in manuscript, which may be serviceable to other princes. So in haste, with my love. The Lord God Almighty over all give you dominion in his eternal power, and in it over all preserve you, and keep you to his glory, that you may answer that of God in all people. Amen.”
London, the 13th of the 9th Month, 1677.
I continued yet in and about London some weeks, the parliament sitting again, and Friends attending to get some redress of our sufferings, which about this time were very great, and heavy upon many Friends in divers parts of the nation; being very unduly prosecuted upon the statutes made against Popish recusants; though our persecutors could not but know that Friends were utterly against Popery; having borne testimony against it in word and writing, and suffered under it. But though many of the members of parliament in each house were kind to Friends, and willing to do something for their ease, yet having much business, they were hindered from doing the good they would, so that the sufferings of Friends continued.
But that which added much to the grief and exercise of Friends, was, that some who made a profession of the same truth with us, being gone from the simplicity of the gospel into a fleshly liberty, and labouring to draw others after them, opposed the order and discipline, which God by his power had set up and established in his church; and made a great noise and clamour against prescriptions; whereby they easily drew after them such as were loosely inclined, and desired a broader way than the path of truth to walk in. Some also that were more simple, but young in truth, or weak in judgment, were apt to be betrayed by them, not knowing the depths of Satan in these wiles; for whose sake I was moved to write the following paper, for undeceiving the deceived, and opening the understandings of the weak in this matter:—
“All you that deny prescriptions without distinction, may as well deny all the Scriptures, which were given forth by the power and Spirit of God. For do not they prescribe how men should walk towards God and man, both in the Old Testament and in the New? Yea, from the very first promise of Christ in Genesis, what people ought to believe and trust in, and all along, till ye come to the prophets? Did not the Lord prescribe to his people by the Fathers, and then by his prophets? Did he not prescribe to the people how they should walk, though they turned against the prophets in the old covenant, for declaring or prescribing to them the way, how they might walk to please God, and keep in favour with him? In the days of Christ, did not he prescribe and teach, how people should walk and believe? And after him, did not the apostles prescribe to people how they might come to believe, and receive the gospel and the kingdom of God, directing to that which would give them the knowledge of God, and how they should walk in the new covenant in the days of the gospel, and by what way they should come to the holy city? And did not the apostles send forth their decrees by faithful chosen men, that had hazarded their lives for Christ’s sake, to the churches, by which they were established?
“So you that deny prescriptions given forth by the power and Spirit of God, do thereby oppose the Spirit that gave them forth in all the holy men of God. Were there not some all along in the days of Moses, and in the days of the prophets, in the days of Christ, and in the days of his apostles, who did withstand that which they gave forth from the Spirit of God? And hath there not been the like since the days of the apostles? How many have risen, since truth appeared, to oppose the order which stands in the power and Spirit of God? who are but in the same spirit which hath opposed the Spirit of God all along from the beginning. See, what names or titles the Spirit of God gave that opposing spirit in the old covenant, and also in the new; which is the same now; for after the Lord had given forth the old covenant, there were some among themselves that opposed; these were worse than public enemies. And likewise in the days of the new covenant, in the gospel-times, you may see what sort opposed Christ and the apostles, after they came to some sight of the truth, and how they turned against Christ and his apostles? See what liberty they pleaded for, and ran into, in the apostles’ days, who could not abide the cross, the yoke of Jesus.
“We see the same rough and high spirit cries now for liberty, which the power and Spirit of Christ cannot give—cries, ‘Imposition,’ and yet is imposing;—cries, ‘liberty of conscience,’ and yet is opposing liberty of conscience; and cries against ‘prescriptions,’ and yet is prescribing both in words and writing. So with the everlasting power and Spirit of God this spirit is fathomed; its rise, beginning, and end; and it is judged. This spirit cries, ‘we must not judge conscience; we must not judge matters of faith; and we must not judge spirits, nor religions,’ &c. Yes; they that are in the pure Spirit and power of God, which the apostles were in, judge of conscience, whether it be a seared conscience, or a tender conscience; they judge of faith, whether it be a dead one or a living one; they judge of religion, whether it be vain, or pure and undefiled; they judge of spirits, and try them, whether they be of God or not; they judge of hope, whether it be that of hypocrites, or the true hope that purifies, even as God is pure; they judge of belief, whether it be that which is born of God, and overcometh the world, or that which runs into the spirit of the world, which lusts to envy, and doth not overcome the world; they judge of worships, whether they be will-worships, and the worship of the beast and dragon, or the worship of God in Spirit and in truth; they judge of angels, whether they be fallen, or those that keep their habitation; they judge the world, that grieves and quenches the Spirit, hates the light, turns the grace of God into wantonness, and resists the Holy Ghost; they judge of the hearts, ears, and lips, which are circumcised, and which are uncircumcised; they judge of ministers, and apostles, and messengers, whether they be of Satan or of Christ; they judge of differences in outward things, in the church or elsewhere; yea, the least member of the church hath power to judge of such things, having the one true measure, and true weight to weigh things, and measure things withal, without respect to persons. This judgment is given, and all these things are done, by the same power and Spirit the apostles were in. Such also can judge of election and reprobation; who keep their habitation, and who do not; who are Jews, and who are of the synagogue of Satan; who are in the doctrine of Christ, and who are in the doctrines of devils; who prescribes and declares things from the power and Spirit of God; and who prescribes and declares things from a loose spirit, to let all loose from under the yoke of Christ, the power of God, into looseness and liberty.
“These likewise can judge and discern, who brings people into the possession of the gospel of light and life, over death and darkness, and into the truth, where the devil cannot get in; and who brings them into the possession of death and darkness, out of the glorious liberty of the gospel, and of Jesus Christ, his faith, truth, Spirit, light, and grace. For there is no true liberty, but in that; and that liberty answers the grace, the truth, the light, the Spirit, the faith, the gospel of Christ in every man and woman, and is the yoke to the contrary in every man and woman. That makes it rage, and swell, and puff up; for it is restless, unruly, out of patience, and ready to curse his God, and that which reigns over him, because it hath not its will. It works with all subtlety and evasion with its restless spirit, to get in and defile the minds of the simple, and to make rapes upon the virgin minds. But as they receive the heavenly wisdom, by which all things were made (which wisdom is above that spirit,) through this wisdom they will be preserved over that spirit.
“And Christ hath given judgment to his saints in his church, though he be judge of all; and the saints, in the power and Spirit of God, had and have power to judge of words and manners, of lives and conversations, of growths and states, from a child to a father in the truth; and to whom they are a savour of death, and to whom they are a savour of life; who serve the Lord Jesus Christ and preach him, and who preach themselves and serve themselves; and who talk of the light, of faith, of the gospel, of hope, and of grace, and preach such things; yet in their works and lives deny them all, and God and Christ, and preach up liberty from that in themselves to that in others, which should be under the yoke and cross of Christ, the power of God. So the saints, in the power and Spirit of Christ, can discern and distinguish, who serves God and Christ, and who serves him not; and can put a distinction between the profane and the holy. But such as have lost their eye-salve, and whose sight is grown dim, lose this judgment, discerning, and distinction in the church of Christ; and such come to be spewed out of Christ’s mouth, except they repent; and if not, they come to corrupt the earth, and burden it, that it vomits them out of it.
“Therefore, all are exhorted to keep in the power and Spirit of Christ Jesus, in the word of life, and the wisdom of God (which is above that which is below,) in which they may keep their heavenly understandings and discernings; and so set the heavenly, spiritual judgment over that which is for judgment, which dishonours God, and leads into loose and false liberty; out of the unity, which stands in the heavenly Spirit, which brings into conformity to the image of the Son of God, and his gospel, the power of God (which was before the devil was,) and his truth (which the devil is out of,) in which all are of one mind, heart, and soul, and come to drink into one Spirit, being baptized into one Spirit, and so into one body, of which Christ is the head; and so keep one fellowship and unity in the Spirit, which is the bond of peace, the Prince of princes’ peace. And they that cry so much against judging, and are afraid of judgment, whether they be apostates, professors, or profane, are the most judging with their censorious, false spirits, and judgment; and yet they cannot bear the true judgment of the Spirit of God, nor stand in his judgment. This hath been manifest from the beginning, they having the false measures, and the false weights; for none have the true measure and true weight but they that keep in the light, power, and Spirit of Christ. And now there is a loose spirit, that cries for liberty, and against prescriptions, and yet is proscribing ways, both by words and writings. The same spirit cries against judging, and would not be judged, and yet is judging with a wrong spirit. This is given forth in reproof to that spirit.”
London, the 9th of the 4th Month, 1678.
When I had finished what service I had for the Lord at this time here, I went towards Hertford; visiting Friends, and having several meetings in the way. At Hertford I stayed some days, having much service for the Lord there, both amongst Friends in their meetings, and in conferences with such as having let in evil surmisings and jealousies concerning Friends, stood in opposition to the order of truth: and in answering some books written against truth and Friends. While I was here, it came upon me to write a few lines, and send them abroad amongst Friends, as follows:—
“Dear Friends,
“Let the holy Seed of life reign over death and the unholy seed in you all; that in the holy Seed of the kingdom ye may all feel the everlasting holy peace with God, through Christ Jesus, your Saviour, and sit down in Him, your life and glorious rest, the holy rock and foundation, that standeth sure over all from everlasting to everlasting, in whom all the fulness of blessedness is; so that ye may glory in Him that liveth for evermore, Amen! who is your eternal joy, life, and happiness; through whom you have peace with God. This holy Seed bruiseth the head of the serpent, and will outlive all his wrath and rage, malice and envy; who was before he and it were, and remains when he and it are gone into the fire that burns with brimstone. The Seed, Christ, will reign; and so will ye, as ye do live and walk in Him, sit down in Him, and build up one another in the love of God.”
Hertford, the 10th of the 5th Month, 1678.
Next day a fresh exercise came upon me, with respect to those unruly and disorderly spirits, that were gone out from us, and were labouring to draw others after them into a false liberty. In the sense I had of the hurt and mischief these might do, where they were given way to, I was moved to write a few lines to warn Friends of them, as follows:—