Chapter XV: Front Matter (15)

The next morning a friar came to him, and asked if he would become an obedient child, and go to visit the holy places, according to their custom; he answered, ‘No.’ Then the friar said, ‘Whereas others give great sums of money to see them, you shall see them for nothing.’ But Robinson replied ‘I shall not visit them in your manner, for in so doing I should sin against God.’ This did not please the friar, yet he said they would honour him as much as ever they honoured any Englishman that came thither, if he would conform unto them. But Robinson continued immoveable, and said he should not conform; and as for their honour, he did not matter it. Then the friar became angry, and said they would make him an example to all Englishmen that came thither. To which Robinson returned, ‘I choose your dishonour rather than your honour.’ The friar seeing he could not prevail, went away in anger, and within a short time came again; and other friars being present, one asked him if he would visit their church, and the holy sepulchre, and Bethlehem, with the rest of the holy places, as other pilgrims did? But he told them, at present he had no business to visit them; and in their manner he should not visit them at all, viz. to worship them. Then one said to him, ‘How can you be a servant of God, and will not go to visit the places where the holy men of God dwelt?’ To which he returned, that they under pretence of doing service to God, in visiting the places where the holy men dwelt, did oppose that way, and resist that life, which the holy men of God lived and walked in. Then one of the friars said, ‘What do you preach unto us for?’ To which he replied, that he would have them turn from those evil practices they lived in, else the wrath of the Almighty would be kindled against them. But they did not at all like such discourse, and therefore said, if he would not go and visit the aforesaid places, yet he must give twenty-five dollars, as was the manner of those that visited them; for, said they, the Turks must be paid, whether he would visit them, or not; but if he would visit them, then they would pay it for him. To this he signified, that he could not submit to such unreasonable terms.

Then they brought him before a Turk in authority in that place, who asked him divers questions, to which he soberly gave answers; and they discoursing about the worship of the Christians, the Turk asked also, what was the ground of his coming to Jerusalem. To which he answered, that it was by the command of the Lord God of heaven and earth he came thither; and that the great and tender love of God was made manifest in visiting them; his compassionate mercies being such, that he would gather them in this the day of his gathering. This was the message which Robinson believed he had from the Lord to declare unto them, whether they would hear, or forbear. And afterwards he wrote, that having thus cleared his conscience, he found great peace with the Lord, and therefore he magnified his glorious name, who had gone along with him, and preserved him in many trials. For the friars, who intended him mischief, were commanded by the Turks to carry him again safe and free of charges, to Ramola. Here I leave him, because I do not find how he came home; but that he returned thither in safety, appears to me from the relation he afterwards published of his travels.

1658.

The year being come to an end, I return again to G. Fox, whom we left at Newcastle. Whilst he was there, he, with Anthony Pearson, visited some of the aldermen; and among these one Ledger, who as well as the priests, had said the Quakers would not come into any great towns, but lived in the fields like butterflies. G. Fox desired to have a meeting amongst them; but they would not yield to it. He therefore asked Ledger, whether they had not called his friends butterflies, and said they would not come into any great towns? ‘But,’ said he, ‘now we are come into your town, you will not come to us; who are the butterflies now?’ Then Ledger began to plead for the sabbath day; which made G. Fox say, they kept markets on that which was the sabbath day, for that was the seventh day of the week; whereas that day which the professed Christians now meet on, and call their sabbath, was the first day of the week. No leave for a public meeting being obtained, G. Fox got a little meeting among his friends, and some friendly people at Gateside.

Travelling from thence and passing through Northumberland, and Bishoprick, he came to Durham, where was a man come down from London, to set up a college there, to make ministers of Christ, as they said. G. Fox entering into discourse with this man, said that to teach men Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, and the seven arts, was not the way to make them ministers of Christ; for the languages began at Babel; and to the Greeks that spake Greek as their mother tongue, the preaching of the cross of Christ was foolishness; and to the Jews that spake Hebrew as their mother tongue, Christ was a stumbling block. And as for the Romans, who spake Latin, they persecuted the Christians; and Pilate, one of the Roman governors, set Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, atop of Christ when he crucified him. Thus the languages, which began at Babel, had been set above Christ the Word. And John the Divine, who preached the Word, that was in the beginning, said that the beast and the whore had power over tongues and languages, and they were as waters, and in the mystery Babylon, for they began at Babel; and the persecutors of Christ set them over him, when he was crucified by them. ‘Dost thou think,’ said G. Fox to the man, ‘to make ministers of Christ by these natural confused languages, which sprang from Babel, are admired in Babylon, and set atop of Christ, the life, by a persecutor?’ The man, puzzled a little by this, confessed to many things spoken by G. Fox. Then it was showed him further, that Christ made his ministers himself, and gave gifts unto them, and bid them pray to the Lord of the harvest, to send forth labourers: that Peter and John, though unlearnt and ignorant as to school-learning, preached Christ the Word, which was in the beginning before Babel was: and that Paul also was made an apostle, not of man, nor by man, but by Jesus Christ, who is the same now, and so is his gospel, as it was at that day. This discourse had such effect upon the man, that he became very loving; and having considered the matter further, he never set up his intended college.

From Durham G. Fox passed to Nottingham, where he gathered again a scattered people, that having about eight years before been convinced of the Truth, had been led aside by one Rice Jones.

From hence he went into Warwickshire, and passing through Northamptonshire and Leicestershire, he came into Bedfordshire, and so to John Crook’s house, where a general yearly meeting was appointed, which lasted three days: and many of G. Fox’s friends from most parts of the nation came to it, so that the inns in the towns thereabouts were filled. Here was also William Caton, who after the meeting was ended, went with Thomas Salthouse, formerly his fellow-servant in the house of judge Fell, to Westmoreland, Cumberland, and Swarthmore in Lancashire. In the said general meeting, G. Fox made a long speech concerning the several states of man, but more especially for instruction of the ministers of the word, exhorting them at large to be circumspect in their station.

After the meeting was over, there came a party of horse with a constable, to seize upon G. Fox, who then was walking in J. Crook’s garden: and though somebody, when they came to the house, had told them G. Fox was there, yet they were so confounded, that they came not into the garden to look for him, but went away without him.

Parting from thence, he came to London, where he heard that a Jesuit, who was come over with an ambassador from Spain, had challenged all the Quakers, to dispute with them at the earl of Newport’s house. G. Fox then let him know by some of his friends, that they would meet him: whereupon the Jesuit sent word, he would meet with twelve of the wisest learned men they had. A while after he sent word, he would meet with but six; and after that, he sent word again, he would have but three to come. Then G. Fox went, with Edward Burrough, and Nicholas Bond, to the aforesaid house, and bade them to go up, and enter the discourse with the Jesuit, whilst he would be walking in the yard, and then come up after them. He had advised them to state this question, Whether the church of Rome, as it now stood, was not degenerated from the true church which was in the primitive times, from the life and doctrine, and from the power and spirit that those believers were in? They having stated the question accordingly, the Jesuit affirmed, that the church of Rome now was in the virginity and purity of the primitive church. By this time G. Fox being come in, the Jesuit was asked, whether they had the Holy Ghost poured forth upon them, as the apostles had? And he said, ‘No.’ Then said G. Fox, ‘If ye have not the same Holy Ghost poured forth upon you, and the same power and spirit that the apostles had, then ye are degenerated from the power and spirit which the primitive church was in.’ And he asked the Jesuit, what Scripture they had for setting up cloisters for nuns, abbeys and monasteries for men, and for their praying by beads and to images, and for making crosses, for forbidding of meats and marriages, and for putting people to death for religion? ‘If,’ said he, ‘ye are in the practice of the primitive church, in its purity and virginity, then let us see by Scripture, wherever they practised such things?’ For it was agreed mutually, that both the Jesuits and the Quakers, should make good by Scripture what they said. Then the Jesuit said, there was a written, and an unwritten word. Which made G. Fox ask, what he called his unwritten word? And he answered, ‘The written word is the Scriptures, and the unwritten word is that which the apostles spake by word of mouth, which are all those traditions that we practise.’ Then G. Fox bid him prove that by Scripture; and the Jesuit alleged the words of the apostle, 2 Thess. ii. 5. “When I was with you, I told you these things:” ‘That is,’ said he, ‘I told you of nunneries and monasteries, of putting to death for religion, and of praying by beads and to images,’ &c. This he affirmed to be the unwritten word of the apostles, which they told then, and had since been continued by tradition unto these times. Then G. Fox desired him to read that Scripture again, that he might see how he had perverted the apostles words, since that which the apostle said there he had told them before, was not an unwritten word, but was written down there; namely, that the man of sin, the son of perdition, should be revealed before the great and terrible day of Christ, which he was writing of, should come. And therefore this was not telling them any of those things the church of Rome practised. Besides, the apostle in the third chapter of the said epistle told the church, of some disorderly persons he heard were amongst them, busy bodies, who did not work at all; concerning whom he had commanded them by his unwritten word, when he was among them, that if any would not work, neither should he eat; which now he commanded them again in his written word in this epistle, 2 Thess. iii.

The Jesuit now finding no other scriptural proof for the tradition of the church of Rome, let that point fall, and came to the sacrament of the altar, to prove the reality of which, he began with the paschal lamb, and the showbread, and so came to the words of Christ, “This is my body,” and to what the apostle writ to the Corinthians, concluding from thence, that after the priest had consecrated the bread and wine, it was immortal and divine, and that he who received it, received the whole Christ. To this G. Fox said, that the same apostle told the Corinthians, after they had taken bread and wine in remembrance of Christ’s death, that they were reprobates if Christ was not in them. But that if the bread they eat was Christ, he must of necessity have been in them, after they had eaten it. Besides, if the bread and wine which the Corinthians ate and drank, was Christ’s body, how then (continued he,) hath Christ a body in heaven? And he also signified to him, that both the disciples at the supper, and the Corinthians afterwards, were to eat the bread and drink the wine in remembrance of Christ, and to show forth his death till he came; which plainly proved that the bread and wine which they took, was not his body. For if it had been his real body that they ate, then he had been come, and was then there present; and it would have been improper to have done such a thing in remembrance of him, if he had been then present with them; as he must have been, if that bread and wine, which they ate and drank, had been his real body. And as to the words of Christ, “This is my body,” G. Fox told him, ‘Christ calls himself a vine and a door, and is called in Scripture a rock: is Christ therefore an outward rock, door, or vine?’ ‘O,’ said the Jesuit, ‘the words are to be interpreted.’ ‘So,’ said G. Fox, ‘are those words of Christ, “This is my body.”’ And having thus stopped the Jesuit’s mouth, he made this proposal: that, seeing he said the bread and wine was immortal and divine, and the very Christ, and that whosoever received it, received the whole Christ; a meeting might be appointed between some such Papists as the pope and his cardinals should appoint, and some of those called Quakers: ‘And then,’ said he, ‘let a bottle of wine, and a loaf of bread be brought, and divided each into two parts, and let them consecrate which of those parts they will; and then let the consecrated and unconsecrated bread and wine be set in a safe place, with a sure watch upon it; and let trial then be made, whether the consecrated bread and wine will not lose its goodness, viz. the bread grow dry and mouldy, and the wine turn dead and sour, as well and as soon as that which was unconsecrated; for by this means the truth of this matter may be made manifest. And if the consecrated bread and wine change not, but retain their savour and goodness, this may be a means to draw many to your church. But if they change, decay, and lose their goodness, then ought you to confess and forsake your error, and shed no more blood about it, as hath been done, especially in queen Mary’s days.’ To this the Jesuit made this reply: ‘Take a piece of new cloth, and cut it into two pieces, and make two garments of it, and put one of them upon king David’s back, and the other upon a beggar’s, and the one garment shall wear away as well as the other.’ ‘Is this,’ said G. Fox, ‘thy answer?’ ‘Yes,’ said the Jesuit. ‘Then,’ said G. Fox, ‘by this the company may all be satisfied, that your consecrated bread and wine is not Christ. Dost thou now say that the consecrated bread and wine, which you have told people was immortal and divine, and the real body and blood of Christ, will wear away, or decay as well as the other? Then I must tell thee, Christ remains the same to day as yesterday, and never decays; but is the saints’ heavenly food in all generations, through which they have life.’ To this the Jesuit replied no more, but let the thing fall; for he perceived that those which were present saw his error, and that he could not defend it.

Then G. Fox asked him, why the church of Rome did persecute, and put people to death for religion? and he answered, it was not the church did it, but the magistrates. G. Fox asked, whether those magistrates were not counted and called believers and Christians? ‘Yes,’ said he. ‘Are they not members of the church?’ asked G. Fox. ‘Yes,’ said the Jesuit. Then G. Fox left it to the people to judge, whether the church of Rome did not persecute, and put people to death for religion. Thus they parted; the Jesuit’s subtilty being comprehended by the simplicity of G. Fox, and his friends.

Whilst G. Fox was at London, his friends, both in England and Ireland, were under great sufferings, which made him write to the protector about it: and there being much talk of making Cromwell king, he went to him and warned him against it, because of the dangers that would attend it; and which, if he did not avoid, would bring shame and ruin upon him and his posterity. Which counsel Cromwell seemed to take well, and thanked him for it: yet G. Fox wrote also concerning the same thing to him in this manner:

‘_O Protector_,

‘Who hast tasted of the power of God, which many generations
before thee have not so much, since the days of apostacy from
the apostles, take heed that thou lose not thy power; but keep
kingship off thy head, which the world would give to thee; and
earthly crowns under thy feet, lest with that thou cover thyself,
and so lose the power of God. When the children of Israel went
from that of God in them, they would have kings as other nations
had, as transgressors had; and so God gave them one; and what
did they do then? and when they would have taken Christ, and
made him a king, he hid himself from them; he was hid from that
which would have made him a king, he who was the king of the Jews
inward. O Oliver, take heed of undoing thyself, by running into
things that will fade, the things of this world that will change.
Be subject and obedient to the Lord God.

GEORGE FOX.’

About this time G. Fox wrote also another letter to O. Cromwell, wherein he signified to him, that if he had been faithful, and thundered down deceit, he would yet have done many mighty things. And he also advised him, not to slight sober men, and true hearts; but to mind the law of God, and his fear and dread; to take heed of flatteries, and to prize his time now he had it.

The lady Claypole, Cromwell’s most beloved daughter, being sick, and much troubled in mind, so that none that came could minister any comfort to her, G. Fox visited her with the following letter:

‘_Friend_,

‘Be still and cool in thy own mind and spirit from thy own
thoughts, and then thou wilt feel the principle of God, to turn
thy mind to the Lord God, from whom life comes; whereby thou
mayest receive his strength, and power to allay all blustering
storms and tempests. That is it which works up into patience,
into innocency, into soberness, into stillness, into stayedness,
into quietness, up to God with his power. Therefore, mind, that
is the word of the Lord unto thee, that the authority of God
thou mayest feel, and thy faith in that, to work down that which
troubles thee: for that is it which keeps peace, and brings up
the witness in thee, which hath been transgressed, to feel after
God with his power and life, who is a God of order and peace.
When thou art in the transgression of the life of God in thy
own particular, the mind flies up in the air, and the creature
is led into the night, and nature goes out of its course, and
an old garment goes on, and an uppermost clothing; and thy
nature being led out of its course, it comes to be all on a
fire, in the transgression; and that defaceth the glory of the
first body. Therefore be still awhile from thy own thoughts,
searching, seeking, desires, and imaginations, and be stayed in
the principle of God in thee, that it may raise thy mind up to
God, and stay it upon God, and thou wilt find strength from him,
and find him to be a God at hand, a present help in the time of
trouble, and of need. And thou being come to the principle of
God, which hath been transgressed, it will keep thee humble; and
the humble, God will teach his way, which is peace, and such
he doth exalt. Now as the principle of God in thee hath been
transgressed, come to it, that it may keep thy mind down low to
the Lord God; and deny thyself, and from thy own will, that is
the earthly, thou must be kept; then thou wilt feel the power
of God, which will bring nature into its course, and give thee
to see the glory of the first body. And there the wisdom of God
will be received, (which is Christ, by which all things were
made and created,) to be thereby preserved and ordered to God’s
glory. There thou wilt come to receive and feel the Physician of
value, who clothes people in their right mind, whereby they may
serve God, and do his will. For all distractions, unruliness,
and confusion, is in the transgression: which transgression
must be brought down, before the principle of God, which hath
been transgressed against, be lifted up; whereby the mind may
be seasoned and stilled, and a right understanding of the Lord
may be received; whereby his blessings enter, and are felt,
over all that is contrary, in the power of the Lord God, which
raiseth up the principle of God, within, and gives a feeling
after God, and in time gives dominion. Therefore keep in the fear
of the Lord God; that is the word of the Lord God unto thee;
for all these things happen to thee for thy good, and for the
good of those concerned for thee, to make you know yourselves,
and your own weakness, and that ye may know the Lord’s strength
and power, and may trust in him. Therefore let the time that
is past be sufficient to every one, who in any thing hath been
lifted up in transgression, out of the power of the Lord: for he
can bring down and abase the mighty, and lay them in the dust
of the earth. Therefore all keep low in his fear, that thereby
ye may receive the secrets of God and his wisdom, and may know
the shadow of the Almighty, and sit under it in all tempests,
storms, and heats. For God is a God at hand, and the Most High
rules in the children of men. So then, this is the word of the
Lord God unto you all, What the light doth make manifest and
discover, as temptations, distractions, confusions, do not look
at the temptations, confusions, corruptions, but at the light
which discovers them, and makes them manifest. And with the same
light you may feel over them, to receive power to stand against
them. The same light which lets you see sin and transgression,
will let you see the covenant of God, which blots out your sin
and transgression, which gives victory and dominion over it;
and brings into covenant with God. For looking down at sin and
corruption, and distraction, ye are swallowed up in it; but
looking at the light which discovers them, ye will see over them:
that will give victory, and ye will find grace and strength; and
there is the first step to peace. That will bring salvation, and
by it ye may see to the beginning and the glory that was with the
Father before the world began; and so come to know the seed of
God, which is the heir of the promise of God, and of the world
which hath no end, and which bruises the head of the serpent,
who stops people from coming to God. That ye may feel the power
of an endless life, the power of God which is immortal, which
brings the immortal soul up to the immortal God, in whom it doth
rejoice. So in the name and power of the Lord Jesus Christ, God
Almighty strengthen thee. G. F.’

The paper being read to the aforesaid lady, it staid her mind somewhat; but she lived not long after, so that O. Cromwell met with almost continual trouble, for discontent against him increased more and more.

Now, since the Protestants in the valley of Lucerne, and elsewhere, were much persecuted, there came forth a declaration from the protector to keep a fast, and one also for a collection for the relief of distressed Protestant churches. On this occasion, G. Fox to show what kind of fast it was that God requires and accepts, wrote the following paper:

‘_To the heads and governors of this nation, who have put forth
a declaration, for the keeping of 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, has 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 is holden, is the day of humiliation
kept; which stands in the will of man, which 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 as 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 let the
oppressed go free.” Isa. lviii. 6, 7. This is the fast the Lord
requires; and this stands not in the transmission of times, nor
in the traditions of men: but this stands in that which was
before times were, and which leads out of time, and shall be,
when time shall be no more. And 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 or edicts, 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 you 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 in the
conscience, which is the guider and leader of all who are tender
of that of God in the conscience. But who are not led by this,
know not what it is to suffer for conscience sake.

‘Now, whereas ye take into your consideration the said
persecution, tyranny, and cruelty exercised upon them, whom ye
call your Protestant brethren, and do contribute and administer
to their wants outwardly; this is good in its place, and we own
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 to all, and gracious to all,
and 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 cannot err, nor cannot bear false witness; but
doth bear witness for God, and cries for equity, and 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 do
now witness the same light, the same life, and the same power,
which gave forth the Scriptures, which ye in words profess, them
ye persecute, them ye haul out of your synagogues and markets,
them ye beat, stock, and imprison. Now let that of God in your
consciences, which is just and 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,) not wronging
any man, neither giving any just cause of offence; only being
obedient to the commands of the Lord, or 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 one that cometh into the world;”
and yet persecute them that bear witness, and give testimony to
this light. Ye profess that the Word is become flesh, and yet
persecute them that witness it so. Ye profess that whosoever
confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is an
antichrist; and 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; and yet persecute them that
witness it come. Ye profess Christ Jesus the resurrection and the
life; and 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 no?’ I answer, turn your minds to the
light which Christ Jesus has enlightened you withal, which is one
in all; and if ye walk in the light, ye shall have the light of
life, and 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, but into your own consciences, and 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. And 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 you may stop your ears, and harden your hearts,
“while it is called to-day.” But then ye shall know what ye have
done, and whom you have transgressed against; and then you will
see that no persecutors in any age or generation that ever went
before you, did ever transgress against that light and measure of
God made manifest, in such a manner as ye have done. For though
Christ and the Apostles were persecuted in their times, the Jews,
for the most part of them, did not know that he was the Christ,
when he came, notwithstanding that 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; and ye say, ye believe his resurrection,
and yet ye persecute those that witness him come in the flesh,
those that are buried with him in baptism, those that are
conformable to his death, and know the power of his resurrection;
those ye persecute, those ye haul before magistrates, and suffer
to be beaten in your synagogues; those ye cause to be whipped
and stocked, and shamefully entreated, and into prison cast, and
kept: 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; and yet now ye are persecuting those, that
be in the same life which they were in who spake forth the
Scriptures; yourselves being the meanwhile under a profession
of the words they spake: 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 Jesus Christ
in your consciences, which searcheth and trieth you, turn your
minds, and 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; and 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:
and for the witnessing the holding 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 grief
and suffering wrongfully. And 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
towards God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And this we
witness made manifest, (eternal praises to the living God,)
and bear testimony to that which spake it in the apostle in
life and power: and therefore do we bear witness, and testify
against those, who being got into a form and profession of it, do
persecute the life and power.

‘Therefore 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 and bottom 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 mountain 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, and appear before the judgment seat
of Christ; that every one may receive the thing done in his
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.

G. F.’

Divers times when a fast was proclaimed, G. Fox wrote on that subject; and since commonly some mischief was then contrived against the Quakers, no wonder that he would say, that these fasts were like unto Jezebel’s.

Many of his friends being at this time in prisons and dungeons, several others of them went to the parliament, and offered to lie in the same prisons where their brethren lay; that so those that were in prison, might not perish in stinking dungeons, and their persecutors thereby bring innocent blood upon their own heads. But this could not be obtained; for some of the parliament would threaten these compassionate men that thus attended them, with whipping, if they did not desist. And because the parliament then sitting, consisted mostly of such who, pretending to be more religious than others, were indeed great persecutors of those that were truly religious, G. Fox could not let this hypocrisy go unreproved, but wrote the following lines to them:

‘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: “Wo be to him that covereth, but not with my Spirit,”
saith the Lord. Do ye contrary to the law, and then put it from
you? Mercy and true judgment ye neglect. Look, what was spoken
against such: my Saviour spake 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 prison them
that be 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 out of 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.

G. F.’

It was not G. Fox alone who was grieved with the said hypocrisy, but others of his friends also declared zealously against it. A certain woman came once into the parliament with a pitcher in her hand, which she breaking before them, told them, so should they be broken to pieces; which came to pass not long after. And because, when the great sufferings of G. Fox’s friends were laid before O. Cromwell, he would not believe it, this gave occasion to Thomas Aldam and Anthony Pearson, to go through all, or most of the jails in England, and get copies of their friends commitment under the jailers’ hands, to lay the weight of the said sufferings upon O. Cromwell, which was done; but he, unwilling to give order for their release, Thomas Aldam took his cap from off his head, and tearing it to pieces, said to him, ‘So shall thy government be rent from thee and thy house.’

About the beginning of this year, E. Burrough wrote a letter to O. Cromwell, and his council, complaining of, and warning them against persecution, as being what would draw down God’s anger against them.

Several copies of the said letter were delivered to Oliver, and his council: and some months after E. Burrough wrote the following letter to him.

_To the Protector._

‘FRIEND,

‘The salutation of my life wisheth well unto thee in the Lord,
and most especially that thy precious soul may be redeemed out
of death to God, and live, that thou mayest have a rest and
habitation in him when this world is no more.

‘Now whereas it is a general outcry among the teachers and people
of this nation, and also is doubted, and hath been sometimes
objected by thyself, that the people called Quakers, are deluded
and deceived, and in error, and such like: and now, if it be
possible, that thyself and others may be resolved concerning
us; put therefore all thy objections and doubtings into plain
positions, or let the wisest of thy teachers do it for thee; that
whatsoever thyself, or any for thee; can object against us, or
what thou doubtest of, or stumblest at, either in respect of our
doctrines or practice, let the matter be stated in plain words,
in positions, or queries; and if God permit, a sufficient answer
thou mayest receive, to remove all conscientious scruples, and to
confound all subtle allegements and evasions; whereby hereafter
for ever thou mayest be altogether inexcusable of all doubting,
or speaking against us, or suffering evil to be done, or spoken
against us upon that account. And this I am moved to give forth
and send to thee, that thou mayest be satisfied; and all things
tried and made manifest in the sight of all men; and that all
rash judgment, and false supposition, which lodgeth in the hearts
of many, may be confounded and brought to nought; and let it
be left off, to cry out deceivers, and heresy, &c. and causing
any to suffer on suspicion thereupon; but bring all things to
light, and true judgment; that what is proved to be the Truth may
be owned and not persecuted any more; for we are willing to be
made manifest to all men; and if any thing be objected against
us, which may not be sufficiently answered, and resolved to
sober men, then our enemies are more free, and have whereof to
glory in against us; but if all occasion of stumbling be removed
by answers, according to the Scriptures, and our principles,
practices, and doctrines thereby vindicated, then let all the
teachers, and all our adversaries, shut their mouths from biting
at us, and railing against us, and accusing of us to thee; and
let thy ear be shut from believing lies against the innocent; and
let none suffer in thy dominion under the cruelty of men, upon
such a ground. Hereof I shall be glad to receive an answer, and
to join issue in this cause; and in the meantime, and always, am
a lover of thy soul, but a witness against all oppression.

E. B.’

This was delivered to his hands at
Hampton Court, in the Fourth Month,
1658.

I never understood that any thing of moment followed upon this; but about two months after he wrote another letter to Cromwell, which was delivered to him at Hampton Court, in the sixth month.

_To the Protector._

‘FRIEND,

‘Know that there is a God that doth whatsoever he will. All power
is in his hand, and he bringeth to pass the counsel of his own
heart, and he ruleth in the kingdoms of men, and bringeth down
and setteth up: he killeth and maketh alive; and he changeth
times, and seasons, and governments, and bringeth to nought the
counsels of men; for all power in earth and in heaven is in him,
and all his doings are right, and his ways are equal, and thou
and all mankind are as clay in the hand of the potter: he can
honour and exalt as he pleaseth, and he can mar, and break to
pieces, and dishonour whensoever he will; wherefore be humble,
and low in heart before him, for he is the highest power, that
subdueth all things under his feet. If he would, who can heal?
And if he kill, there is none can make alive; and know thou, it
is the Lord God Almighty that doth this, in whose hands are the
issues of life and death; and he it is who can break thee down,
and build thee up; who can wound thee, and restore thee; and
bring thee to destruction, and say unto thee, return; and to know
him that doth this, belongs to thy eternal peace, &c.

‘Be thou faithful in what the Lord calleth thee to, and thou
shalt have thy reward; and seek his honour, and he will honour
thee; and let thy mind be to the Lord in all things, and feel his
word and power, and presence in thee, to quench all that which is
contrary, and then thou wilt be blessed in this life, and in the
life to come; but if thou continuest in thy oppression, the Lord
will suddenly smite thee.

By a friend unto thee in the Lord,
E. B.’

That the Lord, according to this prediction did suddenly smite Cromwell, time verified; for he lived but about a month after the receipt of the said letter. And that E. Burrough tenderly loved him, appears to me from several circumstances: and the ardent desire he had for his eternal welfare, occasioned this plain language to him.

G. Fox also wrote to him, that it was not improbable, that because of his wickedness, the Lord might once raise the royalists against him, to be instruments of executing his wrath; as once Cromwell himself had been an instrument to their overthrow. And a very short time before his death, G. Fox went to Hampton Court, to speak with him about the sufferings of his friends. With this intention, he met him riding into Hampton Court park, and before he came to him, (according to his relation,) he perceived a waft of death go forth against him; and coming to him, he looked like a dead man. So after G. Fox had laid the sufferings of his friends before him, and had warned him, Oliver bid him come to his house; whereupon G. Fox went to Kingston, and the next day came to Hampton Court again; but there he understood that the protector was sick; and Dr. Harvey told, that the doctors were not willing that he should speak with the protector. So he passed away, and never saw Oliver Cromwell any more: who, since the death of his daughter, the lady Claypole, had been distempered, and troubled with a malignant humour in his foot; which, when his physicians endeavoured to disperse, they drove upward, (as was said,) to his heart: and being seized with a violent fever, he grew weaker and weaker; yet his preachers endeavoured to conceal the danger he was in: and it is reported that Dr. Goodwin, one of his chaplains, in a prayer during the time of his sickness, made use of this expression, ‘Lord, we beg not for his recovery, for that thou hast already granted, and assured us of; but for his speedy recovery.’ Whilst the protector was sick, E. Burrough wrote the following letter to his wife and children, &c.

‘_Friends_,

‘Remember, that by the Lord you were raised from a low state, and
when he will he can abase you, and bring you down; he gave you
the palace of princes, and threw out them before you.

‘O, remember this, every one of you, and come to the witness
of God in you, and be humble, and meek, and lowly, and let
the Lord’s fear be in your hearts; and be of a tender spirit,
having your minds exercised in purity, in holiness, and in
righteousness; and exalt not yourselves, nor be lifted up in your
hearts in the pride and vain glories, and honours of this world,
lest the Lord cast you down, and make your name and posterity a
reproach, as he hath done many before you; and if you walk in the
same steps, and do the same things, and become guilty of the same
abominations, and suffer the children and servants of the Lord to
be persecuted, (as many are at this day, some unto death,) shall
the Lord spare you? Nay, he will cause you to feel his hand of
judgment, and bring you down with sorrow, and he will vex you in
his wrath, and smite you with his rod more and more, till you
learn his fear, and depart from all your iniquities; and the Lord
will deface your glory, and pull down your crown; and he will
make you know, that he is Lord, that doth whatsoever he will.

‘Wherefore humble yourselves under the hand of God, and search
your own hearts, and cast out the abominations that vex the
Spirit of the Lord; and suffer not the people of the Lord’s
precious flock to be devoured, and made a prey to the wicked;
for because of this the rod of affliction cometh upon you, and
may suddenly break you to pieces; but mind the seed of God in
you, which is oppressed, and wait to know the power of the Lord,
which will redeem you out of sin and death, and reconcile you
to God, and bring you into fellowship with himself, to enjoy
peace and rest for your souls, that you may be made heirs of
the inheritance of an endless life: and this would make you
truly honourable, and will be more satisfaction to you, and joy,
and content, and true rejoicing, than all worldly crowns, and
worldly glories: which will waste and consume away, and leave
you miserable. And remember that you are now warned from the
Lord God, by whom I am moved to write this unto you, in dear and
tender love to you all; and one day you shall witness it.

‘And as concerning the Quakers, so called, who are accounted as
vile in the sight of men, and are cast out of all power and place
in the nation, being despised of all; and also are reproached,
persecuted, and imprisoned, and all manner of evil and injustice
unrighteously done and spoken against them, by wicked and corrupt
men in authority; yet are they the children and servants of the
living God, and greatly beloved of him, and are as dear to him
as the apple of his eye, and his power and presence is with
them; and the time is at hand that the Lord will make their
persecutors fall, and their enemies bow and tremble, though now
they suffer unjustly, and are trodden down, as not deserving a
place on the earth; yet it is for righteousness sake, and because
they show forth the image of the Father, and not for evil doing:
and will not their sufferings lie upon you? For many hundreds
have suffered cruel and great things, and some the loss of life,
though not by, yet in the name of, the protector; and about an
hundred at this present day, lie in holes, and dungeons, and
prisons, up and down the nation; and some at this time are sick,
nigh unto death, whose sufferings cry for vengeance, and the Lord
heareth the cry. Wherefore save yourselves, and let the innocent
be delivered, and the cruel bonds of oppression broken, and the
exercise of a pure conscience go free, without persecution; and
then the Lord will turn away his anger, and cease to smite you
with his rod, which hath been upon you: and he will give you
peace, and make you blessed, if you come to be led by his Spirit
into all Truth.