Chapter X (2)

I also wrote another short epistle to Friends, to encourage them to keep up their meetings in the Lord’s power; of which epistle a copy here follows:—

“DEAR FRIENDS,

“Keep your meetings in the power of the Lord, which is over all that
is in the fall and must have an end. Therefore be wise in the wisdom
of God, which is from above, by which all things were made and
created; that that may be justified among you, and you all kept in the
solid life, which was before death was; and in the light, which was
before the darkness was with all its works. In which light and life ye
all may feel, and have the heavenly unity and peace, possessing the
gospel fellowship, that is everlasting: which was before that, which
doth not last for ever; and will remain when that is gone. For the
gospel being the power of God, is pure and everlasting. Know it to be
your portion: in which is stability, and life, and immortality,
shining over that which darkens the mortal. So be faithful every one
to God, in your measures of his power and life, that ye may answer
God’s love and mercy to you, as obedient children of the Most High;
dwelling in love, unity, and peace, and in innocency of heart towards
one another; that God may be glorified in you, and you kept faithful
witnesses for him, and valiant for the truth on earth. God Almighty
preserve you all to his glory, that ye may feel his blessing among
you, and be possessors thereof.”

G. F.

About this time many mouths were opened in our meetings, to declare the goodness of the Lord, and some that were young and tender in the truth would sometimes utter a few words in thanksgiving and praises to God. That no disorder might arise from this in our meetings, I was moved to write an epistle to Friends, by way of advice in that matter. And thus it was:—

“All my dear friends in the noble Seed of God, who have known his
power, life, and presence among you, let it be your joy to hear or see
the springs of life break forth in any; through which ye may have all
unity in the same, feeling life and power. And above all things, take
heed of judging any one openly in your meetings, except they be openly
profane or rebellious, such as be out of the truth; that by the power,
life, and wisdom ye may stand over them, and by it answer the witness
of God in the world, that such, whom ye bear your testimony against,
are none of you: that therein the truth may stand clear and single.
But such as are tender, if they should be moved to bubble forth a few
words, and speak in the Seed and Lamb’s power, suffer and bear that;
that is, the tender. And if they should go beyond their measure, bear
it in the meeting for peace and order’s sake, and that the spirits of
the world be not moved against you. But when the meeting is done, if
any be moved to speak to them, between you and them, one or two of
you, that feel it in the life, do it in the love and wisdom that is
pure and gentle from above: for love is that which edifies, bears all
things, suffers long, and fulfils the law. In this ye have order and
edification, ye have wisdom to preserve you all wise and in patience;
which takes away the occasion of stumbling the weak, and the occasion
of the spirits of the world to get up: but in the royal Seed, the
heavy stone, ye keep down all that is wrong; and by it answer that of
God in all. For ye will hear, see, and feel the power of God
preaching, as your faith is all in it (when ye do not hear words,) to
bind, to chain, to limit, to frustrate; that nothing shall rise, nor
come forth but what is in the power: with that ye will hold back, and
with that ye will let up, and open every spring, plant, and spark; in
which will be your joy and refreshment in the power of God.

“Now that ye know the power of God, and are come to it, which is the
cross of Christ, that crucifies you to the state that Adam and Eve
were in, in the fall, and so to the world, by this power of God ye
come to see the state they were in before they fell; which power of
God is the cross, in which stands the everlasting glory; which brings
up into the righteousness, holiness, and image of God, and crucifies
to the unrighteousness, unholiness, and image of Satan, that Adam and
Eve, and their sons and daughters, are in, in the fall. Through this
power of God, ye come to see the state they were in before they fell;
yea, I say, and to a higher state, to the Seed Christ, the second
Adam, by whom all things were made. For man hath been driven from God:
all Adam and Eve’s sons and daughters, being in the state of the fall
in the earth, are driven from God. But it is said, the Church is in
God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: so they who come to the
church, which is in God the Father of Christ, must come to God again:
and so out of the state that Adam and his children are in, in the
fall, out of the image of God, of righteousness and holiness, and they
must come into the righteousness, true holiness, and image of God; and
so out of the earth whither man hath been driven, when they come to
the church which is in God. The way to this, is Christ, the Light, the
Life, the Truth, the Saviour, the Redeemer, the Sanctifier, and the
Justifier; in and through whose power, light and life, conversion,
regeneration, and translation are known from death to life, from
darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God again. These are
members of the true church, who know the work of regeneration in the
operation and feeling of it; and being come to be members of the
church in God, they are indeed members one of another in the power of
God, which was before the power of darkness was. So they that come to
the church that is in God and Christ, must come out of the state that
Adam was in, in the fall, driven from God, to know the state that he
was in before he fell. But they that live in the state that Adam was
in, in the fall, and cannot believe a possibility of coming into the
state he was in before he fell, come not to the church which is in
God; but are far from that, and are not passed from death to life; but
are enemies to the cross of Christ, which is the power of God. For
they mind earthly things, and serve not Christ, nor love the power,
which should bring them up to the state that Adam was in before he
fell, and crucify them to the state that man is in in the fall; that
through this power they might see to the beginning, the power that man
was in before the heavenly image, and holiness, and righteousness was
lost; by which power they might come to know the Seed, Christ, which
brings out of the old things, and makes all things new; in which life
eternal is felt. For all the poorness, emptiness, and barrenness is in
the state that man is in, in the fall, out of God’s power; by which
power he is made rich, and hath strength again; which power is the
cross, in which the mystery of the fellowship stands: and in which is
the true glorying, which crucifies to all other gloryings.

“And, Friends, though ye may have been convinced, and tasted of the
power, and felt the light; yet afterwards ye may feel a winter storm,
tempest and hail, frost and cold, and temptation in the wilderness. Be
patient and still in the power, and in the light, that doth convince
you, to keep your minds to God; in that be quiet, that ye may come to
the summer, that your flight be not in the winter. For if ye sit still
in the patience, which overcomes in the power of God, there will be no
flying. The husbandman after he hath sowed his seed, is patient. And
by the power, being kept in the patience, ye will come by the light to
see through, and feel over winter storms and tempests, and all the
coldness, barrenness, and emptiness: and the same light and power will
go over the tempter’s head; which power and light was before he was.
So standing still in the light, ye will see your salvation, ye will
see the Lord’s strength, feel the small rain, and the fresh springs,
your minds being kept low in the power and light; for that which is
out of the power lifts up. But in the power and light ye will feel
God, revealing his secrets, inspiring your minds, and his gifts coming
in unto you: through which your hearts will be filled with God’s love,
and praises to him that lives for evermore: for in his light and power
his blessing is received. So in that, the eternal power of the Lord
Jesus Christ preserve and keep you! Live every one in the power of
God, that ye may all come to be heirs of that, and know it to be your
portion; even the Kingdom, that hath no end, and the endless life,
which the Seed is heir of. Feel that set over all, which hath the
promise and blessing of God for ever.”

G. F.

About this time I received some lines from a high professor, concerning the way of Christ, to which I returned the following answer:—

“FRIEND,

“It is not circumstances we contend about, but the way of Christ and
his light, which are but one; though the world hath imagined many
ways, and all out of the light; which by the light are condemned. He
who preached this light, said, ‘He that knoweth God, heareth us; he
that is not of God heareth us not: hereby know we the Spirit of Truth,
and the spirit of error.’ It is the same now, with them that know the
truth; though the whole world lies in wickedness. All dispensations
and differences, that are not one in the light we deny; and by the
light, that was before separation, do we see them to be
self-separations in the sensual, having not the Spirit. Their fruits
and end are weighed in the even balance, and found to be in the dark,
the lo-here, and lo-there thou tellest of. The presence of Christ is
not with them, though the blind see it not; who see not with the pure
eye which is single; but with the many eyes which lead into the many
ways. Nor are any the people of God, but they who are baptised into
this principle of light; by which all the faithful servants of the
Lord were ever guided in all ages, since the apostacy, and before. For
the apostacy are and is from the light; and all that oppose the light
was apostates. They who contest against the truth, are enemies to it,
and are not actuated by the Spirit; but have another way than the
light. All such are in the world, its words, fashions, and customs,
though of several forms, as to their worship; yet all under the god of
this world, opposing the light and appearance of Christ, which should
lead out from under his power, of what form soever they are: yet are
they all joined against the light. All these are of the world; and
fighting against them who are not of the world, but are gathered and
gathering out of it; and so it ever was against the people of God,
under what name soever.

“They only are saints by calling, who are called into the light; and
sons of Sion, who vary not from the light, to which the Spirit is
promised, which is not tied to any forms out of the light; wherein all
inherit who are co-heirs with Christ; which many talk of, who inherit
the earthly instead of the heavenly. And whereas thou speakest of
Christ and his apostles clothing themselves with the sayings and words
of the prophets; and of their being your example in so doing; I say,
wolves will take the sheep’s clothing; but the light and life finds
them out, and judges (not by their stolen words, but) by their works.
Nor did Christ cover himself with any words, but what were fulfilled
in him; neither do any of Christ’s boast in other men’s lines made
ready without them: to which rule if ye be obedient, fewer words and
more life will be seen among you. Then ye will not count it straitness
to silence the flesh, and hear what he saith, who speaks peace, ‘that
his people turn no more to folly.’ If ye once know that what is stolen
must be restored fourfold, the mouth of the false prophet will be
stopped, which builds up in deceit, but not in righteousness.

“And whereas thou sayest, ‘The Spirit of truth affords nothing but
endless varieties;’ I say, the Spirit of truth thou knowest not: for
the Spirit of truth said, ‘there is but one thing needful;’ and to
speak the same thing again, is safe for the hearers. But that spirit,
which affords nothing but endless varieties, is not the Spirit of
truth; but is gone out into curious notions: and the number of his
names and colours is read nowhere, but in the unity of the Spirit of
truth. All others call truth deceit, and deceit truth, as the blind,
that opposed the light, ever did; who are ever learning endless
varieties, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, nor
to an end of their labours: but when they are out of one form, get
into another; so long as they can find a green tree without. Thus ye
are kept at work all your life, and to the grave in sorrow, as the
dumb priests, thou tellest of, have been before you: only ye have got
a finer image, but less life. And thou, whose teaching hath no end,
art in the horse-mill thou speakest of. I have read the epistles of
Timothy, and to the Hebrews; and there I find the duty of all
believers is, to see the law of the new covenant written in the heart,
whereby all may know God, from the least to the greatest. I know the
Holy Scriptures are profitable for the man of God; but what is that to
the man of sin, to the first-born, who is out of the light, and being
unstable and unlearned, wrests them to his own destruction; but to the
life cannot come?

“And for your two ordinances thou speakest of, I say, upon the same
account ye deny the priests of the world therein, we deny you; being
both of you not only out of the life, but out of the form too. That
command, Matt. xxviii. 19, ye never had, nor its power; which was, ‘to
baptize into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.’ What Paul
received of the Lord, that body, and that bread, ye know as little,
but what ye have found in the chapter; nor the coming of Christ
either, who cannot believe his light. And whereas thou speakest of
preaching Christ of envy, and pleadest for it; I say, such preachers
we have enough of in these days. What else art thou doing, who sayest,
Paul was sent to baptize; though Paul says he was not: and so thou
wouldst prove him a liar, if any would believe thee before him. Thou
sayest also, ‘for ought thou knowest, he might baptize thousands.’
Thou mightest as easily have said millions, and as soon have proved
it. Thou mayest say the same of circumcision also, and on the same
ground.

“As for the signs that followed those that believed, which thou sayest
are ceased; I say, they who cannot receive the light cannot see the
signs, nor could believe them if they should see them to carp at; no
more than formerly they could do, who opposed the light in former
ages. They cannot properly be said to cease to such, who never had
them; but have only heard or read, that others long ago had them. But
that the power, and signs, and presence of God is not the same that
ever it was, in the measure, wherein he is received in the light, that
I deny; and declare it to be false, and from a spirit that knows not
God, nor his power.

“And as for the gospel foundation thou speakest of, I say, it is to be
laid again in all the world. Ye never were on it, since the man of sin
set up his forms without power. Till ye can own the light of Christ,
which the saints preached, and their life and practice; for shame
cease to talk of their foundation, or glorious work, or quakings and
tremblings, which are the saints’ experiences, which the world knows
not, nor can own: though ye cannot read that ever any came aright to
declare how they knew God, or received his word, without them. In thy
exhortation thou biddest me ‘love Christ, wheresoever I see him:’ but
hadst thou told me where one might come to see him, or how one might
know him, thou hadst showed more of a Christian in that, than in all
thou hast spoken. But it seems, ye are not all of one mind: some of
you say, ‘he is gone, and will be no more seen, till doomsday;’ but if
ever ye come to see Christ to your comfort, while ye oppose his light,
then God hath not spoken by me. This thou shalt remember, when thy
time thou hast spent.”

G. F.

Great opposition did the priests and professors make about this time against the light of Christ Jesus, denying it to be universally given; and against the pouring forth of the Spirit, and sons and daughters prophesying thereby. Much they laboured to darken the minds of people, that they might keep them still in a dependence on their teaching. Wherefore I was moved of the Lord to give forth the following lines, for the opening of the minds and understandings of people, and to manifest the blindness and darkness of their teachers:—

“To all you professors, priests, and teachers, who are in darkness,
and know not the Spirit in prison, nor the light that shines in
darkness, and which the darkness doth not comprehend; but are the
infidels, whom the god of the world hath blinded, and to whom the
gospel is hid. For though ye have the four books, yet the gospel is
hid to you; who are now wondering at the work of God, and do not
believe that Christ hath enlightened every one that cometh into the
world. I offer you some Scriptures to read, which will prove your
spirits, and try them, how contrary they are to the apostles’ spirit,
the Spirit of Christ and of the saints. Christ went and ‘preached to
the spirits in prison,’ 1 Pet. iii. 19. He that readeth, let him
understand, whether this was a measure of the Spirit, yea or nay, or
the Spirit without measure, which he ministered to? ‘For he whom God
hath sent, speaketh the words of God; for God giveth not the Spirit by
measure unto him,’ John iii. 34. Here Christ had not the Spirit given
to him by measure. The apostle said, ‘We will not boast of things
without (or beyond) our measure.’ 2 Cor. x. 13. So here was measure,
and not by measure. Christ, who received not the Spirit by measure,
told his disciples he would ‘send them the Comforter, the Spirit of
Truth, that should guide them into all truth: for he should not speak
of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he
will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall
receive of mine, and show it unto you,’ John xvi. 13, 14. Mind, read,
and learn; the Comforter shall receive of mine, saith Christ, and
shall show it unto you: who hath the measure, receives of his who hath
not by measure. The Comforter, when he comes, is to ‘reprove the world
of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment,’ ver. 8. Now all mind
the great work of God: the Spirit of Truth, which leads the saints
into all truth, which receives of Christ’s, and shows it unto the
disciples, who are in the measure, he shall reprove the world of sin,
because they do not believe, &c. The Comforter, whom Christ will send,
takes of his, and shows it to the disciples; the same reproves the
world. Mind now, whether this be a measure, yea or nay, which comes
from him, who received not the Spirit by measure. He that leads the
believer into all truth, reproves the unbeliever in the world, of sin,
of righteousness, and of judgment; so he that is led into all truth,
sees that which is reproved, by the Spirit of Truth that leads him.
Now Christ saith, ‘He shall take of mine, and show it unto you.’ Is
this a measure, yea or nay, from him to whom God gave the Spirit not
by measure?

“Again, the Lord said, both by his prophet, Joel ii. 28, and his
apostle, Acts ii. 17, 18, ‘It shall come to pass in the last days, I
will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, your sons and your
daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, and your
old men shall dream dreams: and on my servants, and handmaidens, I
will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.’
Look, ye deceivers: here the Lord saith, he will pour out of his
Spirit; mark the word, OF the Lord’s Spirit upon all flesh. What!
young men, old men, sons and daughters, and maidens, all these to have
the Spirit of God poured forth upon them? Here, say they, these deny
the means then: nay, that is the means. And the great and notable day
of the Lord is coming, wherein it shall come to pass, that whosoever
shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. The God of the
spirits of all flesh is known; ‘And,’ saith the apostle, who would not
boast of things beyond his measure, ‘that which may be known of God is
manifest _in_ them; for God hath showed it unto them,’ Rom. i. 19. By
this which was of God manifest in them, they knew covetousness,
maliciousness, murder, deceit, and ungodliness; and knew that the
judgments of God were upon such things; and that they were worthy of
death not only that did the same, but who had pleasure in them that
did them. Therefore said the apostle, ‘the wrath of God is revealed
from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men,’ &c.
Now this of God manifest in them, which God showed unto them, by which
they know unrighteousness, and God’s judgments thereupon, and that
they which commit such things are worthy of death; whether this be a
measure, yea or nay, which is of God, and which he hath showed to
them? What was that in them that ‘did by nature the things contained
in the law, which showed the work of the law written in their heart,’
Rom. ii. 14, 15? Mark, ‘written!’ Shall not this judge them that have
the outward law, but are out of the life of it? The apostle saith,
‘the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit
withal,’ 1 Cor. xii. 7. There are diversities of gifts, but the same
Spirit; but ‘the manifestation of it is given to every man to profit
withal.’ Mark, ‘to one is given by the Spirit, the word of wisdom; to
another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by
the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another
discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another
the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the
self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.’ Mark
that, to every man severally as he will.

“Again, the apostle saith, ‘the grace of God that bringeth salvation,
hath appeared unto all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and
worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this
present world,’ Tit. ii. 11, 12. Now ye, that turn this grace which
bringeth salvation, into lasciviousness, deny it, and say, that which
teacheth the saints, who by grace are saved, hath not appeared to all
men. Jude saith, ‘Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his
saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are
ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds which they have
committed, and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have
spoken against him,’ ver. 15. Here mark again; him that cometh with
ten thousands of his saints, to convince all of their ungodly deeds
and hard speeches; here it is, ALL of their ungodly deeds, and ALL of
their hard speeches; none left out, but ALL to be convinced and
judged, the world reproved by him who comes with ten thousands of his
saints, and will reign, and be king and judge. And have not ye all
something in you, that doth reprove you for your hard speeches, and
your ungodly deeds, the ungodliest of you all, who live in your hard
speeches against him, and his light and spiritual appearance in his
people?

“Again, the apostle, writing to the Gentiles, saith, ‘But unto every
one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the gift of
Christ,’ Eph. iv. 7. Now mark, here is the measure of the gift of
Christ, ‘who lighteth every man that cometh into the world,’ John i.
9, ‘that all men through him might believe. He that believeth on him
is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned, &c. And this
is the condemnation, that light is come into the world,’ &c., John
iii. 18, 19. Now every man that cometh into the world being
enlightened, one loves it, and brings his deeds to the light, that
with the light he may see whether they be wrought in God; the other
hates the light, ‘because his deeds are evil;’ and he will not bring
his deeds to the light, because he knows the light will reprove him.
So he that hates the light, wherewith Christ hath enlightened him,
knows the light will reprove him for his evil deeds; and, therefore,
he will not come to the light.

“Again, the Lord by his prophet said concerning Christ, ‘I will give
him for a light to the Gentiles, that he may be my salvation to the
ends of the earth,’ Isa. xliv. 6. And what is that, which the children
that walk ‘according to the course of this world, according to the
prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the
children of disobedience,’ Eph. ii. 2, are disobedient to? Mark, and
read for yourselves, who being disobedient, walk according to the
course of the world, according to the power of the prince of the air;
mark, I say, what it is that all such are disobedient to? He that hath
an ear, let him hear. The apostle saith to the Colossians, ‘the wrath
of God cometh upon the children of disobedience,’ Col. iii. 6. Come,
ye professors, let us see, is not this something of God that is
disobeyed? Is it not that which is of God manifest in them, which God
hath shown them, which lets them see God’s judgments are upon such,
when they act unrighteously? Is not this the measure of God (mark),
the Spirit that is in prison? and the Spirit of God that is grieved?

“And ye professors, come, let us read the parable of the talents, and
reckon with you, and see who it is that hath hid the Lord’s money in
the earth? Come, ye that have gained, enter ye into your master’s joy.
Go, thou that hast hid the Lord’s money in the earth, into utter
darkness; ‘take it from him, and give it to him that hath;’ every man
shall have his reward. For the Lord hath given ‘to every man according
to his several ability,’ Matt. xxv. 15; mark that, ‘to every man
according to his several ability?’ read this, if you can. Now is the
Lord coming to call every man severally to account, to whom he hath
given severally according to his ability. Now the wicked and slothful
servant, who hid the Lord’s money in the earth, will be found out; and
the Lord’s money will be taken from him, although he hath hidden it.
To him the Lord’s commands have been grievous; but to us they are not,
who love God and keep his commandments. ‘And,’ saith the apostle to
the Romans, ‘I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that
is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to
think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man
the measure of faith,’ Rom. xii. 3. Read and mark, here is a measure
of faith.

“‘And,’ said another apostle, ‘as everyone hath received the gift,
even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the
manifold grace of God,’ 1 Pet. iv. 10, ‘For the grace of God hath
appeared unto all men.’ The good stewards can give their account with
joy; but ye bad stewards, that turn the grace of God into
lasciviousness, now ye will be reckoned withal; now ye shall have your
reward. ‘But,’ say the world, ‘must every one minister as he hath
received the gift?’ ‘Yea,’ say I, ‘but let him speak as the oracles of
God; and let him do it as of the ability which God giveth,’ ver. 11.
John in the Revelation saith, ‘They were judged every man according to
his works,’ Rev. xx. 13. Christ saith, ‘every idle word that men shall
speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment,’ Matt.
xii. 36. So ‘ye, that name the name of Christ depart from iniquity,’ 2
Tim. ii. 19. ‘The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father,
with his angels; and then he shall reward every one according to his
works,’ Matt. xvi. 27. He who is gone into a far country, and hath
given the talents to every one of you, according to your several
ability, ‘will render to every man according to his deeds,’ Rom. ii.
6. ‘And further I say unto you, if any man have not the Spirit of
Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead
because of sin, but the Spirit is life, because of righteousness,’
Rom. viii. 9, 10. So let the light which cometh from Christ examine;
for the Lord is appearing. Ye that have received according to your
ability, smite not your fellow-servant; and think not that the Lord
delayeth the time of his coming. Be not as they that said, ‘Let us eat
and drink, for to-morrow we shall die.’

“The apostle tells the Ephesians, that unto him ‘this grace was
given—to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which
from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all
things by Jesus Christ,’ Eph. iii. 9. Read and understand every one
with the light which comes from Christ, the mystery, which will be
your condemnation, if ye believe not in it. This is to all, who
stumble at the work of the Spirit of God, the manifestation of it,
‘which is given to every man, to profit withal.’ Come, ye professors,
who stumble at it; let us read the parables. ‘A sower went forth to
sow; and some seed fell on the highway ground, and some on stony
ground, and some on thorny ground; the Seed is the Word, the Son of
Man is the seedsman. He that hath an ear, let him hear,’ Matt. xiii.
Now look, all ye professors, what ground ye are? and what ye have
brought forth? and whether the wicked seedsman hath not got his seed
into your ground? ‘He that hath an ear, let him hear.’ And come, read
another parable, of the householder, hiring labourers to go into the
vineyard, and agreeing with every man for a penny, Matt. xx. Every man
is to have his penny, the last that went in, as well as the first; and
the last shall be first, and the first shall be last; for many are
called but few are chosen. He that hath an ear, let him hear.’ There
is a promise spoken to Cain, that if he did well he should be
accepted, Gen. iv. 7. And Esau had a birthright, but despised it. Yet
it is ‘not of him that willeth,’ Rom. ix. 16; ‘but by grace ye are
saved,’ Eph. ii. 8. And stand still, and see your salvation, Exod.
xiv. 13. And ye that are children of light, put on the armour of
light, that ye may come into the ‘unity of the faith, and of the
knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of
the stature of the fulness of Christ; that henceforth ye be no more
children tossed to and fro,’ Eph. iv. 13.

“And the Lord said, he would make a new covenant, by ‘writing his law
in people’s hearts, and putting his Spirit in their inward parts;’
whereby they should all come to know the Lord—Him by whom the world
was made. Now every one of you, mind the law written in your hearts,
and this Spirit put in your inward parts, that it need not be said to
you, ‘know the Lord;’ but that ye may witness the promise of God
fulfilled in you. ‘But,’ say the world, and professors, ‘if every one
must come to witness the law of God written in their hearts, and the
Spirit put in the inward parts, what must we do with all our
teachers?’ As we come to witness that, we need not any man to teach us
to know the Lord, having his law written in our hearts, and his Spirit
put in our inward parts. This is the covenant of life, the everlasting
covenant, which decays not, nor changes; and here is the way to the
Father, without which no man cometh unto the Father.

“And here is the everlasting priesthood, the end of the old
priesthood, whose lips were to preserve knowledge; but now, saith
Christ, ‘Learn of me;’ who is the high-priest of the new priesthood.
‘And,’ saith the apostle, ‘that ye may grow up in the knowledge of
Jesus Christ, in whom are hid the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.’
So we are brought off from the old priesthood that changed, to Christ,
to the new priesthood, that changeth not; and off from the first
covenant, that doth decay, to the everlasting covenant that doth not
decay, Christ Jesus, the covenant of Light, from whom every one of you
have a light, that ye might believe in the covenant of Light. If ye
believe not, ye are condemned; for light is come into the world, and
men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. ‘I
am come a light into the world,’ saith Christ, ‘that whosoever
believeth in me, should not abide in darkness, but have the light of
life,’ John xii., 46. And, ‘believe in the light, that ye may be
children of the light.’ But ye who do not believe in the light, but
hate it, because it manifests your deeds to be evil, ye are they that
are condemned by the light.

“Therefore, while ye have time, prize it; seek the Lord while he may
be found, and call upon him while he is near; lest he say, ‘time is
past;’ for the rich glutton’s time was past. Therefore, while time is
not quite past, consider, search yourselves, and see if ye be not they
that hate the light; and so are builders that stumble at the
corner-stone; for they that hated the light, and did not believe in
the light, did so in ages past. ‘I am the light of the world,’ saith
Christ, ‘who enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world;’ and
he also saith, ‘learn of me;’ and of him God saith, ‘this is my
beloved Son, hear ye him.’ Here is your teacher. But ye that hate the
light, do not learn of Christ, and will not have him to be your king,
to reign over you;—Him, to whom all power in heaven and earth is
given, who bears his government upon his shoulders, who is now come to
reign; who lighteth every man that cometh into the world, and will
give to every man a reward, according to his works, whether they be
good or evil. So every man, with the light that comes from Christ,
will see his deeds, both he that hates it, and he that loves it. And
he that will not bring his deeds to the light, because it will reprove
him, that is his condemnation; and he shall have a reward according to
his deeds. For the Lord is come to reckon with you. He looks for
fruits; now the axe is laid to your root, and every tree of you that
bears not good fruit, must be hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

G. F.

Having stayed some time in LONDON, and visited the meetings of Friends in and about the city, and cleared myself of what services the Lord had at that time laid upon me there, I travelled into KENT, SUSSEX, and SURREY, visiting Friends, amongst whom I had great meetings; and many times met with opposition from Baptists and other jangling professors; but the Lord’s power went over them.

We staid one night at FARNHAM, where we had a little meeting, and the people were exceedingly rude; but at last the Lord’s power came over them. After it we went to our inn, and gave notice that any that feared God might come to us: and there came abundance of rude people, the magistrates of the town also, and some professors. I declared the truth unto them; and those of the people that behaved rudely, the magistrates put out of the room. When they were gone there came another rude company of professors and some of the chief of the town. They called for faggots and drink, though we forbade them; and were as rude a people as ever I met with. The Lord’s power chained them that they had not power to do us any mischief; but when they went away, they left all their faggots and beer which they had called for into the room, for us to pay for in the morning. We showed the innkeeper what an unworthy thing it was, but he told us, “we must pay it,” and we did. Before we left the town I wrote a paper to the magistrates and heads of the town, and to the priest, showing them and him how he had taught his people, and laying before them their rude and uncivil conduct to strangers that sought their good.

Leaving that place we came to BASINGSTOKE, a very rude town; where they had formerly very much abused Friends. There I had a meeting in the evening, which was quiet for the Lord’s power chained the unruly. At the close of it I was moved to put off my hat, and pray to the Lord to open their understandings; upon which they raised a report, that, “I put off my hat to them, and bid them good-night,” which was never in my heart. After the meeting, when we came to our inn, I sent for the innkeeper (as I used to do,) and he came into the room to us, and showed himself a very rude man. I admonished him to be sober and fear the Lord; but he called for faggots and a pint of wine, and drank it off himself; then called for another, and called up half a dozen men into our chamber. Thereupon I bid him go out of the chamber, and told him he should not drink there, for we sent for him up to speak to him concerning his eternal good. He was exceedingly mad, rude, and drunk. When he continued his rudeness, and would not be gone, I told him the chamber was mine for the time I lodged in it, and called for the key. Then he went away in great rage. In the morning he would not be seen; but I told his wife of his unchristian and rude behaviour towards us.

After this we came to BRIDPORT, having meetings in the way. We went to an inn, and sent into the town for such as feared God; and there came a shopkeeper, a professor, and put off his hat to us, and seeing we did not the same to him again, but said Thou and Thee to him, he told us, “he was not of our religion;” and after some discourse with him he went away. Then he went and stirred up the priest and magistrates against us, and after a while sent to the inn to desire us to come to his house, for there were some that would speak with us, he said. Thomas Curtis was with me, and he went to the man’s house; where, when he came, the man had laid a snare for him, for he had got the priest and magistrate thither, and they boasted much that they had caught George Fox, taking him for me. When they perceived their mistake, they were in great rage; yet the Lord’s power came over them, so that they let him go again. Meanwhile I had an opportunity of speaking to some sober people that came to the inn. When Thomas was come back, and we were passing out of the town, some of them came to us, and said, “the officers were coming to fetch me;” but the Lord’s power came over them all, so that they had not power to touch me. There were some convinced in the town, who were turned to the Lord, and have stood faithful in their testimony to the truth ever since, and a fine meeting there is there.

Passing hence we visited PORTSMOUTH and POOLE, where we had glorious meetings; and many were turned to the Lord. At RINGWOOD we had a large general meeting, where the Lord’s power was over all. At WEYMOUTH we had a meeting; and thence came through DORCHESTER to LYME, where the inn we went to was taken up with mountebanks, so that there was hardly any room for us or our horses. In the evening we drew up some queries concerning the ground of all diseases, and the natures and virtues of medicinal things, and sent them to the mountebanks; letting them know, “if they would not answer them, we would stick them on the cross next day.” This brought them down, and made them cool, for they could not answer them; but in the morning they reasoned a little with us. We left the queries with some friendly people, that were convinced in the town, to stick upon the market-cross. The Lord’s power reached some of the sober people in that place, who were turned by the Light and Spirit of Christ to his free teaching.

We then travelled to EXETER; and at the sign of the Seven Stars, an inn at the bridge foot, had a general meeting of Friends out of Cornwall and Devonshire; to which came Humphrey Lower, Thomas Lower, and John Ellis[52] from the Land’s End, Henry Pollexfen, and Friends from Plymouth, Elizabeth Trelawny, and divers other Friends. A blessed heavenly meeting we had, and the Lord’s everlasting power came over all, in which I saw and said, “that the Lord’s power had surrounded this nation round about, as with a wall and bulwark, and his seed reached from sea to sea.” Friends were established in the everlasting Seed of life, Christ Jesus, their life, rock, teacher and shepherd.

Footnote 52:

John Ellis, who is only twice mentioned in this journal, was an able
gospel minister, preaching in the authority of divine life, to the
reaching of God’s witness in many hearts. His doctrine was sound,
flowing from the living fountain and divine spring of life and
heavenly wisdom. His preaching was full of reproof and caution, but in
that meekness which made it edifying. Whilst tender of the good in
all, he was terrible against the workers of iniquity. He was a man of
great kindness, a visitor of the widows and fatherless in their
distress, feeding the hungry and clothing the naked, according to his
ability. He laboured greatly in the gospel in several counties, often
saying, “His Father’s business must not be neglected, or done
negligently.” As he was travelling in the service of Truth, he was
taken ill, and died in great peace in 1707 saying, “I am ready, for I
have a sure foundation.”

Next morning Major Blackmore sent soldiers to apprehend me; but I was gone before they came. As I was riding up the street, I saw the officers going down; so the Lord crossed them in their design, and Friends passed away peaceably and quietly. The soldiers examined some Friends after I was gone, “what they did there;” but when they told them they were in their inn, and had business in the city, they went away without meddling any further with them.

From EXETER I took meetings as I went, till I came to BRISTOL, and was at the meeting there. After which I did not stay in the town, but passed into Wales, and had a meeting at the Slone. Thence going to CARDIFF, a justice of the peace sent to me, desiring I would come with half a dozen of my friends to his house. So I took a friend or two, and went up to him, and he and his wife received us very civilly. The next day we had a meeting at Cardiff in the town-hall, and that justice sent about seventeen of his family to the meeting. There came some disturbers, but the Lord’s power was over them, and many were turned to the Lord. To some that had run out with James Naylor, and did not come to meetings, I sent word, that “the day of their visitation was over,” and they never prospered after.

We travelled from Cardiff to SWANSEA, where we had a blessed meeting; and a meeting was settled there in the name of Jesus. In our way thither we passed over in a boat, with the high-sheriff of the county, and next day I went to speak with him, but he would not admit me.

We went to another meeting in the country, where the Lord’s presence was much with us. Thence to a great man’s house, who received us very lovingly; but next morning he would not be seen; one that in the mean time had come to him, had so estranged him, that we could not get to speak with him again.

We still passed on through the countries, having meetings and gathering people, in the name of Christ, to Him their heavenly teacher, till we came to BRECKNOCK; where we set up our horses at an inn. There went with me Thomas Holmes and John-ap-John, who was moved of the Lord to speak in the streets. I walked out a little into the fields, and when I came in again, the town was in an uproar. When I came into the chamber in the inn, it was full of people, and they were speaking in Welsh; I desired them to speak in English, which they did, and much discourse we had. After a while they went away; but towards night the magistrates gathered together in the streets, with a multitude of people, and they bid them shout, and gathered up the town; so that for about two hours together, there was such a noise, that the like we had not heard; and the magistrates set them on to shout again, when they had given over. We thought it looked like the uproar, which we read was amongst Diana’s craftsmen. This tumult continued till night; and if the Lord’s power had not limited them, they seemed likely to have pulled down the house, and us to pieces.

At night, the woman of the house would have had us go to supper in another room, but we discerning her plot, refused. Then she would have had half a dozen men come into the room to us, under pretence of discoursing with us. We told her, no persons should come into our room that night, neither would we go to them. Then she said, we should sup in another room; but we told her we would have no supper, if not in our own room. At length, when she saw she could not get us out, she brought up our supper in a great rage. So she and they were crossed in their design, for they had an intent to do us mischief; but the Lord God prevented them. Next morning I wrote a paper to the town concerning their unchristian conduct, showing the fruits of their priests and magistrates; and as I passed out of the town I spoke to the people, and told them, they were a shame to Christianity and religion.

From this place we went to a great meeting in a steeple-house yard, where was a priest, and Walter Jenkin, who had been a justice, and another justice. A blessed glorious meeting we had. There being many professors, I was moved of the Lord to open the Scriptures to them, and to answer their objections (for I knew them very well;) and to turn them to Christ, who had enlightened them; with which light they might see the sins and trespasses they had been dead in, and their Saviour, who came to redeem them out of them, who was to be their way to God, the truth and the life to them, and their priest made higher than the heavens, so that they might come to sit under his teaching. A peaceable meeting we had; many were convinced and settled in the truth that day. After it, I went with Walter Jenkin to the other justice’s house; and he said to me, “You have this day given great satisfaction to the people, and answered all the objections that were in their minds.” For the people had the Scriptures, but were not turned to the Spirit, which should let them see that, which gave them forth, the Spirit of God, which is the key to open them.

From hence we passed to Richard Hamborow’s, at PONTEMOIL, where was a great meeting; to which came another justice of peace, and several great people, whose understandings were opened by the Lord’s Spirit and power, and they were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, from whence it came. A great convincement there was; a large meeting was gathered in those parts, and settled in the name of Jesus.

After this we returned to England, and came to SHREWSBURY, where we had a great meeting, and visited Friends all over the countries in their meetings, till we came to William Gandy’s, in CHESHIRE, where we had a meeting of between two and three thousand people, as it was thought; and the everlasting word of life was held forth, and received that day. A blessed meeting it was, for Friends were settled by the power of God upon Christ Jesus, the rock and foundation.

At this time there was a great drought; and after this general meeting was ended, there fell so great a rain, that Friends said, they thought we could not travel, the waters would be so risen. But I believed the rain had not extended so far, as they had come that day to the meeting. Next day in the afternoon, when we turned back into some parts of Wales again, the roads were dusty, and no rain had fallen there.