Chapter IX (2)

I spent about two weeks in Yorkshire, travelling from place to place amongst Friends in the Lord’s service; and many heavenly meetings I had in that county. Then visiting Robert Widders, at KELLET, in LANCASHIRE, I passed to ARNSIDE, in WESTMORLAND, where I had a precious, living meeting in the Lord’s blessed power, to the great satisfaction and comfort of Friends, who came from divers parts to it. Next day I went to SWARTHMORE; and it being the meeting-day there, I had a sweet opportunity with Friends, our hearts being opened in the love of God, and his blessed life flowing amongst us.

I had not been long at Swarthmore, ere a concern came upon me to visit the churches of Christ in London and elsewhere, by an epistle, as follows:—

DEAR FRIENDS,

“To whom is my love in the heavenly Seed, in whom all nations are
blessed. O, keep all in this Seed, in which ye are blessed, and in
which Abraham and all the faithful were blessed, without the deeds
of the law; for the promise was and is to, and with the Seed, and
not with the law of the first covenant. In this Seed all nations,
and ye, are blessed, which bruiseth the head of the seed that
brought the curse, and separated man from God; this is the Seed
which reconciles you to God, this is the Seed in which ye are
blessed both in temporals and spirituals; through which ye have an
inheritance among the sanctified, that cannot be defiled, neither
can any defiled thing enter into its possession; for all
defilements are out of this Seed. This is that which leavens into
a new lump, and bruises the head of the wicked seed, which leavens
into the old lump, upon which the Sun of Righteousness goes down
and sets; but it never goes down and sets to them that walk in the
Seed, in which all nations are blessed: by which Seed they are
brought up to God, which puts down that seed which separated them
from God; so that there comes to be nothing between them and God.
Now, all my dear Friends, my desires are, that ye may all be
valiant in this heavenly Seed, for God and his truth upon the
earth, and spread it abroad, answering that of God in all; that
with it the minds of people may be turned towards the Lord, that
he may come to be known, and served, and worshipped; and that ye
may all be as the salt of the earth, to make the unseasoned
savoury.

“And in the name of Jesus keep your meetings, who are gathered
into it, in whose name ye have salvation; he being in the midst of
you, whose name is above every name under the whole heaven. So ye
have a Prophet, Bishop, Shepherd, Priest and Counsellor (above all
the counsellors and priests, bishops, prophets, and shepherds
under the whole heaven) to exercise his offices among you, in your
meetings, that are gathered in his name. For Christ’s meeting and
gathering is above all the meetings and gatherings under the whole
heaven; and his body, his church, and he the head of it, is above
all the bodies, churches, and heads under the whole heaven. And
the faith that Christ is the author of, the worship that he hath
set up, and his fellowship in the gospel, are above all historical
faiths, and the faiths that men have made, together with their
worships and fellowships under the whole heaven.

“And now, dear Friends, keep your men’s and women’s meetings in
the power of God, the gospel, the authority of them, which brings
life and immortality to light in you; and this gospel, the power
of God, will preserve you in life, and in immortality, that ye may
see over him that hath darkened, and kept from the knowledge of
the things of God: for it is he and his instruments which have
darkened you from life and immortality, that would throw down your
men’s and women’s meetings, and would darken you again from this
life and immortality, which the gospel hath brought to light, and
will preserve you, as your faith stands in this power, in which
every one sees his work and service for God. Every heir in the
power of God, the gospel, hath right to this authority, which is
not of man, nor by man; which power of God is everlasting, an
everlasting order and fellowship; and in the gospel is everlasting
joy, comfort, and peace, which will outlast all those joys,
comforts, and peaces, that will have an end; and that spirit also
that opposes its order, and the glorious fellowship, peace, and
comfort in it.

“And, dear Friends, my desire is, that ye may keep in the unity of
the Spirit, that baptizes you all into one body, of which Christ
is the heavenly and spiritual Head; so that ye may see and bear
witness thereto, and all drink into the one Spirit; which all
people upon the earth are not likely to do, while they grieve,
quench, and rebel against it; nor to be baptized into one body,
and to keep the unity of the Spirit, which is the bond of peace,
yea, the King of kings’ and Lord of lords’ peace; which it is the
duty of all true Christians to keep, who are inwardly united to
Christ. My love to you all in the everlasting Seed.”

G. F.

Swarthmore, the 26th of the 7th Month, 1678.

There were about this time several Friends in prison for bearing testimony to the truth, to whom I was moved to write a few lines, to comfort, strengthen, and encourage them in their sufferings; having a true sense of their sufferings upon my spirit, sympathizing with them therein. That which I wrote was after this manner:—

“MY DEAR FRIENDS,

“Who are sufferers for the Lord Jesus’ sake, and for the testimony
of his truth; the Lord God Almighty with his power uphold and
support you in all your trials and sufferings, and give you
patience and content in his will, that ye may stand valiant for
Christ and his truth upon the earth, over the persecuting and
destroying spirit, which makes to suffer, in Christ (who bruises
his head) in whom ye have both election and salvation. For his
elect’s sake the Lord hath done much from the foundation of the
world; as may be seen throughout the Scriptures of truth. They
that touch them touch the apple of God’s eye; they are so tender
to him; and therefore it is good for all God’s suffering children
to trust in the Lord, and to wait upon him: for they shall be as
Mount Sion, that cannot be removed from Christ, their rock and
salvation, who is the foundation of all the elect of God, of the
prophets and the apostles, and of God’s people now, and to the
end. Glory to the Lord and the Lamb over all! Remember my dear
love to all Friends, and do not think the time long; for all time
is in the Father’s hand, his power. Therefore keep the word of
patience, and exercise that gift; and the Lord strengthen you in
your sufferings, in his Holy Spirit of Faith. Amen.”

G.F.

Swarthmore, the 5th of the 12th Month, 1678.

I abode in the North at this time above a year, having service for the Lord amongst Friends there, and being much taken up in writing in answer to books published by adversaries; and for opening the principles and doctrines of truth to the world, that they might come to have a right understanding thereof, and be gathered thereunto. Several epistles also to Friends I wrote in this time, on divers occasions; one was to the Yearly Meeting of Friends held in London this year, 1679, a copy of which here follows:—

“MY DEAR FRIENDS AND BRETHREN,

“Who are assembled together in the name and power of the Lord
Jesus Christ; grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father, and
from the Lord Jesus Christ, fill all your hearts, and establish
you in his grace, mercy, and peace upon Christ, the holy, living
Rock and Foundation, who is the First and Last, and over all the
rocks and foundations in the whole world; a Rock and Foundation of
life for all the living to build upon, which stands sure in his
heavenly, divine light, which is the life in Him, by whom all
things were made: who is the precious stone laid in Zion (and not
in the world), which all the wise master-builders rejected, who
pretended to build people up to heaven with the words of the
prophets, and the law from Mount Sinai, but out of the life of
both. Such builders therefore could not receive the law of life
from Christ, the precious Stone laid in Sion, nor the word from
heavenly Jerusalem. But you, my dear Friends, that have received
this law from heavenly Sion, and the word from heavenly Jerusalem,
in the new covenant, where the life and substance is enjoyed, you
see the end and abolishing of the Jews’ law and ceremonies from
Mount Sinai.

“And therefore, my desire is, that you all may keep in the law of
life and love, which ye have in Christ Jesus, by which love the
body is edified, knit, and united together to Christ Jesus, the
Head. This love beareth all things, and fulfils the law; and it
will preserve all in humility, to be of one mind, heart, and soul;
so that all may come to drink into that one Spirit that doth
baptize and circumcise them; plunging down and cutting off the
body of the sins of the flesh, that is gotten up in man and woman
by their transgressing of God’s commands. So that in this holy,
pure spirit, all may serve and worship the pure God in Spirit and
in truth, which is over all the worships that are out of God’s
Spirit and his truth. In this Spirit ye will all have a spiritual
unity and fellowship, over all the fellowships of the unclean
spirits which are out of truth in the world. By this holy Spirit
all your hearts, minds, and souls, may be knit together to Christ,
from whence it comes; and by the grace and truth which is come by
Jesus Christ, which all should be under the teachings of in the
new covenant, and not under the law, as the outward Jews were in
the old covenant—by this grace and truth in the new covenant, all
may be made God’s free men and women, to serve God in the new
life, and in the new and living way; showing forth the fruits of
the new heart and new spirit, in the new covenant, over death and
darkness; glory be unto the Lord for ever!

“Now, Friends, in this grace and truth is your heavenly, gracious,
and true liberty to every spiritual mind, that makes you free from
him that is out of truth, where your bondage was; also your
liberty in the holy, divine, and precious faith, which gives you
victory over that which once separated you from God and Christ,
and by which faith ye have access to God again, through Jesus
Christ. So in this divine and holy faith, ye have divine, holy,
and precious liberty, yea, and victory over him that separated you
from God: and this faith is held in a pure conscience. So the
liberty in the Spirit of God, is in that which baptizes and
plunges down sin and iniquity, and puts off the body of death and
of the sins of the flesh, that is gotten up by transgressing God’s
command. And also the liberty of the gospel, which is sent from
heaven by the Holy Ghost, which is the power of God, which was,
and is again to be, preached to all nations: in this gospel (the
power of God, which is over the power of Satan,) is the true
liberty, and the gospel-fellowship and order. So that the evil
spirit or conscience, or false, dead faith, and that which is
ungracious and out of truth, and not in the Spirit of God, nor in
his gospel, nor in the divine faith, its liberty is in the
darkness: for all the true liberty is in the gospel, and in the
truth that makes free; in the faith, in the grace, and in Christ
Jesus, who destroys the devil and his works, that hath brought all
mankind into bondage. So in this heavenly, peaceable Spirit, and
truth, and faith, which works by love, and in the gospel of peace,
and in Christ Jesus, is all the saints’ peace, and pure, true, and
holy liberty; in which they have salt, and sense, feeling,
discerning, and savour, yea, unity and fellowship one with
another, and with the Son and the Father, heavenly eternal
fellowship. So all being subject to the grace, and truth, to the
faith, and gospel (the power of God,) and to his good Spirit; in
this they distinguish all true, pure, and holy liberty, from that
which is false. This will bring all to sit low: for patience runs
the race, and the Lamb must have the victory; and not the rough,
unruly, and vain talkers, unbaptized, uncircumcised, and
unsanctified. Such travel not in the way of regeneration, but in
the way of unregeneration; neither go they down into death with
Christ by baptism; and therefore such are not like to reign with
him in his resurrection, who are not buried with him in baptism.
Therefore, all must go downward into the death of Christ, and be
crucified with him, if they will arise, and follow him in the
regeneration, before they come to reign with him.

“And, Friends, many may have precious openings; but I desire all
may be comprehended in that thing which doth open to them; and
that they may all keep in the daily cross; then they keep in the
power, that kills and crucifies that, which would lead them
amongst the beasts and goats, to leaven them into their rough,
unruly spirit; that through the cross, the power of God, _that_
may be crucified, and they in the power may follow the Lamb. For
the power of God keeps all in order, subjection, and humility—in
that which is lovely and virtuous, decent, comely, temperate, and
moderate; so that their moderation appears to all men. My desire
is, that all your lights may shine, as from a city set upon a
hill, that cannot be hid; and that ye may be the salt of the
earth, to salt and season it, and make it savoury to God, and you
all seasoned with it. Then all your sacrifices will be a sweet
savour to the Lord, and ye will be as the lilies and roses, and
garden of God, which gives a sweet smell unto him; whose garden is
preserved by his power, the hedge, that hedges out all the unruly
and unsavoury, and the destroyers and hurters of the vines, buds,
and plants, and God’s tender blade, which springs up from his Seed
of life; who waters it with his heavenly water, and word of life
continually, that they may grow and be fruitful; that so he may
have a pleasant and fruitful garden. Here all are kept fresh and
green, being watered every moment with the everlasting, holy water
of life, from the Lord, the fountain.

“My dear Friends, my desire is, that this heavenly Seed, that
bruises the head of the serpent, both within and without, may be
all your crown and life, and ye in him, one another’s crown and
joy, to the praise of the Lord God over all, blessed for evermore!
This holy Seed will outlast and wear out all that which the evil
seed, since the fall of man, has brought forth and set up. As
every one hath received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him in
the humility which he teaches; and shun the occasions of strife,
vain janglings, and disputings with men of corrupt minds, who are
destitute of the truth: for the truth is peaceable, and the gospel
is a peaceable habitation in the power of God; his wisdom is
peaceable and gentle, and his kingdom stands in peace. O, his
glory shines over all his works! and in Christ Jesus, who is not
of the world, ye will have peace, yea, a peace that the world
cannot take away: for the peace which ye have from him, was before
the world was, and will be when it is gone. This keeps all in
that, which is weighty and substantial, over all chaff. Glory to
the Lord God over all for ever and ever! Amen.

“And now, my dear Friends, the Lord doth require more of you than
he doth of other people; because he hath committed more to you. He
requires the fruits of his Spirit, of the Light, of the Gospel, of
the Grace, and of the Truth; for herein is he glorified (as Christ
said,) in your bringing forth much fruit—fruits of righteousness,
holiness, godliness, virtue, truth, and purity; so that ye may
answer that which is of God in all people. Be valiant for his
everlasting, glorious gospel, in God’s Holy Spirit and truth;
keeping in unity, and in the Holy Spirit, Light, and Life, which
is over death and darkness, and was before death and darkness
were. In this Spirit ye have the bond of peace, which cannot be
broken, except ye go from the Spirit; and then ye lose this unity
and bond of peace, which ye have from the Prince of Peace.

“The world also expects more from Friends than from other people;
because you profess more. Therefore you should be more just than
others in your words and dealings, and more righteous, holy, and
pure in your lives and conversations; so that your lives and
conversations may preach. For the world’s tongues and mouths have
preached long enough; but their lives and conversations have
denied what their tongues have professed and declared.

“And, dear Friends, strive to excel one another in virtue, that ye
may grow in love, that excellent way which unites all to Christ
and God. Stand up for God’s glory, and mind that which concerns
the Lord’s honour, that in nowise his power may be abused, or his
name evil spoken of, by any evil talkers or walkers: but that in
all things God may be honoured, and ye may glorify him in your
bodies, souls, and spirits, the little time ye have to live. My
love to you all in the holy Seed of Life, that reigns over all,
and is the First and Last; in whom ye all have life and salvation,
and your election and peace with God, through Jesus Christ, who
destroys him that hath been between you and God; so that nothing
may be between you and the Lord, but Christ Jesus. Amen.

“My life and love is to you all, and amongst you all. The Lord God
Almighty by his mighty power, by which he hath preserved all his
people unto this day, preserve and keep you all in his power, and
peaceable, holy truth, in unity and fellowship one with another,
and with the Son and the Father. Amen.”

G.F.

The 24th of the 3rd Month, 1679.

Divers other epistles and papers I wrote to Friends, during my stay in the North; one was in a few lines, to encourage Friends to be bold and valiant for the Truth, which, the Lord had called them to bear witness to; it was thus:—

“DEAR FRIENDS,

“All be valiant for the Lord’s Truth upon the earth, which the
serpent, Satan, and the devil is out of; and in the truth keep him
out, in which you all have peace and life, and unity with God and
his Son, and one with another. Let the love of God fill all your
hearts, that in it ye may build up and edify one another in the
light, life, Holy Spirit, and power of God, the glorious
comfortable gospel of Christ, the heavenly Man, your Lord and
Saviour; who will fill all your vessels with his heavenly wine and
water of life; clothe you with his heavenly clothing, his fine
linen, that never waxeth old; and arm you with his heavenly
weapons and armour, that ye may stand faithful witnesses for God
and his Son, who is come, and hath given you an understanding to
know Him, and ye are in him. So walk in him, in whom ye all have
life and salvation, and peace with God. My love to you all in the
Lord Jesus Christ, in whom I have laboured; and God Almighty, in
his eternal power and wisdom, preserve you all to his glory.
Amen.”

G.F.

Swarthmore, the 29th of the 10th month, 1679.

The next day, having a sense upon me that some who had received the Truth, and had openings thereof, for want of keeping low, had run out therefrom, I was moved to give forth the following epistle as “a warning and exhortation to all to dwell in humility:”—

“MY DEAR FRIENDS,

“Whom the Lord in his tender mercies, hath visited with the day
spring from on high, and hath opened you to confess and bow to his
name; keep low in your minds, and learn of Christ, who teacheth
you humility, to keep in it; so that in no wise, ye that are
younger, be exalted, or puffed up, or conceited through your
openings, and by that means lose your conditions, by being carried
up into presumption; and then fall into despair, and so abuse the
power of God. For it was the apostles’ care, that none should
abuse the power of the Lord God; but in all things their faith was
to stand therein, that they all might be comprehended into the
truth, which they spoke to others, that they might not be
preachers to others, and themselves cast-aways. Therefore it doth
concern you to be comprehended into that, which ye do preach to
others, and keep low in it; then the God of Truth will exalt the
humble in his truth, light, grace, power, and Spirit, and in his
wisdom to his glory. Here all are kept in their measures of grace,
light, faith, and the Spirit of Christ, the heavenly and spiritual
Man.

“So let none quench the Spirit, or its motions, grieve it, or err
from it; but be led by it, which keeps all in their tents; which
giveth an understanding, how to serve, worship, and please the
holy, pure God, the Maker and Creator in Christ Jesus, and how to
wait, speak, and answer the Spirit of God in his people; in which
Holy Spirit is the holy unity and fellowship. The Holy Spirit
teacheth the holy, gentle, meek, and quiet lowly mind to answer
the seed, that Christ hath sown upon all grounds; and to answer
the light, grace, and Spirit, and the gospel in every creature,
though they are gone from the Spirit, grace, light and gospel in
the heart. So by holy walking all may come to do it, as well as by
holy preaching, that God in all things may be glorified by you,
and that ye may bring forth fruits to his praise, Amen.”

G.F.

Swarthmore, the 30th of the 10th Month, 1679.

About the latter end of this year I was moved of the Lord to travel into the South again. I set forward in the beginning of the first month, 1679-80; and passing through part of WESTMORLAND and LANCASHIRE, I visited Friends at several meetings, and came into YORKSHIRE. Divers large and weighty meetings I had in Yorkshire, before I came to YORK. When I came there it was the assize time; and there being many Friends in prison for truth’s sake, I put those, that were at liberty, upon drawing up the sufferings of Friends in prison, to lay before the judges; and I assisted them therein. There were then in York many Friends from several parts of the county, for the quarterly meeting was at that time; so that I had a brave opportunity among them. Many weighty and serviceable things did the Lord open through me to the meeting, relating to the inward state of man, how man by faith in Christ comes to be grafted into him, and made a member of his spiritual body; and also to the outward state of the church, how each member ought to walk and act, according to his place in the body. I spent several days in York, having divers meetings; and all was peaceable and well. I went also to the castle, to visit Friends that were prisoners; with whom I spent some time, encouraging and strengthening them in their testimony.

Then leaving York, I travelled southward, having meetings in many places amongst Friends, till I came to BARTON in LINCOLNSHIRE; where, on First-day, I had a large and precious meeting. Then turning into NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, I travelled through good part of that county, in which I had several good meetings; and then passed into DERBYSHIRE, LEICESTERSHIRE, and WARWICKSHIRE, having meetings all along as I went, till I came to WARWICK; there William Dewsbury came to me, and several other Friends, and we had a little meeting in that town. Then passing through SOUTHAM and RADWAY, at each of which places I had a very good meeting, I came to Nathaniel Ball’s, of NORTH NEWTON in OXFORDSHIRE, and so to BANBURY to a monthly meeting there. After I had visited Friends in the bordering parts of OXFORDSHIRE, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, and NORTHAMPTONSHIRE, I passed to Richard Baker’s[53] of BIDDLESDEN in BUCKINGHAMSHIRE; and next day, being First-day, I had a very large meeting in Biddlesden, at an old abbey house, which a Friend rented and dwelt in. Many Friends and people came to it out of Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire and the parts adjacent; and of good service it was. After this, I visited Friends in those parts, having meetings at LILLINGSTON-LOVEL and BUGBROOK. Then going to STONY-STRATFORD, I went from thence into some parts of BEDFORDSHIRE, till I came to Edward Chester’s of DUNSTABLE. Passing on by MARKET STREET, I had a meeting at ALBAN’S; and calling on Friends at MIMS and BARNET, I came to the Widow Hayley’s, at GUTTERHEDGE, in HENDON, Middlesex, on a Seventh-day night, and had a very large and good meeting there the day following.

I passed thence to LONDON on the Third-day following, and went directly to the Peel-meeting at John Elson’s; and next morning to the meeting at Gracechurch Street, which was very large and quiet; and Friends rejoiced in the Lord to see me. The Yearly Meeting was the week following, to which many Friends came out of most parts of the nation; and a blessed opportunity the Lord gave us together; wherein the ancient love was sweetly felt, and the heavenly life flowed abundantly over all. After the Yearly Meeting, I continued a month or five weeks, in and about London, labouring in the work of the Lord, both in and out of meetings; for besides the public testimony which the Lord gave me to bear both to Friends and to the world in meetings, I had much service upon me, with respect to Friends’ sufferings, in seeking to get ease and liberty for them in this and other nations. Much pains and time I spent, while in London, in writing letters to Friends in divers parts of England, and in Scotland, Holland, Barbadoes, and several parts of America.

After this I was moved of the Lord to visit Friends in some parts of Surrey and Sussex. I went to KINGSTON by water, and tarried certain days; for while I was there, the Lord laid it upon me to write both to the great Turk, and the Dey of Algiers severally, to warn them, and the people under them, to turn from their wickedness, fear the Lord, and do justly; lest the judgments of God should come upon them, and destroy them without remedy. To the Algerines I wrote more particularly, concerning the cruelty they exercised towards Friends and others, whom they held captives in Algiers.[54] When I had finished that service, and visited Friends in their meetings at Kingston, I went further into the country, and had meetings amongst Friends at WORPLESDON, GUILDFORD, ESHER, CAPEL, PATCHGATE, WORMINGHURST, BLETCHINGTON, HORSHAM, IFIELD, REIGATE, GATTON, &c., and so came back to KINGSTON again; and thence to HAMMERSMITH. Having spent some days in the service of truth amongst Friends at Hammersmith, BATTERSEA, WANDSWORTH, and thereabouts, I crossed over, by KENSINGTON, to HENDON, where I had a very good meeting on a First-day; and went thence to LONDON.

When I had been about ten days in LONDON, I was drawn again to visit Friends in the country; and went to EDMONTON, to Christopher Taylor’s, who kept a school for the educating of Friends’ children. I had some service here amongst the youth; and then went towards Hertford, visiting Friends on the way. At HERTFORD I met with John Story, and some others of his party;[55] but the testimony of truth went over them, and kept them down, so that the meeting was quiet. It was on a First-day; and the next day being the men’s and women’s meeting for business, I visited them also, and the rather, because some in that place had let in a disesteem of them. Wherefore I was moved to open the service of those meetings, and the usefulness and benefit thereof to the church of Christ, as the Lord opened the thing in me; and it was of good service to Friends. I had a meeting also with some of those, that were gone into strife and contention, to show them wherein they were wrong; and having cleared myself of them, I left them to the Lord. Then, after another public meeting in the town, I returned towards London by WALTHAM ABBEY, where I had a public meeting on the First-day following; and another with Friends in the evening. Next day I went to Christopher Taylor’s at EDMONTON, and stayed there a day or two, having some things upon me to write, which were for the service of truth. When I had finished that service, I went to LONDON by SHACKLEWELL, where was a school kept by Friends, for the bringing up of young women that were Friends’ daughters.

I abode at LONDON most part of this winter, having much service for the Lord there, both in and out of meetings: for as it was a time of great suffering among Friends, I was drawn in spirit to visit Friends’ meetings more frequently; to encourage and strengthen them both by exhortation and example. The parliament also was sitting, and Friends were diligent in waiting upon them, to lay their grievances before them. We received fresh accounts almost every day of the sad sufferings Friends underwent in many parts of the nation. In seeking relief for my suffering brethren I spent much time; together with other Friends, who were freely given up to that service, attending at the parliament-house for many days together, and watching all opportunities to speak with such members of either house, as would hear our just complaints. And indeed, some of these were very courteous to us, and appeared willing to help us if they could; but the parliament being then earnest in examining the Popish plot, and contriving ways to discover such as were Popishly affected, our adversaries took advantages against us (because they knew we could not swear nor fight) to expose us to those penalties that were made against Papists; though they knew in their consciences that we were no Papists, and had had experience of us, that we were no plotters. Wherefore, to clear our innocency, and to stop the mouths of our adversaries, I drew up a short paper, to be delivered to the parliament; as follows.

“It is our principle and testimony, to deny and renounce all plots
and plotters against the king, or any of his subjects; for we have
the Spirit of Christ, by which we have the mind of Christ, who
came to save men’s lives, and not to destroy them. We desire the
safety of the king and of all his subjects. Wherefore we declare,
that we will endeavour, to our power, to save and defend him and
them, by discovering all plots and plotters (which shall come to
our knowledge) that would destroy the king or his subjects. This
we do sincerely offer unto you. But as to swearing and fighting,
which in tenderness of conscience we cannot do, ye know that we
have suffered these many years for our conscientious refusal
thereof. And now that the Lord hath brought you together, we
desire you to relieve us, and free us from these sufferings; and
that ye will not put upon us to do those things, which we have
suffered so much and so long already for not doing; for if you do,
you will make our sufferings and bonds stronger, instead of
relieving us.”

G.F.

-----

Footnote 48:

For full particulars of the great intolerance and spirit of
persecution manifested by the Puritans of New England towards the
Quakers, the reader is referred to Bowden’s _History of Friends in
America_, vol. v., from the commencement to p. 308.

Footnote 49:

Thomas Ellwood is only mentioned twice incidentally in these
volumes. It was he who, after the death of George Fox, transcribed
his journal for the press. (See _Letters, &c., of Early Friends_,
p. 213.) He was also the author of several works, including _A
Life of David_, in verse; a work on tithes; a _Sacred History_,
&c. Ellwood was born in 1639, at Crowell, in Oxfordshire, and
joined Friends when about twenty years of age. Brought up in ease,
luxury, and fashion, he had much to learn; much to unlearn, much
to forsake, of the manners, the pride, and the will-worship of the
world; and to follow after that plainness and purity of life unto
which the spirit of truth leads. Nothing but religion could have
enabled one, with a disposition naturally so high and resolute as
his, to submit, as he did, to buffetings, beatings, cruel
treatment, and persecution, with becoming meekness and patience.

In 1662, Ellwood became the companion of the poet Milton, and it
was he who suggested to the latter the writing of _Paradise
Regained_. He had a peculiar gift for government in the church,
and was very serviceable therein; an ornament to the meeting he
belonged to, and much missed when he died. According to his
biographer, he was “a man of comely aspect, of a free and generous
disposition, of a courteous and affable temper, and pleasant
conversation; a gentleman born and bred; a scholar, a true
Christian, an eminent author, a good neighbour, a kind friend.” He
proved a very useful and acceptable elder in the church, devoting
nearly the whole of his time and talents to its service. He died
in 1713, and was buried at Jordans, leaving behind him a most
interesting autobiography, to which the reader is referred for
further particulars.

Footnote 50:

This being the last mention of Stephen Smith, it may be added,
that he was born in 1623, and being convinced in 1665, suffered
both in person and estate by imprisonment and spoiling of goods,
for his testimony on behalf of Christ. He was a man of account in
the world, who, in his younger years, travelled much abroad,
having resided some time at Scanderoon, in Syria, as a merchant,
and afterwards published a work called, _Wholesome Advice and
Information_, wherein he shows how much some of the Turks exceeded
some Christians in their dealings.

He was an honest, upright man, one that feared God and was of good
report, being a preacher of righteousness in his daily conduct,
ever ready to do good. He became a valiant gospel minister, and
spoke to the comfort and encouragement of those that heard him,
travelling in many parts of England in gospel service. He died in
peace at his own house, near Guildford, in Surrey, in 1678. He
wrote many serviceable works, which were collected and published
in an 8vo volume, entitled, _The True Light Discovered to all who
Desire to Walk in the Day_.

Footnote 51:

Lady Conway was a person of great piety, and a favourer of
Friends. In a letter to the learned and excellent Dr. Henry More,
who was her particular friend, she thus expresses herself
concerning them:—

“Your conversation with them (the Friends) at London might be, as
you express it, charitably intended, like that of a physician
frequenting his patients for the increase or confirmation of their
health; but _I_ must confess, that _my_ converse with them is, to
receive health and refreshment from them.”—See Appendix to
Barclay’s second edition of _Isaac Penington’s Letters_, p. 311.

Footnote 52:

John Gratton was born about the year 1641. He was first brought
under religious conviction when he was a shepherd boy about eleven
years old, but he remained in a halting state till he attained to
manhood, after which he became more devoted in heart to the Lord.
He was brought into great grief on observing the instability of
some professed preachers of the gospel, in times of persecution.
In 1670 he began to preach among the Baptists, but soon left this
people because they also flinched in the day of trial, and
becoming convinced of the soundness of the principles held by
Friends, and seeing their constancy under suffering, he joined
them in 1671. The third time he attended a Friends’ meeting, he
spoke under the constraining influence of the Divine Spirit; and
he soon became an able minister of Christ. He often left his
temporal concerns to make apostolic visits to various parts of
Great Britain and Ireland. He also suffered imprisonment for about
five years and a half for the gospel’s sake. His residence was for
many years at Monyash, in Derbyshire, but in 1708 he removed to
Needham, and resided with a daughter, at whose house he died in
1711, aged 68—a minister about forty years.

Footnote 53:

Richard Baker is described as a man of circumspect life, and a
pattern of good works. He suffered cheerfully for Christ both the
spoiling of his goods and imprisonment of his body; and would
often say, “If people did but know the pleasure of godliness, they
would not live in the earth as they did.” He was a zealous
labourer, a vigilant watchman, a sharp reprover of evil, an
encourager of the good, and a faithful minister, endeavouring to
bring those he ministered to into an inward exercise of spirit
towards God, and to a greater acquaintance with, and subjection
to, the power of God. Concerning this he wrote a treatise
entitled, _A Testimony to the Power of God, being Greater than the
Power of Satan_.

He died in 1697, having often said in his last sickness, “All is
well,” and testified that the power and strength of God was with
him.

Footnote 54:

There appear to have been at this time a number of Friends at
Algiers, who had been captured. In the early times of the Society
many of its members were seafaring men; and to such, of whatever
religious profession, it was no uncommon thing to be taken at sea
by the Algerines or other _corsairs_, who continually scoured the
Mediterranean, and ventured occasionally beyond its limits to make
prize of merchant ships, and consign their crews to slavery.

Great care was exercised towards these captive Friends by the
Society, and efforts made for their redemption. They are mentioned
in the Yearly Meeting epistles of 1682-1687, and in most of the
succeeding ones. In the epistle of 1698 it is stated, “Divers of
our Friends who were captives at Mequinez, and suffered great
hardships there, are dead; and there yet remain five, for whose
ransom great endeavours have been used, but it is not yet
effected.” The epistle of the following year states, “Earnest
endeavours have again lately been used for the liberty of our
Friends, captives in Barbary, though not as yet obtained; and
there being at this time some negotiations on foot, by the
tenderness and care of the government, for the redemption of all
the English there; and though the persons in Barbary, employed
therein by Friends, do wait some time to see the effect of that,
yet we shall continue our further endeavours for their discharge,
and in the meantime take care to send them supplies for food, they
having little allowance in that country, of anything to support
their bodies, under the great severities of labour, and undeserved
stripes, that captives often endure.”

In the epistle of 1702 the conclusion of the Barbary captives is
stated, namely, that live Friends, being all who remained alive in
that long and sore captivity, _have been this year redeemed_,
whose ransom (including a Friend’s son from Pennsylvania) cost the
Society upwards of £480. The redeemed tenderly and gratefully
acknowledged Friends’ love and care of them.

Footnote 55:

A schism, of which Story and Wilkinson were at the head, is
frequently referred to in the writings of some of the early
Friends. It commenced and spread mostly in the north. There were,
however, those in London, Bristol, and some southern counties,
who, through ease and unwatchfulness, having lost their first love
and the discerning spirit, were deceived by a specious bait, and
became the cause of much exercise and trouble to their brethren.

The ground of difference was alleged by them to be, their
objection to those meetings for regulating the affairs of the
church, exercising a salutary discipline over its members; and
more especially against the establishment of women’s meetings,
which G. Fox and other Friends “were moved to set up.” They
stated, with a show of plausibility which gained some, chiefly the
looser sort, to their ranks, “That such meetings were needless,
some years having been passed in peace and unity without them; and
that every individual ought to be guided by the Spirit, and left
free to act; that meetings for discipline were a form, and the
exercise of that discipline an infringement upon individual
liberty.” Great endeavours were made for their enlightenment and
restoration. In 2nd Month, 1676, a meeting was held at Drawell,
which lasted four days, in which “many Friends laboured much for
their preservation, but they were too far gone in a separate
spirit to be reclaimed.” They, therefore, became out of unity with
the body who, “walking by the same rule, minded the same thing.”
They fell to jangling, and, after a while, the best among them
came to see how they had been deceived; and the rest, after having
had separate meetings, are said to have “vanished as snow in the
fields.”—_See_ Sewell’s _History_, folio edition, pp. 583, 584.