and terrible, that shall come upon you, ye evil magistrates, priests, and people, who profess the truth in words outwardly, and yet persecute the power of truth, and them that stand in and for the truth. While ye have time prize it, and remember what is written Isa. liv. 17.”

GERVASE BENSON,
ANTHONY PEARSON.

Not long after this, the Lord's power came over the justices, and they were made to set me at liberty. But some time previous, the governor, and Anthony Pearson, came down into the dungeon to see the place where I was kept, and understand what usage I had. They found the place so bad, and the savour so ill, that they cried shame on the magistrates for suffering the jailer to do such things. They called for the jailers into the dungeon, and required them to find sureties for their good behaviour; and the under-jailer, who had been such a cruel fellow, they put into the dungeon with me, amongst the moss-troopers.

After I was set at liberty, I went to Thomas Bewley's, where came a Baptist teacher to oppose me; but he was convinced. Robert Widders being with me, was moved to go to Coldbeck steeple-house, and the Baptist teacher went along with him the same day. The people fell upon them, and almost killed Robert Widders; and took the Baptist's sword from him, and beat him sorely. This Baptist had the inheritance of an impropriation of tithes; and he went home, and gave it up freely. Robert Widders was sent to Carlisle jail, where having lain a while, he was set at liberty again.* William Dewsbury also went to another steeple-house hard by, and the people almost killed him, they beat him so; but the Lord's power was over all, and healed him again. In that day many Friends went to the steeplehouses, to declare the truth to the priests and people, and great sufferings they underwent ; but the Lord's power sustained them.

Now I went into the country, and had mighty great meetings. The everlasting gospel and word of life flourished, and thousands were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, and to his teaching. Several that had taken tithes, as impropriators, denied the receiving of them any longer, and delivered them up freely to the parishioners. Passing on into WESTMORLAND, I had many great meetings. At STRICKLAND-HEAD I had a large meeting, where a justice of peace out of Bishoprick, whose name was Henry Draper,

At

* Robert Widders is often mentioned in this Journal, having travelled with George Fox in Scotland, as also in many parts of America. They went through great perils by sea and land, in the wilderness and in woods, in danger of wild beasts; yet, through all the Lord supported him, and kept him faithful to the end. He was valiant for God's truth, establishing many in the faith. He was a great sufferer from persecutors; once, at Coldbeck, he was thrown down on the ground, and kicked and beaten so cruelly, that blood gushed out of his mouth, and he was supposed to be dead. Lamplugh, his clothes were torn on his back, and the hair from off his head; and, at Bishop-Auckland, he was stoned and sorely bruised. His cattle, corn, and household goods were also swept away by wholesale, yet he was not at all dejected or concerned, knowing well for what he suffered. He was much resigned during his last sickness, often saying on his death-bed, "his heart was filled with the love of God;" and he departed this life in great peace in 1686, aged sixty-eight years.

The priests and magistrates were

came, and many contenders were there. in a great rage against me in Westmorland, and had a warrant to apprehend me, which they renewed from time to time, for a long time; yet the Lord did not suffer them to serve it upon me. I travelled on amongst Friends, visiting the meetings till I came to SWARTHMORE, where I heard that the Baptists and professors in Scotland had sent to have a dispute with me. I sent them word, that I would meet them in Cumberland, at Thomas Bewley's house, whither accordingly I went, but none of them came. Some dangers at this time I underwent in my travels; for at one time, as we were passing from a meeting, and going through WIGTON on a market-day, the people of the town had set a guard with pitch-forks; and although some of their own neighbours were with us, they kept us out of the town, and would not let us pass through it, under the pretence of preventing the sickness; though there was no occasion for any such thing. However, they fell upon us, and had like to have spoiled us and our horses; but the Lord restrained them, that they did not much hurt; and we passed away. Another time, as I was passing between two Friends' houses, some rude fellows lay in wait in a lane, and exceedingly stoned and abused us; but at last, through the Lord's assistance, we got through them, and had not much hurt. But this showed the fruits of the priest's teaching, which shamed their profession of Christianity.

After I had visited Friends in that county, I went through the county into DURHAM, having large meetings by the way. A very large one I had at Anthony Pearson's, where many were convinced. From thence I passed through Northumberland to DERWENT-WATER, where there were great meetings; and the priests threatened that they would come, but none came. The everlasting word of life was freely preached, and freely received; and many hundreds were turned to Christ, their teacher.

In Northumberland many came to dispute, of whom some pleaded against perfection; unto whom I declared, "that Adam and Eve were perfect before they fell; and all that God made was perfect; and that the imperfection came by the Devil, and the fall; but Christ, that came to destroy the Devil, said, 'Be ye perfect."" One of the professors alleged that Job said, "Shall mortal man be more pure than his Maker? The heavens are not clean in his sight. God charged his angels with folly.” But I showed him his mistake, and let him see, “that it was not Job that said so, but one of those that contended against Job; for Job stood for perfection, and held his integrity; and they were called miserable comforters." Then these professors said, the outward body was the body of death and sin. I showed them their mistake in that also; for "Adam and Eve had each of them an outward body, before the body of death and sin got into them; and that man and woman will have bodies, when the body of sin and death is put off again; when they are renewed up into the image of God again by Christ Jesus, which they were in before they fell." So they ceased at that time from opposing further; and glorious meetings we had in the Lord's power.

Then we passed on to HEXHAM, where we had a great meeting at the top of a hill. The priest threatened he would come, and oppose us, but

he came not; so that all was quiet; and the everlasting day, and renowned truth of the everliving God was sounded over those dark countries, and his Son exalted over all. It was proclaimed amongst the people that "the day was now come, wherein all that made a profession of the Son of God, might receive him; and that to as many as would receive him, he would give power to become the sons of God, as he had done to me." And it was further declared, that "he that had the Son of God, had life eternal; but that he that had not the Son of God (though he professed all the Scriptures, from the first of Genesis to the last of the Revelations), had not life.” After all were directed to the light of Christ, by which they might see him and receive him, and know where their true teacher was; and the everlasting truth had been largely declared amongst them, we passed away through Hexham peaceably, and came to GILSLAND, a country noted for thieving.

Here a Friend seeing the priest, went to speak to him; whereupon the latter came down to our inn, and the town's-people gathered about us. The priest said, he would prove us deceivers out of the Bible, but could find no Scripture for his purpose. Then he went into the inn; and after a while came out again, and brought some broken sentences of Scripture, that mention "the doctrines and commandments of men, &c., and, touch not, taste not, &c., for they perish with the using." All which, poor man! was his own condition; whereas we were persecuted, because we would not taste, nor touch, nor handle their doctrines and traditions, which we knew perished with the using. I asked him what he called the steeple-house? "O," said he, "the dreadful house of God, the temple of God." Then I showed him, and the poor dark people, that their bodies should be the temples of God; and that Christ never commanded these temples, but ended that temple at Jerusalem, which God had commanded. While I was speaking, the priest got away; and afterwards the people appeared as if they feared we would take their purses, or steal their horses; judging us like themselves, who are naturally given to thieving.

The next day we came through the country into CUMBERLAND again, where we had a general meeting of many thousands of people at the top of a hill near LANGLANDS. A glorious and heavenly meeting it was; for the glory of the Lord did shine over all; and there were as many as one could well speak over, the multitude was so great. Their eyes were fixed on Christ their teacher; and they came to sit under their own vine; insomuch that Francis Howgill, coming afterwards to visit them, found they had no need of words; for they were sitting under their teacher Christ Jesus; in the sense whereof, he sat down amongst them, without speaking anything. A great convincement there was in Cumberland, Durham, Northumberland, Westmorland, Lancashire, and Yorkshire; and the plants of God grew, and flourished, the heavenly rain descending, and God's glory shining upon them, so that many mouths were opened by the Lord to his praise; yea, to babes and sucklings he ordained strength.

CHAPTER VII.

1653-1654.-George Fox disputes most of the day with priest Wilkinson-many Friends lose their business for declining the world's salutations, but afterwards their tried faithfulness and integrity procure them more than their neighbours. -George Fox issues an address to Friends everywhere-two persecuting justices at Carlisle are cut off, and a third disgraced-George Fox passes through Halifax, a rude town of professors-at Synderhill-Green he has a mighty meeting of some thousands, and there was a general convincement-about sixty ministers are now raised up in the north, to travel towards the south, the east, and the west, in Truth's service-George Fox's address to Friends in the ministry-Rice Jones and many other false prophets rise up against Friends and are blasted—a wicked man binds himself with an oath to kill George Fox, but is prevented-great convincement in Lincolnshire-at Swannington George Fox has much controversy with professors-has a great dispute with priest Stevens, and seven other priests at Drayton-his father being present was convinced, and said, "Truly I see he that will but stand to the truth it will carry him out."-Priest Stevens propagates lies respecting George Fox, which the Lord swept away-is taken before Col. Hacker, who sends him to the Protector-speaks prophetically to the Colonelhas a friendly conference with the Protector-is dismissed by him very friendlyrefuses his entertainment-Captain Drury scoffs at trembling, but is made to tremble in a remarkable manner- -George Fox prays with some officers, who are greatly shaken by the Lord's power-priests and professors greatly disturbed because many of their people are convinced, and moved to declare against the rest.

AFTER my release from Carlisle prison, I was moved to go to priest Wilkinson's steeple-house again at BRIGHAM; and being got in before him, when he came in, I was declaring the truth to the people, though they were but few; for the most and the best of his hearers were turned to Christ's free teaching; and we had a meeting of Friends hard by, where Thomas Stubbs was declaring the word of life amongst them. As soon as the priest came in, he opposed me; and there we stayed most part of the day; for when I began, he opposed me; so if any law was broken, he broke it. When his people would be haling me out, I manifested his fruits to be such, as Christ spoke of, when he said, "they shall hale you out of their synagogues ;" and then he would be ashamed, and they would let me alone. There he stood till it was almost night, jangling and opposing me, and would not go to his dinner; for he thought to weary me out. last, the Lord's power and truth came so over him, that he packed away with his people. When he was gone, I went to the meeting of Friends, who were turned to the Lord, and by his power established on Christ, the rock and foundation of the true prophets and apostles, but not of the false.

But at

About this time the priests and professors fell to prophesying against us afresh. They had said long before, that we should be destroyed within a month; and after that, they prolonged the time to half a-year; but that time being long expired, and we mightily increased in number, they now gave forth, that we would eat out one another. For often after meetings,

many tender people having a great way to go, tarried at Friends' houses by the way, and sometimes more than there were beds to lodge in; so that some have lain on the hay-mows; hereupon Cain's fear possessed the professors and world's people. For they were afraid, that when we had eaten one another out, we would all come to be maintained by the parishes, and be chargeable to them. But after a while, when they saw that the Lord blessed and increased Friends, as he did Abraham, both in the field and in the basket, at their goings forth, and comings in, at their risings up and lyings down, and that all things prospered with them; then they saw the falseness of all their prophecies against us; and that it was in vain to curse, where God had blessed. At the first convincement, when Friends could not put off their hats to people, or say You to a single person, but Thou and Thee;—when they could not bow, or use flattering words in salutations, or adopt the fashions and customs of the world, many Friends, that were tradesmen of several sorts, lost their customers at first; for the people were shy of them, and would not trade with them; so that for a time some Friends could hardly get money enough to buy bread. But afterwards, when people came to have experience of Friends' honesty and faithfulness, and found that their yea was yea, and their nay was nay; that they kept to a word in their dealings, and that they would not cozen and cheat them; but that if they sent a child to their shops for anything, they were as well used as if they had come themselves; the lives and conversation of Friends did preach, and reached to the witness of God in the people. Then things altered so, that all the inquiry was, "where is there a draper, or shopkeeper, or tailor, or shoemaker, or any other tradesman, that is a Quaker?” Insomuch that Friends had more trade than many of their neighbours, and if there was any trading, they had a great part of it. Then the envious professors altered their note, and began to cry out, "if we let these Quakers alone, they will take the trade of the nation out of our hands." This has been the Lord's doing to and for his people! which my desire is, that all, who profess his holy truth, may be kept truly sensible of, and that all may be preserved, in and by his power and Spirit, faithful to God and man; first to God, in obeying him in all things; and then in doing unto all men, that which is just and righteous, to all men and women, in all things, that they have to do or deal with them in; that the Lord God may be glorified in their practising truth, holiness, godliness, and righteousness, amongst people in all their lives and conversation.

Friends being now grown very numerous in the northern parts of the nation, and many young-convinced ones coming daily in among us, I was moved of the Lord to write the following epistle, and send it forth amongst them, in order to stir up the pure mind, and raise a holy care and watchfulness in them over themselves, and one another, for the honour of truth:

"To you all, Friends everywhere, scattered abroad.

"In the measure of the life of God, wait for wisdom from God, even from Him, from whom it comes. And all ye, who are children of God, wait for living food from the living God, to be nourished up to eternal life,