that professed God and owned the Lord Jesus Christ;" which I did. So the truth came over them, that when one of the rude fellows cried "he would swear," one of the justices checked him, saying, "What will you swear? hold your tongue." At last they bid the constable take me to my lodging; and there be secured till morning, till they sent for me again. So the constable had me to my lodging; and as we went the people were exceedingly rude; but I let them see "the fruits of their teachers, and how they shamed Christianity, and dishonoured the name of Jesus, which they professed." At night we went to a justice's house in the town, who was pretty moderate; and I had much discourse with him. Next morning we sent to the constable to know if he had anything more to say to us. And he sent us word "he had nothing to say to us, but that we might go whither we would." The Lord hath since raised up a people to stand for his name and truth in that town over those chaffy professors.

:

We passed from Manchester, having many precious meetings in several places, till we came to PRESTON; between which and Lancaster I had a general meeting from which I went to LANCASTER. There at our inn I met with Colonel West, who was very glad to see me: who meeting with Judge Fell, told him I was mightily grown in the truth; when indeed he was come nearer to the truth, and so could better discern it.

We came from Lancaster to Robert Widders's. On the First-day after I had a general meeting near SAND-SIDE, of Friends of Westmorland and Lancashire, when the Lord's everlasting power was over all; in which the word of eternal life was declared, and Friends were settled upon the foundation, Christ Jesus, under his free teaching; and many were convinced, and turned to the Lord.

Next day I came over the Sands to SWARTHMORE, where Friends were glad to see me. I stayed there two First-days, visiting Friends in their meetings thereaways. They rejoiced with me in the goodness of the Lord, who by his eternal power had carried me through, and over many difficulties and dangers in his service: to him be the praise for ever!

CHAPTER XI.

1657.-Exhortation to Friends to take heed to the Light of Christ-an expostulation with persecutors-to Friends to be valiant for the truth-in parts of Cumberland the priests are so forsaken that some steeple-houses stand empty-John Wilkinson, the priest, is so deserted, that he sets up a meeting in his own house-then a silent meeting, and at last joins Friends, and becomes an able minister-George Fox travels into Scotland with Col. Osburn and Robert Widders-the latter was a thundering man against the rottenness of the priests' hypocrisy and deceit→ Lady Hamilton is convinced-the Scotch priests raise the war-cry, and draw up their curses, which George Fox answers-they are in a rage and panic when he comes there, thinking "that all was gone "-some Baptists, with their logic and syllogisms, are confuted by George Fox's logic-he is banished Scotland by the council, but disregards their order-George Fox and William Osburn are waylaid by thieves, who are admonished by the former, and overawed by the Lord's power -the Highlanders run at them with pitchforks-at Johnstons they are banished the town-on hearing that the council of Edinburgh had issued warrants against him, George Fox goes thither, and is not molested.

HAVING got a little respite from travel, I was moved to write an epistle to Friends, as follows:

"ALL Friends of the Lord everywhere, whose minds are turned in towards the Lord, take heed to the light within you, which is the light of Christ; which, as ye love it, will call your minds inward, that are abroad in the creatures: so your minds may be renewed by it, and turned to God in this which is pure, to worship the living God, the Lord of Hosts over all the creatures. That which calls your minds out of the lusts of the world, will call them out of the affections and desires, and turn you to set your affections above. That which calls the mind out of the world, will give judgment upon the world's affections and lusts, and is the same that calls out your minds from the world's teachers, and the creatures, to have your minds renewed. There is your obedience known and found; there the image of God is renewed in you; and ye come to grow up in it. That which calls your minds out of the earth, turns them towards God, where the pure Babe is born of the virgin; and the Babe's food is known, the children's bread, which comes from the living God, and nourishes up to eternal life. These babes and children receive their wisdom from above, from the pure living God, and not from the earthly one : for that is trodden under foot with such. All who hate this light, whose minds are abroad in the creatures, in the earth, and in the image of the devil, get the words of the saints, that received their wisdom from above, into the old nature, and their corrupted minds. Such are murderers of the just, enemies to the cross of Christ, in whom the prince of the air lodgeth: sons of perdition, betrayers of the just. Therefore take heed to that light, which is oppressed with that nature; which light, as it arises, shall condemn all that cursed nature, shall turn it out, and shut it out of the house: and so ye will come

to see the candle lighted, and the house sweeping and swept. Then the pure pearl ariseth; then the eternal God is exalted. The same light that calls in your minds out of the world, turns them to God, the Father of lights. Here in the pure mind is the pure God waited upon for wisdom from above; the pure God is seen night and day; and the eternal peace, of which there is no end, enjoyed. People may have openings, and yet their minds go into the lusts of the flesh; but there the affections are not mortified. Therefore hearken to that, and take heed to that, which calls your minds out of the affections and lusts of the world, to have them renewed. The same will turn your minds to God; the same light will set your affections above, and bring you to wait for the pure wisdom of God from on high, that it may be justified in you. Wait all in that, which calls in your minds, and turns them to God; here is the true cross. That mind shall feed upon nothing that is earthly; but be kept in the pure light of God up to God, to feed upon the living food, which comes from the living God. The Lord God Almighty be with you all, dear babes, and keep you all in his strength and power to his glory, over all the world,-you whose minds are called out of it, and turned to God, to worship the Creator, and serve him, and not the creature. The light of God, which calls the mind out of the creatures, and turns it to God, brings into a being of endless joy and peace. Here is always a seeing God present, which is not known to the world, whose hearts are in the creatures, whose knowledge is in the flesh, whose minds are not renewed. Therefore all Friends, the Seed of God mind and dwell in, to reign over the unjust and the power of the Lord dwell in, to keep you clear in your understandings, that the Seed of God may reign in you all;-the Seed of God, which is but one in all, which is Christ in the male and in the female, which the promise is to. Wait upon the Lord for the just to reign over the unjust, and for the Seed of God to reign over the seed of the serpent, and be the head; and that all that is mortal may die; for out of that will rise presumption. So fare ye well, and God Almighty bless, and guide, and keep you in his wisdom."

G. F.

About this time Friends, that were moved of the Lord to go to the steeple-houses and markets, to "reprove sin, and warn people of the day of the Lord," suffered much hardship from rude people, and also from the magistrates; being commonly pulled down, buffeted, beaten, and frequently sent to prison. Wherefore I was moved to give forth the following expostulation, to be spread amongst people, to show them, how contrary they acted therein to the apostles' doctrine and practice, and to bring them to more moderation. Thus it was:

"Is it not better for you, that have cast into prison the servants and children of the Lord God, for speaking as they are moved, in steeple-houses or markets? Is it not better, I say, for you to try all things, and hold fast that which is good? Is it not of more honour and credit, to prove all things, and try all things, than to pluck down in the steeple-houses, and pull off the hair of their heads, and cast them into prison? Is this an honour to your truth and gospel you profess? Doth it not show that ye

are out of the truth, and are not ready to instruct the gainsayers? Hath not the Lord said, 'He will pour out of his Spirit upon all flesh, and his sons and his daughters shall prophesy; old men shall dream dreams, and young men see visions; and on his handmaids he will pour forth of his Spirit ?' Was not this prophecy in past ages stood against by the wise learned men in their own wisdom, and by the synagogue teachers? Were not those haled out of the synagogues and temples, who witnessed the Spirit poured forth upon them? Doth not this show, that ye have not received the pourings forth of this Spirit upon you, who fill the jails with so many sons and daughters, and hold up such teachers as are bred up in learning at Oxford and Cambridge, and are made by the will of man? Doth not this show, that ye, who are bred up there, who are made teachers by the will of man, and who persecute for prophesying, are strangers to the Spirit that is poured forth upon sons and daughters,' by which Spirit they come to 'minister to the spirits that are in prison?' The Lord hath a controversy with you, who are found prisoning and persecuting such as the Lord hath poured forth of his Spirit upon. Do not your fruits show, in all the nation where ye come; in towns, cities, villages, and countries, that ye are the seedsmen made by the will of man, who sow to the flesh, of which nothing but corruption is reaped? Ye are looked upon, and your fruits, and that which may be gathered, is seen by all that are in the light, as they pass through your countries, towns, cities, and villages, that ye are all the seedsmen that have sown to the flesh. Mark, and of this take notice, ye who are of that birth that is born of the flesh, sow to your own, persecuting him that is born of the Spirit. Sow to the Spirit, and of the Spirit reap life eternal; such ye cast into prison. Do ye not hale out of the synagogues, persecute and beat in them, and knock down? Are not these the works of the flesh? Have not many been almost murdered and smothered in your synagogues? Have not some been haled out of them, for but looking at the priest, and after cast into prison? Doth not all this make manifest what spirit ye are of, and your fruits to be of the flesh? What pleasures and sports in every town are to be secn among your flocks, that sow to the flesh and are born of it!

"Whereas the ministers of the Spirit cried against such, as 'sported in the day-time;' such as 'ate and drank, and rose up to play;' such as lived wantonly upon earth in pleasures; such as lived in fulness of bread and idleness; such as defile the flesh : such did God overthrow and destroy, and set them forth as examples to all them that after should live ungodly. But are not the fruits of this reaped in every town? Cannot we hence see, that here is sowing to the flesh? Again, what scorning and scoffing, what mocking, derision, and strife! What oaths and drunkenness, uncleanness and cursed speaking! What lust and pride are seen in the streets! These fruits we see are reaped of the flesh. So here we see the seedsman, him that sows to this flesh, of which nothing but corruption is reaped; as the countries, towns, cities, and villages make manifest. But the ministers of the Spirit, who sow to the Spirit, come to reap eternal life. These discern the other seedsman, who sows to the flesh, and of the flesh reaps corruption. For the day hath manifested each seedsman, and what is reaped

from each is seen; glory be to the Lord God for ever!

The ministers of

the Spirit, who are born of the Spirit, sons and daughters, who have the Spirit poured forth upon them, and witness the promise of God fulfilled in them, by the Spirit of God preach and minister to the Spirit in prison in every one, in the sight of God, the Father of Spirits. God's hand is turned against you all, that have destroyed God's creatures upon your lust. God's hand is turned against you that have wronged by unjust dealing, defrauded, and oppressed the poor, and respected the persons of the proud (such as are in gay apparel); and lend not your ear to the cry of the poor. The Lord's hand is turned against you, and his righteous judgment and justice upon you will be accomplished and repaid: who shall have a reward, every one according to his works.

"O! the abomination, the hypocritical profession that is upon the earth, where God and Christ, Faith, Hope, the Holy Spirit, and truth are professed; but the fear of God, and the faith that purifies and gives victory over the world, are not lived in! Doth it not appear, that the wisdom that rules in all those, whom the seedsman that sows to the flesh, sows for, and who are born of the flesh, is from below, earthly, sensual, and devilish; that their understanding is brutish, and their knowledge natural, as the brute beasts? For men and women in that state, have not patience to speak one to the other of the Scriptures, without much corruption and flesh appearing, yet they have a feigned humility, a will-worship, and righteousness of self; but they own not the light, which 'lighteth every man that cometh into the world,' Christ Jesus, the righteousness of God; which being owned, self, and the righteousness of self, come to be denied. Here is the humility that is contrary to the light, that is from below and feigned: here is the wisdom that is earthly, sensual, and devilish; for people can scarce speak one to another, without destroying one another, prisoning and persecuting one another, when they speak of the Scriptures. Now, this is the devilish wisdom, murdering and destroying: this is not the wisdom that is from above, which is pure and peaceable; gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits. Here all may read each seedsman, which hath each wisdom. He that sows to the flesh, and is born of that, hath the wisdom that is earthly, sensual, and devilish; he that sows to the Spirit, a minister of the Spirit, hath the wisdom from above, which is pure, peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated;—the wisdom by which all things were made and created. Now is each wisdom discovered, and each seedsman; the day, which is the light, hath discovered them." G. F.

I was also moved to give forth the following epistle to Friends, to stir them up to be bold and valiant for the truth, and to encourage them in their sufferings for it :

"ALL Friends and brethren everywhere, now is the day of your trial, now is the time for you to be valiant, and to see that the testimony of the Lord doth not fall. Now is the day for the exercise of your gifts, of your patience, and of your faith. Now is the time to be armed with patience, with the light, with righteousness, and with the helmet of salvation. Now is the trial of the slothful servant, who hides his talent, and will judge