of the Spirit of God within, which cuts down the heathenish nature within. So live in the peaceable kingdom of Christ Jesus. Live in the peace of God, and not in the lusts, from whence wars arise. Live in Christ, the Prince of Peace, the way of God, who is the second Adam, that never fell; but live not in Adam in the fall, in the destruction, where they destroy one another. Therefore come out of Adam in the fall, into the second Adam that never fell. Live in love and peace with all men; keep out of all the bustlings in the world; meddle not with the powers of the earth; but mind the kingdom, the way of peace. Ye that are heirs of grace, heirs of the kingdom, heirs of the gospel, heirs of salvation, saints of the Most High, and children of God, whose conversation is in heaven, that is, above the combustions of the earth; let your conversation preach to all men, and your innocent lives, that they who speak evil of you, beholding your godly conversation, may glorify your Father which is in heaven. All Friends everywhere, this I charge you, which is the word of the Lord God unto you all, Live in peace, in Christ the way of peace,' and therein seek the peace of all men, and no man's hurt. In Adam in the fall, is no peace; but in Adam out of the fall, is peace: so, ye being in Adam which never fell, it is love that overcomes, and not hatred with hatred, nor strife with strife. Therefore live all in the peaceable life, doing good to all men, and seeking the good and welfare of all men.' G. F.

Not long after this, George Booth rose in arms in Cheshire, and Lambert went against him. At which time some foolish, rash spirits, that came sometimes amongst us, were ready to take up arms; but I was moved of the Lord to warn and forbid them, and they were quiet. In the time of the Committee of Safety (so called), we were invited by them to take up arms, and great places and commands were offered some of us; but we denied them all, and declared against it both by word and writing; testifying, that our weapons and armour were not carnal, but spiritual. And lest any that came amongst us, should be drawn into that snare, it came upon me from the Lord, to write a few lines on that occasion, and send them forth, as a caution to all amongst us. Of which this is a copy:

"ALL Friends everywhere, take heed to keep out of the powers of the earth, that run into wars and fightings, which make not for peace, but destroy it; such will not have the kingdom. And, Friends, take heed of joining with this or the other, or meddling with any, or being busy with other men's matters; but mind the Lord, his power, and his service. Let Friends keep out of other men's matters, and keep in that which answers the witness in them all, out of the man's part, where they must expect wars and dishonour. Friends everywhere, dwell in your own, in the power of the Lord God, to keep your minds up to the Lord God, from falling down to the strength of Egypt, or going thither for strength, after ye are come out of it, like the children of Israel after they were come out of outward Egypt. But dwell in the power of the Lord God, that ye may keep over all the powers of the earth, amongst whom the just hand of God is come; for they have turned against the just, disobeyed the just in their own particulars, and so gone on in one against the just; therefore the just sets

them one against another. Now he that goes to help among them, is from the just in himself, in the unstaid state, and doth not know, by the Allseeing Eye (that beholdeth), him that recompenseth and rewardeth, and lives not in the hand, in the power, that mangles and overturns, which vexeth the transgressors, that come to be blind, and zealous for they do not know what. Therefore keep in peace, and in the love and power of God, and in unity and love one to another, lest any go out, and fall with the uncircumcised: that is, they that are from the Spirit in themselves, and they that go from it, go into the pit together. Therefore stand (it is the word of the Lord God to you all) in the fear and dread of the Lord God, his power, life, light, seed, and wisdom, by which ye may take away the occasion of wars, and so know a kingdom which hath no end, and fight for that with spiritual weapons, which takes away the occasion of the carnal; and there gather men to war, as many as ye can, and set up as many as ye can with these weapons."

G. F.

After I had stayed some time in London, and had visited Friends' meetings there and thereabouts, and the Lord's power was set over all, I travelled into the counties again, passing through ESSEX and SUFFOLK into NORFOLK, visiting Friends, till I came to NORWICH, where we had a meeting about the time called Christmas. The mayor of Norwich, having got previous notice of the meeting I intended to have there, granted a warrant to apprehend me. When I was come thither, and heard of the warrant, I sent some Friends to the mayor to reason with him about it. His answer was, the soldiers should not meet; and did we think to meet? He would have us to go and meet without the city; for he said, the town's-people were so rude that he could hardly order them, and he feared, that our meeting would make tumults in the town. But our Friends told him, we were a peaceable people, and that he ought to keep the peace; for we could not but meet to worship God, as our manner was. So he became moderate, and did not send his officers to the meeting. A large one it was, and abundance of rude people came, with an intent to do mischief; but the Lord's power came over them, so that they were chained by it, though several priests were there, and professors and Ranters. Among the priests, one, whose name was Townsend, stood up and cried, 'Error, blasphemy, and an ungodly meeting!' I bid him not burden himself with that which he could not make good; and I asked him what was our error and blasphemy; for I told him, he should make good his words, before I had done with him, or be shamed. As for an ungodly meeting, I said, I believed there were many people there that feared God, and therefore it was both unchristian and uncivil in him, to charge civil, godly people with an ungodly meeting. He said, my error and blasphemy was, in that I said, that people must wait upon God by his power and Spirit, and feel his presence when they did not speak words. I asked him then, whether the apostles and holy men of God did not hear God speak to them in their silence, before they spoke forth the Scripture, and before it was written? He replied, Yes, David and the prophets heard God, before they penned the Scriptures, and felt his presence in silence, before they spoke them forth. Then said

I, All people take notice, he said this was error and blasphemy in me to say these words; and now he hath confessed it is no more than the holy men of God in former times witnessed. So I showed them, that as the holy men of God, who gave forth the Scripture as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, heard and learned of God, before they spoke them forth; so must they all hearken and hear what the Spirit saith, which will lead them into all truth, that they may know God and Christ, and may understand the Scriptures. O, said the priest, this is not that George Fox I would speak withal; this is a subtle man, said he. So the Lord's power came over all, and the rude people were made moderate, and were reached by it; and some professors that were there, called to the priests, saying, "Prove the blasphemy and errors which ye have charged them with; ye have spoken much against them behind their backs, but nothing ye can prove now (said they) to their faces." But the priest began to get away; whereupon I told him, we had many things to charge him withal, therefore let him set a time and place to answer them; which he did and went his way. A glorious day this was, for truth came over all, and people were turned to God by his power and Spirit, and to the Lord Jesus Christ, their free teacher, who was exalted over all. And as we passed away, people's hearts were generally filled with love towards us; yea, the ruder sort of them desired another meeting, for the evil intentions they had against us were thrown out of their hearts. At night I passed out of town to a Friend's house, and thence to Colonel Dennis's, where we had a great meeting; and afterwards travelled on, visiting Friends in NORFOLK, HUNTINGDONSHIRE, and CAMBRIDGESHIRE. But George Whitehead and Richard Hubberthorn stayed about Norwich to meet the priest, who was soon confounded, the Lord's power came so over him.

After I had travelled through many counties in the Lord's service, and many were convinced, notwithstanding the people in some places were very rude, I returned to LONDON, when General Monk was come up thither, and the gates and posts of the city were pulling down. Long before this I had vision, wherein I saw the city lie in heaps and the gates down; and it was then represented to me, just as I saw it several years after, lying in heaps, when it was burned.

Divers times, both by word and writing, had I forewarned the several powers, both in Oliver's time and after, of the day of recompense that was coming upon them; but they rejecting counsel, and slighting those visitations of love to them, I was moved now, before they were quite overturned, to lay their backsliding, hypocrisy, and treacherous dealing before them, thus:

"FRIENDS, now are the prophecies fulfilled and fulfilling upon you, which have been spoken to you by the people of God in your courts, steeplchouses, towns, cities, markets, highways, and at your feasts, when ye were in your pleasures, and puffed up, that ye would neither hear God nor man; when ye were in your height of authority, though raised up from a mean state, none might come nigh you without bowing, or the respect of persons, for ye were in the world's way, compliments, and fashions, which, for conscience' sake towards God they could not go into, being redeemed therefrom; therefore they were hated by you for that cause. But how are ye

brought low, who exalted yourselves above your brethren, and threw the just and harmless from among you, until at last God hath thrown you out; and when ye cast the innocent from among you, then ye fell to biting one another until ye were consumed one of another. And so the day is come upon you, which before was told you, though ye would not believe it. And are not your hearts so hardened, that ye will hardly yet believe, though ready to go into captivity? Was it not told you, when ye spilt the blood of the innocent in your steeple-houses, markets, highways, and cities, yea, and even in your courts also, because they said the word 'Thou' to you, and could not put off their hats to you, that if something did not arise up amongst yourselves, to avenge the blood of the innocent, there would come something from beyond the seas, which lay reserved there, which being brought by the arm of God, the arm of flesh and strongest mountain cannot withstand? Yet ye would not consider, regard, or hear; but cried, peace, peace, and feasted yourselves, and sat down in the spoil of your enemies, being treacherous both to God and man; and who will trust you now? Have ye not made covenants and oaths? and broken covenants and oaths between God and man, and made the nations breakers both of covenants and oaths; so that nothing but hypocrisy, rottenness, and falsehood under fair pretence, was amongst you?

"When ye pretended to set up the old cause, it was but yourselves; for which ye long stuck to sober people, who saw ye would do no good. But it was a joy for any of you to get up into authority, that ye might have praise, honour, and respect; and they that were in the self-denial, were a derision to you, from amongst whom that was banished. Thus ye became the nation's masters, and not servants; whereas the greatest of all should be the servants of all. But there ye lost your authority, not considering your estates, from whence ye were, and to what end God had raised you up; but forgot the Lord, and quenched that which was good in yourselves, and persecuted them that lived in it; and so are grown so gross and perverse, that at last ye are fit for neither God nor man. Have not ye called the Quakers the fanatic people, and the giddy heads? But whither now are ye giddying? into Cain's city Nod, which signifies fugitive, or wandering? Have not ye persecuted and imprisoned to death such as God had respect to, and is now reproving you for their sakes, by them whom ye have hated? Were not many amongst you cut off for your persecution, and yet the rest of you would not take warning? Was there not a book of examples sent out unto you, of what sudden and strange deaths happened to the persecutors of the innocent? And yet ye would not take warning, until the overflowing scourge is now coming upon you. Are not ye they that have killed like Cain, who have killed about your sacrifice, and mingled the blood of the innocent with it? Hath not God now vagabonded you, that ye should become a curse upon the earth, who have persecuted Friends to death? Did not the blood of the righteous cry out of the ground for vengeance? And will not the blood of the righteous be required? Could ye think that the Lord would let you sit always with bloody hands and fists of wickedness? Ah! what is become of all your feasts and your fasts, the prayers and blessings of your priests?">

G. F.

CHAPTER XIII.

1659-1660.-Address to the Cornish people, respecting shipwrecks-the soldiers at Bristol are punished for disturbing Friends' meetings-several thousands attend a general meeting at Edward Pyot's-General Monk also restrains his soldiersgreat drunkenness at elections for Parliament-men—the Yearly Meeting is held at Balby-and a general meeting of discipline for several counties held at Skiptona Friend goes naked (divested of the upper garments) through the town, declaring Truth, and is much abused-general meeting at Arnside for three countiesGeorge Fox is committed to Lancaster Castle by Major Porter-writes an answer to his mittimus-Margaret Fell writes to the magistrates thereon-address on true religion-against persecution to Friends, on the change of government-to Charles II., exhorting him to exercise mercy and forgiveness towards his enemies, and to restrain profaneness-the Sheriff of Lancashire's return to George Fox's writ of Habeas Corpus-M. Fell and Ann Curtis speak to the King on the subject -the King orders his removal to London by llabeas Corpus, and there sets him at liberty.

BEING now clear of the city of London, and finding my spirit drawn to visit Friends in the western parts of England, passing first into SURREY and SUSSEX, I came to a great town where there was a large meeting, to which several Friends from Reading came, and a blessed one it was. The priest of the town was in a great rage, but did not come out of his house; wherefore, hearing him make a great noise in his house, as we were passing from the meeting, we bid him come out into the street, and we would discourse with him; but he would not. So the Lord's power being over all, Friends were refreshed therein. Thence I went to another market-town, where in the evening we had a precious meeting, and the fresh sense of the presence of the Lord was sweetly felt amongst us. Then turning into HAMPSHIRE and DORSETSHIRE, I went to RINGWOOD and POOLE visiting. Friends in the Lord's power, and had great meetings amongst them.

So

At DORCHESTER we had a great meeting in the evening at our inn, which many soldiers attended, and were pretty civil. But the constables and officers of the town came, under pretence to look for a Jesuit, whose head (they said) was shaved; and they would have all put off their hats, or they would take them off, to look for the Jesuit's shaven crown. they took off my hat (for I was the man they aimed at), and looked very narrowly, but not finding any bald or shaven place on my head they went away with shame; and the soldiers, and other sober people, were greatly offended with them. But it was of good service for the Lord, and all things wrought together for good; for it affected the people; and after the officers were gone, we had a fine meeting, and people were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, their teacher, who had bought them, and would reconcile them to God.

Thence we passed into SOMERSETSHIRE, where the Presbyterians and other professors were very wicked, and often disturbed Friends' meetings.