Chapter XIV (1)

1687-1690.—George Fox continues to have service in London and the
neighbourhood—writes a paper respecting the gospel and the seed;
being also an incentive to diligence—a general epistle to
Friends, forewarning them of an approaching storm—Moses and
Christ both faithful under their respective dispensations—Christ
is on his throne—George Fox’s health declining, he visits
William Mead again for a few weeks—the world’s teachers and the
emptiness of their teaching—those who turn people from the
inward manifestation of Christ in the heart, remove them from
the heavenly landmark, and bring a curse on themselves—the
prophets, apostles, and holy men of old were husbandmen and
tradesmen, unlike the world’s teachers—the vanity of being too
much busied with, and spending the time in, hearing and telling
news—though still declining, George Fox attends at the
Parliament-house many days on behalf of his Friends—writes to
Peter Hendricks, and to Friends at Dantzic, to strengthen and
comfort them under their sufferings—to the magistrates and
priests at Dantzic, showing the evil of persecution, and
persuading to Christian moderation—an appendix to the Yearly
Meeting’s epistle—an epistle to the Northern Yearly Meeting to
be held at York—George Fox’s health still impaired—writes an
epistle to Friends in Barbadoes—to Friends in Pennsylvania, and
other parts of America—to all that profess the truth of God;
being a warning to the young against the world’s fashions, and
to the old against going into the earthly things—Christ is the
“Ensign,” prophesied of by Isaiah—an appendix to the Yearly
Meeting’s epistle—an epistle to Friends in the ministry—to
Friends in the ministry gone to America—to suffering Friends in
Ireland—death of George Fox in 1690—epistle written with his
hand and found sealed up—some account of the interment.

I returned to London towards the latter end of the 11th month, 1687, visiting Friends in the way at CHISWICK, and at HAMMERSMITH, where I had two meetings, one on a First-day, the other upon the occasion of a marriage there, at which there were many people of other denominations, amongst whom I had a very seasonable opportunity of opening the way of truth. Being come to LONDON, I visited Friends’ meetings in and about the city, as the Lord led me, in whose service I continued labouring in the city until the middle of the first month, 1687-8. At which time I went down towards ENFIELD, and visited Friends there and thereabouts, and at BARNET, WALTHAM ABBEY, and other places, where I had many meetings, and very good service; in which I spent several weeks.

I then returned to LONDON, where I continued labouring in the work of the gospel, till after the Yearly Meeting, which this year was about the beginning of the fourth month. A precious meeting it was; and a very refreshing season Friends had together, the Lord vouchsafing to honour our assemblies with his living and glorious presence in a very plentiful manner. At the conclusion of the meeting I felt a concern upon my spirit to give forth the following paper, to be dispersed amongst Friends:—

“All you believers in the light, that are become children of the
light, walk as children of the light, and of the day of Christ; as
a city set on a hill, that cannot be hid. Let your light shine,
that people may see your good works, and glorify your Father,
which is in heaven. For a good tree bringeth forth good fruit;
therefore be ye trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord,
having fruits unto holiness; and then your end will be everlasting
life. Such are the wells and cisterns, that hold the living water,
which springs up in them to eternal life. Ye may all drink water
out of your own cisterns, running water out of your own wells; and
eat every one of his own fig-tree, and of his own vine: having
salt every one in yourselves, to season every one’s sacrifice,
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ; and like unto the wise virgins,
that have oil in their lamps, follow the Lamb, and enter in with
the bridegroom. Now is the time to labour, while it is day (yea,
the day of Christ), to stir up every one’s pure mind, and the gift
of God that is in them; and to improve your talents, that Christ
hath bestowed upon you, that ye may profit; and to walk every one
according to the measure that Christ hath given you; for ‘the
manifestation of the Spirit of God is given to every one to profit
withal.’

“Consider what you have profited in spiritual and heavenly things,
with the heavenly Spirit of God. Be not like the wicked and
slothful, that hid his talent, from whom it was taken, and he cast
into utter darkness. A dwarf, or one that had any blemish, was not
to come nigh to offer upon God’s altar; therefore mind the word of
wisdom, to keep you out of that which will corrupt and blemish
you; and that ye may grow in grace, and in faith, and in the
knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ: and feeding upon the milk of
the word, may grow by it, that ye may not be dwarfs; and so offer
your spiritual sacrifice upon God’s holy altar. For the field or
vineyard of the slothful grows over with thorns and nettles, and
his walls go down. Such are they that are not diligent in the
Spirit of God, and the power, which is the wall, a sure fence. The
Spirit of God will weed all thorns, thistles, and nettles, out of
the vineyard of the heart.

“And you, that are keepers of others’ vineyards, see that you keep
your own vineyard clean with the Spirit and power of Christ.
Sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the Lord in your hearts, that ye
may be a holy people to the Lord, who saith, ‘Be ye holy, for I am
holy:’ that ye may be the holy members of the church of Christ,
that is clothed with the sun, and hath the moon under her feet;
the changeable world with all her changeable worships, religions,
churches, and teachers. Be ye new and heavenly Jerusalem’s
children: for new and heavenly Jerusalem, that is above, is the
mother of all the children of light, and that are born of the
Spirit. These are they that have been persecuted, and have
suffered by the false church, mystery Babylon, the mother of
harlots.

“And now, all heavenly Jerusalem’s and Sion’s children, that are
from above, labour in the gospel, the power of God, and the Seed,
in which all nations, and all the families of the earth are
blessed: which Seed, Christ, bruises the serpent’s head, and
destroys the devil and his works, and overcomes the whore, the
false church, the beast, and the false prophet. He takes away the
curse, and the veil that is spread over all nations, and over all
the families of the earth; and brings the blessing upon all (if
they will receive it) saying, ‘In thy seed shall all nations and
all the families of the earth be blessed.’ This is the gospel of
God preached to Abraham, before Moses wrote his five books, and
was preached in the apostles’ days, and is now preached again;
which brings life and immortality to light; and is the gospel of
peace, life, and salvation, to every one that believes it. So all
nations, and all the families of the earth, must be in Christ, the
Seed, if they be blessed, and be partakers of the blessing in the
Seed.

“This gospel was revealed by Christ unto his apostles, who
preached it; which is not of man, nor from man. Now, God and
Christ hath revealed the same gospel unto me, and many others in
this age (I say, the gospel and the Seed, in which all nations and
families of the earth are blessed;) in which gospel I have
laboured, and do labour, that all may come into this blessed Seed,
Christ, who bruises the head of the serpent, that in it they might
have peace with God. This everlasting gospel is preached again to
them that dwell upon the earth; and they that believe it, and
receive it, receive the blessing, the peace, joy, and comfort of
it; and the stability in it, and the life and immortality, which
it brings to light in them and to them. Such can praise the
everlasting God in his everlasting gospel.

“And Friends, all seek the peace and good of all in Christ: for
truth makes no Cains, Korahs, Balaams, nor Judases; for they come
to be such that go out of the peaceable truth. Therefore walk in
the peaceable truth, and speak the truth in the love of it, as it
is in Jesus.”

G. F.

Some time after the Yearly Meeting, I went to my son Mead’s house, in ESSEX, and abode there some weeks; often visiting Friends’ meetings near, and sometimes at Barking. After I had been a while there, I went to visit Friends at WALTHAM ABBEY, HODDESDON, ENFIELD, SOUTH STREET, FORD GREEN, and WINCHMORE HILL; where I had several very serviceable meetings, the Lord opening many deep and weighty things through me, for informing the understandings of inquirers, building up those that were gathered into the truth, and establishing them therein.

In the 7th month I returned to London, having been near three months in the country for my health’s sake, which was very much impaired; so that I was hardly able to stay in a meeting the whole time; and often after a meeting had to lie down on a bed. Yet did not my weakness of body take me off from the service of the Lord, but I continued to labour in and out of meetings, in his work, as he gave me opportunity and ability.

I had not been long in London before a great weight came upon me, and a sight the Lord gave me of the great bustles and troubles, revolution and change, which soon after came to pass. In the sense whereof, and in the movings of the Spirit of the Lord, I wrote “A general epistle to Friends, to forewarn them of the approaching storm, that they might all retire to the Lord, in whom safety is;” as follows:—

“My dear Friends and brethren everywhere, who have received the
Lord Jesus Christ, and to whom he has given power to become his
sons and daughters; in Him ye have life and peace, and in his
everlasting kingdom, that is established and cannot be shaken, but
is over all the world, and stands in his power, and in
righteousness, and joy in the Holy Ghost, into which no
unrighteousness, nor the foul, unclean spirit of the devil in his
instruments can enter. Therefore, dear Friends and brethren, every
one in the faith of Jesus, stand in His power, who has all power
in heaven and in earth given to him, and will ‘rule the nations
with his rod of iron, and dash them to pieces, like a potter’s
vessel,’ that are not subject and obedient to his power; whose
voice will shake the heavens and the earth, that that which may be
shaken may be removed, and that which cannot be shaken may appear.
Stand in Him; and all things shall work together for good to them
that love him.

“And now, dear Friends and brethren, though these waves, and
storms, and tempests be in the world, yet you may all appear the
harmless and innocent lambs of Christ, walking in his peaceable
truth, keeping in the Word of power, wisdom, and patience; and
this Word will keep you in the day of trials and temptations, that
will come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the
earth. For the Word of God was before the world, and all things
were made by it; it is a tried Word, which gave all God’s people
in all ages wisdom, power, and patience. Therefore let your
dwelling and walking be in Christ Jesus, who is called the Word of
God; and in his power, which is over all. Set your affections on
things that are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God
(mark,) on those things which are above, where Christ sits; not on
those things that are below, which will change, and pass away.
Blessed be the Lord God, who by his eternal arm and power hath
gathered a people to himself; and hath preserved his faithful to
himself through many troubles, trials, and temptations; his power
and Seed, Christ, is over all, and in Him ye have life and peace
with God. Therefore in Him all stand, and see your salvation, who
is the First and Last, the Amen. God Almighty preserve and keep
you all in Him, your ark and sanctuary; in Him you are safe over
all floods, storms, and tempests; for He was before they were, and
will be when they are all gone.”

G.F.

London, the 17th of the 8th Month, 1688.

About this time great exercise and weights came upon me (as had usually done before the great revolutions and changes of government,) and my strength departed from me; so that I reeled, and was ready to fall, as I went along the streets. At length I could not go abroad at all, I was so weak, for some time, till I felt the power of the Lord to spring over all, and had received an assurance from him, that he would preserve his faithful people to himself through all.

In the time that I kept within, I wrote a paper, showing, how “Moses, as a servant, was faithful in all his house, in the Old Testament; and Christ, as a Son, is over his house, in the New Testament.”

“The house of Israel was called God’s Vineyard, in Isa. v. 7, and
all the Israelites were called the house of Israel. Israel
signifies ‘a prince with God, and a prevailer with men,’ Gen.
xxxii. 28. When Peter preached Christ to the house of Israel, he
said, ‘Let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath
made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and
Christ,’ Acts ii. 36. So they were all called the house of Israel.
And it is said, ‘Moses was faithful in all his house (to wit, this
house of Israel), as a servant, for a testimony of those things
which were to be spoken after; but Christ, as a son, over his own
house, which house are we, if we hold fast the confidence, and the
rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end,’ Heb. iii. 5, 6. Here it
is manifest, that Moses was faithful in all his house, as a
servant, viz., in the house of Israel, in the Old Testament; but
Christ Jesus, the Son of God, is over his house in his new
Testament and Covenant; and all his true believers are of his
house.

“The apostle tells the Ephesians (who were the church of Christ,)
‘They were fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household
of God,’ Eph. ii. 19. And the saints are called ‘the household of
faith,’ Gal. vi. 10. Peter in his general epistle tells the church
of Christ, they were ‘a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a
holy nation, a peculiar people,’ 1 Pet. ii. 9. And that as lively
stones, they were built up ‘a spiritual house, an holy priesthood,
to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus
Christ,’ ver. 5. The apostle says to the church of Christ at
Corinth, ‘If our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved,
we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in
the heavens,’ 2 Cor. v. 1. And Christ said to his disciples, ‘Let
not your hearts be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in
me. In my Father’s house are many mansions (a mansion is a
dwelling, or abiding place;) if it were not so, I would have told
you; I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a
place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself,
that where I am, there ye may be also,’ John xiv. 1-3. The
Psalmist saith, ‘Those that be planted in the house of the Lord,
shall flourish in the courts of our God; they shall bring forth
fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing,’ Psal. xcii.
13, 14. Again, ‘Holiness becomes thine house, O Lord, for ever,’
Psal. xciii. 5.

“Isaiah also said by way of prophecy, ‘It shall come to pass in
the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be
established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted
above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it,’ Isa. ii. 2.
Is not that a great house? Is not this mountain, Christ, who is
over his house in the New Testament and New Covenant? To this
mountain and house all the children of the New Testament and New
Covenant flow in these latter days, so that it is come to pass,
which was prophesied of by Isaiah; for he said, ‘Many people shall
go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his
ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go
forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he
shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and
they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears
into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come ye,
and let us walk in the light of the Lord,’ ver. 3-5. Here ye may
see, they that come to the mountain of the house of God, and to
God’s teaching, must walk in the light of the Lord; yea the house
of Jacob. Jacob signifies a supplanter; he supplanted profane
Esau, who is hated, and Jacob is loved.

“Now these two births must be known within; and they that walk in
the light of the Lord, and come to Christ, the mountain of the
house of the Lord, established above all mountains and hills,
break their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into
pruning-hooks; and in Christ, this mountain and house of the Lord,
there are no spears, nor swords to hurt one another withal.
Christ, the Son of God, is over his house and great family, the
children of the light, that believe in it, and walk in it, the
children of the day of Christ, his holy and royal priesthood, that
offer up spiritual sacrifice to God by him. All such are of
Christ’s (the spiritual man’s) house, who are born of God, and led
by his Spirit; they are of the Lord of lords, and King of kings’
house and family, which he is over; and are of the household of
the holy, divine, pure, and precious faith, which Christ is the
author and finisher of. And they that are of the Son’s house, are
pure, righteous, and holy, and can do nothing against the truth,
but for it, in their words, lives, and conversations; and so are a
chosen generation, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that they
should show forth the praise of Him, who hath called them out of
darkness into his marvellous light. These are Christ’s lively
stones, that build up a spiritual house, which He (Christ, the
spiritual man, the King of kings, and Lord of lords) is over.”

G.F.

London, the 10th Month, 1688.

Some time after this, my body continuing weak, I went down with my son Mead to his house in ESSEX, where I stayed some weeks. In which time I wrote many things relating to the service of truth, of which some were printed soon after, others were spread abroad in manuscript; and amongst other things, a few lines to this purpose:—

“That while men are contending for thrones here below, Christ is
on his throne, and all his holy angels are about him; who is the
Beginning and the Ending, the First and the Last, over all. And
that the Lord will make way and room for himself, and for them
that are born of his Spirit, who are heavenly Jerusalem’s
children, to come home to their free mother.”

A few words also I wrote concerning the world’s teachers, and the emptiness of their teaching. Which were thus:—

“Doth not all that, which is called Christendom, live in talking
of Christ’s, and of the apostles’ and prophets’ words, and the
letter of the Scriptures? And do not their priests minister the
letter, with their own conceptions thereupon, for money, though
the Holy Scriptures were freely given forth from God and Christ,
and his prophets and apostles? Yet the apostle says, ‘The letter
killeth; but the Spirit giveth life,’ 2 Cor. iii. 6. The ministers
of the New Testament are not ministers of the letter, but of the
Spirit; and they sow to the Spirit, and of the Spirit reap life
eternal. But people spending time about old authors, and talking
of them, and of the outward letter, this doth not feed their
souls. For talking of victuals and clothes, doth not clothe the
body, nor feed it. No more are their souls and spirits fed and
clothed, except they have the bread and water of life from heaven
to feed them, and the righteousness of Christ to clothe them.
Talking of outward things and spiritual things, and not having
them, may starve both their bodies and their souls. Therefore,
quench not the Spirit of God, which will lead to be diligent in
all things.”

With this I wrote another short paper, showing the hurt they did, and the danger they run into, who turned people from the inward manifestation of Christ in the heart:—

“The Jews were commanded by the law of God, ‘Not to remove the
outward land-mark,’ Deut. xix. 14. They that did so, or that
caused the blind to wander, were cursed in the Old Covenant, Deut.
xxvii. 17. In the New Covenant the apostle saith, ‘Let him be
accursed, that preacheth any other gospel than that which he had
preached,’ Gal. i. 8. Now the gospel that he preached, was ‘The
power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth,’ Rom. i.
16. And the gospel that was preached to Abraham was, ‘That in his
seed all nations, and all the families of the earth should be
blessed.’ And in order to bring men to this blessed state, God
poureth out of his Spirit upon all flesh; and Christ doth
enlighten every one that cometh into the world; and the grace of
God, which bringeth salvation, hath appeared unto all men, and
teacheth Christians, the true believers in Christ; and God doth
write his law in the true Christians’ hearts, and putteth it in
their minds, that they may ‘all know the Lord, from the greatest
to the least;’ and he giveth his word in their hearts to obey and
do, and the anointing within them; so that they need not any man
to teach them, but as the anointing doth teach them.

“Now all such as turn people from the Light, Spirit, Grace, Word,
and Anointing within, remove them from their heavenly landmark of
their eternal inheritance, and make them blind; and cause the
blind to wander from the living way to their eternal house in the
heavens, and from the new and heavenly Jerusalem. So they are
cursed, that cause the blind to wander out of their way, and to
remove them from their heavenly landmark.”

G. F.

I wrote also a paper to show, by instances from the Scriptures, that “many of the holy men and prophets of God, and of the apostles of Christ, were husbandmen and tradesmen;” by which people might see how unlike to them the world’s teachers now are:—

“Righteous Abel was a shepherd, ‘a keeper of sheep,’ Gen. iv. 2.
Noah was a husbandman; and he was a ‘just man, and perfect in his
generation, and walked with God,’ Gen. ix. 20; vi. 9. Abraham, the
father of the faithful, was a husbandman, and had great flocks of
cattle; and just Lot was a husbandman, and had great flocks and
herds, Gen. xiii. Isaac also was a husbandman, and had great
‘flocks and herds of cattle, and great store of corn,’ Gen xxvi.
12, 14. And the promise was with Isaac; for the Lord said to
Abraham, ‘In Isaac shall thy seed be called,’ Gen. xxi. 12. Jacob
was a husbandman, and his sons keepers of flocks of cattle, Gen.
xlvi. 32, 34, and God loved Jacob. Moses kept sheep, Exod. iii. 1,
and the Lord spake to him when he was keeping sheep, ver. 4, and
sent him to Pharaoh, to bring God’s people, or sheep, out of
Egypt. And by the hand and power of the Lord, he and Aaron his
brother brought them out of Egypt, a land of anguish, bondage,
darkness, and perplexity. And Moses kept the Lord’s people, or
sheep, forty years in the wilderness; a meek shepherd of God he
was, and kept his great flock of sheep: though some of them were
scabbed with the leprosy of contention and murmuring, and were
destroyed in the wilderness.

“David (though he afterwards came to be a king) was a keeper of
his father’s sheep in the wilderness, 1 Sam. xvii. 15, 28. And the
Lord God called him from the sheepcotes to feed his sheep, the
house of Israel, and to defend them from the spiritual wolves,
bears, and lions; and he did it to purpose, who was a man after
God’s own heart.

“Elisha was a ploughman, 1 Kings xix. 19. He was called from the
plough, to teach God’s people, the children of Israel, to plough
up the fallow ground of their hearts, that they might bring forth
seed and fruits to God, their Creator.

“The word of the Lord came to Amos, when he was among the herdsmen
of Tekoa, Amos i. 1. And Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, said to
Amos, ‘Prophesy not again any more at Bethel; for it is the king’s
chapel, and it is the king’s court,’ chap. vii. 13. Then answered
Amos, and said to Amaziah, ‘I was no prophet, neither was I a
prophet’s son; but I was a herdsman, and a gatherer of
sycamore-fruit; and the Lord took me, as I followed the flock. And
the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel,’ ver.
14, 15. Here ye may see, how the Lord made use of a poor man, and
how he called him from following the outward flock, and from
gathering outward fruits, to gather his fruits, and to follow his
people or flock, the children of Israel.

“Christ called Peter and Andrew his brother, when they were
fishing, and casting their net into the sea (for they were
fishers;) ‘and he said unto them, Follow me, and I will make you
fishers of men,’ Matt. iv. 18, 19. Christ likewise called James
and John his brother, when they were ‘in a ship, with Zebedee,
their father, mending their nets; and they immediately left the
ship, and their father, and followed him,’ ver. 21, 22. He gave
them power (a net that will hold, and not want mending), and made
them fishers of men, to fish them out of the great sea, the world
of wickedness. We read, that when Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the
sons of Zebedee, and other disciples, went a fishing together, and
that night caught nothing, in the morning Jesus appeared to them
and said, ‘Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye
shall find;’ and they did so, and caught so great a multitude,
that they were not able to draw them to shore. When thereupon one
of the other disciples said unto Peter, ‘It is the Lord,’ Peter
hearing that it was the Lord, ‘girded his fisher’s coat unto him,’
John xxi. 2-7. This was after Christ was risen. So here ye may
see, Peter had not laid aside his fisher’s coat all the while that
he had been preaching before Christ’s death.

“‘Jesus saw Matthew sitting at the receipt of custom, and he said
unto him, Follow me; and he arose and followed him,’ Matt. ix. 9.
And Christ employed Matthew to gather his people, that were
scattered from God; another manner of treasure than the outward
custom of the Romans. Luke was a physician, whom Christ made a
physician spiritual; which was better than outward.

“Paul was a tent-maker; and being one of the same craft with
Aquila and Priscilla, he abode with them at Corinth, and wrought
(for by their occupation they were tent-makers), Acts xviii. 3.”

G.F.

Gooses, the 1st Month, 1688-9.

It was now a time of much talk; and people busied their minds and spent their time too much in hearing and telling news. To show them the vanity thereof, and to draw them from it, I wrote the following lines:—

“In the low region, in the airy life, all news is uncertain; there
nothing is stable; but in the higher region, in the kingdom of
Christ, there all things are stable and sure, and the news always
good and certain. For Christ, who hath all power in heaven and in
earth given unto him, ruleth in the kingdoms of men; and he, who
doth inherit the heathen, and possess the utmost parts of the
earth with his divine power and light, rules all nations with his
rod of iron, and dashes them to pieces like a potter’s vessel, the
vessels of dishonour, and the leaky vessels, that will not hold
his living water; and he doth preserve his elect vessels of mercy
and honour. His power is certain, and changes not, by which he
removes the mountains and hills, and shakes the heavens and the
earth. Leaky, dishonourable vessels, the hills and mountains, and
the old heavens and the earth, are all to be shaken, and removed,
and broken to pieces, though they do not see it, nor him that doth
it; but his elect and faithful both see it and know him, and his
power, that cannot be shaken, and which changeth not.”

G.F.

The 5th of 1st Month, 1688-9.

About the middle of the first month, 1688-9, I went to LONDON, the parliament then sitting, and engaged about the bill for indulgence. Though I was weak in body, and not well able to stir about, yet so great a concern was upon my spirit on behalf of truth and Friends, that I attended continually for many days, with other Friends, at the parliament-house, labouring with the members, that the thing might be done comprehensively and effectually.

In this, and other services, I continued till towards the end of the second month, when, being much spent with continual labour, I got out of town for a little while as far as SOUTHGATE and thereabouts. While I was there I wrote a letter to Peter Hendricks, a Friend at Amsterdam, in which I enclosed an epistle to the Friends at Dantzic, who at this time were under great persecution. And as I wrote to encourage and strengthen them in their testimony, and comfort them in their sufferings for the truth, so also I wrote a paper to their persecutors, the magistrates of Dantzic, laying before them the evil of persecution, and persuading them to Christian moderation, and “to do unto others in matters of religion as they would be done unto.” Which papers were as follows:—

“_To Peter Hendricks at Amsterdam, and to Friends at Dantzic who
are under persecution._

“DEAR FRIEND P. H.

“With my love to thee and thy wife, J. Claus, and J. Roeloffs, and
all the rest of Friends everywhere in Christ Jesus, who reigns
over all. I am glad to hear that Friends are well everywhere,
except at Dantzic; and that you were so diligent in spreading my
papers to the strengthening of Friends. I have lately printed the
life of William Caton, but have not made a collection of his
books. I think to send some of them to you, which you may
translate and print, if you will; they may be serviceable among
Friends, especially them that knew him.[63]

“Concerning the dear Friends at Dantzic, whom the Lord hath
supported by his eternal arm and power to this day; I hope by the
same arm and power he will support them, and in it they will feel
his blessed presence with them in all their sufferings; who is
over the cruelty of their persecutors, who will hardly let them
breathe outwardly or inwardly in the common air of their native
soil. Which shows both their immorality, inhumanity, and
unchristianity, and that they want the counsel of a Gamaliel
amongst them; whose actions are below the law of God, to ‘do unto
others as they would have others to do unto them:’ God will not
bless the doings of such. I desire, however, that Friends may mind
the Lord’s power, that is over all; be valiant for his truth, and
keep upon their rock and foundation, Christ Jesus, that stands
sure in this time of the heat of persecution, which is so hot upon
you, that they will not suffer you to have so much as your houses
to work and sleep in, nor to meet, nor serve God in. The Lord
beholds all such actors and their actions. Therefore look over all
to Him, who is able to deal with them and reward them according to
their works. God Almighty preserve you all in Christ Jesus, in
whom you have rest, life, and peace. Amen.”

G.F.

Southgate, the 28th of the 2nd Month, 1689.

“_To the Magistrates of Dantzic:—Christian Shroder, President of
the Council, and Emanuel Dilger, N. Gadecken, and N. Fraterus,
Deputies of the Council, and the rest of the Magistrates and
Priests._

“We have seen your order, and your breathing out persecution
against that little flock, the lambs of Christ, that live under
your jurisdiction in the city of Dantzic; and that you have
imprisoned and banished two by the hangman out of the government
of your city; and others you threatened to do the same to, with
great punishment, if they return. Likewise you threaten those with
punishment they rent their houses of, if they let them have them
either to live in, or meet in to serve and worship the Lord that
made them. Truly I am heartily sorry for both your magistrates and
priests, that go under the name of Christians, and show such
immoral, inhuman, and unchristian actions, below the royal law of
God, which is, to ‘do to others as you would have them do unto
you.’ For would you think it was moral, human, or Christian, or
according to the law of God, if the king of Poland, who is of
another religion than you, should banish you out of your city by
the hangman and call you murderers of souls? Could you say, but
this was according to the law of God, ‘to do unto you as you have
done unto others?’

“But if you say that you have the sword, the horn, and the power;
blessed be the Lord that hath shortened your sword, your power,
and your horn, that it reaches no further than your jurisdiction
at Dantzic; and you do not know how long God may suffer you to
have your horn, your power and your sword. We are sure you have
not the mind, nor the Spirit of Christ; and the apostle saith,
‘They that have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his,’ Rom.
viii. And Christ bids Peter ‘put up his sword:’ they that draw the
sword concerning him, to defend him and his worship and faith,
should perish with the sword. Peter and the apostles never drew
the outward sword after; but said their weapons were spiritual,
not carnal; and they did not wrestle with flesh and blood. Christ
never gave any such command, that they should banish any by the
hangmen that were not of their religion, and would not receive it.

“Are not you worse than the Turks, who let many religions be in
their country, yea, Christians, and to meet peaceably? Yea, the
Turkish patroons let our Friends that were captives meet together
at Algiers, and said, ‘it was good so to do.’ You are worse than
those barbarous people at Sallee who do not profess Christianity,
for you profess Christ in words, but in works deny him. And did
you ever find, either in Scripture or history, that any
persecutors prospered long? You are worse than they are in the
Mogul’s country, who, they say, permits sixty religions in his
dominions: and many others might be mentioned, all of whom you
exceed in your cruelty and persecution of God’s people, only for
meeting together in the name of Jesus, and serving and worshipping
God, their Creator. No, they must not breathe their natural air,
neither natural nor spiritual, in your dominions. I pray, where
had you these commands from? Neither from Christ nor his apostles.
Do not you profess the Scriptures of the New Testament to be your
rule? But, I pray you, what Scripture have you for this practice?
It is good for you to be humble, to do justly, and love mercy;
call home your banished ones, and love and cherish them: yea,
though they were your enemies, you are to obey the command of
Christ, and love them. I wonder how you and your wives and
families can sleep quietly in your beds, that do such cruel
actions, without thinking the ‘Lord may do to you the same!’ You
cannot be without sense and feeling, except you be given over to
reprobation, and your consciences seared with a hot iron. But
Christian charity hopes that you are not all in that state; but
that there may be some relenting or consideration of your actions
among some of you, either according to the law of God, or his
gospel.

“From him that desires your temporal and eternal good and
salvation, and not destruction. Amen.”

G.F.

Middlesex, the 28th of the 2nd Month, 1689.

“Peter, thou mayest translate this into high Dutch, and send them;
and you may print it, if you will, and send it abroad; and
translate that part of the letter that is to Friends into high
Dutch, and send it to them.”

Having stayed in the country about three weeks, I returned to LONDON a little before the Yearly Meeting, which was in the third month this year, and was a very solemn, weighty meeting; the Lord, as formerly, visiting his people, and honouring the assembly with his glorious presence, to the great satisfaction and comfort of Friends. After the business was over, it was upon me to add a few lines to the Epistle which went from the meeting to Friends, after this manner:—

“DEAR FRIENDS AND BRETHREN,

“Who have known the Lord’s eternal arm and power, that hath
preserved you upon the heavenly rock and foundation, and hath
built your house upon it; you have known many winds, tempests, and
storms, that have risen out of that sea where the beast rose; and
many raging storms that have risen by apostates of several sorts;
but the Seed that bruises the serpent’s head, and is the
foundation of God’s people, stands sure. Dear Friends and
brethren, though there be great shakings in the world, the Lord’s
power is over all, and his kingdom cannot be shaken. Therefore all
ye children of God, children of the light, and heirs of his
kingdom, a joyful, peaceable habitation keep in; keeping out of
all the contentions and disputes about things below. Lay hand on
no man, nor nothing suddenly, lest they should be puffed up with
that which fades, and so come to loss: but mind the Lord’s power,
that keeps open your heavenly eye, to see things present and to
come; and in that ye will see and handle the word of life.

“Dear Friends everywhere, have power over your own spirits. As God
hath blessed you with his outward things, have a care of trusting
in them, or falling into difference one with another about these
outward things that are below, which will pass away. But all live
in the love of God, and in that live in peace with God, and one
with another. Follow the works of charity, and overcome evil with
good to all; for what good have all the tinklers done, with their
cymbals and sounding brass? They always bred confusion, and never
did good in any age; tinkling with their cymbals, and sounding
with their brass, to draw out the simple to follow them.
Therefore, it is good for all the children of God to keep in their
possession of life, and in the love of God, that is everlasting.

“As for all the tumults of the world, and the apostates from the
truth, the Lord’s power is over them all, and Christ reigns; and
the Lord saith, ‘No weapon that is formed against thee shall
prosper,’ Isa. liv. 17. Now, Friends, you are not insensible how
many weapons have been formed against us, who are the sons and
daughters of God; and the Lord hath restrained them according to
his promise; they have not prospered. The Lord said, ‘Every tongue
that shall rise up in judgment against thee, thou shalt condemn:’
so God hath given such a power to his children, to condemn all the
tongues that shall rise up in judgment against them, and this is
the heritage of the servants of the Lord; ‘their righteousness is
of me, saith the Lord.’ You are not insensible of the many tongues
that have risen up against us in judgment, yea, of apostates and
profane. But in and with the truth, the power of God, according to
the promise of God, ‘Every tongue that riseth against thee, thou
shalt condemn.’ It is not one tongue only thou shalt condemn, but
‘every tongue that shall rise up in judgment against thee, thou
shalt condemn.’ The Lord giveth this power to his servants and
children, to judge the evil tongues; and he doth restrain the
weapons formed against them, so that they shall not prosper
against his children that he hath begotten. Praises and honour be
to his holy name for ever! Amen.”

G.F.

Soon after this, the Yearly Meeting began at York; which because of the largeness of that county, and for the conveniency of Friends in the northern parts, had for some years been held there. And inasmuch as there had been some hurt done in that place, by some that were gone out of the unity of Friends, it was upon me to write a few lines to that meeting, “to exhort them to keep in the pure, heavenly love, which brings into, and keeps in, the true unity.” Which was thus:—

“DEAR FRIENDS AND BRETHREN IN CHRIST JESUS,

“Whom the Lord by his eternal arm and power hath preserved to this
day, all walk in the power and Spirit of God, that is over all, in
love and unity; for love overcomes, builds up, and unites all the
members of Christ to him the Head. Love keeps out of all strife,
and is of God. Love, or charity, never fails, but keeps the mind
above all outward things, and strife about outward things. It
overcomes evil, and casts out all false fears. It is of God, and
unites all the hearts of his people together in the heavenly joy,
concord, and unity. The God of love preserve you all, and
establish you in Christ Jesus, your life and salvation, in whom ye
have all peace with God. So walk in him, that ye may be ordered in
his peaceable, heavenly wisdom, to the glory of God, and the
comfort one of another. Amen.”

G.F.

London, the 27th of the 3rd Month, 1689.

Being much wearied and spent with many large meetings, and much business with Friends, during the time of the Yearly Meeting, and finding my health much impaired thereby, I went out of town with my daughter Rous, to their country-house near KINGSTON, and tarried there most of the remaining part of the summer. In which time I sometimes visited Friends at Kingston, and wrote divers things for the service of truth and Friends. One was an epistle to Friends in Barbadoes; as follows:—

“_To all Friends in Barbadoes, that are convinced of God’s
truth._”

“My desires are that ye may live and walk in his peaceable truth,
and show forth that ye are children of the light and of the truth;
for the heavenly, gentle, and peaceable wisdom is justified of her
children. But debate, strife, wilfulness, and laying open one
another’s nakedness and weakness, is not the practice of heavenly
wisdom’s children (but of Ham’s,) nor from the Spirit of Christ;
neither such as bite and tear one another; that is from a
devouring spirit, not from the Spirit of Jesus, which covers that
which is uncomely, and can forgive.

“Now, my Friends, you profess that truth which is beyond all the
world’s ways; therefore see that you excel them in the heavenly,
gentle wisdom, that is easy to be entreated; for the wisdom of the
world is not easy to be entreated; and sometimes will not be
entreated at all. Pray see you excel the world in wisdom, in
virtue, in kindness, in love that is over hatred, in meekness and
humility, in sobriety, civility, and modesty, in temperance and
patience, and in all morality and humanity, which will not act
anything below men or unmanly. Show forth true Christianity, and
that ye are the converted and translated believers in Christ,
dwelling in the love of God, that beareth all things, endureth all
things, is not puffed up, and envies not. For they that are out of
this love of God and Christian charity, are nothing, but as a
tinkling cymbal and as sounding brass, and are discontented,
murmurers, and complainers, full of doubts, questions, and false
jealousies. Keep that spirit out of the camp of God; for do not
you read in the Scriptures, both of the New and Old Testament,
that the end of such was misery? Therefore, in the love of God,
build up one another; for love edifies the body of Christ, and he
commands his believers to love enemies, and to love one another;
by this they are known to be the disciples of Christ. But to live
in envy, strife, and hatred, is a mark they are no disciples of
Christ; ‘For he that loveth not his brother, abides in death; and
whosoever hates his brother, is a murderer: and ye know that no
murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. But they that love the
brethren, are passed from death to life,’ 1 John iii. 14, 15. And,
‘if a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar:
for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he
love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from
God, that he who loveth God, love his brother also,’ chap. iv. 20,
21. ‘Therefore, love one another;’ for love is of God, and hatred
is of the devil; and every one that loveth is born of God, and
knows God. All are children of God by creation; therefore in that
state they are to love their neighbours as themselves; and to do
unto all men as they would have them do unto them.

“Secondly, God poureth his Spirit upon all flesh (or all men and
women;) all that are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God,
heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; and are in fellowship
in the everlasting gospel; and in unity in the Spirit, the bond of
peace. They that go out of this unity, out of the bond of peace,
and do not keep it, break the King of king’s peace; but they that
keep in the unity, and fellowship in the Spirit, and walk in the
light, have fellowship one with another, and with the Father and
the Son. It is not everyone that talks of the light, of the word,
of righteousness, of Christ, and of God, but he that ‘doeth the
will of God.’ Therefore, my Friends, strive to excel one another
in love, in virtue, in good life and conversation; and strive all
to be of one mind, heart, and judgment in the Spirit of God; for
in Christ all are one, and are in peace with him. The Lord God
Almighty preserve you in him, your rock and foundation, that is
heavenly and stands sure; that ye may be valiant for the truth
upon earth, for the Lord and his glorious name; that ye may all
serve him in your generation, and in his new creation in Christ
Jesus. Amen.

“And now, that you are come into so much favour with the
magistrates and powers, that they let you serve the office of
constable, &c., without swearing or taking any oaths, hereby
Christ’s doctrine and command, and his apostle’s is set up.
Therefore, I desire, that you may double your diligence in your
offices, in doing that which is just, and true, and righteous; so
that ye may excel and exceed all that are tied or bound by oaths
to perform their offices; and you can do it upon your Yea and Nay;
so say, and so do; according to Christ’s doctrine and command. For
Adam and Eve, by disobeying the command of God, fell under
condemnation; and they that disobey the command of Christ, in
taking oaths and swearing, go into evil and fall into
condemnation, Matt. v.; James v. My love in the Lord is to you
all.”

G.F.

Kingston-upon-Thames, the 10th of the 5th Month, 1689.

I stayed at Kingston till the beginning of the seventh month, where not only Friends came to visit me, but some considerable people of the world, with whom I discoursed about the things of God. Then leaving Kingston, I went to LONDON by water, visiting Friends as I went, and taking HAMMERSMITH meeting in my way. Having recovered some strength by being in the country, when I was come to LONDON, I went from meeting to meeting, labouring diligently in the work of the Lord, and opening the divine mysteries of the heavenly things, as God by his Spirit opened them in me. But I found my body would not long bear the city; wherefore, when I had travelled amongst Friends there about a month, I went to TOTTENHAM-HIGH-CROSS, and thence to Edward Mann’s country-house near WINCHMORE-HILL, and to ENFIELD, spending three weeks among Friends thereabouts; and had meetings at all those places. Then, being a little refreshed with being in the country, I went back to LONDON; where I tarried, labouring in the work of the ministry, till the middle of the ninth month; at which time I went down with my son Mead to his house in ESSEX, and abode there all the winter. During which I stirred not much abroad, unless it were sometimes to the meeting, to which that family belonged, which was about half-a-mile from thence; but I had meetings often in the house with the family, and those Friends that came thither.

Many things also I wrote, while I was there; some of which follow. One was an epistle to the quarterly and yearly meetings of Friends in Pennsylvania, New England, Virginia, Maryland, the Jerseys, Carolina and other plantations in America. Which was thus:—

“MY DEAR FRIENDS AND BRETHREN IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST,

“Who, by believing in his light, are become children of his light
and of his day; my desires are, that you may all walk in the light
and in the day, and keep the feast of Christ our passover, who is
sacrificed for us, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of
malice and wickedness; but let all that be purged out, that ye may
be a new lump, keeping the feast of Christ our passover, with the
unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Let no leavened bread be
found in your houses, nor in your meetings, nor in the camp of
God, or household of faith, which are the household of Christ; but
all that old leaven, which makes people’s hearts sour, and burn
one against another, must be purged out of the camp of God, and
kept out. For the feast of Christ our passover, must be kept in
the New Covenant, with his heavenly unleavened bread of life. The
Jews’ feast in the Old Testament was kept with outward, unleavened
bread; and now in the New Testament, in the gospel day, our feast
is to be kept with the heavenly, unleavened bread of sincerity and
truth.