unexpected prorogation of parliament. He represents the Yearly Meeting as a heavenly season, in which the glory and majesty of the Lord, and love, wisdom and unity were signally manifest. Numerous testimonies were borne against that ungodly spirit which sought to make rents and divisions, but none spoke in its defence.

days of the apostles? How many have risen, since Truth appeared, to oppose the order which stands in the power and Spirit of God? These are in the same spirit which hath opposed the Spirit of God all along from the beginning. See what names or titles the Spirit of God gave that opposing spirit in the old covenant, and also in the new; which is the same [spirit] He remained in and about London several now; for after the Lord had given forth the old weeks, and some of those who had gone from covenant, there were some among themselves the simplicity of the Gospel into improper lib- that did oppose; which were worse than public erty, labouring to draw others after them, op- enemies. And likewise in the days of the posed the order and Discipline which, in divine new covenant, in the Gospel times, you may wisdom, was instituted for the preservation of see what sort opposed Christ and the apostles, the Society in consistency with its religious after they came to some sight of the Truth; profession. They made a great clamour and how they turned against Christ and his against its prescriptions, and by their plausible apostles? See what liberty they pleaded for insinuations beguiled the simple and furnished and ran into in the apostles' days, who could pretexts to the loose, and slightly attached not abide the cross, the yoke of Jesus. members to throw off its restraints. For the "We see the same rough and high spirit purpose of showing their errors and warning cries now for liberty, which the power and others of the dangerous effects of that spirit, Spirit of Christ cannot give, and cries, ‘Imhe wrote the following:position, yet is imposing; cries, 'Liberty of conscience,' and yet is opposing liberty of conscience; cries against prescriptions, and yet is prescribing both in words and writing. So with the everlasting power and Spirit of God this spirit is fathomed, its rise, beginning, and end; and it is judged. This spirit cries, We must not judge conscience, we must not judge matters of faith, we must not judge spirits, nor religions,' &c. Yes: they that are in the pure spirit and power of God, which the apostles were in, judge of conscience, whether it be a seared conscience, or a tender conscience; they judge of faith, whether it be a dead one, or a living one; they judge of religion, whether it be vain, or pure and undefiled. They judge of spirits, and try them, whether they be of God, or no; they judge of hope, whether it be that of hypocrites, or the true hope that purifies, even as God is pure; they judge of belief, whether it be that which is born of God, and overcometh the world, or that which runs into the spirit of the world, which lusts to envy, and doth not overcome the world. They judge of worships, whether they be will-worships, and the worship of the beast and dragon, or the worship of God in spirit and in truth; they judge of angels, whether they be fallen, or those that keep their habitation; they judge the world, that grieves "You that deny prescriptions given forth and quenches the Spirit, hates the light, turns by the power and Spirit of God, do thereby the grace of God into wantonness, and resists oppose the Spirit that gave them forth, in all the holy Ghost. They judge of the hearts, the holy men of God. Were there not some ears and lips; which are circumcised, and all along in the days of Moses, in the days of which are uncircumcised. They judge of the prophets, in the days of Christ, and in the ministers, apostles, and messengers, whether days of his apostles, who did withstand that they be of Satan or of Christ; judge of difwhich they gave forth from the Spirit of God? | ferences in outward things, in the church or And hath there not been the like since the elsewhere; yea, the least member of the church

"All that deny prescriptions without distinction, may as well deny all the Scriptures, which were given forth by the power and Spirit of God. For do they not prescribe how men should walk towards God and man, both in the Old Testament and in the New? Yea, from the very first promise of Christ in Genesis, what people ought to believe and trust in; and all along, till ye come to the prophets? Did not the Lord prescribe to his people by the fathers, and then by his prophets? Did he not prescribe to the people how they should walk, though they turned against the prophets in the old covenant for declaring or prescribing to them the way they should walk to please God, and keep in favour with him? In the days of Christ, did he not prescribe and teach how people should walk and believe? and after him, did not the apostles prescribe unto people how they might come to believe, and receive the Gospel and the kingdom of God, directing unto that which would give them the know ledge of God, and how they should walk in the new covenant in the days of the Gospel, and by what way they should come to the holy city? And did not the apostles send forth their decrees by faithful, chosen men, that had hazarded their lives for Christ's sake, to the churches, by which they were established?

hath power to judge of such things, having the ing, and distinction in the church of Christ; true measure and true weight to weigh and and such come to be spewed out of Christ's measure things withal, without respect to per-mouth, except they repent: and if not, they

sons.

66

"This judgment is given, and all these things are done by the same power and spirit the apostles were in. Such also can judge of election and reprobation, and who keep their habitation, and who do not; who are Jews, and who are of the synagogue of satan; who are in the doctrine of Christ, and who are in the doctrines of devils; who prescribe and declare things from the power and spirit of God, to preserve all in the power and spirit of God, and who prescribe and declare things from a loose spirit, to let all loose from under the yoke of Christ, the power of God, into looseness and liberty.

come to corrupt the earth, and burden it, that
it vomits them out of it. Therefore all are
exhorted to keep in the power and spirit of
Christ Jesus, in the word of life and the wisdom
of God in which they may keep their heavenly
understanding and discernment; and so set the
heavenly spiritual judgment over that which
is for judgment, which dishonours God, and
leads into loose and false liberty; out of the
unity which stands in the heavenly Spirit.
This brings to be conformable to the image of
the Son of God, and his Gospel the power of
God and his truth, in which all are of one mind
and come to drink into one Spirit, being bap-
tized by the one Spirit into one body, which
Christ is the head of; and keep one fellow-
ship in the Spirit, and unity in the Spirit,
which is the bond of peace, the Prince of
princes' peace. And those that cry so much
against judging, and are afraid of judgment,
whether they be apostles, professors, or pro-
fane, are the most judging with a censorious
false spirit and judgment; yet cannot bear
the true judgment of the spirit of God, nor
stand in his judgment. This hath been mani-
fest from the beginning, they having the false
measures and the false weights: for none
have the true measure and the true weight,
but those who keep in the light, power, and
spirit of Christ. There is a loose spirit that
cries for liberty, and against prescriptions, yet
is prescribing ways, both by words and wri-
tings. The same spirit cries against judging,
and would not be judged, yet is judging with
a wrong spirit. This is given forth in reproof
to that spirit.
G. F.

"These likewise can judge and discern who bring people into the possession of the Gospel of light and life, over death and darkness, and into the truth where the devil cannot get in; and who bring them into the possession of death and darkness, out of the glorious liberty of the Gospel, and of Jesus Christ, his faith, truth, and spirit. For there is no true liberty but in that; and that liberty answers the spirit, and the faith of Christ in every man and woman, and is the yoke to the contrary in every man and woman. That makes it rage and swell, and puff up; for it is restless, unruly, out of patience, and ready to curse God, and that which reigns over it, because it hath not its will. It works with all subtlety and evasion with its restless spirit, to get in and defile the minds of the simple. But as they receive the heavenly wisdom, by which all things were made, which is above that spirit, through this they will be preserved over it. And Christ hath given judgment to his saints in his church, though he be Judge of all. And the saints, in the spirit of God, have power to judge of words and manners, of lives and con- After the Yearly Meeting he visited Friends versations, growths and states, from a child, in several of the counties of England, where to a father in the truth; and to whom they he had "very precious meetings and good are a savour of death, and to whom they are service among them and others, for there was a savour of life; and who serve the Lord great openness ;" and in the seventh month, Jesus Christ, and preach him, and who preach 1678, reached his residence at Swarthmore. themselves, and serve themselves; and who Whether at home or abroad, the care of the talk of the light, of faith, of the Gospel, of churches and a righteous concern for the hope, of grace, and preach such things; yet honour and promotion of the cause of Christ in their works and lives deny them all, and daily rested upon him; and he spared not himdeny God and Christ, and preach up liberty to self but laboured diligently, as the Lord called that which should be under the yoke and cross him thereto. And although he was enfeebled of Christ, the power of God. So the saints, in and his limbs greatly swollen and stiffened by the power and spirit of Christ, can discern exposure to wet and cold in noisome and and distinguish who serves God and Christ, damp dungeons, so that it was painful to him and who serves him not; and can put a dis-to ride or walk, yet the lively zeal and energy tinction between the profane and the holy. of his mind abated not, nor his love for Friends. But such as have lost their eye-salve, and their In his retirement at Swarthmore, where he resight is grown dim, lose this judgment, discern-mained nearly a year and a half, he wrote VOL. I.-No. 3.

"London, the 9th of the
4th month, 1678."

12

walkers; but that in all things God may be honoured, and ye may glorify him in your bodies, souls and spirits, the little time ye have to live. My love to you all in the holy Seed of life, that reigns over all, and is the first and last, in whom ye all have life and salvation, and your election and peace with God, through Jesus Christ, who destroys him that hath been betwixt you and God; so that nothing may be betwixt you and the Lord but Christ Jesus. Amen."

Setting out from home early in 1680, he travelled through Westmoreland, Lancashire, and Yorkshire. Coming to York at the time of the assizes, he interested himself in behalf of several Friends then suffering imprisonment there. He also attended the Quarterly Meeting, which was a satisfactory and refreshing season; and proceeded by slow stages toward London, which he reached in time for the Yearly Meeting. Of this annual solemnity "a blessed opportunity the Lord gave us together, wherein the ancient love was sweetly felt, and the heavenly life flowed abundantly over all." Soon after this he visited two boarding schools for Friends' children, the establishment of which he had promoted, and now felt a lively interest in their right support. One was at Shacklewell for the education of girls, and the other for boys, kept by Christopher Taylor, at Edmonton.

he

says,

informers, the magistrates proceeded against Friends without giving them a hearing, by which many suffered both unjustly and illegally. In company with others he drew up a remonstrance against their conduct, and Friends appealing from their decisions, several were acquitted and the informers defeated, which moderated the justices and brought relief to the sufferers.

An election for sheriff's coming on, George Fox wrote the following short address to show the candidates the unreasonableness of expecting Friends to vote for those who would persecute them, and also took an opportunity to bring some of their testimonies into view.

Will not you force us to give tithes and maintenance to such teachers as we know God hath not sent? Shall we be free to serve and worship God, and keep his and his Son's commands, if we give our voices freely for you? for we are unwilling to give our voices for such as will imprison and persecute us, and spoil our goods."

"Do any here in London, who stand to be chosen sheriffs, own that Christ who was crucified without the gates of Jerusalem, to be the light of the world, that 'enlightens every man that cometh into the world," who saith, 'Believe in the light, that ye may become children of the light?' Is any of you against persecuting people for their religion and worship of God in spirit and truth, as Christ commandeth? For Christ said, 'I am not of this world nor my kingdom' therefore he doth not uphold his spiritual worship and pure religion with worldly and carnal weapons. Christ saith, 'Swear not at all;' and his apostle James saith the same: but will not you force us to swear, and break Christ's and his apostle's commands, Returning to London he spent most of the in putting oaths to us? Christ saith to his aposwinter there, assisting Friends in their en-tles, "Freely ye have received, freely give :' deavours to induce the parliament to grant some relief to the hardships and grievances they endure in various parts of the kingdom, and labouring in other ways for the promotion of the cause of righteousness in the earth. After the Yearly meeting he made a short visit to some parts of Bucks, Berks, and Oxon; again returning to London, which city and its vicinity, became his principal residence during the remainder of his life. He was much engaged in correspondence with Friends in different parts of the world, advising and assisting in cases of difficulty, and exerting himself for the preservation and prosperity of the infant Society. London being a central situation, where Friends from all parts resorted, and where a large portion of the concerns of the church were transacted, "All keep in the gentle and peaceable it seemed more convenient for him than the wisdom of God, which is above that which is secluded situation of Swarthmore. Suffering earthly, sensual, and devilish; and live in that still continuing severe upon Friends in this love of God that is not puffed up, nor is uncity, he felt himself bound to attend their seemly; which envieth not, but beareth and meetings, in order to encourage them, both by endureth all things. In this love ye will seek word and example, to stand fast in the testi- the good and peace of all men, and the hurt mony to which God had called them; and at of no man. Keep out of all heats; be not other times he went from house to house visit-hot-headed, but be cool and gentle, that your ing those who were despoiled of their goods Christian moderation may appear to all men; for truth's sake. At the instance of rapacious for the Lord is at hand, who beholds all men's

"But whatever the candidates were, says he, I observed heat and strife in the spirits of the people that were to choose; wherefore I wrote a few lines to be spread amongst them, directed,

"To the people who are choosing sheriffs in

London:

"People,

"And dearly beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing had happened to you; for it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil. "But not having relief from him, it came doing; and rejoice, inasmuch as ye are made upon me to write an epistle to Friends, to en- partakers of Christ's sufferings. Wherefore courage them in their sufferings, that they let them that suffer according to the will of might bear with patience the many exercises God, commit the keeping of their souls to him brought upon them, both by magistrates and in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator: for false brethren and apostates; whose wicked unto you it is given, in the behalf of Christ, not books and filthy slanders grieved the upright-only to believe on him, but also to suffer for hearted. This epistle I wrote at Dalston, his sake. So it is given, or is a gift from whither I went to visit an ancient Friend that lay sick.