His convictions of this truth are thus described. "The Lord God opened to me by his invisible power, how every man was enlightened by the divine light of Christ. I saw it shine through all, and that they that believed in it came out of condemnation, to the light of life, and became the children of it; but they that hated it, and did not believe in it, were condemned by it, though they made a profession of Christ."

prison, where he was detained until the sheriff, taking compassion on his uncomfortable situation, removed him to his house. How long he remained there does not appear, but he says it was "a pretty long time;" and after being discharged, he travelled, as before, in the work of the ministry.

At Mansfield Woodhouse, in 1649, he entered the place of public worship, and attempted to speak to the people, but they fell upon him and cruelly beat him with their hands, bibles, and sticks; then put him into the stocks, where he remained some time; and, finally, stoned him out of the town.* By this un

In describing his commission as a minister, he says he "was sent to turn people from darkness to light"- "to the grace of God and to the truth in the heart, which came by Jesus," ," "that all might come to know their salvation nigh." "I saw that Christ died for all *After the dissolution of the monarchy by the men; was a propitiation for all," "and that death of Charles, and the consequent suspension of the manifestation of the Spirit of God was the national form of worship, much greater latigiven to every man to profit withal. These tude was allowed to the ministers of religion. things I did not see by the help of man, nor During Cromwell's victorious campaign in Scotby the letter, though they are written in the land, the ministers of that nation objected against letter; but I saw them in the light of the Lord him, for "opening the pulpit doors to all intruders;” Jesus Christ and by his immediate spirit and helpers of, not lords over, the faith of God's peoto which he replied, "We look on ministers as power, as did the holy men of God, by whom ple. I appeal to their consciences, whether any, the Holy Scriptures were written. Yet I had denying their doctrines or dissenting from them, no slight esteem of the Holy Scriptures; they will not incur the censure of a sectary. And what were very precious to me, for I was in that is this but to deny Christians their liberty, and asspirit by which they were given forth; and sume the infallible chair? Where do you find in what the Lord opened in me, I afterwards Scripture that preaching is included [limited] within your functions? Though an approbation from found was agreeable to them. I could speak men has order in it, and may be well, yet he that much of these things, and many volumes hath not a better than that, hath none at all. I might be written; but all would prove too hope He that ascended up on high, may give his short to set forth the infinite love, wisdom, and gifts to whom he pleases, and if those gifts be the power of God, in preparing, fitting, and fur-seal of missions, are not you envious, though Elnishing me for the service he had appointed dad and Medad prophesy? You know who has me to; letting me see the depths of satan on bid us covet earnestly the best gifts, but chiefly the one hand, and opening to me, on the other hand, the divine mysteries of his own everlasting kingdom."

to be a speaking to instruction, edification and comthat we may prophesy; which the apostle explains fort, which the instructed, edified and comforted, can best tell the energy and effect of.

"Now if this be evidence, take heed you envy not for your own sakes, lest you be guilty of a greater fault than Moses reproved in Joshua, when he envied for his sake. Indeed you err through of convenience, in respect of order, not of necesmistake of the Scriptures. Approbation is an act sity, to give faculty to preach the Gospel. Your pretended fear, lest error should step in, is like the man that would keep all the wine out of the country, lest men should be drunk. It will be found an unjust and unwise jealousy, to deny a man the liberty he hath by nature, upon a supposition he may abuse it. When he doth abuse it, then judge."

He now travelled more extensively, and laboured abundantly in preaching the word. Many were convinced of the doctrines which he promulgated, and during the years 1647 and 1648 several meetings of Friends were settled. But as the nature of his principles was opposed to the outward and lifeless profession of religion which too much prevailed in that day, tending to draw the people from a dependence on human teaching and external ceremonies, to the work of regeneration by the Holy Spirit in their own hearts, he met This letter shows to what length Cromwell was with much opposition and cruel usage. His disposed to go, as respects the license for preachfirst imprisonment took place in 1648, at Not-ing, and taking his sentiments as indicative of the tingham, where he entered the place of public opinions on the subject generally prevalent among worship on a first-day morning, and spoke to the Independents, a great change from the previ the people on the subject of the Holy Scrip- ous restriction is obvious. Whether the practice tures, showing that the Spirit of Christ, by of going into the places of worship and addressing which the holy men of old wrote the Scrip- would be difficult at this day to decide. That it the assembly, was at all times warrantable, it tures, was that by which only they could be was not uncommon is evident, and the peculiar rightly understood. As he was speaking, the circumstances of the times, furnish reasons in deofficers arrested him and took him to a filthy | fence of it which do not now exist. It was by no

christian usage he was so injured as scarcely extravagance which prevailed among the peoto be able to stand or walk; but meeting with ple. He believed that the Christian religion some persons who pitied his situation, they ad- led all those who faithfully obeyed its requir ministered to his relief, and through the mercyings, into simplicity and self-denial in their of the Lord he was soon healed. From there manner of life. That instead of being conhe went through Leicestershire, by Bagworth, formed to the world, they were to renounce Coventry, Atherstone, Market Bosworth, and its vain fashions and customs, and avoid every Twy Cross, and into Derbyshire, preaching thing which promoted pride or luxury. Hence the Gospel of life and salvation, and warning he inculcated, by example as well as precept, the people to repent and turn from their wick-a plain and simple mode of living, free from edness.

needless show and expense. Convinced that the use of compliments and flattering titles, bowing, and putting off the hat, and of the plural number when speaking to one person, had their origin in the pride of the human heart, which seeks honour from man, he was conscientiously bound to refrain from the use of everything of the sort, and keep to the Scripture language of thou and thee, to one person, according to the correct grammar rules. "The Lord showed me," says he,

"About this time," says he, "I was exercised in going to courts to cry for justice, in speaking and writing to judges and justices to do justly, in warning such as kept public houses for entertainment, that they should not let people have more drink than would do them good, in testifying against wakes, feasts, May games,* sports, plays and shows, which trained people up to vanity and mirth and led them from the fear of God; and the days set forth for holy days were usually the times" that it was an honour which he would lay wherein they most dishonoured God by these in the dust and stain: an honour which proud things. In fairs also, and in markets, I was flesh looked for, and sought not the honour made to declare against their deceitful mer- that comes from God only. That it was an chandize, cheating and cozening; warning honour invented by men, in the fall and alienall to deal justly, to speak the truth, to let ation from God, who were offended if it was their yea be yea, and their nay nay, and to not given to them, yet would be looked upon do unto others as they would have others do as saints, church members, and Christians. unto them, forewarning them of the great and But Christ saith, How can ye believe, who terrible day of the Lord that would come upon receive honour one of another, and seek not all. I was moved also to cry against all sorts the honour that cometh from God only?' 'And of music, and against mountebanks playing I,' saith Christ, receive not honour of men.' tricks on their stages, for they burdened the O the blows, punchings, beatings and impripure life, and stirred up the minds of the peo-sonments, we underwent, for not putting off ple to vanity. I was also much exercised with the hat! The bad language and evil usage we school-masters and mistresses, warning them to teach children sobriety in the fear of the Lord, that they might not be trained up in lightness, and vanity, and wantonness. I was made to warn masters and mistresses, fathers and mothers, in private families, to take care that their children and servants might be brought up in the fear of the Lord, and that themselves should be examples of sobriety and virtue to them."

Among other subjects which engaged the attention of George Fox, was the gaiety and

means peculiar to our Society, and in most cases, where Friends did it, there is reason to believe they waited until the stated preacher had done, before they attempted to speak.

*The reader will recollect that James I. had issued a proclamation encouraging these sports and revels, and that it was revived by Charles I. The licentiousness which grew out of the indulgence thus given, furnishes an explanation of the distress of mind which George Fox experienced on account of the prevailing wickedness, and the earnest manner in which he warned the people to repent and amend their lives.

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received on this account, is hard to be expressed; besides the danger we were sometimes in of losing our lives for this matter, and that by the great professors of Christianity." Scarcely any testimony held by our worthy predecessors caused them more deep and bitter sufferings at their first appearance, but their faithfulness was not shaken; through it all they held fast their profession without wavering.

Believing that none could preach the Ğospel but those whom Christ Jesus called, qualified, and commissioned for the work, and that these necessary qualifications were without regard to human learning or ordination, riches, station or sex, and that all those thus anointed and engaged in the work were commanded by their Divine Master to give as freely as they had received, he bore a decided and faithful testimony against making merchandize of the Gospel and receiving a pecuniary compensation for preaching. He deplored the covetous spirit which was apparent among many who took upon them the responsible office of the ministry, which induced them to seek for the highest salaries, leaving their flocks and places

told them, that having done no wrong he could not consent to have any one bound for him, a practice which he and his friends adhered to through all their long imprisonments. One of the justices was much enraged at his refusal, and as George was kneeling down to pray for him, he ran upon him and struck him with both his hands, crying to the gaoler, "Away with him—take him away, gaoler." It was this justice, Gervas Bennet, who first called Friends Quakers, because George Fox bid him tremble at the word of the Lord.

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for greater wages, and pleading a call from the Lord so to do. Against this practice he testified, as an abomination and crying sin. "O," says he, "the vast sums of money that are got by the trade they make of the Scriptures and by their preaching, from the highest bishop to the lowest priest! What trade in the world is comparable to it, notwithstanding the Scriptures were given forth freely; Christ commanded his ministers to preach freely, and the prophets and apostles denounced judgment against all covetous hirelings and diviners for money. In the free spirit of the Lord Jesus, The time of his commitment was now nearwas I sent forth to declare the word of life ly out, and the parliament being engaged in and reconciliation freely, that all might come raising troops, a commission as captain of one to Christ, who gives freely, and renews up of the new regiments was offered to him by into the image of God which man and woman some of the officers of government. But were in before they fell, that they might sit George Fox objected to receiving it on condown in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." scientious grounds. He believed that instead In the year 1650 he visited Derby and of war and bloodshed, the Gospel of Christ preached to the people, for which the officers breathed "peace on earth and good will to arrested him and took him before the magis-men"-that the Son of God came not to detrates, who, after an examination of eight stroy men's lives, but to save them, and to hours' length, committed him and John Fret- teach mankind to love their enemies, instead well, who was with him, to the house of cor- of fighting them-to do good rather than rection, where they were confined six months. evil to those who hate them, and to pray for During the examination, Justices Bennet those who despitefully use them. "I told and Barton endeavoured to draw from him them,” he remarks, “ that I knew from whence some expression by which they might prove all wars and fightings arose, even from men's him guilty of holding blasphemous opinions. lusts, according to the Apostle James' doctrine, They asked him "If he had no sin?"-to and that I lived in the virtue of that life and which he replied, "Christ, my Saviour, has power that took away all occasion of wars." taken away my sins, and in him there is no Still they persuaded him to accept their offer, sin." Then they asked "how the Quakers and finding they could not prevail, they beknew that Christ did abide in them?"-and came angry and ordered him to be thrust into were answered, “By his spirit that he had the common jail, among the felons. This was given them." Finding nothing in this upon a most noisome, offensive place, infested with which to ground a charge, they ensnaringly vermin; and there, among thirty abandoned asked, "whether any of them were Christ?" rogues, he was kept almost half a year. To which George promptly replied, "Nay- Many came to see him during this imprisonWe are nothing-Christ is all." This full ment, and among others, a soldier who had acknowledgment of their own nothingness and been a Baptist. This man said to him, "Your the all-sufficiency of the Saviour, defeated their faith stands in a man that died at Jerusalem, design-but still anxious to convict him, and, if and there was never any such thing." "Bepossible, prove a coincidence between the Qua- ing exceedingly grieved to hear him," observes kers and the Ranters, they asked, "If a man George, "I said, "How! did not Christ suffer steal, is it no sin?"-alluding to the monstrous without the gates of Jerusalem, through the notions of that sect, by which moral good and professing Jews, chief priests and Pilate?' He evil were confounded. George answered them denied that Christ ever suffered there outwardin the words of Holy Scripture," All unright-ly. Then I asked him whether there were not eousness is sin." But although he thus clear-chief priests, and Jews and Pilate there outed himself and his fellow-professors from their wardly? When he could not deny that, I told imputations yet they made out a mittimus, him, as certainly as there was a chief priest, and sent him and his companion to prison, and Jews, and Pilate there outwardly, so ceras persons charged with uttering and broach-tainly was Christ persecuted by them, and did ing divers blasphemous opinions, contrary to the late act of parliament.

His relations were much concerned about his imprisonment, and offered to be bound that he should come to the town no more, if the justices would discharge him. But George VOL. I.-No. 1.

suffer there outwardly under them. Yet from this man's words, was a slander raised against us, that the Quakers denied Christ that suffered and died at Jerusalem, which was all utterly false, for the least thought of it never entered our hearts."

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George Fox early bore a testimony against beating him as they went, so that he was cotaking away human life under judicial proceed-vered with blood and dirt. As soon as he ings. While he was in prison, a young wo- could recover himself and get upon his feet, man was brought there for robbing her mas- he preached repentance to them, showing them ter. When she was about to be tried, he wrote the fruits of their false profession and how to the judges and jury, showing them how they disgraced the Christian name. After contrary it was to the law of God to put per- some time he got into the meeting of Friends, sons to death for such offences. She was, and the priest and his hearers coming by the however, condemned to die, and he then wrote house, he went with Friends into the yard and a warning, to be read at the place of execu- again addressed them. They scoffed and called tion, against covetousness and greediness after them Quakers; but such was the power acthe things of this world, which lead people companying his preaching, that the priest away from God and into many hurtful things. trembled, and one of the people called out, The woman was pardoned, and afterward be- "Look how the priest trembles and shakes; came a Friend. he is turned a Quaker also." In consequence After being a prisoner almost a year, six of the abuse committed that day, two or three months of which he passed in the house of justices convened at the town to examine into correction, and the remainder in the common the matter, and though the person who shed jail, he was set at liberty about the beginning his blood was liable to a severe penalty, of winter, in 1651; and immediately resumed George Fox forgave him and would not aphis travels, going into Leicestershire, Notting-pear against him. hamshire, and Yorkshire, preaching repent- In reading these accounts of the sufferings ance and amendment of life, wherever he came. In several places he met with very cruel usage, being beaten and stoned so as to endanger his life; but through the goodness of his gracious Lord, he was soon healed, and nothing daunted by the hardships he endured, persevered as a good soldier of Jesus Christ in proclaiming the glad tidings of salvation and peace.

of our worthy predecessors, it is well for us to contrast the hardness of their lot with the ease and liberty we now enjoy; and to remember that our exemption from suffering, was purchased for us by their faithfulness and constancy in bearing testimony to the truth. The principles we profess, are those in support of which they underwent these grievous hardships and imprisonments, and it becomes us to watch with diligence our steps through life, that we may not in any of our conduct violate those principles, or bring a shade over the high profession we are making.

He now became known to many of the justices, some of whom formed a favourable opinion of his doctrine and treated him with marked kindness. Justice Hotham, of Crantsick, was of this character. He acknowledged It does not appear that George Fox was imthat "If God had not raised up this principle prisoned during the year 1652, although he of light and life, which he had known ten was constantly engaged in preaching the Gosyears, and which George preached, the na-pel, and exposing the errors and wickedness tion would have been overrun with ranterism, of the high professors of religion, which proand all the justices in the nation could not duced great excitement against him, particuhave stopped it with all their laws; because," larly among the priests. They procured a said he, "they would have said as we said, and done as we commanded, and yet have kept their own principle still. But this principle of truth overthrows their principle in the root and ground thereof; therefore, he was glad the Lord had raised up this principle of life and truth."

In 1652, coming to Tickhill, he sat some time with Friends at their meeting, and then went to the public worship house, and began to address the people. But they immediately fell upon him and beat him-the clerk striking him on the face with a bible, so that the blood gushed out on the floor of the house: then they cried, "Let us have him out of the church," and accordingly dragged him out and beat him, knocked him down and threw him over a hedge: then they dragged him through a house into the street, stoning and

warrant for apprehending him, and presented an indictment for blasphemy to the court of sessions held at Lancaster, where about forty of them appeared as witnesses against him. Hearing of this, he thought it best to appear openly in the court, and face his persecutors, without waiting to be taken up by the officers. He accordingly went to the sessions, and when the witnesses came to be examined, they contradicted each other so as to destroy the force of their evidence. The indictment was quashed, and George discharged.

He bore testimony in open court that "the Holy Scriptures were given forth by the Spirit of God," which all people must come to in themselves in order to experience fellowship with the Father and the Son, and with one another, and without which Spirit they could not savingly understand the Scriptures. This ex

cued him. On the following day the magistrates sent a warrant to arrest him: George hearing they had granted it, did not wait for the constable to serve it, but went himself before the magistrates. He was committed to prison, "as a blasphemer, an heretic, and a seducer,"

hole, among the vilest felons and disorderly persons, without bed, fire or other accommodation. While lying in this comfortless situation, he was visited by James Parnell, then a lad of only sixteen years of age, whose mind the Lord had touched by his Holy Spirit, and raised strong desires after the knowledge of his blessed truth. He was convinced, and soon became an able minister of the Gospel; and after labouring assiduously in the work, during the short period allotted him, died of cruel usage in Colchester Castle, in 1655, being about nineteen years of age.

asperated the priests, and one of them said that the Spirit and the letter were inseparable. To which George replied, "Then every one that hath the letter, hath the Spirit, and they might buy the Spirit with the letter of the Scriptures." This discovery of the error of his opponents, induced Judge Fell and Colonel and cruelly used, being thrust into a common West to reprove them, observing “ that ac- | cording to their position, they might carry | the Spirit in their pockets, as they did the Scriptures." The priest then endeavoured to equivocate and give a different meaning to his words, but the court refused to admit any other than the plain sense of his own expressions. They were thus confounded, and it was proved by witnesses present in the meeting, that no such language had been used by George Fox as they alleged against him in the charge of blasphemy exhibited before the court, and many pious persons praised God that day for the victory which Truth obtained. At Grayrigg a priest came to a meeting and asserted that "the Scriptures were the Word of God." George Fox told him "they were the words of God, but not Christ, the Word,” and bade him prove his assertion by Scripture. In this he failed, but sent George a challenge to meet him at Kendal. George sent him word he need not go so far as Kendal, he would meet him in his own parish. At the second interview the priest made the same assertion. To which it was answered, "They were the words of God, but not God the Word." He then attempted to bring proof from the Scriptures, but George keeping him close to his offer, and requiring chapter and verse, he again failed and ran himself into many errors. George closed the dispute by repeating his belief-that he owned what the Scriptures said of themselves—namely, "that they were the words of God, but Christ was the Word."

The number of those convinced of the doc

trines of Friends, and who joined in religious fellowship with George Fox, was now greatly increased. Meetings were settled in many places, and several eminent ministers had come forth, among whom were Richard Farnsworth, William Dewsbury, Thomas Aldam, and Edward Burrough. These were industriously engaged in promoting the cause of religion, and travelled almost constantly, holding large meetings with the people.

He remained in prison until the assizes, and the judges finding that the high charges on which he was committed could not be sustained, resolved not to bring him to trial. It was reported abroad that he was to suffer death, and the parliament ordered a letter of inquiry to be sent to the sheriffs and magistrates concerning him. Through the exertions of justice Pearson, who visited the prisoner, in company with the governor, George's situation was made more comfortable. The governor was so shocked with the filthiness of the place when he first entered it, that he exclaimed against the barbarity of the magistrates for committing him, and required security of the jailer for his good behaviour; and the underjailer, who had been exceedingly cruel, was imprisoned in the same dungeon. The magistrates fearing the interference of parliament, soon after released George Fox, as the easiest method of concealing their illegal conduct.*

* These prosecutions on the charges of blasact passed by Parliament in 1650, designed to phemy, heresy, &c., were commenced under an reach the Ranters, a visionary sect which arose during the civil and religious commotions of the times, and published the most wild and blasphemous opinions. They ascribed the attributes of Deity to men-contended that no act, however wicked, was sinful in the saints-that the grossest violations of the moral law were not, in themselves, sinful; and that there was no real difference between moral good and evil. Acting on these principles, they committed many excesses At Carlisle, in 1653, George Fox preached and gave occasion to the irreligious to speak ill of at the Market Cross and in the place of wor- the profession of Christianity. The enemies of ship, and the doctrines he delivered not being Friends, failing in their other accusations, endeaagreeable to some of the people, they stirred voured to produce the impression that their princiup the populace against him, threatening him ples were similar to those of the Ranters, and the Parliament having repealed the other penal stawith beating and stoning. The tumult, how-tutes for religion, they prosecuted them on the ever, was appeased by the soldiery, who per- charge of blasphemy. But in every instance the ceived the injury intended to be done and res-charges fell to the ground. So far from agreeing