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THE PAPERS OF WILLIAM CROUCH CONTINUED After he had received my letter and queries, he replied as follows, and with his answer he sent me a printed sheet, called An Item against Sacrilege, or sundry Queries concerning Tithes.
To which reply of his, I returned an answer as follows:
I delivered the previous letter into the hands of William Wickens, called the minister, or chaplain to the Poultry Compter, who promised to deliver it, but I received no answer to it. Having received no answer, I again visited him in a few lines, written from my own house, having by favor of the prison keeper, liberty to look after my business. And with this letter I sent him two small books in print, one the Great Tale of Tithes, by Anthony Pearson, the other A Touch Stone, by John Crook; all of which were delivered into the hands of his servant, by a servant of mine. The letter was as follows:
On each first-day of the week William Wickens before mentioned, the priest or chaplain of the prison, preached to the prisoners, taking for his text the words of the prophet Jeremiah 4:2, And you shall swear the Lord lives in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness, and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory. From which text of Scripture, this chaplain offered to prove the lawfulness of swearing. But after some time I bore witness against him in the prison. After I had continued a prisoner near two years, the parish chose me constable; to be excused of which I paid, and they accepted a moderate fine, and so discharged me of the office, and also of my imprisonment. But the adversary did not cease here, neither was this an end of my trials, exercises and sufferings for the Truth's sake. And although I had some respite, with respect to my own particular; yet I suffered with them that were in sufferings of another nature and kind. About this time was made the act for banishment of the Quakers to the English plantations for seven years; which I shall take more particular notice of hereafter. CHAPTER IV A further account of the act for banishment, and the proceedings thereupon, with what followed. AND now the enemies and adversaries of the church, were in deep consultations, utterly to root the Quakers out of England, by banishing them into foreign plantations; and this law was made. The magistrates and rulers, many of them, were very intent upon prosecuting it; and many Friends were taken up at our religious meetings and imprisoned, and at the courts of assize and sessions were sentenced to banishment, and put on ship-board to be sent away; and some were actually carried to the plantations abroad! But others who were put on shipboard, were afterwards set on shore in England, by the masters of the ships. It was not long, before the Lord was pleased to show his displeasure, and to put a stop to these unrighteous, and inhuman actions, by those severe strokes of his hand upon the nation in the years 1665, and 1666. First the great plague, which swept away great numbers of the inhabitants, and that followed by that dreadful fire, which reduced to ashes so great a part of the city of London; and also the wars with the Dutch at that time. And although like the Egyptians of old, they pursued the Lord's chosen Israel; yet God took off the chariot wheels, and they drove heavily; for the work prospered not in their hands. The first proceedings, as I remember, upon this act, were upon the 12th and 13th days of the month called August, 1664, at the assize at Hartford, where eight of the people called Quakers received sentence of banishment, by Orlando Bridgman, judge of the court; seven of whom were brought up to London by William Edmonds, keeper of the jail at Hartford; and were put on board the ship called the Ann of London, Thomas May commander, in order to their transportation to Jamaica; but after they had been sometime on board, the said master or commander set them on shore again, refusing to carry them, and gave them a certificate as follows:
Three of the said people called Quakers, namely: Connanwel Britton, Bartholomew Croker, and Lewis Rogers, were by John Towgood, water bailiff, put on board the ship Mary Fortune of Bristol, John Lloyd master, bound for Barbados; and he also refused to carry them, set them on shore, and gave a certificate as follows:
Many others were sentenced to banishment, at the sessions at Hicks's-hall, and the Old Bailey; particular accounts whereof, and the proceedings of the courts against them, existing in print, I refer the reader to them for further satisfaction, taking notice of what has occurred to my knowledge and remembrance, of those impediments and obstructions which hindered the progress of this inhuman and unchristian law, and the proceedings thereupon. And having met with the copy of a warrant from the king and council, to the governor of Jamaica; I will give it as follows:
The three Quakers in this warrant expressed, were, Edward Brush, an elderly man of good repute, an inhabitant and housekeeper in Bearbinder Lane near Lombard street, London, and James Harding, a young man well reputed, and one other whose name I have forgotten; but he died in his passage there, as I remember. Edward Brush and James Harding arrived upon the Island in safety, and were not confined by the governor. After they had remained there sometime, they both returned home to England; Edward Brush to his wife and family, and James Harding while he abode there, took to wife a young woman. And before I leave this, I must take some farther notice of the observations, made by many sober considerate persons, who were greatly affected with these proceedings in general, and more particularly how immediately the just hand of God followed upon this persecution and banishment. The king's warrant bears date the 13th of March, 1664, and the next month following, called April, 1665, [ the Julian calendar year ran from April to March] the great sickness or plague broke out, which was followed by the dreadful burning of the city of London, and wars with the Dutch at the same time; three great judgments, namely pestilence, fire and sword. Oh nation of England! Awaken to these judgments, to cease to provoke the Lord to anger against you, by such unrighteous laws and decrees against his people and heritage, who are as the apple of his eye. In the time of this great persecution and exercise, which attended Friends and their families by separating husbands from their wives, fathers from their children, masters from their families, children from their parents; for no other cause but meeting together to worship God, as they were persuaded in their consciences; no crime being laid to their charge, nor doing evil to any man; the Lord was at this time very near to support them, and by fresh visitations of his Spirit, to quicken them, and to encourage each other to a steadfast and constant perseverance in their testimony for God, and the cause in which they were engaged. This may appear by the epistle following, a copy of which having been preserved by me, I have thought fit to insert in this place, and remembering when Christ Jesus fed the multitude, he gave directions to gather the fragments, that nothing be lost. The tender care of the Lord's provident hand, is comfortable to my soul, at this very instant to remember and think upon.
I shall next observe to the reader, the exercises and hardships, with which some were attended, who were under sentence of banishment to Jamaica, to the number of fifty-five persons, thirty-seven men, and eighteen women, all put on board one ship; and for a particular account I refer to the following relation, which I received from Degory Marshall, under his own hand, who was of that number.
The reason why this person expresses himself with so much caution, as to his remembrance, and as he thinks, is because he made no record of what passed in their voyage and journey until many years after, when I asked him to. I have been informed that several ship masters were approached, who refused to take them on board, choosing rather to lay up their ships; but Fudge being asked, he readily consented to receive them, and having contracted great debts to provision and fit the ship, was afterwards arrested and cast into prison, and Peter Love was made master. As the seamen left the ship, a warrant was obtained to impress men, who after they were on board also left the ship. But it was a time of war with the Dutch, and there was some Dutch seamen prisoners; some of them agreed to go with the ship, in company with some English. John Claus before mentioned, being a German born, but for some time had dwelled in London, and being convinced of the Truth revealed and made known to and among the Quakers, and by believing in Christ Jesus the true Light, made manifest in his own heart and conscience, he received and professed it; and being taken at Friends’ meetings, was imprisoned among others; and upon his trial, although he informed the court that he was not a subject of England, yet he was sentenced to banishment with the rest. He did not return to England, but settled in Amsterdam, where he continues to this day a witness for that one everlasting and unchangeable Truth, unto which he bore a faithful testimony in that day by suffering. Next follows a copy of a letter, written by Laurence Fullove, to his uncle Amos Stoddard from Amsterdam; he was one of the banished number that remained on board the English ship, which copy coming providentially to my hands soon after it came to England, I shall here present the reader with it.
Meetings molested, and meeting-houses seized by the magistrates for the king, and afterwards, guards of soldiers placed in the meeting-houses to keep us out, and what ensued thereupon. The prosecution of the Act for banishment now was ceased; but during the great plague or sickness, in the year 1665, which raged in the city of London, and suburbs, and other parts of the nation, persecution did not cease; but the jails in and about the city were filled with the innocent servants of the Lord, and for no other cause than meeting to worship God in spirit and in truth. Yet by the providence of God, meetings were in that time continued and upheld. However, there were so few not in jail that the meetings were small in numbers. The meetings were frequently interrupted by soldiers; and some Friends were imprisoned. Among whom I was one, being at the Peel meeting in John's street, on the third-day of the week, according to our usual manner, where about sixteen of us were assembled. As one Friend was on his knees in prayer to God, a company of soldiers of the trained bands, came in upon us, and drug the Friend from his duty of prayer along with all of us in the meeting to the king's guard, over against White-hall. They left us there under guard all that night. The guards were civil to us, but in the morning we were all brought out into the yard and placed under a guard of musketeers. An officer approached us, as he said, from the lord general, George Monk, the duke of Albemarle, and told us, if we would each pay forty shillings to the poor of the parish, we might have our liberty; otherwise we were to be committed to the gate-house prison for three months. Accordingly upon our refusal to pay the demand of forty shillings each, we were all put into the gate-house prison, Westminster, where there were many other Friends as prisoners committed before us. In the time of our imprisonment, many prisoners died of the sickness; four or five in one night, as I have been told. Yet it pleased God of his infinite mercy to spare us; so that not one Friend died there, during the whole time. The dreadful fire of London happened the next year, 1666. These great and notable judgments, impeded and obstructed their intents to continue persecution intended, particularly their design aimed at by the banishing Act. The dreadful burning of the city of London, was a great unsettling to the multitude of inhabitants; and though for some time, those who had no houses, were eased from sufferings by the hireling priests; yet we met with sufferings of other kinds. The meeting house, called the Bull and Mouth, was burnt down, and Friends had rented part of a great house without Bishops- gate, called Devonshire house. The first-day’s meeting was there instead of the Bull and Mouth; as the elder men Friends had sometimes formerly met at the Bull and Mouth, they now met in an upper room to consider of the affairs of the church and to order things for the good government of it. But the restless adversaries of our prosperity still pursued us, molesting and disquieting our peaceable assemblies. One of the sheriffs of the city came to the meeting place, pretending to seize it for the king; he shut the door, set the broad arrow across it, and hung a padlock on the door. We soon took it off, and Friends held their meetings as at other times. In the time when the city was rebuilding, a piece of ground was available in White-hart court in Gracious street, and approved for convenience of location to build upon; it was taken by Friends, and a meeting house was built there as it stands today. In some little time after, the meeting house was finished, and Friends held meetings there; the officers came there also, pretending to seize it for the king; after which, a priest with a guard of constables and watchmen, came there to read the Church of England’s common prayer and other rituals. But this did not continue long, for the priest's work did not prosper, and he soon grew weary of it. After this, the enemy of all good put them upon taking other measures, such as soldiers who kept guard at our meeting houses, preventing us from entering, and forcing us to stay in the streets. At other times we were kept out by constables and watchmen. At which point Friends would gather together in the streets, as near to the meeting houses, as the guards would allow them to come; and so were we exposed to the seasons of heat and cold, wet and dry. And if the Lord opened the mouth of any of his servants to speak of the things of the kingdom of God, to exhort to patience, perseverance, and steadfastness in the faith, these were often immediately taken away, along with anyone else they pleased, and secured by the guard, until the meeting broke up; and then they were carried before the mayor, or some other magistrate, where they were committed to prison until [court] sessions. They were then indicted for riots, routs, and unlawful assemblies, meeting with force and arms to the terror of the people, etc .Sometimes they have taken up to twenty or thirty of us, and had them before the mayor; who not intending severity, has fined them at five shillings each; some of the fines being paid by spectators, who were waiting to see the outcome of such proceedings, and had followed the Friends to the mayor's; and as the serpent or dragon cast out of his mouth, water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away; these like the earth, have helped the woman, and swallowed up the flood, Rev 12:16. Some of these spectators would pay as many five shillings, as they had money in their pockets to answer; and as many as they thus paid for, were discharged, and the rest committed and tried as before mentioned. For a particular instance of the proceedings of this court in this case, I refer the reader to the printed trials of William Penn and William Mead, and others, at the sessions at the Old Bailey, in the year 1670. CHAPTER VI Of the beginning and progress of the Conventicle Act, with the form of a convicting warrant, and what took place afterwards. THE rigorous and severe proceedings upon the Act of banishment was met with eminent rebukes [by God], as the great plague, the London fire, and wars with the Dutch, along with other hindrances and obstructions. So the persecution based on that Act ceased, though during the sickness, persecutions of other kinds did not cease, as has been already mentioned. Yet as Pharaoh of old, would not let Israel go, so this generation would not let the people go to offer the sacrifice of a broken heart to God, and to worship him in his own free spirit as he required them. Therefore another law was made, called the Conventicle Act. This act made it crime to have a meeting of five or more persons, (excluding family or household), of religious worship that was not conducted according to the liturgy of the Church of England. If anyone taught or preached in such an illegal meeting, the teacher or preacher was subject to a fine of twenty pounds; and in case of his poverty or being a stranger, the penalty was charged on the listeners. Each listener was charged a minimum of five shillings, but if the listener had to assume the fine of the preacher or other impoverished listeners, each listener’s fine was limited to ten pounds. Half of the fine went to the King, and the other half went to anyone who informed the authorities of such an illegal meeting. This Act was put into the hands and power of informers, who were a wicked, profane, loose sort of people, both men and women. What woeful work they made, and what encouragement they had from some men in authority, cannot easily be forgotten by those who suffered by their irregular, unwarrantable, and fallacious proceedings. Sometimes they swore falsely, giving informations against persons that were absent, mistaking in their informations, the days and times of the meetings, swearing to convict a preacher, although the meeting was held in silence, and not a word spoken, except by one of their own company, taking upon himself to utter a confused sentence or two, to give occasion to levy twenty pounds upon the meeting, for a fine of a preacher. Accordingly these wicked persons, void of all fear of God, or regard to man as they should, having thus arranged events suitable for being prosecuted, they went to a justice of peace, and there gave false evidence upon oath, which resulted in a conviction. I have read that Tacitus [a 1st Century Roman Historian] complained, "that his time afforded nothing notable for history, besides the corruptions of judges, the encouragements of informers and malicious prosecutions, and the laws made for the people's security, turned into snares and traps to catch and destroy the brave and virtuous." This period in England’s history shows more than enough instances of conviction and sentencing, without hearing the accused and without a warrant being granted for the seizure of property to satisfy the penalty.The law allowed an appeal, but little relief occurred, particularly in the city of London, where Thomas Jenner was then the recorder. Jenner was a notorious encourager of the informers, and profited greatly from the seizures of property, as well as the revenue of appeals. Since he was also sole judge of the appeals, upon trial of undue convictions by false swearing, he always found a way to defeat the appeal. In this manner he dealt with me; the informers having sworn to a wrong day, upon which I was convicted for ten pounds, which I deposited, and entered my appeal, which came in course to a trial, where I had retained counsel to plead. A jury was sworn, and my cause was called among others, with the witnesses being examined; after which the jury retired to reach their verdicts. Thomas Jenner left the bench, and in returned shortly. When the jury returned, they had lost my case; so it was called again to begin a new trial, because Thomas Jenner said a slip in the record should not result in overturning the conviction. When I questioned my counsel, he advised me to withdraw my appeal to prevent a worse consequence; for he said, they are resolved to preserve the original conviction. So I suffered the loss of the fine and all the costs of the appeal. I have been the more particular in this relation of fact, that the reader may take notice of the combination of wicked men, who joined hand in hand to drive on oppression; and according to Isa 59:13-15; conceiving and uttering from the heart, words of falsehood; and judgment is turned backward, and justice stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Yes truth fails, and he that departs from evil, makes himself a prey, and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. The Lord is the same forever, through all generations; his hand is not shortened that it cannot save, neither is his ear heavy that it cannot hear, Isa 50:2. And although his long- suffering and patience are very great, yet the wicked shall not go unpunished, for God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of those who continue their trespasses. He is a God of justice as well as of mercy; he will not acquit the wicked, unless they repent and return unto him with their whole heart. The following is the form of a convicting warrant:
CHAPTER VII The answer of the Bishop of Canterbury, to George Whitehead and myself, IT may not be improper in this place to take notice, that upon the proceedings against us, George Whitehead, and I with him, went to the Bishop of Canterbury, (Doctor Sanderoft, as I take it he was called) at his house at Lambeth, to complain of the irregular proceedings against us, the Quakers, upon the Conventicle Act by informers, who swore falsely, by which many were convicted, and distresses made accordingly, which we informed him of; and that it was a dishonor to their church. To which he replied, with great unconcern of mind, and without much regard, that a ship could not be built without some crooked timber. But is it not great pity, and cause of sorrow, that this metropolitan bishop, and so called overseer of the church, should be so manifestly wrong as this in his reply? For is it possible that men and women, who are altogether immoral in their actions, and in their nature and practice not only inconsistent with, but destructive to human society, can be useful or serviceable in the church; or contribute to the well being of anything that is good, by such unwarrantable practices? Therefore these are no necessary members in a true Christian church, but in the church of anti-Christ only. Perhaps it will be granted, that deformed members may be useful or beneficial to a natural body; but men who are corrupt in principle, and vicious in conversation, cannot be useful or serviceable in the church of Christ. This I think is a proper comparison, and full refutation of the bishop's answer, and a clear proof or evidence of his being mistaken in his reply, respecting the usefulness of crooked timber in the building of a ship, to which he compared the church; which although called a Christian church, yet so qualified cannot be the church of Christ, of which he is head, and all the members of him are fitly framed, not crooked or perverse; and no member in that body can say to another, I have no need of you; but they are made to serve one another in love, not to betray or ensnare one another. But may not this answer of the bishop show, or some may suppose at least, the bishop to be a merchant trafficking to sea, and dwelling in the city or suburbs of mystical Babylon, by his sudden and sharp reply in the comparison of a ship, in the building of which crooked timber is of that use and service, that a ship cannot be built without it. But although crooked timber may be useful in building a ship, how will the comparison hold, that crooked, perverse, scandalous, perjured persons, can or may be useful to uphold the church? May it not from this be concluded, or what else may be the consequences of his reply, but that their church is this ship? It was to the church we referred the dishonor by false testimonies, and it was to that reference the bishop made answer, where crooked timber, it seems, is so useful; crooked, because contrary to strait, not upright, not to be squared by an equal rule, but bending and warping from it, false to truth, liars, and forswearing themselves; yet useful in the bishop's sense for the church, the ship, to which belongs store of mariners to sail her upon the waters, which are peoples and multitudes, nations and tongues; these are the waters where their ship sails, and where the great city mystery Babylon, with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants, he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John, Rev 1:1. And he being carried away by the spirit into the wilderness, there he saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet colored beast.. And he describes how she was arrayed and decked with gold.. And having a golden cup in her hand,—a form of religion—and upon her forehead, was a name written, Mystery, Babylon !the great, the mother of harlots, and abomination of the earth. This woman, this mystery Babylon, he saw drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus, Rev 17 3-6. The city Babel, Gen 10, was locally situated in the land of Shinar, whose foundations were laid by Nimrod soon after the flood, in the third generation from Noah. Nimrod began to be a mighty one in the earth; he was a mighty hunter before the Lord. He wanted greatness and grandeur in the earth, and hunted for power to oppress. His name is rendered to signify a rebel, or rebellion; a sinner or transgressor; a tyrant, the son of Cush, and grandson of cursed Ham; the beginning of his figurative kingdom was there, and is relative to this city mystery Babylon, an allegory to the beginning of pride, ambition, and open rebellion against God, under the countenance of a king was there; and the progress of this kingdom, was, and is suitable to its institution; it began in wickedness, and produced confusion. And as then, they in the strength and power of their own wills which prompted them to attempt the knowledge of the hidden mysteries of God, by earthly policy and contrivance, and by materials formed of the earth, brick and mortar, compacted and bound together by art and skill, and work of men's hands, to erect and set up a building, by which to peep into heaven, and make themselves masters and judges of the secrets of the most High. So the mystery of iniquity has continued through ages; and proud, ambitious, vain men, have, and still do aspire and contrive by human study, art and school learning, formed of earthly wisdom, and comprehension; compacted and bound together, are building a city and a tower, whose top may reach to heaven thereby attempting and presuming to make themselves masters and dispensers of the mysteries of the kingdom of God. But God has taken notice thereof, and has come down to confound their language, yes, and they are confounded; confusion is over them and upon them. The mystery of iniquity, which began with Babel, and has continued through ages and generations, shall come to an end, in this the day of the Lord, which is now dawned. I do not pretend to know or foretell the hour, the day or the year, according to the common calculation of time, but it shall be fulfilled in the day of the Lord, with whom one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day—2 Peter 3:8. That time is approaching and drawing near, blessed be the Lord forever. Rejoice you mourners in Zion, sing aloud for joy of heart, for the hour of your deliverance draws near. For thus said the Lord by his prophet, I was angry with my people, I have profaned my inheritance, and given them into your hand; you showed them no mercy; upon the ancient have you very heavily laid your yoke; and you said I shall be a lady forever; I am, and there is none else beside me. I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children. But these two things shall come to you in a moment in one day, the loss of children and widowhood, they shall come upon you in their perfection, for the multitude of your sorceries, and for the great abundance of your enchantments, for you have trusted in your wickedness, therefore shall evil come upon you; You shall not know from where it arises. Isa 47:6-11. Babylon's destruction is further declared by the prophet Jeremiah, Because you were glad, because you rejoiced, O you destroyers of mine heritage, because you are grown fat as the heifer at grass, and bellow as bulls, your mother shall be deeply ashamed. Everyone that goes by Babylon shall be astonished and hiss at her plagues: Jer. 50:11- 13. Oh you that dwell upon many waters, abundant in treasures, your end is come, and the measure of your covetousness, Jer 51:13. So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon Babylon, and that it shall be desolate forever; to which book, the prophet was commanded to bind a stone, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates; and You shall say, thus shall Babylon sink, Jer 51:60- 64. And now by comparing the prophecy of John, with what is above taken notice of, we may observe the harmony and agreeing testimonies of the spirit of prophecy in all, to whom God is pleased to reveal and make known his will, and the mysteries of his determination and counsel. ' And a mighty angel took up a stone, like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all, Rev 18:21. The merchants of this great city who have had ships at sea, have been made rich by the abundance of her merchandise, which are enumerated and reckoned up, among which are mentioned slaves and souls of men, Rev 18:11-13. These they have and do traffic for, and set to sale to be ransomed, purchased, redeemed, and saved from purgatory, etc. By ways and means she has at her disposal, she has pardons, indulgences, dignities, creations, promotions, ordinations, and benefices to bestow for money. She has also sacraments to sell; as sprinkling with water, calling it baptism, and pretending to make persons members of Christ thereby; and consecrated bread and wine, which she mistakenly calls the body and blood of Christ. Here is the mystery of iniquity; these are the intoxicating wines drunk out of her cup, which have made the kings of the earth and nations drunk, reeling and staggering: they have pretended to have that to sell for money, which God by his prophet offered freely, wine and milk without money and without price: Isa 55:1. CHAPTER VIII Shows the sharp and watchful eye of the priests, after their gain from their quarter, upon rebuilding the city after the fire. MY dwelling-house in Finch-Lane, in the parish of Bennet-fink, so called, being among others burned, and the parish church, so called, also, I was for sometime free from the covetous priests, who seek their gain from their quarter; and Friends, called Quakers, having taken a part of Devonshire house at Bishopsgate, for a meeting place, instead of the Bull and Mouth, which was burnt down in the great fire; I had my dwelling there in that part, during which time the parish priest was paid by the landlord. After the city was rebuilt, and inhabited, I returned into it again, and seated myself in Gracious street, where the parish church, so called, had been erected and finished; and since the priests were hungry and greedy for wages, they soon obtained power to shear the fleece without taking care of the flock, or to know them just to shear them; some of them perhaps dwelling many miles distant, and authorizing journeymen for hire to appear in the public house twice or thrice in a week. The first priest that I encountered after I returned into the city and came into Gracious street, was John Cliffe, called rector of St. Bennet Grace-church, London, in the year 1675, who had a warrant from Robert Viner, mayor, for three quarters of a year tithes, reckoned one pound nineteen shillings. He seized two pieces of white serge, valued three pounds ten shillings, and levied charges of seizure expense fifteen shillings and seven pence. Some months after he returned fifteen shillings and five pence sealed up in a paper, with the account, which when I had opened and read I returned the money, with the following lines.
What became of this priest, John Cliffe, I do not know; whether he moved to some other place, or died, I cannot tell, but I had no more to do with him. However he was soon followed, with no loss of time by another, in no respect better that I know, or have heard, no place being left long vacant, where money can be gained by the covetous clergy. The priest that succeeded John Cliffe went was named Henry Halstead. Where he lived, I believe few of the parishioners knew, and perhaps as few recognized him when they saw him; but he did not fail to shear the fleece as fast as it grew, according to his own calculation. When he first obtained the privilege to call himself rector of St. Bennet Grace-church, he made me a short visit, and some discourse passed between him and me, in the which he reflected upon us as a people holding strange opinions, or of strange notions; and he instanced among the rest that we believed in personal revelation to a believer. To which I replied that by God’s revelation to us we came to the knowledge of God, none knowing the Father but the Son, and he to whomever the Son reveals him, Matt 11:27. Upon which he grew into passion, saying, he came for his tithes, and not to dispute; and he quickly departed. Since which I have seldom seen him to my knowledge; but though he came not so near that we might hear him once or twice a week, if we should have desired; yet he has a way to make us hear from him once a year, and by his agents to obtain warrants from the mayors of the city successively one after another, whereby seizures were and are made upon our goods, usually double or triple the amount of his demands, rarely returning any thing, selling what was taken away much under the true value, and adding great charges for seizures, and other expenses. And thus this priest has proceeded from year to year, from 1670, to the year 1705, without the least reluctance, but as hard as the lower mill-stone. Judge you sons of men! You that are inhabitants of Great Britain, under a profession of Christianity, judge and consider. Are these practices consistent with or agreeable to the ministers of Christ Jesus; or the apostles who preached the gospel freely, according to the command of their Lord and Master, freely you have received, freely give? Mat 10:8. 0 Lord God of Israel! Hasten the day of deliverance to your oppressed suffering flock, who are driven away by the idle shepherds, who according to Eze 39:2-4, eat the fat, and clothe with the wool, but feed not the flock. 0 Lord! do you become the alone Shepherd of your sheep, make them to hear your voice, and to follow you! Gather them to their folds, make them fruitful, and to increase according to your promise of old, Jer 23:1-4. To instance the particulars of each seizure made as before mentioned, with the accounts of the loss sustained, is not what I intended; but having explained the sufferings in general, I shall proceed to give some account of matters of another nature and kind. CHAPTER IX A caution to Magistrates. WHEN magistrates are assembled in courts of judicature, and overlook justice and equity, and the ancient liberties of the people, and prefer their own arbitrary wills; can anything testify to a design to enslave their neighbors beyond such a proceeding? And men who allow themselves to be swayed by interest, passion or prejudice, and to pervert justice, or to countenance or encourage the doing of it; these very men, when they, by a turn of Providence become liable to the judgment of others in authority, are the quickest to complain against, and accuse the proceedings of others, especially if they apprehend any injustice to themselves, whatever they might do to others when in power. This is a manifest and evident token of a corrupt and wicked heart; such men are not fit to be magistrates in a Christian nation. A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, Pro 22:1. And the value and esteem that some have had for a good name, has motivated them to perform just and good actions, out of a desire to leave a good name behind them. Now to purchase a good name to leave behind us will be to do our duty conscientiously in that state, or condition of life, in which by Providence we are or may be placed. The steadfast holding, or keeping a good conscience, is, and ought to be the indispensable duty and qualification of a magistrate, because the sword of justice is placed in his hand, that he may be a terror to evil-doers, and a praise to them that do well. Therefore it is a violation of his trust, an obscuring of his power, and blasting of his reputation, either to protect or connive at the guilty, or oppress and discountenance the innocent. But such a conversation and behavior, whether in private or public, whether in his chamber, or in courts of judicature, as to deal fairly between party and party, to consider and defend the poor man's cause, and take care that that may have as just and equal an hearing and determination as that of the rich, will commend a magistrate, and gain him that good name which is bettor than great riches. And those who have the sword of justice committed to them, being ordained of God, they ought therefore in their office and places to imitate his just and righteous administration, namely: to protect, defend, and succor the innocent, and to punish evil-doers only. It was an excellent caution, wholesome advice and counsel, which Jehoshaphat gave to the judges, whom he set over the land, and in every city of Judah. And he said to the judges, Take heed what you do, for you judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment; the margin reads, in the matter of judgment. Therefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you, take heed and do it, for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts: 2 Chron 19:5-7. If this seasonable caution and advice had been considered by the judges in our days, so much injustice, and wrong judgment would not have taken effect, which woeful experience testifies and bears evidence has been done in our time, by not being guided by the fear of the Lord, as all judges ought to be. The true way to fence out all injustice and wrong-doing is for all men in their present capacities, whether in authority, or otherwise, to oppose and withstand all injustice in themselves. The rule which our savior Christ has laid down, Mat 7:12, whatever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them, will allow room enough for a Christian magistrate, if he will rightly and truly apply his power. None, who are not willfully or maliciously ignorant, can pretend to construe this text, that the magistrate may refuse to punish an evil doer, because he would not be punished himself. But no magistrate would be wronged, but would enjoy his own right and property; and as he accounts it his just right and privilege to be so preserved, he doesn’t err from the rule of doing to another, what is due to himself if he transgress; but to execute his power upon such as transgress that rule, perhaps his interest may excite him to do it; or however his duty requires him. Though men's circumstances cannot set them above doing to others as they would be done to, with respect to justice; yet their innocence and their other circumstances may qualify them to execute punishment upon evil doers, and be a praise to them that do well. The law is good if a man uses it lawfully; knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers, and murderers of mothers, for man slayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind; for men stealers, for liars, for perjured persons; and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, 1 Tim 1:8-10. Therefore all things whatever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them, Mat 7:12. That magistrate who conscientiously believes it is his duty to use the law upon such offenders and evil doers, cannot but think it his duty also to defend, and be a praise to them that do well. The apostle said, Rom 13:3-4, rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil; but if you do what is evil, be afraid, for he bears not the sword in vain; for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that does evil. Mark, it is upon him that does evil, by punishment suitable to the merit, and a praise to them that do well, by defending them in all their civil and religious rights. This is a most excellent rule, an unerring guide, the only rule for Christian magistrates to govern themselves by. If men in authority were but as inclined to encourage doing well, as they are to punish some evil, though not all, the more the pity, they would thereby promote the Christian religion, in opposition to all immorality and profaneness. But alas! such evils as they indulge in themselves, how can they be zealous to punish in others? To do well, is to do justly, to walk inoffensively, to do unto all men as we would they should do unto us, to render to Caesar the things that are his, and to God the things that are his; to love God with all the heart, and our neighbor as ourselves. Such who regulate their lives and conversations in this manner, give no cause of disquiet or trouble to the magistrate; why then, or how can the magistrate disquiet or give trouble to such, without abusing the power with which he is entrusted? Mark, it is only a trust, for he is the minister of God, not for himself, to satisfy his own lust, ambition, pride, or an exalted mind, nor his greedy covetous desire after gain or honor, nor to gratify himself or others, in any unlawful thing whatever; but to be a terror to evil-doers. But when the sword is put into the hands of persons of evil inclinations, such will not consider how to use it as they ought, but will overlook the evil-doer, and turn their power upon such as do well; our experience has told us this much. But however, notwithstanding the magistrate has abused his power, and turned judgment backward, by afflicting the innocent, and encouraging the guilty; yet, blessed be the Lord, who furnished us with patience to bear their injustice and wrong doing, and with resolution to persevere in the way of the Lord, according as he has persuaded our hearts, despite all their force and violence. And our God did, and has still kept us to a strict observation of conformity to that most excellent rule before mentioned, of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, that is: To do unto all men, what we would they should do unto us. We have not returned evil for evil; but on the contrary, good for evil, loving our enemies, and praying for them that have used despite against us. We have not withheld from Caesar the things which are his; and according to our understanding and knowledge, in our measure, have rendered to God the things that are his, and all by the Divine assistance of his grace in our hearts, which he in great loving kindness and favor, did, and still does, plentifully bestow upon us, by which we have been made willing to obey his commandments, and they are not grievous unto us; blessed be his everlasting name and power forever. It has been always the practice of mere pretenders to religion, being settled in an external form, without the living power, to persecute every appearance of light and truth differing from their form, to rage, hate and persecute, and as much as possible, to hinder and obstruct the work of God; and as in the days of old, when Jerusalem was trodden down by the uncircumcised, who knew not God nor were in covenant with him, but in enmity against him and his people, and the walls thereof were broken down, God gave them courage and strength to repair their walls. So now in a wonderful manner God's chosen Israel, have been assisted with his power in their return to spiritual Jerusalem, to repair her walls and mend the breaches even in troublesome times. And Sanballat and Tobiah, with others, have laughed at the work, and with scorn mocked these inward Jews, saying, how will they fortify themselves? will they continue to meet together to worship their God? will they sacrifice to him? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish? Neh 2:17-20, 4:1,7. We esteem their labor of no greater force, or strength, than what shall be broken down if a fox climbs on it, Neh 4:3. The fox-like informers will soon overturn their work, and break down their walls. But despite all this, the work has been carried on, and the walls are built and joined together; for as the prophet Nehemiah observed concerning the outward Jews, the people had a mind to work, Neh 4:6, and God has encouraged them; the work has prospered, and they have witnessed the Lord to be their wall, and strong tower of defense; so that no assaults from the enemy have prevailed against them, but we are yet a people to his praise. THE CONCLUSION THE preceding history, or relation of sufferings and persecution for good conscience sake, which are referred to as matters of fact within my own knowledge and memory, contains passages of what was acted upon the public stage of the world, from the year 1656, until the death of King Charles II. But as to the great violence and oppression of many kinds, which were inflicted upon Friends in the time of Oliver Cromwell, being related by other hands, I therefore have omitted them, and taken notice of no more than my own observation furnished me with. After King James came to the crown, he put forth a declaration for liberty of conscience, whereby the proceedings upon the Conventicle Act, and other prosecutions, except for tithes ceased; and the Quakers, among other dissenters from the church, had some case and liberty, which was a time of refreshment unto us. And in the first year of King William and queen Mary, an act was made for exempting their majesties Protestant subjects, dissenting from the church of England, from the penalties of certain laws. About this time also some ease was given in the case of oaths and swearing, being required by authority; but this not fully answering the doubts and scruples of many tender consciences in that case, it is hoped that some further ease may yet be obtained. And since the accession of Queen Anne to the crown, we have enjoyed our liberty, according to the act of toleration, which she has with great zeal, indulgence and care preserved from violation. And now what further remains upon my spirit from the Lord, is, to caution, forewarn, and advise all persons, of all degrees and ranks, who are come to years of understanding, that they make a right use of this great favor, which God has by his Providence inclined the government to grant and establish. And I pray God that we, who are made partakers of this, may walk in all humility of mind and heart before the Lord, and in due subjection to the government, as becomes the gospel of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.; that men seeing our good works, may glorify God on our behalf. I also hope, that the government may, from the good effects which have followed the toleration, be encouraged not only to continue it, but further to confirm and enlarge it. And that they may, through the good providence of God, be made sensible, that favor and indulgence on the one hand, and duty and subjection on the other, are stronger obligations for uniting the kingdom, than impositions upon tender consciences, enforced by severe penalties, whatever the pretence, or by whatever instrument is promoted or attempted. The End This web site's purpose is to show how to become |
