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As I went towards Nottingham on a First-day in the morning, with Friends to a meeting there, when I came on the top of a hill in sight of the town, I saw the great steeple-house: and the Lord said unto me, ‘You must go cry against that distant great idol,* and against the worshippers inside.’ I said nothing of this to the Friends, but went with them to the meeting, where the mighty power of the Lord God was among us; in which I left Friends sitting in the meeting, and went to the steeple-house.
When I came there all the people looked like fallow ground, and the priest, like a great lump of earth, stood in his pulpit above: he took for his text these words of Peter, ' We have also a more sure word of prophecy, which you do well to heed, as unto a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts.' He told the people this was the scriptures, by which they were to try all doctrines, religions, and opinions. Now the Lord's power was so mighty upon me, and so strong in me, that I could not hold; but was made to cry out, 'Oh! no, it is not the scriptures;' and told them what it was, namely, the holy spirit, by which the holy men of God gave forth the scriptures, whereby opinions, religions, and judgments were to be tried; for it led into all truth, and so gave the knowledge of all truth. For the Jews had the scriptures, yet resisted the holy ghost, and rejected Christ, the bright morning-star, and persecuted Christ and his apostles, and took upon them to try their doctrines by the scriptures, but erred in judgment, and did not try them aright, because they tried them without the holy ghost. As I spoke thus among them, the officers came, and took me away, and put me into a nasty, stinking prison; the smell of which got so into my nose and throat, that it very much annoyed me.
But that day the Lord's power sounded so in their ears, that they were amazed at the voice, and could not get it out of their ears for some time after; they were so reached by the Lord's power in the steeple-house. At night they took me before the mayor, aldermen, and sheriffs of the town. When I was brought before them, the mayor was in a peevish, fretful temper, but the Lord's power quieted him. They examined me at large; and I told them how the Lord had moved me to come. After some discourse between them and me, they sent me back to prison; but some time after, the head sheriff, whose name was John Reckless, sent for me to his house. When I came in, his wife met me in the hall, and said, 'Salvation is come to our house.' She took me by the hand, and was much wrought upon by the power of the Lord God; and her husband, children, and servants were much changed, for the power of the Lord wrought upon them. I lodged at the sheriffs, and great meetings we had in his house. Some persons of considerable condition in the world came to them, and the Lord's power appeared eminently among them. This sheriff sent for the other sheriff, and a woman they had had dealings with in the way of trade; and he told her before the other sheriff, that they had wronged her in their dealings with her, (for the other sheriff and he were partners), and that they ought to make her restitution. This he spoke cheerfully; but the other sheriff denied it, and the woman said she knew nothing of it. But the friendly sheriff said it was so, the other knew it well enough; and having discovered the matter, and acknowledged the wrong done by them, he made restitution to the woman, and exhorted the other sheriff to do the like. The Lord's power was with this friendly sheriff, and wrought a mighty change in him, and great openings he had. The next market day, as he was walking with me in the chamber, in his slippers, he said, ‘I must go into the market, and preach repentance to the people.’ Accordingly he went in his slippers into the market, and into several streets, and preached repentance to the people. Several others also in the town were moved to speak to the mayor and magistrates, and to the people, exhorting them to repent. At this points the magistrates grew very angry, ordered me brought from the sheriff's house, and committed me to the common prison. When the assize time arrived, one person was moved to go to it and offer up himself in exchange for me; his body for my body, and yes his life also. But before I could be brought before the judge, the judge had left because the sheriff's man took too long in bringing me to the sessions-house. I understood the judge was offended that he missed me, and said, 'He would have admonished the youth, if he had been brought before him;' for I was then imprisoned by the name of a youth. So I was returned to prison again, and put into the common jail. The Lord's power was great among Friends; but the people began to be very rude; which is why the governor of the castle sent soldiers, and dispersed them. After that the people were quiet. Both the priests and the people were astonished at the wonderful power that broke forth; several of the priests were made tender, and some did confess to the power of the Lord. After I was set at liberty from Nottingham jail, where I had been kept prisoner a pretty long time, I traveled as before, in the work of the Lord. Coming to Mansfield Woodhouse, there was a distracted woman under a doctor's hand, with her hair loose about her ears. He was about to let her blood, she being first bound, and many people about her, holding her by violence; but he could get no blood from her. I desired them to unbind her and let her alone, for they could not touch the spirit in her by which she was tormented. So they did unbind her; and I was moved to speak to her, and in the name of the Lord to bid her be quiet and still; and she was so. And the Lord's power settled her mind, and she mended. Afterwards she received the truth, and continued in it to her death; and the Lord's name was honored; to whom the glory of all his works belongs. Many great and wonderful things were produced by the heavenly power in those days; for the Lord made bare his omnipotent arm, and manifested his power to the astonishment of many; through the healing virtue of the power, many were delivered from great sicknesses, and the devils were made subject through his name; of which particular instances might be given, beyond what this unbelieving age is able to receive or bear. Blessed for ever be the name of the Lord, and may it be everlastingly honored, and over all exalted and magnified is the arm of his glorious power by which he has performed gloriously: let the honor and praise of all his works be ascribed to him alone. While I was at Mansfield Woodhouse, I was moved to go to the steeple house there, and declare the truth to the priest and people. But the people fell upon me in great rage, struck me down, and almost stopped me from continuing. I was cruelly beaten and bruised by them with their hands, bibles, and sticks. Then they drug me out, though I was hardly able to stand, and put me into the stocks, where I sat some hours; and they brought dog whips and horsewhips threatening to whip me. After some time they had me before the magistrate, at a knight's house, where there were many great persons; who, seeing how evilly I had been used, after much threatening set me at liberty. But the rude people stoned me out of the town, for preaching the word of life to them. I was hardly able to go, or to stand, because of the ill usage I had received; yet with much difficulty I got about a mile from the town. There I met with some people who gave me something to comfort me, because I was inwardly bruised; but the Lord's power soon healed me again. That day some people were convinced* of the Lord's truth, and turned to his teaching; at which I rejoiced.
Then I went out of Nottinghamshire into Leicestershire, several Friends accompanying me. There were some Baptists in that country, whom I desired to see and speak with, because they were separated from the public worship. So Oats, one of their chief teachers, and others of the heads of them, with several of their company, came to meet us at Barrow, where we discoursed with them. One of them said, 'what was not of faith, was sin.' Upon which I asked them, what faith was? And how it was created in man? But they turned off from that, and spoke of their baptism in water. Then I asked them, whether their mountain of sin was brought down, and laid low in them? And their rough and crooked ways made smooth and straight in them? They looked upon the scriptures as meaning outward mountains and ways; but I told them, they must find them in their own hearts; at which they seemed to wonder. We asked them, who baptized John the Baptist? who baptized Peter, John, and the rest of the apostles? And put them to prove by scripture, that these were baptized in water: but they were silent.
Then I asked them, seeing Judas, who betrayed Christ, and was called the son of perdition, had hanged himself, what son of perdition was what Paul spoke of, that was in the temple of God, exalted above all that is called God? And what temple of God was it, in which this son of perdition sat? And whether he who betrays the Christ within himself, is not one in nature with the Judas who betrayed Christ in Jerusalem? But they could not tell what to make of this, nor what to say to it. So after some discourse we parted; and some of them were loving to us. On the First-day following we came to Bagworth, and went to a steeple-house, where some Friends had gone in; and the people locked them in, and themselves too along with the priest. But after the priest had finished speaking, they opened the door, and we went in also, and had service for the Lord among them. Afterwards we had a meeting in the town among several that were in high opinions of their spirituality. Then passing from there, I heard of a people in prison at Coventry for religion. As I walked towards the jail, the word of the Lord came to me saying, ' MY LOVE WAS ALWAYS TO YOU, AND YOU ARE IN MY LOVE.' And I was ravished with the sense of the love of God, and greatly strengthened in my inward man. But when I came into the jail where those prisoners were, a great power of darkness struck at me; and I sat still, having my spirit gathered into the love of God. At last these prisoners began to rant, and brag, and blaspheme; at which my soul was greatly grieved. They said, they were God; but another of them said, we could not bear such things. When they were calm, I stood up and asked them, whether they did such things by motion, or from scripture? They said, from scripture. Then a bible lying by, I asked them for that scripture; and they showed me that place where the sheet was let down to Peter; and it was said to him, what was sanctified he should not call common or unclean. When I had showed them that scripture made nothing for their purpose, they brought another, which spoke of God's reconciling all things to himself, things in heaven and things in earth. I told them I owned that scripture also; but showed them it was nothing to their purpose neither. Then seeing they said they were God, I asked them if they knew whether it would rain tomorrow? They said they could not tell. I told them God could tell. I asked them, if they thought they should be always in that condition, or should change? They answered, they could not tell. Then said I, God can tell, and he does not change. You say you are God; and yet you cannot tell whether you shall change or not. So they were confounded, and quite brought down for the time. After I had reproved them for their blasphemous expressions, I went away; for I perceived they were Ranters. I had met with none before; and I admired the goodness of the Lord in appearing so unto me, before I went among them. Not long after this, one of these Ranters, whose name was Joseph Salmon, published a recantation; upon which they were set at liberty. From Coventry I went to Atherstone; and it being their lecture day, I was moved to go to their chapel to speak to the priest and people. They were generally pretty quiet, only a few raged and would have had my relations to bind me. I declared largely to them, that God was come to teach his people himself, and to bring them off from all their man-made teachers, to hear his son; and some were convinced there. Then I went to Market-Bossoth, and there was a lecture also. He who preached was Nathaniel Stevens, the priest of the town where I was born. He raged much when I spoke to him and to the people, and told the people I was mad; though he had said before to colonel Purfoy, there was never such a plant bred in England. He bid the people not to hear me; who, being stirred up by this deceitful priest, fell upon us, and stoned us out of the town, yet they did not do us much hurt. Be it as it may, some people were made loving that day; and others were confirmed, seeing the rage of both priests and professors; and some cried out, that the priest dared not stand to prove his ministry. As I traveled through markets, fairs, and many places, I saw death and darkness in all people, where the power of the Lord God had not shaken them. As I was passing on in Leicestershire, I came to Twy-Cross, where there were tax collectors. I was moved of the Lord to go and warn them to take heed of oppressing the poor; and people were much affected with it. There was in that town a great man that had long lain sick, and was given up on by the physicians. Some Friends in the town desired me to visit him. I went up to him in his chamber, and spoke the word of life to him, and was moved to pray by him; and the Lord was persuaded, and restored him to health. When I had come downstairs into a lower room and was speaking to the servants and others there, a male servant of his came raving out of another room with a naked rapier in his hand, and placed it against my side. I looked steadfastly on him, and said, 'Alas for you, poor creature! What will you do with your carnal weapon? It is no more to me than a straw.' The bystanders were much troubled, and he went away in a rage. But when the news of it came to his master, he turned him out of his service. Thus the Lord's power preserved me, and rose up in the weak man; who afterwards was very loving to Friends. When I came to that town again, both he and his wife came to see me. After this I was moved to go into Derbyshire, where the mighty power of God was among Friends. I went to Chesterfield where there was a priest named Britland. He saw beyond the common sort of priests; for he had been partly convinced, and had spoken much on behalf of truth before he became the priest there; but when the priest of that town died, he got the parsonage, and choked himself with it. I was moved to speak to him and the people in the great love of God, that they might come off from all men's teaching unto God's teaching; and he was not able to dispute this. But they had me before the mayor, and threatened to send me with some others to the house of correction; and they kept us in custody until it was late in the night. Then the officers, with the watchmen, put us out of the town, leaving us to provide for ourselves as we could.
Coming to Derby, I spent the night at a doctor's house, whose wife was convinced; and several more in the town. As I was walking in my chamber, the bell rung; and it struck at my life at the very hearing of it So I asked the woman of the house, what the bell rung for? She said there was to be a great lecture there that day, and many officers of the army, priests, and preachers, were to be there, and a colonel, that was a preacher. Then was I moved of the Lord to join them. When they had finished speaking, I spoke to them what the Lord commanded me; and they were pretty quiet. But an officer took me by the hand, and said, I must go before the magistrates, and the other two that were with me. It was about the first hour after noon that we came before them. They asked me, why we came there? I said, God moved us so to do; and told them, 'God dwells not in temples made with hands.' I also said, all their preaching, baptism, and sacrifices would never sanctify them; and bid them look unto Christ in them, and not unto men; for it is Christ that sanctifies. Then they ran into many words; but I told them they were not to dispute of God and Christ, but to obey him. The power of God thundered among them, and they did fly like chaff before it. They put me in and out of the room often, hurrying me backward and forward, for they were from the first hour until the ninth at night in examining me. Sometimes they would tell me in a deriding manner that I was taken up in raptures. At last they asked me, whether I was sanctified? I answered, yes; for I was in the paradise of God. Then they asked me, if I had no sin? I answered, Christ, my savior, has taken away my sin; and in him there is no sin. They asked how we knew that Christ did abide in us? I said, by his spirit that he has given us. They temptingly asked, if any of us were Christ? I answered, no, we were nothing, and Christ was all. They said, if a man steal, is it no sin? I answered that all unrighteousness is sin. When they had wearied themselves in examining me, they committed me and one other man to the house of correction in Derby for six months, as blasphemers; as may appear by the mittimus, a copy of which follows:
Now did the priests bestir themselves in their pulpits to preach up sin for term of life; and much of their work was to plead for it: so that people said, never was the like heard. After some time, the person committed with me, not standing faithful in his testimony, got in with the jailer, and by him made way to the justice to have leave to go see his mother; and so got his liberty. It then was reported, that he said I had bewitched and deceived him; but my spirit was strengthened when he was gone. The priests, professors, justices, and the jailer, were all in a great rage against me. The jailer watched my words and actions, often asking me questions to ensnare me; and sometimes he would ask me such silly questions, as, whether the door was latched or not? Thinking to draw some sudden, unadvised answer from me, from which he might take advantage to charge sin upon me; but I was kept watchful and chaste, so that they could get no advantage of me; which they admired. Not long after my commitment, I was moved to write to the priests and magistrates of Derby, and first to the priests.
I wrote to the magistrates who committed me, to this effect.
Having thus far cleared my conscience to them, I waited in the holy patience, leaving the event to God, in whose will I stood. After some time I was moved to write again to the justices that had committed me, to lay their evils before them that they might repent. One of them, Nathaniel Barton, was a colonel, a justice, and a preacher.
As I had thus written to them jointly; after some time I wrote to each by himself. To justice Bennet in this manner:
That to justice Barton was in this manner:
Having written to the justices and the priests, it was upon me to write to the mayor of Derby also; who, though he did not sign the mittimus, had a hand with the rest in sending me to prison. To him I wrote after this manner:
I wrote also to the Court of Derby thus:
Likewise to the ringers, who used to ring the bells in the steeple house called St. Peter's, in Derby, I sent these few lines:
While I was there in prison, many professors came to discourse with me. I had a sense before they spoke, that they came to plead for sin and imperfection. I asked them, whether they were believers, and had faith? They said, yes. I asked them, in whom? They said, in Christ. I replied, if you are true believers in Christ, you are passed from death to life; and if passed from death, then from sin that brings death: and if your faith is true, it will give you victory over sin and the devil, purify your hearts and consciences, (for the true faith is held in a pure conscience), and bring you to please God, and give you access to him again. But they could not endure to hear of purity, and of victory over sin and the devil. They said, 'They could not believe any could be free from sin on this side the grave.' I bid them give over babbling about the scriptures, which were holy men's words, while they pleaded for unholiness. At another time a company of professors came, who also began to plead for sin. I asked them, whether they had hope? They said, yes: God forbid that we should have no hope. I asked them, what hope is it that you have? 'Is Christ in you the hope of your glory? Does it purify you, as he is pure?' But they could not abide to hear of being made pure here. Then I bid them stop talking of the scriptures, which were the holy men's words; for the holy men that wrote the scriptures pleaded for holiness in heart, life, and conversation here; but since you plead for impurity and sin, which is of the devil, what have you to do with the holy men's words? |
