CHAPTER XI (5)

Leaving Stirling, we came to Burntisland, where I had two meetings at one Captain Pool’s house; one in the morning, the other in the afternoon. Whilst they went to dine, I walked to the seaside, not having freedom to eat with them. Both he and his wife were convinced, and became good Friends afterwards, and several officers of the army came in and received the truth.

We passed thence through several other places, till we came to Johnstons, where were several Baptists that were very bitter, and came in a rage to dispute with us: vain janglers and disputers indeed they were. When they could not prevail by disputing, they went and informed the governor against us; and next morning raised a whole company of foot, and banished me, and Alexander Parker, also James Lancaster, and Robert Widders out of the town. As they guarded us through the town, James Lancaster was moved to sing with a melodious sound in the power of God; and I was moved to proclaim the day of the Lord, and preach the everlasting gospel to the people. For they generally came forth, so that the streets were filled with them: and the soldiers were so ashamed that they said, “they would rather have gone to Jamaica, than have guarded us so.” But we were put into a boat with our horses, carried over the water, and there left. The Baptists, who were the cause of our being put out of this town, were themselves, not long after, turned out of the army; and he that was then governor was discarded also when the king came in.

Being thus thrust out of Johnstons, we went to another market-town, where Edward Billing[56] and many soldiers quartered. We went to an inn, and desired to have a meeting in the town, that we might preach the everlasting gospel amongst them. The officers and soldiers said, we should have it in the town-hall; but the Scotch magistrates in spite appointed a meeting there that day for the business of the town. When the officers of the soldiery understood this, and perceived that it was done in malice, they would have had us to go into the town-hall nevertheless. But we told them, “by no means, for then the magistrates might inform the governor against them, and say, they took the town-hall from them by force, when they were to do their town business therein.” We told them, “we would go to the market-place;” they said, “it was market-day;” we replied, “it was so much the better; for we would have all people to hear truth, and know our principles.” Alexander Parker went and stood upon the market-cross with a Bible in his hand, and declared the truth amongst the soldiers and market-people; but the Scots, being a dark, carnal people, gave little heed, and hardly took notice of what was said. After a while I was moved of the Lord to stand up at the cross, and declare with a loud voice the everlasting truth, and the day of the Lord that was coming upon all sin and wickedness. Whereupon the people came running out of the town-hall, and they gathered so together, that at last we had a large meeting; for they sat in the court only for a pretence, to hinder us from having the hall to meet in. When the people were come away, the magistrates followed them. Some walked by, but some stayed and heard; and the Lord’s power came over all, and kept all quiet. “The people were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for them, and had enlightened them, that with his light they might see their evil deeds, be saved from their sins by him, and come to know him to be their teacher. But if they would not receive Christ and own him, it was told them, that this light, which came from him, would be their condemnation.”

Several of them were made loving to us, especially the English people, and some came afterwards to be convinced. But there was a soldier that was very envious against us; he hated both us and the truth, spoke evil of it, and very despitefully against the light of Christ Jesus, to which we bore testimony. Mighty zealous he was for the priests and their hearers. As this man was hearing the priest, holding his hat before his face, while the priest prayed, one of the priest’s hearers stabbed him to death; so he who had rejected the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, and cried down the servants of the Lord, was murdered amongst them whom he had so cried up, and by one of them.

We travelled from this town to Leith, warning and exhorting people, as we went, to turn to the Lord. At Leith the innkeeper told me, that the council had granted warrants to apprehend me, “because I was not gone out of the nation, after the seven days were expired, that they had ordered me to depart in.” Several friendly people also came and told me the same; to whom I said, “What do ye tell me of their warrants against me? if there were a cart-load of them I do not heed them, for the Lord’s power is over them all.”

I went from Leith to Edinburgh again, where they said the warrants of the council were out against me. I went to the inn where I had lodged before, and no man offered to meddle with me. After I had visited Friends in the city, I desired those that travelled with me, to get ready their horses in the morning, and we rode out of town together; there were with me at that time, Thomas Rawlinson, Alexander Parker, and Robert Widders. When we were out of town they asked me, “whither I would go?” I told them it was upon me from the Lord to go back again to Johnstons (the town out of which we had been lately thrust,) to set the power of God and his truth over them also. Alexander Parker said, “he would go along with me;” and I wished the other two to stay at a town, about three miles from Edinburgh, till we returned. Then Alexander and I got over the water, about three miles across, and rode through the country; but in the afternoon, his horse being weak, and not able to hold up with mine, I put on and got into Johnstons just as they were drawing up the bridges; the officers and soldiers never questioning me. I rode up the street to Captain Davenport’s house, from which we had been banished. There were many officers with him; and when I came amongst them, they lifted up their hands, wondering that I should come again; but I told them, “the Lord God had sent me amongst them again;” so they went their way. The Baptists sent me a letter, by way of challenge, “to discourse with me next day.” I sent them word, “I would meet them at such a house, about half a mile out of the town, at such an hour.” For I considered, if I should stay in town to discourse with them, they might under pretence of discoursing with me, have raised men to put me out of the town again as they had done before. At the time appointed I went to the place, Captain Davenport and his son accompanying me, where I stayed some hours, but not one of them came. While I stayed there waiting for them, I saw Alexander Parker coming; who not being able to reach the town, had lain out the night before; and I was exceedingly glad that we were met again.

This Captain Davenport was then loving to Friends; but afterwards coming more into obedience to truth, he was turned out of his place for not putting off his hat, and for saying Thou and Thee to them.

When we had waited beyond reasonable ground to expect any of them coming, we departed; and Alexander Parker being moved to go again to the town, where we had the meeting at the market-cross, I passed alone to Lieutenant Foster’s quarters, where I found several officers that were convinced. From thence I went up to the town, where I had left the other two Friends, and we went back to Edinburgh together.

When we were come to the city, I bid Robert Widders follow me; and in the dread and power of the Lord we came up to the first two sentries; and the Lord’s power came so over them, that we passed by them without any examination. Then we rode up the street to the marketplace, by the main-guard out at the gate by the third sentry, and so clear out at the suburbs, and there came to an inn and set up our horses, it being the seventh-day of the week. Now I saw and felt that we had rode, as it were, against the cannon’s mouth, or the sword’s point; but the Lord’s power and immediate hand carried us over the heads of them all. Next day I went to the meeting in the city, Friends having notice that I would attend it. There came many officers and soldiers to it, and a glorious meeting it was; the everlasting power of God was set over the nation, and his Son reigned in his glorious power. All was quiet, and no man offered to meddle with me. When the meeting was ended, and I had visited Friends, I came out of the city to my inn again; and next day, being the second day of the week, we set forward towards the borders of England.

As we travelled along the country I spied a steeple-house, and it struck at my life. I asked “what steeple-house it was,” and was answered that it was Dunbar. When I came thither, and had put up at an inn, I walked to the steeple-house, having a friend or two with me. When we came into the yard, one of the chief men of the town was walking there. I spoke to one of the friends that were with me, to go to him and tell him, “that about nine next morning there would be a meeting there of the people of God called Quakers; of which we desired he would give notice to the people of the town.” He sent me word, that they were to have a lecture there at nine; but that we might have our meeting there at eight, if we would.would. We concluded so, and desired him to give notice of it. Accordingly in the morning both poor and rich came; and there being a captain of horse quartered in the town, he and his troopers came also, so that we had a large meeting; and a glorious one it was, the Lord’s power being over all.

After some time the priest came, and went into the steeple-house; but we being in the yard, most of the people stayed with us. Friends were so full, and their voices so high in the power of God, that the priest could do little in the steeple-house, but came quickly out again, stood a while, and then went his way. I opened to the people, “where they might find Christ Jesus, turned them to the light, which he had enlightened them withal, that in the light they might see Christ, that died for them, turn to him, and know him to be their Saviour and free teacher. I let them see, that all the teachers they had hitherto followed, were hirelings, who made the gospel chargeable; showed them the wrong ways they had walked in, in the night of apostacy, directed them to Christ, the new and living way to God; manifested unto them, how they had lost the religion and worship which Christ set up in spirit and truth, and had hitherto been in the religions and worships of men’s making and setting up. After I had turned the people to the Spirit of God, which led the holy men of God to give forth the Scriptures; and showed them, that they must also come to receive, and be led by, the same Spirit in themselves (a measure of which was given unto every one of them), if ever they came to know God and Christ, and the Scriptures aright; perceiving the other Friends that were with me to be full of the power and word of the Lord, I stepped down, giving way for them to declare what they had from the Lord unto the people.”

Towards the latter end of the meeting some professors began to jangle; whereupon I stood up again, and answered their questions, so that they seemed to be satisfied, and our meeting ended in the Lord’s power, quiet and peaceable. This was the last meeting I had in Scotland; the truth and the power of God was set over that nation, and many, by the power and Spirit of God, were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, their Saviour and teacher, whose blood was shed for them; and there is since a great increase, and great there will be in Scotland. For when first I set my horse’s feet upon Scottish ground, I felt the seed of God to sparkle about me, like innumerable sparks of fire. Not but that there is abundance of thick, cloddy earth of hypocrisy and falseness above, and a briery, brambly nature, which is to be burnt up with God’s Word, and ploughed up with his spiritual plough, before God’s Seed brings forthforth heavenly and spiritual fruit to his glory. But the husbandman is to wait in patience.